‘Hopefully it’s only the alcohol,’ Jenny thought. Was it possible that somebody put something in her glass? Maybe Rodriff? She eyed him suspiciously and goosebumps crawled over her skin.
‘I should see that I get back to my room. Mia will not notice me leaving anyway.’
Jenny put her glass onto a table and looked around. Farron was chatting with his friends and she took her time to check him out. Why was it that she was so fascinated by him? He seemed to have forgotten her already over the black-haired girl he was flirting with. With a strange feeling in her chest, she turned away and examined Mia and Rodriff, who were busy kissing.
‘I should warn her to be careful with that bloke,’ Jenny thought. She made a few steps in their direction, undecided.
‘Probably, Mia will not listen to me anyway,’ argued her inner voice. ‘Maybe I’m wrong about that guy. I am not an expert when it comes to men, after all.’
Jenny shook her head. What was she to do? One thing was clear: she wouldn’t stay here any longer. She felt light-headed. After some moments of reflection, Jenny turned and pushed herself through the crowd towards the exit.
The next morning Jenny awoke with a headache. Groaning she rolled onto her side and gingerly opened her eyes. Mia was sleeping in her bed and Jenny felt somewhat relieved that her roommate made it back home safely.
She must have slept deeply, for she hadn’t heard her friend come in. How long had she been sleeping? A glance to the digital clock showed her that she had slept through the whole morning. It was nearly one o’clock. The drink must have had some affect on her. She wasn’t used to alcohol and there was still the possibility that her drink was drugged.
At least she had made it through the night unharmed. Only her damn head was killing her. She had to do something. She would go to the medicine ward to get something for her hangover.
She stood up with some difficulty.
“Ouch!” She winced and put a hand to her throbbing head. “I’ll never drink again! Fuck!”
Mia turned in her sleep, mumbling softly. Jenny was tempted to get back into her bed, but her headache would keep her awake anyway. She would have to get something from the healer. Gingerly, so as not to move her head more than needed, she put on her clothes.
The alien technic always surprised her. The healer had put a palm-sized device to her temples and her headache immediately stopped. Even the drowsiness and dizziness faded and she felt fit like she hadn’t in a long time.
“Thanks! That was incredible,” she thanked the healer enthusiastically. “If only we had such technic on earth.”
“Milady you wouldn’t benefit from it there anymore,” the healer put it. “On Karrz7 you’ll get the best medical care. But milady shouldn’t drink so much alcohol. It does you no good.”
“I only had one drink,” Jenny defended herself. “But I suspect that somebody put something in it.”
“Put what in it?” The healer wanted to know. “What does milady mean?”
“I suspect that somebody put some kind of drug in my glass. Some men on earth do that to make women submissive and numb.”
The healer shook his head.
“Carthian men don’t do such things,” he said firmly. “We try to win our mate with charm – not with drugs.”
“Why then had that drink such strong effect on me?”
“Perhaps Mylady is not used to our drinks. They are quite strong.”
“That may be,” Jenny replied. “I’ve never drunk much and am obviously not used to much.”
The healer nodded in agreement.
“Can I do anything else for you?”
Jenny shook her head.
“No, thanks. I’m fine now. Actually I’ve never felt better. I feel like a million dollars.”
Jenny jumped off the bed and gave the healer a smile.
“How so ever, thanks a lot for the miraculous healing.”
“Oh, that wasn’t a miracle at all. No, no. That was a very simple medic procedure. It’s a pleasure to be able to help milady.”
“Okay, I’ll be on my way then. Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank for. Have a good day, milady.”
“You too,” Jenny replied smiling and left the ward.
Jenny felt fit enough for another exploring of the ship and pushed the button for the elevator. A little later a green light told the arriving of the elevator and the door opened with a little jingle. Her smile froze.
“Hello,” Rodriff greeted with smug grin.
The way he let his gaze wander over her body made her uneasy. She wanted to turn and run, but that would only prove that he unnerved her, and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. She stepped inside the elevator, even if she didn’t like the thought to be alone with him.
“Hi,” she said a bit too frosty.
“Where to?” Rodriff asked.
“Four B!”
Rodriff pushed the button and the door closed. The elevator launched. Jenny pressed herself into the elevator wall, to be as far away from the creepy alien as possible. She held her gaze trained on the door, but could see his bulky frame out of the corner of her eyes. She couldn’t understand what Mia saw in him. Sure, he was good looking, but he had something creepy and repelling to him. She sensed his gaze on her and stifled a shudder.
The elevator came to a halt and the door opened. It was floor four B. She pushed past Rodriff, relieved, and rushed through the open door.
Farron
„Farron!“
Farron stopped and turned around. He was on his way to his quarters, to have a meal.
“What is it, Lamahrr?” He asked the young officer, who had called him.
“A call for you. You’ve not been on your post and you communicator seems to be offline, so I came looking for you. Why did you turn off your communicator?”
Farron looked down to his communicator, hanging on his belt and frowned.
“I’ve no idea, why it is offline,” he said and pushed the button to turn the device on. Nothing happened.
