Vykor Read online

  “That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. I just…” He ran a hand through his hair and fought to think clearly. “I was surprised you had applied for a Pyrosian mate.”

  “And your response to that was to tell me no?” She didn’t move, but her expression was softer now, and her tone a little harder. He couldn’t blame her.

  “I’m sorry. It’s been a strange day.”

  She nodded. “Agreed.”

  The silence stretched out for a long, painful moment. She didn’t move her hands or relax her expression. He needed to fix this.

  “I was jealous,” he finally admitted.

  Her mouth fell open. “What? Why?”

  “Because I didn’t like the idea of you going off to Pyros with someone else.” He really hoped he was in the thrall of the rux. It was the only excuse he had for the insane words coming out of his mouth.

  “Someone else.” She repeated. “Someone not you?”

  “Yes.” He intended to stop speaking after that, but for some reason the words kept coming. “You belong with me, razdi. No one else.”

  “Oh.” She gave him a shaky smile. “Is this a mating thing?”

  Gods, she was clever. She’d figured it out almost as fast as he had. “I can’t be sure, but I think so. I’ve never reacted to a female like this.”

  “Me either.” She giggled softly. “I mean, I’ve never felt like this either. I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt when you touched me before. And I got angry when they were hurting you. Angry enough I actually yelled at John.”

  “We want to protect each other. And …other things.”

  Lily exhaled softly. “Those other things. It’s getting hard to think about anything else. All I want is for you to touch me again.”

  “Is that a request?” his words came out with a rumbling note he’d never used before.

  She turned bright red and nodded. “Yes.”

  He opened his arms to her, knowing it would be easier for her that way. “Come here.”

  She closed her eyes and moved toward him, almost falling into his arms. He caught her and gathered her close, revelling in the moment. She hadn’t rejected him. In fact, she’d come to him willingly. He was still angry at the Gods for abandoning him, but right now, that anger was tempered with gratitude for the female nestled against him. His mate. She was real, and he had found her.

  Her hands moved over him, exploring. He followed her example, mirroring her actions with a gentle exploration of his own. He sank the fingers of one hand into her hair, letting them twine in her curls as he bowed his head to nuzzle her cheek with his. Her scent filled his lungs, as heady as the finest liquors and even more intoxicating.

  Lily stirred. “What if this isn’t what we think it is? What if it’s just hormones and some kind of coping mechanism?”

  “I almost hope it isn’t the rux. Hormones would be a lot easier to deal with than the mating fever.” And it would mean that she could decide for herself if this was what she wanted. If he was what she wanted.

  Her hands stilled and her voice dropped to a whisper. “Because then you won’t be mated to me?”

  “No!” he barked the word and she stiffened then attempted to pull herself out of his arms. He didn’t let her go. Flames, he was making a mess of this. Why did Jet think he had a future as a diplomat when he couldn’t even manage a simple conversation?

  Lily twisted in his grip, her movements more frantic. “Let me go.”

  “I’d rather not. I like holding you.”

  She stopped resisting and frowned up at him. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a very confusing man?”

  “I’m actually a straightforward being. At least I was until today.” He leaned in and touched his lips to her brow. “Until I met you.”

  She laughed a little and her tension eased. “I confuse you? You sure it’s not just the fact we’ve been gassed and abducted, and beaten? Not to mention I still think you have a concussion. That would explain the confusion, too.”

  “I do not have a concussion,” he stated firmly and pulled her closer. “What I have is a strong desire to kiss you.”

  “You already did that. But I’m happy for you to do it again.”

  “That was not a real kiss.” He stared into her violet eyes, then bowed his head. “This is.”

  His mouth slanted across hers, drinking in her soft sigh of surrender as he did. Gods, she felt good. Soft and sweet, her curvy little body pressed against his, setting his blood on fire.

  Her lips parted and she grabbed the front of his shirt, using it to pull herself up to meet his kiss with one of her own. Tongues touched and then tangled, and a raw moan of need vibrated against his chest. He didn’t know which one of them made the sound, it could have been either of them, or both. Need coursed through him, and he speared his fingers into her hair, letting them tangle in the silken curls as he ravaged her mouth.

  Jet suddenly called out from somewhere outside their cell and Vykor stopped so he could hear what was said.

  “I know I’m not supposed to talk to you, and I promise to be sorry about it later, but is there any chance of getting a meal for the human females?” Jet said.

  “If he’s asking about food, then they must be relatively alright,” Lily murmured with relief.

  A gruff male voice called back. “Food for the ladies, yes. Food for you, no. We’re not wasting food on no alien assholes.”

  “I’ll share mine with you,” Lily whispered.

  “Thank you.” Her generosity was as limitless as her kindness. He didn’t understand why the Gods had abandoned him at birth only to reward him now, but if it meant keeping Lily, he’d accept their gift.

  Hanna called out a thank you, and Lily’s head snapped up. “She's smarter than I was.”

  “How so?”

  “She’s doing what we were taught and trying to make friends with the guards. Get them to see us as people instead of a means to an end. I should have done that. But when I saw John…”

  “Your brother’s presence changed things for you.”

  She snorted. “That’s a heck of an understatement.”

