Letting the plan form in his mind, Nikol agreed. “I trust you to see to it.”
His comm vibrated with an incoming message. Nikol started to ignore it, thinking Lothar wanted an update. His guards were already swarming over the facility. When he glanced down, he saw Tseju’s ID.
“Nikol here.”
“There has been an incident.”
Nikol’s heart iced over. An incident with Tseju could only mean one thing.
Darcy.
Chapter 22
As soon as Brax opened the door to his single spaced room, Nikol shoved his way in. Brax frowned and straightened his shirt with a dark look. “Why are you here?”
“You will leave the Earth woman alone.”
Understanding dawned in Brax’s gaze. He hiked a shoulder and smiled. “Lothar was there and didn’t mind. He never minds.”
At the revelation of Lothar’s presence while Darcy was attacked, Nikol almost lost control. “She does not belong to Lothar.”
Brax’s smile vanished and he smacked a palm against his chest. “No, because she was mine! I bought her. I was to experience the secrets of the human females from Earth but your father took her from me.”
Nikol hadn’t expected that. He drew in a deep breath, trying to comprehend what Brax told him. If he was the one who’d found Darcy and brought her to Marenia, it would explain why Lothar had acted immediately in taking her from the younger male. The Majad would be furious if he learned his orders to not bring Earth women here had been violated.
That didn’t explain why Lothar gave her to Nikol, though. No matter. He wasn’t giving her back. “She does not belong to you and she does not belong to Lothar. The Earth woman is in my kitse and is mine.”
The skin of Brax’s dark features grew ruddy. He ground his teeth together and snarled. “You should return her to her rightful owner.”
Owner? Is that how he thought of Darcy? Nikol laughed. She couldn’t be owned. He was learning that with each passing day in her presence.
“Do you not truly understand who I am?” Nikol kept his voice low but firm.
Brax shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me. She’s a tutanis.”
“Maybe it should matter.” Nikol let a grin curve his lips, a grin that in no way reflected humor. He narrowed his gaze and used his bulk to lean in close. “I do not have Lothar’s respect simply because I’m his son and blooded kin. I have proven myself time and again.”
Brax eyes widened but Nikol didn’t stop.
“Everything you’ve heard about me, every rumor every horror, I did it. I’ve killed, slaughtered, and butchered my way to where I’m at now. Right by Lothar’s side. If you think I won’t rip right through you and not look back, you are very, very wrong.”
“She’s a whore. Nothing more.”
Muscles amped and swelled, straining his shirt. Nikol gripped Brax by his throat and slammed him into the wall next to the open door he’d come in through. “What or who she is no longer concerns you.”
“You’re fooling yourself,” Brax choked out. “I know about their kind. They hate us and she’ll never look kindly upon you.”
Nikol couldn’t think of Darcy right now or he’d kill Brax. “Nothing and no woman will stop me from destroying you. Stay away from what’s mine.”
Nikol released his grip and let Brax fall to the floor. He stepped over him and exited his room, closing the door behind him. After everything that had occurred tonight, he only wanted to get back to his suite and reassure himself of Darcy’s well-being.
Storming through the corridors, he had one thought on his mind. Get to Darcy. He wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings and was brought up short by someone calling him.
“Nikol?”
Tentative yet sultry his name whispered on the air. Muffling a curse, Nikol faced Taima. Vizen stood behind her. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with when a sense of urgency pushed for him to get to Darcy.
“What brings you here, Vizen?” he asked.
This was Taima’s third or fourth time approaching him. How many times would Vizen’s continue offering his prized tutanis for Nikol’s use? Lothar was clearly determined to find a way into Nikol’s secrets. His methods were heavy handed and obvious.
Then again, the explosion at the transport station had made him suspicious, which was funny as it was one of the few things Nikol hadn’t orchestrated to weaken his father’s empire.
“You seemed...strained at the bacchul.”
Others had obviously noted his stance on sharing Darcy despite Osian’s small show. There was also the fact Nikol hadn’t taken advantage of her presence or any other tutanis to orgasm.
