****
Raze lay in bed listening to the men whisper in the front room. He'd spent the first hour hoping Affina would come to him so they could speak, but as the second hour ticked onward he knew she wouldn't. Though she'd told the men that there was to be no difference between them, she still felt the need to put up appearances. He grumbled and rolled on his side. It was as if her father had come instead of Mandrake. But why should anything have to change between them? Her father was gone. Mandrake was not coming back. They were finally free. Free to be who they wanted. What they wanted. Free to be together. And yet it felt like just when they finally had the opportunity to be close, they were farther apart than ever.
A scream sounded from Affina's bedroom and Razor was out his door and across the front room before the other men could get to their feet.
His heart pounded as he threw the door open. Satia screamed over and over. Affina tried to console her but the woman was still asleep. The men rushed in past Raze. Incus took Satia's hand and Boramus took the other. Medajon sat behind her and lifted her head into his lap. Together the men spoke to Satia softly in their native tongue, pressing their bodies near hers.
Suddenly Satia's eyes burst open and she looked around wildly. She spotted the men and sobs wracked her. She curled into a ball on Medajon's lap and he nodded to the others.
"Is she all right?" asked Affina.
Incus looked up, his eyes pained. "We couldn't help her. When Mandrake's men captured us they tortured us. We couldn't protect her."
Bile bubbled up Raze's throat. "Did they-"
"No," said Boramus. "Mandrake wouldn't let them. Said she was a slave in a ruined house. She was beneath them. But they did just about everything else they could to make up for it."
Raze's saber roared. He'd sent Mandrake away too soon. He should have killed the man for what he'd done. Now that man sat on his throne ruling over all the other sabers on Aurora.
Satia rolled over. "I'm so sorry Affina. I didn't mean to wake you."
Affina stroked Satia's hair. "Hush. Don't think on it."
"We should take her in the other room with us," said Medajon. "She'll be more comfortable there."
A pained expression crossed Affina's face. "No. You take this bed. I'll... sleep in Razor's room."
The group looked to Raze. Affina walked to the door and laid her hand on his chest. "Come. Let them get some sleep."
Raze looked down at her, knowing she was only staying with him because she had to. The thought made his heart ache.
He nodded and they closed the door. They crossed the apartment in silence and crawled into his bed.
Affina slid under the sheets and faced the wall. His saber yearned to touch her, but instead he rolled over and closed his eye. The distance between them larger than when she'd been sleeping in the other room.
****
Affina poured coffee for Incus, the others still sleeping. He looked at the cup and sniffed it.
"You aren't happy to be here," she said.
Incus shook his head. "It was your father's wish that we come here, not ours."
Affina nodded. "And now you can never go back."
"My mate and unborn child are buried on Nova. My son. My parents. My king. And I'll never be able to go back and commune with their spirits there."
Affina reached out and squeezed Incus' hand. Back on Nova he'd been captain of the guard. A pinnacle of influence and power. Yet sitting at Razor's counter he looked so much frailer. Loneliness and sorrow hunched his shoulders.
"You can commune with their spirits anywhere that you hold sacred," said Affina. "We just need to find you a place here to do that."
His gaze connected with hers and she gave him a smile. A question nagged at her.
"Incus, did you know my father had sent Razor here?"
Incus shook his head. "I knew he'd sent someone. I had no idea it was Razor's Edge." Thick silence fell between them.
"You do not approve of my being with him."
Incus sipped his coffee. "I don't think it was ever your father's intention that you two mate, but as it has saved all of our lives, I cannot complain. He is king now."
"He is a good man," said Affina.
Incus nodded. "It was obvious you always thought so."
"And you did not."
"I feared what would happen because of your father letting him live. And apparently for good reason. Mandrake had made his displeasure known for years about the death of his daughter. And there had been whispers of a possible attack. But your father thought he could handle it. Maybe that's why he chose Razor. Maybe he thought if he sent the boy away we would be safe. But Mandrake found out the boy was alive and it was too late."
So her father had sent Razor away to protect the rest of the clan, not necessarily to protect Razor. Affina sipped her coffee. The more she learned about her father, the less she liked him.
Razor's bedroom door opened and he entered wearing a beautiful dark suit that cut from his broad shoulders to his trim waist. His gorgeous blond hair had been slicked back and his scruff nicely trimmed into a goatee. The sight of him made her body warm and her saber purr with delight.
He nodded to Incus as he passed but his gaze barely touched Affina. Affina rushed from the kitchen as he pushed the button for the elevator.
"You're leaving?" she asked.
"I have to work. I have meetings." He refused to look at her.
She reached for him. "Razor-"
The door opened and he stepped inside. "I left the credit card on the nightstand. Get them whatever they need. I'll have Ario come back with the car once he's dropped me off."
The doors slid closed and she stuck her hand out stopping it.
"You'll be back tonight, right?"
He stared at her for a moment, his eyes sad. "Late."
