Lycan Prince (Lycan Legend Book 1)

‘A blasted contest! He has finally lost his mind.’

‘The king only wants to help you find your soul mate. He knows your time to mate has come.’

Vasilis shot his chief guard a menacing look. ‘I don’t question his motives. It’s his methods I doubt.’ He growled as another wave of anger shot through him. ‘Having women throughout the land compete for my hand in marriage is not what I had in mind when the time came for me to choose a bride.’

‘Your Highness, you also need to start thinking of an heir.’

Vasilis grimaced and took another swig of ale. ‘I have avoided silver for two hundred years, my friend. I can do it for another two hundred. Right now, I have bigger things to worry about like that damn contest.’

‘Running away is not the answer.’

Vasilis shot him a glare, his dark gaze narrowing with a silent warning. ‘Know your place, Malek.’ Almost immediately, guilt dampened his ire. Malek was not only his chief guard, he was also his trusted friend for over two hundred years.

‘I haven’t run away,’ Vasilis said. ‘Look around you. I have twenty guards with me at this camp. Our caravan got the royal send off when we left. If I ran away, I wouldn’t have surrounded myself with a fleet of Lycan warriors.’

‘You know your father would have never allowed you to take this trip alone. Your safety is his primary concern. As for the contest, His Highness knows the kind of woman who will make you happy. That is why the contest he devised will crown the woman with all the qualities you seek in a mate.’

Vasilis shot Malek a dark frown. ‘Have you seen the royal parchment, my friend? He planned an event where the women must hit a target with a bow and arrow more than two hundred paces away. And what of the hand to hand combat he devised for the remaining competitors? I won’t be surprised if these women get hurt.’

‘The king wants the perfect human woman for you,’ Malek said. ‘The woman you marry may not choose to turn, therefore she must rely on her human strength and skills to defend herself.’

‘Be that as it may, this Amazon my father perceives as my soul mate does not exist, my loyal friend.’ Vasilis leaned back against the boulder and looked up into the night sky, releasing a heavy sigh. ‘Let us have some more ale and forget that damn contest for now.’

Vasilis took a swig of ale, feeling a stir in his loins. Dammit. His sexual appetite was increasing and he began to wonder if his father was right, that his time to mate was here. Vasilis grimaced. No, he couldn’t believe there was one woman to sate his appetite, one woman for all eternity.

He had been with three women on their last stop a few days ago and they hadn’t been able to sate his lust. He wondered how far into the next village they would be before he could relieve himself of his damn tension.

He leaned back on the boulder and stared up at the nearly full moon, his mouth thinning. Vasilis knew what he had to do. Upon his return home, he was going to tell his father to cancel the contest.

As for his mounting, insatiable lust, he would have to make do with the temporary relief he found from his willing bed mates.

If there was one thing Vasilis knew, it was women. They were predictable, weak and needed a man in their lives to protect them.

* * * *

Alexandra kneed the bandit in the groin and reached into the waistband of her trousers for her dagger. She heard her little sister scream from behind the boulder where she hid. The bandit groaned and doubled over in pain as she plunged her dagger deep into his back.

‘Ariel!’ she yelled hoarsely, exhausted from having defeated two out of the four bandits who had swarmed into their meagre campsite some fifteen minutes earlier.

‘Alex, help me! There’s a bad man here!’

Alexandra’s fear rose, her heart tight in her breast as she fought the third bandit. ‘Bastard! You’ll die a painful death if you harm one hair on her head,’ she yelled over her shoulder.

The third bandit punched her in the face and pain exploded on her jaw as she went flying to the ground. She grimaced and swiped a leg at the back of his ankles, tumbling him to the ground. She sprung onto his stunned body and thrust the dagger deep into his gut.

Alexandra felt no remorse. These bandits had only one thing on their minds, to kill and rob them. That was the way in these parts of the mountains, the reason no one travelled here.

But Alexandra hadn’t had much of a choice. It was the shortest route to King Drago’s kingdom and she had to win the royal contest. Her little sister’s life depended on it.

Alexandra killed the fourth and final bandit with a sharp arrow shot straight through his heart. Ariel cried as she ran into her sister’s outstretched arms and Alexandra moved her hands quickly over her little body, checking for wounds. There were none and she thanked the gods above. She gathered her six-year-old sister into her arms and hugged her tight.

‘I’m sorry I brought you here, but it’s the shortest route.’

