back. His gaze was direct, but very friendly. He was staring at Gladys. âAre we to understand that this good lady is your dam? That Lois gets her good blood from this lady?â
âUhâyeah, I guess. Mom, this is King Sekal. And this is myâwell, my husband, I guess, Prince Damon. Damon, Sekal, this is my mom, Gladys Commoner.â
âWe are pleased,â the king said, stepping down to greet her. âWe are most pleased.â
Her mother was staring at the king in a very unmomlike way. âIâmâitâs nice to meet you, King Sekal.â
âI am pleased, also, to meet my dam-by-mating.â Damon bowed to her. âYour daughter is enchanting.â
âFlatterer,â Lois mumbled. Her head was still spinning. Day three, and the hits just keep on coming.
âAnd will you be staying long in our land?â the king was asking. He had taken Gladysâs hand a few seconds ago, but hadnât let go yet. He was staring at her raptly. It was weird, yet adorable.
âIâd sure like to stay with my daughter, if thatâs all right, King Seââ
âJust Sekal, good lady.â They stared at each other with identical goofy smiles on their faces.
Lois turned to Damon. âOkay, so, Iâll stay the week. But no promises after that.â
âNo, no promises.â
âJust the week is guaranteed, nothing else.â
âNo, nothing else.â
âAll right, then.â
âI do love you, my Lois.â
âI do love you, too, Damon. For the week, anyway.â
They grinned at each other.
MATING SEASON
Prologue
S he took her oath, and trembled with excitement and pride as she recited the sacred words. Her back was straight, heels together, chest out, the tip of her middle finger barely touching the outer edge of her right eyebrow.
It was too good to be true; it was a sweet dream from which she would rudely awaken. But for now, oh for now, she would enjoy it, and look to the future.
God help any man who woke her up.
Chapter 1
âA h, but sweet and most helpful daughter of my heartââ
âDonât start that stuff again,â the daughter of his heart warned him.
âLois, surely you can tell me something.â
The newest princess of the realm looked up from cleaning her Beretta and glared at the king. âSekal, get it through your gigantic, thick head. Iâm not helping you lay my mom, okay? Iâm not giving you any sort of hint thatâs gonna help you hustle her into bed. I mean, youâre a great guy and all butâ¦yech. This is my mom, okay? Justâ¦work it out on your own, okay?â
âBut Loisâ¦â
âLa la la bah bah bah hmmm hmmm Iâm not listeningâ¦la laâ¦â
âVery well.â The king stood up and started to stomp out in a huff. At the last moment he turned and said, âShe will be mine,â and then he was gone.
Lois rested her head on the tabletop. âOh my God, I am so creeped out right nowâ¦â
âWhat is it, dear one?â
She perked up as Damon entered the room. âYour dad, Damon. Heâs driving me most sincerely crazy. Heâs got the hots for my mom, how weird is that?â
âNot especiallyâ¦weird. Your dam is very attractive for a woman of her advanced years.â
âNot as advanced as you think; my dad knocked her up when she was fifteen.â
âHe struck his mate?â Damon looked horrified.
âNo, no, itâs slang for pregnant. She got pregnant with me when she was still a kid herself. But jeez, theyâve only been hereâ¦what? A month?â
âYour mother and her companions? One moonround, yes.â
âAnd heâs, like, all over her. Itâs weird.â
âMy mother was one much like yours, I think.â
Lois had put her handgun back together and was now getting organized, but she looked up at that. âWhat? Your mom was from