by Mary Auclair
“I do hope I see some of them one day.”
“You have your whole life to see killkons, and as for a meerit, my mother always keeps one as a pet.”
Rose remained silent at this. Her whole life, he had said. She let her mind go blank, staring at the green beauty of the wilderness. It was soothing to allow her worries to seep through, unattended. The last few weeks had been a raging hurricane of dangers, and these brief moments of safety were a balm on her strained nerves.
“There!” Karian pointed in front of the transport. “The Erynian Tribe Hall.”
She followed Karian’s finger and lost her breath. There, amongst the tall grass of the plains, stood a round enclosure, large enough to fit a hundred of her villages back on Earth. The ground was made of polished white stone, and in the center towered a castle-like building that appeared to be carved out of pure night. As they approached fast, she realized the castle was made of dark blue stones, with speckles of white and purple. It had a tower with a rounded roof, and a series of arched windows ran from the ground to the top floor on all sides. It was a stunning building, and in the dimming of the setting sun’s light, it seemed to sparkle.
Karian’s transport hovered over the wall and stopped in the middle of a large lot. Rose waited as he jumped out, then walked around to help her down. As she landed beside him on the stone ground, four figures stalked toward them.
“Father!” Karian opened his arms and bear hugged the tall male in the center of the group. “Uncles! Cousin!”
While the males hugged and greeted each other, Rose stood behind, flapping her hands at her sides self-consciously.
“There’s someone I want you to meet.” Karian turned and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her alongside him. “This is my mate, Rose. Rose, this is my father, Enlon. These are my uncles, Argen and Wyrl. And this is my cousin, Erlock, Argen’s youngest son.”
The four males looked down at her, curiosity and amazement clear on their weathered faces. Enlon was easily identifiable by the markings on his skin. He had the most of the three older males, marking him as a superior warrior, a force second only to his formidable son, Karian.
Argen and Wyrl looked strikingly similar to Enlon, but when her gaze slid to Erlock, Rose paused. He was different from the others, and when she looked more closely, she understood why. His face was deprived of the scar pattern the other warriors displayed with pride. After a while, Erlock’s eyes narrowed and he straightened, understanding she had noted the absence of warrior’s patterns on his body. Rose quickly looked away and smiled, but she got the impression her slight wasn’t going to be forgiven by the male. This one had a resentful streak in his eyes, and the way his gaze grazed her body made her want to cover up more than the synthetic cotton clothing did.
“Nice to meet you,” she managed to mutter without melting down and disappearing between the cracks of the stone ground.
“Welcome to the Erynian tribe.” Enlon gave her a large smile, so like Karian’s that her guts twisted in warmth. “From the bottom of my heart, dear.”
“Welcome,” Argen and Wyrl said in concert.
“Thank you.”
Karian gave his family another shoulder slap before turning to Rose.
“Now, let’s get you to my mother.”
The inside of the Erynian tribe ceremony hall was as splendid as the outside, with floors of pure white stone, polished and reflecting the light on those walls made of night. Rose’s small steps sent muffled sounds in between the clacking of Karian’s boots as they walked in the long hallway.
“Here. I have to leave you before this door.” Karian turned her so she was facing him. “Don’t worry. Mother will take great care of you.”
“Okay.” Rose swallowed nonexistent saliva as her throat and mouth suddenly dried up. “I trust you.”
Karian locked gazes with her, then his fingers closed around her chin and he gently lifted it. Not breaking the stare, he planted a kiss on her closed lips, then withdrew. His eyes flashed wildly for a second before he turned and walked away.
As Karian disappeared behind a corner, the heavy door creaked and Rose turned to stare at the radiant smile of a strange creature.
“You must be Rose!” the creature said in a soft musical voice that sounded more like a song than speech. “I’m Arlia, Karian’s mother. We are all so excited to meet you.”
