“Gaining a title in the Mercantile Empire is simply a matter of gaining great wealth,” I say. “I say simply, but it is hardly so. The system is rigged so that it is incredibly difficult for a commoner to gain enough wealth to buy a title, and once they do, they find themselves amongst a nest of vipers ready to tear apart the upstart.” My voice quivers with a mix of anger and sadness. I just wanted an excuse to spend time with my hero, but now I find myself wallowing in dark thoughts.
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking at the time on my comms. “I can’t believe how much time has passed. I have a lot of work left to prepare the expedition for tomorrow.” I didn’t want the night to come to an end like this, but I’m just not in the mood to flirt anymore. No matter how sexy he is.
“Do you plan to travel with us on the excavation?” he asks as he stands up, filling the cabin with his overwhelming presence.
I bite my lip, regretting ending things so suddenly. “Yes,” I say. “I like to be directly involved in matters of importance to my House.” And I want to stay close to you.
“Good,” he says as he follows me out of my cabin and into the lift.
The door slides open to the ramp off the Sojourn. Two of my Marines stand watch, arms at ready. I look up at Orion, smiling through my sadness. “Thank you for accepting my invitation,” I say. “It is not nearly enough to repay you for saving my life, but I hope you enjoyed your visit.”
He smiles, puts his hand on the small of my back and pulls me into his arms. I gasp as he presses his lips against mine and we share a long kiss. His lips are like fire against mine and I feel tingles of electricity spread from my core to the tips of my fingers. I let myself relax in his strong arms and open my lips to his tongue. Too soon he pulls his lips from mine and grins at me with teasing eyes.
“Thank you for the kiss, my Princess,” he says and lowers me gently back to my feet. I’m left breathless, my heart pounding in my chest, as he walks off in the orange light of dawn.
Astrid has spent the last two hours trying to convince me not to go on the expedition. I wish I could say I really wanted to go to oversee the excavation of the Apotheosis Chamber for myself. Maybe it is a little bit of that. Mostly I just want to be with Orion. That kiss banished all other thoughts from my mind and left me lying awake thinking about him all day.
Leo sits there, watching Astrid argue with me with a bemused expression on his face. Finally, Astrid notices and turns to him. “What, you have something to say?”
He gives her a toothy grin. “I recall trying to convince you not to walk into certain danger several times. You never listened once.”
“This isn’t the same situation at all,” Astrid says.
“Is it not?” He shrugs. “She desires to go. She will travel with a Tulani warrior who has shown himself willing to protect her. He is a renegade from our clan, as I was when I found you.”
“This is different!” Astrid says.
I barely hear them arguing about me. I keep seeing a vision of Orion, kissing me in the light of dawn. I try to remember the exact sensation of that kiss, unlike any other in my life. Is this what it feels like when you first share a kiss with your fated mate? Or am I just so desperate to live my own fairy tale life like Astrid that I’m willing to believe such a foolish thought?
“That’s enough,” I say, standing up and interrupting them. “I’ve made up my mind and I’m going. I know you mean well Astrid, but you aren’t going to change my plan.”
4
Orion
I walk a slow circle around Princess Rhea’s spaceship, appreciating its enormous size. It is over three hundred meters tall and nearly a hundred wide. Its skin is a gleaming silver and scorched in places by tremendous heat. Its guns look like a match for the ones mounted on the Great Archway over Haven. It is as formidable on the outside as it is impressive on the inside.
I have not been able to stop thinking about Rhea since I left the Sojourn. I feel like I did when I was a young man who had just realized the delights a woman could offer. I need to get a hold of myself. I cannot let my lust for her complicate my mission. All I have left is my word, and I cannot break it merely because my cock demands it.
I can stop thinking about her as well as I can stop the rising of the sun. That kiss ignited feelings in part of me I had thought long dead. I am not foolish enough to believe that I have somehow regained the right to a fated mate, but I can’t think of her as just another sexual conquest. I want more from her than to just quench my lust.
