Viktor:Heart of Her King(10)

It wasn't until Katarina was safely tucked in a taxi and on her way to  him that Viktor took his first deep breath since Carlyle's call. She  wasn't safe out in the world. He'd been patient and followed all the  rules. Taught and trained the six other Kings the way Zeus had  instructed. Stayed away from his mate until she'd sought him out and now  it was time for him to bring her home... to make her his. Viktor knew  he was ready. It had, after all, been three thousand years.

Everything was set when he arrived at the office just a few minutes  ahead of Katarina. He knew the minute she crossed the threshold of his  building. Counted the floors as she ascended towards the thirty-second  floor. His heart beat faster every step she took closer to him after  exiting the lift. Pride surged through him as he heard her appreciation  of his art and looked forward to the day he could paint every square  inch of her beautiful body.

Katarina stood in awe of Poseidon's Temple at Cape Sounion    . Viktor  vowed right then and there it would be the first place he took her after  their mating. He imagined her bathing in all her naked glory in the  waters of the Aegean. So moved by his thoughts, Viktor threw caution to  the wind and closed the distance between them. Her scent permeated every  fiber of his being. She was light and life and everything good in a  world where he knew only of the dark and dank and evil.

She turned to face him and time stood still. He'd known she was  beautiful, had seen her hundreds of times through her own eyes, but it  was a pale comparison to the impact her true beauty had on him in  person. Katarina Romalesky had a vibrant spirit. She knew the difference  between having it all and having nothing. At a young age, she'd  suffered loss, known pain, and lived to tell the tale that inspired  instead of discouraged. Everything about her ran deep. She took nothing  for granted. Was thankful for every little thing she had. Gave of  herself, her time, and her talents freely, without reservation and  expecting nothing in return.

The keeper of his heart knew how to laugh, was ready with a genuine  smile, and had a laugh that lit up an entire room. Without a doubt she  knew how to love and would fight to the death to protect those she held  dear. Katarina was hope...his hope, and Viktor had no doubt he could  live forever solely in her orbit.

Looking into her eyes, he saw not the grey of ash and gravel, but the  grey of goose down or the sky after the rain an instant before the sun  breaks through. To say they were simply grey was an understatement, for  as he looked into their depths, he saw shades of blue and green...even  lavender. They shone like the polished grey moonstones the priests of  his first life believed to have been formed from drops of moonlight and  to contain the dreams of the ages.

Her long, wavy hair flowed and danced like fire in the wind with her  every move, impeccably framing her heart-shaped face. Viktor had no  doubt it would rival the softest silk if he dared to run his fingers  through it. Tiny freckles, almost undetectable by the human eye, dotted  her nose, emphasizing the ivory of her flawless complexion.

Katarina's lips were the pale pink of the sweet oleanders that grew  along the coast of Greece. They were opened just slightly, giving the  only indication, other than her thundering heart, that she was as moved  by their meeting as he. She was tall, with a figure that begged to be  worshipped. He'd admired the fullness of her bottom before she turned  around and envisioned the moment his hands would trace every sensual  curve and erotic dip from her head to her toes.                       
       
           



       

When she'd commented about her bucket list, Viktor had almost laughed  out loud. His mate would have forever to do whatever she desired,  whenever she desired it. There would be no need for a bucket list, he  would make sure she wanted for absolutely nothing...for eternity.

"You're being awfully quiet over there, Viktor," Roman commented in a tone that said he was up to no good.

"Just enjoying the view," was his only response as his double entendre was left hanging in the air.

Katarina's gaze flashed in his direction. Once again he was ensnared.  For the next several heartbeats, they stared deeply into one another's  eyes. For the first time, Viktor attempted to mentally communicate with  his mate. He started simply by sending the feelings of warmth and  acceptance. Tuning into her heartbeat, he was pleased to hear it very  quickly stutter before slowing to a nice even pace that matched his own.  Smiling to himself, Viktor leaned farther back into his seat and  enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Once they reached the hotel, Katarina was a blur as she called over her  shoulder, "I promise it won't take me longer than fifteen minutes."

"Take your time, dilectum meum. We'll be here when you return." He knew  she hadn't understood the use of his native tongue but couldn't resist  showing her just a touch of affection.

"I heard that," Roman mused when Katarina disappeared behind the lift doors.

"Yes, and?"

"Oh nothing. I also felt your little experiment in the limo."

"Again, I say...yes, and?"

"Nothing..." Whatever Roman was going to say was cut off by the ring of his cell phone.

Pointing toward the kitchen, Viktor strode through the hotel he'd  purchased just a few hours after Katarina had confirmed her reservation.  It had always been in the plans for KI to purchase lodgings of some  sort, and when he'd felt how much his mate loved the place simply from  the pictures on the internet, he'd made an offer. Surprisingly, the  previous owner was looking to vacate the hospitality industry, so as  they say, it was meant to be.

Being out of the public eye for almost twenty years was good for many  things, the one most pressing was the ability to inspect his property  without anyone knowing he was there. It was a little disconcerting that  no one questioned a stranger in the kitchen but then again...they were  extremely busy. He watched as the twelve occupants worked like a  well-oiled machine chopping, cooking, and handing plates one right after  another to the wait staff as they filed through.

Viktor decided he'd speak to the chef at a later date. If Katarina was  pleased with what she'd eaten, the supreme commander was happy-she was  all that mattered. Besides, the kitchen was performing efficiently and  there were so many succulent smells his stomach growled.

I'm content...for now. Besides, Katarina is almost ready.

Viktor strolled through the lobby pleased with his investment. It  wouldn't have mattered if no one was there and the property was millions  in debt. His mate had dreamt about owning it and it was his duty to  grant her every wish. Therefore, as soon as Katarina Romalesky became  Katarina Katsaros, it would be hers.

Turning the corner, he felt Roman's frustration from across the room.  Tuning into his second-in-command's phone conversation, Viktor's  irritation soared as well. Moving as quickly as he could while still  keeping the guise of being human, the supreme commander seized the phone  from Roman and growled through gritted teeth, "Why, may I ask, do you  have our satietas set up for tonight, Nikos? The dark of the moon is not  for two more nights. Is there some pressing issue that will justify  this change in our code?"

"Well, um...no...it just kinda happened. Morgan, my steward, called to  say they'd all confirmed for tonight. I thought it was something either  you or Roman had set up so I went with it. Then I mentioned it to Bain.  He said to call you guys and that's what I did. I thought we were all  good until Roman got pissed. Do you want me to reschedule them?"

Viktor contemplated how this could've happened and what consequences  feeding early would have on the younger of the Kings, like Nikos. They  had all done it before, but always out of necessity or when one had lost  too much blood in battle, never over a scheduling issue. It all somehow  seemed so mundane, so...human. In the end, the Unum decided it was  better to go ahead with it since those loyal to them were already on  their way to Sanguinem.

"We'll have to make an exception this time. Remember discretion, Nikos.  Sometimes, that seems to elude you but tonight it is more important than  ever. My custos animae will be with me. I will tolerate no mistakes, am  I clear?" Then added, "And find out who gave the order for the change. I  want to speak to the responsible party...personally. Disobedience will  not be tolerated."                       
       
           



       

"Ita vero, Imperator." Nikos quickly answered in the native tongue,  letting Viktor know the young King understood the gravity of the  situation.

"Vale, Rex." Viktor signed off in kind, still uneasy with the way the evening was unfolding.