Arlia was only slightly smaller than Enlon, and her heavily muscled frame was made even more impressive by the lacy dress draped over her shoulders and tied with a delicate bow on one side. Her physical strength contrasted strongly with the softness of her voice, and Rose couldn’t help but stare at her with wide eyes. Her face was round and her nose large and flattened, with high cheekbones. The overall effect gave her a graceful, feline appearance. Her skin was a soft muted yellow, as were her eyes and hair, which was long and wavy, brushing her waist in a heavy cascade. Arlia was a golden beauty.
Compared to her, Rose felt like an insect on the wall.
“It’s very nice to meet you, too.”
Arlia smiled and took Rose’s hands in her much larger ones. Her skin was soft and warm, and it calmed Rose’s worries.
“Come now, my dear, let me present you to the others.”
Arlia stepped sideways and motioned for Rose to enter a large room. There, she waved her arm to include about three dozen females, all standing around and peering down at Rose with various emotions ranging from degrees of curiosity to open hostility. All of them wore gowns and various other exotic clothing, clearly designed to be elegant. They were from a great number of species, and it made Rose’s head swim to stare at the different eyes, skin, and features on all of them. Some had scales and long, lizard-like arms and legs, some had a covering of fur on every inch of their bodies, and at least one had an extra pair of limbs, which she folded under the first set as she stared at Rose with pitch black eyes.
Rose couldn’t help but wonder if they saw her being as strange as she perceived them.
Arlia pulled her along and presented her to each female, stating the name of the male she was mated to and his station in the tribe. Soon, the names and faces blurred until the string of strangers became a faceless mixture. Finally, only one group of females remained, and as Rose stepped forward, the fog lifted from her brain. These females were tall and slim creatures, and they walked toward Rose with a deliberate grace.
“Avonies,” Arlia whispered in Rose’s ear. “This is Elvira.” Arlia pointed to a small creature to the right. She was the color of morning dew, a liquid white with a sheen of pure silver. Elvira was a stunning creature, and although she met Rose’s eyes with a scowl on her face, her vivid dark violet eyes didn’t hold the hostility of the others. “Willa, Illya.”
Arlia paused then gestured to the female in the center of the group of Avonies. “And of course, who could forget Maral.”
In the center of the group of Avonies was the most beautiful creature Rose had ever seen. Her skin was a silvery white, shining and luminous like the inside of a large sea shell. She was smaller than Arlia, and her frame was delicate and elegant. She wore a dark silver gown that hugged her slim body closely, and her thick black hair hung heavy on her shoulder in an intricate braid, showing two pointed ears. Her large purple eyes had vertical pupils that shrank when she stepped closer, and she stared down a straight nose at Rose, her nostrils flaring in distaste.
She looked like a butterfly, and had the predatory stare of an eagle.
“Maral is Arlen’s mate. Now that Karian has returned, she is mate to the Second in Command of the Eok fleet.” Arlia talked with measured words, and Rose had an inkling those two weren’t exactly on good terms. “They have been mated for ten years now.”
“I met Arlen on the warship.” Rose forced a smile on her face even though what she really wanted was to hide behind Arlia’s skirts like a child. “He’s very lucky to have a mate as beautiful as you.”
Maral’s lips lifted in condescension, and she tilted her head at
the compliment.
“So, this is what a human looks like.” Maral’s fluted voice stabbed through the air like a crystal arrow. “I don’t see what all the fuss is about. There’s not much to it, really.”
Maral shot a disdainful look at Rose, taking in the plain synthetic cotton pants and shirt, wrinkled from the trip and hanging shapelessly around her body. Anger flared inside Rose, red hot and burning. So she wasn’t wearing a sparkling gown, and her hair was a rat’s nest on her head. After the last few weeks she’d had, Rose bet Maral wouldn’t look her best, either.
Rose opened her mouth to answer a few chosen words to this alien bitch, but Arlia squeezed her upper arm, cutting the flow. Maral was provoking her, the least she could do was to return the favor.
“Thank you.” Rose gave her a brilliant smile, and was rewarded by a constricting of Maral’s vertical pupils. “And don’t worry, I’m sure the novelty will pass. They will go back to admiring you in no time.”