What they failed to realize was that he didn’t need to gain Lothar’s favor. He was confident and secure in his ability to continue to run the business without sharing public sex.
“I was, and now I’m not.” He made his voice gruff, hoping neither would wish to bother him further. He was still riding a razor’s edge from what he might have revealed with his deep urge to protect Darcy. Lothar had to have witnessed it. No doubt, Brax would report their encounter as well.
“I’ve heard of your tutanis awkwardness at the bacchul,” Vizen shared.
Taima’s gaze grew speculative as it flicked toward the hall leading to his kitse then back to him. The questions hovered and Vizen’s gaze grew speculative. He couldn’t have them questioning his connection to Darcy. Nikol rushed forward until his body collided with Taima’s. They banged into the wall behind her, his weight holding her in place. She gasped, gray eyes flaring.
“Does the offer for your tutanis still stand?” He glanced over his shoulder and was relieved to see the light of success flash in Vizen’s gaze.
“Of course.” Vizen bowed slightly. “Feel free to use her to your satisfaction.”
Not remotely interested. He did need to make this convincing, though, so they could report back to Lothar that he wasn’t caught up with the Earth woman. Nikol pushed his hands between Taima’s curvy thighs and she parted them willingly.
It was easy to guide his palm beneath her shellam through the side slit. Taima jerked then gasped at the first swipe of his fingers over her bare mound.
She was soaking wet. Nikol grimaced and ducked his face in her hair to hide his expression. He would make this fast and hard. “Keep your legs spread for me, hmm?”
“Ahhh. Yes, master. Anything you want,” she cried out, head flung back.
Cringing, Nikol worked his fingers deep into her passage and thrust in and out. The scent of her arousal rose between them and Nikol wanted to jerk away in offense. Instead, he sped up his pace and roughly added another finger. The sooner she came, the sooner he could check on Darcy.
***
By the time Tseju got Darcy back to the kitse, she had her shaking under control. She burst through the door and fell back against it as soon it was closed. Her chest pounded, her breasts were sore and she wanted to cry. Darcy held it together until Cecilee peered out the opening of her alcove. “Darcy?”
“Cecilee, it was awful!” she burst out, straightening from the door.
Her cry drew Amia, Stasia and Tashire. They came out in force and surrounded her, petting her hair and muttering soothing phrases. Darcy leaned into Cecilee’s embrace and shuddered. It took several tries but she finally got her breathing under control and pushed back.
Cecilee gripped her by the forearms and stared hard. “Did anyone hurt you?”
Darcy shook her head, “No.”
Tashire ran a hand through Darcy’s loose hair over and over. “I should have gone as young Nikol requested. The bacchul is too much for one as innocent as you.”
That caught Darcy’s attention. “What?!”
Amia, Stasia and Cecilee all exchanged a secretive look.
“Tell me!” Darcy demanded, shrugging off their calming touches.
Tashire swallowed. “Nikol asked that I attend the bacchul with him this evening.”
Darcy’s face drained of co
lor and her mouth flapped for several seconds. “Nikol...Cecilee...she said none of you slept with him.”
Darcy glanced toward Cecilee for reassurance. The older woman reached toward Darcy again but Darcy jerked away. Had they lied to her?
“We have not,” Tashire snapped. Rarely seen anger fired off in her brown gaze. “He is young enough to be son to any of us. We would have sex shared with him, of course, if he had demanded such for that is the way of a tutanis in a kitse but he is not the monster his father is. Nikol gave us sanctuary when anyone else would have seen us forced out on the city streets in despair.”
“Okay, okay.” She tried to reason through what they were telling her. “But why ask you to attend? And why change and have me go.”
“I think Nikol knew I would be fine to attend where the others only wish to spend their days forgetting.” Nibbling her lip, Tashire raised her hands. “I am unsure what changed that caused him to ask you to witness such a foul event.”
Darcy rubbed her hands together and hit smooth skin. She glanced down and tilted her left wrist side to side. She grabbed her right wrist and realized the bracelet she’d worn had fallen off. “Oh no.”
