Taken for the Alien Prince (Exclusive Box Set) - Ruth Anne Scott

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© Copyright 2017 by Ruth Anne Scott - All rights reserved. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

Personal Note I just want to thank you so much for your interest in this trilogy. I originally wrote this as an exclusive short story for my readers but they loved it so much, I decided to turn it into an exclusive trilogy for my readers as a thank you! I would appreciate it if you find “Taken for the Alien Prince” and leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, or any of your favorite online bookstores where it’s available. I have also included the first book of my bestselling Uoria Mates Series for your enjoyment. Uoria Mates has been read by thousands of raving fans who keep asking for more and more books. Currently, the Uoria Mates has 30+ books with more on the way. Buckle up and let’s go on this sci-fi romance adventure!

“We lose ourselves in books, we find ourselves there, too.”

Book 1 – Taken for the Alien Prince Chapter One There was nothing but the wind in her lungs and the pounding of her feet against the ground. Layla knew nothing else. She could only remember running. She was barefoot and the ground beneath her feet was cold and damp, sending a chill through her body as she continued to force herself forward. Sticks and rocks occasionally dug into the soft flesh of the soles of her feet and low brush clawed at her face, tangling in her hair as if trying to stop her, but she wouldn’t slow down. Everything around her was hazy. The color seemed to have washed out of the world and left behind only shades of brown and rust and grey, creating shadows that appeared to sink down into oblivion. Layla felt like she was running through water, moving slowly no matter how hard she fought to go faster, and hearing nothing in ears that felt muted and filled with aching pressure. Chilling air whipped at her face and she felt the first few stinging raindrops of a storm cut at her skin. She couldn’t let it stop her, and she knew that even the most intense rain couldn’t distract her because she didn’t know the path that she was following. She didn't know where she was going or how she had gotten there, and as she ran, the trees seemed to blur and blend into one another, making it impossible for her to orient

herself. As she ran through the rain she struggled to remember how she had gotten to this place or why she was running. No matter how hard she thought, though, she couldn’t seem to pull those memories forward. It was as if everything that had been before her feet began to run had disappeared and all her mind knew was the time that she had spent fleeing through the damp and muted world. It could have been a matter of minutes or it could have been hours. There was nothing to tell her how long she had been running, or how far she had gone. Layla knew they were coming after her, though she didn’t know what they were or why they were chasing her. She could sense their heavy footsteps even in the thick, muting air and feel their presence getting closer. They seemed to be everywhere even though she couldn't see them as she ran. The oppressive feeling of them was getting more intense, but she had to keep running. She didn't know where she was running, but her feet wouldn't stop. Her mind and her fear wouldn't let them. She pushed herself harder and felt the impending energy of the footsteps chasing her lessen. For a moment, she thought she might be getting away, putting enough distance between herself and whatever was chasing her to prevent them from catching her. She might have a chance to get out of the woods and find her way back home – only, she couldn't

remember what home was or where she may be able to find it. All she could do was run. A cold, sharp breath invaded her lungs as she turned around a massive tree. The hard, choking pressure of a hand on her neck cut off the breath and she felt the ground beneath her feet disappear as the hand lifted her up. She could still see nothing around her, even whatever creature was now holding her. There was a moment of consuming terror and then the world around her turned to streaks of black and grey. Then there was nothing. **** Jiri's feet pounded into the ground, sinking into the damp earth and the carpet of undergrowth that seemed to reach up and grab at him as he moved across it, not wanting him to go forward, somehow knowing what he was thinking and the intentions that he had. He looked down, checking to make sure that he was actually moving. Even though he could feel each step tightening the muscles throughout his legs and the branches of the trees on either side of him brushing at his skin and hair as he past, he felt like he wasn't getting any further away. The lush green plants that grew across the forest floor slipped beneath him like a ribbon, disappearing behind him like he was pushing the world away with his feet as he ran, putting it

behind him as he kept his body moving as fast as he could. It proved to him that he was, in fact, moving forward, but he still felt like he was trapped in place, held where he stood so he was forced to experience what he didn’t want to, what he wished he could change. He could still hear his brothers in the distance. Their laughter and the thudding of their footsteps reverberated through him and ricocheted off the trees around him until it seemed like they were pressing in on him from all sides, crushing down on him painfully. Through it he could suddenly hear screaming. For a few seconds Jiri couldn't tell if the screams were actually happening or if the horrific sounds that were cutting through his heart were just the brutal constructions of his mind, and memories of years before came back in this moment to torment him. He tried to run harder, needing to get to them, needing to stop them. Each time he blinked, even during the brief moments that his eyes were closed, he could see what he knew was happening. He wished none of it was happening. He wished that he had been able to stop it, that his pleas hadn’t fallen on uncaring ears. But there was nothing that could be done. Even as the horror flowed through him, he could feel bitter anger seething just beneath the surface. Jiri forced himself to focus on that feeling. He preferred the darker, harder emotion of fury to

the feeling of unbalance and helplessness that he had been feeling since his brothers left the palace that afternoon. He couldn't believe what his family was doing to him. Though he had always known that they were vicious, cruel, and vindictive, he had hoped that they would be different for him. He hoped that they would have listened to him and not gone completely against everything that he felt, thought, and believed. The day had started so simply, so easily. There was truly nothing extraordinary when he woke in his chambers and came down to have breakfast with his brothers and his parents. Soon, though, they began to talk about his coming of age. Just the thought was enough to make Jiri’s stomach turn. As soon as his oldest brother mentioned it, he knew that they weren’t going to respect his wishes. He had no choice. They were going to force him to go through with the rituals that the traditions of his planet and his station dictated for him. They had tried to tell Jiri that what he wanted wasn’t realistic, that he needed to trust in the ways of his people and know that once he had taken his place and experienced what it was like to live as the other men in his family did, he would understand not just the necessity, but the luxury of it. Jiri had never been convinced. He didn't believe anything that his brothers said and he knew that they would never sway him. He hated what they did, especially this ritual. He didn't understand why they had to maintain the horrifying archaic practices of

their ancestors when there was no benefit, and there were so many other ways that they could live their lives. It was those thoughts, that resistance, though, that had brought him here, running through the woods, knowing that he couldn’t stop what was happening, but hoping that he could make it easier. After breakfast, they had started their day and his brother had asked him to take a walk with him. It was a strange request, one that he wouldn’t have thought twice about when they were younger, but that struck him as bizarre now after years of his relationships with his brothers degrading to the point of near-coldness. Despite his hesitation, he had gone along. He and Prez had walked through the spring morning bantering back and forth like they had when they were younger and the pressures of adulthood hadn’t parted them. Jiri had even laughed at his brother’s teasing, willing to go along with it as long as it was only jokes, almost as though the more that he laughed, the more that Prez would accept the prodding as a replacement for the ritual itself. Then they entered the clearing. In an instant, his brother’s true intentions were revealed and there was nothing that Jiri could do. He saw the woman standing in the center of the clearing, looking around herself in confusion. In that instant, he was watching everything that she had ever known drain away from her, replaced by this new reality that would be all she knew or

understood. He could see the flicker of the shadows around the edge of the clearing and knew his other brothers and some of the servants from the palace were gathering behind the trees, ready for the attack. Jiri felt hands grasp around his arms, pulling him backwards so that he couldn’t approach her. There was no hope, no chance, but he had to try. Run. His voice sliced through the silence of the clearing, seeming to shatter the bewilderment that was holding her in place. Run. The delicate woman, so beautiful and so familiar, took off from where she stood, disappearing into the thick trees that led away from the clearing and toward the edge of the lake. Jiri felt the hands around his arms shove him to the ground and then disappear as the brothers who held him began to run after her. Run. Around him the atmosphere was buzzing in his ears and his heart was pounding with fear. He had chosen this. He had made this happen. He took control of his body and climbed to his feet, finally pulling his mind out of the situation enough to run.

Chapter Two What could have been hours or days later, Layla became aware again. It didn’t come to her all at once, but gradually, as if waves were washing up over her and bringing her new wakefulness as they glided away. She kept her eyes closed as consciousness slowly rose through her body and she felt every part of her become awake and present again. Her muscles ached with the type of depth that came from intense exhaustion and long exposure to cold. It was the painful, nervous ache that made her afraid to move for fear of greater intensity, and yet desperate to get up and use her body to release the tension. The air around her, however, felt warm and damp, creating a clammy, sticky feeling on her skin. Layla was lying on her back and could feel something hard beneath her like a slab of stone. A tingling sensation flowed through her body and she tried to move her arms, only to find that they were lashed to the stone beneath her with rough lengths of rope. She tried to move her legs, but they were also secured to the stone beneath her. The rough texture of the rope was irritating against the skin of her wrists, but there was no sharp pain that might indicate that she had already strained against the ropes and cut into her skin. This meant that she had been incapacitated when she was placed on the slab and had remained that way until now.

Layla kept her eyes closed, terrified of what she might see if she opened them, and tried again to remember what happened before she was running through the woods. Just as it had been as she was weaving through the trees, no matter how hard she thought about it, Layla couldn't come up with anything except running. There was nothing before and nothing to inspire her to run. Her feet still felt chilled and stung from the forest floor, but she had no sense of how much time had passed since whatever had grabbed her and lifted her away. She knew that there was nothing left to do. Keeping her eyes closed wasn’t going to protect her from anything that was happening around her. If her encounter with the invisible force that had lifted her off the ground proved anything to her, it was that not being able to see something didn’t make that force any less dangerous. Taking a long breath to steel herself, Layla let her eyes slowly slide open. She lifted her head before she opened her eyes, wanting to see what was around her. As her eyelids opened, the first thing she saw was the horizon beyond what looked like a curved stone arch. It glowed a vibrant shade of green as what looked like a deeply purple sun melted out of sight. She looked above her and saw a low grey ceiling as if she was in a small room. Confusion joined the fear that pumped through her as she tried to process what could be happening to her and where she might be. Even though she

couldn’t remember anything that happened before she ran through the trees, nothing around her seemed familiar and she had the deep, gnawing sense in her belly that she had never been in this place before. Suddenly she was aware of a presence in the space with her. She could feel someone near her, but she couldn't turn her head enough to look. She wanted to speak, but couldn't bring any sounds forward. The feeling of the presence shifted and she felt someone walking around from behind her head to pause at her side. Layla felt her body start to tremble with fear. She didn’t know who this could be, and the vulnerability of being tied in place made her terrified of what could have been watching her. Just as she had known that keeping her eyes closed would not protect her from her reality, she knew that the only way that she would be able to have any semblance of control would be to face whatever stood beside her. Layla raised her eyes to look up at the being and felt her breath catch in her throat. The man standing beside her was startlingly beautiful and she felt so immediately drawn to him she briefly forgot her fear. He gazed down at her with eyes the color of honey. The flicker of a torch above his head and the glow from the sinking sun showed streaks of bright, clear blue through the shimmering, melting color. The man gazed down at her and ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek. There was nothing frightening or

intimidating about the touch, and she felt the sense that he was not the one responsible for her being tied to the stone slab. Not sure what was compelling her, Layla tilted her face slightly into the touch so that she could feel more of the warmth of his skin. She started to open her mouth to speak, but the man shook his head, bringing a finger to his lips to quiet her. Without a word, he backed away from the side of the slab and disappeared back around her head. A second later, the feeling of his presence in the space with her was gone. She lifted her head and saw that the sun was nearly down. Straining to see as much of it as she could, she watched as the purple dissolved into the vibrant green, blending into a single line of color before the sky went dark. Just as the last of the sunset disappeared, she heard footsteps approaching. She felt her heart lift slightly as she hoped it was the same man she had seen beside her. As the footsteps drew closer, though, the feeling of their presence seemed different. This was like the oppressive, terrifying feeling that had surrounded her as she was running through the woods and she immediately felt herself tense. Four men appeared on either side of her and her body shook so intensely she could feel the ropes burning her wrists and cutting into her ankles. None of the men spoke, but at the same moment they bent down and she felt herself rise into the air as they lifted the stone

slab beneath her and started carrying her out of the room and into the darkness of the night beyond.

Chapter Three Jiri pulled his robes up so that his feet wouldn’t tangle in them as he rushed up the path toward the palace. The feeling of the woman’s skin still tingled on his fingertips and he felt an even greater resolve. He pulled open the massive door and ran up the stone stairs toward his father’s private den. The palace around him was eerily silent, which told him that everyone had streamed obediently out and into the temple at the top of the hill, ready to participate in the ancient and revered ritual that came with his coming of age. This was a night that they all had been eagerly anticipating for many years, indeed since the moment of his birth, but all he could think about was ending it before it could even begin. He reached the door to his father’s den and paused. Though he wanted to burst through it and not waste a single second that could be precious for both the beautiful woman lying vulnerable in the cavern and for him, he couldn’t. Tradition and propriety dictated that he wait and knock on the door, announcing himself so that he could gain permission to enter. He rapped on the door in the expected rhythm and stood waiting. Jiri could feel the seconds slipping past him and the anxiety within him tightened and spiraled higher. Finally, he heard his father’s voice. “Yes?”

He spoke slowly, no urgency or motivation in the word. “Father, it’s Jiri. Can I speak to you?” “Yes, Jiri. You may enter.” Jiri opened the door and stepped into the dark room. It was filled with large, heavy pieces of furniture made of dark wood and stone, and a fire burned on the far wall, filling the space with the nearly choking smell of incense and smoke. The King sat in his huge black chair staring into the dancing flames. His back was to Jiri and he made no move to look at his son as he entered. “Father, I need to talk to you about tonight.” “You really should be getting ready, shouldn’t you?” he asked. “The ritual will be beginning shortly.” “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Father. I want to make another plea for you to release me and allow me to forego this ritual.” “It is tradition, Jiri,” he said. “You have come of age, and it is time for you to take your place as Prince.” “I understand that, Father, but I don’t understand why that requires this. Can I not lead without it?” Finally, the King turned toward Jiri. His face registered no emotion and Jiri knew that his words weren’t getting through to his father. “How can you say that you don’t want a nurturer?” he asked. “You have never experienced having one. It is the way

of the royals, Jiri. The men have needs that must be fulfilled, and those are fulfilled by their nurturer.” “But must it be this way?” “There is no other way, Jiri. This is the way that it has always been, and the way that it will always be. You will learn. It will come. Once you have undergone the ritual, you will understand that this is how it should be. You can’t think of her as anything but your nurturer. Remember, she knows nothing, and will know nothing. You are doing nothing wrong.” Jiri backed up a few steps. He hated the words that were coming out of his father’s mouth, and now he knew that there was absolutely nothing that he could do. There was no more chance, no more hope. There was nothing left but to go through with what was expected of him. **** Layla watched as the sky moved past over her head, seeming to unfurl like a roll of velvet as the men carried her through the night air to a distant destination that she didn’t know. She wouldn’t close her eyes. There was fear inside of her that told her that these could be the last moments that she would ever live and she refused not to let herself experience every one of those moments for everything that they could hold for her. She wanted to watch the sky for as long as she

could, to see the beauty in it and find something close to reassurance in it. The men had lifted her above their heads like she weighed nothing despite the massive piece of stone and were carrying her smoothly almost as though she were floating through the air. Now that she was out of the small, tight room with the torches the air felt cooler and she drew in a breath she hoped would calm her. She needed to get her mind together, to put herself back in control of whatever was happening. She couldn’t just give up. She couldn’t just offer herself over to these men and to whatever they had planned for her. Her life, her existence, even if she couldn’t remember anything about it beyond running through the woods, was worth more than that. That meant that she needed to clear her mind, sharpen it, and be aware of every little thing that was happening around her so that she could use it in any way possible. If she had any chance of escaping, the only way she would make it happen would be to stay calm and think clearly. Yet again, Layla searched her mind for anything that would help her, anything that would tell her how she might have gotten to this place, trapped at the mercy of these men. Then she forced her mind away from that so that she could focus rather on what might happen if she was able to get away from them. She tried to imagine how she may be able to get away from these men and where she would go if she did.

All that came to mind, however, was the slow-motion repeat of her running through the woods through a washed-out colored world that seemed further and further away with each step the men took. There was no memory of anything beyond the woods, nothing to give her an idea as to where she would find security, safety, and comfort beyond their grip. She knew that if she did have the opportunity to escape, it would be blind and helpless, and she would have to decide what to do in the moment. Suddenly Layla felt the slab of stone tilt and she seemed to get higher. The sky above her slanted and ahead she was able to see the hint of the darker horizon in the distance. She realized that the men were climbing a set of steps and when she turned her head as far as she was able, she could see that they were moving up into an ancient-looking stone building. The hall they carried her down was lined with torches contained within bright metal cages and featured thick tapestries in shades of green and black. She stared at the tapestries, trying to figure out what they depicted in hopes that they could give her some information that might tell her where she was or who had taken her captive. As they passed, though, Layla quickly realized that she couldn’t catch enough of the details to tell what they contained, and by the time they reached the end of the hallway, she had given up attempting to decipher them and lowered her head back down on the

stone slab to ease the tension and pain forming in the back of her neck from trying to hold her head up while not being able to move her arms or legs. The sound of a heavy door opening filled her ears and she watched as a tremendous doorframe passed overhead. She hated the sensation of moving backwards, not knowing what they were approaching until it passed. Her captors had carried her into a sprawling room so vibrantly bright after the muted light of the corridor that it hurt her eyes. Layla closed them, squeezing them as tightly as she could until the burning stopped and she no longer saw the pinpricks of color dancing on the backs of her eyelids. It was another injustice, stealing moments from her and putting her even more at the mercy of those around her. When she opened them again she realized that the room was not bright simply because there was more light in it than there had been in the corridor or in the small room where she had woken up. Instead, it seemed intensely bright because it was completely lined with mirrors that took the light and threw it back, amplifying it as it swelled within the space. Now that her eyes had gotten accustomed to the refracted light, Layla was able to look up and see that the ceiling reflected the floor and the walls, creating a never-ending series of reflections that was dizzying in its depth. From the reflection above her, she could see that the men carrying her were all dressed identically in

hooded green cloaks nearly the color of the sunset she had seen when she awoke. Black gloves covered their hands and the hoods concealed their faces so that she was not even able to determine their age. She only assumed they were men because of their size and strength. Either side of them was flanked with people, rows of similarly-dressed figures that stood absolutely still, watching as the men carried her along the aisle that they created. They ascended another short set of stairs and in the reflection above, Layla could see an elevated table that looked almost like an altar in the center of the platform where they now stood. She felt the men lower the slab of stone to the table and she turned her head to see the men stepping back away from her. A moment later she felt the presence from the cavern flow over her again.

Chapter Four Jiri’s stomach was in knots as he stepped up to the side of the stone slab again and stared down at Layla. So delicate and beautiful, she looked helpless and frightened tied to the stone and he wanted to tear the ropes away from her wrists and ankles. She turned to look at him and he saw the look on her face soften slightly. He remembered the way that she had turned into his touch in the cavern and wondered what had caused her to do that. He hadn’t known why he had felt the compulsion to touch her that way, but it was even stranger that she had seemed to welcome the touch. This was not the way that the ritual was meant to begin. He had witnessed each of his brothers go through this process and he knew that none of them felt any sort of tenderness toward the women that they had selected to be their nurturers. That wasn’t the purpose of them. They chose women based on their own personal tastes with thoughts only of themselves and what those women could do for them. There was no consideration for the women or what they might feel or experience. There was no expectation for anything more than the nurturer fulfilling every whim of their prince. No expectation for her to be the only one. As Jiri looked down at Layla, that name still foreign on his tongue even after he had learned it while watching her on Earth before formally choosing her, he couldn’t help but think

of all the other women who he had seen lying there like that as they awaited the ritual that would transfer them officially into the ownership and control of the prince who chose them. He knew that if he was to encounter the nurturers of his brothers, he wouldn’t see any of those faces. They had been long-since replaced, the original women never seen again. That was never encountered with any suspicion or ill thoughts. Instead, it was considered simply part of the role of prince. They would enjoy this life until one of them was selected as King. Then they had the expectation of marrying and siring the next generation of princes. There was never a royal daughter, never a princess, and so no need to have any sort of precedent for how she would behave. His father stepped up beside him and Jiri saw Layla’s eyes cloud. The King raised his hands up in the direction of the crowd that had gathered to witness the ritual. “We are here tonight to celebrate the coming of age for my youngest son. Jiri has chosen his nurturer and we will witness as he claims her, transferring her permanently into a life of service. From this night forth, Jiri has the full responsibility of his station and it will be the duty of this woman to ensure that he is able to fulfill those responsibilities. Jiri?” His name carried a tone of expectation, and Jiri knew that the moment had come. He looked down at Layla and a thought flashed through his mind. He reached into his pocket

for the stone that had been hanging heavily in it throughout the day. His fingers wrapped around it, but as he drew it out of his pocket, he let it tumble out onto the floor. There was a slight gasp through the crowd, but it quickly silenced. Any indication of disrespect or questioning of any member of the royal family would never be acceptable, and everyone on the planet feared how the King or his sons would react. Bending down to pick up the stone, Jiri tucked his mouth close to Layla’s ear. “Just relax,” he whispered. “It will only hurt for a moment. I will only do what I must.” He could feel her body tense. “Relax,” he whispered again. “It will be easier.” Grabbing the stone from the floor, he straightened again and looked out over the crowd. They were watching him with rapt attention, ready for the ritual that they had been anticipating since his birth. It was deeply symbolic, carrying far more meaning than Jiri could ever comprehend. He didn’t understand why the inhabitants of the planet would be so interested in this one moment in his life, in the shift that didn’t truly change him, but brought the woman in front of him from a life of her own to a life of enslavement. Jiri took the stone into his fingers and rested it just beneath the soft dip between her collarbones. In one swift movement, he pressed it down, feeling it sink through her skin and embed itself in her body so that it sparkled like a pendant in her chest.

Her scream cut through him, reminding him of running through the woods and how hard he had tried to save her. It had been useless. There was no way that he was going to be able to get to her and send her home before the rest of his brothers and the servants that they had brought along with him were able to. It was futile, but he had run anyway. He needed to feel like he had done something, that he wasn’t just letting himself get dragged into the life that he didn’t want without some resistance. Even if he had managed to get her away, there would have been another. Without him choosing her, his father would have selected a woman for him. It was controlled by the King and without release from the King, Jiri had no choice. The stone changed from a bright, vibrant purple to a soft yellow. The ritual complete, Jiri stepped back from the altar. In front of him he could see the crowd cheering, but he couldn’t hear them. He could hear nothing but his own heavy breaths and the reverberation of her scream. **** Layla kept her eyes squeezed closed against the pain even as it faded and she was only aware of the dull throb of something strange in her skin. She didn’t know what to think. She had felt so calmed by the presence of the beautiful man and he had reassured her that he would be careful with her, yet he was the one who had caused her the intense pain that

she had just experienced. Around her she could hear the people filling the room leaving. Footsteps marked the men stepping off the platform and walking away, and for a few moments Layla was left in silence before lighter footsteps caused her to open her eyes. Smaller figures in hooded purple robes approached and she felt the ropes at her wrists and ankles loosen, then soft hands come to her arms and gently lead her up to a sitting position. For a moment, her head swam and she wondered again how long she had been lying there. "Come with us," a sweet, almost musical-sounding voice said. Layla felt like she had no choice. She knew that she should run, but the compulsion was tempered by the realization that she truly had nowhere to go. Even the thought of making decisions as she went was impractical. She wouldn’t be able to get out of the building or beyond its grasp quickly enough to prevent those with the advantage of knowing where they were from taking her into their possession again, and the thought of how they might treat her after she attempted to escape was sobering. She knew that until she had some concept of where she was or how far she had come, she wouldn't be able to escape. It would be better to go along with what they wanted, if with guarded compliance, and bide her time until she found the right means of escape. She allowed the smaller figures, who she assumed to be women, to guide her away from the stone

slab and across the mirrored floor toward a platform at the far end of the room. They walked up a steep set of stairs and she saw a deep tub cut into the center of the platform. "What is this?" she was finally able to force past the tightness in her throat. "We must prepare you for Jiri," the same voice that had beckoned her to follow told her. "I don't understand," Layla said. The figures eased their hoods off and Layla saw that they were all indeed women. Young, softly beautiful women all wearing the same braids in their hair and calm, complacent looks on their faces. The one who had spoken to her reached forward and started to push the cardigan off Layla's shoulders. Layla hesitated and saw a smile come to the woman's lips. "Do not be afraid of us. We won't hurt you." The way she said it made Layla feel even more nervous, but she relaxed the tension in her shoulders so that the woman could pull off her cardigan. She let the women undress her and for the first time she noticed that her clothing had tears and streaks of dried mud. She tried again to think back on how she got to that place, but she could only remember running. There was nothing beyond the woods and the rhythm of her feet on the ground.

Once they had removed all of her clothing, one of the women took Layla’s hand and carefully led her to step down into the tub. The water felt so hot it almost stung her skin, but the sensation was a soothing distraction from the chill of the night outside and the uncomfortable feeling of the confusion and fear that continued to trickle along her spine. She climbed down a series of steps deeper into the water and then crossed the tub so that she could sit on a low bench across from the steps. She brought her fingers up to touch what the man had forced into her skin and felt something smooth and hard rising up slightly from her chest. It didn’t hurt any longer, but it was still an uncomfortable and unnerving sensation. One of the women picked up a bowl and poured the contents into the water, immediately changing the shade of the bath to a light pink that seemed to shimmer with touches of gold. A velvety, sultry scent touched her nose and she took a deep breath to fill her lungs with it. Her head swam slightly with the effect and she felt her body starting to relax into the hot water. Another of the women picked up what looked like a complex pitcher, used one hand to carefully tilt Layla's head back, and poured more water back over her hair. This seemed to be some kind of beginning for the other women, who started moving around her, picking up bottles and vessels, and bathing her quietly. Their tenderness lulled her and she found the fear that she had felt toward the men easing. It seemed if there was

anyone that she would be able to trust, if even only slightly, it would be these gentle, somewhat distant women. She let them lift her arms to wash them as the woman with the pitcher cleansed her hair. After several minutes, she felt brave enough to speak again. "Who is Jiri?" The first woman smiled at her again and it struck Layla that there seemed to be no depth in this woman’s eyes. It was as if she was only looking at a thin layer of green glass with nothing behind it, as though any life that had once existed within her had been drained away and she was now only interacting with the shell of what had been. "He is the youngest prince." She said it as though it was simple, common knowledge that Layla must have just let drift out of her mind. "The youngest prince? Of where?" Layla asked. "Of this planet." The answers were so vague and delivered with such soft, unassuming tones that they sounded almost like riddles. It was starting to make her feel frustrated and angry. "What do you mean this planet?" Just as the words came out of her mouth, Layla noticed that the sleeve of one of the women's robes had lifted away from her wrist as she poured water over Layla's shoulder, revealing what looked like large glowing gems embedded in

the flesh of the inside of her lower arm. Layla grabbed her wrist before she could move her hand away and turned the woman's arm over so that she could look at the gems more closely. "What are these?" she asked. She saw the women exchange glances. There were questions in the glances, as if they were trying to determine how much they should tell her. "Do you know where you are?" the woman finally asked as she turned back to her. "No,” Layla told her. “I can't even remember where I was before I was brought here." The women looked at each other again and Layla could see something in their glances that told her that something had happened that was even more serious than she had originally thought. "Should we tell her?" one of the women asked. "Tell me what?" Layla demanded, "Who are you? Where are we? What has happened?" The questions poured out of her in rapid-fire succession and she felt like she was screaming in contrast to the consistent, even quiet of the women. She was starting to lift herself up out of the water, but the woman reached forward and touched her hand to Layla’s shoulder, carefully but firmly guiding her

back down to sit. There were a few more seconds of silent tension before the woman spoke to her again. "You are in the arms of Cassiopeia."

Chapter Five Layla stared at the woman, waiting for her to say more, but she didn't continue. "Cassiopeia?" Layla asked, her voice quieting, "Like the constellation?" The woman nodded. "The constellation, yes." "I don't understand." "People of Earth think that they understand everything about what they see through their telescopes. In reality, there are whole worlds that they look right at and never actually see. This is one of them." Layla tried to process what the woman had just said to her. Her mind was spinning and she was having difficulty making her thoughts cohesive. It wasn't until the woman grasped her hand and gently pulled it off her arm that she realized she was still gripping it tightly. "These are star stones. Their size and shape correspond with the patterns of the stars the day we are born and throughout our lives they show our thoughts, emotions, and needs." “Is that what this is?” Layla asked, indicating the stone that the man she now assumed was Jiri had put in her skin.

“It is,” the woman said, “but it is different. That is the stone that binds you to Jiri. It is your permanent connection to him that marks you as his nurturer and ensures that he will always be able to find you, no matter where you are. You are unique. We are accustomed to the stones since we have most of them from birth. You, though, are the first human to ever bear one.” "Who are you?" Layla asked, her voice falling to a whisper. The thought that she was the first human to come to this planet, or at least to be chosen into the position that she now apparently held, did not make her feel special and was not reassuring. Instead, it made her feel more isolated and alone. Before when she thought about escaping she never would have thought that it would mean that she would be stranded on an unknown planet with no way of getting back to Earth. "My name is Sylan. And you are Layla?" "Yes." Layla was startled that the woman had said her name so casually, as if it was not unusual that she knew it, "How did you know that?" Sylan smiled and reached for another small vessel on a table beside the tub. "Jiri chose you," she said, tipping the vessel to pour another sweet-smelling liquid into the bath. “We’ve known your name for some time now.”

Layla watched as the liquid swirled through the pink water, adding ribbons of lavender and soft silver sparkles. She looked up at Sylan quizzically. "He chose me?" she asked. "Yes. You must be very special. I have never heard of a prince choosing a human woman before." Layla paused before she asked her next question. She felt that the answer could be something that would change her life, and after she heard it she would never be able to go back to before she had. Finally, she took a breath. "What did he choose me for?" "The princes are warriors and they need special care. We care for them when they return from official duties or from battle. When they are home, we tend to their needs and ensure that they are comfortable.” "Each of you takes care of a prince?” Layla asked, looking at the other women as they continued to move around the tub. "Yes. Each prince is given a nurturer of his choice when he comes of age. As the youngest, Jiri was the last of the princes to choose his nurturer." "How did he choose me?" She wanted to say if we are from different planets but she was already having a difficult enough time comprehending that she not just be kidnapped, but kidnapped by a species

that had brought her away from her planet to one that she didn't even know existed. Saying it would have forced her to acknowledge it, and she was not yet prepared to do that. "He's been watching you. Our men often visit your planet for recreation and when he was there on a recent visit, he saw you." "Where? What was I doing? How did he see me?” "I do not know," Sylan said, suddenly looking uncomfortable, "I have already told you more than I likely should have. We do not talk with the princes. It is not permitted. We are tasked to care for them, and that is all. I overheard Prez talking to his brothers one night when I was preparing his bath for him. I should not have listened." She looked suddenly terrified and Layla got a knot in her stomach. Sylan obviously feared the prince who she was tasked to nurture, and perhaps the others as well. That meant that Layla might need to be afraid of the man who had chosen her. The women had looked so calm and content when they first brought her here, but Layla wondered if that was because they weren't near the princes at that moment. "I won't tell anyone," she assured her and Layla saw Sylan give a shaky smile, "What do I do to…nurture him?" "Help him with his needs. Feed him, massage him, tend to him whenever he needs you. You will eventually learn to anticipate what he needs and wants before he asks for it. That

is a good thing. It is easier for the princes to never want for anything." "Come on," another of the women said, "Jiri has been expecting her. We do not want to keep him waiting." At that, the women began to move more quickly, finishing washing Layla's body and then helping her out of the tub to carefully dry her with soft, plush towels. They spent a few minutes styling her hair in the braids that the others wore and using soft powders and creams to apply color to her lips and eyes, and soften and lightly scent her skin. Finally, they dressed her in little more than lingerie and wrapped a purple robe like theirs around her. She was one of them now, a part of a people that she didn't know or understand, struggling to remember what she had left behind and terrified of what might await her in her future. She could only hope that she never lost what was in her that would keep the life in her eyes. When they deemed her ready, the women guided her back down the steps away from the tub and through the mirrored room to a door on the back wall. They wound their way through several corridors that seemed to dip down into the ground and then rise up higher as if they were following the layout of the ground. Finally, they reached a narrow set of stairs that led up to a small door in the ceiling. Sylan opened the door and gently guided Layla through it into a large round room. The rest of the women followed and they continued to

guide Layla along. When they got to a tall door in the far side of the room, Sylan opened it and gestured into a long, narrow white hallway. "This is Jiri's wing. We are not allowed to step in with you. He may be in any of the rooms, but they generally like the ones at the end of the hall the best. Find him and he will let you know what he needs. We must return to the wings of our own princes now. They have been without us for some time and will likely be in need of assistance. Layla's eyes drifted down to Sylan's arms and saw a faint red glow emanating from the cuffs of her sleeves. "What does the red light mean?" she asked. Sylan looked up at her and for the first time the woman's face looked sad. "Fear." Chapter Six Jiri brought the staff through the air in another hard arc, letting the exertion of his muscles act as the release of the emotions that he couldn’t put into words. Spinning around backwards, he pulled the weapon down and thrust it in a powerful hit ahead of him, imagining burying the end into the gut of an impending enemy. He let out a cry as he did it, immediately forcing the staff back in the opposite direction to assault another imaginary opponent.

