Adarkan's Salvation

Published by Phaze Books Also by Becca Dale

Ice Crystal

This is an explicit and erotic novel intended for the enjoyment of adult readers. Please keep out of the hands of children.

www.Phaze.com

Adarkan’s Salvation A novel of erotic science fiction romance by

BECCA DALE

Adarkan’s Salvation copyright 2008 by Becca Dale All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

A Phaze Production Phaze Books 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222 Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC. To order additional copies of this book, contact: [email protected] www.Phaze.com Cover art © 2007, Debi Lewis Edited by Candi Bown

eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-59426-648-5

First Edition – August, 2008 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Chapter One The Beginning Three hundred years of battle smoke cloaked the crescent moon as war raged through the darkness and humanity lost itself to fear and self-preservation. The clash of steel overrode the screams of fallen horses, reverberating through the valley, while bitter flames, fueled by hate and distrust, lit the horizon. Kylean stood watch on a knoll overlooking the riverbank. He would come soon. Her pulse drummed and her breast rose and fell in agitation as she struggled to still her fears. The cool autumn wind pressed her skirt tightly to her trembling legs and sent shivers dancing down her back. Her mother and father might disown her for this night, but she could not run to their sheltering arms. She smoothed the virgin’s gown of Cavalier lace her mother had so painstakingly sewn for a wedding night that would never happen and adjusted the ribbon in her carefully washed, lavender scented hair that lay in a thick rope against her racing heart. She had taken special care to make herself worthy of the talon king, the dark creature who commanded her thoughts and desires. A twig snapped and she turned to see him, tall and strong in the shadows. He leaned casually against a cragged oak. His long black hair partially hid his features, but she knew him. His dark eyes would glow red when she angered him and settle to cool obsidian when he was at peace, a state she rarely witnessed. His sharp features never relaxed, even when he cajoled her to do his bidding, and the corded muscles of his limbs could effortlessly rip a man apart, a fact which fed her desire and her disquiet. “Why have you come to me?” he asked, as if he had not commanded her from her bed. “Why have you called me?” She dared to tease him only

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because his plans went beyond a night’s feasting. He would not gorge himself upon her flesh and destroy the future of his people any more than she would jeopardize her family and humankind in general. He shifted away from the tree and rose to his full height with a restrained snarl. “Do you mock me, girl?” A red glow flared in his eyes and his lip curved above his sharpened fangs. Her mouth went dry and her throat tightened, but she stepped boldly toward him. “No. Would you have me cower? If you seek a trembling creature, destroy me now and find another more suited to your purpose.” He remained silent, staring steadily until she feared she would melt and plead for forgiveness. With a controlled breath she moved one step closer. He blinked at her boldness before chuckling softly. “You are too brazen, ik kara. Tread with care that you don’t push me too far.” “Perhaps I’ve not pushed you far enough, my lord. Am I not, as you say, the chosen one? If I’m mistaken tell me, and I’ll not bother you again. I did not come tonight to destroy my future, but rather to save it.” “Do not ever threaten me.” His savage snarl chilled her blood as he shoved her roughly. Kylean tripped over her long skirt and sat down hard on the frozen ground. She clenched her jaw against a futile scream. With an irritated jerk she pulled the offending material aside and rose. She stood inches from his massive chest and glared up at him. “Do you mean to frighten me, my lord? I don’t bow before man or talon. If you seek resolution, then treat me with respect. I don’t expect tenderness from you, though that which I offer would demand it, but I will not willingly accept abuse. I’m a seer, a princess among my people, a healer, and a virgin prize. All these things make me worthy of you, my lord. Don’t value me below my nature or social decree or you may find my claws sharper than your own.” His nostrils flared and his great hands clenched in anger. “Go then. Leave me.” “No.” His savage reputation flitted through her mind. Unsure how he would react to such audacity, she hid her trembling hands behind her back.

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His strong hands engulfed her waist and lifted her to her toes. Hot breath brushed her cheeks as he struggled for control of his emotions. “Have you lost your mind, girl? How dare you defy me?” “I believe in ending the wars, my lord. I want a part of that.” She hesitated a moment before touching his tight jaw. He could so easily destroy her, but she prayed he would not. “Don’t send me away, Rakar. Join our peoples. I see no other way to end this relentless feud.” The muscles in his jaw jumped beneath her fingertips before he yanked her close. “I can smell your fear no matter how you try to hide it, Kylean. What frightens so bold a girl?” Smiling, she relaxed in his arms. Savage and cold he may be, but her faith in him had not been misplaced. “I fear only the unknown, my lord. I would face this night with trepidation were you a mere man. I can’t help the disquiet that stirs my soul at the thought of lying with the talon king, yet I would rather face that fear than live with failure.” He released her without a word and spread his cloak on the ground, but his black eyes swirled with crimson emotion. He wore only the short, deerhide kilt of his clan, and his dark skin glowed in the pale moonlight. His beauty stole her ability to reason. Then he was upon her. His rough kiss warmed her as he bore her to the ground and stripped away her human trappings with a savage rip. The material held at the waistband but left her naked from there up. The cool air competed with his heat, sending chills to dance with his hands across her exposed skin, and she trembled in anticipation. When he broke the kiss, he moved downward and captured her nipple in his teeth. He would offer her no gentleness; this she understood and accepted as she arched upward, begging for his commanding touch. The remnants of her clothing shredded to nothing beneath his claws, but he sheathed them when he stroked her unprotected flesh. The clouds above swirled with a brewing storm, proof that what they did would change the world. For a moment she questioned her decision as the great talon king knelt between her thighs, his eyes as turbulent as the sky above. So many obstacles

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stood in the way of peace. “What we set in motion can’t be undone, Kylean. You will face ridicule and threats from both our kind, and I can’t protect you. I ask again, ik kara, do you come to me with a sure heart?” His question ended hers. “Without reservation, Rakar.” He closed his eyes and tipped his head to the heavens as if praying for guidance before he flipped aside his kilt. She had not imagined he would be so large. Surely a human female could not accommodate such mass, but before she could pull away, he shoved her knees wide and drove his engorged penis deep inside her moist vagina. She screamed as he entered. Arching off the ground, she beat on his shoulders. “Get out! We’re not meant to join!” But he remained locked inside her throbbing body. He shifted her upward against his chest so her thighs embraced his hips, then held her tightly. “Be still!” he growled as he pressed her face to his shoulder. One strong hand clasped the back of her head and the other pressed flat against her spine. His claws pricked her tender flesh to keep her steady. She could not breathe and struggled to free herself, but he remained relentless. Finally, in a frantic plea for oxygen, she bit down hard on his sinewy shoulder. With a snarl, he jerked her head back but did no more as she gasped desperately for air. When her breathing returned to normal, she reclined against his arms. The pain of his entry had lessened, and though he still stretched her greatly, she no longer feared their joining. His wolfish grin told her he knew. “Shall we create a son and end the wars forever, ik kara?” When she nodded her consent, he laid her back against the soft velvet of his cape and came down over her, a beast looming above its prey. The unsettling thought drifted away as he made slow impassioned love to her. Each heart stirring caress, each thrust and pull, lifted her higher as he whispered words she did not understand. Unwilling merely to receive his gift, she lifted her hips to meet him until her body acknowledged his mastery, and the darkening sky shattered above her. The talon king set his seed deep inside her human womb as thunder and lightening crashed above and the night screamed with fear and joy at what they had done.

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Chapter Two Twenty years later “Gralak! Lord Rakar commands you come.” The king’s youngest page stood at the edge of the practice field as if afraid to journey among the soldiers as they trained. The boy looked fragile and pale in contrast to the warriors. Gralak wondered if Rakar ever let the child see the sun. Impatient with the king and his high-handed ways, Gralak waved to acknowledge he had heard the command. His martial arts student took advantage of the distraction and drove a knee hard into his master’s stomach, making Gralak grunt. With an irritated flick of his wrist, Gralak threw the younger soldier across the yard. “You did well to attack when my guard fell, Blavark, but you forgot the most important lesson. Strength outdoes cunning alone; only in obtaining both can you defeat me. Don’t forget again.” Ignoring the whimpers from the beaten subordinate and the hoots from the other trainees, Gralak paused at the well to wash his face and chest. With his wet hands he slicked back his shoulder-length hair and dusted off his pants before opening the heavy door to Rakar’s den. “You sent for me, my lord?” Hand on his dagger, Rakar stared out the far window, his muscular back tense. The king’s rigid stance did not bode well, and Gralak searched the sparsely furnished room for unseen threats. “You took long.” Rakar’s deep voice rumbled in irritation and Gralak relaxed. The king’s problem obviously came from within his walls and not some unseen force. “I apologize, my lord. I was with a student.”

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Without further comment, Rakar lowered the window blind and settled behind his desk before he gestured toward another chair. Gralak sat down and automatically dropped his shoulders forward as he placed his elbows on his knees in passive position. If the old king were troubled, he would not aggravate him more. “I hear you show well as a leader, boy. Are you looking to my position?” Gralak chuckled benignly. “Someday. For now I’m content to learn from you, my lord.” The king snorted. “You are arrogant to covet my throne.” Gralak chuckled again. “Like you, I take what I desire and earn my right to keep it.” Rakar leaned back in his chair with his shoulders stiff and his battle-scarred hands relaxed on the armrests. Despite his graying temples, he still exuded the power of an Alpha warrior. When Gralak did not drop his eyes as he should have, Rakar smiled. “You and I are more alike than you know, boy, but you’ll not have my place. Soon I’ll step aside for one who will open doors to peace.” Gralak growled low in his throat. “Humans lack honor. Greed drives them to take our lands and murder our families, yet you speak of peace?” Rakar leaned forward to fiddle with a pen on his desk before he met Gralak’s eyes. “Peace will be achieved through my son.” Startled, Gralak stood swiftly and the momentum shoved his chair across the room where it toppled to the stone floor with a resounding clatter. “Your son? With what female have you mated? Though they circle like hyenas at a kill, you rebuff them all.” “Dare you judge me?” Rakar snarled as he leaped across his desk and lashed out. His great claws slashed Gralak’s cheek. The shallow cuts stung little, but for such a blow Gralak would have opened the throat of any save the Alpha. Instead he dropped his head and stepped back as protocol demanded. “I overstepped, my lord. Forgive me.” Rakar remained rigid a moment, then relaxed. “Accepted, boy. Now lower yourself; your height barks disrespect.” Grabbing a chair, Gralak sat, but he did not apologize, nor

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did he wipe away the blood that trickled down his neck. The scent of it reminded him to practice patience when he gained the throne. His hands clenched behind his back, Rakar prowled from desk to window and back. “Are you loyal, Gralak?” “I am.” “If I trusted you with the future, would you protect it?” “I aspire to the throne, my lord, but I’ll not wrest it from you until your choices no longer reflect the people’s well-being. You have my word.” With a nod, Rakar leaned against his desk and crossed his arms. “Good, then I give you my son to train.” Gralak expected to see a child enter the room at the king’s command, but the door remained closed. “Where am I to find this boy, my lord?” “In Gant with his mother; fetch them both.” “But Gant is a human village.” “He bleeds human and talon alike.” Such blasphemous words destroyed Gralak’s resolve to pacify the king. The idea of a breed having grown to adulthood revolted him. “You mated with a woman?” Red swirled in Rakar’s eyes and his fangs gleamed in the low light filtering through the window blinds. “Only a leader who understands both worlds can end the clash.” Gralak rose, uncaring if he insulted the Alpha. “No one will accept him, Rakar. How can you believe otherwise?” “They will because I demand it.” “And the humans? How will you convince them?” “The boy’s mother will bring her father and other leaders to the table, and Adarkan shall sway them to peace.” “A child raised in the human way, what prevents him from destroying us?” “My son will side with talon over human if necessary.” “Forgive me, my lord, can you guarantee such a thing?” “Yark has taught him our ways.” Images of a traitor in their midst tightened Gralak’s stomach. “You sent a castrated omega to instruct the child? He will think us all weak.” “I would not risk another.”

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Gralak wanted to know more, but the closed expression on the Alpha’s face concluded the discussion. Rising, he bowed his head respectfully before turning to the door. “I’ll bring the boy, and we shall see if he is talon or man.” “Gralak,” the king waited until Gralak faced him before he continued, “my son has an independent streak that may cause trouble. Take a discipline rod with you.” Gralak shook his head. “I’ve no need of one, my lord. I dislike their use.” “I’m not asking you to break the boy’s spirit, but he can’t jeopardize his purpose. If his will demands it, use the rod. I will not abide an undisciplined soldier.” “As you command, my lord.” Gralak strode from the room into the bright sunlight, but a dark dread welled in his heart. The road to peace would prove treacherous at best, but a path laid by a breed could jeopardize the talons’ very existence. **** Adarkan laughed as she slipped in the cooking oil she had thrown at her teacher’s nasty head. Catching herself on the newel post, she scampered up the stairs as Yark snarled and raged below. The old talon would not dare enter the private quarters, no matter the provocation. Still laughing, Adarkan flung open the door to her mother’s chamber and flopped upon the feather bed. “Can you hear him still, Mother?” Kylean rose from her desk and closed the door so their voices would not carry below. “Yes, and you should show more respect, child.” “Respect for a talon? I doubt it.” “You mock yourself, darling.” Adarkan sat up with a scowl. “I’m no more talon than you are, Mother. You caught the beast’s unholy seed; I merely reflect its presence.” Adarkan waited for a rebuttal, but for once it didn’t come. Instead Kylean walked across the room to sit on the bed. Her shoulders drooped wearily, adding years to her thirty-eight. “I’ve been weak in raising you, Kan. I should have sent you to your father long ago.” “You could not do that to me.” Scooting across the bed, Adarkan knelt behind Kylean and lightly scratched her back with

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partially sheathed claws. The soothing action drew the tension from her mother’s shoulders. “I’ve learned the language, the proper social behavior, and even acquired a taste for the food, but I cannot live with him, Mother. My father left us alone to suffer ridicule and hatred as a castoff and a bastard. Once the public knows my heritage, they will ostracize me no matter where I dwell. Here I have you. There I would have no one.” Her mother turned on the bed and captured Adarkan’s hands in her own. Worry marred her beautiful complexion and curved her shoulders. “We lived apart from your grandparents by my choice, Adarkan. I did not want you to develop a fondness for human ways. Do not blame your father for our isolation.” “That does not change the way others see us.” Kylean sighed, “Ease your judgment of him, Kan. He comes tomorrow and you must go.” Adarkan jerked her hands away and leaped from the bed. “No! You cannot expect me to! For God’s sake, Mother, he knows his own child so little he thinks me a boy.” Tears welled in her mother’s pale blue eyes. “I would selfishly keep you always, Kan, but I can’t. Your father chose me to bear his child, an honor I joyously accepted. Now you must live up to your birth. There can be no other life for you. I’m sorry.” As Adarkan fled to her private chamber, tears streamed down her cheeks. She impatiently wiped away the signs of weakness. “I will not leave with him. I am not talon. I’m human.” Her chest tightened at the words so often whispered in the dark of her room. Images of talon youth taunted in the streets and gang beaten for the shape of their faces flooded her mind. Though few would guess mixed blood ran through her veins, she could not allow anyone close. Once her father arrived, the deception would end. The years of pretending weighed on her spirit as she pulled a framed photograph from the bottom dresser drawer and sank to the floor. Her fingers trembled when she touched the faded picture. The image of Rakar emphasized his strong jaw and forehead, his black hair and eyes, and the smile he reserved only for her.

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“Why did you leave me?” Tears flowed down her cheeks as she thought of the years spent apart, years she had kept her claws sheathed to reveal only small humanlike nails and her smile tempered to hide her fangs. She looked for similarities between them. Her black hair and changing eyes were the only outward signs of his blood. Her fair skin bore no telltale markings and her brow lay flat and even instead of protruding with a talon’s distinctive center ridge. She possessed her father’s acute sense of smell, physical strength, and his temper, which showed when her amber eyes flamed to orange, but for the most part, her talon attributes remained hidden. “I wouldn’t have shamed you, Father.” She leaned her head back against the wall in an effort to slow her accelerated heartbeat as fear of the unknown pressed down. Her height and strength had convinced her human neighbors that she was a boy, but she could not hide her sex from her father for long now that she had come of age. Once her birth became public, neither human nor talon would accept her. The churches would demand her exile or death, and if her father cast her out, she would have no one and nowhere. With a sigh, she wondered if she could even pass for an uncommitted female roving in the night hours. She stood less than six foot rather than the average of six and a half, and her skin was not the dark chestnut of the clan. She threw her father’s photo on the bed and turned toward her dresser. Stripping her shirt over her head and stepping from her jeans, she stared at herself in the mirror. Her waist had the sharp indent of a talon and her legs were muscular and lean from years of working with Yark. She even had the small pert breasts of her father’s people, a fact which had helped preserve her identity as a boy, but her facial features revealed her human genetics. Self-pity tugged at her as she ran a hand down her slender frame. “No wonder Mother hid me as a boy. I’m too insignificant to be a talon female and too much to be simply a woman.” A lonesome talon melody drifted through her window and pulled her from her self-absorption. Pushing the sash aside, she listened as the old creature who lived on the riverbank sang of lost love. The pain in the loner’s words echoed her worries, and

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she called back to him, offering the comfort of another being in the darkness. As her cry died away, another answered. Startled, Adarkan leaned out the window. She did not recognize the compassionate voice. He had come. Anticipation quivered through her body. She closed the window and braced herself against it. Tomorrow she would meet her father. Not as the child who had climbed upon his lap, but as an adult anxious for his respect no matter what she told her mother. Then it hit her; she could force him to recognize his own flesh. Grabbing a thin red throw from the bed, she wrapped it around her waist in the fashion of a single female and belted it tightly. The fabric opened from heel to hip as she walked, and her bare chest gave her pause, but she must appear before him as an ordinary stranger. She quickly unbraided her black hair and brushed it until it shown blue in the lamplight, then pulled it forward to hide her nakedness. At a glance, she’d pass completely as talon, and the darkness would minimize her differences. Adarkan stepped onto the window sill and dropped two stories to the ground. With a fortifying breath, she set off toward the unknown voice. **** Moonlight filtered softly through the pines surrounding the small clearing. The dim light allowed her to see three horses grazing near the forest’s edge. Two talon males snored softly on the damp ground. Creeping forward, she tried to discern if one was Rakar. Neither looked old enough to be her father. Disappointed, she searched the clearing for the third rider. She found him when his unsheathed claws settled against her jugular. Adarkan swallowed her fear and turned in his arms. He stood at least a foot taller than she and he smelled spicy and rich. Tipping her head back to better see him, she smiled in confusion. “You’re not the one I expected.” He chuckled softly, then beckoned her to come as he stepped backward into the woods. Curious, she followed. “Nor had I expected you.” He spoke gently as his wolfish gaze devoured her. Common sense begged her to run like hell,

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but she had never seen his like before. The shadows blurred his features but she could distinguish his broad shoulders and the easy power that exuded from him. He wore only deerskin pants, and his naked chest and coffee-color flesh begged her fingers to explore. The cloak of night tempted her to forget everything: the reason for her existence, the necessity of remaining pure, even the importance of her secret identity faded in the face of the sensual being before her. At last her mother’s lifelong obsession with the talon king made sense. “Who are you?” He shrugged. “No one. Merely a messenger boy. And you?” She laughed as her heart tripped over itself. The fierce, battle-scarred creature before her would be no one’s messenger boy. “I’m a weary soul lost in the human world.” He stepped forward and swept her hair behind her shoulders, exposing her breasts to his hot gaze. “It’s good that I found you then.” “Very good.” The earth seemed to tilt. He stood close but she still could not make him out clearly, a fact which added to her boldness. His muscles rippled as he ran a questing fingertip from her collarbone to the top of her skirt. Her better judgment screamed frantically, but she refused to hear. She had grown tired of doing what was right or expected. For one night she would be a free female offering herself to a male in the cool shadows. Rashly, she wrapped her hands around his neck and rose to her toes. “Would you accept me?” she asked as she ran her nails gently across the savage looking scratches marring his cheekbone. “With great desire, pretty one.” He tugged her flush to his chest and his heat warmed her. Groaning softly, she rubbed against him to heighten the sensation, and he responded with a low guttural sound. His claws pricked her skin as he lifted her, bringing her breasts level with his mouth. His hot breath teased the sensitized nipples before he flicked his tongue against them. Dizzy, she braced her hands on his shoulders while he feasted. She flexed her claws into his solid flesh and wrapped her legs around his waist as white-hot fire flashed through her. Her

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skirt fell open, baring her thighs and privates, and she squirmed against his taunt abdomen. He lifted her higher to explore her quivering stomach, and she tightened her thighs, urging him onward like a quarter horse. Pure lust sped through her blood and stole her reason and inhibitions. His soft laugh broke through her impassioned haze. “Let go so I may gain your scent.” When she unclenched her legs, he swiftly shifted her knees over his shoulders and tipped her backward. Fighting to stop her fall, she gripped his forearms. Her claws sank into his muscles as he inhaled the essence of her. The primal act was intoxicating. The moon filtered mystically through the trees above as his tongue sampled her moist flesh, and the world swayed in lazy rhythm until he suddenly nipped her clit. Startled, she jerked against his hold. Spewing talon words too fast to understand, he dropped her and stepped away. She caught herself before she fell. Her heart beat erratically against its cage and she shivered without his touch. “Why did you stop?” His eyes narrowed. “I hurt you.” He looked tense, a warrior on edge, and Adarkan smiled at his misplaced chivalry. “I wasn’t complaining.” She moved close and trailed her fingertips down his tight stomach and across his low waistband. “Would you end this?” An easy, wicked grin tilted the corner of his mouth and sent goose bumps racing across her overheated skin. He held her gaze as he loosened her belt and his sexy smile flashed his fangs when her sole garment floated to the ground. His calloused fingers traced the curve of her hips and narrow waist. “Lie with me, pretty one.” The powerful talon’s raw appeal made it difficult to breathe. Striving for a more casual air, she turned away and bent to straighten the fallen fabric. She should tease him, should seduce him as he seduced her, but he seized control before she took the chance. His large hands closed around her hips and he jerked her to his nakedness. How he had shed his clothing so rapidly she could not imagine, nor did she really care as he rubbed against her.

