by Wells, Juno
“These are what my people used to travel to your world. I slept in one for fifty years. They are safe and have the same regeneration capabilities as your hibernation cylinder. There are a couple of differences. These use no gel, so your skin stays pliant. Also, this one is larger than the ones I sent for your priests. This was designed to hold two people. Couples use them on our ship, couples who are dedicated to remaining together, come what may.”
A couple hibernating together was a totally new concept for Bradon. He gazed down at the soft interior and imagined him and Grace curled together for his forty-year regeneration cycle. Looking up at Grace, he saw and remembered how soft her skin was. These pods would be especially nice for Belanna and Sabin. They might slumber together rather than apart. He felt his chest constrict as all the possibilities of this shared technology began to form in his mind.
Grace’s voice drew him from his internal thoughts. “This double chamber is my gift to you. Can you think of someone you would like to join you in your slumber? The couples on our ship who have used them swear they dream-link together. Can you imagine being linked to the person you love, during a long forty-cycle slumber?”
Bradon ran his hand lovingly around the outside of the unit. He thought long and hard about what she had said. “Gods of chaos, Grace. You are slowly tearing away every possible objection anyone could make to me taking a mate. Come, let us love. Give me time to consider this new idea.”
Others drew back to make way for them to move to the upper level where his permanent suite was located. Traveling for the other festivals was no hardship but Bradon greatly preferred his own chambers.
When they were naked in his chamber, something different happened. There was no mad rush to couple. No ripping off each other’s clothing. There was only the slow steady strum of their hearts as they loved each other at an intense unhurried pace.
Their joining lasted much longer than it ever had in the past. They stared into each other’s eyes, as they shared intimate pleasure. So profound was the experience that Bradon kneeled to pray after his mate was asleep. For absolutely the first time ever, he felt like they might have the possibility of a life together.
Just when he thought their future together was secure, it all came crashing down around him.
Bradon woke and went in search of the woman he had come think of as his mate. He walked by the room where the pods were kept and spied Onyx with his arm around Grace. She was smiling and whispered something in his ear. Bradon felt ugly emotions rising in his chest, emotions stronger than any he’d ever felt. Anger and jealously almost crushed his soul as he wondered just when was it that his priests achieved such familiarity with his woman?
Then an even darker thought occurred to him. Perhaps she wasn’t his woman at all. Bradon had heard that some humans were greedy for power and riches, but never thought for a moment that Grace had that mindset. Now, after finding her in the embrace of a young attractive priest, he knew not what to think. Maybe she wanted to keep him with her in order to be Queen and Onyx with her to serve her pleasure.
He went to his room to pray and suddenly Grace was beside him, praying as well. He wondered what she prayed for, and if the gods spoke to her. He prayed that he was wrong about Grace. He loved her and he wanted to keep her. When he rose, she pulled him over to the bed and convinced him that he was errant in his thinking.
Relief warred with embarrassment for top place in his emotions. He should have never doubted her. Grace was a friendly and outgoing person. Had he but taken the time to walk closer, he was certain that he would have scented no arousal on her at having Onyx so close. Contentment settled over him as they both tumbled off to sleep. They were both sleeping soundly when he heard the door creak open.
Onyx’s voice whispered, “Grace, come.”
Bradon’s face was turned in the opposite direction and his heart froze in his chest as he heard her reply.
“Ox, shut the hell up or he’ll hear you.” She slid out of bed and quietly got dressed.
“My apologies.”
“Shhh, he’s not deaf, you know.” Heading for the door, she grumbled, “Don’t you know how to keep a secret?”
They slipped out of the room together, leaving him behind, supposedly none the wiser. His mate left his bed to be with one of the young priests, admonishing him to keep their tryst secret. His heart shattered into a million pieces, He’d know better than to believe a female could ever love him, what with his strange leathery skin and awkward ways.
Bradon lay in the bed thinking of the situation. Had he not heard it with his own ears and saw it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it possible for Grace to betray their love.
He should have never doubted the attraction of his young priests. Grace was young, and it was natural that she would want a young man. He couldn’t really blame her. His mind drifted. He imagined the two of them wrapped in a warm embrace. It tore a gigantic hole in his soul. It was a hole he knew would never close. He was stupid to ever hope for love. All he got in return was heartache.
Until this moment he had been looking forward to his Awakening Day annual celebration. It lasted for only one day, much like an Earth birthday. He needed to be rid of the priest and of Grace once and for all. Seeing them was too painful. Getting rid of Onyx would be easy. He would just ask the elder priest, Ralon to relocate him somewhere else. He would be happy to never look upon the betrayer’s face again.
Grace was a different matter. Why she was hanging around him was a mystery. If not for love, then why? Thinking it might be for wealth or power didn’t fit with what he knew about Grace. Maybe the humans thought that if he grew attached to their kinswoman, he would grant them special favors. If so, she’d not leave his side easily.
Bradon decided it would take something extreme to make the pretty human never want to see him again. Then the idea came to him, perhaps a public shunning would send a loud and clear message to the humans that he was no longer interested in their offering of flesh.
