The Stone Prince i-1 Page 15

  “What the hell is this?” Nick shouted.

  Katie whipped around, expecting to find…what? A decapitated body, maybe. Or a ticking bomb about to explode. What she found was Nick holding one of the plastic bags, a dark scowl pulling at the corners of his lips as he rifled through the contents.

  Katie jolted up so quickly Jorlan’s body bounced on the couch springs. His arm swung up and down as he grappled for something solid to hold on to. She didn’t stop to help him.

  “Give me that!” She launched herself at Nick.

  A split second before their bodies collided, Nick tossed the plastic satchel to Gray. Gray missed. The contents spilled across her carpet.

  Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The only sound to be heard was the ticking of her grandfather clock. All eyes were fastened on what lay oh, so distinctly on her floor. Instead of diving to the ground and snatching everything up, Katie straightened, angled her chin to a proud tilt. She couldn’t control her blush, however, and knew if a fire detector had been nearby, she definitely would have set it off.

  “Four boxes of condoms?” Gray shouted.

  “Handcuffs?” Erik added, his tone a bit more discreet.

  “Rope and a feather duster?” Denver yelled. His eyes sparked with fire.

  I am not here, Katie thought. I am not standing here while my brothers ogle my purchases. I’m swimming in a clear blue ocean with the wind whipping my hair and the water splashing around my body.

  That fantasy came to an abrupt halt with Nick’s next words. “What kind of kinky shit are you into, Katie Kat?”

  That did it. Her temper exploded.

  “Get out. All of you.” She jerked a finger to the door. “Get out right now. I’m not speaking to any of you for the rest of my life. You invaded my home, got my—my friend hammered, and now you think it’s okay to go through my things? Have I ever treated any of you with so little respect?”

  They managed to look contrite, but not a single man made a move toward the exit.

  “If I want to have sex with a man while he’s tied to my bed and tickle his entire body with feathers, that’s my business!”

  Again, silence.

  “I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

  “You’re our only sister,” Erik said, as if that explained and excused everything.

  “We just wanted to meet your new boyfriend, honey.” Gray motioned to the now unconscious Jorlan with a tilt of his head. “You told me you weren’t seeing anyone. The next thing I know, Nick is calling me and going on and on about how you were making out on the bathroom floor with a romance cover model from Anguilla.”

  She shot a narrowed glance to Nick, the tattletale.

  He shrugged sheepishly, as if to say, “What else was a brother to do?” Then he grinned. “Mind if I pluck some of those feathers from the duster? This girl I’m seeing is really into—”

  “Out!”

  “Don’t be mad, sweetheart.” Blinking over at her, Erik stuffed his hands in his pockets. “We love you and only want to protect you.”

  His apology didn’t surprise her. He was the peacemaker of the family. He was also the oldest and a former Army Ranger. His chosen profession was so at odds with his peace-loving nature, she often teased him about being a closet activist.

  She sighed. “I will get you back, you know?”

  “We know. You always do.” Denver lost his intense edge, even managed a half smile. “We wanted Jorlan to know what he’d be dealing with if he hurt you. This is the first man you’ve ever shown such an interest in, and we didn’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Despite herself, Katie softened. She was still going to get revenge, but she abandoned images of a bloodbath. Even though they drove her crazy, made her wish she’d been an only child, she truly loved each of her brothers. All of her life these four handsome, wonderful men, plus the absent Brian, had protected her. They had guarded her from hurt and pain. They loved her. They would always love her, and she couldn’t fault them for trying to keep her safe.

  She could fault them for being so damn nosy.

  “You guys have to realize I’m a grown woman. I can be with whomever I want, with or without your approval.”

  “Yes, but—” Gray began.

  “No buts,” she said, cutting him off. “I don’t interrogate your girlfriends, nor do I get them drunk and beat them up.”

  Each masculine face showed its own version of remorse.

  “For what it’s worth, we think he’s an all-right guy,” Erik told her.

