Taken by Passion: King of Hearts (Wonderland Book 1) (14 page)

Kalina stood upon the landing, waiting for him as he had bade her to. Earlier he had summoned the sorceress with his magic while he escorted Alice to the tower. No matter that he would ward the turret before leaving, he would never leave his future queen, or any other subject, unattended in such a manner.

“Look at me,” he commanded Kalina after he locked the turret door.

The sorceress raised her eyes and he saw that her pupils were dilated, her fire-ice gaze telling him she was in need of release. No doubt she had listened. He required Kalina’s full attention on his future bride and could not afford the sorceress being distracted by her lust.

“You may bring yourself to climax,” he said, and watched as she slipped her fingers between her thighs and stroked her clit.

“Thank you, Milord,” she murmured as she brought her free hand to her breasts and tugged at her nipple.

Jarronn smiled. It pleased him to watch the sorceress’s skin flush and to smell her arousal. It would please him far more to watch Alice one day.

In moments Kalina’s body shuddered as she reached climax. Jarronn nodded his approval and then warded the chamber.

He used the most powerful of magics to keep that bitch Mikaela or her bakirs from using any mind-spells against Alice while she slept. Unfortunately, it took far too much of his magic to ward off Mikaela and he was unable to protect everyone in his kingdom.

It was far too late for their protection as it was.

One way or another, Jarronn and his brothers must deal with Mikaela and put an end to her twisted mind-war.

With a low growl, Jarronn shifted into a tiger.
I will return and relieve you of your duty shortly.

Kalina transformed into a tiger and took her place before the turret door.
Yes, Milord.

He bounded down the steps from Alice and Kalina to lope to the jungle where his brothers awaited him.

It had been years before they realized that it was Mikaela and her legion of psychics, her
bakirs
, who had wrought mind-spells upon the women of Tarok. The mind-spells caused the females to believe they were infertile. By the time Jarronn and his brothers had learned of Mikaela’s covert war, they had gone a Tarok decade with no new births. The mind-spells were so powerful that Jarronn, his brothers, and their most powerful sorcerers and sorceresses had found no way to break the spells for nearly another decade. Almost twenty years. Twenty years with no new little ones.

Or perhaps her mind-spells had gone so far as to make them all believe there was no way to defeat her.

Jarronn snarled as he bolted out the castle door, toward the jungle.

Wind slid over his glossy tiger coat and moonlight illuminated his path toward the jungle behind the castle. During the spring the moon was at its brightest and fullest, as though showing off its finest plumage to entice a mate. Yet for all this time it had mattered not in Tarok, for no women had been able to conceive.

Youngest of the family, Mikaela had not been left a portion of the Tarok Kingdom, something Jarronn had not understood at the time. When the former High King and Queen of Tarok lay upon their deathbeds, after contracting an incurable disease, they had re-divided the expansive kingdom into four lesser kingdoms, not as planned, and presented them to Jarronn, Darronn, Karn, and Ty.

Tarok was supposed to have been divided into five, but they left Mikaela nothing. Originally a portion of what was now the Kingdom of Hearts was to have been left to her. Hearts was nearly twice the size of the other three kingdoms because Mikaela had not received her share.

At the time no one understood why Mikaela had been overlooked, but perhaps their parents had seen that she was far too twisted to serve any of the people of Tarok. She preferred to serve herself. Mikaela had fled when the news had been handed to her.

Not long after, Mikaela joined with Balin, King of Malachad, to the south, to become his queen.

Through Kalina’s readings in recent years Jarronn and his brothers had learned that Mikaela had mind-seduced Balin. Over the years she had used her extraordinary mental gifts to take over the minds of those in the Malachad realm. She trained all with psychic powers to be
bakirs.

The
bakirs
used their powerful mind-spells to invade the dreams of the women of Tarok. With their powers, Mikaela and the
bakirs
rendered the Tarok women infertile simply by making them believe it to be true. The kings had been unable to do anything to break the spells.

King Balin was a mere figurehead now, and Mikaela ruled the country. She was consumed with hatred for her brothers and determined to have her revenge for being slighted by their parents. The sorceress had learned that Mikaela intended to make all of Tarok hers.

