The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) (41 page)

“Wipe that silly smile off you face,” she snapped, poking his chin. “Your dimple is showing.”

He grinned wider at her. At least, they were off to a good start.

“Don't look so smug.” She glowered and jabbed a forefinger at his chest. “You're not off the hook yet! You have a lot of explaining to do and it better be good, Chad, or Colonel—, who are you again?”

“Alexus Gunter. My friends call me Alec.”

“Alec.” She snorted and made a vexed face. “I like Chad better.”

“My middle name is Chadwick,” he supplied, yielding.

“Good. Because I intend to keep calling you Chad. What about Alistair, your last name?”

“I have no idea where that came from,” he replied truthfully. “Intelligence supplies the pseudonyms and we use what's given without question.”

“And the part about your family?”

“All true. I'm a Fifth Generation descendant, eldest son of a Duke. I do have two younger brothers, all in the military like me, and I think I failed to mention that I also have two younger sisters.”

“So—, you're not really an e
xchange student.”

“No.”

“And you're not American either.”

“British.”

“I could never tell from your accent.” She narrowed her eyes.

“My job requires that I speak several languages with a perfect accent.”

She regarded him with an assessing gaze. “How old are you?”

He cleared his throat. “A hundred and fifteen.”

She looked doubtfully at him from head to toe. “And here I am, thinking you're nineteen or twenty,” she said irritably. “You got me duped.”

“I'm sorry, but my job—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she interrupted with the wave of a hand. “Your job requires you to adapt to the situation, right? Speak like an American, act like a student, blah-blah-blah.” She reached out and touched the medals on his chest. “What are these for?”

“Medals of honor. For leadership and valor in co
mbat.” He glanced at the silk ribbons attached to various metal shapes embossed with military insignias.

“Combat?” she repeated. Then, her expression changed into mortification, as she realized the meaning of what he'd said. “Have you ever—?”

“Yes.” He met her gaze. “I'm an assassin, Elizabeth.”

Her eyes grew very round and he braced himself, hoping his profession would not repulse her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be terrified of him. “I was mistakenly sent to guard you.”

“Mistakenly sent?” She drew her eyebrows together.

“Yes. Which is the reason why I must leave.” He sighed. “I just came by to say goodbye.”

“No!” Her immediate distress startled him. “Chad, I don't want you to go.”

“I have to,” he replied sadly.

“Why?”

“Don't worry—, you'll be safe with my men.” He glanced at the SUV parked not too far away.

“But—” her eyes glittered.

“Elizabeth.” He touched her cheek. “You're a Pure one and I'm an Alpha Deimon. I can't be around you.” 

“What do you mean, Alpha Deimon?”

He exhaled audibly, preparing to bare his heart—, literally. He began to unbutton his uniform.

“What are you doing?” she gaped.

“I need to show you something.” He shrugged off his jacket and draped it carefully on the back of a porch chair. His black tank shirt came off next, exposing his muscled chest. He pulled aside the twin silver identific
ation tags he wore on a chain around his neck.

Elizabeth visibly gulped, her eyes riveted on the distinct triangular mark above his heart.

He took her hand and touched her fingers to its outline. “This is the mark of an Alpha bloodline. We are an extremely aggressive breed, in war and love.”

“Why are you telling me this?” she whispered breathlessly, her hand res
ting over his birthmark.

“Because for all our passion and ferocity, our weakness is innocence, an ideal trait we seek for in our ch
osen mate.”

Her eyes flew up to meet his.

“I chose you, Elizabeth. I couldn't help myself.” He laid one hand on top of hers over his heart and caressed her cheek with the other. “Forgive me,” he rasped, then broke all contact and stepped back.

Elizabeth watched him put his shirt and jacket back on, in an eff
icient, methodical manner. She didn't know what to think or what to do. All she knew was the heavy, sweeping sadness that enveloped her. She suddenly felt alone and vulnerable, out of balance and without an ally. “You can't leave,” she heard herself saying.

He paused from fixing his cuff and looked at her with those intelligent scarlet eyes that had always rea
ssured her in times of turmoil.

“You
promised
.” She swallowed the tears rising in her throat.

“I can't stay,” he said softly.

“Then, why did you make that promise to me?” A tear slid down her cheek.

“Because I was hoping I could keep it.” He wiped the tear off with the back of his forefinger. “But I ca
nnot.”

“Yes, you can.” She caught his hand and pressed her cheek against it.

“No. I know myself enough to recognize that I could slip and forget my place when I'm with you.” He tugged his hand gently from her grasp. “You're not safe with me, Elizabeth. Alpha Deimons like me have a tremendous ...
craving
for our chosen mates,” he said in a sterner tone. “I could compromise you. Do you understand what that means?”

“No—, and I don’t want to know,” she replied stubbornly. “I just know that you'll never do that to me. You're my friend and I trust you.”

Colonel Gunter suppressed the urge to gather her in a tight hug and never let her go. She was so tenacious, so loyal, that it made her all the more beautiful to him.

“But I don't trust myself,” he asserted. “Not around you. Not with the way I feel for you.” His heart hammered faster as he gathered the courage to say the words he had been trying so hard to hold at bay.

He looked her straight in the eyes. “I'm in love with you, Eliz
abeth.” He drew a deep breath as he watched her eyes widen and pressed on, before he lost his composure. He must make her comprehend his reasons and bring closure to their parting. “Every day, every single moment that I'm with you, makes it harder for me to control my feelings for you. I must remove myself before I do something that I'll regret forever.”

“Oh, Chad . . .” she murmured, and the way she looked at him made him want to believe he had a gli
mmer of hope. But he knew with utmost regret and woe, her heart belonged to the Prince and there wasn't room for him—, nor for anyone else.