The doors slid closed like the slamming of her heart.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Raze's saber grumbled and growled the whole way to his office. As much as Raze tried to shut him up, it was no good. His saber was pissed. The rejected look in Affina's eyes as the elevator doors closed made him kick himself as well. But it was too late to do anything about it now. He had a new temp coming in and a meeting at noon. As much as he loved Affina, now more than ever, he needed to do what he could to take care of her as well as the others.
He stepped through his office door and stopped dead. The temp looked up at him.
"Hi!"
Bethany.
Raze swallowed hard. They never sent a temp back a second time. Never. It was his only stipulation.
"Hey."
She rounded her desk and sauntered toward him. "A friend of mine gave me a heads up at the temp agency that you were back and slid me into this position." She touched his chest. "I hope you don't mind."
Raze's saber hissed and paced, wanting to push Bethany away.
Raze stepped backward. "Great. Well, I'm uh... leaving again soon, so unfortunately this will be a short assignment. Probably less than a week."
Her expression fell. "Oh."
"I'm expecting a call in about fifteen minutes so I need to get moving. Excuse me." He scooted around her and headed for his office.
Raze closed his door and breathed deep. How was this happening? He couldn't have her there. Affina would freak if she saw Bethany. Especially with them in a weird place right then. He had to get her out of there.
He'd barely gotten his things set down when Bethany entered, her perfume a bit stronger, her lipstick a shade darker and her blouse open an extra button.
Raze groaned. This was not going to end well.
****
"We're here Miss." Ario looked at Affina in the rearview mirror and she nodded. The giant store with a red bullseye on it loomed over her. She had to keep her fears in check. She needed to show the others that it was okay.
"We'll be about an hour, please, Ario."
He nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be right here."
"What is this p
lace?" asked Satia.
"It's an indoor market. It is supposed to have everything we need in it," replied Affina. The memory of the girl from the clothing shop insulting her by suggesting she shop here instead, slapped Affina. She wished Razor was with her. She pulled out her phone to send him a message and then put it away again. She wasn't sure what the barrier was that had erected between them, but it wasn't going to be overcome easily.
Ario rounded the car and opened the door for her. The rest of her clan piled out behind her. At least they looked like they fit in better than she had on her first day. In some of Razor's less formal clothes and Satia in a black dress, they all looked relatively like humans. Large humans. Large, wild-eyed humans.
Affina sighed. There was no use waiting. They had to do it. They had to go inside.
She closed the door and the group walked toward the entrance.
"It smells here," Medajon said in their native tongue.
"And it's too bright," Boramus replied.
"These clothes itch."
"At least you can move in yours," said Satia.
"Enough!" Incus growled. "Be grateful you are still alive and that Queen Affina is willing to help you at all. She doesn't have to."
The others bowed their heads in shame. Affina shook her head. This was going to be harder than she thought.
An hour later Affina left the store overwhelmed and with two cartloads of clothing, toiletries and shoes. Her clansmen had never been so happy. After so long on the run to be able to have such basic necessities was like a dream. She'd let them pick whatever they wanted, though Satia had to be persuaded to buy a bra and underwear. Affina couldn't blame her.
Ario helped load everything into the trunk as the others got in the car.
"How about some lunch?" he asked.
"I think that would be wise. Maybe something simple. Sandwiches and soup."
"I know just the place."
Affina walked around the car and Ario opened the door for her. She slid inside and looked at her phone. Razor hadn't called her once.
****
Raze hung up his call and rubbed his eyebrows. The last piece of land was firmly within his grasp. He stared at the satellite image of the lodge and the surrounding area. Five hundred acres on all sides. Two thousand acres for the clan to live and breathe and run without anyone coming near them. And the timing was perfect with the rest of the clan having arrived.
Bile rose in his throat. They would never accept him as king without Affina there to tell them so. He'd worked too hard for their benefit to have them still treat him like a common slave.
A knock sounded on his office door. Bethany opened the door and popped her head in.
"What can I do for you?" Raze asked.
"I just wanted to bring you your messages from when you were on the phone." She crept toward his desk the scent of fear and arousal wafting off her.
"Thank you. You can leave them there."
She set them on his desk and waited.
"Was there something else?"
"I... wanted to apologize for how I reacted when I visited your apartment. I'm truly sorry. We never said we were exclusive. I should have known better. I just wanted to apologize to you for that. It will never happen again."
"Apology accepted. Thank you. Nothing has changed though, Bethany. I told you before that we cannot be together and we can't."
She rounded his desk and sat on it, her skirt hiking up high.
"I don't get it though. I thought we had something between us."
"We did."
Her eyes brightened with hope. "So you admit there's something there? I don't mind sharing you if that's what you need. And I won't be clingy. If you need to leave town I'm fine with that. Whatever you need." She slid onto his lap before Raze could do anything and ran her hand up his chest.
Instinctively Raze raised his hands away from her.
"Uh... what are you doing?" he stammered.
"Yes. I'd like to know that myself." Affina stood in the doorway holding a bag and a drink.
Raze jumped from his seat. "Fina."