*

Jarronn loped toward the kings’ weretiger den hidden in the middle of the jungle. He and his brothers had discovered the hidden cave when they were mere cubs and had used it as a meeting place ever since.

Mikaela had been too young to join them on their excursions when they found the cave, and when they were older they had decided to keep it a secret from her. Jarronn was not certain why they did not tell their sister, but now he was glad they had not.

The air was moist and humid on his fur and he breathed in deeply of the smells of game and the rich scents of the jungle. His stomach rumbled. He needed to hunt soon.

When he closed in on the small clearing in front of the den that was covered by vines, he saw Darronn and Ty sparring as tigers. Ty stood on his hind legs, exposing the club marking on his belly, as he batted Darronn with one paw. As usual, he was taunting Darronn, raising the ire of their brother who was quick to anger.

Darronn swiped at Ty with his paw that was marked with a spade. Ty was known for his quickness, but he barely retreated fast enough before Darronn’s claws would have raked him across his belly. Darronn would not seriously injure their younger brother, but he never went easy on Ty.

Karn merely reclined against a
ch’tok
tree as a man, wearing an unreadable expression as he watched his brothers. He bent to snap a blade of grass, exposing his diamond tattoo on the back of his right shoulder, before rising again and chewing the end of the piece of grass.

When they were young, Queen Elinara had used her artist’s gift to magically tattoo their bodies with the suit they represented. She had also used her magic to mark their fur when they were in tiger form.

Jarronn shifted to his human body when he neared his brothers. When they saw him transform, they followed suit. Each of them wore black leather breeches and black boots.

“Is the female prepared?” Ty asked with an eager expression as he used the back of his hand to wipe sweat from his forehead.

“She will be.” Jarronn folded his arms across his chest as he met Ty’s gaze before looking at Karn and Darronn. “Alice’s training has being going well. Already she has advanced far beyond my expectations.”

“We have little time to wait.” Darronn spit into the grass at his feet and turned his glare on Jarronn. “Our kingdoms are vulnerable without us. We must return as soon as possible.”

Jarronn emitted a low growl and clenched his fists. “Your future High Queen’s safety is what you must be concerned with now. You have suitable leaders in your realms who are protecting your people well.”

“Jarronn is right.” Karn eased away from the tree. “Once we have all mind-bonded with the maid and have ensured her safety, we can then return to our own kingdoms and seek our own mates.”

“Mates.” Darronn spat into the grass again. “What good will mates not of our own species do to help our people?”

Jarronn narrowed his gaze. “The Sorceress Kalina has seen it in the cards. That is good enough for me and is most certainly good enough for you all.”

“Why must we go by age?” Ty shook out his long blond hair. “Darronn clearly is not anxious to pick his mate. I would be pleased to go next.”

Jarronn’s exasperation and irritation was strung out, and he was barely holding on to it by a thread of patience. “In her vision, Kalina determined that is the way the cards must be drawn.”

Ty shrugged and then gave Jarronn a look of anticipation. “How much longer before the mind-bonding?”

Jarronn’s scowl deepened. The whelp was far too anxious to perform the act with Alice, as far as Jarronn was concerned. And to his surprise, he was in no hurry to share his future mate. It had always been a given that the High Queen must experience the mind-bonding with all four brothers. However, Jarronn’s growing feelings for Alice made him want to possess her completely and keep her to himself. “At most, ten days.”

“Ten days?” Darronn’s voice rose. “We have not that much time to waste.”

“As long as it takes.” Jarronn managed to rein in his fury. “You will do whatever you must to serve your High King and your future High Queen.”

Darronn didn’t lower his gaze. Of all the brothers, Jarronn’s twin was the most obstinate and combative, his passion clear in everything he did. Perhaps it was because they were but hours apart, and Darronn could have been High King if he had come out of their mother’s womb first. Darronn’s compassion was not so easily seen, but it would serve him well with his future mate despite his hard shell.

Ty lightly punched Darronn’s arm and ducked when Darronn swung his fist. Ty laughed. “Come, brother. Do not be so angry. It is our duty, one we are honored to take upon us.”

