Akari flushed as the words came out of her mouth—all she’d been doing since she got here was asking for Nikolai but it was such a terrible lie and they both knew it. Nikolai folded his arms across his broad chest and glared at her. “I’m having the servants bring you a tray and you’re going to eat every bite of food on it.”
Akari raised his chin. “No I’m not.”“Yes, you will!”“No!”Nikolai growled at her and took a step forward. But Akari stood her ground, even though Nikolai ureally was pretty impressive. “Then I’ll beat you.”“Go ahead. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of any of you.”“Then why are you trembling?”“Fuck you, that’s why!”A ridiculous response, and Akari knew it as soon as the words left her mouth. She⁷e backed up putting the table between them. “Leave me alone, Nikolai. I mean it! Just leave me in peace.”“Don’t you think I waThey came for her the next morning. The servant had been in earlier and brought her fresh clothing. Dark trousers and fitted shirt she used to wear under her long uniform jacket. They had forgotten her boots though, so she wore the soft, black slippers she usually wore under her dress robes. And as she washed her face that morning, she hardly recognized the woman she's seeing in the mirror. Nikolai was right—she’d lost weight and looked tired and thin. Her cheekbones were more prominent than usual and her eyes looked haunted. Most of the bruising at her temple was already gone, though. Since she was captured, no one had laid a hand on her, though she thought the investigators were dying to beat her and force a confession. Two young guards came to her door soon after she got dressed and “escorted” her to the main part of the palace, if by escort, it meant to be practically dragged along by her arms as their much longer legs ate up the distance between her room and the king’s throne r
Really, what was the point of having a plan if things never went according to it? A week ago, three weeks to be exact after leaving Werewolf Kingdom and arriving back on America she’d awakened to find herelf desperately ill. She’d barely made it to the bathroom in time to lose the entire contents and what felt like the lining of her stomach. After thirty minutes of puking her guts out, she finally made it back to bed, feeling like she might be dying and kind of hoping she would if this kept up. And couldn't help but wondered if she had picked up some exotic stomach virus and rolled, moaning, to her side to hug her pillow until she finally managed to go back to sleep. She woke up hours later feeling…surprisingly okay. She was thirsty and hungry, even, but the nausea was mostly gone, and she felt good considering she’d been so sick when she first woke up that morning. Deciding to take it easy and work from her room she’d done just that and felt good all day until along about early ev
Akari wondered how difficult it would be to sneak away and run away far, far away from the Sechuan's, the Federation's Central Command and pretty much everything and everyone she knew. She was still stuck on this godforsaken city, in the Sechuan consulate, three long days after learning that she was carrying Nikolai's baby and her headlong flight down the town to ask for asylum. Nikolai, along with her father and an entire contingent of Werewolves were supposed to be arriving any time here at Central Command, this same place where she’d first met and married the Bloody Prince. Could it really have been only six months before? She had thought for a while that she would spend the rest of her life with Nikolai, far from everything she’d ever known. She’d been so scared to go to their Kingdom, but in only a few short weeks, Werewolf Kingdom had come to seem like her home—maybe because it had been where Nikolai was and because Akari had fallen so much in love with him when she wasn’t even
The knock that came on her door a few minutes later was loud and insistent. She went to the door, opening it just a crack, but the door was pushed open by a big hand as she was shoved back into the room. “I was wondering why you didn’t notify me directly and immediately that you were going to have my baby,” Nikolai said, even bigger and more arrogant than Akari remembered, as he filled her doorway and crowded into the room, frowning at her. “Well, hello, Nikolai, so nice to see you too.” Nikolai slammed the door closed behind him and turned to face Akari with his arms crossed over his chest. He spoke to her again as if they had already been having a conversation, and it had just been interrupted. “More human foolishness. I never said it was nice to see you.” “No you didn’t. Common courtesy is beyond you. I should have known.” Nikolai narrowed his eyes at her. “Tell me why didn’t you let me know about the child?” “And how exactly was I supposed to do that, Nikolai? I don’t have a
After five months....Akari eased out of bed and made her way toward the bathroom. The baby seemed to be growing in leaps and bounds every single day, and that meant he was pressing on Akari's bladder more with every day. She had been deeply asleep in her bed when the pressure woke her up, that she wasn’t even sure she was going to make it to the bathroom in time and wouldn’t that just be perfect? To make a mess on Nikolai's floor! She was hurrying, trying not to wake her mate, but hadn’t gone more than a few steps when she was suddenly swept up in strong arms and pulled up to Nikolai's chest. “Where do you think you’re going?” Akari gave an undignified squeak and flailed out at Nikolai's arms, and tried punching him. She hated being manhandled by the big prince she was married to, but even with the extra baby weight she was carrying, the man still outweighed her by fifty pounds of pure muscle so there wasn’t much she could do about it. “You’re going to find out in about three sec
