by Leslie Chase
"Then why is there a bed?" My cheeks heated again as I looked in its direction and I saw his skin darken too. A low growl escaped him, hungry and powerful, and I could feel his temptation. The temptation to throw me onto the bed and have his way with me.
Which I'd have enthusiastically cooperated with. God, I wanted him.
"It gives me somewhere to stay when I'm up here," he explained instead. "And as Protector I am sometimes called to spend time away from my palace. It is best to take a small home with me wherever I go."
Palace? I wondered again how accurate the translator was being. It made Corvax sound like he was a king or something. Was that true, or was the translator messing up? Or was he bragging to make himself sound more impressive? I didn't believe that last. There was something too sincere about him to think that he'd be making idle boasts.
If he said he lived in a palace, then I believed him. I'd see in a few hours anyway.
I tried to fasten the seat belts, but whatever mechanism they used remained mysterious. Corvax grunted something and stepped closer, leaning over me and taking the straps from my hands. The touch of his fingers made me gasp and I tried to hide just how much of an effect he was having on me. A spark in his eyes told me I wasn't succeeding.
With careful precision he fastened the straps and tightened them around me, and as he made sure I was safely secured his eyes stayed fixed on mine. There was a tension there, despite his words, and when he was done he didn't move away. His hands rested on the arms of my chair, and we were only inches apart. So close I could almost taste him.
His chest rose and fell, and I heard my heart pounding as we looked at each other. For a moment I thought he was going to lean in and take the kiss we both ached for. But no. He'd made up his mind, it seemed, and with a frustrated noise and a word my earpiece didn't translate he stood and marched back to his own chair.
Before he'd even sat down, the pod moved. Accelerating sharply, it followed the rails out of the station and turned downward towards the planet below. I gasped as the movement threw Corvax in the air, but he was clearly ready for it. Grabbing hold of the chair, he strapped himself in with a casual ease that was more impressive for the fact that he didn't seem to be trying to show off.
Out of the window I saw the planet thousands of miles below, and other pods on the tracks parallel to ours racing down the skystalk. It was an amazing sight, I had to admit, and it stunned me into silence as we rode down the gravity well towards the blue ball that might be my home.
If I could convince Corvax to let me stay.
The journey took hours, and quickly became frustrating. The awe-inspiring view was enough to keep me silent and focused on the window for a while, but there was only the slowly growing planet to watch. It didn't make for riveting viewing no matter how impressive the engineering of the space elevator was.
Corvax made some calls as we went, speaking quickly and quietly enough that the translator couldn't keep up. I could make out a few words, and my own name came up a few times. So did the words 'Celestial Mates' and I realized that he was trying to make arrangements to ship me home. Or back to Earth, anyway. I wasn't sure I should call that home anymore.
"Xiaf," he said as the last call ended. That was loud and clear, but the translator still stayed silent. It didn't matter; I knew a swearword when I heard it.
"What's wrong?" I asked, though I had a good idea what it was going to be.
"The next ship headed back to Earth won't be here for eighty-seven days," he said, voice tight as though he were struggling for control. I swallowed. That gave me three months to convince him to keep me, or to decide I wanted to go back.
Three months to crack his self-control if that's what it took. Which was ridiculous. He wanted me, I could see that. That didn't make his instant rejection of me any easier to handle; if anything, it made it more frustrating.
"Why don't you give me a chance before you make up your mind?" I asked. He shook his head.
"You are tired, frightened, and alone," he said. "Tomorrow is soon enough to discuss the future."
"What's wrong with now?" I demanded, wishing I could storm up to him, to confront him close up. Then he could sweep me off my feet and onto that oh-so-tempting bed behind me, press me down into the mattress, pin me with his weight as we kissed.
Dammit, stop thinking about sex, I told my brain. It had other ideas though, imagining different positions and techniques and wondering just what his bulge would look like freed from those deliciously tight pants.
It really had been too long.