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“Are you done playing temptress?” Shivers shimmied through her again, and she playfully smiled over her shoulder. “Are you tempted?” “God, yes.” He swept her off her feet and laid her upon the silky fabric moments before he knelt above her. His arms bulged as he braced himself. “How many have you lain with, pretty one?” She hesitated. If she spoke the truth, would he walk away? He tenderly tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “You seem new.” “I’m not.” She tried to sound experienced, but concern darkened his deep chocolate eyes. “Do you lie?” She broke eye contact and looked down his body. He shifted his hips so she could see more clearly. He looked nothing like the boys in the school locker room. He was freaking huge. Hoping it was a trick of the shadows, she reached for his penis. Her fingers could not close around him completely and uncertainty edged her euphoria. “I lied. I’ve never seen anyone like you.” He buried his laughter against her throat, and she squeezed him hard for poking fun. With a groan he thrust against her tightened palm, urging her to continue. “Do you want me still?” Common sense offered a last desperate plea, but she could not resist the heady feelings he aroused. “Desperately.” His mouth covered hers, enticing her from momentary doubt back to the surety of his arms. He cradled her head in his hand and slipped another beneath her back as he rolled without breaking their kiss. He plundered the depths of her mouth and she welcomed him. Pillowed on his hard body, she relished his earthy taste as her tongue dueled with his. When he slid his hand between their bodies and gently explored her, she opened her legs for him, shifting to ease his access. He parted her wet labia and sunk three long fingers inside her, mimicking his tongue’s rhythm as it ravaged her mouth. Pure sensation made her gasp as she sat up to take him deeper. “Does that hurt?” She shook her head and rocked against his talented hand. He continued to work her tender flesh, stretching her for his

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possession while his thumb found her pulsating clit. Arching, she clasped his muscular thighs and thrust forward, urging his fingers closer to her begging womb. The trees swirled away, leaving only a cocoon of passion behind. Sitting up, he caught her hips and held her poised above his swollen cock. “Your move, pretty one.” She’d seen cattle and horses breed, nothing more. Unsure, she closed her fingers around him and guided him to her. He clutched her hips and lowered her gently. His massive cock head pushed through her tight lips. Clutching his shoulders for balance, she stopped while her body stretched around him. “Easy,” he whispered. The pulse in his throat throbbed as he struggled for patience. His beautiful eyes held hers, feeding her desire. She settled further, taking him inside until she reached an unexpected barrier. Her flesh throbbed in time with the blood pounding through her brain. She writhed against him, wanting. He gradually eased her upward, withdrawing until only the tip of him remained inside, then slowly reentered, pressing firmly against the unwanted obstruction before he lifted her again. The slow strokes fed impatience and she pulled against his hold. He needed no further invitation. He held her hips securely as he thrust firmly, joining them fully. Sharp pain swept through her, but he remained still and it eased rapidly. “Ready?” Unable to speak, she nodded her assent. He rolled her to the soft fabric, his strong hands holding her snugly to his heated flesh. His mouth found hers, coaxing her complete abandonment, as inch by inch he pulled out then plunged back like coming home. The tug and slide of his movements made her whimper in pleasure. “Don’t hold back, pretty one. Scream my name.” He whispered against her ear and his hot breath sent tremors through her. “I can’t.” “No one will hear but me.” “I don’t know it.” His deep chuckle rumbled as he rose above her with a grin. “That does pose a problem. I’m Gralak. And you are?”

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“Rakara.” She offered him her middle name automatically despite the hated lie. A strange look flitted across his face before he bent to kiss her sweetly. “Good to meet you, Rakara.” The absurdity of the situation made her laugh aloud. “Do you intend to shout my name?” He shook his head as he nuzzled her breast. “No, but I promise you’ll cry mine before this night ends.” “Is that a challenge, Gralak?” “Definitely.” He won. Her nonexistent mating skills fell to his talented touch, each thrust, each caress designed to drive her to madness. She sank her fangs into his shoulder to hold off the inevitable, but the taste of him aroused her further and she arched in his arms screaming his name as wave after wave shattered over her. Blackness swirled and the world exploded, leaving her trembling and content.

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Chapter Three A rustling in the grass woke Adarkan. The sky blushed through the trees, and the brightness made her squint. Half asleep, she rolled to her stomach and smiled at the squirrel who lectured her for sleeping near his home. The early morning chill reminded her she wore no clothing. She sat up carefully, afraid Gralak would awaken as well. He slept peacefully beside her. Golden light set his dark skin aglow and highlighted his masculine attributes. She brushed a lock of his straight black hair from his face and ran her finger lightly over his forehead ridge. It ran from his center part to just above his eyebrows where it widened slightly. His skin darkened somewhat there and emphasized the animalistic quality. Sleep softened his sharp features, and his full lips parted to reveal the tips of his pure white fangs that begged her to taste him. She touched her mouth gently to his lower lip, and he instinctively kissed her in his sleep. She wanted him but dared not risk the light. If he knew her father, her secret would not last long. Silently, she rose from the throw. She could not slip the material from beneath his solid form. Feeling wicked, she tugged his slim breeches over her hips and rolled them to Capri length before she set off for home at a rapid lope. She had barely stepped through her window when her mother knocked. “Adarkan? Darling, let me in.” Jerking on her floor-length robe, Adarkan tossed Gralak’s pants behind her dressing screen before opening the door. “Has Father come already?” “No, but he will soon. I ran a bath and prepared fresh clothing for you.” The lazy ease of the morning disappeared as bitterness rushed back. “And what did you lay out for me, Mother? A beautiful dress to highlight my narrow waist and crystals to

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accentuate my dark curls or a silken sarong and golden belt to wrap my talon hips? Perhaps you chose a warrior’s kilt to show off my muscular thighs or a business suit to emphasize my human qualities. Which am I to be today: male, female, talon, human? Clarify my father’s desire, so I may jump the flaming hoop.” Kylean gasped. “You will show the king respect!” Her hand smacked against her daughter’s cheek, splitting her lower lip. Blood trickled down Adarkan’s chin, but she wiped it mindlessly on the back of her hand while she held her mother’s gaze. Years of disappointment and distrust fed her anger. Her vision sharpened as blood surged behind her irises and her pupils widened to take in more light. “I respect those who earn it.” Her petite mother grabbed her arm and shoved her to the window seat. “Look at the bombed out villages and barren wasteland that surrounds us. Would you continue to see children burn in their beds or women eviscerated in the streets? Do you applaud the priests as they throw breed babies from church towers, amid cheers celebrating the purity of the races? Should your father and I have shouted your existence to the public so they could slaughter you in infancy?” Kylean’s shoulders fell as her anger faded. She sank onto the bench beside Adarkan and gently touched her daughter’s cheek. “Your father thought he needed a son. If I had told him you were a girl, he would not have allowed you to grow into the capable leader you are. Hate me all you like, my darling, but don’t judge your father. He has maintained control only so you could take his place. He will see your value, but don’t expect more than he can give. He shows no kindness as he has seen none save from me. Offer him the understanding you grant strangers, and he will earn your respect. I promise.” Adarkan didn’t know what to say. She had always believed her mother too weak to bear the truth. The strength of will on Kylean’s face made Adarkan ashamed. “I’m sorry, Mother.” With a smile, Kylean kissed her forehead before rising. “Ready yourself then, Kan. Today, tomorrow begins.” **** Adarkan bathed quickly and hurried to prepare for Rakar’s arrival. She carefully pinned her hair high on her head, allowing

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only a few short curls to disguise her flat forehead and brush against her neck. Once she settled her battered fedora in place, her long locks became no more than a boy’s ragged cut. When satisfied she looked as a young man should, she turned to dress. On her bed lay a soft deerskin kilt and warrior’s belt. A note of heavy paper rested on top. She opened the envelope expecting a silly poem or joke from her mother to make her smile. Instead she found a message from her father. “Son, live up to your destiny.” It said no more, but Adarkan understood the pride behind it. She lifted the heavy leather strap with its polished brass buckle and studied the herald of her clan. A rampant lion and howling wolf divided the top portion and a deer poised for flight covered the lower half. Yark’s oft repeated lesson echoed through the room: the cat’s cunning, the pack’s power, and God’s bounty make us whole. She held the buckle to her chest a moment in tribute to her ancestry before she began to dress. Beneath the kilt were underpants, breast bindings and a pure white silken shirt with full sleeves and long tails. There was also the expected note from her mother. It read, “Don’t get caught with your britches down or your boobs flappin’.” Adarkan laughed at her mother’s strange humor, but she felt better for it. She dressed as always with her shirt untucked. The effect disguised her narrow waist, but it also hid her father’s gift. She slipped her belt from its loops and wrapped it over her top, settling it low on her hips. The result masked her femininity yet emphasized her family pride. Determined to accept her role as go-between for the races, she opened her jewelry box and withdrew the symbol of her mother’s people. The silver medallion embossed with her maternal grandfather’s crest hung on a short, finely wrought chain. She fastened it around her neck and it settled easily against her breastbone. Satisfied, she stepped into knee-high boots and smiled at the talon lad who stood before the mirror. “Today, tomorrow begins.” A noise sounded in the courtyard and she hurried to see her father’s entourage arrive. The three talon warriors from t he night before rode through the city gates. People stared openly or shifted nervously out of the way. Her father obviously had not

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yet come, but her heart swelled as Gralak reined his stallion to a stop before her home. He had followed her. Unexpected joy sent her running down the stairs as Yark opened the door to the visitors. Perhaps Gralak worked as an outrider for her father, which would allow her to know him more in the coming days. But as he entered her home, she knew him too well. Coal black lashes surrounded deep-set, chocolatecolored eyes; broad shoulders highlighted his well-defined chest and arm muscles; even the libertine half smile that tipped the left corner of his mouth could belong to no one else. Her heart thundered in her chest. Vivid images of the previous night made her hesitate to stand before her dark lover. If he should recognize her, how could she explain? The talon warriors entered, arrogantly sweeping her cowering teacher aside. Adarkan hated the snide creature, but she did not approve of strangers treating him callously. Forgetting her trepidation, she stepped into the front room. “Dare you abuse my servant?” Yark whined at the label but she ignored him as Gralak moved to stand before her. He seemed too tall and broad for her small home. He stared as if recognizing something in her, but she held her ground. To turn away would encourage a closer look. Amid a solid barrage of useless female uttering, her mother hurried into the room and ushered everyone into the parlor to rest. Adarkan followed slowly, grateful for her mother’s ramble. The two unknown males settled into a relaxed stupor as they smiled and listened to Kylean flatter them. Some stiffness even left Gralak’s shoulders, and his mouth quirked in amusement at something her mother had said. Adarkan stood near the door, anxious to hear the conversation, but more excited for the sound of her father’s arrival. She listened with only half an ear until she heard her father’s name. “Then he is not coming?” Kylean asked, sinking into a nearby chair. Yark sneered. “The Alpha has better things to do than fetch an offspring and his woman mother.”

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The hurtful words drew Adarkan into the room. “Treat my mother with respect, Omega!” Adarkan barked as she shoved Yark aside to stand before Gralak. “Is it true?” “I come at the king’s command.” Adarkan’s chest squeezed against the honesty in his response. “Then you’ll leave at mine.” She spun on her heel and strode from the room. She heard her mother’s gasp and Gralak’s growl of disapproval, but she did not turn back. She slipped out the side door and ran across the back alley to the meadow on the edge of town. Dropping to the ground, she let the wild grass hide her as anticipation crumbled before disappointment. “Fuck you, Father! Fuck you!” She folded onto her knees and allowed the anger to run freely. The release left her gasping for air, but she felt lighter for the temper tantrum. “Are you all right, child?” The kind voice belonged to the loner. She recognized him from his night songs, though she had never spoken with him directly. She wiped the tearstains from her cheeks with her shirtsleeve before turning to face him. He must have once been a proud male. His withered shoulders held remnants of strength, and his watery eyes reflected intelligence. Long white hair rested against his chest and he carried a walking stick in his right hand. He looked like a wizard, and the image made her smile. “I’m better, Old One. Thank you.” A tiny frown creased his forehead, but his eyes smiled. “Favar works better than Old One.” Laughing she stood and wiped the grass and dirt from her palms before extending her hand. “My apology. I’m Adarkan.” “The lost one hiding among the human riffraff.” His words took her by surprise. “And what would you know of that?” “Your father confessed his secret long ago. I watch over you.” “We’ve never met, have we?” “I would not bring attention to you.” “If my father is a friend, explain why he did not come himself. Why would he send lackeys to fetch me like a wayward animal?” “The Alpha’s presence would draw unwanted and perhaps

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violent reactions from the locals. Rakar would only entrust your safety to his best men, Adarkan.” Favar smiled and squeezed her shoulder gently. “He would not risk your life or that of your woman mother.” The ache in her chest eased at Favar’s words but her resentment did not go away. She retreated from his sympathetic touch. “Then he should not have left us alone so long.” “Adarkan, don’t judge your king for his ways until you stand in his place.” “You sound like my mother.” “Then she has more sense than I expected.” His impish grin took years from his face and made her laugh. “I fear Mother hides more than any of us imagine.” “Her spirit resides in you as well, Adarkan. I pray it protects you.” Favar lifted her hand to his lips in farewell. “It is good you go home, child. Travel well.” “Thank you, Favar.” As the old male disappeared in the tall grass, Adarkan remembered how often she had swum naked in the river nearby. He had called her child rather than boy. He had to know the truth, yet he did not judge her as too weak to be Alpha. “I will not disappoint you, Favar,” she called after him, but she was unsure if the words were intended to reassure him or her. **** Having sent his men to ready the horses and wagon, Gralak stood watch in the front hall. The woman had assured him Adarkan would return, but Gralak fumed at the boy’s audacious behavior. Though Rakar claimed his son to be nineteen, he appeared no more than ten or twelve, and while he bore little physical resemblance to the Alpha, something about him seemed familiar and set Gralak’s nerves on edge. Gralak arched his back to release the tension there as he grew weary of waiting. His arms and back hurt from Rakara’s sweet claws, and he’d had little sleep. Her body had called to him repeatedly in the night. Resigned to a long wait, he leaned against the wall and conjured images of her erotic touch. She had smelled far too appealing to be a homeless wanderer and her softness had pleased him well. Inexperienced as she was, she had driven him near mad with lust.

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He had never seen hair such as hers. Silky and full, it brushed seductively against her delicately rounded thighs and caressed his entire body as she rode him. The memory of her braced above him as he filled her willing body swamped his senses. Her scent remained distinct in his nostrils, making him imagine he could smell her all around him. Her features had been shaded by the night and the shadow of her gorgeous curls, but he would know her. As soon as he completed his foolish mission for the Alpha, he would seek her out. Reminding himself of his duty, he touched the gold loop of his rank which hung from his belt. Had he met the lovely female any other night, he could not have experienced her embrace. Responsibility forbade him to forget his position. Desperate to recover before Adarkan or his mother returned and caught the king’s Beta looking like a randy schoolboy, Gralak closed his fist around the chrome discipline rod that hung like a watch fob at his waist. It barely exceeded the width of his hand and the rounded ends made it resemble a slender sausage, save for the fine chain and hook attached on one end. Typically a Beta leader carried the training implement more as a threat than any real disciplinary tool, but he had never favored its use. He had seen too many young males broken in spirit from its abuse. His students knew a single blow from his open hand could kill; he needed no psychological aid despite the king’s order. Thoughts of the journey and the anticipated power struggle brought him from Rakara’s hold. He had fully recovered himself when Adarkan’s mother rushed into the room. Though merely a human female, she possessed a grace that made clear Rakar’s choice. Her golden hair drew his eyes and he marveled at her slim frame despite her advancing years. No wonder the boy seemed frail. “Has Adarkan returned?” Kylean’s eyes shifted nervously toward the door. It opened and her son strolled into the foyer as if he had done no wrong. Gralak bit back the sharp reprimand that burned on his tongue and settled for a direct command instead. “Gather your things. We leave tonight.” The boy made no move to obey and a small smile curved his lips. “Who are you to order me about?”

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Gralak stepped closer. Blood swirled through his eyes and his vision sharpened. He would not tolerate the spoiled brat routine for long. He caught the boy’s shirtfront and lifted him from his feet. “I’m your trainer. That makes me your mother, father, and your fucking conscious until I say otherwise. Now get upstairs and pack or we leave without your things.” Gralak tossed Adarkan toward the stairs like an unwanted tissue, and the boy fought to regain his balance. When he stood and faced Gralak, Adarkan’s expression held a surprising dignity before he allowed his mouth to lead him. “Screw you.” “Your choice, we go now.” Gralak didn’t give Adarkan a chance to protest. He swung the child over his shoulder and strode from the house with the boy clinging desperately to his back. Adarkan’s buckle scraped the raw scratches on his shoulders and the sting brought Gralak to his senses. He tossed the boy into the wagon and shouted for his men. Adarkan scrambled from the cart bed and glared at Gralak. “I ride.” The bravado of a boy so small and insignificant amazed Gralak. No one but the Alpha had contradicted him in a long time. “We leave in ten minutes.” The boy scowled angrily but scampered to do Gralak’s bidding. “So you think you have tamed my child already, warrior. Don’t believe it. Adarkan rarely knows defeat.” Gralak smiled at Kylean. “Nor do I. Are you prepared to leave?” “I need a day or more to organize the household for my absence.” Gralak shook his head. Adarkan’s stubborn streak came from no stranger. “Ten minutes, no more.” **** Adarkan pressed her face to her gelding’s neck and breathed in his sweet, earthy scent before she hurriedly threw on his saddle and bridle. “I may kill my guide before this trip ends, Chi. What would my father say to that?” “He would be displeased.” Adarkan jumped at the strange voice. One of Gralak’s men leaned against the stall door, his smile unassuming and warm.

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“I spoke to my horse.” The stranger chuckled. “I noticed. Do you do that often?” Embarrassed, she shook her head. “No, only when I deal with overbearing jerks.” “He’s not always so.” “Do you speak from experience?” “I’m the Beta squared.” When Adarkan looked at him, confused, he extended his hand with a grin. “Tavar, the second in command’s second.” Feeling as if she had an ally in the talon, she took his hand. “Adarkan.” “I know.” Tavar pointed over his shoulder toward the other soldier. “That’s Havark.” With a wink he leaned close. “Havark isn’t the brightest star in the sky, but he’s a good one to have at your side in a fight.” “Why’s that?” “Because he’s a stubborn son of a bitch, right, Havark?” The other man touched his forehead in acknowledgment but continued checking the horses without comment. Adarkan smiled. “Talkative, isn’t he?” Tavar started to answer but cut himself off as Gralak entered the stable. “Ready, boy?” With a sigh, Adarkan tightened the cinch and flipped the stirrup down as she checked her watch. “In three minutes.” She walked Chi directly toward Gralak, forcing the arrogant talon to step aside to avoid her mount. Adarkan hid her smirk at the warrior’s glare. The trip could be interesting after all.

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Chapter Four Gralak rode on high alert. The rumblings he’d heard in Gant the day before had set him on edge. Not that he had been anything but since meeting the spoiled prince. The weakling simpered and whined about everything. Had Gralak not been confident Rakar would eviscerate him for such a move, he would have taken the brat home or at least tied him in the wagon with Yark and Kylean. The boy’s pride had literally disappeared since they rode through the gates of town and onto the open road. With a resigned sigh, Gralak nudged his horse forward to ride beside the Alpha’s son. The kid’s dark curls peaked from beneath an old man’s hat that had seen better days, and he slouched in his saddle as if sitting up required too much effort. “Be on guard. Purist sentiment rages in this area.” “Would you expect anything less? The boy’s English grated on Gralak’s ears. Adarkan knew the talon language; he understood everything said to him; he merely refused to speak it. “If attacked, drop behind so the others may protect you.” The kid snarled but said nothing. “Did you understand me, Adarkan?” “I hide behind no one, especially not you.” Gralak wanted to strangle the boy. “Do as you’re told or face the consequences.” Out of patience, Gralak rode ahead to scout the area. He had not gone far when he saw the pack of men riding hard toward him. He spurred his horse and galloped back to the others. “Find the wagon, Adarkan,” he commanded as he shed his cloak and rode away to face the threat head-on. Adarkan appeared instantly along side. “Go back,” Gralak growled. Adarkan said nothing, but his back straightened in pride.

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With a sigh, Gralak grabbed the child’s reins as he brought both horses to a halt. “Fall back, boy, before I’ve no more than a body to present to your father. “What would you have me do, Gralak? Should I run to my mother and hide there with her? She is only a few miles behind. Surely I could reach her skirts and scurry beneath them before the humans arrive.” The sarcasm in the child’s voice was not lost on Gralak, but the thought of the boy hidden and protected sounded good. “Perhaps you should defend the women. Your mother and her maid are alone.” Adarkan threw him a scowl and jerked the reins from his hand. “I’m Rakar’s offspring. Send Yark and the others to protect the females if you fear for them.” “Don’t be a fool, boy. Look at you. Your arms and chest are no bigger than your mother’s. What would you do except get in the way? Yield, else you’ll get us all killed.” A hurt look came into Adarkan’s eyes before he nodded in curt agreement. “Take Tavar and Havark with you, and I’ll not interfere unless necessary.” Gralak could not believe the boy’s daring. As Beta leader, no one save the king questioned his judgment, certainly not a frail scrap of a child. “Rakar would whip you for risking your life.” Adarkan said nothing, but his eyes glowed with orange flames, pride or anger, Gralak was unsure, but he prayed it would not push the boy to a rash decision. The humans were closer now. He could hear their horses and smell their perfumed stench. There would be no more time to mollycoddle Rakar’s offspring. “If you disobey, you will suffer the consequences no matter how the day plays out.” Out of time and patience, Gralak motioned for Tavar and Havark as he spurred his horse forward to greet the strangers. **** Adarkan watched Gralak and his soldiers race to the top of the hill. They rode tall and straight in their saddles, easy targets for racist rage. Riding forward to face guns and ignorance with nothing more than a hunting knife and sheer strength exceeded stupidity. “Stubborn fool.”

