Her Prince: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (Kindred Souls Book 2) Read online

  Contents

  Copyright

  Dedication

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  Thank You

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All mistakes are my own.

  Copyright © 2018 Helene Gadot

  Cover art by alexannasbuts

  Interior Formatting by Heather Griffin

  Editing by Liz Bridges

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews.

  For my only love interest

  ONE

  Morning sunlight streamed through the thin gray curtains as I plucked idly at the strings of my ukulele. Saber pressed kisses up my bare leg peeking from the pile of blankets.

  My back arched when he reached my hip and I groaned. "Are you paying attention? You're supposed to be learning how to play. It was your idea."

  "It was. But you're making it incredibly hard to focus." He inched the blanket over the slightest bit, uncovering my core and nibbled at my pelvis.

  An embarrassing whimpering sound squeaked from my lips and my fingers jerked from my instrument with a screech. Limp fingers lost their grip on my ukulele as Saber unwrapped me completely, slowly, seductively, heat in his gaze as he looked up and down my naked and trembling body.

  It'd been weeks, and I still wanted them. With a near constant ache. I thought the bond would relax once I gave in, but instead it still rode me, raging through me, keeping me in a constant state of need.

  At least, I thought it was the bond.

  I reached out and cupped Saber's cheek, enjoying the scratchy feeling of his new beard. He started growing it out over the past week though it was nowhere near as thick as Whist's. Saber looked good scruffy.

  He smiled at me, the light in his eyes so bright it almost hurt. I couldn't stop the answering smile if I tried. For the first time in my life, I was safe, I was happy. The itch in my feet keeping me always on the move was gone. I hoped it lasted. I hoped the ghosts from my parents didn't return with disappointment and condemnation.

  Over a week ago, I had laid their memory to rest when I made the choice to stay with my kindred souls. A choice I didn't regret, and one my parents would understand. But there was a small, tiny, minuscule part of me. A part of me I ignored. A part I drowned with the touch, taste, scent of my kindreds.

  Only satiated and curled up between my sleeping assassins did the tiny voice gain any traction. It reminded me of my beliefs, it reminded me I wasn't really safe and wouldn't be with the king after us. It reminded me the law was still broken and wrong. And it reminded me of all the things my guys gave up for me. And what I gave up for them.

  "Where are you, love?" Saber asked as he spread my legs.

  I blinked away my thoughts. "Right here. I'm right here with you."

  "Good."

  "Aren't we supposed to leave soon?" I asked.

  Saber and I lingered in bed while Sky and Whist went to make sure there weren't any royal guards in the area. Everything was packed and ready for our journey to Havisam. We had decided a couple days ago it was better for the four of us to start fresh, start a new life, instead of constantly living on the run here in Faligrey.

  "We are. But we should have a little time."

  I grinned. "Good."

  Saber covered my body with his, teasing my mouth with a languid kiss. I opened my legs wider so he could settle more firmly against me, his steel cock nudging my entrance. My hands trailed up and down his smooth back as I deepened the kiss.

  He groaned into my mouth, his hands wandering over my body. "You're beautiful, love. So responsive, so sweet, so delicious. I can't get enough of you. It's never enough."

  I whimpered as he latched his mouth onto one of my nipples, writhing beneath him. At least I wasn't the only one out of control with want and desire. I wrapped my legs around his waist, tilting my hips to line us up. His tongue flirted with mine as he teased me by sinking just the tip of his cock inside me and circling his hips.

  I wriggled to get him deeper inside, but he resisted with a chuckle. "What's the rush, love? I want to enjoy you."

  "Because we're supposed to be getting ready to go and I don't want to be interrupted."

  "They won't interrupt, they'll join."

  "But we need to get on the road once they return."

  He pressed in a little further. "Trust me, love. They won't mind getting a late start for this."

  I groaned and tossed my head back into the pillows. They always did this, made me desperate for them before giving me what I craved, what I needed. If it didn't feel so damn amazing, it would've made me hate them.

  Saber licked the side of my neck, sucking the skin at the base into his mouth. My nails sank into his back as I tried to get closer to him, wanting every inch of him against me, over me, in me.

  Finally, finally, finally, he slammed home. We both let out harsh breaths, and he pulled back to gaze into my eyes. I couldn't look away from his eyes as he pumped in and out of me. We weren't fucking this time, filled with desperation and need. The desperation and need were still there, but muted. This time, it was something else, something deeper. Staring into his eyes, it was almost like I could see inside of him and he could see inside of me. We connected on a new level. The bond flared to life between us and I could almost read his thoughts. There were flashes of his emotions -- affection, desire, friendship, attraction, admiration, awe, love. The love was tentative and new, but it grew stronger with each stroke.