By the time that he was finished with his drills, sweat was pouring down Jiri’s face and he could feel the slickness of his skin. He was shaking with the exertion, but the exhaustion was welcome, helping to distract him from the feelings that he had been experiencing since walking out of the temple flanked by his brothers and led by his father. They all congratulated him and welcomed him into the mysterious, private fold that he was now a part of by merit not just of his age, but now by him claiming Layla into his forced servitude. They were lighthearted, almost celebratory, yet none of them noticed him. None were looking into his eyes and seeing the darkness and pain that he was suffering. He didn’t want this, but none of them cared. They were convinced that this was the beginning. This was going to change all of the strange ways that Jiri differed from his family and finally bring them together. He would see. Soon he would understand and embrace this element of his destiny, of who he was meant to be. Jiri didn’t feel anything like celebrating. This wasn’t a day of happiness or joy for him, but he did know that they were right in one way. He had changed. It wasn’t in the way that they thought that he had changed, but they didn’t care. They couldn’t see it anyway. Dropping the staff into the case beside the door, Jiri left the training studio and headed for his bathing room. After a long shower, he dressed and stepped out into the rest of his

wing. He knew that soon Layla would arrive there and he would be expected to give her her first orders. What he did with her from now on was his to choose, but Jiri could think of nothing that he wanted from her. He walked into his favorite chamber, hoping to find calm and peace that would give him a chance to think through what was really happening and what he was going to do. **** Without another word, Sylan and the other women closed the door and left Layla alone in the quiet hallway. She felt a sense of panic building through her belly. Even the comfort and draw that she had felt toward the beautiful man she now understood was Jiri was not enough to reassure her. The danger that she was facing became even more evident with every passing moment and each step that she traveled further into Jiri’s wing of the palace. The white walls seemed to trap her, the door blending into the wall with no handle or knob on her side to allow her a way out. All that was left to do was make her way down the hallway and hope that she could find some other means of exit. Layla walked cautiously down the hallway, walking directly toward the room at the end that Sylan had said was the favorite of the other princes. She didn't particularly want to

know what lay in the other rooms. If she could find a way, she would be escaping from that building and from the aliens that held her as soon as possible. Suddenly the same devastating thought that she had realized when she first considered attempting an escape sent a chill through her and made her stomach turn. Even if she was able to find a way to escape, she was on another planet light years from Earth and that other humans didn't even know existed. She had no idea how she would be able to find her way or even ask for help. Sylan had said that Jiri was one of the princes of the entire planet, and that each of them had nurturers. By the emptiness and fear that they showed, it was clear to Layla that these women had been forced into their role much the same way that she had, and that the princes that they served didn’t strive to see to their comfort or happiness the way they expected the nurturers to see to theirs. It was unlikely that she would be able to find anyone willing to help someone who had been specifically chosen by such a powerful person. She continued walking until she reached the end of the hall and a door that faced her. Her hand rested on the golden lever in the center and she pressed the door open, revealing a room decorated in tranquil shades of blue, green, and white. It seemed a perfect continuation of the corridor, down to the elevated white table in the center. She was so engaged in looking around the room and taking in the flowing cloth along

the walls, cushions strewn across the floor, and glass shelves filled with bottles and containers that she didn’t even notice the man standing to one side. "Are you alright, Layla?" The sound of his voice startled her and she jumped slightly, turning toward it and stepping back. She felt her heart start pounding when she saw that it was the beautiful man who had stood by her side in the small room when she first woke up, and then again as she lay on the stone platform and embedded the stone in her chest. He stood nearly against the wall, his hands at his sides, and stared openly at her. After a few seconds, she nodded. "I'm fine." She didn’t know what else to say. She felt at once happy to see him and fearful, unwilling to complain about the stone in her skin but still drawn to him. "Were they kind to you?" he asked. A touch of frustration built inside her, and she struggled not to show it. No matter how lovely he was, Sylan had implied that these men were dangerous and not to be trusted. "They tied me down. They kidnapped me. I don't see that as very kind." "Did they hurt you?" She looked down at her wrists and saw that the skin was red and raw from where the ropes burned them and felt the

tingle on her legs that said her ankles likely had the same marks. The man stepped up to her and looked down at her wrists. "From the ropes," she said softly. He reached out and cupped one hand beneath her wrist, keeping it so that it only grazed her skin rather than really holding her arm. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding genuinely upset by the injuries. She lifted her eyes and he met them, the unusual color gleaming back at her and seeming to hold her in place. They stared at each other for a few moments before she spoke again. "Are you Jiri?" she asked. Though she already knew the answer, she needed the confirmation. She needed him to admit that he was the man who had brought her here, and who she was now bound to. He nodded, straightening his back as if just remembering his station. "Yes. Jiri, Prince of Cassiopeia." "You chose me." "Yes." "Why?" "Do you remember seeing me before?" he asked. She could feel the heat of his body coming through the space between them and she struggled to focus just on his

words, to remind herself that she had been captured and that this man was one of an apparently brutal family who not only condoned her enslavement, but arranged for it. "No," she answered, searching back through her mind, again struggling to remember anything before she was running along the cold floor of the unrecognizable forest, "I can't remember anything before I was taken." Her voice fell into a whisper as she realized the true extent of that statement. She really didn't remember anything. She knew her name and that she lived on Earth, but that was it. She couldn't remember her home, her family, her friends, anything. “Nothing at all?” he asked. “My name,” she told him. “That I came from Earth.” Layla noticed Jiri’s eyes slide down to the stone in her chest as if evaluating what it was telling him. "I saw you when you were on Earth,” he said. “I watched you living your life and couldn’t get you out of my mind.” Layla felt herself trembling slightly at his words, overcome by the reaction that this man caused in her. “I chose you very specifically because I have wanted you to be my nurturer since I first saw you." The sentiment reminded her truly of why she was there and the fluttering feeling in her belly drained away. She took a step back from him, breaking the slight tension that had begun to form between them.

"What do you need me to do for you?" she asked, keeping her voice as emotionless as possible. At least for now, this was her reality and if Sylan's reaction to knowing she may have offended the prince who she was tasked to care for was any indication of the tendencies of these men, she would be best served staying calm and going along with the situation until she could find her way out. Jiri looked at her and she saw his hands go to the front clasp of the long black robes he wore. He released it and the robe pooled to the floor at his feet, revealing him in only loose-fitting pants. Layla felt a moment of nervousness, not knowing his intention, but he didn’t make any move to release her robe or to even draw any closer to her. "My back is very tight. Rub it for me." His voice had also gone cold and she watched him walk past her and stretch out on the table in the middle of the room, his face turned to one side as he rested his head on a folded blanket on one end. Layla approached the side of the table and let her eyes travel down the length of his smooth, chiseled back. An inverted V of the star stones like those in Sylan's arms started in between his shoulder blades and stretched to the center of his back. They glowed a deep green, but she was afraid to ask him what that meant. In time, she would learn what they meant. In time, she prayed she would be far enough

away from this place that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to. She touched her hands cautiously to the backs of his shoulders and started to knead into the muscles. They felt hard and tense beneath her hands and she dug deeply into them, concentrating on putting all of her force into releasing the tension as she fought again to remember anything from her past. "There is oil on the shelf," Jiri said. Something about the sentence made her shiver slightly and she walked over to the shelf to find a small black bowl filled with shimmering clear liquid. She took the bowl back to the side of the table and dipped her fingers into it, letting the oil drizzle down onto his back. Setting the bowl on the table beside him, she returned her hands to his back. The oil let her hands slide more easily across his skin, enabling her to dig deeper so that she could feel the muscles beginning to relax beneath her touch. As she continued to massage him, Layla realized that she was no longer afraid. Jiri had the same calming effect on her now that he had earlier and she found herself focused more on the feeling of his skin than worrying about what was going on. She didn't know how much time passed before he suddenly pushed back on his hands and swung himself off of the table.

"Thank you," he said. He reached down, picked up his robe, and slipped it back on. "Your room is the one to the left before you get to this door. Sleep well." With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

Chapter Seven Layla was somewhat shocked by Jiri's sudden departure from the room. She had anticipated something more, though she wasn't sure what. The other women had prepared her so extensively and warned her so carefully, yet all the prince had asked of her was to massage his back. She walked out of the room and back into the hallway. Jiri was nowhere around and the corridor was just as silent as it had been when she first walked down it. Remembering what he had said about her room, she stepped up to the door and opened it. The room inside was as peaceful as the one before, though with less white and more of the gentle green shade of the fabric that hung on the walls. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The room seemed to be a series of platforms positioned around a sunken floor. One platform held a large, deep cushion she assumed was a bed, another held a table and two chairs, a third held a collection of chests, and the fourth looked empty. She climbed the steps to that platform and saw that it had a deep tub similar to the one she had bathed in earlier in the evening. As she wiped the oil from her hands onto one of the towels stacked beside the tub, she heard muffled voices. Layla looked around nervously, but didn't see anyone. The voices continued and she walked toward them, finding that they

seemed to be coming from the other side of the far wall. She flattened her palm to the wall and felt it move. Applying more pressure, she pushed the section of the wall aside and revealed a tiny, dark chamber. Sylan and the other women were inside, crowded around a low table. They all looked at her sharply as she entered. "Are you alright?" Sylan asked. Layla nodded and stepped toward them. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" The women looked at each other again and she saw looks of terror on their faces. "What was Jiri like?" one asked in a whisper. "Haven't you met him?" Layla asked, lowering herself to her knees beside the other women. "No," Sylan said, "He has always been extremely private, and as the youngest prince he has not yet been a part of the formal activities of the palace. All we know of him is what we have overheard from the other brothers." "He asked me if I had been treated kindly, he had me massage his back, and then he thanked me and left. That's all." "He thanked you?" one asked, sounding suspicious. "Yes. It actually happened fairly quickly. I was expecting…more. I didn't really feel like I did much. Is that strange?"

Three of the women shuddered and Sylan looked at Layla, resting a hand on her arm. "Let me just tell you that none of us are the original nurturer for any of the brothers. The princes are not known for treating women gently." **** Jiri kept his back to the door for several minutes after he heard it close and knew Layla had gone into the chamber that was waiting for her. He was struggling to cope with the feelings that were running through him. She was so incredibly beautiful, even more so now that he could be close to her, than she even was when he watched her on Earth. When he had been on her planet enjoying the favorite recreation of the princes, he had watched as his brothers ravaged their way through the women that they encountered. As usual, he was at a distance from these activities. He couldn’t bring himself to participate the way that they did, and even if he had had the compulsion, none of the women that they met during their long nights there caught his attention. Then he saw Layla. She was so different from the rest. He couldn’t put it properly into words then and even now after he had had time to think through it, Jiri couldn’t specifically say what had set her apart so drastically. She was beautiful. That was evident. But they had crossed paths with plenty of

attractive women during each of their jaunts to Earth and never had he felt that draw to them. The night that he had left the side of his brothers, tired of their antics and wanting some time to himself, he had wandered into a bar that he had seen several times before but hadn’t entered. Something that night told him to step inside and almost as soon as he did, he had seen her. He didn’t know her name then or why she was there, but the moment that he saw Layla sitting alone, Jiri felt something within him that he never had. It was as though the room around her had stopped and faded away, leaving only her in focus. He could see nothing around them, but she was in clear, sharp detail that ensured he would remember everything about her when he had to leave. He had longed to speak to her. The fact that she was alone seemed to give him the opportunity to approach her, yet he couldn’t bring himself to. After several minutes of him watching her quietly, she had turned to look at him and he knew that nothing would ever be the same. Their eyes locked and he felt like she was looking deep into him. He wondered what she saw, what she experienced when she stared into his soul. Though that moment made him even more desperate to go to her, it also seemed to prevent him from moving. Coming from a planet where he was taught that women beyond the one arranged to be his wife were disposable and had only the purpose of serving their needs

once they came of age, it was hard for Jiri to reconcile what he was feeling toward this intriguing woman and the role that he was expected to play on his own planet. After he left the bar that night, Jiri couldn’t get her out of his mind. He knew that he had to see her again. It took time, but he was able to find her and learn the pattern of her life, allowing him to locate her when they visited Earth again. Each time that they did, he watched her. He learned her name. He saw her laugh. He watched tears slip down her cheeks. All the while, he remained at a distance, not wanting her to notice his sudden presence in her life. She could never be what he wanted her to be. He didn’t even know if he was capable of experiencing what he wanted to. It hadn’t escaped his consciousness that the time of his coming of age was approaching quickly and that claiming her as his nurturer would be the ideal way to ensure that he could be with her at all times. It was that very thought, though, that forced him to keep her further away from him. He detested the tradition of the nurturers, even more now that he felt what he did for Layla. The thought of her going through what any of the women under his brothers’ command suffered was unbearable. Too soon, though, Prez had noticed that the youngest brother had stopped spending time with them during their journeys to Earth, and instead was wandering off on his own. One night he followed Jiri and discovered his fascination with

Layla. From that night Jiri was forced to declare that he had chosen Layla to be his nurturer. There was no other option, as painful as it was for him. Denying her would make her vulnerable to the lusts of his brothers. Admitting any other feelings for her would both leave her vulnerable and put him at risk of the wrath of his father. As horrifying as the thought was, claiming her as his nurturer was the only way that he could protect her. Before the night of the ritual he had hoped that he would be able to convince his father to release him of the burden of his responsibilities. He knew that he would be giving up the power that he had over the planet and the possibility of eventually being named King, but it would also free him from having to take Layla and force her into the life of service in his wing. There had been no convincing his father. The King wouldn’t even entertain the idea of releasing his son and had lectured him on the duty he had to his bloodline. He was born a Prince of Cassiopeia. That instilled him with unique qualities that put him above anyone else, including the human woman who had taken over his thoughts. Women were conniving, the King had told Jiri. They would do whatever they could to take power from a man, especially one with the special qualities of the prince. Taking her into the palace as his nurturer wasn’t the cruelty that he perceived, the King had told Jiri. He wasn’t truly taking her from her life because as soon as she arrived on the

planet, the life that she lived before would fade, and when he embedded the stone in her chest, it would remove all of her memories, her sense of self. She would be nothing but a body, and that was exactly the way that they liked them. He was doing nothing wrong. Now that he had had his first encounter with her, Jiri didn’t know if he had made the right choice. He controlled the power that the stone contained, and he had purposely chosen not to fully remove all of her memories when he embedded it. Instead, he had allowed them to remain locked away, inaccessible to her, but still there. That meant that the stone didn’t have the same level of power that it should, but it also meant that she had maintained some degree of her humanity. It had felt like what he should do when he was staring down at her in the temple, but now he wasn’t sure. Just having her in the room with him had reminded him of the power that he had, and gave him a glimpse of what his brothers and father had always glorified. If she wasn’t his nurturer, she would be nothing. He would no longer be able to follow her, to watch her. She would be gone. Keeping her in his service ensured that she belonged to him and that he would never be forced to be without her. As long as he wanted her, she was linked to him and he would be able to find her. At the same moment though…was that truly what he wanted?

Chapter Eight Sylan's words continued to reverberate through Layla's mind after she left the small chamber, which she discovered was attached to the rooms of each of the other women as well as hers, and stretched out on the elevated bed that first night. They were still there a week later when she stepped into the white room and saw Jiri easing out of his robe as he had every day since she had arrived. She had not seen Sylan or any of the other women since that first night and she was beginning to worry about them. The rapport that she felt was growing between her and Jiri was strong enough that she felt she could speak to him. "Do you know where the other women are?" she asked as she massaged his back. She had become accustomed to this process and her hands moved across his muscles confidently and easily, and her eyes fell on the star stones that had once been foreign and now seemed familiar. The gems embedded in his skin changed from their usual deep green to blue. "No. They are the responsibility of my brothers." His voice was gruff, but she still didn't feel afraid. Over the days she had spent with Jiri she had found herself feeling more and more drawn to him. So beautiful, she still felt her breath catch each time she saw him, he was also quiet and gentle,

never showing any form of aggression toward her. Her hands slid over his shoulders, gliding easily with the oil on his skin, and she saw the gems change back to green. She wanted to know what they meant, but she still couldn't bring herself to ask. It still felt too personal and she worried about stretching too far and breaking what ease they did have between them, possibly tumbling them into the same type of relationship that Sylan and the other women had with the princes who held them. After a few more seconds of massaging him, Layla brought herself to ask another question that had been burning on the tip of her tongue. "Why can't I remember anything from before I came here?" she asked. Jiri sat up sharply, causing Layla to step back. For a moment she was afraid, but then she saw that his face didn't look angry, but conflicted, as if she had given voice to something he had been thinking about but hadn't wanted to say. He stared into her eyes, the caramel color of his warm and flowing, as if it moved subtly like fluid. Part of her wanted to say something, anything, to change the subject and pretend that she hadn’t been so bold. But then she felt herself disappearing. It was a sensation that she had felt several times since her first day of arrival and one that she fought vehemently. She wouldn’t become one of those women. She wouldn’t let herself die and yet keep living on. She needed to push, to continue to

honor what little of herself she still felt connected to and could remember. "You were brought here for me,” he finally said. “When you traveled through the stars of Cassiopeia, your memories faded.” “That makes no sense,” Layla said. “Cassiopeia is a constellation. It is just stars. There are no planets in it.” “There aren’t?” Jiri asked. Those two simple words made Layla feel off-balance and unsure. She didn’t know why she was so adamant and started to wonder if what she had said was true. “No,” she said, compelled to stay true to the words that came out of her mouth, feeling as though they were glimpses of her truth, even if she couldn’t recall what gave her those thoughts and beliefs. “Just because you don’t understand something, doesn’t mean that it isn’t true, and just because you haven’t seen it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.” Layla took a hesitant step toward him. “But my memories,” she said, broaching the sensitive subject again. “Why? If I am already going to be here on a distant planet that gives me no way of knowing how to get back to my own planet, why take away my memories, too?” “According to tradition, that means your full devotion belongs only to me and to nothing else. Memories are a form of

devotion. If you are permitted to remember what lies in your past, you will not be focused purely on me." He said it as if they were words he had rehearsed, not necessarily ones he believed. As he said them, she felt her heart flutter. "Tell me when I saw you the first time," she said softly. Jiri brushed his hand down over her eyes so that she would close them and she felt his mouth come close to her ear. At the same time, his other hand came to her robe and moved it open just enough that she felt him touch his fingertips to the stone in her chest. He started to speak, but she couldn't decipher the words. Instead as he spoke her mind cleared and images began to appear. She felt herself taken out of the moment and into one from some other time, as if she had dropped into herself in another place. She looked around and saw that she was in a dark bar, vibrantly colored lights splashing around her as she sat on a bar stool and looked out over the dance floor. The place felt familiar and her mind was calm. A surge of memory flowed through her. She remembered that night. It was meant to be a celebration for a friend's graduate school graduation, but she had sat alone at the bar for more than an hour waiting. Layla was at once in that moment in the bar and aware that she was somehow still with Jiri in the cool white room. The reality of both made her feel safe, but she couldn't quite understand why. That was when Jiri

appeared. Movement in the corner of her eye made her turn. She saw Jiri approach the opposite side of the bar and sit on one of the stools. He turned and their eyes met. They had gazed at each other for what felt like hours and her mind and body were immediately drawn to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but the images around her dissolved and when she opened her eyes, she was back in the white room. "I have the ability to take your memories, but I cannot change them," he said quietly, "You never spoke to me that night.” “You didn’t speak to me, either.” “There didn’t look like there was anyone there with you, but I didn’t know if you might be waiting for someone. I thought that if you were actually alone, you would approach me.” "I wanted to." "But your friends arrived." "And when I looked back up, you were gone." "I remembered you, though. I never stopped thinking about you. I went back to that bar many times, and I followed you. I was there with you when you didn’t know it. That is a very far way to travel to not ever speak to you." A smile curved his lips and Layla laughed softly. "I never stopped thinking about you, either."

“That’s why I chose you,” he said. “I wanted to have you close to me in the only way that I could.” A recent memory flickered through Layla’s thoughts. “When I first came here, when you put this stone in my chest, you said that you would do only what you had to do. What did you mean by that?” Jiri tensed slightly and she saw more emotion in his eyes than she ever had. “The other women know nothing about themselves or where they came from. To them, they have only existed from the point of their ritual. They know only what they learn here in the palace, and at a whim, the prince they serve can take away even that. I didn’t do that to you. I couldn’t bear to.”

Chapter Nine They gazed at each other and Layla felt her heart starting to pound and her body trembling. Something was changing between them and it was palpable. This wasn’t a time for words. She could only express what she was thinking and feeling through the care that she gave him. Suddenly he turned and laid down on the table like he always did. Layla used her fingers to drip the oil from the bowl onto his back and began to massage him. She let her hands travel up over his shoulders and down his upper arms and then down his back onto his waist. After a few minutes, she felt emboldened and ran her finger over the gems embedded in his back. They had gone back to green and glowed more intensely than she had seen them glow before. Jiri's hips tightened slightly as she traced the edges of the gems. Layla walked around to the end of the table and reached up to dip her fingers into his waistband. He made a slight grunting sound, but didn't move, so Layla continued, drawing his lightweight pants down over his hips, further down his thighs, and then off. Jiri let out a long, slow breath and she reached for the bowl of oil. Dipping fingers into it, she let some of the slick, warmed liquid drip down onto his lower back, the strong, hard muscles of his ass, and the backs of his thighs.

Climbing onto the table, Layla got on her knees between Jiri's lower legs and reached forward to rub the oil into his skin. Her hands traveled down his back and over his hips, digging deeply into his muscles and she let herself enjoy the curves and planes of his body. As she ran her hands up his legs, she dipped them in to his inner thighs and inched her fingers up until their tips touched the warmth nestled between his legs. He moaned slightly and she pushed on his hip until he rolled over, finally revealing himself to her. Layla bit her bottom lip at the sight of his erection and flattened her hand on his rippled belly, reveling in the way it seemed to shake under her touch. She blew a gentle stream of air along his shaft and leaned forward to follow the air with her tongue, but he suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stop," he said. Her heart sank and she sat back on her heels. Embarrassment burned over her cheeks and she felt sickness roll through her stomach. She had misinterpreted everything that Jiri had said and now had given herself over to him only to be rejected. "What's wrong?" "I can't do this," he said, sitting up and reaching for a towel to cover himself, "I can't just keep you here when you don't have a choice."

Layla watched as Jiri rushed out of the room and away from her. Her heart ached. She didn’t know where this put them and if she had made a choice that would destroy everything that they had built between them in the short but meaningful time that she had been on the planet. **** Jiri felt like he couldn’t breathe. He placed his hands on the edge of his mattress and dragged the air into his chest, trying to force it into his lungs. His head was swimming and he seemed to not be able to get his thoughts under control. He never intended this to happen with Layla. He couldn’t let it happen. He knew that his brothers used their nurturers for everything that they desired, but that wasn’t the way that he wanted it to be with Layla. Touching her was something that he had craved since the first moment that he saw her and that he desired more with every moment that he was near her, but he couldn’t allow himself to. He wouldn’t use her like she was less than a living creature, like she was an object born only for his purposes. Though she now belonged to him as his station dictated, Jiri wouldn’t let himself forget that was not always the case. Even if she couldn’t remember it, she had once had an existence without him in it. She had a life that stretched from her birth to the moment that he saw her, and that would have continued on if he hadn’t. He couldn’t let himself disrespect

that just so that he could indulge the desires that he had for her. Suddenly his mind went clear and the trembling inside him calmed. He knew what he had to do and he no longer cared what or who might try to stand in his way. **** Layla had just finished tidying the room and was beginning to leave for her room when Jiri stalked back in. He had tied the towel around his hips and was looking at her intently. “I can’t let this happen,” he said. Layla felt her heart clench and any hesitation that she had been feeling melted away. “Why?” she asked. “You aren’t forcing me. You didn’t ask for anything. I am offering myself to you.” “I can’t let you,” Jiri responded. “I can’t accept that when you have no choice but to be here, when you are tied to this place and to me.” Layla felt a hint of a smile come to her lips and took a few steps closer to him. "I want to be here with you, Jiri. I've wanted you since the first time I saw you, and I know that because you just shared

that memory with me. I remember what it felt like to see you. I needed you then and I need you now." "You wanted me in that moment because you thought I was just another man sitting at the bar, someone who you might be able to date and bring to meet your friends and family. Someone who you might be able to have some fun with.” "I wanted you because the moment I saw you I knew that there was something special about you and that I wanted to be near you, to have you be a part of my life." "But now you know that that life isn't possible. I’m not of your kind, Layla." "I know that." "You don't remember anything about before the men captured you. How can you possibly know that you want to be with me now? Remember everything now and then you may make your decision. If you want to go, I will send you home." Before she could answer, Jiri leaned forward, touched his fingertips to her stone, and whispered in her ear again. The words immediately faded into obscurity as her mind went dark and she started experiencing rapid memories, scenes that flashed past her and reminded her of everyone and everything she left behind. She saw the friends who had met her in the bar the night she had seen Jiri, the ex-boyfriend who had broken her heart just weeks before, the parents she hadn't seen in two

years, and the brother who had died. She saw her home, the empty space that made her feel even lonelier when she walked it to it, and the job that always gave her the feeling of there being something else in the world, and from where she was the day that she had taken one step onto a path to take a walk and the next found herself walking out of a tiny ship and into the clearing on Jiri’s planet. The memories faded away just as she heard Jiri’s voice tell her to run and felt her feet start to pound into the ground. She felt breathless as she pulled out of the memories and back into consciousness. He had tried to show her reasons why she might want to go back to Earth, but he had actually given her all of the reasons why she shouldn't, starting with the way she felt each time she saw him. When the memories disappeared and she opened her eyes again, Jiri was gone. The room felt cold without him there and she immediately left to go into her room. She undressed in the middle of the room, letting her clothes fall to the floor before climbing the steps to the platform and stepping down into the sunken tub. Once she was sitting on the step, she turned the water on, allowing it to flow over her as it quickly filled the tub to her shoulders. Resting her head back against the side of the tub, she thought of Jiri and what he had said to her. He didn't want to hold her captive. Unlike his brothers, he didn't want a servant to fulfill his needs and wait on him. She had been there for such a

short time, but she felt like she was inextricably tied to Jiri now. Through the tender way he looked at her, the soft way he spoke to her, and the calm, strong presence he gave off, she had started to fall in love with him, and she knew now more than ever that she was never going to leave him behind. She wanted to continue to nurture and care for him. Not as his slave, but as his lover. Layla heard her door open and she knew that it was Jiri. None of the other women were permitted in his wing and she had yet to meet his brothers. She opened her eyes and watched him walk slowly toward her, the towel still wrapped around his waist from when they were in the white room. He climbed the stairs slowly, never taking his eyes off her. Finally, he reached the edge of the tub and knelt down, reaching into the tub to rest his hand on her arm and draw her toward him. As she climbed to her knees, he untucked the end of the towel and pulled the cloth away, revealing himself to her again. Layla moaned and he cupped his hand behind her head, burying his fingers in her hair so that he could draw her forward and push past her lips into her mouth.

Chapter Ten Layla whimpered as she finally tasted Jiri, drawing him deeply into her mouth so that she could savor every ridge and vein against her tongue. The water in the bath swirled around her breasts, teasing her nipples. She sucked him luxuriously and was rewarded with groans from deep in his chest. Jiri continued to hold her head, guiding her along his shaft until she could feel his tip touching her throat with each stroke. She opened her mouth further, allowing him to slip all the way in. Jiri held himself still in her throat for a few seconds before withdrawing completely and stepping down into the tub with her. Jiri walked across the tub and sat down on the bench, catching Layla's hand as he went so that he could draw her along with him. He took her hips and pulled her forward into his lap. Layla gave an unbridled sigh of fulfillment as he slipped into her, filling her so completely it was as though their bodies were crafted to be together. Once she was settled fully in his

lap, Jiri moved unhurriedly. Cradling her to him with one arm, he used the other hand to roll her hips against him. Each stroke massaged her intimately, pushing her closer to climax. His mouth dropped to one breast and she arched back to let him pull her nipple in between his lips so that he could swirl his tongue around the taut peak. He was nurturing her now, filling each of her needs in a way more intense than she could ever have imagined. Layla gasped as Jiri stood suddenly, using the same impossible strength the other men had to carry her, his body still buried deep within hers, across the room to the platform with her bed. There he laid her down gently and began to thrust into her, holding her eyes as he did. She cried out as the tip of his erection hit a place inside her so sensitive it immediately sent her crashing into a soul-shaking orgasm. He returned her cry and she felt him throb inside her. She met his pulses with contractions of her own, creating a sensation so powerful she felt tears coming to her eyes. Jiri lowered himself down beside her and drew Layla in against him so that their hot, sticky bodies tangled and she could nestle her head in the curve of his shoulder and neck. She touched a kiss to his neck and her eyes drifted closed. ****

Jiri's eyes opened slowly as consciousness gradually made its way back into his mind. He resisted it at first, not wanting to come out of the wonderful, deep sleep that had embraced him throughout the night. It had been so long since he had been able to sleep that deeply. Usually he tossed and turned throughout the night, struggling to fall asleep and then once he fell asleep, not being able to maintain his sleep for long enough to truly refresh him. Even when he did manage to fall asleep, he was plagued with disturbing dreams and nightmares that would cause him to jump out of his sleep feeling sick and uneasy even if he couldn’t remember what the dream was actually about. Now, though, sleep came quickly and completely. He sank into a deep and comfortable slumber within moments of closing his eyes and rested fully in that sleep throughout the entire night. Come morning, however, he was always resistant to open his eyes. He didn't want to let go of the peacefulness of those moments that happened just after consciousness returned but before he had opened his eyes and fully assimilated with the world around him. The difference was Layla and the warmth of her sweet, compliant body tucked close to his and the smell of her filling his nose with her last breaths before sleep and the first breaths of the morning. Jiri sighed and reached beside him to run his fingers down Layla's back.

When he felt nothing beneath his hand but the thick blanket, disappointment sank into his belly. This was not the first time that this had happened in the weeks since the first blissful time that he had made love to her. They would tumble into each other's arms, spent and sweating, Jiri often still cradled within her, and fall deeply asleep. He could turn over and kiss her back or run his hand along the curve of her body, but when Jiri awoke, Layla was gone. He would find her fulfilling her duties throughout the wing, preparing him breakfast or washing his clothing, and there would be a moment of separation between them. Though he enjoyed seeing her doing these tasks, feeling as though she were truly taking care of him, Jiri knew that there was still a level of servitude that went into it. Even with the reduced power that he had put into the stone when he embedded it into her skin, the gem still had a level of control over her. It still gave her the compulsion to serve him. Worse were the days when she refused to sleep beside him at all. He would awake to find her sleeping on another piece of furniture in her room or even on one of the cushions in his room. Those were the days when she was struggling, when she felt the strain between them that came from her still being in the role of his nurturer. He never brought her to his bedroom or ventured with her out of his wing of the palace, and there were times when that was too difficult for her to handle. Jiri

knew that she didn’t understand that there was so much more than just the tradition of his kind dictating his choices. If his father was to know what was happening between them, that he was compelled into her arms by more than just the drive of his body, he could face incredible danger. He had been willing to put himself in that position if she had wanted to go back to Earth, but now that she had chosen to stay with him, even after seeing her memories, he couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t put her in the face of that kind of danger. Until he knew what he was going to do and how he was going to release both of them, he had to maintain the image that everything was just as it had been. On those nights when Layla refused to stay with him, Jiri would find her in one of the honeycomb of rooms in his wing and bring her back to her room. The moments would pass by in a frenzy. He felt like he was on another plane of existence during those evenings. Everything passed by in flashes, like each moment was crystalized into a separate, individual creation that was singular in its existence and never-ending in the impression that it made with him. As soon as he got Layla back into her room, her resolve crumbled. In an instant, they were tearing at each other's clothing, casting the pieces aside with abandon and not caring where they happened to land. They would be able to gather them later. It didn't matter to them what happened to

get them into her bed, into the hot water of the tub, or onto the other furniture that awaited them. All that mattered was their bodies meeting one another and communicating with each other in a way that words never could. This was bliss. This was completion. All too soon, however, those moments were over and Layla would give him a final kiss, climb away from the blankets where they slept, and disappear back into her role as his servant. Even the nights that Layla did stay with him led to mornings that weren't without anxiety. As soon as Jiri allowed himself to wake up fully and face the new day that waited for him, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Layla left. Now that he was of age, he was expected to spend most of his time out in the main portion of the palace or even on missions beyond the planet. In those long, torturous hours he wouldn’t know when he would be back with her, or how much longer it would be that they would have to continue on this way. Sometimes Jiri wasn’t needed and Layla would be with him throughout the day and night. Other times it would take a few days for him to return after a mission and he was left to ache for her. In these long gaps between the nights that they spent together, Jiri could feel the anxiety building within him so much that he felt that it might push him over the edge. In those moments, he worried that he would never see Layla again, that this would be the time that she told him that she couldn’t take it

anymore and wanted to return home. Or worse, that she would attempt to take it upon herself and be left at the mercy of his brothers or father. Jiri knew that he was expected at breakfast with his family that morning. He bathed reluctantly and left his wing to join them in the communal space of the palace. He knew that the expression on his face was sad and disappointed as he approached, and he could feel the eyes of the members of his family scrutinizing him as he approached. It had been only a few weeks since his father had called him into his private den and questioned him, letting him know that his brothers were concerned about his behavior since his ritual. Though Jiri had reassured the King that everything was fine, he knew that they looked at him with suspicion in their hearts each time he came to breakfast after a night with Layla, ready to sanction him at the first true sign of betrayal. "You look tired, Jiri," Prez said as he approached the table. "You have been looking tired a lot recently," another brother, Silas, said. "What's been going on?" Jiri knew that the only times that he looked tired were the nights that Layla had refused to stay with him. Those nights felt infinitely longer than the ones that Layla spent beside him. He would struggle to fall asleep as he felt the place beside him grow gradually colder, and then would fight to remain asleep as he wished that Layla would return.