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Fortunately, the men did not fire. Only when they were face to face with the talons did they raise their weapons. Gralak would not expect them to shoot him, but they would not see him as worthy of fair play. Adarkan tried to honor Gralak’s request to remain behind, but the fool obviously had a death wish. Bits and pieces of the conversation reached her. If Gralak had intended to piss the strangers off, he could not have done a better job. Afraid she would be too late, Adarkan dropped from her horse and pulled her jeans from the saddle bag. She quickly jerked them on and stuffed her kilt away. She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart and take the blood from her eyes. If the humans saw, they would know she was not pure blooded. “Adarkan, you are to stay.” Yark shuffled close and glared at her, but she had no time for him. “Gralak wanted me to hold off until he needed an interpreter.” “You lie as always, boy.” Yark reached for Adarkan’s reins but she leaped into the saddle and kicked him away from her horse. “You overstep yourself, Yark. Stay out of my way.” The voices had grown angry. Spurring Chi forward, she sped to the center of the confrontation as Havark fell from his gelding. She had not heard the gunshot, but a bright red stain spread slowly across his bronze chest. Gralak jerked a shotgun from the closest man and pointed it at the group leader. The men raised their weapons in return. “Gralak!” Adarkan rode along side him and tried to sound calm. “You are not allowed a firearm by law. Give it to me.” Her hand trembled as she closed her fingers around the gun’s barrel and took it from him. The flabbergasted expression on his face would have been amusing under another circumstance, but she saw no humor at the moment. The greasy, ill-bred men carried various weapons and unjustified hate, a dangerous combination. Had she felt they would fight fairly, she would have let Gralak tear their worthless bodies apart, but against their superior firepower, he didn’t stand a chance. “Tavar, see to my man.” Adarkan gestured toward the fallen talon and threw Taver a first aid kit from her saddlebag. He

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looked to Gralak for confirmation before he swung from his saddle and dropped to the ground. Once he was out of the way, Adarkan turned her attention to the men. “Do you know who I am?” The men stared at her blankly but one piped up with a sneer. “I think you be the pretty boy for these nasty bits of feline garbage.” The others laughed. One made a howling noise while another asked, “Do the werewolves do you doggy style?” Gralak growled and leaped for the man. He unseated him and ripped his throat open in one swipe. Blood spurted in the air as the dying man’s heart pumped out the last of his life. Blocking the gruesome scene, Adarkan kicked her gelding forward between Gralak and the strangers. She raised her voice to be heard over the cursing and angry shouts. “I am Michael, grandson of King Lancer. My grandfather rules the Western Edge as will my father and someday I.” Her cousin’s name and birthright rolled easily from her tongue. “Bullshit, you’re no more a king’s grandson than I am, boy.” Reaching into her shirtfront, Adarkan exposed the royal crest. The men gasped as they recognized the circle of silver feathers surrounding an eagle in flight. Gralak stepped to the head of her horse with the dead man’s rifle at the ready. He appeared calm and dangerous despite his blood spattered chest. The remaining humans shifted in their saddles. Sweat beaded their foreheads and panic swam in the eyes of the weakest man. The situation needed defusing before someone fired. She addressed them all but targeted Gralak with her words. “I prove nothing beyond my right to pass through my family’s land.” “If you are royal, why do you ride with these insignificant beasts?” Gralak’s jaw tightened at the insult and Tavar rose to stand beside him. Adarkan lost patience. She pointed the stolen double-barrel at the speaker’s heart. “So far you’ve called my escort cats, werewolves, and now beasts in general. They are none of these. Cease, lest you offend them more than your

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existence warrants.” “And what would you do about it, boy?” Gralak growled warningly, but Adarkan stared the man down. “Would you risk my grandfather’s wrath to find out?” The stranger held her eyes but when he finally glanced away, she felt triumph swell her chest. There would be no more death this day. The leader signaled the game at an end, and the men rode off, leaving their dead comrade on the bloody ground. Bile rose in her throat at the gruesome sight, and she reined her horse away from the scene. “Tavar, how fares Havark?” “He’s dead.” The talon stood stiffly beside his fallen friend and anger made his body rigid. Tears pricked her eyes at the unnecessary loss. “At least only one of you died for all your foolishness.” Gralak’s eyes glowed ruby fire as he grabbed Chi’s bridle, but Adarkan held her ground. To show fear admitted weakness, and though she acted wimpy to anger him, she would not cower when it counted. Gralak jerked her roughly from the saddle. She stumbled to her knees, and he dragged her relentlessly toward a large rock on the side of the road. When he stopped, Adarkan snapped to her feet, determined to hold her ground against his masculine power trip. “You deliberately disobeyed despite the risk. Such behavior can’t be tolerated.” She contemplated dropping to her knees and apologizing, but self-respect defeated her. “I don’t consent to your guardianship, Beta.” “Consent or not, you will follow orders when your life stands at risk. Agree and I will end it.” Tavar and Yark’s grunts of approval for Gralak’s stance egged Adarkan on. “Piss off, Gralak!” He stood silent, fingering his stupid discipline rod as if to calm himself. Yark had possessed such a thing when he first came, but when he threatened her with it, she had thrown it down the well. She had often wondered why it frightened her, but seeing it in Gralak’s powerful fist made her tremble anew. A single blow from his hand would drop her to her knees; he needed no additional strength from the solid rod.

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“You will not endanger your life, Adarkan.” “Wouldn’t my death please you? You could bury your nose completely up my father’s ass and ensure your ascension to the throne without interference.” She crossed a line she hadn’t known existed. She could see it in his face. She struggled to find apologetic words but failed as Gralak shoved her against the rock and bent her over its rough surface. His right arm pressed hard at her shoulder blades, driving her face against the granite while he slammed his hips into her and growled unintelligible words in her ear. Such displays of dominance were outdated and supposedly ineffective, but the approving looks from the other males proved her wrong. When he jerked down her jeans, she fought him, fearing he would discover her sex, but his mouth remained near her ear as he yanked her underwear beneath her butt cheeks and slammed against her. “Submit, Adarkan. End this now!” She turned as far as his hold would allow and spit in his face. He shoved her down and she felt him fumble at his waist. Surely he did not intend to actually mount her. The punishment was to be symbolic, not literal. He would tear her apart. She bit her lip to hold back a feminine shriek as she twisted desperately away. “Last chance, Adarkan. Give way!” He would surely kill her if he followed through. Panic made her fight him until she saw the smug look on Yark’s face. Gralak was about to do what Yark had never been able to, make her beg. She ceased struggling and stared hard at her old teacher. “I’d rather die.” Gralak roared and shoved something cold and hard into her anus. The discipline rod stretched her tender flesh painfully but did not tear her apart as the real thing would have. Gralak thrust his hips repeatedly against her, driving the rod deep until only the retrieval chain remained outside her body. Humiliation and pain burned her eyes, and she turned her face away from where the others stood. She would not acknowledge such barbaric behavior. Wagon wheels crunched on the road faintly in the distance. Her mother. Her chest tightened and her breathing accelerated as

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she struggled for control. Gralak whispered in her ear. “You hear it, don’t you? Yield before she comes.” “She’s my mother, Gralak.” He took her words as repentance and pulled the rod roughly from her body as he released her. She spun and kicked him hard between the legs, hoping to bring him to his knees, but her loosened pants hindered her aim. The blow glanced off his thigh, and she merely angered him further. He shoved her against the rock again and drove the discipline rod full in with one thrust before he jerked her underwear back in place, all while he kept her pressed to the stone. “I allow you to stand only because your woman mother would not understand our ways, but the rod stays until you hit your knees before me. If you remove it, Brat, it goes back no matter where we are or who is about. Understood?” She could not speak but nodded her head. She did not meet his eyes as she tugged her jeans back in place. He would cave before she did. His honor would not allow him to continue such a rash punishment. Apparently satisfied, Gralak released her. He and Tavar strode to their horses without a backward glance, but Yark sidled close with a schoolyard snicker. “Not so superior now, are you, boy?” Ordinarily, Adarkan would have walked away, but humiliation rode high on her back. Once Gralak knew the truth, this day would haunt him. The thought brought small comfort, but the need to lash out remained. She smiled submissively at her teacher and practically purred, “I threw your discipline rod away long ago, Omega. Perhaps I should have shoved it up your ass instead.” Yark growled. Emboldened by Gralak’s harsh treatment, he drew back his claws to strike. Adarkan grabbed his wrist and twisted him to the ground. Sick of bending to male arrogance, she planted her foot on his throat to end his worthless life. Wide-eyed and terrified, Yark scratched desperately at her boot, but Adarkan did not care. “You gain nothing in this.” When Adarkan raised her eyes to Tavar, he smiled kindly down from his mount. “Don’t lower yourself, boy.”

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With a last push she released Yark and he slunk away. Tavar nodded in approval. “Fear drove Gralak harshly today. Bear that in mind when you plan your revenge.” Tavar’s deep chuckle made her smile. “I will. Thank you, Tavar.” He touched his forehead and rode away, but his comments eased her embarrassment. She swung aboard Chi, determined to forget the earlier humiliation. As she settled in the saddle, the chain attached to the discipline rod rubbed against her labia, stroking it to the rhythm of her mount. Over the course of the afternoon the chain worked forward until it nestled snuggly against her clit. She tried to tune it out, and might have succeeded if she had not been so near to her breeding cycle. The natural heat and heightened sensitivity made her body burn in helpless want. Had she been alone, she could have allowed release. Instead, she fought the tremors down and grew testier each hour. By nightfall her mood had shot to hell. She snarled at Tavar as he rode near. He chuckled and spoke softly so no one else would hear. “I fear Gralak will feel your wrath rather than see you beg. Remember, boy, he has orders to keep you safe. He can’t do that if you fight him at every turn.” “I’ve no need of his protection.” “Do you not?” Tavar kicked his mount and rode forward to join Gralak, but the look on his face made her uneasy, almost as if he knew more than he let on. Had her reaction to the situation given away her gender or was she making assumptions based on her own insecurities? Fear of discovery lurched in her stomach, and she spun her mount to race back toward her mother. If Tavar had discovered her secret, how long would he keep it? She reined her gelding in as she reached the wagon and dropped to the ground. Her mother’s maid pulled the mules to a stop, and Adarkan quickly tied Chi to the end gate. Running forward, she stepped up on the wheel and motioned her mother close. “My heat has come and Gralak will not be easily fooled. I’ll be in the woods. Tell him what you will, but keep him away.”

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“Perhaps it would be best if he knew the truth, Kan.” “No. I could not bear him to judge me more.” “What if he will not be dissuaded?” “Find a way, Mother. I doubt he can think more quickly than you. I go to wash away my scent.” Adarkan dropped to the ground as Gralak started toward the wagon. He was too far away for her to see his face clearly, but his body language promised he had not given in to guilt. She crouched low and ran around the wagon to slip into the trees. Her feet flew as she hurried toward the creek. In moments, she had shed her clothes and stepped into the rushing stream. She sat on the smooth gravel and eased the hated rod from her tortured flesh. Though tempted to throw the unwelcome device downstream, she let it drop benignly between her legs as the frigid water swirled around her, cooling her burning skin and masking her condition. She closed her eyes and leaned back on her hands with a contented sigh. **** Gralak could no longer ignore the voice in his head insisting he had pushed the boy too hard. Anger and fear for the Alpha’s son had driven him to lose patience, something he rarely did with a student. He had almost stopped several times throughout the afternoon to check on Adarkan, but the boy rode rigid in his saddle and his scowl said he had learned nothing from Gralak’s show of strength. With a sigh, Gralak approached the child’s woman mother. Adarkan’s gelding stood tied to the wagon and Kylean’s maid stared toward the trees as if searching for something. “Where is Adarkan?” “My child has need of rest.” “Then why have you stopped here? We’ll make camp ahead where the ground rises out of this valley.” “Dare you question me?” The anger in the woman’s voice made him cringe. Had the boy told her of the punishment? “I dare anything to prevent your son’s death. Move on to the campsite.” The daft woman looked confused and a bit desperate. Perhaps his English had been incorrect and she had not understood his words, but he had no time to deal with her

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ignorance. “Adarkan! Come here!” Gralak searched among the luggage for a sign of the child but could see none. Havark’s personal effects lay atop the womanly bags, bringing the morning skirmish clearly to mind. He and Tavar had buried the soldier and human corpse beside the road in unmarked graves. Gralak’s anger returned as he remembered how easily Adarkan could have died with them. The stupid boy had probably run off to lick his wounds and left himself vulnerable to attack. “Where is he?” Adarkan’s mother smiled slightly but quickly wiped the look away. “Where is who?” Fear for Adarkan clenched at his chest, and he lifted the woman from the wagon with a snarl. “This morning demonstrated the violence raging through the border population. Would you have your son slain?” Kylean paled. “I didn’t think, Gralak. Adarkan went into the trees alone.” Gralak released her and started after his charge. A soft hand on his arm made him hesitate. Worry marred the woman’s gentle features, and he regretted putting it there. “Adarkan has long relied on wits and strength alone and will not easily accept your guidance. Be kinder than required, Beta.” Gralak sensed there was more to the woman’s plea than her words revealed, but he had no time to pursue the topic. Once he found the boy and returned him safely to camp, he would question Kylean further. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and hurried toward the woods. He scented the air and his nose flared as the faint aroma of a talon female in heat drifted to him. Images of his night lover filled his mind but he shoved them down. He had no time to pine for Rakara no matter how she stirred his blood. Following the trail of trampled leaves and broken twigs, Gralak soon came to the creek. The boy sat neck deep in the rushing water with his face tipped to the sun and his eyes closed. His clothes lay in an abandoned heap on the water’s edge but the ridiculous hat remained firmly on his head. The child’s features looked almost feminine as he basked in the fading sunlight. One so weak would never replace Rakar. “How will you be Alpha if

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you run from your problems, boy?” Adarkan gasped and sat forward, hunching down further in the water, his eyes wide as he stared at Gralak. “Can I have no peace from you?” “Not if it means placing yourself in danger. Come out of there and finish what we both began in anger.” “No.” Gralak shook his head at the boy’s stupidity and started toward him, but Adarkan stopped him. “I caused you worry, Gralak, for that I apologize, but I can’t bow to you or any other. Don’t ask it of me. End this. No one will know. Allow me to keep the fragile remnants of my dignity.” Pride and honor swirled in the child’s eyes, offering Gralak a glimpse of the future Alpha. Humbled by the sight, he yielded. “You will never again risk your life while under my care, Adarkan. On your word of honor.” “On my honor.” Adarkan fumbled beneath the water and threw something toward the shore. Gralak instinctively caught it. The discipline rod lay cruel and cold in his palm. He almost cast it back into the stream but clipped it to his belt instead. The Alpha had insisted Gralak bring the damned thing. He could not return without it, but he would not use it again. “Come from the creek now, boy. The night grows cool and your mother worries.” “Allow some privacy, Gralak. I’ll follow soon.” Gralak wanted to demand Adarkan return with him immediately, but the pile of clothing stopped him. No talon wore underclothing beneath a kilt and all refused a shirt upon reaching the age of fifteen. At nearly nineteen, Adarkan should have abandoned the human way long ago, but obviously he felt insecure about his narrow chest and childlike muscles. Deciding the kid had been embarrassed enough for one day, Gralak reluctantly backed down. “If you are not in camp within the quarter hour, I will return and pull you from there myself.” Relief softened Adarkan’s features even more. “Thank you, Gralak.” Gralak snorted at his own benevolence and left the child

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alone.

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Chapter Five Careful to pad silently through the night, Adarkan slipped away from her mother’s wagon and circled downwind from the camp. A restless desire drove her into the darkness. When she sensed his presence, she turned back toward the knoll where Gralak kept watch. She could see his outline against the night sky only because she knew he was there. Anyone else would have written him off as part of the hill. The closer she got the more her body pulsed with need. He rose as she approached, though she didn’t think he had seen her yet, and her heart raced at the sight. He appeared invincible, strong and savage. He lifted his head to scent the air and she smiled. “Rakara, come.” His words traveled softly on the breeze, compelling her forward. She ran the last few yards and threw herself in his arms. With a throaty growl, he caught her to him and buried his face against her neck. “Where have you been, pretty one?” Her heart swelled at his words. “Nearby.” “Why haven’t you come before?” “Why didn’t you see me?” Her blood hummed with the compulsion to procreate. Her flesh and mind burned with it. If she didn’t breed soon, she would surly die, yet to add an offspring to her predicament would be unforgivable. “I see you now.” He sat against the lone oak and settled her across his lap. She squirmed, and he chuckled softly. “I feel you too, pretty one, but my duty forbids me from accepting your offer.” “Duty did not stop you before.” “My assigned task had not yet begun and neither had your urgency.” Impatient, she shifted against the heat she could feel so

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plainly through his breeches. “Don’t make me beg, Gralak.” He groaned softly and touched his forehead gently to hers. “I don’t ask that, but I can’t lie with you.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her and cuddled her close. “If I bore no responsibility to my king, my responsibility to you would remain.” “Then lessen my pain.” Her breathing grew erratic, and her heart fluttered in wild response to Gralak’s nearness. She cupped the back of his neck and pulled him forward for a kiss as she swung astride his lap and rocked wantonly, demanding his participation. Her eager body cried at the contact and sparks shot through her as she came. He held her tenderly, murmuring soothing comfort, but her pulse slowed for mere moments before she whimpered against his throat and the heat returned. He spread her legs further and slid a hand beneath the folds of her sarong. His long talented fingers found the moist cavity that begged possession and slid deep and sure into the fire. A silent scream tightened her throat as he brought her off. Her entire body quivered with released tension but it was not enough. The pressure flooded back, powerful and insistent. The primal urge to mate ripped her raw and stole her sanity. She cared not that the world warred or that responsibility weighed heavily upon her shoulders; only the savage passion raging through her blood held sway. She writhed against him in silent command. Her claws sank into his shoulders as she begged for relief, “Make it stop, Gralak.” “Easy, pretty one, you draw my will away.” He loosened the sash at her waist and lifted her from his lap to lay her naked upon the cool, moist grass. Her skin practically sizzled at the soothing contact. Gralak braced himself above her and images of him enforcing supremacy flooded her mind. The same action that seemed humiliating before had her thrusting her hips upward against him. “Gralak, come inside.” He sounded angry as he denied her. “I can’t. Don’t ask again.” He held her close and ground his pelvis against her throbbing clit but the emptiness howled for more. “Please.” Pride fell to desire. “It hurts.” “I can only diminish the ache, Rakara. I’m sorry.” He captured her mouth in a savage kiss, driving her toward

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completion as his hands found her tender nipples and rolled them roughly between his fingers and thumbs. The pleasant pain made her cry out but did nothing to calm the torment in her womb. She ground her hips to his and felt the cool steel of the discipline rod slide against her quaking core. The shock of its hard surface made her scream aloud, breaking Gralak’s commanding kiss. She reached for the smooth tool and worked it inside her. It wasn’t enough but it alleviated the desolate hollowness. Gralak shifted to the side and his eyes grew wide as her fingers maneuvered the rod in and out of her wet body. His attention offered a moment’s disquiet but soon small whimpers escaped her throat. She closed her eyes to absorb the meager reprieve until he eased the rod from her hand. She tried to steal it back but he gently pushed her shoulders to the ground. “Let me.” He kissed her lightly on the mouth, then journeyed over her body, pausing to suckle at her sensitized breasts before nibbling his way downward. Tenderly, he spread her legs and bent to nuzzle her inner thighs. She buried her fingers in his dark locks as he pushed the discipline rod deep inside her desperate body. Tilting it upward, he rocked it against a point that made the clouds spin. Then he drew her clit deftly into his mouth. The intense combination tossed her over the edge into blackness, but he rode it out with her, sucking and stroking her through the shadows and back to the shelter of his solid form. When her wild tremors settled to no more than tiny quivers, he wrapped her tightly in his arms and cradled her on his lap once more. Her back pressed to his chest and the beat of his heart soothed her. A strong arm circled her waist, pinning her arms to her sides and a hand remained between her thighs, pressing steadily against her swollen clitoris and the rod he held inside her. His long legs wrapped around hers, creating a cocoon from which she could not escape. The night had drained her but her body still shook. When the shockwaves returned in earnest, Gralak tightened his hold and bit down on her shoulder muscle. His fangs pressed deep, effectively paralyzing her and offering a respite she had not expected. She dropped her head back in grateful relief and

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allowed him to protect her from the ravages of her body. **** The sun glared harsh and hot in the west when Gralak strode up the hill away from camp. Hours before, Rakara had slipped from his arms as morning broke the darkness. Consequently, he had spent the day in agony instead of sleeping. Need stroked his senses raw and left him ill-tempered. His impulsive plunge into the icy waters of the Great North River had done little to bathe away her image, and need became a powerful beast in his loins. Guilt rode his shoulders. Going against the church’s demand for procreation rather than abstinence did not sit well, but he could not predict what would come of Rakar’s plan, and he would not father a child in a world of hate no matter what the priests demanded. Little sleep and savage desire fed his temper. He had informed Yark and Kylean that they would pause for the day rather than push onward at their usual speed. He blamed the delay on being short-handed for the overnight watch, but he hoped to find Rakara and persuade her to travel with him to his home; he’d had little luck. Night would return soon and the thought of her finding another to fill her hungry womb sent unjustifiable rage surging through him. As Beta, he could afford a mate, had even been commanded to take one by the church a time or two, but before Rakara he had not found a female he could contemplate wanting for life, but she made him crave more than her body. He wanted to introduce her to Rakar and seek his blessing; he even wanted to grow old with her, but his unwillingness to bring an offspring into their world could drive her beyond his reach. “Fuck!” “What has you looking for blood, Gralak?” Tavar’s voice pulled him from his thoughts but did little for his mood. “Nothing. Why aren’t you with the boy?” Tavar chuckled in his usual easy manner. “I sent him to the river to wash. He reeked of female heat.” Gralak scowled. Surely the child had not found Rakara. “We’ve all smelled the same in the air. Are you sure it came from Adarkan?” “The boy slunk into camp about an hour ago looking like a hard ridden horse. I figured he’d found the female that’s been

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following.” “That son of a bitch!” “Come on, Gralak, the boy’s young. Let him romp if he wants to. He’ll have enough responsibility when we get him home.” “He has no right to spread seed he doesn’t intend to nurture.” Gralak struggled to remain calm but images of Rakara’s slender limbs wrapped around Adarkan’s skinny body made him ill. “How would he know better when his own father did the same? As did yours. You’re the boy’s mentor, Gralak. Show Adarkan the way, but don’t take your personal frustration out on him.” Gralak took a deep breath to settle his rolling stomach. “You’re right, Tavar. I’ll talk to him. Perhaps I worry needlessly.” “Perhaps.” Tavar’s reply did not match the look in his eyes and Gralak’s stomach lurched. Unwilling to share his lousy mood with his friend, Gralak offered a reassuring nod before he went in search of the Alpha’s offspring. He found the boy sitting near Kylean. His lids hung heavily over his bloodshot eyes, and he slumped forward to lay his head upon his mother’s shoulder. His stupid hat tipped forward, but Adarkan quickly resettled it in place. Kylean chuckled and stroked her son’s back. “You should not play with the big dogs if you can’t handle it, Kan.” “You couldn’t have told me that before? Today may have killed me.” Gralak had heard enough. “Boy, come with me!” Gralak didn’t wait for a response before he strode away from the camp. He would not embarrass the kid in front of Kylean, but he had to know if his suspicions were true. Adarkan groaned but stood and followed. “What has you riled now, Gralak? Do you need a good hump?” “Shut your stupid mouth, Adarkan.” Gralak shoved the boy to the ground and stood over him. He knew the truth already. Rakara’s subtle scent filled the air. “Where did you go?” The boy looked guilty as hell. “For a walk. Is that a crime

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now too?” Adarkan rose to his feet and brushed off his pants in agitated swipes. “Did you run into someone?” “No one you would know.” “Like hell! You were with the female. You reek of her.” Adarkan scowled. “I wouldn’t say she reeks.” Gralak snarled as he grabbed Rakar’s offspring and lifted him to eye level. Praying for patience he could not find on his own, Gralak shook the boy hard. “If you laid a hand on her, I will kill you and tell your father a wild animal ate you alive.” Adarkan laughed despite the fear that flashed across his face. “Put me down, Gralak. Rakar would destroy you for the lie as easily as he would for the truth. You wouldn’t risk your life for a free female. No one would.” “Did you lie with her, boy?” Uncertainty returned to Adarkan’s features before he straightened his shoulders and jerked from Gralak’s hold. “What if I did? She practically fucked me with my clothes on. So what?” Gralak couldn’t think; he could only see the blood that filled his eyes before his vision cleared. All his senses sharpened as he fought the urge to tear the boy apart. “A male has no right to plant a seed he does not intend to monitor. Such behavior demeans a future leader.” “Is that all? You worry I impregnated her?” “How could you not?” “I’m human remember, Gralak? I don’t follow the ridiculous code your church demands of you. Here!” He threw a small package. It hit Gralak’s chest and bounced off. “Next time you want a female in heat, be a man and take her.” “You go too far, boy.” “And you don’t go far enough, obviously. Roar at someone else for a while. I’ve had enough.” Adarkan stormed away. Disgusted with himself, Gralak let him leave. Adarkan was right. Why should he deny himself Rakara’s luscious body for the sake of some outdated law? With a snarl he grabbed the foil envelope from the ground and stuck it in the waistband of his pants before he went looking for the female. He prowled the perimeter of the camp. Rakara could not be

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far if her scent still lingered on the boy. Unjustifiable rage swelled in his chest at the thought of her with another. He had made no commitment to the female, and she had uttered no promises in return. He could only blame himself if she spread her legs for someone else. She had been virgin when they first coupled. That night of passion had set her on the females’ path. Her heat raged through her now as never before. A virgin’s breeding cycle simmered softly in the blood, but once a talon female opened herself to sex, she instinctively sought to reproduce. That force had enabled the talon to survive and prosper in the human world. Slowly their small numbers had grown to become majority in parts of the continent, but the drive continued. He understood her need; unfortunately, knowledge did nothing to quiet the anger in his heart. When he finally found her, he could not restrain his fury. She reclined, naked in the scant moonlight. Her slender legs, stretched in front of her, were crossed at the ankles, and she leaned back on her elbows. The glow of the moon highlighted her luminous skin. Emotion drove him to where she sat. Her erotic scent filled his nostrils, and his body swelled in response. He would clarify their unspoken bond and fill her with his seed. Gralak could not think beyond that point. He could not reason as a sane animal, only as one driven to increase his kind. When he reached her, she smiled sweetly as if she had not betrayed him by taking a weakling into her body. The simple act fueled his resentment. He dropped to his knees and seized her shoulders. Slamming her back against the ground, he captured her mouth in a feral kiss. He needed to feed on her, to taste her and absorb her through his skin. He pressed his body tightly to hers, grinding his hips, demanding submission. Rakara welcomed him openly. Her arms circled his neck, and she wrapped her well formed legs around him. Adarkan’s voice echoed. She practically fucked me with my clothes on. Gralak hated her at that moment. Hated the image he would forever carry in his head. “Larka!” He fumbled with his zipper, calling her names in both their languages. “Jart rac kar! Slut! Unworthy to be chosen!” Anger drove him. He barely noticed that she had grown still beneath him. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and yanked it from between their bodies as she dropped her

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legs and twisted away. She rose to her feet and he followed. When he reached for her, she grabbed his wrist and wrenched his arm up and around, dropping him to his back. Stunned, he lay there, unsure how she had bested him. His surprise gave her the moment she needed to attack. With a heated glare, she dropped and drove her knee into his chest, unsheathing her claws to prick his throat. The blow knocked the wind from him and he fought to draw a breath. Once he could breathe, he could have easily flipped her off his chest, but renewed respect kept him still. Her fingertips press against his jugular, and he could feel the pump of his own blood. “You call me names yet use violence like a common man. I don’t ask for love and welcome you to my body, but you will not touch me in anger. Ever!” Blood pooled behind her eyes, turning them a compelling burnt orange, but her rage faded as swiftly as it had come. She scooted off his chest and sat up beside him. She pulled her knees to her breasts, drawing calming breaths deep into her lungs as she studied him with innocent eyes. Gralak felt as if a haze had cleared from his mind. Her long hair hid most of her body and enabled him to gather his senses somewhat. Although his resentment abated, it did not dissipate. “You accepted my student. How could you take the boy over me?” “You didn’t want me, remember?” The pain in her voice slapped at his conscious. “Do you believe that, pretty one?” He tipped his head to better see her features. Her hurt look squeezed his heart. “I desire you above all but duty, Rakara.” She tossed her hair back and glared at him. “Duty held no sway a moment ago.” Her words crushed the last of his anger and made him ashamed. “Point taken, but Adarkan bragged of you. I didn’t believe him at first, but your scent clung to the boy and… My apologies, Rakara. I had no right.” Gralak sat stiffly, waiting for her answer. Were she to cast him aside, he would not recover easily. “Adarkan lied.” At first her words did not register, but when they did, he did not accept them. “Why would he say such?”

