by Emma Dean
The second he was gone Adelina’s hand went to her stomach and she gasped. The pain was unexpected and the depth of it seemed unending. How anyone survived heartbreak was beyond her. Adelina wanted nothing more to do with it.
She had been such a fool to think Alpha would ever give up his position as guard – a position he had worked so hard for – even for her. If he had fully accepted her love for him then it would have occurred to him he could not be her guard forever, but all he could see were his failings. How she would distract him in the future rather than her hiring a new guard to take his place, because then Alpha would have a royal title.
Adelina had to talk to someone. She sat on the window bench and tried to catch her breath. She would find someone she could talk to the second she stopped crying.
Chapter Nine
The King’s Quarters
Planet Draga
Adelina knocked softly on her father’s door. His worn voice reached her through the thick wood and she pressed her hand against the frame. There was a click as it unlocked and she opened it slowly. Her father was seated in his sitting room with a blanket across his lap in front of the fireplace despite how warm it was.
There was tea and food on the table beside him, but he had a book in his hand instead. He looked up when she entered and smiled warmly. “Come join me,” her father said.
Adelina kept her eyes down as she crossed the room and sat in the chair next to him, facing the roaring fire. It felt hot on her skin, but she ignored it. Her father studied her and then he frowned. Suddenly he was the king.
“Tell me what happened,” he demanded, setting his book down on the table harder than necessary. The delicate china rattled and Adelina winced.
“I wanted to ask for your advice,” she said, twisting her skirts in her good hand. Her father was the perfect person to talk to. He would understand what she needed. King Orion loved his queen more than anything, and he loved his mistress as well. The three of them got along better than most wedded couples Adelina had seen in court. Her father would know what she did wrong, and what to do in the future. “Alpha just ended our relations.”
Her father growled in anger and threw the blanket off his lap.
Adelina sprang to her feet, placing her good hand on his chest to stop him from tearing the man to pieces. “Please,” she begged. Father was wildly protective of his children, and if she didn’t handle him carefully, Alpha would end up somewhere awful. “Let me tell you why.”
When her father looked down at her the lines on his face eased and he let out an exasperated sigh as he sat down. “Of course child, I will listen before I make any rash decisions.”
“Thank you.” Adelina dragged her chair closer to him so she could hold his hand and reassure him. She sat delicately and rearranged her skirts, nervous as her mother would usually be the one to have this conversation with her.
“Child, tell me quickly or I will decide on my own,” he warned.
Adelina let out a breath and gave up. She would simply spit it out then. “He declared I was too distracting and we couldn’t continue the relationship due to the events of today, and that perhaps he would have been a better guard if he weren’t…thinking of me.”
The king sat back in his chair and watched her closely. Adelina dropped protocol. She needed answers. She looked up into her father’s eyes and tried to discern what thoughts were hidden behind those dark purple depths. “I knew there was a reason I liked that boy,” he said.
Adelina was still too hurt to joke about the situation. She loved him still. She would have to see Alpha every single day and know he would never be hers. The pain made it difficult to breathe and she felt like she drowned in the sensation. Her eyes stayed dry though. No more tears for a male who didn’t want her the same way she wanted him. “Papa, please. I am very…upset about this.”
They didn’t talk about emotions so directly and it was uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat and leaned back. Her father squeezed her hand lovingly and gave the top a little pat before turning to pour her a cup of tea.
“I am told by your mother tea can cure almost any ailment.” He handed her the cup with a sad smile. “I know it won’t make it better right away, but it will help.” He waited until she sipped before taking a breath to speak. “Alpha has always been a wonderful companion to you throughout the cycles and I have never regretted sponsoring him after his parent’s death. He is honorable and dependable. He would have made an excellent prince, dear one.” Father chucked her under the chin gently. “But perhaps this is a blessing.”
Adelina set the teacup down. It was difficult to see how a man she was head over heels in love with who didn’t want to be with her was a good thing. She tucked her legs underneath her and focused all of her attention on her father.
“You never want to have to convince someone they should be with you. They will regret it eventually and start to resent you. If Alpha truly was the one for you he would have done anything to stay with you, even give up his favored guard position.”
He was silent for a moment and Adelina considered his words. “Maybe it was something that hadn’t occurred to him?” she asked. “I never asked him if he would give it all up for me. Perhaps he didn’t think of it and thought everything would remain as it is,” she suggested. That would explain why he felt like they couldn’t be together as princess and guard.
Her father shrugged as he looked into the crackling flames. “It is a difficult puzzle to untangle,” he said. “One would think his position and his love for you could go hand in hand, yet he doesn’t seem to believe so.” Her father turned to her then. “He has made his decision and to try to convince or coerce him now would be fruitless. You want someone to fight for you, Lina, not against you.”
It wasn’t the words she wanted to hear, but he was right no matter how much the truth hurt. “I love him so much, Papa. How am I going to make it through each day while he stands by my side?”