When Akari woke up the next day, sunlight was already streaming in the windows, and then she gradually became aware that two people were leaning over the end of her bed, discussing her in quiet tones. “Do you think we should go get somebody?” “No, I don’t think so. She’s still breathing, see? Her chest is going up and down.” “But I called her name and she just made that funny sound. I don’t think that’s normal.” “Maybe it is for humans. Father says our mother does it all the time when she lies on her back. He says it’s called ‘snoring.’” Akari opened one eye all the way and peered down the bed at her tormentors. Nikolai's little brothers, Nicarr and Laurel were standing at the foot, looking up at her with curiosity. “What did your brother tell you two about knocking?” Akari said, then close her eyes again. “And what time is it anyway?” “Time to get up, Akari,” Nicarr said, coming
The Exhibition Games were played in a huge, round, dusty amphitheater, lined with tiered seating, and currently occupied by a raucous, noisy crowd. The atmosphere inside reminded Akari a little of unruly soccer fans back home. Vendors prowled the aisles selling banners from the various battle teams, along with packaged food and bottles of alcoholic beverages. Loud music blared over the speakers and some werewolves were cheering on their teams and slapping down money on the bench seating as bets were lost and won all across the arena. Nicarr was bouncing with excitement as they made their way to the king’s box. Once they reached it, they would be completely enclosed in heavy, unbreakable glass, but it was the getting there that was the problem. The young men inside the arena were mostly both rowdy and drunk, though good natured enough. Akari was a little horrified, though, that she’d brought the two young boys to such a place. She knew enough about crowds to know that their mood coul
Akari looked so small lying in the hospital bed that was designed to fit werewolves. Nikolai was sitting beside her bed, holding her hand and smoothing the hair from her face, thinking of how badly he wanted to spank her little ass when she woke up. He wouldn’t, of course, or at least he wouldn’t until she’d safely delivered the baby and recovered her health. Then she’d give her nightly spankings, no matter how prettily she begged him to stop. In fact, the idea of the spankings and her begging made Nikolai hard that it makes him uncomfortable sitting in the chair. Nikolai heard Akari sighed in her sleep and he immediately leaned over and gently kissed her still pale face. Even though the doctors had assured Nikolai that both Akari and the baby were fine, he can't stop worrying.. That fall had been a shock to Akari's system, that the doctor actually had given her a mild sedative just to calm her down, which was why she was still sleeping. The doctors wanted to keep her until morning
It took a little over an hour to make it back to their ship, and Akari spent all of that time sitting as close to Nikolai as she could.After an hour of torturing Winters and Guzman they finally told them where they had kept the survivors. Thankfully other than the young soldier who was murdered in cold blood everyone else were spared. Looking at the man she's so worried about, she started touching him all over and couldn’t seem to stop, just to reassure herself he was really there. This whole thing had been a nightmare from start to finish, and she needed to get Nikolai and the others back home as soon as she could.As soon as they got back to the ship, all of the men they had rescued, including Nikolai, were thoroughly checked out by the physician that Akari had insisted be brought along with them, not knowing what they’d find on their search. “I don’t know what you’re doing here like this, but I thank the gods for it,” Nikolai said, nuzzling Akari's neck. “When we got closer to t
Submarines were faster than warships and operated with ruthless efficiency against any of them they might have encountered. Cigar-shaped vessels, long and sleek and unbelievably fast, dotted with an array of weapon batteries and shields, they were massive crafts, and the king’s personal submarine was both luxurious and deadly. The kitchens, however, still served werewolf food, which, in Keanna's opinion, left a great deal to be desired. After Akari realized something from the grainy pictures that was sent to them she immediately went to the King to asked them if she could go and find out if Nikolai was still alive. Because she knew it in her heart that her mate couldn't be dead just like that. She has to do something or she'll become crazy from grief. Beatrice who also wanted to believe her gave her permission and the king is helpless when it came to his beloved's plea so he agreed and even gave them permission use anything for their disposal. Beatrice even asked Keanna to help Aka
King Davos paced up and down the length of his council chamber, his mind in turmoil. He had torn at his robe in agony when he first got the news and it was hanging off his shoulder on one side. He couldn’t be bothered to care about his disheveled appearance. It was the last thing on his mind. He’d just received news that he still couldn’t fathom, and he couldn’t think clearly about how to break it to Beatrice. Or, great gods, to Akari. Running his hand through his hair again, he wished he could pull it all out instead—he needed to inflict some kind of pain on himself to distract from the awful pain in his mind and his heart. It couldn’t be true, and yet he’d seen the images, brought to him personally by his old ally, a Sechuan general named Cadimun Pax. He had arrived only an hour before and told the guards that he had urgent business with the king. Davos, who had been in council, had allowed him to enter and the general had laid out the images on the table in front of the king, his