  We came together, gasping and shuddering, our gazes still locked together, our bodies one. He remained inside me even after we both caught our breath and our bodies had calmed.

  He kissed the center of my forehead and slid out of me with reluctance.

  I felt the same reluctance, fighting not to hold him tight. I wanted to bask in the afterglow, but the morning was growing late and we needed to get plenty of miles between us and this house today.

  Like my thoughts alone summoned them, Sky and Whist burst in before Saber and I were even off the bed. Sky grinned wide while Whist leaned against the doorway and looked his fill.

  "I thought you were teaching Saber how to play the ukulele?"

  I blinked in utter innocence. "I was."

  Sky's eyes danced with amused lights. "Perhaps he can give us a demonstration of all he learned."

  I scoffed and pulled on my trousers. "We certainly don't have time for that."
<
br />   Sky's lips pursed in an adorable pout. "Fine. It'll give us something to look forward to once we set up camp tonight."

  TWO

  Sky insisted it was his turn with me, so I ended up basically in his lap on the back of the horse. He was worse than Whist with his teasing touches and whispered dirty words.

  We were on the way to a new country. My breath caught and my stomach rolled.

  It was scary, but exciting at the same time. No longer living a life constantly on the move, finally able to have a home, put down roots, create a family. I was sure Havisam had some laws I could protest against.

  We hadn't discussed what our new lives would be like yet; the assassins said we'd figure it out. They had enough money squirreled away to get us set up. It burned not being able to contribute. Once we arrived, I'd find a way. I certainly would not sit back and let them take care of me.

  "You still haven't told me much about your past."

  Sky jerked at my words. We'd been riding in silence for a while. "What do you want to know?"

  "Who are you leaving behind?" The guilt refused to let go, popping up over and over again.

  His arms tightened around my middle. "Still worrying about this, doll?"

  "Of course I am. You have to leave the country because of me."

  "Not because of you. Because of the king. The only one leaving anyone behind who matters is Whist. And we'll figure out a way to get her out of there."

  "Won't the king use her against him?" I asked.

  Sky's fingers tripped down my thigh. "We told you, she's a favorite of the princesses and the prince. She'll be safe until we can smuggle her to Havisam."

  "What about you and Saber's families?"

  "We don't have any." His usual merry tone was flat and hard.

  My stomach lurched. "What happened?"

  "Saber's parents died when he was young and I was given to the orphanage as soon as I was born. It's how we met. We decided to become soldiers so we could stay together."

  My brows furrowed and my heart hurt for the both of them. "Why haven't I heard this before?"

  "Because it's depressing as fuck and we've been a bit busy the last couple weeks." He chuckled in my ear and slid his hand under my shirt.

  But I wanted to get to know more than their bodies. I wanted to know them. I wanted them to know me.

  We had given up everything for each other and I felt like we'd barely scratched the surface.

  Sky nipped my ear. "What's going on in that head of yours, doll?"

  "I just feel like we don't know each other very well." My eyes focused on Saber and Whist's backs as they rode in front of us, occasionally exchanging quiet words too low for me to hear.

  "Little late for second thoughts." He pushed my hair over my shoulder to tease the back of my neck with his lips.

  I shook my head and patted his leg. "Not second thoughts. I just want to know you."

  "You will, doll. It takes time. We don't have to force it."

  "You sound like Saber." I leaned back against him, my head in the crook of his neck.

  "I hear that a lot. And you haven't told us much about your past either, you know. We know your parents weren't kindreds. We know you moved around your entire life. We know you spent the last few years traveling around as a bard making an enemy of the king. And that's about it."

  "Fair enough." I pursed my lips.

  "Let's get somewhere safe and settled. We'll have time for it. And we do know some things about you. Things like how brave you are, how strong, how stubborn, how fierce, how talented, how beautiful. And you know some things about us. Like how handsome and dashing and mysterious we are."

  I snorted. But he wasn't wrong. I did know enough about them to know they were good men, dangerous men, my men. I knew they fit me like a missing puzzle piece, I knew they brought out sides of me I didn't know I had, I knew I was falling for them.

  Sky was right. We had time. Determined to turn my mind off, I snuggled back into Sky's chest. He pressed a kiss onto the top of my head, making me smile.

  Right as I began to nod off safe in his arms, our horse whinnied and reared. Sky kept me from falling and yanked the horse to a stop. He tossed me to the ground into Saber's arms before leaping to the ground and drawing his sword. Saber set me on my feet and shoved me behind him.

  We were surrounded by royal guards.

  THREE

  There were so many of them. I gulped, my pulse skittering and leaping with fear. It was a sea of purple uniforms and sharp swords. There was nowhere for us to run. There was no way to fight off so many.

