Morrigana sat on the marble bench with a sigh, miserably bored. Her nails clicked on the stone, and she had a flash of desire to summon her talons and tear through the garden. But that would be considered rude, and Father asked me to behave. Why doesn't he just conquer them? The assassin ground her teeth, attempting to quell her frustration.
She tipped her square face to
the violet moon, basking in the dark light. At least this planet
orbits a black sun. If I have to be seared by another yellow sun,
I'll scream. Her hair felt heavy beneath the jewels and wires her
Aunt Kyra had dressed it with, and once more she wished to pull her
knee length hair free of its constraints.
A familiar presence brushed
across her shields, and the half dragon turned back to the party.
Heavy orange lamps lit the ballroom, the cooing and bedecked nobles
swarming around her father. He wants power from this planet, and
soldiers who could sneak into forbidden places, so he chose to charm
rather than force.
More like coerce, or he
wouldn't have had me bring the guys. El and I could have served as
bodyguards, but he wants them to know he has only sheathed his claws
for the moment.
The meaning of the five armed
assassins had been understood. Only Morrigana remained without
weapons; she was officially here as Lady Shalafae, wife to the new
Emperor. Which meant she must be on her best behavior.
There was still a knot of high
ranked nobles near the enormous glass doors, exactly where she'd left
them. I'm an assassin, a fighter. I don't have the temperament to
do all this banter, let alone listen to their lying tongues. How can
Father listen to their flattery when he can clearly taste their fear?
The hybrid smirked, watching
her cousin Elthanael follow a dusky skinned girl to a dark corner of
the balcony. His smile was hungry, his eyes hooded, and Morri
couldn't fault him. The girl looked like she'd be a handful, more
than willing to use her charms on a famous assassin.
They really thought they
could distract my men with these tramps. Do they not have telepathic
linking of their own? Do they doubt the accounts of our speed?
Watching the golden elf lock mouths with the girl, Morrigana felt
disgusted at being underestimated.
Trying to change her mood, the
woman watched as the girl untied Elthanael's lacings, exposing his
long neck and chest, then burying her face against his throat. El's
mouth parted as he clutched the little vampire to himself, his faint
groan echoing across the coterie's telepathic channels.
It's been like this all
night. One of my guys following some vixen off to the shadows to
relax in their arms. If Deandra had been here, she'd have swooped on
the first young man to smile at her.
If only it were as simple
for me. I'm just too used to Father's touch, and no one else can give
me those feelings. No one even has the same power he does. The
dragon smirked, recalling some of the nobles she'd met this evening.
Well, maybe some do.
As if the thought summoned one
of the nobles, a footstep sounded on the gravel path. Morri
swallowed, stiffening, a powerful aura brushing against her shields.
She remained still on the bench, wondering if the man would walk past
this leafy bower. Please let him pass by. Please let him pass by.
The crunching footsteps stopped
at the other end of the bench, right at the edge of the alcove.
Morrigana kept her face turned, swearing to herself, eyes on the
twinkling stars. It took all her discipline to not glance at him as
his presence invaded her aura. So strong, she thought,
gritting her teeth as she fought to keep him out.
"What brings the charming
empress out to this secluded garden"
The hybrid couldn't resist the
flinch as his sultry voice filled her ears. I never think of
myself like that. Empress. I'm Father's blade, not his co-ruler. He
commands, I obey. I do not command others.
But others regard me as
their empress. I must get used to this. He expects it of me.
"I heard there were some
very unique roses that grow here." She turned her face from him,
trying to affect Emperor Shalafae's disdainful air. "Unfortunately
they are not in bloom."
His voice held his smile."But
the most beautiful rose is blooming beside me."
Morrigana bit the inside of her
lip, drawing herself up straight, her arms crossed beneath her
breasts. "Do you make it a habit of flattering empresses?"
The woman turned her body, putting her back to him. Were he familiar
with dragon body language, he would understand she was dianding to be
left alone.
Instead, he stepped closer,
settling on the center of the bench. Morri bristled, letting her aura
flare, trying to drive him away. "I count myself lucky to be
able to flatter an empress. If only all empresses had your looks and
strength." His voice dropped to a sultry caress, and his aura
completely enveloped her.
She sighed softly, absorbing
his energy, and he must have seen the softening in her spine, for he
slid closer to her. His breath washed across her hair, more intimate
than if he'd traced his fingers over her bare skin. "Most ruling
ladies are so soft and weak. You are strong and alluring."
"Perhaps you should return
to the party. I would hate for anyone to miss you."
He moved again, the silk sleeve
of his shirt brushing the bare skin of her back. "We have both
seen your men being seduced and led off by some very beautiful
women." Morrigana had been aware of every dalliance. "There
was even someone picked for you."
"Oh? Did I already snub
him?" She glanced over her shoulder, feeling her pulse rise as
their eyes finally met. "Or is that why you have sought me out,
when I clearly wanted to be alone?"
His smile was wicked, hunger in
his eyes. "I am not the one assigned to you. But I have planned
to seduce you since I first laid eyes on you." Morri bit her lip
as he bent his head, his lips a hair's breadth from her shoulder. "I
do so hope you don't mind."
