Prince of Spies (12 page)

“Don’t hide, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to rush you, but you were so sweetly responsive in my arms, I couldn’t help myself. It’s perfectly normal to enjoy what we did. I only regret if I pushed you too far. Did you enjoy it?”

“You know I did.” The admission was forced from the depths of her embarrassment.

Nico beamed and kissed her deeply, rubbing himself lightly against her.

When he let her up for air, she was panting once more. The man was potent.

“Good. You’ve made me very happy, Riki. Thank you.”

She knew he was talking about her daring actions before Drake arrived and she was glad Nico didn’t go into specifics with the other man present, no matter what they had just shared. Some things were meant to be private, between herself and Nico alone.

“You’re welcome.”

Drake laughed from the corner of the room. “You two are more formal than my granny.”

Nico threw a pillow at Drake, but levered himself up from the bed, tugging at his leggings as he went, covering himself. Riki felt a pang of regret when he was all tucked away. With some shock, she realized she actually wanted to see a man’s cock, wanted to lick it, wanted to own it.

But there was work to be done.

Riki watched Nico saunter over to the table, picking up the sword Drake placed before him. Expertly, he tested the balance as Riki scrambled to a sitting position on the bed, tugging her dress down over her body and pulling a blanket around her shoulders for good measure. She wasn’t normally comfortable showing her body because of all the scars. The minutes before had been an aberration caused by extreme pleasure.

Pleasure so intense, her cheeks flooded with heat, and her pussy with cream, just remembering it.

Nico inhaled deeply and turned to wink at her. His smile was downright wicked. Riki began to wonder just how acute dragon senses were. Could he actually smell her renewed arousal? It certainly seemed as if he could.

“This is a fine blade,” Nico nodded at Drake. “Good choice.”

Drake nodded, passing a set of knives to Nico. “Try these. There’s a fairly good swordsmith in town, willing to work quietly and not ask any questions.”

“Ah, the best kind,” Nico agreed, testing the weight of each of the blades with a critical eye. “These are fine too. Your smith is a good one. Did you manage to get anything for Riki?”

Drake grinned broadly and with a flourish, produced a bright red dress with yellow trim and enough frills to make Riki blink twice. It had a wide, tiered skirt, and a neckline that would scoop low over her breasts, but the sleeves would probably come all the way to the middle of her forearms, hiding the worst of her scars and providing some warmth. It was flamboyant, but beautiful, and Riki could barely believe it was meant for her.

Nico took it from Drake with gentle hands and walked over to the bed, sitting at her side. He draped the dress over her legs. “I want you to wear this, sweetheart. I know it’s a little bright, but we’re posing as Drake’s cousins from the Jinn. Most of the Jinn women dress in very bright colors and it will help to camouflage you.”

It touched her that he would worry over whether she liked the dress or not, but he didn’t truly understand her apprehension.

Somehow, she needed to make him understand.

“It’s a beautiful dress, Nico,” she said softly. “Neither the color nor style bothers me. It’s just…I’ve never worn something so pretty. Or so new.”

Nico reached out and pulled her into his arms, rocking her close to his solid chest. “You will have rooms of new dresses and gowns when I get you home to Draconia. I’ll see to it myself. Nothing is too good for you, Riki.” His fervently whispered words brought tears to her eyes as he rocked her ever so gently. “Put on the dress, sweetheart. Let’s begin your new life with this small step.”

He pulled back slowly and unwrapped the blanket from her shoulders.

She let him. Tugging her old dress up, he pulled it over her head, but the light in his eyes was only partly sexual. No, his heat was tempered with care, gentleness and something she couldn’t quite name, but the flavor of it humbled her. Holding her gaze, Nico dropped the new dress over her head and tugged it down over her breasts and against her waist.

“Stand up, sweetheart.” Gingerly, she got to her feet at the side of the bed, allowing the material to swish down around her legs. The dress fell nearly all the way to the floor, swirling around her ankles, delicate as moth’s wings. Nico moved behind her to tie the sash that would fit the dress around her waist snugly and for the first time in her life, Riki felt feminine and pretty in the soft red dress. She spun and the voluminous, light skirt trailed a few seconds behind her movement. Experimentally, she tried moving a bit more and delighted in the swish of the silky material.

