Her lips started to tremble. She pursed them together and stared out the window. Perhaps she deserved this. How many people had she hurt with her reckless behavior? How many people had she used and tossed away? Just because she’d finally decided to step up didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of wreckage to pay for.
Her father always said that Karma was a bitch, that everything came full circle. Andev’s behavior wasn’t any different with her than hers had been with Ben.
Except she wasn’t mated to Ben, damn it. Was there anything she could salvage from this mess? She sighed. Apparently not. She met Tylan’s gaze. “I’m sorry, Tylan. I didn’t mean to be such a bitch. You were telling me about the Sazor waterfall.”
For a moment, a tender glance of pity crossed Tylan’s face, but he immediately launched into some funny story and tried to make her smile.
The whole time she could feel the heavy sensation of Andev’s stare. He was probably stunned she would apologize. Or be human at all. She hadn’t really made a good showing. Just because Andev was as good at verbally shredding someone as she was, she got her feelings hurt.
It wasn’t going to be easy, but she was going to prove to him, to herself, to everyone, that she knew how to be a Pasquel. Honor and honesty had always been her father’s creed. That was what she had to remember.
Andev’s residence was a large ranch-like piece of property miles outside the capital city. Huge trees dominated the landscape. The house was set back, secluded from the main road and completely shaded by clusters of giant trees. Made of wood, the structure seemed to blend into the background almost as if it was part of the forest. To the right of the one-story residence was a long, rectangular building also made of wood and several Dormrelian men were lounging outside of it on a covered porch.
It was like some of the old Earth pictures she’d seen of cattle ranches, only with huge trees all around.
“Andev raises yakkas.” Tylan pointed out the window. “They’re similar to Earth’s llamas, but our yakkas are forest creatures. See their hooves? They have special claws that protract to climb trees.”
She stared at these strange creatures. They were brownish in color, their fur long and matted like the llamas on Earth. They blended into the landscape, their coloring similar to the bark around them. But their eyes captured her attention. They were a luminous blue. Beautiful.
Tylan grinned. “Pretty, aren’t they? Andev makes a lot of money on his yakkas.”
“Shut up,” Andev snapped. But Shasta noticed he had a gleam of pride. He loved this ranch.
“So those men work here?” she said indicating the Dormrela on the porch.
“We call them vaycas,” Tylan told her. “They round up the yakkas and keep them from wandering off Andev’s property.”
“I see.” She turned to Andev. “How many of them are like you?”
“What do you mean?” he said, his eyes narrowed.
“How many of them are human in cysuits?” Why did she want to know this? Trust. She knew her lack of confidence in Dormrelians was her past with them, and it didn’t make any difference whether they were human hybrids or not. But she still wanted to know the answer.
“All of them,” he answered and then his lips clamped shut. She recognized a dead end when she saw it.
The vaycas stared at her as they pulled up to the house and climbed out of the hovercar. Andev noticed and glared at them. “What? There’s no yakkas to milk?”
One of them grinned. “We’re just checking out the new boss.”
“She’s my mate, not your boss. Get to work,” he snapped.
Shasta rolled her eyes. Great. Thanks for the warm fucking welcome, she thought. But then, they walked into the entrance of the house.
Stunned, she stared. The dark paneled walls were covered with gorgeous photographs of landscapes. Trees loomed, creating an illusion that she was there, in the middle of them. A stunning sunset was captured, complete with the glint of the last rays on a puddle. She gasped and moved forward to the one that captured her immediately.
The photograph was a huge portrait of a woman, a Dormrelian warrior, blue-eyed, haughty and absolutely beautiful. Even though the expression was fierce, there was a warmth, a passion that leaped from the image. Like the painting she’d seen in the council atrium, this one depicted the females on Dormrela as strong, wild and stunning.
“You like it?” Tylan asked her.
“It’s…” Shasta struggled to find words, lost in the dominating gaze in the picture. “I love it.”
Andev was unnaturally still by her side. Tylan nodded. “Would you be shocked if I told you the photographer was twelve when he took this?”
Her head whipped around to meet Tylan’s gaze. “Yes, but…it’s the twelve-year-old’s mother, isn’t it?” There was something about the way the person behind the camera had captured the warmth, the softness of the woman as well as the strength.
“That’s right,” Tylan responded. “And would you be surprised to know that she’s human in a cysuit?”
“You’re kidding,” she breathed out. The way the woman held herself, the expression all denoted Dormrelian pride, a warrior. It stunned Shasta that the woman in the portrait was actually a human being disguised.
Tylan opened his mouth to say more, but Andev interrupted.
“Perhaps you should rest, Shasta,” he said.
Like he cared, she thought, unwilling to stop staring at the picture. But she tore her gaze away and followed Andev down a long hallway. He opened a door and waved her into a huge room with a massive four-postered bed. It had a stark masculinity about it, but she liked the solid feel of it.
One of the vaycas brought in her luggage, and she smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said.
The Dormrelian stared at her for a moment, and then, Andev shoved him toward the exit. “Get to work, Tad.”
Tylan smirked and met her gaze. “Would you like any help unpacking?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”
“Dinner is in two hours,” Andev snapped and turned on his heel, disappearing down the hallway.
