Crave To Conquer

by Zoey Ellis

The next morning, Cailyn asked the servant that took her lunch order for some extra parchment to be brought to the research room. If she had secured the job, the Emperor would no longer be watching her closely and she could get on with her plans. With the spare parchment, she began to copy information she knew the Mothers would be interested in: sightings of Omegas that hadn’t been recorded with them, an attempted collaboration between the Eastern and Western Lands to find them, the use of the Talent to try and locate them, and the progress made by the King of Ashens that had taken him dangerously close to the Omega Compound.

  She spent most of the morning copying and adjusting the records and then reading some of the history of the Eastern Lands. She became so involved reading about the political structuring of the elusive Southern Lands, when she looked up, it was already past midmorning. She stood and stretched, then turned to sort the file into its place on the table.

  The Emperor sat staring at her from a corner of the room.

  She stiffened, her heart jumping into her throat.

  They stared at each other for a long moment. How long had he been sitting there?

  “Can I help you, Emperor?” she asked hesitantly, as her heartbeat calmed.

  “No,” he answered.

  She stared at him for a moment, unsure why he sat in the room. Surely he had come to speak to her? What had he seen and how long had he been sitting there? Did he suspect her?

  “You may continue with your work,” the Emperor said after she’d been standing there for a while, his voice a deep rumble throughout the room.

  Cailyn looked at the file in her hand, flustered. She’d forgotten what she had intended to do with it. After rereading it, she sorted it into its correct place on the tables and went back to the pile she had assigned herself for the day. She glanced at the Emperor and he still watched her.

  For the rest of the morning, he remained in the corner, a silent, motionless, massive bulk watching her every move. Cailyn ignored him as best as she could but by midday, a frustration had built up. How was she going to continue with her real work if she was being watched so closely? This was worse than him visiting her every five minutes. Didn’t he have anything else to do?

  She brushed off her hands and left the room, heading to her quarters. She needed to think without the presence of the Emperor, and she needed to eat.

  Cailyn sat on a low, wide chair in the living room staring out over the city, munching the thick beef and cheese sandwich that had been laid out for her. At the rate she was going, it would take about a week to get the research room into any kind of logical order. So far, she had seen all kinds of random information; from the line of successors in each territory in the Western Lands to the various traditions and cultures seen in one city throughout the years. The Emperor surely liked to collect knowledge, even if he just dumped it in a room for someone else to sort out.

  “This is what you asked for, for lunch?”

  Cailyn jumped, her curse caught behind a chunk of bread in her throat. She spun around to see the Emperor peering down at her plate.

  Coughing and spluttering, she moved away from him to spit out the food.

  “This is not a suitable meal.” The Emperor peered at her plate disapprovingly. “No wonder you are small for a Beta.”

  A slight fear gripped Cailyn as she tried to compose herself. She was small for a Beta because she wasn’t a Beta.

  “You don’t need to eat frugally while you’re staying here,” he said. “I will ensure your lunch is adequate from now on.”

  “This is my private quarters, Emperor,” she said sharply, her throat raw. “Why do you keep entering uninvited?”

  “You left the research room,” he said, nonchalantly. “I came to see where you’d gotten to.”

  “Am I supposed to clear my every movement with you?” she said, her voice tinged with disgust.

  His gaze intensified. “Would that be a problem for you? I’m your employer.”

  “I need a certain level of independence to do my work, Emperor,” Cailyn said, her annoyance creeping into her tone. “I know that’s not something you value, but in order to get the best out of—”

  “What do you mean by that?” His eyes narrowed.

  “I mean, I understand that you want everyone to be subservient to you but some of us are completely capable of doing a good job without constant monitoring.”

  “This investigation is important to me and I will not leave it in the hands of someone who has come from Vamore, possibly with a hatred towards the Lox and their own agenda,” he said. “You can dislike it as much as you want, but it will not change. I want to know where you are at all times.”

