by Susan Hayes
“If we can talk them into partnering up with us. Do you remember the last time we made an offer to a Tarin? What they consider a friendly negotiation is what some cultures consider a capital crime,” Sabar said.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“As I recall, I was also bleeding by the time it was over.”
Rhen rolled his eyes at his brother’s dramatics. “That was your own damn fault. You shouldn’t have dropped your guard. Mother would have been ashamed of your showing that day. She taught you to fight better than that.”
“Next time we’re sparring, I’m going to make you eat those words,” Sabar muttered under his breath as he straightened the sleeve of his shirt with an irritated tug.
Normally, the two of them preferred to wear more comfortable garb. Loose fitting shirts at least, or better yet, their people’s traditional outfit of sleeveless vests with leather pants. In deference to their meeting with the Alliance officials, today they were both wearing human-style clothing. Crisp, white shirts with cuffs and collars that made Rhen feel confined. He knew Sabar felt the same. Once they were finished checking out the paintings, they should probably head back to their ship to change before going to celebrate.
Sabar was ready to indulge in a night of relaxation and fun. He and his twin were overdue for some downtime. As far as he was concerned, there was no point in working their tails off to fill their accounts with credits if they never took the time to spend them. It wasn’t like they could take it with them when they died. Now that the deals were done and they were established on X21, he wanted to take the time to explore a little.
They approached the paintings, and Rhen went straight to the nearest one while Sabar went looking for the owner. He had to be nearby. “Hello?” Sabar called out as he walked the length of the small gallery. He received no answer.
The far back of the somewhat cluttered space had been converted into an artist’s studio. It was well-lit and there was an incomplete painting set up on the easel. He moved in closer to take a better look. As he did, a delicious scent tickled his nose. It was both familiar and strange at the same time, and he drew in a deeper breath, trying to identify it. It was too faint, though he felt a strange stirring in his blood as he caught a trace of the scent again.
Still puzzled, he turned to go and spotted a tall, beautiful Tarin female in her mid-twenties entering the shop. She was dressed in a flowing black skirt that swirled around her long legs, and her top was a nearly shapeless thing of mottled shades of gray that stole some of the luster from her golden skin. Her straight black hair fell to the line of her jaw, which was shorter than he’d ever seen on a female of her species.
Not that he’d seen many Tarin females. Most of them never left Tartarus. The few he’d seen had been concubines traveling with their masters. He’d heard rumors that things were changing on the Tarin home world, and that the days of keeping harems and taking slaves were over. If that was the case, it would explain why a Tarin female was so far from home without a male nearby.
“Good day to you both. How may I be of service to you?” Her voice was as lovely as her face, and Sabar’s pulse kicked up another notch. He moved to join his brother, and as he got closer, the enticing scent he’d picked up in the back returned and grew stronger.
“Good day to you as well. Are these paintings your work? They’re remarkable.” Sabar was trying to keep his wording formal since he’d noticed that the few Tarins he’d met tended to speak that way, but it was hard to concentrate as the delicious aroma drifted into his lungs. Intoxicating. That’s what it was. Like the perfume of night blooming flowers blended with a sultry, spicy note he’d never come across before.
Understanding slammed into him a second later. She was the source of the scent. It wasn’t her perfume, it was her.
Holy nova.
Rhen inhaled deeply, and his eyes widened as the truth dawned on him as well. Because they were twins, they’d always known it was likely they would be drawn to the same female. They just never imagined that they could be attracted so strongly to a Tarin.
The female looked at them both with wariness in her black eyes. “I’m Laesa Fen, and yes, these are all my work. Is there something wrong? You both look a little unsettled.”
Fuck yes, he was unsettled. Her scent called to him like a beacon in the darkness, and all he wanted to do was get closer to the beautiful female who smelled so tantalizing.
Laesa stood in the middle of the room and tried to slow her rapidly beating heart. Her Helios visitors were the first of their kind she’d seen up close, but it wasn’t their size or primal presence that had her off-balance. What had her pulse pounding was the energy that surged around them both. They were attracted to her. Their reaction was so strong, she couldn’t help but sense it.
Her first instinct was to move away from them, but she resisted. They had done nothing to warrant her distrust. They were potential customers, not threats. She took a quick breath and banished her worries to the back of her mind.
The male closest to her offered her a smile that showed a flash of his fangs as he answered her previous inquiry. “I’m not unsettled really, merely surprised. You’re not what I expected.”
“You were expecting a Tarin male, I imagine.” Even as she spoke, Laesa couldn’t help but admire her two customers. They were tall and well built, not as large as a Tarin or Krytos male, but there was an edge to them both that told her they could be just as dangerous. They had identical features, and she guessed they must be twins. Their amber eyes gleamed with intelligence, and they both wore their hair long and loose around their shoulders, their burnished gold locks highlighted with hints of coppery red. She had a sudden urge to sketch their faces, putting down the lines and angles of their features so she could study them at her leisure.
