"I need to see your I.D."
"Barry, it's okay. I got this one." An even larger man with deep brown eyes walked up and clapped the first man on the shoulder.
Affina breathed in deep and caught his scent. Her spine snapped straight. An Auroran.
Barry looked at Affina and then disappeared.
The Auroran held out his hand. "I'm Stix."
Affina stared at his hand before taking it. "Affina."
He sniffed her and his eyes widened. "You've come from the homeworld recently."
She nodded. "Yesterday."
Stix looked around. "Where is your clan or escort?"
She shrugged.
His expression sobered. "Come in off the street. I'm sure you're completely overwhelmed."
"I'm starving."
Stix whistled and another large male took his place at the door.
She followed him across the dance floor to a private booth in the corner. Affina sat facing him. His striking features, wide high cheekbones, deep skin tone and plump lips all but told her his clan without her having to ask.
"If you just got here," he said. "What are you doing out alone? The city can be confusing even for those of us who've been here for years."
"I... do not want to be coddled. I'm used to doing for myself."
He nodded. "You're of the lion clan?"
"Saber."
His eyes widened. "Saber?" He looked her up and down. "I've never actually seen one before. Your clans tend to keep to themselves."
"We did." She swallowed hard. "Now I wonder if that was wise. Maybe if we'd allied with the other clans there wouldn't only be two of us left."
"Two?" He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I'm so sorry. What happened?"
Affina looked down at his hand, large enough to cover hers completely. "Can I get some water?"
He gave her a crooked grin. "Of course. I'll be right back." Stix got up from the table and crossed to the bar. Affina scanned the dance floor. The people had slowed to a more intimate rhythm and she wondered how many of the couples would go off and have sex afterward.
Stix returned with water and a bowl of small flat food and red sauce.
"I know this isn't what you're used to," he said. "But it will get you started. I ordered you some tacos."
She picked up one of the small triangles. "What is this?"
"It's a corn chip. You dip it in the salsa." He picked one up and scooped the salsa onto it and then popped it in his mouth.
Affina did the same. She crunched down on the chip and it broke apart in her mouth. Heat rose from her tongue and she choked. It burned up the roof of her mouth and through her nose. She coughed and grabbed the water. She chugged it down in large gulps.
"Are you okay?" Stix asked.
She nodded. "Hot."
He chuckled. "Yeah. It's a little spicy I guess but I got the mild."
She sucked air into her lungs and laughed. The taste was explosive, but good.
"I like it."
Stix smiled and ate another chip.
The music stopped as the band took a break.
"What kind of music is that?" she asked.
"It's called Mariachi. It's from a different country south of America."
She nodded and dipped another chip in the salsa.
"So you're a saber. Are you staying with the lions?"
She shook her head. "No. Gerri Wilder set me up to stay with the other saber here."
He watched her for a moment. "I take it you don't like him."
Her chest squeezed. She dipped another chip. "We were close once, or so I thought. But... he's different now."
Stix nodded. "It happens. When I came everything was so..."
"Much more?"
"Exactly. The excess here. The food, money, lights, entertainment. All of it is just so much bigger, brighter, louder. It's easy to get caught up in it. Especially if you're on your own."
"How long have you been here?" she asked.
"I came with my parents when I was ten. So almost twenty years."
"Back home your friends would still be twelve."
He nodded. "It's weird to think of that."
Two large platters filled with various colors arrived on their table.
"If you aren't that hungry you can take what you don't finish home with you," he said.
She looked up at him. "Not finish? I was going to ask if I could get a second platter."
Stix laughed and shook his head. "Man I miss seeing women really eat."
"Is that why the humans are so small? Do they not eat?"
"Pretty much." Stix picked up a taco and took a large bite.
Affina followed suit. The flavors burst in her mouth.
"These are really good."
Stix nodded. "Thanks. I try hard to make sure our food is authentic."
"You own this establishment?"
Stix nodded. "Took over for my parents about five years ago so they could go to their forest home. We have four bar and grills across the city."
Her saber paced thinking of the forest. "A forest home? Sounds nice."
"I visit on the weekends when I can. You would be welcome any time if you need to escape the city and run. Or just get some peace and quiet."
Affina smiled. "I'd like that."
Stix returned her smile. "Of course we'd need to make sure your host was okay with it. I wouldn't want to start a clan war between the ursas and the sabers."
"I am Princess Affina Tigra of the Saber Mountain Clan. My host has no say over what I do."
Stix nodded. "Of course. But here on Earth it's common courtesy to ask."
The ways of Earth really were different. Back on Aurora her father was the only one she answered to. Now that he was gone, she answered only to herself. But Stix was right and she didn't want him to get in trouble with his clan.
"All right," she said finally. "You may talk to Razor, but in the end it is my decision, not his."
Stix chuckled. "I believe you."
