by Zoey Draven
Fear made him freeze.
Not for himself. But for Valerie. Her aunt was vicious. A sadistic monster who hid behind her smiles and her lies. Dravka was ashamed to admit that he’d fallen for those lies once. But the promise of a better life on Everton, of the life and promises that Madame Allegria had made to him and the other Keriv’is, had been too tempting.
Madame Allegria would no doubt punish Valerie for this.
What possessed you to do this, Val? Dravka wondered, staring at the smoking pile. The fire wouldn’t spread. There was nothing for it to catch on down here, but Dravka watched it in disbelief until the majority of it was snuffed out.
The only thing he could do was take Madame Allegria’s fury in place of Valerie. He would tell the older human female that this had been his doing. There was no way around it.
He left the basement with his mind made up and he ascended the staircase back up to the Cluster in partial relief, knowing that at the very least, Valerie would be spared from this.
When he entered the Cluster, he saw Tavak and Ravu in the main sitting room. When the two brothers saw him appear, their heads snapped up from the Nu device they’d been reading from, strange expressions on their faces.
“What?” Dravka growled, his mood already taking a turn for the worse. Valerie was acting strange. He was worried about her. And her actions downstairs…they were reckless. Not for the first time, he wanted to know every little thought that ran through her mind. Even then, Dravka didn’t think that would satisfy him.
Ravu leaned away from the Nu device, exchanging a look with his brother that irritated Dravka. The two brothers were exceptionally close. Dravka, on more than one occasion, had felt envious of their bond, had felt envious that they’d escaped Kerivu together when it was destroyed…when so many had been lost. When Dravka had lost his own sister and father to that senseless crime.
“Have you seen Valerie this morning?” Tavak asked, watching him carefully.
The back of Dravka’s neck prickled, unease beginning to curl in his belly. The smell of smoke was still in his nostrils, smoke that Tavak and Ravu could no doubt smell coming off his clothes and skin.
“Why?” Dravka asked quietly.
Tavak hesitated. The Nu device, the slim tablet that he read from whenever he had a spare moment, was clenched in one of his palms.
Then Tavak tilted the device towards him. Dravka stepped forward to take it.
And right there, on the screen, was a flickering image of Valerie with a human male. A brief, five-second moving picture that played over and over again, underneath a headline that read: Gabriel Larchmont, heir to Larchmont Imports, to wed Valerie Browen.
The Cluster seemed to shift around Dravka, his claw scraping across the Nu device’s surface. He couldn’t hear anything except the blood rushing in his ears and the thundering of his two hearts, which had momentarily stopped before speeding up rapidly.
“This…” He trailed off, his gaze flickering to the looped picture and the headline. “This has to be a mistake.”
“Dravka…” Tavak started.
But he didn’t hear whatever it was that the other Keriv’i male said because his gaze shifted to the short and brief statement below the picture.
Derek and Celine Larchmont announce the engagement of their son Gabriel Larchmont to Miss Valerie Browen, niece of socialite and philanthropist Madame Allegria North. The wedding is set for Summer Date 0615 on Everton.
Two sentences.
Two sentences that made Dravka’s whole world turn upside down, until nothing seemed right.
His eyes flickered up to the picture again.
The human male had dark hair, blue eyes, and a wide grin. Valerie was wearing the pink dress he’d seen her in yesterday. Dravka’s hands around the device squeezed when he saw the way the male’s arm was snaked around her waist. Her side was pressed into his.
She was smiling, staring into whatever camera had been shoved into their faces.
And yet…
Dravka knew her well enough to know which smile of hers that was.
Realization went through him, but it was the kind that made his stomach lurch and his shoulders sag.
Her mood last night—the way she’d pushed him away, her gentle sobs coming through the closed door between them, her wide and glassy gaze—now made sense.
Even still, staring at the picture, watching it loop back around, watching the male’s hands on her body, filled Dravka with a rage that he hadn’t felt since his planet was destroyed, since his family was taken from him.