The knowledge felt like a leaded weight on his chest.

“Thank you for loving me,” she said, her eyes shining. “And you know I love you as a friend, and there's nothing more I want, than for you to stay and watch over me.” Another tear cascaded down her cheek. “I want my knight in shining blue jeans back.”

“It's impossible—.” he protested, but she gripped the lapels of his coat and regarded him with unwavering r
esolve.

“You're my protector,” she said in a resolute voice. “You'll never do a
nything to hurt me.”

“Elizabeth—”

“I can prove it.”

And before he could discern what she was about, she stood on her ti
ptoes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

The simple contact generated a scorching heat that reverberated throughout his body. It ignited, e
xploded, and incinerated his restraint, rousing his latent desires. His tightly wound self-control loosened and cracked, until it burst open with a need so great, it blinded him into obedience and follow its dictates.

He wrapped his arms instinctively around her and pursued her innocent kiss. His lips parted hers, his tongue plunging her mouth with torrid, hungry strokes, drinking in her delicious p
urity. He couldn't get enough of her, couldn't satisfy his thirst; his appetite for her. Her softness, her scent, her sweetness, was like a hypnotic elixir in his blood, intoxicating his senses, overriding all logic, blurring the fine line dividing right from wrong.

Elizabeth tensed with sudden alarm at Chad's unexpected, bold response. He'd imprisoned her in his strong arms and had deepened the simple kiss with such urgent demand that she began to understand why he'd kept his distance from her.

She tried to push him, but her body was pressed tightly against his iron-like physique. His hand cupped the back of her head, preventing her from twisting away and another hand was splayed on her back, holding her firmly in place. She was like a rag doll in his grip, his mouth crushing her protests. There was nothing she could do to escape.

Apprehension began to pound in her chest as he encircled his arm more securely around her waist and lifted her off the floor, as if she weighed no more than a feather.
She wanted to fight him—but for what?
He'd been trying to warn her of this and she'd unwittingly pushed him over the edge. Any objection on her part would be useless.

Furthermore, she couldn't blame him for his actions. He'd cautioned her of the consequences. This whole i
ncident was her fault.

A thunderous curse pierced the air and almost i
nstantly, Chad released her.

Both of them turned to see Prince William swiftly striding towards them with pure rage blazing in his silver eyes.

The Prince and the Colonel

       P
rince William couldn't fathom what he was seeing. After much contemplation by the side of the road after Elizabeth had left him, he'd decided to follow, beg her forgiveness and plead for a reconciliation. He knew she was livid and perhaps had acted out of spite—, but this? How dare she do this to him?

He stared at the startled couple, their intimacy a su
fficient evidence of what had undoubtedly been an ongoing affair.
Just as he had suspected.
His temper sparked like fire, shooting straight to his head.

“So this is the real reason why you won't come with me to England!” he growled, shaking with shock and e
xtreme anger, as he yanked the Colonel by the back of his collar and punched him on the jaw with a clenched fist.

Elizabeth screamed as Colonel Gunter skidded along the length of the porch, knocking down furniture from the force of the blow.

“What's going on here?” Elizabeth's mother appeared from the doorway.

“Stay out of this!” Prince William darted his eyes at her mother, then stabbed a finger towards the Colonel's men who had rushed to aid in the sit
uation. “Go back to your vehicles!” he commanded.

The men reluctantly backed away.

“Your Highness.” Colonel Gunter staggered to his feet. “I take full responsibility for my actions.”

“You better—, you bloody bastard!” He pounced, baring his teeth.

“William! No!” Elizabeth threw herself in his path and took the brunt of his weight, knocking her backwards.

He caught her by the upper arms and yanked her to her feet. “You li
ttle hussy!” he snarled and shook her until her teeth rattled. “After all that drama about your virtue—, you're nothing but a damned light-skirt!”

Elizabeth gaped in fear at the furious face of the Prince. He was so enraged that his eyes glowed wildly and his fingers dug painfully into her skin. “I am not!” she screamed and pummeled his chest with her fists.

“You expect me to believe that?” He regarded her with eyes full of contempt. “You were tonguing him in full view of my own army! Have you no respect for me? You self-righteous, hypocrite—” 

“Your Highness.” Chad's hand mat
erialized on the Prince's shoulder. “I beg you to release the Princess,” he said in an eerily calm voice.

Elizabeth felt the rising tension in both men. A muscle twitched on the Prince's cheek and his eyes na
rrowed into bright silver slits.

“Unhand me, Gunter,” he growled in a deep, da
ngerous voice.

“Gladly, Your Highness,” Chad r
eplied evenly. “As soon as you let the Princess go.”

In a lightning-quick movement, the Prince clamped a hand on Chad's throat, all the while keeping his ot
her hand on Elizabeth’s arm.

“I am your Supreme Alpha,” Prince William drawled in distinct warning, shoving his face at Chad, his canines lengthening. “You'd be wise not to challenge me.”

“I am well aware, Your Highness,” Chad rasped, his own eyes blazing crimson, his cuspids pointing. “But my mission is to protect the Princess from anything and anyone—, even a sovereign.”

“Then you've sealed your fate.” The Prince pushed Elizabeth on a porch chair and released Chad's throat with a strong jerk. “Amuse me.” He began to circle him. 

Colonel Gunter followed the Prince with his eyes, his senses heightening, tingling with the anticipation of bloodshed. As his Supreme Alpha, he knew that the Prince possessed powers beyond imagination. No other enemy could be more dangerous than the Prince. Only his mastery and skill at combat could equip him with the chance of survival. But then, even if he did come out the victor, he would still be executed for assaulting his sovereign. Indeed, he had sealed his fate.