FIRE AND ICE
      by
      Sherrilyn Kenyon


      Chapter 1


      Adron Quiakides had never been the type of man one approached
recklessly. 
      Not if one wanted to live, anyway.
      And tonight, while he sat alone in a back booth of The Golden Crona
nursing a bottle of expensive Grenna alcohol, the last thing he wanted
was for anyone to disturb him. 
      His pleasures in life were minimal, and consuming buckets full of the
yellow-orange liquid gave him the solace his battered soul craved. 
      Because tonight, more than ever before, his memories hurt.
      This very hour marked the fifth anniversary of the night he had made
the decision he would spend the rest of his life paying for. 
      Adron gripped the bottle tight in his right hand, unable to believe
it'd been that long since he'd last walked without a pronounced limp.
Moved without pain. Spoken without his throat aching from the effort
of it. 
      Five years since he'd experienced any comfort or peace whatsoever.
      He'd lain in bed for hours trying to sleep. Trying to forget, and
finally he'd realized the only way to silence his demons was to drown
them out.
      And nothing worked better than Grenna.
      Tipping the large bottle to his lips, he let the fire pour down his
throat. 
      "Hey, baby," an attractive red head said as she sauntered over to him
and propped a thin hip against his table. "You want some company?"
      "I have company," he said, his raspy voice grating on his ears. "Me,
myself and I."
      She raked a hungry look over his body, then leaned across the table
to show him her ample breasts. "Well, there's enough of me to make all
three of you happy."
      There had been a time, once, when he wouldn't have hesitated to take
her up on that offer. 
      But then life was nothing if not ever-changing, and usually it
altered on the hairpin of a second. 
      She licked her lips. "C'mon, handsome, buy me a drink."
      Adron glared at her. She wasn't the first woman to proposition him
tonight. And in truth it mystified him that any woman would bother
given the vicious scar on his face. But then, the women in The Golden
Crona weren't all that discriminating, especially not when they sensed
money. 
      "Sorry," he said coldly. "None of us are interested."
      She sighed dramatically. "Well, if any of you change your minds, you
let me know." With one last wistful look at him, she headed back into
the human and alien crowd that drifted through the packed bar.
      Adron shifted uncomfortably in his seat as a bone-deep pain shot
through his left leg. Clenching his teeth, he growled low in his throat. 
      One would think the amount of pain-killers he lived on when combined
with the alcohol would squelch any amount of ache. But it barely
numbed his physical torment.
      And it did nothing for the burning agony in his heart.
      "Damn it to hell," he snarled under his breath, then he threw his
head back and finished off his drink. 
      He grabbed a passing green-fleshed waitress and ordered two more
bottles. 
      As he waited for her to return, he saw another woman headed his way.
The fierce glare he narrowed on her, sent her scurrying away. 
      He was through playing around. Tonight he intended to get fully
flagged and he pitied the next fool stupid enough to approach him.
Unless they came bearing more alcohol.
      ###
      Livia typpa Vista had lived the whole of her life in protective
custody. More hostage than princess, she'd long grown weary of
everyone's dictates for her behavior, and at age twenty-six, she'd had
enough.
      She was not a child.
      And she was not going to marry Clypper Thoran in two weeks. Not even
if he were the last male in the universe!
      "You will do as you are told."
      She winced at her father's imperious command. High Eminence he might
be, but she, not her older brother, had inherited his stubbornness. No
matter the cost, she refused to marry a Territorial Governor sixteen
years her father's senior.
      Since Clypper had demanded a virgin for his bride, she knew a way to
thwart them both. 
      After tonight, she would be a virgin no more.
      Tomorrow, her father would kill her for it. But better to die than to
be married to a cruel, goat-faced ancient who groped her with cold
hands every time he got near her.
      "The Golden Crona." 
      As the cold rain poured over her, Livia stared at the sign above her
head. Her maid, Krista, had told her about the club. Inside it held
all manner of heroes and villains, and though she would rather
surrender her virginity to a hero, she honestly didn't care. So long
as he was passably attractive and gentle, he would be good enough for
the night.
      Gathering her courage, Livia opened the door and stopped dead in her
tracks.
      Never had she seen anything like it. A sea of aliens and humans
danced and bobbed through the smoky bar that smelled of sweat from
many species, and of cheap alcohol. The obnoxious music was so loud,
it made her ears throb.
      A big, orange reptilian male gave her a frown as she hesitated in the
doorway.
      "In or out," he snarled.
      She took a deep breath to fortify her courage. That, and she mentally
conjured an image of Clypper's fat jowls and beady, lust-filled eyes. 
      Shuddering, she stepped inside and let the door pulse close behind her.
      "Twenty-five credits," the reptile-man demanded.
      "Excuse me?"
      "Twenty-five credits. You pay or I toss you out on your ass."
      Livia arched a brow at him. It was on the tip of her tongue to put
him in his place, but then she remembered he had no idea who she was.
And she must keep it that way.
      If anyone learned she was a Vistan princess, she would be sent back
to the hotel where they were staying. 
      Not to mention the fact that her time was short. She had to find a
man before someone missed her and started a search.
      Pulling out the money she'd stolen from her brother, she paid the fee.
      "Okay," she whispered to herself as she surveyed the bar full of
people. "It's time to find him."
      She walked through the crowd and flinched as several unwashed humans
eyed her with interest.
      Livia quickly amended her list of qualifications to include a man who
bathed. 
      A tall, dark human male smiled at her, displaying a set of black teeth. 
      Okay, she would also add one who knew how to use a toothbrush.
      As she crossed the room, she saw a brunette at the bar who looked
like a hopeful prospect. She headed for him. But as soon as she drew
near, she froze.
      It was her father's personal runner.
      If she knew how to curse, she would definitely curse at her luck.
      Just don't let him see me.
      Falling back into the crowd, Livia kept an eye on him while trying to
scan the crowd for her target. Surely, there was someone here who could...
      A commotion in the entrance caught her attention. 
      Livia turned to look.
      Oh no! She panicked at the sight of her father's Royal Guard swarming
into the bar. Immediately, the gray glad soldiers began questioning
patrons as they spread out to cover as much of the bar as they could.
      She trembled. For them to be here in force and grim meant Krista had
volunteered her location and no doubt, her intent as well. Livia
groaned at the very thought.
      How could Krista betray her? Her maid had been so helpful in the
planning and execution of her escape. 
      But then for some unknown reason, Krista lived in fear of Livia's
father and one scowl from him would have easily caused her maid to