  Cailyn glared at him, but couldn’t argue with his logic. He wouldn’t know if Miss Lefroy was loyal to the Lox or not. She should have thought about that more carefully, and she would have—if she’d known she’d be working directly with him.

  “And yes, I do expect everyone to be subservient to me,” he added, moving around the couch between them. “I’m the most accomplished Alpha in every Land that exists. Expecting subservient behavior is my right.”

  “Just like it’s your right to have an Omega?” Cailyn snapped, her annoyance breaking down all self-preserving cautions she had given herself to be polite to him. Fuck him. This man had an ego the size of the entire Eastern Lands. “Whether she wants it or not?”

  “Of course it is my right. It is the right of all Alphas to have their Omegas. It is the only way to live a life that is complete,” he said calmly, stepping toward her. “I don’t expect any Beta to understand it. You don’t have that kind of connection—that kind of want or need that an Alpha has for an Omega. You have not been blessed with that and you shouldn’t try to understand something you will never experience. As for what my Omega wants?”

  He came closer still, and Cailyn backed away. She couldn’t have him close to her again.

  “Any Omega would find it an honor to be with me,” he said, a determined gleam in his eyes. “Only I can provide her with what she needs and craves. It is an absolute atrocity that these abductors have kept Omegas away from the men that could give them that gift.”

  Cailyn pressed her lips shut. Anything she would say right now would reveal too much about what she knew about Omegas. His traditionalist views were so archaic, it was almost humorous, but what did she expect? Everything he had learned about Omegas was from the Alphas of times past. And they had been animals.

  “In fact,” he added. “It is akin to torture.”

  “Torture?” Cailyn scoffed before she even thought about it. “It is torture to not be fucked and dominated into some kind of slave by some massive, egotistical Alpha?”

  Her laugh had barely left her before the Emperor rushed toward her in a flash and slammed her up against the wall behind her. She gasped in shock and blinked, looking into his stormy eyes, her fear rising. She had gone too far in provoking him and who knew what he might do now? But as she continued staring, she realized no anger clouded his gaze. Annoyance, yes. Conviction, yes. Even a tinge of curiosity. But no anger. She held her relief in her throat, trying not to breathe in his scent. Even though she couldn’t really smell it, she knew it was there because that trembly feeling cut through all others as a signal, a beacon directly to him.

  He leaned into her ear. “Do not mock things you have no understanding of, kitten,” he whispered. “You have barely left the luxuries of your life in Vamore, surrounded by old books and statues, to even brace the concept of torture or need.” She shivered as he leaned into her and ran his nose up her neck, breathing her in. “But you will.”

  He let her go and she slumped against the table next to her trying to process what he had said. Had he just threatened her?

  “Finish your pitiful lunch and get back to the research room,” he ordered.

  As he walked away, Cailyn drew herself upright trying to hide her shaking. She should have abandoned this mission when she first realized he would be her contact. For some reason, thi
s man affected her in a way no other Alpha did. She found it difficult to hold her tongue around him and at the same time wanted to submit so desperately when he stood close. She had ignored the potential threat in favor of getting the knowledge the Mothers needed, but he knew much more about the real Miss Lefroy than she had anticipated. One wrong move and she could be discovered. She had to work quickly and carefully, and get the fuck out of the Palace.

  CHAPTER THREE

  DROCCO

  The historian was becoming a severe distraction.

  Drocco was unsure exactly what it was, but something about her aroused and intrigued him, sparking a fierce need to dominate her. It was a strange feeling—one he’d never had before. He sat in the corner of the research room watching her daily for nearly a month trying to figure it out. It couldn’t be her smart mouth—he most definitely preferred submissive types, even in Betas. Her bland scent wasn’t enticing, so it couldn’t be that. It couldn’t be her dynamic since he was looking for his Omega. Betas were sufficient to slake his needs, but the pleasures an Omega could give were known to be incomparable. It could be the historian’s looks. It would seem as though a studious woman in shapeless clothing with brown hair and eyes would be easily forgettable, but it was quite the opposite. She was uniquely attractive in a way he found slightly fascinating. Yes, that had to be it. She was beautiful and he wanted a taste of her, yet was forced to wait. That must be what caused this unhealthy draw to her. He’d never had to wait to fuck anyone before.

