3013_ALLEGIANCE

by Laurie Roma

  “Welcome to our home.”

  “This is very impressive. I like it.”

  Roman could tell she was nervous as she led him further into the room. Overhead, the high arched ceiling was made up of pale wooden beams, making him wonder if it was another illusion she had created. Starlight twinkled, floating midair in the open space below the rafters, and the walls were made of white stone with big, cut-out windows that showed hints of the night sky.

  Black furniture and jewel-toned fabrics were used in the sitting area that was situated around a large circular firepit in the center of the room. Large crystal vases filled with a variety of flowers were on each of the smaller tabletops, and an assortment of larger art pieces was scattered around the room on stands.

  Cream-colored marble shot through with thick veins of sparkling gold covered the floor, fading into pure gold under the large black table that was laden with trays, plates, and bowls that immediately started steaming with heat at their approach.

  Got to love the magical pause button, he thought. “This is...a lot of food.”

  “Too much?” she asked with a sigh.

  “No, it’s great,” he insisted, running a hand down her back for comfort. “Really, and I’m starving now that I can smell everything.” Releasing her hand, he reached for one of the high-backed chairs, pulling it out for her. Instead of sitting, she remained where she was and simply watched him. “What?”

  “It is silly, but...no one has ever done such a thing for me. It surprised me.”

  He let go of the chair, then walked back to her to brush his lips over hers. “It’s not silly, and I hope I can keep surprising you for many years to come.”

  As he held the chair out for her again, he could tell how uncomfortable the simple gesture made her feel. Giving her something else to focus on, Roman eyed the food. “It all looks good. I don’t know where to start.”

  “I could not tell which foods you were partial to as you have several favorites from different planets. I found the variety fascinating, and after researching them, I could not decide what we should have today. You should choose five. Five favorites for today. Tomorrow you can choose five different ones.”

  “They’re all my favorite.” Leaning in, he pushed her hair back and kissed the tender flesh right below her ear, satisfied when a little shiver ran through her. “Like the parts of you I love kissing. How can a man choose?” He laughed at her disgruntled expression, and he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the crease between her brows. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

  “Because you keep acting strangely.”

  “It’s called flirting, sweetheart. You’ll get used to it.” Grinning, he began selecting items to put on both of their plates. “Do you normally eat meals like this?”

  She hesitated. “I do not require food every day, though, I usually do try to keep up the habit of consuming something daily. There are times it does not seem important, especially when I am busy.”

  “Even on a magical diet, I think I’d miss food too much to just stop eating,” Roman mused. He took a bite, then groaned as he chewed. “Wow, that’s amazing. I thought this was lobster, but...wait a minute, is it real?”

  “Why in all the worlds would I give you something synthetic?”

  He held his fork up. “I had to ask. Real lobsters have been extinct on Earth for years, so I’ve never had the genuine thing. It’s amazing.”

  “I am pleased you are enjoying it,” she said before taking her own bite. “Aye, it is quite pleasant for a sea creature.”

  “You’ve never—how do you make things if you have never tried it before? And there is that look again.”

  “It is just...I am not used to talking about my abilities like this. My people usually do not give information to outsiders.”

  “But I’m not an outsider anymore.”

  “Aye, you are my mate.” That seemed to perk her up, and she smiled. “I have never thought about how I do what I do. I just will it into being, and it appears. I am sure there are several items here that do not taste as they should. Close, but not completely accurate. This will improve once you tell me what to change. It is always easier when I have a frame of reference to work with. Research only helps to a degree.”

  “It all tastes pretty accurate to me.” Chimes sounded as Roman lifted his wine glass, and Amari’s groan told him she knew exactly what it was. The chimes cut off, replaced with the soft music of the waves coming from the open windows. “What was that?”

  “The vessel’s communication system.”

  “And...you’re not going to answer it?”

  “Not right now. We have not yet finished our meal.” Amari closed her eyes and concentrated. “That communication was about a different matter. Some of my friends are coming to visit soon, and they wanted to let me know they would be delayed by a few days. They were also informed that I am going to this meeting, and I do not need to listen to their endless jests to hear how surprised they are that I was chosen to be chancellor...even if I am the replacement.”

  “What’s so surprising about it?” When she began rattling off a list of reasons, he shook his head and chuckled. “Okay, I get it. So, you weren’t the obvious choice, but your friends trust you. I think it’s safe to say that fate wanted you here.”

  “More than you know,” she murmured softly.

  He started to ask what she meant, then noticed the glowing flowers in a wide, rectangular vase by the table. “Those aren’t from the lagoon, are they?”

  “Nay, I have already altered all of the vegetation in this room. I should have warned you about the trees or gotten rid of them. I did not know they were harmful to you—”

  “What? No, the trees are cool. Are they real or something new you created?”

  “The akavan trees are from a small planet found within the same supercluster as my home world. I found them both beautiful and interesting since they blossom twice every cycle. The eiarakavan flowers bloom at night around midnight, then die at first light. Its pollen is very relaxing, and the purple petals are quite sweet to the taste. In contrast, the white arakavan flowers bloom midday and die at first dark.”