Isn’t this what you wanted? came that treacherous voice inside him. It was that voice that prevented him from throwing the Nu device across the room and storming from the brothel to find Valerie at that very moment.
“Dravka,” Tavak said.
The other Keriv’i male was in front of him, had been trying to get his attention, it seemed. When Dravka refocused his gaze on him, Tavak’s lips were turned down into a frown.
“This is good,” Dravka said, his voice quiet. Level. Lifeless.
“Kruvu?” Ravu asked, disbelief in his tone.
“She…she can finally get away from her,” Dravka said, the words falling from his lips even as his chest felt like it was being torn to shreds. “She can…she can have everything she wants now.”
He didn’t know who Gabriel Larchmont was but the human male could sure as hell give Valerie more than Dravka ever could.
Tavak’s lips pressed together firmly, his pupils flickering back and forth between Dravka’s. Dravka couldn’t tell what the other male was thinking. Frankly, he didn’t care. All that mattered was Valerie. All that mattered to him was her future, a happy one…and she would never find it here. She would never find it with Dravka.
Dravka reminded Tavak, “You said to cut her loose.”
“Pax, but…” Tavak trailed off, his tongue darting out to wet his slim lips.
“Vauk,” Dravka rasped, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, his mind still whirling. He still smelled smoke, all around him. “I need a drink.”
He needed to get out of this room. He couldn’t stand to feel the stares of Tavak and Ravu on him. He couldn’t stand to feel their pity.
Dravka was already stumbling towards the door, dropping the Nu device on the threadbare rug with a gentle thud.
The door to the Cluster slammed shut behind him and he stalked back down the staircase, the brothel’s hallways and walls going past in an endless blur. Once he was back down to the main lobby level, he eyed the cart of glass decanters in the sitting area, filled with the golden, thick liquid he sought.
He sank down into the armchair, snagging a heavy bottle off the trolley cart. He didn’t bother to pour himself a glass of it. He hadn’t had alcohol in a long while but he took a healthy swallow of it now, letting the liquid burn down his throat.
It took a lot to get a Keriv’i male drunk.
Dravka intended to find out how much of Everton’s liquor it took to get him there.
Chapter Nine
“Dravka?” Valerie breathed, incredulous and wary as she eyed the slumped figure on the floor of the lobby.
His back was to the desk that Valerie greeted the clients at. An empty glass decanter of sweetened brandy was tipped over on the floor next to him.
“What in the world—what are you doing?” she asked, closing the door behind her.
She was exhausted and drained but content and pleased with the progress she’d made at the townhouse that day. She’d gotten in touch with an experienced and discreet trader, who knew a wealthy collector of Old Earth items on Genesis. She’d taken brief videos of the contents inside Eve’s townhouse and the collector had immediately responded with his interest.
If most of the items sold, she was looking at at least 250,000 credits for the lot, not to mention the credits from the sale of the townhouse, which would go for a steeper price.
Of course, Madame Allegria owed the Keriv’i in her ‘employ’ much, much more
than 250,000 credits—each—but it was a small fortune that was their back-up plan at the very least. If anything went wrong, at least they would have access to it.
The rest of the day had been spent inventorying the contents and furniture, packing away any knick-knacks and personal items that Valerie didn’t think would sell—items that one day, she hoped she could send to Eve and Khiva. Tomorrow, she was planning on going back, to get in touch with a property agent to see about selling the townhouse.
She was running out of time. Her aunt would be back in a couple days and there was no telling if she would leave Everton again before the wedding. Valerie had an inkling that she wouldn’t, if only to ensure that Valerie kept her mouth shut and quietly married Gabriel Larchmont in a drama-free ceremony in front of her wealthy, tittering friends. It was a small blessing that she’d had to be on Genesis this week to give Valerie time to prepare.
So, after such a day, it surprised and worried Valerie to see Dravka sprawled on the floor near the main entrance. It was evening. Night had already fallen and clients would begin arriving, which was why Valerie had needed to rush back.
