by M. A. Church
Advisor Taff cringed in his seat. “As you know, the Unity rescued the Ne Reynian shuttle almost a unit month and a half ago. The escapees requested asylum. Duran spoke with them and learned one of the males onboard, Camars, is the lover of Princess Verrell.”
“Princess Verrell? The Princess Dossi Verrell? The same Princess Dossi Verrell whose mother just happens to be Queen Ogill Verrell, the fucking queen of the Ne Reyn?” Hamza snarled, the veins in his neck standing out. “The same fucking queen bitch who ordered the murder of my dabba?”
“Y-yes, Sire.” Advisor Taff pulled a cloth from his pocket and wiped his upper lip. “The one and the same. There’s, ah, more. Camars has a brother, Nak. He’s the one who actually piloted the shuttle. And… he’s the lover to Grand Lady Impur of the Ne Reyn royal court.”
Hamza fought his anger. He shouldn’t be snarling at his advisors, but what a way to find out he was funding his enemies’ civil war. He rubbed his temples. “Good gods. And what does that have to do with—”
“Everything, sire. It has everything to do with why King Duran was helping fund the resistance. The princess and grand lady were very outspoken on how males should be treated. They gave their lovers unheard of things, like respect. Choice. Well, as much choice as Ne Reynian law allows. The queen wasn’t happy with how either female treated their males. She threatened to have the males castrated as a lesson to the two females.”
“Fuck.” Hamza even closed his legs. The very idea chilled his blood.
“Just so. The princess and grand lady appeared to fold to the queen’s threat. In reality, the resistance went underground. But more and more females started speaking out. This led to problems within their hierarchy.”
Males being granted privileges above their station? Yes, certain females probably weren’t happy. “I can imagine.”
“My understanding is that the queen learned Nak had been taught how to pilot the shuttle in secret. I’m not sure what happened, but something bad did. It led to Nak and Camars, along with a few others, being sent off planet by the princess and grand lady. And that eventually led to civil war.”
“I see.”
“Both females, along with several others who hold positions of power, have been helping the males of their species in an uprising. Males are fighting for freedom from the Ne Reynian government, which, as you know, is strictly female. Once King Duran found this out, he started sending supplies, weapons, financial aid—whatever was needed—to the resistance. But he never made an announcement because he felt we’d already interfered enough.”
Hamza rested his chin on his knuckles. They twinged, and he quickly changed hands. “I wonder if Queen Ogill found out what my dabba had done.” He still didn’t know how he felt about it, but it did sound like something his dabba would do. “It would explain why they beamed down during the attack to look for royal family members. Could that actually be what prompted the strike?”
“It’s very possible. Granting asylum and the Bellatrix’s explosion caused tension between us, but King Duran helping fund a civil war? Their queen probably considered that an act of war against the Ne Reyn. And it would also explain why they delayed so long, and why it was so vicious. Killing a king is no small matter.”
“No, it’s not, and now they have me to deal with.” He leaned back in his chair and studied Advisor Taff. “I’m sure Queen Ogill disregards me as a threat since I’m young and untried in battle.”
“Again, it’s possible. But she’s mistaken.”
“Indeed she is. One last question, if you please. Your name is in that communication. Why? And are the other advisors aware of this?”
“I was their main contact. And yes, Sire, they are. King Duran consulted with us before sending aid. We were in agreement with his plan.”
“I see.”
“Sire? Are you going to continue to help them?”
“The two males, Nak and Camars. Where are they now?”
“They wanted to go back and help the resistance. We returned them, and with them, we sent not only our promise to help, but also the first shipment of weapons and supplies.”
“How often do we do this?”
“Pretty often. In a unit week, it’ll be time for another shipment.” Advisor Taff cleared his throat. “Um, Sire? Are we going to continue to help them?”
“A unit week, you say?” Hamza pursed his lips. “I’ll let you know. Thank you, Advisor Taff. Please see yourself out.”
