His Highness the Duke (24 page)

could cure just about anything. If a booth couldn‘t help Riona, then…

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Aeron didn‘t want to think about it. She couldn‘t lose her sister. Bron helped

adjust Riona‘s limbs before moving toward the door. It opened and he quickly stepped

out, leaving Mirek and Riona behind. The sickeningly sweet smell of decontamination

followed him.

―What‘s he doing?‖ Aeron asked, pushing to see a clearer picture of Mirek before

the door closed.

―The blisters cover her body. He needs to remove her clothing so they do not

hamper her healing and reconnect her nutrient tube to the medical bed. Once she‘s

stabilized, the tube can be removed. The doctors believe this is her best chance at

recovery. The medical bed will monitor her for pain, and apply the necessary

medications. The second she wakes up, Mirek‘s alarm will go off and he will inform us.

Until that time, there is nothing more we can do.‖

Aeron placed her hand on his chest. It was one of the first moments of contact

they‘d had in the last several days. He had been keeping his distance, coming to the

rooms late and leaving early. She assumed he had duties to attend to, but found she

didn‘t like his schedule—even if he did send a servant to take her around the castle and

entertain her.

―Thank you for all you have done,‖ she said softly.

―Come, let‘s leave him to tend his wife.‖ Bron took Aeron by the arm. ―You look

tired. Have you been sleeping?‖

Before she could answer, they reached the workers. Bron said something to them

in the Draig language. They immediately dispersed toward the front entryway.

―I really need to learn the language,‖ she muttered.

―I will teach you, though I am told with your delicate vocal chords, it can be

difficult for non-shifters to form the sounds.‖ He lightly touched her throat and she

shivered.

―Perhaps, but it would be nice to understand the sounds even if I can‘t form

them. And to answer your question, no, I haven‘t been sleeping well. I keep trying to

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wait up for you. Is your schedule always so busy? Or are you avoiding me?‖ She meant

it as a joke, but as she said the words, she couldn‘t help but feel the true fear in them.

―I only wanted to give you space. You appeared upset about your sister and…‖

He stopped himself. She wondered what he was going to say.

Closing her eyes, she felt the answer instead. ―You felt my worry and mistook it

for questioning your family‘s honor.‖

He hesitated before finally nodding in agreement.

―And that insulted you.‖

Again, he hesitated and then nodded.

―Bron, I wish you would understand that I don‘t mean my worry to be insulting.

It is not that I don‘t trust you to do the right thing, it‘s just that I am worried. I worry

about everything—the Tyoe, my sister, you, us. It‘s just my way. I worry about things

that I care about. I even sometimes worry about things I shouldn‘t care about. A

Federation doctor once told me it was because of what happened. I couldn‘t control that

one thing so now I worry when I can‘t control even the littlest of things. I‘m also slow to

accept change. The Federation didn‘t care because it made me good at my job. I looked

at all the little details. It‘s just my way. I‘m not sure I can change it.‖

―And you care about me?‖ A small smile lifted on the side of his face.

―How can you even ask me that?‖ She hit his arm lightly.

―So you are saying, all this worry I feel in you every time I come near you this

last week is because you care? Not because you doubt me and my family‘s honor?‖

―She‘s my sister, Bron. Of course I‘m worried about her. She‘s the last of my

people. I love her. To see her like that, to be helpless to do anything, of course I worry

for her.‖ When he would speak, she stopped walking and added, ―I know you will do

all that you can for her and I appreciate that. I see the honor in you and in your brother.

I don‘t doubt that. This ability to feel inside each other is new, for both of us. I think it

will take time to decipher what it is we are sensing.‖

―It will come in time,‖ he assured her. ―As will other things.‖

―You mean dealing with the Tyoe?‖

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―There is no immediate threat, but we will be ready for it. One of our pilots will

arrive tomorrow. Mirek will join the launch and check out things from space. He will

scan the planet and ensure we are safe. Then he will send out transmission inquiries to

friends. We will learn everything there is to discover about the Tyoe. If there is to be a

battle in our future, we will be ready. Our people owe much to their new duchess.

Perhaps someday they will know fully what it is you have done for them.‖

―Just keep them safe,‖ she answered. ―I don‘t care if they know. As far as I‘m

concerned, so long as we keep them safe it is enough.‖

Bron smiled at her. ―Spoken like a true Draig.‖

―I can tell you one thing.‖ Aeron‘s face turned red as she looked down.

―What is it?‖

―I am pretty sure what you are feeling now is desire.‖ She glanced up at him.

―Are you sure? I thought that was what you were feeling.‖ He grinned, the look

endearingly wicked and completely self-confident.

―I‘m pretty sure that is you,‖ she countered, running her hands up his chest.

―Hmm.‖ He reached down, sweeping his arm under her legs. ―Perhaps we

should go home and sort out these feelings. I promise to get to the bottom of them if it

takes all night.‖

―But…‖ She glanced around the hall. ―Isn‘t it morning? I thought I finally had a

handle on the time.‖

―Oh, it is morning. I just plan on this chore taking all night.‖

Aeron laughed as he walked faster, carrying her toward their home.

* * * * *

Bron traced a line down his wife‘s arm, watching as tiny little bumps formed in

his finger‘s wake. He found himself mesmerized by the reaction. In fact, he was

mesmerized by everything about her. He wondered if she knew how much control she

had over him. One word, one thought, and he would be hers to command.

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Aeron opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile before closing them once

more and snuggling into his naked chest. The room was dark and he wondered if she

could see his face. He doubted it.

