Alpha Prince (4 page)

Then, rock man
leaps from the side of the mountain down to us
.

There’s a flash of silver as his steel blade cuts through the dusk. The dragon rears back, its red wings blacking out the horizon. The man lands in between the dragon and me.

The wind blows long, dark hair over his muscular shoulders. And, oh God, those shoulders are not made of rock, though they’re so muscular that it almost looks like they were carved from stone. Actually, every part of him is pretty damn perfect, right down to his…

My eyes go wide. I know I should shut my eyes or look away, but hot damn, I’ve never seen such a perfect ass before. Male asses aren’t something I’ve ever thought about or idealized. In fact, the words “male ass” usually make me want to crawl into a hole and shudder until the bad thoughts go away. But his ass? It deserves its own butt song. No, its own butt symphony. I mean, I’m about to get eaten by a dragon and all I can do is think about his…

At that moment it flexes, along with every long, sculpted muscle in his legs and back, as he raises his sword. “Stay back!” his deep, gravely voice growls.

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. At that moment, the dragon shoots another fireball into the sky and I leap behind some boulders along the edge of the mountain. I hug the massive hunk of rock, peeking over the side of it to watch the ensuing battle.

The dragon’s teeth flash in the fading sun as the man rushes forward, swinging wildly. No, not wildly—I realize as his sword expertly strikes the dragon’s flank. It’s just that his movements appear wild because they have a primal, frightening kind of precision. The dragon bellows, exposing his stomach, as he swings his tail around.

The tip of the tail takes off part of the side of the mountain. The man leaps into the air, jumping on cascading rocks like he’s running up an escalator.

I’m to stunned to even scream. It’s like this guy’s feet are bouncy balls. It’s
inhuman
.

And so is what happens next.

The dragon swings his tail back around. The guy rockets to the ground, ducking the dragon’s swing. His fists hit the ground like he’s doing those military-style push-ups. He’s still holding his sword. He doesn’t even bat an eyelash.

Alright. He’s not human. All those muscles are filled with whatever the hell is inside Gumby.

The dragon’s tail just misses him, smashing into the mountain again, causing another landslide. A bolder significantly larger than the one I’m currently hiding behind (like a boss) falls over the center of the path, blocking us in.

Now, we can’t run away. Not that we’d be able to outrun a dragon in the first place. (Or at least I wouldn’t. Body building play-dough man might just bounce down the side of the mountain.)

Once the tail is back, the man bounces up from his push-up into battle position. He swings his arm back and charges at the dragon, bellowing at a volume that put the dragon’s earlier bellows to shame. The dragon rears back, then brings his wings forward. The man raises his arms to block, but not before the wing’s edges slice his forearms. Blood gushes from the sides of his arms, but he doesn’t stop. Once past the dragon’s defenses, he leaps into the air once more, plunging his sword into the dragon’s breastplate. At the same time, the dragon opens his jowls and starts pumping out fireballs.

Oh God!
I hit the ground. Rocks slice through my palms, elbows and thighs as blasts of heat gush from the epicenter of the fight. I close my eyes tight and grit my jaw as wave after wave of intense heat sparks out over the mountain. If it wasn’t for this boulder, I’m pretty sure I’d be charred.

And then, it stops. The world goes quiet.

Slowly, I open my eyes. My limbs are too stiff and sore to move. My heart is a different story, though. I don’t think its ever beat this fast in my entire life. My entire body pounds as I suck in warm air, shivering.

Oh shit.
The battle’s over, but who won? The dragon? A quick glance around tells me I don’t have many options for defending myself. I mean, if muscle man and his sword couldn’t do the trick, I doubt I’d be able to do accomplish much by chucking a few rocks at it. Not to mention that since I wasn’t all that great at throwing things, so I might not even hit it…

No, Rainbow. Think fabulous, not lame.

That’s right. I wasn’t going to let a thing like certain defeat get in my way. When life gives you lemons, you make the best fuckin’ lemonade you’ve ever had in your entire life. And when life gives you pebbles…

Pebbles. They’re small like lemons, and they make…

Okay. Think. Think!
If I scatter them while the dragon walks towards me, maybe he’ll slip? Maybe cartoon logic works in this weird crystal universe? Or, if I throw one over the side of the mountain, maybe the dragon will hear the noise and investigate?

