Defender Dragon (Protection, Inc 2)

ballroom, Lucas felt smothered and spied-on and claustrophobic. The guards’ fixed stares at anywhere but him only made him feel their presence more acutely.

“Let us take a stroll around the garden,” he suggested.

“What a lovely idea,” Raluca replied. “It’s such a beautiful night.”

He led her into the winter garden. In its own season it was a popular place to stroll, with the quince trees in full red bloom, shining against the snow like bursts of flame. In spring it was a dull place with nothing in flower. No one else was likely to go there, which made it an excellent location for a private talk.

The night was cool and the moon was nearly full. A brisk breeze blew, making Raluca’s skirts flutter. For the first time since Lucas’s dance had been interrupted, he felt his head clear.

“You found your mate, Lucas. I’m so happy for you!” Hesitantly, Raluca asked, “What’s it really like?”

All the shock and joy and wonder of that first sight of Journey came back to him with almost as much force as when it had happened. “Like nothing you can imagine. I don’t know how to describe it. I think it’s something you have to experience to understand.”

Wistfully, Raluca said, “I hope I do, some day.”

“Now that you don’t have to marry me, you probably will.”

“Perhaps.” She didn’t look as happy as he’d expected. “Or perhaps a marriage will be arranged between me and one of your cousins. My uncle is very determined to have this alliance go through.”

“So is my great-uncle,” Lucas said with a sigh. He wanted to tell her to refuse a second arrangement. But he knew all too well that it was not so simple.

Two voices spoke at once from behind them.

“Lucas.” The cold voice belonged to Grand Duke Vaclav.

“Raluca!” The angry voice belonged to Duke Constantine.

Lucas and Raluca turned around. And faced not only his great-uncle and Raluca’s uncle, but King Andrei and Queen Livia.

Only Queen Livia managed a smile. “I understand the desire to snatch a moment alone, my dears, but it’s nearly midnight. You must hurry back for the ring ceremony.”

Lucas stood up straight and tall, deliberately looming over the lot of them. With a strange mixture of satisfaction and nervous anticipation, he said, “There won’t be any ring ceremony. I just met my mate. The arrangement is off.”

Everyone broke into a discordant chorus of angry or shocked or denying exclamations.

“Be quiet and listen!” Lucas heard the command in his own voice. Everyone fell silent in an instant.

For the second time that night, he recounted his meeting with Journey, and how she’d misunderstood his intentions and fled. While the king and queen clearly had mixed feelings, which Lucas could guess was a combination of happiness for him and alarm at the political fallout, Grand Duke Vaclav and Duke Constantine looked ready to spontaneously combust with rage.

The king was the first to speak. “But Lucas, you cannot break the arrangement simply by telling us that you found your mate. You must bring her to the palace and have her state her intention to marry you.”

Lucas had forgotten about that part. His jaw clenched so hard, his teeth hurt. Journey would hardly agree to get engaged tonight. He’d be lucky if she even gave him a chance to explain tonight!

“Surely I can be allowed a grace period, given that I’ve already found her,” Lucas pointed out. “I can’t do the ring ceremony with Raluca knowing that I already have a mate, then produce her later and break the engagement.”

“Indeed he cannot,” Raluca chimed in. “How humiliating for me. Under the circumstances, I refuse to do the ring ceremony.”

Their relatives all looked at each other, seeming to reach some silent agreement. Then King Andrei turned back to Lucas. “I give you one month to get engaged to your mate. If you can do that, the entire arrangement is off. If you can’t, you marry Raluca.”

“But my mate is human,” Lucas protested. “And American! She’ll think it’s too soon.”

Queen Livia patted his shoulder. “My dear, simply explain it to her. She’ll see the necessity of an early commitment.”

Lucas forced himself not to make any further protests. Arranged marriages were normal for them. It would make no sense to them if he said, “But it’s not fair to her to pressure her like that.”

“Very well,” he said.

“I agree,” said Raluca. “Lucas, she is your mate. You’re destined to be together. But don’t chase after her tonight. Let her sleep on it. Then get her address from the guest list, and we’ll both visit her tomorrow. I’ll help you explain about the engagement.”