“It’s so beautiful.”

“
You’re
beautiful,” Nico breathed, watching her. Her eyes flew to his and she read hunger in his gaze—hunger and admiration that set her knees to wobbling.

“I agree.” Drake spoke from behind her, breaking the spell. “You look like a Jinn princess. It’s a perfect disguise. All it needs is this around your beautiful hair.” Drake produced a matching red, patterned scarf with lovely long fringe all around. He moved close to place it in her hand and Riki sighed at the whisper soft material that met her touch. “Silk, from the eastern shores, for the Jinn princess, and golden bangles for your arms.”

Drake produced three gold bracelets and held them up before her with a devilish smile.

“They’re perfect, Drake.” Nico stepped forward to examine the jewelry, holding out his hands for more. “What else did you get?”

Drake handed Nico a few other items but Riki couldn’t see what they were and she was too entranced by her new dress to really care. The men were the experts at this spy game, she was just a new player who must work hard to keep up.

Nico turned and captured her hand, surprising her for a moment. Gently, he slid the bangles onto her arms, then placed a plain gold band around her finger, holding her gaze all the while. She knew in some lands, such rings were meant as mating gifts and it touched her that he would place such a mark on her finger. She noticed then, looking down to admire the ring, that he wore a matching band on his own finger.

“We’re mated,” he said shortly. “Nick and Ari from the tribes of the Jinn, come to visit and travel with our cousin Drake.”

“Wouldn’t it be safer just to stay hidden?”

“It’s always better to hide in plain sight,” Nico assured her, caressing her hand before letting go. “And I far prefer being your husband.”

“But we’re only pretending.”

“For now.” He agreed, but his eyes held a deeper message she was almost afraid to read.

“What do you know of the Jinn?” Nico tried to coach Riki—or Ari, as he should call her while they wore these roles—about the part she’d be playing. He’d be with her every step of the way, of course, but Nico believed in preparation for all contingencies.

“I know very little, I’m ashamed to admit. I think many of them make their living telling stories and playing music. Lucan had some of them entertain him every now and again until his…change became too great. I liked their songs.”

“We are nomadic,” Drake continued taking items from his satchel and placing them on the table as he spoke. “We go where life leads us and prefer to remain a mystery for the most part, which will serve your purpose well.”

“We?” she asked, uncertainty on her face.

“I was adopted by one of the Jinn clans after performing a…service for the head family.”

Nico was still amazed by some of the things Drake had gotten involved in during his time abroad. Few men could claim adoption by the secretive Jinn. Though Drake had never divulged the details of what he’d done to earn the rare honor, Nico had spent not a little time trying to puzzle it out.

But this was one secret even the Spymaster of Draconia hadn’t learned.

Still, he knew Drake’s contacts among the Jinn could be vital in their escape from this Mother-forsaken land.

Nico took the colorful silk scarf from Riki’s hands and showed her the way Jinn women traditionally folded their headscarves. Luckily, he’d undressed his share of fiery Jinn wenches in his time and knew well how they assembled their clothing. This he taught to Riki, pleased when she proved to be a quick study.

He tied the scarf at a jaunty angle. The tendrils of fringe framed Riki’s beautiful features. Her luminous eyes looked even bigger, if such a thing were possible, and Nico wanted nothing more than to take her back to bed and claim her fully as his own.

But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not ‘til she came to him freely. Nico was a patient man, but the dragon in him seethed, wanting its mate.

“We’ll enter the tavern with Drake. He’ll handle the performing.”

“Won’t the people expect all of us to perform?”

“Not me. I’ll be wearing the marks of a warrior.” Nico liked that she was asking questions. Overall, she seemed to be calmly absorbing everything they threw at her.

“The Jinn learn how to defend themselves and their women from a young age,” Drake added. “No one will be surprised if Nick doesn’t sing or dance. Not with his war face scaring everyone away from you, Ari.”

