Warrior's Devotion: A Sci-Fi Shifter Romance (Warriors of Vor Book 2)

by Tehya Titan

  Dracor frowned. “The one I saw had hair the same as ours…and she was small. Very small.”

  “She was the only one with black hair, and she was the smallest of the group. The others…your brother is mated to a female with hair the color of flame.”

  Dracor’s eyes widened. “Truly?”

  “Yes, it was a sight to see. Your brother scented her as soon as he entered the coliseum. He shifted and bit her right there before carrying her off.”

  Dracor’s laughter boomed out. “Oh, I can hardly wait to make fun of him for that. He’s the one who is always lecturing about discipline and self control.”

  “That will have to wait. It’s been three days, and they’re still enclosed in his bedchamber.”

  Dracor tried to smile, but he knew his friend could sense his sadness. “Ah, the wonders of a female in heat.”

  “You will find your mate one day, Dracor.”

  “Perhaps,” was Dracor’s only reply as he started up the steps.

  “The plan is working. Four human females have been claimed so far,” Taitt told him as he followed. “The only issue was that there’s a human male in the group brought from Earth.”

  Dracor stopped on the top step to turn back toward his friend. “A male? Why would the Wraiths bring a male?”

  Taitt shrugged. “They said he belongs to one of our females. Actually, the females haven’t been too happy about all of this, especially the ones who like having their choice of males to pick from when they go into heat. Though, some of them are satisfied that there is a greater chance of finding their mates now.”

  “What in hellfire are we supposed to do with a human male until he gets claimed by his female?”

  “His name is Tex, and he’s a little strange, but he’s been a good resource to learn more about humans without interacting with the females.”

  Dracor nodded. “Then perhaps it’s best he was brought here. Anything that makes the humans’ transition here easier is a good thing. We can’t afford for anything to go wrong at this point.”

  He pulled the front door open, then froze in the large doorway. The scent hit him instantly. It was alluring, sweet, and utterly intoxicating. Dracor felt the growl building in his throat, and he shoved the guard standing in front of him out of the way so he could survey the great hall.

  His eyes scanned the room until his gaze locked with a pair of glorious eyes that were a mixture of green and gold. Taller than the other females, she was absolutely breathtaking, with curly brown hair and a lush figure that made him ache to touch her.

  He had found his mate!

  “Is something wrong, Dracor?” Taitt asked from behind him.

  Dracor let out a low growl in response, then shouted, “Mine!”

  “Hellfire,” Braec muttered from across the room.

  “Holy shit, he’s huge!” Rox exclaimed.

  The humans jumped up from their seats, backing away a few steps. Abby glanced around, then back toward the large male standing in the doorway who was still staring at her. “D…does he mean me?”

  “Yeah, I think he does,” Tex said.

  Dracor growled again, this time in anger. His gaze narrowed as he glared at the male standing close to the beauty that belonged to him.

  How dare the male speak to his mate!

  Sensing the danger, Tex stumbled away from Abby and muttered, “You’re on your own with that one, cupcake.”

  Dracor felt his body begin shifting into his demon form, the stripes expanding and thickening so they covered his entire body like black armor. The wings burst forth from his back, and he flapped them once, twice, ready to burst into the air.

  He was going to claim what was his.

  He was going to claim his mate.

  Braec sighed as he jumped up onto the table. “Stay where you are,” he ordered the humans a few seconds before he shifted into his demon form and launched himself off the table.

  If Dracor has been paying attention to Braec, he would have been able to brace himself for the collision, but he only had eyes for his mate. Because of that, the impact of Braec hitting him full force had both of them flying out of the great hall so they fell back into the front courtyard.

  “Shut that door, then get down here!” Braec snarled as he struggled to keep Dracor down. He was no match for the bigger warrior and he knew it. “I need help here! Warriors, to me!”