"Nothing is going on," Jiri said, fighting to control his voice. He didn't want to let on that there was anything that was bothering him. He had always been the outcast of his brothers and he knew that none of them would tolerate even a hint that he had not only formed a bond with his nurturer, but that he was considering leaving the palace. The thought of a prince having a relationship with his nurturer was something that none of the them would ever even consider accepting. In the royal family, the nurturers were considered far lower than the princes, and in no way acceptable as anything but a servant. The concept of having a relationship with one of these people was something that offended everything in their tradition. As long as he remained in the palace, he would be expected to follow through with the ways of his family, not just for himself, but for the rest of them. If he was to form a relationship of equality and even affection with a nurturer, it would threaten the entire construct and put them all at risk. He could either conceal the relationship or he could escape and leave the planet, never to return. There were times when this sounded incredibly appealing to Jiri. In these moments, he would wish that he could somehow just walk away, even for a little bit, and know what it was like to not have to fight for beliefs that were so different than those around him and to live a life that was only the stuff of his imagination. If he chose to leave, he could put his kind and

their conflicts behind him. He could forge his own way and he could share his life with Layla. No matter how frequently he thought about it, though, Jiri was always sobered by the reality of the situation. It would not just be incredibly dangerous to escape. It could have implications that were farther reaching than he felt even he knew completely. If he left the planet, he would not just be leaving behind everything that he had always known, but everything that he had before him. His planet and his kind were rapidly disintegrating and there was turmoil on the horizon that he couldn’t just ignore. As much as he hated some of the traditions and rituals of the family, he felt a tremendous sense of love and loyalty toward his planet, and had a deep desire to protect it in any way that he could. Leaving would take all of that from him. He would never be able to just come back and continue his life the way that it was supposed to be. He would never be able to earn the forgiveness or the trust of the family or the rest of the planet after leaving and going to Earth, even if was only for a short time. Before Jiri had a chance to respond, his father came out of his own wing and looked at him. His eyes were sharp and precise, always capable of making Jiri feel like his father was looking straight through him. "Is everything alright, Jiri?" he asked.

Jiri nodded, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself. He knew that if the family decided that they were going to turn against him, there was nothing that even the King could do to protect him. He would have to control and monitor his behavior so that his brothers didn't have reason or evidence to sanction him. "Everything's fine," he said. "I just had trouble sleeping last night." "If there's something bothering you, you know you can talk to me," the King said. "I know. Thank you, father. The King nodded. "I want you to come with me today." "Where are we going?" Jiri asked. “There’s something that I need you to see.”

Chapter Eleven Jiri was shaking when he came into her room late that night and slipped beneath the covers beside her. Layla hadn’t been expecting him, and now that he had arrived, she could sense painful emotions emanating off of him. She wanted to ask him what was happening, but something within her told her not to speak. Instead, she opened her arms and took him into them, cradling his head against her chest until she felt him calm and gradually ease into sleep. The next thing Layla was aware of was the feeling of metal around her wrists and the cold of stone against her bare back. For a moment, she had a sense of terror that everything that she thought she had experienced after running through the woods had all been a dream and that she was right back to being tied to the stone, facing another version of that reality. Her eyes snapped open and she realized she was chained to a wall and that what she thought had been stone as actually the mirrored floor of the tremendous room she had walked through on her first night on the planet. The other women were chained along the wall beside her and she could hear them sobbing softly. She looked closely at Sylan beside her and saw a faint trickle of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. It had been so long since she had seen her and Layla could see that

the woman looked smaller and weaker, somehow more fragile now than she had when she had helped Layla prepare for Jiri. "What's going on?" Layla whispered, but Sylan looked at her sharply and shook her head. "Do not speak," a voice boomed angrily from somewhere in front of her. She heard loud footsteps pounding toward her and turned to see a tall, heavyset man stomping across the mirrored floor. Sylan curled up tighter and dropped her head, and Layla assumed this was the prince who had chosen her. The way he looked at her, however, said that that choice was not one of affection. He raised his hand to strike her and Layla thrashed against her chains. "Stop!" The man turned his attention to her and she could see fire flashing in his eyes. He took a step closer to her and she glared back at him, suddenly feeling strong and aggressive rather than afraid. His hand lifted into the air again, but she refused to flinch. "Don't you dare touch her, Prez." Layla heard Jiri's voice and strained against the chains to look around Prez toward him. He was running across the mirrored room toward them and when he got close, he dropped down in front of her, sliding several inches across the mirrored floor before coming to a stop nearly against her. Jiri

wriggled out of his robe and draped it over Layla’s nude body before going to work on her chains. "How dare you?" he demanded, glancing over his shoulder, "How dare you transport her here and chain her up like some kind of animal?" "Sylan escaped. I had every right to bring all of the women here as a precaution." Sylan made a strangled sound in her throat and Layla looked at her, reaching out to touch her arm with the hand that Jiri had just freed. "What is it?" Prez snarled and Jiri stood, blocking Layla with his body and squaring himself toward his older brother. "You better not be even entertaining the idea of hurting her," he said in a low, controlled voice that was infinitely more frightening than Prez's out of control fury. "Tell us what's wrong, Sylan," Layla said soothingly, "We're right here. He can't hurt you," she raised her eyes angrily at Prez, "anymore." "I did not escape," Sylan said, "I just stepped into your room." "Going into the living quarters of another nurturer is forbidden. That is the same as stepping into the domain of another prince. It is a betrayal."

"I did not betray him," Sylan insisted, "or plan to escape. I was merely looking for Layla. It had been so long since I had seen her and I wanted to make sure she was doing well in her new role." More footsteps sounded on the mirror room floor and Layla scrambled to her feet so that she could wrap herself completely in the robe. Two people she didn't recognize hurried toward them. "Where are your brothers?" the man demanded. "They are out hunting," Prez responded. "What is the meaning of this?" the woman at the man's side asked. "Sylan stepped into Layla's room and Prez felt that warranted not only torture but the transport of all of the women here for further torment." "What is your problem, Jiri?" Prez asked, "They are nurturers. They are expendable." Jiri shot a glare at his brother. "Layla is not just a nurturer and she is absolutely not expendable." The woman looked at Jiri. "Jiri?" "I love her, Mother." Layla felt her heart flutter and she stepped up close behind Jiri. She rested the hand that wasn't holding the robe

closed to the back of his shoulder and touched a kiss to the spot right above where the top gem, glowing purple, was embedded in his skin. There was so much that she wanted to say to him, but now was not the time. This moment belonged to him and she needed to give him the space to handle it as he needed to. "You love her?" the Queen asked, her voice sounding like it held the beginnings of tears. It was a reaction that Layla wouldn’t have expected. Though Jiri never spoke about his mother, Layla had a difficult time imagining a woman who would allow her sons to enslave women and abuse them the way that the other princes did. She would have thought that the Queen may even be a slave herself, or at least harsh and cold like the energy of the men who had brought her to the temple her first night there. She wouldn’t have expected her to be emotional and even tender with her son, especially when he was telling her that he had betrayed one of the most deeply engrained traditions of their kind. "Yes," Jiri replied. "Does she love you?" Jiri stepped aside slightly, revealing Layla. She met the woman's eyes. "Yes," she replied, "I love him. With everything in me.”

"Finally," the King said, his voice holding a relieved sigh that was even more startling to Layla than the reaction of the Queen, "I may take off my medallion and hand it over." The King pulled a heavy-looking necklace off of his neck and brought it over to Jiri, lifting it up over his son’s head and settling it in the center of his chest. Jiri looked down at it, his hand coming to touch it and tip it up so that he could look at it, then back up at his father. "Father!" Prez nearly shrieked before Jiri could say anything, "What are you doing?" "It has long been the tradition of this planet to provide princes with nurturers to care for them. According to this tradition, I did not have the right to tell any of you how to treat them or what to do with them. I did, however, have the right to determine which of you would take my place as King when it was time for me to step down and enjoy the rest of my years with my wife." "I don't understand," Jiri said, lifting the medallion on his chest so he could look down at it again. "Your mother was my nurturer," the King, "I will admit that she was not the first. When she took care of me, however, I changed. I discovered what it meant for someone to truly nurture me, to care for me, and to make me feel whole. I fell in love with her and was fortunate enough for her to love me in return, regardless of who I had been before she met me. It was

through her that I learned to be the type of King that this planet needed. Without her, I would know violence, war, and control, but I would not understand compassion, protection, and vulnerability. I made the decision that I would not follow the path of handing the throne to my oldest son. Rather, I would wait for the son that learned to love and earned the love of his woman in return. This happened so quickly for you, Jiri, that there can only be one explanation. You returned her memories to her." "Yes," Layla answered, "He showed them all to me so that I could choose." She felt Jiri take her hand, intertwining their fingers and giving hers a squeeze. "And what is your choice?" the Queen asked. "I choose him," Layla answered without hesitation, "There is nothing in my past that would make me want to return. I choose to leave it all behind me so that I can walk forward with Jiri." The Queen's face broke into a smile and she stepped forward to take Layla's cheeks in her hands. "Welcome," she said. “You can’t do this,” Prez growled. “I can do whatever I wish,” the older man said. “I have lived my life deeply ashamed of the way that I treated the nurturers that came before your mother. When I was made

King, I was permitted to marry whoever I wished, but my father made it very clear to me that I could not alter tradition. I couldn’t tell my sons that they couldn’t have nurturers or how they were permitted to treat them, because of what I had done. This was the way of our kind and because of the horrors that I had committed, I had no right to control what any of my sons did. I hoped that I had instilled enough in my children that you wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of my youth, but I promised that if I had the chance, I wouldn’t permit it to continue. I would rule for as long as I possibly could, waiting to see which of my sons would truly earn the right to rule.” “You allowed these women to be tortured,” Layla said angrily. “You stole them and took away everything that made them who they were.” The former king turned and looked at her. She could see pain in his dark eyes and he nodded. “I had no choice, Layla. We are warriors. Most of us are born with violent tendencies. I gave into mine with the nurturers just as my father had before me. I didn’t see anything wrong with it until I met Jessamine. But by then there was nothing I could do for the future generation. They were marked by my mistakes, by what I had done. That was the harshest punishment that I could ever suffer, watching as my sons carried the brutality of war into their wings and bring suffering to the women they chose. The only hope that I had was that

one of my sons wouldn’t follow the same path and that he would change the future.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” Jiri asked. “When I asked to be released, why didn’t you just tell me?” “I couldn’t,” Eamon said. “I couldn’t interfere in any way. I had to treat you in the same way that I treated every one of my sons. The love had to come naturally. The way that you treated your nurturer had to come from something inside of you, not what you were told to do. You had to go through what all of us did so that you could come to the decision yourself. You have now broken the bonds, and by doing that, you have earned your place as King.” "And now that I am King," Jiri said, "I am choosing to continue the tradition breaking that brought me to this place by freeing these women," he gestured to the nurturers still chained to the wall, who looked up at him with expressions of shock and wonder on their faces, "and having them returned to their families. It is now the law of this land that all nurturers must come willingly and must never be mistreated." Prez turned angrily and stomped out of the room, the former King and Queen close behind him. Both turned and smiled at Layla and Jiri just before disappearing out of the mirrored hall. Layla turned and started to release the chains on the other women. Jiri helped and soon they were standing and

hugging, their sobs now of joy and relief rather than terror and pain. "I will have a guard help you collect your things and take you home if you wish to go," Jiri said gently and the women all nodded and scurried across the room to the doors Layla assumed led to the wings belonging to their former princes and to their rooms. When they were finally alone, Layla turned to Jiri and guided him around so that his back faced her. She touched the purple gems. "Sylan told me that these express emotions and thoughts." "They do." "What does purple mean?" "Love," he told her. Layla smiled and kissed along the V of the stones, letting her tongue slip out to glaze across his skin. The stones in his back shifted, returning to the intense green she had seen so frequently. "What does green mean?" she asked. Jiri turned around and gathered her in his arms, pulling her against him so that she could feel the hardening of his erection against her belly. "Desire," he whispered. His mouth drifted toward hers and Layla tilted her head so that he could capture her lips, finally drawing her into a kiss that

connected their souls and brought her body back to its aching need for him. He lowered her carefully to the floor and she felt him lift her arms so that he could return them to the chains. Layla started to protest, but he looked up at her with a mischievous expression and eased her thighs apart, moving his robe so that she was open to him. Jiri ducked his head and drew his tongue through her folds. Layla gasped and struggled against the chains, knowing now why he had put her back in her shackles. He wanted to indulge her without allowing her to touch him, putting her at his mercy so that he could control the pleasure he lavished on her. He continued his masterful torment for a few moments and then Layla felt his tongue plunge into her body. She screamed his name and lifted her hips so that they pressed harder against his mouth, sending her toppling into a climax even more intense than the one she had experienced at his hands earlier. As she came down from the delirium, Jiri leaned forward and kissed her again, softly this time as she moaned and tried to catch her breath. He released her hands and scooped her into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he started toward the door to his wing. Something told her that this wasn’t over, but for now she wanted to focus only on Jiri and the new freedom that they could enjoy together. She knew that she would not be going back to her room. He would bring her to wherever he slept and there they would share their lives

together, indulging and nurturing each other always. And never again would she think about running.

Book 2 – Rise of the Alien King Chapter One Prez picked up a tall crystal lamp sitting on the table nearest him and threw it against the wall, screaming as it shattered and rained down onto the floor. Whirling around, he grabbed the long staff that he had leaned against the couch and used it to smash the pieces of art off of another wall. The destruction only barely released the fury that was coursing through his veins and making him feel as though he were being eaten from the inside out. In any other circumstances, he would have called for Sylan and allowed her to be the source of his release, and the realization that he wasn’t even able to do that anymore only increased the anger and violence he felt had taken full control of him. He couldn’t believe that this was happening, that his father had allowed it to. He was meant to be King. He was meant to take over the planet after his father stepped down and ensure that it was led properly. The decline in Eamon’s leadership, the gradual softening of the edge that once made his father a powerful and imposing king, had become obvious to Prez in the past few months. He had already begun to worry for the future of his kind and the groundwork that had had been laid for generations to expand beyond the celestial clutches of Cassiopeia and claim that power owed to them.

Now that his father had proclaimed Jiri King and handed over full power of the planet and all who lived on it to the youngest of the princes, his fear was even more pronounced. Jiri didn’t have what it would take to rule effectively. He was too soft, too gentle to handle what would be required to break down the barriers that had been built around them and force the Universe to recognize them as their own sovereign power. Under his guidance the planet wouldn’t thrive, but wither. Prez was infuriated at the absent, careless way that his father had given over control of the planet to someone who would never be able to do what needed to be done. Jiri would lead them into nothing but continued servitude, never to accomplish what they could and destined to eventually die out and be forgotten among the stars that both enslaved and empowered them. It should have been him. Prez knew that he wasn’t the only one who was devoted to what could be. There was another who had already begun to set the foundation, to lay the path along which the loyal would walk to glory. The thought of his youngest brother and the way that he claimed the rule of the planet made Prez’s skin crawl. He had known that there was something strange about Jiri’s relationship with the nurturer that he chose from the first time that he saw his younger brother watching her during one of their excursions to Earth. The purpose of those trips was to enjoy

time away from the palace and the monotony that sometimes set in during the long days spent within the palace walls. With the exception of Jiri, the brothers spent their time on Earth turning the luxurious and decadent planet into their personal playgrounds. The food, drink, and women were enough to keep them indulged for as long as they wanted to spend there, and then when it was time to leave none had a feeling of regret or connection to anything that they left behind. As with everything else in their lives as princes, what they found on Earth was nothing more than their own entertainment and pleasure. How it impacted anyone else was purely inconsequential and rarely, if ever at all, passed through the mind of any of the brothers. Jiri was different. From the first time that he ventured onto Earth with the rest, he didn’t seem to have the same appreciation for the revelry that they found there. While Prez and the rest of the brothers took to their time on Earth with the same vigor and intensity as they did the battles that the warriors fought, Jiri was calmer, almost hesitant. He followed them around, but never seemed interested in involving himself in anything that they chose to do. Then one night he wandered off on his own and they didn’t see him again until he roamed into the house that they maintained late into the night. He said nothing to any of them and remained strangely silent until he disappeared again the next night, and the next, and the next.

When it was time for them to return to their own planet, there was a heaviness about Jiri that lingered over him until the next time that they were to return to Earth. He seemed happier when they were on their way, but he still didn’t say anything to them, not explaining what he was thinking about. This happened twice more before Prez followed him on one of his excursions and found that Jiri was following, too. He was following a woman that he looked at like she was the only thing that he could see. It was a look that Prez had never been inspired to have and one that made his stomach turn. No man in Jiri’s position should ever have that look for a human woman. That was when Prez decided that he would push Jiri into choosing this woman as his nurturer, hoping that that would end whatever disturbing connection he felt like he was building with her from afar. As soon as Jiri saw this woman in his servitude, Prez knew, he would break free of any attachment that he had and learn to enjoy the true benefits that a woman could provide. It wasn’t long before he realized that he was wrong. Jiri was being controlled by his emotions toward this woman even more than she was controlled by the star stone in her chest. It was sickening and even further underscored how unsuitable he would be for the role of King. Now Prez knew that it was that very deficit, the unseemly love that he had developed for the woman who should be his slave, that had earned him the position that Prez deserved. He

despised knowing that his father had fallen in love in the same destructive way. Though he had noticed the change that had come over Eamon, Prez never would have suspected that his own mother had once been a nurturer and that his father would be the type of man, the type of King, who would give up the integrity of his position in order to marry a woman like that. This only worked to convince Prez even more that neither Jiri nor Eamon were fit to lead the planet, and that the time had come to overthrow Jiri and take control. Leaving the destruction that he had caused where it lay, Prez stalked out of the room and down the hall toward the room that was once inhabited by Sylan. Stepping into it made him even angrier and he wouldn’t allow himself any time to look around the stark surroundings. This room had once been lovely, lushly outfitted for his first nurturer. Over time, though, the change of the women that came through this space had also signaled a changed in the decoration. Rather than replacing the items that were damaged in his time with each woman, they were simply removed, leaving only the most basic of furnishings behind. Prez crossed the room swiftly and stepped into the multi-walled room that connected to the quarters of each of the brothers’ nurturers. The private wings of each of the brothers had been designed and laid out in such a way that allowed for this room, enabling the women to come together during the moments, albeit rare and brief, that they weren’t in

direct service of their prince. It had always been here, had always been this way, and Prez occasionally wondered if it was a sign that the arrangements had not always been the way that they were now, if the existence of the nurturers had even been calmer and more enjoyable. It didn’t matter. All that mattered to him was what he knew and what he believed, and both were being threatened. Prez walked around the edge of the empty room until he found the door that led into the chamber belonging to the nurturer of another of his brothers. This room was very similar to the one that Sylan inhabited and held the same strange feeling that crept over his skin, as if the room itself were living and waiting. Prez passed through this room as fast as he could so that he could step through the door into the private wing of his brother.

Chapter Two “I still can’t believe this is really happening,” Jiri said. Layla watched as he looked into the mirror hanging on the wall and touched the heavy medal that now hung around his neck. His fingers traced the outline of the complex pattern embossed in the center of the shimmering gold, feeling it as if looking for some kind of aberration that would confirm the faint, lingering suspicion in the back of his mind that this might not all be real. Though she felt a smile on her lips and the thrill of his expression of love in her heart, she had to admit that she was still struggling to fully allow everything that had happened to sink into her mind. It was all so fast, so sudden, that part of her felt like she was still in it, that it was still rushing past her even though she was standing on the other side of it. “Did you know that he was considering you for King?” she asked as she walked up behind him. She reached forward and touched her hands to the back of his broad, beautifully developed shoulders. She was still wearing only the robe that he had wrapped protectively around her naked body and she could feel herself responding passionately to his incredible beauty and the sound of him admitting his love for her still ringing in her ears. Layla looked into the mirror again and saw Jiri’s eyes staring back at her through the class. Their unusual color seemed clearer now and

she wondered if it was by merit of something that had happened when Eamon had declared him King, or if it was because now that she knew for sure that he felt the same powerful love and devotion to her that she felt for him a wall had lifted from between them, allowing her to connect with him in a new, more powerful way. Jiri shook his head. “No,” he said. “To be honest with you, I hadn’t even entertained the thought that he would ever consider me.” “Why?” Layla asked, “What would have made any of your brothers a better fit?” Jiri gave a short laugh as if he heard something different in the question than Layla had intended. “I forget that you never had the chance to get to know my brothers,” he said. Layla bristled slightly. “I had enough experience with them my first night here,” she said. Jiri turned sharply toward her, but then immediately softened. He reached forward and took her wrists, lifting them up in front of him. Though the injuries that she had suffered from the ropes the first night that she had been on the planet, tied down to the slab of stone in the cavern, had long-since healed, Jiri touched his lips to where the skin had once been open and stinging. His kiss was soothing, a repetition of the kisses that he

had pressed there so many other times in her time on the planet with him. They felt different now, more real in an inexplicable way. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered in between kisses. “I’m so sorry that that happened to you. I’m so sorry that they treated you that way.” It wasn’t the first time that he had apologized for the horror that Layla had faced that night, and she knew deep within her that it wasn’t going to be the last. The injuries were no longer visible in her skin, but Jiri would carry those scars for her. He would forever remember what she had gone through when she was taken captive by his brothers, brought there by his command and for his sacrifice. Layla knew that Jiri would struggle for the rest of his life to forgive himself for being the reason that she had been mistreated so severely by his brothers, but she didn’t blame him. In her mind, Jiri wasn’t the reason that the other princes had captured and mistreated her. Instead, he was the reason that she was there with him, and just as she had when he returned her memories to her and gave her the option of leaving, she chose to be with him. Every moment that she saw him, she chose to stay by his side. It was worth what she had gone through to have the love that she felt for him and to know that she had his in return.

“I love you, Jiri,” she said suddenly, the words feeling like they were perpetually living on her lips and would tumble out on their own when the feeling within her grew strong enough. “I love you, too, Layla,” he said, continuing to kiss along her skin, gradually moving up from her wrists along the inside of her arms toward the bend at her elbow. Suddenly his head lifted and he looked into her eyes. “You do realize,” he said tenderly, “that now that I am King of this planet, that you are my Queen.” Layla felt her breath catch in her throat. That realization hadn’t crossed her mind and now that he had said it, her heart was fluttering in her chest and she couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. “Your Queen?” she asked. Jiri reached forward and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her up closer to his body so that she could feel the tension of his muscles against her. “Yes,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, velvety tone. “You are now mine and Queen of this planet.” Layla wanted to give herself over to the passionate sound in Jiri’s voice and the suggestive press of his body against hers, but a thought pricked in the back of her mind, not allowing her to focus on anything else.

“What planet is this?” she asked, trying to distract herself from the thought, not wanting to allow it to control her for even another moment. “What is its name?” “It doesn’t have a name,” Jiri said. “It is just a planet that is set within Cassiopeia. That is why my kind is now referred to as the Cassiopeians.” “Now?” Layla asked. “Was it ever different?” It was a strange response, but now that she could see how the look on Jiri’s face changed, she wished that she hadn’t asked. He nodded. “It was,” he said. “Once. Long ago. Long before my father was the King.” Hearing him mention Eamon made the thoughts rush forward even stronger and Layla could no longer deny them. Feeling as though she had talked herself into a tight place that didn’t allow her any option that wasn’t painful and uncomfortable for both of them. She had to give voice to what was tormenting her. “Jiri,” she said, touching her hands to the front of his chest as if to assuage him in the words that she was about to say. “I need you to tell me something.” “Anything,” Jiri said. “How…” Layla hesitated, unsure of how she should present the question that she had to ask him. She took a breath and plunged ahead. “How could your father have fallen in

love with his nurturer to the point that he even made her his Queen and then turn a blind eye to the way that your brothers treated the women that they chose? How could he possibly know what he did about what those women went through and how horribly mistreated they were, and not do anything about it?” “Each prince’s life is private,” Jiri said. “None of us really knows what the others do when they are in their personal wings of the palace.” Layla shook her head. “You knew what they were doing,” she said. “You weren’t shocked by the way that Sylan was treated when we were all transported into the shackles. Even if you don’t know for certain what they do when they are in their private quarters with their nurturers, you know enough to know that they are not treating them well. And your father, I venture to say, knew even more than you did. Especially considering that Sylan told me that none of the women who are here now are the original nurturer of any of the princes. What was your father to think when they came to him and told him that they needed new nurturers? Was it time for another celebration?” “No,” Jiri answered. There was a cold edge to his voice, but Layla kept going. “Then what?” she asked. “From what happened to me, it seems that the princes enslaving the women who are going to

take care of them and endure the type of abuse that your brothers doled out is something of a holiday for the planet. Did those people gathering to watch even know what was going to happen to those women?” “The choosing of the first nurturer is a very important moment for a prince,” Jiri said. “It represents coming of age and taking on responsibility on the planet. Yes, the other princes misused that responsibility, but that doesn’t change that this relationship was once intended not to be this way. Only the first nurturer warrants that celebration.” “And after that?” Layla asked. “What happened to the women after the princes were finished with them.” Jiri bristled and Layla knew that she didn’t really want the answer to that question. Instead she turned back to the original question that she had asked him. “I still don’t understand,” Layla said. “You know that your father knew about how the princes were treating the women. He even admitted that he had done the same thing before he fell in love with your mother. Yet he was just as celebratory about you taking me in as the others, and didn’t even make a move to help me or to protect any of the other women. How could he do that? And how could your mother let him?” She had stepped back from Jiri and his hands had fallen away from her waist, but he took a step closer to her as if unwilling to allow the space to grow between them.

“He apologized,” Jiri said. “He said how sorry he was that the women went through what they did and that there was nothing that he could do about it.” “But why?” Layla asked. “Why couldn’t he do anything about it?” “He explained that,” Jiri said. “He had no power to stop his sons from doing anything that he had already done. That is the way of our kind. You cannot tell another not to do something that you have done, or try to control someone else’s life when yours was not controlled.” “So, none of you were allowed to learn from his mistakes?” Layla asked. “An action only becomes a mistake when it is a painful memory that lingers on. You remember what I told you. Memories connect you to your past and prevent you from being able to live the life that you have now and what you can have in the future. He already apologized and will try to make amends for what he has done, but it would have no benefit to keep these things hanging over his head. Forcing him to relive these moments and keeping those memories against him will only cause further pain and prevent any of us from being able to move forward. There is nothing that can be done now.” “So, all of them just get away with it?” Layla asked. “There is no recourse for men who tortured and probably killed unknown numbers of women just for their own entertainment?”

“He has already done far more than any punishment could do,” Jiri said. “By declaring me King, my father has ended the heartache of the nurturers. He couldn’t prevent any of my brothers from doing anything that they wanted to the women that they chose, because he had already done all of those things to the women that he had in his wing before he met my mother and fell in love with her. But you,” he said, taking another step closer to her so that she could still hear him even though he lowered his voice again. “You are the first nurturer I chose. You are the first woman I have brought into my quarters and the way that I have treated you is what has marked me for my role as King. As soon as I was given my father’s medal, I took on full possession and rule of the planet, and was able to change anything that I pleased, which is why I declared that all women who came into service for a prince as a nurturer would do so only by her own free will, and that the princes would never be permitted to mistreat them in any way. Because I never made those decisions, I have the power to prevent them in the current princes as they move forward, and our sons will be held against the standard that I set. When my father entrusted the planet to me, he wasn’t just freeing himself of the responsibility. He was protecting the future.” Layla looked into Jiri’s eyes, feeling the same trembling excitement that she did the first time that she saw them when he stood by her side as she was tied to the stone slab and

gently touched her face. That first soft, cautious touch had captured her for Jiri even more than the ropes that tied her down. Even if she had managed to get out of the ropes or made the decision to run out of the building to get away from them when the other women came to her to help her prepare for Jiri, she never would have been truly free again. That touch would have kept her secured to him no matter how far away she got. She felt her lips curve up again into another smile and she took a step toward him to mirror the closeness that he had sought with his movements. Her hands lifted up to touch his chest again, briefly letting her fingertips run along his muscles. “It isn’t just you that he entrusted with the planet,” she murmured. He still hadn’t given her a full explanation as to the existence of the planet or why his kind used to be known by a different name than they were now, but she knew that would come. They had already been through so much, and for now she just wanted to savor that they were truly together. She stepped back from him and brought her hands to the sides of his robe that was still wrapped around her. “Oh, really?” Jiri asked. “Who else will be helping me?” His voice was teasing, but there was heat in his words that let her know that he was beginning to feel the same thing that she was. Layla met his eyes securely, locking their gaze so that

he would know exactly what she was thinking. Her hands moved back slowly as she let the robe slip over her shoulders and then released it so that it slid down her body and pooled at her feet. “Why don’t you remind me?” she asked. Jiri let out a playful growl and swept her into his arms, starting out of the room and toward what she could only hope was the bedroom that she had never seen, but wanted desperately to share with him.

Chapter Three Eamon glanced around the throne room and drew in a long breath. When he let it out, his shoulders lowered and the tension ran out of his body, he felt like he was releasing longheld pressure and anxiety that he had carried within him for as long as he had worn the medal that marked him King. Now that he was no longer wearing that medal and had passed it along to his son, he felt released, freed. It wasn’t that he no longer wanted to rule the planet or that he was relieved to no longer have the role of caring for those inhabiting it or making the decisions that he needed to, to ensure they were all as safe and secure as possible. Rather, the relief came from the knowledge that he had finally achieved the aspiration that he had set out for himself. Selecting the next King had been something that had been lingering over him, never wandering far from his mind. Eamon carried with him the guilt and the pain from his own decisions when he was younger, and every time that he knew that one of his sons was mistreating the nurturer he had chosen or was bring the brutality of war into his daily existence rather than leaving it on the battlefield, it was like there was a new mark on his soul. This was his doing. By merit of everything that he had done in the days before he met Jessamine, he had tarnished the princes who weren’t even born and created lives of torment

and horror for those who were chosen and forced into their servitude. Jessamine had been his savior when he was younger. His precious wife had delivered him from the darkness in which he lived and showed him not just the error of his ways then, but also of his very thinking. She had shown him love that he had never known or understood, and gave of herself to soften him and redeem him. Eamon knew then that he had not earned that love and didn’t deserve it, but that he was going to spend the rest of his life trying to be worthy of it in any way that he could. The most important element of that was going to be making sure that he handed over the rule of the planet to the right one of his sons. When he made that decision, he would be laying the path for the future of his kind. He committed himself to choosing only the son that proved that he could lead in a way that was powerful and yet compassionate. He would have to understand the value and importance of loving someone, give that love freely, and earn her love in return. Only then would the behavior of the princes be controlled. Jiri had been their last chance. The youngest of his sons, he had always been different from the rest of his brothers, giving Eamon reassurance that hope was not lost and that perhaps he would be the one that he had waited for since the birth of his oldest, Valdin. Eamon wished that he had been able to free Jiri from the bond that forced him to choose a nurturer. He knew that his son hated the idea of taking a woman into his

servitude, to treat her like a slave. He dreaded the idea of embedding the star stone into her chest and using it to control her. That wasn’t an option, though. Eamon knew that there was no way for him to break the tradition. Just as the other princes saw liberty and entitlement in the way that they mistreated their nurturers because Eamon had been able to, the King’s actions when he was younger were like shackles for Jiri. He was forced to follow through with choosing a nurturer because his father had. What he did with her after that, however, was his choice. Eamon had watched as Jiri took Layla into his fold, silently sending his hopes for him into the Universe. “It all happened so quickly,” Jessamine said as if she could hear what her husband was thinking. Eamon turned toward the door and saw her coming in, carrying a platter of food. He realized that he hadn’t eaten a full meal in the last two days, his appetite gone after what he had discovered in the hidden chamber. She settled the platter onto a table and walked up to her husband’s side. She reached up and touched his chest where the medal had once hung. “It did,” Eamon agreed. “I had hoped that Jiri would be the one, but I thought that it would take longer.” “I knew that it wouldn’t,” Jessamine said. “You did?” Eamon asked, surprised by his wife’s revelation. She nodded, a soft, knowing smile on her lips.

