Page 10 of Whispers of the Void (Voidborn Chronicles #1)

CHAPTER 10

RAIZ

* * *

A s I lead her down the stairs to the grotto where I’ll call Kodia in, I can’t help but spin her rushed confession around in my mind. The wine is likely the cause, but I’m going to enjoy her adorable outburst regardless. I will have to make sure she’s given the pain relief tea before she goes to sleep, though.

She’s never been with a male.

The thought filters through unbidden. I was already attracted to her before knowing that. Now the beastly, primal side of me wants to pursue her. Thank the stars I’m a more logical male than one who gives into base instincts to take and plunder.

I step onto the smooth stone landing and motion for her to stay back toward the stairs. “I’m going to call him. Don’t be scared.” He’ll scent her fear just as Mydax did. My tie to him should be strong enough to convey that she’s a friend, but her scent is strong.

Kneeling down at the edge of the water, I drag my fingers through the water to send him our signal. I’ve felt him and his mate close since we’ve been back. After a minute the water ripples and a large dark form shoots up from the bottom. He knocks me over as he lunges out of the water, landing with a torrent of seawater splash all the way over to where Neev stands, wide-eyed and staring.

I don’t scent fear from her at all, though, a surprise as Kodia is one of the largest synapiads I’ve ever seen. His charcoal-colored body, covered in a dense fur, shines in the dim light. He waddles sideways on his front flippers to bend and nuzzle against me. I wrap my arms around his warm body, squeezing him with all the love I possess.

“What is he?” I’m surprised to hear Neev’s voice coming from right beside me.

“Kodia is a synapiad, my soul-tied creature.”

He turns to her now, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs the alien beside me. His mouth opens as he chuffs to communicate with his mate. Rows of razor sharp teeth gleam between his jaws, but Neev doesn’t step back.

My jaw drops as she reaches out tentatively and lets him smell her hand. My body tenses as I watch, ready to spring between them if necessary. He lowers his head and allows her to run her hand between his ears.

“Hi sweet boy,” she says quietly. “I love him,” she says as she looks at me.

“You’re not afraid?”

“No.” She gives him the brightest, most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen and then looks at me. “Should I be?”

“He’s an apex predator on this planet. He could eat you.” Probably in one bite.

“No, he’s just a good boy who likes getting pets.” She changes her voice, making it almost musical in nature and softer.

“We used to ride them into battle.”

“And I’m sure you’re both very scary males, riding into battle and coming out victorious.” She continues with the voice, now scratching behind both of his ears. His tongue lolls out the side of his mouth, and his eyes close.

“We would come out victorious,” I say seriously. “He’s not a pet.”

“Could have fooled me.” She drops her hand. “Thank you for introducing us. Does he live here?”

“No. He has a mate who lives on one of the islands we passed by. That’s his home.”

“How did you call him?”

“We’re soul-tied. When I dipped my fingers into the water, he sensed me and came as fast as he could.”

“Does everyone have a soul-tie to one of them?” She smiles as he dives back into the water.

“No. It’s fairly rare and likely only because of my line that I still possess enough of our gifts to have a tie.”

Kodia pops up from below the water and spits a mouthful at my feet, informing me that he wants me in the water now.

“He wants me to get in with him.” I reach behind my neck and pull my shirt over my head, tossing it on the ground.

I look over at Neev whose eyes are locked on my body. Every drift of her violet eyes over my body feels like a brush of tentative hands over my flesh. I slowly reach for the buckle of my pants and the sound of it clicking open pulls her from the daze she was in.

“I—what are you doing?”

“Taking my clothes off to get in with him.”

“Naked?” her voice lilts upward.

“Yes.”

She spins and gives me her back as soon as she sees me hook my thumbs in the waistband of my pants, readying to push them down.

“I’ll, uh, see myself back to my room.” She waves awkwardly over her shoulder, not turning around until she hears the splash of me jumping in the water.

“Neev,” I say from the rock I’m standing on.

She turns, her eyes moving from my eyes down to the planes of muscles along my stomach, the V between my hips that disappears beneath the dark water. I don’t say anything until she’s had her fill of looking at me. Mainly because I can’t recall another female so openly appraising me like that. A different scent wafts through the air from her, a headier, muskier scent. I drag a deep breath of that magical scent in before speaking again.

“Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

* * *

The sound of the crashing waves lures me out onto the balcony beyond my room. Going out into the deep water with Kodia and his mate tonight was exactly what I needed. We can build deep pools on each of our ships, making the water identical in terms of chemistry and temperature as our ocean, but nothing compares to the real thing. Feeling the pull of the current, hiding in the kelp forest from Kodia, seeing the thriving schools of fish.