CHAPTER EIGHT
Raze loosened his tie as he entered the elevator. All through his meeting and even after, while standing at the corner and hailing Marissa a cab he'd wanted to go home with her and release his tension between her legs, but his body- and saber- had other ideas. He was like a man used to eating hamburgers but his body had suddenly decided he no longer liked them. His brain told him that having sex would relieve his tension, but every other part of him felt physically ill at the thought of being with anyone other than Affina.
His anxiety over having left Affina alone, and the whining of his saber, had made him cancel his other meetings and head straight back to his apartment.
Not once had Marissa's advances, or flirtations, or the look in her eyes produced even a tremor of desire in him. That hadn't happened once since he'd been on Earth. He'd taken up to three women in a day before. But now his saber slumbered when in the presence of any woman except Affina. Unless he was grumbling, growling or snarling.
He sighed. Affina. He needed to apologize to her. To explain. But how could she ever understand what it felt like to be a slave when she never had been? She'd called him servant. A member of the clan. But she had been the only person to ever treat him as such. As her father had given him money and shoved him through the portal he'd been shouting commands at Raze. Never asking. Never once showing concern for his well being. He'd made his demands clear and what was expected of him and he'd shoved him through a vortex to a new planet. Confused, afraid, and alone.
He walked to the living room and threw his tie on the couch with his coat jacket. He ran his hands over his face and looked toward the guest bedroom. His saber sat up and looked toward the room as well. Dick.
Affina had been the reason he'd persevered all those years. The thought of her joining him on earth had been his one and only motivating factor. Until the thoughts of her threatened to consume him and he'd forced himself to move on.
Together he and his saber waited for any sound to come from that si
de of the apartment, but none did. A twitch of anxiety twisted Raze's gut and his saber growled.
He walked toward the guest room perking up his hearing. Not even a heartbeat came from within. His steps quickened and he knocked on the door.
"Affina?"
No answer.
He pushed the door open. "Affina?"
Again no answer. Raze swallowed hard and his saber leapt to its feet and paced back and forth.
"Affina!" Raze called.
He ran to his room and sniffed the air. She'd been in his room. He skimmed it and his eyes went to his open closet door. He walked to it and scanned the clothes. His shirts had been pushed aside. His gaze fell on his old leather slave jerkin and he swallowed hard. Turning from his closet he noticed the open nightstand drawer. His gut clenched.
He rushed to it and ripped it open. His money clip lay on top of his bottles of flavored lube and boxes of condoms, He thumbed through it. A couple thousand dollars were missing.
He slammed the drawer and lifted his phone.
"Hello Mr. Edge. How may I be of service?" asked a female.
"I had a guest with me. Tall, brunette, beautiful. Did you see her go out?"
"Yes, sir. She was looking for food. I gave her my purse to put her money in."
Raze covered the receiver and swore. He took a deep breath. "Do you know where she went?"
"Sorry, sir. I asked if she wanted a car but she didn't. I gave her my card though in case she needed anything."
Dammit! Raze banged the phone receiver on his forehead and then hung up. He paced his bedroom. She could be anywhere. With anyone. She'd been more than capable of taking care of herself back on Aurora but she was in New York City now. How the hell could she be so stubborn? Didn't she realize how dangerous New York was?
His saber growled deep inside.
"Shut up," Raze said. "This isn't my fault."
His saber disagreed.
Raze sat on his couch a glass of scotch in his hand and the bottle half empty on the table. His phone rang and he raced to the kitchen and lifted it.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Edge this is Brittany from the front desk. Your guest is back but she doesn't have a key-"
"Give her one."
"Will do. Thank you."
Raze hung up. She was back. She was fine. His saber still scowled at him in anger. Raze had spent the last four hours pacing, worrying, and finally drinking. He ran his fingers through his hair, and straightened his clothing. The bell rung and the elevator opened. He took a deep breath and then walked around the kitchen wall to the entrance.
"Thank you again." Affina said. "I appreciate your concern for my safety Stix."
Raze stopped dead at the sight of a large dark male standing in his entryway. His saber lurched to life and Raze's fangs descended into his mouth.
"Who the hell are you?"
The man's back straightened and Affina whipped around and her eyes narrowed.
"This is Stix. He saw me back safely."
Raze advanced.
Affina stepped in his path. "Don't."
"She was lost in the city," said Stix calmly. "I got her off the street and helped her get some food, nothing more. She told me you were her host and I brought her back."
Raze looked between them. "Host. Is that what she told you I was?"
Affina's shoulder straightened. "I thought that I might offend you if I told him you were my father's slave sent here to secure us a domicile."
Raze growled as shame washed over him. Seeing Affina with another shifter, and a bear at that, made his saber gnash its teeth.
Stix cleared his throat. "Like I told Princess Affina, I don't want any problems between our clans. I was simply helping the young lady out."
Affina closed her eyes slowly and turned to Stix. "You did nothing wrong. I appreciate your help and apologize for Razor's inhospitality. There will be no problems, as I said earlier."
Stix's gaze moved from Affina to Raze and back. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"
Affina hugged Stix. "Razor would never hurt me. He knows better."