When the door shut, Hamza closed his eyes, sighing heavily. What a mess, and now it was his mess to deal with. Did he continue to send help? The very thought galled him. He’d need to check the financial records to see how much they’d contributed to this effort. The royal coffers were flush, so aid wasn’t an issue, except it was aid for the Ne Reyn.
And that, for him, was a huge issue.
Opening his eyes, he straightened in his chair and began shutting down for the evening. It was late, he was tired, and he really didn’t want to deal with this right now. But it was interesting. Now he needed to figure out if he planned to continue. Or if he could exploit it.
The tap of the guards’ boots against the polished floors as they followed him to his new quarters barely registered. The door slid open, and he entered. The lights were left on low, and the smell of food teased his senses. But there was nothing waiting for him on the table to eat and no sign of Neo.
He removed his boots and left them next to the door. Glancing around, he took stock of what had been moved into their new quarters. Most of their living area furniture was here and arranged, but more would be needed since they now had an abundance of square footage. There were no pictures hung, though. Those were leaned against the wall. The place felt vacant. Lonely. Like him.
He bypassed the kitchen area. Food simply didn’t appeal to him right now, and on silent feet he entered the bedroom. The lights were out, but moonlight shone in through one of the windows, highlighting the sheet-covered body in bed.
So Neo ate without him and went on to bed. Loneliness closed in on him. This was not how he envisioned his life with his mate. But he didn’t see things changing, not while they sat on opposite sides. Depressed, he wandered into the bathroom.
Why couldn’t Neo understand how he felt? He bet Neo would feel different if Doc had been murdered. Or John. But Hamza loved Neo too much to wish this darkness that was leaching the life from him on Neo. He was afraid it was going to come down to either him giving up his vengeance… or losing Neo.
What a fucking choice. Stripping, he set the shower to as hot as he could stand it and stepped inside. Was it just that morning he and Neo had been practically wrapped around each other as the water beat down on them?
Methodically he cleaned his body, turned off the water, and stepped out. He dried off and quietly entered the bedroom. Lifting the covers, he crept into bed. Next to him Neo snored softly. Well, at least he wasn’t faking being asleep. Hamza closed his eyes and demanded his body go to sleep.
Just as he drifted off, Neo turned toward him and wrapped his arm around Hamza.
Chapter Fourteen – Neo
WARMTH SURROUNDED Neo. Under his hand was soft skin covering hard muscles. The woodsy-scent teased his senses. Trapped somewhere between deep sleep and consciousness, a memory surfaced of moist air and rich soil.
Overhead, drops of water dribbled from enormous scalloped-edge leaves that made up the heavy tree canopy blocking the blazing rays of Tah’Nar’s two suns. At least they provided some shade where they hid, watching the training. But that wasn’t what had his blood heating. No, it was a certain prime specimen of Tah’Narian manhood.
“He’s hot, isn’t he?” Laken whispered.
“Yeah he is,” Neo answered, surveying Hamza’s broad, glistening chest.
He shifted from one foot to another, his pants uncomfortably tight. At age thirteen in human years, his body suddenly had a mind of its own, and more times than not, it was focused on Hamza. Over the past several unit months, he’d had some
very interesting dreams that left him sweaty and his sheets damp. It was damn embarrassing.
“I just love that battle-scarred look.” Laken shivered delicately. “Nothing says warrior like a few well-placed scars.”
Neo snorted. “I don’t think we’re talking about the same male.”
“Of course we aren’t. It’d be weird if I was drooling over Hamza. Or Raiden. I mean, who hasn’t heard the rumors about how fate or destiny—whatever you want to call it—paired all you guys up. I seem to be the only one of us who doesn’t have a mate on standby,” Laken griped.
“You have someone out there. I feel it.”
“Wish I felt it,” Laken huffed.
“You will. And when you do, it’ll be like a kick to the gut.” Neo knew the rumors Laken spoke of. You couldn’t grow up around this bunch and not hear of them. But it wasn’t until recently he fully understood what it meant.
He couldn’t say for sure when the never-ending teasing between him and Hamza had turned into something more. Something hot. Something that left his nerves jangling and his blood flowing south. His mind was consumed with touching Hamza, with Hamza’s scent, with… with all sorts of stuff.
