“I thought you did most of the shopping in Sashalat,” she whispered to Mahuura.
The female grimaced.
“We did, but Mother changed her mind on just about everything and decided nothing I liked would do for her only daughter’s mating ceremony,” she whispered back.
Val’ee’na, overhearing their conversation, snorted delicately at Cara’s left. “I saw the ceremonial fathee you bought for the female attendants to wear and your mother agreed with me that it just wouldn’t do. The color and style were far too unflattering for my delicate figure and coloring.”
Mouth dropping open, Cara stared at the Tajii female beside her.
Mahuura had been so proud to show her the matching bridal fathee and the ones her unmated female cousins would be wearing, which included Cara as an honorary “sister” to be lead attendant.
Everything had matched with careful attention to details of the bridal fathee. Not only the attendant fathee but also every piece of decoration fit Mahuura’s color scheme of blush, orange, and yellow.
A terrible thought occurred to her.
“Um, does this mean your bridal fathee has to change too?”
Mahuura nodded miserably. Out of the corner of her eye, Cara saw a gloating smirk briefly curl on Val’ee’na’s lips before quickly disappearing. Cara narrowed her eyes.
What a bitch.
Just behind them, she saw Esha frown with disapproval. He obviously overheard the exchange and didn’t miss anything with his luminous eyes, which were currently hidden behind a pair of dark shades to protect his eyes from the bright sunlight. Lerix stood to the side of him, looking just generally irritated and impatient to be done.
Cara stifled a smile. To say that Lerix hadn’t been terribly happy about being woken at an early hour by Mahuura arriving at their bungalow, insisting that Cara had to go shopping with her, was an understatement. He’d looked half-tempted to escort the female back out the door, hostess or not. But at the sight of her tears, he’d groaned and relented on condition that he go with to escort them in their shopping.
Mahuura had been all too happy to take him up on his offer. Neither of her brothers, nor her father, had wanted to go with them. If push came to shove, one of them would have accompanied them, but Esha had volunteered instead. Having Lerix on hand to help carry purchases was extra fortunate.
Ben hadn’t even been mentioned, but that was hardly surprising. Cara doubted that anyone would have trusted Ben to be out with them with minimal supervision. Not that Ben was much help with shopping, anyway. The few times Cara had been shopping with Ben early in their relationship he had complained nonstop and constantly rushed her, unlike the stoic endurance exhibited by Lerix and Esha.
So, after hours of shopping, it was no surprise that both males had various bags and bundles in their arms. Esha, being blessed by the gods with extra arms, carried almost twice as much as Lerix with no complaint. Despite their burdens, the males stood just paces away with an alert air as if watching for potential danger.
Although there was little danger to Kadesh females on Kaidava, Lerix had explained that the Ikoru species had few females and practiced mate stealing to an even greater degree than the Kadesh.
Unlike the Kadesh, an unmated male Ikoru had no qualms against stealing even the mate of another. As such, Ikoru were protective of any female under their charge whether they were their mates or not. Esha was acting on instinct, whereas Lerix had accompanied them out of genuine concern of another Kadesh male attempting to take Cara for a mate. Because of this, neither male had any problem being glorified pack-mules, though Lerix had looked at her with confusion when she’d called him such.
Mahuura wore a pained expression when her mother picked up a delicate pale blue fathee with golden embroidery. Whereas the vibrant color scheme would have beautifully set off Mahuura’s light rose coloring, Cara couldn’t help but agree with her friend’s reaction to the pale blue. The selection was an obvious move to complement the pale complexion of the Tajii rather than give any consideration to the bride.
The seamstress frowned as she looked from the fathee sample to Mahuura, clearly on the same wavelength. Even Val’na’kee wore a doubtful expression as indecision warred within her. Although eager to please her Tajii relative, Cara knew the female genuinely loved her daughter and was struggling.
When an idea struck her, Cara swallowed her nerves and moved slightly toward Val’na’kee.
