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She turned to face him. “Yes?”
Did he have instructions for her? Would he tell her how to behave in front of the king? Give her some last minute etiquette tips?
He touched her cheek tentatively. “I’ve…this has meant a lot to me. I…” He stared for a moment, his silver eyes full of disquiet, then he tugged her into his arms and kissed her. His lips moved on hers with a quiet desperation. She fought to stay immune, but lost the battle. She slumped against him, her arms curling around his neck.
“Gattra, Aria, what will I do without you?”
Before she could respond, his hand slid to the small of her back and he pressed her into the transporter. The immediate feeling of movement and the resulting nausea overwhelmed her. Dizziness slammed her against the wall, then everything went black.
Chapter Nine
Wakefulness came slowly, along with the awareness of a warm, hard body pressed against her. She glanced around the room, trying to get her bearings. The light seemed clearer than she was used to and the air fresher. She lay in a huge bed covered by a thin, sage green sheet with no other blankets or coverings. As she ran her hand along the silky, smooth fabric, she realized it was warm to the touch, as though infused with sunlight. The walls seemed to shimmer, until she watched carefully and realized they were constantly changing color, a very subtle shifting of shades through a range from pale moss green to amber gold.
Hands encircled her waist and lips nuzzled her neck.
“Tai?”
“Yes, my love.” His voice rumbled through her, caressing her insides like a silk scarf.
My love? She must be dreaming. She snuggled against him. If so, she intended to enjoy every lovely moment of it. Shifting his hands to cup her breasts, she let her eyelids fall closed, enjoying the intense feelings of arousal his loving touch brought her. Her nipples peaked, thrusting into his palms.
The mattress in front of her compressed and her eyelids snapped open. Another man sat on the edge of the bed.
Tai. She stiffened. But if Tai sat in front of her, who was behind her? She glanced around. The man behind her also wore Tai’s face.
There were two of him. His hands tightened around her breasts, sending shimmering heat through her. Oh, God, this was shaping up to be the best dream she’d ever had.
“Hello, Aria,” said the new Tai.
She turned to face the sitting Tai.
“Hello, Tai,” she murmured in a throaty purr.
He smiled, that familiar devilish smile she’d come to love so much.
“I’m not Tai. I’m Zander. Tai’s twin brother.”
She stiffened. Tai’s twin brother? That would explain the link Tai talked about between them.
Maybe this wasn’t a dream after all.
“You’re right, Tai.” The king’s gaze washed over her face. “She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She remembered what she’d said to Tai earlier.
Are you going to hold me down while he takes me?
“Don’t look so terrified, Aria,” the king said. “Tai and I had a long talk and he told me in no uncertain terms that you are his tanash’ae, not mine.”
Rather than looking angry, he smiled broadly.
“You really are a good influence on him,” he continued. “I sent him on this mission to bring you back knowing his link to you was real, not a mirror of mine as I’d led him to believe.”
“Why did you do that?” she demanded, her voice a little shaky.
“When I was put on the throne after our parents’ death, my brother learned to defer to me. Although it was appropriate under the circumstances, it took something from him. He never learned to be himself. To depend on his own judgment where I was concerned. It’s wonderful to have such a loyal subject, but I also wanted my brother. I wanted an equal to help me rule. With you, he learned to speak up for what is his, and I respect that.”
Hope flared inside her. “What will happen now?”