Gemini is taking her own turn appreciating the Sojourn. I walk up to her, grab her forearm and lead her under the ship.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
I pull her against the landing gear, out of sight, and press my hand against her chest. She grunts from the impact and tries to push her way free, but she doesn’t stand a chance against my strength.
I lower my face to hers and curl my lips, baring my sharp teeth. “Did you know about the Wind Walker?" I say of the assassin clad in white. "Did Kole send it?”
“What?” she says. “You are dumber than you look. What do you think, Kole tells me everything? I’m just a mercenary, same as you. I hear what he feels he needs to tell me and what he spills when he gets sloppy drunk, and I never heard him say he would send an assassin after the Princess.”
I growl, bringing my face within an inch of hers. “If I find out you knew, I will crush you like I did the Wind Walker,” I say. “I am a mercenary, not a hired assassin. If it had managed to cut me with its poisoned blade, I would have been driven mad and killed everyone in that room and likely more.”
She pulls her face back from mine until her head hits the landing gear with a metallic thud.
“I swear I didn’t know,” she says, exasperated. “And for what it’s worth, I don’t think Kole would have hired an assassin to kill her. He wants her alive for her trial. Why would he hire us to kidnap her and then hire an assassin to kill her?”
She’s right, that wouldn’t make any sense. I take my hand off her and back away. She rubs her chest and grimaces at me.
“For Patrick’s sake,” she says. “I think you might have cracked my sternum.”
I grunt in response and turn away. Time to do what we came here for. I think about the look on Rhea’s face when she finds out what we are here to do. She’s going to hate me for this.
But Gemini is right, Kole does talk a lot when he’s drunk and he’s stupid enough to think he can keep up with me. I know his plans and I know how to make it right. But I’ll have to go about it carefully, or risk putting Rhea in even greater danger than she already is.
I’m waiting by the cargo ramp on to the excavation ship that birthed from the Sojourn an hour ago. Rhea’s having one last argument with Astrid about joining the expedition. Astrid is very protective of her, and she has good instincts. She really shouldn’t let her come, but Rhea is determined. I want to think she’s coming to be with me rather than to make sure we don’t make off with the Apotheosis Chamber, but I’m probably giving myself too much credit.
She’s bringing eight of her warriors with her. If the other four are anything like the four that were with her the day before, we will not have any problems taking them out. I instructed our men to not kill any of them if they can avoid it because Rhea truly values her people. And no one is to lay a finger on her. I don’t even want to see a strand of her pretty brown hair come loose.
Astrid finally gives up trying to convince her not to go. They embrace each other and Astrid watches as Rhea walks up to the ramp. I grin and hold out my hand to help her up. She smiles at me, her green eyes locked onto mine, and takes my hand delicately. I help her up onto the ship and watch her as she walks by. The breeze presses her loose dress against her and shows me the curves of her body making my cock stir against my leg. This woman is going to be the death of me.
I see Leo approaching me as Astrid takes her leave. He looks me up and down, taking the measure of my frame and I do the same of him. I lo
osen my muscles and my hand instinctively moves towards the axe on my belt. I have always wanted to measure my strength against his, one of the Tulani gifted with a second form. I feel a hunger deep in my belly – a hunger for battle and triumph over a worthy opponent – but this is not the time.
“I did not expect to see you ever return,” he says.
So he does remember me.
“Know this: should you choose to return to the clan’s embrace,” he says, “there will be a place for you here.”
He steps onto the ramp. Now we are at the same height, staring each other down. He pulls in close to me and I do not back down from the challenge. Our chests are nearly touching and I can feel his breath on my face.
“If you let harm come to Rhea, I will hang your limbs from the Grand Archway.” His voice rumbles like a lion’s and I don’t doubt his word. I have a chance against him in an even fight, but with no animal inside me, I cannot face down his lion.
I nod slowly, acknowledging his threat, but I don’t back away. I have too much at stake and I can see other warriors watching, sizing me up.
