The Perfect Prince (7 page)

 

Nadja took a step back, looking around. Seeing the table, she said, “Can … I need a drink.”Olek’s body almost exploded in disappointment, as Nadja skirted past him. He took a deep breath, trying to be patient. They had all night for this and a lifetime for the other.

 

“Would you like some?” Nadja asked.

 

“Trying to get me drunk?” Olek mused, coming slowly to follow her.

 

Nadja instantly blushed, proving that she had in fact thought of it.

 

“Qurilixian males don’t get intoxicated with this wine.” Olek lifted a finger as if he would touch her neck, but then drew back, remembering his promise not to touch her until she touched him. By the look on her face, he might be waiting a very, very long time. “We are immune.”

 

“So you just get the girls drunk.” Nadja tried to laugh. His darkening look made it come out in a short, soundless chuckle. “Sorry.”

 

“Why are you so nervous? I am your husband. You have no reason for this embarrassment. The whole purpose of our customs is to do away with doubt. We trust in the powers around us to know our path.”

 

Nadja gulped down a goblet of wine before coughing. Taking a shaky breath, she said, “Yes, but you are also a stranger. I only saw you for the first time a few hours ago.” Olek lifted the crystal about his neck. He twirled the glowing orb in his fingers.

 

“But this proves we were meant to be. That is why we have these ceremonies, so there will be no walls. We trust in the power of it to guide us.” Nadja swallowed nervously. “So, is it true you have always had those? Since the day you were born?”

 

“It is,” Olek answered, pleased by the relaxing note he detected in her tone. It was good she showed an interest and knowledge in his people’s ways for they were now her ways too.

 

“And has it always pulsed like that?” Nadja took another drink. As if to prove her point, the crystal pulsed brightly sending tormented agony sweetly through her limbs, creating a mad rush of ache and need inside of her.

 

“No, only tonight, when I first saw you come to me,” Olek whispered. Taking the crystal, he touched it lightly to her skin. She felt a fire ignite on her flesh where he drew it softly in lazy circles about the base of her neck. “That is when the crystal first came to life.” “So, it reacts to the moonlight?” Nadja probed, her eyes fluttering weakly. She could feel the crystal pulling her towards Olek’s body, numbing her mind to everything but this handsome warrior man.

 

“It reacts to what is between us naturally. It shows us the will of our hearts,” he answered. Her reaction to his admission wasn’t what he would have expected.

 

Nadja stiffened and pulled away from him. A frown began to mar her features. “I told you. I don’t love you and I don’t expect you to love me. I will be practical about this.” Olek was hurt. How could she know the many years he had waited for her? He’d had blurred dreams of her since he was a boy. It wasn’t just fate that brought her to him. It was destiny. Even if she didn’t believe it, he did. And he knew it to be true, as did all his people.“Nadja,” he whispered tenderly. “Why are you afraid?”

 

“I’m not afraid--”

 

“You promised honesty,” Olek interrupted. “I can smell your lie on you.”

 

“I.…” She took another drink, stopping only to glance at him. For good measure, she turned away and took another.

 

Olek frowned, lifting his hand to stop her. With his fingers, he tilted the edge of her goblet down and drew it from her without touching her hand. She jerked in alarm.

 

“It’s time, Nadja.”

 

“Time?”

 

Olek’s eyes dipped down over her form clad in the traditional silk. His eyes overwhelmed her as they leisurely consumed her with his hunger. After his heated inspection was finished and she was trembling uncontrollably, he didn’t need to answer her.

 

“Can you get the lights at least?” Nadja twisted her hands.

 

“There is no point, little solarflower. I can see in the dark. Now, come.” Olek stepped back, his eyes drawing her forward with his will as he led her to the center of the room onto the soft fur rugs. When he stopped, Nadja stepped to him. He took his hand and held it above her hair, drawing it over her face without touching. She closed her eyes, feeling his heat but not his touch. Olek moved over her neck and chest, down over her stomach and back up again. When he stopped, she opened her eyes, amazed that she could feel so much without even being touched.