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“Have you not realized he pushes your buttons deliberately, Gralak?” He shook his head. “He carried your fragrance. In fact, it often lingers about the boy. That made me believe and that you can’t explain away.” “Adarkan and I have been inseparable since birth. He carried my scent because he sought my council. I could no more be with him than a brother.” The word brother made Gralak sit up straighter. “Twins?” Rakara laughed. “No. The Alpha has but one child. I don’t exist in Rakar’s world; only Adarkan and his mother know me.” “You talk in riddles, Rakara.” “And you talk too much, Gralak.” Rakara relaxed her protective position and swept her hair behind her shoulders, exposing her gentle curves. Gralak’s body responded appreciatively. “My duty remains, pretty one.” She scowled. “Would you leave me vulnerable when you could comfort us both?” “Even if I cared nothing for duty, I could not lie with you. Your need has not fully passed.” “Such things can be avoided, Gralak.” He shook his head at her foolishness. “The church forbids human ways.” Rakara chuckled softly and ran her fingers lightly over his chest. “The church forbids abstinence as well. Have you not heard the ministers rant against restraint in the face of procreation? Copulation promotes God’s will.” Gralak groaned. His body wanted her more than his mind could deny. His hand trembled as he reached for the small packet Adarkan had thrown at him earlier. “Do you know of this, pretty one? Should I burn in hell’s fire, I’ll not increase your life’s burden.” Her slow smile lifted the decision from his shoulders. “If you burn, I will fry beside you, Gralak.” She moved into his arms and passion burst forth full-blown. He growled low in his throat as his female, naked and glorious, settled astride his lap. He could not reason beyond her soft flesh beneath his palms. “I’ve wanted you too long, Rakara. I fear I’ll make short work of this.”

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She captured his hand where he explored her hip and drew it between her legs. “Feel my desire, Gralak. I would not have you wait.” His fingers found her wet and willing. Her breasts lifted to his mouth as she arched toward his intimate touch, and he kissed each pouting nipple before he nipped at her. Her murmur of pleasure drove him onward. He needed more. He sucked her breast deep inside his mouth, twirling his tongue slowly around the nipple until she purred and sank her claws into his shoulders. His fingers worked her moist folds, spreading her wide and readying her for his possession. He wanted to forget the pleasantries and slam his cock hard inside her sweet cunt, but he would have her come before him. If he took her too soon, he would shame himself, but she mocked his restraint as she bucked against his hand. Her hot mouth sucked and bit at his shoulders and chest in desperate need, and her soft sounds swelled to unrestrained cries as she dug her nails into the leather of his breeches. “Gralak, please.” Unable to refuse her, he stood and stripped his clothing. She rose to her knees before him and ran a tender hand down his body from waist to thigh, then captured his swollen penis in her palm. Yearning shot savagely through him. Her tongue darted out and licked her lips sensuously before she did the same to his distended shaft. Gralak groaned and buried his fingers in her hair. He meant to stop her. She did not need to do this service for him, but when her lips closed around him, chivalry died. He clenched her head in his hands but did not pull her forward or guide her movements as he wanted to. Instead, he prayed for endurance. Her inexperience showed occasionally but he found no fault when she took him deeper and explored his cock with her lips and tongue. He could not take his eyes from her luscious mouth, and his knees grew weak. With a soft sigh, she slowly released him. The loss devastated, but he smiled as he helped her to her feet. When he attempted to pull her close, she shook her head. A sexy smile curved the corners of her lips as she led him to the tree he had rested against the night before. She pressed his back to the rough bark and placed his hands on the nearest limbs.

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“Don’t fall, my warrior.” Her desire-laced voice and mischievous smile stoked his passion higher as he realized her intent. Closing his mind to his own need, he shook his head. “You don’t have to, Rakara.” She merely grinned as she sank to her knees. Her warm mouth closed around his sack. She worked his testicles, together and individually, until he could hardly breathe. Her long fingers cradled his penis, testing for the touch that made him gasp. He clenched his hands around the tree branches and gave in to her attentions. When her tongue stroked him from root to tip, he could not stop the forward jab of his hips. “Patience, Gralak,” she whispered before she closed her mouth around him again. The wet cavern encased him and she used her tongue to tenderly taste every inch of his dick as her fingers circled the base and squeezed tightly. He twisted beneath her administrations. No female had ever been so attuned to his body before. His orgasm pushed hard against restraint. “Rakara, I come.” He tried to hold back, to stop his seed from bursting in her mouth, but she did not move away. Instead, she tightened her grip on him and increased her rhythm to a mind-blowing caress. He howled as he lost control and thrust forward. Her throat opened to welcome him as his body quaked with the strength of his release. **** Adarkan suckled the last salty drop from Gralak’s body as he slid down to rest before her. His legs trembled and ragged breaths shook his mighty chest. He looked vulnerable and the sight warmed her. Despite the talon traits that made him stronger and faster than a mere man, her warrior was human after all. He slowly opened his eyes and grinned at her. Not his usual guarded smile, nor the sarcastic one-sided smirk he granted his student, but a genuine grin that lit his face and relaxed the lines of tension near his eyes. “Your turn.” Adarkan giggled as he rolled her beneath him, but her rising passion soon smothered her merriment. He drew her from the world by kissing her long and slow, coaxing her tongue into his mouth. His hands lightly explored her from shoulder to hip, urging her toward the raging flames.

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When he released her mouth and let her breathe, she gasped for oxygen as he tasted the tender skin beneath her ear and journeyed down her neck to her shoulder, then nibbled his way toward her waiting breasts. He kissed the soft flesh, nuzzling gently against her and teasing her nipples with anticipation. When she could stand his torture no more, she pulled his mouth to her breast and pressed her areola to his lips. His chuckle rumbled through her as he gave in to her demand. His strong tongue circled the tender bud before he bit down gently. When he finally sucked her breast into his mouth, she almost came. She whimpered and thrashed beneath him. “Hurry, Gralak.” He released her breast to move further down her body. Shivers raced across her skin as he dipped his tongue into her navel and nibbled the sensitive crevice at the top of each thigh. She rose on her elbows and observed as his dark head worked lower. He explored the curves of her knees, the fine bones of her ankles, the arches of her feet, before he knelt between her legs and wandered steadily upward to the juncture of her thighs. She lifted her hips toward him, anxious for his intimate kiss, and felt his smile against her thigh as he continued his slow torture. When he finally reached her core, he blew gently on the moist flesh. “Come for me, pretty one.” She could not speak; her body fell to primitive need. She moaned softly and opened her legs wider in welcome. With a possessive grunt, he cupped her hips in his strong hands and lifted her to his mouth. His tongue tasted her, lapping at her trembling labia before circling her responsive clit. When he pressed his lips fully to her and drew the tiny nerve center into his mouth, she could not restrain the scream that echoed through the valley. Her orgasm rocked her and her muscles seized and released in intensifying waves. Her body still quivered as Gralak captured her lips in a demanding kiss. His mouth devoured hers and she clung to him. She could feel his engorged penis thrust against her, and she closed her hand around his silken shaft. He groaned as he pulled away and sat up to search the ground around them. “Where the hell?” Then he grinned and

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lunged across her body to grab something from the grass behind her head. When he sat back up, he held the condom package like a trophy. He brought the foil to his mouth to tear it open. With a gasp she sat up and grabbed it from him. “Don’t!” Heat rushed to her cheeks and she shrugged. “It will rip.” “Will you explain?” She shook her head. Her cheeks hurt, though embarrassment after the things they had done to one another seemed ridiculous. She carefully tore the protective envelope and released the condom. It looked too small to encase his massive cock, but if she could accommodate him so could it. He looked questioningly at the small circle as she placed it over the tip of his swollen penis and slowly rolled it down his shaft. She had to work to start it, and it stretched almost transparent near the base. He shifted uncomfortably. “It blocks your touch.” She smirked as he voiced the same complaint her human friends often shared in the locker room. “Would you rather stop?” She circled her fingers around him and slowly stroked until he closed his eyes and groaned. “I’m fine with that.” He laughed and tackled her, pressing her to the hard ground as he loomed above her. “Liar.” She laughed with him. “Prove it, warrior.” He did. The condom released his restraint, and he entered her in a single stroke. The sudden joining stretched and filled her. This time there was no pain, only incredible satisfaction and a fiery need for more. “Can you feel me, Gralak?” “To my very soul, ik kara.” The tender words and solemn vow of faithfulness brought tears to her eyes as she welcomed his lovemaking. His swift strokes quickly brought her to completion without him. Clutching her close as she rode out the tremors, he rolled to his back and situated her astride his hips. He settled his hands on her hips but did not guide her movements. Power came with the position. She raked her claws lightly down his chest, teasing his nipples and tight abdomen, pleased when he closed his eyes to absorb the sensations. His beautiful body exuded willpower. Desperate to make him

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explode, she clasped her hands on his wrists to steady herself and began a sensual ride. She squeezed her inner muscles tight as she rose above him, drawing his penis nearly from her body before sinking down to encase him. Each stroke pulled her toward the vortex, but it whirled barely beyond her reach. He opened his eyes, watching where their bodies came together. With a smile, she reached between them and closed her thumb and forefinger tightly around the base of his cock, squeezing hard as her hand rose and fell with her hips. She accidentally brushed against her clit with the heel of her hand and groaned. Gralak’s moan mingled with hers, and she looked up to meet his hot stare. “Again, pretty one. Touch yourself for me.” Slowly, she released his dick. With one hand she spread the folds of her labia so he could watch, then stroked her clit with the middle finger of the other. His eyes flamed as he watched her pleasure herself while she rode him. She prolonged each withdrawal and return until his eyes glazed over and he bucked beneath her. Suddenly, being on top was not enough. She wanted him to pound into her, to dominate her body as he dominated her mind and heart. “Fuck me, Gralak, please. I need you.” With a wicked smile, he obliged. In a seamless move, he set her on her hands and knees. Behind her, he nudged her legs apart before his grip tightened on her butt and he drove his cock deep inside her willing cunt. The world tilted crazily. Crying his name, she braced herself to meet his blinding thrusts. Gralak slid one hand around her to toy with her clit as he fucked her hard and fast. Pleasure swirled in primitive demand, and she slammed her hips backward to meet his potent strokes. She felt overwhelmed and possessed, desperate and blessed as she felt him stiffen, pump deep one last time, then shatter. She collapsed beneath his solid form as her orgasm followed his. Blinding white hot flashes and his repeated whisper carried her to ecstasy. “Ik kara, my chosen one, mine.

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Chapter Six Adarkan awoke to a scream. Morning grogginess disappeared instantly as she recognized her mother’s voice. Gralak jerked on his kilt, running toward the sound even as she scrambled to don the clothes she had hidden behind a rock the night before. The screams continued, and she flew over the ground, unmindful of her bare feet. When she topped the final hill before the camp, she paused to assess the situation. The cries for help had ceased. Four talon warriors battled near the wagon. Gralak wrestled one outlaw as Tavar held off another with his blade. Her mother’s maid lay in a lifeless heap near the back wheel of the wagon, but Kylean was not in sight. Three raiders looted her mother’s belongings and cheered the others on. Crouching low, Adarkan ran the last hundred feet with her dagger clutched in her hand. The outlaw standing by the tailgate never knew what killed him. He slid silently to the ground as blood gushed from his slit throat. Adarkan did not hesitate as the first man she had ever killed bled on her toes. She could only think of her next move as she leaped into the wagon and called to the two cheering for their friends. “You will want to put my mother’s jewelry case down until after you deal with me, boys.” They turned as one, surprised to hear another voice, but their confident grins said they didn’t think much of the one who challenged them. They both looked battle worn and about twice her age, giving her an unexpected advantage. “Do you want this one?” the shorter man asked as he carefully set the small jewel case aside and reached for his knife. “Naw, no challenge to it. Go ahead, Jadar. I’ll finish up here.” Their cavalier attitude suited Adarkan fine. The more they

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underestimated her, the better chance she had of bringing them down. “Come then, Jadar. Face your death.” She offered a half smile as she leapt away from the wagon to clear ground. The talon followed. His eyes glowed a sickly yellow, a sure sign of alcoholism, but his hand remained steady as he lunged for her. Adarkan danced artfully out of his way time and again. He threw himself off balance with each attack, and her blade darted in and sliced a nip here and a chunk there until his chest ran red. When he finally dropped wearily to his knees, she moved in for the kill. Her blade opened his throat as a strong shove knocked her aside. She rolled with the blow and came up on her feet. Her new opponent stood nearly seven foot, making his reach much longer than her own, and whereas the first man had been heavyset and slow, this one’s lean frame and pissed off look said he would not be easily defeated. Smiling snidely, she gestured to his fallen comrades. “Maybe you should pick up your trash and go home for the day. I think the picnic’s over for your friends.” He reacted as she had expected. Anger flared his nostrils and he swiped blindly for her throat. She dropped low and swung out with one leg, kicking him in the kneecap as she hit the dirt. She heard the bone snap, and he crumbled to the ground before she regained her balance. Gralak rounded the corner of the wagon and reached to cut the warrior’s throat, but Adarkan threw herself forward, catchi ng his arm and stopping the deadly blow. “Don’t, Gralak. My father will want to know how this lowlife dared to attack a wagon filled only with women and an unarmed omega.” “Your father?” Gralak tossed her a confused look. His simple question hit her hard. How could she have been so foolish? She would have no choice but to justify her lies, though perhaps, she could put it off until he no longer had blood in his eyes. “I’ll explain after we clean up this mess, all right?” With a grunt, Gralak sheathed his blade and jerked the fallen talon to his feet. The stranger screamed in agony as his weight hit the shattered knee, but Gralak offered no mercy beyond shoving him onto the wagon’s tailgate. The talon curled into the fetal position, clutching his knee and sobbing like a

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small child. Leaving him to Gralak, Adarkan began a quick search for Kylean. The maid had bled out. Her jugular had been savagely slit open. She had died so quickly, her face still held a shocked expression. Frightened, Adarkan quickened her pace as she called for her mother. “They took her.” Tavar’s voice held none of its usual merriment. Adarkan knelt beside his bloodied frame. His opponent’s lifeless body lay sprawled three feet away. “Tavar, have they killed you, too?” That brought a smile to his face as he rose unsteadily to a sitting position. “It would take more than a rogue warrior to bring me down, boy.” He looked fully at her then and a scowl made his brow ridge dominate his forehead. “What the hell?” Adarkan glanced down, searching for an unknown wound, instead she realized her breasts were unbound beneath her shirt and her hair lay in a wild tangle around her shoulders. Her hat and bindings remained at the top of the hill, but she wore her warrior’s kilt. She obviously had more to deal with than her verbal slip. No lie would excuse her obvious gender. With a sigh, she gathered her hair over her right shoulder and braided the snarled mess into a controlled rope, then tucked it down the back of her shirt. “Are you hurt badly, Tavar?” “My arm’s broken and I’m cut up some, but I didn’t grow breasts in the fight.” “I’ll get something to bind your wound.” She started to rise, but he caught her arm and held her in place. “Explain this, Adarkan.” Finally she met his relentless stare. “Would you buy a bad hair day and a couple swollen chest wounds?” Tavar’s laugh came out more as a snort than any real sign of humor. “No, nor will Gralak. Tell me the truth so I can help.” “You could forget you ever saw me this way.” “Not likely, boy, err…girl?” He looked nearly as flustered as she felt. “Fine, Tavar, now you know. It changes nothing. Instead of badgering me, tell me where they took my mother so I can fetch her back.” “You’re not going anywhere without Gralak, so start

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explaining.” “Enlighten me as well.” Gralak’s voice hit her like a blow between the shoulder blades. She could confront humans with guns or rogue talon warriors, but the thought of facing Gralak scared her shitless. He would not tolerate being lied to. “It can wait,” she said as she rose to her feet and headed for the meager grass where Chi remained hobbled. She heard Tavar’s disgusted grunt behind her. Quickly, she released her horse and swung into the saddle. “Rakara, get back here and look after Tavar. I’ll bring back Kylean and Adarkan.” She had no intention of heeding Gralak’s command. He obviously had not realized the full truth. She might still be able to soften the shock once she had her mother by her side, but she could not deal with Gralak until then. Faint wagon tracks in the brittle grass marked the outlaws’ path. She kneed Chi toward them and away from Gralak. His shout of disbelief followed as she sent her gelding flying away from her lover. Adarkan rode with a single-minded purpose, to find Kylean. If she stopped to think about the hoof beats pounding behind her or the possibility Gralak would tear her apart for her deception, she could not focus on the trail. She had to stay far enough ahead of Gralak to avoid confrontation until her mother was safe. “Crap, Chi! How the hell do I get out of this one?” A scream rent the air and drove Gralak from Adarkan’s thoughts. She bent low over the saddle, urging Chi onward. She rounded a bend in the road and nearly passed the gypsies’ wagon before she realized her mother had to be inside. She drew sharply on the reins. Chi reared up in protest, dumping her on the hard-packed path, but she leapt to her feet without hesitation. The door to the wagon opened and two men stepped to the ground. Since the others had been talon, she hadn’t expected humans. Neither carried a gun openly, but that didn’t exclude the possibility. Fighting these two would be far more dangerous than facing the rogue warriors had been. Adarkan slapped Chi on the rump to send him out of harm’s way. She already held her dagger in her right hand, though she attempted to smile at the men in front of her. “Hey boys, what’s

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going on? Anything I might enjoy?” “Only if you want to be on the receiving end of my dick,” the blond man said with a sneer. Both laughed as if they were the funniest comedians, but their humor disappeared when Adarkan lunged forward and slammed her blade to the hilt between the speaker’s legs. She hit and dodged back before the blow fully registered. As blood soaked through the first man’s dirty jeans, his face turned ashen and his cry of horror melded with another more feminine one coming from the wagon. Adarkan gestured for the second man to open the wagon door. “If you have backup in there, call him out.” “I don’t think so. If we bring the big guy into this, he’ll want a hump before I kill you. There’s nothing much left when he’s done, but I wanna personally make you bleed. You shouldn’t have cut my baby brother like that.” The blond whimpered as he opened his fly and examined her handiwork. She knew she had hit clean. “She cut my balls off, Billy. What am I gonna do without my balls?” Adarkan took advantage of the distraction and gutted the other man in a single fourteen inch cut, waistband to ribcage. His brother’s look of surprise didn’t last as she spun and slit his jugular. Both collapsed in the dirt road. In one day she had killed four times. The thought crept to the edge of her mind but she did not have time for feminine sentiment. She ran to the end of the wagon and jerked open the door. Her mother’s screams had faded to muffled grunts. Kylean’s half-naked body was tied, bruised and bleeding, on a small cot. A giant talon male straddled her waist. A rag had been stuffed into her mouth to silence her screams, but she continued to fight off her attacker. Yark stood in the corner, grinning as the bigger male clawed at Kylean’s clothing. Adarkan sprang for the one holding her mother but he saw her coming and lashed out, knocking her to the wagon floor. Her head slammed into the side of a storage chest and shooting colors momentarily clouded her thoughts. The talon growled in satisfaction and lunged for her. Desperate, Adarkan scrambled for the door praying he would follow. Once outside she turned to assess her opponent. He stood

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nearly eight foot with massive limbs and a protruding forehead ridge. Adarkan feared she had met her match until Gralak stepped around the end of the wagon and came up behind the other male. “Rakara, take care of Kylean.” The big guy spun to confront Gralak, and Adarkan raced to untie her mother. Gralak didn’t have the other man’s size, but he had more wit. He’d be all right. Adarkan slipped unnoticed inside the wagon. Yark stood over her mother and slowly rubbed his knife handle like a cock. “I’ve put up with your human crap too long. The Alpha deserves better than you and your worthless offspring. I’ve suspected Adarkan was female for a long time but could never prove it. Now I can give Rakar evidence with her corpse. He’ll thank me for killing you, but first I’m going to prove what a worthless bitch you really are.” “How, you ball-less bastard? Even someone as beautiful as my mother couldn’t get you hard enough to prove anything.” Yark spun with a snarl. “Surprise, Fuckhead!” Adarkan ripped his knife from his hand and beat the small male until he lay whimpering on the floor before she kicked him out into the dirt. Gralak would finish him off. Tears flooded Kylean’s eyes as Adarkan quickly cut her mother’s wrists free and pulled the gag from her mouth. “Are you all right, Kan?” Relieved, Adarkan grinned. “I’m not the one tied to a bed.” “No, but you weren’t in your bed last night, either. When those men attacked, I thought you’d been killed. I nearly went insane thinking of it.” “I’m sorry I worried you, Mother.” Disappointment darkened Kylean’s features and she took Adarkan’s hand. “Oh darling, say you did not spend the entire night with your father’s Beta. Such prolonged intimacy can only lead to trouble.” “Too late now.” “Kan, what were you thinking?” “What were you thinking when you took my father to you? Did you think at all?”

