Lina snorted. “Don’t forget about the training center. That’s next on our to-do list. We may end up having a fall wedding.”
Cassie sighed. “I don’t care when it happens. Just as long as I get to make it official on Earth, that’s all that matters.” Severus drew her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
Kallon leaned forward, a mischievous smile lifting his lips. “The training center? Are you ladies going to take up weight lifting?”
Ulixes tried not to focus on Kallon’s strong hand gripping his water glass. Those tapered fingers had slowly traveled across his cheek and gripped his neck in a firm grasp before he’d left to join the Athenian crew. Had Eryx not knocked on his chamber door, they may have actually enjoyed their first kiss. He quickly lowered his gaze when Kallon’s eyes flicked in his direction. Gods! One look and he’d be under his spell once again. It was that easy. He felt sweat beading across his forehead and tried to focus elsewhere.
Severus chuckled. “They’re not stepping foot in that place. The smell would knock them out. No, the senate approved Cato purchasing a warehouse when he got back to Earth. All the ladies will be busy helping us prepare the new warrior arrivals. It’s a different kind of training center. We’re going to furnish it with classrooms, small apartments, and a dance studio. They’ll be living there until we can begin the housing construction. While they’re learning from our mates, Maxim’s going to train them to dance. Those with no rhythm will become waiters at the club, escorts, or additional guards. We’ve cleared all businesses of humans, so there are plenty of positions to fill.”
Kallon frowned. “This is great news, but you’re going to wear the females out. When are they going to have time to rest?”
Severus smiled. “As usual, you’re always in doctor mode. No worries, Kallon. They’ve voluntarily quit their day jobs. The Filia has plans to supply art pieces to Quintus’s gallery instead of watching from the sidelines, and I couldn’t stomach thinking about Cassie ever walking back into that law office after what happened. Just think. It’s going to be the most secure area we can place our mates. I pity anyone trying to harm them while the warriors are training.”
Kallon nodded in approval. “Good point. I like it.”
Bellator surprised everyone when he spoke up. “Speaking of training, I am in need of someone to help me navigate the inner court. I’ve asked Ulixes if he’d like to join me in that adventure. Alas, he’s confounded me and I must wait until he gives it some thought. Perhaps you might persuade him of the benefit to Insedivertus to have a Protonecian King prepared to battle what Basilius left behind?”
Ulixes felt as if every eye in the room was boring a hole in his skull. He shifted in his chair and finally collected enough nerve to raise his lids. The expectant look from Kallon sliced a gouge into his heart. Those incredible eyes searched his face and pled for an answer. It was time to stop kidding himself. There was no way he could stay away from him. It was too much. He gave his answer, never pulling his gaze from Kallon’s as he spoke.
“I’ve made my decision, Bellator. I’ll go with you to see you through your transition. There is only one condition.”
Ulixes broke under the onslaught of sadness that struck Kallon’s eyes with a glassy sheen. He turned to the king. “I can end our association when I see fit. You’ll not try to negotiate with me, or come up with a multitude of reasons that I can’t board a craft and return home. Are we clear?”
Bellator nodded. “Understood and accepted. We leave at sunrise. That is my only condition.”
Drusus’s concerned voice drifted across the table. “Are you sure this is what you want, Ulixes? You’ve just been through a horrendous ordeal. Wouldn’t you like to stay and get your bearings before you task yourself again?”
Ulixes turned and tried to keep his voice level and confident. It was the exact opposite of how he felt.
“I thank you for your concern, Trejani. However, I think it best to place myself where I have much to do and can put these events behind me. Bellator has been gone for way too long. Those that may have once been his allies may very well be in league with his detractors. I know of many ways to discern their true thoughts. I have friends scattered throughout their households. I’ll not tarry long. I’m Insedi now and will return soon. This is my home.”
Nodding, Drusus looked to Bellator. “Very well. As long as you abide by Ulixes’s wishes, you’ll get no argument from the empire. You’re very fortunate to have his assistance.”
Bellator graced him with a solemn nod. “Yes, indeed I am. I will treat your citizen with the utmost respect.”