  Taitt did what Braec asked, then hurried down the steps to join them. He fell to his knees and used all of his strength to hold one of Dracor’s arms down while trying to dodge Dracor’s sharp wings as they struck out even as he was held against the ground. Four other warriors rushed over to help hold Dracor down, but still he fought them.

  “What the hell just happened?” one of the warriors asked.

  “Dracor found his mate,” Taitt panted out.

  Horrified, another warrior asked, “Why are we keeping him from her then?”

  Dracor was enraged by their interference and let out a howl of fury. Braec called forth the change and transitioned back to his natural form. Staring down into his friend’s eyes, he said, “Shift back and let me explain.”

  “My mate!” Dracor roared.

  “Your mate was abused.” Braec spoke in softly, hoping that the calm tone would reach past the rage that was burning in Dracor’s red eyes.

  Dracor went still at Braec’s words. “What did you say?”

  Confident that Dracor would listen now, Braec waved the other warriors back. The other males let go of Dracor and took several cautious steps back. Taitt rolled over onto his back, panting for breath as Braec got off of Dracor and sat down on the ground next to him. “She was mated to a bad male who abused her and tried to kill her.”

  Dracor changed back to his natural form and sat up abruptly. Rage the likes of which he’d never before felt surged through him like a firestorm. “Someone tried to kill my mate?”

  “Calm yourself. It happened back on Earth. There is nothing you can do about that. You just need to know that if you scare your mate now, you might have a long recovery before she learns to trust you. I didn’t want you to damage your mating before it has even begun.”

  Images of his sweet mate raced through Dracor’s mind. He couldn’t imagine why any male would want to hurt such a beautiful creature, and yet, he knew better than most that there was just something wrong with some males that caused them to do unspeakable things.

  If he had claimed his mate in the great hall as he wanted to, she would have hated him. He was sure that over time he could win her over, but Braec had saved him countless days of heartache with his quick intervention.

  “Thank you,” Dracor said softly.

  Braec blew out a breath. “I’m just glad you didn’t break anything.”

  Dracor flexed his arms, then titled his head from side to side. “I feel fine.”

  “I wasn’t talking about you,” Braec said dryly.

  Taitt let out a groan from where he lay on the ground. “I think I pulled something. You really are a strong bastard.” He groaned again as he sat up. “You’re lucky I’m in one piece still, or my mate would be very angry with you.”

  Dracor snorted. “Denaria would thank me for getting you out of her hair.”

  A grin flashed across Taitt’s face. “She probably would. Congratulations on your mating, Dracor. You deserve to be happy.”

  Dracor grinned at his friends, then sobered again as he realized the difficult situation he was in. He felt the mating pull within, that instinctive urge to shift and claim what belonged to him, but he couldn’t do it now that he knew of her past and the way her former mate had treated her.

  “What do I do now?”

  “Your mate Abby is an interesting female. She seems to be taking everything well…or at least better than a few of the others. I’m sure you will be very happy together,” Braec assured him.

  “I don’t think that’s what he meant,” Taitt interjected.

  Dracor nodded. “How am I supposed to get h
er to trust me if I am driven by the need to claim her? One scent was all it took to make me lose my mind.” He paused for a moment to think, then his head snapped up as he thought of a solution for his situation. “Taitt, go get me a vial of bizori from the healer.”

  Dracor’s mind was set. They used bizori on Vor who had committed crimes against others that weren’t death offenses. Bizori was an elixir that dulled the senses, leaving one unable to smell, taste, or feel much of anything. The bigger the infraction, the larger the dose was given, but it wasn’t the actual loss of senses that was punishment.

  No, that was just a beginning.

  Once the elixir wore off, the user was left in terrible agony as the senses returned. They were left vulnerable to every sound, every touch. The pain lasted as long as the senses had been blocked. For the Vor that had harmed another, that was when the real punishment was dealt out. As one who had carried out those punishments, Dracor knew exactly what to expect from taking the elixir. It would be difficult for him, but there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his mate.

