by Kali Argent
Gods above, she was perfect in every way. He didn’t deserve her, but selfishly, he didn’t care. “Whatever you say, onye.” He pulled her closer, his lips curving against hers. “Whatever you say.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Okay, that’s the last sample.” Kylir adjusted the thermostat, then closed and locked the lid on the silver case. “What now?”
Every suggestion that flittered through Astrid’s mind was more inappropriate than the last. They’d spent nearly every waking moment together during the past two weeks, but physically, they hadn’t progressed past hand holding and kisses. She understood why, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating when she wanted him with a ferocity that frightened her.
“You look tired.” Dark circles bruised the skin under his bloodshot eyes, and she lashed herself internally for not realizing it before. “I can finish up here. Why don’t you go back to your room and get some sleep? I’ll wake you when I’m finished.”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
He always said the same thing, but he obviously wasn’t fine. It had started shortly after they’d left the Southern Isle, and the wall he seemed to be building around himself had steadily grown, brick by brick, ever since. She just didn’t understand why.
Nothing particularly interesting had happened on the southmost island of the planet. Vasere Snowden had been charm itself throughout their visit, though they hadn’t seen much of him during the week.
She had collected her samples and spent some extra time studying the various flora found in the sweltering jungles. Kylir had insisted on accompanying her on her research excursions, and she’d enjoyed watching his changing expression whenever she showed him something interesting.
Once she had finished her work for the day, they had stayed up late into the night, talking about anything and everything. On the last night there, she’d even fallen asleep in his arms, only to wake up alone in her own bed the next morning.
The week they’d spent on the Western Isle had been entertaining, to say the least. Vasere Sundale had greeted them upon arrival—well, he’d made an appearance and yelled at them to not get in his way. That had been the first and only time they’d seen him during their stay. Ivy had warned her that Jericho Sundale was rough around the edges, an “acquired taste,” she’d called him.
Astrid had just called him an asshole. Still nicer than the imaginative named Kylir had come up with for the Vasere.
Nights on the desert island were bitterly cold, but no attendant came to her room to light a fire. If not for Kylir, she might have frozen to death, because the only type of fireplace she’d ever used had been operated by voice command. Needless to say, standing in front of a blackened hole in the wall, screaming at it to turn on, had produced disappointing results.
Twice, her research had been halted because of massive windstorms that covered everything standing still in layers of sparkling, purple sand. With Kylir’s help, however, she’d managed to stay on schedule. He was proving to be every bit the angel everyone viewed the D’Aire as.
Her guardian angel.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
Astrid chuckled under her breath and shook her head. “Nothing.” Pushing to her feet, she brushed the sand off her backside—the stuff really was everywhere—and strolled toward the fountain in the center of the room. “Okay, I just want to test the water one more time, and we’ll be finished here.”
“Completely finished?” He didn’t even try to hide his dislike for the island anymore.
“Yes, completely finished.” Come morning, they’d load all of her samples into the shuttle and embark for the snowy mountains of the Northern Island. “I wonder if the snow here is different than it is on Earth. What do you think it’s like?”
Seated on the stone bench near the man-made streams that flowed through the underground temple, Kylir shrugged. “Cold.”
Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the fountain, resting her hands on her hips as she stared up at the sapphire jewel that glowed from the top. Damn, she really wanted to get her hands on that thing but examining the Adderstones hadn’t been part of the deal. In fact, she’d been expressly forbidden from touching them. Still, she’d give just about anything to be able to study them.
The cavernous room stretched the entire length of the castle atop it with only one way in or out. It was a beautiful space with its marble tiles and ivory columns. Vines of colorful flowers climbed the stone walls, stretching toward the arched ceiling where more orbs of light floated and flickered. Beautiful, but a complete waste since no one was actually allowed to be there.
Of all the flowers that bloomed in the hall, it was the blue and pink petals that floated in and around the stone fountain that intrigued her the most. It was the same on every island—an Adderstone encased in a fountain, and pretty, delicate flowers floating atop the waters. The blooms came in various shapes and colors, and they were always called something different, but as far as she could see, they all held the same magical healing properties.
On the center island, the flowers had been called amrita. On the Southern Isle, saona. There on the Western Isle, they referred to them as kiza, literally “to heal,” and they blossomed in perfect little circles that dotted the shimmering green water.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
At every site, she started and ended her research by testing to see how quickly the waters and flowers could heal. Pulling a small, serrated knife from her utility belt, she took a deep breath and released it slowly as she pressed the tip to the center of her palm. Before she could pierce her skin with the blade, long fingers looped around her wrist, pulling insistently at her hand.
“What the hell are you doing?”
She blinked up at Kylir. “I need to test it again. To see if it heals as quickly as it did when I arrived.”
“Okay.” He took the knife from her hand. “I’ll do it.”
“It’s okay. Really.” She reached for the blade, but he held it out of reach. “Kylir, it’s no big deal. I’m used to it.”
“You’re used to it?” The look he gave her was sharper than the dagger. “Blasted female,” he muttered under his breath as he drew the tip of the blade down the middle of his palm. “Good?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s good.” Great galaxies, he’d cut so deep, and he hadn’t even flinched. “Just hold on.”
