The Stone Prince (25 page)

At the words “locked away” he brightened.

“We wouldn’t be locked away together,” she explained, still grinning. “Now get out of here.”

Instead of heading to the door, he strode to Katie and planted a fierce kiss on her lips. Only when she was breathless with longing did he walk away.

A
LONE IN THE HOUSE
,
Katie taped the baseboards and upper trim of the main bedroom wall, preparing each section for painting. As she worked, she decided not to use the paint sprayer. She wanted a more personal touch for this house, a lingering print of her presence. Forty-five minutes later, she was popping the top of the taupe paint when Jorlan trudged up the stairs and entered the room on a scented cloud of lavender and lilies.

“What do you think of these?” he asked. His expression was tolerant, but exasperated as he held a posy of flowers in each hand. “Frances would like to know.”

He looked so domesticated just then, like a man from her planet. Like
her
man. Her heart flip-flopped, and she realized with the speed of a bolt of lightning and the intensity of a clasp of thunder that she wanted him to be her man. Permanently.

Oh. My. God.

What had she done? What the hell had she done?

Katie fought a wave of rising panic.
I haven’t done anything,
she assured herself.
Everything will be all right.
While she cared for Jorlan, desired him, she hadn’t fallen in love with him. That meant he couldn’t leave her yet, that he had to stay here with her a while longer. Her shoulders instantly relaxed.
See, every
thing will be all right.
She ignored the twinge of guilt that drifted beneath her thoughts.

“Jorlan—” she began.

He must have caught the trembling in her voice because he set the bouquets on the floor. His gaze never left her. “What has placed that look of terror in your eyes?”

“I just—I don’t…”

His brow arched, and he crossed his arms over his chest, revealing that stubborn streak of his that had so irritated her at the first meeting but now filled her with calm. “What are you trying to say?” He came to her then, glided a fingertip across her cheekbone. His touch was so gentle, so reassuring. “Whatever it is, I will help you.”

She took him by the shoulders, her nails digging deep. “Just kiss me. Kiss me now and make me forget.”

Without a word, he lowered his lips to hers.

P
ERCEN GLARED DOWN
at the embracing couple, both enraged and joyous. Joyous because Jorlan did not desire Heather. Enraged because Jorlan would not suffer now that Percen had claimed the gentle temptress as his own.

For the moment, he concentrated on his joy, a completely foreign emotion to him. An emotion he attributed to Heather. Since leaving her this dawning, he’d thought of little else. And he’d wondered…could she be the one his mother spoke of? The one woman who could see past his scars and see the man he truly was?

Yestereve, she hadn’t seemed all that impressed
with his beauty. Nay, she’d craved only his warmth, his presence. Two things he could give her, ugly or gloriously handsome. Percen gazed up at the white ceiling above him. Did he possess the courage to try and win this mortal woman’s heart? Did he even want to, now that she was no longer needed to punish Jorlan? The answer came swiftly and unequivocally. Aye. He wanted her more than he wanted his leg untwisted.

He’d spent only the one night with her, and yet she stirred feelings inside him he’d never thought to experience. There was happiness, aye, but she also made him feel content. ’Twas ironic, really, that he felt so deeply for a mortal when he’d often hated his mother for doing the same.

Standing there in the silence of his thoughts, Percen began to plan. He would go to Heather this night. He would take her in his arms, make love to her over and over again. He would show her his true self, and she would…

He did not know what she would do, and at the moment, he realized the answer didn’t,
couldn’t
matter. He could never have lasting happiness with Heather as long as Jorlan still lived.

Percen forced his thoughts back to his brother. ’Twas past time he finished the war between them. But how? He didn’t want Katie, couldn’t bring himself to try and win her affections. And it wouldn’t do just to turn Jorlan into stone again. Where was the suffering in that? Mayhap…

Oh, aye, he thought, his eyes narrowing. Mayhap the pain he sought for his brother was not the jealous rage that he himself constantly battled. Mayhap what
he should do, must do,
would do,
was
physically
hurt the woman who so clearly claimed Jorlan’s affections.

Percen’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.

J
ORLAN JERKED AWAY
from Katie, abruptly ending their kiss. A sense of magic was enveloping him, a bit stronger than before. He had not cast a spell, yet power hummed all around him just the same.

“What’s wrong?” Katie asked, startled. Her lips were still parted with desire and swollen now from the force of his mouth.