“It must be broken.”
“Give it to me. I’ll have it checked. But your call is waiting. Should I redirect it to your quarters?”
“Who is it?” Farron requested sullenly, even if he knew well enough that only one person who could want to speak to him so urgently that it couldn’t wait ‘til he got back to Karrx7. – His father. Surely he only wanted to remind him of his responsibilities as the royal prince – again.
“His Highness. Your father,” Lamahrr confirmed.
“Put him through,” said Farron with a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do just now was to argue about the damn dispute again.
The sexy girl from earth currently occupied his thoughts, her picture vivid in his mind. She came to him even in his dreams. He wanted to feel her in his arms again, her lips soft against his own. The way she had responded to his kiss made him hope for more. She would be the perfect mate. Farron was sure that he would never get tired of her. She had fire. Though, she tried to suppress it. He wanted her with fierceness, he never felt for any woman before. Though, woman on his planet were rare, and his experiences limited to a few short romances he had with women he met on his travels, he knew instinctively that Jenny was different. The other women were like colorful glass stones, while Jenny was a precious germ, cut to perfection.
„Farron?“ Lamahrr’s voice cut through his thoughts.
“Put that call through,” he said again to the officer. He unfastened his communicator and gave it to Lamahrr.
“Okay! I’ll bring you a new communicator.”
Farron nodded and continued on his way.
“What is it!” Farron asked without preamble, when his father’s image showed on the communication screen in his room.
“We have a situation!” King Morrhon answered grimly.
Farron could see his mother, Queen Licija, in the background. She looked tense and unhappy. A pang of uneasiness came to him, but he pushed the unwelcome feel
ing aside and held the unyielding gaze of his father without blinking.
“What kind of situation, and what has that to do with me?” He asked coolly.
“What that has to do with you?” His father exploded and his silver-grey eyes blazed with rage. “You are the crown prince. You could show a bit more interest for your people and your obligations to them. And, after all, you are the cause for the present situation.”
Licija rushed to her husband’s side and put a hand reassuringly on his arm. Her bronze eyes found Farron.
“Could you two talk like sensible adults for once?” She said annoyed. – “Let me speak with Farron!” She directed at her husband.
The King nodded grimly and folded his arms demonstratively, as he leaned back into his chair. Licija turned back to Farron.
“King Lathar made clear that the rejection of his daughter is an act of insult and a lot of the Mesuthomer, and also our own people, are very upset about your behavior. You don’t give a damn about the fate of your future subjects, instead you travel through the galaxy for years now. Your father gets to old for ruling these people and it’s about time that you take your rightful place. You …”
“I …,” Farron tried to explain.
“Don’t interrupt me!” The Queen cut him off sharply.
Farron copied his father and crossed his arms in front of his chest. With a grim expression, grinding his teeth, he sat back in his chair without noticing how alike he and his father were. It was their similarity that made any discussion between them impossible. Both had a pig-head and struggled to see the other’s point of view, let alone accept it.
“You have to finally take on your responsibilities. Since Lady Violynn’s death things are very tense between the Mesuthomer and us. An alliance between the house of the Arr’Dragon and the house of the Arr’Lothian could secure the peace for once.”
“THIS alliance isn’t possible!” Farron put in resolutely. “At least not between Dijola and me. What about prince Ferrek or Jorrigh? One of my brothers could mate the princess.”
“You are the oldest!” King Morrhon interfered. “The heir to the throne! King Lathar will not be satisfied with a younger brother. And what the hell do you mean with: it’s not possible?”
“I already have a mate!” Farron declared. He was aware that he’d bent the truth a little, he may have found his mate, but he was far from actually claiming her. Nonetheless, he was sure that the little redhead was the woman he wanted to spend his life with. She seemed not entirely reluctant, taken into consideration how she had responded to his kiss. Farron was confident that he could persuade her to become his mate.
“You have what?” His father and mother shouted.
“A mate!”
“Impossible!” His father growled. “Who is she? One of these whores you like to fuck?”
“She is NOT a whore!” Farron replied sharply, and leaned forward to give his father a warning stare. “If you ever call my mate a whore again, I will smash your head in!”
“Farron!” His mother cried horrified.
“You good for nothing fool!” His father bellowed, likewise leaning forward. “Since your birth you give us nothing but trouble! You either come to your senses and mate princess Dijola, or …”
“Or what?” Farron asked icily.
“Or I hunt you till the end of the universe, cut off your stubborn head and give it to King Lathar on a golden plate!” King Morrhon threatened.
“I warn you, son! I’ve been tolerant long enough but that is over now! Get your ass home and take on your responsibilities or suffer the consequences!”
Farron growled but didn’t respond. Instead he leaned forward and pushed the button that ended the call.
Chapter 3
Ferrek
“Please, Ferrek, kiss me again,” Dijola pleaded and looked at him with her emerald green eyes.
Prince Ferrek sighed and pushed her gently away.
“I can’t. – We … we shouldn’t. You are my brother’s future mate, Dijola,” he replied huskily and a painful feeling filled his chest.