Maral’s eyes flashed a dangerous glint of pure, undiluted hatred, but she kept silent. Beside her, Willa and Illya squinted their eyes, looking like they wanted nothing more than to wrap their long, fine fingers around Rose’s throat and squeeze the life out of her. Rose shot a fleeting glance at Elvira and the Avonie flashed her a wry smile, but it was gone before she could be sure of what it meant. For all she knew, Elvira was looking forward to a bloodbath as a distraction from her pampered life.
“Follow me.” Arlia brought her hand to Rose’s shoulders, smoothing the goosebumps under her warm palm. “It’s time.”
Then Arlia turned and walked to the door that Rose knew lead to the stage where the mating ceremony was going to take place. Suddenly, her throat closed and her heart beat stronger and faster. Beyond those doors, her life would be forever changed.
As Rose passed by her, Maral gripped her wrist. Her long fingers were cold and her grip surprisingly strong.
“Don’t think you won, human,” Maral hissed, her tiny fangs inches from Rose’s face. “Savor being the mate of the Commander in Chief while you can.”
“Let go of me before I rip your eyes out of your face,” Rose whispered softly enough that only Maral and the other Avonies could hear. She was surprised at the savage possessiveness she felt. “Karian is mine.”
“Be careful what you wish for, then.” Maral glared at Rose, her poisonous stare like invisible acid.
She whirled around, then stalked gracefully away, disappearing before Rose came to the realization that she might have escaped the dangers of Saarmak and the Cattelans, but she was nowhere near safe.
And she had just made a new enemy.
CHAPTER 16
ROSE
T he stage was a semi-circle of stone so black it seemed like it absorbed the glow from the large orbs of golden light hovering ten feet above the floor. The orbs cast a golden shine across the faces of the audience, revealing eyes alight with curiosity and excitement. The air was heavy with the taste of arousal coming from so many bodies pressed together to witness her joining to Karian.
They weren’t here for just a regular mating. They were here to witness the exotic mating of a creature thought to be extinct and the most powerful warrior in the tribe.
This was the most exciting spectacle of their lives.
Rose stepped to the stage, conscious of the flowing of her new gown around her body. Although she was incredibly grateful to Arlia for the opportunity to change, she felt awkward in the strange clothing. Rose wore a long, flowing gown made of layers of sheer fabric in progressive shades of yellow and pink, tied in a knot on both shoulders. She fussed with a stray curl that had escaped the fancy headdress Arlia had made her wear. It was an intricate gold piece, covered with gemstones and silver ornaments, trailing through her hair like a river, making the curls appear tamed and purposeful instead of unruly. The rest of her clothing was as magnificent and foreign as the headpiece.
Rose took her first step onto the platform and shivered at the cold of the stone on her bare foot. The stone wasn’t just absorbing the light, it was gorging on the heat from her body as well. Another step brought her into the golden light from the orbs, and a wind of excitement traveled across the audience. Looking down at herself, she stifled a smile.
The light was dancing on the fabric of her gown, making the yellow and pink shimmer, so that she appeared soaked in pure sunshine. She smiled inwardly at the thought of Maral, sitting there, watching her coated in the color of sunset, being admired by everyone.
She must be gritting those tiny, sparkling teeth to the bone.
Finally, Rose walked to the middle of the stage, alone, as instructed. She turned her head, scanning the audience for familiar faces. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of at least five to one. The females were scattered across the place, watching with eyes ravenous with curiosity, but also edged with a hint of tension.
A door opened at the far end, and a tall, midnight blue figure walked on the stage with the grace of a mountain lion. Rose’s breath caught and her heart lurched at the sight of him. Karian was male power made flesh, dressed in loose black pants and a sweater made from a shimmering fabric that glimmered gently under the golden orbs. She admired the magnetic pull of him, from his square shoulders down to the muscles of his chest and the roll of his thighs. His face was set with strong lines, too strong and masculine to be pretty, but calling to her in the most primal way. Her belly quivered and heat spread between her legs.
It’s the Mating Venom, nothing more. My body craves it, but I’m still in control.
Rose stared at Karian as he walked toward her, his movements fluid, too agile for any human, and yet full of power. The tug in her belly grew and grew until she had to fight an urge to run to him and wrap her legs around his waist. He stopped inches from her, towering over her, his eyes shining in his unreadable face.
