Page 16 of Scars & Starlight (Of Blood and Conquest #1)

TARA

“ I ’m your match?” I ask the gorgeous alien, begging for clarification. The universe thought I was good enough for this… god?

“You are,” he confirms again, unequivocally. He places his hand in the space between us, palm up, wordlessly asking me not to reject him. As if I would.

I reach for him, joining us as one. “What does this mean for us?” I ask quietly, my mind still racing. Does it mean he’s been so kind to me because he needs me? Or does he truly like me?

“It means whatever you want it to mean,” he answers gently, squeezing my fingers. Looking me in the eye, he brings our hands to his face and kisses my knuckles. An answering shiver races up my spine. “I’ll be honored for every moment you choose to spend with me,” he adds.

His words bring tears to my eyes. He’s only known me for a few days, yet he’s given me more care than the great majority of people in my life. I scootch closer to him, enjoying the rush of power as his mouth opens in surprise at my nearness.

“Do… Avaren kiss?” I whisper against his mouth, nervously we tting my lips. What if he finds the idea repulsive? If he looks at me like I fell off one of Avaris’ moons, I’m going to go dig myself a very deep hole.

“You want to kiss me?” he asks, his voice coming out strained, like his throat is too tight to speak.

I swallow through my own throat’s tightness and nod, words abandoning me. I lift shaky fingers to his smooth cheek and run my fingertips over the glowing lines decorating his skin. They’re pulsating slightly now, reminding me of a nervous heartbeat.

“Do you want me to?” I finally whisper hoarsely.

The look he gives me tilts my world on its axis. There's a universe of emotion in the glowing purple orbs. “I can’t think of many things I’d want more at this moment, my beautiful princess.”

“Kairen,” I gasp, awed by the warmth unfurling inside me.

I close the last of the space separating us and press my lips against his, just like I’ve been dreaming of doing since I met him.

His mouth parts underneath mine, and the choppy inhale he takes sounds too loud in the silence of the room.

When our tongues meet with a tentative touch and his taste explodes across my senses, I can’t help the needy moan I release.

He tastes like blueberries and mint, and something undefinable and otherworldly.

Kairen’s hands reach for me, his palms wrapping around my waist and squeezing lightly and rhythmically, the ebb and flow making me think of something else, driving me wild.

When I arch toward him, a groan leaves his mouth, fanning the flames.

I’m holding on to his shoulders and pulling him close as our sides meet the mattress without our lips parting.

I’m not sure who initiated the movement, but we’re definitely on the same page, our legs intertwining on the bed, our fingers sliding into each other’s hair.

The prince’s mouth explores mine like it’s an uncharted planet. Just as I’m learning the topography of his mouth, he invades mine with consummate skill. I’m whimpering softly, yearning to have the weight of his body above me, but feeling too shy to demand it so soon .

“Tara,” he murmurs when we part to gulp down air. His lips move to my chin, my cheeks, my nose, and each eyelid, until finally he kisses the top of my head and pulls me into a tight embrace. “You’re making me so happy,” he says into my hair, sounding as content as he claims he is.

My heart is racing, beating so hard it feels like it’s going to pop out of my chest. I can’t believe I was just making out like a teenager with an alien, and that I feel like I’m never going to have enough of it.

Feeling restless, I lean in to tentatively kiss his neck, near the shiny port-like opening, where the glowing lines converge.

I wish I could explore how far down his body they lead.

When I extend my tongue to taste his skin, he stiffens and moans, jerking against me.

“We should talk,” he says, sounding about as unwilling to stop necking with me as I am. “Surely you have questions.”

With a sigh, I reluctantly lean back until I see his shining eyes, now looking at me with both a new softness and heat. I try to focus my thoughts on something other than how much I want every part of him.

“So, earlier, when you invited me to Avaris, was it because I’m your match?”

I’m not a fan of the fear that moves across his expression, but I need to find the courage to ask these things. I’m too old to accept not being liked for who I am, to only be wanted for what I can give.

“I was drawn to you from the moment I saw you fighting with everything you have to save your planet’s children,” he replies earnestly.

His hand comes up to stroke my cheek. “The more I spoke with you, the more I wanted to learn about you.” The pad of his thumb swipes against my lower lip as his voice turns husky.

“The more I looked at you, the more I wanted you.”

I groan inwardly. Would pinning him down and having my way with him make him think I’m a human hussy?

“Do you…” His words trail off.

“Do I what?” I ask, mourning that he moves his thumb to let me speak .