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With a hurt look, Kylean released Adarkan’s hand and pulled her tattered shirt over her shoulders. Her gasp of pain echoed in the small room, and Adarkan immediately moved to help. “Sorry, Mother. No more worrying about my sex life. What happens will happen.” **** Gralak wiped his blade in the grass before shoving it into its sheath. The giant lay lifeless on the ground and Yark hung across Chi’s saddle. The little bastard probably wouldn’t survive the ride back to camp. Defeating the big male had been a battle hardwon, but Gralak feared the one to come would prove far more difficult. He could hear the women as they spoke quietly to one another in the wagon. Their words confirmed his fear: Adarkan and Rakara were one and the same. He had hoped his lover and his charge were half-siblings. He might have survived informing Rakar that Kylean had been unfaithful at some point, but the lie Adarkan had so glibly told would destroy him. Gralak had not only broken the laws of the church for her, he had mated with the Alpha’s daughter and ignored his duty to his king in doing so. Images of the last few days rushed through his mind making him doubt his sanity. He had punished Rakara like a male and pushed her to the limit to toughen her up. In addition, he had allowed his desire to distract him from his duty. The Alpha’s woman had been harmed because of it. Rakar would kill him instantly upon return. Resigned to his fate, he tied the saddle horses to the wagon and swung onto the driver’s seat. He would pick up his second, bury the maid, and take everyone else to the local monastery. Tavar needed medical attention and they all could use rest. The side trip would delay their return a day, but it seemed the lesser of the evils. He had made enough mistakes in the past few days to ruin two lifetimes; he would not add to his failures by pushing Kylean. He almost convinced himself that his decision had nothing to do with his confusion over Adarkan or his reluctance to deal with the situation. Almost. **** Evening had fallen by the time Adarkan had a moment to herself. She stepped from her assigned chamber and allowed the

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night breeze to lift her curls and soothe her worries. Tavar would have to remain behind when they continued on, but he would survive his wounds. He and Kylean were well-cared for, and the monastery had grown quiet with the setting sun. Adarkan had nearly talked herself out of finding Gralak until she saw him slip through the garden gate and walk toward the river. Logic said she should give him more time to cool off, but she could wait no longer. Easing through the massive iron gate, she followed him. The moment of truth had arrived. He could so easily turn her aside. “Gralak?” she whispered as she neared the river bank. He did not answer. Annoyed by her timid approach, she strode forward into the moonlit clearing near the water’s edge. His clothes lay in an abandoned heap and he swam laps in the small pool. Even in the semidarkness she could tell his anger remained strong. Impulsively, she jerked her shirt over her head and stepped from her jeans. “Dress yourself, Rak…Adarkan. I will not share this river with you.” He stood rigid in the current and stared at her, but his eyes did not soften as they had the night before. “Then come out here.” “No. You’re a rattlesnake, devious and deadly.” The dig hurt but she didn’t let it show. “A rattler announces exactly where he is and what he intends to do. He can’t be devious.” Gralak snorted. “But still poisonous.” That hurt too. “You can come here, or I’ll come to you, but you will not ignore me, Gralak.” She barely heard his angry growl. His body language said it all as he stormed from the water and jerked on his breeches. The leather clung to his wet body and his moist flesh shimmered. When he didn’t turn to face her, Adarkan wrapped her arms around Gralak’s naked back and pressed her heated skin to him. He took her wrists to set her aside but she resisted. “My father will not appreciate bruises on his daughter.” Gralak ignored her threat and moved out of her arms. “The Alpha would appreciate my handling you even less.” His stiff shoulders gave him a formidable appearance, but she had seen his soft side and wanted it back. He stole her ability to breathe whenever he came near or offered the genuine grin he

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gave only to her. He had not said much about her deception yet. Fearing she had lost his smile forever, she stepped close to wipe a random water droplet from his chest. “I appreciate the way you handle me, Gralak.” He caught her fingers, effectively stopping her caress. “Quit! I can’t abide your touch right now.” He could not have hurt her more. Stunned by his coldness, she stepped back. “All right, I’m sorry.” She turned down the path she had come. If she could leave fast enough, he wouldn’t see her spirit implode. Behind her, he swore with words she didn’t understand, then in a single moment he jerked her around and pulled her hard against his chest. “Damn it, Rakara! Don’t act so fucking hurt. I didn’t lie to you nor distract you from your duty, and I sure as hell didn’t beg to screw you last night.” Self-preservation chilled the blood in her veins. Her heartbeat slowed to a nearly imperceptible rate as she waited for him to relax his grip. When he remained pressed against her, she drove a verbal wedge between them. “You’re right. If I had walked away from you, my mother would not have been nearly raped by a beast twice her size, your friend would not be clinging to his life, and I would not have had to kill for the first time in mine. I’m a negotiator,” her voice cracked but she continued, “I can talk anyone into anything, even fucking me.” She swallowed hard to steady her tone. “Release me and I’ll return to the monastery. We can continue our journey in the morning. My father will be none the wiser. Mother will say only what I ask of her. Your secret and your job are secure.” Gralak didn’t relax, and his large arms kept her strapped to his massive chest. She had to flee. Only escape would preserve the remnants of her battered self-respect. She pushed hard against his hips. “Gralak, move.” But he remained solid and silent. “Damn it, Gralak, get away from me!” Her calm disappeared and took all hope of a dignified exit with it. A sob shook her shoulders, despite her effort to keep it at bay. Hoping he would step back from revulsion if nothing else, she pounded fruitlessly on his chest. Instead he crushed her closer. “I should not have spoken

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like that, pretty one.” His lips caressed her neck as his soft words penetrated her anger. “You are not to blame. My weakness caused all of this. Don’t cry.” Gralak lifted her into his arms and settled on the ground with her cradled on his lap. She fought him, but his hold did not weaken. “I knew my duty yet allowed myself to be drawn away from it by desire. I alone will bear responsibility to the Alpha.” Slowly, his anguished words destroyed the thin veneer of her pride, and she yielded to his strength. As she relaxed against him, he snuggled her closer. “When I saw you fighting today, I nearly went crazy. Then you rode away before I could be assured of your safety. You could have been killed, ik kara, and I would have been no more accountable had I wielded the knife myself.” She tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “Did you fear my father’s reaction had I died?” She knew the answer before she asked the question. Love and worry reddened his dark chocolate eyes, but she needed the words. He griped her shoulders in his massive hands and shook her gently before nestling her head against his chest. His whispered words echoed beneath her ear, “I would have welcomed your father’s wrath had I lost you, ik kara. Your death would have equaled mine, but I would have embraced the reaper.” Content, she covered his lips with hers and showed him how much he meant to her. When the peace talks were over, she would think about the significance of his pledge; until then she would love him the only way available—wholly within her heart and body.

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Chapter Seven Adarkan reined Chi in and stepped from the saddle near the outer gate of her father’s land. The rolling green hills seemed familiar though she had not been there since she was a little girl. The scent of alfalfa on the breeze welcomed her but did little to ease the pounding of her heart. Today she would face Rakar as an adult and a female, no more hiding-no more secrets. Worry swirled in her stomach. Gralak looped a firm arm around her waist and hugged her briefly. “See, not so scary, is it?” She took a moment to appreciate his strength before she stood on her own. “As hell itself.” Smiling up at him, she sought understanding. “He has every right to reject me. I’m not what he was promised all these years.” “You are exactly what the Alpha needs whether he knows it yet or not. Don’t cave on me now, Rakara.” His reassurance eased the fist clenched around her abdomen, but it did not go away. She touched his strong jaw, drawing strength from his confidence. “Think how you reacted to the discovery of my sex, Gralak. How would you feel if you were my father?” Gralak tucked a curl behind her ear and smiled softly. “Don’t remind me of my stupidity. Rakar has experience beyond my years; he’ll see your true value more quickly than I did. Give the Alpha a chance.” “You sound like my mother.” “A wise woman.” “Who also fears my father’s reaction.” “The Alpha will understand. Eventually.” Neither of them said more, but the breeze echoed with Gralak’s promise. The future depended on her father’s acceptance. Once her mother’s wagon, driven by a young monk,

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had caught up to them, Gralak and Adarkan swung into their saddles and rode toward the massive compound that surrounded her father’s home. The red brick structure towered above an adobe wall which enclosed the courtyard and outbuildings. An eagle circled lazily overhead and called to its mate of food and safety for their little ones. As they entered the open area before the castle, Adarkan felt as if she had stepped backward through time. The structure had originally been built in the nineteenth century CE by someone named Federal Bank. Its brick and mortar had withstood the fires and acid rain that had destroyed more modern structures. Black scars marred the surface of the masonry, but the walls themselves remained sturdy. Soldiers and merchants milled about in the courtyard. Young warriors sweat and grunted in mock battles with their instructors while pretty talon females whistled and cheered them on. Everywhere the mini city thrived. Adarkan could feel its heartbeat pulse through her as she drew to a stop in front of her father’s home. A young page jumped to his feet with wide eyes and ran inside as he realized the Beta had returned. Gralak reached across the narrow space between them and squeezed her hand. “Be strong, pretty one.” She appreciated his support, but what could she say? She dismounted and carefully smoothed the warrior’s kilt over her hips and flipped her braid back over her shoulder. The monks had been kind enough to wash their clothing so she appeared less ragged than she felt. However, the courtyard practically hummed as the people stared at the obvious female in male clothing. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her belt where her father’s buckle shone bright and polished against her starched white tunic. The crest offered courage as her palm closed around it. Gralak and Kylean stood behind her, providing silent encouragement. Offering them a weak smile, she started up the stairs as the ornate glass and oak doors opened and Rakar stepped into the sunlight. He looked much as she remembered, stern and formidable despite the grey at his temples. She braced herself for his reaction as he surveyed the tattered remnants of their party, one human, one talon, and a half-breed girl. His eyes settled on Kylean and anger swarmed in them. At

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first Adarkan feared he would attack her mother for the years of lies. Instead, he rushed to her, unmindful that he shoved Adarkan aside. When he stopped before Kylean, his scowl deepened as he gently touched the bruises on her cheek and the sling cradling her arm to her chest. Snarling he turned on Gralak. “You failed.” Before Gralak could defend himself, Adarkan’s mother placed a gentle hand on the Alpha’s arm. “Don’t, Rakar. The boy has punished himself well enough.” “As he should have.” Rakar tenderly cupped Kylean’s cheek in his palm. “I would not have you hurt, ik kara.” The king cleared his throat uncomfortably before he gently guided Kylean up the stairs. “Come in from the sun.” Gralak stepped close to Adarkan as her parents disappeared through the massive front doors. “Unexpected sentiment?” “Yes. I had not anticipated an endearment from him.” “Your mother did.” Adarkan shook her head. Her mother had often spoken of her relationship with the talon king. Never did she mention love. “Perhaps it makes no difference.” Gralak laced his fingers through hers and gently squeezed her hand. “Does it matter to you, ik kara?” She tipped her head back to meet his eyes with a grin. “Does what matter—that my father actually loves my mother or that you care for me?” “Both.” “We shall see.” She laughed as she broke from his grip and hurried up the stairs after her parents. Gralak’s growl sent tingles of promised retaliation dancing down her spine. With renewed confidence Adarkan walked through the open doors and followed the sound of her father’s footsteps. She found her parents in a large darkly paneled room. The drapes were drawn across the narrow windows and the heated air weighed heavily on her. Her mother sat in a leather chair in front of a huge desk that dominated one end of the room. Rakar knelt at her side. His murmured words drifted easily to Adarkan as she crossed the open area behind them. “What has become of our son? Why is he not with you, Kylean?” Her mother looked over Rakar’s shoulder to meet

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Adarkan’s eyes before she responded, her voice no more than a whisper. “Adarkan stands behind you, my lord.” Rakar spun with a smile that soon faded to disappointment as he searched the room for his son and found only a Beta soldier and his female. Anger overrode trepidation as she realized he failed to recognize her. He looked to Gralak and her mother for an explanation, but he had not yet acknowledged her, his flesh and blood. Disappointed, she rose above the hurt. She was a diplomat, a trained negotiator and as such she would not allow her emotions to lead her. Rakar gestured Gralak to follow as he strode to the opposite end of the room. Adarkan caught Gralak’s wrist and pulled him to a stop. “I’ll speak for myself. Your interference will only temper his reaction.” Gralak studied her face as if looking for a sign of her mood before he nodded in agreement. He and her mother followed closely on her heels. Adarkan did not hesitate as she strode across the room to where her father paced in front of the empty fireplace. His rigid shoulders bespoke of years spent as an Alpha. He could not allow his guard down anymore than she could. “You sent for me?” Rakar spun toward the sound of her voice, his face alive with anticipation that quickly faded. A scowl settled between his eyes as he took in her strange male/female dress and obvious attributes. “Gralak, explain yourself. I send you for my son and you bring back a plaything?” Gralak snarled as he stepped forward to defend her, but she held up a hand to halt him. “Have you grown so old you don’t recognize your own child, Father?” Her father’s eyes narrowed and red flames filled them. “I breed no females.” “How would you know? Have you other offspring?” He glared cruelly at her before he turned aside and stared at her mother. “Kylean, explain this weakling’s rant.” Adarkan refused to allow her father to ignore her. If she could not gain his attention, how would she command a room full of leaders and make them see her worth. “The weakling can speak for herself.”

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She looked momentarily to Gralak for support and his indignant expression made her smile. Her future Alpha looked ready to rip his king apart and his obvious belief in her provided the encouragement needed to go forward. “Don’t look to my mother for answers but to yourself. The lies she told were born of love. She would not allow a small detail such as my gender to jeopardize the plans the two of you had made.” “Silence, female!” Rakar’s chest heaved with anger as he turned his back to her and gripped the mantel. “Gralak, take her from my sight!” Gralak remained an immovable force behind her. “No, Father, the responsibility for my gender lies in you as does the cause of my determination. I will not step aside to ease your pride.” Rakar growled. Pushed to the limit of his obvious patience, he spun toward her and brought her to the ground with a hand clasped hard to her throat. Her head cracked against the marble but hurt far less than his emotional attack. Adarkan cried inside as he raged above her, but her features remained impassive. Her father would not forgive weakness. Gralak tore Rakar from her, driving the talon king to the cold stone floor. Adarkan rapidly rolled to her knees beside the battling men. Gralak’s dedication to the cause kept him from crushing her father’s throat, but anger flamed clearly in his eyes. She was tempted to allow Gralak to vent his rage, but fear for the future made her stay his hand. “Gralak, don’t.” Adarkan’s command eased Gralak’s grip but he continued to hold the Alpha down. “Show her due respect, Rakar. You tread the fine line between the right of an Alpha and the loss of your position. I promised I would not interfere as long as your actions reflected the needs of the people. Adarkan does that. Your current path does not.” Gralak released Rakar and he sprang to his feet. “You speak as a dick sniffing a heated cunt rather than an objective male.” Gralak lunged but Adarkan stepped between them. The Beta threw himself to the side to avoid crushing her, and he slid across the smooth floor until he regained his balance. “Damn it, Adarkan! Don’t interfere.” “Behave as a soldier of the cause, and I’ll grant you the

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respect you deserve.” He hesitated a moment before he stepped behind her again. “You submit to a female breed, yet you hesitate to kneel to your king? I could have you hanged for insubordination, Gralak.” Kylean placed a hand on Adarkan’s shoulder. “Enough, Rakar. You rage like a child. Your daughter comes to you with good intentions. Hear her out.” “Silence, woman. Know your place!” Emotion filled the small space between the two personalities that had defined her life and Adarkan finally understood. The two of them loved one another, but society and pride had kept them apart too long. “My place is where it has always been, at your offspring’s side. I would protect her ‘til death.” “Why?” “Because she is the future. Listen for a moment with an open heart instead of past prejudices, my lord.” The old talon sank onto the hearth and dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t. I’ve placed all hope on my son. Now there can be no peace. Who will listen to a female in matters of war?” Kylean knelt beside him and closed her hands gently around his wrists. “If you give her a chance, you’ll see she has advantages no male could have. Pride is a dangerous thing. As female, Kan will not threaten the egos of the kings and governors. She will succeed where a male would have failed because she has your strength and my determination to do so. The girl has even brought Gralak around. You told me yourself the boy’s ambition and arrogance will lead him astray. Adarkan has helped him move beyond his pride, and she will do the same for the rest of the world. Open your ears to her, Rakar; understand why Gralak gives way to your daughter’s will. Anger burned Adarkan’s throat as her mother begged for acceptance that should have been unconditional. She lifted Kylean to her feet and kissed her gently on the cheek. “Thank you, Mother, but don’t plead on my behalf. Accept me or not, I will use Rakar’s home and his power to bring the races to arbitration. He may be part of the problem or embrace the

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solution. I care not.” She refused to look at her father as she led her mother across the room toward the stairs, but she caught Gralak’s smile from the corner of her eye. He winked at her though he still looked ready to battle. Ignoring her lover, she motioned toward a human servant cowering in the corner. “You, show me and my mother to our chambers.” **** Gralak waited until Adarkan had disappeared up the stairs before he approached Rakar. The Alpha trembled, though from restrained rage or disappointment Gralak could not tell. For once he did not hesitate as he took a knee before the king. “My lord, your mate speaks the truth. Adarkan will unite the people. I began this mission with doubt, but now I stand firm behind peace and your daughter.” Rakar raised his head to meet Gralak’s eyes. “I’ve been blind for so long. How could I have allowed this betrayal?” “No.” Determined to ease the king’s anguish, Gralak shook his head. “The lies Kylean told were not betrayal but based on her dedication to you and the cause. Think on it, my lord. If you had known Adarkan’s true gender, would you have accepted her as the savior, or would you have tried again to produce a boy? Kylean made the right choice. Adarkan can lead where a male could not. She will open the path to peace.” “How can you be so sure, boy?” Rakar rose to his feet but the proud square of his shoulders did not return. “Kylean’s actions may have killed all hope.” Gralak hesitated to answer. He could not make Rakar see Adarkan’s value. He could only encourage the Alpha to seek the truth for himself. “Your daughter can’t fail with you behind her, Rakar. Work it out before you jeopardize the future for your pride.” Gralak left the king without further comment. Time would prove Adarkan worthy far better than any words.

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Chapter Eight Adarkan slipped from her bedroom onto the balcony that ran the length of her father’s home. The vista stole her breath. Wildflower prairies unmarred by fire or strife were rare i n the world, yet from her father’s home she could see nothing but miles of gentle hills, green and cool in the setting sun. The peaceful scene clashed sharply with the world she had grown up in, and resentment reared its ugly head. She and her mother had spent the afternoon unpacking, but she felt far from settled. Thoughts of her father’s anger clouded her mind and blended with years of disappointment and confusion. How could he help her narrow the gap between the races if he valued her so little himself? A noise to her left drew her from her thoughts. Her father stood not twenty feet from her, his posture ridged and unforgiving. He did not see her as he stared across the open fields, much as she had done. Unsure of her reception, she approached quietly. “Am I in those heavy thoughts, Father?” He did not even glance her way. “I’ve loved my son for nineteen years. I watched him grow from an infant to a young boy, always looking for weakness that might keep him from his duty, but I saw none.” “You’ve not seen me in nearly ten years, Father. If you were so worried, why didn’t you raise me yourself?” “I sent Yark.” “You sent an insignificant and untrustworthy omega to teach me the ways of your people, a decision that I hated with every breath. I wanted my father.” “You have no father any more than I have a son. I don’t know you as my child. Your mother’s lies have stolen my son from me and left me with a stranger.” His open rejection cut deep, but Adarkan remained

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outwardly calm as she moved to lean against the railing where Rakar would be forced to look at her. “My mother feared you would reject a female.” Rakar’s shoulders stiffened but he did not otherwise respond to her words. Determined to hear the truth, she placed her hand over his massive one. “Answer honestly, Rakar. If Mother had told you my sex, would you have welcomed the news or would you have given me to the priest to discard so you could try again?” His silence squeezed her heart. When he finally spoke, his deep voice roughened in confusion. “I should say I would not have tossed you aside, but I can not do so without doubt.” Adarkan had expected such words but they stung more than she had imagined. She walked away to hide the tears that burned her eyes. “There is small comfort in knowing that my mother’s caution saved my life.” She had almost reached the door to her room when her father called out, “Adarkan, what kind of leader runs when feelings are bruised?” With a barely restrained snarl, she confronted the man she had loved and admired from afar. “I could ask the same of you, Rakar. You say your goal has always been to end the feuding, but you turn aside when the solution stands before you. My mother did not make a mistake. Her ability to see the bigger picture kept me alive, while you, by your own admission, would have seen me thrown from the church tower. Forgive me if I take a moment to accept that my father would have eliminated me so callously. How many daughters would you have murdered in your single-minded pursuit of the perfect heir? How many times would you have swelled my mother with child only to rip it from her? You can’t lead the revolution for change because your thoughts remain entrenched in the distrust and stupidity of the status quo. Stay here in your self-righteous world, Rakar, but do it alone.” She waited for a physical response, a backlash for the disrespectful comment. Instead Rakar sank onto the bench that ran the length of the balcony. He looked old suddenly. “Did your mother tell you how we met?” She had expected almost anything from him but that. Walking closer she sat on the bench and turned her back to the

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pillar so she could face him. “She did, but I’ll listen to your version.” He hesitated a moment. A cynical half smile tilted the corner of his mouth. “Greed and the desire for power drove my family for generations. We systematically pushed everyone, talon and human alike, out of the most desirable areas where grass and crops grew without blight and animals were born without defect. Your grandfather’s land butts against ours to the north and my father wanted it. Not because he needed more room for the clan to spread but merely because someone else had it. “Determined to drive out the human population so close to his growing empire, my father sent me to your grandfather’s compound. King Lancer hired no talon workers for fear of spies, but some believed him softhearted. My father assumed he would take in a wounded male, no matter what race. I was only fourteen at the time but big for my age. He told me to say I was twenty, a fully grown male no bigger than a human would make me less of a threat. Once assured I knew my purpose, my father had his soldiers beat me until I could barely stand before they dumped me on the edge of Lancer’s property.” Adarkan gasped aloud at such callous treatment of a child. “Surely, you’re mistaken. No father would order such action against his son.” Rakar looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Yet you accused me of far worse.” She said nothing in response and Rakar continued. “Your mother found me. She could have sent for her father; instead she helped me onto her horse and took me home. She never hesitated to touch me nor showed any fear, things I had grown accustomed to from humans. When your grandparents insisted that I be taken to the nearest talon church and left to the care of my own kind, Kylean threw a fit. She cried and ranted until my ears hurt. Finally her parents relented and allowed me to stay. On some level I had hoped I would be sent away. Then I could have honestly told my father I knew nothing.” “What happened when you returned?” “I didn’t go home for nearly a year. I stayed with Kylean, and I learned your grandfather’s defenses and weaknesses. I

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intended to make my father proud, but while I lived there, your mother worked her way under my skin. She always seemed to know what I was thinking, sometimes before I knew myself. I tried to make her lash out, to show me her true self. I told her of feasting upon the blood of my enemies in battle, of roasting men over a spit to fill the empty bellies of my soldiers, and a hundred other gruesome tales which exaggerated the bedtime stories she had heard since birth, but even at twelve she had an innate ability to read me. To this day I don’t know how much she believed, but she never judged, no matter the provocation, until I could no more have hurt her or those she cared about than slit my own mother’s throat.” “What did you tell your father?” “I insisted your grandfather’s fortress had no weakness; the walls were impenetrable and the soldiers well-prepared.” “Did he believe you?” “He refused to at first, but the details rang true.” “Were they?” “No. I could have told him of the night guard on the eastern boarder who slept more than he watched, or the disorganized training fields, or the house that was a home and not a defense tool. I should have said that King Lancer had one great weakness—his daughter—and we could bring him down by taking the girl. My father could have easily conquered the human territory.” “So what happened after you left?” “I waited. I knew someday I would be free to choose my own path. My father died the day I turned twenty-one, and I returned to your mother the following night. Once she stood beside me, I could not leave. She had been raised as a good and proper lady. She would not have come to me without a greater purpose, so I created one.” “My conception was a ploy to get beneath my mother’s skirts?” With a distracted scowl, Rakar shook his head. “No. I believed in the cause nearly as much as I wanted her, yet her acceptance meant ostracism and peril for you both. I should have walked away.” “So you only desired her physically?”

