by Zara Zenia
“Of course,” I said with a giggle after he winked at me.
“Ah, look who has come to join us,” Darbnix bellowed and pointed in the direction of the first glass wall that disappeared as soon as someone, or in this case, something, crawled through its quarters.
“Slith!” I proclaimed and instinctively jumped from my seat to hurry over to the dazzlingly purple animal’s side.
I blushed with embarrassment, turning to face Darbnix before petting the lizard. “Um, this is okay, right?” I asked sheepishly.
“Of course.” He nodded and chuckled with amusement. “Don’t be shy. Slith is very friendly.” He watched as I placed my hand on the back of Slith’s shoulder and began grazing my skin against the cool scaly skin. It reminded me of a snake, soft and delicate to the touch, quite soothing.
“He likes me.” I grinned.
“You saved his life. Why wouldn’t he?” Darbnix smiled.
Our eyes met while I continued to pet the watch-lizard. “He seems curious,” I mentioned.
“He’s curious enough to eat unconsumable items,” Darbnix joked.
“He seems to be fully recovered,” I noted.
“Thanks to you.” Prince Darbnix’s adoration and gratitude for what I did for his beloved pet shone through his eyes like a lighthouse beckoning a lost boat to the shore.
Our eyes met and locked, and tremors of desire pulsed through my veins. I blushed and looked away. I didn’t know how in-depth I should take this relationship, especially since I had yet to determine whether I was a genetic match by his scanner’s standards. We might both be wasting our time. But then again, I was enjoying the joyful banter of his company.
“Do you mind if Slith joins us for breakfast?” Darbnix requested as Slith took a few strides toward his master. He crouched under his feet and curled his tail behind him, looking satisfied and contented as he closed his eyes. He rested his chin on the prince’s shoe.
“Not at all,” I said and smiled, wandering back to my seat. “Everything looks delicious,” I mentioned again.
“Please.” Darbnix gestured to the food. “Dig in.”
I placed some blueberries, strawberries, and eggs on my plate. Everything looked fresh as if it had been hand-plucked from the fields that very morning. The eggs were fluffy and sunshiny yellow. I took a bite, savoring the way the flavors melted in my mouth.
“Mmm,” I cooed. “Very tasty.” I swallowed the bite and dabbed my mouth with the cotton napkin in my lap.
“A beautiful breakfast for a beautiful woman,” Darbnix mentioned as he gave me a flirtatious gaze.
I blushed. I was certain by the way my cheeks flushed with heat that I was probably turning a rosy shade, giving away my private emotions. There was no surprise that we were attracted to each other, but how far could it go? How long would it last before my bubble was popped?
“So,” he said as he brought his water glass up to his lips and stared at me over the rim. “What does a farm-loving girl like yourself like to do for fun?”
I leaned back and gave him a playful grin. “Well, having breakfast with handsome princes in their glass conservatories is very top on my list.” I giggled.
“How often do you actually do that?” He laughed lightheartedly.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything, right?”
“Indeed, there is.” He raised his glass for a toast. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings,” I parroted, but inside, I had a terrible feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.
I was afraid of the scanner and whether we would be a biological match. I fantasized daily about what it would be like to have his arms wrapped around me in a loving, tender embrace. I didn’t want to waste my time if he wasn’t the one, or more importantly, I wasn’t the one for him.
I knew that in the end, he would have an obligation to his own race back home on Noor and all the continents on the Trilynian planet. He had responsibilities as a prince, along with his brothers. Not all fairy tales had a happy ending.
“Is something wrong?” Darbnix’s voice pierced through my thoughts. His eyebrows furrowed, and he scratched the top of his head as if he were puzzled about something. He had adorable facial features in the way he fretted over me. “Nothing.” I flicked my eyes down to my plate. “Nothing,” I said a little softer, but I’m sure I wasn’t convincing either way.
“Are you sure?” He pressed as he gently cupped his dark-toned hand over mine.
I slowly raised my chin, meeting his gaze. Our eyes locked and my breath was captured. “I’m fine,” I assured him with a sheepish smile.
“You just look melancholy about something,” he said and cleared his throat, taking another sip of his water. Then he smiled with glee. “I have a natural talent for reading people’s emotions.”
I chuckled. “Oh, is that a fact?”
“I could tell that something was wrong with you,” he said in a somber voice.
I placed my fork down on my plate. “Okay, fine.” I chuckled nervously. “You got me. I am worried about that scanner.”
“The genetic scanner?” He raised his eyebrows and paused, mouth open.
“I didn’t think you’d be surprised.”
Darbnix shrugged. “To be honest, I had completely forgotten about that wretched thing.”
I tried to smile through his constant need to appease me with a joke, and I respected him for it. I just felt a little unsettled.
“How about I distract you?” he offered.
“That sounds fantastic,” I breathed out, relieved at his suggestion. “Thank you.”
“For one,” he said as he gestured out to space beyond us in the palace, “I think you would really enjoy Noor.”
“Because of the farmland?” I asked.
“Yes.” He nodded. “But also, because the people are friendly and kind there.”
I smiled. I could imagine it wasn’t a far stretch, given how hospitable he’d already behaved toward me.