tell everything.
      Right down to the grittiest of details.
      Livia cringed at the thought of her father's reaction. But at least
Krista, unlike her, would be spared his outrage.
      Krista was protected by their laws. Only a male of her family could
punish her, and Krista had no living male relative.
      Livia was not so fortunate, and there was no telling what her father
would do to her for this. 
      Chastity was one of the highest virtues any woman could possess on
her world. In fact, men and women were only allowed to mix during
meals, chaste, royal functions, and when married couples performed
conjugal duties. For a woman to seek out a man not related to her was
strictly forbidden. 
      And punished severely.
      She shook the fear away. She'd known the consequences before she set
out. Either way, she was going to pay for her indiscretion, and if she
had to pay, then she was going to make sure she completed the deed.
      Clenching her teeth, Livia scanned the room for a hiding place. At
the back of the club were a line of booths. She headed for them.
      Unfortunately, all of them were occupied.
      Drat!
      "Hey, babe," a rough looking man asked her. "You want some company?"
      She considered it until he reached out and grabbed her arm. He pulled
her toward him, his hand biting fiercely into the flesh of her upper
arm. "C'mon," he said with a slick smile as he roughly ran his hand
though her wet hair, "what say you and me head to the back?"
      She jerked away from him before he hurt her anymore. "No, thanks."
      Stepping away, she saw the guards heading her way as they skimmed the
crowd. 
      Her heart hammering, she ran to the last booth and sat on the empty
bench before the guard saw her.
      "What the hell are you doing?"
      She shifted her gaze from the guard to the man who sat across from
her. Livia's breath caught in her throat.
      He was more than passable.
      In fact, she'd never in her life seen a man so incredibly handsome.
His features were sharp and aristocratically boned. His dark brown
eyebrows arched finely over the most piercingly blue eyes she'd ever
seen.       
      Dressed all in black, he had long, white blond hair tied back into a
neat queue. Clean-shaven and washed, he had an air of refinement and
power surrounding him.
      But his eyes were cold as he watched her. Guarded. 
      An aura of danger clung to him and by the set of his jaw, she could
tell he didn't want company. 
      He tugged at the black gloves over his hands as he eyed her with malice. 
      She should get up and leave, especially since he had a fierce scar
that ran across his cheekbone, to his hairline and then down along his
jaw. It looked like someone had intentionally carved it there, which
made her wonder just what kind of man he was. 
      What had he done to deserve such a wound?
      Biting her lip in indecision, she glanced back to the guard who was
steadily headed this way. 
      What should she do?
      Adron arched a brow at the woman who had yet to leave him.
      He was drunk, but not so drunk that he didn't realize the wet little
mouse sitting across from him didn't belong in this dive. He could
smell the innocence on her.
      And it turned his stomach. 
      Her dark brown hair was loose, spilling over her thin shoulders in
waves. 
      She had large, angelic eyes. Green eyes that had no past haunting
her. They were completely guileless and honest.
      A shiver ran over him. Who in this day and age had eyes like that?
And what right did she have looking at him with them?
      "I'm hiding from someone," she confided. "Do you mind?"
      "Hell, yes, I mind."
      Livia frowned at the stranger. His angry tone set her back, and if it
wasn't for the fact that one of the guards was scanning the booths,
she would have left.
      Think of something!
      The guard stopped two booths up and held out a holo-cube to the
aliens sitting in it. "Have you seen this woman?"
      Her plan in ruins, she only knew one way to thwart her father. She
got up from her seat and sat next to the stranger.
      He scowled at her.
      Before he could say anything, Livia leaned forward and kissed him.
      Adron sat in stunned silence as she placed her tightly closed lips
over his. It was the most chaste kiss a woman not related to him had
ever given him. 
      By the way she held his head in her hands, he could tell she thought
this was the way a kiss should be given.
      But worse than the innocence he tasted, he hadn't kissed a woman in
over five years and the feel of those plump, full lips on his was more
than his drunk mind could handle.
      And her smell...
      Lord, how he'd missed the sweet, intoxicating smell of a woman.
      Closing his eyes, he let go of the bottle, and cupped her face in his
hands as he took control of the situation. 
      Livia trembled as he opened her lips and slid his tongue into her
mouth. She'd seen people kiss like this in plays and reels, but no one
had ever dared such insolence with her before.
      She tasted the sweet, fragrant alcohol on his tongue, smelled the
warm, clean scent of him as he ran his hands over her back and held
her so gently that it made her quiver.
      He was definitely the one, she thought as her body burned from his
touch. This was the man she would give her virginity to. A man with
tormented blue eyes and a tender touch.
      A man who made her breathless and weak, and at the same time hot and
strangely powerful.
      In his arms, she truly felt as if she had control of her life. Her body. 
      And she liked it.
      Adron had never tasted anything better than her mouth. He felt her
inexperience as she hesitantly met his tongue with hers. And his body
roared to life with a long forgotten throbbing that demanded more than
just her lips.
      Oh God, it was heaven and he'd lived in hell for so long that he had
forgotten the taste and feel of it.
      "Excuse me," a man said as he stopped in front of them. "Have you
seen this—"
      Adron broke away from the kiss only long enough to pass a lethal
glare at the newcomer. "Go away or die."
      Fear flickered across the man's eyes. It was a look Adron was used to. 
      Without another word, the man left them.
      Adron returned to her lips.
      Livia moaned as he deepened his kiss. 
      The guards and her fear forgotten, she sighed in pleasure. Foreign
emotions tore through her as he buried his lips against her neck and
sent white-hot chills through her. His arms tightened around her waist
as her breasts swelled. 
      What was this deep seated throbbing she felt?
      This unbearable ache?
      He made her light-headed and breathless. And she wanted him desperately.
      "Would you make love to me?"
      Adron pulled back in surprise. Had he been sober, he would have sent
her away, but there was something about her that called out to him in
a way he'd long forgotten.
      It'd been an eternity since he last slept with a woman. Years of
bitter, aching loneliness and pain.
      And here she was offering herself to him. 
      Send her away. 
      But he didn't. Instead, he found himself getting up from the booth
and leading her through the crowd.
      Livia didn't know where they were going. In the back of her mind, she
was terrified. She didn't know anything about this man. 
      Not even his name.
      Never in her life had she done anything so foolish. And yet she
instinctively knew he wouldn't hurt her. 
      There was pain in his icy blue eyes, but not cruelty. 
