by Emma Dean
Nadyah nodded, holding her gaze as those damned fingers trailed up and over Adelina’s hardened nipples. “I will need to be scanned as well.”
“How does that work?” she asked, lips parted as she watched Nadyah’s nails caress the undersides of her sensitive breasts. “You said the seed of the male triggers the bond, but what if the courtesan is male? What if the two are of the same sex?”
“DNA is DNA,” Nadyah explained. “We usually keep this to the House library, the secrets guarded so we cannot be taken advantage of and mated before we want to be.” Nadyah rolled on top of Adelina and kissed her bare stomach. “If you were to kiss me here and swallowed my essence,” she said, shifting so she could nuzzle the small nub under the suddenly too thin fabric of Adelina’s pants. “Then your body would recognize me as your mate and you would be bonded to mw.”
Adelina gasped as Nadyah continued to rub her clit through the fabric. She couldn’t help arching her back when the lightning sensation struck her. Goddess, it felt so good. Instantly she was wet and aching. The last six months had been utter torture. Only that brief night with Alpha had she felt sated.
Every moment with Nadyah, every touch and look had teased her since their first session in the House of Kismet. Nash was no better. Her sexual desire was so strong she nearly threw caution to the wind. It was painful to hold back, to never find the satisfaction that she craved as badly as she did water or air.
Her hips bucked as Nadyah looked up, using her thumb to stroke Adelina’s clit instead. She tried to keep her thoughts straight. This was important for her to know. “If that is true then why does a kiss on the lips not trigger the bond?” she asked, breathing hard through each word as Nadyah took her time.
The courtesan stroked at an even pace, with enough pressure that the pleasure built hard and fast, but Adelina knew she wouldn’t find a release this way. This was meant to tease and torture. “The deepest part of you Adelina – as in a sexual organ. With my tongue in your vagina I would be in the deepest part of you.”
The words were so raw and explicit the pleasure spiked and it took every shred of control not to move, to allow her courtesan to continue without begging for more. Adelina’s nails pierced her palms and the scent of blood hit the air.
Instantly Nadyah stopped, removing her thumb and grabbing Adelina’s wrist. She eyed the blood dripping down her hand with a displeased look. “This is not control, Adelina. This is a weakness and a crutch no matter how quickly it can heal.” Nadyah got to her feet and slipped her top back on. “Keep practicing your breathing and I will schedule another training session with the knives. We will only continue the camerraleto after we’ve seen the results.”
Adelina’s mouth fell open in shock. Nadyah was just going to seduce her and then leave her unfinished when she was so close? “That’s it then?” she demanded. “You’re angry with me so that was my punishment?” Fury radiated through her. Nadyah had manipulated her and she hated that more than anything.
“I wasn’t punishing you, Princess. You need to learn control and hurting yourself is not an actual solution. I do not want to be a part of that. We will keep practicing the breathing, and then we will slowly integrate the different sexual techniques when it is confirmed I am not your mate.” Nadyah sounded bitter and turned to leave, the Goddess only knew to where.
Adelina looked up into the sky, absorbing her courtesan’s words as she focused on Mala. The moon would only be in the sky for a little while longer, a week or two at the most. Then she breathed in, filling her lungs with air until her entire chest and belly expanded. She held it, and then slowly let out the breath as she felt the tingling across her entire body abate a fraction.
It took a while until her heart rate decreased and the painful ache eased to something more bearable. Without pain to ground her it took longer and was more difficult. This type of training was mental rather than physical. Adelina would have to create a good foundation and only use pain as a last resort.
Nash tempted her in ways she’d never anticipated.
His ability to heal was something she’d never heard the Corinthian humans could do. That could explain their general lack of medicinal knowledge and exploration in the field of medical science. Draga prided their ability to cure and heal. Those last five diseases were a black mark they’d spent so much time and energy trying to eradicate.
Feeling calmer and the tingling sensation gone, she rolled over and slipped on her shirt. Adelina needed a shower and something to eat before she started the final preparations for her coming-of-age party.
She was still annoyed with Nadyah. The woman was walking sex, and the frustration was starting to become a real problem. It was vital Adelina see Ian as soon as possible. The sooner she knew the truth, the sooner she could look into a real solution. Adelina felt if she were sated it would be easier to control the desire that lived under her skin.
Suddenly she had clarity. The courtesans did their job not only because they liked it, but because they needed it. The more work the happier they were because they weren’t constantly on edge. The entire system at each House was set up to scan their client’s DNA. Each client signed a waiver allowing such a thing and they never thought to look twice at it.
Jael must have scanned Nadyah’s DNA against hers. So then Adelina was not Nadyah’s mate…but she could be Adelina’s because of her own courtesan DNA. It was all so confusing.
Adelina took the stone steps two at a time, the molten heat soaking into the bottom of her feet. She moved quickly from the private courtyard to the family wing. No one but a royal and their private staff had access to the various courtyards or the east wing. So no courtier could ever see her before she was ready, and thank the goddess Nash wasn’t situated in their wing any longer. No, when he’d been given his official rooms they were as far from the family wing as possible.