And positions.
He scrubbed his hands over his face. He needed to think of other things besides positions or he might have to ditch Laken and find a bathroom. Yes, his dabba had ‘the talk’ with him. It revolved around hormones, sex in general, and certain kinds of feelings.
That had been mortifying enough, but then his dabba launched into ‘the drive to mate’ lecture. That was all about responsibility, Hamza being his mate, and that even though there was a special connection between them, they couldn’t allow their hormones to get the better of them.
Then he tossed delicacy out the window and bluntly told Neo that he and Hamza couldn’t have sex until they were eighteen. Eighteen! There was something about Hamza being part of the royal family, tradition, respect, blah, blah, blah, but all he heard was the no sex part. Then his dad apparently felt the need to add his two cents.
Worst. Day. Of. His. Life.
“Pay attention, Prince Hamza!”
Startled, Neo focused on the training circle again. There were three males, each stripped to the waist. Two were on their feet and one was flat on his back in the circle… and it was Hamza. The royal guard, Jar, slowly twirled his hajar. The weapon was a five-foot-long indestructible metal staff. There were globes on the ends that had ornate, yet deadly, spikes jutting out.
Jar did not look happy. “Prince Hamza, if we were in a real battle, I would have just grievously wounded you. What has you so distracted?”
Raiden stood nearby, grinning. He glanced over his shoulder at the tree line.
Laken grabbed Neo’s arm. “Crap. Think they know we’re here?”
“I… maybe?” Had Hamza somehow smelled his desire?
“And just what are you two doing?”
Later Neo would kid Laken about jumping higher than he did. Neo swung around. Jolak stood behind them, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
“We, ah, we were just—”
“Nothing!” Laken gasped, patting his chest. His bells chimed softly. “We were doing nothing!”
“I see. Why don’t you two come with me? Kia and I were thinking about taking a swim. He mentioned it’s been some time since he and Laken had the opportunity. Neo? Why don’t you comm John and ask permission.”
“Yes. All right.” He glanced over his shoulder. Hamza was on his feet and staring where they hid too. Maybe it was time for him to get out of there. “That, ah, sounds nice.”
“Neo. Neo?”
Neo snuggled closer. Whatever he held in his hand, flexed.
“Neo!” Hamza’s voice raised an octave. “Good gods, wake the hell up!”
Neo’s eyes flew open, and he jerked.
Hamza moaned.
Horrified, Neo realized he was no longer resting his hand against Hamza’s stomach but had instead let it drift lower. It was now wrapped around Hamza’s very hard cock.
“I love your touch. You know I do, but unless something has changed…?”
Neo slowly removed his hand.
“Yeah,” Hamza growled. He rolled to the side of the bed. “I thought not.” He glanced over his shoulder. “But hey, that’s the most action I’ve gotten lately. Still, nothing like getting me all riled up and leaving me this way.”
“I’m sorry!” Dismayed, Neo pulled the sheet up to his waist. He was half asleep, horny, and not nearly coherent enough to verbally spar with Hamza. “I was asleep and didn’t realize what I was—”
Hamza climbed to his feet. “Forget it. But I will say this. Don’t do that again unless you plan to follow through. I can’t take it. It hurts me, Neo, and I’m not talking about my hard cock, either.”
“Hamza….” Neo lifted his hand and let it drop. He didn’t know what to say outside of he honestly hadn’t meant for that to happen. But that damn memory reminded him of a more pleasant time.
He and Hamza often made love in the early morning before the duties of the unit day parted them. And he wanted to hold Hamza. To touch him. But the damned look in his eyes stopped him, as did the bristling attitude. If they made love, would it end up being a hate fuck? He couldn’t stand the idea. There was already tension in their relationship over what Hamza wanted to do. Throwing sex on top of it might actually fan the smoldering fire and burn their love to ash.
“Right. Well, I have a meeting with Keyno and Malk first thing this morning. I’ll shower first so I can get out of your way. Oh, and I won’t be back until later tonight. Don’t wait up.”