 

In a low murmur that sent chills over her, Olek said, “You are beautiful. There is no need for shame. Take off your gown for me.” Seeing the look in his eyes, a passionate spark that was all for her, she couldn’t refuse him. First, she kicked off her slippers. Her toes dug into the softness of the fur.

 

Next, she slowly lifted her hand to her side. Nadja studied his eyes as she moved.

 

Tugging at the silk bodice, she pulled the strapless top down. Instantly a breast was freed.

 

His nostrils flared slightly, but he didn’t look down. The crystal pulsated its spell around them. Freeing the other breast, she slowly pulled the gown down to her waist. She hesitated. The tent was warm, but the heat radiating off her new husband was all she felt and her back became chilled without Olek’s fire. His eyes seemed to lighten, coloring with a golden hue. She blinked and the look was gone. Surely, it had been the reflection of torchlight.

 

“Finish,” Olek whispered, urging her on. The word sent a breath over her skin.

 

Nadja gulped. Leaning over, she pulled down the gown. Soon she was standing, clad in only her lace panties.

 

Olek, keeping his gaze steady, took a step back from her. As he put distance between them, he let his eyes travel down. He couldn’t speak. The breath caught in his throat. She was in perfect feminine shape. Her body was toned with muscle, yet with just enough female softness to the curves as not to make her look hard. Her flat stomach pulled against her hip bones, creating a delight for the eyes as the lace clung to her hips.

 

He already had seen her slender arms and most of her legs, but they too added to the wistful, wood sprite image before him.

 

Observing the long length of her legs, leading from her small ankles all the way to her hips, he felt his body quake. These were legs that would easily wrap around a man and hold  him inside her.

 

“Am…?” Nadja couldn’t finish. When Olek looked up, he saw her face was down and turned from him. Her pale cheeks were colored to the brightest of embarrassed pinks.

 

The cascading curls of her soft brown hair spilled over her shoulders, coming forward to hide a delectable breast from view.

 

“You’re lovely, solarflower.” His voice was hoarse with his rampant desire.

 

“Now, take off the rest.”

 

Nadja couldn’t make herself look at him. Uneasily, she pulled her panties off her hips and kicked them off to the side, baring herself completely. No one had ever seen her naked, save for the beauty droids who had pampered her--and they never cared.

 

Olek sucked in a breath. Beneath his fur he was hard, pulsating fiercely with his arousal. Her mound was covered in a thin trail of hair. His lips parted, wanting a taste.

 

Nadja froze as he began to move around her, careful to keep a wide distance between them as he looked. Olek stopped. His eyes caught a mark on her firm backside.

 

“What is this?” he mused, leaning slightly closer to get a better look of the black symbol. He didn’t recognize the meaning of the marking.

 

“Oh,” Nadja turned, stretching around to look at the swirling design. She’d had it for so long that she had forgotten it was there. She hated it. It was the brand of the Medical Alliance, essentially marking her as their property. “It’s just a tattoo. I got it a long time ago.”

 

Olek frowned. She wasn’t lying, but he could tell there was more to it than she let on. He continued forward, but she was still distractedly looking at her back hip.

 

“Nadja, look at me.”

 

She did, her eyes sweeping to peek through the veil of her lashes.

 

“Look,” Olek insisted. She turned her face more fully to study him, though her head was still dipped. “I want you to see what you do to me.” Nadja gulped. She was too stunned to move. Did all men speak this boldly?

 

Where all men as confident with women? Or was it just husbands to their wives?

 

Until the night her father announced her engagement at a dinner party, she had never even been approached by a man. The announcement had come as a surprise and a horror. Hank had given her an engagement ring with a very inappropriate gift. She had been horrified and ran away--much to the disgusting pig’s pleasure. Standing here now, looking at Olek’s perfect form, she couldn’t imagine a life with Hank.

 

Olek took the fur from his waist. There was still distance between their bodies, so even if he wanted to he couldn’t reach her with his arms without going to her. Dropping the loincloth to the floor, he stood proudly before her.