Ulixes jumped at the deep voice coming from behind him.
“Well, hell. You started without me. Please tell me there’s fried canhion left.”
Maxim’s voice brought instant relief flooding through Ulixes’s veins. The tension within the room was thick and needed to be broken. He welcomed a change of subject. Pulling his hands to his lap, Ulixes laced his fingers together and tried to stop the trembling. He felt like he was losing his mind.
* * * *
Kallon was happy that almost all eyes were focused on Maxim’s entrance. It gave him time to clamp his mouth shut from the shock of hearing Ulixes’s decision. Despite the new arrival, Ulixes wouldn’t raise his eyes, even to greet his friend. Something was seriously wrong. This wasn’t the same male that had boarded the Athenian with a promise of a chess game and a long discussion when he returned. This was more than the understandable uneasiness of what he’d endured on Glaxon 8.
Taking a closer look, he could see the tight lines around Ulixes’s mouth and the dark circles under the eyes that refused to look his way. This male’s feelings and overall mood had drastically changed, and Kallon wanted to know why—even if he didn’t like the answer.
Reforming in the hallway after hearing Ulixes’s conversation with Bellator, he’d chided himself for believing that Ulixes had completely pushed him from his mind. Holding on to the belief that Ulixes was simply being polite to the king before he rejected him, he’d actually held out hope they may finally get their long-awaited discussion. This avoidance was wearing on his nerves. His reflections were cut short when he felt a shove against his shoulder.
“Hey, doc. Pass me the meat.”
Kallon gathered his wits and plastered a smile on his face. He’d been so focused on Ulixes, he hadn’t noticed when Maxim sat down next to him.
“Certainly. By the way, where are the emperor and our new empress?” Maxim’s smile instantly brightened the room.
“Rushing up the stairs, and I was the last thing they had on their mind.”
Drusus chuckled. “I doubt we’ll see them for a while. My father gave me his farewell before Tana’s arrival. He was prepared to burrow inside his room for days, no matter the outcome. I’m pleased that it’s for a happy reason, now. We’ll all have to come back when Tana’s officially introduced to the citizens. It’ll be a very elaborate affair. Insedi will travel in from all areas to witness Tana assuming her position of empress. I’ll not be surprised if we get other planet dignitaries as well.”
Kallon kept his eyes focused on Ulixes as the conversation turned toward the preparations for such a large event. Not once did Ulixes show excitement or genuine emotion. The male didn’t want to be in this room, and it was obvious. His gaze remained fixed on the untouched food upon his plate. Kallon felt his heart breaking as the minutes ticked by and he wouldn’t engage with the others.
“Kallon?”
“Wha…oh, I’m sorry, my Trejani. What did you say?”
“Will you be returning to Earth with us this afternoon, or do you have duties to attend to at the hospital?”
Glancing back to Ulixes, Kallon watched his features closely.
“No. There’s nothing here that would keep me. I’ll join you on the return.” He’d purposefully repeated what Ulixes had said to Bellator before they’d left the hallway. His gut clenched when Ulixes’s gaze flew up to his. The male blinked a few ti
mes, opened his mouth as if to speak, then promptly shut it. Kallon swore it was sadness that filled his eyes before they lowered to his plate once again. It was gut-wrenching. Unable to watch that handsome face become a mask of stone once again, he turned to Maxim.
“Will you or Sotarios fly us back?”
Maxim stopped in the middle of his food orgy and frowned. “I’ll do it. I didn’t want to mar the happiness in this room, but I need to tell you what I discovered when I returned for Tana’s horses. Caelius, Nikos, and Chiron have been gone for almost three weeks, and they’re still not responding to mind-calls. It’s starting to piss me off, but at least I know they’re alive. Alerio confessed that he kept them informed of our mission to find the emperor. Once they knew he was safe, the contact stopped. If Caelius doesn’t respond to me when I get back, I’m going after him.”
Drusus frowned and interrupted him. “He’s free to do as he pleases, Maxim. If he wants to be found he’ll tell you where he is. Unless he’s engaged in activity that would expose our presence, then there really is no reason to pursue him.”
