Marked 2: Marked for Desire Read online

  Leo didn’t miss the edge in her tone, and neither did the priest. When Leo released his arm, the priest groveled. “Yes, my lady. Of course.”

  Ah, and the bodyguards arrived too late. One of them glowered at Leo. He glared back. The princess ignored all of them and spoke to the priest.

  “I thought so.” Without another word, she swept into the crowd, which parted for her, leaving Leo and her guards staring after her.

  “My superiors were right about her.” The priest’s gaze followed her as he slowly rose to his feet. “She is her mother’s daughter,” he spat, fear and loathing mixed in his glance.

  Leo loomed over the smaller man. “Why the hell did you ask her here?”

  The man shrank back. “You know what happened to her mother.”

  Princess Sera’s mother? He’d heard the woman had died on Placido, trying to bring her people back to their home planet. There weren’t many details. “I’ve only heard rumors,” he said.

  The priest’s nostrils flared. “‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.’”

  “And that doesn’t answer my question.” Leo crowded the man, and the priest shrank from him.

  “O-o-our order hoped she would d-donate to our cause.” The man stumbled over the words.

  Leo didn’t believe him.

  For a moment, Leo stared at the priest, then shook his head and followed the princess out the glass doors.

  A huge crowd of vid streamers shoved their small cameras right in the princess’s face. “Princess, are you sleeping with Steed Jarvis?” Four or five Teran reporters sidled closer to her. The only sign of frustration the princess showed was flared nostrils.

  She smiled. “I don’t do much sleeping,” she quipped and winked for the cameras.

  Even Leo felt an electric response to her comment. Her smile, her knowing glance combined to reduce any man to a puddle of desire. Leo studied her closer. She was pale beneath her makeup, and her hands shook slightly. Everyone else focused on the long legs, the fantastic cleavage, and the glorious hair. They didn’t notice the woman beneath all of it. Leo didn’t want to either. He wanted to believe in the facade she presented to the universe: oversexed, reckless, and a bit brainless. He wanted to…but he didn’t.

  “Do you have a comment on the latest video released from your session at the Star of Pleasure?” Another reporter shouted. “Does your council know you prefer ménages?”

  One blink and then she grinned. “I don’t know that I have a preference. The council is well aware that I enjoy my downtime.” She swept past the reporters. “I have to stick to my flight plan, my friends.” She said the last two words with an edge. “I’m sure you’ll understand if I cut this short.” She nodded at the two security guards who had done nothing to prevent the vid streamers from crowding her.

  A reporter kept following her down the long corridor. “Is it true that your people blame you for your mother’s death?”

  Leo had a glimpse of the princess’s profile and noted a flash of pain, of grief fly across her face. It was gone in an instant, replaced by a solemn expression. “It was a tragedy, and I’m doing everything I can for the surviving Placido people.” She strode away, and the security guards pushed the man back. Leo slipped around them. He shook his head. The woman was vulnerable, exposed constantly. Why wasn’t she dead?

  One of her guards managed to elbow around Leo, glaring at him. He bent to the princess’s ear and whispered to her. Finally, she glanced back at Leo. “Yes, I know him. Leave us alone,” she told her guards.

  The guards bowed and backed away from her. She stopped and waited for him. “Leo Eyler.” When he reached her side, she resumed her progress toward her suite. “I’m leaving. Now. I can’t stand Teran Three and their self-righteous bullshit. You can come with me or not.”

  She was still pissed. That much was pretty obvious. She’d hidden it during her encounter with the reporters. Her hands were clenched, her face was white, and her back was stiff. Enraged might be a better word. Funny. He’d seen the vid streamers get in her face and ask some of the most obnoxious questions, but she responded with class. She rarely allowed anyone to goad her into anger. He’d believed it was due to lack of brains. Beautiful? Yes. Smart? Probably not. Women like Princess Sera were spoiled, indulged, and foolish. Everything he’d discovered about her reinforced his opinion.

  Now he wondered if he’d been duped like the rest of the galaxy. That little display of power showed she had more layers than he’d originally thought.