“What is it?” Amia asked, seeing her distress.
“I only wore one piece of jewelry and it’s missing.”
Darcy spun away as a new urgency hit her. She opened the door and caught Tseju’s eyes. Garmon watched the two of them. “My bracelet. I have to go back to the room where that party was at.”
“Bracelet?” he regarded her in puzzlement.
True worry set in. Darcy knew the importance of the bracelet. It had to have sentimental value for Nikol to have saved it all these years. The expensive jewelry belonged to Nikol’s mother. She couldn’t lose it. What if it was all he had of her? “My bracelet must have fallen off.”
When Brax grabbed her more than likely.
Tseju frowned. “Nikol wanted you back in the suite. Something was going on at the transport station not long ago.”
“I know, but it’s important,” she pleaded
Tseju sighed. He turned to Garmon. “I need to escort the tutanis somewhere. I’ll be back.”
Garmon frowned, his gaze drifting to Darcy standing in the doorway. “Is it safe?”
“We’ll be quick,” she added.
Garmon nodded at Tseju. “I’ll let Nikol know if he returns before you.”
Tseju moved at a sedate pace, driving Darcy crazy. She wanted to race down the halls to ensure that no one had discovered the bracelet and taken it. They were barely out of Nikol’s wing and took the first turn to the main part of the house when she saw him.
Darcy stopped instantly. All of the oxygen felt sucked out of the room and her heart clenched with a hurt she couldn’t describe. Pain. So much pain. And it hit hard enough Darcy almost dropped to the floor. She braced a hand on the wall.
Breathing through her nose, she tried to make sense of the scene in front of her. Why, kept floating around in her head.
A feminine gasp, followed by a shriek that was quickly muffled by a large hand as the horned woman trembled and shook against the wall. When her release was over, the male in front of her, removed his other hand from between her legs and stood back.
“I hope she pleased you, Nikol. Feel free to finish inside of her.”
A short cry broke past Darcy’s mouth. Nikol and the stranger turned toward her, Nikol reaching for the laser belted at his thigh. When he noticed Darcy, his gaze widened. She looked beyond him to the woman with the yellow horns. Still sagged against the wall, the woman grinned smugly and didn’t bother straightening her shellam. Her gaping thighs glistened with the evidence of her orgasm.
Backing away, Darcy mumbled, “Sorry. I was looking for something.”
On the floor, the gleam of stones flashed. Darcy bent down and picked up the bracelet. The only reason she didn’t hurl it at Nikol’s head was because she didn’t want to destroy a precious heirloom.
“Tseju,” Nikol called when she would have rushed away.
Darcy paused beside Tseju with dread. Nikol’s gaze was remote, none of the hunger and pleasure he displayed when they were alone together. None of the protective fury when they walked the house. “You will take her back immediately. She does not have permission to be out. If it happens again, you will pay the price.”
The orders were a dagger through her heart. Darcy barely noticed Tseju guiding her back on shaky legs. When she got to the kitse, she stumbled across the threshold. She stood in the center of the main room and stared blankly. No one was around. They must have gone to sleep, leaving her alone with her wildly swinging thoughts.
Nikol had touched another woman, gave her an orgasm in the freaking hall of his house where anyone could see. Darcy huffed out a breath in disbelief. She had assumed he wouldn’t be with other women once they were...together. No, she corrected with a grit of her teeth, she had assumed he wouldn’t having sex with other women.
The more she thought about it, the more Darcy realized she’d allowed herself to trust Nikol. Trusted that when they had sex, or rather fucked, that he would at least have the decency to be exclusive with her. But that wasn’t the type of world he came from. Which made her the stupid one.
How could she have been so wrong about him? He wasn’t any better than the men on Earth. Her chest tightened at the discovery.
***
“Do you wish to finish inside of her, Nikol?” Vizen asked again, his tone conveying impatience.
Nikol waited until Tseju and Darcy disappeared around the corner. He pulled hard on his icy reserve when his every instinct screamed for him to go after Darcy. She hadn’t even tried to hide the hurt and devastation on her face when she saw him with Taima. He’d done that. He’d put that look of pain on her face.
