The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince (4 page)

As Winter obediently walked inside, Corbin struggled to find the

right thing to say. Okay, so he’d gotten Winter’s attention. But he had five minutes to make sure his luck held.

“All right, Mr. Mckenna, I’m listening,” Winter prodded.

Corbin grimaced at the formality of the address. “Please, call me

Corbin. We’ve known each other for a year now.”

Winter released a sigh. “Fine. Corbin. Was that what you wanted,

or do you need something else?”

The sound of his name on Winter’s lips made goose bumps

flourish over Corbin’s skin. He managed to keep himself in check,

just barely. “Actually, I wanted to ask you if you’d like to go out to dinner with me. Maybe see a movie or go on a walk. Whatever you

like.”

Lame. Double lame. God, could he really not come up with

something better than that?

The Sidhe arched a brow. “You mean, like a date?”

The skepticism in Winter’s voice didn’t bode well. “Yes, like a

date,” Corbin answered. “Is that so hard to believe?”

Winter just gave him a bemused look. “No. I suppose I just didn’t

expect it.”

“Why not?” Corbin took one step closer. He might as well make

things clear. He didn’t have anything to lose. “You must know how I

feel about you.”

The Sidhe shook his head. “I know you want to get into my pants,

but beyond that, there has been no talk of feelings.”

26

Scarlet Hyacinth

With Winter right there, Corbin couldn’t resist encroaching on the

Sidhe’s personal space. Winter’s expression shifted, becoming a bit

apprehensive. He fidgeted, his gaze straying, as if unable to look

straight at Corbin. Beyond that obviously uncomfortable façade,

Corbin’s beast detected something more. He sensed arousal. Winter

wasn’t as immune to Corbin as he wanted to seem.

With every step that Corbin took, Winter tried to back off, until at

last, there was no place left to go. Corbin crowded the Sidhe against the wall and pressed his body against Winter’s slender one. He

inhaled deeply, Winter’s scent the most potent aphrodisiac he could

have ever discovered.

“Why are you running from me?” he murmured in the other man’s

ear. “There’s something between us. I know you can feel it, too.”

He indulged in fulfilling his longtime desire of burying his fingers

in Winter’s crimson locks and felt a shudder course through the

beautiful Sidhe. They were close, so very close now. Corbin only had

to lean a few inches farther and his lips would be on Winter’s.

Even knowing how foolish it was to do this, Corbin couldn’t

resist. He pressed his mouth to Winter’s, at last tasting the man he’d desired for so long. At first, Winter melted against him, moaning as

he parted his lips to allow Corbin entrance. The hard bulge of

Winter’s cock nudged against Corbin’s thigh, notifying him just how

the Sidhe felt about Corbin.

Corbin wanted to take Winter in his arms and peel off the layers

of clothing that separated their bodies. He yearned to be inside

Winter, to claim the Sidhe as his. Winter would be tight and hot like a velvet fist, Corbin just knew it. And God, just the anticipation drove Corbin to the brink of climax.

He was so lost in his lust-induced trance that when Winter

suddenly pushed him away, the reason didn’t immediately register.

The loss of the heat and Winter’s delicious scent seemed so much

more important. But as he looked into Winter’s eyes, he understood

he’d made a grave mistake.

The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince

27

“I’m sorry,” Winter said, his voice weak but once again holding

its usual chill. “We do have chemistry, I will grant you that. But this is not a good time for me to engage in a sexual liaison. Please, don’t approach me again with such a proposition.”

With a speed that surprised Corbin, Winter brushed past him and

practically ran out of the room. Corbin blinked in shock before

cursing himself for pushing Winter too hard, too fast. Clearly, Winter was reluctant to attempt a relationship, and Corbin’s reputation of a Casanova probably didn’t help. Corbin took a deep breath and

focused on taming his raging libido. He would have to find a different way to reach out to the Sidhe because the alternative was

unacceptable.