“It was different with her than it had been with any of the other nurturers, right from the very beginning. I could see the tenderness in his eyes when he talked about her and the hesitation when he had to claim her during his ritual. It is not a far step for tenderness like that to become love.” “And her?” Eamon asked. “How could you have been so sure that she would feel the same way about him? Tenderness might be a small step to love, but unrequited love is only a small step to bitterness. That could have so quickly changed into him looking at her the same way that the other princes looked at their nurturers.” Jessamine shook her head as she reached up and ran her fingers back through his hair. “No,” she said. “That wasn’t going to happen.” “How did you know?” “I just knew,” she said. “Remember, I was once a nurturer who fell in love with the prince who chose her.” Eamon smiled and reached up to draw his wife up to him and rest his mouth to hers in a warm, reassuring kiss. She would always be the greatest blessing that he ever received. Without her, he didn’t know who he would be or what he would have done in his time as King. “I feel so much better knowing that Jiri has taken on this role,” he said. “I have been worrying about it for so long.”

“Since Valdin was born,” Jessamine said, agreeing with him. “I worried so much that none of our sons would live up to the standard that I set for the future King, and that the planet would be destined to continue to suffer under the decisions that I made in my younger years.” “You ruled well,” Jessamine said, trying to comfort him. “You did the best that you could.” “No,” Eamon said. “I did as the others have done.” “You did as your father did,” Jessamine said. “I should have known better, just as I hoped our sons would know better. I’m so sorry for everything that I ever put you through.” “You never hurt me,” Jessamine said. “You may not have been particularly kind in the beginning, but you were never harsh or mean, and you never abused me.” “But you knew that you weren’t the first nurturer that I had. You weren’t the only one who I chose, and you knew that that meant that there were others who came before you. You had to have known that that meant something happened to those other women.” “I did,” Jessamine admitted. “And there was a long time that I didn’t want anything to do with you because of it. I knew that you must have done something horrible in order for them to not be with you any longer. I was terrified that you had

chosen me and worried about what you were going to do to me. After a time, though, I saw more in you, things that I don’t know if you ever even recognized in yourself. I saw the beauty that you wouldn’t allow others to see, and I knew that there was something about you that was special.” “I had begun to fall in love with you.” “I think that I fell in love with you first.” Eamon laughed and cuddled his wife closer. “What matters is that we fell in love. You found it in your heart to forgive me for everything that I had done and to love me more than I could ever deserve. You made me a different man.” “It wasn’t for me to forgive,” Jessamine said. “You are a different man, a stronger, better, more caring man because you found it in your own heart to forgive yourself. That is what ensured that your son was able to accomplish what he did. If you hadn’t allowed yourself to change, then Jiri never would have seen in you what he is able to be now.” “He saw in me a father who wouldn’t listen to him and forced him to choose a nurturer when he didn’t want to,” Eamon said, feeling the regret sink heavily into his stomach again. Jessamine reached up and took his cheek, turning it back to look at her.

“You did what you had to do, Eamon. You didn’t make that choice. It was made for you long ago. What you did, though, was ensure that his children have a choice, and their children after them.” “I can only hope that I made the right choice,” Eamon said. “Why would you say that?” Jessamine asked. “You have always known exactly what you wanted in the son that you would choose to be King. Jiri has that.” “He has what I wanted him to, yes,” Eamon said, “but there is more than that.” He took a breath, steadying himself for the conversation ahead. “I’ve been resisting telling you this for some time.” “Telling me what?” Jessamine asked, the playful sound gone from her voice and a nervous tilt to her words. “What’s wrong?” Eamon stepped back and took both of his wife’s hands in his. He hadn’t wanted to tell her what he had discovered or about the trouble that he now knew was brewing on their beloved planet. As a warrior race, they were accustomed to war and to conflict, but these had never threatened their own home and the peaceful inhabitants who lived there. What Eamon had discovered might change that, and he didn’t know if Jiri was fully prepared to handle it.

“I discovered something,” he told her. “I’m not entirely sure what it means or what can be done about it.” “Show me,” Jessamine said. A few minutes later they stood in the hidden chamber that he had discovered and that he had shown Jiri just the night before proclaiming him King. Jessamine looked at the contents, her eyes moving over everything slowly as if she were trying to take it all in and process it. “I don’t fully understand what going on yet,” Eamon said. “But I can sense the growing turmoil. I know that there is danger coming and it will be up to Jiri to resolve it.” Jessamine took her husband’s wrist and guided him back away from the concealed entrance to the chamber. Pushing the segment of stone in front of the entrance so that it melted back into the wall and became barely noticeable, she led him back to the throne room that he would soon formally transfer over to Jiri so that his youngest son could begin his rule. Eamon allowed her to bring him toward his throne and press him back so that he settled onto the thick dark green cushion. It was the same green of the robes that they wore during the rituals and other formal events, and his mind wandered to those moments, so steeped in tradition, and he wondered why she would have brought him here. He looked up at her questioningly. The former Queen took a step back and stood in front of the throne so that she could look him directly in the face.

“What do you feel?” she asked. “What do you mean?” “What do you feel? When you are sitting there, what do you feel?” “The throne,” Eamon answered. “Responsibility. Control. Security.” Jessamine nodded. “You feel what you felt when you first became King. That’s what told you that you were going to be able to take on the challenges that your father left behind for you. It’s also what you are giving to Jiri. I know that you brought him with you somewhere last night. Did you bring him to the hidden chamber to show him what you just showed me?” Eamon nodded. “Yes.” “You told him everything that you know and you have taught him to do what he needs to do every moment of his life. You chose him for a reason, Eamon. You have to trust that this is the right thing and that he will do what he needs to.” Eamon hesitated, then let out a long sigh. “He may need help,” he said. “He might,” Jessamine agreed. “I don’t know if I’m the one who will be able to give it to him.” “What do you mean?”

“I think that it might be time that we reached out to the ones who can really help us.” Eamon saw Jessamine straighten and her eyes shift across the room before coming back to him. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” she said. “It’s been so long.” “I know,” Eamon said. “Our kind has spent generations here.” “I know.” “We’re fully independent. We’ve earned the respect of other planets and species. We haven’t needed them…” “I know.” “I don’t understand.” “I think that this might be the only way.”

Chapter Four Layla watched around her as Jiri carried her down the corridor toward a section of his wing of the palace that she hadn’t entered before. It felt strange after weeks of caring for Jiri and fulfilling his every need that there was still an area that she hadn’t even seen. She knew that there were barriers. Even when they had given in to the draw that both felt for each other and allowed their passions to take over, there was still the set roles of the station that each of them held to control their behavior and to limit them. He could have her do anything that he pleased in the main rooms of his wing or in her room, where they would spend their nights together. His bedroom, however, was too personal. She had to admit that this hurt her, but she also understood. Now, though, that was over. There were no more barriers between them and she was excited at the life ahead of them that they would share. Jiri pushed through a final large door and suddenly they were surrounded by contrast. While the rest of his rooms were light and airy, this section of the wing was all dark wood and stone. He carried her down a short corridor and then stepped through heavy green curtains that hung over another doorway. Finally, they were in his bedroom. Layla touched a kiss to the side of Jiri’s neck as he carried her across the room toward the bed that she had seen on a

platform against the far wall. He stepped up and rested her into the center of the mattress. Already bare, she slid backwards until she was reclined back against the mound of pillows at the head of the bed and settled to watch him. Jiri stood at the end of the bed, his eyes locked on hers, and undressed slowly. He hadn’t been wearing much when they were in the meeting room with the other women, especially after he wrapped her in his robe to conceal and protect her, but each article of clothing that he removed seemed almost torturous as he gradually revealed his body to her. Her eyes traced his muscles and she felt her mouth water. When Jiri was finally naked, he crawled onto the mattress, toward her. Layla sat up and positioned herself on her knees in the center of the bed just as Jiri met her. The front of their bodies touched and she could feel the heat of his skin radiating toward her. Their breath was labored as it met between them and blended, running down along their chests and stomachs. As desperate as she had been for him, Layla now felt none of the urgency. Instead, she didn’t want to rush. She didn’t want to lose even a second of the beautiful luxury of being close to him and knowing that they had finally achieved this level of closeness. There was nothing that held them at a distance from each other now, and though this would be far from the first time that they enjoyed each other’s bodies, it felt different.

There was a sense of newness and discovery, and she didn’t want to take any of it for granted. Layla rested her hands on Jiri’s forearms and ran them up until they settled onto his shoulders. He reciprocated by running his fingertips down the sides of her ribcage, into the dip of her waist, and onto her hips. The pressure of his fingertips brought her forward so that her body pressed against his fully, her breasts crushing against his chest until she could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat on them. Layla tilted her face up toward Jiri’s and he leaned down to brush his lips across hers tenderly. It was less of a kiss than a gesture of protective, caring possessiveness, and she let her lips part just slightly. Jiri continued to brush his mouth across hers, increasing the desire within her body with each touch. Layla’s eyes fluttered closed and she felt heat begin to stretch across her cheekbones and chest as the need for him crept higher. Finally, Jiri ducked his head further and captured her mouth. She let out a soft moan and gave herself over to the kiss. He pulled back, drawing her bottom lip between his and giving a playful bite just before he released her mouth, then took it again in a deeper kiss. He cherished her with languid kisses for several seconds before guiding her back with the pressure of his hands on her hips so that she lay back against the pillows again. Jiri came down over her and she welcomed the delicious weight of his body pressing hers down into the

bed. Her thighs parted so that his hips settled between them, but he didn’t enter her. Instead, he kissed across her cheek toward the tender place beneath her ear, and drew her earlobe into his mouth for a soft suck. Releasing Layla’s earlobe, Jiri pushed back onto his knees so that he knelt in between her thighs looking down at her. He reached forward with one hand and touched his fingertips to her shoulder. Following the progress of them with his eyes, Jiri ran them down her arm until they reached her hand. Layla turned her hand over so that he could access her palm and felt his fingers trace along her palm and onto her fingers. He drew his fingers down each of hers and then rested his palm into hers so that their fingers intertwined. Jiri leaned down and kissed the center of her chest and then sat back, repeating the process with the fingers of his other hand down her other arm. He brought both of her hands up and rested them on his chest, guiding them down so that she felt the ripple of his muscles and the slight twitch of his belly. Once her hands were rested on his thighs, Jiri released them and went back to his slow, worshipful exploration of her body. Layla felt her body trembling as his fingers ran like rain from her collarbones down her chest, over the swells of her breasts, and then along her belly until they reached her hipbones. Before they dipped into her most sensitive center, he lifted his hands again and stroked her nipples. They tightened in

response to the touch and Jiri paused to tease them with the pads of his thumbs. When they were taut nearly to the point of aching, he leaned down and swept his tongue around first one and then the other, catching it and bringing the full swell of her breast into his mouth. Jiri cupped his hand on the side of her breast to hold it while he suckled it, his other hand moving over to the other breast to knead into it. She arched her back toward him, but even straining for more of his touch didn’t encourage him to move any faster. He continued to explore her body slowly and passionately, moving his mouth from her breasts down to her stomach so that he could run his lips along the center of her belly down to her navel. The tip of his tongue dipped down into her belly as his hands slid down her ribcage and onto her waist to hold her tenderly in place as he drew a slow lick back up the center of her belly and then blew a gentle stream of cool air down the dampened trail of her skin. Layla was shaking with anticipation, her need for him increasing with every reverent touch of his fingertips and tongue on her skin. His fingertips followed the side of her ribcage, counting each ripple beneath her skin. Layla pressed her palms down into Jiri’s thighs, feeling the strength of the muscles and running her fingernails along them to assuage some of the desire for him. She could feel her body getting hot and wet for him, preparing to welcome him. Finally, she

opened her eyes and saw Jiri wrap his hand around his shaft to guide it down to her. The tip massaged through her delicate folds and Layla gasped at the sensation that rolled through her when the head nudged against her taut, hyper-sensitive pearl. Jiri touched her opening and then rocked his hips forward, sinking into her. Layla’s head tilted back, her eyes closing and a moan escaping her lips as she felt her body fill with his long, thick erection. Jiri came down on top of her so that their bodies touched from their shoulders to where their feet tangled with each other. There was no rush even now as Jiri settled fully within her. Instead, he lowered his mouth to hers and rolled his hips with the same slow, tender rhythm that he kissed her with. This went beyond their bodies, beyond the arousal that he had built inside of her and was obviously feeling himself. This went beyond the passion that they had felt for each other from the beginning, beyond the barriers that they had to go through just to be together. This was something that neither of them had ever experienced, a total and encompassing meshing of their minds and souls that used their bodies to bond them and ensure that they were connected beyond access of anything and anyone. The quiet around them was still and perfect as Layla’s walls cradled him and Jiri massaged against them. Each long, deep stroke nurtured her and she felt herself fading into the sensations that he was creating within her and the love that

was washing over her with every touch of his lips and rub of his hipbones against hers. Their heartbeats met through their chests and their breathing synchronized as their bodies celebrated each other. Though they were moving together at a slow rhythm, Layla could soon feel the intensity of the sensations increasing and delicious pressure growing through her hips, thighs, and belly. Sweat was beginning to bead on Jiri’s forehead from the concentration he put into making love to her and she saw his eyes close, telling her that he was beginning to climb his own peak. Groaning deep in his chest, Jiri pressed his hips forward to plunge all the way into her, pushing so deeply Layla knew that she wouldn’t be able to accommodate any more, and gave a strong pulse. The incredible feeling that balanced just between delirious pleasure and intoxicating, overwhelming pressure that edged toward pain pushed Layla over the precipice into her own dizzying climax. She felt her body squeeze down on Jiri, drawing him deeper into her so that she could enjoy him spilling into her body. Jiri gasped as the peak of his orgasm ended and he trembled through the spasms that met her pulses until their bodies seemed to melt into each other. “I love you,” Jiri whispered into the curve of her neck and shoulder. “I love you.” “I love you,” Layla said, wanting to say it over and over, but feeling sleep coming over her.

She had just wrapped her legs around his, completing the closeness, when the air around them shattered with a scream.

Chapter Five The scream cut through Jiri, breaking him out of the beautiful happiness that he wanted to drift away in forever. He jumped out of the bed and onto his feet, watching out of the corner of his eye as Layla scrambled backwards so that she sat against the head of the bed, pulling the blankets up to cover her. “What was that?” she asked. “I don’t know,” Jiri said. He reached down and grabbed his clothes, dressing as quickly as he could. He had brought Layla into his bedroom wearing nothing, but he didn’t have time to go retrieve her clothes from her room. That scream was one of horror and pain, and he needed to find out what it was as quickly as possible. When he was dressed, he leaned down to give Layla a fast kiss. “Where are you going?” she asked. “That scream came from the meeting hall,” he said. “I’m going to find out what’s happening.” He ran out of the room, hearing her jump out of bed and start out of the room behind him. She followed him until they reached the door to her room and she ducked into it, but he continued on toward the meeting hall that they had left not long before.

As soon as he stepped into the room Jiri could see that the nurturers were back in the shackles, hanging from the wall. His eyes fell to the empty chains and realized that two of the women weren’t there. One must have already been freed of the star stone that could control her, preventing his brother from transporting her there on a whim. The other was Layla, and Jiri felt a sinking feeling in his belly knowing that the only reason that she was not hanging from those shackles again was that she had been in his bedroom with him. That was the only place in the entirety of the palace that was fully blocked from the power of the other princes even in circumstances that they deemed emergencies. If a nurturer was brought into the private bedroom of their prince, they could not be controlled or monitored by anyone other than that prince. Prez stepped out of the shadows and Jiri stalked toward him, his blood seeming to sear his veins as it pounded so hard Jiri could hear it in his ears. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. “I ordered all of these women to be freed. How dare you defy my commands? I am your King.” “You are not my King,” Prez said. “I don’t care what our father said. Him choosing you to assume his role only shows that neither of you are capable of handling the true pressures and responsibilities that it requires. Both of you are too soft. Neither have the strength and the courage to take on what is coming.

You trying to release these women from their binds only proves it. These women are property.” “They are not property.” Jiri turned toward the door and saw Layla step in. “They are individuals. They are people.” “They stopped being people when we chose them and claimed them as our own. They are property, nothing more than the clothing that we wear or the furniture that we sit on. They are for our purposes, whatever we believe those purposes to be. You had no right or place to release them.” “I had the right to do anything that I please,” Jiri said. “I am King.” “It doesn’t matter how many times you say it,” Prez said. “It doesn’t change that you are not fit to rule. Do not worry, though. I will relieve you of the burden. Under my rule this planet and its people will thrive.” “You will do nothing of the kind,” Jiri said. “You have no power. There is nothing that you can do to take the role that is mine. Father chose me and there’s nothing that you can do to change that. He gave me this power because he saw in me what he wants for this planet. If he had wanted you to rule, he would have chosen you.” “You can’t honestly believe that what he thinks matters at all to me,” Prez said. “I already told you that he has proven himself just as useless as King as you would be. He would never have chosen me because I threaten him. You in the role of King

would only continue the weakness that our planet has been suffering for years. We are meant to be warriors. We were once powerful and feared. Under our father’s rule, though, we have progressively become less and less and now species that never would have stood up against us are running into battle with us without hesitation.” “That isn’t true,” Jiri said. His brother was raving, sounding as though he were rapidly losing grip with reality. Out of the corner of his eye Jiri saw Layla take off toward the women. She dropped down onto her knees beside Sylan and reached for the shackles around the nurturer’s wrists. Almost as soon as she had taken hold of the metal ring, though, she let out a cry and flew back as if pulled away from the woman. Her body slammed into the floor and she skidded several feet before coming to a stop. Jiri shouted and ran to her, scooping her into his arms just as the door at the far end of the hall opened and Eamon and Jessamine ran into the meeting hall. “What happened?” Eamon demanded. “See what happens when one of these pieces of property starts to think for herself and her prince allows her to? She starts to think that she is much more important than she is.” “Prez used Layla’s star stone,” Jiri said through teeth gritted so hard that his jaw ached.

Layla was lying in his arms, moaning softly but seeming to be fighting against reacting to Prez’s attack, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he hurt her. Jiri ran his fingers back through her hair to push the strands away from her forehead, then stroked his fingertips down her cheek to soothe and comfort her. “I’m alright,” she murmured. “How dare you?” Eamon shouted, stomping toward Prez with a look of fury on his face. “How dare you physically assault the Queen? You should be prostrated before her, begging forgiveness for everything that you have done and hoping that she will have mercy on you and the other princes for your atrocities. You will be fortunate if she allows you to live after this.” Prez turned toward his father and scoffed. He gestured toward Layla and Jiri saw an expression of disgust and disbelief in his eyes. “What do you mean?” Prez asked. “She has no authority over me.” “She is your Queen,” Eamon said. “She is nothing,” Prez said. “They aren’t married. Jiri hasn’t even removed her star stone from her. How do you think that I was able to control her? She is nothing but a nurturer.” Jiri felt Layla tense in his arms and saw her eyes lift first to him and then travel across the meeting hall to Jessamine where

they could both easily see through the open neckline of her gown that her chest was smooth. He looked down at her, his heart pounding against his ribcage, and felt her sit up sharply out of his arms.

Chapter Six Layla felt her heart sinking into her stomach and saw spots dancing in front of her eyes. Jessamine’s stone was gone. She had been Eamon’s nurturer, but now that she was his wife, the star stone was gone from her chest. Her head was pounding as she reached up and touched her fingertips to the stone that Jiri had embedded in her skin. Still there. Still revealing her thoughts and still linking her not just to Jiri, but also to his brothers so that they could control her. Jiri had told her that the ability to control another prince’s nurturer through the star stone was something that was meant to be limited only to the most extreme of circumstances. It was for the purposes of gathering up the women in the time of an escape, or to prevent injury or other damage in wartime or other emergencies. It was not supposed to be just for the whim of the prince or to be used whenever the prince pleased to force the women into the behaviors that they saw fit even if their own prince didn’t command it. The fact that Prez had done this was an offense beyond just his attack on her as Jiri’s partner. What he had said haunted her, though. Even Jiri had said that she was now his Queen, but it hadn’t occurred to her that just because Jiri had proclaimed his love for her and told his parents that he wanted to be with her it didn’t mean that they truly had a relationship. It certainly didn’t mean that she was

Queen. It was a startling and sobering realization, and she felt a strange blend of emotion fill her. She climbed to her feet and turned to look at Jiri. He stood and took an imploring step toward her. “Layla,” he said. “Please. Listen to me. I didn’t mean to not…” Prez rolled his eyes and held out a hand as if to stop Jiri. “Don’t try to defend yourself,” he said. “Lying to her isn’t going to make anything any better.” He turned toward Layla and gestured toward Eamon and Jessamine. “Just ask them,” he said. “Jiri could have taken the stone out any time that he wanted to. There’s nothing to stop him. He left it in you because he likes what it represents. He likes knowing that no matter what, he has absolute control over you. He’s no different from any of the rest of us. He doesn’t want to be with you. He wants to own you. He wants to control you. As long as you have that stone in your chest, you are his possession, not his partner. Not his wife. Not his Queen.” The words rang in Layla’s ears and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She saw Jiri take another step toward her and his eyes met hers. She remembered the way that she felt the first time that she sensed his presence near her as she lay on the stone slab in the cavern her first night on the planet. He had comforted her without saying a single word, reassured her with the single touch of his fingers. It was the same when they had

stood in his chamber, staring into the mirror as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea that he was now the King of his planet. Layla felt a smile coming to her lips as she looked at him. Nothing had changed. The love that he felt for her was still burning in his eyes just as strongly as it was burning in her heart. Leaving the stone in her chest meant nothing more than that Jiri wasn’t thinking of it, but of her. She looked to Prez and straightened her shoulders, drawing herself up so that he would see her fully. She didn’t want him to think even for a moment that he had intimidated her or beaten her down. Taking a step toward him, she brought her fingers up to the edge of the stone again. “This stone?” she asked. Prez seemed almost unnerved by her approach, as if he hadn’t expected that she would be courageous enough to confront him, particularly after his attack. He thought that she was fragile enough that he had been able to break her. She had to prove that that was far from the truth. Like he had to prove to himself as much as to her that he was still in control, Prez gave a mirthless laugh. “Are you already so accustomed to it that you forgot that it was even there?” he asked. “Oh, no,” Layla said. “I know it’s there. I feel it every moment of my life. The thing is, though, Jiri might have

forgotten, because he never thought of it as being there at all. Never once did he use this stone to control me or to hurt me. Jiri never saw the star stone. He only ever saw me. If there is anyone who puts such importance on this stone, it’s you. Not because you are powerful or you are somehow better than me or the other women who have these stones embedded in our chests, but because you are so much less than us. You are afraid.” “Afraid of what?” Prez asked with indignance in his voice. “What would I have to be afraid of about you, or any of these women? You are slaves, bound to serve us.” “That’s just the thing,” Layla said. “You have us as slaves and you say that you believe that we are so much less than you, yet you have to force a stone into our skin that enables you to control and to punish us. If we were as weak as you believe, and you are as inherently strong and powerful as you want for us to think that you are, why would you need that? If that were true, you would have total command over us without relying on a tool of torture to accomplish it. The truth is that you have everything to be afraid of. You know that no woman would tolerate you and give you the service that you wanted if you didn’t have the power of the star stone. We’re too strong for you. Jiri didn’t need that. He never needed me to be under his feet because I don’t threaten him. But I do threaten you. And I always will.”

Layla dug her fingers into her skin around the edge of the stone. There was a sharp pain, but she didn’t care. She pushed past it and felt her fingers sink down into her chest so that she was able to grasp the stone. Prying the stone out of her chest, she let it fall from her fingers to the polished floor beneath her feet. The sound of it hitting the floor reverberated around them and Layla saw the look of horror in Prez’s eyes. In an instant, she saw the prince double over as if something had hit him in the gut. His feet left the floor and he flew back several feet before crashing to the floor much as Layla had under his control. Layla stepped back and turned toward Jiri. She saw him holding his hand out toward his brother and realized that he had used an unseen force to push his brother back. “How does that feel?” Jiri asked. “How do you like feeling like one of the nurturers?” “Jiri, stop,” Eamon said. “No,” Jiri replied. “If he questions that I should be King, he deserves to see the power that I truly have. He has never hesitated to make these women suffer under his hand, so why should I show him any sort of mercy or compassion?” “Not mercy,” Eamon said. “I’m not asking you to show him mercy. I’m asking you to protect yourself.” Jiri slashed his hand through the air and Layla saw Prez slam down into the ground again. His face made a heavy cracking sound as it hit the ground and Layla felt a shiver roll

through her even though she didn’t care what the cruel prince suffered. The sound reminded her too much of what Sylan went through at his hands and she felt sickened. She started toward the women again, knowing that Prez wouldn’t be able to stop her. “What can he do to me?” Jiri asked. “He has no power over the King. There’s nothing that he can do.” “He can’t use his mind against you, no,” Eamon agreed, “but there is much more. This is a trap, Jiri. Do you remember what I showed you? That is Prez’s doing.” Layla saw Jiri look at his father, the anger on his face giving way to quizzical concern. He looked back at Prez and reached for him as if reaching for his throat. Layla watched as the prince rose up off the floor and into the air, kicking as he clawed at some unseen force around his throat. She remembered the feeling she had experienced when she was trying to hide behind the tree after running through the woods, like she was being choked by something that she couldn’t see. Her eyes fell on the former King and she saw his face change. He knew exactly what she was thinking. “I’m sorry, Layla,” Eamon said. “I had no choice.” “What?” Jiri asked. “What happened?” Layla shook her head, trying to process what she had just realized.

“It was you,” she said. “You are the one who captured me and brought me here.” “Any of the men can move things with their mind,” Jiri told her, tossing Prez against the wall and then scooping him up again with the power of his mind as if to underscore what he had just told her. “The only person who is fully protected from this force is the King. It could have been any of the men.” “No,” Layla said, shaking her head again. “No, I know that it was him.” “It was, Jiri.” There was a loud thud as Prez hit the ground again and Jiri turned to look at his father. “How could you?” he asked. “How could you do that to her? You knew how I felt.” Out of the corner of her eye Layla noticed Prez climbing slowly to his feet. Blood was pooling on his mouth and his cheek was discolored from the repeated impacts on the floor and wall, but his eyes were locked on his brother. “Jiri!” she screamed. Just as Jiri turned around, Prez ran forward and dove into his brother’s stomach, crashing both of them to the floor. Layla turned away from the men back to Sylan. She cupped her hand around the woman’s cheek and made soothing sounds. “You’re alright,” she said. “You’re going to be alright. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m so sorry.”

Sylan looked up at her, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her lips trembled and parted as if she were trying to speak, but she couldn’t bring herself to bring sound from her throat. Layla reached up to pull on the shackles holding Sylan’s wrists, trying desperately to pull them free. They wouldn’t move, and she turned over her shoulder to look back toward Jiri. He was still on the floor with Prez, both men struggling for dominance as they wrestled. Eamon stood several feet away, watching the clash with an expression of painful conflict on his face. Layla knew that he wanted to part them, to prevent his sons from harming each other, but at the same time he knew that if they were apart, there was even more chance of either one of them being injured. Prez’s hand reached out for the medal that Jiri wore and a shock of panic shot through her. Though he hadn’t explained the importance of the medal beyond the fact that it represented that the role of King had been transferred from Eamon to Jiri, Layla knew that if Prez wanted it off of Jiri that it must have tremendous value. “I’ll be back,” she said to Sylan. “Don’t worry.” She ran toward the men, letting out a cry of fury as she directed an angry kick into Prez’s back. The prince arched back and roared in response to the kick, the momentary release giving Jiri enough time to take the upper hand. He rolled his brother onto his back and landed a strong punch directly into his face. Layla was preparing another blow when

the sound of the doors at the far end of the meeting hall crashing open stole her attention. As she turned away from the men she felt Prez force himself away from Jiri and get to his feet, pushing her back as he stood. Ahead of her she saw a group of men rush into the meeting hall and felt her heart clench with fear. She looked down as Jiri climbed to his feet and stepped up beside him. He took her wrist and pulled her behind him. Prez had started toward the door, but the wall of men coming toward then stopped his progress. “Who are they?” Layla asked. “I only recognize some of them,” Jiri said, standing his ground though she could hear the reluctance in his voice. “The ones who are in the front are the species who are responsible for the beginning of this planet. They are the ones who brought my kind to Cassiopeia. I think that this is what my father was trying to tell me.” There were so many questions coursing through Layla’s mind, but she knew that she couldn’t ask all of them. Now was not the time. For now, she needed to focus only on what was happening around them. “Who are the others?” she asked. “I don’t know,” Jiri said. She could feel his body pressing back on hers as if he were trying to get her to move away from the group of men. She resisted the push, not willing to be away from him,

especially now that she was facing two more species that she didn’t know and didn’t understand. The men in the front of the group, the ones that Jiri had recognized, were the smaller of the two species, but they were still large and powerful-looking. Long, thick hair hung in braids down their backs and even from a distance Layla could see that their eyes were unlike anything that she had ever seen. She had been impressed, drawn in by Jiri’s lovely caramel eyes, but the startling gaze these men had was something entirely different. It was almost as though they were moving, the multi-colored expanses brewing as they looked around the meeting hall at the chaos that had erupted. It was the men who came behind them, though, that were truly unnerving to Layla. Towering over any of the men in the room, these creatures were massive beyond anything that Layla had ever seen. Shocks of white hair stood in bold contrast to their skin and some stared around the room with intense orange eyes. They were unarmed with the exception of a small knife they wore at their hips, but they were nothing short of terrifying. Immediately one of these huge men turned his attention toward the women still shackled to the wall and started toward them with impossibly long strides.

