Rebellious Prince Read online

  “It’s nice to meet you, King Ainmire,” Jenna said weakly, not knowing what else to say. Did she bow? Curtsey? Lay prostrate on the ground? The idea to run away screaming still held a lot of appeal.

  The king furrowed his brow. “Is she well? Did you drop her? She looks as if you tumbled her down the mountainside to get here.”

  “No, she ran into the pole on her own,” Rafe answered.

  “Roswell saw to that injury when we were with the dragons,” Ivar added.

  “Maybe have him look again,” the king said. “The Reticulian ship is landing now.”

  “Lady Jenna, I apologize for my sons,” the queen said. “Prince Rafe should not have brought you through the portal without an understanding. This reflects poorly on the Var—”

  “Prince Finn helped me,” Rafe defended. “Be mad at the dragons. They’re the ones in charge of the portal.”

  “—and Prince Ivar should not have allowed it,” the queen finished.

  “Dragonshifters,” the king mumbled to himself. “Our ancestors should never have given them control over the portal. I do not like them regulating when my people can go through. Did you know the Draig king has now suggested we—”

  “Your ancestors wanted to keep the Var people away from any human attack if they managed to find a way through.” The queen tapped her husband’s arm. “This is nothing to discuss in front of Lady Jenna.”

  The king answered her in the Var language. Jenna frowned, wondering what was being said. When they finished, the king said, “We should see why the Reticulans are back.”

  “I negotiated with them at the Draig encampment.” Ivar joined his father. “If we are to have human mates we need to implement precautions for their fragility.”

  The men continued to converse, switching to the gruff Var language as they walked away.

  “Lady Jenna, I will show you to your rooms. As Ivar’s ward, you will take the guest chambers next to his.” The queen turned, expecting her to follow.

  “I can escort her,” Rafe offered.

  “No.” The queen didn’t look at him as she continued to walk. “You can join your father on the landing platform in welcoming our guests. I will speak privately with Lady Jenna.”

  * * *

  Rafe watched Jenna walk away. Her steps were stilted, and she glanced back at him several times. He lifted his hand and smiled at her reassuringly. She did not return the expression.

  Frustration pounded through him. Why did everyone refuse to see what his soul knew?

  As Jenna turned the corner, doubt began to fill him. What if he was wrong? What if she never accepted him as her husband? What if she took another?

  Rafe didn’t like feeling uncertain. Ignoring his mother’s wishes that he go listen to polite conversation to which he had nothing to contribute, he slipped a claw under his laces and shifted fully into his panther form. The entryway had been left open, and he ran through the blue barrier back toward the forest, leaving his clothing behind him.

  Chapter 12

  Jenna’s new bedroom suite was a combination of a medieval palace, alien sci-fi, and homage to the crazy cat lady. Stone walls and floors, a tall wooden bed with canopied sides, narrow shuttered windows, and a fireplace were clearly medieval in design, as was the gray fur rug placed near the window.

  Every surface seemed to be covered in cat statues, cat embroidery, cat paintings, cat tapestries, cat carvings…well, it was clearly a glimpse into her cat lady future had she not gone through the portal. And, apparently, it was her future having come through the portal as well. The only difference was on Qurilixen she was more pet to the cats versus their owner.

  As the queen pointed out the hidden conveniences, the sci-fi part of her suite became most evident. Walls opened to reveal hidden nooks filled with toiletries, strange liquors, extra blankets, and others with grooming objects Jenna wouldn’t be touching anytime soon. When the queen pressed a cat’s statuesque head, a holographic screen projected before the fireplace. The flat image was of an old black-and-white movie. She vaguely recognized the dancing actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

  “Earth transmissions,” the queen explained. “Our technicians capture them from space. It is how we learned to speak your language. When we first saw them, we didn’t realize they’d come from our old home world until an elder recognized one of the old castles and the words.”

  The screen blipped mid-scene, and another show started. This one looked like an old Navy training film from the 1950s.

