by S. E. Smith
Jo was smart enough to admit not telling Manota who she was hadn’t been the wisest decision she had made lately. She hadn’t been sleeping well since the battle a week ago. Hell, she hadn’t slept well since they were kidnapped over six months ago. This past week had shown Jo just how much her life had changed and how close she had come to being left alone on a strange, alien world. The turbulent feelings of guilt, fear, and her continued fight with her feelings for Manota had festered inside her until she wasn’t thinking clearly any longer.
Her thoughts drifted back to the cabin in the North Carolina mountains that she, Star and their friend River, had rented. She and Star had arrived a couple days before and were enjoying the peace and quiet. Jo didn’t want to admit to her little sister at first that she was glad that Star had overheard the nasty conversation between her new boyfriend and some of the other cast members of the Circus to the Stars where they had been working. Ever since they had left the circus almost two years ago to live in Orlando, Florida near their parents who had retired, Jo had felt discontented. She missed their circus family. She missed seeing the different cities. She missed every smell, sound, and feel of the circus. Performing the same acts over and over with people who hoped you’d screw up so they could take your place wasn’t the kind of life Jo wanted. When Star came home in tears one night, Jo decided it was time to go home. Star told her that the other cast members were making fun of her small stature and the only reason that her boyfriend wanted her was for the contacts they knew.
They had quit the next night after their performance, called River to schedule their vacation time, and packed up for a three month break. Jo had also called Walter, the owner of the circus, and asked if she and Star could come back. Walter had been ecstatic about their return. Jo’s eyes burned as she remembered their conversation.
“You and Star get your asses back here where you belong,” Walter had said gruffly. “We have a three month break to give everyone a rest and fix and replace equipment. Hell, I was beginning to wonder when you and your sister were going to wake up and realize that you could never be happy in that tourist trap.”
“We wanted to be near mom and dad,” Jo had responded quietly.
“And how did that work out?” Walter had asked bluntly.
“They are so busy we hardly get to see them,” Jo admitted. “Between the trapeze camps they volunteer at and their photography they are almost always on the road.”
“You girls get your asses home where they belong,” Walter said. “You know everyone misses you, not just River, but my Ricki misses you too. You three girls are about the only ones she ever opened up to.”
Jo sniffed as she thought about the beautiful daughter Walter and Nema found on the doorstep to their trailer almost twenty-four years ago. They had adopted the little girl who became their world. Ricki was a master at organization. Nema had turned most of the behind the scenes running of the circus over to her by the time she was eighteen. If there was an issue, problem or anything else that needed to be handled to make the transition from city to city, country to country easier, Ricki made it happen with a few clicks of her computer or a phone call.
She and Ricki had become fast friends, having more in common with their quiet ways and their need for control over their worlds. They were less than a year apart in age and had felt like sisters since the first time they met behind Walter’s trailer shortly after Alan and Tami Strauss joined Cirque de Magik when Jo was eight.
Jo pulled the bloody towel away from the cut and tried to get an idea of how deep it was. She really didn’t want to have to go see the healer. If she was lucky, she could hide out in her rooms for a few days until the worst of it had healed.
“I can always tell Manota it’s my time of the month,” she murmured to herself with a wry smile. “Hell, at least this will help motivate me to keep my hands off him. God, I love that man so much. The thought of leaving him is tearing me apart.” Her eyes burned with unshed tears at just thinking about it and her heart felt like it was breaking in two.
Jo chuckled sardonically and shook her head. It was hard to believe that it was over six months ago since they were taken. Six months of fighting her attraction to him. Six months of guilt for wanting to forget about how her parents must be feeling about her, Star and River’s disappearance. Each day grew more difficult to resist wanting to give into her feelings for him and saying to hell with everything else.
She closed her eyes and thought about the events leading up to the first time she saw the huge alien that had changed her life so much.
The night had been cool and clear and it was getting close to midnight. Jo had been sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs reading while Star moved around restlessly waiting for River to arrive. Her sister finally went to heat up some water for tea in the kitchen.
She remembered hearing a noise on the front porch. Thinking that River had arrived and might need some help, she had gotten up and opened the front door. She remembered screaming as the huge creatures ripped the door off the hinges when she tried to shut it. Star heard her scream and had come running into the living room. Jo gripped the edge of the counter as she remembered yelling for Star to run. One of the creatures caught Star as she tried to escape to one of the bedrooms. Things became blurry after that. They had drugged them.
Jo opened her eyes and stared at her reflection. She rinsed the damp cloth, watching as the water turned red from the blood before clearing again. She gently began cleaning some of the other cuts.
River had arrived. She had followed them back to the shuttle and hidden aboard it when she realized she couldn’t undo the locks restraining them. They had spent weeks on board the Tearnat warship trying to figure out how to escape. They thought they finally had a chance when River discovered that the leader of the warship had captured other aliens. They were supposed to take them home in exchange for freeing them. Instead, they had been brought to Kassis.