He took her hand again and gave it a squeeze. “You will be assigned to a courtesan soon and she will help distract you,” her father reminded her.
Adelina nodded as she considered the idea. Perhaps her courtesan would know what she’d done wrong, what she could have done differently. “I am excited to see the inside of the House of Kismet. Elara has never told me much and she grew up there.” The king’s mistress, Elara was like a second mother to her. More like her first mother as the queen had always been extremely focused on Raena and Giselle through no fault of her own. Giselle was a handful.
The king frowned again. “The courtesan will stay with us in the palace. It is against tradition, but after the bombings I am not taking any chances with any of my children’s lives.”
Adelina glared at him. Without protocol and witnesses she could argue with her father and get away with it. “Papa, no. I want to see the House and do as every Draga has before me. I will not be coddled.”
The king merely gave an exasperated sigh. “You are a very demanding female, dear one,” he said with a smile. “Do not worry; I will keep your secret.” Her father gave her a wink and she couldn’t help but laugh. “What about a compromise? You will be allowed to visit the first time, but then we will move the courtesan into the palace?”
It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was the best she would get from an over-protective father who was also king. “Thank you, Papa.” Adelina gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I knew you would be able to make me feel better.”
Her father always spoke the truth in a way that helped her through her murky emotions. Losing Alpha hurt and it would for a while. Adelina was all right with that, and she would learn and grow. She would find someone who loved her in spite of her title. Adelina would try to start fresh and perhaps rebuild the friendship she had with Alpha. Losing him as a companion would be far more painful than losing him as a lover.
“Lina would you mind painting for me?” her father asked. A wracking cough made his entire body shake and once again he looked worn down and t
ired.
“Of course, Papa,” she replied. Adelina fetched the blanket from the floor and tucked it around her sick father. She handed him his tea and his book before taking out the painting supplies he stored for her among his shelves of books. Adelina sat near the window in her usual place and tapped her bottom lip with a pencil.
There would only be so much more time with her father like this and Adelina refused to take it for granted. She started to sketch as she watched him closely. She hoped against all odds there would be a miracle and the scientists would find a way to give them just a little bit more time.
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Princess of Draga
Emma Dean
Chapter One
Nadyah
The House of Kismet
Planet Draga
Nadyah watched Lord Greyson sleep on her massive and luxurious bed. She gently brushed his hair back from his forehead and smiled softly. It was in her genetic makeup to enjoy her work and Nadyah thrived on the sex. Courtesans were the one sub-race descended from the Ancients – the humans of old – that were neither submissive nor dominant. She was whatever her client needed her to be.
Greyson was not as dominant as he liked to pretend but Nadyah found it easy to submit to him – which was what he wanted from her. He was a good lover and never failed to ensure she had just as much pleasure as he. Whenever he came to the House she always made time for him if she had an open appointment. As one of the most highly respected and sought after courtesans on Draga she had a long list of clients and it was her choice. Courtesans always chose whom they sold their services to.
The time-keeper floating above her nightstand chimed softly, telling her it was midnight which meant the sun had finally set. Nadyah slid off the red satin sheets of her bed and padded silently across her room. She reached for her spidersilk robe as she passed her vanity and wrapped the sheer material around her naked body. She stepped into her closet with a quick backward glance at Lord Greyson, one of the noble rulers of the planet Priea. He slept deeply after the hours she’d made him work.
Beautiful gowns lined her closet space in various sumptuous fabrics. Shoes and accessories were displayed in a way that caught the eye and allowed her to easily choose combinations to suit her coloring. All of her possessions were gifts from her clients. Her income allowed for such luxuries but it was a point of pride she wasn’t required to purchase her own accoutrements.
Nadyah went all the way to the back of the massive closet and slid aside a few garments. Her fingertip pressed into the hidden panel and a small door slid aside noiselessly. Waiting outside the House was the Prince of Thieves. There was still a smidge of purple in the sky and the ocean breeze chilled her. Varan turned to Nadyah and when he met her sapphire gaze her heart clenched and then began to pound in her chest. Those emerald eyes glittered playfully.
His broad muscled shoulders always caught her eye without fail and every time she wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by them. His tanned skin begged to be touched. The roguish smile on his face made her want to slap him even though it tantalized her. Varan was the Prince of Thieves and he had stolen her heart cycles ago. Nadyah held the secret close. He had no idea how she truly felt about him and it would remain that way. She could not afford to put her position in danger.
“Nadyah,” he said softly, taking her hand and dropping a kiss on it. Never once did he stare at her naked form through the sheer spidersilk robe.
She kept her face impassive despite the flutter in her heart and the feeling of his lips on her skin. “Greyson is asleep. Be quick, before he wakes.”
Varan grew solemn. He nodded and went to work. His large form grew slinky just like a deadly galina and he slid past her. His arm brushed against her breast and she couldn’t decide if it had been on purpose or an accident.
