What a cliché, I thought to myself. Of course it tastes like chicken. Everything tastes like chicken.
I ate another one before it occurred to me that maybe they'd try to poison me. But if they had, it was too late now. And besides, why would they kill me with poison when they'd had plenty of time to kill me while I was passed out? My mind was spinning out all kinds of crazy ideas and theories – a byproduct of being scared out of my mind, I was sure.
There were footsteps from down the hallway, and I had to wonder if this was Kapoc that the creature had mentioned. Is this the enemy that Baz had told me about? His brother?
As soon as Kapoc stepped in front of my cell, I knew it had to be.
Unlike the creature from before, Kapoc looked almost human. He had the same pale skin and dark hair as Baz. They looked so similar that they could almost pass for twins. Almost. Kapoc was shorter, less built than his brother, and his face was squinty - almost rat-like with a long, pointed nose and tiny eyes.
Baz had apparently gotten all the best genes.
“So you're Paige, the human my brother has fallen for,” Kapoc said. “It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm his brother, Ka–”
“I know who you are.” I said coldly.
I placed the tray and the pellets down, not wanting him to see me eating the food he'd provided for me. Call me stubborn, but I wasn't a willing participant in any of this.
“Where's Baz?” I asked.
“You don't remember? He was still on Earth last I checked, but we estimate he'll be arriving sometime within the next few hours. You know, to save the day and all that.” He waved his hand in the air, as if to mock his brother's deeds.
“And you intend to kill him?” I asked, pushing myself against the wall until I could stand.
“Why yes, I do, actually,” he said, looking surprised. “I guess Baz has filled you in on our little family feud.”
“He doesn't want the throne,” I said. “Just leave him alone.”
“Oh, I wish I could. But I can't. You see, as long as he's out there, alive and well and doing whatever it is he's doing, my throne will not be considered legitimate,” he said. “He will have a claim to it as long as he's alive, and that's just the way it works.”
“I don't need a history lesson,” I said. “Or a course on royal succession.”
“Well tell me then, what do you need?” he said, looking me up and down. “My, you're a fine morsel, aren't you? Now I see why Baz was so crazy about you.”
I spat in his face.
“Feisty, too. I like it. I just might have to keep you,” he said, wiping the spit from his face. “After I kill my brother, that is. Would you like to be the king's pet?”
“Rot in hell.”
“Hell? I do not know what that is, but judging by your tone, it's not a place I believe I'd enjoy,” he said with a shrug before walking away, leaving me alone in my cell once more.
Please, Baz. Don't do it. Don't come, I thought long and hard to myself.
I knew that if he didn't come, I'd be stuck there in that cell. At least until they decided to kill me. But the idea of him being murdered in order to save me literally killed me. I fell to the floor once more, my chest hurting. It felt like I couldn't breathe. The walls were closing in on me, and I was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack.
I didn't want to stay there. I wanted to go home. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought of my parents and how I would never see them again. But in order to be free, Baz would be walking into a trap. To imagine him being killed hurt just as much.
Either way, it was a lose-lose situation. I would end up losing someone – or many people – I cared about.
Chapter Five: Baz
I found Kapoc overlooking the red waters of the ocean from his private balcony. I managed to sneak past his guards almost too easily. If I wanted my brother dead, I could easily do it, right then and there. But as tempting as that might be, I didn't know where Paige was at and who was watching her. It would be too easy for them to kill her out of revenge if something happened to my precious brother.
“I'd heard your ship was detected in our atmosphere,” Kapoc said, not bothering to turn around to greet me. “To be honest, I'm surprised. I wasn't sure it would be this easy to get you back here, brother.”
“Where is she?” I growled.
Kapoc laughed, turning around and shaking his head as if disappointed in me. “See, I found it hard to believe that my brother – the great Bazarok – would be smitten with an Earthling. A human. But look at you, willing to risk your life to save that pretty chunk of flesh.”
I gripped my knife, steadying it in my hand. I couldn't overreact. I couldn't kill him. If I did, Paige was dead.
“I'll ask you again, Kapoc. Where is she?”
“Oh, fine,” he sneered. “She's locked away, safe and in one piece. For now.”
“For now? You had better hope she is still in one piece, Kapoc.”
“Or what, brother? You're going to kill me?”
He knew he had me, but I also had him. “I won't give you what you want if she's harmed even in the slightest.”
“And what is it I want, brother?”
“You want me dead. But not just dead, you need to make sure the world knows about it so you can ascend to the throne and rule unchallenged,” I said. “As long as I live, you can't do that. Because no one will accept you as king otherwise. Nobody outside of your little group, that is.”
“Ahh, you know me well, Baz. Question is, are you really going to let me kill you? Just like that?”
I took in a sharp breath, and it almost hurt me to say it, but I knew I had no choice. “Under two conditions. One, you let Paige return home to planet Earth where you snatched her. And two, she is forever free from you or any of your assassins. She will face zero retribution for any of this. If you meet those conditions, then yes, I'm willing to let you do what you have to do. But only if she's guaranteed to be safe for the rest of her life.”
