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.Not tomention a queen or two.""Oh, yes." His eyes turned inward and brooding."Unfortunately, those around me don't seem tohave as much luck dodging assassins as I.I lost my fifth queen a century ago.My last son died twoyears past.He was little more than a boy only one hundred and ten when one of Ansgar'smagical assassins struck him down as he hunted a Dark Beast."Erin shook her head."All right, I see why you need a palace full of heirs, though none of this fillsme with enthusiasm for giving them to you.But why me? Realspace Earth has a population of sixbillion, half of them women, a good chunk of those highly fertile and unmarried.Any of themwould leap into your arms with hosannas of thanksgiving.""I don't need a human wife.I need an immortal with powers of her own, yet all the fertility of amortal.""So you proposed to the first Maja who came along?" Something shifted behind his opalescenteyes, and she knew."Oh.There've been others."He shrugged."A Maja's first loyalty is to the Great Mission."She rocked back on her heels and studied his otherworldly beauty."It must be, if they turned youdown.""Actually, the Majae's Council wouldn't even let me approach any of them." His wide mouthtwisted in frustration."The Council has a tight grip on its witches, and no intention at all ofrelaxing it.""And then I came along." Erin folded her arms."An outlaw Maja facing the possibility ofexecution, with no commitment to this mission of theirs and in desperate need of protection."Llyr looked up at her sharply."I meant what I said.I want you for my queen because of yourstrength and courage as much as any practical consideration.And you have the strongest naturaltalent for magic I've ever seen in someone not a member of my direct family.All you need isinstruction in its use, and it would be extremely difficult for anyone to touch you, even my brother'sassassins." His eyes sharpened."Or the Knights of the Round Table."All right, how the hell was she supposed to get out of this without pissing him off? She couldthink of only one argument this hardheaded, strong-willed man would have to accept."That's fine,Your Highness, but what about my children? What kind of mother would knowingly bring a childinto a world where he's a target the minute he's born?""Ansgar's assassins never managed to touch my offspring in childhood.I surrounded them withbodyguards and wards to keep them safe.It was only as they became adults and chafed under myprotection that they became vulnerable." He caught her hand in his."And by then, they wereseventy or eighty years old.How long would your children live, Erin?""Still " His long fingers tightened on hers, warm and strong."Give me a chance, Erin.My people needyou.I need you."Looking into those beautiful, demanding eyes, it was hard to tell him no."Your Highness " Shesighed."If we were in love, it might be different."Llyr's opalescent gaze hardened, though his tone was light."Well, milady, if it's love youwant& " Sudden heat flashed from his fingers into hers.Erin actually felt it roll up her arm in ashimmering wave that made her gasp even as her nipples drew to tight buds behind the thin fabricof her T-shirt.Low in her belly, lust roared to sudden life.She stared at Llyr helplessly, her eyestracking from his sensual, perfect mouth to the broad expanse of his shoulders, and down to thebulge growing swiftly behind his codpiece.Deep, intimate muscles clenched as she felt herself runlike hot butter with the need to feel him within her, driving hard and deep.Even as her body leaped in helpless response, hot temper stirred."Stop," she gritted, trying tojerk her hand free.For a moment she seriously considered slugging him, king or no."Dammit, cutthat out!"His brows lifted as he read the anger boiling beneath her need.A second spell rolled from hisfingers, this one cooling and soothing the vicious ache he'd created.He released her, and shestumbled back, fists clenched as she fought the need to hit him."I meant only to make a point," hetold her, his voice low and strained."I could have lied to you to get what I wanted.I could havebewitched you into feeling something that's not real.But I wanted there to be honesty between us,even if that honesty did not serve my cause.""I don't care if you are a king, Your Majesty," she growled, "I won't be forced!"Llyr sighed."Perhaps it wasn't such a wise thing to do at that
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