Picking up the wooden ladle that sat on the edge of the fountain, she dipped it into the shallow pool, collecting the healing water to pour into his hand. Like magic—which, she guessed it was—the bleeding stopped, and the skin began knitting itself back together.
“Less than a minute,” she announced, holding up her wrist unit when the wound had completely healed. “Now, I have to test the flowers.”
Kylir just nodded and pressed the dagger to his hand again. He was so damn calm about the whole thing, but Astrid couldn’t even watch. It wasn’t the blood that bothered her. It wasn’t even the violence of it that had her flinching away from him. It was knowing that the male she was quickly falling in love with had purposely caused himself pain, just for her.
Hurriedly, she gathered three of the petals from the water, stacked them neatly, and rolled them into a thin tube. “Okay, open up.” He did so at once, and she placed the flowers on his tongue. “I promise they don’t taste bad.”
“Kind of sweet,” he mused once he’d swallowed. “You’re right. Not bad.”
It took a little longer for the kiza to work its magic from the inside out, but seven minutes later, his skin was as smooth as if he’d never injured it. Satisfied with the experiment, as well as the fact that he was no longer in pain, she pressed a soft kiss to his palm before inputting the data into her wrist unit.
“Lady Astrid.” The male’s voice echoed through the temple, a pleasant sound that held a hint of a smile. “My lady, you should break now. It’s been several hours.”
Sentry Ejan Westwind strode toward her, the bronze inlays on his cream-colored tunic glinti
ng in the overhead lights. He’d been assigned to them on their first day on the Western Isle, and he’d been surprisingly friendly considering everyone else in the castle pretty much ignored them.
As an unmated Xenon male, he stood only a couple of inches taller than her own five-nine, and he was about half as broad in the shoulders as Kylir. Yet, if he wanted, he could probably wipe the floor with both of them with nothing more than a snap of his fingers.
“Hey, Ejan,” she greeted with a cheery wave. “We’re just finishing up here.”
“Very good.” He carried a large, gold patter laden with fruits, vegetables, and meats in an array of sizes and colors. “I noticed you haven’t eaten today, Lady Astrid. I took the liberty of preparing some of our delicacies for you.” Placing the tray on one of the stone benches, he angled toward Kylir and lowered his head a fraction. “Sir.”
There was a very particular and dependable way of doing things on Xenthian. Never once had she seen or heard of a sentry preparing food for guests. That job always fell to the kitchen attendants. A small thing, but one that instantly put her on alert.
“Oh, that’s really kind of you, but I’m not that hungry.”
Ejan’s lips turned down at the corners. “I’ve been informed that humans are quite fragile. You must eat, my lady.”
Comparatively speaking, he wasn’t wrong. Humans didn’t have magic or claws or fangs. They didn’t have wings made of durable armor. They had no scales to protect them. Still, it felt a little rude to state it so bluntly.
“Yes, well, Kylir and I were just headed back to the castle to have dinner.”
“The food is already here,” Ejan argued. “It’s not much, but it will keep you strong.”
The more he insisted, the harder it was to fight her growing panic. “I said I don’t want it!” she snapped. “I won’t eat it.”
Very calmly, Kylir stepped into her personal space, wrapping her up in his arms. “Thank you, Ejan. Just leave it there.”
“As you wish.”
With her face buried against Kylir’s chest, Astrid didn’t see the sentry leave, but she breathed a little easier when his footsteps receded, then faded completely. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled like that.”
“This is about your former bonded, isn’t it?”
Clinging to him, she nodded. “Henry would bring me coffee while I was working.”
“That’s how he dosed you.”
Again, she bobbed her head. “He would always be very insistent, and he’d make me feel guilty if I refused.” A strangled laugh burst through her lips, but it lacked any humor. “I mean, how arrogant was I that I couldn’t even accept a cup of coffee?”
Kylir was silent for a long time, just holding her against him as he stroked her hair. “When we arrive on the Northern Isle, I want you to ask for a female escort.”
Astrid blinked and leaned back so that she could look up into his eyes. “Why would I do that?”
“Because males make you uncomfortable.” It was said with all the exaggerated patience of a mother explaining why her toddler couldn’t have cake before dinner. “Would you have panicked if Ejan was female?”
Maybe, but she probably wouldn’t have jumped to conclusions so quickly. “Considering half the people in the universe are males, I can’t exactly avoid them for the rest of my life.”
“I’m not saying you should, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone with them.”
“But you’ll be there.” Confusion creased her brow. “Won’t you?”
Leading her to the nearest bench, he sat her down on it, then crouched in front of her, bracketing her knees with his thighs. “I’ll always be there, onye, but I see no reason to cause yourself more distress if it can be avoided.” Gently, he took her hands and pulled her against his chest. “So stubborn.”
Astrid hummed in contentment and wiggled closer. Pressed against him, her face tucked into the crook of his neck, was her favorite place in all the cosmos. He was comfort and safety, peace and strength. Her rational mind argued that she hadn’t known him long enough to feel that way, but her heart paid no heed, because being with him felt like coming home.
