by Tana Stone
The water was hot enough to make her flinch as she submerged her feet on the first step, but she didn’t pause to acclimate herself. Sucking in her breath, Max barreled into the water until she was all the way in, and the water covered her chest.
Her fingers and toes stung as they adjusted to the warmth, but soon her body relaxed, and she dropped her arms from across her breasts. It did feel good to wash off the sand and grime from a pretty rough few days, even if she still thought it was weird to do it in front of an audience.
Max closed her eyes and bent her knees to dip lower, the water rising around her shoulders as she tried to pretend she was anywhere but being held captive in an alien city, with aliens watching her take a bath. When the water splashed her neck, she opened her eyes.
The Crestek women had deposited their own clothes on the floor and were coming into the water with her. Completely naked.
“What the hell?” She backed away, but there were no stairs on the other side of the heated pool.
“Do your kind not bathe together?” one of the Cresteks asked, picking up a glass jar from the edge and pouring a stream of liquid into her palm.
“That would be a hard no,” Max muttered, sizing up her chances of making it past both of them and out of the water before being tackled.
She looked over at Kush. His gaze still faced away from them, but she could sense something—some feeling that wasn’t her own. Amusement? Glancing at the women, who seemed preoccupied by the various salts and oils they were adding to the water, she doubted it was coming from them. She narrowed her eyes at Kush, even though she knew he wasn’t watching her. Was that big bastard actually getting a laugh from this?
His hood turned for a second, and she saw his eyes lift from beneath the dark fabric and meet hers. He looked away again before she could register anything in his eyes, but her pulse skittered in response. As one of the women dribbled scented oil over her bare shoulder, Max felt a faint pulse of arousal coming from across the room.
Chapter Eleven
Kush shifted uncomfortably, his swollen cock straining against his pants. Aside from that momentary glance when she’d called him a bastard in her head, he hadn’t watched her as the Crestek attendants doused her with water and various flowery oils. It didn’t matter. Knowing that the small female was completely naked only a few quick strides away from him made his entire body thrum with desire.
Luckily, he could keep his head down and no one would notice how his face burned. The long, bulky cloak also hid his throbbing erection, although it could not hide how he needed to shift himself every time the females splashed and giggled. He pressed his eyes closed to keep himself from stealing a peek, grateful when he heard them all leave the water, but keeping his head averted nonetheless.
When Kush was certain she was dressed, he pivoted to face forward.
Sons of the Goddesses. He almost gasped out loud when he saw her, his hood slipping back as he stared, slack-jawed, at the transformation.
Instead of the slightly grimy woman with mussed hair and streaks of black trailing from under her eyes, Max stood between the two Cresteks in a gauzy, bone-colored dress that scooped low in the back and draped softly over the curve of her breasts. They’d looped a thin gold rope around her waist, the ends of which trailed down one side.
The smudges of dirt were gone, replaced with rosy-pink skin, no doubt a result of the hot water and scrubbing. Her glossy, dark hair had been smoothed to one side, and a single black line swept out from the corners of her eyes, making their blue hue seem even more vibrant.
The Crestek attendants clucked approvingly as they looked her up and down, and Kush dropped his gaze again to the floor.
“Much better.”
“Now she’s ready.”
One of the females snapped her fingers at him. “Agasi, you will accompany us.”
Kush hoped the agasi were known for their lack of conversation, as well as their lack of balls. He nodded and walked forward, falling in step behind the females and being careful not to raise his head.
The females pounded on the door and it opened. A plump Crestek in a purple cloak stood in the circular hallway, tapping his foot on the hard floor.
“It should not have taken you so long. The chancellor has been waiting.”
“It took longer than expected,” one of the Crestek females said, her tone snappy. “We could not take her looking like she did. No one would want her like that.”
Kush felt a flash of Max’s ire, and hoped she would hold her tongue. She did, although he could tell it took all of her restraint.
While the Cresteks were sniping at each other, he took the opportunity to peek out from under the hood. He’d been too charged with adrenaline when they’d arrived to get a proper lay of the land, but now he could assess the building where they were being held.
As he’d remembered, it was cylindrical with light coming from glowing sconces positioned on the walls that spiraled up from the ground floor. Overhead, a clear dome topped the building, and he suspected it provided a good deal of natural light during the day. Now, however, it was night, and only inky blackness showed through. He saw no windows, but he also noticed no guards, aside from the ones stationed outside their room. Not the easiest place to escape from, but it could have been worse.
The Crestek in purple led them down the ramp, and the attendants disappeared through a door one level down, giving waves and blowing kisses to Max, who waved awkwardly. Kush felt her sense of relief once the females were gone, although he also picked up on the nerves that fluttered in her stomach. He wished he could touch her and reassure her, but he couldn’t risk being exposed.
“Come on,” the Crestek male said, waving both of them forward. “We’re already late enough.”
After twisting down another level, the Crestek knocked sharply on a door, barely waiting before pushing it open and holding it as they entered.
“I have her,” he called out, his voice echoing through the spacious suite.