  After meeting her that first time, he had summoned a Beta female known for her talented mouth to relieve him of his arousal, but as she knelt to tend to him, he lost interest. She had been stunned when he ordered her away and, in truth, he had surprised himself; however, he had still been reeling from the historian’s bluntly antagonistic comments and he couldn’t focus on gratification. He spent the rest of the evening looking over the profile of her that they had obtained when they had learned she was coming. It suggested nothing of her personal life or personality—it just contained dry, factual information about her impressive abilities and skills as a historian.

  As Drocco continued to watch her, he noticed little things about her manner. When she read something she found interesting, she played with her right earlobe. She pursed her full lips when she read something she didn’t quite like and bit her bottom lip when she was trying to decide where something should go on the Chron Line. The way she moved around the room was sexy as hell, smooth and fluid, very feline, and when she knelt on the floor sorting random files, her rich copper curls bouncing over them, he had to grip the arms of his chair to stop himself heading over there, pinning her to the ground and ripping away her clothes. The simplest thing would be to stay away from her completely, but when he wasn’t in the room, he thought about her constantly. He hated it. He was always in control of everything and this impulse was too wild. He couldn’t wait for the day the investigation ended so he could claim what he wanted and move on.

  “Your Imperial Majesty,” came a soft voice from beside him.

  He turned to see a servant standing by the door.

  The man grimaced. “You have a visitor.”

  “Who?” His gaze returned to Cailyn.

  “Commander Torin, your Imperial Majesty.”

  Drocco nodded, rose from his chair, and headed outside. He had told the guard at the door that he didn’t want anyone entering unannounced. He hadn’t liked the way Cailyn had looked at Torin when he had last been in the room. They were both Betas and Torin was possibly the most accomplished Beta male in Ashens—a great prospect for any Beta female—but the idea Cailyn might find him attractive irritated Drocco beyond all reason.

  “Drocco,” Torin greeted. “Good morning.”

  Drocco returned the greeting.

  “You have instructed that no one enter?” Torin asked somewhat incredulously, gesturing to the research room. Drocco had never refused him entry to any area of the Palace.

  “I don’t want Miss Lefroy interrupted,” Drocco said, briskly. “What is it?”

  Torin’s eyes swept over him. “You have been very focused on this investigation, Drocco.”

  “That is the intention, Torin,” Drocco said lightly. “I made a vow and I’m trying to keep it.”

  “How is it going?”

  “Well so far,” Drocco said. “Miss Lefroy is ordering the information and highlighting key points to focus on. I’ve sent scouts to a couple of cities to look into a number of loose ends. I trust you have made contact with the ruler of Neka?”

  Torin nodded. “Yes, I am dealing with it. I’m glad it is going well. We’ve had communication from Eiros.”

  Drocco’s mood darkened. “And?”

  “Malloron would like to meet.”

  “When?”

  “In two days. He has suggested a portal.”

  “He is not entering my Empire through a portal,” Drocco said, his voice low.

  “No, he wishes to talk through it,” Torin explained. “To use it as a method of communicating.”

  Drocco lifted his head in understanding. He needed to speak to Malloron and make his own position clear, as the ruler of Lox Empire, but the distance between them meant their communication was always prolonged. Eiros was situated in the Western Lands, which was across the White Ocean, and it took months for messages to pass between them. If they could talk face to face it would secure things much more quickly.

  “He is very keen to meet via this method and has insisted that nothing untoward will come of it,” Torin said, after a few long moments of silence.

  “Your thoughts?” Drocco asked.

  “I think it will be good to face him directly, as I’m sure you realize,” Torin said. “You are very persuasive in person.”