Jo gingerly wiped at the cut on her stomach that continued to seep blood. She winced when she pressed a little too hard and it started to bleed a little heavier. She turned and leaned against the counter as a wave of weakness washed over her. Her head drooped and she closed her eyes, applying pressure to the wound and breathing deeply. She let her mind drift back to the Tearnat’s warship.
“We didn’t have any choice but to help them,” she whispered as she replayed the scene in her head. “Trolis was going to kill them. They were our only hope.”
Trolis had ordered the men to be killed. Instead, River, Star and she had freed them and set their plans in motion. They had sabotaged the warship in an effort to give them time to escape in one of the shuttles. The men had promised to take them home. Instead, another warship had arrived. This one filled with more warriors and Tearnats. Jazin Ja Kel Coradon, the youngest of the royal brothers, had finally escorted her and Star to the other warship. It was several hours later when River was found and brought aboard.
A shiver shook Jo’s slender body as she remembered meeting Manota for the first time. Jo had followed Star and Jazin to medical to see River. They had entered it only to find the huge Kassisan warrior, Torak, restraining River. Star had immediately jumped on the man’s back while Jo had gone for one of River’s knives that she never went anywhere without. That was when a hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist and pulled her against a hard, muscled body. She tried to pull away but the hand continued squeezing her wrist with enough force that she couldn’t hold on to the knife any longer. Only after she had dropped the knife, did the hand release her. But not before running his thumb gently over her wrist, as if he was trying to soothe the bruise he knew he must have left. That was when she turned and stared up into eyes the color of the night sky with but a single bright, silver star shining in the center.
Jo’s head jerked up and her eyes widened in surprise as the door to her bathroom suddenly slid open. She bit her lip to keep the hiss of pain from escaping at the sudden movement of her body as she tried to twist enough
to conceal the cuts. It was impossible with the mirror behind her. The dark rage glittering in those same midnight color eyes burned into her as his eyes dropped to the bloody towel clenched between her fists.
A curse burst from his lips as he strode forward. Jo flinched when he reached out at first. He paused to look down at her before he gently pulled the cloth away from her stomach. Another short curse echoed in the bathroom before strong arms swept around her, lifting her with infinite care.
“Manota,” Jo began before her voice faded as a dark scowl creased his brow.
“Don’t…” Manota bit out. “We will not discuss this until after the healer has taken care of you.”
“I don’t…” She tried to say but stopped again when she saw the muscle in his jaw pulsing. “You can’t put me on the bed! It will ruin the covers,” she protested as he started to lower her down onto the pristine covers.
“Do. Not. Say. Another. Word,” Manota bit out as he laid her down. “Shavic!”
Jo turned her head as Shavic, the healer who had saved her sister and was the healer for Torak’s warship, quietly walked into the room.
Jo glanced up at Manota as he stood back so Shavic could take his place at her side. The handsome healer set the case he was carrying on the nightstand. He opened it. Pulling an injector out, he pressed it against her neck. Jo jerked as the cold metal touched her heated skin. The quick injection of a mild sedative widened her eyes for a moment before the combination of the drug and exhaustion overtook her. Her eyelashes fluttered futilely before they settled like twin crescents.
Shavic replaced the injector and picked up another device. He ran it over the long cut running from one side of her stomach to the other. Once the cut was sealed, he moved to the dozens of smaller ones.
“She is exhausted,” Shavic said quietly, looking briefly at Manota’s frozen features. “I have given her something that will allow her to rest for several hours. I would like to see her again later this afternoon to reassess her health.”
“Come before dinner,” Manota responded shortly.
Shavic checked Jo’s vitals before he turned to Manota with the same device he had used to heal the cuts on Jo. Manota frowned heavily as Shavic stopped in front of him and raised the device to his lip. A quick scan sealed the cut.
“Did she get you anywhere else?” Shavic asked in amusement.
“No,” Manota replied stiffly. “Just bruises.”
Shavic raised his eyebrow and waited for a moment before he nodded and turned to pack the device with the rest of his equipment. His eyes strayed to the delicate features of the human female. He noticed the pale color of her skin which emphasized the dark shadows under her eyes. Her lips parted softly with a sigh. His eyes jerked back to the bag he held and he turned with a nod to Manota who was watching him with a narrow-eyed grimness.
“I will return later to check on her,” Shavic said quietly before leaving.
Manota watched the healer leave before turning his gaze back to the still figure lying on the bed. It was time to stake his claim. He had given the strong-headed female more than enough time to adjust. Already, his brothers had come close to losing their mates.
He watched as she sighed again in her sleep. She was still restless, even with the sedative Shavic had given her. Something was bothering her. He had noticed her increasing quietness over the past week. He thought it was worry about her sister’s injuries but there was something else as well.
Unable to stand the sight of the dried blood on her skin, Manota slowly approached the bed. He could easily call for one of the women who remained in his House to come take care of her but he wouldn’t.
No, she is mine to care for whether she is ready to accept it or not, Manota thought as he tenderly began stripping the clothes from her slender body.
His fingers trailed along the smooth skin of her stomach where his blade had sliced through the delicate skin. Fear, an emotion he was unfamiliar with before meeting Jo, choked him. He closed his eyes briefly as he realized just how close he came to killing his own mate. He had no idea why she did not identify who she was when he confronted her.
