Free Prince's Fire by Cara Carnes Page B

between him and his
    closest companion is hard to deal with -- on top of everything else -- but I have done nothing to justify his treatment of me.”
    “What happened to him?” Gitana asked.
    “You’ll have to ask Van or Val. I’ve learned not to discuss that with anyone. Van’s a bit touchy about it.”
    Gitana understood the desire for privacy.
    The walls of the palace glistened with jewels embedded in elaborate wall coverings.
    Servants kneeled as they walked past, their eyes widening. Fiona laughed. “Everyone is trying to figure out who you are. They did the same thing with Shana, but then lost interest when she mated with Lucian. You now have them totally perplexed.”
    “He seems to be good for her.”
    Fiona nodded. “He is. I see many wonderful things in their future.”

    Prince’s Fire

    61
    She jumped when the doors opened, the bright bursts of sunshine pouring down on her. The sun appeared to be a similar hue as Earth’s but more translucent in color. The field they walked onto was substantial with many large boulders and other hiding places strategically placed.
    Her pulse raced. Shana’s reassuring smile helped ease her nerves. She could barely tell Val and Van apart at this distance, but the scowl clued her in on who would be her sparring partner. “Any rules here?”
    Cal laughed and stepped over to her, patting her on the back. “Not really. Just stay alive and in one piece because none of us want to deal with Val if you don’t.”
    That was reassuring. What sort of practice was this anyway?
    Van stepped forward and planted his feet wide apart, as if intending not to move from the spot. “Let’s get started then, princess. Don’t think I’m going to take it easy on you just because you spread your legs for my brother.”
    She flung a stream of fire toward him, but it missed its mark and fell short. He laughed and stepped closer. “Rule one. Know where your target is first then fire.”
    She had no warning he intended to direct the fiery barrage that burst forth from his hands at her until it had already found its mark. She grimaced and absorbed the heat inside of herself, the desire to never have it happen again renewing her determination.
    “I’ll make sure to remember that,” she said, shooting another flame toward him before ducking behind the nearest rock. The obnoxious snort told her she had missed yet again.
    “Teach your woman how to shoot, or this will be a very long day,” Van demanded.
    She sighed in frustration when Val walked up behind her. “You okay?”
    “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I work my ass off to learn to wield powers I don’t understand just to have that twin of yours shred my years of practice and make it look like I’m flapping around in a kiddie pool.”

    62 Cara Carnes
    Val’s low voice caressed her stressed nerves and renewed her sexual need. His hands massaged the muscles of her neck before sliding down her arm slowly. “I don’t control the same element you do, but the way you operate them should be the same.”
    Gitana closed her eyes, listening to the timbre of his voice as he continued. His hand slid down to her waist and rested on her stomach. “Begin building your energy here. Let it simmer until you think it will burst from you.”
    He pulled her closer to him, her butt contouring into his body perfectly. “I can feel it growing.”
    Val laughed softly in her ear. “It isn’t the only thing that is.”
    The man was insatiable.
    She couldn’t help but laugh at his seductive teasing, feeling so at ease with him as he moved his hand back up her body. “Now, slowly send that unspent energy through your body, focusing it all to your arms, but don’t expend it yet. Let it sit there for a moment.”
    Oh, how she needed a different kind of release right now, and the erection pressed firmly against her back only increased her urgency.
    “Then you release it with as much force as you can, hurdling it in your mind straight at your adversary.” She