  “He’s different. In a good way,” Denver added. “I never knew a man could fight with a spatula.”

  Katie smiled; she just couldn’t help herself. Some women had the power to know what a man truly meant when he spoke, and at this moment, she was one of them. Erik and Denver were politely telling her Jorlan was weird. “He may be different,” she told them, “but he’s mine.” At least for now.

  Erik nodded. “Why don’t you bring him to Dad’s on Saturday? We need a chance to make up for tonight.”

  “We promise we’ll be good.” Nick gave her his customary if-you-believe-that-it’s-time-for-a-mental-evaluation grin.

  Did she and Nick truly share the same parents? Perhaps he had been adopted. “I’ll think about it, okay? I’m not sure how much more of you guys I can stand.”

  “Fair enough.”

  One by one her brothers kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t let Gray drive,” she commanded.

  “Give us some credit,” Denver tossed over his shoulder.

  Together they all strode outside. Well, every one else strode. Gray stumbled. “Don’t forget Saturday,” he said, his tone a bit slurred.

  “I won’t.” Sighing, she waved them off.

  Alone at last, Katie went back inside and locked all of the doors, keeping predators—both related and nonrelated—out. She was shaking her head as she ambled back to the couch.

  Jorlan was still passed out.

  In sleep, his features were relaxed, giving him a boyish quality she’d never associated with him before. Boyish…it was hard to imagine that this hard, strong (drunk) warrior had ever been a boy. His innate sensuality, his commanding demeanor, and the patent stillness he sometimes adopted made her think that perhaps he’d sprung fully-grown from his father’s thigh, like an ancient Greek god.

  Greek god. Yes, the description fit Jorlan perfectly. His physical attributes were exceptional, from the dark shadow covering his jaw to the iron-hard muscles corded throughout his entire body. More than that, there was something heavenly about the way he smelled. Not the tequila, of course, but the heady mixture of heat, soap and man.

  Katie glided her fingers over his jaw, loving the rough texture and thinking that only two days ago she had wished for this very thing. To slip her hands over warm flesh, instead of cold gray stone. Sighing, she covered his body with a downy blanket that didn’t quite reach his toes. “Just what am I going to do with you, Jorlan en Sarr?”

  ELEVEN

  JORLAN AWOKE SUDDENLY.

  Sunlight streamed inside the chamber he occupied. He closed his eyes. Opened them. Squinted. Why was the light so cursed bright? Why did his head pound so sharply he thought it might explode? And why in the name of Elliea did his tongue feel dry and parched as if a tiny creature had crawled inside and died?

  Was he dying, mayhap? Had he been ill?

  Slowly, the details hazy, his head began to fill with memories, though several pieces of information remained impossibly out of reach. One bit of information, however, pounded in his mind: Katie’s brothers were responsible for his torment!

  Jorlan jerked upright, intending to collect his weapons and destroy all four of the cursed men who had given him “lick her.” But the action made his vision swim and his stomach lurch. He eased back down.

  “Lick her” was obviously a poison of some sort. There were many different types on his world and all were used for different reasons, but he was unfamiliar with the toxins of Katie’s world. He suspecte
d that the fiery concoction he’d consumed was not only used for incapacitating an enemy, but was also used as a truth serum.

  Too well did he recall the many questions Katie’s siblings had drilled at him.

  “How long are you staying?”

  “Why are you leaving?”

  “What are your intentions toward Katie?”

  Jorlan was unsure how he had responded, but thought mayhap one of his answers caused a battle. Recalling a well-placed jab, he fingered his lip. Aye, there was a definite soreness. He did not recall the exact details, but he knew the fight had been four against one. Who had won, he was unsure. While he had once taken on nine rebel soldiers and emerged the victor, Katie’s brothers were a much more imposing force.

  A sharp pain lanced through his head and Jorlan grimaced.

  He had to get up, had to fight the sickness. There was much to do this day. He stumbled from his bed. The action caused his stomach to gurgle, twist and lurch. He fought it, but soon realized it was a losing battle and raced to the bathing chamber where he heaved into the sink.