  “These are Rafe’s favorite,” the queen said. “He had that same white tunic made for when he visits Earth.”

  Rafe liked dressing up like a sailor in bell bottoms? Jenna tried not to laugh at the imagery.

  “Ivar is a draqueen,” the queen added. “The scouts taught us that word. It is very royal and fitting for my oldest son.”

  Jenna snorted in an effort not to laugh. She covered her mouth and pretended to sneeze. “Excuse me. The forest was dusty.”

  The transmission blipped again, changing to an old cowboy flick.

  “How did you change the channel?” Jenna asked to ease the subject away from the princes.

  “Channel?”

  “Channel. From one transmission to another? From the first movie to this one?” Jenna went to study the remote control cat.

  “There is only this. They try to get complete transmissions when they can, but they are fragmented. However, the Draig have been trying to pull transmissions through the portals. They are supposed to send them to us, but I’m not sure…well, you don’t need to hear about our political arrangements.” The queen waved a dismissive hand. “Our database of transmissions is getting bigger. Although, we have had very little luck in getting them from visiting alien dignitaries though we have tried. There is not much call for Earth culture in the universes, so it’s a specialized request.”

  Jenna reached for the screen, and her hand fell through the hologram. “Why don’t you buy the movies you want when you travel to Earth? You appear to a have electricity. I’m sure something can be rigged.” She paused, remembering she was talking to royalty. “I mean, it’s just a suggestion, but that way you wouldn’t have to wait for your neighbors to send you films.”

  “You can buy these at a marketplace?” The queen motioned to the holographic television and hummed softly. “The scouts did not report that to me.”

  “There are language videos, too. I think that would make it easier to learn from instead of watching movies. English is just one of the Earth languages though it’s also one of the most widely known. Chinese might be useful. It’s also widely used. Books might help as well. They’d give words to the language, not just sound, so your people could read and write as well as speak.”

  “The portal has brought the men to some locales were we have not been able to communicate. Normally we do not make trips during that time.” Queen Lassairfhina nodded. “Thank you, Lady Jenna. This is very useful information. Perhaps there are reasons the gods had Rafe bring you to us.”

  “So the portal does not always go back to the same place?” Jenna touched the remote cat head. It turned beneath her finger, and a blast of sound hit her. She quickly turned the head back and pressed it, shutting the transmission off. She mumbled, “Sorry.”

  “The portal changes locations every night,” the queen answered, “but it does follow a yearly cycle. Scientists say planet rotation. History says magic. Perhaps it is both. All I know is it saved the Var centuries ago and it saves them again now by giving the men a means to marry.”

  So she didn’t have to wait a year to return home? Rafe and Ivar had both indicated otherwise.

  “Tog-tog!” The queen exclaimed. Jenna jumped, startled. The woman crossed over to the gray fur rug. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you for days.” She nudged it with her foot. The flat rug began to blow up like a balloon, taking the shape of a plump animal with six short legs. The queen stroked the creature’s back.

  “What is that?” Jen
na asked. She couldn’t make out a face in the furry blob.

  “This is Tog-tog. He followed me to this planet. He shouldn’t have, but I didn’t have the heart to send him away, so I hid him in my chambers until my parents left. He roams the palace and is lost more often than not. He has apparently taken a liking to this room.”

  To prove her point, Tog-tog waddled away on his short legs and then deflated in a new location on the other side of the bed.

  “Try not to step on him,” the queen said.

  Jenna nodded in understanding, not sure what to make of the creature. “You were not born here?”

  “No. I am Feenik by birth, Var by marriage. I met the king when my family landed here. They left, and I stayed.” She gave a small smile as if remembering something Jenna could not know. “It was a long time ago and a story for another time. You look exhausted.”

  “I am. It’s been a long couple of days.”