Chapter Seven Sylan saw the tremendous being coming toward her and shook with fear. She tried to scramble away from him, pushing further back against the wall as if would keep her from him. Instead, he stalked directly to her and knelt down in front of her. He met her eyes and the fear seeped out of her. She felt a rush of calm settle over her and everything around them briefly faded as she gazed into the strangely shifting hues in the depth of his eyes. An instant later he reached above her and wrapped a huge hand around the chains that held one of her wrists. Her skin stung from the tightness of the chains and her joints ached from the position, but a moment later he gave a single tug and the first chain broke free of the wall. The man caught her hand before it fell and gently lowered it down to her lap. He repeated the effort with her second hand, freeing her. Without a word, he lifted both wrists carefully into his hands and looked down at them as if scrutinizing any injuries that she might have. On either side of her she saw massive shapes coming to the other women and Sylan realized that they were two others of the huge creatures now releasing the rest of the former nurturers from their chains. The man who had helped her rested her hands back into her lap and she suddenly felt her body give out as if all the energy and adrenaline that it had been

using to keep her alive through the turmoil and trauma of the last several days had drained from her. A wave of darkness washed over her and she felt the man’s tremendous arms catch her and scoop her up away from the floor. As consciousness returned, she was aware of him gathering her up against his huge chest and standing, lifting her several feet off the ground so that he held her effortlessly. There was still no fear and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt comfortable and relaxed. “He got away.” The words caused Sylan to lift her head and look at Jiri. She knew immediately that he was talking about Prez. The thought that he had somehow gotten out of the meeting hall was disturbing, but only because she knew that meant that he still existed, that he was still somewhere in the world breathing. Being in the man’s arms made her feel safe. She knew that as long as she was there that Prez couldn’t get to her. As soon as that thought moved through her mind, though, her heart sank and a sick feeling rolled through her stomach. It didn’t matter how safe she felt cradled in her rescuer’s arms. Just as Prez had said about Layla, she was still in her prince’s clutches. The star stone was still in place, which meant that whenever Prez pleased, he could exert his power over her. He could cause her immeasurable suffering or force her to do anything that he wanted to. In an instant, he could transport her to wherever he

was, putting her right back in his clutches and out of the reach of anyone until they were able to find her, if at all. She might not survive long enough for them to get to her. The realization made her cling closer to the man that was holding her, knowing that there was nothing that he could do to keep her away from Prez if her former owner wanted her, yet still desperately seeking his protection. “Sylan,” Layla shouted to her, knowing exactly what she was thinking and fearing the same thing that she did. “Take it out. All of you. Take your star stones out.” They hesitated and Layla left Jiri’s side to come closer to them. “You have to do it,” she demanded. “You have to get those stones out or they will be able to do anything to you that they want. You have to get them out in order to be safe, for all of us to be safe.” The man who held her seemed to pull Sylan closer and turn slightly away from Layla as she approached. Though she still didn’t even know this man’s name, she could feel a connection between them that she couldn’t understand. It was something unlike anything that she had ever experienced, and something that she couldn’t explain. It was as though she had already known him and his appearance in the meeting hall reunited them after a long time apart. Layla seemed undeterred by his protectiveness and strode toward her, though as she approached Sylan could see that she was

keeping her eyes focused away from the man and instead on Sylan’s face. “You have to do it,” Layla said. “You have to get it out. Now!” Sylan reluctantly complied, pressing her fingers down into the skin around the stone as she had seen Layla do. The pain nearly overwhelmed her, but she closed her eyes and gripped the man’s arm more tightly as she did it, reminding herself with every passing second of the pain and suffering that Prez had caused her. This couldn’t even begin to compare to what he had put her through and as the stone loosened and came into her hand so that she could pull it out, she told herself that as soon as it was gone, she would be free of him and his tyranny over her forever. “What are you doing?” the man demanded, taking hold of her wrist to pull her hand away from the stone in her chest. She fought the pressure of his hand even as his deep, silky voice rumbled through her. “I have to do this,” she said. “Please. Let me.” Seeming to understand the urgency in her voice, the man released her arm and a moment later the star stone released from her skin and fell into her palm. Sylan looked down at it, fascinated by its appearance. Since she had been in Prez’s servitude, she had spent little time looking at herself. In the early days, she had looked at her reflection every chance that she

had, even when that meant stealing glimpses at herself in the mirrors in Prez’s chamber, so that she could ensure that she looked perfect. It seemed that the better she looked, the calmer Prez’s was. Very quickly, however, that changed to be that he was rarely even close to calm, and if she didn’t look completely put together, he was angrier and harsher with her. Making sure that she looked exactly as she should became a priority for her and Sylan found herself trying desperately to appeal to him, part of her mind telling her that if she tried hard enough, she might be able to change the way that he looked at her, to soften his treatment of her. It wasn’t long before she knew that that was never to be the case. Her fingers had learned the patterns of creating the braids in her hair that the princes expected and she was able to perfect herself as much as possible without looking in the mirror. She began to avoid her reflections, not wanting to see what she had become. She knew that if she did look, she would see the emptiness in her eyes were the sparkle of her life once was, and the blankness in a face that once held smiles and laughter. Her reflection would only be a reminder of everything that Prez had taken from her, and she feared that if she did see it it would confirm that she was no longer herself, taking away the last wisps of her identity that she had fought so hard to maintain. Along with that, though, came no longer seeing what the stone looked like in her chest. She knew that it

was there. She felt it with every breath and the reality of it never left her mind. Until that moment, though, it had been years since she had actually seen the stone. Now it sat in her palm, appearing docile and inert, belying the fearsome power that it had held. She was free. She never thought that she would be able to say those words, to know in her heart that they were true. She was free. Sylan let the stone fall from her fingers the same way that she had seen Layla drop her star stone. Though she had flinched when she heard the nearly explosive sound of Layla’s star stone hitting the floor, the same sound coming from her own stone was welcome in Sylan’s ears. Finally, it was her who had the control over it. “Can you stand?” the man holding her asked. “I think so,” she answered, unsure of whether her legs would hold her but wanting to take the first steps in countless years that she would take without them being dictated by Prez. He lowered her toward the floor and Sylan guided her feet down until she felt the chill of the smooth surface against her bare feet. Her legs felt shaky beneath her, but she fought for them to hold her. As soon as the man’s arms were away from her, she felt cold and reluctant to be away from him, but before she could turn back to him, he strode away from her to return to the others of his kind that were now back with the other group standing before Jiri and Layla. She kept her eyes

on him even as she took the few steps toward the other women and reached her arms out to take Cressida into her arms. The younger, smaller woman sagged against her, and Sylan tried to offer her strength, reaching beyond what she was feeling within herself to try to transfer some of the courage that the man had given her. “Malan,” Eamon said, bringing Sylan’s attention back to the people in front of them. “Thank you for coming.” She watched as one of the men that had come along with the massive creatures stepped forward to greet the former King. “I only wish that there were better circumstances,” Malan said. “We have long feared that this day would eventually come. I am relieved that you reached out to us when you did rather than waiting until things got more serious.” Sylan wished that she better understood what was happening. She recognized Malan and his kind only in an abstract way, remembering before she was chosen to be Prez’s nurturer, she learned about the origin of their planet and how they came to live here in the protective embrace of Cassiopeia. That didn’t tell her, however, why they had suddenly returned or what they feared. The vagueness of what they were saying made it all the more frightening for her and she found herself wishing that she could simply tuck herself

back into the man’s arms and disappear again into the security that he had offered her. “This is my son Jiri,” Eamon said. “I have stepped aside and made him King. He will be leading this planet and all of us from now on.” Malan looked at Jiri and Sylan saw him give a slight nod. “I hope that you will have the opportunity to rule with the strength of your father and his father before him.” He stepped back and to the side and gestured at the huge men behind him. “When Eamon contacted me to ask for help, I knew that the conflict ahead would require more than we could offer on our own. These are the Denynso. They are the most powerful and fearsome warriors in all the Universe. They are here to help prevent this conflict from becoming too severe.”

Chapter Eight Jiri didn’t know how he should feel. It was reassuring to know that the Denynso warriors had come to assist them, but at the same moment the thought that what was brewing on the planet was severe enough to warrant their arrival was unnerving. He had never heard of this species and had never encountered the Kintani, the species responsible for his kind being here. This left him feeling on the very edge of awareness, looking into the situation as it unfolded rather than being a full participant in it. He wanted to be a part of it, to understand what was happening and know that he was doing what was right. He looked at his father, hoping to see something in his eyes that would tell him what to do next. “I need to know what’s happening,” he said. “I need to understand why they are all here.” Eamon approached him with a stern look on his face. “Not now,” he said. “For now, all of us need to get some sleep.” Jiri straightened, feeling frustration and anger building through him at the statement. “I am King,” he said. “I want to know what is happening on my planet and why others had to be brought in to assist.” Eamon nodded slowly.

“You are King,” he said in agreement. “But I am still your father. You will be facing difficulty that you never would have been able to imagine and will have to make decisions that only you can make. I have brought us to this point and ensured that we have all the help that we can get, but this is as far as I can take us. Now you will have to decide what happens next. It is fully up to you and you have to know that you have made the right decision. When you are standing on the battlefield and watching the destruction that is happening around you. When you are seeing the aftermath of the conflict that is just on the horizon. When you are witnessing pain or even death, you need to know that you made the choice that was right for your planet, and be able to stand by that choice. And I have faith and confidence that you will be able to do that. But in order to, you have to have a clear mind and an unburdened heart. That will only come when you get the rest that you need. There is nothing more that can be done tonight.” “Prez is out there somewhere,” Jiri said. “He escaped. If he is responsible for all of this.” “It isn’t him,” Eamon said, cutting Jiri off. Jiri narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? You said that all of this was a trap, that he was a part of what you showed me.” “A part of it, yes,” Eamon said. “I thought that he might be the one that has been planning it, but I know now that that

can’t be the case. If he was the one controlling all of this, he wouldn’t have tolerated Layla and he wouldn’t have had to run. He would have set everything in motion tonight. Even if he had decided to escape for a time, he would have called the nurturers to him the minute that he escaped. He wouldn’t have let them stay here.” “They took out their star stones,” Jiri said. “He couldn’t do anything to them.” “They removed their stones well after he escaped. It is good that they removed them so that they are no longer at risk, but the fact that they remained here for as long as they did only affirms to me that it is not Prez who is responsible for all of this. He might have lofty dreams of taking over and being King, but there is someone else who has designs on that role and if he is given the opportunity to get the upper hand, he will forge ahead without any care what happens to Prez or to anyone else.” “Who is it?” Jiri asked. “I can’t confirm that right now. There is still more to figure out. For now, we all need to rest and prepare ourselves for what lies ahead. The time will come when we may be called upon to do things that we never would have imagined that we were capable of doing. We have to be strong enough to handle it.”

Jiri knew that his father was right. Now that the worst of that night’s chaos had cooled, he felt the exhaustion of his mind and body hit him. He had gotten so little sleep before Prez transported Layla out of her bed and into the shackles and now he felt it pulling down on him, luring him back to bed so that he could take a break, if only for a few hours, from the rush that was quickly getting out of control. He still wanted to know what was happening and what had inspired his father to call in the assistance of a species that was never seen on the planet except for in the most formal of events during which they were given an audience exclusively with the King and Queen, but the decisions that he was going to have to make were far more impactful than anything that he had ever needed to decide. He needed to make those with a strong mind, which meant that he would need to sleep. He took a step back and reached out for Layla’s hand. She took it and the warmth of her skin against his soothed him. “Will you see to it that our guests are comfortable for the night?” Jiri asked, hoping to distance himself for a short time from the reality of these people’s presence on the planet. “Of course,” Eamon said. Jiri nodded and turned back toward the door that led to his wing. Soon he would take over the King’s quarters and the throne room would become his, but for now he didn’t care

about any of that. He wanted the familiar and the comfortable. “Take the stones with you.” Jiri turned back around to look at Malan. The older man was staring at him intently, his eyes cutting through the space between them as if he were the only one who he could see. “What?” Jiri asked. “The star stones,” Malan said. “Take them with you.” “They aren’t active anymore,” Jiri said. “The former nurturers removed them.” “Take them with you,” Malan repeated. Jiri waited a few moments longer to see if he would get any further explanation, but when it became clear that he wouldn’t, he stepped forward and scooped Layla’s stone off of the floor. He walked over to the women and took each of their stones from them until both of his hands were full of the dimmed, inactive stones. He carried them with him back across the meeting hall and into the corridor that led deep into his wing. **** Layla followed close behind Jiri feeling somewhat fuzzy and bewildered, but as soon as the heavy door of the wing closed behind her, the fog lifted and she was suddenly galvanized. Energy flowed through her and she took off toward

Jiri’s bedroom at a fast, determined pace. She could hear him calling after her, but she didn’t stop. She got to the bedroom that they had been torn from by Sylan’s frantic scream and stopped at the foot of the bed. Without turning back around to see if Jiri had gotten into the room with her, she stripped her clothing away and let it pool at her feet. She needed to be back to the moment that they had been in before they went to the meeting hall, to achieve the same bliss as that moment. Bare again, Layla climbed up onto the mattress and crawled toward the pillows. The energy within her was almost frantic, fueling her with adrenaline that coursed through her so that her body seemed to tingle from her toes to the tips of her fingers. She needed to be with Jiri. She needed to connect with him beyond the realm in which they were currently existing so that she could free her mind from everything else that was happening. With him, she didn’t have to be afraid. With him, she didn’t have to think of anything beyond what they shared. It was as though the fear within her had snapped and transformed instead into a desperate passion that she needed to assuage. Jiri came into the room and his eyes locked on her lying across the bed. The stones that he held in his palms spilled from them onto a cushion on the floor, clinking together like the sound of rain on glass, and he stripped away his clothes just as she had. No words were spoken. They didn’t need to be.

Neither of them needed to hear anything else. It was their bodies, their transcendent bond, that they needed to carry them through. Layla reached out for Jiri and he got up onto the bed, coming toward her so that he straddled her legs on his knees. His cock was already springing to life and she reached up to wrap her hand around it. It twitched in response to her touch, immediately growing harder and longer. She felt her mouth water and knew that she needed him in the same way that she had him the first time. She remembered him standing at the side of her tub, accepting the attention that she had offered and offering himself in return. Layla pulled herself up to sit a bit higher so that she could lean forward and run her tongue along the tip of his cock. There was already a drop of sweet and salty crystalline fluid forming there and she eagerly swept it into her mouth. She licked around the edge of the head, concentrating the flick of her tongue on the sensitive bundle of nerves just on the underside. Jiri tucked his hand behind her head to prevent her from pulling back and Layla let out a moan as she opened her mouth and allowed the tip of his cock to slip between her lips and onto her tongue. Her hands touched the fronts of his thighs and slid around to grip the backs, subtly pulling him forward so that he pressed deeper into her mouth. Jiri groaned and gripped her hair, holding it tightly as he rolled his hips. Her

fingertips dug into his skin and she could feel the tremble of his belly as she intensified her pace. A sense of desperation built inside her as she drew him harder in toward her throat and began to suck harder and deeper. She knew that it was a volatile combination of aggression, anticipation, anger, and uncomfortable fear that fueled him to push harder and faster into her mouth as if seeking solace in her, as if he could lose himself in her and she would give him the strength that he needed. She could feel the same thing and didn’t hold back. This, right now, right here, was everything. This was her finding security and reassurance in him, and giving him the same. This was her refusing to allow the world to break through to them and deny the happiness that they had found. This was them together, reaching out into the infinite to reclaim the glimmer of beauty and wonder that existed because they were together, and not allowing anyone to threaten that. She met the force of his need for her without hesitation, allowing him to guide her head and using her tongue to tease him closer to climax. Jiri closed his eyes and let his head fall back as he gave himself over to the selfless pleasure of her mouth. Layla began to stroke the backs of his legs, bringing one hand forward to grip the base of his shaft to start pumping as he moved in and out of her mouth. It was as if she could sense

his need, could feel the tension and the pressure building inside him and was giving herself over to him so that he could release it. The addition of her hand along his erection pushed him over the edge and he gritted his teeth to hold back the growl that poured out of him as he pulsed and spilled across her tongue. Layla tightened her grip on the back of his thigh and held him in place, lifting her head slightly to improve her leverage as she cleaned him with her tongue and lips, swallowing luxuriously and sighing as Jiri gasped for breath. When he had relaxed fully in her mouth, Layla withdrew his cock and looked up into Jiri’s eyes. His met her gaze, but then dropped to her chest. Layla knew that he was looking at the place that had once held the star stone. She shuddered to think of how it looked. Until that moment she hadn’t thought about what would be left behind when she pried that stone away and now she worried that she would be irrevocably marred by it. He reached forward and she braced herself for the pain that she anticipated feeling when he touched the spot, but the sting never came. Instead, she felt his fingertips stroke along her chest. Layla brought her hand up and touched his hand, letting the feeling of his skin be a bridge before she finally touched her own chest. Rather than feeling any sort of gap or deep wound, she felt only smooth skin. A gasp escaped her lips and she met Jiri’s eyes again.

“I put that stone there,” he said. “And I could make it as if it was never there.” “Only a memory,” she said. “Only a memory.” Jiri ducked his head down to kiss her and then slid to his side beside her. Together they slipped beneath the thick covers and Layla felt her body relax completely against the soft coolness of the clean sheets. They surrounded her with their sweet, fresh scent and the weight of the blankets pressed down on her, creating a sense of protection. Jiri reached over to the table beside them and extinguished the light, sending them into darkness that seemed to cause Layla’s eyes to instinctively close. Jiri settled down beside her and pulled her up against him so that she nestled into the curve of his body and could rest her head on his chest. His breathing was already deep and controlled when he lay beside her and the feeling of each breath drawing into his lungs and streaming out evenly, along with the sound of his heartbeat swept her almost instantly into sleep.

Chapter Nine Morning came far sooner than Jiri would have wanted it to. He thought that he wasn’t going to be able to sleep, but when he cradled Layla against him and breathed in the scent of her, it took him away and he knew nothing but still, dreamless blackness until a bright slice of sunlight through the gap in his drapes opened his eyes. Layla was no longer beside him and he felt a temporary moment of panic again, worrying that this was like it had been with her running from the bed to sleep on her own. Before he was able to climb out of the bed, however, the door to the bedroom opened and she stepped back inside. She was already dressed and he noticed that her hair was not in the braids that he had become accustomed to seeing since the first time that the other women had styled her in preparation of him. Rather, it was brushed out long and smooth so that it flowed over her shoulders and down her back. It was a beautiful, sexy sign of rebellion and he immediately found himself wanting to run his fingers through it. Layla was carrying a tray and some of the pleasure of seeing her coming into his bedroom first thing faded. “You don’t have to bring me breakfast anymore,” he said. “It’s not your responsibility anymore.” “Of course it is,” Layla said.

“You aren’t my nurturer,” he said. “You don’t have any duty toward me. You don’t even have your star stone.” “I know,” Layla said, carrying the tray to the edge of the bed and settling down to sit beside him so that he could rest it into his lap. “But that’s exactly why it is my responsibility. Not as your nurturer. Not as your slave. But as your partner. Knowing that I have no obligation makes me want to take care of you even more.” Jiri felt his heart lift and he leaned forward to kiss her. “Thank you,” he said. He hesitated and then reached up to stroke her cheek with his thumb. “I’m sorry about what Prez said to you. He had no place saying that.” “It isn’t true?” she asked. Jiri was stung by the question. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Do you think that you are nothing more than a nurturer to me because I didn’t remove your star stone last night?” The thought was painful, but he understood why she might believe it. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Of course, I don’t. I wouldn’t have removed it myself if I did. But he was right. I’m not your Queen.” “You will be,” he said. “I promise you that you will be.” “You still want me to be?” she asked.

She glanced down briefly and then back at him. It was the first time that he saw true vulnerability in her and his heart ached to comfort her. He cupped his hand around her face so that she would look at him. “I have wanted you to be mine since the first moment that I saw you. I told you that when you first asked me why you were here. I meant it then and I mean it now. You etched yourself into my heart even before you knew that I existed and that will not, cannot, be changed. I called you my Queen because that is how I already see you. We are inextricably linked to one another, no matter what happens. There is nothing in this world that will keep me from marrying you and showing everyone just how much I love you. I no longer exist without you and no matter when it comes, we will stand before the Universe together and you will be my Queen.” “And you will be my King.” Their lips met again and he could see the relief that came over her. He knew that she would never admit that she had been worried. The strength and courage that it took for her to confront Prez and remove her own star stone was formidable, and he had seen the look on her face when she was processing what his brother had said to her in the meeting hall. Prez hadn’t swayed her with his claim that Jiri was just like the rest of them and wanted to control her with her stone, but she had said nothing about his declaration about their relationship.

Jiri knew that she loved him and that she would do what she could to defend him, but he hadn’t thought that she would question even for a moment that he intended to truly be with her for the rest of his life and walk beside her through whatever might be to come. Now that he did, he held it within him with the strictest of confidence. He knew that she would never confess the hesitation that she had felt, and he was never going to put her in the position where she was going to have to. Layla waited for a few moments while he ate, but he could see that there were words lingering on her lips, waiting to be said. He took a long drink from a mug of hot, bitter liquid and paused, looking at her in invitation for her to speak. She seemed to notice and let out a sigh. “What do we do now?” she asked. “What do you mean?” “Your father said that there are decisions that you are going to have to make.” “Yes,” Jiri said. “Decisions about what? What’s happening?” Jiri finished the breakfast that she brought him and set the tray aside. “I don’t know everything,” he said. “I don’t even think that my father knows the full extent.”

“But what does he know? What did he show you? Who are those people?” The questions came at him quickly and when she was finished asking them, Layla took a breath, seemingly relieved to just have gotten them out. “Those people,” Jiri said, “are the Kintani. The bearers and protectors of the stars. Do you remember when I told you that this planet has no name?” “Yes,” Layla said. “You said that you call yourselves the Cassiopeians, but that that is not always what you were called.” Jiri nodded. “The Kintani are why. Before them we were known as the Travetori. We came from another planet far from here. Just as we are now, we were a warrior race. There was a war and the Travetori were nearly completely overcome by a species that they had never encountered. Those who were left were at risk of being captured by our enemies and enslaved on their planet, or brought up in front of their governmental council, which would have meant a fate far worse than death for each of them. Instead, the Kintani offered their help. In exchange for preventing the species from being totally decimated, they expected submission and relinquishment of not just our former planet, but also much of the power and control that we once had. The Kintani promised to transfer the entire surviving

Travetori population to another planet out of reach of those enemies and their allies, but they made clear that they still knew that the actions of the army had been cruel and unethical. This meant that we would be bound by new traditions and laws, and controlled by the presence of the Kintani always. “Cassiopeia,” Layla murmured. “Exactly,” Jiri said. “The constellation is our prison, disguised as a loving embrace.” “But why are they here now? And why did they bring the Denynso with them?” Jiri drew in a breath. “The Kintani brought the Travetori to this planet many generations ago. There is no one alive today who remembers the old planet or who was alive to know what it was like then. That doesn’t mean, though, that everyone simply accepts being under the control of another species.” “But it sounded like they never come here.” “It is very rare that they do. The King and Queen will sometimes host a banquet for them to remain connected. There are private celebrations in honor of our establishment of our kingdom here on this planet. Other than that, though, they are not involved. With the exception of their continued restrictions, they allow the inhabitants of Cassiopeia to live without interference.”

“So why would anyone be bothered by that?” “Why were you bothered by your star stone?” he asked. Layla’s eyes widened and he knew that she understood. “Just because someone does not exert the full extent of their controls over another person does not mean that that person will simply accept that those controls are there. Freedom means something different to everyone, and there are some who are not able to cope with anything less than what their perception of it.” “Are you free, Jiri?” Layla asked. It wasn’t the question that Jiri would have expected her to ask, and it hit him hard, reaffirming to him that he had no choice but to bring this to an end. Are you free?

Book 3 – The Legendary Alien Warriors Chapter One Sylan stepped out of the meeting hall and into the quiet of the corridor. The silence closed around her, almost tangible as it touched her skin and seemed to sink into her, affirming how much had changed in just a matter of hours. When she was first transported into the chains by Prez, she believed that she had come to the end of her life. This was going to be it, the moment when the prince that had made her life nothing but fear and misery for so many years was finally going to destroy her and move on to another nurturer. Though she was afraid of what was going to happen to her in the last moments that she was going to live, there was part of her that felt relief thinking that soon she would be delivered from the torment that had defined her existence since Prez had chosen her. Chosen. If it had been any other situation, any other circumstances, the thought of being chosen would have seemed flattering. She would have thought that it was a good thing, even a blessing, to have a prince choose her personally. Now that she knew what this really meant, though, the thought of it being over was the only moment of light that she had felt in as long as she could remember. Her only concern was for the woman who would follow her. Part of her felt that she should try

to linger on, try to cling to life, if only to take another day away from the sentence that the next woman would have to serve. When Jiri freed her, it hadn’t felt real. She hadn’t known what to do or where she was supposed to go. Ryella hadn’t waited, even for a moment. As soon as her chains fell away, she ran from the palace, not even returning to the private wing of the prince that she served to gather any of the meager belongings that she had there before she left. Sylan knew that Ryella feared Silas would be there when she arrived in his rooms. Even though the new King had freed the nurturers and technically removed them from the control of the princes, that wasn’t enough. Sylan knew it and the other nurturers knew it. Jiri simply saying that the women no longer belonged to them and that they could not capture other women to be their nurturers was nothing more than infuriating. It wouldn’t stop the men from punishing the women as much as they pleased as long as they could get their hands on them. This had paralyzed Sylan with fear. It wasn’t a response that she ever would have expected. If she had been asked how she would react to finally being freed and released from the bond and control of Prez, permitted to go wherever she wanted and return to a life that was only her own, Sylan would have said that she would have left before her next breath, that nothing would have stopped her from getting out of the palace and out of the reach of Prez.

But then it happened. Eamon proclaimed his youngest son King and Jiri immediately freed the nurturers, yet Sylan did nothing. Ryella ran. She disappeared from the palace in a matter of moments and Sylan knew that she would never see her again. Yet Sylan had remained. Over the years such an intense fear had settled into her that she felt as though she didn’t even have control over herself now that it had been taken from Prez. Rather than returning to her, the ability to guide her and make her decisions had simply left Prez and then dissipated into the air around them, unclaimed by any of them. He no longer owned her or had dominion over her according to the law of the planet, but she also didn’t feel as though she had control over herself, either. She was terrified at the idea of even stepping foot out of the meeting hall and trying to decide what to do next. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remember what it was like to be able to do whatever she wanted to do at any moment. After years of hating the feeling of being told what to do at every moment and having even her very breaths owned and dictated by another, she had resigned herself to it. It became easier to simply go along with what Prez told her and allow him to control her like a machine than it was to deal with the punishments and wrath that would come if she resisted even a small amount. When the time came for that to no longer be a part of her life, it felt strange and foreign to not have someone else structuring her days and

guiding her moments. It was almost as though she no longer knew what it was like to just live. Despite that, nothing would have prepared her for the horror of being returned to the chains so quickly. Ryella ran. Ryella escaped, putting it all behind her without even a thought. Sylan knew that she should have done the same. She should have not let herself think even for a second. But she did, and she ended up exactly as she feared that she would have, trapped at the mercy of Prez again. Even then she didn’t know what she should do. It wasn’t until she saw Layla stand up to Prez that something started to change in Sylan. She had known that Layla was different from the first moment that she met her. It wasn’t just that she was human. That was different and set her apart from the other nurturers, but that wasn’t all. Sylan had been able to see something in Layla that was unlike anything that she had encountered in the other women who came. Sylan had been in the palace for longer than any of the others and had seen much the same reaction in each of the women who came. They would seem to process through the same emotions and responses, and every time she would do her best to ease them into their new routine. It had never occurred to her to try to comfort them or to reassure them that there would be anything more to their existence than she knew that there would be, and over time her investment in them became more

and more shallow as her own connection to herself disappeared. Then Layla came. She came into their fold much the same way that the others had, and with the exception of the intrigue that was caused by knowing that she was chosen from Earth, Sylan didn’t have any expectation that she would be any different from Ryella and the others who she had been responsible for installing into the palace. As soon as she met her, though, she felt a prickle on the back of her neck, telling her that this woman was going to change things. She wasn’t going to ease into her role easily. She was going to cause turmoil. Yet it wasn’t turmoil that occurred immediately. Instead, she had simply faded away into Jiri’s wing of the palace and wasn’t seen again. It didn’t seem right. Layla should have been something more. It was that knowledge, that voice in the back of Sylan’s mind that told her that Layla wasn’t like them, that seemed to break through the fog that was hanging over her, and convince her that she couldn’t just accept this as her fate. Though there was nothing that she could do from her position chained against the wall, she couldn’t just give up and turn herself back over to Prez. Her hand came to wrap around one of her wrists, running across the skin where it was almost as though she could still feel

the cold metal against them. Never again. She would never again allow herself to be chained. The open expanse in her chest, now devoid of the stone that had bound her, proved that. She would never again just accept what lay ahead of her and not fight to protect herself. That didn’t mean that she wasn’t afraid. In fact, as she stood in the empty corridor, trying to decide what she should do next, she felt a deeper fear than she could ever remember feeling. It went beyond just the worry that Prez would find her and that she would experience the viciousness that she knew flowed through his veins and defined every action that he took against her. The fear was no longer just for her body, but for her mind, and for the person she knew that she once was and hoped that she still had somewhere within her. Behind her she heard the door to the meeting hall open and she looked over her shoulder to see Eamon coming toward her. The former King looked apologetic and beseeching, as if he was desperate to connect with her and make amends for what she went through. Sylan resisted the compulsion to feel anger and even bitterness toward him. She would have wanted to think that he didn’t know what was happening behind the closed doors of his son’s private wings, but she knew that that wasn’t the case. He had confirmed that not only did he know what the women went through, but he himself had put his own nurturers through the same type of treatment

before he met Jessamine and fell in love with her. Holding onto those negative emotions, though, would do no good. Eamon had explained himself and done what he could to apologize. Forgiving him and choosing to move forward was going to be the only way that either of them would be able to begin to heal. “Are you alright, Sylan?” Eamon asked. Sylan gave a short, mirthless laugh. “I don’t really know how to respond to that, King,” she answered. “I’m not King any longer,” Eamon said, taking another step closer to her. “Jiri is King, now. He is the one who freed you.” He was saying it in a slow, careful voice that made Sylan’s skin crawl. It was as though he thought that she wouldn’t understand the simple words that he was saying, as if the years in captivity had removed everything about her that was functional. She nodded. “I’m aware,” she said. “He freed me twice, if I recall correctly.” She hesitated. “Well, I suppose he freed me once and then Layla freed me the second time.” “She will be a powerful Queen.” Sylan didn’t want to go down that path of conversation any longer. It was too much to contemplate right then, and since she didn’t intend on being in the palace any longer than

she had to, it didn’t matter as much to her who would be in power. As long as that person kept Jiri’s word and insisted that no nurturer was ever mistreated again, that was all that mattered to her. Pretending that there would be any more to her relationship with Layla was pointless. They had always been different and now they would be on completely separate planes. It was better if they simply parted and existed as if they had never crossed paths. “I don’t know where I am supposed to go from here,” Sylan admitted. “Wherever you like.” Sylan looked around. “I don’t know anything about the palace but the areas where Prez had me. The place where I have always slept is the closest to a home that I have known since I was brought here.” “Do you want to return there?” Sylan hesitated. She didn’t know if she wanted to go back there. It was true that that was the place within the palace that she knew the best, but she was afraid to return. Prez might be there and she didn’t want to face him again. Even if she knew that he wasn’t there, she hated what that room represented. Even though she was now free, that room would always represent her captivity. “I don’t really know,” she said. “I guess that would be the best place for me to go.”

“I will go with you,” Eamon offered. “I’ll check to make sure that Prez isn’t there and that you are safe.” Sylan nodded her agreement and they started through the corridors toward Prez’s wing of the palace. Just as it always did, a chill settled over her when she stepped through the door and into the series of rooms, but she kept her chin high and her eyes focused ahead. Even though the prince wasn’t in sight, this was a sign of defiance, a refusal to cast her eyes down and lower her head the way that she usually would when she entered that space. They walked to the room where she slept and Eamon entered first. He circled the space, checking it carefully, then gestured for her to enter. “It’s empty,” he said. “After what happened in the meeting hall, I would be surprised if Prez stayed in the palace tonight. He would want to be as far from Jiri as he can be.” Sylan could see something else in Eamon’s eyes, but he wasn’t saying anything. She stepped into the room and nodded at him. “Thank you,” she said. “Sleep well.” The former King walked away, closing the door behind him and leaving Sylan alone in the still, quiet room. When she could no longer hear his footsteps, Sylan turned slowly, looking around the room with new eyes. It had been so long since she had come here the first time and the room had changed

dramatically since then. Now it was a shell and she felt almost as though she were a visitor existing just on the edge of the space rather than really being a part of it. She didn’t know how long she had been standing there when she heard footsteps approaching the door. Fear rippled through Sylan. Though Eamon had said that he didn’t think that Prez would come back to the palace that night, there was no guarantee that he was right. Even without the star stone in her chest, Prez felt that he owned her and that he should still be in complete control of her. There was nothing but his own pride and hatred for his brother to keep him from coming back and trying to take her into his possession again. She felt incredibly alone and exposed, totally vulnerable to whatever he may want to do as soon as he stepped inside the room and realized that she was there by herself. Sylan looked around, considering hiding, as if that would somehow keep Prez from finding her. She knew, though, that even if she wasn’t readily visible as soon as he came inside, he would look for her until he found her, and that would only make him angrier. She decided that there was no purpose in hiding. It would give her no benefit. Instead, she would need to face him. Sylan reached for a piece of wood broken from the frame of a piece of furniture long ago. Her hand wrapped around it and she held it with the jagged pointed end facing the door. All she needed to do was keep him away from her for long

enough that she could get past him and out of the room, then she could run back to the meeting hall and the safety of the people there. The footsteps stopped in front of the door and she heard the sound of the latch disengaging. She lifted the piece of wood above her head, her heart pounding and her body shaking, but her gaze fixed with determination on the door ahead of her. The door opened and she took a few running steps toward it, but stopped short when she saw the figure come inside. The piece of wood lowered to her side and she felt the pounding of her heart increase, but with a different rhythm. Her stomach fluttered and the breath streamed out of her lungs as her eyes met with the flickering gaze of the tremendous warrior who had swept her into his arms in the meeting hall.

