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Deidrix looked up from a stack of papers, at the sound of his Commander's worried tone. "My Lord, I think you should come with me. There's something you need to see."

Deidrix raised an eyebrow at his friend's formal tone. "What is it, Fallan? You should be capable of taking care of minor problems without my supervision."

"There are intruders on our land, but," he paused, "the situation is odd." Fallan stated, matter-of-factly, his expression never changing.

Now, Deidrix couldn't resist, so he stood and calmly followed Fallan into the wood that surround their city. He heard the growls before he saw the group of Tiger Shifters. There were at least eight males surrounding a single female, who was not very happy with their attention.

"The Dragon-Kin will kill you, Elise," one of the larger males said, as he sauntered up to her as if she weren't hissing and growling like a feral beast. "Or worse, they may make you their little sex slave. Could you imagine being at the mercy of all those warriors?" The other males made noises of agreement as they continued to close in on her.

Deidrix and his men looked at each other, amused by the tiger male's brutal verbal attacks, but they kept silent while the scene played out before them.

The female hissed then struck out with a clawed hand. "Well, at least, I would be with someone powerful enough to dominate me, on his own, and not have to use a gang to do it. Niall, you're pathetic you know that? You think you even stand a chance at being my mate? No. Not in this lifetime, nor the next! You're not enough to be my mate! You're just a bully-coward!"

The male called Niall was definitely insulted by those comments, so he growled and swiped at her, but only with a human hand. "Just make it easy and spread your legs. Once we've determined if any of us are your mate, we'll leave you alone." He was so casual in his approach to this matter; it seemed as if dominance had nothing to do with the mating process, at all. To such a spineless excuse of a male, he believed he could convince her that whoring-out herself was only logical.

Elise glared at him with indignation in her eyes. "You dare say such things to your Princess! You are not my King and you are surely not my Father! You have no right to even think to speak to me like that!" And with that, she shifted into her warrior form, the phase between Human and Tiger that could be achieved by any of the ones present. She swiped out at the males, who immediately jumped back, then, she darted up the nearest tree.

Niall cursed as he watched Elise escape. He knew none of them were skilled enough to get her out of the tree without someone getting hurt or killed. "Don't be stupid Elise. If you think you'll be safe, once we leave, you're kidding yourself. The Dragon-Kin won't tolerate your trespassing."

Elise threw back her head and laughed, which came out as a thunderous mixture of growl and purr before her body reformed into its human shape. Completely nude now she stood in the tree above the men without shame and laughed at them. "You think you're so smart Niall. I know the Dragon-Kin won't be all warm and fuzzy but I also know they don't harm innocents. As long as I don't cause trouble, they'll probably just look the other way. So, fuck you, or rather not." She turned then and bounded off into the trees, leaving the males to sulk and grumble amongst themselves.

"Interesting," Deidrix said in a low voice before turning and heading in the direction of the female. "Make sure none of those assholes come into our forest, Fallan. I'll meet you back at the lair." Before Fallan could answer him, he was in the trees, following the most amazing and unique scent he'd ever encountered. It was like honey mixed with a morning rain and it called to him. It called to every part of him and he wasn't about to deny it.

Elise ran until she came to a waterfall and lagoon. Her body hot and tense she decided to stop and refresh herself. A breeze briought mist from the water over to her and she breathed it in. It truly was beautiful here. She walked to the water's edge and knelt down for a drink but before she could get a taste of that heavenly clear flow, she heard a branch snap behind her. She whirled around and took a fighting stance, instinctively. Surely Niall and his goons weren't stupid enough to follow her, were they? She sniffed the air, but no familiar scent came to her. Her heart beat faster. Was it a Dragon-Kin or something else? She wasn't familiar with the creatures of this forest, and she had to admit she felt a bit insecure, coming in here, unprepared. But she hadn't had time to do any pertinent research. Her people had turned against her for some reason, demanding that she take a mate. The only problem with that was she'd have to sleep with every male in sight, until a mark appeared on his and her own hand, indicating that they were a pair. It was an old magic, a deep magic, but she didn't like the idea of spreading her legs for every male that came along, thinking he was mate material, especially when some of them were so weak they could have been cubs, still.