  “If you would like to bathe…” The queen moved across the room to a tiered platform in the corner and pressed a cat paw. The open space transformed. Stone parted to make a drain. Metal slid over the floors and down the walls. Tiny spouts came from between the ceiling stones and began to rain down. There was no curtain for privacy, but the design kept the water from flooding the rest of the room.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “Soaps. Drying linens. Hair cream.” The queen brought the items to her attention. “My gowns will be too big for you, but I will see if I can find something suitable until Ivar can arrange for the dressmaker.”

  “Thank you.”

  “When you’re ready for the servants to bring you a tray of food, press here.” Queen Lassairfhina’s hand brushed over an engraved button near the door. “Otherwise you should not be disturbed.”

  Chapter 13

  Jenna stood in the middle of the shower, letting the water rain down on her naked body. At first it had been a little too warm, but as her body adjusted she found she could barely move. Unlike home, there didn’t seem to be an issue with running out of hot water.

  What a strange life hers had become. She was taking a shower on an alien planet, the guest of royalty, surrounded by walking rugs and drag queen princes. She felt very sane, but if she wasn’t she hoped the doctors didn’t cure her too quickly.

  And then there was Rafe. His kiss haunted her lips. If she allowed herself, to be honest, she liked it when he kissed her. She wanted him to do it again. And again. And again…

  Her body ached and the hot shower didn’t seem to cool her growing desires. Too bad he was so hell-bent on getting her to marry him. Otherwise, she might have been more inclined to explore where his kisses led.

  But she was alone now. What harm could there be in letting her thoughts wander?

  “Mm,” she hummed thoughtfully as she remembered meeting him at the diner. He’d been so sexy and so presumably crazy. He had an open smile, playful, teasing, tempting. And his eyes… Damn, those eyes. She’d never seen eyes that penetrated so deeply. The man was walking temptation. When he looked at her, unconsciously licking his bottom lip, she felt him luring her in.

  What would it be like to give in to him? Strong body against hers. That mouth on her breasts. Those hands skimming down her sides. His hips pressing open her legs. The tightness of his pants indicated his body was formed human enough to make it work.

  The shower seemed to become hotter. She breathed deeply, and the water trailed over her lips. Her hands glided over her skin but did not seem to cure the ache building ever higher inside or her. Her nerves screamed for pleasure. Her sex needed to be…

  A low growl interrupted her thoughts, and she gasped, turning to see what intruded into her room. She covered her privates the best she could and did not move out of the shower. A black jaguar stalked across the suite, his green eyes focused on her as if she were his prey.

  She edged back, keeping her eyes on him and trying not to make any sudden movements. Jenna had no experience with wilderness survival and couldn’t remember it she was supposed to be aggressive or submissive, run and scream or curl into a ball and play dead while hoping not to get mauled. And that was even if Earth rules applied here.

  They’re shifters, she reminded herself. “Who are you?”

  The animal snorted by way of answer. She heard it over the falling water. It appeared the creature understood. His steps slowed.

  “I think you have the wrong room. The queen said I could stay here.”

  The animal made a small throaty noise and came to the edge of the shower. He lifted his head as if sniffing for her.

  “I’m under the prince’s protection,” she added weakly.

  The animal crossed into the shower. The water hit his black fur. Jenna slowly backed toward the corner. It wasn’t the best escape route. Fear trickled over her. Her heart pounded. This couldn’t be it. She didn’t journey to a new world just to be eaten by a wild animal. The princes had said there were those who didn’t want humans on their planet.

  The cat came before her. He bared his teeth.

  “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered.

  Suddenly, the cat’s head whipped around, and it ran for the opened door. Jenna slid to the shower floor. Her legs wouldn’t hold her, and she crawled toward the edge of the falling water to get a towel.

  She reached dry land and wrapped a thin towel around her body. As she hurried to close the door, it moved. She yelped as the cat came back. It rushed forward. She screamed and held up her hands. The towel dropped to the floor. The cat darted past her and ran around the room in a black blur of movement. It paused to examine Tog-tog before moving on. When it finished, it came to the wet trail of sloppy paw prints on the ground and then went to the door to shut it with his head, latching them in.