      He kept a possessive arm draped over her. And he walked by leaning
heavily on a gold-tipped cane.
      She wanted to ask him what had happened to his face and leg, but
didn't dare lest it cause him to reconsider.
      He led her outside the club, to a transport. 
      After they got in, they rode three levels down to an upper scale
apartment building. 
      Livia relaxed a tiny bit as they entered the grand lobby. At least
she wouldn't be seduced in a dark, filthy back room somewhere.
      Krista had well prepped her on what to expect. Right down to an
estimation of how long a man would last before he let her go.
      Taking a deep breath for courage, Livia figured she would be back in
her hotel room by midnight. There would be questioning, and eventually
her father would learn the truth.
      God have mercy on her then. 
      But she had made her decision and once her mind was set on something,
that was it. She would not be swayed.  
      Without a word to each other, they took a lift to the top floor. 
      He led her into a flat that was almost the size of her palace
chambers. And as soon as he closed the door, he pulled her into his arms. 
      This time his kiss was fierce. Demanding. His kiss stole her breath
as he pressed her back against the wall.
      Her head swam at the powerful feel of his hands roaming over her.
      What are you doing?
      Shut-up, she shouted at her mind, squelching the guilt and fear. 
      It was her life and she was going to claim it.
      With that thought in mind, she started unbuttoning his shirt. 
      Adron sucked his breath in sharply at the feel of her hand against
his bare chest. Her touch singed him. He could only vaguely recall
someone other than doctors, nurses or therapists touching his flesh.
      To her credit, she didn't cringe or comment about the multitude of
scars that bisected his body. She didn't even seem to notice them.
      That was why he hadn't been with a woman since that long ago night.
He hadn't wanted to explain the scars. To recount where they had come
from.
      To have to face his lover in the early morning light.
      Perhaps that was why he'd chosen a stranger tonight. He owed her no
explanation. Owed her nothing at all.
      He didn't want to see pity or repugnance on a lover's face.
      But there was nothing in her pale green eyes except curiosity and hunger.
      Livia had never seen a man's bare chest before, at least nowhere
other than on reels. 
      Fascinated by it, she ran her hands over the smooth, tawny skin that
was stretched tight over hard, steely muscles. Like velvet over steel.
The contrast amazed her. 
      "You feel so wonderful," she breathed. 
      Adron pulled back to look at her. There was a strange note of awe in
her voice, a gentle hesitancy in her touch. And in that instant, a
feeling of dread consumed him. 
      He was drunk, but he wasn't that drunk. "You're a virgin."
      Her face turned bright red.
      "Shit!" he snarled as he stepped away from her. 
      His erection ached and his entire body burned. Leave it to him to
find the only virgin he was sure had ever set foot inside The Golden
Crona.
      Gripping his cane, he limped his way to his bar and poured another
drink. But the watered down alcohol did nothing for him. 
      Suddenly, she was behind him, leaning up against his back as her
slender arms surrounded his waist.
      He shook all over from the gesture, from the feel of her small
breasts against his spine. And in that moment, he needed her even more.
      "I want you to make love to me," she whispered in his ear.
      "Are you insane?" He turned to look at her.
      She shook her head. "I want to give my virginity away. I don't want
it taken from me."
      "Taken by whom?"
      She dropped her gaze. "Fine. If you don't want me, I'll go find
someone who does."
      A peculiar wave of jealousy stung him as he thought of someone else
inside her. 
      What do you care?
      And yet for some unknown, stupid reason, he did.
      He caught her hand as she moved away from him. "What's your name?"
      "Livia."
      "Livia," he repeated. It suited her and those guileless sea-green
eyes. "Why would you give yourself away so cheaply to someone like me?"
      Livia paused as she saw the self-deprecation in his icy eyes. He
hated himself. It was so obvious and she wondered why. "Because you
seem nice."
      He laughed bitterly at her answer. "Nice? I'm not nice. There's
nothing nice about me."
      That wasn't true. He had yet to be mean to her. He was hurting, she
knew that. And it made him snappish. 
      But it didn't make him cruel.
      "I need to go," she said quietly, regretting that he wouldn't be the
one after all. "There's not much time before I have to return, and I
have to take care of this by the morning."
      "Why?"
      Livia bit her lip as she felt her face flush again. In the morning,
she'd be inspected by Clypper's doctors.
      If she didn't find a man tonight, she was doomed.
      "I just do." She let her gaze wander over his lush body. He had broad
shoulders and a lean, firmly muscled frame. His white hair contrasted
sharply to the black he wore.
      He was gorgeous. 
      But he didn't want her.
      Adron saw the steely determination in her eyes. She was going to find
herself another man to sleep with her. He knew it. 
      He should let her and yet...
      Why not me?
      Ever since he'd lost his agility, he'd avoided women. He'd been
afraid of embarrassing himself with his stiff clumsiness. But she
would have no one to compare him to.
      Adron gripped his cane. He remembered a time when he could have
scooped her up in his arms and ran with her to his bed.
      But those days were lost to him forever. 
      "My bedroom is this way," he said, grabbing a bottle and heading down
the hallway.
      Livia quivered as she realized he was inviting her to join him. 
      Excited and terrified, she followed him down the elegant corridor and
into a room at the end of it. The master bedroom was every bit as
large as her own. A king-sized bed was set against the far wall,
looking out over the city below them. 
      He set his bottle down on the night stand, then moved to a chair by
the bed. His face hard, he sat down slowly. 
      She saw the pain on his face as he bent his leg and moved to take off
his boots.
      She wanted to know what had happened to him, but didn't dare ask for
fear of making him angry.
      So, she went to him and took his foot in her hand.
      He looked up at her, his eyes startled as she pulled the boot free.
      "You know, I've never done anything like this," she whispered.
      "Seeing that you're a virgin, I would think not."
      Licking her lips, she removed his other boot. 
      Adron could feel her nervousness, her uncertainty, and he wanted to
soothe her. "I won't hurt you," he assured her.
      She smiled a smile that wrenched his gut. How he wished he'd met her
before that fateful night. Then, he could have been the lover she
deserved. He would have been able to take her all night. Slowly.
Teasingly.
      He had no idea what he'd be like now. But he would try to pleasure
her. Do his damnedest to make sure her first time was a favorable
memory.  
      His groin tight, he pushed himself up and moved to the bed. 
      Before he knew what she intended, she sat in his lap and kissed him. 
      Adron inhaled the sweetness of her breath as he ran his hands over
her back. He'd never expected a virgin to be so bold. And she was a