28

Scarlet Hyacinth

Chapter Two

Winter fled as quickly as he could, heading toward the room he’d

been given in the Cunningham mansion. It was a guest room that had

quickly become his, just like the shape-shifters here had started to

become his family.

But the emotions Corbin Mckenna roused in him were anything

but familial. The lynx-shifter made Winter question everything he’d

come here to do. A strange yearning filled Winter every time he saw

Corbin, and the fact that he knew Corbin wanted him, too, didn’t help.

Winter ran faster, hoping against all hope that he could escape his

own doubts and guilt. It was not to be, as just as he went up the

staircase, he ran into Alexis Whitaker, no, Alexis Cunningham.

In spite of the resentfulness between their two peoples, Alexis had

been among the first to befriend Winter. Winter had helped heal

Alexis’s brother from a spell that had threatened to leave him

catatonic, but his presence had still been viewed with much suspicion.

However, in spite of Winter being a complete outsider, the incubus

had supported him and encouraged him when Winter had been down.

“Hey, there,” Alexis said. “What’s wrong, Winter?”

It wasn’t surprising that Alexis had sensed the situation. Incubi

had the power to see into other individuals’ emotions. Even so, he felt uncomfortable to actually reveal the true extent of his problem.

“Nothing,” he lied.

Alexis arched a brow. “You expect me to believe that? Don’t be

ridiculous. Is it Corbin?”

Winter gaped at the demon, shocked even if he should have

expected Alexis to know about the whole thing.

The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince

29

“Don’t look at me like that.” Alexis laughed. “I don’t have to be

an incubus to see you two are really into each other. What did he do

now?”

“Nothing,” Winter said again. When Alexis crossed his arms over

his chest and tapped his foot impatiently, Winter relented and decided to add, “He asked me out on a date.”

“Well, that’s a good thing,” Alexis said. “Why are you running

like you have an army of tin men on your heels?”

Winter offered Alexis a weak smile at the reference of the Sidhe’s

weakness to iron. It should have bothered him, but for him, it meant

just one more hint that his fae nature was accepted. His smile died

when he recalled Alexis was waiting for an answer. “I’m really not

ready for a relationship right now,” he said.

Alexis released a thoughtful hum. “Well, you know your heart

best, but if you’ll allow me, I’ll give you a friendly piece of advice.

Corbin is a good man. He might have slept around a lot in the past,

but he cares about you, more than he himself would like to admit.

Don’t let a good thing go to waste because you’re afraid.”

A burst of anger assaulted Winter. What did Alexis know? Yes,

Winter was afraid, and for good reason. What would Corbin say if he

found out the real motivation behind Winter’s extended stay with the

Cunninghams? What would Alexis himself think? Winter could only

imagine how Layton and Preston would look at him, especially with

the trust the couple had shown him. Yes, he had many fears, but in the circumstances, weren’t they justified?

Winter knew that he’d soon have to tell his hosts the truth. He

could no longer hold his uncle in check. He’d stalled for as long as he could. When that happened, when he at last revealed his purpose here, everyone would hate him. Winter didn’t think he could stand it if he

accepted Corbin’s affection, only to have it turn into hate later on.

“I don’t mean to overstep my boundaries,” Alexis said, obviously

sensing his emotions. “I merely want you and Corbin to be happy. I

30

Scarlet Hyacinth

made a lot of mistakes that nearly cost me my life, and Elian’s. I don’t want that sort of thing to happen to anyone else.”

The gentle tone of the incubus’s voice made Winter’s anger

deflate. “I know. Thanks. I just…I’ll think about it, all right?”

“You do that.” Alexis hugged him briefly. “Now, I believe my son

needs me. Half incubus he might be, but he still needs his rest from all the agitation.”

And with that, Alexis waved good-bye and took his leave. Winter

watched him go in a mix of shock and confusion. Had the incubus

only come around here because he’d sensed Winter’s distress? If so, it made Winter’s secret keeping even more treasonous.