Kapoc looked stunned, as if he didn't expect me to give myself up that easily. I could tell he was ready for battle and to do whatever it took to defeat me publicly. He walked over to a bar and poured himself a drink, offering me one. I turned him down, for obvious reasons.
“Just out of curiosity's sake, what if I don't want to let this human go?” Kapoc said. “What if I decided to keep her as my consort just to spite you, brother?”
I felt my grip on my knife tighten, and I stared at my brother's throat. The idea of plunging the blade deep within his flesh was oh so tempting. I had to take a few breaths before I could answer him.
“Then, brother, there will be war. Civil war. Your partisans against mine. And need I remind you whose side is likely to win such a battle?”
Kapoc cringed as he took a long sip of his exotic beverage. We both knew who had the largest army at their disposal – I did, because I was the rightful heir. I was the one people wanted to see on the throne. My people were stronger, better organized, and more willing to go to battle for me. And if I called them to do so, they would. Kapoc knew it as well as I did.
“The only way you'll get the throne is to make sure Paige is released and is never to be harmed again. Then, and only then, will I submit to you.”
I turned and left, leaving my brother to ponder his decision. I knew it would be an easy choice to make. Paige meant the world to me, but she meant nothing to him. Least of all, she wasn't worth losing his chance at gaining the throne so easily. I could feel his eyes upon me as I left his home.
And I knew, right then and there, that I'd made the right choice. Because there was no way he'd give up his chance to kill me publicly. Paige would be safe to live her life as normal back on Earth.
To me, that was worth dying for.
Chapter Six
“Incoming message from Kapoc,” Anjol said.
Well, that didn't take long, I thought to myself. Then again, I knew it wouldn't. I'd made it an easy decision for him.
“Baz,
I've considered your offer, and I agree to your terms. As a gesture of good will, I'm offering you something in return. Please visit me so we can finalize our terms in person.”
Offering me something? My mind was spinning with the possibilities – and none of them seemed particularly good. Was that some sort of code for a surprise attack? Was this a trick? I didn't have much of a choice, but I needed to make sure our terms were finalized and that Paige was released. But his offer made me a bit uneasy.
I returned to the castle to find that he was no longer alone. Paige was with him. As soon as I saw her, I rushed over to her, only to be stopped by one of Kapoc's guard.
“Don't do this, Baz,” Paige begged me, tears streaming down her face. “You don't have to die for me.”
“Such a sweet thing,” Kapoc said, lifting her chin with a finger. “I can see why you like her. Well, almost. She's still an alien to us and has some very strange things about her.”
Paige tried to bite my brother's finger, but he was too quick. He laughed. “I love how feisty she is though. She's so very fun to play with.”
“Leave her alone,” I warned. “In order for me to surrender in public and submit to you, she needs to be unharmed, remember?”
“Oh, I remember alright,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Aren't you even going to ask me what my offer to you is? Not the least bit curious?”
“Curious? Of course. Worried it's some sort of deception? Even more so. I know you, brother.”
“Listen to how he speaks of me? You'd think I was evil or something,” he said, pretending to pout. “Just to show you how magnanimous I can be, all I wanted to offer was a chance to spend one last night with your human-friend, Baz. One night to say goodbye before I send her home for good. And here you are, assuming I'm going to do something nasty.”
I was stunned into silence.
“Did you hear me, Baz?” he repeated. “Would you like one more night with your precious lady friend?”
There was no question about it. “Yes, of course,” I said, my voice coming out strained. “But why would you do that?”
Kapoc shrugged. “Call me sentimental? Make the most of your time together, Baz. Because you aren't very likely to get another chance.”
There was something more to this; there had to be. Some hidden string or loophole. He was trying to do something nice, but not simply to be nice – Kapoc didn't do that. It was probably to make himself look good. My brother was always one to worry about his image, and this was a case where showing me out with Paige, letting my followers know that he showed me kindness, was a way to hopefully win their favor. It was all just public relations.
Whatever it was though, didn't matter to me. It meant that I would get one more night with Paige. One more night with her before she went home, and I was killed. It was worth it.
Honestly, I didn't care why he was doing it. I was just thankful I had the chance. I couldn't ask for a better sendoff. One final goodbye with her. As painful as it might be, I looked forward to spending my last few hours alive with the woman I loved.
Chapter Seven
Paige was released, and as soon as she was free, she was in my arms. Tears stained her cheek as she cried. All I could do was hold her and tell her over and over again how sorry I was.
“If only you had never met me...”
“Hush,” she said. “I'm glad I met you.”
“Even with all this?” I asked her, motioning to the world around her. “Being kidnapped, taken to another planet, held hostage – all of that is still worth it to you?”
“Of course,” she said, staring deep into my eyes. “It's all worth it, Baz. Because of you. Because I got to spend time with you.”
I wasn't one to cry, not usually, but I felt a lump in my throat. This woman was truly something special. And there I was, spending my last night alive with her. I needed to do what Kapoc suggested and make the most of it.