Shasta sighed and summoned a smile for Tylan. “Are you staying for dinner?”
“I am.” A rare serious expression turned down his lips. “Shasta, don’t worry. It’s all going to work out.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Sure it is. Thanks, Tylan.” She closed the door and stared at her new room, her cage.
She sat on the edge of the bed and burst into helpless tears.
* * * *
“I don’t think I can do this,” Tylan told him when he finally showed up in the living room. Andev silently handed him a drink and tossed back another one. Damn it. It shouldn’t have been this difficult. But Shasta was so much more potent in real life than she was in their dreams together.
It was risky to touch her when they dreamed. She might realize the man she dreamt was the one she was mated to. And that would fuck everything up. “You have to. The rebels aren’t watching you in this. And I don’t want her to be alone.”
“I still don’t understand all this,” Tylan said. “Why the hell would the rebels want Shasta? They don’t want her to help you. Kidnapping her would serve what purpose?”
“What do you think Adonis Pasquel will do if his daughter is taken and forced bred by a contingency of Dormrelian warriors?” Andev knew what he would do. He’d tear anyone who got in his way to pieces with his bare hands. “Shera Patel told me they intercepted a transmission from my grandfather.” Andev’s hand tightened on his glass. “Pater seems to think the human population is responsible for the birth defects in the Dormrelian population. You know he always tried to get me to reveal the names and locations of my people.”
“But what does he hope to accomplish by kidnapping Shasta? That’s certainly not going to gain your cooperation.” Tylan shook his head. “Even if you pretend you’re indifferent to her, he still can’t believe you’d stand by and let her be killed.”
“No, but he belie
ves I will stand by and let her be sold to the Ang.”
Tylan slammed his glass down on the bar. “How could he?”
Andev took a sip. “Because I’ve told him I would.”
“You can’t do this, Andev. She’s not a game piece to be moved about on a board. She’s hurt by your attitude.”
Andev ground his teeth. “Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I would have rather shown her warmth and passion instead of this cold bullshit?”
His friend blinked, his four eyes revealing shock. “You’re in love with her.”
Bitterly, Andev drained his glass. “Probably. And it will most likely get her killed.”
“I think you’d better explain more to me.”
Andev nodded. “The rebels are the Sidharta, you know that. My grandfather has been their leader for a while now. Their aim seems to be racial purity. They hate the human hybrids.” He filled his glass for the third time and stared at the amber liquid. Alcohol didn’t help, but he needed something to numb the pain. “I’ve never told you what happened when my father died, have I?”
“I know he died in an Ang raid.”
“That’s the official version. In reality, my grandfather put a hit out on him.” The ache in his belly worsened. It shouldn’t be this way. Families weren’t like this. His father had loved him, accepted him despite his humanness. He never blamed Andev for the death of his mate, though it was his fault. “My grandfather blamed his own son for participating in a hoax that was diluting the Dormrelian DNA pool.” He snorted. “The fact that the Dormrelian species is dying, just like the Ang, isn’t a fact to him. It’s a lie told by our council.” He shook his head. “He took my sister’s death very badly.”
“And you lived.”
“And I lived,” Andev nodded.
“So he hates you too.” Tylan’s gaze was too penetrating, too focused.
“Yes.” The alcohol was burning Andev’s throat. Or was it the alcohol? “By torturing my mate in public, by trapping me, he rids the universe of two of his most hated beings. I, of course, pretend I have no idea he despises me,” he said harshly. “In this way, Councilwoman Patel discovers the leak on the council, and the existence of human hybrids are revealed. To the shock of the council, of course,” he said bitterly.
Tylan’s lips tightened. “It leaves you high and dry, my friend.”
“In the end, Tylan, I don’t know if we’ll be here or we’ll have to leave. I only hope Shasta forgives me when this is all over.” He doubted it. Of course, he figured he’d probably be dead. This little plan had too many risks.
“You don’t think she will,” Tylan stated. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Andev laughed humorlessly. “It’s way too late for that.”
Chapter Six
Dinner was uncomfortable for Andev. Shasta had made an entrance, her pale face composed, but he saw the misery set in her eyes. Even shaken, Shasta was beautiful. She took a seat at the table as far from him as she could be. The meal was already on the table, hot and steaming. Yakka cream flavored the white sauce that covered the grain, all grown on his land. But none of it appealed to him and he picked at his dinner. Food was the last thing on his mind. If it hadn’t been for Tylan, the whole evening might have been spent in silence.
It was impossible not to stare at her, drink in the length of her hands, the straight line of her nose, her generous breasts discreetly covered by her severely cut dress. Her slender feet were encased in some complicated shoes, the straps winding over her calves and drawing his eye to her legs. The woman was built like a warrior, and he knew she probably fought like one.
“Something on your mind?” she snapped finally. He realized he’d been staring at her for too long.
“Usually,” he responded shortly.
Her nostrils flared, and color flooded her cheeks. Yeah, he liked it when she was pissed off. When this was all over, he was going to poke and prod her until she lost her temper and then he’d sweep her off her feet for some passionate sex.
