Falcon's Mate 1(5)

Rurik closed his eyes, ignoring the men as the blonde kissed his ear.

The darker woman reached down so that her hand rested against his

inner thigh, her fingers tapping lightly as she took a long drink of the

stout liquor. His cock filled in response and he squirmed in his seat.

Looking up at the empty throne, he thought that the ceremony couldn’t

come fast enough. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Ari again and the

sooner he could get out of her hall the better. And the sooner she was

mated, the sooner he could forget all about her by burying himself in the

two willing beauties before him.

16



Talons: Seize the Hunter





CHAPTER TWO


Ari held her head up as she walked under the archway into the hall.

She had waited in the hallway leading from her bedchambers until her

father could escort her.

The red stone of the palace had been adorned with the long purple

flowering vines found in the prairies outside the battlements. They were

strung in garlands along the tall ceilings and archways. Regal music

sounded, announcing her arrival, as she walked down an aisle formed

between the tables. Noble families and esteemed warriors filled the many

tables around the center platform. All of them were well-dressed, though

some more wealthily adorned than the others. At her appearance, those

gathered in the packed hall stood in respect, though they didn’t stop

talking amongst themselves. It was an old tradition, one carried on for

millenniums, supposedly long before her people had come to inhabit

Falconia.

In the crowd, she was able to pick out a few of the better-suited

males to be her husband. Sure, she had no real final say in the match,

but usually the wishes of the bride were magically taken into

consideration. The peasants rarely had trouble in mating to the men they

loved. But, being as she was royalty, her future would not be so certain.

If she had her choice, she would pick Lord Cyril of Karvof’s son, Lynus.

He was a little young, but very sexy and his father was a great nobleman

with a lot of land close to the palace. Lynus smiled at her as she passed



 17

Michelle M Pillow

and she let the corner of her mouth lift in response. It wasn’t love, but a

prudent choice.

Suddenly, a round of feminine laughter caught her attention. It was

just a little louder than the rest of the voices. She looked forward, but

couldn’t see who was making the noise. The music continued. When she

looked at her father, so finely dressed in his dark green robes, her smile

widened. He led her to the steps that wound around the edge of the

platform. Circling around it, they climbed to the top. From the vantage

point, she was better able to see the crowd. They were seated first as she

waited before them. Slowly, she drew her gaze to the side, where the

feminine laughter was coming from.

“Rurik,” she whispered in surprise. She’d have recognized him

anywhere. His chin-length dark brown hair was longer in the back,

shorter in the front. The bangs framed his piercing black eyes. Ari had

forgotten how much his eyes had disturbed her when they were younger.

“Ari?” her father asked. “Did you speak?”

“Nae,” she answered, shaking her head. She forced her eyes away

from Rurik, only to find them drawn back to him. Seven seasons had

passed, nearly twelve years. How much time had changed things, and

how little it did as well. It took all of Ari’s willpower to continue to smile

at the gathered crowd. He was much bigger than she remembered, with a

harder edge to his features. But that was not all that had changed.

Her jaw tightened in irritation. Rurik had two women on his lap and

they were indecently rubbing themselves against him. A pang of irritation

shot through her at the sight. Not that she wanted Rurik or anything,

she assured herself. It was just rude of him to act in such a way in her

hall, on this day. Ari refused to notice a few of the other men who also

sat with amorous women—some of whom were her honored attendants.

18



Talons: Seize the Hunter

Rurik’s eyes met hers and he stopped moving his hand on the dark-

haired woman’s back. Ari recognized the woman. She was the daughter

of the palace baker and had already given herself to many of the men in

the palace, including Ari’s father in recent years if rumors held true. She

looked at the king, wondering if he was jealous. He didn’t even notice the

woman.

Seeing movement at her side, she saw the Chalice attendant coming

up the stairs. The music stopped and the hall quieted. The young girl

wore a white robe with a dark green and yellow stripe down the front.

Her red hair hung loose about her shoulders, nearly touching the floor.