I spent hours out there today. The guilt of leaving Neev to entertain herself is what draws me over to her side of the balcony. At least that’s what I tell myself.

She’s left the doors open but pulled the curtains closed. As I draw closer her scent hits me first. It’s a mix of the cleansing salts I instructed to be left near her bath and the same sweet, musky scent as earlier tonight. My blood sings at her scent, my body becoming aware of everything around me on a molecular level but only focusing on her.

A breeze parts the curtains, and I catch a glimpse of her in the center of the bed. Before I can think better of it, I reach out and grab the curtain, holding it back just enough to watch as she writhes in the center of the bed. Her breathing is heavy; if it weren’t for the scent of her arousal, I’d think she was having a nightmare.

This is no nightmare, though. Her body is covered by the sheets, but I can tell her legs are parted by the way her knees are raised on either side of her body. One of her hands is at her breasts while the other works between her legs.

I shouldn’t be here.

I shouldn’t be watching her like this.

But the monsters of the deep couldn’t drag me away from the sound of her panted breaths. Could I draw those noises from her? Does she taste as delicious as she smells?

My cock thickens, seed dripping as I watch her back arch off the mattress. The hand between her legs moves faster and faster. Stars, I wish I could tear that sheet away and see exactly what she’s doing.

I want to learn how to bring her this type of pleasure if she ever were to allow me the honor. There must be some sort of resources on bringing humans carnal pleasure. I’d go to the ends of the universe to learn just to experience her pleasure.

She cries out, louder this time with her head thrown back in the pillows. The movement causes the sheet to drop, exposing one of her breasts. A perfect mound of pale skin topped by a piqued, pink nipple.

Fuck.

My fangs elongate at the sight of her long, slender bared neck, jarring me enough to let the curtain fall closed again and walk to the edge of the balcony. I can still hear her cries of pleasure as they come faster and faster but can’t bring myself to give her the final vestiges of privacy by going back into my room.

My body is alive with need. The brush of the wind against my skin does nothing to settle the roar awakened within me. My most primal form claws at my chest, eager to go lay claim to the female pleasuring herself so boldly.

With one last look over my shoulder, I tear my clothes from my body, leaving them in a pile at my feet and jump over the edge into the churning water beneath me. I don’t call for Kodia, knowing he’s resting as I should be. Instead, I dive deep into the darkness. My gills form immediately on either side of my neck.

I swim right to the edge of the continental shelf and sit with my feet dangled over the side. The quiet of the sea down here soothes my raging need. I watch the deep, careful to keep an eye on the shadows swimming beneath me. I’m a predator, but there are bigger threats down here than I could ever be.

Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved it here, sitting on the edge of this vast chasm. I’ve been dominant in every facet of my life after the blood ritual that killed my brother. When I killed him.

He wasn’t a good male. He would have continued the traditions of the Sovereign without a second thought. I know for a fact he wouldn’t be plagued with nightmares like I am of the moment I was forced to kill him.

Stars, how many times have I woken with the phantom feel of his blood coating my skin and the taste of it running down my throat. If Neev knew what I did to him, my own brother, the being I shared my mother’s womb with, she’d run. I wouldn’t blame her.

Our traditions are vile.

Vynia and Altis were only spared because of her missing limb. Had she been able bodied, they would have had to perform the right. Either of them could have won, and it would have driven them mad with guilt like it does me.

If anything could calm the storm raging in my blood for the female I brought into my life, it’s thoughts of my brother. This is the whole reason for Neev being brought here. The doubt I have in everything we’ve been taught.

The Sovereign has ruled for three times our usual lifespan. With each passing year he becomes more bloodthirsty, demanding sacrifices be made of all families. More death at his hands.

By the time I stand and turn back toward home, I’m reminded of the end goal. Ending the reign of the Sovereign and the horrific atrocities committed in his name. There’s no way this is how our ancestors wanted us to live.

Uzold is waiting for me as I emerge from the sea. He holds out a towel after I shake out my muscles.

“There are rumors about a human being on the planet already circulating. Just thought you’d want to know.”

“Thank you.” I gesture for him to walk with me. “Where did you hear that from?”

“The market and then again when I dropped your weapons off at the armory for cleaning. It doesn’t seem like anyone knows why she’s here, or even that you have her, but you know how much humans go for on the illegal trade markets. She’d be a prize.”

“I know. Double security while she’s here but keep them out of the house. Only essential workers are allowed within the walls.”

He hangs back as I enter my room and close the door behind me. Anger courses through me at the thought of something happening to Neev. She’s too important to my plans for anything to go sideways. There’s no one else who can do what she can. At least that I know of.

That’s why I feel so protective of the female.