The Royal Jagger

“Threat duly noted,” Peter said, smirking openly now.

“But not heeded?” Darius inquired perceptively.

“Not even a little,” he told him. “I believe it should be up to the girl to decide.”

Darius glared at him again, but Eric stepped between the two. “He is right, brother. We must allow Marissa to make her own choices now. She is close enough to an adult to do so, and no longer under the care of her parents. But don’t think for one moment that means we’re going to allow you to take advantage of that fact, shifter.”

“Gentlemen, please, we’ve only just arrived, and I am weary of the protective uncle chat,” Peter said as he turned to walk away. “I’m sure we’ll have ample opportunities to speak again. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Have fun settling into your new cave,” Eric called after him.

“And you as well,” he called back. Suddenly Peter became a dog that looked very much like Raife, and then he was gone.

*****

Because they’d only just arrived, Marissa and her uncles needed to come to the mess hall for breakfast the following morning. They sat at a table and Marissa glanced around the room. She spotted Peter about three tables away, and his eyes were trained on her as though she was the main course.

Marissa blushed as she realized what direction Peter’s thoughts appeared to be taking. Tiny shivers erupted all over her body as she remembered the feel of his nose on hers. It didn’t take much effort to imagine him leaning even closer so she could taste his lips as well. She had to shake her head to clear it from such thoughts. She concentrated completely on her meal, avoiding the temptation to stare right back at the handsome shape shifter.

“Insolent man,” Darius grumbled, glaring at Peter again. His smirk upon seeing the glance only made the werewolf more annoyed than ever. “You’d do well to stay away from him, child.”

“I’m not a child,” Marissa said for the thousandth time. Because they were discussing Peter, her eyes peeked over at him again. It was a mistake. Her nip*les puckered, and she had to cross her arms over them to hide the fact. Of course, though her uncles were unaware, Peter’s eyes caressed the hidden globes, making her squirm.

After the meal, Marissa managed to escape her uncles when they went back to the Agency office to continue filling out paperwork and make up a reason for taking Marissa away from her parents. They intended to explain that she was being abused and experimented upon by her father, and they wanted to shield her from his behavior. Hopefully the Agents would not attempt to send her back.

It didn’t take long before Peter made his way past the sea of other werewolves and found his way to Marissa’s side. Her heart fluttered in her chest as he tweaked her elbow and leaned down to speak in her ear.

“All settled in, woman?” he teased.

“Finally, somebody who didn’t call me child,” she chuckled.

“Mm, no way I could call you that,” he smirked, looking straight down her cleavage.

“Peter Shane!” she gasped, her hands coming up to block the view.

Laughing at her shyness, he took her hands in his and moved them back to her sides. “Let’s go somewhere less populated, princess,” he suggested.

“I should tell you no,” she answered, blushing profusely.

Peter chucked her under the chin, tilting her face back up to his. “Come on, what are you afraid of? Didn’t I promise not to bite?”

Marissa giggled. “Yeah, unless I want you to,” she reminded him.

“And do you want me to, Marissa?” he wanted to know.

“Not just yet,” she told him. She was surprised to realize she’d walked with him and they were now in one of the outlying corridors. He took her inside one of the smallish caves off to the side which were available for socializing. “Where have you brought me?”

“I just found these last night,” he answered. “I guess they’re sort of like going to the park or something.”

“What’s a park?” Marissa wanted to know.

“That’s right, you’ve never been outside,” he said. “Do you know what trees are?”

“Sort of,” she said. “I’ve seen pictures, and the ones we passed on the road.”

Peter grinned, then sat her on the comfortable sofa they found there, and sat right beside her. “Well, a park is a place where they put some trees and something called grass and places to sit, and people go there to enjoy each other’s company.”

“I see,” she said, growing nervous when his hand slid along her knee and then down her calf and back again. “What are you up to?”

“I can’t help myself when I look at you, Marissa,” he excused himself. “I never thought there could be such a beautiful creature in existence. Your uncles tried to warn me off, you know. But I find I cannot heed their words.”

“There are many reasons why you should,” Marissa commented, but there was little conviction behind her words.

“And many reasons why I should not,” he countered. His lips captured her eyes, one at a time, and Marissa trembled. He was kissing her then, and as the sensations overtook her, so did the memories Raife had implanted in her head.

I remember how alone I felt when I first came to the caves. I remember how cold I felt, and how dead I felt inside at the loss of Markael. For weeks, I saw nothing and no one around me, just went through the motions of eating, drinking and sleeping. Eventually the vampires were moved into their own caves, and then the godlike creatures left us as well.

On the day the magicians were moved, I first saw Cor Goldeneye. He wasn’t a king or a prince or anything, just a simple man who worked in the library. But dare I admit how much more handsome I found him to be, even more than my husband? To you, Marissa, I believe I shall.