The other male came in closer, and she watched the way he moved with interest. He had a lethal grace that hinted at the animal within. She didn’t know much about the Helios species, but she knew they were a shapeshifting race, able to change from their bipedal form to one of a large, four-legged predator similar to the venar of her home world. She had always wanted to see a Helios in their animal form. Now that she’d finally met a Helios, she wasn’t sure she wanted that anymore. They were a little overwhelming up close, especially these two.
“You’re right, we were expecting a male. I confess that I’m very happy to have been wrong. My name is Sabar Torven, and this is my brother, Rhen. We spotted your paintings and had to come over to take a closer look. Is this really what Tartarus looks like?”
“That is my home, yes. At least, that’s how I remember it. Most of the landscapes are of places near where I grew up.”
“You’re very talented,” the one called Rhen said.
“And beautiful,” Sabar added, moving in closer still. Before she could put space between them, he had her hand in his and was lifting it to his mouth. He brushed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand, and she felt his energy flow over her skin like a caress. That one small taste awakened her hunger, and reminded her that she would need to feed. Soon.
Sabar felt her fingers tremble as he kissed her, and he forced himself to back off before he went too far. Her scent wrapped around him, tempting him to make a play for her right here and now, but he knew better. There was a delicate trace of fear on the air. Her fear. Something about them scared her, and the last thing in the cosmos he wanted was for this stunning creature to fear him or his brother.
He released her hand with reluctance, and she backed away from him, holding the hand he’d kissed tight against her body. Whatever she’d experienced, it had left her guarded. He and Rhen would have to proceed carefully, and that wasn’t something Sabar was very good at. He was more the kind to dive in and ask forgiveness later.
He looked to his brother, who was staring intently at two paintings of people hanging near the back of the room. “Do you do portraits, like these?”
Laesa nodded, clearly happy to be back to the safe topic of h
er artwork. “I do. Those are commissions awaiting pick-up. I asked permission to display them until then.”
Rhen looked thoughtful. “Do you think our parents would like a pair of portraits, Sabar?”
Sabar nodded, impressed with his brother’s quick thinking. “I know they would. Laesa, would you be willing to paint us?”
Her gaze darted back and forth between them, but eventually she nodded. “I usually do sittings in my temporary studio, back there.” She tipped her head toward the far end of the room. “I think it might be best if you came one at a time. There’s not much space.”
Rhen was doing his best to stay focused, but it wasn’t easy. He was determined, though. He’d seen the way Laesa responded to Sabar’s touch. She was interested, but cautious. A little time with each of them in her own space might give them a chance to get to know her better and allow her to get to know them in turn. She was beautiful and alluring, and there was something about her that made him hope that the attraction he was feeling was more than merely physical.
He and Sabar both agreed a long time ago that neither of them would settle for anything but a love match. It was what their parents had, and it was what they wanted, too. They wanted a female who could share every part of their lives. Someone they could life-lock with in a permanent and loving bond that could never be broken. With their business booming and their lives going so well, he and his brother were finally ready to find someone for more than a few nights of mutual pleasure. It was possible they’d just met her.
Only time would tell for sure, but his gut instinct was that she might be the one, and his hunches were rarely wrong.
CHAPTER TWO
Later, Laesa sat near the front of her workspace, idly sketching as she thought about her newest customers. Rhen and Sabar were nothing like other males she’d met, and she found herself unable to get them out of her mind. They had treated her with respect and consideration, and both of them had been genuinely interested in her artwork. She’d enjoyed speaking with them, and by the time they’d left, she had managed to shed her concerns about their intentions. Their interest in her was still obvious, but they hadn’t acted on it. At least, not yet.
She had the sense that neither male was the kind to walk away from something he wanted. They wouldn’t be as successful as they were if that was the case, and a quick bit of research after they had left her gallery had made it clear that they were very good at what they did. She hadn’t read much, only enough to confirm that they were who they claimed to be.
To check into their lives any further would be intrusive. She had what she needed to know. The rest she could learn from them if they were inclined to share it with her. They’d certainly have time for it. While most artists took three-dimensional scans of their subjects and used those as their model, Laesa preferred to work with her subject in person. She wanted to talk to them, and try to get a sense of their personality so she could incorporate it into her work. Static images worked for basic elements of composition, but it had limitations. She estimated it would take at least several hours with each brother before she had enough of a feel of who they were to finish their portraits properly.
“Hey, you never came back to finish your meal so I brought it over,” Sophie announced as she popped into view. “Did your visitors buy anything, or were they just curious?”
“They bought something. Well, they ordered a pair of portraits. I’ve got the deposit already. Their sittings are all scheduled. One is coming tomorrow and the day after that, and then his brother will sit for me. I am very pleased with their interest in my work.”
“That’s great! Who is it? Anyone I know?” Sophie asked. She walked up to Laesa and handed her a tray with her re-heated meal, taking the sketchbook in trade.
“They’re new to the station. Well, newer than the rest of us,” Laesa answered as she settled the tray on her lap and picked up the fork Sophie had included with her meal.
“Holy stars, is this them? They’re supernova levels of hot! Are they Helios? They must be with those cat-like eyes.”