Maxim nodded. “I agree, Trejani. I wouldn’t have been that concerned, except I stopped by the apartment and almost fell over from the stench inside. Everything in the refrigerator was scattered all across the living room. From the decay, it looks like it’s been that way for a while. Our mattresses were stripped and sliced up. I found the word ‘whore’ written with ketchup on every mirror. It freaked me the hell out. I went to see Cato about installing some security and to tell him that Caelius was still nonresponsive. He sent a blast out to the warriors to keep an eye out for him, and that’s when I got the confession out of Alerio.”
Kallon felt his stomach drop at the news. “Do you have any idea who did this?”
Maxim shrugged. “I have an idea, but I’m not positive. Alerio told me about an incident Caelius had with a female just before he left. She followed him from the club and wrecked her car at the apartment. Alerio towed the vehicle back to her house before any police arrived.”
Lina’s sweet voice called out in concern. “Oh my goodness, Maxim. Was she injured?”
“She was already gone when Alerio got there, but Chiron told him that she didn’t get a scratch on her. Caelius stuffed her into a cab right afterward. They had no idea she’d followed them until she almost ran them down. From what he described, the female wasn’t altogether right in the head. The minute he got out to unhook the car at her home, she tore into him because someone named Caleb wouldn’t return her phone calls. He finally convinced her that he didn’t know any of them and was just a driver they’d called. She finally let him get back in the truck.”
Cassie snorted. “Yup, Caelius has himself a stalker. I’m surprised it hadn’t happened to him sooner. There are some real nut bags out there.” She glanced over and winked at Severus. “Ain’t that right, baby?”
Severus rolled his eyes. “I’m not even going there, sweetness. You may find it funny now, but I’m still having nightmares over that. Maxim, did you get anyone posted to watch her?”
“Cato tried, but Alerio failed to get the license plate, so there wasn’t a way to track her that way. Her name wasn’t on the apartment lease, either. Petrus said she came into the club a few times looking for Caelius, but hasn’t been back for over two weeks. If it was her, she obviously got it out of her system.” He looked over to Drusus and smiled.
“You know? Despite all the crazies that I might run across, I’m going to throw my name into the dating database when I get back. I need to find my mate. After I saw the look on your father’s face when I retrieved them, my urgency only grows. I was already jealous of the other recent pairings, so I’ve got to ramp up my chances. She’s out there somewhere, and I’m going to find her.”
Cassie leaned forward and grinned. “I have no doubt, Maxim. I can’t wait to meet whoever finally tames your crazy ass.”
Kallon tried to join in the laughter. The sound should have brought a smile to his face, but it didn’t even come close. The male that could very well be his own mate sat right across the table from him, yet his heart was locked down and unreachable. It was too much to bear. He sighed in relief when the others began pushing back from the table. He caught Maxim by the arm.
“Will you take me to the clinic? I have a few things to pick up. I’ll be doing further study on Luna’s DNA when I return. My bag is packed already so we can head directly to the vortex afterward, if that was your plan.”
Snatching one more strip of canhion meat, Maxim smiled. “Sure, I’m ready to go as well.” He looked up to Drusus. “We’ll meet you at the exit site in an hour?”
At Drusus’s nod, Kallon glanced up to Ulixes and was surprised to see his head was raised with eyes fixed in his direction. Despite the sadness that sat heavy in his gut, Kallon tried to give him his best smile.
“I wish you well in your new duties. Good-bye, Ulixes.” He turned and never looked back.
Chapter 14
Caelius groaned when his shoulder slammed into something hard. “S’cuse me.” Oh. Fucking wall! Reaching out, he braced himself, pushed backward, and promptly ass-planted on the floor. Looking around, he realized he was in a small alcove next to the dressing room. It was dark and secluded, which suited him just fine.