  It was a nice dream while it lasted. But I got them caught.

  Saber's arm around me grew so tight it hurt. Sky leapt in front of both of us his sword held high. I didn't know where Whist was. I hadn't seen him since before we were stopped.

  Sky ran at them and they met with a clash of swords and fists. He couldn't stop them all and they slipped past him and ran for us, determination in their shoulders, on their faces. Saber released me and shoved me further behind him. My fingers slippery with sweat and worry scrambled for the daggers Sky had given me as panic roared in my ears.

  Whist appeared from the trees like a furious avenging angel of death, his sword glittering in the sunlight as he sliced and jabbed. Saber kept them away from me while I waited for an opening to throw the knives. Whist and Sky moved so quickly I couldn't find a clear shot.

  I didn't think singing would save us this time.

  One of the guards stepped forward. "You aren't getting away. Put your weapons down and come peacefully and you won't be hurt."

  No, not until they dragged us before the king and he had us executed.

  But maybe, once we met the king, and he realized I was their kindred soul, my assassins would be granted clemency.

  I squeezed Saber's arm. "Do what they say. You three are impressive, but there's like fifty of them."

  Whist threw his sword to the ground with a roar of rage. Sky and Saber followed his lead, their swords and knives clinking on the ground as their chests heaved with furious breaths. My knives were lost, buried in the flesh of a couple of the guards. Unfortunately, I didn't kill anyone. I just pissed them off. A lot.

  The assassins didn't actually kill anyone either. But they injured and knocked out a lot of the guards. The three of them surrounded me, their hands reaching behind them to touch me, like they were afraid I would disappear. Like they wanted to soak up as much of me as they could while they still had the chance.

  It was over.

  FOUR

  The guards loaded us into the back of a prison cart and shackled to the floor. They chained Saber beside me with Whist and Sky on the other side. Saber smiled sadly at me while Whist yanked at the chains with his mouth set in a hard line. Sky leaned his head back against the side of the cart and squirmed around a bit to get as comfortable as he could in there. I did my best not to scream, keeping my breathing deep and slow. I hated being trapped, locked up. It's why I spent so much of my life under the sky.

  I met Saber's eyes. "I'm so sorry. Do you think the king will be lenient with you three once he finds out we're kindred?"

  Whist snorted and rattled his chains, his angry eyes burning through me. "Not something we're concerned about. You think we'll go back to being his loyal assassins if he kills you? Just slide back into our lives like nothing happened?"

  I flinched back at his fury. "But I don't want to be the reason you're killed along with me."

  Saber inched closer to me until we were almost touching. "It's not going to come to that. We'll get you out of this."

  "How?" I twisted my arms in the chains so I could erase the last inch of space between us. As soon as we touched, tension bled from me. I could snuggle into him with my head on his shoulder.

  Saber tilted his head so he could whisper to keep us from being overheard by the guards eying us with suspicion through the bars of the door. "Don't know yet, but we'll figure it out. We have friends in the princess and princ
e and they have influence with their father. It's also our home turf, we know all the nooks and crannies. It's not over, love."

  I wanted to believe them, to trust them, but seeing so many guards around us, armed and ready to stab us at the slightest provocation, I couldn't see a way out of this. Not for all of us. But I planned to do my best to make sure the three of them made it through. Whatever I had to do.

  This was always where I was headed. I should have known better. My parents certainly taught me better. There was no happily ever after, there was no way to run far enough to escape who we were and what we could have in this world. My parents ran every few months, a new village, a new life, always trying to start over. But it always had the same ending. We were run out of each village when they found out my parents weren't married or kindred souls. When they found out I was a bastard. And they always found out.

  Faligrey ended up being a small world. Visitors from other villages spilled the beans, sometimes it was me who trusted the wrong kid. Sometimes word just spread. But our clean slates never lasted more than a few months. And I watched my parents waste away, giving most of their food to me, working shitty jobs just to keep us from starving. They tried their hardest to give me a happy childhood, but they couldn't hide their exhaustion and pain and loneliness from me. They couldn't hide the circles under their eyes or trembling limbs or when my father started coughing up blood.

  It didn't take long for my mother to fall ill along with him. And I couldn't find anyone to help them.

  So I watched them die.

  They withered away, growing weaker and weaker no matter what food I stole for them. No matter what herbs I brewed and dribbled into their mouths. No matter how long I played their favorite songs to keep them with me. I played until my fingers bled.

  They still slipped away. Within minutes of each other. It was hard to believe they weren't actually kindred souls since they loved each other so much. I was fourteen and on my own and had been since that day ten years ago.

  Until my three assassins appeared from the shadows and changed my life. I had hoped we'd get a little longer before it was all ripped away.