Chapter Two Ashling stopped in the doorway when he saw Sylan coming toward him with the large piece of wood poised over her head. He could see the fear in her eyes and felt horrible for startling her by coming into her room without announcing himself. She had already gone through enough and he didn’t want to think that he had made it any worse for her. That was truly the last thing that he wanted to do. He wanted to reach out to her, to take her into his arms and cradle her to him again so that he would know that she was safe. He knew that when she looked at him she could see the flickering in his eyes that he had started to notice just before they left for this planet. It was something that he had been anticipating, but not fully prepared to handle. In the two days leading up to Malan’s arrival in the compound, Ashling had noticed that something was changing deep within him. The aggression that was born into the Denynso warriors had reached a far higher level, causing him to lash out at anyone who came close to him. He had become indiscriminately violent and angry, attacking one of his brothers and avoiding the others. Beyond this type of anger and aggression, however, he was experiencing symptoms that were far more unusual and that told him exactly what he was going through. The tension low in his belly, clenching his stomach all day, signaled a powerful arousal that

was unlike any that he had ever experienced. It wasn’t directed toward any of the women who lived in the Denynso compound, and in fact, they were repelled by him. This told Ashling that there was only one thing that he could be going through…he would soon meet his destined mated. “I’m sorry,” he said, holding up a hand to reassure her that he meant her no harm. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” She nodded, but he could still see the fear on her face and the hesitation in her stance. The piece of wood was down by her side now rather than high above her head, but she was still gripping it as if it gave her comfort and reassurance just being in her hand. He approached her carefully, not taking his eyes off of her beautiful face. The feelings inside him grew stronger, only affirming to him what he already knew, that this woman was the woman who had been created for him, intended for him from the moment of their birth. This wasn’t what he ever would have expected, and the realization that this tiny woman from a species that until Malan came he didn’t know existed was the mate he had been waiting to find his entire life was somewhat unnerving. He didn’t know anything about her or how he was supposed to move forward with her. He stepped up to her and reached for the piece of wood in her hand. Taking her wrist carefully, he lifted her arm and eased the makeshift weapon out of her grip. She resisted letting go for a few moments and Ashling pressed his fingertips slightly

harder into the underside of her wrist, hoping that the pressure would give her confidence, showing her that he was there to protect and help her rather than threaten her in any way. Finally, he felt her grip release and Ashling took the wood away from her, lowering it to the floor slowly so that it didn’t make a loud noise when it fell. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “For what?” he asked. “For saving me.” Ashling smiled and took both of her hands in his, amazed at how small and fragile they felt tucked into his palms. “My name is Ashling,” he said. “I wanted to come check on you and make sure that you were doing alright. I was surprised that Eamon would leave you here alone.” “I’m doing alright,” she said. She sighed and looked around. “At least, I will be. I suppose Eamon didn’t really know what else he was meant to do. This is where I’ve lived since I came here. Unless I’m going to leave the palace tonight, there is really nowhere else for me to go.” Ashling tilted his head so that he could look into her face. “What is your name?” he asked. She looked at him with a veil of different emotion in her eyes. It was something close to surprise, as though she didn’t expect that he would ask her something like that, that he would care about something as minor as her name. She

stammered for a moment, sounding like she was having difficulty bringing her name to her lips. “Sylan,” she finally said. “My name is Sylan.” Ashling gave a small smile. “It’s nice to meet you.” He straightened and looked around the space. “This is your home?” he asked. Sylan shook her head. “No,” she said. “It’s not my home. It’s just where I lived and slept. It’s more of a prison than anything.” Ashling began to walk around the room, seeing out of the corner of his eye that Sylan had fallen into step just slightly behind him and was walking along with him. He was horrified about what he was seeing, having a difficult time believing that these stark surroundings were everything that she had known as what was meant to be comfortable and safe in all the time that she had spent in the palace with the prince. The space looked as though it was once beautiful and lushly decorated, but that had been broken down and tattered over the years. Ashling didn’t want to let his mind travel to what could have been the force that caused this damage. It would take strength well beyond what this woman would have within her to destroy the huge pieces of furniture and to tear the thick, heavy drapes that had once luxuriously adorned the windows but now hung in tatters. “How long have you been here, Sylan?” he asked.

She waited for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t even really know,” she said. “When I first came here, I kept track of the days that passed, but after a while there was too much else to think about for me to care about paying attention to how many nights were going by. Soon I lost track completely.” “What else were you thinking about?” he asked. “Survival,” she said simply. The look in her eyes told Ashling that there were times when that survival was far more of an instinct than it was a true desire, and he felt a powerful compulsion to guard her, to protect her and ensure that she never again felt that way. “Where did you come from?” he asked. She looked at him briefly and then back at the sagging bed and threadbare blanket in front of her. “A village,” she said. “Prez chose me after seeing me at a fair.” “Will you return there now that you have been freed?” Sylan was quiet for several long seconds as if she were contemplating what he had asked now that she had a choice. Finally, he saw her shoulders lower. “I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been here, but I do know that I’ve been here long enough to be a part of the three youngest princes coming of age, as well as inducting the new nurturers to replace those who were used up. That must be

several years. By now, I don’t know what the family I’ve left behind thinks about what happened to me. They might not even think of me at all.” Ashling shook his head. “No,” he said. “That isn’t possible. No one who has ever known you could have simply put you behind them. Once they have had you in their lives, they will have you in their hearts forever.” Sylan turned and looked at him, and Ashling worried that he might have said too much. She wouldn’t understand what he was feeling for her or what he already knew about them. Their eyes met and he saw the hint of a smile touch her lips before she turned and started exploring the other half of the room. It was as if she were partially giving him a tour of her space and partially seeing it for herself through her new perspective. “The day that I was taken, I was at the fair celebrating my brother’s upcoming wedding. I had just tasted some of the most incredible food, something that I had never had before, and was planning on purchasing flowers to bring to the ceremony the next day. There was a vendor who grew his wares in some of the fields behind our village and I had spent a considerable amount of time with him when I was younger, learning about the different types of flowers that he grew. I knew that I wanted to buy the flowers for the wedding from

him, and it was ideal that he was planning on being at the fair that afternoon. The others had decided to return to the stand to get another snack and I went off toward the flowers on my own. It wasn’t unusual. That fair had come to the village every year and it wasn’t unusual for me to visit it by myself. Besides, by then I had been shopping through the village by myself for quite some time. No one would have thought anything strange or dangerous about me walking away from them. None of us thought that it would be the last time that we saw each other.” “What happened?” Ashling asked. Sylan shook her head. “I don’t remember. There was so much going on at the fair. So much to see and one of the few times in the year that everyone in the village would come together in the same place, which meant seeing friends and neighbors that we didn’t socialize with as often.” This struck Ashling as odd. He couldn’t imagine not seeing the people who lived in the compound nearly every day. Though there were times when the elderly and some of the women wouldn’t come to the banquet hall for meals or would stay away from gatherings because of responsibilities that they had to fulfill, for the most part the Denynso came together every day, bound by the loyalty and duty that was in-born in their kind.

“You didn’t see the people living in your village?” he asked. “The village spread across a large section of the planet,” Sylan told him. “Most of us have very particular roles within the village, which mean that we are focused on those roles most of the time. Some must travel far across the rest of the planet to gather food and other materials, and others have jobs that keep them in their home the majority of the time. It isn’t as easy to come together. That’s why the fair was always so anticipated. It was a time of joy and rest. Rather than working all the time, we had a few days of frivolity and fun. That’s what took me longer to get to the flower vendor than it should have. I didn’t go straight there. Instead, I wandered through the booths and spent time talking to the people I saw. I thought that the others might catch up with me by the time that I got to the flowers, but they never did. I spent a few minutes talking with the flower vendor and he helped me choose the blooms that he thought would be perfect for the wedding. I had them all in my arms…” Her voice trailed off and Ashling waited for a few moments, but she didn’t continue. “And then what happened?” he asked. She sighed.

“I don’t know,” she answered. “That’s all I remember until right before the claiming ceremony when Prez took me as his nurturer.” “But that means that you have family. You have friends. You have neighbors. There are people beyond the palace who care for you. They must have missed you all this time and wondered what happened to you. Don’t you think that they would want you back?” “That’s the thing,” Sylan said. “They did care for me and I’m sure that they did miss me, but they must have also wondered if I had just left. Maybe they think that something happened and I just didn’t want to be a part of them any longer, so I walked away.” “Do you really think that they would believe that?” “I don’t know. Even if they didn’t, even if they did miss me and thought that something might have happened to me, it’s been so long. I don’t know anything about what has happened outside of the palace since I was brought here. I don’t even know if the village is still there, or what might have come of the people who I knew and loved. There might no longer be a place there for me.” The words brought a deep sadness to Ashling’s chest. He hated that she would think that even for a moment she would feel that no one wanted her or that there was no life for her beyond the torment and torture that had defined her

existence. He knew in his heart that her true place was with him. Each Denynso warrior was born with his intended mate already planned for him. Whether that woman was already born or would not come into the world for many years, somehow the Universe had already marked them with the woman who would one day be their mate. This was not just the woman who they would love or the woman who they would one day build a family with. Instead, this was the woman whose very soul was stitched into his. She was the only woman who the warrior would ever love, and once they were bonded, they were inextricably linked. For the rest of his life, the warrior would be fully and completely committed and devoted to his mate. If there was a time when that woman was no longer a part of his life, it wouldn’t take away the intensity of the warrior’s love for her. He would continue to ache and long for her, and would never have another love. Though they hadn’t yet completed their bond, Ashling knew that now that he had found Sylan, his future was set. She was etched in his heart and his mind now, and there was nothing that would change that. The feelings of aggression, anger, and intense arousal that he had been experiencing since a couple of days before Malan’s arrival on his home planet of Uoria had been his mind preparing him for meeting her, and also lessening the chances that there would be any other warriors or, even less likely, any women who would try to

get in the way of the two of them coming together. Now that he had found her, Ashling wouldn’t be able to stop pursuing her. He desired her with greater depth and passion than he ever would have imagined that he would experience. Though it was something that all the warriors knew would happen at some point in their lives, and that it would be powerful and intense when it did, it was impossible to truly prepare anyone else for the experience. There was no way to describe the feeling or the impact that it made, and he knew that even if he was trying to tell another warrior what they were going to go through when they found their mate, he would fall short of properly embodying it. Though the signs of his growing love for Sylan were undeniable, Ashling didn’t know what he was supposed to do about it. If she was a Denynso woman it would be far simpler. She would know immediately what was happening, and she would have her own strong pull to him. They would come together quickly and easily when the time was right, without question or hesitation. But Sylan was not a Denynso woman. She didn’t understand the concept of the bonding or the powerful link that they would have and after everything that she had gone through, he didn’t know if she would even want to. What she had suffered might keep her from ever wanting to experience that level of connection and bond with someone else. That required a trust and commitment that she might

never be able to give to someone, particularly someone she had never encountered, from a species she didn’t know. All Ashling could do was show her the love that he had within himself for her and hope that even if she could never return that love, he was able to guide her into a life where she was safe and happy. He looked around the room again and felt his jaw set. “Is there anything in this room that you want to have with you?” he asked. “That’s yours and you don’t want to leave behind?” Sylan looked around as he had. “My clothing,” she said. “But that’s all. There’s nothing else here that belongs to me.” “Gather it,” Ashling said. He watched as Sylan crossed to the large piece of furniture across the room and opened the double doors. Ashling noticed that one of the legs had been broken, causing the chest to tilt, and one of the doors hung from a broken hinge. She took a few garments out of the chest, then had a second thought and walked toward the nearly destroyed vanity on the opposite wall. She picked up a hairbrush and turned toward him. “Alright,” she said. “This is everything.” “Come with me,” he said, starting toward the door to the room.

Sylan followed him as he led her down the corridor out of the prince’s wing. When they reached the door, Ashling looked down at her. “Are you ready?” he asked. “You never have to see this place again if you choose not to. Do you want to say goodbye to it?” Sylan shook her head. “No,” she said. “I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t ever want to see any of this ever again. I’m ready.” Ashling opened the door and gestured for her to step through it, wanting to allow her to go through first so that even if she did second-guess herself and look over her shoulder she wouldn’t see the wing where she spent her life, but him standing behind her, blocking her from everything that had happened in the past. They walked along in silence and Ashling brought her back into the meeting hall, hoping that Eamon would still be there. Though he knew that it was Jiri who was the King of the planet, he felt that he needed to give Eamon the chance to redeem himself for leaving Sylan alone in that horrible place. The viciousness that was ever-building within him would only get stronger the longer that it took for him to complete his bond with Sylan unless he was able to convince himself that she would never give herself to him in that way and instead commit himself to being her lifelong guardian and protector. That was a

painful and difficult decision for any Denynso warrior, but the only true option for a man whose intended mate didn’t fall in love with him, or chose to leave him. Until either option happened, however, he would only intensify in the signs, making it more and more difficult for him to control himself. He needed to give himself the opportunity to make amends with Eamon before his feelings for the other man turned too severely. They entered the meeting hall and Ashling scanned the room, relieved when he saw the former King standing still surrounded by most of the others who had been in the room during the horrific clash. He crossed to him and waited until Eamon looked up at him. “Yes, Ashling?” “Sir, can I speak with you?” he asked. Eamon nodded and stepped away from the others. Ashling glanced at Sylan and then back at the former King. “I don’t think that Sylan should be in that place,” he said. “I went to her to make sure that she was doing alright, and I was horrified by the conditions that…” he hesitated, wanting to say that you left her in but also knowing that he needed to reign himself back if he was going to prevent conflict between the two species that were just beginning to know each other, “…she was in during her captivity. I don’t know if you have ventured into the private wings of any of your sons to see what

they have allowed to become of the living quarters for their nurturers, but what I saw was deplorable. Sylan…and the other women…shouldn’t have to be subjected to that. It isn’t just the condition of the rooms. It is what they represent and what they make each of these women think and experience each time that they step inside. They shouldn’t have to remain in the same place where they were held prisoner. They aren’t owned by the princes any longer, and they shouldn’t have to feel as though they are.” Eamon looked at Ashling for a long moment and then drew in a breath. “I agree,” he said. “If the women do not want to return to the rooms in the princes’ quarters, I will find a place for them in another area of the palace so that they are safe and comfortable until they are able to return to their original homes.” “They are welcome to have rooms in the wing where we are staying,” Malan offered. “There is plenty of space there, and we will be able to keep guard over them.” “Thank you, Malan,” Eamon replied. He looked to Sylan. “If you’re ready, I can bring you there now.” Sylan nodded and then looked back at the other women, who were still gathered nervously to one side. “Give me a moment to talk to the other women,” she said.

Ashling watched as she approached the other former nurturers and spoke to them in a tone too low for him to hear the words that she was saying. After a few moments, she turned back and led the group toward them. “I am happy to escort them,” he offered. “If you would prefer to stay here.” “I would appreciate that,” Eamon said. “There is much to discuss.” “Ashling, get to sleep as soon as you get them settled in,” Malan said. “We will have a lot to talk about tomorrow and we will all need as much energy as possible. Let the others know that they are released for the night.” “I will,” Ashling said. Ashling purposely led each of the other women into rooms first so that he would be able to spend a few more moments alone with Sylan. When the other women had settled into their rooms and closed the doors with relief behind them, he guided Sylan toward the door at the furthest end of the hall and opened the door for her. “I hope that you will be more comfortable here,” he said. Sylan stepped into the room and he heard her gasp. He followed in after her and saw her looking around the plush, luxurious surroundings with an expression of awe in her eyes. Nearly twice the size of the room that she had slept in while in

Prez’s quarters, the room was filled with plush furniture and elaborate decorations designed to impress and welcome guests of the palace. By the pristine condition of the room, Ashling assumed that the palace rarely, if ever, hosted guests. There was something comforting, however, in the idea that she may be the first person to use this lovely room. After everything that she had gone through with Prez, she deserved the beauty and luxury that this room offered, and Ashling liked thinking that she would be the first to enjoy it. “It’s wonderful,” she said, her voice low and soft as if she didn’t want to speak too loudly for fear it would all disappear if she did. She turned and looked at him and Ashling felt his fingers tingle with the desire to stroke her cheek. He resisted the urge, not wanting to step too far and frighten her. “Sleep well,” he said instead. She gave a soft smile but he could see a distant look in her eyes that held an emotion he couldn’t quite define. “You, too,” she said. Ashling knew that he should turn around and walk out of the room, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. He wanted to be near her. He wanted to be able to look at her and breathe in the presence of her. He had waited for his entire life to find her, and even though she didn’t yet understand the

significance that she played in his life, he didn’t want to waste even a second that he could be spending near her. “If there is anything that you need,” he said, taking an almost imperceptible step toward her. “The room where I am staying is just next door.” “Did you choose this room for me for that reason?” she asked. Ashling was slightly taken aback by the upfront question, but he nodded. “I did,” he admitted. “I wanted to make sure that I was close to you in case…” Sylan took a small step toward him, approaching him so slightly it was almost as though she hadn’t moved at all. “In case?” she asked. “In case there was anything that I could do for you.” Her full, soft lips curved into a hint of a smile and she stepped back. “Goodnight, Ashling.” His heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat, Ashling squared his shoulders and took a step back toward the door. “Goodnight, Sylan.”

Chapter Three “You have to get some sleep,” Jessamine said as she watched Eamon pace from one end of the room to the other. “You heard what Malan said.” Her husband turned and looked at her. “I don’t need you to tell me what he said.” “There’s no need for you to treat me like that,” she said. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I have told you since we got married that if you didn’t stop this brutality the planet would face horrific consequences.” Her voice was strong and unwavering. She had never felt the fear toward Eamon that she had seen in the other nurturers, and the longer that they were married, the more secure she felt in their equality. There was no need for her to hide her emotions from him, or to try to soften them to appease him. Especially when it came to the subject of the nurturers. She had never hidden how she felt about the ongoing tradition of capturing women and allowing them to be used by the princes. Though Eamon had explained to her why he was unable to end the tradition or even to control the actions of their sons, Jessamine had never truly accepted it. The reality of what those women went through cut deeply into her and she was painfully aware of their suffering. She despised the thought that as Queen she lived a life of luxury and control, but was unable to do anything

to take care of the nurturers that were wasting away in her sons’ quarters. She was immeasurably grateful for Jiri and the incredible change that her youngest son had brought to their planet, and now that she knew that the nurturers were freed, there was nothing that was going to stop her from protecting them now and into the future. Her words seemed to cut through Eamon and his shoulders sagged. “How did I get here, Jessamine?” he asked. “How did I fail so much as King?” “You didn’t fail,” she said, regretting some of the harshness she had used against him. She knew that her husband was going through a difficult time and would need her support as he navigated the challenges ahead of them. “You handled what was put in front of you in the best way that you knew how. I only wish that it didn’t come to this.” “So do I,” he said, coming to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. The rest of the palace had fallen quiet and she wondered if they were the only ones who were still awake. It had been hours since they had left the meeting hall and it was only a short time until the sun would come up and they would have another day to try to find the proper resolution to the situation that was rising up around them. “The Kintani kept the communication open between our planets so that we could

reach out to them if we needed to. You heard what they said. They feared that we would face this kind of danger at some point. We should be grateful that they are here to help.” “I am grateful,” Eamon said. “But that doesn’t change how hard it is to know that everything that I tried to do as King and all the work that I have done to protect our planet and preserve us as our own kind is at risk. What may be worse, though, is knowing that the one who is threatening it all, the one who I must stand up against with the sole mission of defeating, is my son.” Jessamine stood and came to the head of the bed. She folded the blanket down and went back to the foot of the bed, tucking her hand beneath her husband’s arm so that she could guide him to his feet and bring him to the open space. Eamon allowed her to ease him into place and tuck the blankets around him without another word. She touched a kiss to his temple and walked around the bed to take her place on the other side of him. With all the turmoil of everything that had happened, she worried that she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but as soon as her head rested onto her pillow and the blankets settled over her, she sank away into deep, dreamless sleep. **** The next morning Jessamine walked around the meeting hall offering those gathered there cups of the favorite hot,

strong beverage of the palace. Their voices were hushed, remaining close to the groups that were scattered throughout the space as though they were all trying to hold their words close to them and not allow them to reach anyone else. The tension throughout the room was palpable, as was the sense of uneasy anticipation as they all waited for something that they didn’t know yet what it would be. It was as though they all knew that they should be doing something, but they didn’t know enough of what was happening to even know the first step to take. Jessamine hated the feeling. When she was Queen she at least had the sense of power and control that carried her through difficult situations. Now that the rule had been passed to Jiri, she didn’t even have the strength of the responsibility to strengthen her. Though she was proud of her son and grateful that he would be the one who would lead them, there was also a sense that she was floating, without a set place or path. She was taking a sip from her own cup when a crash from the doors at the far end of the hall made her jump, sending the hot liquid splashing across the floor in front of her. Jessamine turned and saw her son Valdin stepping through the broken door that looked as though he had kicked his way through the lock that Eamon had put into place. He wore a long black robe like all of the figures that stood on either side and behind him, and she noticed that all but Valdin

wore hoods pulled up over their heads so that they shielded their faces, concealing their identities. “Valdin!” she gasped. “What are you doing?” His eyes turned toward her and Jessamine saw that they had changed. The life and energy that had once been there was gone and she barely recognized the person staring back at her. “Do you really need to ask me, Mother?” he asked. “I thought that Father had showed you everything that you needed to know.” Jessamine felt a chill wash over her. “You…” she said, a confirmation rather than a question. Valdin stepped further into the room and the small army that he had brought with him spread through the room until they stood in a long line across the space, blocking the exit. “What?” Valdin asked. “You didn’t believe that I would be the one who could come up with this?” The vicious, oily smile that he had been carrying faded away and a crueler expression took its place. “Why, Mother?” He looked to his father, then to his brother and Layla, and then back to Jessamine. “You always thought that I was the weak one.” “No,” Jessamine said, shaking her head. “No, Valdin. I never thought that you were weak.” “Yes, you did,” Valdin snapped. “All my life I was overshadowed by my brothers. You even saw more in Jiri, and

everyone knew that he was never going to be able to live up to what he should be. You always saw me as the weak one who followed my brothers and would never amount to anything.” “That’s not true,” Jessamine said. “You have always been quieter than the others, but that’s all. I don’t know why you would ever think that I would think of you as anything less. I love you just as much as I love your brothers. I never thought of you as anything less,” Jessamine said, taking an imploring step toward him. “Stop!” Valdin lifted a hand and Jessamine felt an intense ball of energy hit her in the center of her stomach, sending her back so that she landed on the floor. She gasped as the impact took the breath out of her lungs and the darkness around the edges of her vision closed in around her. She heard the shouts of the men in the room and the pounding footsteps of them running toward Valdin, but she couldn’t move. A few moments later she felt strong hands grab her and drag her a few feet away from the center of the floor. The figure crouched down beside her and she realized that it was Eamon. Her husband tucked his hand around her face so that she would look at him. “Are you alright?” he asked. Jessamine nodded.

“If Layla can take it, so can I,” she said, grimacing against the pain in her ribs as she spoke. “Stop where you are!” Malan’s voice thundered through the room. Jessamine looked up and saw the Kintani man standing where she had, the other Kintani and the Denynso warriors that they had brought with them clustered behind him, prone to fight. “Get out of my way,” Valdin said. “You have no power here.” “We made you!” Malan said. “If it wasn’t for us, the Travetori would have been eradicated.” “Never,” Valdin said. “We are the most fearsome warriors in the galaxy. We would have thrived. All your interference did was reduce our power and prevent us from reaching our potential.” “You are not the most fearsome warriors and you never have been,” Malan said. “You are skilled and powerful, yes, but even at your strongest you could not stand up against the Denynso. That is why I have brought them here, to prove to you that you are not invincible, that you would have been destroyed if your kind continued along the path that you were following. Without our protection, there would be no planet in Cassiopeia, your kind would not have continued.”

Jessamine could see the venom in Valdin’s eyes and the way his hands clenched at his sides, the anger evident as it grew. “You will regret the day that you came here,” Valdin said. “We will rise to power and reclaim all that was owed to us.” Before there could be any more reaction, the two groups rushed toward each other, clashing in the middle. Jessamine screamed as she saw her son caught in the middle of the conflict, fighting viciously with Malan as the rest of the men tangled with ferocity. Eamon left her side to join the fight, his hand going to his hip to pull his sword from its sheath. They fought for several moments before it was clear that the Denynso were just as Malan had said, far stronger and more powerful than either of the other species. It was a sobering reality, something that went against what the Travetori had always believed of themselves. They had known the history of their kind and why they were on the planet among the stars, but had long relayed the story that they were not just a warrior race, but were warriors that could overtake and defeat anything and anyone. Even though they had been forced into the guardianship and control of the Kintani, it was believed and passed to new generations that this was not because the Travetori were truly at risk, but because they had put others at such risk.

Valdin and the men who he had brought in with him started to retreat, grabbing the robes of those who had fallen and dragging them with them out of the room. He paused at the door and looked out over those who had fought him. “This isn’t over,” he said. They disappeared out of the meeting hall and the Denynso let out roars that shuddered through Jessamine. Though it sounded like they were celebrating their victory after the brief battle, Jessamine couldn’t bring herself to feel anything but darkness. Valdin’s warning sat heavily within her. She knew that what he was saying was true. The conflict wasn’t over. He would be back. There was much more to come.

Chapter Four Layla sat at the head of the long table beside Jiri, their hands linked between their chairs as they listened to the men on either side of the table. She felt like their voices were rushing past her so quickly that she could barely distinguish the words much less understand what they meant. Finally, she shook her head and held up her other hand to quiet them. “I don’t understand,” she said. “What is the danger? Jiri is King. Doesn’t he have the power to stop whatever Valdin is trying to do?” Eamon looked at her and she could see the sadness in his expression. “No,” he said. “It’s true that Jiri is King, but even the power that that role holds cannot stop him on its own.” “But what is he trying to do?” she asked. “It can’t be just that he is trying to overthrow Jiri.” “It isn’t that he is trying to overthrow Jiri,” Eamon said. “What Valdin is after is much more than that. He is trying to break free of the bonds that have held our kind within Cassiopeia for generations and resume the quest that put us in those bonds.” “What bonds?” Layla asked.

“I explained to you why the Travetori are here,” Jiri said. “The Kintani brought our kind here many generations ago because of a war.” “Yes,” Layla said, “but you didn’t fully explain it. I still don’t know who they are or what about the war had made it so that they would force you to live here.” “It wasn’t force,” Malan said. “It was a kindness, a gift to them from our kind.” “But why?” Layla asked, getting frustrated by the vagueness that seemed to be the men trying to keep her distanced from the conversation. “How could transferring an entire species from their original planet to one that people don’t even know exists be a kindness?” The men exchanged glances and she could see that they were silently questioning if they should answer her question. “Tell her,” Jiri said, partly an encouragement and partly a command. “She will be Queen soon. She deserves to know what she truly rules.” “Just because the people of Earth don’t know that there is a planet within Cassiopeia does not mean that no one does,” Malan said defensively. “The Travetori weren’t put here to hide them from others, but to protect them.” “From the other species?” Layla asked. “Yes, but also from themselves. They had become too confident, too sure of themselves and their abilities. Some had

decided that they wanted to take over the Universe and claim it as their own, essentially enslaving other species as the princes enslaved their nurturers. The Kintani knew that that simply couldn’t be.” “If they were trying to take over the Universe, why did you feel like you needed to protect them?” Layla asked. “Wouldn’t you be fighting against them to prevent that from happening?” “When other species heard of what they were planning, they decided to fight back against them. Several planets teamed up together and the Travetori were very quickly overpowered. The Kintani knew that it wasn’t the fault of everyone on their original planet that that group was behaving that way, so instead of aiding in their destruction, our kind chose to help those who were innocent and restrain those who weren’t.” “Who are they?” Layla asked. “Who are the Kintani? Why would they have the power to do this?” There was another long pause. “Tell her,” Jiri said again. Malan drew in a breath as if preparing himself for something very difficult. When he raised his eyes to her, Layla noticed how unusual they were. They shimmered with layers of color, bright streaks across them unlike anything she had ever seen.

“The Kintani are an ancient species,” he told her. “It is our responsibility to care for the stars, bringing them to their birth and ensuring that they are in their correct positions across the sky. We are meant to protect them and the important role that they play throughout existence.” “I still don’t understand,” Layla said. “What does that have to do with you putting the Travetori on this planet?” “Why do you think that the stones that the Travetori bear are called star stones?” Malan asked. Layla shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. Her mind went to the first time that she noticed the stones glimmering out of the sleeve of Sylan’s robe when she was preparing her for her first night of service to Jiri, and then the pattern of stones embedded in Jiri’s back. She had only questioned what they were, not why they were there. “Travetori are not like any other species in the whole of the Universe,” Malan said. “They are unique just like the Kintani, but where we are responsible for creating and protecting the stars, the Travetori thrive on them. They eat and drink, but their greatest strength and power comes from starlight. The stones that are in their skin are the true way that the Kintani keep them bound. Those stones do not just reveal the thoughts and feelings of the person who bears them. They also filter the starlight and reduce the amount of power that the person can

glean from it. Just like the star stones embedded into the nurturers reduced their own personal power, the star stones in the Travetori diminish what they can take from the starlight. Without those stones, their absorption of the starlight is out of control.” “And they will become immensely powerful?” Layla asked. “Yes, but not in the way that you might think. They will be extremely powerful, but that power over others isn’t the concern,” Malan said. “If they are not bound by the control of the star stones, they can absorb so much of the power of the starlight that they actually kill the stars. Without stars, the galaxy cannot survive. If allowed to, the Travetori could remove the stars from whatever area of space they want to in order to punish or to gain control. Without boundaries to stop them, they could kill so many stars that they destroy the Universe. That is what we stopped when we brought them here to this planet and put them into the bonds of the constellation and of their star stones. Now Valdin has committed himself to resuming that mission. They are putting all of existence at risk, and we are going to have to save it.” “But those stones,” Layla said. “I thought that the Travetori were born with them. Sylan said that they are in the shape of the stars on the night they are born.”

“They are born with them now,” Malan said, “but that has not always been the case. It was designed that way after several generations. Simply because they are born with them, however, doesn’t mean that they aren’t able to remove them just the same as you were able to remove yours. The Kintani were able to ensure that babies born to those who had the stones would have the stones themselves, but they were not able to ensure that they would never be removed. Until now, that has not been of concern. No one has ever questioned the stones or tried to remove them. Not until Valdin.” “And Prez,” Layla said. “He is following his brother’s lead. I would venture to say that he was under one of those hoods, too afraid to face the Denynso again on his own, but unable to not go along with what Valdin said. He believes that Jiri should never have been made King, and he was horrible to Sylan. I’m sure that he believes that the Travetori should have been allowed to take over the Universe if their strength would have allowed them.” She took a breath, taking a moment to allow it all to settle in, a question pricked at the back of her mind, however, stopping her from being able to fully understand. “The stones,” she said. “The ones that the nurturers took out. Malan said that Jiri should take them with him. Why?” Eamon pushed back from the table and stood. “Jiri,” he said. “Do I have permission to show Layla what we found?”

Layla saw a look of discomfort flicker across Jiri’s face as he listened to the formality coming from his father. She knew that he didn’t like the former King treating him that way, but he couldn’t question it. He was King and if they were in a formal capacity, Eamon had to treat Jiri with the tradition that would be expected from anyone else. “Please,” Jiri said. Eamon gestured for Layla to follow him and she stood, coming around the side of the table and falling into step just behind him. Jiri, Malan, and Jessamine trailed after, but they all walked in silence. Layla tried to pay attention to where they were going as Eamon guided her through the corridors. She’d had no chance to explore the palace outside of Jiri’s quarters and she wanted to know more about it. Having a better understanding of the corridors and where they led would also comfort her and reassure her that if there was an emergency, she would be able to get back to the meeting hall as quickly as possible. Finally, Eamon stopped in the middle of the corridor. He waited until the entire group had gathered before he ran his hand along the stone wall, occasionally pressing down onto specific sections of the stones until suddenly a segment of the stone lifted out of the way and opened like a door. Layla stepped back, unnerved by the concealed entrance. She never would have noticed that there was anything different

about that expanse of stone, making her wonder what other hidden sections of the palace she had walked past already without knowing it. This made her feel vulnerable and exposed, unsure of any step that she took through the corridors of the palace or even in the rooms themselves. “I found this not long ago,” Eamon said. “I wasn’t sure of the significance then, but now…” His voice trailed off and Layla looked over his shoulder into the small chamber beyond. It was more of a large closet than a room and the majority of the space was taken up with two huge sets of shelves that stood on the stone floor, their blackened color standing in stark contrast to the other furniture that she had seen in Jiri’s rooms or the meeting hall. She took a step into the room, her mouth falling open as she noticed that the shelves were lined with star stones. “Now I know what this means,” Eamon said, continuing his thought. “Valdin and his followers have removed their star stones. They are no longer properly controlled and are gaining in strength. They’ve already begun.” “There was a thick fog last night that kept them from absorbing much starlight,” Jiri added, “but that will pass. They have started gathering the starlight and will soon go beyond the palace. We have to stop them.”

