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Think of this as a team building exercise, she told herself. Yeah, right. This had nothing to do with teamwork or professional development.
They had a patient to tend to and a job to do. She had to stay focused, which was easier said than done when Sulat’s strong arms held her close and every breath she took carried the warm scent of him deep into her lungs.
5
Focusing on his irritation let Tariq stay clear of the dark thoughts that haunted him when he took to the air. Instead of regrets and grief, he indulged in a mental rant against his blood-bonded brother.
What the qarf was Sulat thinking? Why would he do that without talking things through first? If he needed release, they could purchase a pleasure bot. He’d considered that option more than once. But this… a human female? One they worked with? It was a terrible idea…especially since Jody’s warm laugh and soft curves called to him, tempting him to think of things he had no right to have. Raenia was gone. The hole she left in his heart could never be filled. Any attempt to replace her was a betrayal of what they’d had with their mahaya, their one true mate.
Anger fueled his urgent flight to the palace, but even so, he had lost some of the strength in his wings. If he didn’t start flying more, they’d continue to weaken. Given the heavier gravity of this world, he might eventually lose the ability to fly completely. The thought didn’t bother him as much as he expected, and he wasn’t sure what to think about that. Right now, he wasn’t sure what the fraxx to think about anything.
When Sulat and Jody flew past him, it fueled another surge of irritation, but this one lacked the raw edges of the first bout. It was time to turn his attention to the needs of his patient. Phaedra was the first human he’d ever treated. She was also the reason Dr. Clark was here at all.
His anrik had already landed and stood speaking to one of the palace guards by the time Tariq arrived. He attempted to land perfectly, not wanting a repeat of his earlier failure. While Haven was far more relaxed and accepting than many parts of the Vardarian empire, appearances still mattered, and perception was important, especially when in and around the palace.
He was still drawing in his wings and straightening his clothing when he caught part of the conversation between the guard and Sulat.
“I’m sorry, Healer Vana. The rules are clear. No one may enter the palace through these doors. You need to fly to the front gate and present yourself to the guards there.”
Sulat’s voice was edged with frustration. “You’re not listening.” He gestured to himself, then Jody, and then to Tariq. “We are here at the prince’s personal request. He instructed us to land here. Unless Guard Captain Doni has more authority than the prince himself, we will be entering the palace through this door.”
The guard stiffened, his scales tightening. “I have my orders.”
Sulat crossed his arms and glowered at the younger male. “And we have ours.”
Tariq opened his mouth to add his voice to Sulat’s, but Jody spoke first.
“Guardsman, what is your name?” she demanded in a voice like a velvet-covered blade. He’d never heard her speak that way before, soft, but oh-so dangerous.
It intrigued him.
“I am Guardsman Ashik.” The guard looked down at Jody with obvious interest. His wings rose behind him as he flexed the muscles of his upper torso. “You are Dr. Clark. Yes? The unclaimed human female?”
Tariq couldn’t believe it. Was the guard attempting to flirt with Jody? She was with them, and they were standing right here. Jealousy surged through him, both unexpected and unfamiliar. How many years had it been since he’d felt this way? Decades at least. Learning to live with and love the same female hadn’t always been easy, but he and Sulat had found their way through it.
He growled low in his throat, the sound blending with Sulat’s snarl.
Without looking at either of them, Jody shifted position so she stood between them and the guardsman. Then she straightened to her full height, placed her hands on her hips, and shocked them all by barking out orders in passable Vardarian.
“You will let us pass, Guardsman Ashik. Now. Or do you wish me to inform the prince that we were delayed because you did not understand the chain of command? Move aside and let us do our job.” Jody lifted one hand and made a shooing gesture that reminded him of a mother dealing with a difficult child.
The guard moved aside, his expression sullen. That was no way for a royal guardsman to behave. Who was this male? Tariq had no idea, but he made a note to find out. No one should interfere with his ability to access the prince or his family. Too much was at stake.
He traded looks with Sulat, the two of them clearly of the same opinion. Jody pressed on, walking past the guard and into the palace without looking back.
He hurried to follow her with Sulat falling in beside him.
“She has hidden depths.” He sent the message to Sulat via their internal link.
“Indeed. And I desire to explore all of them. The question is, are you interested in joining me? If so, you should stop being such a bakaffa. Winds and tides, you should stop acting that way even if you’re not interested. She is a colleague worthy of our respect.”
Tariq almost snorted aloud. “Respect is not what you were showing her back there in the street. And this is not the time or place to discuss your sudden obsession with human females.” Even as he said it, he knew he wasn’t being fair.
“Not all human females.” Sulat flicked a finger toward Jody, who was now only a few steps ahead. “Just one.”
Anger threatened to spill over again, but this time, he kept it in check. He considered his next words carefully, weighing them for several long seconds. In the end, he kept it brief. “For me, there can be no one else. Not now, not ever. If you wish to pursue her, you will do so alone.”
Sulat dropped his head quickly, but not fast enough to hide the hard look on his face. Then he lengthened his stride to catch up with the human doctor, leaving Tariq alone.