  “Let me guess, that is a flower with pollen that’s a stimulant?”

  She nodded. “It is energizing, and also bitter on the tongue. You will be safe to bath between those times. I could alter the trees, but Hydra enjoys them quite a bit. Perhaps I can move them to another location.”

  “I don’t want you to get rid of them. They are actually pretty frosty trees to have around. I just need to avoid the flowers when they bloom. That’s easy enough.”

  Her glowing gold eyes seemed to dim. “That would be best. Again, I should have warned you earlier, and I am sorry you woke alone.”

  “Well, not exactly alone,” he said wryly. “Your argos hates me.”

  “He does not.” Her lips curved in a small smile. “Rhys is protective, but he will warm toward you. It will just take a little time. And I will replace your wrist unit.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I can always get a new one when we return to the Delta Station. Until then, why don’t we—” He was cut off when the chimes sounded again and took note of her expression. “You’re irritated.”

  The chimes stopped abruptly. “I turned off the notifications, else we will keep being disturbed. I only left it on because my sister should be contacting me soon.”

  “You can leave it on. I don’t mind. Is this about the crisis you were dealing with earlier?”

  “That communication was from a mated pairing who are terraforming a new world and wish to discuss vegetation. They have chosen the wrong location. It is not my place to say in this instance, but I will tell them if they contact me again.”

  His eyes widened. “How many of these calls do you get in a day? And how often do you create new worlds?”

  “Only if there is a need. Since you have woken, there have been twenty-five.”

  “Communications?” He let out a low whistle. “Yo
u must know a lot of people.”

  “I have been alive a great deal longer than you. The people seem to have accumulated over the years.”

  Roman studied her flawless face. Because of her race, her mesmerizing beauty would forever be frozen in time with youth and vitality. “It’s hard to believe you’re older than I am simply based on appearances. I’m forty,” he admitted. “Sometimes I feel double that.”

  “Dragon Warrior cycles are different than yours, but by most calculations, I am four hundred and fifty years, essentially four hundred and fifty-one next rising now that it is already almost dawn this day.”

  “Four hundred and...” He choked a little. “Wait, your birthday is tomorrow? We have to celebrate—”

  She wagged a finger at him. “You do not need to do anything for it. I—” She broke off and sighed. “Apologies, mate. I may have to take this one. The Volis Teseras are reaching out regarding the crisis.”

  Amari got rid of a large tray of food they had already picked at, replacing it with the sculpture her friends had given her. The heart of the flame-shaped gem pulsed and swirled with a gold and silver tornado of light. Almost immediately, the frantic pace slowed until the flame inside glowed red, purple, blue, and white.

  “Missed them. They will make contact again if it is important.”

  “That is gorgeous, and very unique. That’s a communication device?”

  “It was a gift that turned out to be a decoy of sorts. It is a beautiful, truly thoughtful present, yet...”

  “Yet?”

  Amari sighed deeply before telling him a little about the time she’d spent on Tartarus with her sister and the Volis Teseras, Tors, and Regos. She explained how she had received the gift made with blood magic only days ago at the celebration her sister and friends had thrown her in the forest. She stressed how difficult the magic was to learn, and how the others insisted she teach them how to use it.

  “They wish to master the skill, but it takes time. Rushing the process causes mistakes, which I have warned them about repeatedly. Now, as soon as I leave, they create creatures out of sand that are attacking and causing chaos everywhere.”

  “That’s the crisis? They screwed up, and now there is a war on Tartarus? Again?”

  “Not a war, precisely. I spoke to them several times trying to piece together what was going on, but some things remain unclear. I received a communication while you were sleeping saying Tor Palace was under siege. Shortly after, no one could find Eden. It was only for a short while, nevertheless, there was panic.”

  “And that meant more calls to you,” he guessed.

  Amari nodded. “Besides my sister, Katra Tor is the only one who has any skill using blood magic so far. There is still much she does not know, and she just had her twins, so she was little help. She is sharing her energy with the younglings, so they all need to rest.” She paused, then confessed, “It stirs up an unexpected need to contact my own mother to apologize for draining her when I was a youngling.”

  He grinned. “Most people feel that way at some point.”

  “You think I am jesting, but the whole business is slightly unsettling. Babes are adorable, but they are also disturbingly parasitic in the early stages.”

  “Thanks for putting that in my head.” Roman gulped down some of his wine. “I basically spent my entire childhood apologizing to my mother for interrupting her life, so I know what you mean.”

  Frowning, she growled, “I do not like hearing that.”

  “I’ll tell you all about growing up on a space station run by my mother some other time,” he promised. He found himself wanting to tell her everything, about his parents and Noah, to the rest of his past, but for now, he kept the tone of the conversation light. Bringing the subject back to point, he asked, “Where was Eden when everyone thought she was missing?”

  “No one knew that the human outpost was also under attack, so my sister broke away from the others to go defend them.”

  Roman glanced down to check his wrist unit. Right, the giant cat had gobbled it up like a chew treat. He could just imagine how many messages he had waiting for him, and a few of those were probably from the elites stationed at the Hades Outpost on Tartarus, but they were someone else’s problem for now.