She shook her head and walked out.
"Fina!" Raze raced after her as she strode across the outer office toward the glass door. "Fina stop!"
She halted and turned, rage planted on her face. She walked back and shoved the food at him.
"Fina, this isn't what it looked like," he said in their tongue.
"So you haven't slept with her?"
He couldn't change what he'd done in the past. All he could do is be better for the future. For her. "Yes, I have, but that was before you came. Fina, I love you. I've always loved you."
She took a deep breath and stepped forward, laying her palm on his cheek. "And I you, Razor. But I think we're just too different. I hoped it would not be so, but it is. You haven't even been away from me for a couple of hours and already I find another woman sitting on your lap."
"Fina I told you. It isn't my fault. I didn't ask her to be here I fired her. I didn't encourage her."
"But you didn't stop her, either." She shook her head. "I can't do this. I thought I could but I can't. I can't take not being able to trust you. I can't take never knowing if a woman is going to throw herself at you."
"Is that how you really feel? Do you really not trust me to stay true to our bond? I told Mandrake I wouldn't take another as mate and I meant it. I will never, as long as I live I’ll never take another to mate, to my bed or to my heart. You are my everything."
Tears welled in Affina's eyes. "I think it might be best for everyone if I take the others and we'll go to the lodge for a while. To try and help them settle in."
Razor's heart caved into his chest. "Don't do this. Stay here. We can send them to the lodge and I'll make sure they are taken care of."
"They are our people. We can't just leave them to fend for themselves after all they've been through."
"And I can't leave here," he said. "I have a business I have to take care of to ensure we are provided for as well as our children and their children."
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I know."
She strode through the glass and down the hall. Bypassing the elevator she headed straight for the stairwell and disappeared.
He stood in the lobby of his office staring after her long after the stairwell door closed. His saber roared to be let out. To go to her and drag her back. To make her understand.
"I... I think maybe this was a mistake. I'm gonna just go."
Raze turned. Bethany grabbed her purse and coat without looking at him and headed for the door.
Raze's phone buzzed and he set the bag and drink on the receptionist desk and pulled it out of his pocket.
"This is Razor."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Affina sat on the plane with Satia, Incus, Boramus and Medajon. The four huddled together and whispered in frantic tones. She wanted to comfort them. To tell them that everything would be fine, just the way Razor had done for her, but she couldn't. The pain inside her soul threatened to overwhelm her.
Razor hadn't come home the night before. She'd hoped he'd show up and tell her he'd go with her, but he hadn't. She'd told him, she couldn't leave them to fend for themselves. It wasn't right. He had to see that. And yet he had chosen to stay in the city anyway.
The plane pulled forward on the tarmac and Satia gave out a small cry. Affina looked over her shoulder as the group joined hands. A rush of emotion struck her at the sight of them together. For the first time she felt outside her clan. Apart. Not belonging. She wondered if that was how Razor had felt all those years in her father's palace trying to earn his place. And now. Now he was king, but had no clan to support him. They were leaving him. She was leaving him. No. It wasn't right.
"Stop," she whispered. "Stop." Affina fumbled with her seatbelt and jumped to her feet. "Stop! Stop the plane!"
The stewardess rushed forward. "Is something wrong, Miss?"
"We need to get off the plane. Now."
&n
bsp; She turned to the group. "I'm sorry. I can't go. He's my mate."
"Go," said Incus. "We will be fine together."
"No," she said. "Stay with me. With us. Just for a little while. Then I'll take you to the lodge. I can't abandon him and leave him all alone. Not again. I have to fix things with Razor."
The group looked at each other and then nodded in silent accord.
"Go to him," said Satia. "We will be well. And we will be with you in spirit."
"But we cannot stay," said Boramus. "We need time to regroup and heal."
"The city isn’t the place for us to do that," said Incus.
Affina shook her head. "Let me find you another mode of transportation. Flying can be... stressful."
Every set of shoulders squared at the implication that they would be afraid.
"We are sabers. We can handle it. Go," said Incus. "I will take care of them. When you are ready, join us." He stopped for a moment and then said, "Tell Razor we are grateful and we will be waiting for both of you."
Affina walked slowly to the exit door and stopped. It was the hardest choice she'd ever made. Her obligation to her clan, or her obligation to her heart.
****
Raze stood in the middle of his apartment, her scent permeating every surface. His body ached with missing her. He was an idiot for letting her leave, but then being smart when it came to Affina had never been one of his strong suits.
Every fiber of his body wanted to go after her. To tell her he loved her and that he'd give it all up for her, but if he did the clan would never respect him.
Dammit what did it matter if they didn't respect him? Without her, life wasn't worth it anyway. Raze raced for the elevator and pushed the button.
The door opened. Affina. His throat dried. She hadn't left.
The doors began to close but he pushed them opened and rushed in and cupped her face. She'd come back for him. She'd left the clan and come back.
He pressed his lips to her softly, tasting her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back.
Paranormal Dating Agency: Taming his Saber (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 11