Prince's Fire (13 page)

Taro laughed, his sensual gaze making her body pulse in response. “It looks like she can handle me. You boys have done a good job getting her ready.”

She tried to look over to Val, but Taro blocked her view. “Don’t look at him. It is only you and I now.”

She shook her head, a sliver of fear trickling down her spine. “Are you going to do what they did to me?” The thought of this man tasting and touching her was terrifying. She had seen him kill. Even Val and his brothers seemed leery in his presence.

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Taro knelt beside her. “No, Gitana. What will happen between you and I will be like nothing you will ever experience in your life. Are you ready?”

She shook her head no and heard his soft laughter as she closed her eyes.

“Keep your eyes open, and look at me.”

She obeyed, her heart beating rapidly.

“Good girl.” Without warning, she felt him inside of her. Everywhere. Her thoughts became an open portal for him as he read them all rapidly, no secret too private to pry into.

His heartbeat seemed to entwine with hers and take control of her ability to move.

Everything was dependant upon his will. Complete and utter domination.

“This is only the beginning, Gitana. I have the power to make you and I live a lifetime as lovers right here in our minds. Would you like that? Do you like knowing that I could spread your legs and fuck you hard for a century and they would never know it?”

Would such a thing be possible? She shivered as her legs parted. Val wouldn’t let that happen. She was his.

“Val does not have the power to stop me. I do what I want.”

“Oh, shit.” Male laughter erupted in her head. She groaned inwardly when his fingers pinched and twisted her nipples to hard nubs. “Who controls this body, Gitana?”

“Val does. I do.”

“I don’t see him stopping me.” Taro seized her head and brought it to his crotch, his huge cock jutting out proudly. “I w

t ou d

l fee s

l o good to be bur ed inside of you, wouldn’t it,

i

Gitana?”

“Yes, it would.”

“Let me fuck you with it, and he will never know.”

“No. I want to be pleasured by him.” His loud sigh filled her mind, and his touch radiated through her body all at once. She continued to stare at the thick, full cock in front 96 Cara Carnes

of her. Her pussy throbbed with need, yet she could not find it in her to accept Taro’s manhood inside of her.

“Then open that hot mouth of yours so that I may get my release. It is your duty to honor me in this way.”

Oh, how she wanted to obey that command. It was not what she truly desired. The one she hungered for was in the corner silently watching this fiasco ensue. Defenseless to stop it.

Her heart ached for Val and what must be racing through his mind. If she had to watch him with other women, she would have scratched their eyes out the first moment their flesh was bared. Yet, he had remained dutifully neutral through the entire thing.

This was the testing ceremony that Nana had spoken of. She had never realized it was sexual in nature because the old woman told her it was a test of honor, duty, and loyalty.

“I cannot do as you wish.”

“Cannot or will not?”

“Both.”

Taro released her head and laughed softly.

“Fucking shit, Taro. Get on with it already so we can all get the fuck out of here.”

Gitana looked over at Jax, confused. Nothing had happened? But she'd felt…

She watched the blond man rise and bow slightly to her. “It was an honor testing your loyalty to your prince, Gitana. You are truly a worthy mate to a leader as powerful as Val, and a fervent lover to keep his needs sated and his mind youthful.”

“I don’t understand. What just happened?”

Taro laughed and winked at her. “No one needs to understand. We all have our

secrets.” And once again vanished.

Val fell to his knees before her. “Are you okay, v’amarita?”

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She nodded weakly. She needed him inside of her and the sooner it happened, the better. “Can they leave now, please?”

Cal laughed. “You did wonderfully, Gitana. I am only sorry that we could not prepare you for this better but a certain brother wanted it done immediately.”

Dar smiled as he looked at her. “You are truly a remarkable woman with the spirit and fire of a queen.”

“Did I pass?”

Val’s hands massaged the muscles in her back as she rested her head on his chest. “Yes, v’amarita. You passed the second that you tried to see to my needs, even if it was simply as an act of retribution.”

“So they’ll leave now, right?” Her hands caressed his lower abdomen, craving the erect cock she knew was so close within her reach.

Val’s growl filled the room as his mouth descended onto hers, his kiss wrought with emotion and need. He turned her around and slowly spread her legs wide. By the time she realized his brothers had already left, he’d entered her in one deep, powerful thrust.

“Never again will another man see or touch you. Never again.”

“Never.”

“This is my cunt,” he said. He pounded into her. She cried out at the fierce thrusts. His mouth came down onto her nipple and bit it firmly. “My tits.”

Only Val could make her orgasm so quickly. Their powers merged together in the pinnacle of pleasure. Fire and ice collided, creating bursts of pleasure that dribbled and crackled across her flesh. For the first time, she could be herself sexually and not be afraid to display her powers.

She was his.

“Say it,” he demanded.

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“I am yours,” she said, realizing the truth behind the three small words. Heart, body, and soul, she was his. Did he feel the same way, or was she just a mate? Did he love her?

He collapsed on top of her, and she took pleasure in his weight pressed against her.

Tomorrow was soon enough to ask him the question searing her brain. Tonight she would simply take his pleasure.

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Gitana hurled a fireball at the nearest rock, not caring if anyone saw her. How did Val make her body react so easily to his, and how did he get that control over her? Last night had been so…out of character for her. She had actually let all of his brothers and Taro… Oh, shit.

How the hell could she ever look them in the eye again?

She shook her head and focused on the trail that led to the village. She’d be in trouble for leaving the safety of Paradise and the palace without an escort, but she didn’t care. Time alone to think and figure out what the hell was going on in her head was what she needed, not the gorgeous wall of flesh that had served as her pillow last night.

She really wanted to talk to Shana. It was still early, and Lucian didn’t seem to be the type of man that would take lightly to being wakened before he was ready.