  “I was trying to be diplomatic.”

  Lily’s lips quirked up into a brief smile. “I think it’s a bit late for that.”

  “Probably.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek. “At least now we know they’ll be coming to feed you, soon.”

  “Feed us,” she corrected him.

  “Best we don’t mention that. They already think you’re an alien sympathizer.”

  She smiled wider. “They called me an alien lover, not a sympathizer.”

  “Are you?” Something deep in his soul stirred as he waited for her answer.

  Lily’s cheeks heated and she lowered her gaze. “Not yet. But if I keep feeling the way I do now, who knows what might happen.”

  “If this is truly the rux, I know exactly what will happen. I just want you and me to be far from here when it does.” He kissed her hard, every part of him aching for him to do more than kiss her. He wanted her naked and breathless beneath him, crying out his name as he claimed her. Until today, he’d never imagined he’d have a true mate. Until a few minutes ago, he didn’t believe he’d ever be able to bond with a female, binding their souls together forever.

  “Where will we go?” Lily asked when he finally broke their kiss.

  “Somewhere we can be alone. It’s a Romaki tradition to take our mates to a safe place far away from everyone else. For most, it’s so their dragons can manifest without risk of destruction.”

  “And you really think I’m your mate?”

  He nodded, capturing her chin in his hand so he could look into her eyes. “I do.”

  She smiled, but there was still a shadow of doubt in her eyes. “If we get out of here, then I guess we’ll find out.”

  “We are getting out of here.” He wasn’t sure how it would happen, but he had to believe it would. They were both escaping this place, and then he’d take her far away and sh
ow her he could be a worthy mate, even without a dragon.

  Chapter Five

  This day kept getting weirder. It was like she’d fallen into one of those daytime soap operas her mother loved. Abductions, danger, a sudden reunion with a dangerous family member, and now she was apparently mated to an alien. Maybe I hit my head during the accident and I’m dreaming all this. Except she knew she wasn’t dreaming. If she was, her shoulder wouldn’t ache, and she wouldn’t be able to taste Vykor’s blood on her lips. Kissing her had reopened the cut on his lip a little.

  Without thinking, she swiped at the smear of blood beneath his lower lip, clearing it away with a fingertip. “You’re bleeding again.”

  “Kissing you appears to be hazardous to my health. Although, it’s not going to stop me from doing it again.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. We should probably stop for now, though. If our guards see us, they’re likely to hurt you again.” She suppressed a shiver at the memory of the beatings he’d already suffered.

  He growled in frustration. “I know you’re right. I don’t like it, though.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, making it stand on end in spots. “I need to get you away from here.”

  “You can’t.” She didn’t want to rub it in, but it was the truth.

  He growled again, and there was something primal in the tone, an animalistic quality that hadn’t been there before. “Not yet.”

  “We’ll find a way. Right?” She forced herself to sound positive. She was tired of being afraid, but she couldn’t seem to stop. It wasn’t helpful, though. Fear and doubt wouldn’t do either of them any good. She reached around him to retrieve her jacket from the foot of the bunk then fished her bracelet out of a pocket and held it up. “Speaking of which. We should get this ready.”

  “Which one is it?”

  “The one that looks like an amethyst.” She tapped a polished sphere of what appeared to be purple stone. “This one.”

  Vykor separated it from the bracelet with a few deft twists, then pocketed the charm. “When the time comes, you keep Cupcake happy and distracted, and I’ll attach the charm to her collar.”

  “Good idea. Wait until I give you the signal, though. She’s a sweetheart, but she can be leery of strangers.” And if they failed to get the charm attached this time, they might not get another chance. John said there was a prisoner exchange happening in the morning. That was their deadline. She doubted John could get the authorities to do anything that fast, and when he didn’t get his way, he’d use the two of them to show his displeasure. They had to be gone before then.

  Vykor reattached her bracelet, and tingles ran up her arm every time his fingers brushed her skin. For the first time in her life, she craved a man’s touch. That fact alone made it easier for her to believe Vykor was her mate, even though it still seemed incredible to her. He’d told her he didn’t have a dragon’s spirit. From what she’d understood, both the Romaki and the Pyrosians mating fevers were triggered by some kind of mystical bond – magic. If Vykor couldn’t access that magic, then how could he have a mate?

  Her thoughts were fragmented, whirling around her head so fast it was like she’d dumped her mind into a blender.

  Did he even want her? They barely knew each other. She’d signed up for the Pyrosian mating database and had been hoping for a match to an alien mate, but he hadn’t expected to have a mate at all, never mind a human one. It was all happening so fast.

  She blew out a breath and stood. She had too many questions and not nearly enough answers, but now wasn’t the time to worry about it. She trusted him. More than she believed possible after so short a time. She wanted him, badly. And if the kiss they’d shared was any indication, he wanted her, too. And they needed to work together if they had any chance of figuring out the rest of it. She’d tackle this just like she’d tackle a new project for Hanna – one step at a time.

  Vykor stood, too, and neither of them spoke for a while. Their brief moment of passion had passed, at least for now. It wasn’t safe for them to stay together for too long. She wasn’t sure John had enough control over these men to prevent them from killing Vykor if they found out. Hell, she wasn’t sure he’d stop them even if he could.