Either way, I’m running out of time. I have to make my move. I grab a fistful of pebbles and peek out over the side of the bolder.

The man is still standing. Before I have time to process this, he turns.

You know those pebbles in my hand? I don’t throw or scatter them. I drop them. And then I stop breathing as my body suddenly ignites, because I have never before seen such a man.

Dark hair, a bit longer than fashionable, hangs just above his shoulders. The sun’s dying rays bring out ruby highlights. His face looks as if it has been carved out of the mountain itself. Harsh angles make up his cheekbones and strong jaw. He wipes blood from his cheek with the back of his free hand and steps forward, capturing me with his heated gaze. Something about it captivates me, like a moth drawn to a flame.

My cheeks burn and I glance down. Then, my cheeks burn even hotter.

This guy doesn’t just have a V. He has a freaking trowel. His muscles are so sharply defined you could chuck away at solid rock with them. But the thing beneath them was even more impressive. The gigantic, mighty thing that swung back and forth in the breeze, just barely covered up by that Tarzan-like rag he had wrapped around his waist.

I close my eyes. Get yourself together, girl! Or at least get your mind out of the gutter. I had to find the ring again so I could talk to the fairy and get him to tell me how to get out of this place without banging…

I whip open my eyes. The man has his back to me once again and he’s leaning down over the dragon. Softly, he caresses the creature’s face, the beard on his chin. “He fought bravely. Died, honorably.”

My heart twinges. Does he have some feelings for the dragon? Perhaps they’re a rare and mystical animal here, and he regrets having to kill one to save me. “I’m sorr—”

Before I can finish he stands, gripping his sword once more. Raises it. It comes down, hard and fast, on the dragon’s head.

I yelp.

He picks it up by its mane and turns, back illuminated by the setting sun. Red colors, spills out over his muscular form, over the mountain, over the red dragon’s head he holds in his hands, almost as big as all of him. He strides towards me, eyes narrowed and dark with purpose. I scoot back into the mountain, not because I’m afraid, though I do feel fear stirring within me. It’s something else. He’s…he’s doing something to me with those eyes.

He drops the head at my feet.

I gulp.
What the hell? Is this like throwing down the gauntlet before a duel? Is he trying to challenge me?

“For you,” he says.

Alright. This really was a weird ass place. I don’t know what other world this is, but it is
weird
. “Um, thanks?”
And could you please take it away now?

“Uh…” I whisper.

His fierce eyes narrow down at me.

Oh man, is he angry? That can’t be good!
“Uh…” I try again, “Thank you.”

He lets out a low sound, almost like a grunt, as if he were an animal instead of a man.

“You saved m-my life,” I continue.

His scowl deepens, and a truly horrifying thought flashes in my mind:
What if this guy is Crystal Jesus?!?!?

I couldn’t beat
this
guy to a pulp while I gave him a piece of my mind. At best, he’d laugh at my puny attempts to cause him bodily harm. At worst? Well, since he did
that
to a dragon…I didn’t even want to think of what he’d do to me.

I tell myself that’s impossible, Crystal Jesus doesn’t exist.

Then, I remind myself that I am in a crystal land with dragons and fairies and other things that
should not exist
.

Slowly, he crouches, laying his sword on the ground by his side.

I wince. “Are you Xavier?”

“Who?” the gruff voice asks.

Damn, that voice is gravely sex. I know that sounds like the weirdest/most painful thing ever when I put it that way, but just trust me on this. I feel his rough, silky tone vibrate through my core, low enough to make…
certain parts
…of me throb.

Alright, maybe that throbbing didn’t have to do with his voice. I mean, I hope it didn’t. That would make conversing kinda difficult.

“Xavier,” I say. “Xavier Benedict Amethyst…”

The man frowns. “What?”

Phew! Not Crystal Jesus!
“I just thought maybe it was your name.”

His frown deepens. “I do not know this Xavier.”

Thank God.

“Is he the one who left you here alone?”

“Um, not exactly.” That was my
mother
. “But I guess I was supposed to meet him here. Or something.”