 

Without flinching, he said, “See what looking at you does to my body?” Nadja did see and it terrified her as much as it fascinated her. The long length of him was sprung to full attention. Veins grew out on the sides, forcing his erection still and tall. She was a doctor’s daughter, so the technical part of how they fit together she had known about for years. As to the reality, she didn’t see how it could possibly work.

 

“Olek,” Nadja whispered, shaking her head. “Please, don’t--”

 

“Shhh.” Olek didn’t allow her to finish her plea. “You are mine. That is the end of it.”

 

Nadja looked into his passionate eyes and was lost. Yes, she was definitely his.

 

Nadja stared at his arousal, an arousal he claimed was all for her, for an abnormally long time. Slowly, she blinked, looking up into the harsh expression on his face. He was fighting for control. She had to admire his restraint. But, seeing his expression, she grew worried.

 

“You said you wouldn’t touch me until I touched you,” Nadja whispered. It was odd standing so before a man. But Olek’s gaze only held molten approval and she didn’t shy away. His look empowered her on a baser level, giving her a confidence she had never felt. Wine swam warmly in her veins, causing her to relax as she let her husband and his mystical crystal work their magic over her.

 

“I am not going to touch you,” Olek said with a roguish smirk growing on his masculine mouth. He licked his lips in anticipation. “You are going to touch yourself for me.” Nadja swallowed in fear, already out of her league. Sure, she had tried a few hesitant things while alone in the dark, but she was always too scared the medic unit would discover what she had done and report it to her father. That damned unit reported everything to her father—even a small piece of chocolate she once ate. It had been delicious and almost worth the three days of punishment she had received for it. She had never tried one again.

 

“I,” Nadja could hardly breathe. Her cheeks flamed, but she couldn’t look away from his magnetic eyes. “Olek, I can’t do that. I’m not--”

 

“Yes,” he broke into her words. “You can.”

 

“No, I.…” To his amazement, her cheeks deepened in color. He wouldn’t have thought it possible. With a deep breath, she muttered, “I don’t know how.” That brought him up short. Tilting his head to better study her, he sniffed the air.

 

She wasn’t lying.

 

“How is that possible? You are no child.” Olek waited a long time for her to answer.“My father,” Nadja began, not really wanting to think of the man at such a moment. “He--we had this medic unit. I would measure my … ah, levels each morning. I couldn’t even eat chocolate without him finding out. And, well, if I was to … ah, you know, it would tell him that in my daily report.” Olek frowned. He knew he would likely never have daughters, but he didn’t imagine he would control them in such a way. His people believed that children were part of the group, to be guided and molded by the extended family unit, allowed explore and discover, allowed to make mistakes. How else would they learn?

 

Dragon Lords: The Perfect Prince

 

Michelle M. Pillow

 

31

 

“They were very thorough machines,” she whispered, humiliated. She closed her eyes, wishing the ground would open and suck her in. Her fists clenched at her sides.

 

Olek said nothing. He was too busy thinking of ways he could pay back her father for treating her so callously. He knew by the look on her face that there was much more she wasn’t telling him.

 

“I’m sorry,” Nadja said softly, when he didn’t speak. “I should have said something about this before. I really don’t know anything when it comes to … and I understand if you want to put your mask back on. I won’t tell anyone I took it off.” Olek didn’t move, save for his chest.

 

“You are no longer under his tyranny, solarflower,” Olek said. The pet name washed over her, doing something to her already melting insides. “If you wish to know something of your body or mine, ask. I’ll freely tell you or show you everything I know.

 

Every passion you feel is normal and very right. I feel the same for you.” Nadja gulped. Her voice wouldn’t work if she tried. Being married to a simple man was looking better and better each passing moment.

 

“Now, it would give me much pleasure if you would touch yourself,” Olek said.

 

His eyes bore heatedly into her flesh. “And it will give me even greater pleasure when you touch me.”

 

Nadja shivered despite herself.

