by Ravyn Fyre
The connection was unlike anything I had felt in my life. I only had one word, completion. My heart rate declined the longer he touched me, leaving me feeling warm and electrified all over. His searching eyes touched the bottom of my soul and made me want to fall even faster toward this man who reached into areas I had no idea were lacking and waiting to be filled. It was as if we were the only two people in existence until Dr. Triste cleared her throat loudly from behind me. Lord Kalen dropped his hand, and the connection I felt disappeared, leaving me feeling adrift inside myself.
As he took a step back, I shook my head and lowered my eyes. What in the hell just happened? I’d never felt so out of control in all my life. I had no doubt if the doctor wouldn't have rudely, I mean kindly interrupted us, I would have thrown myself into his arms whether he wanted it or not.
Lord Kalen masked his expressions well and appeared to be in complete control, showing no sign of being affected. Whereas I felt anything but in control, and there were parts of my body still standing at attention. I wasn’t usually the type of woman to drop my reservations after mere moments and go all in, but he made me want to reconsider. You always wish that someone, somewhere, will take your breath away and be the star of your dreams. I just didn’t realize finding Mr. Right would require space travel. Romantic notions aside, I needed to control my thoughts and figure out my next plan of action.
Dr. Triste interrupted my wayward thoughts again when she said, “Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Lord Kalen, ruler of our people.”
Kalen smiled politely, bowed to the crowd before he addressed them, “Welcome distinguished guests, proper introductions will need to wait until later, but I hope you like your accommodations. Please make sure to let someone know if there is anything you require while staying as a guest in my palace.” His voice was like molten chocolate, delicious, dark, and left me wanting more. He turned to me when he was done and added quietly, “I have pressing matters that I must attend to. Until tonight.”
Bowing once more, I blinked, and the next thing I knew, he was standing next to Jaelel, like he never left them. With their heads hunched together in conversation, they moved in the direction of the palace, with a full armament of guards following after them. An older gentleman and a young woman approached them as they neared, but Kalen waved them off as he continued inside.
The added distance cleared my addled brain like a bucket of cold water. I mentally kicked myself for not getting the answers that Annalise stated he would provide and vowed the next time I saw him; it would be the first thing out of my mouth. I needed to find a way to resist the pull he had on me if I expected to make coherent sentences in his presence.
The group I was in moved forward in waves, and I struggled to keep up. The palace entrance was enormous and made me feel small and inferior in comparison. Two guards, posted on either side, held the massive doors open for us as we passed through. The grandeur of the place was breathtaking. As my eyes took in the floor’s glistening black stone, I noticed a multitude of rainbows shimmering on the surface from the clear crystal ceiling above.
Walls made of a granite-like stone with veins of opal gave the foyer a bright, whimsical feel. The giant staircase leading to the balcony on the second floor was on the left of the entrance, and a comfortable meeting room with a large fireplace was to our right. The hallways were a bustle of activity as servants flitted about carrying platters of drinks and food to the new arrivals.
Another tall lady in a dark skirt suit descended the staircase, cleared her throat, and addressed the gathered crowd, “May I have your attention. My name is Cenara, and I’ll be your hostess for today’s informal meet and greet. Please make your way into the Great Hall. Enjoy the drinks and hors d'oeuvres going around. I’ll go over a few rules before each of you will be paired up and shown to your accommodations.”
We filed in like cattle, and several groups gathered into huddles discussing the palace’s grandeur in hushed whispers. As I looked about the room, a definite pattern of stereotypical cliques started to form, dividing the beautiful and strong from the ordinary and weak.
Cenara stood at the front of the room and clapped her hands to get our attention before her voice projected over the area like it was magnified, “As we wait for everyone else to arrive, please take a moment to introduce yourselves. Once the last stragglers come in, we’ll get started. We have a lot to cover, so pay attention. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself lost in the upcoming trials.”
It didn’t take long for the room to erupt into conversations, and from what I could gather, everyone was here of their own free will, which made my situation even more bizarre. The number one topic of discussion was the All Hands Gathering banquet in three days, as well as the coming trials leading to the selection. I needed more intel if I was going to survive and decided to assimilate myself into a group of women that looked like they knew what was going on.
The moment I entered their circle, all conversation stopped. The majority of the crowd were staring at me, but a few shy ones only had eyes for a tall black-haired woman mastering the group like a puppeteer. Following the others’ line of sight, the haughty woman tossed her plated hair over her shoulder as she turned to face me. It was the young woman Kalen brushed off earlier.
She plastered a fake smile to her lips before she spoke. “Hello there,” she purred while looking me over with mild disgust. When I didn’t respond, she sighed dramatically and said, “And you are standing here because?”
The hairs on the back of my neck raised when her cronies snickered at the jab. I felt like I was back in high school and had to remind myself I couldn’t control what happened around me, but I could control my actions toward the snarky bitch. Taking a deep breath, I ignored her rude comment and said, “You looked like you might know what was going on around here.”
