The Regent's Rapture: (An Alpha Alien Romance Novel) (Lords of Zanthar Book 1)

by Liza Probz

  The top was a little trickier. After struggling into different combinations that didn't seem to fit right, Sylvie discovered it was supposed to form a cross shape, like the one the little jade figure was wearing. When it had settled correctly, she still wasn't sure if she had it right.

  The material was so tight across her chest, it seemed to outline her breasts and throw her nipples into stark relief. The way the top fit her was virtually pornographic.

  Sylvie poked her head around the doorway of the sitting room.

  "I can't wear this," she said.

  "Nonsense."

  "It's obscene."

  His face hardened. "It belonged to my mother."

  Sylvie blanched, then took a deep breath. She stepped out from around the door. "I doubt it fit the same way on her."

  In mere seconds, X had turned purple. Knowing that she had the power to cause a reaction in him caused her stomach to tighten.

  "It's... fine," the regent said, then coughed and turned away. She thought he was adjusting the front of his sarong. "No one will notice."

  "I will!"

  X turned back, fixing his heavy gaze on her. "Sit down and eat your breakfast. We're already behind schedule."

  Sylvie stuck out her bottom lip. She remembered she was an adult and sucked it up, walked over to her chair, and took a seat. No reason to pout. It wouldn’t get her anywhere. Perhaps stripping would be the better action – at least more effective.

  "What exactly are we behind schedule for?" She took a few bites of the warm mush in front of her. It was faintly sweet, with the consistency of mousse.

  He moved over to his console and fiddled with the display, not responding to her question at all. Sylvie shrugged, took a few more bites, and watched him closely. She couldn’t help but wonder what his body looked like without the sarong. Was he structured like a human male in terms of his reproductive organs?

  Heat rose from her chest to coat her neck and face, the stark realization that she wanted to know for more personal reasons causing her to choke on her breakfast.

  He glanced up as she waved him off. She turned her attention back to her bowl and tried to play as if everything were fine. She waited until he appeared to be immersed back in the data streaming before his face to glance up at him again.

  His color lightened until it was almost back to mint, a calm settling over the room somehow. What was he reading?

  Did it have anything to do with her spaceship? Had they gotten it to work, or had they decided to dissect it, like they almost had her?

  Sylvie finished her breakfast and had to restrain herself from licking the bowl. So far the food on Zanthar had been excellent, even if the company left something to be desired.

  Or someone to be desired.

  A wry smile lifted on her lips. The Supreme Regent was sexy. He was far too bossy for her tastes, but so incredibly hot.

  She had run her own life for years, and she didn't appreciate some alien on a power trip trying to do it for her now. Even if his closeness gave her tingles, his demeanor made her frustrated. 'Annoyed and aroused' about summed things up.

  "All done, Your Majesty," she said with false sweetness. Might as well go along with what he's got planned and figure out the lay of the land.

  It couldn't be worse than getting dissected.

  Chapter 14

  The door chime sounded, surprising Xivthar. He wasn't expecting anyone.

  The two guards standing outside his chambers glanced at one another and then toward him as he pulled the door open. They were the same ones he'd seen in the Minister of Defense's chambers earlier.

  "We have orders to stay by your side," the taller one stated.

  "Whose orders?"

  "The Minister of Defense, Sire."

  Of course. His meddling brother.

  Xivthar turned and headed to the nearest console to give Drake a piece of his mind. The guards trooped in behind him like a twin set of shadows.

  "I was expecting your call," his brother said, his maroon face displaying a frown that was becoming permanent.

  "What's with the guards?" he asked, Drake's appearance putting him on edge. Didn't he understand that his subordinates looked to him for confidence? And still his brother was walking around in public, letting his anxiety show.

  "Just following your own protocol, brother. No one goes around alone."

  "I'm hardly alone," Xivthar replied, throwing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the professor sitting at the table behind him, dipping a finger into her bowl and gathering the remains of her porridge to surreptitiously lick it off.

  The sight of her little pink tongue sent a rush of blood to his lower regions. The regent blocked the thoughts of what he wanted to do with that tongue from his mind and tried to concentrate on the conversation at hand. His brother wouldn’t let him live it down if his color morphed, giving his arousal away.

  "She hardly qualifies as part of your pair. She's a possible Hareema collaborator."

  Although he could feel his skin wanting to flush yellow, he held in his anger. His brother wasn't exactly wrong. Still, having two guards following him around meant he wouldn't be alone with the female.

  He glanced back over his shoulder. She was taking a long lick on her index finger.

  On second thought, maybe it was better if he wasn't alone with her.

  "You're right. I shouldn't have sought to reprimand you."

  Drake nodded. "Keep an eye on her, brother. She can't be trusted."

  Xivthar waved the display away and ran a hand through the tendrils on his head. His brother's words were echoing in his mind. She can't be trusted.

  Not yet. But after today, he hoped that would change.

  He glanced over at her, hating how badly he wanted to spend time touching every part of the innocent little thing.

