***
Sometime over the last few hours while Taylor was soaking in the bathtub, feeling sorry for herself, trying to wash away the memories of this morning and scrub Hades' scent off her skin, clothing had been delivered to her room. She found the neat stack sitting on the edge of her bed.
No doubt the King was behind the new wardrobe. Had he bought her the clothes out of guilt? Or was he like Sergei, thinking that nice shiny things would keep her pacified, while he went off and did whatever he wanted? Both ideas hurt, but not as much as the possibility that he might be ‘paying her’ with new clothes for the sex. That thought made Taylor nauseous.
She wasn’t a whore.
Even if Hades did this for every woman he slept with, Taylor wanted no part of it. He didn’t owe her anything. And she certainly didn’t want any kind of compensation for sex, even if it came in a roundabout way. Time to tell him so before she lost her nerve.
Taylor ignored the beautiful fabrics and dug out her pair of jeans from the back of the closet. Someone other than her had put them there, burying them with the tote she'd packed before they'd left Earth. She slipped the denims on, pairing them with a sweater and pumps.
Some people wore body armor to battle. Taylor wore her high heels. If she were going to face Hades again, she'd need all the 'armor' she could get.
Taylor opened her door and instantly recognized a familiar face, standing guard outside her room. "Hi Kon," she said.
"Good day to you." He replied politely, but Taylor noticed his gaze didn't linger this time. That was a first. Every Phantom she'd encountered stared at her chest. It was the one constant she'd been able to count on, since she'd arrived.
Had word of her indiscretion already spread through the Keep? A wave of fresh humiliation struck, but Taylor forced it aside, replacing it with anger. She had a King to beard.
"Do you happen to know if the Dark King is still in his chambers?" Her face heated at the question, but Taylor forced her chin up. "I need to speak with him." She needed to clear the air before things between them got worse.
"He is with the warriors in training," Kon said.
Taylor shoved her hands into her back pockets. "I don't want to disturb him, but it is important that we talk."
She wanted answers. If she were mistaken about Hades’ intentions, Taylor would apologize. But if it turned out that she was right about the clothes and that Hades now wanted nothing to do with her, then she’d set the Dark King straight and move on.
His rejection would hurt, but Taylor was done hiding from her mistakes. And there was no doubt that sleeping with Hades had been a major mistake. A mistake that she planned to remedy right now.
"I'll take you to him," Kon said.
"Thank you." Taylor glanced back at the new clothes. Her anger returned. She wrapped the destructive emotion around her like a cloak. It would protect her. Keep her focused. Prevent her from doing something embarrassing like—cry.
Kon led her down another hall and out what amounted to a side door that had been carved out of part of the mountain. There was a huge courtyard full of training equipment to one side. Taylor recognized the space instantly. Hades had brought her here.
Was it only yesterday? Ugh! That made her feel even worse, but she had to be strong. She was about to take on the Dark King.
On the other side of the courtyard, fifty or so warriors had gathered. Taylor did a double-take. Make that fifty kids, ranging in age from about five years old to mid-teens. They stood in a circle around Hades as he raised a sword and swiped the air, making circle eights with the blade.
From the looks on their upturned faces, he entranced them. Taylor’s righteous fury deflated and uncertainty returned. She quickly stepped into the shadow of the doorway, before Hades spotted her. The position allowed her to watch unimpeded.
Hades looked so comfortable around the children. He bellowed an order and they all raised their sword-shaped 'sticks'. When he moved, they moved. It was like watching a mirroring game. He made a lunge, then approached a little dark-haired boy.
"Keep your arm straight, Marcus. You don't want to give your enemy an easy target." He tapped the boy’s chest for emphasis, then lifted his arm higher. "Now try it again."
The child thrust the stick sword forward, nearly toppling himself in the process.
It must’ve weighed more than it appeared, Taylor thought.
"Much better." Hades mussed the boy's hair and smiled. "Keep practicing and someday you'll be as good a warrior as your father."
