by Susan Hayes
“This tastes incredible. What did you say this fruit was called again?”
“There are raspberries and blueberries in there. Don’t tell me you’ve never had raspberries before? Where are you from that you don’t have berries and biscotti?”
“I’m new here. In fact, I’ve only been in town a short time. I’m still getting used to all the differences.”
“Moving is always hard. It takes some time to settle in, but before you know it, you’ll feel like you’ve been here your whole life. Trust me, I’ve moved around enough to know.” There was an ugly stretch of time between the time her dad died and when the system declared her mother unfit. They moved around constantly while her mom spiraled deeper and deeper into her booze-soaked depression.
“This is the farthest I’ve ever been from home.”
There was a hint of longing in his voice. Wherever home was, he must have someone there that he cared about. “So, you signed up with this dating site to meet new people in your new city?” Something that felt alarmingly like jealousy sank its needle-sharp claws into her heart. She didn’t want him to meet anyone else. She wanted to keep him all to herself. Her brain slammed to a screeching halt that sent her thoughts derailed in a tangled mess. Jealous? What the hell? She’d known Joran less than ten minutes. They hadn’t been out on a single date. How could she be possessive about a man she barely knew?
“My mother talked me into it. She hates the idea of me spending my life alone. Having met you, I think I might need to thank her for the suggestion.”
She looked up to find him staring at her in open admiration, and for a second she could have sworn his eyes gleamed gold. “Maybe wait until after we’ve been out before you call and thank her for anything.”
That sexy mouth of his quirked up into a grin that made her heart do a backflip. “See? That didn’t take you long to agree. You’re feeling this, too.”
“That wasn’t— I mean, it was, but I hadn’t meant to— And now I’m babbling again. Okay, we’ll go out. But I need to go home and clean up, first.”
“Of course. This is all very spontaneous for both of us. We’ll have to figure things out as we go.” He took a sip of his coffee, but his gaze never wavered. He watched her with an intensity that should be disturbing but wasn’t. For some reason, she liked being the focus of his attention.
“I’m not good with spontaneous. I usually like to have things planned out.” She wiped down the last of the equipment and went over to the cash register. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Enjoy your coffee.”
She took the money from the till and carried it to the back. Her boss liked to balance the books and cash out the day’s earnings herself, so all Maggie had to do was set everything in the safe and lock it up for the night.
She pulled out her phone and sent a hurried text to Lisa and Gwen letting them know she had a date and would explain later. Then she looked up Joran’s profile again. If she was going out with the man, it would help a little if she had some idea where he was from and what he did for a living.
There wasn’t a whole lot to go on. He’d listed Vancouver as his current address, and his profession was listed as Vice-President of Project Development with a salary of— she nearly dropped her phone in shock. He made more in a month than she did in a year. This had to be some sort of elaborate hoax or scam. Either that, or Joran was the real thing.
Did this mean dragons were real, too?
3
Joran checked his other communication device while Maggie was out of the room. As he expected, he had several messages from his guards, and one from Kash Denza, the commander of the Firebrand, the ship that had brought them here. Commander Denza was threatening to come down in person if Joran didn’t check in soon.
He grinned. Kash had been Joran’s commanding officer during his mandatory stint in the Pyrosian military. He was one of the few people who dared to bark orders at the Crown Prince.
It was too risky to use verbal communication, so Joran tapped out a message in military shorthand. “Located target. Verified compatibility. Will initiate extraction when possible.”
The message would probably send Kash into orbit. His job was to ensure that Joran was safe and that both Joran and Vadir’s retrieval missions went smoothly. In the beginning, a member of the planning committee had suggested luring the females to a meeting place and abducting them without the males they were destined for even being present. It would mean far less risk to the males, but he and his mother had quickly put an end to that idea. These females might not be the same species, but they would still be treated with respect and integrity. If this plan was going to work, it would be because each female chose to go with her match.
He put away his communicator and settled in to enjoy his coffee and muffin. It was a shame that Earth was generations away from being ready to join the other intelligent species in the galaxy. They had an abundance of resources and unique foodstuffs that would have been welcomed on the interstellar market. Vadir ran an interstellar trading business. He would be sorely tempted by all the untapped trade potential here.
There were still a few bites of his snack remaining when Maggie reappeared, and he forgot about the food, markets, and his fellow Pyrosians. She’d undone the braid that held her hair back and it fell around her shoulders in fiery red waves. He wanted to tangle the weight of it in his fingers and use it to pull her in close enough he could finally have her in his arms.
He’d had his share of women in his life. His wealth and power attracted them even when they knew they could never be his queen. He’d enjoyed their company, and the pleasure they’d shared, but he had never craved them the way he did Maggie.
“I need to pop your stuff in the dishwasher, then we can go.”
“Allow me.” He rose from his seat and picked up his dishes.
“Customers aren’t supposed to be in the back area.”
