Page 2 of Savage Union (Brutal Universe #2)
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JESSINA
MAFIA PRINCESS, DAUGHTER OF THE CHIEFTAIN OF CLAN CRUEL
“ J essina, where are you? Please, just let me know you’re safe. Our Sire is worried sick and Lyrah…well, you know how she is. But even she’s anxious. Where did you go? Are you all right? Call me. I can help you—I promise.”
I pulled the communication device from my ear and looked at it, contemplating my big brother’s voice message. Could he really help me? I wished I could believe it was true.
Slade was the Head Enforcer of Clan Cruel, one of the Four Families that ruled the fringes of the Imperium Galaxy. He was feared and respected and he had a lot of power. But did he have more power than our father, the Chieftain of Clan Cruel?
The answer was a definite no.
Slade might think he could help me—he might even swear to keep me safe. But he couldn’t overrule the will of our father. And our father was under the spell of my wicked stepmother who had decided I was going to marry a disgusting old man who was thirty years my senior.
If that sounds dramatic, I’m sorry but every word is true.
Lyrah, my stepmother, had stepped into my father’s life and basically seduced him not two months after my own mother died. That was ten years ago and she’s been leading my father around by his nose ever since. (Though let’s get real—that’s not the body part she’s leading him around by.)
Lyrah’s been trying to get me married off almost from the minute she moved into my family’s mansion. I think she just wants to get rid of me so she can have my father all to herself. My big brother, Slade, moved out two months after she moved in. But since I’m a daughter, not a son, I didn’t have that option.
I’ve been doing my best to avoid her for years, but she still wants me gone. So when my father decided it was time for me to marry, she naturally volunteered to take over the whole process.
I didn’t know anything about it until she took me to a “special surprise luncheon” as she put it at Chez L’ronge, the most expensive and exclusive restaurant on Rigelis Nine.
I was suspicious, of course—Lyrah and I mostly avoid each other. Why would she want to take me to lunch now? All the way there in the back of the hover-limo, she kept prattling on about how I was getting too old to keep living at home and that I needed a new direction in my life.
I was starting to have some hope that maybe she had talked my father into letting me move out to an apartment of my own, the way Slade had. He has the penthouse suite at the top of the Henkleton Resort where he and his new human bride, Aurora were currently living their best lives. So at the time, I thought that maybe Lyrah had arranged for me to get an apartment in the same resort as my big brother.
But all my hopes were dashed when we walked into the circular dining room of Chez L’ronge.
The restaurant is located at the top of the tallest tower in the city and it boasts a gorgeous view of the entire downtown area. Looking down from the circular windows that ring the entire dining area, you can see all the lines of flying traffic and the 3-D Holo ads which are often as big as the buildings themselves.
But it wasn’t the spectacular view I was looking at. It was the elderly male sitting at one of the tables. He must be at least half Brute—which is the race of the Four Families or Clans—because he did have the curling horns all Brute males have. But they were small and withered and unpainted. Only chieftains, enforcers, and soldiers of the Clans are allowed to paint their horns, so I knew at once this male was someone who was outside the inner circle I had grown up in.
The Brutal Clans function like the Mob back on Old Earth—we operate outside the law in things like racketeering, smuggling, and illegal cloning. We also offer protection to the ragged little colonies and planetoids barely hanging on around the fringes of the galaxy where the Imperium—the galactic government—usually doesn’t bother to come.
I say “we” but I’ve never had anything to do with the family business—that’s the way my father wants it. He’s also expressed a wish to have me marry outside the Clan, to a male unaffiliated with any of the Four Families. So I guess the stranger’s unpainted horns shouldn’t have been a surprise.
What was a surprise was how old he was. There were wrinkles around his eyes and the corners of his mouth and the grey skin of his cheeks hung in doughy waddles on either side of his face. He was wearing a long robe to try and disguise his girth, but it was clear that he wasn’t in very good shape.