“You know,” she said conversationally in a loud voice to Mahuura, “I really love your color scheme. It reminds me of the sunset. Of course, sunsets here are a bit different than on Earth. On Earth, our skies are blue, so in such a fine color scheme, dark vibrant blues would have been woven in to complete the look,” she winked slowly at her friend.
Thank the gods Mahuura was quick on the uptake. Cara could almost see the ah-ha moment light up the female’s face. A broad grin stretched across her lips.
“Oh, Cara, that is a fabulous idea! And it would be something totally unique to our ceremony. I am sure images capturing our ceremony will be talk of the entire continent,” she said with a meaningful look at her mother whose eyes lit up with interest.
Cara hummed thoughtfully. “Imagine your gown encompassing the sunset and each of your attendants in a different hue maybe? It would be quite striking. I bet Val’ee’na would look beautiful in a deep blue.”
“Yes, I agree. What an idea! I wish I’d had you with me when I went shopping the first time. The blue would flatter my cousin, and I can match my other cousins in shades of orange and yellow, and deep pink for you. How splendid,” she said with genuine enthusiasm as she clapped her hands. Val’ee’na blinked at her in surprise, but then a hesitant smile curved her lips as she followed Val’na’kee to look at other samples.
Mahuura shot Cara a relieved look as the Tajii females eagerly turned to look at dark blue samples to follow with the newly proposed scheme. It was still mostly in line with Mahuura’s original choices, meaning they could still use everything that she’d already bought. All they needed to do was add touches of blue here and there. Even the seamstress seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she turned to assist the mother of the bride.
Lerix slipped up behind her, his tail wrapping around her hip since his hands were quite full. He leaned in and his breath warmed her ear.
“Very clever,” he murmured, humor coloring his voice.
Cara looked back over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows innocently. Lerix chuckled and tightened his tail briefly in what she’d come to view as a tail-hug. She thumped his tail playfully, signaling that she wanted to move again, and he gave her one last squeeze before falling away.
As she followed Mahuura to a display of pink and yellow fathee, a shimmer of gold in her peripheral vision caught her attention. She glanced back to Lerix. He had his back to her, scowling at the crowds as he talked in a hushed voice to Esha. Where she saw the flash of gold stood a tall golden male with a long wispy crest of hair.
The sides of his head were completely hairless, but the feathery-textured hair drifted in a floating mass in a style similar to a mohawk, the longer ends at the bottom trailing down his back. Kadesh hair had a weightless quality to it, but this was even more exaggerated as it shifted with even the slightest move except for a single braid falling down his back weighed down with what appeared to be decorative colorful glass beads. He gave her a pointed look and gestured with his sharp jaw for her to join him.
Cara bit her lip with uncertainty, but he seemed to want nothing more than to talk. He wasn’t trying to attack them or anything. His elegant dress didn’t look like a merciless assassin. A glance to the side confirmed that Mahuura was in a deep discussion—possibly an argument—with her mother. If they wanted to settle the matter with the jewels, this may be their only opportunity.
Squaring her shoulders, Cara slipped out of the shop, following the Korovik male as he led them to a quiet corner of what seemed to be a café. For a moment she’d thought she lost him
until she saw the male sitting at a table. He gestured for her to join him and Cara silently slipped into the seat across from him. They regarded each other in silence for several minutes before the male spoke. He had a surprisingly musical voice for a male who may very well have been the one sending killers after them.
“I am Elite General Fa Covor. I am sure you know why I am here.”
An elegant hand picked up a delicate painted teapot with a twisted spout. He poured two cups of the minty-scented tea and set one in front of her with a graceful flourish that left her feeling like a clumsy blob of human flesh. Other than the two dead assassins with blackened scales, her first experience with a Korovik was not what she’d expected. She expected a Korovik male to be more of a brute thug and less of gentleman.