“This establishment is closed, correct? As such, I can’t be a customer. Besides, I think you’ve worked hard enough today. I don’t want to start our evening off by having you wait on me.”
Surprised flared in her green eyes, and it made him wonder how many people in her life had treated her like a servant before she stopped expecting anything else.
With nothing more than a nod, she gestured for him to follow her past the counter and into the preparation area. Once the dishes were dealt with, he followed her back out again. He jammed his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for her until they were outside. The moment she locked the door, he took her hand in his and asked, “So, which way do we go?”
“My friends and I have a little place not far from here.” She pointed down the street, then gave an experimental tug on her hand. He didn’t let go, and she frowned slightly but didn’t pull away again.
“Friends? You share a place?” The file he had on her stated she lived alone.
“In this city? Unless you’re rich, you pretty much have to have someone to share expenses with if you want to be able to afford the necessities of life, like food and clothing. We’re not really roommates, though. More like neighbours. The house we have is split into three separate living areas.”
“So you have your friends close, but still have your privacy.” It wasn’t that different from the way he lived back on Pyros. The royal family all lived in the palace, but he had his own suite of rooms. It concerned him that she had close friends, though. The objective was to select females who had no family or ties to this planet. That was part of the filtering process. At least, it was supposed to be.
She gave him an odd look, then started walking. “Exactly. I didn’t expect someone like you to understand that.”
“Someone like me?” He wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but he didn’t feel like it was any kind of compliment.
“I read your profile. You’re rich. And you have a job that ensures everyone around you has to do as you say. Your life is very different from mine.”
He stopped walking, perplexed by her re
sponse. Most females he’d met liked him because of who he was, and what he could provide them with. “I’m rich, yes. Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?”
Shadows darkened her eyes, the effect enhanced by the fact the sun vanished behind a fast moving band of dark clouds at the same moment.
“We’re going to get caught in that rain squall if we don’t move it.” She said.
“Not until you answer my question.”
She glowered at him and yanked her hand out of grasp. “My parents had money. Then my dad died, and that all went away. Being rich didn’t protect us. People like you all share that same belief that somehow your money and influence will protect you. You live in your glass towers and look down on the rest of us, but the truth is you’re as vulnerable to rocks as everyone else.”
“Are rocks a common problem on this planet? Is there a threat from asteroids?” He didn’t mean to say any of that out loud, but her declaration had him confused and irritated.
“It’s an expression. You know, people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. And what do you mean, on this planet? What other planets are there?”
“I’m not familiar with that expression. And I don’t like being judged by the actions of others. If you’re going to condemn me, let it be for the things I’ve said and done, not anyone else.” Fire streaked through him as he reached for her and caught her hands in his. He hauled her in close, beyond caring about protocols, plans, or risks.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded as he locked one arm around her and speared his fingers into her hair with his other hand.
“What I’ve wanted to do since the first time we touched.” He dropped his head and kissed her. Once their mouths met, there was no turning back for him. The Scorching roared to full strength and burned away every other thought in his head. This was his mate, and he needed to claim her.
Her lips were sweeter than the confection she’d offered him, the scent and taste of her more delicious than anything he’d ever experienced. Her very essence was being imprinted on his senses, locking them together for the rest of their lives. When this day was done, she would be the only female he would ever desire. She would complete him in every way. This was the moment that would start their new life together, and she wasn’t even aware of it, yet. He needed to tell her.
Joran lifted his head to explain, but he didn’t get a single word uttered before Maggie slapped him hard enough to make him see sparks.
“Let go of me! Now, or I swear I’ll smack you again.”
She’d hit him. This fierce little human that barely came to his shoulder had actually struck him, the prince of Pyros. He released her and grinned, ignoring the lingering sting where she’d connected. “No one has ever dared to do that before, but if that is the price for kissing you, lovely human, then by all means, strike me again.”
Maggie took several scrambling steps backwards and then glared at him again. “Buddy, I don’t know where you’re from, but around here, kissing any woman without her permission is going to get you slapped. If this is the way you’re going to behave, then our date is off.”
She was canceling their date? No! She couldn’t refuse him. Not now. “You’re mine, Maggie O’Hara. You can’t walk away from me.”
“Like hell I can’t!” She spun on her heel and marched away from him, head high.
She’d only gone a few paces before the rain started. It went from a shower to a pelting torrent in a matter of seconds, and the cool water helped him regain his wits, at least for a few minutes. It wouldn’t be long before the mating drive overwhelmed him again. He needed to catch up to his runaway mate and explain matters, and there was only one place he could make sure she stayed long enough to hear him out: his shuttle.
He took off after her, his fingers already coding in the emergency extraction command into the teleporter he wore on his wrist. It was only good for short distances and it wasn’t the most comfortable form of travel, but it was the only option he had.
She should have known Joran was too good to be true. He might look like sex on a stick, but he had a screw or two loose. He’d called her a lovely human and asked about this planet. Like he’d come from another one. And who did he think he was, telling her she belonged to him? She was a grown woman, not a possession.