“Clueless and homely are not a winning combination, but seeing as I’m in a giving mood, I’ll cut you a break. These trials are where the weak and strong are separated. The elite move on to be above peasants like you. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll let you be my maid when I become the ruling lady.”
Was she referring to me as weak? The nerve of the woman! I tugged at the necklace and rued the loss of my power as I narrowed my eyes at her. I wasn’t going to show how much her direct attack was affecting me, so without thinking, I opened my smart mouth, “Anyone who picks you would most likely shrivel up and die from your icy snatch.”
With a gasp, the bitch’s face became a snarl before she cleared her throat and said, “My planet, Marni, has produced more Sixers and mates than any other. Considering our union was prophesized, it is only a matter of time before I take my place by Lord Kalen’s side.”
“Ha! Must have been foretold by a magic eight ball! Not sure who your source is, but I think you’re delusional and should seek help soon,” I replied with a shrug and then turned on my heel, showing them my backside like I had nothing to fear. In reality, I was shaking from the encounter and was wondering what I had gotten myself into. From my peripheral vision, I watched her turn her sickly-sweet attention back to the others and breathed a sigh of relief that the confrontation hadn’t escalated further. Truth be told, I’d never had to fight with my hands and had no idea how scrappy I could be, but my instincts screamed that I could take her.
I saw a familiar face in the crowd and headed that direction, hoping my women’s intuition regarding the blonde was accurate. I could use an ally in this rat race. Being the only one in the room caught off guard was wreaking havoc with my inner peace. I showed up to the game without knowing the rules and wasn’t sure what we were playing for. A part of me wanted to sit back and let them play it out amongst themselves, but the bitch in me wanted to win first prize and rub it in their faces. Who were they to judge me?
The blonde smiled at my approach, held out her hand in greeting, and said, “Hello, my name is Beatress, from Garrone. We arrived together, but with all of the hustle, I didn’t have the chance to introduce my
self.”
I smiled softly, “I’m Jade, from Earth.” I shook her hand and released it quickly. “I seem to be at a disadvantage.”
With a lopsided grin, she said, “How so?”
“Well, for starters, I’m not entirely sure why I’m here. Kidnapped from my home planet with no warning or knowledge seems unfair when everyone else appears to know what’s going on. To them, nothing is out of the ordinary. Not to mention, I seem to have made some enemies already.” Nodding my head toward the in-crowd.
“I wouldn’t worry about them. The trials are quite competitive, so it doesn’t surprise me they would single you out. They’re just jealous because you are so pretty. I’m sorry you feel lost. This experience must be weird for you. Where I’m from, every eligible man and woman prays they are the next selection. I can’t imagine how I would feel.”
Blushing, I stared at the ground and muttered, “Thanks. I think. On the ship, they told me I would be representing my species at the All Hands Gathering, but everyone is talking about a selection. What does that entail?”
“Men and women from across the stars compete for certain positions in the Strix army over the next few days. Their performance at the trials will determine which role they will end up with. Lord Kalen announces the selections at the culmination of the trials.”
“What are the different roles and levels required for each?”
“There are many roles, but the major categories would fall under warriors, scholars, or mates. Mates can be any level; fate’s not finicky. Whereas warriors are usually level one or two Sixers, scholars are rarely higher than level four. The rest will fill more menial jobs.”
“What if the person selected would prefer to go home?”
“I have never heard of someone asking to leave. The selection is final, and there is no reversing the decision; I couldn’t imagine anyone rejecting immortality.”
“Immortality?”
“Yeah. It’s part of the job description, which depends on which role you get assigned. For instance, there is a ceremony for warriors, and they exchange blood. The exchange gives them added abilities and strength and grants immortality. But if you’re talking about a mate, a bond is forged after consummation. The bonded pair maintain it through the consistent exchange of blood.”
“In both instances, you referred to blood. What am I dealing with here? Vampires?” I jokingly asked.
Beatress chuckled, “I haven’t heard that term in a while, but yes, that is one of their many names. They prefer Strix.”
She must have seen the fear written all over my face because she quickly added, “Not to worry, though. They are a very peaceful species unless provoked.” I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. It was just my luck, finding out that not only aliens and vampires were real, but they also happened to be the same thing. I started hyperventilating and saw Beatress’s concern just before I hit the floor, and all went black.
Chapter Three
For the second time in a day, I awoke to strange surroundings. I was lying upon the softest canopied bed in existence with curtains surrounding all sides in differing shades of aquamarine. I wondered what happened. The curtains swayed softly from a slight breeze, and I peeked out from behind them to see balcony doors to my right slightly ajar. Looking around the room, I took in the opulence and sighed.
The king-size bed barely began to fill the room and sat directly across from a large stone fireplace. There were three doors in the room—two on either side of the fireplace and one to the left of the bed. I ventured out of bed to explore when curiosity got the better of me.