He glances away, but not before I catch his darkening expression. “I don’t think he’s coming,” he tells me. “And you should not wait for him. This is no place for a woman.”

Something about the way he says ‘woman’ makes my cunt clench. It feels like he really meant to say was something else…something too glorious to even hope for.

Scowling, he reaches forward, touching my cheek.

Electricity shoots through my body. Goosebumps flare over my skin. My core tightens. I shouldn’t be having this kind of reaction to a touch like this. Though his hands are calloused, the touch itself is gentle. Like a feather brushing against my skin, or a whisper.

“Are you alright?” he murmurs.

I shiver as his hand moves down my neck. “I’m a little surprised.”

He frowns. At first I think he’s angry, but no…that isn’t it. My pulse thuds as he leans closer. Slowly, he lowers his eyes. He has surprisingly long lashes. Surprisingly wide lips. I wonder, if he kissed me, the kiss would be as tender as his touch or as rough as his hands.

Oh my god! Where the hell did that thought come from?!?

Then, his intense, deep, beautiful eyes glance at me with a heat that silences my thoughts.

I hold my breath as he studies me. He smells elemental, like wood and stone. Like nature stripped down to its purest, rawest. It’s surprisingly…nice.

Nice.
Yeah. That’s one way to describe the whirlwind of hormonal crazy that’s currently going on inside me. I swear to God, at any second my pussy’s gonna start roaring.

His hand moves to the back of my head. Strong fingers grip my hair, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep me still. He tilts his chin forward, his dark eyes open, unfocused, for a moment, meeting mine.

My lips open. My legs begin to open too. I’ve never felt something like this, never felt this kind of intense, surreal, unexplainable sexual attraction. Maybe it’s because I almost just died and my fight or flight response has converted into a “fuck or fuck” response, but god damn,
every
part of me aches, desires, wants.

He closes his eyes. I quiver with anticipation as he moves in close, his rugged cheeks brushing my ruined curls back over my shoulders. He moves his lips almost to my throat but does not make contact with my skin.

I stop breathing.

He inhales, sharply, breathing me in. Heat spreads over me, consuming me with fiery desire.

I need. I want. I must…

He pulls away, his eyes still closed, exhaling softly. “Who are you?”

“R-rainbow.”

His eyes open and focus on mine. “Rainbow?” he repeats slowly.

“I know, it’s a little…”
ridiculous
, I want to finish, but my throat’s too tight to speak. It’s at times like this that I wish my name was something sexy. Scarlett. Viola. Hell, even Goldie. Rainbow totally kills the mood!

“That is a beautiful name,” he says. “It suits you.”

My heart explodes.
Did he just call me beautiful?!?!?
I look into the uncontrollable desire in his eyes and realize, yes,
OMFG yes,
he did.

I’m a big girl. Men don’t look at me like this—like I’m something to be protected and cherished, like I’m a delicacy to be enjoyed slowly.
Thoroughly
. In other words, when guys look at me, I am the chubby girl who’s ass is blocking the view of skinny chick next to me. This guy’s looking at me like I’m one of those fancy seven-course dinners and not only does he want to dig in, he can’t wait to find out what’s for dessert.

I gulp, standing.
Get a grip!
Unfortunately, it’s not only my creepy mind that I have to be worried about. A twinge of pain hits my ankle as I stand.
Damn it!

The man’s eyebrows furrow. “You’re hurt.”

“No. It’s just…the rocks are kinda hard.” Really lame to be bothering about anything when he’s bleeding from
taking down a dragon
.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

Before I can tell him that it is indeed nothing, and he’s making a big deal over nothing, he pulls me into his massive, rock-hard chest and picks me up like I weigh…
nothing
.

I moan.

“I knew you were hurt.”

I start blushing, and I don’t know what’s making me blush harder—the fact that he heard my sexy noise or the fact that he thought my sexy noise meant that I was in pain.

“Rainbow?” he asks, voice laced with concern.

“Um, I’m fine. It’s just…you’re so…”
goddamn sexy. Like, why don’t you just lie me down on the side of this mountain and we make mad, sweet love? Even the fact that a severed dragon head will be staring at us the entire time isn’t bothering me nearly as much as it should.