quick learner. She deepened her kiss and teased his tongue with hers.
      Oh yeah, this could be fun. 
      He unbuttoned her shirt to expose her small corslet. She moaned as he
ran his hand over the satin covered breasts and squeezed them gently
in his hands. 
      Livia shook all over at the foreign throb between her legs. And when
he released the catch behind her back and her corslet fell open, she
shivered. No man had ever seen her naked before.
      He stared at her bare breasts as he ran his hands over the taut
peaks. He traced slow, simmering circles around her, sending chills
all over her body.
      "You are so beautiful," he breathed. Then, he dipped his head down
and took her breast into his mouth.
      Livia hissed in pleasure as his tongue swirled around her flesh,
teasing, licking. 
      Never had she felt anything like it. 
      She leaned forward, cradling his head in her hands. Her body was on
fire. He trailed his hands over her back, down her hips and when he
touched her between her legs she groaned.
      He looked up at her, his eyes dazed and hungry as he breathed raggedly.
      He rolled her over, onto the mattress, and turned the lights off. She
heard him remove the rest of his clothes in the darkness, but she
couldn't see anything at all. 
      Adron ached to see her naked, but he didn't want any light for her to
see his damaged body. 
      His groin hot and throbbing for her, he unfastened the stiff, prickly
brace on his left leg and let it fall to the floor. Next, he removed
the one on his hand.
      Then, slowly, carefully, he pulled her clothes from her.
      He ran his hand over her smooth, hot skin, delighting in her murmurs
of pleasure. He'd never taken a virgin before and the knowledge that
he was her first lover added even more excitement to the moment.
      No man had ever touched her.
      No one but him.
      Even with his wings broken and clipped, he soared at that knowledge.
      Livia moaned as he covered her with his long, hot body. She'd never
felt anything like all that lean, hard strength spread out evenly
against her bare flesh.
      He kissed her fiercely as he separated her thighs with his knee.
Then, he pressed his thigh against the center of her body, the hairs
on his leg teasing her intimately.
      She ran her hand over his back, feeling the rugged terrain of scars,
muscle and skin.
      "My name is Adron," he breathed in her ear a second before he traced
the outline of her ear with his tongue.
      "Adron," she repeated, testing the syllables. It was a strong name
that suited him.
      He stroked her with his thigh, his tongue and his hands. Arching her
back, Livia welcomed his touch. It was so wickedly erotic to feel him
all over and yet see nothing of him. It was like a dream. A midnight
fantasy.
      Reaching up, she freed his hair and let it fall around his face, then
she buried her hands in the silken strands of it. He leaned down and
placed his lips in the crook of her arm where he suckled her flesh.
      Adron swallowed as he pulled back, wanting desperately to see her
face. Instead, he lifted his hand to trace the contours of it. He
could feel the tiny cleft in her chin, imagine the small oval face
overwhelmed by large green eyes that tugged at a heart he had thought
was dead.
      She was breathtaking. And for tonight, she was his.
      All his.
      Closing his eyes, he moved himself down her body, then cursed as a
wave of fierce pain lanced up his leg and across his back.
      She tensed beneath him. "What's wrong?"
      Adron couldn't answer. The pain in his leg was so intense that it
instantly quelled his desire. 
      He rolled over onto his back and struggled to breathe.
      "Adron?"
      The concern in her voice ate at him. 
      "My leg," he said between clenched teeth. "I need the pain-killers on
my night stand."
      "Which leg?"
      "Dammit, get my medicine."
      "Which leg!" she insisted.
      "The left one."
      Livia took his knee into her hands.
      Adron cursed as more pain tore through him. "Stop!" he snarled. 
      "Sh," she said peacefully as she massaged the joint.
      A strange warmth came from her hands, seeping into his skin. Adron
frowned as the ache diminished. 
      Then suddenly, it was gone entirely. 
      For a full minute, he laid there, tense, waiting for it to return.
      It didn't.
      In fact, nothing hurt. Not his chest, not his arm, not his knee.
Nothing. 
      "What did you do?"
      "It's only temporary," she whispered. "But for a few hours, it won't
bother you at all."
      Adron couldn't believe it. He'd learned to live in a state of
constant, unrelenting pain. Physical agony so severe that he couldn't
sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time.
      Until now.
      The absence of it was unbelievable. His heart swelled with joy. He
was free. Even if it was only temporary, he still had a moment to
remember what he'd been like before his body had been cruelly,
vengefully taken from him.
      And it was all because of her.
      He pulled her into his arms and kissed her precious lips. 
      Livia felt his heart pounding under her hand and she heard the
laughter in his voice. "Thank you."
      She smiled. Until he moved down her body with his kisses. Livia
moaned as fierce pleasure tore through her. His hands and mouth felt
incredible against her bare skin. 
      This was so much more than she had expected. Krista had told her that
a man who didn't know her would be quick with the deed, then let her
leave. 
      But Adron was taking his time. He seemed to actually savor her.
      It was as if he was really making love to her. And she wondered if he
was this tender with a stranger how much more so would he be if they
actually knew each other?
      But tonight was all they would ever know. When it was over she would
leave him, and this moment would be nothing more than a treasured
memory she would carry with her the rest of her life.
      Tonight, there was just the two of them.
      And she would revel in it.
      Adron drank in the smell and taste of her skin as he nibbled the bare
flesh of her hip. The taste of her was addictive, and her smell...
      He could breathe in the sweet floral scent forever.
      Her soft hands caressed his hair and neck in a way that made him
burn. He'd never thought to have another night like this.
      A night with no demons. No memories.
      She engulfed him and he gladly surrendered himself to her. 
      She was his angel of mercy, delivering him from his sins. Delivering
him from his loneliness and solitude. He would treasure this peaceful
moment for the rest of his life. It would warm him and keep him
company when his body returned to being hateful. 
      His heart tender for her, he spread her legs and placed his body
between them.
      Livia bit her lip, expecting him to enter her. He didn't. Instead, he
kissed a small path down her thigh while he buried his hand at the
center of her body.
      She hissed from the pleasure of his touch. It was sweet, pure bliss.
And he took his time circling her with his fingers, delving, stroking,
caressing. 
      "That's it," he breathed against her leg as she rubbed herself
against his hand. "Don't be embarrassed."
      She should be and yet she wasn't.
      At least not until he took her into his mouth.
      Blind ecstasy ripped her asunder. "Adron?" she asked, her voice husky
and strange. "Are you supposed to do that?"
      He gave her one long, deep lick. "Does it feel good?"
      "Oh, yes."
