Astrid

 

 

 

MAGNAR NAVIGATED ME toward a part of the palace I’d never been to before. We met up with Prairie, Dex, Cozmo, and Kerta on a heavily guarded landing as vehicles zoomed past and warm air whooshed over us.

A transport halted in front of us. The bullet-shaped vessel was silver, boasted huge windows, and hovered off the ground.

The doors parted, and Prairie dipped her head toward the rest of us. “Our party bus has arrived.”

“Party hovercraft, you mean?” I toed up the steps only to be met inside by an empty driver’s carriage and automated controls, a sleek bank of seats and sparkling bottles of alcohol lined up against the convex lozenge-shaped windows.

 “Looks like I’m designated driver.” Prairie patted a belly that had grown perceptibly in just the four days since I’d met her. “Kidding. This thing’s all preprogrammed.”

Kerta started pouring drinks. Both Magnar and Dex declined while Prairie lifted a gold goblet encrusted with twinkling gems complete with a straw made of some kind of Zenithian alloy.

“My go-cup.” She took a deep sip. “Rubek berry smoothie. Baby likes it almost as much as Momma. Although I can’t wait for a forty ounce of the good hard stuff as soon as this little one pops out. My boobs are killing me.”

Dex raised his eyes to the heavens.

“Don’t gimme that, Dex. I know you’re laughing inside.”

The vehicle started moving, slowly at first, then everything outside became a colorful blur as the speed picked up. We zoomed away from the palace, past the Idris Sea and the forest, and into territory I hadn’t explored yet and could barely see now.

Then I saw an impressive array of lights in the distance, glittering structures appearing as we raced closer.

“Oh, is that where we’re going?” I nearly pressed my nose against one of the windows.

Miraculously, as if sensing my interest in the scenery through AI technology, the vehicle slowed its rapid pace until I could more clearly make out the tall buildings in gem-like colors—higher than any I’d ever seen—soaring skyward and piercing all the way through the cloud cover.

“That’s the city of Zertan.” Cozmo laid an arm around my shoulders, pride coloring his voice. “It’s majestic, isn’t it?”

“But what does everyone do here?”

Kerta roamed over to us. “Zenithia has a thriving culture. We’re not all barbarians like my brothers, you know?”

“There are arts and many industries,” Magnar mentioned.

Dex, the blond warrior with the braided beard, added, “And bars and clubs.”

“Here, here!” Prairie cheered.

“It looks so glamorous.” I stared as our transport piloted over silvery ribbon-like concourses inside the brightly lit city, just one vehicle among many.

Only seconds later, we stopped in front of a Ziggurat-like structure, only the venue rose sky high and the crisp edges of rosy-crystal cubes pulsated with light and warmth.

The club’s name was inscribed in the Zenithian language in pure blue lights on the front of the building.

“It’s called the Ozyris,” my brother easily translated, which reminded me of how entrenched in this culture he was.

I was a quick learner, but I’d used the ear translator lazily instead of studying the language like I should have.

Magnar, Cozmo, and Dex helped us out and ushered us into the massive space with its dazzling collection of decorations shining from the walls, and its dizzying crowd of tall, gorgeous, nearly naked Zenithians.

Music—earthy tribal beats—had the huge crowd grooving, but as we entered, all heads turned in our direction. Perhaps because of Kerta’s undeniably sexy and commanding stature, maybe because Dex and Magnar were so ruggedly male and clearly well-built warriors, or perhaps it was the three humans accompanying the Zenithians.

I almost felt beautiful, the attention going to my head and making it spin. Cozmo and Kerta cut a path through the dancing masses, Zenithians who parted to let the rest of us through to the many-tiered bar sporting bottle after shimmering bottle of exotic alcohol.

Prairie raised her fingers, catching the attention of a shirtless barman who towered over her. “Round of shots and a virgin sex-on-the-beach for me.”

He frowned at her cocktail request.

“Virgin Shirley Temple?” she tried again, an impish smile growing.

The barman’s otherworldly eyes crinkled up.

“Kidding,” she finally relented. “Gimme one of those fruit juicy things and put it in my go-cup.”

As soon as the drinks arrived, she swiveled toward me.

“So, what’s the problem with Zane?” Prairie pulled no punches.

I choked on the burning liquor as I downed my shot. “I . . . it’s . . .”

“Way I see it is you love him, he loves you, you’re a freakin’ astrobio-something-or-other so this gig on Zenithia is right up your alley and,” she slyly smiled, “what about those cocks, huh?”

“It’s way too soon to tell. About the love thing I mean.” I stumbled over my words and my cheeks turned pink, not because of the alcohol.

Noting my reaction, Prairie went on the attack. “Oh yeah. I knew it, girl. You got the dirty double-dick action so hard, didn’t you?”

Kerta winced, slamming down her empty shot glass. “That’s my brother you’re talking about.”

“She’s my sister!” Cozmo shouted.

“Did he double dip you yet?” Prairie toyed with the straw of her cup. Then she peered playfully up at Cozmo. “Anyway, I thought you’d be a little interested in Zane’s double dick-au-saurus. Or is it dick-o-sore-ass, Astrid? I mean, Cozmo my man, aren’t you the least bit bi?”