“Okay, I’ll ask for a female escort on one condition.” Draping an arm over his shoulder, she trailed her fingers down his spine, right between his wing joints, enjoying the way he shivered against her. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Clearly, that hadn’t been what he’d expected, because it took him almost a full minute to respond. “I promise, there’s nothing wrong.”
“Then, why haven’t you been sleeping?”
He leaned back, creating just enough distance between them to slip a knuckle under her chin and tilt her head back. “It’s my own fault. I just can’t seem to stop worrying about you. I feel like you’re the one who needs a keeper.” His smiled turned roguish, and he winked. “Someone to watch over you, even when you’re sleeping.”
“You watch me sleep?” Sliding a hand up with the side of his neck, she pinched his earlobe gently and tugged. “That’s a little creepy.” She grinned to let him know she was kidding. Kind of. “But really sweet. It’s also completely unnecessary. Have you seen the size of the beds on this planet? There’s plenty of room for both of us.”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.” The words came out sharp between his tight lips, and his body turned to stone beneath her touch.
“Why not?” She knew the D’Aire possessed little to no desire when it came to sex, not until they found their keepers, but surely, he’d thought about it.
“Honestly? I don’t trust myself.”
Oh, yeah, he’d thought about it. “And I’m trying to tell you that it’s okay. I’m okay with…more.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I do.” She knew what she was asking, and she wanted all of it. Sex, yes, but more significantly, everything else that came with it. “I want you. I want to be yours.”
The Helios and Dragon Warriors claimed their mates with a bite. The Tarin, with a transfer of energy. Whatever the method, the reason was the same—to create an unbreakable bond.
For the D’Aire, their bond was formed through sex. Not the physical act itself exactly, but the intimacy created in that moment when two people laid their hearts, souls, minds, and bodies bare to each other.
“No.”
The wall he’d been building between them seemed more solid than ever, and she could help but gasp at the sting of rejection.
“Oh, onye.” He hugged her tightly again, pulling her into his lap and surrounding her with his massive body. “Don’t ever think that I don’t want you, because I do. I feel like it’s killing me wanting you this much, but you’re not ready.”
“Who are you to decide that?” she argued.
“Stop reacting and think. Be honest with yourself. Are you really okay with letting someone else inside your head? Because that’s what you’re asking for.” His fingers combed through her hair, soothing her as he spoke. “Make no mistake, onye, you are mine, but there are still parts of yourself you’re not ready to give.”
It wasn’t even remotely the same thing. Logically, she knew that, but that didn’t stop the fear and dread from coiling inside her like a living thing. Kylir would never hurt her the way Henry had, but she couldn’t deny his words. She wasn’t ready to open her mind to him, not yet, not when there were secrets trapped in her head that even she couldn’t remember.
“But…I…”
“I know.” His tone was gentle, knowing, without any hint of judgment. “As long as your heart is mine, onye, I can wait for the rest.”
CHAPTER SIX
Vasere Finn Silveroak made Kylir’s fucking skin crawl.
They’d arrived on the Northern Isle early that morning, and it had been fun to watch Astrid’s changing expression as she’d taken in everything. Her excitement over the snow had been adorable. The way her eyes had widened, and her mouth had fallen open when she’d caught her first glimpse of the
black fortress etched into the side of the mountain had made him laugh.
The unease that had settled over her when she’d been introduced to the Vasere, however, had made him want to rip someone’s throat out. Anyone would have done. He hadn’t been overly choosy about the target of his brutality.
It wasn’t just Finn, either. Everything about the mountainous fortress felt…wrong. There was a gloom that hung over the island, a sense of sorrow that seemed to have to source. Even the entrance hall where they currently stood filled him with a melancholy that had nothing to do with the dim lighting or the black stone walls.
“Welcome to Neverwood.” A petite female with short, ebony locks and small, lavender eyes stepped toward them. “I’m Vasera Cora Silveroak. We’re so glad you could come. We don’t get many visitors these days.”
Yeah, Kylir could see why. Outwardly, he only nodded.
“Thank you,” Astrid responded, moving a little closer to his side. “We’ll try not to be an imposition.”
“Outsiders aren’t welcome here,” Finn blurted with all the inflection of a malfunctioning droid.
“Now, lieling,” Cora chided, a slight coo to her tone. “Don’t be rude to your guests.” Turning back to them, she lowered her head briefly. “Please forgive my soulmate. There have been a lot of changes recently, and it’s been hard for him. We’re all still adjusting.”
“Of course.” Astrid shuffled a little closer, watching Finn, her eyes drinking in every subtle change in his expression. “Vasere, would you like to see my research? Perhaps if you understood it, you would feel more at ease with us being here.”
Finn Silveroak stood at least six and a half feet tall with a wide chest that tapered to a narrow waist. With his height and broadness, he should have been a physically imposing presence, but it looked more like he was masquerading in someone else’s body. A body that didn’t quite fit him. His face was too thin, too angular, and Kylir had seen dead bodies with better coloring than the male. His dark hair hung in dull, limp strands that brushed over his prominent collarbones, and his blue eyes had a glassy appearance, more like a doll’s than any being Kylir had ever encountered.