Kon straightened beside her.
"Is he yours?" she asked.
He nodded. "So is that one." He pointed to another, this one a girl with thick blonde braids and a determined expression. "She looks soft," he said, eyeing Taylor instead of his daughter. "But she is tougher than all of them combined." The pride was evident in Kon's voice as he returned his attention to the children.
"Are any of them Hades’?" Taylor asked, even though it pained her to do so. She knew so little about the man that she'd fallen into bed with. It was a pattern that she wasn't proud of.
Kon looked at her as if she'd shot unicorns out of her nose. "No! He's vowed never to take a mate."
She frowned. Taylor wasn't sure what that had to do with having children, but it did make her curious. "Why would he do that?"
She had to be misunderstanding him. Surely, Kon didn't mean 'never' in the strictest sense of the word. Never was a long time. But if he was right, what did that mean for Hades and Opal? She thought for sure that they had a thing going. They'd seemed pretty cozy at the Pit.
And yet, you still slept with him, a little voice admonished. Her stomach twisted. Taylor wasn't a whore, but she’d stepped ankle deep into slut territory.
Kon shifted, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "It's not for me to say."
"But what about children? It's obvious that he adores the kids. Doesn't he need an heir to take over the throne?" Wasn't that a King thing? And why was it so easy for her to imagine a bunch of little Hades running around?
"He's vowed never to have any." This time Kon appeared genuinely sad. "He's a good ruler, but a ruler needs a mate and heirs."
"Is there something wrong with him? Is that why he's vowed to abstain from both?" Fear filled Taylor. Was Hades sick? And if so, was it catching? The blood drained from her face.
Kon's red eyes widened in horror at her implication. "Of course not! The King is fit to lead. Like all Phantoms, he's never been ill a day in his life."
Relief flooded her. That answered one question, but created several others. Taylor glanced back at Hades. If he wasn't ill, then why didn't he want a mate or at least children?
She watched him work with the budding warriors. There was no doubt in her mind that he liked being around the kids. She could see the joy on his face, the love. "If he's physically fit, then remaining mateless doesn't make any sense." She shook her head. "Kings need heirs." Everybody knew that.
Kon shifted on his feet and glanced up at the light green sky. "The Dark King can do whatever he desires. It's not my place to question his reasons nor is it yours. And for Goddess sake, do not bring up his handicap."
Taylor's gaze swung around, pinning him in place. "What handicap?"
As far as she could tell, there wasn't a thing wrong with the King. She'd explored every inch of him thoroughly. Taylor would be willing to look again, but she didn't think she'd find much beyond perfection.
"Earthlings," Kon muttered under his breath, his disbelief clear. "Must I point out the obvious?"
Taylor glared at him. "Yeah, you must."
"He has blue eyes." His jaw clenched, but he somehow squeezed the words through. "Are you visually impaired?"
No, she wasn't blind. Taylor had noticed Hades' sexy blue eyes. She just wasn't getting the connection. "What about them?" She hadn't seen any other Phantoms with aqua blue eyes, but Taylor hadn't thought much of it since she hadn't been around many people outside the Keep.
Hades' eyes were
gorgeous, especially when they were staring up at her from beneath his obscenely long lashes.
Kon tsked. "You are lovely, but no brighter than your nearest relative, the monkey," he said.
Suddenly bearding Hades wasn’t nearly as important as defending him. Taylor's temper flared anew and her voice rose unchecked. "That’s rich coming from a shape-shifter! At least this primate doesn't view a change of eye color as a handicap! What's the matter with you people? You can build ships, fly across the universe, and yet you get hung up over a slight variation in appearance." She snorted. "I may be dumb, but even I know that as your King, Hades deserves your respect, not your pity over something he has no control over." Taylor was so angry that she totally missed the fact that Kon seemed pleased by her tirade.