The halls were empty except for a few servants bustling back and forth. She nodded at her mother’s lady-in-waiting. Getting the royal family ready for the day was a feat, and now that the king was ill it required a lot more staff. It seemed an entire army of servants had been recently vetted and checked to serve in the royal wing, including the physicians and scientists working on hypomalarya.
Adelina waved her hand over the standing pad before her door. The lattice windows facing the ocean cast beautiful shadows across the marble floor of the hall. It was getting warmer and the day would soon be sweltering. She stepped into her sitting room and began to strip as she made her way to the washroom. Her rooms were empty and Nadyah’s connecting door to Adelina’s bedroom was closed. It was for the best. Adelina was still irritated with her courtesan.
Nadyah had set a dress out on the back of her vanity chair with the accompanying accessories. She’d considered the weather as it was one of Adelina’s lightest gowns recently commissioned. The gold sandals sat on the floor next to the chair.
Adelina tossed her dirty workout gear in the laundry chute and stepped into her washroom. The cool air felt wonderful on her sun-heated skin. The cold water was even better. It soothed her skin and settled her senses with the shock of it.
It didn’t take Adelina long to finish up and get ready. The mundane tasks allowed her thoughts to settle into nothing, a relaxation technique she’d worked on with Nadyah. The lightly scented oil on her skin sealed in the much needed moisture, and the breezy dress purposefully trailed the floor. The wrap-style covered her assets while allowing air to flow. Her leg peeked through the opening in the skirt and the back was low enough to help her body regulate its core temperature. The Draga heat seeped into everything and even the climate control in the palace could only do so much.
She piled her hair on top of her head and slipped on the gold belt, the gold headband, and the different pieces of jewelry Nadyah had selected. The gold collar necklace was plain, but beautifully cast. It matched the bracelet she slipped on.
A massive, black opal ring went on her other hand. It sat against the pinky ring on her right hand. A
simple gold band her father had given her. He’d given one to each of his daughters and she hadn’t taken it off since she’d received it on her tenth celebration of birth. Adelina considered putting on her signet ring and tapped the black onyx thoughtfully.
A sacred wolf howled at the goddess moons with roses around him. Her initials were etched into the stone and tiny black opals covered the band. She wouldn’t need it after she received her tattoo, but it was a symbol of power, and it was the day of her coming-of-age party, afterward she would be seen differently.
All the games would have to be played differently after the party.
She slipped the signet ring onto her left pointer finger. Satisfied with her darker makeup and general appearance she slipped her sandals on, tying up the gold laces to her knees. A quick breakfast in the dining room and she should still have time to spare.
It had taken months of planning and Nadyah’s help to put it all into motion, but Adelina had slowly taken steps to recreate her image for when she turned twenty cycles. She didn’t necessarily want a marriage right away, but she did want to be seen differently. Adelina was still the quiet and sweet princess, but she was ready to be seen as someone with cunning intelligence, someone who could contribute to Draga and the Crown in ways others could not.
Jael was her competition for the supply of information, but a friendly one. Adelina did not share her intelligence with the Spider, but she used what she gathered to make plans and give advice. One day Raena would take her seriously and she could make a real difference in the way their galaxy was run.
Adelina sat in the quiet dining room. Breakfast was a rather informal affair, as was lunch. She took what she wanted from the options on the table and ate with Asher and Giselle. The three of them had a companionable silence, feeling no need to chatter about inane topics. They all enjoyed the reprieve when they could.
As Asher left the dining room, he came around the massive, carved black-wood table. He walked by Adelina and bent to brush a kiss against her cheek. “Lina, I hope you enjoy your party tonight.”
She smiled at her brother and rested her hand on his cheek in thanks. Then he was gone, off to some lesson or other.
Her plate was only half-finished when she set aside her utensils and delicately set her napkin next to the gold plate. “Please excuse me,” Adelina said to Giselle. She stood and took a final sip from her juice. She wanted to get out of there before Raena arrived.
Adelina headed to the lift. There was one thing she wanted to get a start on before anything else. She pulled out her simulcast and tapped a quick message to Ian. It chirped with a response before the lift doors even opened. Good, she could get her DNA samples taken and finally get some answers.
The palace was quiet in the early morning. Most nobles and courtiers weren’t up before the ninth hour of the day. Adelina liked waking early and completing most tasks, and then enjoying her exercise before it was too hot to do much other than study or read.
She nodded her thanks to the footman when the lift doors opened and made her way down into the deepest parts of the palace. The A.I. allowed her access and the filtered air assaulted her senses. Adelina shivered in the cool, climate controlled labs. Only a few scientists and physicians were at their tables. Adelina checked her schedule on her simulcast and sighed.
No lessons until after Raena’s coronation and the few weeks after that were blocked out as well. It didn’t seem like anything would be normal ever again. Her foreign languages were getting rusty, and now she had to avoid Nash so practicing the Corinthian language with him was not an option. Adelina would have to grab a few books to stay sharp next time she was in the library.
Her hand on Ian’s door activated the scanner. A few seconds of whirring as it processed the data and then the door slid open once it identified her prints and DNA. “Welcome, Princess Adelina,” the A.I. intoned.