A flicker of movement in the woods to the left caught her attention. Someone was out there. She paused, priming her powers. “Who is there?”

An old man ambled forward, his right leg dragging slightly as a lopsided grin formed on his face. “Good morning. You shouldn’t be out by yourself. The princes would not care for that.”

“How do you know of me?”

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“I am the gatekeeper at Paradise and was there when the princes returned from Earth with you.”

Gitana eyed the man skeptically. He offered no name, yet did not appear to be a threat.

“What are you doing out here?” She turned and noticed she had walked much farther than she had intended. The palace and Paradise loomed in the distance.

“Ah, mornings are best to clear a head of the previous day’s events.”

No kidding. She smiled at the man. “You must have much to sort through since you run Paradise.”

“It runs itself for the most part.”

Paradise amazed her from what she had seen with Val. They had taken pleasure in three different rooms, each overwhelmingly delightful. “I’m still trying to learn more about this place. It feels weird not being on Earth.”

“You weren’t supposed to survive the attack.”

She spun, drawing on her powers as she did, but it was too late. Standing in front of her were four hideous creatures like the ones that had tried to kill her before. The same type of beings that had downed Val. She threw a stream of fire, aiming it at all four as she dove behind a rock closest to her. There was a pounding sensation in her head that blocked her telepathic abilities. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

She thought back on what she had learned over the past few days and found herself going back to one of the first lessons Van instilled in her: know when to retreat. Backing down from a fight wasn’t something Gitana had experience in but, then again, the four creatures trying to kill her right now didn’t seem to be affected by anything. How the hell were you supposed to kill the fucking things?

“Why do you betray our people?” she screamed at the old man, who was cowering at the edge of the clearing farthest away from the bolts of energy and fire she hurled at the faceless beings.

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“You have no right to call them your people!”

“I have more right than you.”

Dizziness began to plague her, and she groaned. Telepathy wasn’t working, nor was her ability to teleport away. Running had become impossible. She threw up her force field, determined not to die easily. “I’m so sorry, Val.”

* * * * *

Lucian stepped forward, the concern evident on his face. “We do not know. Three warriors were found downed on the outskirts of the royal perimeter. It had to have been an inside job, Val.”

“Our search of the area surrounding the palace and Paradise revealed an area to the east with scorch marks. There was also a device nearby that we are testing. It appears to be what blocked the attack from our knowledge,” Dar offered.

Fiona paced furiously around. “I don’t understand how I did not sense them here. I can always sense anything, even if Cal and Jax can’t. It had to have been…”

Shana’s desire to surprise her sister with a traditional breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and bacon was the only reason they even knew she was missing. Val thought she was with Shana already because he knew she would want to discuss the ceremony the night before. He should have made sure she had gotten there safely. All it would have taken was one telepathic communication with Lucian.

They knew very little about what happened or who took her, but everyone suspected the betrayer and those that had held Van captive. That particular faction of D’kalhiks had plagued them all far too long now and needed to be dealt with immediately. Permanently.

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He looked over at his twin. Van had grown pale, still saying nothing. His gaze riveted on the adjacent wall. “Brother, I need your guidance here. I do not ask you to share your memories of your capture, but I must have an idea where to go to find her.”

Van’s gaze lit on his face, the torment clear in his eyes. “It is a trap.”

“I know. I must save her.” He didn’t even know if she still lived. The thought ripped into his heart with a pain he hadn’t felt since his brother’s disappearance. Not again. Not her.

Van looked away. “I remember little of the place. It was on the sixth planet, Vuner. I was kept underground and depleted fully of my powers before the tor…”

Before the torture began. Fear filled him. How long could Gitana last before her powers were depleted?

Cal’s voice cut through the silence. “She is a strong fighter. It will take a long time for them to rid her of her powers.” Val heard the doubt in his brother’s voice even as the words came out. None of them expected her to last long. She was unused to using her powers for extended periods of time.

He should have never allowed her to leave Paradise alone.

Anguish filled him as he imagined his life without her. He breathed deeply and looked around the room, determined to remain calm. The boiling rage festering would have to wait.

He must remain strong for Gitana. “How did you escape?”

Van sighed as he looked at his brother. “I do not honestly remember it all. I have memories of a woman and a group of warriors carrying me out. But I know it is not possible because in my visions she healed me fully.”

Val shook his head. “You were weak and very ill when you arrived here. Your wounds were not healed.” It had taken both Cam and Jad to heal Van and weeks of rest to fully restore his energy.

“That is why I have never spoken of her, but I recall it as vividly as if it had occurred yesterday. She fought like a warrior and led her men with ease.”

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“Did she say anything or speak of herself?”

“She spoke very little to me directly. She told me she didn’t want to have to rescue me.

She didn’t want me to remember her.”

Val found that statement interesting. Why would she wish to remain hidden? Who was she?

“Did she know who you were?”

“No, Dar. She knew I was one of the princes, but that was it. I never gave my name, and she didn’t want to know. She just asked if I was one of them.” Van’s snort of amusement caused his mouth to curl up in a smile. “She made it sound as if we were a pox she didn’t want to get near.”

Cal’s amused laugh filled the room. “You are a pox, brother. I’ve told you that for years.”

Val smiled in amusement seeing the weight lifting off Van’s shoulders. Sharing this small bit of information seemed to change him. “What else do you remember?”

“She was telepathic. She heard me calling for you.”

Val saw the embarrassment in his twin’s face. How severe had the pain gotten to make him call out for help? It was not the way of a warrior. This was what his brother had kept hidden all this time.

Dar put a hand on Van’s shoulder. “There is no shame in seeking assistance from blood.

I could not have endured what you did and not done so.” Val sat in front of Van, who had seated himself next to the desk.