Approaching Dravka, she wondered how long he’d been there. Casting her eyes to the trolley cart of alcohol, she saw that all the bottles were emptied.
“Dravka,” she said softly. His gaze focused on her but instead of the bleary, glassy gaze she’d expected, the look was steady though intense. “What are you doing?”
“I thought it would be obvious,” he said, shrugging, lifting the bottle next to him, bringing it to his lips, only to find it empty. He frowned.
“Did you drink all this?” she asked, dumbfounded, concerned. It was probably enough liquor to kill someone. Then again, Dravka was a Keriv’i.
She’d never seen him drink a drop of alcohol before. Not even with his meals. None of the Keriv’i did, for that matter.
“Pax,” he rasped. “And still it wasn’t enough.”
“Enough for what?”
He blew out a sharp breath, his hand reaching out to curl around her ankle. The touch startled her, though his hand was warm.
“To get drunk.”
Maybe he wasn’t drunk by Keriv’i standards but to Valerie…he certainly seemed like it.
His eyes went down to her lips when she said, “Come on. Let’s get you upstairs.”
“Veki,” he murmured, his voice lowering. No? “Let’s go to your room.”
Something pinched in her belly, sharp and hot.
“Cancel my client for the night,” he went on, still looking at her lips, his palm still curled around her ankle.
That was a given. He was in no state to meet with his client for the night.
She shook her head, her face heating. “What—what are you saying, Dravka?”
He blew out another sharp puff of air.
“We need to talk. We have a lot to talk about, Val. Don’t we?”
Valerie barely suppressed the shiver that raced down her spine. A pleasurable one. Dravka’s voice was husky and deep. Like how it was when he was in his Rut…
That particular Rut. When she’d…when they’d come close to crossing that invisible line between them.
Her nostrils flared and she rose, stepping away so his hand fell from her ankle. Rounding the desk he was leaning against, she picked up her Nu device and patched the line into the Cluster.
Tavak’s face appeared in the projection above the tablet.
“Valerie?”
“Can you come downstairs?” she asked. “Dravka is down here and I need help.”
She heard a rough groan on the opposite side of the desk. Dravka was no doubt annoyed that she called Tavak in the first place.
Tavak said, “I’ll be down.”
Once the line dropped, she called Madame Sung, a wealthy widow and Dravka’s client for the evening.
“Is he all right?” Madame Sung asked, her lips turning down into a frown, when Valerie told her about the cancellation for tonight.
Valerie’s own lips pressed together. She couldn’t find it in herself to paste on her usual fake smile.
“Nothing serious,” Valerie replied. “He just feels unwell tonight.”
Madame Sung nodded, the projection flickering for a brief moment. “Please send him my well wishes for a speedy recovery then. I’ll call this week to reschedule.”
It was on the tip of Valerie’s tongue to tell her not to bother. She had been planning on phasing out the clients in the next couple days. She knew that Madame Allegria wouldn’t pull the plug on the brothel. But Valerie sure as hell would.
“Are you all right, dear?” Madame Sung asked next. “You look a little peaked.”
Valerie bit her tongue. Madame Sung had always been kind, even though Valerie disliked her on principle—because she was one of Dravka’s regular clients. She was a lonely, older widow…and by the looks of it, had already gotten ready for the night if her curled hair and red lips were anything to go by.
Hair she’d curled and lips she’d rouged with Dravka in mind. For Dravka?
Valerie’s fingers clutched harder to the Nu device.
“I’m fine, Madame Sung,” Valerie said, giving her a slight nod. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
Before the older woman could reply, Valerie ended the patch connection just as Tavak made it to the lobby floor, his feet padding softly across the grand foyer.
Tavak leveled Dravka a strange look, stopping near his outstretched legs. Tavak said something to him in Keriv’i, a long phrase that blurred off his tongue, that even Valerie could not understand.
Dravka’s response?
