by R. R. Banks
“Oh yeah?” He rubbed his finger across my hip bone, slow and intimate, too intimately. I was going to murder him. “I look forward to anything you dish out, angel.”
I chuckled. No one had ever accused me of that before. “We’ll see.”
Every word that slipped from my lips was met with a touch that threatened to bring me to my knees. I wouldn’t let him win. It was physical, that was it.
The King cleared his throat and his smirk in my direction was unsettling. It was as though he was waiting us out.
“Sit please dear.”
I gulped and pulled away from the hulking man behind me, but he stepped around me and pulled out the chair. My eyes widened in surprise. I didn’t think he had a gentle bone in his body.
He shrugged. “What? My mother raised me too.”
I nodded and sat down waiting for the King to tell me the rules. I knew he’d tell me, and I had planned to talk to him about my boss, but I didn’t want to do it in front of the warrior.
“I’m sure you know that we are graceful in letting humans invade our lands to run tests, and learn more about our species…”
I nodded.
“There are a few things we do not allow however, and under no circumstances are those rules to be broken. The paper you signed gives us the right to punish you within our laws if you break them in any way.”
Again I nodded. I hadn’t known that, but then again I should have read the fine print. If I made it home I was going to make Ryan sing soprano. He was going to wish he was dead by the time I was done with him.
The King’s eyes slanted. “Do you speak, Eden?”
I shrugged. “I’m not much of a talker, or a socialite for that matter. I speak when I have something important to add to the conversation.”
“I see,” he replied. He was curious about me.
“So I assume you won’t be causing problems. Other than the temper I’ve already witnessed.” With that he smiled.
I blushed. “I do have a temper. Usually it’s easier to control.”
“Ah, Pyra brings out the worst in you then, or maybe the best yes?”
I laughed I couldn’t help it. “I highly doubt my temper is to be considered my best, no offense.”
Pyra stiffened and when I glanced at him he was looking at me strangely. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking but he was focused on something. I looked down to see if I had gotten something on my clothes but there wasn’t anything there so I shrugged. He was strange. The fact that I was so aware of the giant man sitting silently at the table didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t like it, not even a little bit.
Chapter 5
Eden’s emotions were so strong that Pyra could nearly taste her nerves. He wasn’t sure what triggered it, but he noticed her eyes widened and the scent of her fear coated his skin. He watched her, waiting for another sign as to what could have scared her but she was tough and almost as fast as he felt it, it disappeared. Her posture was still stiff and her jaw was clenched tight.
“Is there anything you would like to ask?” his father asked.
Pyra didn’t miss her gaze shift to his uneasily then back to his father.
“I’d like to talk to you,” she said and licked her lips. “I’d like for him to leave the room first if you don’t mind.”
The King’s brows rose as did his. He didn’t want to be away from her, but at his father’s nod he fumed. “Very well,” he said to her. He gestured for Pyra to leave. What the hell?
“But—”
His father shook his head warning him with a flare to his orange eyes. “No, it’s fine. You may wait for her outside so you can take her to her home while she is here.”
He growled and need surged through him. He didn’t want her anywhere but with him or with anyone but him. It was outrageous how he was feeling. “Fine,” he replied and then he shoved the chair knocking it back. Before leaving he leaned against the back of Eden’s chair. His face was right next to hers and he smiled when she shuddered. She wasn’t as unaffected as she appeared. “I’ll be waiting for you, and then we will talk.” It was a promise as much as it was a threat. She’d better not try to sneak off without him.
He could feel her glare. “Don’t hold your breath.”
He loved her temper. Their relationship was going to be volatile, but for some reason he had a feeling she was going to temper him down. Already he was feeling softer, gentler. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, hopefully it didn’t interfere with anything outside of the home. With her he could be different, but with everything else in his life, his temper and rage was a necessity.
He chuckled and took a chance kissing her cheek. He knew she’d hold it together in front of his father. Her body went rigid and he felt her breath stopped for a second before she breathed heavily. Pyra groaned as soon as his lips met her flesh. Her skin was so soft and her scent was so sweet. He couldn’t wait to have her. His cock hardened thinking about how soft she’d feel when she submitted to him. He could imagine her sprawled out on his bed and kissed her cheek once more before tearing himself away from her. His eyes shifted to orange and in a rough voice he said, “I’ll be outside waiting for you.”
She didn’t even look at him, but he could feel her rage. She wanted to hit him—badly. He’d be prepared for her anger, but hopefully talking with his father would give her time to cool down. He’d pay for kissing her—twice, but with a smile he realized he didn’t care. It was worth it.
He glanced at his father and frowned. His dad was watching her body language. He noticed something Pyra didn’t and that meant he needed to talk to his dad.
“Pyra if you would please step out while Eden and I speak, and then and I’d like to have a word with you afterwards.” His tone was low and brooked no argument. She wouldn’t have noticed the tenseness, but a lump formed in his throat. Something was off with his mate, it was the only explanation.
He nodded and strode outside wondering what his father sensed that he hadn’t.
