Page 10

Horek

I scan the room and, while remaining alert for any signs of trouble, I can’t help but suffer from a sense of…some unnamed emotion. It’s nothing I’ve ever felt before so I’m not sure exactly what it is. I don’t care for it either. It leaves me unsettled.

Queen Veroneek’s reprimand still rings in my ears, even though it was directed mostly at Alik. However, there was no mistaking she included me in her chastisement of not greeting the females properly or putting them at ease when they arrived for the meal.

My aunt prides herself on being a generous hostess who wants nothing more than for her guests to enjoy themselves and feel at home. Even in a palace. Like Alik, she doesn’t stand on formality unless the occasion calls for it. And a party certainly doesn’t. Not when she’s trying to find a bride for her son, even if he doesn’t think he wants one.

“The females appear to be enjoying themselves, and the males are all on their best behavior.” Alik leans in slightly although there’s no chance of anyone hearing him over the music and laughter.

“That’s what you hoped for, isn’t it?” I raise my brow. “The females to become enamored by the males so courting can begin quickly and matches found even quicker?”

“Of course.”

“Then what has that look on your face?” I know my cousin well enough to notice a change in his emotions, even if I don’t always recognize each one specifically.

“There is no other look besides relief.” Alik’s eyes narrow slightly.

I study him a moment longer. “If that is what you say.”

Silence lingers a few minutes more before he breaks it. “Aren’t they just enjoying themselves a little too much?”

My forehead crinkles. “The males or the females?”

“Both. Neither.” Alik shakes his head. “Forget it. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me tonight.”

“You’re on edge from the mating fever. Did you have another attack after I left your suite?”

He glares. “No.”

“You need to find yourself a bride.”

A growl rumbles up from his chest. “Now you sound like my mother. I’ve already told both of you I have no interest in a female.”

“You’re getting worse. We both know it. Before long, no amount of kanet powder is going to be enough to keep the madness at bay. Don’t do that to your mother or to me.” I blow out a harsh breath. “Not just because I’m your heir, either, but because you’re my closest friend and I don’t want to lose you. Especially not when there’s something you can do to save yourself.”

Alik doesn’t respond. Instead, he walks out of the room. I face the crowd again and my gaze catches on the queen who watches the door her son just left through. Sorrow blooms in her eyes and they meet mine. Already, she is grieving. Anyone can see it.

I shift my attention to the females standing and laughing in a small group not far from my aunt. Or rather, I shift it to a particular female. The same one from the market yesterday. Quinn . Her face is flushed and there is a glow about her. I’m not sure if it’s from the lulesh drink or because of one of the males. She certainly hasn’t been without her share of potential admirers. Not that I’ve been counting. It’s merely my duty to notice details. I’m sure the other females have had an equal number of males attempting to woo them.

More laughter reaches me and I’m almost certain I can pick hers out of the many. The same way that I know the fragrances I’d scented and followed outside the market square yesterday and smell again tonight belong to her as well.

The queen comes to my side. “You should go speak with her.”

“I’m not interested in speaking with anyone.”

She laughs and pats my cheek. “You and my son are both fooling yourselves, but you’re not fooling me. I see the way you’ve been watching Quinn. It may not be obvious to the rest of the people, but I have known you since birth, Horek. Not much with either Alik or you gets by me, despite what you both might think.”

My aunt is far too uncanny for her own good. “I can admit she is an attractive female, but that still doesn’t mean I’m looking for a bride. You know my highest priority is being Commander.”

“Perhaps you should rethink your priorities.” With that statement, she returns to mingling with the females.

For far too long, I remain seated at the table with the queen’s words rolling around inside my head. But another voice creeps in and grows louder. It’s that of my mother, and her reminders of my many failures. I’m surprised she’s not here, actually. It would be so much like her to give her unasked for appraisal of the human females.

Originally Queen Veroneek wasn’t entirely in favor of Alik bringing them here. Not because they aren’t Bohnari. She is worried that, despite all indications the humans are compatible with our males, our people’s hopes for the future won’t come to fruition and we’re only going to wind up broken hearted and extinct.

Before I can help myself, my gaze wanders, but not for long. I home in on Quinn almost instantly, as though I sensed exactly where she’d be. That same unnamed feeling rears up again at the sight of her laughing with Bannik. He had been the first to approach her after the meal. In fact, he had been the first of any of the males to approach the females. The fact it was Quinn he went to isn’t lost on me.

Whatever this thing is I’m feeling, it’s powerful enough to make me stand and head in their direction. I shoulder my way past couples, while several automatically give me a wide berth, until I come to a stop in front of them. Quinn startles at my nearness. Bannik moves to put space between us, but somehow manages to refrain from taking a step back.