Ian didn’t turn from his work at the sound of the A.I.’s greeting. His face was pressed against the microscopic viewer and he wore the same suit he had on the day before. By the state of his blond hair it looked like he’d never made it to bed. “What is it?” he muttered as he tapped out notes on the desk. The A.I. factored in the numbers and ran formulas on the side with various chemical signs and formations.
Adelina noted the subject and her heart ached. “Have you found anything new on the hypomalarya disease?” she asked, perching on the stool next to her brother. Her untrained eye noted the bacterial structure of the disease and a chill ran down her spine. “Is it contagious or genetic?”
Finally, Ian sat up, tilting his head from side to side to ease the obvious strain in his neck. “It is not a genetic disease, and even though it’s bacterial it is difficult to spread. This particular disease needs living cells. So touching will not spread it, but if father’s blood were to be injected into you then you would be able to catch it.” Ian shook his head. “What I don’t understand is how he got such a disease in the first place. Everything is scanned and there are not many people with direct access to the king, not in the way that would be required to implant this disease.”
Adelina shifted, uncomfortable. “You don’t think it was simply an accident, or rather a natural occurrence?” she asked. The idea terrified her. Who would have that kind of power and would want her father out of the picture? To the rest of the Draga galaxy his death would appear natural. The only person who would benefit from such a thing would be the heir. Unless they thought whoever injected the king could then manipulate the heir for their own benefit.
Ian made another note. “I do not think it was an accident, no. But I also have no suspicions as to who could have done such a thing.”
Ian turned to face her then, and the purple bags under his eyes made him look much older than he was. “I also think I can rid the disease from a body, but not after it has settled in the brain stem.” His eyes pleaded with her, asking Adelina to tell him a comforting lie.
Instead of lying she wrapped her arms around her older brother. Adelina held Ian until she felt his shoulders slump. She ignored the wetness she felt trail down her shoulder from his tears. “Being able to cure an incurable disease at all is a massive step, Ian. Do not despair. Perhaps the goddess has a plan for us.”
Ian kissed her cheek and withdrew from her arms. “You are far more trusting in the gods and goddesses than I am, sister. If the goddess truly favored us she would not take our king away when we need him the most; on the brink of a galactic war.”
His purple Draga eyes were so full of sadness she had half a mind to send a cast to P’draic to take care of him.
She needed answers first. “I actually came for a reason.”
Ian’s old argument that science and the divine could not coexist was a favorite they could talk about for hours, but it was nearly time to receive Calix and her brother needed to sleep.
“You are ready for me to take those samples now?” he asked, moving towards the cabinet where he kept his tools.
Adelina nodded, wondering what he would need to take from her.
Ian took out a few different vials and some shiny, sharp tools. “All I need is a piece of your hair, a scraping of skin, and a few drops of blood.” It was quick work for the first two, and a small prick in the right place to retrieve an entire vial of blood. Ian put a small dab of healing salve over the tiny wound and Adelina could feel it work instantly. In a matter of minutes, the break in her skin would be gone.
“Could I have some of this?” Adelina asked. Her hands could definitely use it, and she didn’t think Nash would be licking her any time soon. The thought made her blush.
Ian handed over a tin without question and turned back to his work. “The analysis will take a few hours, so you’ll have answers by tomorrow.”
“Make sure to get some sleep while the machines run the tests, it’s going to be a long night.” Adelina stood and slipped the tin of salve into her dress pocket. She hugged her brother once more before leaving him to his work.
Soon Adel
ina would have the answers to all the questions she’d had for the last six months, and the prospect terrified her.
If she did have the mate gene her entire world would be limited based on the simple fact she could be mated with anyone. Adelina didn’t even want to consider the possibilities of her parentage.
Everything she’d ever known could be turned upside down and Adelina wasn’t sure she was ready for that. She just had to get through the next day, through her coming-of-age party, and then she would sit down and deal with the consequences.
Chapter Two
Nash
Draga Royal Palace
Planet Draga Terra
The medicine in the Draga galaxy was better than anything Nash had ever seen. It took him only two days to heal internally from the blast that had struck him down. The skin on his shoulder was still tender and raw, but with another treatment he should be back to fighting condition. The shimmer of scar tissue would look cycles old.
The gift of healing was rare among his people and never allowed one to heal their own self. Nash would need another of his own people who was a healer to do what a simple, common Draga procedure had been able to accomplish. The Khara medical science was barbaric in comparison.
It had been days and he hadn’t seen Adelina since. If she’d tried to visit him he wasn’t aware of it, but he knew it was too dangerous. Raena’s decree to keep them separated hadn’t disappeared simply because they were allies now.
Nash would never forget that brief moment in time when he’d been able to hold Adelina in his arms as if they were lovers, as if she hadn’t sacrificed everything for him. Then that courtesan had ushered her out in such a hurry. Moments later the king and the crown princess had visited. Nash hadn’t dared seek Adelina out since.
He’d been released from the hospital that morning. Just in time to attend Adelina’s coming-of-age party. The physicians had been worried about his slow healing, but Nash had pushed them into a follow up instead of monitoring him there. They were nervous as he was the only Corinthian they’d ever treated.