“I am not angry.” Darronn raised his fist as he snapped at Ty. “But I will beat you senseless if you touch me again.”

With a grin, Ty looked like he was going to go at Darronn yet another time just to antagonize him. Jarronn laid his palm on Ty’s shoulder and squeezed. “Enough.”

Ty settled and lowered his hand, but the look of amusement did not leave his features until Karn spoke.

“This is useless. We must make plans against Mikaela.” Karn was the most levelheaded of the four. Despite his frequent surly manner, Karn usually had the most insight on any given situation. His wealth of intelligence matched the riches of his land with its gemstone mines. His generosity was unmatched, but he never claimed credit for his actions.

“It is true we must prepare for war. It is inevitable as Mikaela expands her legions of
bakirs
.” Jarronn looked to each of his brothers. “Once the mind-bonding is completed, each of you will return to your kingdoms and ensure your forces will be ready to join mine when the time comes.”

“Has Kalina visioned when that shall be?” Ty no longer had his mischievous smile. He looked more like the king he presented himself to be when not in the company of family.

Jarronn shook his head. “The sorceress said before we battle, we must find our mates. Only then will we be strong enough to conquer the traitorous bitch.” He forced out the words as if slicing each one with a dagger. “Our mates will strengthen our powers.”

Darronn snorted. “If they are not of our people and have no magic, how can they make our magic stronger?”

Jarronn forced himself to remember that he was High King and it was up to him to maintain control of himself and his brothers. “It has not been made clear to the sorceress. However I trust her, as I know each one of you do.”

“Of course.” Ty ran his fingers over his stubbled jaw as if in contemplation. “Kalina is invaluable to the whole of Tarok.”

“Indeed.” Karn gave a nod.

Darronn crossed his arms over his chest. “Has Kalina indicated how long this damnable process will take?”

“No.” Jarronn shook his head.

The heart tattoo on his biceps heated and he sensed Alice’s emotions as if he was in the room with her. He felt the turmoil in her mind, her questioning of where she was, most of all she questioned her beauty.

That would not do. He hoped this lesson would be the only one she needed this night and he would not have to go to such extremes again.

AFTER ALICE HEARD THE LOCK CLICK, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, unable to believe Jarronn had left her, desperate again for an orgasm. Not only that, but she was manacled and chained in the middle of a castle turret. And for cripes sake, she’d told him she felt safe.

Maybe just like the pretend Alice from the book, she’d open her eyes to find herself with her head in her sister’s lap. Alexi would be brushing leaves away from her face as she said,
“Wake up, Alice dear!”
She’d add,
“Why, what a long sleep you’ve had!”

Alice sighed and opened her eyes. Of course Alexi wouldn’t say,
“Alice dear.”
No, her twin would probably roughly shake her and say something like,
“What the hell’s the matter with you? Get up already!”

God but she missed her sister.

She missed the days, too, when Mother had been completely sane. Until the twins were out of elementary school, their mother had read stories to them every night. She’d had a beautiful, musical voice that held Alexi’s and Alice’s attention through the very last word of whatever story she was reading.

Not surprisingly, one of Alice’s favorite books had been
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
, because the main character was named Alice. She liked to pretend she was having all of the fun adventures that Lewis Carroll’s Alice did as the fictional character made her way through Wonderland.

Now here she was, the very real and alive Alice, having her own adventures in an erotic Wonderland. Definitely not a kid’s story.

She almost giggled then wondered if she was going crazy and she was in a loony bin and not some fantastical world.

With a deep sigh, she decided to concentrate on what appeared to be her current reality. She was naked and chained to the floor, lying on a big red papasan cushion.

Moonlight spilled into the room, caressing her skin, and she wondered at how it stayed so consistent and golden for so long. Wasn’t this world turning like Earth? Her thoughts moved across the time she’d spent so far in Jarronn’s kingdom.

Maybe it was the elixir Jarronn had given her, but for some reason Alice hadn’t felt like crying since she’d swallowed it. Her thoughts seemed clearer, and it was easier to analyze why he’d left her chained to a ring in the middle of a castle turret.