Tears of anger stung her eyes and blended with the rainwater already on her cheeks. She had actually been stupid enough to think that maybe this was going to be something incredible. That the dating service had actually paired her with someone she could fall for. There was something about him. And that kiss…
She shook her head as if that would somehow clear her head and muttered, “He’s not worth crying over.”
“You’re crying?” A hand landed on her shoulder, the grip gentle but still firm enough to make her stop.
“Yes. No. It’s just the rain. Why are you following me, Joran? I thought I made it clear we’re done.” She turned around to face him and nearly swayed into his arms when a sudden bout of dizziness hit her.
“I’ve made a flaming mess of this. I’m sorry.” He reached up to stroke his thumb across her wet cheek. “I promise, I’ll make this up to you.”
“You’re not going to get a chance to. I’m going home, and you’re not coming with me.”
He sighed and shook his head, sending fresh trickles of rainwater down his face. “We’re going home together.”
Before she could react, he slipped his hand from her cheek to the back of her head as he closed the last step that separated them. There was a high pitched squeal that drove itself deep into her bones and then absolute silence. Like a thunderclap of nothingness. She couldn’t feel her own body. God, she couldn’t sense anything at all. No sound. No light. Joran was gone, too. She was alone in some endless void.
Time passed, but she couldn’t tell how much. A second? An hour? Then suddenly, the world came rushing back. Light, noise, touch, even the sound of her heartbeat hit with the force of a tidal wave. A scream tore from her throat, a blend of terror and relief as her body caught up with her senses.
“It’s okay, Maggie. It’s over. You can add that to the list of things I’m going to have to make up to you in the years to come.”
Joran’s comment cut through her disorientation like a laser. “What the hell did you do to me and what do you mean, the years to come? We’re not spending years together, you asshole. We’re not spending two more minutes together. Let me go!”
She started to fight, only to stumble backwards when he did as she asked and let go. Still shaky from whatever the hell he’d done to her, she did an ungainly scramble, regained her balance and turned her back on him. She was going home. Her foot froze in mid-step as she finally took in her surroundings. They weren’t on the street anymore. Hell, they weren’t even outside.
Smooth walls painted pale cream. Tiled floors that glowed faintly gold and orange. A panel, lit with scrolls and squiggles she didn’t recognize. No door. No windows. Panic bloomed in her chest, gripping her heart and squeezing her lungs until she could barely breathe.
“Where? How?” she croaked her questions.
“We’re onboard my ship. I brought us here so I could explain everything to you.” Joran reappeared at her side, his left arm held out to show her something that looked like a bulky watch strapped to his wrist. “It’s a teleporter.”
“You teleported us here? As in, blip, poof, presto, we’re somewhere else now? Wait, did you say ship?” She didn’t want to believe him, but it was hard to argue with the evidence. She was still soaked to the skin from the rainstorm, and the water was starting to pool on the strange, glowing floor. They were definitely not outside anymore.
“I don’t understand everything you said, but yes. We’re on my shuttle, several miles away from where we were before.”
She folded her arms across her chest, as much to hide their shaking as to express her anger. “Take me back.”
“I can’t do that. Not yet.” Joran gave her a l
ook of frustration and regret. “Once I’ve explained, you’ll probably still be angry at me, but at least you’ll understand.”
“You bet I’m angry at you! You kidnapped me.”
“I claimed my mate,” he retorted, his eyes flashing gold again. This time they stayed that colour long enough she knew it wasn’t a trick of the light. What the hell had she gotten herself into?
“I’m not your anything. I’m sure as hell not your mate.” She spat out the last word with all the venom she could muster, but even as she said it, something inside of her clamored in denial.
Instead of arguing he held out his hand. “Come with me.”
Yes. Go with him. That traitorous little voice inside her heart spoke again, louder this time. “No. Not until you explain.”
“Maggie, please. I need to show you that I’m telling you the truth. There’s nothing in this airlock that I can use to convince you, so we need to go to another part of the ship.”
If he let her out of here, maybe she’d be able to figure out how the doors worked. She was going to need that information to escape. Not that she believed she was on a ship. This was all some elaborate ruse. It had to be. “Fine. You lead. I’ll follow. No touching.”
“If that is your wish, my seska.” Joran gave her a small smile and moved towards the panel on the wall. He waved his hand near a small, red light, and part of the wall vanished, forming a doorway.
“What’s a seska?” she asked as she followed him through the doorway.
He chuckled, and somehow the bastard made it sound sexy. “If I tell you, you’re going to be angrier than you already are. Ask me again once I’ve explained things.”
“Do you really think explaining why you abducted me is going to help calm me down?”
“Probably not, but I still owe you that much. Hurry, we don’t have a lot of time left.”
“Before the police come looking for me?”
He glanced back at her. “No, seska. Before the Scorching hits us both so hard, we’ll be beyond words.”