  After he’d emptied his stomach and scrubbed his mouth clean, he went in search of Katie. His steps were slow and careful as he uttered a prayer that she possessed some sort of antidote. If not, the pain in his stomach and head might kill him before the day ended.

  He found her perched at the kitchen counter, flipping through her thick, yellow “phone book” and sipping green liquid from a mug. Even with his senses dulled from pain, she was a sight to behold. Sunlight poured through a nearby window, caressing her with an angelic glow, paying her the glorious tribute she deserved.

  Beside her, a soft melody hummed from a magical black box. His first instinct was to attack, but then he noticed how her foot tapped in rhythm to the beat, and he remained in place. ’Twas like her talking “answering machine,” he realized.

  Today Katie wore short, tight drocs and a brown top held in place by thick straps. Though both garments fit her curves like a second skin, neither the top nor bottom garment was truly an alluring piece, yet on her they looked stunning. Breathtaking. He could have gazed upon her exquisite loveliness forever.

  Which was strange, he thought, considering he’d judged her merely beautiful before. As he watched her chew on the end of a thin writing instrument, moving those lush lips up and down—mimicking an action he had often fantasized about in the last days—he decided he had the right of it now. The word beautiful did no justice to such ethereal perfection.

  This woman possessed a splendor beyond any he’d ever known.

  He must have made a sound, a groan of need, mayhap, because she swiveled and faced him.

  “Jorlan! Good morning.” Her gaze raked over him, and her expression clouded with concern. “Not feeling so well, huh?”

  He scowled at the reminder. “I long to impale all four of your siblings onto a pike so that hundreds of hungry animals may gnaw upon their flesh. Mayhap then they will learn the proper respect for a warrior.”

  “You still have yet to teach me,” she muttered. Then she flashed her teeth in a wide smile. “Call me morbid, but I like seeing you like this. You’re not quite so intimidating.”

  “When have I ever intimidated you?”

  “Oh, you have,” she confessed. “More times than I care to admit. Now have a seat before you topple over. I’ll get you some coffee and aspirin. They’re miracle cures, I promise you. They saved my life every time I overindulged.” She hopped to her feet.

  Fast losing strength, he sank into the offered chair. “Did those devils once poison you, as well?”

  “No.” She chuckled, a sound that skipped along his senses with an almost physical pleasure. “I did it to myself.”

  “Why would you purposefully poison yourself?”

  She poured black liquid inside a cup and handed it to him. With deft movements, she opened cabinet after cabinet, searching inside. “The first time, I was mostly curious and didn’t know when to stop. The few times after that, I made the mistake of drinking on an empty stomach.”

  He rested his chin in his hand. “I had no idea you were such a masochist, katya.”

  She stopped and swung to face him, palms on hips. She was frowning. “Just where did you learn that word?”

  “Many spans ago, a woman and her lover came to the garden and—”

  “Never mind,” Katie interjected. “I don’t want to know.” She threw open the last cabinet. “I’m going to kill Nick,” she ground out.

  “Not if I kill him first,” Jorlan muttered darkly.

  “Every time he comes over, he rearranges my cabinets so I can’t find anything the next day. This time I’m going to double kick that man’s family jewels until he’s singing soprano. That ought to teach him.”

  Jorlan almost laughed. He did grin. The things this woman said could turn him inside out trying to understand, but for once he totally and completely grasped her meaning. And he was instantly glad he was not Nick James. A woman’s wrath was one thing, but the wrath of Katie James was quite another.

  “Wait!” she exclaimed. “I found it.” She whipped a small white bottle from the bottom shelf. After popping the top, she shook two pink tablets onto her hand. “Here.” Palm outstretched, she offered him the pills. “Swallow. Don’t chew.”

  He weighed them in his hand, unsure how they could help him. With a shrug, he tossed each tablet into his mouth. He washed them down with a long gulp of coffee, almost gagging as the hot liquid scalded a path down his throat. Strawberry soda he liked; this he did not.

