Zane

 

 

 

SOMEONE I’M NOT very fond of.

Understatement of the millennium.

My first-rate morning with Astrid ended on a seriously sour note. Troubled to my very depths, I guided her around X, who stood waiting because he knew we’d both be summoned immediately.

My stomach twisting unpleasantly, I led the way into the palace through a secret passage embedded in the cliffs above the shore. Up ahead, Jedrek nodded at me before pivoting around and marching forward, Dex presumably remaining somewhere within the confines of the palace to post guard on Prairie.

X came up by my shoulder.

“Why’s he here?” I bit the words out through tight lips.

“Inspecting the recruits for the newest Valkrane warriors.”

Of course. A yearly occurrence to be endured. With the advent of Astrid I’d forgotten about the annual trials.

Astrid glanced between X and me, our palpable tension leaping to her.

I wanted to reassure her, but truthfully the man we were about to encounter gave new meaning to the words evil asshole.

As we approached the doors of the throne room, I whispered to Astrid, “Just remain quiet. And show no fear.”

I made an effort to clear my expression of all emotion, and Jedrek opened the doors. Inside, the man I detested most in the galaxy stood surrounded by his own elite warriors. His height eclipsed even X’s. The scar down the left side of his face an ugly reminder of just how vile he was on the inside.

Otherwise, our uncle—the man who took pleasure from deriding me about my deviant nature, the Commander who’d trained us and all fledgling Zenithian soldiers—was as appealing as most males to the eye.

I had nothing but pure hate for the man.

He acted as though the palace belonged to him, not X, when he beckoned us forward. Jedrek and Magnar flanked X and me, creating a smooth defense in front of Astrid from the male who detested humans nearly as much as he despised me.

“How fortunate I get to meet the newest female as well as the human you named as queen of our race.” His cold gaze flicked between X and me, and he made it sound like meeting our chosen mates was the least fortunate thing imaginable. “Those two should be no better than chattelian, but you’ve abolished the practice, Xyib*eepthxnin.”

“I’m king.” X crossed his arms over his chest, bulking up to further shield Astrid from Uncle. “You’re not.” Fuck you too his tone said.

“Chattelian?” Astrid piped up in query from behind us.

“She speaks out of turn?” If Uncle could’ve bored holes through our bodies with his glare to get to Astrid, he would’ve.

Instead he turned his derision on me. “Fitting I suppose, you should choose a mate as much a pariah as you.”

My muscles vibrated with barely suppressed fury. X laid a calming hand on my arm.

Uncle squared his shoulders, marching right up to X. “I should’ve been named king, not you. Soon this planet will be no better than Earth.”

My brother snorted, not rising to the bait. “Shame about that whole direct lineage thing, ain’t it?”

X’s verbal blow made a direct hit on Uncle’s usually impenetrable armor of arrogance, so he aimed his next sneer my way.

“Why do you shield the human female from me? Worried she won’t measure up just like you never did?”

With strength I didn’t know she could muster, Astrid pushed right between X and me.

Her chin rose up, and she propped her hands on her hips as she regarded my uncle, who loomed in full warrior gear in front of her.

I prepared to pull her back, but again X stopped me.

“Don’t you dare speak to Zaneeviex like that!” She lifted her hand to point a finger at him, her tongue sharp and cutting. “Why, you’re nothing but an overgrown bully, full of empty threats and useless words. I’d be willing to bet you know nothing about this male here.”

Uncle drew up like he was getting ready to backhand my mate the way he used to clobber me around the head.

Rage tightening all my muscles, I pressed Astrid behind me. Chest to pumping chest with my uncle, I got right in his face. That time X didn’t intercede.

“You may have browbeaten me all those decades ago, but I’m more of a male than you could ever hope to be. And if you say one more unsavory word about the woman I’ve chosen as my mate—this fine female here—I’ll drop you dead where you stand then feed your carcass to the glecaws.”

Fear finally flashed through his eyes. Just briefly, before he drew back his fist again.

“Stop!” X’s voice boomed with enough force to crack a crystal obelisk.

Hair stood up on the back of my neck. Taut muscles stood up in sharp relief along my arms and torso. I was one more taunt away from causing utter mayhem, and my eyes narrowed to violent slits.

Uncle peeled away from me. “This isn’t done.”