He decided to just pick another this evening for his Awakening Day celebration. He would choose one of her Davarian friends. That should anger her sufficiently to never come near him again and send a clear message that he was finished with human women.
This night was turning out to be the absolute opposite of the night he had envisioned…the night he had hoped to have with the woman he loved.
Bradon reached over and grabbed the tiny box from between the sleeping mat and the wall. He opened it and gazed upon the charming ring he’d had his artisans make in the traditional human manner for his bride-to-be. He’d been going back and forth in his mind about bonding her. Tonight would have been the night he’d change his fate and the course of history for his people by choosing a human mate.
Though he’d intended to take her only for a human lifetime, her gift to him had seemed like divine providence, proving their union was the right course of action. He snapped the small box closed and shoved it back into the crack.
Dragging himself from his sleeping platform, he called for the old priest and requested that Onyx be gone within the hour. Ralon didn’t even ask why. If his Regent asked, that was enough for the elder priest. There were some things a male could not put a price on. Loyalty, he was coming to learn, was one of them.
He prepared himself for the night and was leaving his chamber just as Grace came back from her rendezvous with his assistant. She smelled strange but not like Onyx. It didn’t matter, she probably used something to cover her scent.
“Did you get enough rest?”
“I was worried about you, kitten. What intrigue could have possibly lured you from my bed?”
“That’s my secret. I was hoping to get back in time to bathe with you.”
“It’s all right, my love. We have many years ahead of us to enjoy such activities. I will see you downstairs for the celebration.”
She jumped onto her toes and he bent so she could kiss him. For once he couldn’t make himself respond to the lips
that had likely just been on one of his assistants. She gave him an assessing look and then turned to take care of her hygiene.
The evening went pretty much as any other. Grace came down immaculately groomed, stayed at his side, and acted for all the world like a female in love. How filled with deceit could a human female be? Bradon wondered if it was an affliction of their kind, or was her treachery unique?
When it came time for him to choose a companion for the evening, he asked Ralon for the list. Grace’s brow quirked. He knew she was trying to figure out why he was looking at the list, since he always just chose her. He quietly gave the list back to Ralon and whispered something in his ear.
The elder priest moved to the front of the room and announced Nayla as his companion for the night. Grace turned her shocked face to look up at him.
“Since you can find diversions interesting enough to lure you from my bed so soon after we mate, you should have no problem locating a suitable diversion for tonight. I’m afraid Onyx is no longer available for you to frolic with, however. I asked that he be relocated.”
Grace’s expression darkened. In fact, it looked thunderous. Her voice was low and gilded with anger. “If you are suggesting what I think you’re suggesting, you crazier than I ever gave you credit for being.”
“Crazy I may be, but as you pointed out earlier, I have exceptionally good hearing.”
Her mouth fell open for a brief moment before she pleaded with him. “Let us talk. Don’t do this Bradon.”
“It must have been easy for you to deceive a male so starved for the attention of a female.”
“You’re way off base with what you’re thinking.”
“If another had told me what I know to be fact, I likely would not have believed them.”
“Look, Mister Crazy-pants, if you do this, there’s no coming back. I will not forgive you for taking another woman to your bed.”
Bradon defiantly held out one hand to Nayla, and like any good Davarian female, she immediately slid her hand into his. The stunned woman slowly allowed him to place her arm around his. To refuse him would have been a grave insult.
Grace
Grace didn’t need to see any more. She rounded towards the door and headed for her shuttle. This was some seriously stupid shit that she did not need in her life. Humans had people in this sector of space actively looking to kidnap their women. Being a fighter pilot was her life’s ambition. Keeping her people safe was supposed to be her primary concern, not some five thousand-year-old priest who appeared to be fond of adolescent posturing.
She climbed aboard and rolled the situation around in her head. Bradon was being absurd. How could he think she’d ever prefer one of priests over him? They’d laughed together, shared intimate secrets with each other and had amazing sex. What they had was special. Why couldn’t he see that?
Dakota and Mia showed up before she could get the shuttle prepped for takeoff.
“What the hell was that all about?”
Mia’s soothing tone redirected her older sister. “Now’s not the time to pound her with twenty questions. Can’t you see that?”
Grace glanced over her shoulder at the two of them. “Sure you don’t want to stay for the celebration?”
“Fuck that. Rick said he’d keep an eye on everything. I don’t know what Nayla’s thinking accepting Lord Bradon the Asshat’s invitation. I thought she had a gigantic crush on Lucon. He’s not going to be too happy to hear she’s servicing her Regent when they just started seeing each other.”
Grace shut down conversation about Nayla immediately. “That’s not our business to discuss. Nayla’s a grown woman and knows what she’s doing.”