Corvax's hungry growl told me that his thoughts weren't that far off mine, but he shook his head and looked out of the window at the world below. The pod shuddered under us, making me glad of the seat's restraints.
"If we talk now, there's nowhere for either of us to retreat to," he said, voice hoarse and rough. The translator, I had to admit, was excellent at getting across tone. "We're stuck here until we reach the surface, and this journey is awkward enough already. No, it can wait until we're on the surface where we can get away from each other if we must."
Getting away from him was the opposite of what I wanted, but I had to admit that he had a point. If this turned into a fight, and it might, I'd rather not be stuck staring at him for however many hours it took to reach his home. Most awkward drive ever. Damn it, he was right. Especially since even if it went well, we were stuck in these seats and wouldn't be able to do anything about it until we got off.
Okay, but we don't just have to sit here in silence.
"In that case, tell me about your home," I said. He looked at me dubiously. "Oh come on, if we don't talk about something I'll go mad with frustration. Please?"
"Very well," he answered. "Though I am not the best to speak about this. What do you wish to know?"
"Tell me about yourself," I suggested. "What does Protector mean, anyway?"
"It means that I lead my clan, the Rohar, and guard them against our enemies," he told me, pride creeping into his voice. "Our island is the base of this skystalk, on the equator of the planet, and I have to protect that asset. It is a great responsibility."
I whistled at that. He owns this space elevator? Or his family does? That must make him insanely wealthy. Some resentment crept back into my mind though. If that was true, then he was more responsible for the attack on me than I'd thought — why didn't he have more guards up there? For that matter, why had he let the station get into such disrepair?
Asking those questions seemed rude, but as it turned out I didn't have to. Corvax shook his head as though he could read my mind.
"The Rohar only control the base of the skystalk," he explained. "All the clans share the station at the top, but we control access to it. That's the source of our wealth and our weakness too."
A shadow passed over his eyes and I knew there was something he didn't want to talk about there. Something painful. I looked past him to the window again, frowning. Whatever was troubling him, I wanted to know it. But now wasn't the time or the place to press him for answers he didn't want to give, so reluctantly I changed the subject.
"Tell me more about your island," I said. "What am I going to see when I get down there?"
"The most beautiful island in all the settled worlds," he said, and it didn't sound like a boast. To him, it was simply the honest truth. I'd believe it when I saw it, but I gestured for him to continue. He hardly needed any urging, talking about the golden beaches and sunlit cliffs of his home with eager pride. He quickly lost me — a lot of the words he used meant nothing to me, and the translator was no help here. Perhaps English just didn't have an equivalent for them?
It hardly mattered. I could have listened to that deep, rough, sexy voice read the dictionary to me and enjoyed it. Letting myself get lost in the sound, I settled in to enjoy the rest of the ride.
As we approached the surface, the view outside the window darkened and reddened. My heart caught as I realized that we were hitting the Crosan atmosphere, and that gl
ow was the red heat of re-entry. My knuckles whitened on the arm of my chair.
It helped that Corvax didn't seem even slightly discomforted by the fire outside. And the inside of the capsule stayed a steady pleasant temperature despite the inferno on the other side of the glass. This is normal, I told myself. This has to be normal.
Then the fire cleared, and I could look out across the planet. And it took my breath away. Blue skies over blue seas, stretching out to a distant horizon broken only by faraway islands. It was like every vacation I'd not been able to afford on Earth.
The capsule slowed as it reached the bottom of the skystalk until it stopped with a barely noticeable thump. The restraints unlocked automatically and I jumped up, not waiting for Corvax.
Where the station in orbit had been a disappointment, this was anything but. Birds sang unfamiliar songs in the distance as I stepped out into the tropical heat of an alien world.
The skystalk rose above me, unbelievably huge. The pod had stopped at some kind of private dock, a stone path leading through strange purple-leaved trees to... was that a castle?