A wry chuckle escaped him as he pulled the knife at his side out and sliced through the black top binding her breasts. Who was he trying to kid? He knew exactly why she didn’t. She was too stubborn to let him know that she had snuck out and too independent to allow him to cage her, even if it was only to keep her safe.
Manota’s breath caught at the magnificent beauty lying before him. Even with her pale skin marred with blood, he couldn’t help but notice how soft and fragile she looked. He set the knife on the nightstand and began removing his own clothing. His body was taut still from the adrenaline from their fight and the fear coursing through him when he discovered it was Jo he had almost killed.
His darkly tanned body reflected scars earned during the war that were too deep to totally erase. He knew he wasn’t handsome like his other two brothers. His face was more rugged, his features darker and harder. His eyes burned with barely suppressed control. He felt more comfortable moving among the shadows. He fought for his family and his people with a savagery more like his ancestors from centuries long ago. He did not know what type of males Jo had back on her world and really didn’t care; she was his and he would do whatever was necessary to keep her.
Sliding his arms around her, he gently lifted her. Cradling her against his warmer body, he turned and walked back into the cleansing room. His lips curled as he remembered her insisting it was a ‘bathroom’. He would never admit to her, but he loved that she was not in the least intimidated by him. The females that had lived in his House before always treated him with reverence. They never argued, never demanded, never excited his blood the way Jo did.
Manota rubbed his cheek against Jo’s soft hair as he stepped into the sunken pool. He remembered the first time he had taken her to his House. He expected her to be impressed with all the females living there. It was a sign of power for a male to have many women under their protection. He had been greeted with the honor expected of a man of his position. He was the second son of the Royal House of Kassis. He was a powerful leader in his own right.
He cradled Jo’s slumbering body closer to his as he gently washed the blood from it. He grinned when he thought of her outrage when she discovered what he was doing. She would have fought him tooth and nail if she had been conscious. He shifted her so she was lying with her back against his chest. For just a little while, he wanted to enjoy the feel of just holding her. Yes, he was aroused but there was something more than just his physical desire for her. He wanted – needed- the peace she gave his battered soul.
Manota leaned his head back against the side and closed his eyes as he continued to stroke her soft skin. The first time he had brought her into his House she had stood in frozen silence. At first he had thought she was stunned by the power and prestige he held. When he had introduced her to the other females and explained she would be the Lead Female as his mate, he had expected her to be pleased.
He chuckled as he brushed a kiss along her temple. Instead, she had given him a black eye before turning and walking out. His chuckle died as his eyes darkened with the memory of what happened next. He and his brothers found the three females in the central garden. They were making plans to return to their world – had in fact demanded that they be returned. An assassination attempt almost took the life of his older brother’s mate, River, when she pushed Torak out of harm’s way.
Jo moved restlessly against Manota. He felt her breathing increase as if she was suddenly frightened. He turned her in his arms again and pulled her close.
“Shush, mi t’belle,” he murmured softly. “I will protect you.”
Jo settled back into a deeper sleep as he continued rubbing her back. He reluctantly rose out of the warm waters of the bath. Stepping in front of the dryer, he let the heated air swirl around them, drying their skin. Once he felt sure that she was dry enough, he carried her back to the bed. He laid her d
own on the covers, pulling the other side back before picking her up and sliding her back under the covers. She gave a deep sigh and rolled over onto her side. He pulled the covers on the other side back and slid in beside her. Jo rolled toward him the minute he was under the covers, snuggling close. A contented sigh escaped him as he wrapped his arms around her. Calling out a command, the blinds in the windows closed them in a cocoon of darkness.
Soon, he thought tiredly as sleep overtook him. Soon I will claim her as mine.
Chapter 3
Jo stretched, feeling suddenly very refreshed. It was a wonderful feeling after so many days of not sleeping well. She turned her head, frowning as she saw the blinds were closed. Sitting up, she was startled to discover she was nude.
“Open blinds,” she called out.
The blinds dissolved letting in the brilliant afternoon light. Jo pushed her hair out of her eyes, blinking several times as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. Her eyes swept over the room as she tried to remember how she ended up in the bed. Her eyes lowered to the covers, freezing on the spots of dried blood on the top bedspread. She frowned as the memories slowly returned. She had been out exploring the area around the four Houses. She wanted to know every square inch, every possible hiding place that someone might be able to hide in. She had almost lost River to an assassin’s shot and her sister the night of the dinner to another. She would do everything in her power to protect them. She was the oldest, the one who had wanted to get away. It was her fault they ended up at the cabin. Star had wanted to go to the Bahamas. Jo was the one who wanted the peace of the mountains.
Pushing the covers aside, she slid out of the bed. As she turned to straighten the covers she noticed the indent in the pillow next to hers. Jo slowly reached over and pulled the pillow toward her. Lifting it, she pressed her face into it. Manota’s heady masculine scent filled her, bringing with it a wave of longing. He had slept with her.