“What’s it like, coming from a big family?” I asked. I was generally curious to learn about his background, and like he had offered, the distraction from the genetic scanner was nice.
He leaned back in his seat and exhaled a reflective sigh. “You mean, what’s it like to have to share the glory with all my brothers?” His masculine laugh sent shivers of pleasure up my spine.
“Exactly.” I smiled. “I am an only child. I have no idea what it’s like to share anything.”
“Then consider yourself lucky.” He smirked. “I like to consider myself the most down-to-earth and levelheaded of my brothers.”
I laughed and leaned over the table. “I bet they all say that about themselves, too.”
Darbnix chuckled. “You are probably right.”
“So, where do you fall in line, exactly?” I asked.
“I’m the second-born.” He rolled his eyes. “So that naturally means that Gardax will always want to act like the superior warrior.”
“But you get to pound on your little brothers, right? There’s still plenty to go around as far as the metaphorical food chain goes.”
He laughed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I suppose you’re right about that too. My youngest brother, Rawklix, is a real piece of work. He tries to argue and protest everything that the rest of us brothers recommend.”
I crossed my legs under the table and gave him a grin. “It sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”
He nodded. A sentimental glaze washed over his face. “To be honest, I don’t get together with my brothers as much as I want to. I do miss them, in spite of our differences of opinion.”
“They rule different continents on Trilynia?” I asked with intrigue.
“That’s right,” he confirmed, then a jovial smile spread across his lips. “I, for one, think that Noor is the best continent.”
I laughed. “Well, aren’t you biased?”
“Maybe somewhat.” He shrugged playfully. “I am a rancher at heart.”
; I took a moment to notice his movements and the fluid way that his perfectly sculpted muscles moved, so visibly smooth and appealing to the eye. He was carved and ripped in all the right places and it was quite alluring. I stared at him, awed. I hoped he didn’t notice or wonder why I was gawking at him like a school girl with a crush.
“You are really cute,” I blurted out.
“Do you think so?” His eyes lit up like a candle illuminating the darkness.
“Yeah.” I blushed. “Sorry. I thought that might be kind of obvious.”
“Maybe a little,” he said with a humble nod.
“Maybe someday, I can visit Noor with you,” I suggested. Even if we weren’t a match, it didn’t mean that we couldn’t still be friends. I don’t know how well that would work for me, though, because even the thought of Darbnix with someone else made my skin crawl and my stomach churn in a sea of unrest.
“I would love that,” he admitted. “After all, I’ve seen your home. It would only be fair that I return the favor.”
“Yes, well, I don’t exactly have a floating palace to park in the fields above Noor,” I teased.
“We could get you one,” he said in a chipper voice.
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” I said with a playful roll of my eyes.
Darbnix gazed out the window again. The atmosphere and the space beyond stretched out to eternity. There was no limit to what could be accomplished way out there in the vast realms of space.
“There is nothing more peaceful than strolling through the farmland and appreciating the terrain, crops, and beauty surrounding you when you are on Noor.” He wasn’t looking at me but staring off into space as if his vivid imagination was enchanting him.
“I know the feeling,” I admitted in a whisper. “I used to love to sit on my grandmother’s porch, drinking iced tea in mason jars while we shared stories and talked about our dreams.” I sighed and glanced at Darbnix. He was staring at me with genuine interest in my story.
Slith sat up and stretched, yawning as he curled out his massive pink tongue. He slid over to me and pounced up onto my lap where he perched proudly. He was a little big for me. Our sizes were not exactly as proportional as if he were sitting on Darbnix’s lap.
“Come here, you silly lizard.” Darbnix laughed and patted his own knee, beckoning the animal. He glanced at me with embarrassment. “Sorry, it’s just . . . well, he likes you. He has good taste.”
I blushed. “Thank you. Really, its all right. I don’t mind.”
“Are you sure?” He frowned, unconvinced. “Slith can be kind of heavy.”
I smiled. “I think he just wants one of my blueberries. Can I share?” I looked up to Darbnix for approval.
“Sure.” He smiled. “Go right ahead. You might be baiting yourself to be his new best friend though.”
I laughed. “That would be just fine with me,” I said in a mock baby voice as I spoke directly to Slith and patted him on his scaly purple head.
I plucked a blueberry from my plate and offered it to Slith, holding it out in the palm of my hand. Slith’s tongue immediately slurped it up. He swallowed the fruit and smacked his lips gratefully.
“Slith also has a knack for pointing out the honest humans,” Darbnix admitted with a smile. The way he glanced at me made me feel woozy and electric inside.
“I love animals,” I admitted. “What can I say? It’s the reason I became a veterinarian.”
“Well, I can speak firsthand. You are profoundly talented at your job.” Then he leaned over the table. “What were you saying before? About your grandmother and the porch?”
“Ah, yes.” I nodded. “My grandmother lived on a farm. Wheat was her crop. It stretched golden across the land. It was like running through sunshine. The wheat was so soft against my skin, and tickly. I’d play hide and seek among the wheat with my cousins. It would stretch out so tall that it would tower over us. But once I got older, I loved to spend evenings out there on the porch, sharing stories and watching the sunset with my grandmother before she passed away.”