“I’m outtie on this conversation,” Magnar murmured to Dex.

Dex watched his friend walk several paces away, probably wishing he could join him. Magnar didn’t go far, but he continually scanned the room for any possible threats, I guessed, even though so far I’d been met with nothing but welcome from the people of this race.

“You know,” Praire continued, “I think Dex and Jedrek wanna get with each other and one of the other human women.”

Dex’s brows hooked high. “What’d you say?”

Kerta snorted quietly. “You’re such a shit-stirrer, Prairie.”

“Uh huh. I’ve seen the way Jed looks at you, Sexy Dexy boy. And the way you both salivate over Laurel.”

Shock splashed across Dex’s angular face.

“Laurel?” Cozmo asked.

“You know her?” Kerta passed my brother another shot.

“Yeah. She’s a sweetie. Real shy at first.”

“Have you fucked her?” Dex’s sudden fierce growl took everyone by surprise, and I hopped between him and Cozmo.

Cozmo frowned. “Uh, no. She’s just a friend.” His tanned cheeks took on a pink tinge. “I prefer Zenithian females.”

News to me.

“Boy-howdy!” Prairie clapped a hand on his back. “Well, I’ll have to set you up. I wonder if Dylka . . .”

While she schemed, Cozmo shook his head then joined Magnar. Kerta spun out into the dancing melee, melting into the scene until she was barely visible.

Dex ignored Prairie and me—probably not in the mood for any more of the queen’s taunting—but he stuck near us, always vigilant.

I motioned toward Prairie’s belly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like an elephant. Crossed with a walrus, or maybe a whale.”

“Well, you look fantastic.”

She cupped her breasts. “X likes the new melons.” Then a bashful smile curved the corners of her lips. “He takes me to the healer twice a day. He’s so overprotective.”

“Hey, I thought you were going to be my new test subject.”

“Well, are you staying?” Her look became serious. “Because I’m not having a doula or whatever who’s gonna cut out on me at the last moment.”

I fiddled with an empty shot glass. “I really don’t know. I want to. I think I want to. It’s not just the sex with Zane either. I’ve seen how strong he is, but there’s something so vulnerable inside he doesn’t let anyone else see and it really digs into my heart.”

“Yeah. These Zenithian dudes can totally do a number on you, girlfriend.”

“How did you meet X anyway?”

Her eyes twinkled. “He picked me up on a street corner in Beverly Hills.”

My face flattened in shock.

She chuckled. “Not like that. I’m not a hooker. A pickpocket and a small time grifter, sure. Nah, he just—you know—traveled to Earth to search for his breedmate and went completely gaga for me. I thought he was a total psycho serial killer at first.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” I laughed then nodded for another drink.

Before the bartender could pour it though, Prairie and I found ourselves surrounded by four massive Zenithian males, all powerfully built with sweat steaming off their bodies as if they’d been dancing for hours.

“I’ll purchase the females’ drinks,” the one with skin markings covering just one shoulder and mesmerizing bronze eyes ordered.

“I’ll get the next round,” another one intoned in a deep rumbling voice.

The other two made their interest clear as well, huddling closer, watching us intently.

I’d never been hit on by so many men before, and definitely not all at once.

Prairie took it in stride, beaming a smile at them as she accepted a fresh refill in her go-cup. “So, you know the king, right?”

The four men nodded, murmuring, “The Great Xyib*eepthxnin.”

“He’s my hubs.” She smiled gamely. “That makes me the queen.”

The dudes backed off immediately, bumping into one another in their haste.

Prairie winked, latching onto the nearest male. “And Astrid here’s gonna be Zane’s princess. Oh, and Princess Kerta’s out there working up a sweat. So it looks like drinks are on us!”

As the word spread, we were surrounded by loud roars of approval and dozens of males and females alike bowing down to Prairie. She just rolled her eyes and ordered the barman to keep the drinks flowing and the bar tab open.

Dex and Magnar had moved closer, clearly unsettled by all the attention heaped upon us. Even Cozmo glued himself to my side, a formidable glower on his face.

Eventually we were all pulled out onto the dance floor, the sea of people swallowing us up. The heady music, the hedonistic moves, the crush of bodies made me feel a new effervescence in my belly.

The only thing that made me nervous happened some time later when the bronze-eyed male got a little too handsy with me. His palms dropped to my ass, and he angled his head as if coming in for a kiss.

Alarm widened my eyes, and I was just about to knee him in what would no doubt be a pair of formidable balls when Magnar appeared behind the male.

He locked his forearm around my overeager admirer’s throat and pulled him off through the other dancers, his voice thundering and full of threat.

Crisis averted, I heaved a sigh of relief and turned back to dance with Cozmo, Kerta, and the others. But I was lost in a tide of bodies, Zenithians I didn’t recognize. My group must’ve been swept away in the rhythm and the crowd.

It was then I felt another presence at my back and a low cold voice sounded beside my ear, “Do not make a sound, human, or I won’t stop with you. I’ll snatch the queen as well. She was the original mark. The one who got away.”

“MAGNAR!” I shouted for help just before a hand slipped over my mouth.