“Commander.” He dips his head in respect, but there’s a slight rise in his tone like he’s asking a question.

I ignore him and keep my focus on Quinn who meets my gaze with an arched brow. As if on cue, the music changes from fast-paced to a haunting melody that’s much slower.

“Would you like to dance?” The back of my neck suddenly itches. What am I doing?

She glances at Bannik before coming back to me and takes far too long to answer. “If you don’t mind bruised toes.”

“I doubt it will come to that.”

Quinn laughs and drops her gaze to my outstretched hand before placing hers in it. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

A sting of electricity sparks my skin the second we touch, but I refuse to acknowledge I felt it. She can’t stop her muscles from jerking though. Her eyes widen briefly, and she clears her throat. I guide her away from Bannik, and we join the other couples. Her skin is soft against mine and I can’t help but admire how different our coloring is. Whereas mine is a dark copper, Quinn’s is pale with only the barest hint of pink.

Together we move to the rhythm, our hands linked and our eyes locked on the other’s. Every other sound and person in the room fades away, leaving only the two of us. I have never been more aware of someone as I am of this female. I don’t care for the sensation and yet, at the same time, I sense myself yearning for it.

We dance in perfect sync. Almost like we’ve been doing it together forever.

“My toes appear to be surviving.”

Quinn’s lips curl and part to expose her white teeth with the tiniest gap between the top two. “The song’s not over.”

“Yet, I still believe they’ll continue to be safe.”

“I must be getting the hang of this dancing thing then.”

My head cocks. “Do you not have dancing on Earth?”

“Oh, no, we do, but it’s not really something us bottomers often have the opportunity to participate in. We’re too busy spending all our time working to try and pay our bills and make sure we have a large enough supply of protein bars to get by.”

Unless she is well-versed in hiding it, Quinn shares all of this without a hint of shame. Not that she has anything to be ashamed about, but I’m not sure I know of anyone who would share something as personal as casually as she.

“Does that bother you?”

She jolts. “Does what bother me?”

“Missing out on opportunities.” At first I’m not sure she’s going to answer. This is why I don’t talk to females. I can’t ever say the right thing. “Apologies. I should not have asked.”

To my surprise, Quinn’s smile is soft. “You have nothing to apologize for. The question just took me a little off-guard. I’m not sure if anyone has ever asked me that. Mostly, I think, because they want to forget I came from basically nothing. It can get a bit awkward for people when I mention being a bottomer. Like it’s contagious.”

“Bottomer? You’ve mentioned this twice now, but I’m not sure what that is.” Our translators are highly advanced and capable of learning, but that isn’t a word in any database we have access to.

“It’s slang, and not a really good kind some people would say.” Quinn lifts a single shoulder. “Bottomers is what some of the upper tier people call those of us from the bottom tier. I think they use it to remind us of our place.”

“Why do you use it, then?”

“Those from the upper tier say it to hurt us. To belittle us. Except it winds up meaning nothing when I say it. It’s lost the sting it’s meant to cause. Bottomers is nothing more than a single word instead of an insult or a weapon being lobbed.”

What Quinn says makes sense.

“And to answer your question,” she continues. “Before today, I would have said, no, it didn’t bother me to miss out on opportunities. You can’t really miss what you’ve never had, I suppose. But now, after spending an entire evening dancing and having fun? If I had to go back to the bottom tier for some reason, then, yeah…it would really bother me.”

“It’s a good thing that you won’t ever have to go back if you don’t choose to.”

“Yes, it is.”

Our gazes lock. Quinn’s eyes darken and the tip of her tongue flicks out leaving her lips shiny and damp. Beneath my uniform, my cock goes semi-hard. Her scent intensifies, and my body heats. The mating fever burns through my veins and my teeth ache with the need to bite her. Mark her as mine.

A rumbling noise shatters the moment just before the room rocks and trembles beneath our feet. Cracking sounds come from above and dust and pieces of ceiling crumble and fall. Quinn and I stumble and nearly collide with others around us. I pull her to me as more debris rains down and cover her body with mine. Females shriek. At last, all movement stops, but I hold onto Quinn a moment longer. When I’m sure whatever just happened is over, I release her.

“Are you all right?” I clasp her upper arms, not letting her get too far from me.

She nods. “I’m fine.”

I scan her from head to toe, confirming her state, and raise my head. Queen Veroneek is rushing around checking on the rest of the brides who stand in varying states of shock. She lifts her gaze and meets mine. I can read her without her having to say anything. I glance down at Quinn again. “Go to the queen. She’ll make sure everyone remains safe.”

With great reluctance, I tear myself away from her and snap out orders for the guards to follow me. I need to find out what just happened.