      "Then I'm supposed to be doing it." Without another word, he returned
his mouth to her. 
      Livia writhed in his arms as his tongue tormented her. And when he
slid his finger inside her, she thought she would perish from the
pleasure.
      Krista had told her to expect pain, but there was nothing painful in
his touch. Nothing but heaven.
      She threw her head back as he swirled his finger inside her, around
and around, matching the rhythm of his tongue. Assaulted by fierce,
fiery sensations, Livia felt her body quiver and jerk as if it had a
mind of its own. 
      Her ecstasy mounted until she could stand no more and then just as
she was ready to beg him to stop, her body ripped apart.
      Livia screamed out as her release came hard and fast.
      Still he toyed with her. His finger and tongue pleasured her until
the sensitive flesh couldn't bear his touch any longer.
      "Please," she cried. "Please, have mercy on me."
      Adron laughed at her tone, and was amazed at the sound. He couldn't
remember the last time he'd laughed.
      He pulled back, but kept his finger inside her for a moment longer.
He could feel her maidenhead still intact. His body burned, demanding
he take her. But he couldn't do that. They hadn't done any real damage
to her yet.
      Once he broke that barrier, there would be no going back. No second
chances. 
      It would be like when he decided to...
      He flinched at the memory. His life had been completely ruined by one
impulsive act. He wouldn't let her ruin hers the same way. 
      She was kind and gentle. A pure heart in a world of corrupt ones.
      He wouldn't spoil that.
      Closing his eyes, he was mystified by what he felt for her. At the
fact that he was able to pull himself back and reign in his
treacherous body.
      It had been years since he'd done anything noble. Years since he'd
wanted to do anything noble.
      He reached down for the blanket and covered her with it.
      Livia paused as he spooned up to her back and held her close. She
reveled in the feel of his arms around her, but he didn't seem to be
making any move to...
      "Adron?"
      "Yes?"
      "We're not through, are we?"      
      He rubbed his cheek against her shoulder. "I gave you your pleasure,
Livia. What more do you want?"
      She turned to look at him, but in the darkness all she could see was
the vaguest of outlines of his face. "But you didn't... You know."
      "I know."
      "Why?"
      "Livia, don't you think you should wait until you find someone you
care about?"
      "I care about you."
      Adron snorted. "You don't even know me."
      She turned in his arms and reached up to place her hand against his
cheek. "You're right, I don't know you. And yet I've already shared my
body with you. I want you to finish."
      He pulled away from her. "Livia—"
      "Adron. If you don't, then I will be forced into marriage with a man
older than my father. I don't want him to touch me the way you have.
Please help me."
      Her words tore through him. An image of Lia flashed through his mind.
He'd been forced by Andarion custom to marry her. And she had shown
him a whole new meaning to the word hell.
      Livia skimmed her hand over his chest, down across his stomach. His
gut contracting fiercely at her touch, Adron felt her nails brushing
at the hairs between his legs until she held him in her hand.
      His groin tightened and swelled even more. In that instant, he knew
he was lost. 
      And when she kissed him, his entire world came undone.
      Livia was unprepared for his reaction. He growled low in his throat
and rolled her over, pinning her against the mattress.
      He was wild and untamed as he kissed her lips, then buried his face
against her neck where he licked and teased her flesh, burning her all
over.
      He reached down between them, stroking her until she lost all reason,
all sanity.
      Then, he spread her legs wider. She felt the tip of his manhood
against her core. 
      In a sweet gesture, he took her hand in his and held it above her
head. He kissed her lightly on the lips, then slid himself deep inside
her.
      As he filled her, she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out at
the unexpected pain that intruded on her pleasure. He was so large
that her body ached at the foreign feel of him.
      But at least it was done. 
      She was a virgin no more.
      Adron held himself perfectly still, waiting for her body to adjust to
his. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her, but by the fierce grip
she had on his hand, he knew what she was hiding.
      He also knew better than anyone that a person couldn't feel pleasure
and pain at the same time.
      And he refused to hurt her tonight.
      Reluctantly, he let go of her hand and raised himself up on  his arms
to look down at her. He was used to the darkness. So much so that he
saw her eyes tightly shut. 
      "Don't be afraid," he whispered, then he skimmed his hand down her
body until he touched her between her legs.
      Livia sighed as his hand stroked her nub. The pain receded behind a
wave of building delight. 
      "That's it," he said. Then, he slowly started to rock his hips
against hers.
      Livia arched her back as the pain was washed away by his hot touch.
He felt so good inside her and every stroke seemed to reach deeper as
she clung to his broad, muscular shoulders. She'd never imagined it
could feel so wonderful.
      Adron watched her face as she surrendered herself to him. He ground
his teeth at the incredible feel of her. She was so wet and hot
beneath and around him. He had forgotten the pleasure to be had in a
woman's arms.
      Had forgotten the incredible feel of someone just holding him in the
darkness.
      He lowered himself and took her into his arms where he cradled her
head in his hands. Her breath fell against his bare shoulder, burning
him. 
      She turned her head to kiss his neck as she ran her hands over his back. 
      He growled, scalded by the bliss of it.
      Livia wrapped her legs around his lean waist. He held her so tenderly
that it touched her deep inside her heart. Krista had told her he
would use her without any feelings for her whatsoever. 
      But it didn't feel like that.
      Not the way he held onto her like he was afraid of letting her go. 
      He returned to her lips and she moaned at the taste of his tongue. He
stroked her faster. Deeper. Harder.
      Livia held him close as her pleasure started building again. Oh
goodness, what was it about him that she would feel like this?
      And this time when her release came, he joined her.
      He growled low in his throat as he delivered one last, deep stroke,
and shuddered in her arms.  
      Adron collapsed on top of her. 
      Completely spent, he laid there, holding her as he waited to drift
back down from heaven and into his body. 
      So much for meaningless sex. There had been absolutely nothing
meaningless about what they had just shared.
      And what terrified him most was the fact that he didn't want her to
leave. 
      He didn't want to return to the vacant emptiness of his life. He'd
been alone for so long. Had lived without anyone other than servants
and family.
      But she had changed that.
      He didn't want to go back.
      "That was amazing," she breathed against his ear. "Can we do it again?"
      He laughed, and was shocked to feel his body already stirring. "Yes,
we can." 
      In fact, he wasn't going to stop until she again begged him for mercy.
      
