Free Haven by Dria Andersen Page A

into a
chair.
    Her mother rounded
the corner with the tea service. "I've ordered the maid to bring in tea
cakes once they’re ready."
    "I'm
mated." Liliana blurted.
    The teakettle
crashed against the tile floor, sending shards of ceramic skittering under the
table and chairs. Tea splashed on the surface of a table, the leaves landing
scattered in a pattern like an ominous warning.
    Her mother looked
down and saw the glowing Sanskrit on Liliana's wrist. "No. You would not
be so reckless." Arian turned to her husband. "Evan, this can't be
true. The Eminzu approved the bonding to Prince Kedric."
    Evan's shoulders
slumped. The resigned look on his face emphasized the wrinkles around his
mouth. "Lily, even for you, this is too much."
    " Baba , I
didn't do this on purpose."
    Leo cringed at her
statement. Maybe she hadn’t done it on purpose, but the fact was, had she
followed Eshu customs and remained celibate until mated, she wouldn’t be in
this predicament.
    Leo's eyes darted
between mother and daughter. Both held a stricken expression, Arian's hair and
body lit in her fury, a blue halo surrounding her body. He wondered if he would
need to step in.
    Arian straightened
her back, rigid with anger. "I think you did exactly that. Goddess, the
shame. Why can’t you do anything without embarrassing this family?" She
paced the room muttering under her breath. She stopped and turned to Evan.
"The Eminzu promised we would be joined with the royal family. I'll
protest the mating straightaway."
    Ah, he began to see
the real problem. "That won't be necessary."
    "Is that right?
What would you know about the situation? As a matter of fact, you've done your
job and escorted my daughter home. You may leave." Frost dripped from
Arian's tone.
    A small smiled
tilted his lips. "As your daughter's mate, it's best I stay."
    "Excuse
you?" Arian stopped pacing. The look she gave him could cut through steel.
    Leo squelched the
urge to check his chest for stab marks. "Your daughter and I are
mated."
    Silence descended,
and lasted exactly three seconds before the situation exploded.
     
     
    Her parent’s shouts
drowned out her apologies. She couldn't get a word in edgewise as they took
turns screaming their displeasure. Oh Gods, this was bad.
    "You are
responsible for this, Evan. You spoiled her entirely too much." Arian
shouted into her mate's face. Their magic blended, blue and yellow halos
merged, battled and green sparks crackled in the air between them.
    Her father brushed
past her mother, pushing her aside. "Lily, do you have any idea what
you've done?"
    Arian slumped into a
chair, her magic withdrawing. "Oh gods, we'll never be able to show our
faces in public again."
    "You."
Evan faced Leo. "Show me your true form now."
    Liliana held her
breath, praying he didn’t go off on her father. Leo shrugged seemingly unconcerned
and shed his human skin with a simple spell.
    Her heartbeat
spiked, and heat flooded her body. He stood before them shirtless in the
flowing Eshu lounging pants. His chisled chest and rock hard abs made her sigh
in longing. His skin was a beautiful mahogany, marbled as with most Cagyns,
with hints of bronze lines flowing through his skin. Black hair flowed to the
middle of his back. Every shade of black from a shade slightly darker than
gray, to a color so black it was blue. The light loved his hair, playing in the
midnight strands, highlighting them.
    Her body heated,
melted, as a fierce craving moved through her. Liliana put a hand to her
stomach. Why did her chest hurt? Oh, yeah, she'd forgotten to breathe. Power
tingled along her fingertips as she fought to keep her composure in front of
her parents. She stepped closer to Leo, an involuntary step, her body demanding
his nearness.
    "The Eminzu
have given you what you asked for. Your family will join with the Eshu royal
house." He turned his back to them.
    Her hands shook as
she pushed his hair to the side. The soft downy strands flowed through her
fingers and she fought