by Dixon, Ruby
Nadine’s Champion
Of all the men on the Icehome beach, Thrand's the most competitive and most aggravating. He's cocky. Arrogant. Turns everything into a rivalry. He's a pain in the you know what.
He also keeps insisting that I kiss him. After all, I'm the one that told him a kiss didn't mean anything. It shouldn't. A kiss is just a kiss as far as humans are concerned. But Thrand's a clone, a race of people called a'ani, and he's been brought up to play hard and to win.
And he wants to win me.
But does Thrand want me for the right reasons? Or am I just another conquest?
Nadine's Champion
A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Icehome Book 8)
Ruby Dixon
Copyright © 2019 by Ruby Dixon
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Photo by: Sara Eirew Photographer
Cover Design by: Kati Wilde
Edits by: Aquila Editing
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
THE PEOPLE OF ICEHOME
AUTHOR’S NOTE
WANT MORE RUBY DIXON ?
1
In the early days
NADINE
This whole “spin the bottle” game is the worst idea I've seen in a long, long time, but I guess I must love a train wreck, because I'm still sitting in the circle, waiting for my turn.
At my side, Tia pouts as Vordis gets up and leaves. He's mad because he wants to kiss Angie, who's not playing, and so he's abandoning the game. It's not an auspicious beginning for what's supposed to be fun and flirty, and I can tell Tia's upset. She thinks this place is a lot like summer camp or something, where we can just kiss and flirt with boys and have a great old time.
Someone needs to wake her up to reality, but it won't be me. Let the kid have her innocence for a bit longer.
"Are you leaving, too?" Tia asks the other red-skinned clone as he watches his brother get up and leave our group. "Do we need to find a replacement for you as well? Or are you going to play nicely?"
"Angie is not able to be selected?" Thrand asks, his brows furrowing.
I roll my eyes. Why both of these good-looking men are obsessed with the pregnant lady when there's a lot of perfectly good single women around is a mystery to me. Not that I'm looking for a man. It's just that him and his brother are handsome and strong and, okay, a real feast for the eyes. Thrand, especially…until he opens his mouth.
"No," Tia snaps. "You can't pick her. She's not playing. You have to pick someone in this circle."
"I choose Nadine, then," Thrand says. "I will mouth-mate her."
"Hold on," I interrupt, shocked.
"You can't pick someone," Tia says again. "It's a game. The spinning bottle picks it!"
"Bone," Callie murmurs helpfully. "It's a bone."
"Whatever!" Tia glares at all of us like we're spoiling her fun. "You spin the doohickey in the middle. It points at the person, and then you kiss them. How is this hard?"
Thrand frowns at both me and Tia. "But what if I do not want to mouth-mate that person? If I cannot have Angie, I will take Nadine. I am not interested in another."
"I'm not interested in being anyone's second choice," I tell him as sweetly as possible, though I'm seething a bit inside. If he can't have Angie he'll take me as a booby prize? Thanks but no thanks. "So you can just get your happy ass out of this circle if you don't want to play."
He frowns. "I do not want to play then."
"Anyone else?" Tia declares, throwing her hands up. "This is supposed to be fun."
"I have a question," one of the males asks. S'bren, I think. There's so many new people it's hard to keep track of all the faces. "Why are we letting a spinning bone decide who we pleasure-mate with?"
"This is an excellent question," chimes in another.
Tia flops backward dramatically, lying on her back, her hands over her face. "You guys are the worst. This is not for a pleasure mating! This is just to kiss! This is just for fun!"
The lanky man at her side—Sessah, who clearly has a crush on Tia—looks uncertain. "But is it fun if we mouth-mate with someone we feel nothing for?"
"Maybe! How will we know if we never try it?"
"I'll spin," Callie says.
Just then, another male stands over the group. It's the guy with the tall horns that Callie resonated to and is deliberately trying to ignore. "You should not be in this circle to play at mouth-mating with others," he snarls at her. "We have resonated!"
She deliberately ignores him as if he's not there, reaches out, and spins the bone. It whirls around in the spot cleared for it, and then points at me.
"Whoopsie," Callie says with a half-smile at me.
"I still think they should mouth-mate," A'tam mutters. "I would enjoy watching that."
"Spin again," I declare before more guys can chime in.
"Do not spin it," M'tok—the tall horn—snarls.
Callie ignores him and spins it again. I hold my breath, wondering why she's deliberately pissing the big guy off.
This time when it stops, it points between A'tam and I'rec—right at M'tok.
"Ha!" the big alien crows. "Now you will come mouth-mate the one you are supposed to!"
She draws herself up as haughtily as possible and gives him a withering look. "Please. You heard the rules. You have to be seated in the circle."
M'tok immediately thumps to the ground, casting her a defiant look.
Penny leans over next to me. "I am so uncomfortable right now," she whispers.