Bron snaked his hand over her waist and held her close. Her soft skin molded

easily to the will of his fingers. A ghost of a smile formed on her mouth at his touch.

―Ask,‖ she murmured, suppressing a tiny yawn.

―Ask?‖ He ran his hand down to cup her ass before pulling at the back of her

thigh. Her leg slid over his. He pressed his erection forward.

Aeron chuckled. ―Not that. Ask me whatever it is you‘ve been thinking about.‖

―But…‖ He rocked his hips forward.

―Fine, the answer to that question is yes,
after
you ask me the other question.‖

She didn‘t shy away from his touch.

―You are an expert at communications.‖ He rubbed his hand over her butt and

back of her thigh. By all the stars, she was supple.

―That is a statement.‖ She poked his chest.

―Leading to a question.‖ He grinned, able to smell himself on her skin. It was

highly erotic, like she was marked as his. ―We need to set up communications between

our home, the cabin, the mines, the village, and the palace. The units we have in place

are old and some need repairs. I had hoped that with your knowledge you might like to

oversee the project. I understand if you would rather not because it is a big

undertaking. However, you do not seem the type to stay at home cooking and having

babies—though I would be lying if I didn‘t say I had hopes of some of that, too. Would

this be something you could help me on?‖

Aeron slowly let go of her captured breath and nodded. ―Yes. I would love to.‖

She began to sit up from the bed, using his chest for leverage. ―I‘ll need to see some

maps and calculate distance. I‘ll also need to see the schematics for the current systems,

know my budget, and—‖

―Not at this moment, my lady,‖ Bron said, pulling her back into his arms. ―I

believe you promised me something first.‖

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Aeron laughed. ―Yes.‖

―Yes.‖ He nodded before kissing her throat. ―Yes.‖

―Mmm,‖ she sighed softly. Her hands found their way into his hair as she pulled

him closer. His lips trailed over her shoulder, wherever they could reach. ―Yes.‖

He made love to her slowly, tenderly, taking time to explore every inch of her.

Already he had her body memorized, but each touch felt like the first. By the time he

rolled on top of her, her legs were open and her sex wet and inviting. He kissed her as

he entered her. Her hands roamed his body, tracing his muscles and scratching lightly

at his flesh. Oh, but it was sweet, being inside his wife. Bron was sure he‘d never felt

anything so perfect.

In these moments, the world faded away and nothing else mattered. He was

wrapped in her feelings for him, so open and pure. She didn‘t try to hide and neither

did he. She could have all of him and he wouldn‘t stop her.

When they climaxed, it was in perfect, unspoken unison. He withdrew his lips

from hers, letting her inhale deep breaths. Her heart beat so loud he could hear it. Her

hands dropped along his arms as she rested her elbows on the bed.

Bron grinned. Pleasure erupted throughout him. ―I love you, too, wife.‖

―But,‖ she began in protest. ―Too? You really should wait for me to say things

out loud before you read my thoughts for me.‖ Then, closing her eyes and breathing

deeply, she returned his smile. ―I love you, too, husband.‖

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Epilogue

Bron smiled to himself as he reached his feelings out to his wife. Their connection

had grown stronger over the last several weeks. He could detect her almost anywhere

in the castle. Sensing a wave of sadness and worry inside Aeron, he knew she was with

her sister. Riona was still in stasis. There had been no change to her condition. All the

doctors could tell them was to wait. They hoped she would simply wake up one day on

her own. Until then, Mirek guarded and watched over her like a sacred treasure.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of his chair. Mirek‘s

expedition into space had been most telling. There were signatures of another spacecraft

in their area, both in the sky and in the mountains, but no ship to connect it to. Whoever

had kidnapped him had left their airspace. It would seem his wife was right. The Tyoe

planned something. Perhaps his capture had been an experiment to see how they would

react. Or perhaps the Tyoe had simply wanted to get rid of the highest ranking

nobleman dealing with the mines. If that was the case, none of his family was safe.

Precautions were already being taken.

At least his marriage was settled. In that he was grateful. Aeron still worried

over her lifespan and his, though she did try to hide that fear from him. Bron was not

convinced there was something to be worried about, but he had the doctors looking into

it nonetheless. He would do whatever it took to protect his wife and put her at ease. In

the meantime, she kept herself busy setting up the communication networks. Her

knowledge far surpassed his in that area, and he was glad not to have to deal with

encoding problems and distance modules.

As for Alek, Vladan and the four princes, those were entirely different stories

that would take too long to decipher and tell. Bron did not have that kind of time or

energy. Not today. Not when his wife had softly whispered to him in the early morning

hours that she was pregnant.

Bron grinned. He was to be a father. Now, if only his brothers and cousins could

follow his example and get their marriages into order, life would be perfect.

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The End

The series continues with Dragon Lords 6: The Stubborn Lord

Coming in 2012 from The Raven Books

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About the Author

Michelle M Pillow,
Author of All Things Romance™
, is a multi-published, award

winning author writing in many romance fiction genres including futuristic,

paranormal, historical, contemporary, fantasy and dark paranormal. She was the

winner of the 2006 RT Reviewers‘ Choice Award, nominated for the 2007 RT Award, a

Brava Novella Contest Finalist and a PAN member of RWA.

She writes a monthly interview column and is a journalist for Paranormal

Underground Magazine. She has a Photography degree and is currently working

towards a degree in History.

Readers can contact her through her website www.michellepillow.com

Join her email newsletter at www.michellepillow.com/newsletter/?p=subscribe

To learn more about Michelle M. Pillow please visit her website www.MichellePillow.com

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