by Zoey Draven
Guilt ate at him, but Kirov could not bring it in himself to regret his actions. He never would.
“How am I expected to punish a warrior for stealing a crystal, when I cannot even punish two of my Ambassadors, who have both stolen a female from my protection? It makes me soft, but it does not make me fair,” Vaxa’an said, his voice anguished.
“I will take whatever punishment you give to me,” Kirov said, steeling his spine. He was still a warrior of Luxiria. He had known the risks, especially given his position, his rank.
“I cannot even punish you for it,” Vaxa’an breathed, raking a hand over his horns so hard that Kirov was surprised he didn’t leave claw marks. “I did not punish Vikan for it, so I cannot punish you. But know that I will never trust you in the same way again.”
Kirov’s chest ached. Vaxa’an, Kirov, Vikan, Rixavox, and Cruxan had all gone through warrior training together, as a solid unit. None of them cared that Vaxa’an was the Prime Leader’s son, that he would eventually become the next Prime Leader of Luxiria. They’d cared for one another, fought alongside each other, laughed and drank together, loved one another as blood brothers.
“As your friend,” Vaxa’an said softly, “I am happy for you. That your Instinct awakened. You know that I want that happiness for all of you. But as your leader, I cannot forgive you for this.”
Kirov inclined his head. He would never have Vaxa’an’s full trust again. There would always be a division now, a division that had not been there before.
“I understand.”
Vaxa’an blew out a breath, “Where is she?”
“In the next room. Safe and well,” Kirov said.
“Let me speak with her.”
“I do not think—”
But there was no need for Kirov to protest before, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lani enter the room. He turned to look at her and it felt like a fist was wrapped around his heart, squeezing.
She was so beautiful. The light of Troxva filtered over her, giving her skin a golden glow, revealing natural, light streaks in her hair that he hadn’t noticed in the Golden City.
The blue Luxirian dress that Kate had given her only added to her beauty, molding to her curves, brightening her eyes and her red hair.
Vrax, Kirov thought.
The Fates had gifted him the loveliest, most bewildering, creature. What had he done to deserve her?
He should’ve known that she wouldn’t have stayed in the front of the house. Should’ve known that she wouldn’t have listened to him. But he wouldn’t have her any other way.
“Lani,” he called to her, holding out his hand for her. “The Prime Leader wishes to speak with you.”
She approached, taking his hand and squeezing it in her own. Her spine straightened and she addressed the Prime Leader, using his first name, “Vaxa’an, fancy seeing you here.”
Kirov shook his head, exhaling a breath, trying not to smile.
But Fates, regardless of the situation, she made him smile.
Vaxa’an’s lips pressed together for a brief moment, his eyes narrowing. “Female, are you unharmed?”
Kirov bristled at the implication.
So did Lani, it seemed.
Her mouth fell open and she hissed, “Yes. Of course. You think he would’ve hurt me? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”
“I just needed to be certain,” Vaxa’an asked, visibly relaxing, his eyes going briefly to Kirov. “And you…willingly went to Troxva with Ambassador Kirov?”
Kirov stiffened, opening his mouth, about to reveal another truth.
Lainey beat him to it, squeezing his hand hard. “Yes, I did.”
Kirov shot her a look, but all she did was give him another squeeze in warning.
“Of course, it was all very sudden,” she said, looking over at him before returning her gaze to Vaxa’an, “but what can I say? He’s a little spontaneous. I like that in a male. Sorry we didn’t let you know.”
Vaxa’an grunted, still eyeing both of them with suspicion. “He has explained what has happened between you?”
“About the Instinct and everything? About how I’m his mate and he wants me to have his babies?”
“Luxiva,” Kirov warned, torn between kissing her speechless or laughing.
Lani shot him an innocent look and turned back to Vaxa’an, “Yes, he explained it to me. So did your mate, come to think of it.”
“Kat told these things to you?” Vaxa’an asked slowly, frowning. “She knew you were Kirov’s mate?”