I nod at her. I'm feeling mighty uncomfortable, too. The tension rolling off of those two is enough to make me anxious. Much as I love gossip, I'm not a fan of tense situations. I'm practically cringing as Callie—who is normally sweet and friendly to everyone—spins the bone with a vicious twist. I'm wondering what she'll do if it lands on one of the guys—and how M'tok will react. He hasn't shown himself to be the most levelheaded of aliens.
Sure enough, the bone lands pointing squarely at M'tok once more. It's like fate is just fucking with Callie. I watch as her face falls in shock, and M'tok laughs, gloating. "Come and mouth-mate your hunter, female."
She looks him up and down with an acid stare. "I'd rather get a pap smear." Callie gets to her feet and storms away.
"Oooh, damn," Penny whispers. "That IS bad."
I try to hide my own grimace because the mood is changing. The game was supposed to just be lighthearted, silly fun and people are getting cranky. Poor Tia looks like she's about to start crying. She sits up, but her eyes are mysteriously shiny and she has that look on her face that I've seen on my younger sister Serena's face—the one just before she bawls. And I miss Serena and think of Tia a lot like my little sis, so I give her knee an encouraging squeeze and decide to take charge of the situation.
/>
"Y'all need to calm down," I announce to the group. "This is just a game. This is not pick-a-mate. Okay? A kiss means nothing at all. You want me to show you how it's done? I'll go next." I reach out and spin the bone.
Fate must be fucking with us indeed, because it twirls and eventually lands pointing at Thrand. I bite back a sigh and keep a smile on my face as I lean forward toward him. "Now we kiss."
He gives me this intense look, as if he's considering it for a moment. Then he leans forward, meeting me halfway across the circle, and his nose brushes mine. I feel his breath across my cheek and then I lean forward and touch my lips to his. It's just a quick, breezy kiss. It means nothing at all.
Even so, I shiver inwardly with reaction, because his firm mouth feels far too good against my own. I lick my lips as I sit back down and gesture at everyone. "See? It's just a kiss. Just a peck. No one has to use tongue. No one has to get married, or mated, or anything like that. A kiss means nothing at all."
The male aliens stare at me as if I've said something ridiculous.
Thrand just watches me, his expression thoughtful, as if he's digesting my words.
I gesture at Thrand. "Now if we're playing this game, that means it's your turn next. You get to kiss someone."
"I am not certain I wish to," he admits. "I would rather kiss you again."
"You guys are horrible at this game," Bridget calls, shaking her head. "It's clear the ladies are going to have to take control here." She gives Tia a playful wink and then reaches out to spin. It points at A'tam—the bearded, sexy alien that Bridget's been obsessed with—and she gives him a playful little look. "Come here, pretty."
He leans forward and they kiss, and I'm pretty sure Bridget gave him a bit of tongue. Or a lot of tongue. When they're done, A'tam looks utterly dazed. For a moment he tenses, and I wonder if he's going to grab Bridget and drag her away to make out with her—and I'm not entirely sure Bridget would mind—but then he clears his throat and gestures at the bone. "Another female should spin now."
Penny reaches forward and spins. It points at A'tam again and she laughs and gives him a quick peck on the mouth. It’s the kiss you’d give a family member—a mere smack on the lips. He watches Bridget, as if waiting to see if she objects, but Bridget just keeps smiling.
"See?" I say to the group. "A kiss means nothing at all."
And I cast a pointed look in Thrand's direction.
2
Now
THRAND
I rise from my hut and grab my spears, eager for a day of hunting. I head to my brother's hut, and I am disappointed to see that he is already walking toward the beach with his mate at his side. "Ho, brother," I call out to Vordis. "I thought we would hunt this day."
Vordis turns to look at me, one of the nets tossed over his shoulder like a cloak, and he holds a large basket in front of him. At his side, Angie smiles at me in greeting, the gap between her front teeth evident. Her baby is strapped to her belly, her arms hugging it close. "My mate wants me to stay close today," Vordis tells me proudly. "We will be gathering shrimp from the tide pools and then do some fishing."
"You're welcome to join us, Thrand," Angie offers sweetly, caressing the pale purple hair of her child.
I try not to let my lip curl. Fishing. I hate fishing. Standing in ice-cold water for hours and flinging my spear into the waves in the hopes of hitting something that does not taste nearly as good as red meat? Bah. "We could get a dvisti," I offer instead. "There is a herd in one of the canyons. Lots of meat on that for both your family and for the rest of the tribe. And you can have the pelt."
Vordis waves a hand at me. "You go. Angie and I will be spending the day together." He takes his mate's hand in his and brings it to his mouth, kissing the back of it.
I grit my teeth. "I guess I will be staying around camp this day, then."
"Go hunting with one of the others," Vordis suggests. "You know they would be happy to have you along."
"I can fish with you," I decide. "I bet I can catch a bigger fish than you."
