by Zoey Draven
“Do you…” she met his eyes and he saw a vulnerability there he’d never seen in any other being, “do you resent me for it? Even just a little part of you, knowing that I paid her to…to…”
Khiva’s voice hardened. “Veki. I do not.”
“How could you not?” she whispered. “This changes everything, Khiva.”
“Which is why I did not tell you until now,” he admitted, his hands tightening on her, as if afraid she would bolt and never return.
“What?”
“You ask me if I resent you for coming to me. Veki. Never. How could I? From that very first moment you stepped into this room, I have known.”
“Known what?” she whispered.
“You already know,” he told her. “I knew that nothing would be the same.”
Her breath hitched. “Khiva…”
“Do not diminish what we feel, Evelyn,” he told her. No, he pleaded with her. “Do not allow her that. Do not allow your new knowledge to taint this. I have never resented the manner in which you came to me because it brought you to me. A gift from a demav.”
Her lip trembled and Khiva felt her tears on his cheek when she leaned forward to press a kiss to his jaw.
“Pax?” he asked. “All I ask is that you do not feel guilt when you are with me, Evelyn. I understand your reasoning for not wanting to mate while here, but beyond that, when we are simply together like this, do not feel guilt. I could not bear that.”
When she nodded against him, Khiva felt relief so profound that it spread throughout his limbs and made them shake.
“It’s just hard for me to allow her to continue this,” she whispered. “I know it might make me sound like a hypocrite, but I thought she paid you well. More than well. I thought that amount of credits meant you stayed because you wanted to, not because you had no other choice.”
“This is not a battle in which you will win, Evelyn,” he murmured softly, as gently as possible. “Trust me, she is too powerful and she wields that power far beyond Everton.”
She let out a shuddering breath and closed her eyes before opening them. Softly, with their gazes connected, she said, “Let me help you. I have my inheritance. I can—”
“Veki.”
“But Khiva—”
“One thing you should know about Keriv’i males, leeldra, is that our pride burns bright, despite our circumstance,” he told her simply. He would not accept her charity.
Evelyn bit her lip, but then said, with a surprisingly stubborn tone, “I will convince you eventually.”
“You are certainly welcome to try.” Khiva’s arms tightened around her. “Do you feel well enough to stand?”
Evelyn nodded and Khiva hauled them up from the ground. “Good. Because I plan to take you to bed and hold you until morning. No more talk of this for now.”
“But Khiva—”
“Veki. Please, leeldra, I just want to be with you tonight. Without her coming between us. Pax?”
He was glad when her expression slowly softened in understand. And while Khiva knew they would speak on this subject much, much more, for now, she let it go.
“Pax,” she whispered back.
Chapter Twenty-One
Genni dragged Eve out to dinner on Restaurant Row the following night, although Eve was by no means up for it. She realized, as they finished their meals, that she didn’t know the hottest new restaurants or the chefs that had impressed socialites lately. Probably due to the fact that she no longer poured over her Nu tablet and copies of the Gazette whenever she was at home.
What Eve was acutely aware of, however, was that Khiva was within a few blocks. Madame Allegria’s lay just behind Restaurant Row, in the quieter part of the Night District. With a sear of jealousy that threatened to make her sick, she realized that he was with another woman right at that moment.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus on what Genni was chattering about, but Eve found she couldn’t bring herself to care. Their friendship had been rocky at best, downright nonexistent at worst since their fight the morning after Eve lost her virginity to Khiva. It was painfully obvious that Genni was trying to repair it, but Eve wasn’t as receptive as she used to be.
She’d begun to realize that for years and years, she’d allowed Genni freedoms that she shouldn’t have. Genni was the aggressor in their friendship and because of it, the relationship had become skewed and selfish. And foolishly, Eve had allowed it because she’d been so damned lonely.
Right then, however, though she’d been torn down and emotionally exhausted by what Khiva had admitted to her last night, she felt strong.
“Let’s go dancing afterwards,” Genni said and Eve knew it wasn’t a question. “I know of this place close by.”
“No, I’m just going to go home,” Eve said.
“It’s so early, Eve,” Genni responded, waving her hand. “Besides, you owe me a night out, since your Krave has been taking up most of your time and thoughts.”
Krave.
“His name is Khiva,” Eve found herself saying. “And I’ll be going home after we pay. I’m tired. I just want to go to sleep.”
Genni shrugged but Eve knew she was irritated by the stiffness of her shoulders as she fiddled with her utensils.
“Can I ask you something?” Eve asked softly. She’d only finished half her meal because she hadn’t had much of an appetite since last night, despite Khiva ordering her breakfast earlier that morning.
Another shrug as Genni looked around the restaurant.
“Why are you friends with me?”
The question was surprisingly easy to ask. But just a few weeks ago, Eve would never have asked it.
That caught Genni’s attention and her blue eyes connected with Eve’s brown eyes. “What?”
“Why are you friends with me?” Eve asked again slowly. “If you think about it, we’ve been friends for a long, long time, and yet, we have very little in common. Are you friends with me because you want to be? Or because you’re scared not to be? Because I’m comfortable for you?”
