The Witch and the Dragon Ch. 18

He kissed her forehead and then smiled at the people.

"I present to my fellow subjects, my very own flesh and blood, my daughter, princess Alluna."

A roar of glee went around the room. Zak felt insanely jealous and wretched. After all, it was her father... but she's mine, damn-it.

"You need to get his attention, Zak," Seth whispered to him.

"Good idea," Remi seconded. "Get in good with the old man. Chicks like that."

Zak grimaced, remembering how much his first girlfriend's father had despised him... for getting his daughter pregnant and being a freak.

Not much had changed this time either.

Zak scratched the back of his neck. "Aw, damn-it all. And how the hell am I going to do that?"

"We're should offer to be her personal guards," Remi said conspiratorially.

Zak rolled his eyes. "Her guards? As her personal guards it would be a gross breach of trust for me to try to court her. The king would castrate us."

"Not if she falls for you, Zak." Seth said. "Again. The bravest and fiercest of the warriors can ask for her hand, remember? Don't you want her back? Was I right, after all and the spell has worn off?"

Zak snarled. "She didn't put me under a spell."

Seth's eyes narrowed making Zak angrier.

"She's the sweetest, most genuine female I've ever had, damn-it. How could I resist not falling in love?" He looked back to where the king held her on his lap, offering her food. Zak had to forcible hold himself back from going to her. "She's mine," he hissed.

Remi gripped his arm. "Easy, Goliath. Remember that's her father."

Zak pulled his arm from Remi's grasp and sulked. "Yes. I know. Doesn't make it any easier. I want to hold her... feed her... care for her and my babies." He felt the color drain from his face. "Fuck. What if the king decides to terminate the pregnancy?"

Seth stepped in front of him, trying to block his view to the royal table. Zak looked down into his eyes. "That's not going to happen. These people don't do abortions. Take it easy and get your head on straight. We agreed that Anniel and Rowie would work to get her close to you or we'd try to get access to her. You need to get into the king's good graces to court her. The rest will be up to Luna and you. Can you keep focused on that?"

"Yeah, man," Remi muttered next to them. "What kind of half-assed Dom are you?"

Zak winced and scowled down at Remi's angry glare.

Damn. The red weredragon was right. He needed to get himself under better control... keep a level head. That's what a Dom does.

The music began again and everyone resumed sitting at the long tables around the dining hall. Servants carrying large platters of food began filing out from the kitchen doors to either side of the hall.

Zak remained standing, drawing the curious stares of a few of those congregated. Seth and Remi also stayed standing with him, looking at him askance.

Zak began to make his way to the royal table, ignoring Seth and Remi's insistence that he sit.

Those seated around the royal table gaped at him. Nervous murmuring went around the table as he drew closer.

"Zak, what the fuck are you doing?" Seth hissed frantically at his side. Remi only followed, watching him with wide eyes.

One of the warriors sitting at the royals table, Brock, sneered and wrapped his palm around the hilt of his sword.

Brock was about as big and brawny as Zak, and he'd challenged Zak to spar on numerous occasions. Each time Zak had made him eat dirt. The man hated Zak with a passion. The feeling was mutual.

Brock made to stand, but their commander, Braze gripped his arm and ordered him to stand down.

Commander Braze eyed Zak with narrow eyes. He was a hard, harsh man, but Zak knew he was honorable.

The servant that had escorted Alluna intercepted Zak when he reached the end of the table.

The little man visibly shook as he wringed his thin fingers. "No one can approach the king without being announced first, warrior."

Zak scowled at the man making him whimper pathetically. "Then announce me," he snarled through gritted teeth.

Sweat beaded the little man's brow. "And your name is?"

"Zachariel of Angelos."

The servant turned, clicked his heels, and announced in his high-pitched whiney voice, "If it pleases his highness, the warrior, Zachariel of Angelos would like an audience with his highness."

Zak raised his eyes to the head of the table. The king regarded him with narrowed eyes, his grip perceptively tightening on Alluna.

She, on the other hand gaped at Zak. God—did she recognize him?

No.

Zak's bravado began to slip. She looked at him with terror-filled eyes.

Damn black wings.

"You are a holy warrior, death angel, is that right?" the king's thunder-deep voice asked.

Zak bowed his head. "Yes, your highness."

"What do you wish, Zachariel of Angelos?"

Zak looked up at him and unsheathed his sword. Every warrior present jumped to their feet, swords at the ready.

Zak held his sword straight up and out in both hands, and once again bowed his head. "I wish to pledge my sword and my life to protect the princess Alluna." His spread his black wings, garnering a whoosh of sharp gasps, and then sank to his knees.

There, he waited with bated breath for the king's answer.