Regardless the touch left her breathless.
Nadyah watched him work as she leaned against the wall. There was a reason he was the prince of all the thieves in Stella di Draga – the capitol. His fingers were light as they sifted through Lord Greyson’s belongings. The piece of tech in his hand scanned the personal devices for any possible keys and passwords. Then Varan’s fingers moved to Greyson’s hand and held it gently to be scanned and copied. Nadyah wondered what those light fingers would feel like against her own skin, trailing down her stomach…
Warmth spread down her abdomen and set her skin to tingling. She felt her wetness drip onto her thighs and she pressed them together, hoping Varan wouldn’t notice her arousal. Nadyah shook her head. She needed to collect herself because Varan could never be hers.
The prince of thieves prowled across the dimly lit room towards her and his eyes flicked down her body and then up again so briefly she wasn’t sure he’d actually done so. “I am finished.” His warm rumble quieter than the gentle god of death.
Nadyah’s nipples tightened against the soft fabric of her robe, obvious to anyone with a set of eyes. Varan didn’t react. Nadyah knew he figured it was all part of her job as he brushed by her once more. He couldn’t be more wrong. Varan could see her plain as day and not even a reaction from him. Not for the first time she wondered if he preferred men.
Nadyah activated the closet door with a flick of her finger to be safe. It shut behind them silently. “Did you get what you needed?” she asked softly. She couldn’t help herself. Nadyah let her hand reach for his bicep, thick with muscle. She wanted to squeeze but refrained.
The hood over his head cast his face in shadow, but she could still see the emerald of his eyes glowing in the dark. “I did get everything. Thank you, Mistress Nadyah.” He tucked his scanner in a pocket. “Have you heard? The royal family has sent me an invitation to their ritzy little ball.” His cocky grin did wicked things to her.
Nadyah nearly crossed her arms over her chest, but she decided against it. Let him be teased. “I have not. This is a big step for you.” She gave him a small smile. The royal family didn’t approve of his work, but they respected him and his position among their people – his people as Varan would say.
“Perhaps I will see you there,” Varan murmured. He tapped her bottom lip gently before turning to the secret panel in her closet that would lead him outside towards the ocean.
She placed a delicate hand on her hip and it pulled the sheer fabric tighter across her breasts. Nadyah arched an eyebrow. “My payment, Varan?”
The thief turned back and grinned, and then prowled towards her. The move was so unexpected she stepped back and he followed until he had her pressed up against the door to her room. Varan planted his hands on either side of her, so close she could smell the spicy scent of winterflowers identifying him as dominant. His legs brushed the outside of hers, effectively trapping her between his well-muscled thighs. She smoldered where he touched her. He made her squirm and her breathing quickened as he leaned in. What in the spider’s name was he doing? His mouth found hers and he was hungry, voracious.
Her heart pounded harder in her chest and she tried not to moan aloud. He had never kissed her before. It made her want to drag her nails down his back and rip off his shirt so she could show him exactly what skills she possessed. One of his large hands held her face gently and he nibbled on her bottom lip. Liquid fire poured from between her legs in response. She wanted him. She would take him in her closet with a client in the other room, the gods be damned.
His tongue parted her lips and he pressed his large wiry form against her body, allowing
her to feel every inch of him. Varan’s hard cock nestled between her thighs and rubbed in exactly the right place. She gasped and something hard, smooth, and round slipped into her mouth.
Varan pulled back with a grin, but it wasn’t the same playful grin it was before. His eyes were too dark and hungry to be playful. “Your payment, milika.” He bowed before he disappeared through the secret door.
Nadyah spit the item into her palm and inspected the perfectly dark sapphire exactly the color of her eyes. Varan had left her burning and in need. The sapphire went to her stash and then she opened the door to her room. It was time to wake Greyson and let him ease her frustrations.
Because despite how much she wanted Varan, he was the only person she could never have sex with.
Mistress Jael – the head of House of Kismet – had summoned Nadyah the second Greyson had left sated and with promises of diamonds. Nadyah felt nerves coil in the pit of her stomach as she quickly made her way through the opulent House. The thick carpets muffled the sound of her slippers and the folds of her spidersilk gown whispered in the early morning silence. The gold embroidery of her dress caught the light of the candles, adding to the romantic atmosphere.
Nadyah stopped in front of the double gold-leaf doors that led to Mistress Jael’s study. Mistress Jael was not only the head of one of the most respected and revered courtesan Houses, but she was also the Spider; head of the Spymaster’s Guild. Nadyah was one of her most trusted and skilled spies.
Gently the doors opened as she waved her hand over the pad and the smoky dawn light filled the study. Candles were left unlit and the Spymistress was a mere shadow at her desk. “Please sit, child.” The Spider beckoned towards the velvet chair before the desk. Nadyah sank into the soft fabric without hesitation.