by Emma Dean
The massive prince made her tub look almost small and Adelina laughed as he stepped into the water. He helped her in and then pulled her against him as he sat and stretched out. His strong body holding hers felt delicious and Adelina sighed in contentment. This may not last, but she would enjoy every moment of it.
“Any particular reason you put a claiming mark on me?” Nash asked.
His lips against her ear sent shivers down her spine. Adelina reached back and caressed his face. She ran her fingers through his hair and he melted against her, but his arms tightened and one hand spanned her belly as he held her close. The other arm crossed over her chest in a possessive hold Adelina adored.
“I don’t want Princess Kaita getting any ideas.” Adelina shrugged and lay back against him. Her hands rested on his muscular thighs and her eyes closed in relaxation.
Nash chuckled. “You can be rather possessive.”
This moment was perfect. Adelina nodded but didn’t bother to respond with words. She squeezed his thigh and let him wash her hair.
“Will you tell me about the fighting arena one day?” she asked. It was a silly request as there was a good chance she’d never have the opportunity to hear the story.
“I can tell you now if you like.” Nash pushed her up so he could scrub her back. His hand traced the small space between her shoulder blades. “A gold mark here?” he asked.
Adelina shivered. “Yes.”
“It would look beautiful on you,” he said quietly. “Are there any other marks aside from the crown?”
There was one, but it was permanent and most didn’t like the mark in silver or black. Only a royal could use the gold. Adelina finally nodded. It was strange, but she suddenly felt nervous to tell him. “You can choose to mark your marriage band on your finger. The traditional ring is usually still worn, but it is moved to a different finger as the band is sacred.”
“That’s it?” Nash asked.
Adelina laughed. Compared to all the marks he wore his question was understandable. “For a royal, yes. Tattoos are worn by others for a thousand different reasons, but I cannot have any marks other than those listed.”
His thumb made a line on her arm. “In Khara a band would be marked here if you were wed along with a symbol of your own rank and theirs. A new symbol to represent both as one is made and added to the band.”
Adelina wondered what that would look like in gold and then shook her head. “Your people like to wear their entire life on their skin.”
Nash finished washing her and she turned around so she could give him the same attentions. He watched her closely as she grabbed a soap that reminded her of his natural scent. When she scrubbed gently across his chest, taking care of his marks he inhaled sharply.
He answered her unspoken question, “Yes, with the tech we have we are a rather straightforward people. There are spies, but not many. We’d rather confront each other and fight out our problems in a proper duel or skirmish. As such we like to know who we’re dealing with.”
She had him turn around and paused when she saw the expanse of scars across his back telling their own story. Adelina took such care with his skin he rumbled in approval like the cats his genetic formula was mapped after. When she was finished she kissed the mark she’d made on his neck.
“You don’t want to heal this?” she asked.
The heat in his gaze when he faced her – it made Adelina quiver. “I want you to claim me, why would I remove it?”
Time slowed and they stared at each other in that endless moment. Adelina held her breath and despite all his hints, that question slapped some sense into her. Nash planned to make her his, and the universe be damned. The romantic side of her loved it, but the pragmatic side told her this was a mistake. She never should have let him in her bed.
Tears pricked her eyes because she knew she would probably break his heart one day.
“Shh, Adelina come here.” Nash’s hands held her face and she let herself drift into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. “I know the odds and the risks, but I also know I’m a stubborn ass who will fight for what I want.”
She laughed and wiped the tears away. “You truly are a hard-headed male,” she agreed.
Nash chucked her under the chin and then watched her step out of the tub. It only took a few moments to put on something comfortable – a loose shirt and sleep shorts. Nash’s eyes widened when he saw her pull the entire mass of her hair up and into a messy pile, one golden stick to hold it all up. Her face was clean of makeup and Adelina grinned.
“You didn’t think I knew how to relax?” she asked.
He shook his head and leaned back. “It honestly never crossed my mind you could look so…”
“Normal?”
“You’re too gorgeous to look normal, but it’s flattering to see you let your guard down around me.”
She smiled and left him in the massive tub. There were still books to look through and answers to find. Nash would need them if he actually made it to the Hai galaxy and the dragons didn’t attempt to kill him on sight.
Adelina brought the books into the bedroom and set them on her bed. The tray of food from earlier was still on the floor and she picked up the pieces rather than call a servant. Nash couldn’t be seen and she wasn’t ready to give him up yet. Only a day or two, maybe three if she was lucky, but his people had been working non-stop.
She sighed and glanced at the night sky and the three moons outside. The lights clicked on instantly when they sensed her presence. Adelina crawled into her bed and lay back against the headrest, pulling the top book towards her.
Nash appeared at the threshold with a towel wrapped around his waist, low enough she could see the ‘v’ of muscles pointing down and she couldn’t help but ogle him. Adelina’s mouth watered, but they had work to do.
“Can you put on some clothes?” she asked tartly, opening the book as she settled against the pillows.