She turned and her gaze fell heavily on Raze and for a split second he saw the doubt in her eyes. The idea was a slap to the face. She thought he could possibly hurt her?
He stepped away refusing to let her see how much that stung.
"I'll check on you tomorrow," said Stix.
"I don't have a phone but as soon as I get one I'll call you."
"You know where I am."
"And I'll let you know about this weekend," she said.
There was a rustle of clothes brushing together and Raze dug his nails into the wall to keep from turning around and seeing her hug Stix again. She'd always been very affectionate. As far as cat clans went, sabers were an affectionate bunch.
The bell to the elevator rang and Raze waited until the door closed before turning to look at her again. She stared at him for a moment and then headed toward her room.
Raze rushed forward and grabbed her hand. "Affina, please."
She stopped and looked back at him.
"I'm sorry. When I got back and you were gone I freaked. Just the thought of you out there alone... And then you were here and he was with you and..."
Affina stepped forward. "And what?"
"And... this is my territory," he blurted. "You don't just bring other males into my territory."
She stared at him for a minute and then stepped close. "And my territory now as well."
He searched her face. Beautiful, strong, passionate. She leaned in and his heartbeat thundered. He wanted to grab her. To pull her lips to his and make love to her on the shag carpet, claiming her as his own. Making it known that she was his and he was hers and no one would ever come between them again.
Her eyes burned into him. He reached for her, ready to tangle his hand in her long dark hair and press his lips to hers. But at the last moment she turned her head and sniffed his shirt before straightening again.
Her eyes narrowed. "Hmmmm."
He saw the wheels turning in her head again.
She walked out of his grasp, back toward her room.
Baffled, he stared after her. "What the hell does that mean?"
She continued on.
"Affina! What do you mean by that?"
She closed her door and the lock clicked.
Dammit! Feelings swirled inside him mixing his thoughts into a bowl of dark soup.
Part of him wanted to break down her door and force her to submit to him. Another part wanted to beg her to forgive him. The last part wanted to run from his apartment and go screw someone.
Minutes passed and finally he strode back to his bedroom and slammed the door. It had been so much easier when he was a slave.
Raze awoke to the sounds of screaming. Affina! He raced out to the living room his heart thundering.
"Affina? Affina!"
Raze tried the door handle but it was locked. He banged on the door.
The screams cut off abruptly and he pressed his ear to the door.
"Affina, are you all right?"
A shuddered breath sounded beyond.
"Affina, open the door."
Silence stretched out for several moments.
"I'm fine," she finally called. "I apologize for waking you."
He tried the handle again. He could break it off, but if she really didn't want him to come in he didn't want to force her.
His saber grumbled.
He pressed his palm to the door trying to connect with her through the wood. "Fina, let me in," he begged.
He listened to the sounds of the sheets rumple as she tossed them aside and her footsteps as she padded to the door. He waited for her to unlock it, but she didn't.
"Fina. Please let me in." He closed his eyes remembering the feel of waking up with her in his arms the previous morning. "Fina-"
"Good night, Razor." Her footsteps headed from the door and the bed creaked as she lay back on it.
He banged his fo
rehead on the door. More than once she'd slept by his side back on Aurora. And more than once he'd been whipped for the privilege. Though nothing had ever happened between them, the feel of her body near his had been a comfort he'd not felt before.
Raze backed away slowly, his saber whining to be near her. Until she saw him as more than just a slave there was no way he could bury the walls he'd erected around his heart.
CHAPTER NINE
Affina awoke to Razor speaking to someone. She rose from her bed and wrapped the sheet around herself before opening the door.
Ario and a woman stood in the front room taking orders.
"Pack my black Armani suit with my red tie and my gray pin striped suit with my blue tie," he said to the woman.
She nodded and headed to his room.
"Bring the car around. I'll be down in ten minutes. Is the jet ready?"
"They are preparing it now," said Ario.
Razor nodded and caught a glimpse of Affina. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"Are you leaving?"
"I have a meeting out of town. I shouldn't be gone more than a day or two." He grabbed a bag and pulled a box out of it. "I got you a phone. I programmed my phone number into it so you can call me. I also put Ario's-"
"You're leaving me here?" A chill ran up her spine as the truth of her words made him tap his fingers together.
"I figured that you would probably want some time to-"
"Where are you going?"
He rubbed his eyebrow. "Oregon. There's a lodge up there that I purchased-"
"I want to go. If you leave me here in this place by myself I'll go crazy. And I can't go outside because there's too many people."
"You don't have to walk. If you want to get out Ario can take you."
"Gerri said you were to take care of me, not Ario."
"And I am. I just think that-"
"Last night you were angry I went out and now you want to leave me here alone?"
He covered his face with his palms.
She didn't understand him at all. One minute he cared about her and protected her the next it was like he was trying to show her what a big man he'd become. And then when she went out she came home to find him drunk and angry. His constant fluctuation of emotions had her more confused than ever.
Paranormal Dating Agency: Taming his Saber (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 6