I had no other word for the massive building. Strong red stone walls rose up to battlements, and towers reached for the sky. It looked like something out of a fairytale, or from a fantasy show on tv. Perching on the edge of a cliff, the castle looked out over a bay, dominating the surrounding area.
Behind me Corvax chuckled, making me realize that I'd been staring. I shut my mouth with a snap and stepped forward down the path, looking around at the carefully-kept trees. There was so much to see here, and I didn't want to miss a thing.
6
Corvax
Watching Gemma's reaction to my homeworld was an amusing distraction. She stared around, wide-eyed, as though she'd never seen anything like the palace gardens. To be fair, of course, she wouldn't have seen any of these plants before. Whatever she was used to on her home, it would be quite different from this.
If I were on her 'Earth' she'd be amused by me gawking at the plant life, I told myself, following her down the path.
At the castle gates, the welcoming party waited. The sight of them took all the pleasure out of the day, and I felt my smile fade. The Elders had gathered despite my instruction to leave us be when we arrived. I should have known better than to expect them to listen to me, but I'd been foolish enough to hope.
"Welcome back, Protector," the Eldest said, stepping forward with a broad, smug smile. "I see that you have met your mate. Welcome, Gemma Wexler—"
"She is not my mate," I snarled, interrupting him. "I was quite clear, Eldest. She's a guest of the clan, and she'll stay here until the Jester's Last Laugh arrives to take her back to her home."
He looked at me, his disappointment showing. "Corvax, please—"
Again I broke in. "Eldest, you had no right to drag her here—"
"We had every right," he retorted, raising his voice to match mine. "The future of the clan is ours to safeguard."
"And the safety of the clan is mine," I countered. We both stepped forward, glaring at one another and shouting. "Who I mate with is my business, not yours. I will not be dictated to."
"You're being ridiculous—"
A wordless shout cut through our argument, and we both turned, shocked that anyone would dare to interrupt. Gemma stood, red-faced and hands braced on her hips, glaring at the two of us. She looked caught between anger, fear, and amusement.
"Stop shouting," she said. "I've been here for less than a day and I've been attacked, nearly kidnapped, told I'm not welcome, and now you're shouting at each other over me! And the translator can't keep up with you, and I don't know what to do and..."
She trailed off as though realizing that she'd made herself the center of attention. Muttering something that the translator ignored, she took a step back and dropped her hands to her sides. The Eldest and I exchanged looks and he coughed, embarrassed.
"Yes, well," he said, raising a hand as though to comfort her and then dropping it. He looked back at me, and then nodded decisively. "I am sorry. That was an unworthy welcome for you, Gemma Wexler of Earth. You are an honored guest."
"I apologize too," I told her, bowing low. That only seemed to embarrass her more. "The Eldest and I have much to discuss, but there's no need for you to be caught in the middle."
Gemma looked relieved, recapturing some of the look of wonder that she'd had in the garden earlier. I could see that she was being overwhelmed by new experiences, and I could sympathize with that. Arriving on a new world, meeting aliens for the first time, being attacked... it would be a lot for anyone to take in.
I shall have to treat her carefully. Make sure she has time to adjust and calm down.
"Leave us," I told the Council firmly. "There is much to discuss but it can wait. Our new guest is here at your invitation, and you are making her uncomfortable."
The Elders exchanged glances, then nodded unhappily. They could see Gemma's distress as well as I could, and none of them were so unkind that they wanted to cause a guest harm. All but the Eldest started to withdraw slowly.
"Before I go, there is a separate message I must convey," the Eldest said, glancing at Gemma. I motioned for him to get on with it, and he sighed.
"The Perhar embassy has arrived to discuss trade terms," he said, distaste showing. "Their Protector sent Alishan to negotiate with you."
That was awkward timing. But there was nothing for it — our clans' rivalry didn't stop us from needing each other. And I could hardly be disrespectful to the Perhar Protector's sister. I sighed, promising myself I'd make time to see the Perhar as soon as possible.