Ariel nodded numbly as she wiped her tears with a little fist. ‘I knew you would save me.’

Alexandra kissed her on the forehead. ‘You know why we have to go to the royal kingdom.’

‘Yes. You’re going to win the Royal Contest, marry the prince and have enough gold to find the best healer to make me better.’

Alexandra tried to smile as she looked at the shadows under Ariel’s eyes. ‘That’s right and you’re going to grow up big and strong and get married to a nice man and have a wonderful life.’

Ariel nodded.

Alexandra could see she was fighting fresh tears. ‘What’s wrong? The danger’s passed.’

Ariel’s mouth quivered. ‘I was scared the bad men were going to kill you and I would be all alone.’

Alexandra sat on the gravel and gathered her frail, little sister onto her lap. ‘Come here,’ she said gently. ‘Remember one thing. I am never going to leave you. I’m always going to protect you and take care of you.’

First, she had to get them out of bandit area. She defeated four men, but what if there were more? More men than she was able to fight off? Worse, she kept thinking about the Lycans hiding in the mountains, eight-foot tall beasts with jowls and fangs who could rip a human in two. She’d never seen one and prayed they were a myth. She could fight off four bandits, but she doubted she was strong enough to fight a monster.

Even warrior women had their limits.

* * * *

‘This is bandit area, Your Highness. We have to take another route,’ Malek explained calmly.

‘We have no danger from humans.’

‘Humans carry silver, Your Highness. If we take another route and don’t stop at the next two villages, we will make it back in time. We are already behind schedule.’

‘The men will be tired. No. We will go through this territory and make it back home within the week.’

‘Very well, Your Highness. I will prepare the men.’

Vasilis flicked his reins, signalling his white steed to pick up pace. He knew what his friend was thinking and knew Malek would never voice his thoughts out loud. His loyalty and respect were without question.

They were behind schedule because of those three wenches Vasilis couldn’t part with in the last village. In this case, he’d needed two extra days, delaying their arrival back home.

Vasilis heard Malek issuing orders to the guards.

‘We are going through bandit area. Keep your guard up. Our kind in these parts come disguised in their human form. They may appear as beggars, bandits, strays, but they are dangerous. They all carry silver.’

They rode in silence until Ortega traveled back from the head of the caravan and yelled, ‘I see something up ahead. Halt.’

The caravan came to a standstill and Malek turned to Vasilis. ‘Let me go see what it is.’

Vasilis nodded, his face stern. ‘Keep your guard.’

‘It was an ambush,’ yelled Ortega.

Swearing under his breath, Vasilis spurred his steed into action and rode to the front of the caravan.

He narrowed his gaze at the four bandits dead on the ground. ‘Malek, do you see what I see?’

‘Yes. There are six horses. Where are the other two men?’

At that moment, an arrow sliced through the air and nicked Malek on the shoulder. The arrow drew a tiny rip on his vest as it fell to the ground. Ortega picked up the arrow and inspected the tip. ‘Silver!’ he yelled. ‘Protect the prince.’

Within moments, twenty horses galloped and thrashed, surrounding Vasilis. He peered through his men and saw a woman in the distance. His gut clenched in response to something primitive, ancient.

She stood on a boulder, her long legs apart, garbed in men’s dark trousers and a white shirt. Vasilis narrowed his gaze and stared at her long dark hair, wild and free as it fell past her waist. She stood still as the moon, aiming a bow and arrow on them.

‘Go away or I won’t aim for a shoulder next time,’ she called loudly.

Vasilis inhaled deeply, drawing in her scent, stiffening violently as her sweet smell surrounded him.

She was human. A mere mortal. From this distance, he could also tell she was a very beautiful woman. His loins tightened in response to the jolt of desire that ran through his veins.

‘Who is she?’ Krako asked gruffly.

‘She shoots with silver!’ Malek roared.

Vasilis looked at his guards and tensed. ‘At ease, men. It is only a mere, mortal woman,’ he said dryly.

They all look flummoxed, as if they witnessed an angel fallen from the sky. Another arrow zinged through the air and landed on the same spot on Malek. Vasilis snapped his gaze back to the woman and narrowed his eyes dangerously. This was no angel, he thought.

‘This is your last warning, men. Retreat,’ she called firmly.

‘The woman is a damn good shot,’ Malek said grimly as he looked at his shoulder. ‘A little deeper and she would have ended my immortal existence.’