  He followed her into the suite and expected to find clothes, makeup, and various feminine items scattered all over the room. Instead her things were neatly put away. The only item out of place was a hairbrush, which she picked up and placed in a small white bag. In five minutes, she had packed her things and placed them on a small hovercart. “Let me change, and I’ll be ready to go.”

  When she disappeared into the bathroom, he studied her bags. Utilitarian and easily maneuvered, they weren’t the bags of a rich woman. And Princess Sera was loaded. He’d thought, as many did, that she grew rich on the sale of Placido artifacts. Instead he’d discovered she had grack mines on several planets, along with investments in sex clubs on Sethos Five and Teran Five. She certainly had a reputation.

  “Let’s go. This planet reeks.” She’d changed into a skintight flight suit. It didn’t do anything to relieve the hard-on he’d been sporting since he’d laid eyes on her. Damn her. Why did she have to have those perfect lips and that beautiful red hair?

  She didn’t wait for him. Her fingers punched the console on the hovercart, and it lurched forward. She opened the door and allowed the cart to speed ahead of her. Her guards followed her at a distance. They should be closer.

  He had come this far and he wasn’t going to let them walk away. When they reached a few steps ahead of him along the corridor, he asked, “Who’s in charge of your security force, my lady?” The stiff backs of the two men revealed much. They didn’t like his tone. And the way they looked over their shoulders and glared at him, they didn’t like him asking questions either. Too fucking bad.

  “Riordan Bari,” she answered. “He wanted to cancel all of my appearances. Luckily for me, he has no balls.” They reached the shuttle bay. The huge enclosed docking area was connected to the hotel and cathedral, so they didn’t even have to leave the building. Leo wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

  “I have balls.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but something about her demeanor made him want to make her laugh. “I would have made you cancel an appearance like this.” This wasn’t the best way to get in with her.

  She turned to face him, and her gaze swept him from head to toe. What did she see? He hadn’t changed much since their encounter on Sethos Five. Oh, his hair was longer now, a silent rebellion against the Primarian military cut he’d sported for three years undercover. He was a Nyral male, taller than most men, and a nasty scar on his left cheek.

  Her gaze lingered on his dick, which had a mind of its own and hardened noticeably while she studied him. Her eyes were half-closed when she met his gaze. “Really? And just how would you have done that? The last time I saw you, there were about twenty holes in you. I don’t think you’re up for a fight with me.”

  Okay, she wasn’t going to play nice. “I suppose I wasn’t properly grateful, is that it?” He couldn’t help the caustic tone. She irritated him, damn it.

  She shrugged. “I don’t care about what’s proper, Mr. Eyler. Why are you here?” She strode down the corridor, turning her back on him.

  His long legs kept up with her easily. “My government sent me to protect you.”

  “Why would the Nyral government want to protect me?” She didn’t really sound interested.

  “The Blueshift Brotherhood interests them. They want to find out why the Brotherhood still wants to kill you.” This was hopeless. She was not going to cooperate.

  She raised her eyebrows. “Oh? How would I know?” she asked in a cool tone.
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br />   Leo jerked his thumb toward the temple replica. “How about that show you just put on? How much of that is razzle-dazzle?”

  If she’d been cold before, she was freezing now. “That’s none of your business.”

  “It is if I’m going to keep you from getting killed.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “So, you’re here for a job? I don’t need any more bodyguards.”

  His lips lifted in a humorless smile. Blunt. He liked that. “No, you don’t need another bodyguard. You need a babysitter.” She took too many risks, exposed herself to danger.

  Her nostrils flared, and color flushed her cheeks. Oh yeah, that was better. She was prettier when she was pissed. As quickly as the color rose, it receded, and a sweet smile crossed her face. “Why, thank you, Mr. Eyler.” Her tone was a rich honey. “I’m sure that’s what you do well, but I have plenty of men willing to…take care of me. With your experience, I’m sure you can find someone else to babysit.” She glanced at the other two men. “This appointment is over.” She whirled around and strode toward one of the shuttles.

