Brianna (25 page)

Without it, she’d be dead. She could tell they were heading for deeper water. The surface kept getting farther and farther above her head. She had to slow them down! Thrashing her legs about, she was able to tangle them with those of one of her abductors.

Then Ban exploded into their midst.

Releasing her wrists, both of her captors quickly unsheathed long, wicked-looking knives. Ignoring her, they began to work in concert, circling Ban like a pair of hungry sharks.

He was definitely at a disadvantage. He’d obviously exerted a great deal of energy to catch them, and he was not carrying any weapons. Jackknifing between them, he grabbed her arm and pushed her up towards the surface.

Moving as quickly as she could, Brianna swam away, but not before she saw a knife slice through Ban’s vest.

Blood followed her upward.

Brianna was still far from the surface when she felt another hand on her ankle. Panicking, she began to struggle as she felt other hands on her waist. Those hands, however, quickly spun her around and she found herself looking into a face very similar to the Patriarch’s. As soon as she made eye contact, the woman who held her released her and pointed to the surface. Looking around and down, Brianna saw at least fifty Nessians, both men and women. Relaxing in the protective circle, she nodded and continued up.

When her head broke the surface of the water, she pulled the plastic bubble from her face. Taking deep breaths, she turned to face the Nessian who had surfaced next to her.

“Bandalardrac Hardan is down there!”

“Others have gone to his aid, Flame of Mediria.”

More Nessian heads broke through the water, among them Ban’s and two strangers she didn’t recognize. The water around Ban was tinted pink. His back was turned towards her so she couldn’t see how bad his cuts were. The Nessians were rubbing some kind of salve into the wound. They also managed to get him to swallow some liquid from a flask, which was reviving him rapidly. Already he was treading water on his own.

The woman touched Brianna’s arm. “Others now come.”

A motor launch neared. Swells surged as it circled their position, and Brianna was swamped. She went under. Supple arms lifted her up.

The water became even choppier as the launch roared to a stop. More water splashed into her face. Before she could protest, she was wrenched into the boat and wrapped in Char’s embrace. His kiss was fierce and demanding—and quick.

Soon Brianna was wrapped in a warm robe and settled into the launch’s spacious cabin.

She’d just accepted a mug of something hot from one of the crewmen when Findal appeared at the base of the companionway. Char, who half carried, half led Ban into the stateroom, followed him. Two Nessians followed them.

“I tell you, I’m fine,” Ban snapped. “I’m not an invalid.”

“Don’t argue with me, Bandalardrac,” Findal commanded. “I want a good luck at those cuts.”

“Only the one on his shoulder will require stitching, O King,”

interjected the older of the two Nessian women. “Our salve will heal the others.”

Findal held out a first aid kit. “Are either of you any good with a needle and thread? Embroidery was never one of my strong suits.” Now that both Brianna and Ban were safe, his natural jocularity was returning.

The Nessians both shook their heads.

Brianna stopped blowing on her steaming mug and said, “I’ll do it.” She set the mug on the table and took the kit from Findal.

Setting it on the table, she began to sort through its contents.

“I’ll try to be as gentle as I can,” she said over her shoulder.

Taking her eyes from the needles she had been threading, she turned her gaze to Ban’s right shoulder to judge the angle and deepness of the cut. What she saw there caused her to stumble over the trailing edges of her robe.

Riding Ban’s shoulder was a blue-green dragon, massive wings straining as it rose from a turbulent ocean.

“He’s got a dragon,” she stammered. “Char. He’s got a dragon. Why…” Before any of the men could answer, understanding dawned. “His father was an Alalakan.”

Char nodded. “Ban’s father was my uncle, my father’s older brother.”

“And you didn’t tell me!”

All three men exchanged sheepish glances.

Brianna glared from Char to Ban and back to Char again.

Turning her icy gaze to Findal’s grinning face, she snapped, “Well?”

The king held up his hands. “Don’t blame me. I told them not to keep their relationship secret.”

