In the dark, in the master chamber of Vandeborg Castle, in the middle of the frozen wasteland that was the Snowflake Kingdom, Clarysa smiled the happiest smile of her entire life.
Chapter 44
“Stellan, wake up!”
Sprawled across the bed, Stellan turned over, pushing aside the blankets. Drowsiness lapped at him like a friendly kitten.
“Hurry, Stellan, come here! Come look!”
He passed a hand across the mattress. Where was his wife?
“Please, Stellan, get up!”
He cracked open an eye. For the first time in years, perhaps since his youth, he felt relaxed upon waking. And warm.
In fact, very warm–almost hot, even. Had Clarysa built the fire? How thoughtful!
Rubbing his face, he located Clarysa standing at a nearby window. She had wrapped the white, gauzy curtain around her naked body, inducing blissful memories from the night before. He became rock hard within moments. The woman had such appetites… Sleep suddenly eluded him. “Clarysa, what are you doing? You’re much too far away. Come here.” He smiled and reached out an arm.
Shaking her head, Clarysa shot him an urgent look. “No, you have to see this! Please!” She bounced up and down in her eagerness.
Stellan moaned at the sight and rolled out of bed. Standing behind her, he pushed aside the curtain and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Look at the view,” she cried.
He grinned as he looked down, devouring her neck and shoulders with his lips. “Breathtaking,” he murmured. Reaching down, he parted her thighs, pressing his palm against the place that had given him so much enjoyment mere hours before. His hand came away moist. Gods! He would simply have to take her right there, right now.
Clarysa wriggled. “Not me, silly! Out the window!”
His gaze followed her pointing finger. The sight that met his eyes was enough to momentarily distract him.
The sun shone.
Water cascaded down the glass.
Patches of green spotted the castle grounds.
Stellan’s heart skipped a beat. The snow is melting.
He barely had time to assimilate it all when a loud knock sounded at the door. Clarysa squealed and sprinted away to put on some clothes. The knocking continued, followed by a pair of excited voices.
“Have patience. We’re coming,” Stellan said.
As soon as they had dressed, Clarysa threw open the door. Gretchen and Ghyslain stood there, laughing and grinning like a pair of drunkards. They pulled Stellan and Clarysa with them, and all four ran down the passageway.
They arrived breathlessly at the main entrance. Froll stood there, rubbing his belly and beaming. He pointed to the floor, which lay buried under several inches of water. Wading through the miniature pond, Stellan led Clarysa outside. He shielded his eyes against the bright, yellow sun as it shone in a clear, deep blue sky. Water dripped and plopped all around them as the snow surrendered to the morning heat.
Gretchen dragged Clarysa and him to one part of the outer castle wall. “I think you should see this,” she told them, and pointed to a small brass plaque embedded in the stone.
Stellan and Clarysa leaned forward to read the inscription it bore:
I found true love yet still I paid the price
And now this castle rests in snow and ice
When bravest love arrives at last to stay
At once the snow and ice will melt away
–King Darius the Seventh of Vandeborg
Heather Massey
Heather Massey is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. She searches for sci-fi romance adventures aboard her blog, The Galaxy Express (www.thegalaxyexpress.net).
She’s also an author. Indeed, she wrote a fairy tale romance in addition to her sci-fi romances. Why? Because, honestly, who can resist an opportunity to reinvent a classic tale like “Beauty and the Beast”? Certainly not Heather Massey!
Her stories will entertain you with fantastical settings, larger-than-life characters, timeless romance, and rollicking action. So sit back, relax, and pour yourself a cup of space java as the stories unfold. You deserve it.
When Heather’s not reading or writing, she’s watching cult films and enjoying the company of her husband and daughter. To learn more about her work, visit www.heathermassey.com
Also by Heather Massey
Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts
Lyrical Press books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 119 West 40th Street New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2013 Heather Massey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Lyrical Press and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.
First Electronic Edition: October 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-495-3
