The Nymph King

approached her, he stiffened. A few times, he even growled low in his throat, as if he had withstood all that he could.

'It's almost over,' he whispered. His breath fanned her ear as he trailed a fingertip along the bumps of her spine.

She almost slumped into a boneless heap. Only the sudden, unexpected feeling of being watched strengthened her resolve to appear unaffected. She felt a heated gaze boring into her, laden with purpose and determination. Eerie goose bumps broke over her as her eyes darted across the remaining men—and collided with a handsome brunet.

His heavy-lidded, come-to-my-bed stare slammed into her, and she stiffened. He scared her. There was menace in his eyes.

'Lean on me if your feet hurt,' Valerian said, mistaking her reaction.

She pulled her attention from the dark-haired man. 'I'm fine,' she said, nearly breathless. Then she frowned; she'd meant to snap at him.

Her captor kept throwing her off guard with his sweet, let-me-care-for-you comments. He was treating her like a precious treasure, seeing to her comforts. She didn't like it. It made her vulnerable, made it harder to resist him.

There had to be something she could do to make him hate her. But what? He laughed at her insults, ignored her taunts. Keep trying until you succeed, damn it. If he continued to be nice to her, she would soften toward him. He might just melt the ice she so desperately needed to survive. What would happen to her then? Love? Would she lose herself to a man who could never return the depth of her feelings? God, no. No, no, no.

With all of her strength she attempted to pull from Valerian's hold, to at last put distance between their bodies. He locked his grip, cutting off her breath and shackling her in place.

'Be still, moon. Already my body hungers for yours, and I'm not sure how much more I can tolerate. We are almost done here.'

She stilled, not wanting to arouse him further. But damn this! Why did she have to feel so safe in his arms? Safe and wonderful and aroused? He was dangerous to the solitary life she had built—and wanted—for herself.

'Joachim,' Valerian called. 'Your turn has arrived.' He lowered his voice, murmuring in her ear, 'Your scent is amazing. I want you so much. I want—'

'That one,' a male voice said. Joachim—the current 'picker,' the angry-looking brunet who had been staring at her, stepped forward.

Valerian froze. Shaye gasped. She'd been so sure she'd scared everyone away... but he had... Dear Lord. Ice chilled her blood.

'What did you say?' Valerian gritted out. His fingers, wrapped so tightly around her waist, dug into her skin.

'I want the pale one, the girl in your arms.' Joachim braced his legs apart, his expression stern and smug. Ready. He looked like a man who craved war. 'Give her to me. She is mine.'

CHAPTER 7

'VALERIAN,' SHAYE SAID, her voice shaky. As shaky as her body. 'Help me.'

'I will take care of this. Worry not.' All at once, Valerian felt infuriated that someone would dare try to take Shaye from him, overjoyed that Shaye felt safest with him and frightened that he might actually lose her.

And to his cousin, no less.

They didn't share an easy camaraderie, for Joachim's thirst for power made him rebellious. Wild. How Valerian was going to change the soldier's mind, he didn't know.

'There are two other females in line,' Valerian said. 'Are you sure you would not prefer one of them?'

Joachim nodded, never once glancing toward the women in question. Determination filled his eyes. Determination... and lust. For Valerian's head? Or Shaye's body? Either way, Valerian would not give up easily.

Nor would Joachim, apparently. 'I want her,' the man said firmly.

Shaye's soft body pressed into the hardness of Valerian's. Her frosty scent enveloped him, fueling his own sense of determination.

'I will challenge you for her.' Valerian pinned his cousin with a hard stare. 'I will give you the opportunity to defeat your king.' Joachim could not take the throne that way, but there was much honor in fighting the king. Even if—when!—Joachim lost, he would be lauded for participating in such a rare occurrence.

For a moment, an all-too-short flash of time, Joachim considered the offer. He even began to nod but stopped himself. He shook his head instead. 'Unacceptable.' Frowning, he gripped the hilt of his sword. 'Last night, you had female flesh in excess, making you strong. I have been neglected for weeks. We are not on equal ground.'

Valerian's jaw clenched painfully. Did his cousin hope for a night with Shaye, then a fight with the king? 'You may spend the night with the three women who pleasured me. They will ensure you are strengthened. We can fight for Shaye on the morrow.'

Joachim's black brows arched, and something—an unreadable emotion—brightened his blue eyes. 'You said you would not claim another surface woman, yet there you stand, attempting to do just that.'

'Wait.' Shaye held up her hands. 'Hold everything. You slept with three women at the same time, Valerian?' Had she been facing him, he felt certain she would have slapped him. 'What, do you expect me to join the love train? You're disgusting! All of you are.'

'Do you want them or not?' he asked Joachim, ignoring her.

Lips curling in a smile, Joachim pointed to Shaye. 'I want that one. As is my right.'

'She will cause you nothing but trouble.' His teeth were clenched so tightly, he had trouble getting out the words.

'That's right.' Shaye nodded, tufts of white hair dancing over her shoulders. 'I'll stab you while you sleep. I'll cut off your balls and use them for earrings. I'll... I'll—'

Color faded from Joachim's cheeks, and he swallowed. At least her threats to Joachim were more violent, Valerian mused. She'd only wanted to cut out his eyes.

'I want her still,' Joachim said, though he did not sound as confident.

His cousin would not relent. Frustrated, infuriated, Valerian gave an animalistic growl. He'd never lied to his men, never gone back on his word. His father had died when Valerian was only a boy, leaving Valerian to take over the nymph army. He'd had to prove himself worthy and capable over and over again. And he had.

'Honor them,' had been his father's dying words. 'Lead them. Protect them. You are ultimately responsible for their fate.'

He could take Shaye, and no one could naysay him. Grumble about his lack of honor, yes, even curse him to everlasting Hades. But not naysay him.

While he had told himself he could surrender his honor to possess Shaye, he realized now that he could not. How could he expect her to fall in love—and love him she would—with a dishonorable man?

'I have said I would not claim the females brought here, and I will not,' he said.

Shaye stiffened. She closed her hands over his arms, which were still wrapped around her, and dug her fingernails into his skin.

'I will not,' he continued, switching to his native tongue so Shaye would not understand the rest of the conversation, 'without reaching amicable terms. Allow me to buy her from you.'

Once more, Joachim shook his head. 'No.'

Damn the man! 'What can I do, cousin? The woman—' he stopped, pressed his lips together '—the woman is my mate.'

Joachim's nostrils flared, and he bared his teeth. He took a menacing step forward. 'She does not seem to think so. She has not accepted you as such.'

'She is human. Their reactions must be different from ours.'

'You would say anything to keep her.'

'In this, I do not lie. If you take her, she can never love you. She will never be able to give her heart to you.