Mine to Take (2 page)

With a regal toss of his head, he flung back his mane of hair, leaning his head against the cold stone. He closed his eyes as he gathered his strength to him.

His
eyes…

They would not know the special significance of the color of his eyes.

And because of that, and that alone, the corners of his lips curved upward slightly. No, they would not know.

Foolish of his adversaries to think they had taken him. Familiars, like their counterpart the cat, could never be subdued under the lash.

These beings had no true
power
over him. They only thought they did.

Methodically, he tested the chains again.

Power.
She did not care about power!

Jenise walked over to the tower window and looked out at the courtyard below, quickly switching her gaze as she always did, to the meadows and fields beyond. Since it was night, she could make out only the outline of a hill on the horizon. Just two of the lesser moons were visible tonight. It made for a darker eve but she was glad of it.

The darkness would aid her plan.

A tear trickled down her resolute features. How oft in the past had she gazed out over this similar scene wondering when or if she would ever be free of this place, this life?

She sighed. Too
many times.
She had been so young when they came here; she hardly remembered her other life at all. Only her mother’s stories and songs had kept that other life alive for her.

Tonight, if she had her way, everything would change, but not in the way that odious Karpon intended! A small, secret smile curled her lips as she remembered how he had come up to her chambers earlier in the day, full of misplaced confidence in his own power to succeed. He had outlined in very precise terms what he expected of her.

Jenise had been expecting this visit for some time.

What she had not been expecting was the depths to which the man would stoop to acquire what he deemed to be rightfully his.

Up to that point, Jenise had not really believed that his interest in her was genuine. She had never considered herself anywhere near as attractive as her mother; therefore his obsessive interest in her was puzzling.

Suddenly, she remembered her mother telling her that her magnetic ability would come late, and would, therefore, be very powerful.

There was that word again.
Power.
Jenise flinched.

At the time, she had laughed and teased that her mother was simply being a mother, wanting only the best for her fair daughter. Now she wondered if…

She glanced at her reflection in the window.

She frowned. Her image was the same as it had always been.
I do not see anything unusual.
Certainly nothing to have inspired Karpon’s obsessive interest. Jenise concluded that the odd proclivities of men were very much a mystery to her.

But then, nothing had been the same since her mother’s mate had died.

She closed her eyes wearily, leaning her forehead against the cool stone encasement, her mind running over the conversation that had taken place not long ago in this very room.

“I will rule this kingdom,” Karpon had bluntly stated. He was the brother of her mother’s consort, the man who had ruled this often barbaric land.

Jenise had shrugged. “Then rule it.” She certainly had no desire to do so. Indeed, it was the last thing she would ever want. She longed to be free! Free like her mother’s people, the nomadic Frensi. Free to live and laugh and love as she desired; free to explore and travel and learn. Not be bound by the conventions of this harsh and unforgiving land which stifled the spirit!

“Thank you for your vote of confidence, but there is a small problem.” He walked over to her, his hand reaching out to grasp her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“What is it?” she asked, even though she knew what he was going to say.

“You
are the problem. The people will not recognize
me as leader because they look to you. Your gentle disposition, your kindness, and your gift of laughter have reached them. They want only you.”

Jenise shielded her eyes, hiding the effect his words had on her. “There is nothing I can do about that. I have told you I have no desire to rule. Ever.”

His gaze fell to her full, lush lips and stayed there. “So you say…
now.
You will always be a threat to me.”

“No.”

His cold finger slid down her cheek, causing her to shudder. “In more ways than one.”

Jenise broke free of him and his hateful touch. Better to be dead than endure that touch! “Then kill me and be done with it.”

“I think not; for I have a desire for the kingdom and you.”

That
jolted her. She quickly regained her composure. “You cannot have both, as well you know!”

“Not true.”

The two words sent a chill down her spine. “What mean you by such words?” Karpon knew that should he take her as consort, she would automatically ascend to rule. It was the one thing that had protected her this long, for Karpon did not want
her
to rule—he wanted the power for himself. Surely he hadn’t forgotten that?

He smiled slowly, wickedly. “There is a way, my sweet Jenise.”

The smile unnerved her. Karpon looked much too confident. Her hand went to her throat. “Wh-what nonsense do you speak?”

He said three words. “Your maiden state.”

Jenise blanched. She was still a maiden—not by choice, but because of the laws of this savage land. Had she been free to live her life as she chose, she might have been able to explore what it meant to love. “What of it?”

“As you know, it is a condition to your ascendance. Without it…” He let the thought linger, leaving her to draw her own conclusions.

Realizing what he was implying, Jenise blanched. However, she quickly recovered. She would not allow this creature to think he had shaken her.

“So, that is what this is all about?” Tossing her waist-length hair back, she forced herself to laugh in his smirking face, knowing it would infuriate him. “Then do it—if you dare.”

His dark eyes flashed in anger, but he held himself in check. “I would, never doubt it. Unfortunately, it is not that simple.”

Now Jenise did quake inside. He meant to kill her. Despite her resolve not to give him the satisfaction of seeing that he had shaken her, she flinched slightly.

Her reaction did not go unnoticed by the wretched
zorph.

He snickered softly. “Do not worry, Jenise, I have something much better in store for you. For both of us,” he whispered.

She did not want to ask. She had to ask. “What?”

“I have contained a Familiar for you.”

A
Familiar?
What did…? Jenise swallowed as his devious plan suddenly became clear to her. Familiars were known for their sexual appetites. He was mad!

“You will be given to him tomorrow. The two of you will be discovered—too late.”

Controlling herself in order to learn what other horrors he might have planned for her, she asked, “And after?”

“Why, it will be my duty to tell the people what has befallen you. They will be beside themselves. Naturally, the rule shall fall to me, as I am next in line. I shall then execute the Familiar; publicly, of course.”

