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“On that we agree.” Verbet pretended to check one of the readouts so Laidon couldn’t see the pain in his eyes.
“According to public knowledge Jevara has no mystic abilities,” Laidon said quietly after a tense pause. “Is it actually some carefully guarded secret? Why is he so obsessed with controlling a conduit?”
Verbet glanced at Laidon, deciding how much to tell him. “There is no magic of any kind in our bloodline. Several attempts have been made to produce empowered offspring, but nothing has worked.” He pivoted to face his passenger as he dove deeper into the explanation. “Emperors don’t like to think that others are capable of doing something they cannot do themselves. Jevara wants to control a power triad largely because he cannot be part of one. Inadvertent power is still power, and power is irresistible to someone as ambitious as my half-brother.”
Laidon nodded. “So what do you have in mind? Not only have you pissed off Jevara, you’ve made an enemy of Zevon as well.”
Verbet shrugged. “Nothing about the Citadel interests me. I have found that large quantities of conventional weapons are every bit as effective as power triads. As for Jevara, he brought this on himself. He deserves everything he is about to get.”
“Which is?” Laidon persisted. “Are you angry enough to kill him?”
“I am, but I’m not sure killing him is the wisest strategy. I’m considering several options, as I said earlier.”
Laidon mirrored Verbet’s shrug. “Suit yourself. Clearly, I owe you for today. What do you want from me?”
Verbet thought for a moment then shook his head. “Today is about trust. I released you to prove my sincerity. All I ask in return is your support when I’m ready to act.”
Laidon didn’t look pleased by the stipulation. “I much prefer specifics, but it looks like you have yourself an ally.”
CHAPTER6
The next two weeks passed quickly for Eden and her mates. She spent much of her days encouraging Neloff, keeping his mind engaged while his body recovered. Then she shared Kyrex’s bed each night. A few days after their new routine began, Eden sensed Neloff activating their mind link while she was having sex with Kyrex. She welcomed him, opened her mind so he knew that she wanted him to be part of their sexual encounters. The next night he sat in a chair beside the bed and watched as Kyrex fucked her. The following morning they aroused her slowly with their hands and mouths, then shared her body for the first time. She took one into her mouth and the other in her pussy. Neither had dared to fuck her bottom yet, but she knew that experience would be next.
Each time she surrendered more to her mates, Eden sensed her power more clearly. Her friends had been subjected to a massive explosion of energy while Eden’s awakening was gradual.
Halfway through the second week Eden became restless and argumentative. She wasn’t sure what was making her so combative, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from snapping at Neloff or challenging Kyrex.
They had just finished dinner when Eden started a fight over nothing.
“Apparently, our lovely mate cares more about her friends than she does about us,” Kyrex teased with a rare smile. “She wants to return to the Citadel as soon as possible.”
“That is not what I said, you asshole,” she flared, pushing back from the table. “If you’re going to quote me, get it right.”
Kyrex arched his brows and studied her silently for a moment. “You don’t want to return to the Citadel?”
“I do, but that’s not what I said.” Why had she started a fight over something so foolish? She felt like an evil spirit had taken control of her mouth.
“What did you say?” Neloff asked, his expression concerned.
“I said the trainers at the Citadel are the best in the star system and I miss my friends. Is that a freaking crime?” Her tone was venomous, her gaze belligerent.
“Why are you so angry?” Kyrex asked. “I was teasing you.”
“You were being a jackass, as usual,” she countered.
His expression hardened and he scooted his chair back from the table. “I haven’t paddled your ass in a couple of days,” Kyrex growled out as he slowly pushed to his feet. “Are you missing the sting of my hand or do you need something with a sharper bite?”
Was she provoking him so he’d punish her? A shiver dropped down her spine, hinting at the answer. Her desire was definitely waking up, but she felt something else too, something instinctual, almost feral. “Go fuck yourself,” she muttered, then continued with more conviction, “and I mean that literally because you’re not coming near me tonight.”
“Is that so?”
She shot to her feet and ran, meaning to lock herself in her bedroom.
Kyrex skirted the table and caught her arm long before she could reach the stairs. “Mating instincts affect people in different ways,” he explained as he pulled her back toward the table. “Most simply want sex with an all-consuming hunger.”
Rather than silently watching as he often did when Kyrex exerted his control over Eden, Neloff jumped up and slid their dishes to one end of the table. He’d also moved two of the chairs out of the way, creating a section of bare table perfect to bend a disobedient female over.
Eden twisted and tugged against Kyrex’s hold. “We’re not doing this here. I won’t be humiliated.”