“That’s a ridiculous question, Evelyn,” Genni said, using her full name. But unlike when Khiva said it, Eve wasn’t charmed.
“We’ve been through a lot with each other,” Eve continued. “Schooling, first jobs, losing loved ones. It’s a lot of history, a lot of time.”
“Where are you going with this?” Genni asked.
“I don’t know,” Eve admitted, blowing out a breath, glancing at the other patrons, chatting happily at their tables nearby. “I just know that we aren’t happy with this friendship anymore. On both sides. When we were younger, I thought of you like a sister. Now that we’re older, I can’t shake this feeling that we just don’t…fit anymore. Like we’re holding onto something because of what it used to be, because of who we used to be. I’m wondering what to do about it.”
Genni’s brow furrowed and she blinked at Eve.
“What is going on with you lately?” Genni asked softly. “You’ve been acting really strange.”
“Maybe strange to you.”
“It’s because of him, isn’t it? You suddenly feel the rush of a romantic relationship and you think that you’re different suddenly?” Genni asked.
“I don’t think I’m different,” Eve said carefully. “I just think there are bigger things in the universe that matter and now that I realize it, now that it’s slapped me across the face, I just don’t care to censor my thoughts or feelings anymore in fear that someone won’t like me.”
When their server brought a Nu tablet over, Eve authorized the credits for their meal without a second glance, as silence stretched between them. The server left with a fake smile and the silence continued.
“When you get your heart broken by Khiva,” Genni said softly, standing from the table, “when you have no one else in your life who you care about, then I hope it was all worth it, Evelyn.”
Eve sighed. “Genni…”
“I’m going dancing,” Genni said. “Are you coming or
not?”
Eve stared up at her from her seated position. Then she shook her head.
Genni gave a roll of her shoulders. “See you then,” the blonde said and then walked past their table towards the entrance of the restaurant.
Eve stared at the empty spot where Genni had occupied. Then she got out of her seat, draped her shawl over her shoulders to help protect against the cooler weather, and then left.
Though her chest ached with mourning, the flash of relief told Eve she’d done the right thing. Their friendship hadn’t worked for a long time.
What she’d said had been true. There were more important things in the universe.
And Eve was beginning to suspect that Everton would only drag her down if she stayed.
Khiva’s stomach sunk when he saw Madame Allegria waiting for him in the Cluster common room that night.
His client had had to leave early—her husband had been expecting her home—which had been a blessing in itself. Truthfully, Khiva had been finding it difficult to stay aroused during the past few weeks. Even his mental switch had been failing him. In the end, he’d had to reach deep and think of Evelyn to embody the state of arousal a Krave was expected to be in at all times.
It was draining. He was beginning to feel how long he’d been on Everton, how long he’d done this, how many human females he’d fucked to make Madame Allegria wealthier.
And now, after a frustrating, angry night, she was waiting for him.
No doubt, she’d been alerted to Mrs. Braxton leaving early.
None of his Krave brothers were there, as all the doors to their sleeping quarters were open. Only the female with red hair and red lips waited, with her legs crossed.
With just one look at her face, Khiva was both relieved and filled with dread. She was angry and so he knew he would be punished that night. But at least, she wouldn’t demand a mating from him. Truthfully, for the first time since coming to Everton, Khiva didn’t know if he’d be able to perform like the well-trained beast he was, even if she wanted a fucking.
“Come with me,” she said.
Khiva’s jaw ticked and he turned after her. The path was familiar to the bottom floor, the one that lay beneath the building, beneath the lobby entrance. Khiva had been there many times before in his ten years at the brothel.
One more night would be nothing to him.
“Undress,” Madame Allegria ordered once they stepped inside the dark room, with walls and floors of metal. Hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room were two chains with cuffs attached.
Khiva obeyed, knowing that any hint of stubbornness would mean twice as many lashes. He knelt on the floor as Madame Allegria attached the cuffs to his wrists before pressing a button on the far wall, which pulled them taut, his arms spread, his back exposed. He heard her going to the black cabinet that held different whips and rope.
“I’m a very busy woman, Khiva,” Madame Allegria purred, behind him, when she returned. “I’m often off the colony and so I expect that even in my absence, there remains an understanding. I have a reputation to uphold, after all.”
Khiva didn’t know what she was referring to, but he knew that somehow, it had to do with Evelyn. A jolt of fear went through his chest, wondering if she had the ability to take her away from him, to keep them separate.
“What do you mean?” Khiva asked, keeping his voice low.
Every muscle in his body went tight, his teeth clenching so hard as pain exploded across his back, as the whistling of the whip echoed around the room. Khiva straightened, though his breathing was labored, knowing it was just the beginning. He didn’t make a sound. The first one always hurt the most.
“I have been informed by the cleaners that after Miss Tesler visits, there is no evidence of sex in your assigned room and that the neutralizers aren’t used. Not a single one,” Madame Allegria said, her tone as hard as the chains. “Care to explain?”
Khiva kept silent, debating what to tell her. Because eventually she would demand an answer.
His body bowed forward as another lash landed across his back.