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Rakar shook his head. “Never say I don’t care for your mother. I’ve given my life for her. I’ve lived alone these years, not for my sake but for hers and yours. The older you got, the greater the chance that someone would guess your parentage. The good people of your mother’s clan would have tossed her out. Mine would have torn you both apart. I had to stay away.” “If you cared, why did you never tell her? It might have made the years of separation tolerable at least.” Her father frowned. “I’ve told her, but she doesn’t return the sentiment. She has been my mate since the night of the storm, the night you were conceived, but she has been ik kara more than half my life.” “She thinks you chose her for my grandfather’s power in the human world.” “An often repeated lie becomes the truth in the mind. She can not love a talon but can’t admit such prejudice. I’ve no need of affection.” Rakar stood to stare across the dark landscape, but Adarkan knew his words were lies. She joined him and placed her hand against his back in comfort. “My mother loves you, but she believes you see her as a means to the end, nothing more.” “Don’t coddle me, girl.” Rakar shook off her touch. “If she cared, she would have said.” “Did you?” “Over and over.” “In English?” Her father slowly met her stare. “She knows what I say.” “Yes, but apparently not the subtle difference between ak kar, the chosen, and ik kara, my chosen one. To her they are the same. She has often told me why you chose her. Love was never a reason, but it was why she accepted.” “You lie, Adarkan.” “Save for my gender, I’ve never lied to you, Father.” “What did she say?” “Too much to repeat. Suffice it to say that she loves you because of your surly nature, Father, not in spite of it.” “I don’t know your mother’s tongue beyond war and the negotiation table. If you speak the truth, tell me what I should have said long ago.”

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Adarkan smiled at the insecurity that flashed momentarily in her father’s expression before he hid behind his usual indifference. “Call her my love, my wife, or even my life. All roughly translate to ik kara.” He softly repeated the words before he strode to the door leading to Kylean’s bedroom. Once there he paused and turned back. “We have much to discuss, you and I.” Adarkan could not hold back an impulsive laugh. “Later will be fine. My mother ranks higher at this moment.” “Tomorrow at breakfast we address what comes next, agreed?” “Agreed.” **** Rakar eased opened the door to Kylean’s room. Perhaps she had kept Adarkan’s sex a secret to ensure failure of the peace. Had years of ostracism and neglect turned her bitter toward him? Worse, did she hate and fear him now even if she had cared for him in the past? He paused inside the doorway. Kylean lay with her back to the balcony. His hand tightened on the doorknob. He could easily slip out. She would never know he had been there, but the Alpha should not be caught slinking about in the dark like a common spy. Unable to bear his doubts any longer, Rakar sat carefully on the mattress edge and brushed her hair back from her forehead. Kylean gasped as she awakened, but he quickly laid a finger against her lips. Tears shimmered on her lashes and his heart cracked at the sight. “I would speak with you, Kylean.” He had meant his words as a request but they sounded like a command in the quiet room. The usual mask of indifference settled over her delicate features, shutting her emotions away behind a wall of selfpreservation. He recognized it for what it was after all these years. Pride stiffened her back and the bruises on her face gave her the look of a prize fighter readying for the next round. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He wanted to kiss her until she purred for him. Nearly ten years had passed since he had felt her warmth encircle him. With forced patience he willed her to speak.

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She rolled away and offered him her back before she responded, “Go away, Rakar. This can wait ‘til morning.” Without her eyes to reveal her feelings, he wasn’t sure if she wanted him gone or feared more recriminations. “Your daughter tells me we need to talk, ik kara.” “Then speak with her, not me. I’ve nothing to say.” “Adarkan thinks otherwise. She swears you care for me as mate.” With a gasp, Kylean stared up at him. “My daughter would never have told you such a thing.” Searching for any sign of Adarkan’s claim, Rakar studied his mate’s face, but there was nothing beyond the disconnected compassion that had existed since Kylean told him she expected his child. Disheartened, he tried again. “What if I desire your affection?” He thought he heard a soft sob, but her voice remained calm when she spoke. “I don’t know. What if?” Gently, he took her hand in his. Her fingers were slender and delicate against his palm and he traced the fine bones with his thumb. He could feel her pulse pound through her wrist and his courage rose. “Nearly thirty years ago I sought shelter in hostile territory, and there on a bright hilltop a petite vision with golden hair soothed my rage. For the first time I envisioned a world in which human and talon could live and not destroy one another.” With a trembling hand he softly stroked the side of her face and she allowed his touch. “That afternoon I found ik kara. You nursed my wounds but stole my heart. How could I not risk everything to make you mine? I created the idea of a savior so you would accept me as your mate. Unfortunately, Adarkan’s existence meant I could no longer be close to you. To take you with me, or go to you, would have jeopardized our child’s life and future, but that did not lessen my feelings for you.” A single tear escaped Kylean’s eye and trickled down her cheek to pool against his hand and his heart wrenched. “Adarkan says you don’t understand the meaning of ik kara. If that is true, I apologize for any doubt I may have caused. You are my love, my wife.” His blood pulsed in his ears while he waited for her response.

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Kylean shook her head. “I’m unworthy of such emotion, my lord.” Rakar crushed her to him, but her whimper of discomfort sent him back. “I did not mean to hurt you.” He wasn’t clear if he referred to the years of emotional abuse he had inadvertently caused or the brief physical pain he had inflicted on her wounded arm. “Speak the truth. Do you care, Kylean?” “More than you can ever know, my lord.” At that moment the formal term became an endearment, removing the ache from his soul. He slid his arms carefully around her and lifted her for his kiss. Her free arm circled his shoulders as she sat up to meet him. He explored her tenderly at first, coaxing her to purr in his arms. He carefully removed her clothing, layer by layer, until she lay naked save for her sling. Her breasts were still firm despite the years and only faint white lines scarred her stomach where it had stretched to accommodate their child. However, purple bruises marred her pale flesh and claw tracks reddened her lower stomach, making it clear what kind of being had attacked her. “A talon did this?” Anger clouded his mind. “Did he…?” Kylean tugged his head close and captured his mouth with her kiss. Her action soothed him little. “You daughter arrived before he could do me any real harm.” “Thank God.” He pulled her to him, conscious of her wounded arm, and held her close. “I should have been with you, ik kara.” “Adarkan has never left my side. In her resides the best of us both.” Rakar groaned. Her comforting sentiment brought his desire to the surface, strong and unrelenting. He quickly shed his boots and breeches before he swept Kylean into his arms and pressed her back firmly to the mattress. Though he fought to restrain it, need raged in his veins. He did not wish to cause her more harm, but he had been too long deprived of her touch. “I should love you properly this first time, ik kara, but I’ve not the patience to wait.” She chuckled into his kiss as her tongue found his and she bucked her hips suggestively. “So don’t. Come inside me, my lord.”

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“Gladly.” He slid one hand beneath her hips to support her so she would not bump her sling. The other he used to hold her head steady for his kiss as he sank slowly into her. Her body stretched tightly around him and her inner muscles quivered and caressed his rigid cock. The welcome feeling nearly drove him insane as he eased out of her slick warmth, then gradually rejoined them. She cried out in his arms and he pulled back. “Are you hurt, ik kara?” She bit her lip and shook her head as she writhed upon his shaft. “I had forgotten how well you fill me.” With a groan, Rakar capture her mouth in a soul stealing kiss as he resumed his slow and easy rhythm. He moved his hand from her head and caressed her generous breasts. When she squirmed impatiently against him, he wanted to drive blindly into her but care for her bruises restrained him. With each inward thrust he ground against her swollen clit, and Kylean whimpered for more. “Come for me, ik kara. Let me feel your passion.” “Rakar, don’t hold back. Please, my lord.” He thrust harder then, impelling her relentlessly toward orgasm as he reclaimed her. When her tremors began in earnest, he held her tight, allowing her pleasure to trigger his. Blocking all but the intensity of their joining, he found contentment at last. **** Kylean lay on the bed watching the ceiling fan circle slowly. Rakar slept on his stomach beside her; his arm held her possessively. Her battered body ached with the force of his lovemaking, but she smiled with satisfaction. Rakar had tried to be gentle, but he had taken her repeatedly throughout the night, and her exhausted muscles quivered involuntarily. “Would you share those thoughts, my love?” Rakar interrupted her musing and she smiled at him. “I didn’t know you were awake. Should I call for breakfast?” He braced himself on one arm and smiled at her. “No, but you could feed me in another way.” Laughing, she scooted to sit against the headboard and shook her head. “I would not survive it, my lord.” The disappointment on his face almost made her relent, but

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when she reached to brush the hair from his eyes, he grinned and sat up away from her touch. “If you expect proper behavior, you need keep your hands to yourself, ik kara.” His eyes trailed slowly down her naked body, and he groaned before jerking the blanket from beneath him and tossing it over her. “Cover yourself as well.” Kylean laughed at his foolishness. She had never seen the great talon king so relaxed. The sight warmed her but also made her hesitate to broach the inevitable. She did not relish ruining his pleasure. He reached forward and pressed a finger against the frown lines between her eyebrows. “What? Why does worry cloud your thoughts this morning, Kylean?” “My lies have come home to roost, Rakar.” “What lies? Did you not mean your words last night?” The ridge on his forehead darkened and his brows drew together above his ebony eyes. She leaned forward to brush his lips with a gentle kiss before she pulled back to meet his steady gaze. “Last night I spoke the truth. It is the years since our daughter’s birth that weigh upon me. Can you forgive such a lie, my lord?” Rakar stared at her silently for what seemed an eternity before he rose from the bed and reached for his clothes. His strong back bore the scars of war, but his flesh still stretched tautly over his muscles. His buttocks flexed as he tugged his breeches over his hips and jerked on his knee-high boots. His refusal to answer spoke clearly, and her heart cried for him to return to her. When he finally faced her, his jaw clenched in agitation. “Get up, Kylean. We’ll have this discussion with your daughter. I would hear what she says as well.” “She’s your child too, Rakar. Why do you insist on calling her mine alone?” “I don’t know the woman you claim as my offspring. My son has been taken from me, and I am not yet pleased with his replacement. Dress yourself and come downstairs. Adarkan will meet us at the breakfast table.” He jerked open the door that separated their rooms and stormed through the opening, but Kylean scrambled from the bed

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and raced to his side before he could go beyond her reach. “Rakar, don’t walk away in anger. We’ve had enough between us.” He turned to her and caught her chin in his strong hand. Tipping her face roughly for his possession, he ravaged her mouth with his. The kindness of the night before was lost to his misgivings and distrust, but she rose to meet his savage kiss, delighting in his strength, tempered or not. When he finished, he shoved her abruptly away and stormed from the room, but Kylean smiled. He could no longer hide his need for her no matter his temporary anger. “You will see the light, my lord,” she whispered as she tenderly touched her swollen lips. “Our daughter will save you from yourself.”

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Chapter Nine “Why sleep when you could be pleasing me, pretty one? Adarkan smiled into her pillow as Gralak brushed his whiskered chin across her sensitive back before his lips and tongue began a gentle foray down her spine. “I’m the one who did all the work last night, warrior. Your turn.” Gralak nipped at her butt cheek in response to her blatant lie. His talented tongue stroked the underside of her ass, making Adarkan squirm appreciatively until his morning shadow tickled the backs of her knees. With a laugh she flipped and scooted away. He followed with a feral growl. As he crawled toward her, her heart raced. He was beautiful: a wild animal, savage and raw yet protective and gentle when the situation demanded it. He looked so unbelievably sexy that the night before disappeared. She felt like she had not tasted him in months, but his obvious confidence made her long to hide his effect on her. “God, Gralak, how can anyone be so damned…ugly first thing in the morning?” He laughed and tackled her, tickling her until she screamed against his shoulder. “Stop! Do you want my father in here?” His devilish grin sent her pulse skipping. “No, sounds too kinky for me. Do you want him here?” “Hell, no.” With a smile she tugged on his neck, pulling him close for a slow, earth-tilting kiss. His skillful mouth explored her lips, gently at first before he allowed his tongue to mate with hers. The sensation drew her from herself and left behind all earthbound worries. He made her feel possessed and possessive both. She couldn’t yet say how much she wanted him for her lifemate, but she could show him. She arched beneath him, rubbing sensuously against his ridged penis. He buried his face in her neck with a groan as he absorbed the sensation. When his whiskers scratched her skin,

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she pulled away. “If we’re going to keep this relationship from Rakar, you can’t mark me.” He rose on his forearms and lifted an eyebrow at her. A female could definitely get lost in such deep dark eyes. “Should I stop?” “No!” Embarrassed by the quick denial and the cocky look that spread across his handsome features, she shook her head. “I mean, we can continue if you want, but we should move to the bath where I can take care of this.” She ran her hand across his cheek and it made a soft raspy sound, which reminded her how much she enjoyed the feel of his shadow on her legs, neck, the base of her spine, anywhere on her body. With a resigned groan he rolled from the bed and tugged her with him. “Fine, but I’ll not miss breakfast. I sacrifice ham for no one.” They were halfway across the room when his teasing words registered. “Shit! Breakfast!” With a squeal she jerked away from Gralak and ran into the bathroom. By the time he caught up, she had run a washcloth over her body to remove his scent from her skin. She hurriedly brushed her teeth while he watched in confusion. She spat into the sink, then glared at him. “Coming?” “I had hoped to, but it appears you have other plans. Want to share?” “Breakfast. I promised my father I would meet him so we could talk, remember?” Ignoring Gralak’s disappointed look, she flipped her head down and ran a brush rapidly through her curls until she had tamed them into a simple ponytail. “Just the two of you?” She threw down the brush and rushed into her room to dress. On her way past him, she rose on her toes and brushed a quick kiss across his mouth. “I’m not ready to share what we do with the world, but I want you with me always, Gralak.” She grabbed a sarong and wrapped it around her hips before heading toward the door. Gralak’s palm slammed against the wooden frame, effectively blocking her exit. “Where are you going like that?” “To the dining room. Since I no longer have to hide my gender, I can dress as female.”

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“Not an unmated female you can’t.” He cleared his throat and scowled. “I do not share what’s mine.” “My father will wonder if I dress like a mate.” “The Alpha can fuck off. Use human self-consciousness as an excuse, but you will not leave this room uncovered.” “Gralak, talon women expose their breasts. Do you even think about it?” “Hell, yes. Every male does.” “Then you want to mate with them?” “No, but before you, I thought about it—often, so cover yourself.” He hesitated before he cupped her face in his large palms and leaned close. His forehead touched hers lightly as he whispered, “Please, Rakara.” And she was lost. How could anyone say no to a warrior who asked nicely? She untied the sarong and wrapped it over her breasts, tying it tightly behind her neck. She grabbed her belt and strapped the edges of the material together so they would not fall open when she sat down. “Better?” His scowl remained as his eyes traveled the long expanse of leg left exposed by her shortened skirt. “No.” “Then come and protect me, my warrior.” “In a minute.” Adarkan reached for the door but his powerful arms swept her to his chest. His mouth found her in a hard possessive kiss that thawed her reserve and had her wishing they could return to bed before he set her down and stepped away. His still naked body offered blatant evidence that he wanted her as well. “Go.” She went. Had she stayed a moment longer, she would not have left until she had pushed him to the floor and rode his impressive erection to the finish line. Practically slamming the door, she fled his influence and sought her father. **** Adarkan reached the dining room before Rakar and poured herself a cup of hot tea. The aromatic steam wafted through the room and offered a tiny sense of calm. She heard her father’s tread and turned with a tentative smile. “Did all go well last night, Father?” Rakar scowled but a tiny smile flitted at the corner of his mouth. “None of your business, girl.”

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Adarkan chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.” After setting her cup on the table, she filled a plate with warm ham, scrambled eggs and blended turnips, buttery and sweet. Of the talon comfort foods this was her favorite. Kylean preferred grits, but Adarkan found them too bland for her taste. Talon food tended to be over the top in seasoning from kick-ass spicy to teeth rotting sweet, but she loved them all. Plopping a couple of biscuits smothered in butter and honey on top of the rest, she settled at the table and began to eat. Her father loaded his own plate and did the same. Neither spoke until the food had nearly disappeared. Unsure of how to broach the subject other than jumping in with both feet, Adarkan glanced at her father. “Will you forever hate me for being a girl?” Rakar growled but continued to eat without comment. He reminded her of Gralak in his stubborn refusal to bend. “Are you going to answer me, Father?” “Are you fucking my Beta, girl?” Stunned speechless, Adarkan stared at her father before answering with a growl of her own. “That’s none of your business.” Rakar shoved his chair away from the table and stood to pace the small room. “It affects the peace. If you appear biased toward one kind or another, you will lose your chance, our chance, to end the wars.” Adarkan pushed her plate aside and rested her forehead on her hands a moment before meeting his eyes. “I know that, Father. I’ve not accepted Gralak as mate. What more do you want from me?” Kylean and Gralak entered the dining room as Adarkan finished her question. She watched the two of them for signs they had heard the conversation. Gralak winked as he escorted Kylean to the breakfast bar and Adarkan could not suppress her answering smile. She jumped as Rakar slammed his palm flat on the table. “Quit looking like you want to fuck him on my dining room table. That’s what I want from you.” Gralak snarled and moved toward Rakar, but Kylean stepped between them and placed a calming hand on his chest. “Gralak, Rakar rarely remembers his manners before ten in the

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morning. He will later regret such a comment, for now, ignore it.” “Don’t apologize for me, woman. I speak for myself and I meant every word. If my Beta and my daughter are sniffing after one another like dogs in heat, whatever credibility she may gain from being King Lancer’s grandchild and my offspring will be lost. They both need to get their emotions controlled before the others come.” A muscle tightened and jumped in Gralak’s jaw but he sounded calm as he spoke. “How long before this thing starts?” “I sent runners with invitations the day you left to pick up my son.” Rakar glared at Adarkan before he continued. “Kylean’s father and his men come in two weeks, a couple of days before the rest so we can present a united front. The peace talks will begin the morning after the last leader arrives.” “How many?” Adarkan asked. “There will be representatives from seventeen nations and two hundred and forty-one regions, including guards and spouses. My staff reports nearly three thousand are expected. If this does not go well, the war will have come to our doorstep.” “Then we have a great deal to do.” Adarkan swallowed the fear that rose in her stomach. Now that the peace talks were a reality, she doubted her ability to control so many men. Gralak placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it aside. She had to rely on her own strength. She could not look to anyone, not even her parents and grandparents, for help if she were to appear worthy of respect. **** Exhaustion and stress rode Adarkan’s back as she hurried toward the stable. Two weeks since Rakar’s lecture on staying away from Gralak, and two days before the meetings were to begin: she needed release and since sex was out, a brisk ride on Chi would have to suffice. With a sigh she rubbed at the tension in her neck as she entered the horse barn. Grooms moved efficiently from stall to stall as they led the horses out to the exercise yard. The morning air carried the scent of fresh hay and well-groomed animals. The normalcy of the moment lifted her spirits as did a shy smile from the youngest stable girl. Feeling better, Adarkan slipped into Chi’s stall and patted

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his sturdy rump. “Hey, boy.” The gelding paused long enough to nuzzle her chest before he continued chomping his breakfast. “Why are you still eating when others are on their way outside, huh?” “He won’t eat until you or the Beta stops by.” Adarkan looked across Chi’s back at the little girl peeking over the stall gate. Her big blue eyes and shinny yellow pigtails screamed old school human, but there was a pride and seriousness in her smile that bespoke of talon blood. “Gralak visits Chi?” “Yes, Miss, I hope that’s okay. He started coming down here early in the mornings about a week ago.” “So since Chi’s eating, can I assume Gralak has been here recently?” “He left just before you come.” “Thank you, Jessie.” “No problem. Chi’s my favorite but don’t tell, okay? It would hurt the other horses’ feelings.” Adarkan smiled at the sweet child. “I promise.” “Good. Well, I gotta go. Bye.” A huge grin flashed across the girl’s pixy face before she dropped to the ground and hurried to finish her chores. With a chuckle Adarkan patted her horse’s back. “So you miss him too when he’s not around.” An unexpected wave of loneliness swept over her, and she dropped her forehead to Chi’s muscled neck. “I’ll be glad when the initial meetings end, and we can all live a normal life again.” Chi nickered consolingly, but the anxiety weighing on Adarkan’s mind did not ease. She leaned into the gelding’s side and momentarily blocked out the world. The stable had grown quiet and she drew on its peace. She did not hear the stall gate open and close, but suddenly Gralak’s strong arms encircled her from behind and pulled her tightly to his chest. “I’ve missed you, pretty one.” Momentarily, she thought he was a dream before his warmth seeped through her shirt and his sensual appeal enveloped her senses. “I’ve missed you, too,” she whispered as she rested her head against his shoulder. His mouth softly caressed her exposed throat as his hand

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found its way beneath her shirttail. He felt so good, but her father’s words echoed relentlessly in her mind. Catching his wrist, she stopped his questing touch. “No, Gralak.” Gralak stiffened but his voice remained husky and persuasive. “Who will know but you and I?” Adarkan eased from his arms with a regretful sigh. “Anyone who sees me look at you will know.” She turned her back to avoid his gorgeous eyes and unhooked Chi’s lead so she could take him from the stall. Before she could do more, Gralak shouldered his way between her and the horse and pinned her thighs to the manger’s edge. “Have you forgotten me, Rakara? Must I remind you how your body begs for mine?” All traces of gentleness were gone as Gralak pressed his hips against her backside. She tried to escape but he was too strong. One rough, and God, so talented hand found her breast and the other shoved her kilt up to find its way inside her underwear. “Your body grows wet for me already, doesn’t it?” He sounded sure of himself before he ever touched her. Adarkan wanted to freeze up against him, but when his fingers found her core, slick heat welcomed them. He muffled a groan against her throat as he explored her aching slit. “Gralak, please stop.” “No. I won’t demand favoritism in front of others, but by God you’ll show it when we’re alone.” “I can’t.” Her protest sounded weak even to her own ears. She did not want him to leave, could not bear the thought of losing his touch. Gralak removed his hand from her purring cunt and shoved her shirt up to expose her sensitive back. He pressed her forward, bending her over until she had to grab the back wall to keep her balance. His lips journeyed over her flesh, stroking and coaxing her response. “Remember the last time I held you like this, pretty one?” He curved his palm around one butt cheek and squeezed firmly, kneading her flesh like putty. “You have a gorgeous backside, tight and firm but generous enough to steal a man’s reason.” Gralak fumbled at his waist, then she felt something cool and hard against her spine. She instantly recognized the

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discipline rod, the object of both humiliation and ecstasy. She shook her head and tried to speak, but the words would not come. Instead, a muffled sob of need slipped from her as Gralak roughly ripped her underwear from her body. He continued to caress her with the rod as he ground his hips against her bare ass. Slowly he slid the cool metal across her waist and down her flank, sliding it beneath her buttocks before sinking it slowly into her wet vagina. Her body trembled in welcome as he lubricated the toy with her need. When he removed the rod from her cunt, she thrust backward in protest, but Gralak’s next move stole her breath. One hand remained on her back, holding her in place as he positioned the rod at her anus and worked it firmly into the tight cavity. Aided by the moisture, her pliant body opened to receive his intrusion. This time there was no embarrassment, only intense pleasure. Gralak groaned deep in his throat as she closed around the smooth tool. “Admit you want me, Rakara.” Adarkan abandoned all pretenses. Her nod of consent was all he needed. He braced a knee on the manger for balance, then impaled her with his rigid cock. She buried her mouth against her arm to muffle her scream. He felt tremendous, thick and hot. The rod intensified the effect of his penis as he thrust in and out, deeper and harder with each stroke. He did not make love. He dominated her body, mind, and senses. She could not escape and did not want to. He captured her right nipple in his fingertips and rolled it evocatively while he slid his other hand between her legs to find her clit. His fangs sank into her shoulder, reinforcing his domination as he continued to stimulate every part of her, ramming his cock repeatedly into her willing body. The world exploded in red and purple lights as they came together in multiple waves. Adarkan slowly returned to herself. Tears streamed down her face and her legs trembled weakly. Gralak pulled out and eased the rod from her before he lowered her to sit on the edge of the manger. Once she found her balance, he stepped back to right his clothing. With a smirk, he stuffed her torn underwear into his waist pouch. She could not speak and would not have known

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what to say had the ability been there. Any other man might have apologized for his roughness, or at least asked if she were all right. Gralak did neither of these things. His brow ridge darkened and his eyes swirled scarlet with conflicting emotion. “You can pretend, Rakara, but we both know what you need, don’t we?” He left without another word. Adarkan stared at the gate where he had disappeared until rational thought returned. She should have been angry at the warrior for his callous treatment, but her body hummed contentedly. Her tension headache had disappeared along with every tight muscle and worry. Sanity said she still had mountains to face but at that moment she felt too incredible to give a shit. A smile tugged the corners of her mouth for the first time in weeks and she chuckled. “Well, Chi, I won’t need that ride after all.”