His gaze scanned the area around them. There was no one save he and Katie in the chamber. There was no furniture, either, where someone might hide. Only paint tins and brushes were scattered about, and some sort of transparent material covered the floor.

Katie gripped his forearm. “Jorlan? Tell me.”

“There is…” His words tapered to a close, for the magic evaporated as quickly as it had appeared. Curse it, what was going on? Was he being watched, or was the stone spell trying to claim him early?

He froze, nearly fell to the floor with the force of his panic. He had not considered the possibility of losing his freedom before his two cycles had passed. Desperation twisted inside his belly. A cold sweat broke out across his brow. He pierced Katie with a glare. “Do you love me?” The words left his mouth in an explosion.

“I—” She shook her head, her eyes filled with sorrow and regret. “No, not yet. I’m sorry.”

More panic. More desperation. There had to be a way to gain her affection. “Your brother mentioned a family gathering on Saturday.”

She nodded, flowing with the swift change of subject. “That’s tomorrow.”

“I would like to go.” What better way to win her than to prove himself to her family? Aye, ’twas it, the answer he craved. Slowly, his muscles relaxed.

Her eyes widened, and her jaw went slack. “You want to meet my dad?”

“Aye.”

“Are you sure you want to meet my dad?” she asked again, yet hope was dancing in the depths of her tawny-colored eyes. “He’s bossy and arrogant and even throws tantrums upon occasion.”

“I would still like to meet him.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said, but she was smiling brighter than he’d ever seen her.

That smile proved to be his undoing. He pulled her back into his arms and didn’t let her go until they were both panting with desire.

K
ATIE DIDN’T HAVE TO THINK
long about whether or not to take Jorlan to the luncheon. Yes, yes, yes! was the answer. She’d never before introduced a man to her father, but for some reason, she wanted him to meet and love Jorlan.

At the moment, she and her alien were in her truck, speeding along the highway. Jorlan had no idea what he’d gotten himself into, of course, but she’d tried to warn him. His determination to spend the day with her family was startling in its intensity, and made her care for him all the more.

“Will there be ‘lick her’ at this family gathering?” he asked. He tugged at his seat belt, still uncomfortable with being locked down.

“Yes. To be honest, I don’t think my brothers can tolerate each other without it.”

Misunderstanding her dry tone, Jorlan reached around her and sunk his fingers into the base of her neck, massaging. “You have nothing to fear,
katya.
I will not harm your siblings.”

She chuckled. “What if they deserve it?”

“Even then.”

“Well, they need to pay for what they did to us the
other night, and I brought the means to do that.” One sandy brow arched and the corner of her lip elevated with smug confidence as she patted the bag at her side. Oh yes, her brothers were going to pay.

Before long, her father’s house came into view. It was the house of her childhood, an unusual house, high and sprawling, redbrick, with a tall, cathedral roof. She couldn’t say the structure was to her personal taste, but the memories she had built there more than made up for any architectural failure.

Five cars, each a different make and model—depending on the owner—were parked in the winding driveway. She kept her truck close to the entrance, not wanting to be blocked in with no escape. Bracing herself, she turned to Jorlan. “Are you ready for this?”

“Aye.”

“I just want to warn you again. My dad is a very…opinionated man.”

“I wonder how his daughter became so pliable, then,” Jorlan teased.

“Ha, ha. Very funny.” Instead of leading him to the porch, she grabbed the plastic bag she’d brought and strode directly to Nick’s sedan. He was going to be her first victim.

She raised the hood. Jorlan peered over her shoulder, casting a shadow over the engine. “What are you doing?”

“Getting our revenge.” With that, she clasped a container of baby powder and dumped the contents into the ventilation system. She did the same to all of her brothers’ vehicles. “When they turn on their air conditioners, they’ll be blasted with the powder.”

Jorlan slowly grinned. “Remind me never to make you angry.”

They walked hand-in-hand to the porch. The front doors were oak and had elongated silver handles in the shape of the number eight. Music blared from speakers, fast-paced and without a noticeable rhythm. Not bothering to ring the bell—who would have heard her anyway?—she led Jorlan through the house. Every piece of decoration, from the floral print ottoman to the cream-colored lace curtains, was positioned exactly as her mother had liked them.

Everyone was in the backyard playing basketball. Even her dad had donned shorts and a bandana for the occasion. The dark blue kerchief wrapped around his head made him look like a slightly older version of her brothers, instead of an aging heart patient. Sunlight streamed down, hot and dry; unfortunately, no breeze meandered by to cool them off. The yard was flat, mostly light grass that had long since turned dry and weedy. All of the roses and azaleas that had once lined the fence were withered.