This was not going to be easy.
“You’re staring at me as if I’m the main course.” She frowned. He could read the thoughts on her face. She was confused. Good.
“Am I?” He shrugged. “Maybe I’m just trying to figure out which woman is the real Shasta Pasquel.”
Tylan tried to step in. “That dress—”
“Hush, Tylan,” Shasta said without looking away from Andev. “Would you like to explain that cryptic answer?”
He allowed his gaze to peruse her from her long, silky blonde hair to her well-covered cleavage. “Well, there’s the party girl who wears clothes that barely cover her ass and then there’s this Shasta who looks more like a school teacher than a party girl.”
“That’s it,” she said sharply, and stood up. Her napkin hit her plate, and she shoved her chair back from the table. “Here’s a clue. I’m a woman.” She sauntered to the other end of the table where Tylan sat frozen. One of her slender hands slid over Tylan’s shoulder and along his neck. “That means I’m both of those and more.” Her fingers threaded in Tylan’s short, dark hair and tipped his head back.
Andev didn’t even know what she intended to do, but he was out of his chair so fast, he knocked it over. In a heartbeat, he was across the room and had her by the arm. “Release him,” he snarled.
She glared up at him. “I do exactly what I want. Tylan has shown me kindness, warmth, and you’ve made it clear that I’m free to…find comfort wherever I can find it.”
“Not as my mate,” he snapped. His hand tightened on her arm, bruising her. She winced, but he noted her pulse hammered in her throat.
Slowly, she let go of Tylan’s hair, and Andev gripped her hand. Before he could think too much about it, he yanked her closer. “Perhaps you need an education about Dormrelian mating.”
Her gaze challenged him. “I thought you’d shown me all you were going to show me.”
“Don’t push me,” he said in a low, menacingly tone.
“Go to hell,” she said, and struggled to release her hand.
He jerked her closer, pushed beyond reason, and pounded her lips with his. There was no tenderness, no request. He demanded her response. Rather than relax and allow him to take, she made demands of her own. Their mouths dueled, connected in a collision of feelings that were confused and jumbled.
The connection, so close to snapping in place, was difficult to block, but he did it. His mental shield held, but not before some of her pain, her hurt, filtered through.
He broke the kiss, and they stared at each other. “Perhaps we should ask Tylan if—” He realized Tylan had left the room. “He gone.” It was ridiculous, but he felt abandoned by his friend.
Shasta’s lips twitched. “Maybe he thought you were going to toss me on top of the table and fuck me.”
Stars, that thought made his dick hard as a damn rock. At that moment, he wanted to tell her everything, risk it all to wipe away the lines of hurt on her face.
The doorbell rang.
He released her suddenly, realizing they were still clutched in a passionate embrace. She stumbled against the chair and knocked her elbow. Her curse was low and vicious. He started for her, wanting to comfort her, knowing he’d lost his fucking mind.
Tylan appeared in the door of the dining room. “Your grandfather is here, Andev.”
He shot an uneasy glance at Shasta, worried that she would bolt, wishing she would, hoping she wouldn’t, his mind ebbing back and forth. It didn’t do any good. He’d fallen for the woman, and he was screwed.
With a curse, he strode out of the room. What the hell was Pater thinking coming here?
Still unsettled by his collision with Shasta, he wasn’t in a calm enough frame of mind to greet the powerful Dormrelian retired warrior. But this was part of the act. He had to keep Pater believing that he would go along with the insanity.
His grandfather stood at the window gazing at the yakkas that dotted the enclosed area a few yards from the f
ront door. Andev had always been amazed by his grandfather’s ability to fill a room. He was average height, about two inches shorter than Andev. The scales in the Juno family were all a green with purple swirls, colorful and stunning. Andev, of course, had inherited the golden green scales he possessed from some other branch of the family.
Acceptance into the Juno family had never been possible. No amount of bullshit from his grandfather would change that, and Andev knew it. But his Pater had underestimated him and believed that he could dangle Juno family love in return for betrayal. It wasn’t all that difficult to pretend he desperately wanted that love. At one time, he had wanted it, when his father was still alive.
But when Ser Juno died, Andev had been seventeen, and the silence from the Juno side of the family had shattered any desire to know, to be a part of, or to even talk to them. He’d been quiet, learned a warrior’s skill, and rose on his own merits. Hell, Tylan had been more like family than anyone who carried his blood.
Good thing Pater had no idea Andev despised them all.
“Pater, what a pleasant surprise,” Andev said with a wide smile that hurt to force.
His grandfather turned around. “Andev, my boy, I came to express my condolences.”
Andev shook his head. “We’ve discussed this, Grandfather. The council must be destroyed before too many of us are forced to mate this way.”
“I know,” his grandfather said in a pained voice. “I’ve tried to influence the council, but alas, they are determined on this course.”
What a liar. After seeing the vid of his grandfather presiding over the new implementation of the Barracks, he wondered at the man’s ability to face him. He poured a drink for his grandfather and one for himself to gain a moment.
Then, he waved toward the couch. “I’ve been clear with Shasta Pasquel that I am not interested in planting any seeds no matter what the council orders.”
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