"Tell her I will see her as soon as I have recovered from my trip," I said. The Eldest nodded and withdrew quietly, leaving me alone with Gemma once again.
"What's that about? Who were those guys? What's a Perhar?" the questions burst forth as soon as we were on our own and I couldn't keep myself from laughing. Gemma scowled.
"You'd have as many questions if you were on Earth," she said.
"Probably," I admitted. "And you'd laugh if I asked them all at once, too."
An unwilling smile broke her scowl and she nodded, acknowledging my point. "Okay, that's fair. I still want answers, though."
I nodded, indicating that she should follow me as I talked. Taking the back stairs I led her upward, going slowly. She looked around as we climbed, taking in the surroundings with wide eyes, and I didn't want to rob her of the chance to see anything.
"My clan is in negotiation with our rivals, the Perhar," I explained. "We have access to the spaceport, they produce a lot of food. Between us we can make a lot of money, but there are complications."
Throwing open a door, I led Gemma out onto the battlements. From here the crumbled ruins of the fertile land to the South were visible, and I pointed them out. Nothing more than tumbled rocks in the sea, now.
"An earthquake destroyed our farmland," I said. "That used to be fields, but when the seawall collapsed, the waves rushed in and took everything. Now we need to buy food to replace the lost production and hire laborers to reclaim the land so that we won't be dependent on imports forever. But..."
"But the Perhar figure this is their chance to gouge you for all they can," Gemma said. I nodded, glad that she grasped the situation quickly.
"Indeed. They want control of the skystalk and aren't picky about how they get it." Looking down at the ruins was depressing. I'd never be able to forget that day, the chaos and confusion and death that the quake had brought. And the raids that had followed, while our guards were too busy dealing with rescue operations to man the defenses. Too many lives had been lost, including those closest to me.
Turning away, I pushed down the memories. This wasn't the time for them. Leading Gemma along the battlements, I continued. "If they get their wish, all of Crosos will be in their control. Between our skystalk and their food production, our two clans would have the ability to squeeze everyone else into submission. That's why their Protector has sent his sis
ter to negotiate — I'm supposed to take her as my mate and unite us."
"Oh." The note of pain in Gemma's voice made me turn back to see her looking up at me, eyes narrowing. "That's why you don't want me? Because of her?"
"No!" The hot emotion of my denial surprised me. Why do I care if that hurts her? She's not going to be here long. But I did care, and that confused and angered me. Fighting to regain my calm, I tried to explain. "No, Gemma, that's not it at all. Alishan Perhar is the last female I'd choose to share my life with, and if I were foolish enough to accept her offer I wouldn't expect to live long. She and her brother are a well-matched pair, cunning and dangerous."
Gemma's lips twitched in a little smile at that. "So, you're saying I'm not bottom of the list? That's something, I guess."
I chuckled at that, but it hurt a little too. Of course you aren't, I wanted to say. This is for your own good, and for the safety of my clan. If it was safe to choose her—
But it wasn't. It couldn't be, so there was no point thinking about it. Gemma didn't deserve the danger or the pain that I would bring into her life. Perhaps I could convince her of that, and soothe her hurt feelings.
"These are the defenses," I said. Gemma frowned at the abrupt change of topic but went along with it, looking at the phase cannon I indicated. It pointed out to sea, ready and alert for trouble. "And down there is what we defend. The port."
I pointed, and Gemma had to lean over the battlements to look down. Seeing the port far below us, she gasped. I didn't blame her, it was an impressive sight, and somewhat incongruous with the rest of the island.
"Ships come from all across Crosos," I said, a little pride showing in my voice. "Every clan that wants to trade with aliens comes through here, shipping their goods up and down the skystalk. More wealth passes through that port than any other single place on the planet."
"The ships are so big," she said, her voice full of wonder. Peering closer, she frowned. "Are they... armored? They look tough."