“Katie,” her dad called when he saw her.

As one, all of her brothers halted in different stages of play and glanced over at her. Nick raced to the patio table and turned down the music as her dad’s long strides closed the distance between them. He kissed her cheek. “How’ve you been, girl?”

Just peachy,
she thought.
I’m sleeping with an alien and a curse hangs over our heads.
“I’m great.”

“Good, good.” His golden-brown eyes lit on Jorlan. He frowned. “Who’s your friend?”

“Dad, this is Jorlan en Sarr. Jorlan, this is Ryan James. My father.”

The two shook hands. “I’ve heard about you,” he said, and judging by his tone, the information hadn’t been good. “You may call me Detective James,” he announced in his no-nonsense voice.

“Dad, you’re no longer on the force,” she reminded him. But she knew it would do no good—he made everyone, including her upon occasion, call him Detective.

“Doesn’t matter.” He wiped his sweaty cheek with the back of his wrist. “I earned the title and still deserve the respect that comes with it. Boys, say hi to our guest so we can get back to our game.” Just like that, Jorlan was dismissed.

So far, things were not going well.

None of her brothers had been expecting her, obviously, because they stood all in a row, staring at her, waiting for her to reveal how they would be received. They all wore equal expressions of guilt and shame. Well, except for Nick, who was grinning as if he was having the time of his life.

“Hey, Jorlan,” Erik finally said, ignoring her altogether.

“Hey,” all the others called. Gray even gave Jorlan a stiff nod.

“Good dawning to you,” Jorlan said. Of all of Katie’s brothers, he liked Gray the best. The man had a way of intimidating everyone around him, a fine quality for any warrior to possess. Not that he intimidated Jorlan, however. Or Katie for that matter. In fact, the hard lines of Gray’s face softened every time he
glanced at his sister, ruining his I’m-about-to-kill-you frown.

How pathetic, Jorlan thought, his high praise for Gray evaporating. Couldn’t the man remain outwardly unaffected while dealing with the opposite sex?

Katie chose that moment to glance at Jorlan. A smile grew on her lips, warm and intimate. He knew those lips felt like heated satin against his skin. He knew they tasted like the sweetest
gartina
petal.

His features relaxed.

The James men were hard and golden, yet Katie was soft and fair. Each man present could have easily passed for Imperian warriors. Katie, though, would not have blended with the men
or
the women of his world. She was too exotic-looking, too opinionated and commanding. If he introduced her to his warrior friends, they would surely string him alive, fearing such a spitfire would embolden
their
women. But ah, what fun he and Katie would have!

For some reason, all of the James men were lined up side by side, now staring at him with hard expressions. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared right back at them.

“Are you having fun yet?” Katie whispered in Jorlan’s ear. She turned her attention back to her brothers. Knowing they would soon be drenched with baby powder put her in a forgiving mood. “Well,” she said, hands on hips. “Are you going to greet me or not?”

In a snap, sweaty male arms and chests enfolded her. “Enough,” she laughed.

“Glad you came,” Gray told her, then kissed her cheek.

“Don’t smother the girl,” her father barked. “You all smell like a locker room and I don’t want you to gag her to death. God, no wonder she lives alone and refuses to marry a decent man. You’ve all given her a bad impression.”

“Don’t get all tense, Dad.” Katie pointed a finger at his chest. “It’s not good for your health.”

“Well—” he blustered.

“Besides, the James brothers can’t help themselves. I’m irresistible.”

“That you are,” Jorlan whispered against her ear.

In the sudden silence, everyone overheard. Gray rolled his eyes at the sweet entreaty. Nick chuckled. Her dad watched them with narrowed eyes. “Who’s ready to finish the game?” He grabbed the ball from the ground. “Katie, go sit by Denver’s friend. You gals can cheer for me. Jorlan, why don’t you be on Nick’s team?”

For the first time, Katie noticed the lone woman perched beneath the bright-yellow patio umbrella. Dark-brown hair spilled around her shoulders. She wore a lightweight, strappy sundress made of light-blue fabric and somehow managed to look cool and sophisticated amid the crackling heat.

“Jorlan doesn’t know how to play basketball.” Katie swiped her sweat-beaded brow with the back of her hand.

“What red-blooded American doesn’t know how to play basketball?” her dad roared.