 Chapter 2


      Adron came awake slowly to the most incredible feeling he'd ever known. 
      
      Livia by his side. 
      
      She lay nestled in his arms, facing away from him. He wasn't sure
what time they had finally fallen asleep. All he knew was that he'd
never experienced such peace. Such warmth.
      
      And there was no pain. Neither physical nor mental. 
      
      Reveling in the moment, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled
the fresh, sweet scent of her. 
      
      His body stirred immediately. 
      
      How? 
      
      After the night they had shared, he should be sated for days to come
and yet there he was craving her in a way that was almost inhuman. He
didn't understand it.
      
      He pulled away to kiss her shoulder, then he froze as he saw her skin
in the faint morning light. 
      
      Frowning, he ran his hand over her bare shoulder and the scars that
marred her back.
      
      She'd been beaten. Severely by the looks of it. 
      
      Was she a runaway slave?
      
      She sighed contentedly and snuggled against him. Adron forgot the
scars as her buttocks collided with his erection.
      
      He tightened his arms around her while he nudged her legs apart with
his thigh. God help him, but he wanted more of her.
      
      Livia came awake to the sensation of Adron behind her, filling her
again. "Oh my goodness," she breathed as he thrusted himself deep and
hard into her body. 
      
      Biting her lip, she hissed in pleasure. 
      
      "Don't you ever get tired?" she asked with a hint of laughter in her
voice.
      
      "Not of you, I don't."
      
      She smiled at that. No one had ever made her feel so treasured. And
she had to admit, a woman could get used to waking up like this. 
      
      Closing her eyes to savor his long, luscious strokes, she surrendered
herself to him.
      
      She came an instant before he did.
      
      Livia rolled over to see a gentle smile on his face as he stared at her. 
      
      "Thank you," he said. "For everything."
      
      She returned his smile. "Thank you." She placed her lips against his.
      
      Adron's senses swirled as he cupped her head in his hand. He was
definitely going to keep her in his bed for the rest of the day.
      
      "Adron, you're not going to believe—" His father's voice broke off
the instant his bedroom door swung open.
      
      Gaping at them lying entwined, his father froze. 
      
      Then, all hell was unleashed. 
      
      Livia dove beneath the covers at the same time a fetid curse rang out.
      
      Adron looked from her cowering under the covers to the six men
surrounding his father. Two of them wore royal Vistan robes, marking
them as an Emperor and his heir. The other four wore the dark gray
uniform of Imperial Bodyguards.       
      
      "I told you it was true!" the elder Vistan snarled. His dark brown
eyes were filled with hatred as he tilted his head to look up at
Adron's father. At six foot six, and a former League Assassin, his
father wasn't the kind of man you addressed in anything except the
most reverent of tones.
      
      Not unless you wanted to die, anyway.
      
      "The informant was correct when he said your son left with her." 
      
      Adron arched a brow at the contemptuous sneer on the man's face. And
it was then he realized the Vistan Emperor had hair the same color and
hue as the woman cowering in his bed. And as he scanned the younger
Vistan, he saw further confirmation of who Livia really was.
      
      Shit! 
      
      "You whore!" the younger man said as he threw the covers back and
grabbed Livia.
      
      Adron removed his hand from her arm and shoved him back. "She didn't
do anything wrong." 
      
      Oblivious to his nudity, Adron left the bed. "You touch her and I'll
tear your heart out."
      
      Rage descended on her brother's face, but Adron saw the fear in the
man's eyes as he took in Adron's height, build and vicious scars.
      
      Her father, however, wasn't so easily intimidated. "Take her," he
said to his guards.
      
      Livia hung her head as she wrapped the sheet around herself. The
guards lifted her from the bed and took her to stand before her father.
      
      Adron ached at the frightened look on her face.
      
      Her father raked her with a scathing glare. "Modesty isn't becoming
of a whore who spreads her legs for a man she meets in a filthy bar." 
      
      Before Adron knew what he was doing, her father yanked the sheet from
her body. 
      
      "Take her outside and beat her."
      
      "Damn you to hell," Adron growled as he grabbed the first guard and
shoved him away from Livia. 
      