  “Are you, too, trying to kill me?” He glared over at Katie.

  She shrugged delicately. “Coffee is an acquired taste, I guess. I don’t drink it often, but every once in a while I indulge.”

  Scowling, he wiped the remaining liquid from his mouth. She watched him, following the action of his hand with her gaze. When he stilled, she leaned over the counter and rested her elbows on the speckled surface. A dazed, dreamy look entered her eyes, as if she were lost in some sort of fantasy. Just what was she picturing in that mind of hers? Knowing Katie, she was probably imagining herself swimming in a giant tub of her green liquid. Or mayhap, like him, was she suddenly imagining naked bodies and heart-pounding kisses?

  Jorlan’s blood instantly kindled. They’d come close to coupling yestereve.

  So close.

  Two more minutes and he would have had her naked. Three more minutes and he would have been inside her. Four and he would have had her calling his name as wave after wave of pleasure hit her. He loved when she climaxed. When she’d experienced her pleasure that first time, he’d nearly spilled his seed, so intense had his delight been. He’d never witnessed anything quite so sensual.

  Curse Nick James!

  In the next instant, Katie shook her head, and her dreamy expression vanished. Jorlan wanted to rail at the heavens. Earnest now, she slid a single sheet of paper directly in front of him. “Look here,” she said, oblivious to the riotous needs crashing through his body. Her fingertip brushed the side of his hand and he sucked in a breath. “I made a list of all the psychics in Texas. I’ve called most of them and crossed off the ones that seemed duplicitous. We have time to visit three, maybe four, then we have to go to work.”

  Only one day ago he would have snatched up the list and demanded they visit each location until they found exactly what he needed. Right now, however, he didn’t want to think past bedding Katie (when did he not think about bedding her?) and making her his temporary life-mate. Bedding her would have to wait until they had enough time to enjoy each other to the fullest, for he knew now that he would settle for nothing less than long, leisurely loving.

  The binding he could take care of now.

  Just how would she respond? He watched her, trying to predict the outcome. Her hair cascaded down her back, thick and glossy, like a crown of brilliance reserved only for celestial creatures. Her expression was guarded. Slowly, so as not to alarm her, he pushed to his feet, stepped around the counter, and
closed the distance between them. Positioned behind her, he clasped several tendrils of her hair to his nose, sniffed their floral essence, and caressed them over his cheek. His eyes closed in surrender. “Katya?”

  “Hmm?” She leaned back against him.

  “I would like you to go to Imperia with me.”

  “What?” Katie spun around to face him, all of a sudden at a loss for words.

  “When we find a sorcerer, I want you to come with me to my homeland.”

  He said it so simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to hop across one galaxy to another. The idea tempted her. Exploring alien homes, eating alien food, and best of all, sleeping in an alien bed with Jorlan. Could she abandon her work, though, for such a vacation? “How long would you want me to stay?”

  “However long you like.” He propped his hip against the counter’s edge, and pinned her with his cool blue stare. “Sorcerers abound in my homeland. When you are ready to depart, we will purchase an open vortex. ’Tis that simple.”

  “No, it’s not that simple. I hate to bring this up, but what if…what if you turn back to stone while we’re there?”

  A muscle tightened in his jaw. “If you still cannot love me, we will return before the curse takes effect. Now, do you wish to go or not?”

  “I don’t know,” she hedged.

  “Would it help to know that you must wed me before you can travel with me?”

  Her mouth dropped wide open, and her knees nearly collapsed. “Wed you? I thought marriages between a sorcerer and a mortal were forbidden.”

  “I am the son of a great-lord. I do what I please.”

  “So you’re really and truly asking me to marry you?” She was smiling, a genuine, happy smile, but she just couldn’t help herself. It didn’t seem to matter that what he was suggesting was ridiculous, that they’d known each other so short a time, and that he could very possibly be using marriage as a means of getting what he wanted. Joy was traipsing through her at an alarming rate.