She turned her angry stare back on her husband and his cousin.

Char looked down and shuffled his feet. Ban smiled sheepishly. Neither spoke.

Findal grinned. “If you’re going to sew up that cut, Brianna, you’d better get to it. You can flay them both to ribbons with your tongue later. Ban will need all of his remaining blood to survive that encounter, I think.”

Compressing her lips in a tight line, Brianna nodded.

The first stab of the needle into his flesh caused Ban to yelp.

After that first jab, he gritted his teeth and swallowed his groans.

Char folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall while Brianna ministered to his cousin, his thoughts roiling around his head. Bakom had almost gotten Brianna. If it hadn’t been for Ban… Why did he ever allow her on that beach?

What was wrong with him! Medirians have gills. Water abduction was the most logical. He couldn’t lose Brianna, not now.

Char shifted his gaze to his cousin. What was he going to do with Bandalardrac? Why couldn’t someone else have saved her? Damn it, Findal was supposed to have assassins protecting her! But Ban! Char frowned. He owed Ban for Brianna’s life. Maybe he could use him. Yes, that was a good idea… But Ban wanted Brianna. She’d shrugged off his overtures at least half a dozen times already. What if he wore her down? What if she decided she wanted him? No woman had ever been able to resist Ban.

Char was drawn from his chaotic thoughts by a small gasp from Ban. Brianna’s last jab had been less than delicate.

After she finished with his shoulder, Ban relaxed visibly. “If that is gentle, dear Coz, I wouldn’t want to bear your ministrations when you’re not so careful,” he joked lightly.

Brianna’s eyes flashed. “Do
not
speak to me now! I can’t believe that neither of you trusted me enough to tell me you were cousins!” Jaw clenched and head held high, she swept out of the stateroom.

Both Nessian women grinned broadly at Brianna’s outburst.

“She is truly the Flame of Mediria,” the elder said to the younger.

Char grunted as he grabbed a sponge and wiped the blood from Ban’s shoulder. Brianna may not have been gentle, but the stitches were evenly spaced, tight enough to hold the skin together, but still loose enough not to pinch the flesh.

“She’s even more magnificent when she’s angry,” Ban murmured in a thoughtful voice as Char bandaged the wound.

“Does that temper manifest itself very often?”

Char didn’t try to keep the curtness from his voice. “Often enough.”

Ban’s devilish smile appeared. Brianna in a temper must be as prickly as a wet Gattan.

Findal turned to the Nessians. “Both abductors are alive?”

“We were able to save them,” was the elder woman’s enigmatic reply.

“Good, I’ll take them back to the palace with me. Both the Patriarch and Matriarch are still there. Those two could make the water itself talk.”

The Nessians bowed and left the cabin. In a moment, two splashes were heard.

Findal followed them. Char and Ban could hear him issuing orders for the launch to return to the palace.

Char locked eyes with his cousin and quietly said, “I owe you a debt I can never repay. Anything that is in my power to give you is yours.”

Ban’s voice was mocking. “Don’t you mean the clan’s power?”

Char crossed his arms over his chest and stared into Ban’s eyes. “No.”

“Even that ring on your finger?”

Without a second thought, Char slipped the Alalakan signet ring from his finger and held it out to Ban.

Ban started—and stared. “Do you realize what it would mean if I took it?”

Brianna’s worth it.
“Alalakan don al’ Bandalardrac, my father and my brother will support your claim before the clan elders.”

Ban stared at Char. “You’re serious,” he said with wonder in his voice. “You would actually do it.”

Char said nothing. He just continued to hold the ring out.

The emotions that played across the younger man’s face were easy to read. Ban was finally being presented with the acknowledgment he felt he deserved and had never received.

Slowly he lifted the ring from Char’s palm.

Brianna stomped in and fisted her hands on her hips. “Now what are you two doing? I simply won’t tolerate the snide remarks you throw at each other any longer.”

With a smile Ban tossed the ring back to Char. “Just admiring the Alalakan signet, Coz.”