      He pulled her behind him and retrieved the sheet from the floor, then
wrapped it around both of them. Livia stood so close to his back that
he could feel her trembling.
      
      And it made him even angrier.      
      
      If her father wanted a fight, he was ready to give him one. No one
would hurt her for what she'd done. Not unless they wanted a taste of
him first. 
      
      "Boy," her father snarled. "This is no concern of yours. You've done
enough damage."
      
      Her father took a step forward. 
      
      "Whatever concerns my wife, concerns me."
      
      Livia froze as soon as the words left Adron's lips. Last night, she'd
had no idea that he was the Andarion heir. But Emperor Nykyrian
Quiakides she knew. They had been introduced a few days ago when she
and her family had arrived. 
      
      Indeed, it was business with Adron's father that had them on Kirovar
to begin with.
      
      Now that the two men were together, she saw the similarities between
father and son. Nykyrian had the same white-blonde hair, the same
firm, sculpted jaw. They also shared an identical height and build.
      
      "Is this true?" her father demanded angrily. "Are you his wife?"
      
      Livia swallowed. If she said yes, Andarion law would recognize them
as married. 
      
      "Adron," his father said sternly. "Do you understand what you're doing."
      
      Adron turned to face her. He tilted her chin until she looked up into
his icy blue eyes. "It's entirely up to you."
      
      Aghast at his offer, she stared at him. She'd never known a man so
honorable. He could have left her to her father's wrath and yet here
he was offering her sanctuary.
      
      "Are you sure about this?" she whispered.
      
      "No," he said with a hint of a smile. "But then, I've never been sure
about much of anything in my life."
      
      She looked to her father's angry face, and her brother's. If she went
home, they would have her beaten until she passed out. But if she
stayed....
      
      She had no idea what that would be like.
      
      The known or the unknown. 
      
      "Take her," her father ordered. 
      
      Adron put himself between them. 
      
      "Nykyrian, tell your son to step aside. He is interfering with royal
Vistan business."
      
      For the first time, Livia noticed the deep, angry scars bisecting
Adron's body. His back was completely covered by them. It looked as if
someone had once carved him into pieces.  
      
      Then, her gaze fell to the dragon and dagger tattoo on his left
shoulder that marked him as a League Assassin.
      
      She trembled. She knew absolutely nothing about him.
      
      Nothing except for the kindness of his touch. Nothing except for the
way he had made her feel when he kissed her. The way he made her feel
wanted. Safe.
      
      And in that instant, she made up her mind. 
      
      "What happens to me is the business of my husband," she said quietly. 
      
      Her father's face turned to stone. "Then your ties to our house are
severed." He glanced at her brother. "Come, Prinam."
      
      Her brother's features softened a degree before he caught himself.
Without a word, he followed her father from the room.
      
      Nykyrian stepped forward with an amused light in his green eyes.
"Some things must run in our blood."
      
      Adron frowned. "I beg your pardon?"
      
      "Ask your mother one day how we ended up married." He looked to
Livia. "In the meantime, welcome to our family, Highness."
      
      Adron's frown deepened as he regarded his father suspiciously.
"You're being awfully understanding about all this. Should I be afraid?"
      
      Nykyrian laughed. "Probably. I hope this means you'll rejoin the
world again. We've missed you."
      
      A tick started in Adron's jaw.
      
      His father's face was kind and not the least bit judgmental as he
smiled at Livia. "You know, you'll have to bring her to the palace to
meet the rest of your wayward siblings."
      
      "And Mom?"
      
      He nodded.
      
      Something strange flickered across Adron's features. Something Livia
couldn't define, but it looked as if Adron wanted to avoid his mother.
"When?"
      
      "Tonight."
      
      "Will Jayce be there?" Adron asked.
      
      "He is your brother."
      
      Hatred flared in Adron's eyes. "He's your son. He ceased to be my
brother the day he refused to uphold the League's Code."
      
      Nykyrian sighed, then looked to Livia. "I hope you know what you've
gotten yourself into."
      
      The bad thing was, she didn't. 
      
      Nykyrian left them.
      
      Now that they were alone, the reality of what she'd done came
crashing down on her. 
      
      She was married.
      
      To a stranger.
      
      "Well, isn't this interesting," Adron said, turning to face her. "I
don't know about you, but when I went to The Golden Crona last night,
I never intended to find a spouse."
      
      She laughed. "Since I was there to avoid one, I can honestly say that
never crossed my mind either."
      
      He cupped her face in his hands, and smiled a warm, dimpled smile at
her. And when he kissed her, she quivered at the tenderness of his lips. 
      
      "God, you taste so good," he said as he nibbled the corner of her
mouth. "I could kiss you forever."
      
      Desire stabbed her at his words. "You're not so bad yourself," she said.
      
      He laughed, then scooped her up in his arms. 
      
      Livia gasped at the unexpected feel of his strong arms surrounding
her. But as he reached the bed, he staggered.
      
      Agony contorted his face as he let go of her and fell to his knees.
      
      "Adron?" she asked, kneeling beside him. 
      
      She could tell by his face that he hurt too much to speak. "Here,"
she said, "lie on the floor."
      
      She helped him to lie down, then she took his knee in her hand. Livia
did her best to summon her powers, but they refused to come.
      
      No! 
      
      Adron held his hand to his head as if something vile was being
plunged into his brain. He writhed in misery and she ached that she
couldn't help him.
      
      Her heart hammering, she rushed to the night stand.
      
      "The injector," he snarled from the floor. "There's a bottle for it
in the drawer."
      
      Livia found them and took them to him.
      
      He placed the bottle in the injector, then held it against his
stomach and pulled the trigger. Sweat drenched his body as he shook
all over.
      
      Livia covered him with the blanket and then held his head in her lap. 
      
      Adron tried not to fight the pain. It hurt less when he did and yet
it ripped through him with such a torturous fury that it left him
weak. Drained.
      
      He stared up at Livia as she brushed her hand through his hair and
held him close.
      
      He'd never before allowed anyone near him when he was like this. Not
when he had a choice about it, anyway. But there was something about
her that soothed his tattered spirit.
      