 

“Like this,” he urged in a tender hush. Taking himself in hand, he stroked his hard manhood several times. Nadja bit her lip, wishing she could get the courage to go to him.

 

Her eyes followed the movements of his fingers. The crystal pulsed and glowed from his chest. Of their own accord, her fingers found her stomach. They scratched lightly at her flesh, absently mimicking his wicked movements on his own shaft.

 

Olek nodded in approval, urging her silently to caress herself for him. With a weak pant, she slid her finger to reach into her wetness. The nub of her passion tweaked in pleasurable anguish. Watching him, she timidly stroked herself. Her legs twitched. Her hips jerked in a little circle. Her finger spread her own opening.

 

Olek growled. He stroked faster as his eyes devoured her hand. If he wasn’t careful, he would explode.

 

Soon her hand wasn’t enough. Nadja wanted his experienced hand to be on her flesh. She wanted it to be his finger dipping next to her center fire. With a moan, she went to him--ready and unmindful of anything else.

 

Olek grinned, a naughtily dominant look that drove her to distraction. It hadn’t taken her long at all to come around. The fact pleased him very much.

 

Nadja hesitated only briefly as she looked down at his hand wrapped around his erection. Letting go, he moved it to the side. Nadja licked her lips, glancing up at him for approval before she touched him. Olek nodded weakly. He was sure he would go mad at any moment. Her fingers had stirred her natural scent into the air to torment him.

 

Her chest heaving with giddy excitement, she took him in her hand. He was solid Dragon Lords: The Perfect Prince

 

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and firm beneath her palm. Olek’s hips jolted at the tender assault. Nadja pulled back, worried that she may have done him harm. His features did look pulled back in pain.

 

Putting his hand over hers, he brought her hand once more to him and showed her she could squeeze and not hurt him.

 

The moment she stroked his manhood with her fingers, Olek turned her and drove her back towards the bed. His hands instantly explored her back, her arms, her neck and hair. His mouth lowered to claim hers in a mind-searing kiss that left them both breathless and faint. His tongue tasted her. His lips sucked her tongue into his mouth.

 

A moment of panic overtook her as his dangerous erection sought to be closer to her depths. She had little time to protest as he brought himself next to her. His body crushed into hers, causing a new wave to flood her heated flesh. Her breasts rubbed achingly against his sturdy chest, budding to attest her newfound desires. Her legs clutched slightly, fearful of the scalding heat his searching manhood was spreading, as it burrowed naturally into the fold of her hip.

 

Her fingers let him go, desperate to explore the rest of him. Her touch was timid in its innocence, which only drove him to greater distraction. Olek’s hands were not so unsure and they ventured over her, stroking and teasing every tender piece of flesh he could reach.

 

“Olek,” Nadja groaned, not understanding what was happening. She felt on fire.

 

She felt as if she were drowning, overwhelmed by this man and his passions. She couldn’t keep up, couldn’t process what he was doing, what she should be doing.

 

“Shh,” Olek knew he had to slow his touch. If he took in too much more he would become a rutting beast. Her hands followed his lead, coming to lie on his chest as he absently stroked the flesh of her back. His heartbeat was racing beneath her hand, matching her own frantic rhythm.

 

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, wondering why he stopped.

 

“No, you did everything very right. But, we cannot finish it this night. It’s forbidden.”

 

Her eyes blinked, not sure if it was relief or anguish overcoming her at the words.

 

“Tonight is for discovery only--discovery of self, of passion.” His breath was hard. She stiffened slightly when he moved to stroke her breast. Knowing she couldn’t help it, he smiled. “Lay back on the bed.”

 

“But, you said--”

 

“We cannot finish this, little solarflower, but I am not finished exploring you. Lay down.” Olek tilted his jaw to the mattress.

 

Nadja, whose legs were feeling suspiciously like jelly, nodded and stepped up the raised platform before crawling on the bed. Lying down, she placed her hands on her stomach and waited. Olek sighed as he stepped away.

 

Grabbing a bottle of oil, he didn’t bother to dress. Nadja stiffened.

 

“What are you doing?” she asked.