Brianna’s eyes narrowed. “And if I believe that, you have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell me.”

Ban looked to Char for an explanation, but his cousin just shrugged. “One of the strange things she says every now and then. You get used to it after a while. Now,
Cousin
, I find it necessary to cozen my wife out of a bad mood.”

Then, to Ban’s great amusement and enjoyment, Char swept Brianna into his arms and kissed her—thoroughly.

At first outraged, Brianna struggled against his tender onslaught. However, Char’s hungry lips and probing tongue eventually overcame her resistance. The tension caused by her abduction slowly dissolved and she lost herself in his embrace.

Char’s hands roamed freely up and down her back, then finally cupped her buttocks and pulled her tight against his hardness. He’d just slipped the robe from her shoulders when Ban’s voice broke his concentration.

“Would you like me to leave, Cousin?”

“Now!” Char growled.

Ban grinned. “I was talking to my other cousin.”

“Oh, yes,” was her breathless reply.

Laughing, Ban ducked into the companionway, pulling the door closed behind him.

Findal met him at the top of the companionway. “Char and Brianna?”

“Are occupied.”

Findal smiled slightly, but then his frown returned. “You almost killed the kidnappers. We can’t get information from corpses.”

Ban shrugged. “I wanted to make sure neither one ever touched her again.”

Pursing his lips, Findal stared at his favorite nephew.

“Admire her all you want, Ban. But she’s Char’s. You’d do well to remember that.”

Ban leaned against the railing and stared at the churning waves. “Believe me, Uncle. That is the one thing I will
never
forget.”

With a grunt, Findal turned away. “I’m going to see if those two will talk. Care to join me?”

“No, I’ll just stay here.”

Ban stood at the bow of the launch and let the breeze blow through his swirling thoughts. Char had offered him leadership of the clan. For the life of a woman. Did he realize just how important Brianna had become to him?

Brianna’s bathing suit followed the robe onto the floor.

His mouth never leaving hers, Char lifted her into his arms and laid her on the room’s only bunk. He stopped plundering her mouth only long enough to strip off his own clothing. Lowering himself onto her, he entered her with one hard thrust. Once his cock was gripped tightly by her moist softness, he growled, “I thought I’d lost you.”

Shuddering, Brianna kissed his chest, his neck, his shoulders and finally his mouth. “I knew you would come. Love me, Char. Love me hard.”

“As hard as I can.” He swiveled his hips then thrust as deeply as he could.

Brianna wrapped her legs around his waist so he could slide deeper.

Both moaned as their rhythms surged and melded as both gave and took comfort from each other. Their shared orgasm was quick and hard.

“This will never happen again,” Char vowed when his breathing had slowed. “We’re lucky Ban was on the beach.”

Brianna propped herself up on her husband’s chest. “That’s why he had your ring, isn’t it? You offered him all that the Alalakans represent, didn’t you? Can you do that?”

An exasperated expression appeared on Char’s face. “You are too smart by half. There have been precedents.”

Brianna smiled a superior smile. “And what would have you done if he had accepted?”

“I fully expected him to,” Char answered seriously. “I was surprised when he returned the ring.”

Brianna settled against his side. “You’d have given him everything? For me?”

“Yes,” he answered tersely, uncomfortable with his own actions. His eyes slipped away from hers.

Brianna didn’t badger him, but she wasn’t done talking. “I could have told you he wouldn’t accept the ring.”

His eyes shifted back to her face as his fingers drew gentle whorls on her back. “Oh?” he answered in an amused tone.

“More women’s intuition?”

Her fingers traced his dragon. “No. I’m just a good judge of character. Does Ban impress you as being ready to accept the responsibility that goes with being Alalakan heir apparent?”

Char sighed and shook his head. “But,” he added, “that thought never entered my mind when I offered him the ring.”

Her fingers traced the scar on his chest. “And he knows that, Char. I think that for the first time in a long time, Ban is ready to stop running from himself.”