  He started forward, but the two men held up their hands to stop him. His eyes narrowed. The first man smiled, and Leo gripped his hand until that smile disappeared. Two seconds later, the man was on his knees, tears in his eyes. The second guard attacked, but Leo used his other hand to strike the man’s carotid, rendering him unconscious. The man on his knees gritted his teeth and tried to lash out.

  Leo pressed his fingers on the pulsing vein in the man’s neck. The guard slumped to the floor.

  He followed the princess into the shuttle. She’d been so confident the two men would stop him that she hadn’t waited. When Leo closed the door, the engines flared to life, and the docking-bay doors opened.

  The shuttle shot through the Teran Three atmosphere and into space. One glance around the small shuttle revealed two disturbing facts. The princess flew the shuttle herself, and he was alone on this vessel with her.

  And she flew the way she did everything else: fast and reckless.

  Leo grabbed the handhold in the wall near the entrance to the bridge. Then he almost lost his balance when the woman twisted the shuttle upside down and flipped back around. The engines screamed, and he used all his strength against the g-force to get into the copilot seat.

  The princess glanced at him, but the only sign of her surprise was a jerk of her hand off the accelerator. Then she glared at him and yanked the shuttle into an arc, shooting through Teran space at incredible speed. He forced his hands to relax so he wouldn’t reveal his anxiety. “How far to the nearest gate?”

  “Two hours.”

  “Turn on the autopilot. We have to talk.” He wasn’t taking no for an answer. She was going to have to give him the information he needed.

  “I don’t have a thing to say to you, Dom Boy.”

  Dom Boy. What did she really know about Nyral doms? So she was aware of his cultural heritage from the planet Nylar. What she didn’t know was how much of that dominance had been twisted by his time as a Primarian soldier. Sethos Prime had taken his natural need to control up a notch. Uh-huh. Time to show her who was in charge. He hit the autopilot, deflecting her flying fists. Barely.

  His hand gripped her arm and pulled her from the chair. He didn’t expect her to end up in his arms, her lips locked with his.

  Chapter Two

  When her body flew into his, she tried to get away, but he held her tight. She hadn’t meant to kiss him. Had she? His mouth took over in seconds, and she groaned. When his tongue swept inside and dueled with hers, she struggled not to completely surrender.

  He attracted her, yes, but even she didn’t throw herself at men this fast. This wasn’t what she had planned. When he tore his lips from hers, she whispered her protest. It slipped out. Like begging. She bit her lip.

  He gripped her wrists and yanked her hands out of his hair. “You need to learn who’s in charge, sweetheart.” She shuddered at his hard, insistent tone.

  “Whoever can take the power is in charge,” she taunted as she slid her hips closer, rubbing against his cock like a cat.

  After all, he was male. He should lose his mind and slam her against the wall, take what she offered, and forget about punishment or retribution. But she’d underestimated his control. He nipped her lips but held her hands behind her back. “No. I’m in charge.”

  She stared at him, challenged him. He wasn’t the first man who thought he was going to gain the upper hand. They all broke in the end. Because all men wanted one thing. Pussy. They wanted to fuck, and they gave up everything to get it. “All men think they are.”

  His fingers tightened on her wrists, his mouth close to hers. “I know all about you. Don’t mistake me for one of those tame Nyral dominants you manipulate in the sex clubs, Princess. They play nice.” His gaze was cold and intense. “I don’t. I suggest you cooperate with me.”

  She let her gaze travel over him slowly. “Why you? I’m sure there are plenty of more qualified men I could choose.” He’d unsettled her, threw her off her game. It was imperative she maintain control, and he wrenched that away from her. Worst of all, he barely put any effort into it. He just…took it.

  One of his eyebrows rose. “Because I know the most about how the Brotherhood works. And because you don’t want another man.”

  Her lip curled. “And modest too. How can I resist you?”

  For a moment, a dark, forbidding expression twisted his features, and she shivered, fear tripping along her nerves. He held all the cards. How would he play them? His lips tightened. “Princess, I don’t give a hot damn whether you do or not, but I’m going to find out why the Brotherhood is so interested in you.”