Leo grunts and turns away, not bothering to look back. I feel the sudden urge to strike out at him. To show them all that I am not a warrior to turn your back on, but I cannot jeopardize my plan.
It carries great risk and I need to take care to make sure no harm comes to Rhea because of my temper.
The ship is traveling close to the ground to avoid being seen by any of the Void Seekers in the Blasted Wastes. This is very dangerous territory. Traders know to avoid it unless they wish to become enslaved by the skinner clans that call it their home or a Void Seeker's next sacrifice.
No one knows where the Void Seekers call their true homeland, but they and their massive voidworms are seen frequently in these deserts. I’ve heard word spread that the voidworms’ belly contains a gateway into the Void, and I don’t envy anyone who has tested the truth of those rumors.
I traveled here long ago, as do all of the Tulani at least once in their life. This was the place where I made the most important decision of my life that set me on the path I am on today. It should come as no surprise to me that I find myself at another crossroads in my life in this desert.
I step next to Rhea’s seat and squat down beside her. The straps on her chair press her dress against her body and put her tantalizing curves on display. I hunger to have her pressed against my body, flesh against flesh. To hear her moan beneath me as she takes my cock into her body.
I see the leader of her marines eyeing me warily, his hand near his weapon. I ignore him and turn my gaze on this woman who has managed to stir my emotions like none other.
She smiles at me and her cheeks turn a light pink. I enjoy the effect my stare has on her. She tries to keep a cool face, acting the part of dignified princess, but she has a hard time maintaining that guise under my gaze. My cock twitches, reminding me I have a hard time keeping my thoughts straight under her stare.
“How do you like my excavator ship?” she asks in a squeaky voice. She smiles awkwardly, trying to hide her embarrassment. Her blush deepens and spreads to her pale breasts. Her skin prickles with little bumps and makes my cock twitch again.
“It is unblemished and beautiful,” I say. I put my hand on top of hers, resting on the armrest. “Much like you.”
Her smile broadens and I can feel her pulse quickening. I want to press her lips against mine and taste her again. To see if a second kiss would feel like the first.
“You are too kind,” she says. Her voice pitches even higher. She covers her mouth with her other hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. I adore how shy she is. If I didn’t know better, I would think she was my fated mate. But I know that is impossible.
“No, I am not,” I say and immediately curse myself for taking this too far. She’s going to hate me in a few minutes, and she will have every right to. But I will make it up to her. There is far more danger in store for her if I don’t go through with this.
I look at Gemini and tug on my torn ear. She sends the signal to the rest of our men. I squeeze Rhea’s delicate hand and brush my thumb on her wrist. She smiles at me and adjusts herself in her seat.
I stand up and lean down to whisper in her ear. “Everything happens for a reason,” I say, my voice a low husk. “I will not let any harm come to you.”
5
Rhea
I’m so confused. One second, I’m squirming in my chair, feeling the heat between my thighs, hoping no one notices me behaving like a little girl around her first crush. The next, I’m trying to figure out what Orion’s cryptic message means. He won’t let any harm come to me?
Suddenly, the ship erupts into utter chaos. Orion turns with blinding speed and slams a fist into the Merchant Marine Captain’s gut, doubling him over. He falls to the ground, gasping for breath. The workers Gemini brought with her are brandishing their tools and using them as weapons, disabling the rest of the marines in short order.
I struggle against my straps to loosen myself with one hand and reach for the plasma pistol I have strapped inside my thigh with the other.
One of my marines fires a shot with a pistol and blows a hole through one of the hijacker’s skulls. Orion leaps at him, knocking the gun away, and rolls on top of him. He slams his head onto the metal deck, knocking him out cold.
As I free myself and pull the gun into my grip, I see Gemini, holding an electric welder against the pilot’s head. It emits an arc menacingly, reminding me that construction tools can easily double as deadly weapons.