Caelius lifted his hand and stared at the small screen cupped in his palm. Photos…photos…which one is for the photos? Nope. That one’s for the camera. I don’t wanna take a damn picture. Fuck! Where is she? Stupid phone. Dropping his hand into his lap, Caelius leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Shit! The room’s moving. Whoa! He chuckled and reopened his eyes. Oh, no. The lights are flashing again. Leaning forward, he grabbed his belly and groaned. Ah, shit. I’m gonna barf. After a few moments of false starts, he leaned back and wiped his sweaty brow. Nope. I’m fine.
Caelius lifted his head, narrowed his eyes, and shouted at the first blurry blob that walked past the corridor entrance.
“Will someone turn off that gods damn music? I can’t see over here, okay?”
“Son of a bitch! Chiron, come here. I found him. Yeah, right here. Well, you didn’t look hard enough. He’s in the corner on the floor.”
Caelius batted at the hands tugging at his arms. “What the hell? Lemme go. Oh. Hey, buddy. What are you doin’ here? What’s wrong with your face?”
“Gods damn! He’s drunk off his ass, Nikos. He reeks of it. I told you to keep an eye on him.”
“Me? I was on stage three. You were closer.”
“Whatever! Help me get him in the dressing room before they see him.”
Bracing his hands against the doorframe, Caelius locked his elbows and shoved his feet against the floor. “Hey, this is the wrong way. I was leavin’. I’m ready to go.” He felt his fingers being pried from the wood and gave up. He sighed when he felt his ass land on something soft.
“No, don’t get out of the chair. Just sit there for a minute. You’re not going anywhere dressed like that, you idiot. Your damn shirt is inside out, and you’re just wearing your G. Where the hell did you think you were going like that?”
Caelius smiled and tried to keep his head upright. “I’m going to see Rhia.” Lifting the phone, he pushed it out toward the blob. “Here. Find her for me.”
“Chiron, get his things. We have to get him out of here. No, get the phone out of my face, Caelius. Who the hell is Rhia?”
Tapping his finger on the screen, Caelius grinned. “She’s my mate.”
Nikos snorted and took the phone. “You don’t have a mate, dumbass. Quit moving your feet. I’m trying to put your socks on.”
Caelius struggled with the other one trying to take his shirt off. “I can do it. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Damn it! Nikos, keep him in the chair while I get his arm in the hole. Good. Okay. It’s on. I’ll get our stuff.”
“No, wait. Lift him up. I have to get his jeans over his hips. Caelius, will you please quit kicking me? You hit me in the nuts, and I’ll knock you
r ass out.”
Leaning forward, Caelius tried to pick the phone up from the floor and promptly felt his back hit the seat cushion. “Hey! Quit shovin’ me. I want Rhia. Give her back.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? She’s not in your damn phone, Caelius!”
“Yes she is. I need to find the picture thingy. Can you find it for me?”
“Will you be still and let me pull your jeans up if I do?”
“Yep.”
“Jeans first, and then the picture. There you go. Now zip your pants. I’m not going that far. Oh, wow. Is this her? She’s beautiful.”
“I know. And she’s mine.”
“Fine, if you say so. Chiron, get his boots. No, over there…under the table. You take one, and I’ll do the other.”
“Caelius, you’re going to hurt your eyes if you keep looking at the screen so closely.”
“I don’t care. I need to see her eyes…such beautiful eyes.”
“Yes, they’re very pretty. Nikos, get dressed and let the manager know that we’re heading out. Tell him that we need to get an early start for our next stop. I’ll get Caelius up and moving. Grab the duffels when you get back, and we’ll leave out the side door.”
“Got it.”
“Caelius. Hey, pay attention. I’m going to lift you. Get ready.”
“Okay.”
“Good. No, don’t try to walk yet. Let’s see if you can stay upright. Better. Okay, hang on. I’m going to take you around the room a couple of times. We’ll go slowly.”
“No problem…just walking around the room. Where we going?”
“In circles and then back to the motel. You can’t dance like this.”
Caelius laughed and clung onto the thick arm. “Hey, you’re Chiron. I can see you now. Why were you misting?”
“I wasn’t. You just can’t see straight. You’re drunk.”
Fueled by Lust: Caelius (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 12