“Vauk off.”
Tavak’s gaze connected with Valerie’s. She swore the other male looked slightly amused, though there was something strained in his gaze as well. He took her in, looking at her dirty, dusty clothes and frizzed hair.
Valerie rounded the desk to peer down at Dravka once more. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
Dravka began to laugh, the sound echoing around the foyer. The corner of Tavak’s mouth lifted, though Valerie didn’t know what was so funny.
“Pax,” Dravka rasped, “let’s go to bed, Val.”
She swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly very, very dry.
When she threw a look of exasperation at Tavak, he leaned down and pulled Dravka up, getting him onto his feet. He might not think he was drunk but he swayed on his feet, leaning on the other Keriv’i male.
“I didn’t actually think it was possible,” Tavak remarked, guiding Dravka to the stairs. The elevator would be easier—but Valerie knew it wasn’t designed to bear the weight of two Keriv’i males.
“What?” Valerie asked, walking next to them. Dravka reached out to snag her hand, keeping her close, and she…didn’t know how to feel about it. He’d touched her more in the past two days than he had in the last three months.
“That a Keriv’i could get drunk on weak human liquor,” Tavak replied, grunting a little with Dravka’s heavy weight.
“He claims he’s not,” Valerie told him.
Tavak leveled her a look over Dravka’s head, a look that said yeah right.
They said nothing more as they went up flights of stairs before turning down the hallway that led to the Cluster.
Ravu’s door was closed when they entered but he poked his head out when he heard the commotion. Tavak steered Dravka towards his room but Valerie pulled her hand away.
Dravka’s head swiveled and he rasped, “Stay with me.”
He would never know how her heart stopped at those words. How terrible and sweet the longing was that went through her.
“Please,” he added.
“I’ll be in in a second,” she found herself saying before she could think better of it. After the words left her, she wanted to snatch them back. She was supposed to be keeping her distance.
Valerie heard Tavak help him into the room. She heard a thud against the wall. A moment later, Tavak appeared, closing the door partially behind him. A flicker
ing glow from inside Dravka’s room appeared. One of the sconces on the wall that resembled a candle had been flipped on.
Her eyes returned to Tavak and to Ravu, who had stepped out of his room.
“Is he drunk?” Ravu asked, bewilderment in his tone. “How?”
“He drank about five full bottles of brandy, from what I can tell,” Valerie said, sighing. Looking at them, she asked, keeping her voice low, “Did—did anything happen? Why was he drinking? I’ve never even seen him drink before.”
Ravu exchanged a glance with Tavak.
“What is it?” Valerie asked again, worry like a stone in her belly.
“Your engagement announcement was in the Everton Gazette this morning,” Tavak finally said, his tone gruff. “I came across it on the Nu.”
Valerie could feel the color leaching from her face. She remembered Madame Allegria mentioning something about it, but she hadn’t thought…she thought she might have more time.
“Oh god,” she whispered, bringing a hand to her forehead.
The announcement made everything seem so real.
And that was how Dravka had found out. How Tavak and Ravu had found out as well.
The Cluster went a little wavy and she reached out her hand behind her, seeking the firmness of the brick wall. The cool stone helped center her thoughts, if only a little.
“He—he knows?” Valerie asked, shaking her head.
Tavak quirked his brow bone. “Obviously.”
His dry tone did nothing to help soothe her sudden nerves or the nausea rising in her stomach.
“It’s true then?” Ravu asked, his voice rough.
Valerie looked up at them both. The two brothers had never fully trusted Valerie. She didn’t think they trusted anyone but each other. But in their own way, they cared for her. She knew that. They’d known each other for five years now.
“Yes,” she whispered. “But…but it’s not…”
She trailed off, not knowing how to explain the circumstance. Madame Allegria wanted to keep the terms of their agreement quiet. Her aunt didn’t want her telling the Krave that soon they would have their freedom from the brothel. Except Valerie didn’t really care about what she wanted.