  "Let's go," he barked, turning on his heel and walking away before he did something he might regret.

  Chapter 15

  Sylvie followed behind the regent while the guards followed behind her. The thick muscles of his back rippled as he walked, her eyes inadvertently drawn to the swell of his rear. It was well-shaped, not flat but not too round. Just right.

  Who are you? Goldilocks?

  She forced herself to focus on her surroundings. They were hurrying down hallways she hadn't seen before, although they resembled the others in the colony.

  Until she turned a corner and saw something new, and fascinating.

  One wall of the hallway held a large window, the first she'd seen. Outside the window was an underwater wonderland.

  Creatures floated past in the purple sea, some unlike anything found on Earth. Sylvie ran to the window and pressed her face against it, marveling at the myriad forms of life on display. Something that resembled a gigantic manta ray swam past, its orange underbelly taking up almost the entire eight-foot-long window.

  In the distance she could see what appeared to be a structure built out of coral. It was massive, and all around it figures swam, entering and exiting its many doors.

  A hand settled on her shoulder and she glanced back to look up at her captor.

  "What is that place?" she asked without taking her face away from the window.

  "The temple of Noruma."

  "What's Noruma?"

  The regent used his hold on her shoulder to turn her away from the window.

  "He's one of our gods." He gave her a stern look. "We don't have time to dawdle here."

  "Are those your people, swimming around the temple?"

  X nodded. His hand slid down her arm to grasp her hand, the movement causing goose bumps to arise on her skin. The regent gently tugged her away from the window.

  "Wait! What's that creature right there, the one with the lighted lure hanging over its mouth?"

  "We can discuss Zantharian zoology later," he said, leading her away from the window and farther down the winding hallway.

  "We better! I'm an astrobiologist, you know. The whole point of coming to this
accursed planet was to search for signs of life. Now that I've found it, you won't even let me--"

  Her protests were cut off by their arrival at a busy entrance. More Zantharians than she'd yet seen gathered in one place were shuttling in and out.

  "What is this place?" she asked as they moved through the entrance. Her eyes traveled up to the large dome in the ceiling, which was almost entirely transparent. Several sea creatures had attached themselves to the outside of the dome. One was so large it took up a swath of space that had to be at least twenty feet wide.

  "It's the colony's central hub. Our main transport station." X tightened his hold on her hand as the crowd thickened. His hand was warm and thick, the feeling of it wrapped around hers leaving her with the sense of protection she so desired.

  Sylvie scanned the swarm of people, the Zantharians filling up almost every space in front of her. Their skins in varying shades, but most green. Some wore sarongs with chest braids, while others had shorts and cross-tops like hers. They were all around equal height and had similar appearances, the only noticeable difference being their clothing.

  Were those dressed like her Zantharian females?

  Suddenly Sylvie realized the people they passed were giving them a wide berth. She caught the expressions on several faces. They ranged from curiosity to disgust to outright contempt. I guess I'm not very popular among the locals.

  A woman was walking past with a child in a cloth pouch on her chest. It peered out at her with big black eyes. Sylvie drew closer, noticing that the child's limbs were underdeveloped, and where fingers were on an adult Zantharian there were thin tentacles.

  As soon as Sylvie approached, the child let out a loud cry. The mother covered its face and turned away, scowling at Sylvie.

  "I'm sorry." Sadness rolled over her. She would never hurt any living creatures, especially not after her brush with death. The name of science be damned.

  X tugged on her arm and she followed, her spirits falling farther as she received glare after glare.

  Everyone on this planet thought she was an enemy spy, a plant. A threat. All because her ship accidently took down their fancy defense grid. Not her fault. Some first contact.

  The regent led her to a small craft that resembled a dolphin. It was curved to a point in the front, with fins on both sides, and a longer one at the back.

  "In you go," he said, propelling her through the hatch and into the craft. The two guards followed, taking seats at the back.

  X stationed himself in one of the two front seats, then pointed to the seat beside him. He pushed a few buttons on the console, then grabbed the stick and glanced over at her.

  "Ready for take-off?"

  Sylvie nodded, bracing herself. The lift-off was so gentle that she wouldn't have noticed they were moving if not for the front viewport. The small craft joined a line of similar ships before an aperture that seemed to separate the inside from the ocean outside.

  "Why isn't this chamber filling with water?" she asked as they approached the aperture.

  "Force fields hold the water back but let the ships through."

  "Force fields like the planetary defense shield?"

  "The same technology, yes."

  Her ship had somehow taken down their defense shield, and although she was certain she hadn't done anything intentional to cause the malfunction, there could be something about her biologically that interacted with the field. They'd almost dissected her to find out.

  "Wait!" she yelled as their ship moved forward to next in line.

  "There's nothing to be afraid of, Dr. Cohen. See, all the other ships have made it out fine. You won't even notice when we pass through." X steered the ship toward the aperture.

  Sylvie wrapped her arms around herself as fear stung her senses. "But what if it's true? What if there is something about me that disables your shields? This whole hub could be flooded. People could die!"