Kairen seems to struggle with something, his face running the gamut of confused and frustrated expressions. Finally, he continues talking. “Whenever I was with someone in the past, they proved to be more interested in my lineage than in being with me.” He hesitates again. “You’re not Avaren…”

I shake my head, tracing the path of his eyebrows with my index finger.

“I don’t care that you’re a prince, Kairen.

” My finger moves down the straight bridge of his nose.

“I care that you’re a good person.” I return the favor by tracing his lower lip next, and feel a blush spreading down my neck as I open my mouth again.

“It doesn’t hurt that you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. ”

His lips spread into a satisfied grin under my finger. “More beautiful than Orien?” he asks.

I shudder playfully. “He looks like he eats good girls for breakfast.” When he smiles at my answer, I tap his nose. “No,” I hum. “I prefer my oddly gentle commander.”

Kairen captures my hand and brings it to his lips for another peck. “Did you enjoy kissing your commander?” My lady parts take notice of how dark his voice turned, and I try to squeeze my thighs together. As our legs are still intertwined, he notices and gives me a shit-eating grin.

I pinch his side and scoot closer again. “I forgot already. Maybe you can remind me?”

He refreshes my memory for long minutes, until my eyes are too heavy to hold open, and I fall asleep with his taste on my tongue and his smell all around me.

“You know, I lived in London before I moved to the States.”

I yawn over the coffee mug I had the synth module conjure up for me.

I woke up alone in bed, feeling refreshed and just downright happy.

There hasn’t been much to be happy about since the world ended, but I spent the evening kissing a hottie, and I might see my parents and sisters soon, too. I’m going to seize the day.

“Is that so?” Kairen asks with a smile as he pores over whatever numbers and symbols his dashboard is showing him. “Did you enjoy it?”

I pull my feet up under me and nod, even though he doesn’t seem to be watching me right now. “I loved the people and the architecture. Not a huge fan of the weather,” I admit.

Kiko chirps from between our seats. “While the average temperatures in London and Ventura are not extremely dissimilar, London experiences one point five to two times more precipitation than Ventura.”

“What he said,” I murmur, watching the coast come closer.

Kairen pushed this bird faster over the ocean, claiming Ghorvek are less likely to patrol unpopulated areas. I only just used the little girl’s room and cleaned myself, ordered some coffee and toast, and already I can see the London Eye in the distance, surprisingly still intact.

“What’s that for?” Kairen asks, tilting his chin in the direction of the amusement ride.

“It’s what we affectionately call a tourist trap,” I answer with a giggle, putting away the now-empty coffee mug. “Something that became synonymous with a location, a must-do, so to speak, but costs too much money to experience.”

He snorts but doesn’t comment further. As the buildings grow larger, I wonder about the male who’s more compatible with me than anyone else in the universe.

“Tell me about your family,” I order him, surprising myself with the assertiveness in my tone. Maybe it’s knowing that he’s unlikely to change his mind about me and run away. The way he smirks at me lets me know he noticed the bossy tone. Oh well .

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know and more about my mother and siblings once we’re done talking with Elmsleigh. We’re nearly there.” He gives me a wry smile. “Of course,” he adds. “You’ll have to tell me about your family too, especially as we’re meeting yours sooner than mine.”

“I hope we are,” I murmur.

Kairen’s hand finds mine in a gesture that’s beginning to feel very familiar. “I’ll be with you,” he vows.

I cough to clear my throat of the sudden tightness, then blink to clear my vision.

“So, Elmsleigh built a bunker underneath Hampton Court Palace?” He quirks an eyebrow as if to say I see through the bullshit .

I wonder if Avaris has something similar to bulls? Do they have space sheep? I like sheep.

“That is what intel suggests,” Kairen confirms.

I hum, playing with his fingers. “Kairen?” I see him turn toward me in my peripheral vision. “Have you ever been so afraid of the truth that you’d rather cling to a false hope riddled with uncertainty than have it dashed? I’m terrified I don’t have a family anymore.”

“Kai,” he responds.

His eyes catch mine when I look up. “Excuse me?”

“My family calls me Kai,” he elaborates with a serious, yet gentle tone. “You’re family now, Tara.”

I can’t hold my tears back any longer, and they escape the confines of my eyes, along with a quiet sob from my throat.

When the Talon touches the grass of the sprawling estate underneath which Margaret Elmsleigh operates, the prince’s arms pull me in, and he murmurs soothing words into my hair as Kiko beeps sadly from our side.