Another came unexpectedly and this time, Khiva couldn’t hold back a pained groan.
“Well? I’m waiting,” Madame Allegria said, her voice slightly breathless from the effort. Or perhaps her excitement. She’d always enjoyed this.
“She is shy and reserved,” Khiva finally bit out, knowing that he would have to tell her something eventually. “Sometimes she wishes to mate and other times she does not.”
“It is your job to keep her satisfied and happy so that she continues to return. If she doesn’t want to fuck, then it’s your job to convince her that she actually really, really wants to fuck. Or do you not understand what I’m expecting of you, as a Krave whore?”
Another lash fell across his back and he felt his skin split. A moment later he felt the blood start to trail down his back, hot and sticky, but she didn’t give him a reprieve and split open another section of skin with her next lash.
“I’m a businesswoman,” she went on and huffed out another breath as she drew the whip high over her head. Khiva bit his tongue when it fell. “I am a respected businesswoman and I will not have rumors getting out that a Krave does not satisfy his client. Do you understand? Do you not understand how detrimental that would be to my entire business?”
The lashes continued as did her words, but eventually, the pain became so terrible that it allowed Khiva to enter a state-of-mind where it didn’t hurt. Where the pain was numb. And in his thoughts, he imagined Evelyn. He imagined her soft, warm hands caressing down his back instead of a synthetic fiber that cut into his skin. He imagined her voice and knew without a doubt that if she ever discovered what Madame Allegria really did to punish her Kraves, her horror would be a fraction of what it was a couple nights before.
Because she cared. Because she cared about him.
Khiva squeezed his eyes shut, longing hitting him hard. He wanted things he had no business wanting.
He went to that place in his mind and he didn’t come out until he realized that the lashes had eventually ceased and that Madame Allegria had successfully taken out her aggression on his flesh. The whip dropped to the floor next to him and Khiva saw the shimmering blue of his blood entangled within the fibers. Next, the cuffs released his wrists and he sagged to the floor, reality returning in a rush of pain and agony.
“Clean this up,” Madame Allegria ordered him. “Next time Miss Tesler comes, you better fuck her out of her goddamn mind.”
Then she left, her heeled shoes echoing throughout the steel room until they retreated up the stairs, until he could hear them no more.
Khiva lolled in and out of consciousness, but eventually, he became aware of soft hands on his arms.
“Evelyn,” he murmured, reaching for her.
“Khiva,” Valerie said, her voice quiet, blinking back tears, as she always did when she found them like this. “Come, let’s get you to your room.”
The next morning, Khiva called Valerie into his room. He’d slept the night away on his stomach and when she entered, she checked his bandages and reapplied a healing salve to ensure the lashes would be gone by that night.
But he caught her hand before she left.
“Will you do something for me?” he asked quietly, his voice hoarse.
Valerie’s eyes were wary. If Madame Allegria ever found it, it would mean her punishment as well. But the human female nodded.
“When is she going off colony next?” he asked.
“In two days,” Valerie whispered. “She will be gone almost a week.”
Khiva asked, “Will you contact Evelyn for me? I want to see her, away from here. In the Lake District. Will you set up a meeting?”
“Khiva…” Valerie murmured, trailing off. “I would have to cancel your client for that night. She would find out. You will be punished again.”
“I do not care. I need to see her.”
The Krave very rarely ventured outside of the broth
el and when they did, it was only at night, when there was less of a chance they would be seen. Khiva had gone to the Lake District at night on these such occasions and knew that it would be empty, a perfect, private place.
“Please,” he murmured, looking up at her.
Valerie inhaled a deep breath.
Then she nodded.
“Alright. I’ll set up a meeting.”
Khiva closed his eyes in relief and anticipation. “Thank you, Valerie.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next day Eve was in the study, going through every file and transaction and correspondence in her father’s outdated Nu device, searching for a name or any connection to the United Worlds, when her own Nu device alerted her that someone was at the front door. The mechanical chime of the doorbell followed.
Thinking it was Genni and bracing herself for another uncomfortable conversation, she went out of the study and opened the door.
Only it wasn’t Genni. It was perhaps the last person, next to Madame Allegria, that she’d expect at her front door.
“Valerie?” Eve asked, dumbfounded.
“Good afternoon, Miss Tesler,” Valerie said, inclining her head in a brief nod. She didn’t smile, however, and the blonde looked over her shoulder before asking, “Do you mind if I come in for a moment?”
“Of course, come in,” Eve said, the words snapping her out of her shock and she stepped aside to let the woman pass. When Eve closed the door, she realized with some embarrassment that she was in nothing more than her dressing gown, despite it being late Saturday afternoon. “Can I get you tea? Or water?”
“No, I will make this quick, Miss Tesler,” Valerie said, stopping in the middle of the foyer and turning to Eve.
“Eve, please,” she replied slowly, confusion replacing her shock, thinking about why Valerie would be there unless… “Is…is Khiva alright?”
Valerie looked around the foyer, at the Old Earth standing clock next to the stairs before her gaze returned to Eve. “He’s the reason why I’m here.”