AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No. No, no, no!
It hadn’t done that to anyone she’d seen leave before! Maybe it was a mistake. Yes, just a simple misunderstanding. Her palm must not have been on there properly.
Cordelia tried again, her face pinched with rising panic when the warning signal flashed across the screen again and the shrill voice relayed the same message. She hit the door in frustration, and a shriek sounded above her head, lights flashing around the building.
“Unauthorized,” the voice boomed, loud enough to be heard throughout the entire area.
Cordelia startled back, her slippers brushing softly against the pristine floor.
What am I going to do now?
Chapter 2
Afewminutesearlier…
Ezul shouldn’t have come to the festival tonight.
He never attended functions when he was on leave from his duties as a warrior. Typically his time on Aragnok was spent with his brothers or father, if any of them were in the city, preferring their company alone and no others. Yet here he was, hoping to catch a glimpse of the human woman who had vexed his thoughts every waking second since he’d met her.
Cordelia.
He was uncertain why her attitude heated his blood or why the soft curves of her body made his mouth water, but he craved her, anticipation churning in his gut at the thought of seeing her again.
Ezul was a warrior, his body and mind honed to perfection, trained to overcome any obstacle, whether physical or mental, but he felt a loss of control whenever she was nearby.
Even his mist thrummed and pulsed at the thought of her, eager at the prospect of touching her, though so far Ezul preferred sparring with her verbally in the hopes of watching her cheeks flush with irritation while her emerald eyes shone in outrage.
He despised her, but for some reason excitement coiled in his gut, stirring up a dark lust for the woman.
Desperate to know why his mind was in such chaos where Cordelia was concerned, he had used the farce of the festival as an excuse to visit the capitol building. He hoped to catch a glimpse of her, if only to stop the tumultuous thoughts filling his head.
Passing through security at the front entrance was easy. He was wearing his custom-made leather breastplate, pants, and boots, all clothing belonging to a warrior. No guards would stop him from entering because of his status, so he didn’t even bother slowing down as he made his way toward the distinct sounds of a party.
The large ballroom was teeming with people of many different species, all of them chattering animatedly as he passed by throngs of them, looking out for midnight-black hair and piercing green eyes.
He spotted a few women from the harem, one in particular, a female he met with occasionally to learn the arts of mating from. He didn’t bother acknowledging her, his focus straining to locate his particular human beauty. Only, he couldn’t find Cordelia anywhere.
Even her scent was non-existent in the room, and after a few deep inhalations, Ezul’s usually abrasive mood soured even further.
He didn’t understand why she wouldn’t be at the festival… Unless she’d remained within the harem, entertaining another male.
Baring herself for another to touch and tease. To lick, and suck, and find solace in the warmth of her body. The thought was maddening, and mist slid from his fingertips, little flashes of electricity following suit as his head began to buzz with rage. His ears rang shrilly, and his jaw clenched until his teeth ached.
Without thinking, Ezul snarled, striding purposely from the main ballroom and into an empty side corridor. There was a flight of stairs at the other end that would take him to the harem. He’d find whoever Cordelia wasentertainingand rip him in half–
Ezul paused before he reached the staircase, shaking his head to clear his muddled thoughts. For lomta’s sake, what was he doing?
His blood was pumping through his veins, heating his flesh, and his hands were itching to find whatever male she was withand tear him to pieces for daring to touch what wasEzul’s.
That rampant thought was startling and entirely unwelcome. The little menace wasn’thisanything.
This obsession with the human was growing too strong. Ezul couldn’t just murder an Aragnokan without provocation, and using a woman of the harem for her intended purpose was not a reason to kill, especially as the women all willingly accepted the males into their bed. It’s not like anything was forced. He wasn’t protecting her honor…
If Cordelia was with another then so be it, he thought gruffly. Let this be the motivation he needed to forget all about the little menace!
The sound of glass breaking in the courtyard off to his right drew him from his thoughts, his enhanced senses picking up on the light tinkle of debris while his instincts screamed at him to investigate the disturbance.
Intrigued and needing a distraction, Ezul wandered over to inspect the source of the noise, ignoring the square sign at the courtyard entrance marking the location as closed for the duration of the festival.