Beatrice stood in the middle of the small arena, waiting. She didn’t have to wait long. Her opponent came out slowly, stalking toward her to the middle of the ring, posturing to the small crowd of observers watching from the stands. Beatrice watched silently as the tall, muscular young man posed and flexed his muscles. He was dressed all in black, with a close-fitting metal helmet covering the top of his head and the upper part of his face. When he turned and faced Beatrice, he bared his teeth in a sneer and stepped forward. He swung the chain at Beatrice's feet and Beatrice jumped over it easily, landing on her feet as she’d been taught, and swung her huge club at her opponent’s head, almost in one motion. The younger man got his shield up just in time, but the impact caused him to stagger backward. Yelling in rage, the young man surged forward and swung his own club, but Beatrice sidestepped the blow, ducking low and coming in at the opponent’s side to jab at him with his short s
When Akari got back to the palace she went immediately to her and Nikolai's private quarters. She flung open the door to see Nikol sitting quietly in his cordoned-off play area, banging a rattle on the floor and gurgling some baby nonsense. He looked up at Akari when she came in and gave her a toothless grin. Unable to bear the cuteness, Akari scooped him up and kissed him. “You’re such a good baby, yes you are.” She held him up over her head as Nikol grinned down at her, a long string of drool sliding from his lips. “Where’s your father, sweetheart? Surely he didn’t leave you all alone? If he did, Mommy will kill him. Yes, she will.” “What kind of thing is that to say to our baby?” Akari turned and grinned at her mate. “The truth. But he doesn’t understand what I’m saying anyway. He’s not quite seven months old, you know.” “He’s a very intelligent child.” “Yeah, yeah….” Akari crossed over to him, and Nikolai automatically opened his arms for her. Stepping into his embrace, Akari
Akari realized she was trembling a little and stuck her hands under the table to hide it. She'd had a long time to think about what her sister had done, but to hear this…that her crimes had even extended to ordering the death of an innocent child. It had shocked her like nothing had for a long time. She sat very still, not knowing what she could possibly say in the face of this awful revelation. Across from her, Keanna was speaking again, her eyelids thankfully falling down over the haunted blue-green eyes, hiding some of the pain. Akari pressed a hand to her mouth for a moment and then shifted her gaze back down at the scarred table. “How?” she asked quietly. “I suppose she left orders. Or maybe she had contacts still left in the palace. I don’t know.” Keanna's shoulders slumped. “She could have been lying. She’s good at that. Always was.” Keanna looked up hopefully, but then sighed. “No, I don’t want to get my hopes up about that. Not when I can’t do anything to help him in an
A knock on the door startled Keanna out of her daydreaming of those first days of training and she stood up as the door opened. It was Haggoz and he’d brought the consort with him. Akari Kingston stood behind him halfway in the corridor as if she hadn’t quite committed to entering yet. Keanna noticed what a warm shade of brown her eyes were and how they framed her eyes with long eyelashes that make her too pretty. It was said that the Bloody Prince had taken one look at her and fallen instantly and irrevocably in love with her. And seeing her again Keanna could easily believe it. “Hello, Akari,” she said softly and Akari's eyes narrowed as she stepped into the room. She frowned, looking angry, and Keanna took a step backward, sitting down hard in her chair. This was a mistake—she should have known the royal consort would hate her guts and have no use for anything she had to say. Instead of speaking to Keanna, however, she whirled around to glare at Haggoz. “What have you done to
Nikolai's full lips covered Akari's mouth, as Nikolai gave her a scorching kiss. The kiss gentled and deepened as Akari relaxed into it and a low hum of satisfaction began in Nikolai's chest. He ran his hands possessively, hungrily over Akari's bare body, pulling her closer and grinding against her. He shoved Akari around, face first against the fence again. One hand held Akari's head against the rough wood of the fence, while Nikolai kicked against Akari's ankles to make her spread her legs. The other hand jerked Akari's hips out toward him so that she was entirely vulnerable. Akari gave in to him and another hum of approval came from Nikolai's throat. Akari felt Nikolai rubbing his thick cock against her wet pussy, spreading his pre-cum over her. Nikolai was still exerting his dominance and showing Akari who was really in charge, so Akari braced herself against the fence, ready for him. The head of Nikolai's cock nudged inside, the tip barely breaching her, pushing against the ba
Haggoz watched the play of emotions on his prince’s face go quickly from shock to outrage. His mate’s reactions were more subtle, but she was just as startled as Nikolai. Haggoz suspected he was trying hard not to show it. He had noticed this tendency in humans before—a striving not to say something rude or bad-mannered to another person’s face in an attempt not to insult them, though humans thought nothing of saying the same things behind that person’s back. So different from his own people, who ranked honesty and outspokenness above everything else. Haggoz had been searching for some time now for something to help the prisoner, some way to break him free from what Haggoz thought of as a downward spiral. Perhaps this would be a way for him to provide a useful service to the man Keanna had wronged and still give Keanna some diversion. Perhaps it would be the key to restoring the fire that used to burn so brightly inside her. “That’s out of the question,” Nikolai said, angrily, turn