“Yes, that’s them, and yes, they’re Helios. They’re in shipping and trade. As for their appearance, they do have very nice bone structure, that’s why I was sketching them. Painting them will be a pleasure.”
“Honey, spending time with either of these two would be a pleasure no matter what you were doing. They’re gorgeous, and I’m not talking about bone structure!” Sophie said, still staring at the drawings.
“You’re a claimed woman. You’re not supposed to say such things. What if your bonded heard you?”
Sophie laughed. “I’m claimed, not blind or dead. I love my boys, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate another man’s appearance. These two are definitely worth appreciating. At least, I think so based on what you’ve sketched of them. What’s with this one’s hair?”
Laesa glanced up from her meal to see Sophie pointing to one of her partial drawings of Rhen. “He has strands of white in his hair on one side. I liked the way it looked.”
Sophie thumbed through several more pages of new sketches, all of the Torven brothers. “Mhmm. Given the number of times you’ve drawn these guys, I’d say you liked more than just their hair and bone structure.”
Laesa’s face burned with embarrassment. “Sophie! They’re customers. They have agreed to pay me a handsome fee for their portraits, and I intend to give them my very best work. To do that, I must practice drawing them. That’s all. Even if they are handsome, they’re not even the same species as I am. And…and…there are two of them!”
Sophie gave her a knowing look, her blue eyes gleaming. “Yes, there are two of them. So, what? You’re free now, Laesa. You can live your life however you wish, and with whomever you choose. And believe me, there are advantages to having two men in your life.”
“That is true. I mean the part about me having the freedom to live as I wish, not about having two men in my life! Do you know anything about their race? I know they’re shifters, but not much else. I suppose I should learn what I can before I meet with them again.”
Sophie nodded with such enthusiasm she sent her blonde curls bouncing. “That’s a great idea. All I know is that their world is mostly jungle, and they can turn into something that looks like an oversized Earth cat. Big beasts. Oh, and they’re a matriarchal society. Which means the women are in charge. Nice idea, isn’t it? If you read up tonight, you’ll have something to talk about during their sittings. You can ask them about their planet and their lives there. It doesn’t matter what race they are, all males love to talk about themselves.”
“The women are the leaders? That’s very different than back home. Are you sure males prefer to talk about themselves? Today, they asked me many questions about myself. I learned very little about them, save for their names and what they do for a living. They buy and sell goods from all over the galaxy. In fact, they suggested they might be able to help me find buyers for my work.”
“They wanted to know about you, huh? Then they’re definitely interested, and not just in your artistic talent.”
Laesa lowered her gaze to the floor as she made her next confession. “I already knew they were attracted to me. Their energies made that obvious.”
Sophie chuckled. “You sensed their emotions? That’s cheating! Besides, I thought you couldn’t really do that. I still don’t understand exactly how your senses work, but you did tell me you couldn’t read people’s emotions.”
Laesa shook her head. “It’s hard to explain, and it’s not something I can control. It’s automatic, like the way you and I hear a sound or experience a flavor or a scent. It’s simply that sometimes I get a brief impression of what someone is feeling, especially when there are strong emotions in play. It is never more than a brief impression, though. I’m no mind reader.”
“I think it’s cool, and I know you would never invade someone’s privacy like that, even if you could. You’re far too polite to even consider it.”
“It would be rud
e,” Laesa agreed. “But, I will confess that I was not displeased by their interest once they demonstrated that they were not going to act on it right then and there.”
“Good males don’t do that, Laesa. No male has the right to force his attentions on you or make you do anything you don’t want to. As far as I’m concerned any man who tries that kind of shit isn’t worthy to breathe the same air as you. You’re not on Tartarus anymore. Remember that.”
“I wake up every day grateful that I am free now, but it’s not easy to let go of the past,” Laesa said.
Sophie surprised her by coming to her side and setting her hand on Laesa’s shoulder.
“You’ll find a way. You’re stronger than you know. Look how much you’ve changed your life already and you only left Tartarus six months ago. You are finally becoming the person—uh, Tarin you were meant to be. You’re an artist making a name for yourself. You’ve painted me a gorgeous mural that everyone admires, you have your paintings on display, and you’re taking on clients. One of these days you’re going to be famous, and I’ll be able to tell everyone I knew you back before you were discovered.”
Laesa leaned into her friend’s gentle touch. “As always, you’ve been helpful and have given me some excellent advice. Tonight, I will think about all this. And I believe I will do some research on the Helios and their planet.”
“Good. Now, eat the rest of your meal. I have a feeling you’re going to need to keep your energy levels up. And since we’re on the topic of energy levels, don’t think that I don’t know the real reason you’re so tired lately. What you need to sustain yourself not even my fabulous lasagna can provide.”
“You knew?” Laesa asked.
“Honey, you’re Tarin, and you haven’t kept company with a male since we’ve met. I’m betting you haven’t dealt with that part of your nature in a while. Stars know I wouldn’t either if I’d been through what you have. I don’t know how long your people can go without feeding, but I’m betting you’re pushing your limits.”