  “If he can create a portal here to communicate, he can create a portal at any time to use as a doorway,” Drocco said, an edge in his voice at the idea.

  “Yes,” Torin admitted. “That is a possibility.”

  Drocco exhaled harshly. “This is why I want the use of the Talent disabled as soon as possible, Torin!”

  “If we are to make significant headway protecting ourselves from the Talent, this opportunity to analyze a portal would be of great benefit.”

  “Hmm…” Drocco let out a throaty grumble.

  “If he truly can create a doorway here, he will do so if he wishes, whether we agree to the meet or not,” Torin pointed out. “At least if you agree, we will have a time and place to focus our attention to learn more about the Talent.”

  That was true. “All right,” Drocco said. “Set it up.”

  Torin nodded. “He said he will make an attempt in two days, so I will ensure we are ready to receive him.” He glanced at the research room. “Is this where you can be found now?”

  “Yes,” Drocco replied. “But I only want to be interrupted if it’s absolutely necessary.”

  “Understood.” With that, Torin bowed and headed down the corridor.

  When Drocco entered the research room, he automatically swept the room for Cailyn. She stood in one corner, her head tilted, her lips pursed and a frown on her face.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “These records have big gaps,” she murmured, almost to herself.

  “What are they?”

  “Records of the Omega population before they went missing.”

  Drocco crossed the room to her. “That is important. How do you know there are gaps?”

  “The King of Ashens had a count completed when he first came into power. It totaled over one hundred and twenty-five thousand. There were only seven thousand in the most recent count. That’s too low. There’s data missing.”

  Drocco looked at the files, leaning into her to breathe in her scent. Even though it was bland, he took every opportunity to experience it—another strange behavior he didn’t understand. He pushed the thought away and focused on the topic at hand. They needed accurate figures of the number of Omegas at all times. “How many counts d
id the king do?”

  “I’ve only found two so far.”

  Drocco nodded. “Tomorrow we will go to the Records Keep and find out the accurate number.”

  Cailyn blinked at him. “The Records Keep?”

  “Yes, in Ashens. They keep all important records for the Eastern Lands,” Drocco said, settling into his chair. “It’s one of the reasons why Ashens is the most influential territory in the East. I have yet to visit it but I knew my investigations would take me there eventually.” He frowned. “I’m sure you would’ve been there before.”

  “A few times yes.” She stood thinking for a moment. “I don’t mind going on my own if you have things to do.”

  “We will go at midday,” Drocco said, ending the conversation.

  Cailyn nodded slowly before going back to her work.

  ***

  In the carriage on the way to the Records Keep, Cailyn was restless. She wouldn’t look at him, barely spoke to him, and subtly fidgeted in the seat opposite. Drocco simply watched her. She was like a pet that needed to be soothed. She had snapped at him the previous afternoon and seemed to have a looser hold on her tongue since he entered the research room that morning. Something about the trip was making her apprehensive, but he couldn’t figure out what. After watching her for a few minutes, he stopped caring. Her curly hair was up today, exposing her slim neck and showing off her neckline and shoulders. Every time she moved he wanted to bite every inch of exposed flesh, suck on her, lick her… a thrill went through him at the thought of her response—the breathy sounds she would utter, her moans and whispers. As his eyes traveled down her body, stopping at every curve he could almost see that he wanted to explore, he noticed her knees were pressed tightly together. He glanced up at her but she was staring fixedly out of the carriage window. He suppressed a dark smile.

  The Records Keep stood in the center of Ashens. Tall and cream-colored, with elegant swirls engraved into its walls, it was surrounded by equally sophisticated buildings important to the running of Ashens, but not all of them had survived the Lox invasion as well as the Records Keep. It seemed the King of Ashens had been particularly precious about making his city look bland and boring. Drocco found the broken jagged buildings that had suffered the effects of battle to be more interesting. Redesigning his Empire to look strong and powerful was something he looked forward to.