The newly shortened version of her name made her start a bit, but not as much as it could have, Nico was pleased to see. “As for you,
Ari,
”

Nico emphasized the new nickname to get her more used to it, “we’ll claim you’re too tired from the trip. Perhaps we can say you’re pregnant.

It would give us an excuse to retire early and explain your pale skin.”

The more he thought about it, the more Nico liked the idea. Not just for their disguise, but for real. He’d love nothing more than to plant his child in Riki’s womb, see her swell with it, and watch it being born. He’d never before wanted to be a father, but suddenly, it was one of the most important goals in his life. Soon, he promised himself, soon Riki would come to him and he would take her and they’d make babies together.

Soon. The dragon side of his nature could barely wait.

But for now, Riki was blushing furiously at the idea of being pregnant, charming him, but worrying him at the same time. If she couldn’t handle the role, people would become suspicious.

“We don’t have to say that if it embarrasses you, sweetheart,” he gave her the option.

“No. It’s all right. If it’ll help, I say let’s do it. It sounds reasonable. It just took me by surprise.”

“Right then, Ari, my love.” He clasped her hands in his. “You’re only just realizing you’re pregnant. Just a few weeks into it, so you’re still thin, but feeling the effects of morning sickness at all times of the day. If things get too rough for you in the common room, pretend to feel ill and I’ll take you out, but it’s important we make a short appearance at least, so no one will be surprised when we leave in Drake’s wagon tomorrow morning.”

“I won’t let you down, Nico. I promise.”

The common room of the tavern was raucous when they entered. Drake was greeted with a cheer and he held up his instrument of choice—a large, metal-stringed lute—with a smile of triumph. Curious glances were sent their way as they entered behind the blond man, but Riki held her head high and smiled at the people who cheered for Drake.

Drake escorted them to his reserved table near the fire and turned to the crowd, quickly introducing his cousins from the Jinn and launching into a song before anyone could ask questions about them. He was good. He was actually damn good, Riki quickly realized. On par with, or better than, many of the famous bards who had entertained Lucan in the palace.

She recognized some of the tunes he played and found herself tapping her toes and humming along. Riki had always loved music of almost any kind and had hidden her enjoyment carefully from Lucan. He often had musicians play for him in his chambers, though it was more for effect than any true enjoyment, Riki secretly thought. Lucan was always too busy eating and plying his many lovers to bother listening to the music he demanded be played in the background. Only Riki truly enjoyed the music.

One or two of the musicians had noted her interest, but were keen enough to keep their knowledge well hidden from the vindictive king.

Riki saw the pitying looks they gave her though, as they entered and left the chamber where she was kept chained. A few would smile at her kindly when nobody could see and some would play songs she particularly loved—sometimes she thought they played them just for her.

Lucan could care less what ballad or dance tune was played, as long as there was music to accompany his pathetic seductions.

It was rather disgusting, really, but Riki never associated the music with the heinous acts she’d been forced to witness. No, the music had been her savior at such times, allowing her to focus on something with her ears, even while her eyes were forced to watch something abhorrent to her.

And Lucan made her watch. When, in the beginning, she’d tried to turn away, he’d had guards tie her and beat her until she complied with Lucan’s desires. It seemed because he couldn’t have her, he enjoyed taunting the virgin with his vile acts of sexual possession. Everything she knew about sexual perversions she’d learned from watching Lucan, but as long as there was music, she could focus on that, even while her eyes remained open and watching Lucan’s disgusting tableaus.

The music was her salvation, her solace and her strength. No one knew just how deeply she loved it, though she thought one or two of the more sympathetic men who had been ordered to play for Lucan had begun to guess.

Drake launched into a sad ballad known as “Arundelle’s Lament”. It was a mythical tale about how the river bordering both Skithdron and Draconia in the north got its name. It told of the sad wizard woman, Arundelle, who lost her mate in the days when wizards still roamed the lands and magic was everywhere and in all things.

Riki loved Drake’s version of the song and her eyes filled with tears at the particularly poignant verses. It was a long ballad with many stanzas and Riki sat entranced through each and every one, as did most of the room.

Drake was truly gifted.