She was almost six hundred years old and she didn't deal with cubs, ever. It just felt too wrong. Another sound had jarred her from her thoughts and she swung to her left, only to see a stunning, huge male in his prime, standing not ten feet from her with a look of curiosity on his face. But, mixed with that curiosity was something she knew all -too-well in a man's eyes: lust. She just couldn't get away from that basic, natural instinct, it seemed. But this one, she had to admit, was definitely not a cub. He exuded power and strength as well as a wisdom that betrayed his youthful appearance. He was well over six feet tall, with black hair, cut shorter on the sides and longer on top where it was spiked. His eyes were the color of the morning sky and he had a body that was built for endurance. There was no doubt in her mind that he was older, but how much older? Who was he, or rather, what was he? She wasn't taking any chances finding out right then; she growled and bared her fangs at him, "Who are you?"

Deidrix raised an eyebrow at the surly female in front of him as he sauntered closer, trying to appear less threatening, and obviously failing. She was an exotic beauty. Her body was small and compact but he knew she had a much more lethal form lying in wait within. Her hair was long and straight and so black that the light reflected hints of blue off of it. Her eyes were a gorgeous golden fire rimmed with a pale green, and the look in them was none too friendly. "I could ask you the same question since you're in my territory." The female actually looked sheepish at that and it made him smile. "My name is Deidrix. And your name would be?"

"Elise." She answered simply but refused to let her guard down, even though that smile of his was doing nothing to help her stay tough and fierce. She felt her body heat as the man moved closer and she backed up. She knew he noticed it too by the way his nostrils flared and his eyes glazed over. "Just stay away from me ok. I'm not going to cause any trouble."

He wanted her. He wanted her so bad his dick felt like it was going to explode, and in that moment he knew what it was. She was in heat. "It's not safe for you to be out here alone in your... condition." He watched her eyes light up with fire as she glared at him. "I'm not going to hurt you Elise. I'm offering you shelter."

She laughed at him. "Oh yes I'm sure I'll be quite safe locked away in your bedroom huh? I don't think so big boy."

"Big boy?" Deidrix laughed at that. No one had ever dared called him names, much less mock his size and strength, especially when he was trying to help them. But he could understand her caution after seeing the way those tiger males treated her. "Elise, you won't be locked in my bedroom unless you chose to be. I'm simply offering the protection of my people. No one will touch you unless you want them to, especially not me." He held his hand out to her patiently waiting for her to make her decision.

Elise looked at his outstretched hand and desperately wanted to take it, if not to trust him simply to touch him. Could he be telling the truth? "How do I know you're not just saying that to get me to come with you? And how can you promise the protection of your people? What if one of them decides they don't agree with that? What's to stop them from just, attacking me?"

The look he gave her said he had absolute confidence in himself as he answered. "I can promise because I am King of the Dragon-Kin, my word is law, and anyone who dares defy me doesn't live long enough to regret it."

Elise was shocked. She couldn't have heard him right. The KING of the Dragon-Kin, and yet it made perfect sense. Who else could inspire such heat in her body than another dominant? Who else could exude such power and raw sexuality but a king. "So what, I come with you and then what happens?"

"You stay with us until you feel the need to leave I guess. I'm offering hospitality as well as the protection. You're free to go when you please."

Elise moved closer despite her mind rebelling against the idea. It was a trick, it had to be. What were the odds that the king himself would be out here and find her first to offer her protection? That stopped her, how indeed? "How is it that a king would be out in the middle of no where just when I need a helping hand?"

He smiled again and that did things to her. "My guards saw the confrontation at the edge of our forest and came to get me. They were, confused to say the least. So when you ran, I followed you."

"Then you know why I was running from them?" Elise found herself moving closer to the king.

Deidrix nodded as pure fury consumed him at what those males had intended to do. "Are all the males in your society such bastards?" That earned him a smile from Elise. His heart skipped at how much more beautiful she was when she really smiled.

