Taking the Stage

“By allowing you to mark me, I’ve submitted to that claim.”

He went still. Hadn’t expected that, had he? She grinned, pleased and rueful at once. It was better that he not become too accustomed to her surrender. It wasn’t in her nature to be passive.

“You’re mine.” Despite the firmness of the statement, a sliver of query hung at the end of the word.

“I wish it was that easy.” The words were simpler to express than she might have imagined. Her body and soul committed where her mind feared to tread.

Perhaps the surrender inherent in her words was enough, because Anthony pounced. “It is that easy. You’re mine. I am not letting you go, and if that means tying you to a bed and torturing you with pleasure until you scream it to the sky, then I’ll do it.”

Her body heated at the seductive promise. “Will you really?”

“Do you prefer satin or silk?” He purred.

Roseatre’s eyes widened. “For what?”

“To be tied up with. I’ll fetch it right now.”

She dropped her lips to his chest and lapped her tongue across his nipple. Stiffness rolled through his body, the musk of their shared passion drenching the air. She scraped her teeth over his pectoral, testing the flesh.

“Bite me,” his voice was dark, smoky and hot with need.

“I want to,” she confessed against his skin. It was easier to admit if she wasn’t looking into his sinful blue eyes. “But I am sworn by oath, Anthony.”

“Oaths can be broken.”

“No.” Her heart cracked at the idea. “I’m a princess. My oaths are in my blood. No matter what my body desires. No matter what my soul hungers for. I cannot break with my oath, it would destroy me.”

Nothing he said to her seemed to change her mind. He made love to her body, but she held hostage that last piece of her soul. He wanted to celebrate their mating, but no matter how strong the bond between them grew, she held herself aloof when they were among the other dancers. When Heidi summoned her away from rehearsal, he crouched on the stage and stared down at the key in his palm. The bite of bronze stung at his nostrils and he flicked his gaze up to stare at the second Amazon in the theatre’s lineup.

“She won’t choose you.” Anthony couldn’t hold back the snarl. He didn’t understand Cerveau’s name. It was French for Brain. Who named a child brain?

“She already has.” Challenging an Amazon’s possession was not the smartest decision he’d ever made, but he wouldn’t retreat from the challenge in her cool blue eyes. Unlike Roseatre’s passionate hazel, with their promise of the dark forest and deep pleasure, Cerveau’s were like chips of ice, unrelenting and unmoved.

“No. She has given you her body.” The ice in her regard slithered over his skin. “Admittedly, I see the appeal. But she will not choose you, no matter how many times you mark her.”

The tiger in him stretched, claws dragging against the inside of his skin. He didn’t bother to disguise the cat staring out from behind his eyes. “You can’t force her to stay where she doesn’t want to be.”

“And you can’t force her to go where she doesn’t want to go.” The blonde’s mouth tightened into a parody of a smile. But despite the tough expression, fear lingered in her scent, coating the back of his throat. She didn’t want to be left behind.

He sympathized, but he wouldn’t be intimidated. Rising, he tipped his head to the side and lifted his brows. “I would never force her to be something she isn’t, nor would I demand she serve a master to save me.”

The black scowl creasing Cerveau’s forehead promised swift retribution. “I asked her for nothing.”

“No. But you are the reason she’s here.” He knew it as surely as he knew his mate by her scent, her walk and her touch. Her loyalty to this one Amazon kept her trapped in slave bands, prisoner to the Arcana Royale—a royal hostage. His heart swelled with admiration and respect for Roseatre’s giving heart. But his soul thrashed at the idea of her submission.

It was not just the Amazon princess the Overseers held now, but his mind. Neither he nor his cat would settle for this slavery.

Not for her.

The key on his chest burned against his skin. She’d refused every attempt to remove the bands. And she also refused the gift of potential freedom when he tried to give it to her.

“I did not ask her to do this for me.” Cerveau recoiled, her mouth open as though she intended further speech when Roseatre appeared. Her hazel eyes snapped at him, hot and furious.

He held up a hand, palm forward, but her temper washed through him like a hot summer breeze. “Cerveau, we’re supposed to be practicing.”

Anthony considered placating her or at least making peace, but the blonde Amazon surprised him, she twisted to face the princess. “Did you stay here because of me?”

“Cerveau…”

“Rose. Answer me.” The little mouse with the ice-cold eyes had spine and while he couldn’t see her expression, no one could mistake the edge of steel in her voice.

“I stayed because of me. Don’t listen to the cat. He’s mad because I won’t choose him.” The words lashed at him, scoring deep. “We need to practice—”

“You did stay because of me. Dammit, Rose, I’m not a child.” Cerveau waved off Roseatre’s hand and stalked away, her posture stiff. But it was her scent that pulled Anthony—terror mingled in sadness.

“How dare you?” Roseatre growled at him and pivoted to stalk after her friend. The man in him recognized that he should let her go, he’d pushed her temper, but he caught her arm and tugged her back against him. Her rigid posture refused to yield even when he nuzzled the back of her neck.

“I dare because you’re my mate, Roseatre.” He kept his tone simple. “Mates don’t hold back. Your battles…”

“…are not yours. Dammit, Anthony.” She turned in his arms and slid her own around him, squeezing him. The hostile Amazon in her sharpened, but failed to dilute the woman. “You have to leave this alone.”

“Tell me why.”

“Because if you continue to challenge it…” Her mouth compressed and she sucked in a noisy breath and released it in near silence. “Because you could get hurt. They could come after you and use it as leverage.”

“So now, you protect your shield-sister and you protect me.” The cat in him arched his back, proud that his mate wanted him safe, but they would not let her take the hits for them.

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“No. I treasure it.” He stroked his finger down her cheek to her throat and then traced the hidden collar. Whatever magic kept it fastened into place also disguised it. “But I can’t allow you to do that.”

“Why? Because I’m a woman?” The bite in her words barely brushed him and he chuckled, kissing her angry mouth until her lips softened and a sigh escaped.

“No,” he whispered. “Because you’re mine and I protect what’s mine.”

It took great force of effort to let her go, but he did. If she would not tell him the truth—then perhaps her stage manager would.

“You have to make him stop.” Roseatre planted her palms against Heidi’s desk. Minion bounced from chair to chair until she landed on Roseatre’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around her neck. The little imp was equal parts annoying and sweet.

“You need a hug,” Minion announced confidently and snuggled closer. She lifted a hand to stroke the little one’s hair, but didn’t take her gaze away from the stage manager writing in the giant monster of a book covering most of her desk space.

“What Mr. diNapoli chooses to do is not up to me, Roseatre.”

“Of course it is. You manage everything.”

Heidi glanced up from the book and a fraction of a smile eased her expression. Setting the pen aside, she leaned back in the chair and interlaced her fingers over her belly. “What do you want me to do?”

“Get the key back, for one, and convince him that he doesn’t have to free me.” The words left her in a rush, but she managed to clamp down on the request to protect him. Heidi’s impassive expression revealed nothing of her thoughts.