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Her friend inclined her head. “This is true. But would you truly wish to be so disfavored. To never be offered a gift or affection, what little of it that is available to us? Or worse, to be cast out with nothing to the streets of Caysta, or worse to one of the far-off planets, where you reputation will only be that of being a woman of pleasures?”
Tahiyina shivered a little, the fingers of her other hand clenching at the delicate fabric resting against the base of her throat, as a look of genuine fear crossed the female’s face. Her hand tightened on Stacey’s, and she gave her a beseeching look.
“You do not wish that fate, sister. Trust me. It is an unkind one that will use you up before you die.”
“But wouldn’t it be worth the risk for something more?” Stacey whispered.
Her friend gave her a shocked look. “Gods, no. It is not so bad here. I have my sisters’ company and have everything I need. And soon… a little one,” she said with hushed excitement, her hand going over her belly.
Stacey’s gaze dropped to the very slight bulge, her mouth dropping open. “You’re pregnant?”
Tahiyina nodded eagerly, a flush of happiness rising to her face. “A son and heir for Gaix and all of Caysta. The first. And precious little one for me to shower love upon.”
“Oh… oh Tahiyina, I’m so happy for you!” Stacey threw her arms around her friend, enclosing her in a hug as the other female laughed in breathless delight and hugged her back.
“You humans and your excessive displays,” the female teased. “Imagine that you could have this, yourself. Several humans have born daughters to fill their arms and hearts and earned even greater regard from the prince since females are so few on Caysta. Wouldn’t that make you happy? We could raise our younglings together.”
Stacey’s smile dipped and her arms dropped away as she sat back. “I wish that was enough for me. I just would give anything for a chance for a life that can be mine.”
The Calysii’s smile fell but she nodded. “As much as I wish otherwise, I see that. It is dangerous, though. The more you resist, the more he wants you, and the less peace you will know. Gaix always gets what he wants. And right now,” she murmured with as a sigh as she stood with their hands still firmly entwined, “what he wants is to be pampered extravagantly by his soft human mates on your day for lovers. He has talked of nothing else since he heard of it.”
“I guess there is no getting out of this,” Stacey whispered as she stood at her friend’s faint tug.
“Not unless you can steal another’s heart so that he might steal you in turn,” the female agreed, a morose hint of sorrow shared in sympathy in her voice. “For now, your most beautiful and enticing things have been packed, may it be of good use to you.”
Stacey inclined her head in acknowledgement, but groaned inwardly. Steal someone’s heart? How did one even go about that? And would she even find a male whose heart she wanted to steal? She wasn’t one to play with feelings and make false promises. It seemed that there was a fat chance of ever escaping. Swallowing any further protests, Stacey allowed her friend to lead her from her room to the main common area where the gonsi awaited. Duty awaited.
ChapterThree
Varik stood stiffly beside the docking bridge, his sharp gaze narrowing in on the large gathering of expensively clad females hanging all over the prince and surrounding him with their attentiveness and laughter. Prince Gaix preened beneath their attentions, his gaze hot and promising as he looked lasciviously over his mates. This was the part he detested. He could do his duty, but he hated to pretend to be unaffected and indulgent of the prince when he felt nothing but disdain for the male. It was obvious that many of his humans did not share his sentiments, however, as they tried to outdo each other for his attention. There were only a few who seemed to hang back toward the rear of the small group, their heads slightly bowed as if attempting to draw as little attention to themselves despite their bright and rich attire. And in the center of them… his blossom of a female.
His breath caught as his gaze fell upon her, captivated by her beauty anew, but then in the next breath his heart broke. She was just as he remembered her, the odd, unnatural pink of her tresses just the same as they had been then, if not more vivid and longer in length, but her radiance was muted and almost gone. There was no soft smile teasing her lips. No flush of happiness. Her eyes were lowered as she followed behind them, the gonsi sternly watching her as he trailed farther back at the rear. Varik immediately stiffened as he took measure of the male.
The Calysii was tall and powerfully built for his species with a hard, icy demeanor atypical for them that suggested a particular brand of brutality that Gaix wouldn’t hesitate to use. Of that much Varik was certain. There were rumors that floated among the fleet of the prince disposing of particularly troublesome females once he tired of them, handing them over to the gonsi employed in his service. The more common rumor, however, seemed even less likely. The greater populace of Caysta believed that they were simply discarded in far off places where they would no longer be of an embarrassment to the prince. Varik did not believe that for a moment. Word would have spread quickly among the fleet of females being transported off world, and certainly among people wherever they were found. Beautiful females did not simply disappear, and yet that was exactly what seemed to happen to the discarded females from the prince’s household.
It made him suddenly very uncomfortable to have the male anywhere near his ship. Since when did the gonsi ever travel with the prince and his mates? Athdar seldom left Gaix’s private household, much less the royal palace as he was responsible for overseeing the welfare of every female there. He protected them, made sure they had what they needed, and punished them when deemed necessary. He could not see any reason for the male to be there at all—unless the rumors were true, and he was being kept on hand to deal with a potential problem.
Varik bristled, his gaze swinging worriedly from the gonsi to the females lagging at the back of the group.
“Athdar. That does not appear to be a good sign,” Jornesh observed as he too studied the approaching party.
Varik grunted in agreement, his gaze fastening once more by instinct upon the female who had haunted him for the past seven years. He was worried for all the females at the back of that small group, but more so for his blossom who seemed to attract the attention of the gonsi more than the others. The last time he saw her she was lit up with happiness. He did not understand what she could have possibly done to incur the prince’s disfavor.
Jornesh craned his neck and hummed softly in his throat. “Is that her? The female you somehow bonded yourself to?”
“I am not bonded,” he countered.
His first officer slid him an amused look. “But it is her.” He peered at Stacey curiously, but a little too long for Varik’s comfort. “She is very small.” His brows rose in surprise. “And very pink. I did not think humans came with hair in such a color. It is intriguing, even if it makes her appear even more delicate. Are you certain that you will not break her?”
Varik groaned inwardly. He probably should have led with denying that. There was no reason to draw even more attention or speculation from his comrades regarding his little problem. Even the male’s soft chuckle of amusement annoyed him. Gritting his teeth, his jaw hardened as he stepped away from Jornesh to bow politely to Gaix as the prince drew to a stop in front of him, fondling his nearest mate lewdly.
“Captain Otorol! I am so pleased that you are available to accompany us! You remember my mates, naturally. Aren’t they most beautiful of jewels?”
Varik kept his gaze steadily on the prince, refraining from so much as glancing at one of the females as he flatly regarded the male. “Not distinctly. Forgive me, but they were more delicate cargo in my charge than anything else. Regardless, it is an honor to transport you and your mates for this occasion.”
Gaix’s eyes narrowed on him briefly, but the male suddenly relaxed with a broad smile, a chuckle of delight rumbling from him. “Ah, yes. Of course. You are a good and loyal male, a credit to your species… and your breeding.” He smirked indulgently. “I must commend your sire. There is no other male I would trust my lovely mates with—my gonsi aside. Anyone else would covet them, but you do not even gaze upon them.Thatis loyalty. Do you not agree, Athdar?”
The prince glanced over his shoulder toward the male behind him. The Calysii’s eyes narrowed on Varik and his officers before nodding stiffly.