"Well a lot are, but most of the time they behave themselves. You see the tiger shifters are a matriarchal society but occasionally dumb asses like them pop up. Oh when my mother finds out what they did, they're dead meat!" She was still smiling when she took his hand. A shiver went down her spine from that simple touch and she watched his eyes drift closed for a moment and knew he felt the same, but he quickly composed himself.

"Yes, I would assume that attacking a princess is something your society frowns upon." He couldn't slow his pulse and all she'd done was take his hand. Good lord maybe he shouldn't have made that promise that he wouldn't touch her.

Elise tilted her head at that. "So you know I'm a princess and still you're offering me protection? You're not going to use me for ransom or something?"

Deidrix laughed at that as he looked into her now teasing eyes. "No my lady, we're not barbarians, contrary to popular belief." He began to pull on her hand and surprisingly she followed. He led her back through the trails that were formed throughout the forest as he inhaled her sweet scent.

"Well that's good to know. Honestly though, why did you follow me? Why not send one of your men?" Elise was becoming more and more curious about this handsome Dragon-Kin.

"Well for one, I don't trust all of my men to be as polite as they need to be." He paused then turned towards her and looked her straight in the eyes. "And secondly, I couldn't not follow you; your scent was so overpoweringly wonderful, I just couldn't say no." He saw the blush on her cheeks as she turned away from his gaze. "You asked for the truth, and I gave it to you. I also gave you my word that I wouldn't be like those males, just remember that."

"I know, and thank you for being honest with me. I've been dealing with my heat for six hundred years almost and it hasn't gotten any easier when males openly acknowledge it." She turned those fiery eyes up to him and showed him her uncertainty and also a fierce determination. "I don't want to sleep with people out of duty. I want to sleep with people because I care about them. Does that make me a bad princess?"

"Not at all, it makes you a very good princess. It means you want someone who not only compliments you in bed but by your side on a throne as well." Deidrix reached out to stroke her cheek and immediately regretted it as hunger roared through him. He pulled his hand back reluctantly when all he really wanted to do was sink his hand into that beautiful hair and pull her in for a kiss. Instead he pulled her along a little faster as they neared Seldon, the capital of the Dragon-Kin society.

Elise's entire body flushed with warmth at the simple touch of his hand on her cheek. She'd never had that happen before, never mind with a stranger. She follows him dutifully never missing a step even though she noticed his pace had sped up. "Is something wrong Deidrix?"

"Why would there be anything wrong?" he asked nervously as they hurried along.

"Well we're moving pretty fast. Is someone following us or something?" She asks worriedly as she looks around trying to see or smell anything out of place.

Deidrix gritted his teeth before he told her it was because he didn't trust himself that he was hurrying. "I just want to get back before my men do something stupid." He lied. "They always do." This was true enough but that had nothing to do with why he was so desperate to get her back. Finally, he spotted his sentries standing guard at their post. They all rose at his approach and all of them gawked at the woman behind him their eyebrows raised, their mouths practically hanging open. She could have hacked their heads off right then and they wouldn't even see it coming. All of their eyes had gone to their dragon eyes their tongues were easing out of their mouth to display for her and their breath had begun to come out in ragged gasps. Well at least he wasn't the only one affected by her sweet scent. He felt her instantly go stiff behind him and she quite moving forward. "Guys this is Princess Elise, of the tiger shifters. She is under my protection for the duration of her visit here." That caused some growling but their eyes stopped glowing. Their tongues remained out and Elise remained in place.

Elise couldn't believe what she was seeing. These men must be fellow Dragon-Kin, but their tongues, they were over a foot long and writhing in front of their face like some strange dancing snakes. "What are they doing?" She looked to Deidrix who looked like he had a really bad headache. He was rubbing his temples as he turned to her.

Diedrix sighed as he knew he couldn't leave her in the dark on this one. He had to explain their habits. "They're displaying themselves for you. Showing you they have what it takes to pleasure you should you decide to bed one of them. I'm not going to lie to you Elise, every male around is going to know. And even though I can keep them from touching you against your will, I can't stop them from showing off to try and catch your eye."