“No, no,” Lani said. “She might’ve suspected something at the end of my little inquisition, but she didn’t know.”
Vaxa’an frowned even harder.
“Look,” Lainey said, blowing out a breath. “I’m fine. I’m safe. Kirov did nothing wrong. At least not in my eyes.”
Vaxa’an looked at Kirov. Looked back at Lani.
“Tev, fine,” Vaxa’an said, his voice gruff. “I will not come retrieve you then, since it is obvious to me you wish to be there.”
“Yes, I do,” Lani said softly. “Will you do something for me?”
Vaxa’an’s brow furrowed. “Rebax?”
“Will you tell Crystal—the, um, female I was living with—that…” Lani cleared her throat. “Tell her I’m good. That I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye.”
Vaxa’an frowned but repeated, “You are good.”
“Yes.”
“Very well,” Vaxa’an said. “Though Kirov can patch you through to her with the Coms, you know.”
“Really?” Lani asked, looking at Kirov.
Kirov inclined his head. “I will later. You may tell her yourself.”
Lani smiled and nodded.
Vaxa’an switched to Luxirian and said to him, “Does she know about your sire?”
Kirov swallowed. “Nix.”
Vaxa’an studied him. Finally he said, “I will leave you now. I am sure you have much to prepare for the lunar celebration and you wish to spend time with your mate.”
Before he signed off, Kirov said, “Vaxa’an.”
His friend looked at him, his eyes harder than they’d been before that span.
Kirov exhaled. “You know I wish there was a different way without having to lie to you. But can you understand why I did it?”
Vaxa’an gaze went to Lani and he jerked his head in a nod. “Yes, I can.”
“I truly am sorry, my brother.”
“I know, Kirov.”
And with that, Vaxa’an severed the Com feed and the screen returned to the live stream of Troxva’s lake.
“Was he upset?” Lani asked him softly, turning to face him.
Kirov ran a hand over his horn. “Tev, but we will…move past it. Eventually,” he said, to try and reassure her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, reaching up to place her hands around the back of his neck. Her touch helped relax him, calm the turmoil in his chest. “I know he’s your friend.”
Kirov placed his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. They stayed like that for a little while, simply being with one another, not talking.
Eventually, Kirov pulled away.
“Luxiva,” Kirov said, his chest feeling heavy, for a myriad of reasons, “I have somewhere I need to go. I will not be long.”
“Now?” she asked, frowning. “But we just got here.”
“Tev,” he said. Soon, he would tell her about his sire, but not right then. “Would you like me to patch you a Com line to your friend before I leave?”
She was still frowning, but she said, “Okay.”
Kirov nodded, going over to the screen. He located the feed number for the dwelling in the Golden City and then connected the line.
Vixron’s face appeared and he scowled when he saw him, but wisely remained silent. It was not his place to berate an Ambassador.
“My luxiva wishes to speak with her friend,” Kirov said.
Vixron’s jaw ticked at the word luxiva, but he jerked his head in a nod, still not saying a
nything. He walked away, out of sight of the Com, but the blonde female returned in his place, her face filled with confusion.
Her eyes went wide when she saw him on the screen. Kirov stepped away, letting Lani approach.
The blonde gasped, “Lainey! Oh my God, I was so worried! Where are you?”
Kirov pressed a kiss to his luxiva’s forehead. She looked at him and he said, “I will be back soon.”
She nodded, biting her lip, a question in her eyes.
But Kirov ignored it for now, inclined his head to her, and walked out of the room, heading to the entrance.
“Crystal, I’m fine,” he heard Lani say. “I’m in a place called Troxva.”
That was all he heard and then he stepped out of his dwelling. The walls were sound-proof so once he closed the door, he heard nothing, just the sounds of the outpost, of the breeze.
He drew in a deep breath, enjoying the view, for a brief moment. Then he turned and walked down the terrace, to the second dwelling he’d built. It was a short walk, but it felt like eons by the time he reached it.