‘Move aside,’ Vasilis growled at his men.

‘No, Your Highness. She’s dangerous,’ Malek said angrily. ‘Men, tighten your shield,’ he barked loudly and the men moved closer, narrowing the gaps in front of Vasilis.

‘I’m going to count to three,’ she called out, her voice sounding stronger and more confident. ‘Retreat.’

Vasilis couldn’t believe it. This woman wasn’t afraid. By God! She was damn arrogant and insolent. He drew his brows into a furious frown. They were immortals with Lycan blood pulsating through their veins and she thought she could overtake them? Damnation! She was either the bravest human he’d ever met or the craziest.

‘Do you think she killed the four bandits?’ Ortega asked.

‘If she did, her skill is matched by her beauty,’ Krako said gruffly, his face darkening as his gaze roamed over her impressive form. A deep growl rose from his throat.

Vasilis was disgusted. ‘Keep your guard up, men. She obviously has men hiding behind her.’

What was the matter with them? They acted as if they had never seen a woman before in their lives, he thought angrily. This woman was affecting his men, making them lose their concentration. Damnation! He needed to get things under control.

‘Let me pass,’ he growled.

Malek shot him an unmoving look. ‘No. You will be an open target, Your Highness.’

‘That is a direct order, my friend.’

His men parted and he rode in front of them. He stared at the woman poised and ready to shoot another arrow. He got a better look at her and from this distance, he could see the lush curves along her hips, her long, steady legs, her waist so tiny he could probably span it with his hands. For a moment, he felt mesmerized by her and stared at her imposing stance. He cursed. This woman was making his loins tighten again with uncontrollable lust. At that moment, he didn’t know what was worse–how she was affecting his men, or how she was affecting him.

‘Lower your bow. Now,’ he roared.

‘No.’

Insolence! His anger rose to a dangerous boil. ‘The men hiding behind you are no match for my guards. Surrender, wench.’

‘No. You surrender, warrior. Leave now or you’ll be sorry.’

He kept his gaze fastened on her and slowly lifted the bow attached to his harness. He brought it to his shoulders. Without taking his eyes off her, he removed an arrow from his pouch beside his left leg. He was going to aim for her arrow.

‘Lower your bow,’ he commanded.

Instantly, her arrow careened through the air and knocked his arrow out of his hand.

Then all hell broke loose. Malek shouted out orders, Krako and Ortega aimed their arrows at her, prepared to shoot, while the rest of the guards surrounded Vasilis.

Vasilis stared at her, stunned. Instinctively he knew she had aimed specifically for his arrow and was astounded at her precise marksmanship. This woman was magnificent and for the first time in his life, he felt nothing short of amazement for a member of the fair sex.

It was when he saw her that his body went cold. A little, dark haired girl in a bedraggled dress who climbed up from behind the boulder and darted in between the woman’s legs. The woman looked down quickly and motioned to the little girl to go back behind the rock when his men released their arrows.

‘No!’ Vasilis roared, but it was too late.

One arrow grazed her leg and the other one whizzed by her head. Vasilis spurred his horse into a thunderous gallop as the little girl screamed in terror, watching the woman collapse to her knees.

Vasilis reached the woman’s side as she placed a trembling hand up to her grazed head while her other one gathered the little girl protectively to her side.

‘You’re bleeding,’ the little girl cried.

‘Shh. It’s all right,’ the woman cooed gently.

Vasilis felt his stomach clench with guilt. The woman stared at her bloody hand and grimaced before she looked up at Vasilis. Their gaze locked, hers furious, his concerned and he sprung off his horse before sinking to his knees in front of her. He saw her flinch when he brought his hand gently to her hair and moved it to the side. Relief flowed through his veins. It was little more than a scratch. Thank the gods!

The little girl flung her tiny body onto his chest and pounded her little fists on him. ‘Get away from her! Don’t touch her!’

Vasilis grimaced as he gently picked up the little girl and placed her in Malek’s arms. ‘We’re going to help her, little one,’ he said, his tone thick with remorse.

The little girl sobbed as she redirected her fear toward Malek and began hitting him. Malek held her gently and gave Vasilis a dark look tinged with deep regret. Vasilis’s mouth thinned into a grim line as he looked back at the woman. Her eyes were as black as night and all he could see in them was fury.

‘If you harm her, I will kill you,’ she said huskily and fell to the ground in a dead faint.