Elise was stunned but she appreciated Deidrix honesty. "Oh, well I suppose that's all right, but I must warn them I have no intention of just jumping into bed with someone. If I'd wanted that I could have stayed at home." All of a sudden she was very aware of being naked in front of these males and tried to hide her blush, but she was a princess and she wouldn't let nudity bother her now.

"Fair enough, I personally thought you'd be upset, but I assure you it's a custom that all unmated males practice." Diedrix tugged her hand again as they walked past his sentries and she followed without even a backwards glance. He had noticed her blush but she seemed inclined to ignore it so that was the least he could do as well.

As they walked through the city Elise caught sight of more males doing the same thing, some of them were in their dragon warrior forms and it was quite apparent that they were very happy to see her. Some of them were even stroking themselves and she had to look straight at Deidrix's back to avoid her gaze lingering somewhere it shouldn't. On top of all the male attention she seemed to be getting she was getting death glares from all the females and she suddenly realized just how ugly the situation could become. She tightened her hand on the Dragon-Kin in front of her.

Diedrix knew she was uncomfortable but she didn't complain and he gave her credit for that. He led her straight to his den and as they walked inside a huge weight seemed to lift from them. He heard her take a deep breath and turned to see how she was doing. "You okay?"

Elise smiled at the concern she heard in his voice. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just never aroused so much response before." She blushed as she looked around the cavernous size cave, although it wasn't entirely a cave. The entrance of it was cave like but once you got inside it started to look more like a house. There was a kitchen area with a stove and refrigerator, and doors leading to back rooms. It was beautiful, but nowhere near as eye catching as the man in front of her. "So, where's your mate?"

"I don't have a mate." Diedrix said simply as he stared at the curiosity in her eyes.

"Oh, sorry, I just assumed since you weren't slobbering that you had a mate." She blushed realizing how vain that sounded and turned her head away.

Diedrix smiled as he touched her chin to lift her gaze. "I told you I was drawn to you. If I was mated your scent would not have called to me. And the only reason I'm not slobbering as you put it, is because I promised I'd keep my hands to myself. Trust me, its no easy task." He clenches and unclenches his fists trying to regain some semblance of control.

Elise saw how hard he was trying to stay cool, but part of her didn't want him cool. She wanted him hot and needy, just like she was. "But that doesn't mean you can't show off like the others right? Or is it because you're king, you just can't be that petty?" She was genuinely interested in the subject for some reason.

Diedrix was trying really hard not to laugh as she asked him questions. "No, it's not too petty for me, not at all. In fact, you're absolutely right. I can show off for you. Actually I really want to, which is something I haven't wanted to do in a very long time." He pulled his shirt over his head in one fluid movement, and then went to the clasps on his pants as he toed his boots off. He caught Elise's shocked expression just before he dropped his pants and shifted, bones cracking, tendons snapping and wings pushing out his back. Afterward he stood there in his warrior form, a great black dragon-man. He let his tongue slide out of his mouth and it came down to about midway on his chest. Then he twitched and swayed it back and forth. He flexed his muscles and watched as her gaze moved lower until she gasped and her eyes snaped back up to meet his. He couldn't help but smile at that. He knew that even among the Dragon-Kin he was a big man, and she had defiantly noticed. "Well then," he growled, "what do you think my princess?"

Elise couldn't breathe as she looked at the dragon warrior in front of her. He was so delicious even in this form, especially in this form. She had expected to be disgusted but she was anything but. Her body heated like an open flame with gasoline being poured on it. She was practically panting just watching his tongue move around, and she knew instantly why they did it. It was to infer that they could use that tongue to bring pleasure. Then she found herself gazing at the rest of his body and when she got between those massive legs she gasped and looked back up quickly before she started drooling. The man was hung! He wasn't even erect and he was still at least ten inches. Her blush covered her face and she couldn't do a thing about it, but it didn't bother her as much as it should have. When she met his gaze again she saw the answering fire in his eyes and it was all she could do not to reach out and touch him. To fall against his rock hard body and rub herself up and down all over him. "I uh..." she couldn't form a coherent sentence and that bothered her. So she cleared her throat and tried again. "You're very attractive, for a dragon, but like I said I..." she trailed off as her gaze slipped back down to his groin. Angry at herself she grits her teeth and looks back up again only to see a knowing smile on his face. "I have no intention of being anyone's release. I am not a toy to be used and thrown away after the user is bored." Her anger was coming back and it anchored her a bit more.