 

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Michelle M. Pillow

 

33

 

“I am going to let you get used to my touch, solarflower,” Olek answered with a playful wink.

 

Nadja was breathless as he rubbed oil between his fingers. Starting at her feet, he began massaging the arch. Nadja tensed, giggling. Her foot jerked.

 

“Hold still.”

 

“I … I can’t,” she giggled louder, jerking again. “I’m ticklish.” Olek smiled and deepened his touch. Soon, her foot got used to the attention and her laughing expression turned more serious.

 

“There,” he soothed, “just relax.”

 

She jolted when he touched the other foot, but soon the intoxicatingly erotic scent of oil was flooding her senses and his hands were working magic on her feet. He worked a calf then the other, taking his time as he touched her. Nadja didn’t move, closing her eyes and just feeling. He slid his gentle hands over her knees with aching tenderness. She tensed as he came up her thigh, but soon the power of him relaxed her once more.

 

Olek groaned. His eyes bore into her center fire. He could see the oil glistening on her skin. His fingers flowed over soft, smooth flesh, itching to slide higher, right into her.

 

He held back, moving to massage her other thigh. To his pleasure, she didn’t tense again.

 

Skipping her middle, he massaged her hands and arms in turn. Then, he ordered her to turn onto her stomach. She didn’t see his look of intense pleasure as his eyes laid claim to her pert buttocks. He treated the backs of her legs to the same treatment he had given the front, before going on to her shoulders, neck and back. As he worked his way lower, he moved to straddle her. His mouth opened, wanting to take a playful bite out of her flesh. He denied his mouth, but not his hands.

 

With a staggered breath, he cupped her buttocks. A moan escaped Nadja, weak in her relaxed state. His thumbs dipped to edge closer to her aroused center.

 

“Turn,” he said huskily. Olek lifted himself up, still straddling her as she moved.

 

Nadja was weak, but she obeyed.

 

His hands renewed their journey at her neck, sliding between her breasts to her stomach. He touched her hips, her sides, working his way to the center peaks of her breasts. Her back arched and he took the soft globes fully into his palms. The oil made his caresses all the more pleasurable. Unable to deny his mouth again, he leaned over and sucked a nipple between his lips.

 

Nadja bucked off the bed as lightening struck her soul. Olek growled in pleasure, tasting her, biting gently, reveling in her natural response. The other breast received the same treatment from his hand, pinching and caressing.

 

“Ah-h,” Nadja gasped for breath. Her hands grasped weakly at his hair. Before he knew what was happening, his legs were parting hers. Oil slid between them, helping him glide forward between her thighs. His solid erection came to her, insistent that it get its fair share of her pleasure. He felt her heat beckoning him with its moist offering.

 

“Olek,” Nadja called out, trembling. Her body stiffened to feel such a hard mass Dragon Lords: The Perfect Prince

 

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by her tender opening. She tensed, unsure what she was waiting for.

 

Olek stopped, hearing her cry. Taking a deep breath, he knew he couldn’t take her.

 

If the others sensed their fulfillment tomorrow, as they went to crush the crystal before the council, all would be lost. Their marriage wouldn’t be approved and he would have to spend the rest of his days alone.

 

“I’m sorry, solarflower,” Olek grunted as he withdrew. “We mustn’t.”

 

“I know,” she whispered, aching for the unknown.

 

“Just give me a moment.” Olek panted to catch his breath. He turned from her, running his fingers into his hair as he waited out the worst of his denied passions. When he could again move, he looked over. Nadja had fallen asleep. He almost laughed.

 

With a sigh, he lifted her up into his arms. She blinked, trying to wake up and he shushed her back to sleep. He knew it had been a long night for her. Easing her under the covers, he couldn’t help taking one last look of her flushed body in the gentle torchlight.

 

He dimmed the torches, putting some of them out to darken the tent. Then, shaking his head, he went to bed on top of the covers next to her, careful not to touch her body with his overheated one. Sleep wasn’t even close to claiming him. This was going to be an extremely long night.