  She jerked her arm away from him and put distance between them. “So, I don’t have a choice in this?”

  He shook his head. “Not really. The Placido council will be informed that I’ve taken over your security detail.” He stepped closer until his breath whispered over her face. “Every move you make, I’ll be there.”

  She snorted. “Right. Isn’t that romantic? You’re like a bad hero in a bad romance, Leo Eyler.” She put her hands up to her face in mock fear. “Oh my!” She made her voice high and insipid. “How will I ever survive without the big, strong bodyguard to protect me?”

  His eyes narrowed. “You have a vicious tongue, Princess.” When he smiled, his lips were thin and bloodless. “But I can deal with it as long as you do as I say.”

  She glared at him. “You don’t know me very well.”

  “Anytime you want to change that…” One of his eyebrows lifted.

  Her teeth ground together, and she whirled away from him to take her seat in the cockpit. “You just hold your breath.”

  She took the ship off autopilot and jammed the engines into full power. The satisfaction of watching Leo Eyler grip his armrests was spoiled by the knowledge that she wasn’t going to have any say in this.

  * * *

  It wasn’t going to be easy to get rid of him. Even though she was Princess Sera Placido, the council still forced her to accept Leo Eyler as her bodyguard. All her reasonable arguments went absolutely nowhere.

  Well, the best way to shake him was to shock him. That was her thought. When she landed the shuttle on Arris, a busy planet in the Phereon system, she had a dangerous plan.

  He was attracted to her. And he was all about control. The trick would be to break that control. Then he’d be like all the rest. Okay, that was a lie. Leo Eyler would never be like all the rest. But he’d learn his place in her life. She didn’t have time to deal with an overbearing, pushy male. The sooner he figured out she was in charge of her own destiny, the better.

  Arris wasn’t one of her favorite stops, but it would suit her needs. What she wanted was one of the risqué clubs, with fewer restrictions and more amenities. On Arris nothing beat Moonset, the best dance club in six systems.

  The vid streamers were waiting when she and her new bodyguard disembarked. She fielded several questions while L
eo checked her hovercart and arranged for transportation. She barely paid attention, all her focus on the game she was about to play.

  When Leo gripped her arm to lead her to the exit, she grinned. This was going to delicious.

  They ducked into a hovertaxi, and Sera ordered the driver, “To Moonset, please.”

  “Just a minute,” Leo interrupted. He twisted in his seat and glared at her. “We’re not staying at your apartment?”

  “Of course we are. Moonset is a club,” she said. “I’m not tired. If you want to go on…”

  “I can’t, and you know it,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Well then, why not enjoy yourself?” she said with a smile. She watched the small muscle in his cheek throb. Yes, she was getting to him. Wait until he got a load of the dress she planned to wear.

  The hovertaxi weaved through heavy traffic. Nightfall had just begun on this part of Arris, and the nightlife in the capital city of Cerus was hopping. Her companion said nothing more, but he flicked open his handheld to call the council.

  She ignored the conversation. Predictability was considered a virtue in a council member. Sera amused herself by imagining the council’s response to Leo’s complaints. It didn’t surprise her when Leo made a low noise of disgust and snapped his handheld closed only five minutes later.

  “Your assistant, Riordan, will be here in three hours,” he told her.

  Sera wrinkled her nose. “He’s no fun.” She met his gaze. “Can you dance?”

  “Princess—” he said in low warning tone.

  “Because I prefer to dance with men I know, but I don’t have many qualms about dancing with strangers.”

  He pursed his lips, and she struggled not to laugh. For the next two minutes, he focused on his handheld and ignored her completely. She glanced over his shoulders and rolled her eyes. The specs of the club were on his screen.

  The hovertaxi swept into the driveway in front of the club, and Leo stepped out first, holding out his hand. She slid her hand into his and allowed him to help her from the taxi. The way he dwarfed her gave her the sensation of being fragile and petite. The familiar whir of vid streamers surrounded them, and the bright lights from the outside canopy blinded her for a moment.