Diedrix looks at her, confused by her words. "What do you mean a toy for pleasure? Don't the males of your clan pleasure you first?"

Elise looks at him in shock. "No, they just take us and if we happen to have an orgasm, goody for us, if not oh well. Unless you're mated it doesn't really mater."

Deidrix's eyes went wide at her revelation. "What?! That's horrible. I mean a Dragon-Kin male cannot find release until first his partner is pleasured. I just assumed that everyone else was like that too."

Elise blinked at him when he said that. "They what? What do you mean they can't find release? You mean they just stay hard?"

He sighs and nods his head. "Yes they stay hard until they've pleasured a female. Only her release can trigger their own. And let me tell you something, it hurts after a while." He began to shift back to his human form but Elise noticed that his groin was still bigger than any tiger she knew of. "Besides, what male doesn't want to feel or taste his woman's release?" He actually shivered and licked his lips which made her even hotter.

"Wow, I must say it would make my life a lot easier knowing that the bastards would have to actually please me before they got to fuck me." She sighed as she continued to look at his delicious body and lord help her, his groin too. She found herself moving a bit closer, her hand reaching out and barely touching his pecks. Yup they were rock hard and warm, so warm. He was holding stock still as she roamed his chest with her palm.

"Elise," he whispered unable to speak any louder as she touched him. "You have to stop that baby; I don't have the world's best control." At about the same time someone cleared their throat at the entrance of his den. Diedrix cursed as Elise gasped and pulled her hand back while spinning around. It was his second, Fallan, and he was trying pointedly not to stare at the two of them. Diedrix cleared his throat as he grabbed up his pants and slipped them on. "What do you need Fallan?"

Fallan stepped inside and bowed slightly glancing at the woman who had so easily seduced their king. "Our men have another one of the tiger shifters cornered at the edge of the forest. He's demanding we move and let him pass. He said he's looking for the princess."

"Oh did he now?" Diedrix asked as he moved around Elise blocking her from the other man's view. An action that was reserved for mated dragons or one that was courting a female.

Fallan noticed it too, as he raised an eyebrow at his king. "He did indeed." He looked at the woman and inhaled her delicious scent then swung his gaze back to his king. "In fact, he said he was her brother."

Elise perked up at this and came around Diedrix to stand before the newcomer. "What did he look like?"

Fallan looked to his king who nodded for him to continue. "He was about six four with black hair in a shaggy un- kept style that fell over his eyes. They were hard to see but I believe they were green."

"It's got to be Elion, my youngest brother. He's the only one stupid enough to come looking for me alone." Even though she was insulting him both of them could see the reverence on her face when she spoke of him. She looked to Diedrix with pleading eyes. "I have to go to him. He's so young. I don't want him to get hurt out here."

Diedrix smiled at her and took her hand. "Well then, I guess we better get going before a fight breaks out." The smile she gave him in return did funny things to his heart and he didn't fight it one bit. He just put his boots back on and off they went back towards the edge of the forest.

Even before they got there Elise could hear growls and shouting. She ran forward not caring who got in her way. As she burst through the brush she saw him; easily the cutest of her brothers, Elion was also the youngest and she had to remember that or she'd tear him a new one. "ELLION!! What are you doing here?" She snapped at him as she neared the circle of Dragon-Kin surrounding him. She shoved her way through the males and most of them instantly notice her nudity and her heat. But she was too angry to care as she stared at her brother.

"Elise you're okay! Oh thank God." He threw his arms around her and hugged her tight.