Chapter 6
As soon as the door shut and Pyra was away from me my body relaxed. His touch and taunts were going to drive me mad. I hated them, but worst of all it was because I hated how much I enjoyed his banter, enjoyed his touch. I’d never liked a man’s touch before, and that was the worst part of this. My own personal demons would try to suck me in and I’d fall into the nightmare that used to be my life.
Things I hated to think about normally to the surface invaded all thoughts and feeling, but with him, my past was almost a distant memory. Only my body instinctively reacted as if I was reliving every horrid thing that happened back then. I shuddered. I would never be normal.
“My dear, you look as though you’ve seen a ghost.” He leaned back in his chair and his kind eyes calmed me. There was something about this male that put me at ease. I didn’t get it.
“Are you unwell? I know my son can be overwhelming, and I would apologize for his behavior, but I can’t because I understand it.”
If that wasn’t vague or anything.
I didn’t understand his son’s behavior. It wasn’t appropriate, but who was I to tell the King his son needed a lesson in human boundaries. “I’m fine.” Leaning forward in my chair and resting my hands on the table I took a deep breath. “My boss sent me here to do the testing.”
“Yes, I’m aware of Dr. Austin. I find him to be quite—disturbed.”
I chuckled. “That’s an understatement, but I’m not here to tell you how much of a creep he is. I need to come clean before you found out somehow—most likely by him.”
Now the King straightened in his seat. Not as relaxed as he was. “Come clean? For what?”
I licked my lip and smiled. “He didn’t send me here to study plant and animal life.”
“Go on.”
“He sent me here to try to sneak the blood of your most powerful warrior.” I gulped. “I didn’t plan to come, and in fact I refused at first, but Ryan hates me. He threatened me so I agreed, but I swear I
have no intention of trying to steal any of your blood. I’m an honest person, and I generally don’t let others control me, but my work is the only thing I have. If he fired me it would ruin me. I needed to get him off of my back long enough to go over his head. If I get transferred to another company during the time I’m here then I won’t have to worry about him any longer.”
The whole time the King watched me as if assessing me for any signs of a lie. “And why would he do such a drastic thing to you, knowing the possibility of you being killed?”
I shuddered. “Two reasons. The first is because I’m up for the same promotion he wants. I’ll probably get it because unlike him I have morals and I’m more qualified. And two, he’s been trying to get me to date him for years and has sexually harassed me on more than one occasion. I’ve rejected him more times than I can count.”
I hoped that my honesty paid off. I didn’t tell people my personal issues, and Ryan’s persistence was quite the problem.
“Do you have proof?” I didn’t miss the strange look in his eye.
I sighed. “I have surveillance video, but on the video it shows me agreeing to do it, but I swear I won’t go anywhere near your warriors, especially the one Ryan requested the blood from. I’ll stick to animals and plants like I originally planned.”
He nodded and his frown deepened. “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, my dear. Staying away from that particular warrior isn’t’ going to be an easy task.”
“It will if he leaves me alone. If he won’t then I promise not to go near him with a needle.”
He chuckled and nodded. “Very well, I believe you. I don’t sense any lies, but I still want to see this surveillance you speak of. I don’t like knowing that someone is actively trying to steal our blood. I think he isn’t much of a man to send you to do the dirty work and that angers me very much. We won’t be working with this Dr. Austin again. If you’re telling the truth, you can stay as long as you’d like to complete your tests of our lands.”
I nodded and my shoulders fell. A weight had been lifted. “I need my bag.”
“Very well, I will also need my son to see this video. He needs to be briefed in case Dr. Austin sends someone else when he realizes you won’t do his dirty work.”
I gulped, but shrugged. “Okay my bag is outside.”
“Wait here.”
I sat back as the King disappeared to get his son. That man was going to be the end of my self-control. I could feel my temper as it mixed with desire. Dammit I needed to cool the hell down, and I certainly didn’t need a man to help me in any way.
Pyra came back with the King carrying my bags. He smiled at me, and I nearly lost my breath. It was such an unrefined looked. All of the tough, ‘I am man, hear me roar’ persona was gone. It was the most real I’d seen him, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about seeing his ‘human’ side. I didn’t want to like him. As long as he pissed me off I would be okay.
He handed me my bag and sat in the same chair he had vacated and leaned back in a relaxed position, but I wasn’t fooled. He was tensed back like a Cobra waiting to strike. I’d be lying if I didn’t find it completely and utterly sexy.
“So we have a stupid doctor on our hands, yeah?”
The king must have filled him in. I didn’t miss the anger in his tone. I knew it was horrible to learn because they’d been working with Ryan for several years now, and I was taking that trust away. I pulled my laptop bag onto the table and slipped my small notebook out. I booted it up and tapped my fingers on the table. “I don’t know how well it will work here, or how long my battery will last.”
“As long as we see what you told me about.”
I looked at him with serious eyes. “You will.”