I don’t want to sound hateful or judgmental—he looked like a nice old GrandSire and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as he looked me up and down with a lustful gaze that was anything but grandfatherly.
When the old male saw Lyrah, he raised a hand and half-stood to greet her.
“Grr. Malofice— there you are!” my stepmother trilled. Taking me by the arm, she hurried me over to the table where he was sitting.
“Grrsa. Lyrah, my dear. It’s so very good to see you again.” He looked at me, giving me that same, greedy look that made my skin crawl. “And this must be your lovely daughter—the one you say is looking for a husband.”
I knew then and there that my fate was sealed. But I was determined not to go down without a fight.
“I’m not looking for a husband,” I said bluntly. “I’m waiting for my Fated Mate—the one She of the Four Faces set aside just for me.”
“Oh Jessina, don’t be ridiculous!” Lyrah scoffed. “Nobody waits for their Fated Mate anymore—it’s nothing but a nursery story.”
“Your mother is right, a lovely young girl like you mustn’t wait until she’s old and withered hoping for a fairytale to come true,” the male called Grr. Malofice said, laughing jovially.
He was one to talk about being “old and withered” but I didn’t say that.
“My older brother just claimed his Fated Mate,” I said. “They have a beautiful Binding Ceremony planned.”
“Well, it sounds like someone wants their big day to be special ,” Grr. Malofice said, smiling broadly in a way that showed his yellowed teeth. They nearly matched the color of his withered horns. “Please—won’t the two of you have a seat?” he asked, making a sweeping gesture to the two chairs across from his.
“We’d love to.” Lyrah shot me a murderous look as we got settled. Clearly she wanted me to sit still and shut up—but I wasn’t prepared to do that.
“So, your mother tells me—” Grr. Malofice began.
“Lyrah is my step mother,” I interrupted, correcting him. “And once again I want to be clear—I’m not looking for a husband or to enter into a Binding of any kind.”
I was trying to nip the whole business in the bud, but it seemed that matters had already progressed beyond that point.
“That’s all right, young lady,” Grr. Malofice said pleasantly. “It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a husband or not because your Sire has decided that you are. And it just so happens that I am looking for a wife.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said blankly.
“It means your father has put me in charge of finding you the perfect husband and as you can see, I have.” Lyrah smiled brightly at me. “Jessina, meet your future lord and husband.” And she nodded proudly at Grr. Malofice.
“No,” I said flatly, looking at the old man across from me. “You’re joking.”
“I would never joke about such an important subject as your future happiness, dear daughter.” Lyrah gave me a poisonous smile, her green eyes snapping.
“You’re a lovely young lady and I’m sure we can make each other very happy.” Grr. Malofice leered at me again, his eyes running up and down my body and lingering on my breasts. They may not be the biggest, but they’re perky and I was currently wishing that I’d worn something that covered them better than the thin Trixian silk top I had on which showed the points of my nipples.
“I very much doubt that’s true,” I said coldly, folding my arms over my chest to hide myself.
“I don’t.” He gave me a self-satisfied grin—clearly he thought he had me in the bag—bought and paid for—and there was nothing I could do about it. “Now, don’t fret—I’m prepared to be extremely generous with your allowance, my dear. You’ll be able to buy anything your pretty little heart desires to wear—your closet will be stuffed with pretty little dresses.”
While down below I’d be stuffed with…I didn’t want to think about that.
“Stepmother dear,” I said to Lyrah through gritted teeth. “I feel the need to visit the ladies room. Would you please come with me?”
Lyrah gave me a nasty look.
“Not now, Jessina. You need to get to know your husband-to-be.”
“Yes, now ,” I said and rose from the table. “I’m going—you can come with me or not,” I added and walked out of the dining room.
“Jessina, what do you think you’re doing?” she hissed at me, as we entered the elaborately decorated ladies room together. The wallpaper was made of living velvet that flowed in endless pink and gold patterns and there was a row of gold-framed, floor-to-ceiling mirrors on one wall.
I studied myself in one of the mirrors, avoiding my stepmother’s furious gaze.