The dragon turned her head, her
teeth digging deep into her lip. His aura was digging into hers,
almost painfully, ignoring all her shields. So strong, so
dominate. I wouldn't mind his seduction right now. Not at all. But is
this really the place for it?
His mouth fell to her skin, and
she gasped. He had given her a chance to say no, albeit a small one.
His lips caused her nerves to burn, and she groaned throatily. Her
entire body responded, pulse racing, and she moaned again as his
hands slid around her waist.
His mouth moved up to her neck,
his tongue darting briefly to her skin, and her hand flew up to the
back of his head. She needed him, her body hungered for him, and be
damned to propriety. Her fingers tangled fiercely in his hair, and
she growled as she pulled him to her neck.
His hands gripped her hips,
pulling her against him. Morri pressed her body to his chest, silk
and leather stroking her skin. He kissed her neck softly, and she
tugged harder on his hair. Her heart thundered, and she wanted to
feel his strength inside her.
"I thought my empress
wanted to be alone? I should return to the party before I'm missed,"
he said as he let her go.
The hybrid growled, rising from
the bench, and turning in a swirl of skirts. She grabbed the noble by
the shoulders, keeping him sitting on the bench. His eyes were
amused, his lips flushed, and she laughed low in her chest. Morri dug
her fingers into his shoulders, stepping forward to straddle one leg.
She sat on his thigh, and leaned forward to kiss him.
"I am supposed to be
inside with the hosts," he whispered when their lips parted. His
breath tasted of wine and spices, and it was luring the half dragon
back in to his sensuous mouth.
"Just do as your empress
tells you." She bit his lip, and he gasped as her tongue invaded
his mouth. She held onto his hair, drawing on his strength, feeding
on him. His hands glided across her hips, along her sides, and his
fingertips traced her spine. She turned his head, kissing along his
jaw, moving along the edge of his shirt.
"What does my empress
command?" His voice was husky, his hands kneading her skin.
Morri ground her groin against his thigh, and they both groaned.
"Finish your seduction,"
she whispered fiercely in his ear. Then she gasped as his nails dug
into her skin. He growled, reaching up for her hair, his hunger
overwhelming her. Morri's heart stumbled, her mouth going dry, and
she trembled in his grasp.
One hand finally gripped the
curls of her hair, holding her tight, and his other hand slid to cup
her butt through her dress. He was demanding and sure, pulling her
close to him, drawing on her energy, touching her senses with his
power. She wilted in his arms, her pulse throbbing in her ears, her
skin tingling as his mouth found her neck.
With all the vampires around,
all the faintly felt fangs she'd experienced because of her men,
Morrigana had craved a proper feeding. Her father fed so deeply upon
her, able to leave her a throbbing mess, and she desperately needed
that right now.
His mouth opened over her vein,
and she groaned, arms around his shoulders. His tongue traced the
line of her pulse, his teeth grazing her flesh. Her loins clenched,
her thighs trembling, and she pressed her neck against his mouth.
His hand clenched in her hair,
holding her still, and he ground his leg up against her sex. Morri
moaned weakly, biting her lip to hold her pleas in. The more he
touched her, the more he held back from biting into her neck, the
more she needed him.
His aura slid inside her
defenses, and she whimpered, arching against his body. He held her
hair, nails raking her lower back, and his presence seared her
nerves. The woman cried out, her nails biting into
his shoulders.
"Please," she
whimpered desperately, shaking against him. Only old power like this
made the dragon want to submit. She was completely his at this
moment, and she wanted him to ravage her. "Your fangs, please."
Morri's voice was high pitched and quivering, her bedroom voice that
her men had never heard. She didn't think about them, or if they
could feel her need. She though only of being fed upon and weakened.
"As my lady wishes."
His voice was harsh, a whisper that expressed a need as great as her
own. She whimpered as he kissed her earlobe, her cheek, her jaw, and
she waited for his bite.
He dove for her neck with a
hungry growl, and she gaped as his mouth opened over her vein. His
teeth dug into her flesh, instantly bruising her soft skin. A cry
rose from her chest, her gut and loins tensing, feeling the points of
his fangs above the vein. He snarled, biting deeper, and her voice
reached higher plateaus as skin was pierced, her blood flowing.
He fed greedily, drawing hard
on Morrigana's heart, taking the blood of her flesh and the energy of
her spirit, causing her to reel in his arms. Great gulps of her
strength, the woman willingly parting with it, his heat pressing
against her trembling flesh.
He broke his bite with a gasp,
claiming her mouth as she cried out. He let go of her hair, cradling
her lolling body against his chest. He ended the kiss, stroking her
hair, and rocked the limp hybrid gently.
"I suppose negotiations
were successful?" she asked him.
Alzair laughed softly, kissing
her ear. "Yes they were, my child." He kissed her hair,
both of them euphoric and craving the touch of the other. "They
have accepted me as their emperor, and they will give me their shadow
warriors." The Sidhehan squeezed her tight. "Get your men,
let's go home."
"Sure." She smiled as
he rose, standing them both on their feet. "Father? I love you."
"I love you too,
Daughter."