His heart heavy, Winter made his way to his room. As soon as he

closed the door behind him, he felt both safer and lonelier. He

imagined Corbin, the way the sunlight would catch in the lynx’s

blond hair and how his blue eyes twinkled when he smiled. Oh, how

he wanted to take a leap of faith, to accept what Corbin offered. But he couldn’t. His life didn’t allow for love right now, and Winter had never been one for no-strings sex.

Winter sighed and plopped facedown on his bed. He was so very

tired. It seems like he hadn’t slept in weeks. During Layton’s

pregnancy, it had been easy enough to thwart his uncle’s questions,

but now, Sterling was demanding action. He wanted Shea, and he was

willing to do whatever it took for it.

As such, Winter was forced to come up with more and more

excuses, all the while watching over Shea just in case his uncle saw

through his lies. He couldn’t do it for much longer. He needed a plan, a real plan beyond stalling. He had to approach Byron Cunningham.

The shark-shifter had to know his grandson was in peril. Besides,

Byron was one of the most capable men Winter knew. He’d certainly

know what to do. Winter might have thought he could deal with his

uncle alone, but it had been folly from the very beginning.

The Lynx Who Purred for a Sidhe Prince

31

As if summoned by his thoughts, a trickle of magic niggled at

Winter’s consciousness. Winter lifted his head, only to see a white,

glowing sphere manifest out of the nothingness.

Dread assaulted him. He already knew who the magical message

was from. His uncle had contacted him many times in the same way.

In this house, the only people who could detect it were the incubi, and while the Whitaker family was powerful, they specialized in

emotions, not cloak-and-dagger magical messaging.

Knowing that delaying the inevitable would only make things

worse, Winter left the bed and went to the sphere. Slowly, he touched it, feeling the familiar hint of his uncle’s magic within. It was strange, really. He’d always thought he’d be able to feel evil in someone’s

spiritual energy. Elder Mercier, for example, had always given him a

bad feeling. But with his uncle, it never seemed like the man had dark magic. Perhaps Sterling had managed to cloak his wickedness

somehow. Because no doubt about it, a man capable of separating a

child from his family could be nothing but wicked.

The sphere identified Winter’s own magic and an image appeared

in front of Winter, King Sterling’s image. He was dressed in full

regalia, as if to emphasize his position, and the cold look on his face didn’t bode well for Winter’s future. “Greetings, Winter. I will be

brief. Your recent message displeased me greatly. Your lack of

obeisance is both disappointing and bothersome. It would behoove

you to cease this behavior at once, or I will be forced to take measures that will cause us both great distress. I do not want to brand you a

traitor, Winter. Bring me that child, and I will forget about your

rebellion. You have two days.”

The image dimmed until it disappeared entirely. Winter’s mind

worked furiously, trying to find a way out of a situation that seemed inescapable. If he obeyed his uncle, he went against his every value. If he disobeyed, he would most likely lose all rights to the throne,

surrendering full control of the nation into Sterling’s hands. Surely there had to be someone he could turn to, someone who would see

32

Scarlet Hyacinth

how unfair this situation was. In fact, Winter shouldn’t have to be his uncle’s errand boy. He was a prince, and he had power and respect in

his own right.

But the Sidhe were a conservative people. They would not

understand Winter’s choice and most likely would see things the way

Sterling wanted to paint them. Winter had hoped that, once he came

into his thirtieth year and could legally take over the throne, he’d be able to encourage some openness between shifters and Sidhe. But of

course, Sterling was unlikely to let go of the crown so easily, and in the current circumstances, it was doubtful that Winter would even be

able to keep his title.

An earlier picture flashed through Winter’s mind’s eye, that of

Corbin holding Shea in his arms. And then that awkward invitation to

go on a date from the lynx. It had been so sweet, and Winter had been so very tempted to accept.

Whatever happened, he couldn’t betray the people who’d opened

their hearts to him. He couldn’t betray Corbin, who already meant so