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Chapter Ten Two days later Adarkan awoke to discord in the yard below. Rushing to the window, she saw people milling near the fountain. Like wolves vying for superiority, talon and human soldiers circled and taunted one another. Tension crackled and heated words sailed like arrows between men who had known little beyond battle. Desperate to avert bloodshed, Adarkan threw on her jeans and a T-shirt, unmindful of her female status. She jerked her boots on over her pant legs and ran from the room. Her heart raced in her chest by the time she hit the main floor. Gralak sat at the breakfast table with a member of her grandfather’s guard. “Bring your men and meet me in the yard. Hurry.” She did not wait for them. She dashed through the gathering crowd, but by the time she reached the core of the group, swords were at the ready. Adarkan leapt to the edge of the fountain and whistled loud and sharp. The unexpected sound drew angry eyes from everyone. “Good morning!” she called with a laugh. “I’m glad you could all gather so early. I had hoped to be more prepared, but you caught me napping still.” No one laughed with her. “I’m Adarkan, daughter of Rakar.” This brought grunts of disbelief and disrespect from both sides. “Granddaughter of Lancer.” Shouts began to ricochet around her. “Blasphemy!” “Breed!” “Kill it!” Hands reached for her and she scampered higher on the waterless fountain. She could see Gralak and his men running toward her, followed by several soldiers wearing her grandfather’s bold green and gold. “Hate me if you like, but I’m proof that talon and human are more alike than the church

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admits!” A knife whizzed through the air. She ducked to avoid its blade but caught the weapon before it could harm anyone else. The carved wooden handle and finely wrought steel bespoke well of talon craftsmanship. Searching the crowd, she quickly located the warrior with an empty sheath and gestured Gralak toward him. The crowd parted reluctantly for the determined soldiers and soon her grandfather’s men surrounded her on one side with Rakar’s warriors on the other. Gralak grabbed the young man who had thrown the knife and thrust him forward to stand at the fountain’s base. “If this talon had killed Rakar’s offspring, the peace talks would have ended before they began.” One of Lancer’s knights stepped forward as well, a glare set deep between his eyes. “Lest you doubt it, King Lancer values his granddaughter highly and would not accept her death easily.” Drawing a calming breath, Adarkan dropped to the fountain’s edge. She could still see over the crowd, but she felt less of a target among those who had been assigned to protect her. She turned the knife in her hand, deciphering the clan signs from individual embellishment before she approached the young soldier still held fast by Gralak’s fist. “It’s a beautiful thing,” she said with a smile. “You are of Bandar’s men, are you not?” The talon snarled, which got him a shake from Gralak, but he did not respond otherwise. “I understand your resentment of me, but for your child’s sake perhaps you would hear me out this week.” A scowl darkened the soldier’s forehead ridge and he shook his head. “What do you know of my son?” Turning the knife handle to the personal side, Adarkan ran her thumb across the pastoral scene of mother and child playing quietly beneath an arching willow while a man fished a few feet away. A sword and shield lay in a benign heap behind them and vines grew over and around the weapons of war. She stepped down from the ledge and met the young man’s stare as she lowered her voice to protect his secret dream. “You wish a better future for the boy. One in which he might grow in peace rather than take arms and die for an unclear cause.” She took the man’s hand in hers and pressed the image of his family to his palm before she returned to the fountain’s rim where others could see

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her. “Release him, Gralak. I’m not the enemy. I’m merely one who wishes the same thing for my future children as you all wish for yours. Give the talks a chance. Allow your leaders to come to the table without further bloodshed. We gain far more from accord than from continued warfare.” The glares and rumblings of the crowd did not bode well, but she had given them something to think on at least. The humans seemed the most discontent and she moved around to stand before the soldier who had defended her. “Would you walk with me?” Gralak would not understand why she chose the stranger as escort, but she had already demonstrated a connection with the talon. She needed an ally in the human camp until her cousin arrived. She could count on Michael’s unfailing support to echo through the human population, but until then she felt unbalanced. The soldier proved worthy of her grandfather’s trust as he offered his arm, but she feared without Lancer’s command the man would have easily slit her throat. **** The meeting room rumbled with the growl and hum of a hundred voices of dissension and power. Each region had separated from the others in unofficial pods, but a clear line had emerged between the talon and human sections. Governors, representatives, presidents, and royal families—all proud, all self-righteous, all male—milled about discussing the pretentious breed. Adarkan observed them from the balcony above the great hall. They seemed too formidable and set in their ways to ever listen to a nineteen-year-old. Her heart raced and she wiped her sweaty palms on the suit she had donned as armor against their judgments. The confrontation in the courtyard earlier had reinforced the need to approach the world leaders as calmly and neutrally as possible. “You’ll give yourself a heart attack if you think about it too much, Kan.” Startled, Adarkan spun to see her cousin standing behind her. He looked much as she remembered. His reassuring smile sent her flying to his arms. “Mike! I’m so glad you’re here.” “Haven’t I always been there whenever you backed yourself

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into a corner, kid?” “Yes, but my father may have outdone all my childhood antics with this one.” Michael squeezed her hard and stepped back, but his hands remained on her hips. “No way. Besides, this is the moment you’ve told me about your whole life. You can’t back out now. Furthermore, you’ve always got me. I’m right behind ya.” Mike placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead and her confidence staggered to its feet. Adarkan heard Gralak’s warning growl moments before he lifted her behind him and went for her cousin’s throat. His lethal fangs gleamed and his muscles rippled beneath the silken shirt she had convinced him would make him appear more civilized. It failed as he bore Michael to the ground in a savage leap. She didn’t think before she ducked beneath Gralak’s arm and threw herself on top of Mike’s chest as they all crashed to the marble floor. Michael’s back slammed to the ground, knocking the wind from him as Adarkan flipped over and faced Gralak’s anger. His eyes widened the moment he realized she lay between him and his target. His teeth grazed her neck as he tried desperately to turn aside. He rolled away, cursing her stupidity and came to his feet as she slid off her cousin and sat up. She felt dazed and the room seemed hot suddenly. Unsure why it felt warm and sticky, she placed a hand to her throat. Gralak turned pale beneath his naturally dark skin, and he dropped to his knees before her. “Rakara, what have you done?” His big hand shook as he pressed it over hers, but she remained disoriented. Mike seemed to magically appear behind her. He quickly shoved Gralak aside and wrapped a large handkerchief around her neck. Gralak tried to reach for her, but Mike stopped him with a glare. “Did you intend to kill her so she could not arbitrate the peace?” The room began to spin, and though Mike’s strong arms supported her, she could not stand the bleak look on Gralak’s face. She reached for him; he pulled her from her cousin’s arms and crushed her to his chest. “Ik kara, please.” His chocolate eyes swam with moisture and his words seemed to catch in his throat.

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She touched his cheek and a red streak marred his smooth flesh where her fingers had been. Why was he bleeding? Had he been hurt when they fell? Michael would help. “Mike, don’t let him hurt.” Her words made little sense, but she could not be more coherent as the world whirled and went black. **** Gralak stared in disbelief as the white handkerchief slowly turned scarlet and Adarkan went limp. Grief destroyed his ability to reason. He had killed her. The thought ricocheted through his mind but did not fully register. The human grabbed Gralak’s arm and tugged, “Come, the others can’t see her this way.” Adarkan’s slender body seemed too light in Gralak’s arms, her breathing too shallow. He looked at the stranger in anguish. “I killed her. Shoot me.” The man shook his head. “Tempting as that sounds, Talon, she would never forgive me. She’s passed out, nothing more.” Afraid she would slip away, Gralak staggered to his feet with Adarkan’s frail form clutched close and blindly followed the stranger as he led the way to a guest chamber and pointed toward the bed. Gralak could hear the man searching the bathroom. He must have found what he needed for he quickly returned. Gralak laid Adarkan on the bed and knelt at her side. Desperately seeking the faint pulse that beat beneath her fragile skin, he clutched her small hand in his “Okay, big guy, I need you out of my way.” Gralak snarled but did not move. He could not leave her before life fled completely. A firm hand settled on his shoulder and nudged him aside. “I’m trying not to piss you off, but you have to let me near her. I’ve worked triage for five years. You haven’t killed her yet, but if you don’t move, she’ll bleed to death. Do you understand that?” The confidence in the man’s voice sent Gralak swiftly to the end of the bed. Adarkan’s color had grown ashen and her breath rattled through her throat. With efficiency born from the battlefield, the man stripped away the sodden rag and cleansed the wound. He efficiently closed it with three tiny sutures and the bleeding stopped. “It looks like your fang merely nicked her

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jugular. Had the wound been larger, she would have bled out before I could save her.” Standing to his full height, the man glared at Gralak. “She wanted you unharmed for some reason, Talon, but had she died from your attack, I would not have hesitated to end your miserable life. Remember that.” **** A strange haze hung in the room as Adarkan returned to consciousness. Mike stood beside her bed like a protective watchdog and Gralak hovered near. Each man looked tempted to tear the other apart. Gralak’s once white shirt nearly glowed red where it clung wetly to his skin on one shoulder. She wanted to ask after his health, but her muscles felt heavy and her tongue refused to work. “Will she live?” Gralak’s concerned question caused Michael to shift more clearly into her line of vision. Blood spatters covered her cousin’s arms and worry lines marred his normally smooth forehead as he spoke, “She’ll be fine in a while, but we need to postpone the meeting.” His comment made her force a response from her throat. “No.” He smiled and relief eased his stern features. “Hey, Kan. Welcome back.” She started to sit up but he pressed her gently to the pillows. “Lie still.” “I’m fine. Fast healer, remember?” She forced a smile but remained lying down. Gralak shouldered Mike aside and knelt beside the bed. He looked like shit as he carefully brushed her hair from her face. “I thought I killed you, ik kara.” “I’m tougher than that.” She scowled as memory returned. “What the hell were you doing?” “I saw him touch you and reacted without thought.” “Think next time.” He winced at her sharp tone. She hadn’t intended to reprimand him, but his rash tendency to act first and reason out the particulars later would hinder her work. Sitting gingerly against the headboard, she motioned Michael closer. “Mike, meet Gralak, Rakar’s second in command.” “And?”

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Mike’s question brought home how obvious her feelings for Gralak must be to others. She couldn’t afford to show favoritism to any side and sleeping with a talon would certainly qualify as partiality. “And nothing. He’s a friend for now. At least until after the talks.” Gralak stared coldly at her, then stood and walked away. Michael stopped him at the door. “Gralak, Kan can only deal with so much. Do you support her goal or not?” Adarkan held her breath as she waited for his answer. She had no choice. She could not encourage his possessive jealousy. Gralak nodded curtly before he jerked open the door and strode from the room. Unwanted tears slid down her cheeks but she ignored them as she swung her feet to the floor. “Thank you, Michael.” Mike shook his head when he saw her standing. “I told you to stay put.” “I can’t keep them waiting. I need to change and be in the hall by ten.” “What about Gralak?” “I hope he stands beside me. If not, I’ll deal with things on my own.” “He’ll be there, Kan, as will I.” She touched Mike’s cheek lightly and smiled as she left a red smear across his jaw. “Thanks.” “No problem.” She started to leave, but he caught her elbow. “You love him don’t you?” “Hopelessly. Damn it!” Mike’s chuckle followed her down the hall and lifted her spirits, but the look on Gralak’s face did not fade from her mind. How could she remain neutral if it cost her his love, but how could she fulfill her role as peacemaker if she worried about his temper flaring to protect her at every turn? With a resigned sigh she slipped into her room to bathe and prepare herself for the coming battle. **** Gralak washed and rid himself of the shirt that bore Adarkan’s blood, then dressed as he should have in the first place, as Rakar’s Beta and a talon warrior. He had no reason to hide who he represented. His dark deerskin kilt and crimson

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cloak declared his position to the world. His sword and dagger hung at his side. Though Adarkan had asked him to leave them behind, he would not enter a crowd of restless soldiers without a means of protecting her, whether she demanded it of him or not. To do so would leave her vulnerable and that he could not do, no matter how angry she made him. When he entered the meeting room, he expected to have beaten Adarkan there, but she stood beside Rakar, greeting talon kings from across the continent. Her human grandfather and cousin stood nearby. Each looked as if he had a right to be there, a lifelong commitment to the savior, and Gralak felt cast aside. He had chosen her as his lifemate, but she had not returned the favor. Though she claimed to want him, he doubted it went beyond sexual desire. The Alpha’s daughter could have her choice of any powerful man in the room. She had no need to settle for second best. His dark thoughts kept him from seeing Kylean approach, but her hand upon his forearm drew him back into the room. She looked small and vulnerable among so many distrusting men. He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. “Kylean, you should be safe in the other room with the women. You will get trampled in this mess.” “And what of my daughter? Does she not run the same risk?” Gralak laughed at the foolish idea. “Adarkan would hold her own among God’s avenging angels. She’ll be fine. Besides, many hover near to catch her if she should stumble.” “Why are you not among them, Gralak?” The simple question stabbed his heart. “Because she and Rakar would have it so.” “But I would not. I trust my father and my nephew with her life, but I fear they indulge her too far, and Rakar has not decided to take her side fully as yet. You, I trust to keep her from herself and harm.” “What if your faith is misplaced? Perhaps I want nothing more than your mate’s position even if I have to use his child to get it.” Kylean rose on her toes with a smile. He thought she wanted to whisper to him so he bent near. When her lips gently

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brushed his cheek as if he were a boy, he reared back in surprise. “You would not choose a less than honorable path, Gralak. I’ve seen you through my daughter’s eyes and would trust you with her eternal soul.” “And if I betray that trust?” “You will not. Be near her today and throughout this week. There are those who would harm her to terminate the peace talks.” “And if she refuses my protection?” “Be there anyway. She pushes hardest against those she loves the most.” Kylean patted his arm reassuringly before she slipped from the room to play hostess to the hoard of women eating their way through her husband’s winter stores. Gralak watched her go, but a commotion across the room soon drew his attention. A fight had broken out between Klark, the Alpha from the Northern Hills, and a neighboring human king. Aggressive words were thrown and swords were drawn. **** Adarkan saw the fight begin and ran across the room, but it was too late. Blood had been drawn on both sides. She had nearly reached the warring kings when Gralak caught her waist and swung her behind him into the arms of her grandfather. Soldiers from both sides rushed to gather around the combatants. If more weapons were drawn, there would be no stopping the bloodshed. Shoving away from her grandfather, Adarkan stared in disbelief as Gralak leapt between the two men and effectively disarmed them without further damage. He tossed the swords to Mike, who handed them to Rakar before standing at Gralak’s side. Adarkan shoved through the gathering crowd and faced the two kings. She would deal with Gralak later. “You both gave your word that you would come in peace. That means all petty squabbles are to be set aside.” “I came to meet Rakar’s son, not a weakling half-breed daughter who can’t stop a fight between two leaders, let alone two species.” Gralak made a threatening move toward the Alpha, but

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Adarkan stepped in front of him and shut him down with a glare. She bowed gracefully to acknowledge the Alpha and again for the human king. “King Klark and King William, may I introduce you to Rakar’s Beta, Gralak. My father assigned him as my bodyguard, and I fear he takes his role too seriously. Forgive him.” Gralak stepped back reluctantly. His anger was apparent but she had no time to pacify him. She smiled at the two rulers and cajoled them further. “Your highnesses, it would give me great pleasure if you would join me. I’m certain that if two great men such as yourselves participate openly, others will too.” She slipped a hand through each of their elbows and tugged them gently toward the head table. Once she reached the front of the hall, she motioned for a couple servants to bring chairs. “Now gentlemen, if you would have a seat, my cousin will see to your wounds.” The Alpha shook his head. “I’ll have no human witch doctor touch me.” Adarkan silently prayed for patience. “Very well.” She motioned for a nearby maid. “Gina, find the talon Kadak and bring him here. Tell him come prepared to tend a wound.” With a smile she turned back to the leaders. Each sat on a chair facing the other like generals at a truce table. “My lords, I ask your assistance in proving a point before we begin the day’s discussions.” King William nodded graciously, determined to prove himself open-minded, but King Klark snarled at her. “Only a fool would agree before knowing your intentions.” Kadak arrived just then and Mike took him aside to explain their plan. Adarkan smiled at the sight. “My lords,” she said with a reassuring smile. “If you would allow Mike and Kadak to assist you, we’ll patch you up before I explain further.” Kadak and Mike moved in to tend the minor wounds and Adarkan stepped away. Both medics dropped bloody gauze into the same bowl as they worked. Gralak moved behind her, drawing her attention away from the scene. She glared at him and motioned toward the door leading to the servants’ hall. “I’ll return shortly, Mike,” she called over her shoulder as she walked

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away from prying ears. Once behind the thick door she punched Gralak hard in the stomach. He didn’t flinch, but she felt better for having done it. “If you ever step in front of me like that again, I will have you removed from the conference. I cannot be expected to command respect if I’m tossed around like an insignificant child.” “Should I have allowed you to step in and be hurt?” “Yes, I could have disarmed them without your interference.” “I will not step back and allow you to jeopardize your safety, Adarkan. No one benefits from you death save those who make their living from war.” “And no one benefits, if no one listens to me either. Back off, Gralak. If you can’t, I will speak to my father about assigning you elsewhere.” He growled low in his throat before he caught her shoulders in his massive hands and lifted her straight off the floor until her eyes were level with his. “You will not send me away, ik kara. I won’t interfere unless I deem it necessary, but I will be close. Your father has no say in what is between us. I have backed down as far as I will go. I do not demand an apology from the men, talon and human alike, who leer at your body, nor do I rip open the throats of those who accidentally touch you. This is as much patience as I have to offer. It will have to be enough. Understood?” “No, I…” He shook her hard. “Do not test me on this or I will forcibly remove you from the meeting hall and to hell with the peace.” Adarkan studied his face looking for any hint of a bluff. There was none. “My family would not allow such a thing.” “Do you think they could stop me?” He was right. Her uncle had been unable to attend, which left only Rakar, her grandfather, and Mike. None of whom would back down from Gralak, but none of them would best him either. With a sigh, she shook her head. “I yield, Gralak. I have no time for this fight right now. Hold to your promise not to interfere unless the situation demands it, and I will not force you away.” “Agreed.”

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He set her on her feet, but as she reached for the door to the gathering room, he caught her and pushed her against the wall. His mouth covered hers in a demanding kiss designed to express his anger and discontent. Instead it fed her courage. She could face any danger with Gralak behind her. Burying her fingers in his dark hair she tugged him closer, demanding his tongue and total attention. His savage response told her he understood. Drawing a deep breath, Adarkan pushed him away and straightened her clothing and hair. With an impish wink, she hurried back to her duty and away from the one male who could both destroy and save her. **** Adarkan returned to the meeting hall, tossing Mike a questioning look as she passed. His nod assured her everything was prepared. Satisfied, she searched the crowd for the rabblerousers who milled among the people and perpetuated the idea that talons were less than human or humans were an inferior species. Calling Tavar and Ramon, her grandfather’s general, to her, she discretely pointed out the five men, two among the human population and three among the talon, who were causing unrest. Within moments the offenders were escorted from the hall. “The crowd grows restless, Adarkan.” She smiled at her grandfather. “I know. It’s good to have them a bit uncomfortable.” She kissed him on his cheek. “Take your seat and we will begin.” Walking to the podium, Adarkan signaled the servants near the door to flash the lights to gain everyone’s attention. The group turned almost en masse, and adrenaline rushed to her brain. The fight or flight reflex had her near panic until Gralak inconspicuously pressed his palm to the small of her back, and the show was on. Clearing her throat, she smiled. “Friends, family, and those who consider me a threat, I welcome you. Today we open doors to a better future: a future where our children may all be safe no matter the shape of their faces, a time in which we may rely on one another to overcome difficulties. Each of us has special characteristics which make us who we are. However, we also have striking similarities which can not be denied.