I’m only half Brute myself. My mother was Yerbishian, so instead of the pearly grey skin tones of most of the people around me, my skin is a creamy brown. My eyes, though, show my father’s side of my heritage. They’re a clear, pale amber with no other color at all. I’m tall for a woman and I have what you might call a “boyish figure” all except for my breasts, which are medium-sized and firm. My hair is long and thick and black—it falls to the middle of my back.
I don’t know if you’d call me pretty—I wouldn’t. My features are delicate but still too strong to be cute. Still, I have a straight nose and full lips so I’m not ugly—I’m just not “feminine enough” at least to hear my stepmother tell it.
Speaking of Lyrah, she was mad enough to spit. Her poison green eyes were flashing as she glared at me in the mirror. Her hair—currently dyed green and purple—was piled up in a fashionable up-do on top of her head and her designer top and skirt combo, which was pink with lime green stripes, clung to her huge fake breasts and enormous bubble-butt.
“You can pout all you want, young lady,” she said to me. “But you’re going to marry Grr. Malofice and you’re going to do it with a smile on your face. Your father has given me free reign to choose your husband and I’ve made an excellent choice.”
“An excellent choice? He’s old enough to be my GrandSire!” I exploded, glaring back at her. “There’s no way I’m Binding myself to him!”
Lyrah made a sound like hrrumph.
“You need an older male with a steady hand to keep you in line, my dear,” she sniffed. “Besides, Grr. Malofice is one of the richest merchants on all of Rigelis Nine! Why, he practically owns the garment district. He can get you discounts on all the latest fashions!”
“You mean he can get you discounts on the latest fashions!” I exclaimed. I could see what was happening here—my stepmother was basically trading me away to a horny old man in order to assure herself of a lifetime of free or discounted clothes. Her whole criteria in choosing a husband for me was all about what she could get out of it.
“There is a possibility that Grr. Malofice might be willing to give me a few discounts as well,” she acknowledged coolly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s excellent husband material. Didn’t you hear me before? He’s extremely rich!”
“You think I care about his money?” I demanded. “I don’t want his nasty hands crawling all over me just so you can get the latest fashions at a discount!”
Lyrah stamped her foot, which made no sound at all in the thick, luxurious Bernah fur carpeting.
“You selfish, stubborn girl!” she snarled at me. “You can whine and cry all you want but you will marry the male I picked for you! Your father has agreed to this match and the date of your Binding Ceremony has been set.”
“You’re joking with me!” I shook my head. “Daddy wouldn’t do that to me! He wouldn’t make me marry an old man.”
“Oh, no?” A cruel smile twisted her painted lips. “Then why don’t we ask him?”
She pulled out her mobile holo-projector and punched in a number. A moment later, a 3-D hologram of my father, about a foot high, was hovering over her palm.
“Yes, Lyrah my love, what is it?” he asked, looking distracted. My Father has the gilded horns of a Chieftain—the only males besides Head Enforcers that are allowed to paint their horns gold—and eyes the same dark gold as my brother, Slade’s.
“Zirex, my darling, Jessina and I are here at Chez L’ronge having lunch with my good friend, Grr. Malofice. You remember him don’t you?”
“Oh yes—the rich merchant.” My father nodded distractedly. “Well, why did you call?”
“Well, it seems that your daughter doesn’t like the idea of getting Bound to Grr. Malofice,” Lyrah said sweetly. “She doesn’t understand that it’s in her best interest to get married before she’s too old to attract a husband.”
“I’d rather die single than marry a man old enough to be my GrandSire!” I exclaimed. “Daddy, he’s older than you are!” I added, appealing to the holo image of my father.
“Now, Jessina, your mother and I talked about this,” he said sternly. “We agreed that it would be best for you to be Bound to an older male—one with a stern hand who could keep you in check.”
“Why do I need to be kept in check?” I demanded. “Why do I need to marry at all?”
My father glowered at me.