I get the final strap loose, stand up from my chair and level the pistol against one of the hijackers. “Stop! I don’t want to shoot, but I will!” I yell. I hope I sound more menacing to him than I do in my head.
He laughs at me and smacks my hand with his welder. My hand goes numb with pain and I drop the pistol to the deck. I scream and try to protect my face as he pulls back his arm, ready to whip me on the head with the welder.
Orion crashes into my attacker with a savage roar and slams him against the ship’s walls. The lizardman wobbles against the wall in a daze and his weapon drops from his hand to the deck with a clang. Orion grabs him by the neck and lifts him up off his feet until he can look him eye to eye.
“I told you — no one is to lay a finger on her!” he growls.
The lizardman is trying to reply, but Orion’s hand is choking him, squeezing his throat with incredible strength. The lizardman’s eyes bulge and his lipless mouth gasps open for breath like a fish out of water. A final squeeze, and I hear bones breaking in his neck, and his body goes limp.
Orion turns around and lets the limp body drop to the deck. The rest of my marines have been subdued by the hijackers. It’s hard to tell how the other lizardmen react to Orion killing one of them. I don’t know how to read their expressionless faces. But Gemini is eyeing him warily, her welder still held to the pilot's head.
Orion walks over to me, takes my bruised hand softly in his. I don’t know how to react. I feel a wall of emotion hit me suddenly as the rush of adrenaline subsides. My knees go loose and I start to collapse, but Orion catches me.
He holds me in his powerful arms, one hand around the small of my back, the other on my shoulder. What I would have given five minutes ago to be in this same embrace, as we were when he left the Sojourn. But now, I fight not to shake with anger at him.
“How could you?” I spit at his face. I immediately regret my decision as I watch his purple tongue reach out and lick the spit off his lips. Astrid told me what it means when a Tulani woman spits at a man’s lips. It’s like I just bared my tits at him and told him to bury his face in them.
He doesn’t say anything and lowers me back into my seat. I try to struggle against him, but his grip is like steel and I have no hope of getting loose.
“What do you want from me?” I ask as he works the straps back onto me. I hate how his touch still excites me, and I really hate how he’s ruining last night’s fantasy when I pictured him str
apping me down to my bed and climbing on top of me. This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. How could I have been so foolish?
“Don’t take these straps off,” he instructs as he finishes buckling the last one in place. They aren’t locked, but they might as well be. There’s no way I can escape him, let alone all the hijackers.
Orion braces himself against the back of my chair as the ship begins to make a wide turn. We're definitely going off-course. I rack my brain to remember the points of interest marked on the map before this trip. Back in the day, I’d have had everything memorized by now. I’ve let my position as a Merchant Princess reduce my diligence. There’s a cruel lesson in this, if I can survive it.
Satisfied that my pilot will obey their orders, Gemini puts the welder away and picks up a weapon from one of my marines. They are all tied up now in various states of injury. I have a hard time understanding how such well-trained soldiers could be taken out so easily.
Gemini walks up to Orion, gazing down at the body of the dead lizardman. “Did you have to kill him?” she asks flatly.
“I told them not to lay a finger on her,” Orion growls. “He’s lucky he received a quick death.”
Gemini shakes her head in disbelief. “Quick death,” she says. “Right. I really need to get the fuck off Kartak.”
“What do you want from me?” I ask, trying to use my regal tone. I think it came out more like the voice of a frightened child.
Orion looks back at me, a pained look on his face, but he remains silent.
Gemini walks up to me and says, “Look, it’s nothing personal. We were hired to see if we could get you and a ship to excavate the Apotheosis Chamber. It’s just business, you know? A woman has to do what she needs to do to survive in this Empire. You know that better than most.”
“So the Apotheosis Chamber is actually real?” I ask. I know it doesn’t really matter at this point, given the trouble I’ve gotten myself in. But I can’t help my curiosity.
Renegade Orion: A Scifi Alien Shifter Romance (Shifter Kings of Kartak Book 2) Page 3