Layla reached forward and touched her fingertips to one of the stones, shivering with the reality of what they represented. She turned sharply toward them. “The stars,” she said, looking between them. “If they have already begun, why are there no stars missing?”

Chapter Five Ashling watched as Malan stepped into the small room so that he could get a closer look at the star stones that seemed to be on display on the shelves. The Denynso warrior still didn’t fully understand these stones or what they meant, but he could tell that they held incredible significance to the two species that he and his kind had been tasked to help. Mention of the insurgents being able to destroy the stars was unnerving, and he knew that it was more important than ever that he commit himself to the battle he was meant to fight, and to protecting the woman he loved. Layla’s question still hung heavily in the air, but Malan didn’t answer her. Instead, he examined the stones for a moment and then turned sharply to Eamon and Jiri. “We need to evacuate the palace,” he said. “All but those who are going to stay to fight will need to leave as soon as possible.” “What about the people in the village?” Jiri asked. Ashling felt his chest tighten at the mention of the village, remembering the way that Sylan had talked about the place that had once been her home and was now nothing but a distant thought. “For now, we concentrate on the palace,” Malan said. “We’ll come back for the villagers. They don’t know what’s

happening and it’s better not to cause panic by telling them.” He turned and looked at Ashling. “I will need someone to escort the women back to Uoria,” he said. “I know that you would be of benefit to us on the battlefield, but you have a rapport with one of the women. She might feel more comfortable if you are with her and the others at least until they settle into the compound.” “Have you reached out to Gaia?” Ashling asked. “Not yet,” Malan said. “This is an emergency and I don’t have the time to attempt to communicate with him.” “It’s alright,” Ashling said. “I can’t imagine that my King will reject those in need. I will speak to him when we arrive and tell him what I’ve seen here.” “Thank you,” Malan said. “Go. Get the women together and then return to the meeting hall. You will need to return immediately.” Ashling nodded and rushed out of the room, not slowing his pace until he reached the rooms where the nurturers were staying. None had emerged from their rooms that morning, and Ashling imagined that most of them were taking this opportunity to sleep and relax, something that he doubted they were able to do very often. He went to Sylan’s room first. Remembering her reaction when he had come into her room in Prez’s wing without announcing himself, he paused outside the door and knocked.

“Yes?” Sylan’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Sylan? It’s Ashling. I need you to open the door.” The door opened immediately as if she were already standing beside it when she spoke and she looked up at him with a nervous, questioning expression. “Is everything alright?” she asked. Ashling shook his head. “No,” he told her. “We need to evacuate the palace. I don’t have time to answer any questions right now. We need to get the other women, gather what you can carry, and we need to leave.” Sylan nodded and rushed back into her room. She appeared at the door a moment later with the clothing that she had brought from her former quarters. “Alright,” she said. “I’m ready.” “Good. Can you help me get the other women?” he asked. “They are likely to trust you more than they will me.” “Of course.” They moved down the hall collecting the other women until they were all gathered behind Ashling, moving quickly toward the meeting hall. Each held a few simple belongings, but for the most part they were fleeing with only themselves, putting everything that they knew behind them and escaping into a world that they didn’t know. Ashling knew that they must be terrified, but they weren’t showing it. Instead they seemed

to have closed off. With the exception of Sylan, who glanced up at him every few seconds, the women’s faces were blank and they continued to stare ahead of them as they moved through the palace. When they arrived back at the meeting hall, Ashling led them to Malan, who stood with the servant staff from the rest of the palace. Sylan stepped up close beside him, but didn’t touch him. Ashling desperately wanted to complete his bond with Sylan and claim her completely as his own, but this was not just about the bond. He wanted to make everything easier for her and to protect her from any hardship that might be ahead of her, no matter how long it took for her to understand the love that he had for her or the beauty of the relationship that they were intended to have, or even if she ever did. “I don’t know how much Ashling has told you,” Malan said to the women, “but it is of the utmost importance that we get you away from here as quickly as possible. There is extreme danger here and the only way to protect you is to make sure that you are away from here. I am sending you to Uoria, the planet where the Denynso have their compound. You will be safe there.” “Will we ever be able to return here?” Sylan asked. Malan looked at her sternly. “I don’t know,” he said. “If ever it is safe for you to come back here, I will make sure that it is so. For now, you will be

traveling in a way that none of you have before. Until today, only the Kintani have traveled in this way. I can assure you that it is safe, but it may be uncomfortable.” Ashling leaned down slightly so that Sylan could hear him. “I will be with you the whole time,” he said. “I promise. You don’t need to be afraid.” “How are we traveling?” she asked. Malan looked at her and Ashling realized that he had heard her question. “We will be traveling through a portal,” he said. “A portal?” Sylan asked. “We need to move,” Malan said. “There’s no time for questions.” They started across the meeting hall, but then Ashling heard footsteps approaching and an almost frantic voice. “Wait!” He turned and saw Layla coming toward them. She stepped up to Sylan and reached forward to gather the former nurturer into an embrace. Ashling heard Sylan gasp slightly, but a moment later she lifted her arms and wrapped them around Layla as well, her eyes closing as she rested her head against the soon-to-be Queen’s shoulder. “Thank you so much, Sylan,” Layla whispered.

“For what?” Sylan asked, leaning back from the embrace but not taking her arms from around Layla. “I didn’t do anything. I should be thanking you.” Layla gripped Sylan’s arms and looked into her eyes. “You did more for me than you will ever know. Take care of yourself.” She glanced up at Ashling with a knowing look. “Let Ashling take care of you.” The Denynso warrior wondered if she somehow knew what he was feeling and the deep love that he already felt for Sylan. “Are you not coming with us?” Sylan asked. Layla shook her head. “No. I need to be here with Jiri. But when all of this is over, you will be back here. It’s all going to be alright.” “Do you really think so?” Sylan asked. Layla nodded. “I do.” “We need to go,” Malan said. The two women gave another brief, tight hug and parted. As soon as Layla’s hands fell away from Sylan, Malan started out of the palace. Ashling fell into step behind him and the women followed closely. He could sense Sylan near him and measured his steps to ensure that he stayed close to her. The show of affection from Layla seemed to have boosted her mood, but he knew that she was still nervous about the trip that

they were about to take. As they walked out of the palace, Ashling recognized that they were not going to the same place where they had arrived as he had expected they would. They had traveled through the portal to come to the planet in Cassiopeia, allowing them to arrive on the planet within less than an hour after Malan arrived on Uoria and asked Gaia for the assistance of his warriors. Ashling had expected that when it was time for them to go back to Uoria, that they would go back to the same place that they came out onto this planet. Malan, however, was guiding them behind the palace and into an old stone building that had once served as a carriage house. He ushered them all inside and closed the door behind him. “Everyone gather close,” he said. Ashling watched as he reached into a pouch hanging from his waistband and withdrew a small metal case. He looked around at the group as he held the case in his palm. “I need all of you to listen to me very carefully,” Malan said. “In a moment, I will open this case. It contains a piece of rock with engravings on it. When I tell you to, I need each of you to grasp onto each other and then reach forward and touch your fingers to the engravings. It is extremely important that everyone do this at the same time. No matter what you feel or experience, you cannot take your hand away from the rock. You will know when you’ve arrived on Uoria.”

“Are you coming back with us?” Ashling asked. “Just long enough to get you there,” Malan said. “Once you have arrived and I am confident that everyone made it, I will return here to help.” He looked at each person in the group again. “Is everyone ready?” They nodded and Malan opened the case, revealing the rock that contained the portal to Uoria. “Please take hold of those around you. Do not hold on to the person who is holding you. We need to make as many connections throughout the group as possible.” Ashling reached down and found Sylan’s hand searching for his. He intertwined their fingers giving her hand a tender squeeze to reassure her. He grasped Malan’s wrist with the other hand and was relieved that one of the male servants standing beside him took hold of his arm. That would prevent the uncomfortable situation of a woman attempting to grasp onto him and feeling the searing heat of his skin that was another sign that he had found his mate. Everyone in the group reached forward and rested their fingertips to the rock. Ashling closed his eyes, bracing himself for the sensation of traveling through the portal. Just as Malan had said, he had not traveled through a portal until he traveled to Cassiopeia. Like the other Denynso warriors, his life was spent either in the compound with the rest of the clan, or in battle. The only times that they traveled off of

the planet they used the technology of the species that they were assisting or defending, reducing the chances that the enemy would detect their presence or anticipate their arrival. Traveling through the portal had been an experience that he hadn’t been prepared for, and that he knew that he didn’t enjoy. As with the first time, he felt a pulling sensation in his gut as if something were tugging at the center of his body. Even though his eyes were closed, he felt the darkness closing around him. The sensation of the ground beneath his feet disappeared and he felt like he was being dragged through thick, cold air. Though he struggled against it, he could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness. He held onto Sylan’s hand and Malan’s arm as tightly as he could, resisting the force of the movement pulling at his grip and trying to break it. Finally, he felt his body hit something solid and he knew that they had arrived back on Uoria. Around him he heard the others groaning and gasping for breath as they tried to recover from the rough landing. Ashling opened his eyes and sat up. The force of hitting the ground had taken Sylan’s hand out of his and he looked around for her. She was lying on the ground inches away, her eyes open as she stared up at the sky, motionless. Ashling reached for her and touched her shoulder, feeling relief wash over him when she turned to look at him. “Where are we?” she asked. “Uoria,” he said. “Just as Malan said.”

“This is your home planet?” she asked. Ashling nodded. “Yes.” She struggled to sit up, and he tucked his hand under her arm to help her. As she looked around her, he followed her gaze, trying to decipher where they were on the planet. He was relieved to see that they were not a far distance from the compound. They all began to climb to their feet and Ashling met eyes with Malan. “Why didn’t we use the same portal that we did to get to Cassiopeia?” he asked. “The portals don’t work as easily as you would want them to,” he responded. “Simply because you can travel one direction through a portal doesn’t mean that you can use it in the same way. The portal that we used to travel from Uoria to Cassiopeia would not have brought us back here from there. That’s why I had to have this portal with me. It is my connection to Uoria.” He closed the case with the rock in it and tucked it back into the pouch at his waist. “We need to get to the compound. Once you are safely there, I will travel back to the portal that will return me to Cassiopeia.” Chapter Six Sylan didn’t say another word as they walked across the open area of the planet. Uoria was nothing like the planet of

Cassiopeia. They encountered no homes or buildings, but instead walked through a large field that was waving in a warm, fragrant breeze. Though they had traveled from the other planet in what felt like only a matter of seconds, it seemed several hours later in the day here than it did when they were on Cassiopeia. The sun hung lower in the sky and there was the quiet, slightly heavier sense that came with the evening. She had remained close behind Ashling, but the further that they walked, the more she wanted to be closer to him. The draw that she had felt for him since the first moment that she saw him had only intensified with each passing moment, and now that they were off the planet in Cassiopeia, it felt even stronger, as though the release from captivity had opened something inside her that was more willing to explore the feelings within her. Allowing those feelings to guide her, she stepped up beside him and reached for his hand again, allowing them to link as they had before they traveled through the portal. The grip of his massive hand around hers was comforting and made her feel stronger as they continued along their way. Ahead of them she saw the faint outline of buildings. She felt Ashling’s hand tighten slightly around hers. “That is the compound of the Denynso,” he said to her. As soon as they entered the compound, Malan said goodbye to Ashling and rushed away, presumably to the portal

that would bring him back. Sylan felt a heavy sense of worry in her belly thinking about what could be happening on the planet that would require such emergency actions. Layla’s goodbye had touched Sylan and she was grateful for the moment that reassured her that Layla felt a connection to her in the same way that she did, but it also made her concern for the planet even more intense. She wished that Layla had come to Uoria with them so that she would also be safe. At the same time, however, she understood her desire to remain with Jiri. It would be far too difficult to walk away from the man she loved knowing that he was facing tremendous danger. The thought flickered through Sylan’s mind that if Ashling hadn’t agreed to escort them back to Uoria and get them settled into the compound, she would have been reluctant to go and may have sought a way to remain in place so that she could stay close to him. The thought was startling and Sylan felt heat cross her cheeks as she tried to push it out of her mind. She had never had these feelings for anyone before. Even when she was still living in the village she was still young enough to live with her parents and hadn’t yet given her favor to a suitor to court and potentially marry. As she grew older, the thought of ever being able to fall in love and feel the love of someone else felt more and more like an impossibility. Trapped in Prez’s servitude, she would never have the opportunity to meet someone who she

may develop feelings for, much less someone to love. To even entertain the thought that she was developing such intense feelings for a man she had only just met was something that she didn’t know how to process. “Come with me,” Ashling said. “I will bring you to the guest quarters. They aren’t as luxurious as the rooms in the palace, but I’m sure that you will find them preferable to where you were sleeping when you were with the princes. Once you are settled, I’ll go discuss the situation with the King, and we’ll make sure that you have everything that you need for as long as you are here.” Sylan continued to hold Ashling’s hand as he brought them through the village and into a row of small homes. He paused at each and encouraged one of the group to go inside, moving along the row until finally she was the only person left with him. As the last of the servants closed the door behind him, Sylan realized that there were no houses left on the row. She looked up at Ashling. “Where do I go?” she asked. “The houses are full now.” Ashling looked at each of the houses as if he hadn’t realized that they had filled up, and then glanced back at her. “It’s alright,” he said. “Come with me.” He pulled lightly on her hand to get her walking again and they started back through the village to another row of houses. He stopped at one of them and opened the door,

gesturing for her to step inside as he had with the others. Unlike those, however, he followed her inside and closed the door behind him. “If you are comfortable with it,” he said. “You may stay here.” “Where is this?” she asked. Ashling hesitated for a brief moment and then took a step toward her. “This is my home,” he told her. Sylan drew in a breath. It was incredible to think that she was standing in the home of the beautiful warrior who had saved her from her chains and who she couldn’t get out of her mind. Not only was she there, in his home with him, but he wanted her to stay there. He was trusting her with the space that was the most private and precious to him. “Thank you,” she said. “I will take care of it well while you are in Cassiopeia.” Ashling shook his head. “That’s not what I meant,” he said. “I don’t intend to go back to Cassiopeia, at least not now.” “Why?” she asked. “I thought that they needed you there to fight. That’s why you went there.” He let out a long stream of breath and stepped toward her again.

“Gaia sent me to Cassiopeia because Malan came and asked for several warriors to come help him, but that is not why I was there.” “What do you mean?” she asked. Sylan felt slightly breathless but she didn’t understand why. It was as if her heart was understanding what he was saying to her when her mind wasn’t. “I was there because I was destined to be there. There was something there that has been waiting for me for my entire life.” “What?” Ashling brushed his fingertips along the curve of her face and Sylan felt his skin tingle beneath the touch. The pad of his thumb ran over her lips and she sighed against it. “You,” he said. “I was crafted specifically for the love of one woman. I will never be able to love any but her, and for my entire life I will be fully devoted to her happiness and protection. It is that way with all the Denynso. Once a Denynso completes his bond with the woman who was made for him, they are linked beyond everything. Nothing can take them from one another. I have waited my entire life to find that woman, and now I know that I have.” “You do?” she asked. Her mind swam with what he was telling her. Ashling had confirmed that he was feeling a passionate draw to her as she

did to him, but in terms that were far stronger and more powerful than she could have brought into words. “I knew that I was nearing the discovery of my mate before Malan even came here to ask for help. The signs were strong, but I didn’t know who it could be. When I was sent to Cassiopeia, I thought that that might mean that I was going to be taken away from my intended mate until I returned home, and could only think of the suffering that that would cause me. I couldn’t have imagined that it was going to Cassiopeia that was going to be bringing me to my mate. Then I saw you and I knew immediately.” “You did?” she asked. She felt ridiculous not being able to say anything more, but his words were overwhelming her in a beautiful, peaceful way that was at once beyond anything that she could understand and everything that she could have ever wanted to hear. Ashling stepped closer to her, stopping when he was close enough that she could touch him if she reached for him. “What did you feel when you saw me?” he asked. As soon as he asked it, she could see his face change. He looked regretful and almost angry, and he started to take a step back away from her. Desperate to not have him further away, Sylan reached out and took hold of one of Ashling’s wrists. He paused and looked at her in silence for several long

seconds. Finally, he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers in a soft, cautious kiss. “I know that that is all that I can have from you right now,” he said quietly. “Though bonding with you is everything that I can think about, I am not going to push you. With everything that you have gone through, I can’t expect for you to feel what exists between us or for you to be able to trust me the way that I wish that you did. I know that you are likely afraid of me, and I can’t blame you for that. I hate every second that you suffered and I can only promise you that I am now dedicated to ensuring that you will never suffer again. One day I hope that you will understand what I feel for you and what could exist between us, but for now I will be satisfied that you are safe and that I am here to protect you.” Without another word, he turned and walked out of the large room where they stood and into a smaller room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Sylan stood where she was, feeling unable to move from the spot where Ashling left her. She tried to let everything that he said flow through her mind so that she could understand it, but they kept tangling, becoming nothing but sounds, occasionally punctuated by the word afraid. In truth, she knew that he was right. With everything that she had gone through at Prez’s hands, she should have been afraid of any man being close to her, especially one as large and strange as this incredible warrior. Yet, she wasn’t. Being close to

Ashling was the only thing that made her not feel afraid, and she knew that the last thing that she wanted was to be away from him. The feelings that she had for him didn’t make sense in her mind, but it was because they were so unexpected, so completely outside of anything that she could have expected to feel or experience in the hours and days following her release from Prez, they were the very thing that she knew was right. Resting the clothing that she carried onto the piece of furniture closest to her, Sylan smoothed her hair and took a breath to steady the shaking in her chest. When she felt ready, she walked through the door into the smaller room where Ashling had gone when he walked away from her. He was sitting in a chair holding a large book in his lap, staring down at it as if he wasn’t really absorbing anything that was on the page. “Why aren’t you going back to Cassiopeia?” Sylan asked from where she stood in the doorway. Ashling looked up at her, his head tilting slightly. “What?” “Why aren’t you going back to Cassiopeia?” she repeated. “Malan said that they needed all of the warriors that they had, to help them with whatever is happening there. If the Kintani asked for your help, your kind must be impossibly

powerful warriors. Your duty would be to be there with those who need you.” “You’re right,” he said and Sylan felt her heart clench slightly. “My duty is to be where I am needed, which is exactly why I am staying here. You are my priority now.” Sylan no longer had any questions or any hesitation. She crossed the room until she stood directly in front of him and looked into his eyes, watching as the color shifted from vibrant green to deep, sunset orange. “I am not afraid of you,” she said. “I am not afraid of anything about you.” Ashling lowered his book to the table beside his chair and reached out to rest his hands on her hips. “I don’t want you to be afraid,” he said. “I can’t bear the thought that you would think that I would hurt you.” “I don’t,” Sylan said. “I have never felt so safe and protected as I feel with you. From the first moment that I saw you when you came to take me out of my chains, I knew that there was something different about you. I knew that I was safe in your arms, and I never wanted to be out of them.” “As my mate, you will never have to be.” Sylan felt the pressure of his fingertips guiding her forward and she didn’t resist. As she drew closer to him, she parted her thighs so that she straddled his and then settled into his lap. She craved more of the taste of his mouth and she leaned forward

to offer her lips to him. Ashling captured them without hesitation, immediately kissing her deeper and more passionately than he had before. Sylan encouraged him, letting her lips part so that his tongue could slip into her mouth. His taste was rich and full, seeming to surround her as he sat up straighter to press his body to hers and intensify their kiss. Ashling’s hands moved from her hips to the dip of her waist and then to the sides of her ribs so that his thumbs could stroke along the side swells of her breasts. Sylan ran her hands along his chiseled chest before bringing them to the front of her dress and releasing the ties that held the bodice closed. Her breasts spilled from her dress as the fabric loosened and Ashling took his mouth from hers, groaning as he looked down and saw them. He caught the lush swells in his hands, cupping them into his palms so that the taut peaks of her nipples pressed into his skin. Sylan’s head fell back as the stimulation rushed through her, calling to life feelings and desires that she had never experienced. Closing her mind to the only other times in her life that she had been touched, knowing that those touches were out of nothing but lust and the desire for control, she lowered her hands to her thighs and used her fingers to gather her skirt up away from her legs. Ashling lifted her by her hips and Sylan used the opportunity to pull the skirt completely out of the way. The dress that she had chosen for the day was thin and light in

deference to the warm weather that she anticipated, and she had foregone any undergarments, desiring to not feel bound in any way. This resulted in her already wet, hot core settling against the fabric of his pants and the sensation shivered through her body. She could feel the hard swell of his arousal beneath her and rocked her hips instinctively against it. Ashling’s erection hardened further, rising up even more to strain against the fabric toward her. Sylan reached between them and loosened the fastenings of his pants, aching to touch him. Finally, she felt the warmth of his hard, thick shaft emerge into her hand and she tucked it against her palm, wrapping her fingers around it eagerly. Thick veins and ridges stood out against the smoothness of his velvety skin and she luxuriated in running her hand along it in long strokes so that she could feel each one, committing them to memory as she touched him. Ashling’s hips tightened, pressing his cock further into her grip and displaying his desire for her. As she continued to run her hand along his shaft, the warrior pulled off his shirt and dropped it aside. He lifted his hips and pulled his pants away, kicking them off so that he was totally bare beneath her. The warmth of his skin and the sight of his incredible muscles only drove Sylan’s desire further and she pressed her free hand to the center of his chest, then ran it down along the rippling of his stomach. Ashling grasped her skirt where it was pooled on her thighs and guided it up her

body. Sylan waited until the last moment to release his erection and lift her arms up over her head so that he could pull her dress off and drop it to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he reciprocated by wrapping his arms around her waist so that they embraced tightly. She felt enveloped by him, as if his body was surrounding her as much as his presence and the promise of his words. She wished that she would never have to leave that indulgent, comfortable space. Her lips touched the side of his neck and she kissed along it, occasionally letting the tip of her tongue glide out to run along his skin. She could feel the hardness of his erection against her belly and the tighter he held her, the more it pressed against her. Slick fluid had gathered at the tip and glazed her skin. Sylan leaned back enough that she could bring her hand between them and cup her palm over his cock. She rocked her hips, combining the sensation of his skin against her core with the movement of his erection against her belly. Ashling wrapped his hand at the base of his cock and tightened his arm around her waist. She felt him lift her hips and then guide his erection forward so that the tip touched her opening. Sylan rested her forehead against his and drew in a breath as Ashling simultaneously tightened his hips and drew hers down so that he sank into her. There was a slight, delicious pain as her body stretched to accommodate him and she felt

her muscles tighten. His mouth found hers and she felt his hand slide across her lower belly and then dip down so that the pad of his thumb touched her sensitive pearl. Sylan gasped and her body relaxed, welcoming Ashling further in so that their bodies completely melded. He didn’t rush her. He didn’t seem as though he were thinking of himself or what he was experiencing. Instead, he committed to her, taking his time so that she could grow accustomed to cradling him. She understood then that this was what he meant when he spoke of bonding with her. This was beyond their bodies and the sensations that they were each building in the other. Through the passion and the pleasure that they were creating, they were linking their very essences, bringing them together in a way that was totally beyond the understanding of anyone who had not been in that moment. She felt as though she were the only person to have ever experienced it, as if this level of joy and euphoric connection with another was utterly unique and could never have existed before. There was no need for words. Instead, they moved together as if they had always known each other, their bodies perfectly aligned such that it confirmed Ashling’s assertion that they were crafted for each other from birth. Having him embraced within her was total fulfillment and she felt powerful, beautiful, and strong like she hadn’t in countless years. Within

moments Sylan could feel dizzying pressure building throughout her thighs, hips, and belly. There was something waiting, something just beyond her reach and she suddenly felt a desperation for it. Ashling seemed to be able to detect this change within her, and made a change of his own, pressing her harder into his lap so that his cock massaged deep inside her. His hand remained in between them and the rhythm of his thumb on her clit became faster and more insistent. In that moment Ashling seemed to connect with his own desires and offer himself over to them, willing to climb the peak with her. As his thrusts became harder and faster, Sylan gripped his shoulders and resisted the urge to tighten her hips, not wanting to stop his thrusts or lessen the depth that he was driving into her. Suddenly she felt as though all the pressure that had built within her had reached an almost painful, overwhelming intensity, and then dissolved around her. The powerful sensations that he had created cascaded around her as her body spasmed wildly around his cock. Within moments, Ashling plunged into her and let out a cry. She felt his erection pulse, seeming to reply to her contractions as her body tried to draw him even deeper into her. Without hesitation, Ashling stood, scooping her against him so that Sylan still held him within her and her head rested against his chest. She felt him carrying her out of the room and

then up a flight of stairs before she sank into something soft and smooth. Ashling came down on top of her briefly and then carefully withdrew from her so that he could lie beside her. Sylan realized that she was now lying on his bed and Ashling reached down to take the blanket folded at the foot. He pulled it up over them and cradled her close to his side. She wished that she could tell him what she was feeling, but she couldn’t find the words. As he touched a kiss to her shoulder and let out a sigh, his eyes fluttering closed, she knew that she didn’t need to. For now, this was all they needed.

Chapter Seven “How much damage has been done?” Malan looked at Jiri and shook his head. “It’s worse than I might have anticipated,” he said. “There’s no true way to tell how far their power has extended. Up until recently the streams that I have visited have been secure. The stars have all been in place and I hadn’t noticed any problems. But over the last several days that has changed. I have found three streams that seem to have been impacted by them.” “How did they find out about the streams?” Jiri asked. “You said that that was knowledge that only the Kintani had, and that you shared only with me.” “That’s what I thought,” Malan said. “They have to have been helped by someone, or have overheard when we were talking about them. I don’t understand how they discovered the portals.” “It’s been nearly two years since they were driven out of the palace. Why are they coming back now? If this is what Valdin had planned, what took them so long to get started?” “The combined forces of the Denynso, the Kintani, and the Travetori weakened them in battle. It’s possible that they knew that they wouldn’t be able to defeat the armies again if they tried to do anything too soon after they fled. They might

have gathered up more of an army and been training them, restoring their strength through the starlight.” “I thought that you deactivated them,” Jiri said. “Come with me.” He strode out of his home and walked toward the temple. When both men stood in front of the massive wall, he gestured toward it. “What is this?” Jiri asked. “This temple is the most precious and vulnerable charge of my kind.” “I thought that the Kintani nurtured the stars,” Jiri said. “We do,” Malan agreed, “but this is a part of that. The stars are the light of the Universe. They are what brings illumination and sustains the planets. Without the starlight, there would be no life. This temple was built to honor an even greater light, an illumination that is protected within the stone of this wall.” “What is that?” Jiri asked. “Knowledge. Knowledge is light, it is life. But it can also be dangerous. Just like the Travetori can become out of control and dangerous when they are not restrained in the amount of starlight that they absorb, having too much knowledge can be just as treacherous. Long ago we were tasked with taking all the knowledge of the entire Universe, all of time and existence, all of the streams, and protecting it from others. They were

given the knowledge that they needed, but could not access what would be dangerous for them to know.” Malan saw Jiri’s eyes travel across the wall, falling on the glittering stones that were embedded deep within the wall. “Are those star stones?” Jiri asked. Malan nodded. “Yes. They are the stones that had been given to the Travetori and to their nurturers, but then removed. By embedding them in this wall, they protect all that is within it. I believe that Valdin and his followers want to come after the knowledge contained within this wall. They can destroy sections of the Universe and even entire streams if they please, but that will not get them all of the power that they want. To do that, they must have this knowledge.” “I don’t understand what the star stones have to do with that,” Jiri said. “They are what kept the nurturers prisoner and what limits our power.” “You see that as a cruelty,” Malan said, “but it is a kindness. The stones are a form of protection. This wall is the mother of all knowledge, and at the heart of every mother is the desire to protect. These stones are the wall’s heart. As long as the stones remain in place, Valdin, and any other species, will not be able to get to the knowledge it contains. But it won’t stop them from trying. I am afraid that they will continue their destruction until we are willing to offer up the temple to them.”

“You can’t do that,” Jiri said. “You have to protect the wall. The Universe.” Malan nodded solemnly. “I know, but to do that will take great sacrifice.” “What do you mean?” “There are stones missing,” Malan said. “When we first created the star stones for the Travetori, some were made but never embedded. Then children began to be born with them and we no longer needed to embed them ourselves. The stones that were never used have gone missing. Until they are found, the wall will not truly be complete and secure.” “What sacrifice is needed?” Jiri asked. “Valdin will not forget those who are responsible for reducing his power and holding him back from accomplishing his goal sooner. He will first go after the Denynso who fought on Cassiopeia and the Travetori. Everyone who has had any contact with the Travetori or the Kintani must be removed from Uoria and all signs that the planets were ever linked must be destroyed. Future generations can never know the role that the Denynso played in this, because if they do, there will be a higher chance that someone will lead Valdin and his followers to them. They will always hate the Denynso for the role that they played, and Uoria must be protected. We will bring them to a safe location and they will live out their lives there.” “Alright,” Jiri said.

“That’s not all,” Malan said, sensing that the King was going to continue. “Now that Valdin knows about the streams, he will be trying to understand how to move through them. The patterns of star destruction that I saw in those streams looked like it was deliberate, like they were practicing. I believe that your entire stream of existence is in danger. I think that they will target you, if they can find you.” “What do you mean if they can find us?” “You must sacrifice your planet,” Malan said. “Everyone must leave it. Once it’s empty, it won’t have the appeal and hopefully Valdin won’t attempt to destroy it.” Jiri started to speak again, but Malan stopped him. “That is not the only sacrifice,” he said. “Just as your father wasn’t able to change the way that the nurturers were treated because it was his way and the way of his father, no child born to parents without star stones will be born with those stones.” “We have to remove our stones,” Jiri said. Malan nodded. “Yes. All of them. Before any other children are conceived everyone must remove their stones. No further generation will have them. This will shatter the bonds among the Denynso, the Travetori, and the Kintani. Without those bonds, there is less chance that the temple will be compromised. Without those connections, Valdin will have a much more difficult time finding his way through the streams to get to this one. As long as we

can hold him back while we look for the remaining stones, the wall will be safe and we will be able to seal it, protecting it once and for all.” Jiri looked pained, but he nodded. “I will trust that you know what is best.” “Thank you, Jiri.” Malan reached into the pouch on his waist and withdrew the metal case containing the portal that connected him to Uoria. This varied and beautiful planet was the most amazing of any that he had ever encountered. The Denynso and the Kintani had long maintained an alliance and he had always enjoyed his visits among them. Despite their closeness, though, the Denynso knew only what the Kintani allowed them to, which meant that they were not privy to the reality of the streams or the existence of the temple. To them, the Kintani simply came from another planet and were able to use a form of transportation that only they had access to. Even that was too dangerous, however. To protect both of them, he had to ensure that Uoria was closed off from the Kintani and the rest of the streams forever. He had to seal the portal there and then destroy this portal, effectively preventing him or any other from using those portals again. It might not prevent all future confrontations, but it would guard the streams and create more confusion for Valdin.

