Burton Jaci - Lycan's Surrender (Ellora's Cave).pdf - English books - anapcruz9

LYCANS SURRENDER

An Elloras Cave Publication, May 2004

Elloras Cave Publishing, Inc.

PO Box 787

Hudson, OH 44236-0787

ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-868-5

Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):

Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML

LYCANS SURRENDER ' 2004 JACI BURTON

Edited by Briana St. James.

Cover art by Syneca .

LYCANS SURRENDER

Jaci Burton

Dedication

For all those who have fought for freedom, I thank you and dedicate this book to you.

And for Charlie, who is my warrior, my king and my love.

Chapter One

The Planet Czeralion

Lycan, King of Raynar, stood over the carnage. Bodies littered the arid, desert landscape.

The battle had been fierce, moreso because theyd run into two different clans.

Some of those that lay dead on the hard, unforgiving ground were female. That could not

be helped.

He whirled at the sound of a moan, realizing a woman at his feet still breathed. He

remembered this one. He thought he had killed her, even though he had not sliced through

her, merely bashed her helmeted head with his sword

Is she dead?

Lycan shrugged in response to Tors question. He knelt and bent over the unconscious

woman, placing two fingers on the side of her neck. She has a pulse.

Too bad.

Lycan frowned at his best friend. Were taking her back with us. Check the others. See if

anyone else is alive.

Tor frowned, his expression filled with anger. She tried to kill you. Why dont you just

finish her off?

Why, indeed? If she were any other warrior, shed already be dead. But women were

protected in the kingdom of Raynar. Though she wasnt of Raynar, she was still female and

would not be intentionally harmed.

Besides, it was his blow that sent her to the ground. While perfectly acceptable to defend

himself against an attacking female, there was nothing noble about running her through while

she lay helpless on the ground. Im taking her back.

With a sigh of disgust, Tor turned on his heel and mounted his balon, giving orders to the

other warriors to search the bodies for signs of life. Tors furry beast let out a howling cry, its

blue horn pointing toward the sky. Tor pulled on the reins and galloped away, leaving Lycan

alone with the woman.

He pulled off her helmet and checked her head for other injuries. She was a mess, her hair

tied back in some kind of braid and filthy with the dirt of battle. Her leggings and arm braces

were torn and she stunk to high heaven.

With hands more gentle than he should use on an enemy, he lifted her and climbed easily

onto his black balon , positioning the female in front of him so he could hold her in place. Her

head dropped against his chest and he wound his arms around her. The animal let out the

same piercing wail as Tors, then took off at a fast run at Lycans command.

The ride back to Raynar was long, and yet the woman had not regained consciousness by

the time they arrived at the gates. He lifted her off the balon , ordering his aide to dispatch the

physician to the chambers next to his bedroom.

The woman was feather light, her slight frame like a childs. But her body was that of a

woman. Her breasts were plump and full, as evidenced by the peek of cleavage displayed

through the tattered laces of her thin shirt.

Lycan kicked the door open to his chamber and walked through to the second bedroom.

He deposited the woman in the center of the silken coverlet.

Still no response from her. He reached for her throat again and found her pulse still

beating steady.

You called for me?

Lycan turned at the question from Dar, the royal physician. Yes. This Dognelle woman

has been injured and has not regained consciousness. Look her over. Ill be back shortly.

Dar nodded and bent over the woman, quickly untying the laces of her shirt. Lycan tilted

his head to the side and watched, enjoying the exposure of one side of a creamy breast.

Lingering was unnecessary and yet he couldnt seem to turn his eyes away from the slow

unveiling. Dar would report his findings when he finished examining the woman. Besides,

Lycan needed a bath and a change of clothes. Seven days out in the heat and dirt and he

probably reeked worse than the woman.

He entered the dark, paneled bath chamber, waving off the concubines who came to greet

him. The smell of cedar filled the air, reminding him of swimming in the lakes as a young boy.

Stripping off his clothes, he sighed deeply at the welcoming sight of the steaming water. The

turquoise pool was large enough to fit a dozen, but right now he was in no mood for female

company.

Sliding into the warmth, he laid his head back and studied the skylights, open today to let

the warm sun inside.

Tor joined him, cursing his way into the room.

Damn women, Tor muttered, stripping quickly and sliding into the water. You need to

have them serviced by the guards or some of the other staff members while were gone. I can

no more step foot in the palace than ten of them are on me.

Lycan laughed. And youre complaining? You love them all and you know it.

A half smile curled Tors lips. Maybe. Right now Im just tired. I want to sleep until

morning. Alone.

Lycan knew how Tor felt. His muscles were sore from hard riding and equally taxing

battles. They had already spent three days fighting warriors from the Centuri Kingdom when

they ran into the Dognelle on their way back home.

Dognelle, while female, were well-trained warriors. Killing women went against

everything Lycan believed in, yet he had no choice when theyd come upon them. Warring

with the Dognelle was no different than with any of the other clans. Raynar was one of the

richest kingdoms, sitting on top of prime land that any one of a hundred clans wanted to

possess.

The Dognelle had chances to merge with the Raynar kingdom, and had steadfastly refused

to join them. Instead, they made war on Raynar just as Centuri did.

Sometimes it seems like weve been at war since the day I was born, Lycan murmured,

staring into the rippling blue water.

We have been. Since we were old enough to wield a sword and mount a balon, weve

been warriors. Before that, we played war, then trained for it. Its our life, Lycan. We have to

defend whats ours.

Heaviness weighed on Lycans soul. I realize that. I just wish we could have peace.

Tor snorted. Peace? With who? The Dognelle? Id just as soon slice off my own dick than

lie down with those heathens.

Theyre just women, Lycan muttered.

Theyre barbarians. Probably cut our throats, or even worse, while we slept.

And one lay unconscious in the chamber next to his. Maybe he should sleep with his

sword tonight.

After he bathed, he dressed in buff leather pants. When he returned to the secondary

Burton Jaci - Lycan's Surrender (Ellora's Cave).pdf

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