by L. A. Casey
“The princes approach,” Nero murmured from behind us.
“Surkah!” a booming voice bellowed. “You’re a deceiving little terror!”
Surkah groaned. “Go away, Killi… and take Arli and Avri with you.”
I instantly moved behind Surkah as three huge figures appeared at the end of the ramp and began to trek up it.
“Oh, I think not, darling sister,” another voice stated. “We have means for a quarrel with you.”
“I’ll tell Father if you even think of circling me, Avri.”
That made her brothers, and Nero laugh.
“What does she mean?” I whispered to Nero.
“When males circle a female,” he whispered back, “it is usually because she has played games that each male was unaware of. When a female is circled by a male or more than one male, her instincts are to automatically bow to show submission. Surkah is a fierce female, but her instincts would force her to bow to her brothers if they circled her and that would wound her pride. It a harmless revenge antic that males have for females.”
“I think you deserve to be circled.”
“Arli, as my favourite brother, you should not say such things!”
All the males snickered.
“I am your favourite now?” Arli asked jokingly. “It was Ezah last moon cycle, Killi the moon cycle before that, Kol the moon cycle before that, and Aza that mo—”
“Oh, close your lips,” Surkah hissed, earning her more chuckles.
“You should not have stowed away aboard the Ebony,” Killi spoked firmly when the chuckles ceased. “The worry and fear you caused were cruel, Surkah.”
I knew Killi, Aril, and Arvi where now stood in front of Surkah, but I couldn’t bring myself to step out from behind her and face them.
“I did not mean to cause any of those emotions,” Surkah replied, her voice cracking like she was about to cry. “I just wanted to help Kol, and our new females, and—”
“You defied direct orders from your intended,” Killi cut her off.
“I know.” Surkah sniffled. “He already punished me for it.”
“Not nearly as much as he should have.” Killi growled, the sound just enough to show he was displeased and not truly angered. “You have lost my trust and will not win it back so easily, do you understand?”
“Yes, Killi,” Surkah whimpered. “I am sorry.”
“Your tears do not sway me, sister. Your actions do.”
Killi was a fucking hardass.
“Before you continue, brother, can someone address why a small alien female is hiding behind our sister? And why she scents of Kol?”
Oh shit, that’s me.
Nero cleared his throat. “I believe Kol should formally be the one to answer that, but as he is not here, Surkah… you can do it.”
Surkah looked over her shoulder and glared at Nero, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She turned back to face her brothers and said, “She is our sister-in-mate.”
Silence.
Long fucking silence.
“Almighty,” I whispered.
“I don’t believe it,” Killi stated, the shock evident in his tone. “Kol has mated? One of the alien females is his?”
“Yes, he has,” Nero answered. “He is behaving worse than any newly mated male I have even seen, too. He has contacted me seventy-three times since I began our escort for an update. He’s attacked Mikoh over her more times than I could count, growled at me and Thane, and even Surkah. If I ever think about taking a mate, I will think of Kol’s behaviour, and it will quickly kill that urge.”
Kol’s brothers burst into gleeful laughter.
I peeked out from behind Surkah and gasped when I took in the three males. They were each massively tall, and their bodies were thick with muscle, but their grey skin looked a lot more vibrant than any of the other Maji I have encountered. There attire distracted me for a moment because they didn’t have on matching navy top and bottoms with armour plates on them. The had different coloured loose fitted pants… And that was it. No shoes, no socks, and no t-shirts.
They looked like they belonged between the pages of a thin, worn paper book I had found years ago on Earth where attractive men and women were spread out in the pictures. It was easy to see the family resemblance between the brothers, Kol, and Surkah. They were, to be honest, very beautiful.
The male to my far left had shoulder-length silver hair, silver eyes, and a splash of white dots over his nose and under his eyes. His cheekbones were high, his jawline sharp, and his mouth was shaped exactly like Kol’s. A quick glance at the other two males confirmed similar features, only they both had black hair like Kol. None of them could ever deny that they were relatives because it was plain as day to anyone who looked at them.
The male with silver eyes locked them on mine, and before he could say a word, I got spooked. I sucked in a harsh breath, turned, and ran like the devil himself was on my heels. I ignored Surkah and Nero’s calls for me and somehow navigated my way back to my and Kol’s quarters. I ran into the cleansing room and hid inside the cleansing unit, hoping and praying for my heart beat to return to normal.
I felt like a coward. One look at Kol’s brothers had me fleeing. I had always prided myself on how tough I was, how I could take care of myself and deal with any situation, but the second an alien male locked eyes with mine, I bolted.
Almighty, I thought. What I would give to be back on Earth.
Nova?
I hugged my legs tighter to my chest. I didn’t have to lift my head to see that Kol had entered the cleansing room because I felt him the second he showed up outside our quarters. The closer he came, the more it made my body tingle as it became hyper aware of his presence. It was another reminder of his essence in my blood, binding us together for the remainder of our lives.
“Shiva,” he murmured.
He kneeled before me and placed his large hands on my forearms.
I’m fine, I answered him mentally, not trusting my voice. I don’t know what happened. I just got scared when I met your brothers, and before I knew it, I was in here.