Cara nodded as she gingerly picked up the cup and sipped at the tea. It tasted very much like mint, yet not exactly the same. It was perhaps a hair sweeter and quite refreshing. She was surprised that the hot tea left her body feeling cool and comfortable, despite the heat beating down on her from the large sun. Cara ignored the urge to chug it down. She took a sip, set her cup back down, and raised her eyebrows politely at the male.
Might as well get it over with.
A thin smile played on his lips, and his skin-tight outfit that left little to the imagination shifted without even a crinkle of sound as he leaned forward.
“Your… friend… has something in his possession that the princess desires returned to her. A precious heirloom, you understand.”
Cara cleared her throat. “I’m under the understanding that they are crown jewels.”
Fa Covor narrowed his eyes before offering a nod.
“Quite so. You understand then why it is necessary that they are returned immediately. We have attempted to retrieve them, but it seems that Lerix is quite prone to… overreacting to our presence.”
“You sent assassins after us,” Cara reminded him.
The male had the grace to grimace with distaste.
“An unfortunate decision. Although I gave orders to just retrieve the jewels, the princess has more recently encouraged them to acquire the necklace at whatever the cost. I fear with that sort of order, they tend to act on the philosophy that dead bodies are easier to search. It is quite uncivilized and not an honorable way to retrieve something.
“It is for this reason, and the desire to not sacrifice more Korovik males for a bit of jewelry, that I decided to approach you. If nothing else, you appear to be a sensible female,” he stated as he eyed her.
This was exactly the opening they needed to get out of the mess.
“What stops you from having us killed anyway?” Cara asked suspiciously.
Fa Covor made an inelegant noise that sounded almost like a derisive snort.
“Trust me, the last thing I want is to send more males in to be slaughtered. Once you have returned the necklace, you have my sworn oath and a signed oath of Princess Koriee that all charges against you will be hereby dropped,” he said as he handed her what appeared to be a delicate gold scroll no bigger than her palm. Cara stared at it until he leaned in and pressed a finger at each end, a hologram of the full document appearing like magic before her eyes.
“And I can just bring it to you?”
He inclined his head. “Yes. Meet me here tomorrow when the dormo opens at sunrise. Oh, and do come alone. It would be safer for everyone involved if Lerix is not present.”
Her first instinct was to decline, but when she thought of how overprotective Lerix was, she had to agree.
“Lerix isn’t going to like this,” she muttered under her breath. “All right. I’ll be here with the necklace tomorrow at sunrise.”
Fa Covor graced her with his first genuine smile since they sat down.
“Excellent.”
Now that it was settled, she only worried how she was going to break it to Lerix. He wasn’t going to be happy about her going alone.
As she slipped back into the rear entrance of the shop, she saw Lerix striding around the shop in a panic. Cara felt a pinch of guilt for worrying him. Lerix rushed up to her, wrapping her in his arms and tail as he jerked her into the comfortable shield of his body. He burrowed his nose into the base of her neck and shuddered before pulling back just enough to glare down at her.
“Where have you been?” he demanded.
“We will talk about it later,” she replied quietly.
“Don’t do anything like that again. Never go anywhere without me, or at least telling me.”
“I won’t,” Cara reassured him.
Chapter 21
“You are telling me that this elite general of the guard demanded that you meet him alone, and you actually agreed?” Lerix asked, his brow furrowing from where he stretched naked across the bed. They’d enjoyed a rather sweaty round of sex that had required immediate use of the cleansing unit after she’d demonstrated the best use for berry puree. Watching his eyes glaze over as she’d licked it off his cock had been the highlight of her day.
Cara nodded at him. “We don’t have a lot of choice here, Lerix. They want it. We need to get rid of it. The only way this is going to safely happen is if I go alone.”
“No,” he growled. “Not a chance. You are not going alone.”
“Lerix be reasonable.”
“I won’t put you in that kind of danger!”
“Honestly, I don’t think he intend me any harm. We all just want this mess resolved. We are meeting at sunrise at the little dormo down the road—the one near the fathee shop.”