  This time the green-gold eyes seemed gentler and the cat’s movements less aggressive as it came for her. Jenna backed away. The shower hit her back, and she stopped. The cat looked her over, slowly. She gasped, again covering her privates.

  “What do you want?” she demanded. “This isn’t funny. You’re…you’re a bad kitty!”

  As she watched, the animal began to shift. His body morphed and stretched. Jenna took a step out of the shower toward the fallen towel, careful not to get too close.

  It didn’t take long before Rafe’s changing features became recognizable. Jenna pulled the towel to her chest. Angrily, she said, “I should have known it was you!”

  When he’d fully turned into his human form, he stayed kneeled before her—crouched and naked, eyes peering up at her to do wicked things to her senses.

  “Bad kitty?” He sounded amused. The side of his lip curled.

  “I was told I’d have privacy,” Jenna said. It was hard to ignore the fact that they were both naked with only her thin towel providing coverage.

  “I was told you like cats.” He pushed up, muscles rippling with the gracefully purposeful movement. Rafe didn’t bother to hide the evidence of his desire for her. It towered from his hips. His playful smile grew as he looked her over. “But do you like bad?”

  Jenna shivered, trying not to let herself become aroused. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  He grinned as if the answer was obvious. She couldn’t think with him standing all confident and naked in front of her. His erection kept her attention, the thick length of his shaft nothing to be ashamed of. There was nothing alien about the shape of him in this state.

  “Cover your, your, your…” She gestured at his crotch, trying to think of the most unsexy way of saying it. “Manroot!”

  “Manroot?”

  “Your thingy.”

  “My…?”

  “Your penis!” she cried. “Cover your penis.”

  Rafe arched a brow and reached for his cock. He placed his hand over it. “This?”

  “Yes.” She began to nod.

  Rafe stroked the length. His voice lowered. “This?”

  Jenna started to shake her head in denial.

  Rafe came swiftly fo
rward. He grabbed her by her hips and pressed her tight against him. “Or like this?” Rocking into her through the towel, he gave a small moan of pleasure. Then, with a hard pull, he yanked the thin towel from between them, so naked flesh hit naked flesh. “Or how about like this?

  Jenna was too stunned to react. Rafe’s hands roamed freely over her sides and back, holding her against him. He gripped her ass. It didn’t take much to rekindle the desire she’d felt for him moments before.

  “Don’t deny what’s between us,” Rafe whispered. The tickle of his breath was warm against her ear. He maneuvered his body, so she was forced back into the shower. The water hit them, tiny caress that eased the way of his fingers. It trickled down her breasts, moistening her stomach so that he began to slide more easily when he rocked against her.

  Jenna couldn’t think of a reason not to let him touch her. Lips and tongue found her neck and ear. Before she realized it, she was exploring the length of him. His firm ass flexed against her hands.

  Rafe grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand around to his cock. He held her fingers around him, using them to stroke. He kissed her, hard, moaning loudly into her mouth. Water lubricated their lips, their hands, his arousal. His grip on her hand tightened and he continued to run her fingers up and down.

  “Kiss me here.” His stroking hand paused to indicate his meaning. The request sounded almost like a demand. He released her hand from his shaft and gently pressed her hips downward to get her to kneel. “I need to be eased.”

  Jenna made a weak noise. This man was so confident, so sure she’d do what he said. Part of her thought to protest out of principal. It was overridden by the fact her knees were bending and her hands were steadying her journey to the shower floor.

  Rafe pressed two fingers between her lips and teeth to make her mouth part wide. He then took his cock and angled it to her. Pulling her by the mouth, he slipped his arousal past her lips before removing his fingers to grab the back of her head. He swayed his hips back and forth to move the tip of his cock around in her mouth. His fingers worked against her hair.