Although the room Max had been given was luxurious, it was not as imposing as the one they stepped into. It was hard to keep his eyes lowered when they were drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows that curved along the entire expanse of the far wall. He knew the night sky of his world like he knew the back of his own hand, but he’d never seen it from this vantage point—the craggy rocks rising up and glowing in the light of the three moons, and the distant silhouette of the sand dunes cresting on the horizon. His heart contracted at the thought of his village somewhere out there and the clansmen that he knew would be coming for them.
Aside from the sweeping view, the interior was decorated simply. Sheer drapes hung from the ceiling, pulled back at points to create smaller spaces within the room, which appeared to curve around and occupy the entire floor. A gleaming, white table, narrow and long, stretched to one side with a single chair behind it, and a sunken square section of the room centered around an open fire with an artificial blue flame, the steps leading to it topped with cushions.
“There you are, my dear.” The elder Crestek appeared from behind one of the drapes. His smile was wide, but didn’t reach his eyes. He waved to the sunken area. “Please.”
Kush knew Max wasn’t used to obliging men, but he also knew she was smart. She gathered the bottom of her dress up in her arms and stepped down until she’d reached the bottom, holding her hands out to the blue fire.
Kush stayed above, positioning himself by the door with his hands folded behind his back. So far, it seemed he hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary for one of their agasis, but he knew that couldn’t last forever. He only hoped he could keep up the ruse long enough to plot an escape.
The elder joined Max at the bottom of the sunken fire, taking a seat across from her and making no secret of looking her up and down.
“I apologize if you’re cold. It’s why I activated the fire.” He held his own hands to the flame. “Our females rarely venture outside, so the clothes they favor are more delicate.”
“They’re not very practical,” Max said.
The Crestek smiled again. “I suppose that depends on what you’re doing.”
Kush clenched his hands. He understood the implication, even if Max didn’t seem to pick up on it. The garments Crestek females wore were to please the males. Nothing more, as the Crestek females most likely served no other purpose but to be protected and impregnated.
Even before the illness that claimed most of the Dothvek females, most served as warriors and hunters alongside the men. Although he’d tried not to be engulfed in hatred of the Crestek like his cousin K’alvek, he couldn’t help feeling bile rise in his throat. He could hear his kinsman’s voice in his head, reminding him that this was what came of the Cresteks abandoning the old ways and forgetting about the goddesses.
“So,” Max said, shifting as she arranged her dress, clearly uncomfortable with the flowing fabric that pooled around her feet. “When will I get to send my transmission?”
Kush heard the challenge in her voice, and was glad she no longer believed the line the Cresteks had fed her. She was saying this to gauge his response. Kush only hoped the elder didn’t detect her mistrust, although it had been so many generations since the Cresteks had possessed empathic abilities, he doubted the fool noticed a thing.
“Soon, my dear.” He waved a hand as if brushing her question aside. “First, I wanted you to meet someone.”
“If it’s someone else to take a bath with me, I’ll pass,” Max said. “I really don’t need help dressing myself or brushing my hair or—”
“Nothing like that.” He let out a mirthless laugh as he cut her off. “This is my son, T’Kar.”
Another Crestek appeared from behind the sheer curtain, this one nearly as tall as a Dothvek. His cloak was black, and seemed to mold itself around his broad body.
Kush resisted the urge to step forward and challenge this Crestek, especially when he saw Max blink rapidly as T’Kar walked toward her, taking the steps in a single leap. Although he was Crestek, the enemy moved with the power and confidence of a Dothvek.
“Um, nice to meet you.” Max held out a hand, after hurriedly wiping it on the fabric of her dress.
T’Kar thumped a hand hard against his heart and bowed. “Nicer for me.”
Max dropped her hand and took a small step back as his head almost brushed her chest, and Kush registered her nervousness. He also tamped down his own desire to grab Max by the hand and start running. After leveling that chancellor’s son, of course.
“T’Kar will assume the position of chancellor after I retire,” the elder Crestek said, beaming at the son who towered over him. “Which will be sooner than he hopes.”
The younger Crestek twitched visibly. “I only hope to be half as skilled as you, father.”
His father thumped him on the back. “You will be a great leader. No doubt about it.”
Kush could sense the swirl of emotions between the father and son. T’Kar hated the idea of succeeding his father—the idea of ruling his people repulsed him. Kush chanced a glance up at the Crestek, fascinated by what he could sense. His own people repulsed him. T’Kar’s feeling of being trapped by duty was so powerful that Kush felt the sensation of choking so viscerally that he lifted a hand to his own throat.
Equally strong was the chancellor’s desire for his son to rise high and be the most powerful Crestek alive. And take a mate. He gut clenched. Max. He wanted his son to take Max as a mate. A growl built in his throat as he sifted through the old Crestek’s emotions. Not a mate. A concubine. A second mate. An entitled move considering their lack of females, but the chancellor struck him as the worst type of leader.
Sand serpents will feast on my flesh first, Kush thought, swallowing the rumble in his chest. He needed to warn Max. Needed her to know.
He knew that K’alvek’s human mate could sense what he was feeling. He’d suspected Max might have picked up his feelings earlier, but hadn’t been sure. Mind mates weren’t common, and K’alvek’s mate was the first offworlder to connect with a Dothvek in that way. Actually, the first offworlder to take a Dothvek as a mate, as their planet got few visitors.