Vordis kisses his mate's hand again and then looks over at me. "Go hunting," he says. "I do not want to compete today. Today is for quiet time with my mate."
This time, I roll my eyes. "If you wish to mate on the shore, just say so. I do not want to watch. Fine, I will go hunting."
Angie sputters.
I turn and leave, irritated. If my brother did not want to spend the day with me, then he should have just said so. After all, we are clones. Brothers. We have known each other for longer than we have known anyone else. My feelings will not be hurt if he wishes to spend time with his mate.
Much.
So I use my spear as a walking stick and head toward the main fire of our scattered village on the beach. It is early, so many are not out yet and the fire is low. Ashtar pokes at it with a long bone, then when the coals do not catch, he glances around, then leans in and blows flame on them, making them ignite. “You did not see that,” he tells me as I approach. “Veronica thinks I should learn how to keep the fire going just like any human.” He arches a brow. “She forgets I am a being of flame and will always have fire. Always.”
I grunt. If one more warrior starts to tell me about his mate and all the charming things he thinks she does, I will carve my own guts out. I am sick and tired of hearing about “my mate” from every mouth in this village. "Are you hunting this day?" I ask hopefully. "I could use the company. There's a fine herd of dvisti in one of the canyons."
"No," the big drakoni says. He pokes the fire one more time and then leans back, satisfied. "Veronica is sleeping and then I am going to go patrol for the big bird."
"Old Grandfather?"
"Yes. One of the others said they saw him closer to camp so I will go look. I think they are mistaken." Ashtar shakes his head. "That creature is wily. He avoids me, I think."
"Perhaps because he knows he is not the biggest predator in the skies?"
"Perhaps." The drakoni warrior grins. "And then I plan on spending time with my mate. You will need to find someone else to hunt with."
Bah. "I will just go by myself—"
"R'jaal says we must go out in at least pairs," he cautions. "Especially one with bright red skin such as yourself. Where is your cloak?"
"I am not going to hide away like a puny coward simply because the bird likes red," I scoff at him. "I would welcome the challenge of a worthy opponent."
"That worthy opponent can swallow you whole," Ashtar cautions. He studies me. "Where is your brother?"
"Fishing." I let the disgust show in my tone.
"Mmm." Ashtar is not a fan of fishing, either. "Why not take one of the females with you?"
I rub my jaw, thinking of one female in particular. Nadine. The one with the gleaming dark skin and the wild curls and fierce, flashing eyes. The one that kissed me and said it was nothing. I think about her a lot, I admit to myself, especially when I am alone in my hut at night and my body aches with all kinds of new needs. A clone is kept sterile but since I have arrived here in this new world, my cock has taken on a mind of its own. It stiffens at the most inopportune moments—like right now, just thinking about Nadine.
I discreetly shift my weight and pretend to look around the camp as I adjust myself. "Is she here? She normally goes with one of the other females and Cashol."
"But Cashol is gone now," Ashtar reminds me. "He has returned home to his mate and most of the other hunters already have partners. She and the other female were complaining to my mate about it just the other day." He gives me a feral grin. "Perhaps it is time for you to swoop in and show those females your prowess."
"Both of them? At once?" My cock gets stiff all over again, much to my irritation. This time I give it a hard, flat-palmed push as if to tell it to calm down.
"Why not? It is just a hunt."
For some reason, that bothers me. Just a hunt. Just a kiss. Just nothing. Just EVERYTHING. Why does no one treat anything in this world seriously? Irked, I pretend to fuss
with the leather straps on my spear and then shrug. "I guess I will see if Nadine and her friend are going out to hunt."
"Her friend is Penny," Ashtar tells me.
"How do you know her name?"
"Because they come to my mate's hut and natter at her for hours when they get hurt on the hunt." He rolls his eyes. "And lately they have been showing up often."
This displeases me. "They injure themselves while hunting?"
"Small things. Scrapes, a rolled ankle, the occasional scratch from a horn. They could use a strong hand at their side. Humans are fragile, you know. Even more fragile than a'ani." He grins at me, baring his fangs in a challenging smirk.
I scowl at him. "My fragile hand is about to shove this spear up your ass, dragon."
He just laughs. "Do not pick a fight you cannot win, clone." Ashtar pokes at the fire again, all amusement. "Go and find your females. I told my mate I would make her tea."
"She has you well and truly domesticated, does she?" I comment, and give him my own feral grin when he scowls. Perhaps I should just stay around camp and throw barbs instead of my spear. Make everyone else's mood as sour as my own.
But a newcomer arrives at the fire, yawning, and I recognize the rounded shape. It is the female with the nondescript hair and thicker figure, the one that hunts with Nadine. Penny. "Morning," she says, smacking her lips, and then thumps down by the fire. She has a basket in her hands, and as I watch, she pulls out what looks like sewing and begins to thread one of the large bone needles.