Darbnix was staring at me as if I were the most elegant, enchanting person on the planet. “What a fascinating story,” he marveled.
“I shrugged. “It might be simple, but it was the dream of my childhood. I still keep it tucked away in my memory for safekeeping.”
“As you should,” he said and stood up. “Come here. Follow me.”
I did as he asked and wandered over to the window with him. “This is where you get the best view,” he mentioned.
I looked down and out, around the panoramic views displayed in front of me. Clouds floated by as if they were cars just passing by on a highway. “Magical,” I whispered.
Darbnix wasn’t looking at the sky around us, a deep blue color. He was staring directly at me with lust-glazed eyes.
“You’re very pretty,” he said and hesitantly moved his hand up to delicately push my braid off my shoulder. It was as if he were afraid of being denied the privilege to touch me, as if I were a figment of his imagination.
“Thank you,” I whispered in a throaty voice that was unrecognizable to my own ears.
My heartbeat pulsed through my ears, making everything sound loud and quiet at the same time. My fingers and toes went numb as Darbnix wrapped his arms delicately around my waist.
I did the same, snaking my arms around his strong, burly torso. He felt so warm and inviting, as if he were the safety net I had been searching for.
His lips touched mine, and I tingled inside. A melty, gooey feeling consumed me. I sighed with contentment, allowing myself to meld into him. His lips were hungry as they skirted across mine. His tongue explored my mouth, and we devoured each other with frantic desire.
It was certainly an impulsive moment for me. Even after I pulled away, the touch and taste of his skin lingered on my lips and mouth. I wanted to lock this moment in my memory forever. I was reeling, and the world blurred around me. My fantasy had come true, but I never wanted it to come to a bittersweet end.
Chapter 7
Darbnix
It took a night of traveling, but all of my brothers finally relented and agreed to come to my floating palace in Topeka. Even Gardax graced us with his presence, being back on Earth for a few weeks to assist in making sure there were no other pressing issues with the genetic scanners.
“Thank you all for being here,” I said. My hands were clamped around my back as I walked around the enormous conference table currently seating my six brothers. I was standing and drifting across the room as they stared at me expectantly. “It means a lot to me. I know you all have very busy schedules to attend to.”
“Well if you know that, then get on with the story,” my brother Manzar groaned with a roll of his eyes and a dismissive flick of his wrist.
“Easy, now,” Gardax bellowed. “Everyone will get their turn to speak.”
“Thank you, big brother. How very kind and noble of you.” The youngest of our brood, Rawklix, crooned with sarcasm, his most well-known personality trait.
“Its hard to ascertain how much time we’ve already lost by arguing how much time we don’t have to sit here around this conference room table,” my brother Akrawn interjected gruffly.
“All right,” I sighed. “Enough.”
Ulbrite, one of my youngest watch-lizards, slinked into the room and jumped onto my shoulder, where he perched and glared his yellow eyes and sunshine-colored body in the direction of my brothers.
“Does that thing really have to be in here with us?” Akrawn protested, pointing a derogatory finger at Ulbrite.
“For your information, he is young and needs lots of tender care and affection,” I fired back defensively, stroking my beloved pet’s back while he purred in contentment much like a cat would.
“Whatever.” Rawklix rolled his eyes, leaning back in his seat with a squeak.
The meeting was not going as planned, but on the other hand, what else could I have really expected from this bunch? We were brothers by race an
d blood, but we often suffered disagreements. It wasn’t until just recently that we’d had to spend a more substantial amount of time together, engaged in a harmonized union for the greater benefit to save our planet.
“As you know,’ I stated calmly, “I would never summon you here if I didn’t have an alarming reason to.”
“So, what is the problem, exactly?” Rawklix pressed, raising his eyebrows at me in a doubtful manner. “Did one of your animals chew off your manhood or something?”
The rest of my brothers erupted into laughter. Even Gardax, who was the more serious of the group. Rawklix slapped his palm against the surface of the table, utterly smitten with himself and his ability to get a rise out of everyone.
I squared my jaw. “No,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “I received a letter from Davon.”
That was enough to shut them up. Silence filled the air. I now had each of my brother’s grave and somber attention.
“What did the computer cop have to say?” Manzar asked. He propped his elbows up on the table and leaned closer.
I glanced over at Gardax. He was staring at me inquisitively, with caution flushing his cheeks. If anyone had experienced the ramifications of a computer hacking event or anything that would raise a red flag with our devices, it was Gardax. He had lived through a terrible ordeal, and I’d done my best to prevent him from marrying the wrong woman.
“As you know,” I continued, “the biological scanners are quite vulnerable.”
“The flaws have been fixed,” Gardax mentioned as a stiff reminder.
I gave him a look but ignored his comment. “Davon has reason to believe that there is another suspect running out there who might be trying to infiltrate our computer systems and compromise our devices.”
I hated to admit such grave information, especially without a solid concoction of hard evidence, but I knew it was best and wisest to get the juices flowing among my brothers. The sooner they were aware of the potential problem, the sooner they could start tracking any subtle clues of their own as they continued the search for mates.