Kol sighed. “It is my fault. I should have been by your side to take away your unease.”
I didn’t look at him. “You don’t exactly make me feel good right now, Kol.”
When I lifted my head and saw that he was frowning at me, it warmed my heart… and that bugged me.
“No,” I told him firmly. “Don’t look at me like that. I have a very good reason to be angry with you, Kol.”
“You do,” he agreed, his thumbs stroking my bare skin.
“Then wipe that sad puppy dog expression off your face,” I warned.
He raised a brow. “The what?”
My shoulders slumped. “Never mind.”
“My Nova,” he continued to frown. “I am sorry.”
“That I got scared and ran from your brothers?”
“No,” he said, his lips twitching slightly. “I am sorry that I lied to you and caused you pain. If… if I could undo it, I would.”
“I hate the lying part, I really hate that, but I also hate you making decisions for me. I know you’re the lead Maji in our house and whatever, but Kol… on some things, I need to have some independence. I risked my life every day on Earth, running and hiding to avoid being owned by someone, and I’ll be damned if our mating makes me feel that way.”
“I do not and will never own you, shiva,” he assured me. “When I say you’re mine, it is an act of dominance to other males, and when we’re alone, it’s just me confirming that you’re the only female I crave. My ways aren’t what you’re used to, and I sincerely apologise for the confusion. Before, even though I felt guilt, I kept information from you because that is what male mates do. They make the big decisions, but I am learning that you want to do that together.”
My heart thrummed against my chest.
“Yes, we’re a unit. I want us to be a team in everything. I don’t want to be the only one who is clueless.”
“Nova, I am just as clueless as you are,” Kol revealed, sitting back on his heels. “I have never had a mate before, so I am only going off my instincts when it comes to you, and I pray to Thanas that I am a respectable male and caring mate.”
I stared at him, slack jawed.
“You weren’t part of the mission, Shiva, but here you are,” he continued. “You’re my female… my mate. I am learning what that means right along with you, so please, don’t ever feel like you’re the only one who is unsure. There is no written text for mates and how to be a good one. We have to figure that part out by ourselves… but I promise, though we will have verbal exchanges and may get angry with one another, it will be worth it. Our mating… it’s everything. You are everything to me.”
I gasped when that stunning glow appeared in Kol’s eyes as he gazed at me, and this time, I couldn’t help staring at them and passing comment.
“Your eyes,” I murmured.
Kol’s brows furrowed with confusion.
“My eyes?” he repeated in confusion. “What about them?”
“They’re captivating,” I responded, feeling as if I was in a trance.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Kol’s mouth. “Are you doing the sweet word talking?”
“Just sweet talking,” I corrected. “And yes, I am because your eyes take my breath away.”
I desperately wanted to remark on the glowing, but since Kol nor Surkah had ever mentioned anything about a male’s eyes glowing when he was mated, I assumed it wasn’t the norm, and I didn’t want to comment on something that might be considered a flaw to the Maji. I might have been at odds with Kol, but I didn’t want to go out of my way and make him feel bad about himself.
“I love your eyes too, shiva,” Kol replied with a smile. “They are my new favourite shade of blue.”
I snorted. “You may be confused about what sweet talking means, but you sure don’t have a problem demonstrating it.”
His smile deepened. “My female.”
I closed my eyes when he leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine.
I licked my lips. “My male.”
A rumbling sound started at the back of Kol’s throat, and it made me grin as I reopened my eyes.
“No sex, big guy. I don’t want to meet your family smelling like I just took a tumble with you.”
Kol leaned back, chuckling.
“My scent is now your scent to others. They can’t smell your natural scent, only mine. When we mated and shared sex, my essence made sure of that.”
I widened my eyes. “So to everyone, I smell like you?”
Kol nodded. “It’s just another natural defensive mechanism of my essence to tell other males that you’re claimed.”
I raised a brow. “Claimed, huh?”
His lips twitched. “Not the slavery kind of claimed. Just the Maji kind of claimed.”
I lifted my hands and placed them on his face, strumming my thumbs over his cheeks.
“You’re mine just as much as I am yours.”
“Yes, shiva. Always.”
With a confident smile, I said, “I’m ready to get off the Ebony and see my new home… and meet my new family.”
The smile that overtook Kol’s face caused my heart to skip a beat.
“They’re itching to meet you too. Killi, Arli, and Avri are saddened they scared you. They did not mean to.”
I shook my head. “They did nothing wrong. It was all me. I was so anxious about meeting them, hoping they’d like me, and I just… I just freaked out and ran away. Running when I’m scared is what I do.”
Running was all I knew.
Kol placed his hands on top of mine and stared deep into my eyes.
“Before, you were all alone in a dangerous world, but now, I’m by your side, and I will do everything possible to take your fear away.”
My lower lip trembled.
“You’re going to make me cry.”
“I’ve saddened you?” Kol frowned.
I shook my head. “No, you’ve made me feel safe, protected… loved.”
Kol eyes glowed brightly. “I do love you, shiva.”