      Better still, he didn't see contempt or pity on her face. A peaceful
calm stared at him from her green eyes.
      
      After a few minutes, his pain ebbed enough to where he could move again. 
      
      He sat up slowly, carefully, but it felt as if every muscle in his
body had been shredded again. He started to push himself to his feet.
      
      She moved to help him. 
      
      "Don't," he said with more rancor than he meant. "I can stand on my own."
      
      She took his angry tone in stride. "Can I get you anything?"
      
      "A bottle of alcohol." He laid back down on the bed.
      
      "Adron, it's morning. Shouldn't you eat something?"
      
      He glared the glare that had never failed to send his family
scurrying away from him. "Get me something to drink."
      
      She got dressed, then returned a few minutes later with a glass of milk.
      
      "Dammit, Livia! I'm not a child."
      
      "Then stop acting like one."
      
      Before he could answer, the door chime sounded. 
      
      "Should I answer it?" she asked.
      
      "I don't give a damn what you do."
      
      Livia sighed at his hostile tone as he shifted slightly in the bed,
then grimaced.
      
      She went to the door and opened it to find a tall, attractive
brunette barely dressed. The short, red halter was scooped low and the
black tight leather skirt would have given Livia's parents the vapors.
      
      The woman removed her sunglasses to where Livia could see the red
irises and white pupils that marked the woman as a full-blooded Andarion. 
      
      "You must be Livia," she said cheerfully. "I'm Zarina."
      
      Livia cocked a brow at her.
      
      "Adron's sister," she added. "Dad just old me about the marriage and
I had to come meet you."
      
      Unsure what to make of his unconventional sister, Livia let her in.
      
      "You're really cute," Zarina said as she stepped inside and dropped
her bag on Adron's couch. "But I wouldn't have pegged you for his type."
      
      "Excuse me?"
      
      "Adron always had a thing for long-legged blondes with the depth of a
piece of paper. You look like you actually have both a brain and a soul."
      
      Livia arched a brow at her words. "Should I be offended?"
      
      Zarina laughed. "Please don't be. The only people I ever
intentionally offend are my brothers. And speaking of, where's Big Bad
Angry One? Dad said he was actually up and walking around without his
cane."
      
      Before Livia could answer, a loud crash sounded in the bedroom. She
ran back to Adron with Zarina one step behind her.
      
      As soon as they entered the room, she saw him leaning with one hand
braced against the night stand. Livia gasped at the sight of blood
covering him and every time he coughed, more blood came up.
      
      "Oh, God," Zarina gasped, running to a communicator.
      
      Terrified, Livia went to her husband. 
      
      He opened his mouth to speak, but only coughed up more blood. His
entire body shaking, he fell back against the bed where he writhed in
agony.
      
      When she tried to touch him, he pushed her away.
      
      "A med tech unit is on its way," Zarina said the instant she rejoined
them. 
      
      Livia locked gazes with Adron. She saw the torment and the shame in
his eyes. He was embarrassed. 
      
      But for her life, she couldn't imagine why.
      
      "He needs his clothes," she said to Zarina over his shoulder.   
      
      By the time they'd wiped the blood from him and dressed him, the med
tech team had arrived. 
      
      "I need to call our parents," Zarina said, leaving Livia to watch as
the team worked on her husband.
      
      They inserted a tube down Adron's throat and gave him another
injection while they started an IV. He just laid there and his calm
acceptance of their actions told her he was well used to things like
this. 
      
      Dear Lord, what had happened to him?
      
      Could it be because of what they'd done? Could having sex with him
kill him?
      
      The thought horrified her.
      
      As the air Gurney went passed, Adron gave her a tired, sheepish look,
then turned away from her.
      
      "C'mon," Zarina said from the doorway. "I'll give you a ride to the
hospital."        
      
      Livia followed her to a transport and got inside. "What happened to him?"
      
      Zarina winced as if the memory was too painful to even contemplate.
"Five years ago, Adron was the League Assassin who was assigned to
terminate Kyr Omaindon."
      
      Livia knew the name well. Kyr's blood-thirsty cruelty was the stuff
of nightmares. He'd blazed a two year trail of rape and slaughter
through the Brimen sector.
      
      Zarina raked a graceful hand through her hair. "When Adron entered
Kyr's home to execute him, Kyr grabbed one of his servants and locked
himself inside his study. The woman was pregnant, and Adron blamed
himself for letting her get taken."
      
      Livia remembered the famous stand-off. There had been hours of media
coverage. And it had ended when one of the League Assassins had
allowed his hands to be cuffed behind his back, and then traded for
the pregnant woman.
      
      Now she knew the name and face of that assassin. 
      
      Worse, she knew his gentle touch.
      
      Zarina drove through the crowded sectors. "Kyr decided to make an
example of Adron. He wanted to insure that the League thought twice
about sending another assassin after him. So, he tortured Adron for
days, then carved him up like a roast. A week after Adron vanished, my
brother Jayce found him barely alive inside a dumpster."
      
      Livia blinked away the tears in her eyes as she imagined what it must
have been like for Jayce to find his brother in such a condition. "Why
does Adron hate Jayce?"
      
      "Because, according to League Code, when an assassin finds another
assassin who has been permanently maimed or disfigured, he's supposed
to terminate him. The idea is to die with honor and dignity."
      
      Livia cleared her throat as she ached for her husband and his family.
"Jayce couldn't do it."  
      
      "No, he couldn't. The two of them were too close. Plus, Jayce would
never have been able to face the rest of us if he had killed him, or
let him die." 
      
      Zarina sighed. "I wish you could have seen Adron back then. He was
something else." She smiled. "He was always rushing around at warp
speed, joking, laughing. Now, there are days when he can't even leave
his bed for the pain."
      
      Livia remembered catching a glimpse of that playful Adron last night.
"What happened to Kyr?"
      
      "My father tore him to pieces."
      
      Livia had never condoned violence of any sort, but after seeing Adron
and the constant pain he lived in, she understood his father's reaction. 
      
      Now, she just wanted to make it better for him.
      
      She just didn't know how.