Gaining my memory back, it dawned on me I passed out and missed the rules. I had no idea who I’d be partnering with for the coming trials. I was surprised to be left alone but figured someone would be by shortly to check on me and that I should use the time now to review everything I’d learned thus far. It was still light out, so I hadn’t lost much time. Unless I slept through the night, which had me thinking about Lord Kalen again. He said until tonight.
I started to question the room’s ownership as it dawned on me; there was only one bed. Didn’t they say we would have roommates? Where was the other bed? It was then I noticed somebody changed my clothes. I was no longer wearing the silky green dress I had on earlier, instead I was wearing a thin nighty. As thoughts whirled through my head, a tingling sensation along my spine alerted me I wasn’t alone. I turned around and found Lord Kalen standing in the doorway of the balcony staring at me. Squealing, I darted for the bed and dove under the covers. He let out a delightful laugh in response.
Lowering the blanket to my nose, I peered over the top to find my captor at the foot of the bed, with a predatory grin on his face. Stalking forward, he whispered, “I mean you no harm, Jade. Surely you must feel that.”
Ensuring my voice was no louder than his, I whispered, “I feel overwhelmed and confu-” He grabbed my hands at the front of the sheet and caused my brain to short circuit. So when I finished my sentence, it ended up sounding like a question instead of a statement. “. . . sed?” More than anything, his touch grounded me. It caused my body to hum to a frequency, so foreign in and of itself, yet so right at the same time that the only I desired was to explore it more.
“Your beautiful body shows no sign of confusion. I suggest you follow that line of thought.” His confident smirk is just the reminder I needed to snap out of lala land. Regardless of how wet he made me, I needed to start thinking with my brain and concentrate on getting some answers if I wanted to escape. Clearing my throat, I pulled my hands free of his hold and tried valiantly to keep my libido in check while I stared into his beautiful aquamarine eyes.
“Lord Kalen, believe me, my body is every bit as confused as my body, I mean m..my head! I think there has been some kind of mis . . . mistake. Nothing about today makes sense. I mean, I’m on another planet speaking with a gorgeous alien in his bedroom dressed in practically nothing. At least this time, after waking up in a strange place with other men, I have some sort of clothing on!”
My little rant seemed to catch his attention. Although, from the growl emanating from his chest, I wasn’t sure which part had him on edge. Leaning forward and capturing me with both hands on either side of my body, he said, “I assure you, my pretty, nothing about this is a mistake. Though in the future, I would advise you not to speak of men from your past.” I could feel the heat of his body surrounding me, and if I were thinking more clearly, I would have taken that moment to shut my mouth but instead, I let him have it.
“Excuse me! Where do you get off telling me something like that? I realize you are something of a hotshot here but waking up naked on one of YOUR spaceships with YOUR general this morning is not a man of my past. I was referring to it because for the second time today, I woke up in a strange place, not knowing how I came to be here or why. Is it normal for your people to kidnap unsuspecting humans? No one asked me. I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye.” I finished on a croak.
His expression changed instantly to one of tenderness. Leaning closer to the point that I could feel his breath on my cheek, he sighed, “I forgot you were from Earth. It is the one planet we protect where the government refuses to acknowledge the existence of aliens. Of course, they had no problem accepting our protection, and it has always been easier not to make waves. We need their cooperation because in the end, if they are not with us, they are against us. The Mengh would conquer your little planet faster than even I could imagine and would give their meager forces many needed supplies and soldiers that we cannot afford to let happen.”
Without even seeing his eyes, I could feel the truth of his words in my soul and struggled to piece together the latest news. “Dr. Triste said that I was one of five presented to you by my government. Where are the other four from my planet?”
Scooting back to be able to look me in the eye, he said, “We rejected the other four presented. We only require one from each planet every five years to maintain our treaty, and for whateve
r reason, they did not make the cut.”
“Why me?”
“DNA samples are collected from each state in the United Nations. Either at the time of birth in a public hospital or during their first doctor appointment. We scan the samples looking for obvious gene mutations that we can use to our advantage. We also look for descendants of our race on your planet as possible mates for our people. You happen to have both qualities, which is rare. We selected you above the other four candidates for those reasons. I will forever be grateful because I have been waiting for you for millennia.”
What do you say to someone when they drop a bomb like that on you? I knew it had something to do with my ability, but to hear that I wasn't entirely human was a definite surprise. The conversation I had with Beatress earlier came rushing back in. The selection as a mate was what he was talking about.
“Wait a minute. Did you just say that I was your mate? Isn’t that decided at the All Hands Gathering? That’s not for another three days!” My voice ended on a high squeal. I was quickly going to find myself blacking out again if I didn't get control of myself and soon. Concentrating on breathing, I tried to move outside of his arms, and before I knew it, I was in his lap.
“The All Hands Gathering is just a chance for my people to meet all of the selectees. A chance to find out if their mate is amongst those present. Nothing is left to chance; if one of my people meets their mate, they will know instantly. The moment your scent reached me, your future was guaranteed to be entwined with mine because I will never let you go.”