A rumble went around the audience, excitement and anticipation filling the air, covering her tongue with an aftertaste of lust. Her nipples were hard and erect, protruding from the wispy fabric like beacons. Her body was responding to him and he hadn’t even touched her.
Then he moved.
Karian’s right hand cupped her cheek as his left arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. She was trembling, her every sense on high alert. He lifted her chin, and she blinked at what she saw. His eyes were a blue more intense than she remembered, almost shining with a light from within. As they rested on her lips, a shiver ran along her body, like thousands of fingers running over her skin with exquisite erotic tenderness.
The audience was transfixed, exchanging whispers and gasps. Comments in low, husky voices traveled from person to person. Rose turned to watch an endless succession of strange faces, flushed with anticipation, eyes shining and mouths halfway open. They were there to see. They wanted to witness.
Rose risked a glance at the first row of spectators. Maral was there, at Arlen’s side. Rose’s gaze locked with a purple glare, angry and flashing a row of small, wicked fangs in a hateful grin. Next to them were Arlia and Enlon, looking like they had swallowed a swarm of hornets.
They shouldn’t be surprised. Something isn’t right.
Rose’s throat clenched and panic took hold of her bones, making her feel as though they were made of water. Her vision blurred, invaded by tiny specks of darkness, threatening to wash reality away.
“Focus on me.” Karian brought her eyes back to him, and the twirling blue in his irises grew enough to cast shadows on his cheekbones. “There is only the two of us here. Nobody else.”
“That’s not true.” Her words were scattered with shivers. “I’m scared, Karian.”
His lips landed on Rose’s. The contact flashed, intense and entrancing. Karian’s tongue pushed through, probing the entrance to her mouth, and she immediately opened it to allow him in. Her tongue slid over his teeth, stopping on his fangs. A tiny bit of pressure, and the Mating Venom tickled her taste buds with its tart and spicy cinnamon taste. In the next instant, the Mating Venom
rushed into her bloodstream, making her damp with want. The faces of the crowd faded to a hidden corner of her mind, shrinking in the face of her mounting need for Karian’s body.
Karian broke the kiss and locked gazes with Rose again. His eyes were two slices of heaven.
“My mate.” His voice was layered with a deep, primal possessiveness. There were worlds of promises in those words. Her heart pinched at the thought of the life that would never be. Karian didn’t love her. He was mating her because he owed her, to repay her for the life she had saved.
Stupid, stupid girl. Don’t dream. He owns you, he doesn’t love you.
The thought made her strong enough to pull her heart out of the way, allowing only the erotic, inescapable pull of his body on hers. If she allowed her mind and heart to be fooled, she was going to be lost in the sensation of him. Already, she was his all the way to the core of her bones, to every cell in her body.
“Be mine.” Karian brought his eyes closer to hers. They were shining, casting a blue light filled with a want so deep, it made her head swirl and her heart race. “Rose. My Rose.”
“Yes.” Rose gave her answer, unable to resist. If she were damned for it, she couldn’t resist. Everything in him made her crumble and fade to dust with desire. “You’re mine. My mate.”
Then his mouth was on her again, and there was no place for words. The crowd faded, then disappeared, hidden behind a veil of passion like no other. Her freedom was slipping out a little more every time he kissed her. The worst part was that she didn’t care at all.
Karian broke the kiss and went to stand behind Rose, his chest molded to her back. Muscular arms enveloped her. As she was surrounded by his body, her breathing became fast and shallow, her skin prickling, hyper-sensitive as she was aware of every inch of it touching his.
Karian’s mouth closed on her neck and soon his tongue caressed the skin, taunting it. Heat spread where the Mating Venom covered her skin, generating an influx of sensual sensations along her body, spreading a trickle of pleasure deep down in her belly. His hands closed on her stomach, pulling her into his warmth. His arousal was hot and hard on her back, filling her with a hollow ache for his flesh that made her core clench and scream for him. Rose wanted him, all of him.