She stepped out of the shadows into the courtyard to find the Dark King staring at her. Hades had an odd expression on his face that she couldn’t read. The children had stopped their exercises and were now gaping in her direction. Taylor opened her mouth to explain her outburst, but Opal rushed into the training courtyard before she could utter a sound.
"The Slavers have been spotted again," Opal said. "Two more ships. That brings the total up to three. We think the downed vessel was able to send out a distress signal before it crashed."
"So they're here to pick up their shipmates?” he asked, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Is it possible that they called for re-enforcements to launch an attack?"
Opal’s brow creased. "Slavers are unpredictable, but I believe it’s a retrieval mission. The survivors took everything of value out of the cargo compartment. As far as we know, Slavers don’t have the numbers to go to war,” she said.
“Not against the Phantoms anyway,” he said.
Opal nodded. “We believe we have them cornered near my family's old homestead. The two trackers are continuing to call in with more details."
"I want more guards around the fortress and the Walled City," he said, then turned to Taylor. "You're not allowed to go outside or into the city."
Taylor raised a brow and glanced at the sky for emphasis.
Hades took an exasperated breath. "Without an escort."
She hesitated, then gave her assent. She wasn't about to contradict him in front of his guards or the kids, especially after the argument she'd just had with Kon. Besides, Taylor knew how to pick her battles.
"I can find the men, Sire and the other Slaver ships," Opal said, drawing his attention away from Taylor.
Hades shook his head. "No! I need you to guard Taylor."
Opal looked aghast. "But Sire, I'm more help in the field."
Taylor had to agree. The last thing she wanted was to be shadowed by the woman, who'd had sex with Hades and hated her guts.
"You have your orders." Hades strode off to meet the scouts.
Opal glowered at her.
"If it makes you feel any better, I'm not crazy about having a babysitter either," Taylor said.
Opal's scowl only deepened.
Taylor approached her. "Listen, we got off to a bad start." Understatement of the century. "I'd like to begin again. I'm Taylor Shelley." She held out her hand for Opal to shake.
Opal glared at it. "Not this again. I know who you are."
"Then you also know that I won't be here for much longer. Five days at the most. Our short time together doesn't have to be drudgery."
Opal's expression hadn't changed, but she did appear to be listening. That was a start. "What would you suggest?" she asked.
Taylor studied the various pieces of equipment. "Since we have to hang out together today, you could teach me how to use this stuff, how to fight."
"Have you ever been in battle?" Opal asked.
"No." Taylor shook her head. She'd never even been in a fight. Oh sure, she and Tabby had argued as kids. There may of been some hair pulling and a few tears, but she wouldn't exactly call it a fight. And it certainly wasn’t a battle.
Opal circled her, examining every inch of her. "You're well defined, but you're too soft to be a warrior," she said with more than a little disgust in her voice. "What did you do on Earth?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Taylor like she was an annoying piece of earwax stuck on her finger.
Taylor glanced at the poles. It would be easier to show her than to tell her. Not that she thought a demonstration would change Opal's poor opinion of her. That wasn’t going to happen, not after they’d slept with the same man. "Will those hold my weight?"
Opal looked to where she pointed. "They're made for Phantoms. What do you think?"
You don’t have to be such a bitch, Taylor thought, but didn’t say so.
She was trying to make the best of a bad situation. For that alone, she decided not to take the bait. Opal was already in a bad mood because of this morning. It wouldn’t take much to provoke her.
"Will I get splinters?" Taylor asked.
"The wood has been hardened and sealed," Opal said impatiently. "Get on with whatever you're about to do. We don't have all day for this foolishness. There are Slavers in the area."
"Sure," Taylor said. "But before I show you, I have a quick question."
Opal glared at her.
Taylor took her silence as permission to proceed. "What's the deal with Hades' eyes? The other guard called them a handicap." Maybe the word had a different meaning here on Zaron. She was trying to give the Phantoms the benefit of the doubt.
Opal's expression hardened. "The King does not like his weaknesses pointed out!" she chastised. "Particularly from a non-Zaronian."