“Come on,” I said, taking her hand. “Let me show you around. After all, it's not likely you'll get to visit this place again any time soon.”
She smiled as if she wanted to be happy, but there was a dark shadow of sadness beneath the surface. All I wanted was for her to forget what was to come and do nothing more than truly enjoy our time together. I wanted to die remembering her smiling and laughing, and I was going to do everything I could to bring her happiness in our last few hours together.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To my favorite place in this world,” I said softly.
The beach was always where I felt most at home when I was there. Large and expansive, it felt like the sea went on forever. When I was forced to stay put on this planet, I could stand there and look out over the water, imagining distant places. I'd swim to the bottom of the sea, hiding away from the world and dreaming about what it would be like to swim in other oceans on other worlds.
I never did get to experience that fully. Not while on Earth. And what a shame, too, as I was so close – and yet I was so far away from ever getting to do that now.
“It's so different from back on Earth,” she said. Her voice was full of awe as she stared at the red water crashing into the shore. At first, when we approached the water, she looked scared to let it touch her. “Why is it red? Is it blood?”
“No, it's a mineral,” I said. “Completely safe, I promise.”
I dipped my feet into the water. When she didn't follow suit, I started stripping down.
“What are you doing?” she laughed, looking around.
“What? Public nudity isn't a big deal here. Besides, it's a private beach. No one else is around. It's just you and I, Paige.”
It was my own private beach, the one place I could always be alone.
Paige turned a bright shade of red, almost the color of the water I was stripping down in. But she watched me, nonetheless, and I loved the look on her face as I removed my clothing. To have a woman look at me like that, as if I was a work of art, was something I'd never get used to. The blushing stopped, and I reached out my hand for her to come to me.
“You sure it's safe? For a human, I mean?” She bit her lip, staring down at the water with a look of wonderment on her face.
I was pretty sure the minerals in our water would be safe, but to make sure, I checked in with Anjol.
“Yes, the water is safe for humans. In fact, the minerals that turn our waters red are the same ones that keep them clean - cleaner than any ocean or sea on her planet.”
“Thank you, Anjol.”
I repeated it to Paige, who looked less frightened by the prospect. I walked toward her, hand outstretched, but she made me come completely to her. As I approached, she didn't take my hand. However, she embraced me, wrapping her arms around me, and pulling me close. I heard the muffled sobs coming from her as she buried her face into my shoulder.
Not wanting to focus on the negative, I started kissing her gently, pushing her hair out of the way to kiss her cheek, her ear, then her neck. Paige stopped crying as our lips met. A soft sigh escaped her throat as we kissed deeply, standing on my beloved beach.
I was going to make the most of our time together. I wanted her to be happy and to enjoy our last night together. I kept kissing her, moving lower down the neck and dotting her collarbones with soft kisses. Her head was thrown back, and her eyes were closed. I worked the buttons of her shirt, slipping it down to expose her bra.
But Paige reached around and, with one hand, removed it. It fell to the ground along with her shirt. Her breasts were so beautiful – larger than the ones women have on my planet. I cupped one in my hands, kissing the nipple, and sucking on it. Paige let out a soft groan as her knees almost gave out from under her. That's when I knew we should move to another position.
Gently, I eased her body to the ground until we were laying in the sand, me on top of her. In the midst of the changing of positions, she'd slipped her pants down to her ankles, giving me a full view of her beautiful body. I soaked it in like any gorgeous work of a
rt.
I just stared at her, taking her in. I never wanted this moment to end. If this had to be the last thing I ever saw in this life, it was one amazing way to go. I could stare at this view all day.
“What is it?” she asked, insecurity creeping into her voice.
“You're just so beautiful, Paige,” I said, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. I knew what I wanted to say to her, and since this was our last night together, I had to just do it. “And I love you.”
She made a sound of surprise, as her eyes grew wide. I almost feared I'd made a mistake. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say to her? Not that I'd take it back; she needed to know how I felt about her.
Paige closed the distance between our bodies, kissing as she grabbed my head, pulling me close to her. Her legs opened, inviting me to make love to her, and how could I resist?
Together, on the beach, we made love as if it was the last time. Mostly because, well, it was the last time. I held her close, kissed her everywhere my mouth could reach, and showed her I loved her with every movement of my body. She writhed and shuddered underneath me, her body filled with pleasure – exactly the way I wanted her to feel. I wanted to make her feel good.
She called out my name, and I knew she was climaxing, her legs wrapped around my body, pulling me deeper inside of her. I was on the brink myself, and before I could stop myself, I came with her, our bodies dancing along the beach, moving to their own rhythm as the pleasure overtook us.
As I stared down into my love's eyes, I could see she was growing tearful once more. I stroked her cheek and wiped the tears away, repeating what I'd said earlier.
“I love you, Paige. More than I've ever loved anyone before.”
I didn't expect a response. I didn't fault her if she didn't feel the same way about me. After all I'd put her through, I was surprised she didn't hate me.
She kissed me again before pulling away, staring deep into my eyes.
Rocor (Dragons of Kratak Book 5) Page 26