I went back to work and signed in. The file opened easily, and I turned the screen to the king and prayed he would believe me when I told him I had no intention of following through. I really didn’t want to endure the kind of punishments they had in mind, and also for some reason I really wanted him to trust me, to like me. It wasn’t often I cared what someone believed of me, but I found myself caring very much what the King of Uoria thought of me.
The video played and the King watched in fascination as the whole scene played out—just as I had told him.
“What a fucking bastard!”
I jumped when the King slammed his fists on the table and then he shoved his chair back. It crashed against the wall and shattered. I had a feeling I was about to see exactly how deadly this species was. He sped from the room, but I barely saw him move. It was unreal. One minute he was there and then poof he was gone. Pyra looked as shocked as I felt.
“Whatever you told him—must have been verified and bad. I haven’t seen him this pissed off in ages.” Pyra’s voice sounded numb to my ears.
“I told the truth before someone else did.”
“I’m almost afraid to watch because if he reacted that way, I can’t imagine how I’d react.”
I sat back and sighed. “Is he coming back?”
“Yes, when he calms down.”
I leaned back and closed my eyes wondering if I was going to be punished for my part even though I would never betray them. I’d only be on Uoria for a short time, but I felt— almost at home. When I opened my eyes again he stood there staring at my laptop.
Pyra must not have been able to ignore his curiosity. He stood where his father’s chair had been and played the video. The further the video went the more his posture changed, his eyes flared, his body tensed and his jaw was tight. I could hear his teeth grinding together, but he was so calm when he closed the lid to my laptop.
“My father already told me some of why you agreed, but I need to know. I need to hear it from you that you swear you won’t try to steal anyone’s blood, especially mine.”
I gulped. I didn’t’ get what was so special about their blood but it wasn’t my place. I never intended to step where I wasn’t allowed. I was a rule follower. “I swear. I only said I would so he wouldn’t take my life away from me. Without being a scientist, I’m nothing. It’s all I have in the world. I would never break the rules like that, and Ryan knows that, but he didn’t expect me to come clean and show you proof of what he is trying to do. He wants me punished.”
Pyra’s eyes bored into mine. “Why though? Why would he risk your life?”
“He hates me.”
“Why?” he asked in a whisper and stepped closer to me.
I could feel his rage, see his body shaking and instead of scaring me, it aroused me. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but I didn’t know why or how I knew it. I just did.
“We are up for the same promotion. He really wants it.”
Now he stood in front on me and I looked up. “It’s more than that yeah?”
I gulped. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to me; I know what you told my dad.”
Of course he told him about the other stuff. I’d hoped he hadn’t and now he was testing me. It didn’t feel good. “I rejected him.”
“Why did you reject him?”
I chuckled. “Because I hate him.”
“No other reason?”
“I don’t like to be touched, and he has a problem keeping his hands to himself. I’ve broken his nose and his wrist.”
He nodded and moved closer. Our bodies were almost touching, but not quite. I couldn’t breathe. His body heat was suffocating. He was a man in every sense of the word, and I was drowning in his want, his need.
“He didn’t leave me alone,” I whispered.
“I’ll kill him.”
I gasped and shook my head. “No.”
He leaned in and his lips were so close I could taste him. As soon as I shut my eyes and was about to close the distance the king came back in a whoosh and cleared his throat. I jumped back from Pyra and shook my head. I glared at him and he stepped back. I was pissed at myself. I almost caved, and if not for his father I would have felt his lips on mine. I wasn’t sure what was worst; the fact that
I yearned for the touch and it was interrupted or that he had the balls to try it in the first place.
Chapter 7
The King came back into the room interrupting the almost kiss. I was grateful because I didn’t want to cave. No matter how much my body disagreed with my mind. It didn’t matter that he was attractive and that there was a huge part of me that wanted to jump him. I didn’t know what was going on, but I couldn’t allow it to happen. His growl of frustration sent a thrill down my spine.
His father sat back down considerably more calm, but the rage was right below the surface, simmering. “Dear, I wanted to say thank you for coming forth with this video and being honest right away. Not many of you would do that, and I know that I’ve had to send many humans back home because I’d caught them doing unfavorable things. I wish there were more people like you from your world. After speaking to my wife, we have decided to discuss a compromise. I will get back with you when we decide exactly what it will be. Until then, please explore as much as you’d like, but keep the rules in mind, and do not under any circumstances, contact your boss. If you do, you’ll be sent home, and you’ll never be allowed to come back.”
I sighed in relief. “Thank you for trusting me, and I have no intention of contacting Ryan. I look forward to studying the plant and animal life.”
He stared me down with gentle eyes. “I don’t know why I trust you, but please don’t abuse it. I do hold grudges once the faith is broken.”
I held out my hand, the first initiation of physical contact. He looked at my hand then back at my face as he pulled my hand into his. They were warm and soft and instead of shaking it he grasped it between both of his hands. Heat engulfed me and there was a strange zing, almost like magic before a slight bit of pain, and when he pulled back there was a small symbol on my hand. I gasped and studied it. It was small and the black lines swirled and twisted nicely together. It was intricate, but when I looked harder I noticed the lines were letters.