He placed his hand on the door and it recognized his touch. Sliding open, he was immediately hit with angry shouts and his shoulders tensed. He closed the doors quickly and stepped into the central hub.
“Ambassador Kirov,” one of the guards, Tiravi, said, inclining his head in greeting. Kirov had two guards on duty at all times. The other must be with his sire. “You have returned.”
“Tev,” Kirov said. “How is my sire?”
Tiravi looked towards the back room, where Kirov heard the shouting emanating from. “This span is…not a good span for him.”
Dread pooling in his belly, Kirov nodded and looked around. He had modeled this dwelling off his own, just to a smaller scale, since Kirov didn’t trust his sire to operate a lift to the second floor. The design was the same, with clear panels of windows showing the view of Troxva, letting an abundance of natural light in.
But his sire preferred the darkness of his sleeping quarters.
Kirov’s chest ached, looking around at the mess. Shattered pieces of a drinking vessel lay near the entrance of the central hub. Kirov had purchased it from one of Troxva’s marketplace vendors himself for his sire. Tunics and leg coverings were scattered about and Kirov picked them up, taking them to the sterilization room for cleaning, before he walked to the back room.
Lixron was just emerging, looking a little frazzled.
“Ambassador,” the elder healer said in surprise.
Kirov clasped his hand on the healer’s shoulder and said, “You know better than to use my title. You delivered me from my mother’s womb, after all.”
The aging healer’s eyes softened and he said, “Welcome home, Kirov. I was wondering when you would return.”
Kirov wanted to tell Lixron about his female, wanted to tell the male—who he highly respected—that he’d been gifted a fated mate. But right then was not the time.
“Tiravi said it is not a good span for him,” Kirov commented, looking past Lixron to see his sire, hunched in a chair, yelling nonsense at Pilava, the other guard, who was standing near the door.
“No, it is not,” Lixron replied, frowning. “Yesterday, he was better.”
Kirov nodded and slipped past Lixron to step into the room. He nodded at Pilava, his massive arms crossed over his chest, his expression carefully unreadable. He was used to the insults his sire hurled at him.
The smell of his sire hit him first and Kirov knew that he would need to bathe him before he left. Lixron and the guards did their best in Kirov’s absence, but his sire was stubborn. And Kirov had been the only one who could make him wash.
“Sire,” Kirov said softly, crouching in front of the chair he sat in. He only had a tunic on, a dirty one at that. He was naked from the waist down, his leg coverings crumpled in a heap at his feet.
Emotion burned in his throat and he reached out to clasp his sire’s face in his hands. Blue eyes, just like his own, stared back at him, but there was no recognition there.
Kirov saw them narrow with anger, with confusion, and his sire bellowed, lifting a fist to strike him before he could react.
His jaw stung with the impact but Kirov caught his fist before he tried it again.
“Stop,” he said, looking deep into his sire’s eyes, before placing his forehead against his. “Stop, Sire.”
For a moment, his sire seemed to know who he was and little by little, his sire calmed.
“Kirov,” he rasped out.
“Yes,” Kirov replied, feeling that heavy guilt weigh him down, for being gone so long.
His sire said something to him, but it was all nonsense and Kirov recognized none of the words he spoke.
“Come,” Kirov said. “Come. Let me get you cleaned up, yes?”
He helped his sire up from his chair, wrapping an arm around his waist.
To Pilava, he said, “Go rest for a while.” Lixron moved to help him, but Kirov shook his head. “You as well, Lixron.”
And with that, Kirov helped his father to the washroom.
Forgive me, luxiva, he thought silently. I may be longer than anticipated.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lainey discovered that the sunsets in Troxva were even more beautiful than the ones in the Golden City.
The suns sank low and spread glorious colors across the land, reflecting off the calm lake. She sat among the fire pit cushions, watching through the glass windows in awe. Behind her, on the clear glass panel screen, the lake showed the same colors, telling her that the feed was, in fact, live.