Lerix reluctantly nodded. “Yes, I know of which one you are speaking. I saw it as we were returning to our rooms.”
Cara slid up his belly and kissed his chest.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it. The way you like to sleep, I’ll probably be back in bed without you ever knowing that I left.”
“I am still not comfortable with the idea of you going alone. Perhaps I should come—”
“Lerix, stop fussing. You know I’ll be fine. You aren’t going to keep me from doing this.”
Lerix growled with irritation but pulled her up the remaining length of his body to kiss her soundly.
“All right,” he grumbled upon releasing her mouth. “I still don’t like it, but I agree on the condition that I follow close behind every step of the way. I suppose I can be comforted when this is all done with a few mishi pastries from the dormo.”
Mishi were a sweet berry-filled type of donut that Lerix had a terrible sweet tooth for, and Cara had discovered a few days ago that he could easily put away half a dozen in one sitting.
Cara giggled and pecked his lips. “You got it.”
His hands slid up her bare hips as he drew her against his groin where his hard shaft nudged her belly, his tail tightening where it lay curved under her ass.
“Again already?” she purred in surprise against his mouth.
“Absolutely.”
***
Cara slipped down the road, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. She hoped that Lerix did not wake and notice that she was gone. She’d agonized about it all night, but in the end decided that she couldn’t risk the guy she loved, possibly her very own mate, by allowing him to follow her. If he was spotted who knew what could happen. This needed to be done.
Unfortunately, that did little to help her anxiety. She’d never gone out on Kaidava alone before and prayed to not catch anyone’s attention. She especially hoped that there were no assassins lingering in the eaves of the buildings, watching her.
Great. Now she’d just creeped herself out.
A relieved sigh escaped her when she finally arrived at Dormo Equ’lat. The sky was just starting to pinken as the sun rose over the edge of the horizon that stretched on in a stunning view from the plateau. But she wasn’t there to admire the view from the dormo. With a nod of greeting at the proprietress, Cara slipped once again into the seat across from Fa Covor.
“Thank you for coming alone,” he said and gestu
red at the proprietress, who promptly set two cups on the table.
Cara nodded but didn’t do more than glance at the faux-coffee pushed toward her. She knew it was probably considered rude by the Korovik by the way his lips tightened slightly, but she couldn’t stand the stuff. It was worse than instant decaf coffee. She’d barely managed to choke down a swallow the last time Mahuura had offered it to her, which made her friend burst out laughing.
Instead of suffering through another mouthful of the stuff, Cara pulled a thick swath of cloth out of her pocket and set it on the table between them. She’d tucked the necklace in an improvised pouch so that no one would accidentally catch sight of the precious cargo she was delivering.
Fa Covor arched his brow but reached over and pulled the bundle toward him. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the bundle and withdrew the royal necklace. He pulled a tiny device from his pocket and set it over his right eye as he lifted the necklace up in front of him. He scrutinized it as it caught the light and then grinned.
“I’d hoped you wouldn’t try to fool me with an imitation, but in my experience, humans aren’t typically trustworthy. However, I am delighted to see that my faith in you wasn’t misplaced. Thank you,” he said with a pleased look.
Reaching beside him, he pulled up a case and set the necklace inside before closing it once more and sealing it with a scan of his finger against a seal on the lid.
He promptly stood and picked up the small case, tucking it into his bag. “I believe that is all we need of you. Hopefully we will never have dealings on Kaidava again.”
The general wrinkled his nose. “I can’t imagine what the princess found so interesting about this planet. Even the pleasure district where she amused herself for several days was not what I consider… appropriate entertainment. Nonetheless, I am satisfied with the conclusion of our dealings. Once again, I thank you,” he said as he inclined his head respectfully.
With a flourish of the loose burgundy cloak draped over his left shoulder, he turned and left the dormo. As he walked down the street, Cara noticed several figures slip out of the shadows, no less than ten of them, joining him as they left.
A Kiss on Kaidava Page 15