Neo slumped back in the bed as Hamza stormed from the room. Things were getting worse, and he needed…. Wait. Hamza was meeting with Keyno and Malk? Holy hell, was he still planning to ask Malk to be a blood general? When Malk found out what Hamza planned, it wouldn’t be good. As with any Tah’Narian, Malk was very protective over Kia.
He grabbed his comm and typed a message to Jolak. They had to do something, and soon. What he planned was either going to fix their problem or end their mating.
AFTER HAMZA left, Neo showered and dressed. Just as he buttoned his shirt, a chime echoed. He rushed from the bedroom, across the massive living area, and opened the door. “I was hoping it was you. Come in.”
“Were you expecting someone else?” Jolak asked as he stepped inside.
“No, but that means nothing.” Neo led Jolak to the living area. Briefly he wondered if this felt as odd to Jolak as it did to him.
Jolak sat. “So Hamza plans to ask Malk to be a blood general.”
“I’m afraid so.”
“And he’s still on the same path as before?”
“Yes. He hasn’t changed his mind about destroying the Ne Reyn.”
Jolak huffed. “I had hoped that young of mine would come to his senses, but it appears his desire for vengeance overshadows everything else. So we will…. How does Dale say it? Ah yes, we shall take the bull by the horns.”
Neo sincerely hoped they didn’t end up being gored by said horns.
“What do you suggest?” Neo tried not to fidget where he sat. He wasn’t looking forward to confronting Hamza. The odds of it blowing up in his face were astronomical. “I’m not really sure how we should go about talking to Hamza.”
“The time to talk has passed.” Jolak stood. “Did he say he was meeting with Keyno and Malk now?”
“He said he had a meeting this morning, so I’m going to go with yes. He’s probably there now.”
“Excellent. Then that is where we will go.”
“Oh, ah, I had assumed we’d figure out a way to lure him back here. I’m not sure interrupting a meeting he’s having is the… is the… um. He probably won’t react well to that.”
“I’m sure he won’t, just as I’m sure he won’t like what else I have planned. But no, we’re not doing this in your quarters. This is your and his personal space. It’s going to be hard enough for Hamza to feel like this is home
without adding a confrontation to it. Now, shall we go? We haven’t a minute to waste.”
Neo followed Jolak out, feeling like he was going to his own execution. He stayed silent as they made their way to Hamza’s office. Dread settled in his stomach. He couldn’t shake the feeling this was going to go really, really bad.
Even before they stopped at the door, Neo could hear raised voices through it. Yup, really, really bad. There was a crash, then a bellow. The guards acted as if they couldn’t make up their minds whether to storm inside or bow to Jolak.
Jolak solved the problem by waving off the guards on the door. “I’ll handle it.”
The guards spluttered, but Neo noticed no one gainsaid Jolak.
Jolak opened the door and strode inside like he owned the place, calm as could be. Neo followed behind, not feeling quite as confident.
And he was right. They’d stumbled into the start of a full-on battle. The viewing screen on Hamza’s desk lay in a shattered heap on the floor. An overturned chair rested on its side. Hamza’s body was bulked up in a dominance display, his fists clenched. For a split unit second, Neo wondered if Hamza had forgotten himself and hit something yet again.
Keyno stood behind Malk with his hands extended upwards under the male’s armpits. His fingers were interlaced behind Malk’s neck as Malk snarled loudly in anger. While concern radiated from Keyno, Hamza and Malk were both alarmingly red in the face.
“You want to wipe out the Ne Reyn? All Ne Reyn? My mate and young are part Ne Reynian. Do you want to kill them too? Over my dead body, Hamza,” Malk bellowed. “Do you hear me? Over. My. Dead. Body.”
“Enough,” Jolak snapped. He shut the door. “Everybody on this side of the palace probably heard you. I swear, what is it with you males?” Jolak sighed. “And while I personally agree with you, Malk, bellowing at your king really isn’t proper. Now, will you control yourself and have a seat? Please?”
Malk opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. One last snarl managed to slip through before he finally nodded. “I will.”