She only wished she could go outside to the terrace to watch, but when she’d tried to leave, the front door had been locked. Or at least, she didn’t know how to open it, no matter what she tried.
And while she knew that Kirov wouldn’t have locked her away on purpose, Lainey couldn’t help but feel…well, upset. Slightly abandoned. He’d left her there, just moments after reaching Troxva.
Not only that, but she hadn’t seen him once since he’d left earlier that morning. Not to mention the fact that she was starving. He didn’t have a kitchen, hence he didn’t have any food. And she’d looked. She hadn’t eaten since the previous night, at dinner with Crystal, and she’d only picked at her food since she’d been so worried that Kirov wouldn’t be coming back.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to stay calm about it. She didn’t want to get so upset about it that she just exploded the moment he walked back through the door.
But the other thing was that Lainey knew he was just at the next house over. The hovercraft was still parked out in front and she’d seen him walk in that direction when he’d left.
So, who lived there? And what was he doing?
By the time that the glass front door finally slid open to reveal Kirov, it was already dark outside and Lainey was pissed and hurt and not hiding it very well, despite her best efforts.
Once the door closed behind him, she approached him from the living room, frowning, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Where the hell have you been?” she demanded. Then she stopped short, eyeing him. Concern softened her voice. “Kirov?”
Suddenly, all her anger left her body in one rush, leaving her a little lightheaded.
Because Kirov looked…well, drained. He had stopped in the entryway and was running a hand down his face.
He watched as she approached and he shook his head, “Luxiva, I am so sorry. I did not realize the time…I…there is no excuse for it. Forgive me. Please.”
“Kirov,” Lainey said softly, reaching out for him.
She cupped the back of his neck, making him look at her. His eyes were tired, his hair looked like he’d been running his hands through it all day and he smelled…well, he smelled awful, a strange scent emanating from him.
But Lainey didn’t care. She got close to him, justified in her concern as she asked, “What happened? What’s wrong?”
Kirov inhaled a deep breath and sighed, leaning down so he could rest
his forehead on her shoulder. It was a long way for him to stoop, but Lainey wrapped her arms around him nonetheless.
“Tell me,” she whispered, wanting to make it better. She’d never seen him like this, not even remotely like this.
“I was with my sire,” he told her, pulling back.
“Your…” Lainey trailed off. He’d been with his father this whole time? “Your sire. He’s the one that lives right next door?”
Kirov nodded and Lainey’s brow furrowed, confused.
There was obviously a lot that he wasn’t telling her and when she opened up her mouth to ask another question, he said, “Please, luxiva. I do not wish to speak of this. Not right now.”
Lainey could see that he was emotionally drained and while she had a mountain of questions in her head, she nodded. Even though she was still slightly hurt that he didn’t want to confide in her, she knew it wasn’t the time to bring it up.
“Okay,” she whispered. “What do you need?”
He looked at her. “Come bathe with me, tev?”
“Okay.”
Kirov led her to the washroom on the bottom level. He kept the lights off, since the light from the almost full moon was enough, flowing in through the huge windows. Through the darkness, Lainey could see the steam rising from the top of the bathing pool, curling up towards what looked like a vent in the ceiling.
It was quiet, since neither of them spoke. Kirov’s fingers came to the clasps on her dress and he unhooked each one before pushing the material down her body. Despite the warmth in the room, she shivered, especially when his eyes roamed over her.
“I will send your measurements to a seamstress in the morning,” he said suddenly. “For more coverings.”
Lainey blinked. That was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She only wanted to make sure that Kirov was okay.
Kirov made quick work of his clothes until he was just as nude. Lainey swallowed, seeing the moonlight reflect off his magnificent, sculpted body. She would never get used to how…beautiful he was. She would never get tired of looking at him.
Tall and broad, with a taut abdomen, and muscular thighs the size of tree trunks, he was every bit a warrior. One day, she would make him tell her the story of every silver scar that crossed his flesh, because she wanted to know everything about him.