  "My people can take in limited oxygen through their skin. It allows them to be under water for an hour or so at a time before surfacing. Besides, we have safety protocols in place in case of shield failure."

  She couldn’t watch. She slipped her hands over her eyes and held her breath, preparing for the worst.

  A soft chuckle resounded beside her. "You can open your eyes now. We're through."

  Sylvie removed her hands to see that they were coasting through an underwater world. "How did you know I wouldn't cause the shield to fail?"

  "I didn't." X was steering the craft through pillars of coral. "But I knew that no one would be injured with the safety protocols we had in place if the shield did fail. What I wasn't sure about was you."

  Sylvie stared at him. "What do you mean?"

  "If there was something in your biology that you'd engineered to disable our shields, you may have intended to use your special skill here and flood the chamber, thinking you were risking Zantharian lives and wreaking havoc."

  He turned to her and she was entranced by the golden glow around his pupils. "Instead, you warned me, and you seemed genuinely concerned about harming my people. The same people who just treated you like a pariah."

  X gave her a small smile, then turned his attention back to navigating the craft.

  "You were testing me."

  He nodded. "And you passed the first test."

  First test? So that's what he had planned for the day.

  Sylvie wanted to be angry but she couldn't blame him. Seen from his perspective, she wouldn't trust herself either in this situation. Still, it stung a little. She'd trusted him from the first, had known he was someone who would help her, who wouldn't harm her or let her be harmed if he could prevent it.

  There was something about him that projected integrity. No wonder his people followed him as Supreme Regent. She thought she might follow him, too.

  Or maybe she was just naïve.

  Around them the water grew dark. They were entering some sort of underwater cave. Suddenly they surfaced, the lights of the craft illuminating an ancient grotto.

  X turned to her, his dark eyes unfathomable. "We're here.”

  Where was here?

  Chapter 16

  The final resting place of the regents was a tranquil and sacred space. Here, all regents since the close of the age of Endless Schism were entombed after taking their last breaths. Xivthar experienced a flutter of anxiety at being there, but reined it in before it could reveal itself through his skin color.

  As he steered the craft to the shore, he extinguished the running lights. The cavern was lit by eternal flames, tended over a millennia by the monks who lived here. He docked the craft, then helped Dr. Cohen onto land.

  She seemed to be taking in her surroundings, her eyes wide and drawing him in. The caves had been old when his world was still new, and their age was reflected in the formations encircling them. Towering stalagmites sprouted around them, as did stalactites that almost reached the cave floor, formed over eons by tiny drops of water.

  The firelight reflected off their smooth surfaces, creating the illusion that the entire cave was aflame. The glow reached her eyes, which were wide with wonder.

  "This is amazing. What is this place?" she asked, her voice a near whisper.

  "The resting place of the regents." His tone was also quiet. Something about the place demanded reverence. "It's the tomb of all the past regents, and one day I'll join them here."

  The thought caused a chill to dance down his spine. It was strange to wander around the place he'd spend his eternity while he was still among the living. It always made him nervous to visit here. Still he did, at least once a turn.

  "Why did you bring me here? It's creepy."

  At that moment a loud moan echoed through the cavern.

  "What was that?" she asked, moving closer to him.

  Her unconscious motion filled his chest with a strange heat. The need to protect his little Earthling female rose up within him. She seemed to trust him enough to protect her, which was a good feeling. He realized
how much he wanted to be something to her – protector would work for now.

  "Wind. There are thousands of small holes that run through the cave system. Some of them reach the surface." He stroked her hair gently. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

  She peered up at him, her eyes frightened. "I wish I could believe you, but this place is spooky."

  He led them to the Hall of Spirits, the moan getting louder as they approached. Sylvie buried her face in his arm, so he put his arm around her, letting off a small chuckle. She had reason to be a bit timid. He was half scared of the place, too.

  Her nearness was exciting, her touch sending tingles running through his body. Still, it was a dangerous time to give in to his desire. Otherwise he'd pull her into his arms and—

  "Welcome, Supreme One." The voice echoed through the entranceway to the Hall.

  The professor started at his side, and he tightened his hold on her.

  Pushing away his own budding anxiety, he concentrated on stilling his heart. He glanced back at his guards, noting that each of them were still light green. Serene. Placid.

  Apparently this place was only eerie to him. Him and the dainty female, who was trembling at his side.

  They entered the shadowy Hall of Spirits and approached the single fire that illuminated the chamber.

  "Who... who spoke when we came in?" Her voice was shaky, her eyes darting back and forth into the gloom.

  "The Spirits."

  The professor cocked an eyebrow at him. "I'm a scientist. I don't believe in spirits."

  X laughed. It echoed around the chamber and back at him, sounding more and more sinister.

  Right, no laughing.

  "As each regent is passing on to the other side, a small portion of the leader's brain pattern is stored in our database here. It is our means of preserving a little bit of their wisdom for future generations. Anyone may come here and ask a question of the regents."

  She furrowed her brow.