“Nikol?!”
The snap of Vizen’s voice had Nikol slowly turning his head in his direction. Vizen flinched and stepped back. “Do you forget yourself, Vizen?”
Vizen had the grace to flush as he stammered, “No. No, of course not. I only want you to be fully pleased and the hour grows late.”
“Are you in a hurry?” Nikol asked, ignoring Taima’s panting breaths by the wall where she still slumped.
Vizen swallowed and shifted his glance over Nikol’s shoulder. “No. I am here at your disposal.”
“Remember that,” Nikol said in his chilliest tone. Outwardly he knew he appeared calm, but inside, his heart pounded in dread. Darcy needed him. He could easily kill Vizen right now. Taima, too, for that matter. His fingers clenched and unclenched as he sought a way to walk away without creating more suspicion regarding his feelings about Darcy.
“What is going on here, Niko?”
Nikol closed his eyes and sighed. This was not what he needed. In his current state, he was in no position to deal with Lothar. Vizen, on the other hand, couldn’t stop his smile from growing bigger. Taima finally straightened and pulled her shellam in place, then lowered her gloating silver eyes to the floor.
“Vizen?” Lothar asked as he drew alongside Nikol.
Vizen was eager to answer. “Nikol was just enjoying Taima even though the bacchul ended early.”
Lothar glanced at Taima, his gaze darkening with lust before turning to face Nikol. “Was there a problem with her performance? I have no problem correcting her if that is the case.”
A low cry came from Taima and Vizen’s skin took on an ashen appearance. Nikol let the moment draw out. If he answered too soon, Lothar wouldn’t believe him and would make it his mission to take Taima back to his bed for a night of violent sex sharing. Nikol didn’t wish that fate on anyone. Vizen, the coward, would let him.
Straightening to his full height, Nikol met his father’s stare. “No. She was fine.”
Disappointment flashed and was easily erased as Lothar’s mind moved beyond the moment. “Make sure to keep me abreast of whatever information Dain brings to you. No one attacks me near my home and escapes without repercussions. I’m not so blind I don�
��t see this for what is.”
An attack on Lothar’s power.
“As soon as Dain reports his findings, I’ll comm them to you,” Nikol agreed though he and Dain already had an idea of the responsible party.
They all dispersed in opposite directions. Nikol calmly headed toward his suite while inside, he was a knot of tangled emotions. He ignored Tseju and Garmon at the door and went straight into his kitse and his private alcove. A glance around the neatly made bed and quiet space confirmed it was empty. Darcy had not come to him. He battled the need to yell out his rage and turned to the alcove next to his.
The curtain was closed and he controlled himself enough not to rip it down as he eased it back. Facing the opposite wall, Darcy’s back stiffened upon his entrance but she didn’t turn around.
“Darcy.” He only managed to say her name as the events of the evening replayed themselves through his mind.
“Go away,” she said.
Her voice held a slight tremble. Nikol was quiet, absorbing that quivering tone and all it conveyed. His stomach soured. “What are you doing in here?”
He knew exactly what she was doing and it added to the disquiet building inside of him. He wished she would face him.
“What does it look like?!” she snapped, flipping her flaming hair over her shoulders.
The reminder was unnecessary but Nikol said it anyway. “You promised you would spend your nights in my bed.”
At last, she turned with a huff, blue eyes blasting with anger. “Really? Are you serious right now?”
His laughter was tinged with bitterness. Everything was hanging by a thread. Lothar, Brax. With all of that going on, he needed Darcy close to him. He needed to know she was protected. The only way he could do that and sleep was if she was beside him. “You have no idea how serious I am about you in my bed.”
Darcy marched toward him, grabbed his hand and held it up. Her lip curled and there was no missing the disgust on her face. “You haven’t even washed the stink of her from your fingers.”
She flung his hand away and turned back to pulling the pillows and sheets back so she could get in the bed. Nikol jammed his hands in his pants pockets.
Nikol's Surrender (A World Beyond, #10) Page 19