“He’s not American.”

“Doesn’t matter. He’s red-blooded isn’t he?”

Actually, she didn’t know.

“I know the game,” her alien lover said. “Over the spans I have watched several of them played. I will play, but I would like Katie to play, as well.”

“Girls shouldn’t play sports, son. They can get hurt.” This was, of course, said by her father as he gave her a pointed look that conveyed the message: don’t disappoint me by stepping beyond feminine boundaries yet again.

She just arched a brow. “I’m your sixth son, Dad. I can take anything you dish.”

“Fine.” Ryan threw his arms in the air, as if he’d been pushed to the last level of his tolerance. “But I’m not willing to take a chance that you’ll get trampled. We’ll just take turns shooting from the line.”

“Oh, I like that,” Nick said with a sly grin. “First one to miss has to tell everyone his best pickup line. Maybe this way, we can teach Gray something about women.”

Gray slugged him in the shoulder.

Katie rolled her eyes. “I’ll sit this one out, boys, but I do thank you for the offer.” While she would have loved playing with Jorlan, she had a much stronger desire to watch him. She skipped to the shaded umbrella table and introduced herself to Denver’s friend. “I’m Katie. The sister.”

“Madison.” Madison wore big sunglasses that covered half her face. This close up, her dark hair appeared glossy, like chocolate tinted silk. She was pretty in a delicate, pixieish sort of way.

Shading her eyes with her hand, Katie plopped down in an available seat. “How long have you and Denver been dating?”

“A few weeks.” Madison’s tone was cool, and she offered no more information.

Katie got the hint. She also realized that Madison was the usual type of female Denver dated—a woman who needed icicles surgically removed from her veins. When would her brother find someone at least partially thawed?

Without another word, she turned her attention to the men. They were all lined up in front of the goal, taking turns shooting the ball. When Jorlan’s turn arrived, a look of such intense concentration masked his face. He studied the goal, weighed the ball in his hands, then finally shot. The ball swooshed through the net.

Five rounds later, Nick missed.

“Let’s hear your best pickup line. Maybe I can learn something—not to say,” Gray finished with a laugh.

Nick’s mouth twitched with amusement. “I prefer a direct approach. Something like this. Nice legs.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “What time do they open?”

Madison gasped.

Katie chuckled.

All of the men burst into laughter, including Jorlan. Her heart warmed at the sight. How wonderfully he was interacting with her family. And he wasn’t even hammered! Her smile slowly faded. Why, why, why couldn’t she keep him?

Life was so unfair.

Erik was the next to miss. “You’ve got two hundred bones in your body. Want one more?”

Again, Madison gasped. “That’s disgusting,” she said scathingly.

On and on the boys played until she’d heard everything from, “I’d really like to see how you look when I’m naked.” To, “You know, if I were you, I’d have sex with me.” To, “Wanna play army? I’ll lay down and you can blow the hell out of me.”

Madison had spewed her glass of water over that one.

Jorlan finally missed. Everyone, including Katie, stared at him in expectation. Just what constituted an Imperian come-on? As she watched him, she noticed his eyes were crinkled merrily at the sides. Oh, he was having fun, and she wanted to throw herself in his arms because of it.

Another second passed, then another. He had them all on the edge, waiting.

Finally, he said confidently, “Get thee to my bed, woman.”

All of Katie’s brothers frowned. “That’s not a pickup line,” Denver said.

“It’s not even funny,” Nick added.

“But it works,” Jorlan added with a smile. “Every time.”

Male chuckles abounded, some a deep tenor, others a husky baritone. Still, she could distinguish Jorlan’s chuckles, like a deep, honey-rich caress.

“I’m starved,” Gray suddenly announced. He dropped the ball and let it roll onto the grass. “Someone get into the kitchen and make me a sandwich.”

Half a dozen male faces peered at her and Madison. “I am not fixing anyone anything,” Katie retorted, popping to her feet.

“Don’t look at me,” Madison ground out. “I’m ready to leave.”

“Katie,” her father began, entreaty woven into the deep timbre of his voice. “You and Madison are the only women here. While we’ve been busy, you’ve been sitting. Fixing us lunch is the least you can do.”

“We have this argument every time I come over.” When her mother had been alive, hamburgers, hotdogs, casseroles and fresh fruit punch had abounded. Since Hannah’s death, however, the only food to be served was what Katie prepared. “You’re a big boy, and if you get hungry, you can cook.”