A single tear rolled slowly down Dijola’s cheek. Ferrek couldn’t help himself – he leaned forward and kissed the salty drop away. He hated it to be a prince. He hated that Dijola was a princess. If they were ordinary people, he could follow his heart. Dijola was his mate, he knew that, but for them, politics would rule out destiny. The peace between their people had to be ensured and as the youngest prince he wasn’t good enough for the only daughter of the Mesuthomian royal couple. The irony of this was that his brother Farron, the heir to the throne, didn’t even want Dijola as his mate.
Dijola snuggled into his broad chest, weeping, and he put his arms around her slender frame.
“What are we to do?” Dijola asked with a stifled voice.
“I don’t know, my love,” Ferrek answered quietly. “I don’t know – but we’ll find a way!”
Chapter 4
Jenny
They would reach their destination in three days. At least that was what Susan told her today at breakfast. The last few weeks Jenny managed to hide from Farron, who seemed so determined in his pursuit. The gigantic alien made her nervous and she didn’t like that one bit. Fortunately, Susan had kept her updated about Farron’s work hours, so that she was aware when she had to go into hiding. A few times her pursuer had nocked at her door, but she had ignored him until he gave up.
Although she managed to avoid him by day, in her nightly dreams she couldn’t flee him. The longer the travel lasted, the more erotic and unsettling her dreams became.
“Look who is that?” A voice broke the spell of her thoughts. A cold shiver went over her body.
She knew that voice all to well. – Rodriff! And she was all alone in the room, which she had just discovered half an hour ago. It had a big window through which one could see the vastness of the universe, and exactly that was what she had done for the last twenty minutes. She had been so rapt in contemplation that she hadn’t heard Rodriff’s approach.
With a bad feeling in her guts, she turned round to face the creepy alien. He had a broad grin on his face and his eyes roamed her body in a most impudent way. Jenny’s heart hammered.
“I was just about to go,” she said and tried to get past the gigantic alien, but he seized her by her arm and held her back.
“LET. GO. OF. ME!” She demanded with a mixture of anger and panic.
“I don’t think so!” Rodriff answered with a mean grin. Lust was written in his eyes and she didn’t have to look down to his crotch to know that the alien was highly aroused.
Panic welled up within her. She was alone with him and when venturing the deck, she had found out that all rooms on this corridor were empty. Nobody would hear her scream. What would this scumbag do to her? Would he really rape her? She was told that rape was an absolute no go for Carthian. They never forced a woman. But when looking at Rodriff now, and given how painful his grip was, then she wasn’t so sure if he would not take her by force.
“What do you want from me?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” Rodriff asked and dragged her closer, so close that she could feel his hard on.
“You will get yourself in deep shit if when you don’t let me go immediately!” Jenny tried to reason with him.
“Nobody knows that you’re here – or that I followed you for that matter,” Rodriff said self-assured. “And when I’m done with you, you will fall – accidentally – into one of the maintenance ducts. It’s a long fall down; you won’t survive. If they ever find you, they will think that you had a tragic accident. Everybody here knows that you are some nosy bitch. Nobody will be surprised or let alone suspect anything amiss.”
Fear sends a cold chill down her spine and she tried franticly to free herself from Rodriff’s grip. But he only laughed, obviously enjoying her useless attempts. He twisted her arm and she cried out in pain. Tears welled up in her eyes. Surely he would break her arm. With clenched teeth she struggled against her much
stronger opponent. If only she could change the angle a little, so that she could knee him in his crotch. Then his elbow came down on her and she sank to her knees, when pain exploded in her head. Everything went black, even if she fought desperately for consciousness.
She seemed to have lost the fight, because when she came round again, she was lying on the floor and the alien was trying to get her Jeans down over her hips. With new revived spirits she struggled under him, screaming at the top of her lungs. She tried to hit him with all she had. Given his pained grunts, she must have landed a few good hits.
A hand grabbed her by her throat and she could feel how her airways were slowly cut off. She panicked when spots appeared before her eyes and her lungs started to ache painfully.
Suddenly she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eyes, and then she heard a roar and the choking hand disappeared. She fought again against the darkness, but her vision blurred. All she could see were shadowy outlines of bodies. How many? Two? Three? She couldn’t tell. They didn’t even look human anymore. Were that wings, what she saw? Inhuman cries and growling sounds reached her as from far away. Somebody must have come to her rescue. That was the last she thought before darkness claimed her once more.
Farron
Farron couldn’t forget the argument with his parents. He couldn’t care less, what his father thought. To take Dijola as his mate was not an option for him. She was a beauty and a nice enough woman, she would make a good queen – but she couldn’t touch his heart, less his soul. By contrast, Jenny – was always in his mind since the kiss they’d shared. She tried everything to avoid him and he was running out of time. He was on the look out for her. The board computer reported her presence here on this level. None of the rooms here were currently in use. One of them was the royal chamber. The room hadn’t been used in ages, since the royal couple didn’t travel anymore. The other rooms were meant to house the royal servants.
Farron'S Rebellious Mate (English Edition) (Lords of Arr'Carthian 2.5) Page 2