Kush pushed his doubts aside. He had to try to warn her. Closing his eyes, he concentrated all his energy on sending her a single message. Dangerous.
After a few moments, he opened his eyes and peered at her from under the edge of the hood. The two Cresteks were talking, but Max’s eyes were on him.
I know.
Chapter Twelve
Max didn’t feel well. At least that’s what she told the Cresteks after she’d swooned dangerously close to the blue flames. It wasn’t a total lie. She did feel a bit woozy after feeling such a strong sense of danger from Kush. The emotion had slammed into her and almost taken her breath away. She’d had to stare him down to make him stop, and even then, she felt like she was recovering from a jolt from her plasma centrifuge.
She wished she could tell him she wasn’t an idiot. Of course, she didn’t trust these guys. Even someone like her who had little experience with men knew what the creepy old dad was up to. You didn’t have to be a genius—even though technically, she was—to know this was a setup. She guessed she appreciated Kush’s concern, but did he have to hit her over the head with it?
T’Kar had caught her before she’d sunk to the floor, but she’d been able to convince both him and his father that she needed to go back to her room to recuperate.
“It’s been a difficult day,” she said, hoping her voice sounded frail enough to convince the old guy.
He’d patted her hand, although his hands were icy and not at all comforting. “Of course, my dear. An encounter with those vicious barbarians is enough to make anyone ill.”
“The Dothveks?” T’Kar had asked, nearly letting go of her as he’d supported her by the elbow.
“Yes, yes,” his father said. “They attacked our rescue party just outside the city gates. This young thing is the only capti—I mean, guest—who wasn’t taken by them.”
“I hadn’t heard,” T’Kar said.
His father shot him a look Max couldn’t decipher. “My son is very busy with the business of the city. So much to do to keep things running smoothly.”
Max couldn’t care less about whatever father-son drama was going on, and she couldn’t wait to tell Kush that he could calm the hell down. Unless she was really reading him wrong, T’Kar wasn’t into the setup, either.
She almost felt sorry for the guy. The whole thing reminded her of her mother’s desperate attempts to make her into something she wasn’t. How many times had her mother pushed her in front of eligible guys, hoping that this time they’d look beyond the short hair and boyish clothes and fall head over heels for the geeky science girl? Too many.
Max swallowed the lump in her throat. Now that her mom was gone, she could see that the desperate attempts had been her mother’s twisted way of protecting her. For her, a husband had meant security, which meant happiness. It hadn’t been her mother’s fault that Max found happiness and security in her work, instead. Too bad neither of her parents had ever understood that. Or her.
It wasn’t that Max didn’t like men. She did, but not all that many were confident enough to like a girl who was smarter than them. Even fellow scientists didn’t like a woman finding the flaws in their research, or upstaging them with her discoveries. After more than a few disastrous dumpings, she’d decided not to bother with the whole love thing. And life had been easier, if a bit lonely. Until now.
Now she had a sexy barbarian hiding in her room and an old guy trying to foist his reluctant son on her. Gods, she missed her lab. When she saw the bounty hunter crew again, she was going to kick their asses for getting her in this mess.
“Here you go,” T’Kar said, when they’d reached the door to her room.
Max had zoned out on the walk up the winding ramp, and had to flick her eyes behind her to make sure Kush was still trailing them. He was, although his head was bowed, and she no longer
picked up any panic from him. The old man had stayed behind, which was fine with her. She’d had enough creepy hand patting for one day.
“Thanks,” she said, as one of the guards posted outside the room opened the door.
T’Kar nodded, his eyes darting to the brown-cloaked Cresteks flanking the door. “You came from the sands?”
“I didn’t come from there,” Max said. “But the ship I was on crashed there.”
T’Kar’s brows creased together and his amber eyes sparkled. “But you survived. The Dothveks didn’t slaughter you.”
Now she felt a pulse of Kush’s anger.
“No. I don’t think they actually slaughter innocent people. You’ve never been to the desert?”
He gave a curt shake of his head. “Too dangerous.”
She looked him up and down. “If I survived, I’m sure you would.”
A small smile teased the edge of his mouth, and he gave her another brief bow. “Rest well, offworlder.”
She and Kush entered the room as T’Kar remained in the corridor watching, the door closing behind them with an echoing thud. Within moments, Kush had thrown off his robe and was stalking a fast circle in the center of the room.
Since they’d left, the tray of fruits had been replaced by one with discs of puffy bread and slices of some sort of grilled meat. The savory scent wafted up from the steaming tray, replacing the smell of the perfumed oils. Her stomach growled, and she realized she hadn’t eaten a decent meal in ages. The freeze-dried food packets she and Holly had snacked on while fixing the ship did not count as a meal, and the tam-tam from earlier hadn’t been very filling.
Max grabbed one of the warm bread discs, taking a bite and ignoring Kush’s pacing while she conducted a quick search of the space. “I can’t believe they took my clothes.” She swallowed a mouthful of the unleavened bread and lifted one layer of the diaphanous fabric, letting it float back down. “Who wears this kind of stuff all the time?”