Dakota dropped down in the co-pilot’s chair fuming in her seat but kept her mouth closed. Mia had enough sense to give her time too. Since her whole life had just come crashing down around her, Grace hadn’t had a chance even think about whether Nayla was betraying their friendship by accepting Bradon’s offer. Her first thought was that Nayla wouldn’t feel comfortable saying no to one of regents, full stop. In her heart of hearts, she’d like to think that Bradon wouldn’t take advantage of Nayla, but the man was not acting like himself, so clearly he was capable of anything.
As she piloted her shuttle to her ship, it hit her. Her relationship with Bradon was over. The floodgates opened and the tears began to flow. She had just about cried herself out by the time she reached her ship.
Dakota wrapped one arm around her as they walked to her quarters, and Mia trailed behind them quiet as ever. Their quarters were a mess, since they’d pulled out all the stops in preparation for attending the big festival. Grace had never been any good at keeping things tidy. When she was with Bradon, that kind of thing magically got done by his assistants. When she was in her own quarters, it was a different story.
Dakota made her a cup of chocolate and they tried to talk it out.
“I don’t know what set him off. One minute we were banging each other’s brains out, and the next he was tossing me aside. He kept saying something about one of his priests. I didn’t catch it all, but he was seriously pissed.”
Mia interjected, “Davarian males are extremely possessive. If you were unfaithful to him, he would know by scent alone.” Grace knew that as a medical professional, Mia had been gathering information on the biology and psychology of the Davarian people. Up until now Grace had found it more amusing than interesting.
“I’m not stupid. Why would I take a chance on losing the man I love, for a quickie with one of his men? Does that make sense to you?”
Dakota mused. “You did something to piss him off. Think Grace.”
“He did say something about a priest luring me from his bed. Oh my God. Onyx and I have been scouring the galaxy for the perfect Awakening Day present for the big guy. I know they are rarer than gemstones, but I wanted to get him a kitten. He’s really fascinated with cats from studying human culture. He called me his kitten as a term of endearment, so I thought it would be funny to give him one.”
Mia tiled her head slightly. “I suppose that would make a cute birthday present, considering the circumstances.”
“It’s the annual celebration of his Awakening Day, not his actual birthday. Normal people celebrate birthdays. Regents celebrate their Awakening Day.”
Taking a sip of her coffee, Mia nodded. “That makes sense.”
Dakota asked, “Did you find one?”
Grace sighed. “We did. It cost me a king’s ransom, but I bought it. Onyx came to tell me it had arrived. I left Bradon’s bed to go meet the breeder. We stowed it in one of the sleep pods so it wouldn’t be wandering around during the Awakening Day celebration. I told him to be quiet because Bradon has good hearing. He quoted those words back to me right before selecting Nayla for his companion for the night.”
Dakota shot her a knowing look. “Bradon most assuredly assumed you were slipping off to spend time with the priest. His priests have a reputation for being womanizers. In fact, their skills are legendary. The Davarian say many are drawn to the service of Bradon because so many pretty women come to the Great Hall of Awakening.”
Grace already knew all about how the younger priests were coveted as lovers and mates by the Davarian elite. The problem is, she was over the whole situation. She’d given Bradon her heart, and he’d publicly humiliated her in front of his people. That’s the kind of shit that ensures a woman doesn’t come back for round two. Setting down her chocolate cup, she made a decision.
“It doesn’t matter. Tonight he chose our Davarian friend for his companion. There is no coming back from that. I won’t have him back. He should have spoken instead of being his stupid-ass self. This time his impulsiveness cost him a woman who loved him.”
Mia blinked, her gaze unwavering. “Grace, you cannot simply stop loving someone. You will need time to heal.”
“I haven’t stopped loving him. I’ve just decided to have some self-respect and move on. You’re right, I will need time. I don’t plan on invitin
g another man to my bed anytime soon. However, I won’t go crawling back his royal ass-holiness either.”
Dakota frowned. “We’re temporary citizens of his home world right now. We should watch how we talk about him in public. I don’t want the captain ripping us a new one for being disrespectful.”
“He may be our Regent, but he was also my lover. I’ll talk about him however I like.”
Mia’s calming voice intervened. “Grace, you are hurting, but please don’t be so open about your feelings. Save the harsh talk for our quarters and just don’t say anything when the subject comes up elsewhere.”
Grace capitulated. “Sorry, I’m a miserable wretch, and I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”
Mia said soothingly, “Get some sleep, dear. We’ll check on you a little later.”
Once Grace crashed into the bed with the door closed, the tears began to flow for real.
17 The Error of His Ways
Bradon
Bradon kept to his duties, keeping all the grief inside. Moving from one prearranged activity to another, much like he always had before meeting the treacherous human felt right. Filling his mind with affairs of state and acting as moderator to meetings by the high council kept the pain from rendering him useless. It was at night, when he was alone and would normally be messaging or talking with her on his communications unit that he felt the loss.
Racking his brain, Bradon ruminated over every moment they spent together, trying to remember a detail that would explain her turning to another. Perhaps he’d not praised her enough or gifted her enough. Looking down at his hands, he knew deep down in his soul it was because his skin was monstrous. It was the one thing even a Regent couldn’t change.