She couldn't stay mad at him as he picked her up and spun her around. "Stop it cub, put me down!" After he put her down he took her hand and tried to pull her away.

"Come on Elise we have to go home." He urged her.

"No, I'm not going back there until mother makes those ass holes pay for what they tried to do to me." She huffed and yanked her hand away then crossed her arms over her breasts. Meanwhile Deidrix and Fallan had come to join the now semi-circle that was surrounding them. They were silent as they watched the family feud with interest.

Elion became very still as he looked back at his sister and she could tell he was keeping something from her. "What's the matter cub? Don't want to face the music of hearing mom yell at everyone?" she was smiling but the look he gave her sobered her instantly.

"Mother is dead Elise." Elion said it so quietly she wasn't sure he'd actually said it.

Her entire world shattered from that single comment. She felt dizzy and disoriented and distantly she realized he'd put a hand on her to steady her. "What? What do you mean she's dead?"

"She was sick. None of us knew accept Dad. She passed away this morning. I tried to find you but..." he trailed off because she didn't need the explanation.

"I was too busy running from my responsibilities." She whispered it and she saw him shaking his head but she knew that was the reason. "I didn't get to say good bye." Her eyes were moist with unshed tears as he pulled her in for a hug.

"None of us did. They didn't want us to know." He consoled her as he rubbed her back and nuzzled her hair. "But I need you to come back with me now. You're the only one they might listen to."

She pulled back so fast that he staggered. "That who might listen to?"

"The council, they put Dad and the others in prison. They're threatening to banish us and appoint a new queen." He explained and backed up as if she would strike him.

"They did what?" she asked through gritted teeth. She glared at him and realized he was defiantly not joking. "How could they do this? After all my mother did for them and they're going to try and banish her family!" she was furious and her body responded to it by shifting only her hands into claws as she clenched and unclenched her fists.

"They said you were never coming back, and that it was foolish to harbor the family of a deserter." He was still moving back staying well out of the range of her claws should she need something to scratch on.

"Why those insignificant, low life, self serving bastards!" she screamed it and it ended in a furious roar. "And they counted on someone not stepping up with the law, but you will little brother. You will go back to them and point out that I have eight days to claim the throne with a mate, and you will tell them that I will be back tomorrow ready to fulfill my obligations as queen. You will also tell them that holding my family as prisoners is against the law as well. They are to be released and my father is to be in charge until I return. Do I make myself clear?" Her mother's training had not fallen on deaf ears. She remembered well the tone of voice that was required of a queen and she was using it now to the best of her ability.

"Yes my queen. I will tell them your demands." He knelt in front of her as he made his vow. Then he tentatively looked up to meet her gaze. "So, you are coming home?"

Her features softened and her rage subsided as she looked at his innocent face. "Of course I'll come home little brother. You don't think I'd let you and the others get banished because of me do you." She pulled him to his feet and hugged him. "Now go, I'll be home in the morning."

His face instantly lit up as he noded. "Okay, I'll tell Dad and the others not to worry then. I know how much you hate the idea of taking a mate Elise, but..." he smiled at her with such warmth it made her melt. "I know you'll make a great queen." Then, he bounded off in the direction of their village shifting to his great tiger form as he went.

She turned to see the Dragon-Kin staring at her, including Diedrix who stepped forward with a solemn look on his face. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother." And that was all it took. Her tears broke free of their barrier and he pulled her into his arms as she sobbed.

"I just wish I could've said good bye." He was stroking her back as he held her. "And those bastards didn't even wait twenty four hours before trying to get rid of our family."

"Come on Elise let's go back to my place. You can rest there and get something to eat." Diedrix consoled her as he pulled her back to look at him. "You can prepare yourself for the conflict to come and know that you'll always have a place to come to should they banish you."

She smiled up at him through her tears. "You're very kind Diedrix, but I don't intend to let them win this. My mom made sure I was educated on our laws and I am going to use them to the best of my abilities. As for food, well I'd very much appreciate that." She took his offered hand and they began their trek back to the Dragon-Kin city.