"Weaknesses? Can he not see properly?" That made more sense than a problem with the eye color. Maybe that had been what Kon was trying to explain and she’d just misunderstood.
Opal glanced around to ensure they wouldn’t be overheard. "He's a Phantom. Of course he can see."
"Then I really don't understand," Taylor said. "How can an eye color make such a difference?"
Opal bared her teeth and she growled. "The King's blue eyes show his mixed blood heritage. They bring attention to his Half-being status. I don't personally mind his handicap, but there are others who are not so understanding," she said.
Taylor smiled to keep from punching Opal in the mouth for being so condescending. She hadn't misunderstood Kon. She'd been right all along. The fact that Opal was claiming not to care about Hades’ status was laughable.
How dare these people look down upon the Dark King because he was different! So what if he didn't quite fit in. She knew all about being a social outcast. Taylor had been one for years. Because of her job, she’d been on the receiving end of a lot of derogatory language. Taylor recognized disdain when she heard it, even when it was ‘prettied’ up. She had dealt with the pain of not being accepted, of being thought of as 'less than', but it had taken its toll on her psyche. The last thing Taylor expected was for that type of vitriol to be directed toward a King. And not just any King, but one of their own.
Opal may have feelings for Hades, but the emotion wasn’t love. Love wouldn’t have allowed her to say such a thing.
The Dark King deserved better. Hades deserved someone who would appreciate his differences, not point them out as deficiencies.
"There's nothing wrong with being different," Taylor said, then walked over to the dual poles. "As a woman of rank among a legion of men, you of all people should know that.” She searched for any indication that her words had sank in.
Opal didn’t even flinch.
How sad. Phantoms weren’t so different from Earthlings after all.
Taylor shook her head and swallowed her disappointment, then began her demonstration. “This is what I did for a living. It's hard to dance without music, but I'll do my best." She hummed a quiet tune and slowly twirled around the pole, holding it with one hand.
"Aren't you going to use the other pole?" Opal interrupted.
Taylor stopped moving. "Why?"
"The point is to climb them." Opal motioned with both arms to show her what she meant.
<
br /> "I only need one," Taylor said, then started dancing again.
Taylor’s anger slipped away and her body went liquid as she circled the pole once more. She hooked her knee around it and let gravity take her, slowly spinning until she came to a stop.
She ground her hips against the pole, undulating, then spun, gripping the pole behind her back. Taylor slid down the pole, then quickly turned and jumped onto it, spreading her legs wide in a perfect 'V'. She held the pose for several seconds, then clamped the pole tight with her thighs and hung upside down, arching her back to make her large breasts thrust out. She shimmied some more, weaving her hands in the air, humming a little louder, then grabbed the pole and slowly flipped her body over, landing softly on the ground.
Opal looked both fascinated and confused. "What use is that?"
"I'm sure to you it doesn't seem like much, but where I'm from," Taylor said. "Men pay money to see me do that. Of course, I'm normally topless at the time."
Opal blinked, then blinked again. "You do that unclothed?"
Taylor shrugged. "I slowly strip my clothes off as I'm dancing until I am down to a thong and heels." She glanced down at her feet and tapped her toes for emphasis.
"Those shoes are impractical for everything, including a fight."
Taylor cocked her head and slipped off one heel. "I wouldn't say that," she said, showing Opal the business end of the stiletto. "It hurts if you put this," she pointed to the tip, "through a man's foot."
"A sword works better," Opal muttered.
"Yeah, well, there aren’t a lot of those lying around on Earth," Taylor said. They’d moved onto guns long ago.
Opal frowned as Taylor put her shoe back on. "You said you dance in those and a thong."
"That's right," she said.
"What is a thong?" Opal asked.
"A small piece of clothing that goes here." Taylor pointed. "It's not much, but it's better than nothing at all. I know some girls from a totally nude revue. The level of clientele drops considerably."
Atlantean's Quest 5: The Dark King Page 10