Nash grinned, but he slipped on his pants. They were tight and his bare feet and chest looked erotic against the black leather. He settled next to her and opened another book. Adelina found it difficult to focus.
“I can’t read this one,” he said, grabbing hers and switching.
Adelina studied the title. “You can’t read the Ancient language?” she asked.
Nash shrugged. “We don’t use it much in the Khara galaxy. Our files are digital and in our tongue so everyone can gain the knowledge they need.” He ran a finger down the index and then flipped the pages delicately.
Adelina wondered how much knowledge was lost to her own people because they didn’t keep many digital records. “Perhaps when we are at peace again I will suggest we add a digital library with translations for everyone to have access to.”
The book she had was difficult to read, the lettering faded, but her father had marked a few places with slips of paper. “This seems to be a history of them,” Adelina said. “Apparently the Neprijat are one of the Human factions.”
Nash leaned in, his scent curling around her. “Strange, I’ve never heard that before.”
Adelina kept reading. “It says Humans couldn’t agree on which genetic formula to use back when we left Earth. Which I’ve read before and that’s why we have the four we have now. It’s part of Kalan history.”
Nash nodded. “We have the same beginning to our history. The Humans had destroyed our ancestral home and to prevent the same mistakes they sought to remove our weaknesses, the reasons we were so destructive. A few different genetic formulas were created, but the council couldn’t come to an agreement.”
Adelina knew that would never happen now. The most dominant of her people would have demanded the best solution, and their people would have followed based on their trust in their rulers. The strongest of Nash’s people would have done the same. She tilted her head as she considered.
“The genetic formula mapped and designed after the ancient wolves and their pack mentality was used by o
ne faction that broke off and settled in the Draga galaxy. The most dominant leads,” Adelina read. Her people were the wolves.
It was strange to think they all lived on one planet thousands of cycles ago.
“My people were another faction who used the lions and their prides as a map. The strongest of us leads,” Nash stated. “Then we know there was a third faction of Humans who decided against any genetic alterations aside from scrubbing diseases and the like.”
Adelina flipped a page. “The Unchanged are the third faction, and the fourth were a mistake.”
“It’s never really been written how the Drakesthai were created,” Nash said. “Maybe Varan managed to gather some intel on that.”
She looked up at him. “I heard it was some kind of creature called a dinosaur.”
Nash snorted and flipped through his book quickly. “Those are a myth. It was some kind of reptilian bird. It’s why they grow wings.”
“But they weren’t adjusted correctly; there is no pack or pride with the Drakesthai.” Adelina couldn’t imagine what that would be like. Who led, and how did they choose?
Nash sighed and set down the book, stretching those glorious arms.
She smiled, but kept her eyes on the pages. “If you’re going to distract me you have to leave. You need this information.”
Nash ran a hand up and down her bare leg. “I won’t distract you.”
“This book states the Neprijat were a fifth faction of humans, the genetic map is unknown, but one was captured by King Beo.”
Instantly Nash perked up. “What did they find?”
“It says they have mental powers of persuasion. Their voice and brain waves can control someone, much like the Draga dominance. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died because they simply stopped breathing.”
The male beside her tensed. “Why did they stop breathing?”
Adelina put the book down, and a chill of horror ran down her spine. When she looked at the foreign prince beside her all she could imagine was what would happen if he ran into a Neprijat, a true monster and not one of their hounds. “They were told to lie down and die, so they did.”
Red sparked in Nash’s eyes. “Is there a way to counter-act this?”
Adelina turned back to the book. “My great-grandfather said there is a wavelength that can nullify the commands. Otherwise all sound must be eradicated. They wore helmets of armor and tech in their ears.”
Nash sat up and pulled the book towards him. He growled when he saw the Ancient handwriting. “Could you copy this down for me? I can get my scientists working on it immediately. As soon as we have the data I can share it with the Draga Army.”
She nodded and made notes in her shreve. “Our tech and scientists aren’t as advanced as yours, but I’ll get them started on it as well. I wish I’d known this before Giselle left.”
A large, warm hand stroked her back and Nash leaned against her. He gave comfort so easily despite his aggressive nature. Adelina adored the soft, gentle side of him.
“I’m going to capture one of these beasts and take it apart,” Nash said. “Then I will find where their home is and eradicate them completely.”
Adelina shivered. She could never forget his violent nature no matter how sweet and gentle he was with her. His eyes were fierce as he stared at nothing and she didn’t doubt he’d do exactly as he said. It should have frightened her, but Adelina knew from all those lessons she took to help Raena rule – sometimes you needed a monster to fight a monster.
“Once I have some of their DNA I can track them with our tech,” Nash told her. “That too will be shared. I promise.” He kissed her bare shoulder.
Something about erasing an entire race of Humans bothered her. “What if they’re not all like the ones who killed your family?”
