The Nymph King

'As if I would ever hurt a woman,' his friend grumbled.

'As if I would allow him to hurt me,' Shaye said, her chin tilted stubbornly.

Broderick arched his brows, a who-is-this-woman expression on his face. Valerian fought a grin.

The brunette at Broderick's side pointed an accusing finger at Shaye. 'I don't like you standing near Broderick.'

Shaye rolled her eyes.

Broderick regained his amusement and grinned. 'Rissa is possessive of me, what can I say?'

'Just make sure she keeps her hands off Shaye.'

'I can take her,' Shaye said. Her dark brown eyes glowed with challenge.

'I know you can, moon, but if you were to hurt her I would owe Broderick another woman.' He clasped her delicate shoulders in his hands and rubbed her arms. Brave, sweet thing. 'I would rather not have another battle on my hands.'

Shaye's lips pressed in a mutinous line, and she peered down at the sands. At least she didn't offer another rejoinder.

He wanted to kiss her just then, to thrust his tongue into her mouth and feel her heat, her wetness. Taste her sweetness. He couldn't. Not yet. Not again. Not with Joachim's challenge hanging over their heads.

'Valerian!' a female squealed from behind his mate. 'Valerian!'

His muscles stiffened. Damn it! Already Shaye resisted him, and she'd made her dislike of his past lusts very clear. Yet now, heading straight toward him, was one of the three women from the other night. She shoved her way through the crowd, swathes of red hair trailing behind her.

'My sweet king. I came to wish you well.'

Shaye, too, stiffened—before she was shouldered out of the way. He scowled, was about to issue a stinging rebuke, but the redhead's hands were suddenly caressing his bare chest, lingering over every curve and hollow, pulling gently at his nipple ring, then riding the ridges of his abdomen and cupping his backside.

'I just heard about the fight, and wanted to cheer for you.'

'Isn't this special,' Shaye said, an airy breeze to her tone. 'A Lust family reunion.'

Eyeing the newcomer, Valerian said, 'Our association is at an end, sweet.' He kept his tone gentle, not wanting to inflict unnecessary hurt. He felt guilty for not learning her name. 'Joachim is your lover now. Warm his bed this night, for he will need all the loving he can get.'

Her pink lips dipped into a pout, and she traced her fingertip over his navel. 'I don't want to warm his bed. Joachim didn't please me like you always do.'

'Did. Always did. I have a mate now,' he reminded her. His guilt increased.

'You can please more than one woman at a time, I know for a fact. The three of us can—'

'This conversation is boring.' Shaye sighed, but the breathy exhalation held a sharp bite. 'I believe your cousin is ready to cut your head off. You might want to hurry out there.'

Jaw clenched, Valerian wrapped his hands around the clinging redhead's waist and handed her to one of his men. Whom, he didn't care. She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand for silence. Instead of simply quieting her, everyone in the arena stopped speaking.

He did not want an audience for the conversation he needed to have with Shaye. 'I will speak with you about this later,' he said, his eyes only for her.

She shrugged as if she didn't care, but she couldn't hide the fire in her gaze.

He had to force back a chuckle of satisfaction. His woman did not like others to handle him. She might deny it, but he knew women very well. She was jealous.

Finally, something was going right in this seduction.

'Are you, at last, ready to begin?' Joachim demanded behind him.

With a final glance at Shaye, he turned. It was time. Joachim stood in the center of the sandy arena, swinging a spear over his head, loosening his muscles. The metal whistled and zinged in the air like a war cry. In his other hand, he held a silver shield. Except for the color, Valerian's shield was exactly the same, with two wings embossed on each side. In the center of both shields rested a sword.

Joachim replaced his helmet, covering his skull and ears. The movement caused his armor to glint.

Valerian held his hand out, and Broderick slapped a spear into his grip. He felt its familiar weight, nodded. Broderick then handed him a shield. He handed it right back. 'Remove The Skull from the center and replace it with another sword,' he commanded.

'But, my lord, you have never—'

'Do it.' He had never used a sword other than his own, but he did not want to inflict irreparable damage to his cousin, and that was what The Skull would do.

He didn't want Joachim to die. As Joachim had pronounced earlier, they had been friends as children. The best of friends. Then Valerian's father died and Valerian had to take control, become leader. That was when Joachim's resentment first sprouted.

Valerian wanted his cousin to live, forever an example of what happened to those who challenged the king.

'Any sword will do,' he said. 'Any save The Skull.'

A pause, then the shield was taken out of his hands. Footsteps. The cool press of the shield's handle. His gold shield, yes, but his sword no longer lay inside of it. A plain, sharp-tipped blade now held the honor. He nodded in approval. This battle was not just about Shaye. Not anymore.

'Your helmet, my king,' Broderick said.

'No.' He kept his gaze on Joachim. 'Not this time.'

Broderick frowned. 'What of your other armor?'

'No.'

'I hope you pound each other to a bloody pulp,' Shaye mumbled behind him. 'This is stupid.'

Her words elicited several male chuckles and several feminine gasps of horror. He suspected that her anger was merely a defense against something she feared. Losing him? He should be upset by her lack of faith, but he was strangely thrilled.

'How dare you say such a thing,' the redhead said accusingly.

'She is allowed to say whatever she wants,' Valerian informed everyone, 'for she will one day be your queen.' He tossed her a glance over his shoulder and saw that she now wore an expression of pique. 'That doesn't mean I will always give in to her desires. This time, however, I will take great pleasure in granting part of her request.'

'I, too, will enjoy granting part of her request,' Joachim said.

Valerian scowled at him. He hefted the weight of his spear in one hand, his shield in the other, and stepped into the arena. Determined, he circled Joachim. The man watched him, never slowing his swinging lance. 'Shall we begin?'

'We shall. I've wanted to be king for a long time,' Joachim admitted.

'I know. But what makes you think you will be a better commander for my army? You are too war-happy, too ravenous for control.'

'Such qualities should be lauded.'

'Lauded? When the hunger will never be appeased? There will always be someone else to conquer. Were you to rule my army, you would lead them straight into war. In the end, I have every faith you would conquer Atlantis and all the kings and queens inside, but you would also destroy the entire city.'

'Better to rule a decimated land than not to rule at all.' With a roar, Joachim leapt at him.

Their spears clashed together midair. Immediately Valerian countered, ducking low, pivoting and slashing. He missed as Joachim sliced to the side. Clang. Their spears met again. In the next instant Joachim raised his lance and Valerian rammed it high. He spun, aiming for his cousin's neck.

Joachim darted out of the way with a grin. 'Getting slow, Valerian.' He removed his helmet and tossed it aside.

Valerian stabbed forward, his spike and shield swinging simultaneously. Joachim quickly lost his smile as he was forced to duck. He stumbled backward. Valerian's spear nearly sank into his stomach, but Joachim blocked, swung. Thrust.

That low thrust grazed Valerian's thigh, slicing cloth rather than skin. Valerian dropped to one knee,