“You’re right.” I spoke through tight lips. “Not until I flatten you, it isn’t.”

Spinning away, I nodded to Magnar. Between the two of us, we hustled Astrid to the doors.

“Feisty female,” Magnar commented.

“I guess you didn’t have to worry about her showing no fear,” X called out in parting.

He and Jedrek hung back. Now X would have to soothe that blowhard’s feathers . . . or toss him off the nearest cliff.

Degrading and demoralizing feelings engendered by Uncle’s presence swept back over me. I strode toward my chambers at a fast clip until I realized I was nearly dragging Astrid off her feet.

I slowed enough to keep pace with her, but she trembled with the same anger surging through me like a tidal wave.

Astrid slammed into our room ahead of me. “I am so . . . pissed off right now I could kick something!”

I know the feeling.

I immediately poured a drink of the most potent alcohol on the planet and tossed it back, letting the burn sluice down my gullet and into my stomach.

Astrid held out her hand for a goblet, and I filled one for her. “Why did you let that asshole talk to you like that?”

She took a big gulp. Then her eyes widened, and she coughed as the fiery liquid caught her off guard.

“I don’t really want to discuss this.” I chewed the words out as if they were the toughest tazek rawhide.

Stomping up to me, she slapped her goblet down with almost shattering force. “But unless I’m mistaken, he’s your relation.”

“He’s my mother’s brother.” My lips thinned into a straight line to contain the small nugget of pain Uncle’s attitude toward me always unearthed.

“And?”

“Astrid, please.” I groaned.

“So let me get this straight. You want me to up and leave my entire life on Earth—my mom and dad—yet you can’t tell me why you let that hideous uncle of yours treat you like scum?”

“You’re a damn hard woman, you know that!” I blazed at the tiny female.

Her wrath made her seem bigger than she was, and her shiny blonde hair flipped over her shoulders when she stared up at me. She pressed a pointed finger against my chest, scorning me.

“Coward.”

“I’m not a fucking coward!” I roared. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“That’s right I don’t. You spent all morning showing me the most amazing things I never thought possible, but you won’t open yourself up to me.”

Slumping on a seat, I rubbed my hands over my hair. “You already heard what he thinks about me.”

“Is that how you see yourself? Like some lesser being because of what?” Her tone softened, and she dropped down next to me.

Her hand rested gently on my thigh.

“When Zenithian males of royal rank reach a certain age—and anyone hoping to obtain warrior status—it’s a rite of passage to train at Uncle’s outpost.” My eyes fell to Astrid’s hand then rose to meet her gaze. “He discovered what he likes to call my deformity then.”

Bile rose in my throat.

“Your deformity?”

“The diphallia.” I grimaced, remembering. “I’m not the first royal male to be born with two cocks, but it’s unusual. He spent many, many hours cruelly terrorizing me, beating me, depriving me of the most basic needs. And he enjoyed making me suffer. Still does.”

“That’s barbaric!”

“It made me stronger.” Shutting away the old pain again, I shrugged. “As for your question about whether I’m ashamed of my cocks,” I stared into her eyes, “I’m not.”

The loins in question sparked to life at her barely there caress, which was probably meant to be soothing. It was anything but.

Her hand sliding upward, her delicate fingers brushed the testicles lying heavily inside my pants.

“Then prove it to me,” she said.

Sweat popped out on my brow, and a hot spear of arousal shafted through my groin. But I gripped her wrist, halting the foray of her fingers.

“Not like this. Not because you feel sorry for me.”

She laughed low in her throat, a very wanton noise. The sound alone made my cocks ache to be inside her any way they could.

Freeing her hand with a twist of her wrist, she brought my palm between the legs she eased open. “Does this feel like I look at you with pity? With anything but admiration and fascination and . . . so much desire for you?”

I swallowed thickly, feeling the moistening heat of her plump little cunt. Animal lust made my dicks swell as much as they could inside my leather pants. Licking my lips, I explored the rising wetness of her pussy pulsing through the leggings.

With an effort, I pulled my shaking hand away. “I don’t want to take advantage of you, Astrid.”

“Take advantage of me?” Rising to her knees beside me, her tits wobbled against my arm, and her breathy voice caressed the side of my neck. “I’m the one who’s coming on to you.”

“Are you sure?” So hard and ready I throbbed, I turned my head so my lips brushed hers.

“Try me and find out.”