“You’re a princess of Clan Cruel—of course you must get married. You’re lucky I’m not using your marriage as an alliance to another Clan—I’m being kind in allowing you to get out of our lifestyle.”
“You think forcing me to marry an old male I don’t love or even know is being kind?” I demanded. “Lyrah only chose him because he’s promised to get her a discount on the latest fashions!”
“That’s not true! I had only your best interest at heart when I chose Grr. Malofice for you,” Lyrah snapped. “And since the contract is already signed, it’s too late to back out now.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Daddy, please say it’s not true!” I begged my father. “Please tell me you didn’t sign me to a Binding Contract without even asking me if I wanted to be Bound to this male or not!”
For the first time my father looked uncomfortable.
“Now, Jessina,” he began. “When we signed the contract, we were only thinking of your future happiness?—”
On hearing those words, “when we signed the contract,” all hope left my body. Once a Binding Contract is signed, there’s almost no way to back out of it. If my father really cared so little about me that he would allow my malevolent stepmother to choose my future husband based on who would give her the best discounts when she went shopping, then there was no way he would listen to my pleas and let me out of the upcoming union.
Which meant I was going to have to find a way to get myself out of it.
“All right, fine,” I said.
“What do you mean by that?” Lyrah demanded.
I shrugged.
“Just what I said. If the contract is already signed, then there’s nothing to be done. It can’t be taken back.” I was furious—more angry than I had ever been in my life—but I knew if I showed it, I was only going to make them suspicious. And I couldn’t afford that—a plan was already forming in my mind.
“So that’s it? You’re happy with our choice?” My father raised his eyebrows.
“Well, he’s not as young as I had hoped my husband would be,” I said. “But you did say he’s rich, right?”
“Yes, extremely. He’s one of the wealthiest males in the Imperium,” Lyrah said slowly. I could tell that she distrusted my sudden change of heart.
“Well, then I guess I can just wait for him to die,” I said, shrugging.
The hologram of my father frowned.
“That’s an extremely disrespectful way to speak of your future lord and husband, daughter,” he said disapprovingly.
Disrespectful was exactly what I had been aiming for. It was more believable than the idea that I would suddenly fall in love with the repulsive male they had chosen or decide to be a dutiful daughter and wed him even though I didn’t like him. They had to think I believed there was something in this Binding for me—some reason I would be willing to go through with it.
“It’s disrespectful but she had a point,” Lyrah said. A greedy light was already shining in her green eyes. “And he has no other relations—just think of having that whole estate to ourselves when he dies!”
It always came back to greed with her—I was convinced that was the main reason she’d married my father. That and she liked the status it gave her to be the wife of the Chieftain of Clan Cruel.
“Last time I looked, I was the one getting Bound to him,” I told her. “I don’t know what you mean about getting the whole estate to ‘ourselves.’”
“Don’t be greedy, Jessina,” she snapped. “Of course you’ll share! If it wasn’t for me, you’d never have gotten the chance at all that money and power in the first place! Don’t forget, I’m the one who arranged this Binding for you.”
“If the two of you are in agreement, then I really have to go,” my father said, frowning. He was forever busy with the work of running the Clan—too busy to care if his children were happy, apparently.
“Yes, darling—we’re all on the same page now,” Lyrah trilled, smiling. “I’ll see you later at home.”
She snapped the holo-projector shut and tucked it back in her purse, giving me a smug smile.
“All right then, shall we go back? And this time, I think you’d better be nicer to Grr. Malofice, don’t you?”
I forced a smile on my face.
“Yes—I’ll try.”
“Just think of all that money, my dear. That would put a smile on anyone’s face.” Linking her arm through mine, she gave me an avaricious smile of her own and towed me back into the dining room.
I spent the rest of the luncheon nodding at everything my husband-to-be said and smiling agreeably even though I felt like my face was going to crack. But the whole time I was planning my escape, plotting to get away and never, ever come back.
I was going to run to my Fated Mate—the one the Goddess had set aside for me—my big brother’s best friend, Turk.