  She wandered over to the doorway and peered out across the warehouse at the other shipping container. Hanna was over there. Lily gripped the chilled bars of the gate and wished she could talk to her right now. Did Hanna know who John was? Had he tried to convince her that Lily had betrayed her? What were they doing over there?

  Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that it had been hours since she’d eaten. She always had a few snacks in her purse, but they’d taken that, along with everything else. At least they’d let her keep her coat. The handful of blankets on the bunk wouldn’t do much to either of them warm tonight.

  Her gaze swung back to Vykor, who paced the length of their cell in silence. Maybe later it would be dark enough for them to snuggle. It would be warmer that way. She grinned to herself. It was only practical, wasn’t it?

  Dinner arrived eventually, delivered by one of the men who’d stood guard for the last few hours. He didn’t say anything, just slid a tray along a slot at the bottom of the gate and walked away again.

  “Based on that meal, I’m going to have to change my rating to a negative number of stars,” Vykor commented as he eyed the sparse selection. There was a peanut butter sandwich, some instant ramen soaking in barely warm water, a fruit cup and some bottles of water.

  “Negative five stars. The server was hostile, the food uninspired and underwhelming.” She tried to stir the soup with the solitary plastic spoon that had been on the tray. The ramen was still on the crunchy side and moved in a solid mass as she stirred it.

  “And undercooked,” Vykor noted, looking at the soup in dismay. “Or is it supposed to look like that?”

  “If it was made with hot water, then the noodles would be soft. I’m afraid this is the best we’re going to manage, though.”

  “I’m just glad they fed you.” He walked over to the bunk where she’d set up the tray and took one of the water bottles from it.

  “They fed us. You need to eat, too.” She held out half of the sandwich to him.

  He didn’t take it. “There’s not much there. I’ve been hungry before. It won’t hurt me to miss a meal.”

  “It will hurt me to know you’re hungry. Please, eat?”

  He sat down beside her and accepted the sandwich with a smile. “You are the kindest being I’ve ever met. Thank you.”

  She cracked open her bottle of water and took a long drink before answering. “I had a hard time of it growing up. Even after the trial, my mom and I still struggled. We were broke, with no family or real friends. We survived on the kindness of others. A landlord who never complained when the rent was late. Neighbours who made sure we didn’t go hungry and brought over jackets and winter clothes their kids had outgrown so I had something to wear.” She ate some of the sandwich. “Ever been to Toronto in the winter?”

  “No. I’ve only been on this planet a few months. It is cold there?”

  “Very.” She cocked her head. “What are winters like where you’re from?”

  “It varies. As you might imagine, the Snow dragon clan likes the cold, while the Fire clan prefers more temperate weather. I was raised in the lands of the Snow Dragon Clan. Green in the growing seasons, and a place of terrible, cold beauty in winter.” His eyes narrowed and his next words were edged in ice. “It matches the kind of beings that live there.”

  She met his gaze, reminding herself that the anger she saw there wasn’t for her. It had taken her years to learn that lesson. Every raised word and angry gesture used to trigger her, but over the years she’d managed to slowly deprogram herself. She’d been so proud of herself. But all it had taken was one look at John and she had fallen into old habits. Somehow, she’d find the strength to stand up to him. She didn’t want to be that scared little girl anymore.

  The meal was meagre, but the company mo
re than made up for it. Even at the embassy, Vykor had kept to himself most of the time. Everyone there had been warm and welcoming, but after a lifetime of being alone, he wasn’t comfortable around large groups. He’d eaten his meals in his rooms, when he’d remember to eat at all. There was so much to read and learn about the humans and what part his species and the Pyrosians might have played in their development. There was no doubt that both species had been here before.

  While they ate, he did something he’d never done before. He told Lily what he’d found, and what he thought it meant.

  “Atlantis?” Lily exclaimed, her hands fluttering in excitement. “You think it was a real city?”

  “More than that. I think it was one of the lost Pyrosian colony ships. Maybe they crash-landed. Maybe they decided to stay despite the fact the planet already had intelligent life. I’m going to request all future Pyrosian ships start doing deep scans of the oceans, starting with the most likely locations of the city of Atlantis.”

  “Because that city sank.” Lily leaned forward, her enthusiasm and interest more gratifying than he could express. “You think they sank their ship. To what end?”

  “Probably to hide the technology from the humans. Your species wasn’t ready for it back then.”

  She snorted. “We’re not ready for it now. I thought we’d have cured cancer and eliminated hunger by now. We should have. Instead, rich people are spending crazy amounts of money on luxury goods from other planets and nothing seems to be changing.”

  “It will come. When Prince Radek returned to my planet with his powers intact and a human mate at his side, it triggered a war. Here, change created so much fear and distrust that you and I are currently being held as hostages by a group whose greatest concern is that they won’t get a date if the women of your world can get better offers from another species.”

  Her laughter rang off the walls and she clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle it, but her eyes still danced with mirth. Once she got herself under control again, she uncovered her mouth to reveal a broad smile. “You better not let them hear you say something like that…even if it is true.”