“I will use this once more,” he said. “Just to help all of those on Uoria escape to safety.” “What will you do with it then?” Jiri asked. “Once I am confident that Uoria is as well-protected as I can, I will hide this portal among the stars. Rather than it being in my possession throughout my life and when I pass on to the next, it will be guarded in a place where no one would ever consider looking, caught among the peacefulness of the stars above a planet that will have lost all inhabitants who would have ever known its significance.” “And after that?” Jiri asked. “What will you do?” “Keep looking,” Malan said. “The stones are there. There are more streams than even I know and it is possible that the stones have been scattered through them. If they were simply put down in the wrong place or carried by someone visiting another stream…” his voice trailed off. “Who else knows about the streams?” “My wife,” Malan said. “My best friend. I have kept their existence from even my kind, and I will continue to. It is simply too treacherous. No one travels. No one moves through the streams any longer. I will continue to look for the stones and I will not rest until I am able to find them and restore the wall.” “And you are absolutely sure that you have to cut all ties between us, and between each of us and the Denynso?” Jiri

asked. “Wouldn’t it be helpful to have all of us to stand up against Valdin?” “Jiri, your kind has fought so many battles and have strived for the same thing as Valdin and his followers. But through you, they have been fully redeemed. It’s time that you are free. When you remove your star stones and leave your planet in Cassiopeia, you are released from the control of the Kintani. Your children will be born without the stones and they will never have to know what happened if you choose not to tell them. I will tell no one where I brought you. Beyond me, you simply will no longer exist.” “But we could help,” Jiri insisted. “No,” Malan said. “You should never be forced to look into your brother’s eyes on a battlefield. Your work is done. You have brought peace to the turmoil and saved lives. Now it’s your turn to just live. I will deliver you from your planet now into a stream that I have explored extensively. There is only one portal there and as soon as you are there, I will seal that portal so that no one can come into that stream ever again. You will be safe.” He stepped up closer to the young King and brush a lock of hair away from his forehead, suddenly feeling aged and worn even though he, at many years older than Jiri, was still a young man. “May the generations of your family outlive the stories of your youth and those that come after you know only what they create from life.”

He turned and walked out of the temple, needing the solitude of his home. Soon he would begin the task of removing all of the star stones from those in Cassiopeia and preparing them to leave their planet behind. Malan wasn’t worried for them, though. He knew that Jiri would lead them well and that their kind would flourish in the untouchable stream. What hung heavily in his heart was the thought of ending all connection with Uoria and the Denynso. Many years ago, before he knew the significance of it, he had used the knowledge contained within the temple to glimpse into the future. From that moment, he swore that he would never do it again and that he would never divulge how it was done to anyone else. Preventing any further looks into the years yet to be lived, however, couldn’t take the images that were burned into his mind. He had seen them and he could only hope that with this difficult choice and by finding the stones, he would be able to change what could lay ahead for the Denynso, the most fearsome warriors in the Universe. THE END Thank you very much for being a loyal reader and subscriber. My aim is to bring you amazing books that will grab you and take you on an amazing adventure across the universe. Please check out the first book from Uoria Mates I on the next page. The Denynso saga continues with Uoria Mates… - Ruth

BOOK 1 – CAPTURED BY SWEET ALIEN

Chapter 1 The hairs on my neck stood. It happened every time my boss was near. He gave me the creeps and on more than one occasion I had to politely remind him to keep his filthy hands to himself. Ever since I turned down his advances he made up his mind on giving me the worst cases and projects. I lifted my tired eyes to see him standing in front of my desk with a smirk. I knew that look. It meant he had something planned—and I wasn’t going to like it. “Ms. Baines, I have a new assignment for you.” Leaning back in my chair I nodded giving him permission to sit in the chair and waited for him to spit it out. “You’re going on a trip.” “Where to?” “Uoria.” I gulped. Out of all the places he could have sent me and it was to the planet full of the most temperamental species humans had ever studied. “What for?” “We need to learn more about them, what’s in their blood.” I gasped. “You know that’s against the rules, Ryan.” Everyone knew that the King and Queen made the rules. They

still allowed us to do testing, but never of their blood. And I knew what happened to those who tried getting the blood of a Denynso. They never came back that’s what. He shrugged. “You’re sneaky enough and no one pays much attention to you. We need to know what makes them so powerful.” His eyes lit up and I shuddered. I knew exactly why he wanted a sample of their blood. It was the same reason every other scientist wanted it, and it was exactly why they had all failed. “Oh, and preferably the blood from their strongest warrior is what you need to get. You’ve heard of him right?” Of course I had. Everyone in my line of work had heard of the monstrous Denynso called Pyra. He was one mean son of a bitch and no one wanted near him. Well, besides all the women that vied for a place in his bed. But there was nothing scientific about that. “You know I won’t do that.” He shrugged. “Then you’re job is as good as gone and so will your reputation. You’ll never work again. Not in this field!” He spun on his heel and looked over his shoulder. “Might as well practice saying, “Do you want fries with that?” because that’s the only work you’ll ever get. You know how much we need this information.” “Wait,” I said and sighed. I couldn’t lose my job. It was all I

had, my livelihood. I’d have to find a way to convince the leaders to let me have a sample and test it. Maybe fudge the results or something. I would find a way. “I’ll do it!” I prayed I live long enough to explain why I was asking for the one thing they’d refused since we learned of their species. His smile widened as if he had won the biggest prize. He knew I wouldn’t be coming back and that was his plan all along. They’d kill me before I got close enough to the warrior, and if I managed to sneak by he’d break my neck with two fingers. I shuddered. This wasn’t going to be a fun vacation. I needed to form a plan and offer the Denynso something they couldn’t resist, but I didn’t have anything—not really. I only hoped I could get them on the off chance that they wouldn’t want me to lose my job. Maybe they’d feel sorry for me, throw me a bone or something. No matter how small it was, I’d take it. “Good, I knew you’d see it my way. You need to be ready at four a.m.” Then he left me stewing knowing he’d given me an impossible task. If I was going down, I was taking that piece of shit down with me. I smiled evilly. They were an angry species. It shouldn’t be too hard to piss them off and let them know it was all Ryan’s idea. After he left me alone, I did what I was best at. I hacked the system and copied the surveillance from my office. Right

there I’d be able to prove what was going on to the Denynso, if I could play it. I already knew there wasn’t electricity, but I’d charge my laptop for that purpose alone. Proof my boss was a scumbag and it was his idea to send me there to specifically break their rules. Maybe I’d have a chance to survive my stay there, but coming back home wouldn’t be so great.

Chapter 2 I was ready to go and waited for my boss well before four. I hadn’t slept at all. All night I planned how I would handle the situation my boss had put me in. I knew they would be expecting another scientist. I’d have to meet with them before I step foot on their compound. From what I had learned it was a very secure planet. Warriors scoured the land to keep watch over the humans, and be on the lookout for an attack from their enemies. I shuddered and thought about what I’d heard about their enemies. There were several horror stories of the attacks on Uoria. The Klimnu were disgusting beasts. Luckily they hadn’t managed to make it to Earth yet or humans would be in big trouble. Ryan strolled up to me at four on the dot and smiled handing over my paperwork. “Here’s all the stuff you’ll need when you get there. I have you down as routine testing for plant and animal life. You’re there for up to six months. That should be plenty of time to get what I need.” He gave me a look and I didn’t miss the tone. I nodded, but inside I was fuming. He was trying to get me killed. I was his competition, and the one that turned his ass down. He didn’t take rejection well, and now I was paying for it. But I was smarter than him and would come up on top.

“All right, well you know how to get in contact if you need anything, but I’m sure you won’t.” I kept my mouth shut because this was all a fucking set up. I couldn’t believe he’d stoop so low, but maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was up for the promotion he wanted. Luckily I’d learned to control my Irish temper. My mother always told me one day it would come in handy to have self-control, and now I was learning. Without a word I picked up my bags and boarded the ship. I was nervous as hell. This was the first time I was traveling to another planet, and I wasn’t too sure about it. I wasn’t the type of person who wanted to experience new things. I’d much rather stay in the lab by myself. I felt Ryan’s eyes burning into my back and straightened without turning back. He wouldn’t get a rise out of me. As soon as the metal door clanged closed I let out the breath I’d been holding and muttered, “stupid ass mother fucker.” He would get his. The very human pilot chuckled. Apparently I spoke a little louder than I thought. Oh well. Everyone knew how I felt about Ryan so it wouldn’t be a surprise that I’d be cursing him. They also knew I had a temper and I held a grudge like no other. I glared at the man and he shrugged before getting ready to take off. The ship shook and my stomach dropped. Leaning back in my seat I held my breath and closed my eyes. My hands

gripped the arm rests and I clenched my teeth as I was lifted into the air at an unknown speed. My stomach rose back up into my throat and I nearly lost what little I had eaten. As soon as the ship leveled some I was able to relax but the speed hadn’t slowed and I kept my eyes shut hoping the medication I had taken would kick in soon knocking my ass out. **** I woke up to the pilot shaking me. I swung my fist and smiled when I heard the satisfying crunch of the bone in his nose breaking. I didn’t like being touched especially without permission. “Shit!” he shrieked. “What the hell, I was only waking you up. I’ve been trying for nearly an hour. These warriors are starting to get antsy.” I shot up and grimaced. “Sorry,” I replied sheepishly. Now I felt bad. “Sorry about your nose.” “It fucking hurts. No wonder everyone is scared of you.” His eyes watered and he’d lifted his shirt to catch the blood. I smirked. “Yeah, well next time refrain from touching me. Use a blow horn if you have to, but keep your damn hands to yourself.” He nodded and winced. “You got it, but please get the hell of my ship.” I stood and stretched knowing I’d just slept for probably

five days. My body wasn’t ready to stand and I wobbled but caught myself before I fell. “Give me five.” He didn’t respond so I took it as an okay and paced the small area while the rest of my body woke up. I needed to be alert when I met the King and Queen. My insides fluttered like butterflies. I wasn’t the biggest socialite and meeting people, human or not, wasn’t my thing. After the given five minutes I walked behind the pilot and laid a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and looked at me in fear. “Thank you for the ride, and again, I’m sorry about your nose.” He nodded curtly. The bleeding had stopped but his right eye was almost swollen shut. “I’ll remember the blow horn next time.” I chuckled. At least he was able to find humor in getting his ass kicked by a woman. I stepped off of the ship and gasped. It was so familiar, yet not. Everything was so alive. The grass waved in wind, and the sky was almost violet with pinks and oranges. It was breathtaking. I stood taking in the surroundings. The ship rumbled to life vibrating the ground. I didn’t even bother looking back. I was stuck here for the next six months. Life was about to get a whole hell of a lot more interesting. My view was blocked by the largest body I had ever seen. Even I felt tiny to the beast in front of me, and instinctively I

balled my hands into fists. I had to be in front of the warrior everyone spoke about. “You’re the new one?” he asked in a gruff voice that vibrated along my skin. The sound shot right through my body. I gulped and looked up, and then up some more before nodding. “Yes, I’m Eden Baines.” He smirked down at me. “Come, you must meet the King and Queen.” His voice was a bit tenser, and I wondered why. Must have been that temper I had heard about.

Chapter 3 Pyra wanted to roar. The moment she spoke, something inside of him came to life. A heat so intense filled him he was barely able to hold back his gasp. It wasn’t acceptable. This measly human was not his mate. She was tiny. There was no way she’d be able to handle all seven feet, and three inches of him. He wasn’t ready to be shackled down by the allconsuming love he’d feel for her. His body already was going through the change, and they hadn’t even touched. He had this feeling for days. He was edgier than normal, though for him that wasn’t saying much. He flew off the handle more than once and fought five of his brethren. Now he understood why. He stalked to the main house, not looking back. He couldn’t look at her, not yet. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his hands to himself if he really saw her. From what he’d seen she was perfect. Fairly tall for a human woman, pale skin, fiery red hair, that he knew would match the glint in her bright green eyes. He noticed every tiny freckle that dusted her skin. He hadn’t missed the slight gap between her two front teeth when she spoke. He also didn’t miss the way she averted her eyes or didn’t offer her hand like most of the others did. She didn’t want to be there, he could tell right off. She did well to keep up with him. She kept space

between them, and it was only her heavy breathing that let him know that his pace was too fast. His mind automatically went to helping his mate and he slowed—too much because she slammed right into him and flew back from the force of hitting him. She yelped and skidded on the soft grass. “Hey fucker,” she yelled. He spun around surprised by the vulgar word coming from her sweet looking lips. “You nearly killed me!” She stood and wiped her hands on her jeans. Her face was flushed from anger. When she realized all the warriors nearby stopped and she turned brighter and looked at the ground nibbling her lip. Pyra wanted to brush her hair from her face, wanted to suck that lip, but instead he bowed his head. “I apologize.” She glared up at him as if she thought he wasn’t serious, but she nodded and started walking again. He turned back around and turned to the path to the Great House. He could hear the loud thump of her heart but kept his eyes forward. She was a spitfire, but now she was embarrassed. He could sense it. “You know, you sound much like us when we get pissed. You have a formidable temper.” he called over his shoulder. “So I’ve heard,” she grumbled and he chuckled. “Here that’s normal, don’t feel embarrassed by your

outburst. My brothers were all just surprised to see a human act like us so much.” “I usually have better control.” “I doubt it. I think you react without thinking 90 percent of the time.” “If that was the case I’d have lost my job the first time my boss touched my ass. So no, I think I’m good with control.” He liked her snarky attitude, but what she said pissed him the hell off. He spun and again she ran into him apparently not paying attention and this time before she flew back he gripped her shoulders and held her up. She gasped and looked at him with wide eyes. She felt it too. The touch of the mate, he closed his eyes and bit his lips trying to gain control. All it took was the one touch and he wanted to throw her on the ground and ravage her until she knew who she belonged to. He rubbed his thumbs in circles on each shoulder and then the pain hit. The little woman brought her knee up a second time when the first wasn’t enough. She kneed him hard and shoved him back. Dammit she was tough. He buckled over and groaned. When he lifted his eyes he knew there was fire in them because she backed away fearfully. “That fuckin’ hurt!” “Well don’t touch me asshole!” Oh yes, she was his. As much as his nuts hurt, his dick was still harder. Her hands were fisted in defense and her chest

heaved. More strands of her hair fell from the tie and surrounded her face. Her pouty lips puckered up and her nose scrunched adorably. When he could stand normally again, because he wasn’t lying, it had hurt like a bitch. She was one tough human. “You are amazing,” he breathed. She froze and he could see her body shaking in rage. Someone had hurt her because she learned very quickly that she did not like to be touched. She stood tall and waited, for what he wasn’t sure, but he knew she wasn’t going to be easy. His mate would challenge him. He smiled thinking his life just got a hell of a lot more interesting. “I won’t touch you, but this time I was trying to keep you from getting hurt.” She glared. “Fine, but let’s get a move on please. I need to talk to your King and Queen.” “Very well.” He wasn’t happy that she didn’t seem to like him; not even a little bit. He was the type that grew on others over time. Yeah that was it. He led the way and met his parents. They’d heard the commotion and were about to send his brothers for him. He shook his head. “It’s okay she doesn’t like being touched.” He told them with a shrug. She was behind him so she didn’t see the look that passed between him and his parents. His father smirked and his mother, though leery, smiled wide. That was all they needed to

know, and no harm would come of her. Ever. She stood beside him after she had composed herself and gasped. His parents made an impression. Father with his foot tall Mohawk, much like his own with his pure orange eyes signifying his mating. He was even taller than Pyra at seven and a half feet tall. He had jagged scars from the battles he had survived. They were a badge of honor for their kind. His mother had knee length white hair and her eyes were also orange but lighter. She was tall, thin, and at nearly seven feet her frame was willowy. “Dr. Baines meet Queen Thiea and King Criea.” She bowed and stepped in front of him. “It’s very nice to meet you. Sorry about the—commotion.” His father chuckled. “That’s nothing dear. It’s common for stifles here. You are Eden correct? I do not like all these— formalities you humans use.” “Yes, I’m Eden.” “Very well, come in dear.” She seemed surprised by how accepting their kind could be. As long as the humans followed their damn rules, and there weren’t many. Don’t hurt any of them. Don’t lie to them, and don’t try to steal their blood. Simple, yet so many humans broke those rules. Pyra hoped his human would be the exception. He’d hate to have to protect someone he didn’t trust.

Chapter 4 I followed the King, who looked very much like the warrior following behind me and gasped. No wonder he was so well known. He had a temper, was a cocky son of a bitch, and he was the King and Queen’s son. It all made sense now. There was no way in hell I’d get a sample of his blood. Ryan was out of his god damn mind if he thought I’d even try. The man was huge, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be hard for him to snap me in two. I felt the warrior behind me. My back stayed tense as he stared at me. He kept a good distance between us, but the heat coming from him was outrageous. I looked over my shoulder to see a strange flicker of orange in his eyes. It looked like the King’s but it didn’t last before they shifted back to blue. I blinked and faced in front of me so I didn’t keep making an ass out of myself. There was something about the giant that brought out the worst in me. I didn’t like how my heart raced or my pulse fluttered deep inside. The King led me into a huge room with a huge table. It was filled with all sorts of food I had never seen before and my stomach dropped. Trying new things wasn’t really my thing. I brought food for myself that would last a year so I wouldn’t starve. Pyra seemed to sense my discomfort and he huddled close behind me.

“It’s okay. The food is actually a lot better than it looks,” he whispered. He was too close. I could smell his scent. It was a bit spicy and my mouth watered. Suddenly I was hungry for something other than food. “I’m not hungry.” I was going to be stubborn as hell. No way would I admit anything going on inside of me right now. I couldn’t allow it to happen. It didn’t matter that he was the sexiest man I’d ever met, or that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been with a man. No part of his body would touch any part of mine. I was here to study their land. Maybe I would be able to convince myself of that eventually. He chuckled and I felt his breath whisper across the back of my neck. I clenched my teeth holding back my building anger. Anger was good. I could deal with being pissed. That was normal. “Please get out of my space,” I hissed. He didn’t move back. Instead he placed one of his giant fucking hands on my hip. If I didn’t want to look like a complete asshole I had to deal with it, but he would pay. I smiled at the thought of kneeing him in his groin again. This time I wouldn’t go easy on him. “If you want to keep that hand, I suggest you remove it from my body,” I whispered sweetly. He leaned into my space even more. Damn he was arrogant. It didn’t seem to matter what the species was, apparently males were all alike.

“Make me.”, he taunted. He wanted me to lose my temper. I couldn’t—no I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “You’re gonna regret this, warrior.” I officially hated him. I couldn’t see why the women all wanted him. Sure I bet his body was unbelievable, but his attitude sucked. I didn’t appreciate men who thought they were god’s gift to women. He didn’t respect boundaries and that was a big thing for me. I couldn’t stand someone who thought they didn’t have to stay out of my personal space. “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. “It’s a mark. Letting others know you are one of us now. It’s means, ‘sister of our brethren’ in our language.” I knew they didn’t do this often—if at all, and I was honored. Tears filled my eyes and I sniffled. “Thank you. I promise you won’t regret it!” He smiled. “And you don’t have to worry about your problem back home anymore.” “I didn’t tell you what he did to have you fix it. I was dealing with it.” He rolled his eyes and I swear he looked just like his son. “I know which is why I did it.” He smiled and rubbed the mark. “And how exactly have you handled it? By ignoring his advances and threatening him. You’re tough, but apparently it

didn’t work or he wouldn’t have sent you here to break our most sacred rule.” I slumped in my seat. “I didn’t know what to do.” “You can stay here.” Pyra said and I looked at him. I’d forgotten he was even in the room. “Uh, I don’t know if I’d fit in here too well. Besides you never let humans stay for more than six months, though I’ll stay the whole allotted time if that’s all right. The longer I’m away from home the better right now.” “There are exceptions to every rule,” he said but he watched his father as if waiting for him to chime in. The king nodded and smiled kindly at me. As much as Pyra drove me wild with anger and the harder it was getting to fight his advances, I felt the exact opposite about his father. I felt at ease with him. I’d never had a dad, but if I could imagine one, King Criea would be the perfect image. “You may stay. When my mate and I decide on what we plan to do we will have lunch, but for now you must get settled. Pyra will take you to your cabin.” I nodded and stood. “Thank you, I’m exhausted.” And I was. I’d ‘slept’ the whole way, but it wasn’t really sleeping. I was basically unconscious the whole time. Pyra stood and walked over to his father. They hugged and I heard faint whispers, but I was too tired to care. I picked up my laptop and slid it back into my bag.

He took the strap from me. “I’ve got it.” Normally I would have fought him, but every part of me hurt. I don’t know why it took so long to kick in, but I wasn’t sure if I’d make it much longer before crashing. “Thanks,” I muttered. He nodded and I followed behind him leaving the house. He jogged down the stairs and I sighed. My legs were heavy, and it felt like I wasn’t moving at all. Pyra stopped and studied me. “I could carry you if you want.” I didn’t miss the tone. He was messing with me. I thought. That was all it took to wake my body up enough to get moving. “In your dreams warrior,” I sneered at him. He laughed and spun walking down a path. I followed as fast as I could. I would not give him the satisfaction of knowing I really wanted to drop to the ground and sleep for a week.

Chapter 8 He’d been so close to tasting those suckable lips, and then his father had to come back and ruin it all. She was so beautiful, perfect really. He loved that she was honest. The video had made him want to rip the man to shreds, but it was what his father had told him about the scumbag that really pushed him over the edge. Sexually harassing his mate, now

that was grounds for killing. There was so much to her. She clearly had a problem with others touching her. He wanted to know what had happened. Why the thought of being touched turned her into a quivering mess or a ball of rage. Something happened to her, but he had no clue what it could have been. Humans were strange creatures. He’d find out everything one way or another. He turned and saw her standing on the porch. Exhaustion filled her eyes, but she was stubborn and wouldn’t admit how tired she was. Not to him at least, but she told his father. Pyra loved it. As soon as it looked like she was done all he had to do was taunt her, and she was back to being the independent woman he was becoming accustomed to. He’d noticed it right from the start. He shook his head when he saw the mark of his kind on her hand. She was the first in years. He couldn’t have been more shocked when his father marked her with their sign. He knew it wasn’t because she was his mate. The king wouldn’t honor someone with that status if he or she wasn’t worthy, and being his mate didn’t make her worthy, even if it made her family. She had already earned his respect and that was tough as shit to do. He led her to the newest cabin. It was closest to his home. If he had his way she’d be in his home, and in his bed, but he knew that wouldn’t happen. Not until he got her to cave. She

had to admit that she liked him at least a little bit, and right now by the way he felt her emotions and the fact she was glaring daggers at his back, he knew that wouldn’t be happening—today. He couldn’t help but laugh. She wasn’t going to make it easy and as frustrating as it was not to be able to pull her into his arms anytime he wanted, he was proud to have a mate that didn’t cave. He loved a challenge, and he always got what he wanted. And he wanted Eden. At first, the thought of having a human mate wasn’t appealing at all, but the more he was around her the more he wanted her, and it wasn’t just physical. That’s what shocked him the most. He was a sexual being and proved it time and time again with the females. None of them were anything more than gratification, and they knew that, but with her, he could imagine lying with her, holding her. He shook his head. His brothers would bust his nuts if they knew the soft thoughts running through his head. He never thought he’d be that way, but his father told him it would be the best and worst feeling in the world. Falling in love was everything to his kind. The path narrowed and dipped deeper behind the trees. She’d have all the privacy she wanted. The cabin was the most updated and he was glad he picked it. She followed behind him breathing heavily. “We’re almost there.” “I’m fine,” she replied.

He sped up and jogged up the stairs. Pulling out her key he unlocked the door and went inside. He put her bags down. He was back outside and sitting on the steps before she made it. “You could have waited for me.” He shrugged. “You’re too slow.” She stomped a foot and cringed. “My legs are shorter than yours, you jerk.” He laughed. She was too tired to put any heat behind her voice. “Uh-huh, has nothing to do with how tired you are?” She jutted out her lip. “Nope, I’m fine.” “Okay well let’s go in. I’ll show you around your new home.” Her eyes widened and she licked her lips. Interesting. His eyes tracked the movement and he wanted to trace the path her tongue made. “You don’t need to show me around. I’m sure I can figure it out.” His eyes shot back to hers. “You need to know how to work everything. There is no electricity here.” “I know.” “So I’ll help you get set up and then I promise I’ll leave you alone.” “Fine, let’s get it over with.” She said and pushed past him

to climb the stairs. He watched the sway of her hips and it took all his will power to keep his hands to himself. He went in behind her and shut the door. He sighed in relief knowing he was alone with her. That’s all he wanted. If she would get to know him, the real him, maybe just maybe things would be different and she wouldn’t hate him so badly. He hoped she’d throw him a bone. His fingers itched to touch her skin, but he knew that one touch would lead to so much more, and she wouldn’t let that happen.

Chapter 9 The door clicked shut and I froze. I was too tired and that was worrisome. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop myself from falling into his arms. Not when my body seemed to crave the giant beast. I didn’t know what it was about him, but each time he was near me, my heart galloped and my core clenched in need. I smiled. If it was only physical attraction, if I caved maybe the need would go away? My time here would run smoother if I didn’t constantly feel aroused, and from what I’d heard about his reputation, once he got what he wanted he’d leave me alone. It was a win-win, only my heart jumped at the thought of being just another woman he bedded.

I took a deep breath and turned towards him. In the cabin he was even more imposing. He prowled toward me, with desire in his eyes. “I need to take a shower.” “Water runs well here. I’ll wait.” I glared. “Or you can leave and come back after I’m done so I can have some privacy.” “There’s a door.” I knew he wouldn’t give more than that. “Fine, but stay out of the room.” He held up his hands and smiled wide. “I’ll be on my best behavior.” I laughed. “Somehow I don’t think I should be reassured by that.” “Guess you’ll find out, yeah?” He started down the hall with my bags and I followed behind him. His shirt was so tight I could see each one of his muscles flex with every move he made. He pushed open the door and placed my bags by a large bed. “This is your room, and the bathroom is right over there. We may not have electricity, but we use solar power to work our heating system. You’ll get approximately ten minutes before the water turns cold.” “Okay, thanks.” I replied and waited for him to leave. He stood and stared for several seconds. “I think I can take it from here.”

“Are you sure? I could help.” He chuckled but it sounded like he was struggling. He wasn’t messing with me like he had since I stepped foot on Uoria. I’d have to get better at controlling myself. Or maybe I needed to loosen up. Here was sexy man in my room who obviously wanted me. The lust bubbled over with how he devoured my body. I wanted see how far he’d go. He stood facing me and I smiled. It was a real smile and I stepped in his direction. He flinched but didn’t move back. I shrugged and before he knew it I pulled my shirt off over my head. All thoughts left me. At that moment the only thing that mattered was him touching me. He groaned and his eyes widened. The orangish color I’d seen a few time was back. I cocked my head to the side watching him, waiting, but he was frozen. I reached behind my back and undid the clasp to my bra and slid it to the floor. His giant body shook and it looked like he was using every ounce of his self-control to keep his feet planted on the floor. He was surprisingly in control. It was impressive, but I wanted him to break. I wanted to feel the heat I saw behind the depths of his strange colored eyes that did strange things to me. They called to me, said I needed to submit to him. I was his for the taking. Instead of getting pissed I moaned and my eyes fluttered shut long enough to let the feelings of his desire wash over me.

When I opened my eyes he was still watching me. His chest heaved and his lips parted when I slid my hand underneath the waist band of my jeans. I wiggled my hips and pushed them down my legs taking my panties with them. In a matter of minutes I stood naked in front of a man I really couldn’t stand, but one I wanted desperately. “Oh goddess, you’re perfect,” he whispered. I hadn’t expected him to say something so perfect and his reverence shot to my core. I nibbled my lip waiting for him to take control, but he was still frozen in his spot. “Are you going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to move your ass over here?” My snarky attitude shook him out of his daze and he growled. He strode to me in two giant steps and crushed my body to his. His mouth slammed down on mine and I lost my breath. There was so much power behind his kiss, and when his tongue entered my mouth I was done for. I gasped and wrapped my arms around him. He lifted me from the floor and tightened his hold. My body lit on fire. When he pulled back he was panting for breath. “I thought you didn’t like me,” he said. “I don’t.” “Sure,” he replied with a small smile and kissed me again. My shower was forgotten when he tossed me on the bed. I watched as his clothes were shredded from his body. The pile

on the floor built and then he climbed on the bed hovering over me. I wanted to warn him, but it was too late. He slid into me with a speed unknown to man. I screamed and my muscles clenched. He froze and stared down at me. “You were an innocent?” I glared. “Not exactly, but it’s been a long time, like years, and that fucking hurt.” Tears slid down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry Eden.” And for the first time I saw real regret in his eyes. My heart clenched I didn’t like him upset. “Hey, it’s okay, but be gentle with me.” I wasn’t sure if he was capable of gentle, but he proved me wrong. He took his time making love to my body. Each thrust was slow and steady. I caught on to his movements and lifted my hips meeting each new thrust. My body stretched and it no longer hurt. It was as if I was made for him. He fit me perfectly and when he twisted his hips the tip of his erection hit with such a force I climaxed without warning. My body bowed and my muscles tensed around him, holding him in place. I felt him come and we stayed locked together until both of our bodies came down from release.

Chapter 10 I lay looking at the ceiling wondering what the hell I just did. My body ached, but mostly I felt more relaxed than I ever had. Pyra was next to me, and even though I could feel his eyes on me I didn’t look at him. “You weren’t ready.” My eyes filled with tears. No I most certainly was not ready. No matter how much I enjoyed it at the moment, now— now I felt dirty. I shook my head doing my best to hold the tears back. “I’m not sorry we made love, but I am sorry it was too soon for you.” I looked at him to see how his eyes glowed orange at me. I don’t think they ever turned back to his normal blue since I had stripped. “I need to go for a walk.” He nodded and got out of bed. “I’ll go with you.” I rolled out of bed and flinched. “No I want to go alone.” “Okay, I’ll walk you out then at least. I have to go meet with my brothers. It’s time for my scheduled patrol anyway.” His voice was low and there was none of his playful banter. “That’s fine, I’ll get dressed.” I stood gasped. Every muscle in my body was sore. I knew he hadn’t meant to hurt me, but oh how I hurt. He growled and I looked over at him. He frowned and

looked disheartened. “I hurt you.” “I know you didn’t on purpose.” “I should have known. It didn’t have to be painful for you. If I wasn’t such a jack ass you’d be fine right now.” “Hey, didn’t I tell you it had been a very long time. That’s not your fault.” He turned away and picked up his clothes. They weren’t torn at all. He got dressed without looking my way. I dressed in the same clothes I had been wearing and put my shoes on. I needed out. The scent of sex filled the air and it was too much. Pyra walked in front of me and I followed stiffly behind him. Shutting the door I took a deep breath of the air. It was clean and fresh, so much better than home. I followed him down the stairs and tipped my head back. The sun was no longer up here, and stars filled the sky. They were huge and so much easier to spot than at home. It was amazing how much Uoria was like home, but it was fresher. The Denynso took care of their lands. They didn’t take anything for granted. Out of nowhere I was lifted in the air and thrown. I screamed and my eyes widened. The thing that threw me sped into my direction and wrapped a clawed hand around my throat stopping me midair. My body jerked forward like whiplash. My heart thudded rapidly in my chest, and I lost my breath. I’d never seen anything so vile as the creature before me.

His eyes were red and his sharp teeth dripped spit. He ran his tongue along the tips and leaned in toward me. I tried to scream again, but I’d lost my voice. Kicking out I landed a blow to his lower body. He roared and dropped me. I fell to the ground with a thud. My back burned and the scent of copper filled my nose. It was blood—and it was mine. The monster rushed down toward me, and even as I tried to lift my hands he fell on top on me holding me down. His claws bit into my wrists. “You smell sweet.” The thing said and then his teeth were in my neck. My voice was gone. I cried and sobbed, but each move I made only seemed to make the creature more excited. He sucked harder on my neck taking more of my blood. His grunts and groans did nothing to ease my fear. I felt myself fading away. I’d only been on Uoria for a day and I was already going to die. I smiled. At least I’d never have to go back home again. The things body was ripped from mine and I saw orange eyes staring down at me. I lifted my shaky hand up hoping he’d end it for me. Everything hurt, and I didn’t want to suffer. Instead he bent down lifted me carefully into his arms. The feel of his warmth surrounding me was a comforting blanket. He moved so fast, but I was fading faster. There was nothing to do but wait. (Continued in Book 2…)

I hope you enjoyed Book 1 of Uoria Mates I. This was the first book I ever published and the books get better and longer with each book and series. You can get Uoria Mates I Complete 10 Book Box Set for FREE on Kindle Unlimited or for a Limited Time low price. See for yourself what thousands of fans are raving about!

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About the Author - Ruth Anne Scott Ruth Anne Scott was born and raised in the Shire of Middle America (otherwise known as Telluride, CO) and spend her childhood hiking, sightseeing, and exploring the wilderness around. As a young dreamer and creator her favorite pastime was and still is to sit on the moss covered banks of San Miguel river to write and create her fantasy worlds. As a postgraduate she spent much of her adult life working at Amnesty International, doing research into women's rights abuses around the world. Ruth continued to write fantasy as a means to escape the harsh realities of the world around her. This is the reason Ruth likes to incorporate strong and savvy women in her fantasy works. The boring part: Now a full time author and artist, Ruth can usually be found hunched over a keyboard or tablet, frantically trying to get the images and words in her head out and onto the screen before they drive her mad. She's addicted to coffee and can be found at the local coffee shops :) See all her books at: http://www.amazon.com/Ruth-AnneScott/e/B00Z9BQ2EI

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