  Taitt gaped at him. “Are you mad? You cannot take that!”

  Braec nodded in agreement. “That is too dangerous. We use bizori as punishment, why would you willing take it?”

  “Because it will mask my senses. I won’t be able to scent her, so it will allow me to spend time with my mate without struggling to fight the urge to bite her. If she has been abused in the past, I need to be able to speak to her before I claim her. I don’t want our first interaction together to be violent. I need to explain first. Taitt, the bizori.”

  “Hellfire, I don’t like this.”

  “You don’t have to like it. Just go get it for me. I’m struggling for control just from the memory of her scent and knowing she’s in there. The door is closed now, but the second I re-enter the hall, I won’t be able to stop from claiming her if I don’t take the bizori.”

  Taitt stood up and opened his mouth to protest again, but simply shook his head before turning and hurrying off. Dracor met Braec’s gaze and saw his frown.

  “You know what will happen when the bizori wears off. Once you get your senses back, they’ll be heightened and will drive you mad.”

  Dracor nodded curtly. “Then I will count on you to chain me to my bed and keep me locked in my chamber until the effects wear off.”

  Braec cursed. “Your brother will kill me when he finds out.”

  “No, he won’t. He has a mate now. He’ll understand my need to make my mate as comfortable as possible with me before I claim her.”

  Braec’s dark expression changed as his lip curled into a smirk. “You didn’t see him shift and fly after his mate while she ran screaming from him.”

  Some of the tension eased from Dracor. “Ah, yes. Taitt told me about that. Remind him of that when he discovers what I’ve done.”

  Braec sobered again. “The reason doesn’t matter. Kadan is still going to be angry you took the bizori.”

  “I need to do this.”

  A sigh escaped as Braec stood. “I wish I didn’t, but I understand.”

  Taitt slowly walked over to them. In his hand was a small vial of bright green liquid. “The healer only gave me enough for one day.” He held up a hand to stop Dracor from interrupting. “He didn’t want to give it to me at all after I told him what it was for, but I insisted. In return, he would only give you a single dose.”

  “I need more.”

  “No, you don’t.” Taitt’s voice was hard. “One day is too much for you to suffer, let alone any longer.”

  “That is my call to make.”

  Taitt shoved the vial into Dracor’s hand. “Then you try and get more from Juno. He won’t give you anymore. Neither will his mate.”

  Dracor cursed under his breath, then opened the vial and downed the contents in one swallow. It burned his throat for a few seconds, then eased into a mild smolder until it faded away completely. The bizori was fast acting, and he could already feel his other senses dissipating.

  It was a strange sensation.

  One he wasn’t familiar with, and didn’t particularly care for. Still, he would do whatever it took. Dracor inhaled deeply, and when he scented nothing, he knew he was ready.

  It was time for him to meet his mate.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Abby wanted to run, to go and hide in her room, but something made her stay in the great hall after Braec and the other male Vor had flown out of the doorway.

  The way he’d looked at her had frozen her in place…and not just in fear.

  The Vor all had strange eyes, but it had been easy to see the lust and longing in the male’s who had shouted out his claim. No, it wasn’t just longing. That was way too tame a word for what she’d seen. He had looked at her as if she were the culmination of every wish, every dream he’d ever had.

  It was as if she were the one thing he wanted most in the world.

  That idea had touched something deep inside her that she’d thought was long dead. It was a hope, a yearning for a love that she’d only read about in books or seen in movies. She’d always wanted a man to look at her that way. A part of her had always known Charlie had never really loved her, because he had never looked at her and made her feel that tingle.

  He’d said it countless times, but she hadn’t felt it.

  But this unknown Vor warrior had made her feel his need for her, down to her soul.

  Maybe she was just being fanciful. Perhaps it was all the talk about mating they’d been doing that made her so curious. She wondered what it would be like to be with someone who was completely and utterly devoted to her. Someone who would never cause her pain, and would cherish her as she’d always dreamed.