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“How many of you have heard the stories of talon feeding on the bodies of their enemies and believed them? How many have heard of humans destroying entire villages of talon females and children in the name of species purity? None of us are without fault, yet that which we judge one another for most harshly does not justify hate. The idea of talon cannibalism is ludicrous, a story began to frighten children into good behavior. The same goes for the inhuman treatment of talon civilians by old world humans. I do not pretend that such stories may not have been based in truth at one time, but like the ancient fairytales, they have strayed far from reality. “Does this mean that cruelty and injustice are a thing of the past? No. None of us remain untouched by violence. It reigns in our homes, our towns, and even in our churches. How can we escape prejudice if it is fed to us in every aspect of our lives? Neither side is free from guilt in this. However, today I hope to prove to you one thing. As much as we are different, we are more the same. “Allow me to introduce my assistants today: Kadak, son of the great Alpha Jadak, and Michael, son of Andrew, grandson of King Lancer. Each of these men descends from power, and each is respected in his own right as a man of medicine. I ask that you listen to their words with care. Gentlemen.” Adarkan stepped aside and Kadak moved to the podium. He spoke the tongue of the Western talon, a rough and guttural language which sounded much like a bark. Diplomats, soldiers, and national leaders alike looked to their translators who quickly turned his words to English, French, Spanish, Eastern and Northern; all the great languages of the continent. “I stand before you today at the request of Rakar’s offspring. Though I traveled here as reluctantly as many of you, I now rejoice that I made the journey. If you all look to where Michael is standing, you will see a bowl we used to clean the wounds of King William and King Klark. Both these men are Alpha’s in their own right. Both are strong representatives of their kind. Would anyone disagree with me on that?” The crowd remained still. “Good. Michael would you tell these people about the experiment we conducted and what it has proven here today?”

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Kadak tossed Mike the microphone and then moved to stand beside him. “Adarkan asked me if there was a way to prove that human and talon are the same species and that our differences are superficial at best. There used to exist a test that would identify the very structure of a man’s genes. Unfortunately, the equipment and know-how to run such a test has been lost to us. What we do understand are the components of human blood and what makes it different from animal blood. Here, in this bowl, I have examples of blood from both King Klark and King William.” The room began to rumble as everyone spoke at once. Adarkan flashed the lights to regain the audience’s attention. “Everyone, hear Michael and Kadak out, please. We may discuss their findings further once we know what they are.” Michael smiled her way and then resumed his explanation. “Kadak and I each ran independent tests on the kings’ blood, but we both reached the same conclusion. Talon are human. We are all of the same species with only minor differences. Differences that amount to nothing in the big picture.” A voice rose from the back. “Isn’t it true that primates have blood similar to ours as well, yet they are not human.” Kadak took the microphone. “True. However, it is not other primates that talon are most often compared to, but rather beasts such as wolves and cats. Blood from such animals tests distinctly different from that of the talon Alpha.” “In addition,” Michael added, “the primates you speak of have similar blood types to humans, yet none have all the components. Once we discovered the similarities between the blood of the talon and human kings, we drew blood from other test subjects, namely servants from several of your households. In the talon and human blood samples we found a representative of each blood type: A, B, and O. None of the higher level primates have all three blood types. This makes the talon and human population more closely related than any other living species. Both are hominids.” “Thank you, Michael.” Adarkan stepped in to help the group process the information before they got out of hand. “What this means is the greatest obstacle between us has been

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eliminated. Just as talon are not beasts, they are also not superior nor inferior. The tests run today show empirically that we are all far more similar than we are different.” From there started the demands for further testing. Human and talon alike volunteered for or demanded an opportunity to be tested. Many claimed that such assertions could not be based on such a small number of test subjects. Others debated that what makes man human goes far beyond genetics, and one cannot test for humanity. The religious leaders used quotes from the Bible and New Man’s Bible to support outrageous claims that God favored one over the other or that God himself saw the other group as inferior. Adarkan had a valid explanation for each argument, but ten hours later she felt as if she were speaking to herself. Everyone else had ceased to listen. “Come. You have tried long enough today.” Gralak placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Let them fight among themselves for tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough to try again.” Feeling defeated, Adarkan shook her head. “I cannot leave them like this. They will kill one another.” “Good, let them. At least we will be rid of their stupidity.” Before Adarkan could point out the flaws in such a statement, Rakar joined them. “Go to bed, Adarkan. Your grandfather and I will take over. We have guards posted throughout the compound. They will watch for trouble and warn us of any concerns. Gralak is right. You need to find your rest, my daughter. You have done well today. Far better than I had hoped.” Tears burned behind Adarkan’s eyes at her father’s gracious comment but she hid her emotions behind a smile and kissed him goodnight before slipping through the group and out the back door. Rakar was right. The others could wait until morning. Further talk at this point would not break down any walls. The information the leaders had received must be processed and discussed before any real acceptance could be had.

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Chapter Eleven Gralak growled impatiently as they slipped out the servants’ entrance and into the gardens. As soon as they were out of the crowd’s line of vision, he jerked her into his arms and kissed her like a starving man. She sighed in appreciation and snuggled closer, as desperate for his touch as he for hers, but nearby voices made her cringe and push away. “No, Gralak. Duty forbids it.” Gralak chuckled as he nuzzled her neck. “Do you hear yourself, pretty one?” Adarkan smiled. “Yes, warrior, I hear but I can’t change it. If someone should see me welcome you to my bed, my objectivity would be destroyed.” He dropped his forehead to her shoulder with a put-upon groan. “Don’t take long to solve this dilemma, Adarkan. My arms miss you.” “And what of your heart?” He grew serious and placed her palm on his chest. “It cries for you, ik kara.” Her pulse quickened at his tender confession. “Mine, too, Gralak. Go now. You make me doubt my commitment to the cause.” “Good. You make me doubt your feelings. How can you turn on and off so quickly?” The long day made her impatient. “Don’t be a child, Gralak. I’ve too many things on my mind to worry about your tender heart.” His wandering hands stilled and dropped as he stepped stiffly away. “I would not add to your worry, oh mighty arbitrator. Good night, Adarkan.” He disappeared into the dark without looking back. With a sigh, she turned toward the garden path that would take her to

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through the back of the house and to her room with few to see or care. The day had proved trying despite Michael and Gralak’s support, and her head and body ached as she slipped past the berry bushes. She had hurt Gralak’s pride and she would pay for it come morning, but for now she longed for her bed and the quiet comfort of her thoughts. Tomorrow would be soon enough to reassure him. The smells of the harvest hung heavy in the air and bees droned in the quiet night, lulling her to a sense of serenity. She should have remained alert. A hand closed around her mouth and a strong arm squeezed the breath from her chest. She smelled an intense medicinal odor as she struggled to escape, then all went black. She awoke later with a pounding in her head. Her hands were tied behind her and her fingers felt as if someone had stepped on them. The cold and dirty stone floor scraped her face and chilled her through. She tried to see, but the darkness was absolute. The air smelled dank and musty, as if the place had been closed for a long time with little chance for fresh air to filter in. Struggling, she sat up and tried to get her bearings. The movement made her stomach lurch. She breathed deeply to settle the nausea, but it did no good. Turning to the side, she threw up what remained of her supper. Whatever had been on the rag must have made her sick, and she struggled to make the gagging stop. When she finished, she rolled away from the mess. Her stomach continued to heave but there was nothing left to throw up. A tiny breeze stirred the dead air and she crawled awkwardly toward its source. She bumped into a wall and used it to gain her feet. Once she felt steady, she sidestepped along the stone perimeter, seeking an opening through which she could escape, or at least call for help. She finally located a door. The faintest hint of night air slipped through a crack near the knob but no light came in. She had to think. The door felt thick and solid, refusing to budge when she slammed her shoulder against it. Her best hope lie in getting her arms free. She slid down the wall and worked her hands beneath her butt until she could pull them to the front. They were tied tightly with a rough feeling rope. As she attempted to unsheathe her claws to cut the bindings, blinding

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pain shot through her fingertips. She bowed her head to absorb the excruciating agony until it passed, then twisted her wrists until she could touch the back of one hand with the other. She felt the broken and dulled edges of what had once been lethal weapons. “Son of a bitch!” She shouted her anger into the darkness and the sound bounced back echoing her helplessness. “Think, Adarkan. There has to be a way out.” She lifted her hands to her mouth and worked the foul tasting rope until she found the knot. Her wrists and fingers throbbed as she tore at her bindings. Eventually, the rope gave way and fell to the floor. Once her hands were free, she searched the small room more carefully. She could walk across it in four and a half strides in either direction. It could not have been more than fifteen feet square. There were no windows that she could find and only the single door. She located a wooden ladder mounted to the wall in the farthest corner, but she couldn’t see where it led, if anywhere. Perhaps she was in the gardener’s shack and the ladder had been mounted on the wall for storage. “Well you won’t find out stewing about it, Adarkan.” She shook her head at talking to herself before she gripped the highest rung she could reach and climbed the rickety thing. It creaked and groaned at her weight but held fairly steady. When she reached for a rung and rapped her knuckles on an iron hinge, she gave herself a mental that-a-girl. The opening felt only a couple feet across with hinges on the right and an iron bolt on the left. The latch had rusted closed. As she struggled to loosen it, her hand slipped several times, scraping savagely against the rough hewn boards. Finally, the deadbolt gave way. Blood trickled down her arm and her head began to spin. Gralak’s steady encouragement sounded in her ears as if he stood below her. Easy, ik kara. She closed her eyes to momentarily absorb his presence. When she found him again, she vowed to destroy the sadness that had been in his eyes earlier. Gripping the upper most rung tightly, Adarkan shoved the hatch upward. It slammed against the wooden floor above. Fresh air rushed in and cleared her lungs and head. She could see tiny stars shining in the overcast sky but no moon shone to light her way. Carefully, she pulled

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herself through the opening, feeling for holes and weak boards as she went. Once free, she closed the door behind her. Her hands hurt, but the clean air eased her stomach. Gathering her courage, she crawled toward the half wall. A rotten board crumbled beneath her and she threw herself to the side to avoid the gaping hole left behind. Blood oozed from her scraped knee and thundered through her veins as she hugged the floor, thankful that the wood under her had held. Hesitantly, she scooted the final foot to the short wall. Standing at the rail, she looked across her father’s torch-lit courtyard. Relief flooded through her at the sight. Her assailant had thrown her in the church bell tower. “Thank you, God.” Feeling confident she could call for help in the morning, she leaned against a support post and stared upward as a soft drizzle began to fall and calm her rattled nerves. The cast bell she remembered from early childhood no longer hung from its frame, and the roof had decayed completely away in places, allowing her to see the big dipper as it peaked through the clouded sky. Patiently, she caught handfuls of rain to rinse the nasty taste from her mouth and wash away the dirt and blood that coated her face and hands. By the time she felt relatively clean, her clothing clung wetly to her skin. She sank to the floor and rested as the rain let up and the heavy night air cradled her close. Exhaustion eventually overtook discomfort and she slept. **** Worried Adarkan had overslept and would be late for the morning meeting, Gralak pounded on her door. When she didn’t respond, he shouted, “Rakara, open the door!” “She isn’t there, Sir.” A small-framed maid stood timidly behind him as if she expected him to eat her alive. “How do you know?” “The Mistress sent me to wake her, but her bed had not been slept in.” “Perhaps the breed found a warmer place to nest last night.” A talon who had caused problems the day before sneered as he walked by and Gralak growled back, but worry nagged at his stomach. Catching the young maid’s arm, he stopped her from fleeing. “Which room is Michael Keller in?”

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Her eyes grew wide and she shook her head frantically. “For God’s sake, girl. Have a backbone. I don’t bite.” “I don’t know Mr. Keller, Sir.” “Think! He’s King Lancer’s grandson. He stands tall for a man with hair the color of wheat and matching eyes. I suppose most females would find him appealing.” The girl remained mute, but a chuckle sounded behind him. “Thank you for the compliment, my new friend. Would you care to point out these women?” Relieved to hear Michael’s voice, Gralak turned, “Have you seen her?” Michael laughed. “Who, the woman who finds me so appealing?” “No, you stupid being. Adarkan did not sleep in her bed last night.” “And she wasn’t with you?” Gralak rolled his eyes and prayed for patience. “If she were with me, why the hell would I be looking for her?” “All right. Settle down. Have you spoken with Kylean yet?” “No.” Michael slapped Gralak on the back and turned him down the hall. “Let’s start with the girl’s mother. If anyone has seen Kan, it will be Aunt Kylean.” Gralak didn’t wait for Adarkan’s cousin. He hurried to the Alpha’s room, telling himself Adarkan was fine. When neither Kylean nor Rakar had seen their daughter, his apprehension returned. “Did anyone hear her come in from the gardens last night?” He received only blank stares for his question. Determined to start where he had seen her last, he ran down the back staircase to the kitchens. Her cousin and father followed close behind. Near the berry bushes at the edge of the herb garden, he found signs of a struggle and drag marks marred the freshly mown lawn. They followed the trail as far as they could but it disappeared near the courtyard. People, talon and human alike, milled in the open area as they stretched and prepared for the day. The first meeting was scheduled to begin in a half-hour but no one seemed excited to attend.

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“Where is my daughter, Gralak? You were assigned to care for her.” Gralak looked over his shoulder at Rakar and shook his head. How could he explain that he had left her in a fit of temper? The Alpha would not understand jealous pride interfering with duty. Michael stepped between them and stared Rakar down, something most humans would fear to do. “Now is not the time for recriminations. Gralak has proven he would offer his life for Adarkan. He would not deliberately put her in jeopardy.” “Gralak!” The three of them turned as one to see Adarkan held by the old priest in the abandoned church tower. He gripped her shirt with one hand and the New Man’s Bible in his other. Even from the ground they could see his madness. “And the Lord said, ‘Suffer not an unbred female to walk alone but cleave only to those of like kind.’ Just as bird and beast can not mate, so must talon remain separate from lesser beings!” Michael and Rakar hurried to stand beneath the tower as Gralak ran to the back of the church and broke down the door. He could not think beyond saving Adarkan. **** The priest held Adarkan pressed to the rail and pushed her further over the edge with each insane gesture. He had caught her unaware and now she hesitated to fight him for fear she would fall. She could see her father and cousin below among the gathering crowd, but Gralak had disappeared. Rakar threw back his head in a fierce roar, but the priest droned on, ignoring the shouts from below. “The word of God declares ‘Each male must take a female to his home and care for her as is fitting.’ King Rakar has defied the Lord. He has broken the sacred laws which govern the population and protect our way of life by lying with a lesser being and by refusing to choose a mate of his own kind.” Her father moved closer to the tower base and cupped his hands around his mouth to make himself heard. “My child had no part in her birth. Let her go and face me with your accusations, priest!” He had fallen into the talon language and Adarkan had to concentrate to follow his rapid speech, but his

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words made her smile despite her desperate situation. “Be still, Heathen King!” The priest shook his Bible in the air and Adarkan stumbled. She clutched the wooden rail with her bloodied fingers as she studied the situation searching desperately for a way to escape. Flames of a sickly yellow swarmed though the old talon’s eyes and spittle flew from his lips as he shouted, “God says all of mixed blood should be cast out.” A loud crash caught the priest’s attention and he jerked instinctively toward the sound, tossing Adarkan over the edge. She screamed as she scrabbled for a hold on the slate roof. Her father’s shouts blended with the cries of those below. As Adarkan slid over the edge, she made a desperate grab at something solid. Her hand closed around the ornate brace that supported the eaves. Her body jerked when she hit the end of her arm and blinding pain momentarily clouded her thoughts. When her heart rate slowed slightly, she shifted to clasp the bracket with both hands. Her feet dangled helplessly as she stared across the open courtyard instead of looking down. Above her, the scuffle continued and she prayed for Gralak’s life. Suddenly the old priest slid off the roof beside her. She let go with one hand and grabbed for him, catching his wrist as he fell. His momentum nearly wrenched her arm from its socket but she held him hard. He had passed out in fear and now hung as a dead weight from her battered hand. Rakar’s voice roared in anger. “Drop him before he takes you with him, girl!” Adarkan looked at the milling faces below. A growing crowd surrounded her father and cousin. A chant of ‘let him die’ rumbled through the mob. The old priest and others like him had used religion to kill for too long. Adarkan closed her eyes to the ugliness below, but she held fast to the priest. Desperate, she swung her legs and wrapped them around his chest to ease the strain on her arm. If help did not reach her soon, they would both meet the hard ground. Michael and her father shouted orders and the people ran to obey, but she could not clearly see or hear what they were doing. “Adarkan!” Gralak shouted from above, but the eaves blocked her view of him. “Damn it, ik kara! Answer me!”

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The concern and love in his voice outshone the angry command. “Gralak! Lecture me later!” “Where are you?” “Over the edge. I’m okay, but my hands are slipping.” “Hold on.” “Do I have a choice?” He did not respond to her sarcastic question so she assumed he had gone for a rope to help her down, but she wasn’t sure she could hold out until he returned. Risking a downward glance, she judged the distance between the ground and her feet. She could have jumped if it were thirty or forty feet, but the tower stood at least twice that to the peak, which placed her still about sixty feet above the earth. Rakar and Michael began bickering and a nearby soldier pushed them apart. Adarkan groaned at their stupidity. “Hey, would anyone down there care to help me out? It seems my father and friends have hanged me out to dry.” The crowd laughed, as she had intended. If she were to die, she would create a lasting impression for those she left behind. She tightened her grip on the priest, then looked to the people below. In them she had a growing audience. “How many of you know someone who has lost a child of mixed birth to the whims of the church?” The crowd rumbled in response. “How many of you know a breed who has been hidden away by loving parents and has lived life blocking out half of his or her heritage?” This time the crowd remained silent. “Exactly. The churches have manipulated your fear of one another until you have become enemies. What the priest said is true. The New Man’s Bible does proclaim that all of mixed blood should be cast into the world so that they may fly, but most churches stop there and use it as an excuse for holy murder. What they don’t tell you is that God says children of mixed blood should be cast into the world so that the races may blend and become one. The reference to the beasts is taken out of context and refers to the forbidding of bestiality. As I proved yesterday, neither human nor talon carry animal blood. In fact the life fluid which flows through us all is remarkably similar. I’m proof that people are people and there can be no judgment.”

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Her fingers started to slip and she paused to shift her hold. “If I die today, I ask you all to carry this with you. Question all that you have been taught. Doubt that which perpetuates hatred and cling to that which makes you human no matter the shape of your forehead. And for God’s sake, someone light a fire under my loved ones so I can get down from here!” The crowd laughed again and a massive talon in the back hooted, “Give me a chance to love ya, Honey, and I’ll get ya down!” “If you would drop that useless baggage your holding, I would gladly be of service, ik kara.” Adarkan strained to look straight down the building to where Gralak stood balanced on a window sill twenty foot below her. He looked pissed off with worry, but she had never seen anyone so beautiful. “I thought you’d never get here.” “I felt the same. Now let go of the old man so I can get you down.” She dropped her voice so it would carry no further than Gralak’s ears. “I can’t. If I’m to prove that all life has value, I can’t discard even this one.” Gralak growled. “Damn it, Adarkan. When will you learn that your life has greater value than that of any racist ass?” Kylean’s scream cut off Adarkan’s reply and she looked past Gralak to see her mother crushed to Rakar’s chest. Her father looked panicked as he tried to comfort his mate and command the situation. “Gralak! Get my daughter down!” A wagon full of hay came close to the tower base and Michael ran to part the crowd and roll the cushion in place. He climbed to the top of the hay pile and held up his arms “All right, Adarkan. Drop him. I’ll keep him alive.” Her cousin’s confident voice gave her a renewed energy. “Gralak, catch him and guide him down. I’ll be all right.” “No. Waste no more time. Drop him and fall to me.” “If he dies, Gralak, I will not forgive you.” “Fine, you stubborn female. I’ll save him.” “Promise?” Gralak snarled and lunged upward for the priest’s feet but missed. “Damn it, ik kara, trust me.” His honor shone as always in his eyes. With a silent prayer

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for both of them, Adarkan released the priest. Gralak grabbed the old one’s robe as he passed. The sudden added weight had Gralak scrambling for a better hold on the window frame but he held fast. The crowd sent up a collective cheer that echoed Adarkan’s as Gralak swung the priest away from the tower and let go. Michael caught the old man and the two of them sank into the soft hay. Within moments the priest was lifted to the ground and Mike jumped down beside him. “All clear!” he hollered as he stepped away. Thankful a death had been avoided, Adarkan looked down at Gralak. “Are you ready for me?” He shook his head no and grinned at the crowd. “The mediator feels it would be detrimental to her career if she were to admit she chooses me, yet she uses me at every opportunity.” The talon in the crowd laughed. “What should an honorable male do?” One of Gralak’s students hollered, “Let her chose another! She obviously has taste, Gralak.” Adarkan could not believe Gralak’s timing. “Gralak! My hands are slipping!” He laughed softly. “Tell these good people the truth and I’ll get you down.” She loved him, but her hold gave way before she could tell him so. Her mother’s scream echoed her own as she dropped into Gralak’s waiting arms. He clutched her close a moment before launching backward from the window sill and falling to the hay below. She landed hard against his chest and knocked the wind momentarily from her lungs, but disappointment and hurt set his features hard against her. He stood and swung her to her father’s waiting arms, then rolled off the other side of the wagon to storm away. Adarkan quickly returned her father’s hug before she shoved away and ran after her life. “Gralak!” She could see him moving rapidly through the crowd. She climbed the wooden rack on the end of the flatbed and called out. “Someone stop him before he does something stupid!” The crowd obligingly surged together and blocked Gralak’s path. He snarled and spun back toward her. “You made your choice and it wasn’t me.”

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She smiled through the tears trickling down her cheeks. “Geez, I throw myself at the guy and he’s still unhappy.” Laughing and jeering, the people shoved Gralak forward and his anger rose with every push. By the time he stood below her, his jaw muscles twitched in restrained rage. He would accept no glib answer this time, but she had never been less inclined to offer one. “Gralak, ik karan, my warrior, my love, I chose you long ago.” She could not bear to be on display for his rejection. She dropped to the ground to stand before him, but he kept his eyes straight forward, refusing to look down at her. The hand she carefully placed over his heart trembled from delayed fear and the pain she had inadvertently caused him. “Gralak, had I the strength, I would have hung on long enough to shout my feelings to the world.” He scowled as he looked down and saw the bloody scratches and smashed nails that had once been her carefully manicured hands. With a groan he brought her damaged fingers to his lips. “Forgive me. I meant only to tease you, ik kara, but your silence smacked of rejection.” “I was wrong last night. I can’t do this on my own.” Kylean stepped near and urged her daughter closer to Gralak’s powerful arms. “Kiss the boy, Kan. Have I taught you nothing?” Unsure of who had reached for whom, Adarkan laughed as she found herself pressed to his chest. Gralak’s arms felt like coming home. His chocolate eyes swam with gentle emotion and the onlookers cheered as he lifted her for his kiss. She didn’t care that human and talon alike crowded around them, or that the racial tension had been broken and the path to a united humankind opened by the morning’s events. She only cared that Gralak had chosen her. She had been born to save the world but he was the savior squared, the savior’s only salvation.

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About the Author (Re)Becca Dale began writing at the age of thirteen when her friends begged her to tell them just one more story. Since then she has wandered through the genres from scary tales for children to erotic romance. She is a published poet and an avid reader whose desire to tell a great story keeps her brain in constant motion. Through new to erotic fiction, she loves the freedom and passion of the work. As a public servant, Becca treads carefully in her life, always offering the positive and conservative image. However, through erotic romance she can bring her most intimate fantasies to life. Some she even tries out on her long time love and partner. Visit Becca at myspace.com/beccadale.

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