Nash pulled away from her, frowning. The muscles in his shoulders and neck tensed. “How can we possibly tell one from the other, Adelina? They were pushed back centuries ago and now here they are, feasting on us for revenge. Does your book state why they left the rest of us? Does it say why they chose their genetic alterations? Why they disappeared without a trace? The rest of us settled near each other even if we went our separate ways. What did they want that was so different from us, and how is that not a threat to all Humans now?”
Adelina was frozen as she listened to Nash rant. She knew losing his family had devastated him and he still carried guilt for not being able to save them. That didn’t excuse genocide. “There has to be a way, Nash. Or we are no better than they are.”
He grunted and got to his feet with unerring grace and speed. Nash paced in front of her bed and she watched him warily.
“The Neprijat who have invaded need to die, but tracking them back to their homeworld and murdering innocents is not the answer,” Adelina told him. “Yes, we need to find their source, but we have to negotiate and create a peace treaty. Children will be on that planet, Nash. I forbid you to present that as the solution to the dragons.”
He whirled around, nostrils flaring in outrage. “You dare order me?”
Adelina set the book on the bed next to her. Her instincts told her to run, an apex predator had her in his sights, but she had to stand up for those who couldn’t themselves. “Yes,” she said, eyes narrowing. “I dare order you. The alliance between our people is at stake.”
There was mostly red in his eyes and Adelina made sure she was ready to slash her nails across his face if she needed to. She’d avoid his eyes and the important veins, but it would warn him off. Never would she have thought she’d have a dominance fight with a Corinthian warrior prince.
“The alliance?” he hissed. “You’re threatening the alliance?”
“No, Nash. You are threatening the alliance if you disobey.”
He breathed hard, but Adelina could see he tried to reign in his anger rather than lash out at her. She buried that twinge of fear deep so he couldn’t smell it on the air.
“Fine,” he snapped. “I won’t kill them all.”
“Good,” she said, crossing her arms.
Suddenly his shoulders slumped and Nash ran a hand through his hair as the red in his eyes lessened. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“I may not be as powerful as Raena,” Adelina said, pulling the book back onto her lap. “But I do advise her. Presenting solutions is my job. How I present them is how she decides to agree. Don’t forget – I’m not powerless, Nash.”
He studied her from head to toe. “No, you aren’t.”
Then he chuckled.
Adelina’s muscles felt weak after all the strength it took not to flee from him when he was angry. She was still not used to standing up for herself, or for anything. It was in her nature to agree and avoid conflict. Or it had been, and now she had to learn the other side of her as well. She just wished her dominance hadn’t been tested with Nash, of all people.
She shuddered and set the book down. It was too difficult to focus. This was why she had chosen not to tell Nash about her true genetic history. He may have feelings for her, and they were currently on the same side, but one day he might not be. One day he would have to rule his people and their best interests might not coincide with her people and their best interests.
Nash pulled her to his chest. “I’m sorry,” he murmured against her hair. “I didn’t mean to challenge you like that. It’s just my nature.”
Adelina knew they were different. Their people had completely different cultures and expectations. She opened her eyes and studied his face. There had been marriages between their people before, but would it work with her varying dominance and position?
It didn’t really matter, she supposed. They had a few days together and until things were different, it wouldn’t do to worry about it. Adelina had to prepare for her reality, even if she did not particularly like it at the moment.
She wrapped her hands around Nash’s neck and kissed his forehead. “It is the nature of our positions. I am a princess of Draga. You are a prince of Khara. A no
rmal relationship between us is not likely unless the requirements on me or you happen to change.”
“I wish we could be normal citizens,” he sighed. “But here I am planning how to convince a bunch of cantankerous Drakesthai to agree to help us. So the plan is to share our tech with them, our solution to eradicate the conquering roaches, and then find their homeworld to make lasting peace.”
Adelina nodded and ran her fingers through his dark hair. “We will have to free the dragons from Neprijat rule first, however tenuous it is at the moment.”
Nash pushed her until she lay on her side and he set the box of discs before them. “Well, I suppose we should see what your thief has found.” He rested his head on her waist and pulled out his device, so much sleeker and faster than her own.
Adelina stroked his hair as he read to her and she closed her eyes. She didn’t care that they had opposing cultures or issues of dominance between them still. It didn’t matter to her that Nash had a violent temperament, not when he had so much control. He was gentle with her and managed his aggression well. He’d never hurt her. With him by her side she felt protected and safe.
Adelina kissed his forehead. When they finished their work she planned to spend the rest of the night enjoying the male that would be hers – for just a single breath in the long expanse of time.
Chapter Twenty
Sirus
Treon
Outer Rim
Draga Space
Something wasn’t right.
The last week they’d had a peaceful journey. There were no issues with maintenance or mechanics; they’d fueled up without problem twice at different outposts. Sirus had even checked in with the old steward Colin when they landed on Pedranus to resupply. The old codger had tears in his eyes when Sirus had requested his permission to marry Joslynn.
Now they were outside Treon space and the planet’s outposts were empty. There was no sign of the Treon forces or any person of authority. The scan on his ship indicated there were still citizens on the surface of the planet and in the family seat, but far less than he had anticipated.