  But did she really want that with an alien warrior?

  After Braec had launched himself at the other male and they’d left the room, everyone had been speechless for a few seconds. Abby had remained standing, rooted in place, but Janelle and Grace had bolted from the room.

  “This is crazy,” Janelle had shouted as she ran for the staircase that would lead her back to her bedchamber.

  “I’m…not ready for this,” Grace had admitted as she followed in Janelle’s wake.

  Rox and Tex had stayed behind, although they both kept their distance from Abby on the other side of the table. They stared at Abby with a mixture of sympathy and alarm that made her nervous as hell.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “That big guy is obviously your mate. You sure you don’t want to run?” Rox asked.

  Abby swallowed hard. “Would it do me any good?”

  “Probably not,” Tex admitted. “But we could buy you some time to get away. Although, that might piss him off even more.”

  “Great,” Abby muttered. “That’s exactly what I need. A giant pissed off mate who wants to bite me.”

  “Look at it this way, at least it’s confirmed that we were brought here for a reason,” Rox said. “I’m not exactly happy about all this shit, but if we’re getting a second chance at life, we might as well make the best of it.”

  Abby started to reply, but the front door opening had her mouth snapping shut. She looked over at the large male who entered, confused by the controlled way he approached with slow, measured steps. Braec and another male were a few steps behind him, but she only had eyes for the male watching her with that same look of deep need he had the first time he’d been in the room.

  She fought the urge to flee as he drew closer, then blinked as he bowed slightly and smiled at her. This was so not the reaction she was expecting from him.

  What the hell was going on?

  “Greetings, beautiful one. My name is Dracor Krell.”

  “Prince Dracor Krell,” Braec interjected. Dracor turned to level a glare at his friend, but Braec just shrugged. “What? I’m trying to help.”

  Ignoring him, Dracor focused back on Abby. “Will you tell me your name, little one?”

  “I…umm…I’m Abigail Denton, but most people
call me Abby.”

  “It is an honor to meet you, Abby.”

  “Okay, what gives?” Rox asked suspiciously as she took a step toward Abby, as if to guard her. “A few minutes ago you were ready to jump her, now you’re being all weird and formal.”

  Dracor frowned at her. “I am showing my mate respect.”

  Rox waved a hand in the air impatiently. “I get that. I just don’t understand why you aren’t…changing into a demon and attacking Abby.”

  “I would never attack my mate,” Dracor growled.

  Abby had to give Rox credit for courage. The angry tone of his voice was enough to make her flinch, even though it wasn’t directed at her. Still, Rox stood her ground.

  “You seemed like you were going to before,” Rox insisted. “And that other male did in the coliseum.”

  “Rox,” Abby said softly, stopping Dracor from snapping back at the other woman. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d like to know as well. You seem…different than before.”

  Dracor hesitated before nodding. He dismissed the outspoken woman, wanting to look into his mate’s eyes as he spoke to her again. She was so beautiful he was barely able to form words. He just wanted to look at her for days, to savor the fact that she belonged to him. When Braec pushed at his shoulder, Dracor realized that he’d been staring at her in silence like an idiot.

  Hellfire, he needed to get himself together!

  He cleared his throat. “The mating pull is strong. It drove me to claim you the moment I scented that you were my mate. I’ve taken an elixir that will allow me to spend time with you without being able to scent you. It is only temporary, but I hoped it would put you at ease with me.”

  Abby was touched by his gesture. “Thank you. That was very nice of you.”

  “It was damned dangerous of him,” Taitt muttered.

  Abby’s eyes widened as Dracor scowled at his friend. “What do you mean?”

  Dracor growled in frustration. He didn’t want to tell Abby the details, but he wouldn’t lie to her. Not ever. Still, it wasn’t something he wanted her to know. “Come take a walk with me and I’ll explain.”