My mouth fell open, and I was confident my heart stopped beating, but before I could even think of a response, my mate chuckled.
“Do not feel like you must say it back. Sera told me about how humans feel love at a different pace to us Maji, and that is okay. We have a lot of time together for you to love me.”
I inhaled and exhaled a deep breath.
“If you told me a week ago that I’d be mated to an alien prince and he would be declaring his love for me as we touched down on his home world, I’d have called you crazy.”
“And now?” Kol pressed.
My lips curved upward into a smile. “Now, I say it’s my reality.”
Kol smiled wide, and I noticed he had gold caps on his back teeth.
“Why do you have gold caps on your teeth? Mikoh and Thane have them, too, and your brothers.”
“Are you changing the topic?” he asked, grinning.
“Maybe.”
Kol continued to grin as he brushed a few strands of hair out of my face. “It’s just fashion.”
“Fashion?” I repeated, baffled. “Maji have fashion?”
“Yes.” Kol chuckled. “We have many customs that I’m sure will be bizarre to you, but do not worry. I will teach them to you.”
My heart fluttered, and my stomach burst into butterflies.
“Come on,” I said, taking his hand in mine. “I’ve waited days to see my new home.”
That brought a smile to Kol’s face, but his smile grew wider when his eyes trailed down my body.
“By the stars,” he hissed, sucking is a strangled breath. “You look like moonlight, shiva. Perfect.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
Kol licked his lips. Twice. “Maybe we should—”
“Disembark the Ebony,” I cut him off. “I agree.”
I began to walk and pull Kol along behind me.
“Wait, let me look at you,” he rasped.
“No,” I protested, “because you’ll want to touch me if you stare at me too long in this get-up.”
“I don’t know what a get-up is, but I want to stare at you in it.”
I laughed as Kol’s eyes dropped to my body once more, but this time, that sexy rumbling growl started at the back of his throat. I halted, and I looked down at my ensemble and looked back up at Kol.
“Do you think I’ll fit in?”
“No,” he rasped. “And I don’t want you to because you were made to stand out.”
A blush rose to my cheeks.
“My Nova, I have never seen such beauty.”
I ducked my head in embarrassment.
“You see Surkah all the time,” I commented.
“My sister’s beauty is very different to me, I assure you.”
I raised my head, my cheeks still aflame, and said, “Let’s just go before I turn any redder.”
Kol’s twitched lips, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he held out his arm and waited for me to take it.
“I cannot wait to unwrap you from that fabric later,” he rumbled.
He projected very explicit images of what he wanted to do to my body once the fabric was gone, and it made me shiver with anticipation.
My pulse spiked. “Easy, boy.”
This earned me a grin. Kol’s teasing set me at ease as we left our quarters and journeyed back to the exit of the Ebony where I had fled from not long ago. I removed my hand from Kol’s arm, instinctively reaching for his hand. When I made contact with it, I threaded my fingers through his and gripped his hand firmly.
“Calm, shiva,” he murmured. “I can hear your heart beat increasing. You have nothing to fear.”
I knew that—I did—but man, I was nervous.
“They probably think I’m an idiot for getting spooked and running away.”
“They think no such thing,” Kol assured me. “They’re concerned for
you. They wanted to make a good first impression, but they know they scared you and they feel regret at that.”
That made me feel worse.
“It wasn’t them. It was just the anticipation of meeting them. I got worked up, and when it came down to it, I ran. It’s my instinct to run when I’m unsure of something.”
“I’ve made them aware of that,” Kol continued. “But this time, I will be by your side, and with me there, running is the last thing you will want to do. I swear on my honour, shiva.”
I smiled up at him and squeezed his hand.
We didn’t slow down as we approached the large exit from the Ebony, and when I turned the corner, I saw Kol’s three brothers, his sister, and his cousin all standing in the same place I had left them when I ran away. For a moment, they reminded me of statues, and that mildly amused me.
“Brothers,” Kol said, his voice suddenly deeper as a vicious growl wrapped around his words at the same time his arms came around me. “This is Nova, my mate.”
A throat was cleared. Twice.
“Thanas,” one of his brothers grunted. “He is declaring her to us as if we’re just any males!”
“Calm,” another brother murmured, the silver-haired one. “It’s just instinct; he is newly mated.”
All three brothers sort of lowered their heads and never once looked my way or attempted to make eye contact with me. They remained that way, and as the seconds passed, Kol’s growling lessened until it faded completely. I stood there awkwardly in his embrace and resisted the urge to rock back and forth on my heels.
Am I allowed to say hello to them?
No, Kol instantly replied, his hold on me tightening. Mine.
I tilted my head and looked up at him, my brows raised.
“I know I’m yours, bossy. No need to be grouchy about it. I just asked you a question.”
I heard a snicker, but it stopped almost as instantly as it started.
“I cannot help it,” Kol replied, his voice still shockingly deep as a growl climbed up his throat.
“I’m your mate, big guy. I know it, and so does everyone else.”
Kol hummed in approval and dipped his head to kiss me. I smiled when his lips pressed against mine, and before he could deepen the kiss, I pulled away.