  “And what were you supposed to do about any of this from here? Why bother you with this if there were other Dragon Warriors handling the situation?”

  “That was my initial thought, however, there was a complication.”

  “Isn’t there always?”

  She smiled at that. “They waited too long to fix the issue, and the creatures scattered. Later, they contacted me to ask what I thought was the best way to track the beasts in the mountains, and that was the last I heard.”

  “How many of these things did they create?”

  “Oh, several dozens. I am sure they have fixed the problem by now.” She briefly hesitated before saying, “I do not mean to complain, but since I left Tartarus, they keep using the gift to contact me.”

  He leaned back in his chair holding his wine glass. “So, not only did they ask you to teach them this blood magic stuff, you have also been creating whatever the Regos ask for in your spare time. Then, they made you feel guilty for wanting some peace and quiet to yourself before you attended a meeting you’re only going to so none of them have to do it? Did I get that right?”

  She felt his anger through their bond even though she had been trying not to intrude into his mind. A wave of happiness filled her. She didn’t want her new mate annoyed with her sister or her friends, but it felt good to have someone vindicate her feelings. It was very sweet of him to be so outraged on her behalf, though, she didn’t think she should tell him so.

  “It is not as bad as it sounds.”

  “No, it’s worse. They’ve done nothing but take advantage of you!”

  Offended, she frowned at him. “No one takes advantage of me.”

  “They have because you’ve let them,” he countered. “That was your choice to do those things for them, but that doesn’t absolve them from fucking expecting it. And that was a pretty damn devious gift they gave you, which is as much for them as it was for you. I don’t know the range of your vessel’s communications system, but that thing gives them instant access to you. It’s like a prettier version of a wrist unit, only this one, you don’t have to wear.”

  “Aye,” she agreed, relieved that he understood. She drained her wine glass. Not bothering to lift the bottle to refill it, she used magic to replenish both of their glasses. “That is what I have concluded.”

  The flame sculpture lit up in a swirl of gold and black light.

  “Brace yourself, mate, we are about to speak to my sister. I will transfer the communication to the viewing screen. Try not to scowl at her too much. Hopefully, she did just avert a war.”

  “I’ll try,” but he made no promises.

  Amari touched the sculpture. “Eden, I have switched you to viewing screen.”

  Roman blinked as a massive holo-screen materialized to hover over the table. The screen remained blank for several seconds, then an image of a female Dragon Warrior appeared on screen so clear it was as if she were actually in the room. He had a hard time glaring at someone who resembled Amari so closely, so he settled for a neutral expression as he faced off with his new sister-in-law for the first time.

  “We did it!” Eden’s smile faded. “We—who in bloody hellfire is that?”

  Amari growled. “Watch your tone. Roman, I would like to introduce Eden, my annoying, ill-mannered sister. Eden, send your greetings to my mate, Regent Roman Newgate of the Alliance.”

  “Mate?” Eden gasped. “A human? You found your mate at that boring meeting? By the gods, I cannot believe it worked!” She laughed so hard tears gathered in her eyes.

  Amari scowled at the screen. “What madness is this?”

  “I knew you had to go to the meeting. I did not know why, just that you had to be the one to go,” Eden said as she continued to chuckle.
“I may not have inherited your abilities, but it looks like I have my own, even if they are not very effective. Why do you think I was so quick to refuse to go when I am the one who actually enjoys meeting new people? You, volunteer to speak to anyone if I would do it? I do not think so. Have you spoken to mother and our fathers yet? How about our brothers? Of course, you did not tell them before you told me.”

  “What is wrong with you? Take a breath.” Amari noticed Roman quizzical gaze, so she lowered her voice to say, “I will explain later.”

  “Roman, you do not know how pleased I am to finally meet you,” Eden declared. “Honor to your mating, and welcome to the family, brother.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You must come visit after the meeting. Even better, I will come meet you.”

  “You are not coming anywhere near this meeting,” Amari said vehemently. “I left you on Tartarus, and you almost broke it!”

  “I did not break the planet!”

  “Nay, you just started a war.”

  “That was not my fault!”

  Roman glanced at her, then back at the screen. Watching the two Dragon Warriors bicker like regular siblings seemed odd, and he would’ve been amused if the thought of them destroying the Delta Station wasn’t so terrifying, even if it were to happen accidentally.

  Since everything seemed to want to kill him anyway, he didn’t think he should tempt fate by welcoming an incident that was sure to end in disaster...mainly his.

  “It’s probably best if we come see you after the meeting,” he practically shouted to be heard over their growling. “We’re going to be very busy around here.”

  “Very well, I shall wait.” Eden sniffed delicately, then she smiled slyly. “Is what we heard true, sister? Is the sex worth waiting for? And how do human males compare to ours in size?”

  “Wait a damn—” Roman did a little growling of his own. “When the hell did you see other males?”

  “I never saw anyone for that purpose before you,” Amari said softly, trying to placate him, then decided a change of subject would be best. “Did one of your new abilities allow you to fix the sand creature threat?”