“They won’t demand that,” Jenise quickly interjected, already feeling sympathy for the poor unfortunate Familiar who had landed himself in such a predicament.

Karpon’s cruel eyes flashed. “I will demand it. When he touches you, his fate is sealed.”

“But you will leave him no choice!”

“That is the price he pays for knowing you.”

Sick at heart, Jenise turned away.

“After he has been killed and all is set to right, I will tell the people that I have decided to take you as my consort. So you see, Jenise, I will have the kingdom and you.”

He placed his rough hands on her shoulders, squeezing her none too gently. “A perfect plan, would you not agree?”

Jenise would not answer him. She was too busy trying to think of a way, any way, to foil him. She would never tolerate his touch upon her. “You do not have to do this, Karpon. I am not a direct descendant. It should never have come to this! I understand how you feel cheated; you can declare yourself—”

“No. Though he was not your true father, my brother claimed you.”

“Something my mother never wished him to do!” she reminded him.

His thin nostrils flared. It was well-known that Jenise’s mother stubbornly clung to the ways of the Frensi and resisted the dominating love of his brother. Fool that his brother was, he had chosen to ignore that, taking the woman even as he conquered her.

Karpon shrugged. She had liked him well enough toward the end, he reminded himself. “It is too late for that. We both know that my brother did everything he could to please her, including claiming you.”

“He did what he
thought
would please her. He never asked her,” she said softly.

Karpon’s temper rose. “Enough! Prepare yourself and let it be done on the morrow! For I warn you, Jenise, if you do not go to him willingly, I will have you brought to him.” He hesitated a beat. “I can assure you he has been well primed for your visit. We have kept the beast alone for some time. And they do so like…their female company. You might even come to thank me,” he goaded.

Everything inside her rebelled at his callous attitude. She did not know why, but Jenise felt a need to defend this unknown Familiar captive, the victim of such cruelty. “He is not an animal, Karpon; he is a man.”

He sneered. “You will find out, I am sure.”

Karpon turned to leave, then stopped, saying briskly, “Just do not become too used to his ways, for mine are quite different.”

With that ominous pronouncement, he left.

Jenise sagged to the floor. Even though that conversation had taken place earlier in the day, she could still feel the remnants of Karpon’s evil presence in her chambers. What was she to do? Karpon had laid out his plans in a neat, precise, frightening way.

As if she would just fall in with his machinations!

Did he think she would have no choice? There was always an alternative; she simply had to explore the options.

Karpon’s brother had thought to control her mother and so had placed her in a comfortable cage. But it never really worked. Though her mother did come to care for him, she had always longed to be free. Like Jenise, she cared nothing for the trappings of power.

Jenise knew that Karpon’s plans for her future would kill her spirit. And if she did not agree to his plans, he would probably truly kill her. Or force his will upon her. Such was his way.

So what could she do? If she went ahead with it, then—
Wait. Maybe there was a choice…

She inhaled sharply.
Yes! It might work.

Her shoulders straightened and a bittersweet smile tinged her lovely mouth. She would follow Karpon’s plans, only on her
own
terms. Not tomorrow.
Tonight.

The foolish Karpon did not realize that he had provided the answer to her dilemma! The Familiar could set her free! If he took her first and they then escaped…

The glimmer of freedom tantalized her. And she would never again have to worry about having to rule Ganakari. That possibility would be destroyed along with her maiden’s shield.

Even if they were recaptured (and the odds were high that they would be), she would never let Karpon forget that
she
had gone to the Familiar on her own terms and that the Familiar had been her first and
best.
She knew Karpon. Over time that knowledge would slowly destroy him.

Although not to her liking, the plan was her best option. She did not want to live a life of revenge, but if forced to, she would.

Resolved in what she must do, Jenise turned from the window to make herself ready for him. She did not know too much about male Familiars, but she did know that they had a wild hunger for women.

She prayed the captive would temporarily find this one to his taste.

She did not expect him to be so breathtaking.

Adjusting the hood of her cloak to cover her face from view, Jenise entered the dank stone chamber, closing the heavy wooden door behind her. Her gaze went immediately to the man chained on the bed, his back leaning against the stone wall.

He was a comely creature, she’d give him that.

His head was bowed forward as if he had fallen asleep; his long hair concealed his face from her view. She could not help staring at his form.

He was exquisite! Positively magnificent.

Jenise had never seen a Familiar before, but if this was any indication of the species, she could well understand their astounding reputation. Even chained, there was a potent aura of sensuality encloaking him.

The man did not look up or give any other indication that he was aware of her presence in the room. Nonetheless, Jenise wasn’t fooled. She knew that he knew she was there; she had heard that much about Familiars—they were almost impossible to take unawares.

Suddenly she wondered how Karpon had managed to capture him.

In a confrontation, the males were said to be fearless. When cornered, they would often fight to the death—usually of their opponents—rather than be taken. By his sheer size and musculature, this one appeared especially capable of defending himself.

So his capture was all the more puzzling.

Since he did not deign to acknowledge her presence, Jenise took the opportunity to study him further. He was soon to be her first lover, so her interest in him was more than simple curiosity.

He
was naked.
Had he been captured that way or…?

She didn’t want to think about that.

Jenise abhorred violence of any kind and her heart went out to the Familiar for what he had probably already suffered in the name of Karpon’s greed.

His tawny golden skin was smooth all over, its texture so evenly sleek that she almost found herself reaching out to touch him. He manifested a sensuous warmth.

And he was perfectly formed.

His expansive chest was athletic, masculine, sculpted.
Muscles bulged in his upper arms; the veins in his forearms were prominent as his sturdy wrists pulled taut against the manacles that bound him in place.