I close the door in Naefaren's face and lean back against it. If he thinks he's going to keep me in the dark about things with a pat on my pretty little head, he needs to learn otherwise.

Right away.

Which also means I need to be ready fast in case he tries to start the meeting without me. Taking a deep breath, I take a moment to actually look around the room now that I'm here. It's colorful, done in jewel tones that aren't jarring to the eye; deep, rich greens, blues, purples, reddish pinks. Almost like I'm in some kind of desert fairy tale.

The bed is huge, with an array of small pillows and a canopy that gives it even more gravitas in the spacious room. There’s a sitting area with curved, sinuous couches on one side and a few large wardrobes line the wall on the other. The wood-like material is carved with a delicate, swirling design.

As I'm wondering what exactly I should do next, there's a knock on the door.

"Yes?" I call out cautiously, wondering if it's Naefaren, ready to give me a piece of his mind. It wasn't exactly polite to close the door in his face, but I could tell the argument wasn't going anywhere.

I brace myself for another confrontation, but then a female voice calls out from behind the door.

"May we come in? We have the bathtub."

Oh. "Yes, of course," I say, opening the door.

The maid smiles, a little shy, and steps aside to allow entry to a couple of large guys carrying an enormous tub. That thing must weigh a ton, especially considering it's partially full, but they don't break a sweat as they position it in the open space between the seating area and the wardrobes, bowing to me before quickly leaving.

The maid comes in with two large buckets of steaming water she pours into the tub to top it off. "Would you like some help with bathing?" she asks, looking over at me expectantly, her hands folded demurely in front of her tangerine orange skirt.

"Oh. Oh, no, thank you," I stammer out. The idea of having a stranger bathe me sounds very not relaxing.

"Of course," she murmurs, curtsying and hurrying out after the men, shutting the door behind herself.

Okay. First order of business, find some clothes and take a bath, in that order. I walk over to one of the wardrobes, open it and an array of colorful fabrics greet me. I rifle through, enjoying the sensation of cloth against my fingers and the attractive rainbow of colors.

I adore dresses and the fairytale aspect of this whole things is getting even stronger. I love any excuse to wear a beautiful gown and on earth I didn’t get the opportunity nearly enough.

I take one out and hold it up against my front. The skirt puddles at my feet, way too long. Hmm, that’s disappointing, maybe there are some shorter ones. I pull out and discard quite a few before I finally settle on a bright yellow dress that reaches my ankles. It was probably meant to hit mid-calf on an Alvan, they’re so tall!

I lay the dress on the bed, open and closing a few drawers to find a light chemise and a pair of gossamer thin underwear.

I glance over at the door. I have no idea how long I'm going to have before someone else knocks on it. Best to be quick. Stripping off my clothes, I slide into the tub.

Oh.

That is divine.

I sigh as the hot water eases some of the tension in my body. They've put some kind of essential oil or something in the water. I take a couple of minutes to just soak, figuring I've earned it but then the thought of being found so vulnerable has me stirring and reaching for the soap. There’s a couple different kinds. Probably one is supposed to be shampoo?

Taking a guess, I quickly wash my hair and body. With one final dip to rinse, I wring out my hair and step out of the tub to dry off.

A bath really can do wonders. I feel a lot better now that I'm clean. Wrapping the nearby thick cloth around my hair, I go over to the clothes on the bed.

Stepping into the underwear, I slide it up to my hips. Luckily, it fits snugly enough that I'm not worried it'll fall back down. However, when I put on the chemise, I realize there's no way I can wear it under this dress.

Hmm.

I check the bodice of the pretty fabric, it's double lined, maybe I can get away without another layer. It'll probably be more comfortable anyway considering the heat. I take off the chemise and step into the dress, it slides down fluidly, the fabric soft, cool, and comfortable. Settling the thin straps over my shoulders, I tie the two ties in the back, securing the bodice.

It's actually pretty supportive. Adjusting it, I look down. Well, I've never had that much of my chest on display. Not that I have a crazy amount to show. I shrug.

At least the skirt is long and flowy, but when I take a step I realize there’s a slit on the right side that almost reaches my hip, baring nearly the entire length of my leg when I walk.

Hmm. Well, I don't have time to worry about it now. Not when I have much bigger fish to fry. Or whatever the Alvan equivalent of fish is.

I'm slipping my feet back into the black flats I brought when there's another knock at the door.

"Yes?" I call out.

"I have your meal," the maid says through the door. "May I come in?"

My stomach gives an interested grumble. "Yes."

She opens the door and smiles as she wheels in the food on an ornately carved cart. Giving a quick curtsy after setting it up in the sitting area, she leaves once again.

There’s a massive amount of food here. I sit down in front of the spread, a little overwhelmed by all the choices. Resolving to try a little of everything, I dig in. Some of it’s almost familiar, but some of it is so exotic I can't even compare it to anything I've tried before. Luckily, I like most of it. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't, it's not like I can run to the grocery store and pick up some cereal. My strategy of trying everything also means it doesn't take long before I can't eat another bite. I hope the rest doesn't go to waste.

Wiping off my mouth, I get up and leave the room. I don't want to miss anything. With no idea where I'm supposed to go, I just turn to the nearest door. Naefaren said to prepare the room next to his for me. One of the doors on either side of mine must be his.

I knock.

In less than three seconds, the door opens to reveal Naefaren whose eyes widen as he takes in my change of clothing. They skate down my body, lingering on the bare upper curves of my breasts, his hot interest clear.

It sends a shiver down my spine in response. My nipples bead behind the thin fabric, I really hope they aren't showing. I'm not usually this attracted to someone so quickly, but there's just something about him that makes me want to wrap my legs around his hips while he presses that enormous body against mine.

Shivering, I force my thoughts back to the present. "I’m ready for the meeting," I say when he doesn't speak.

His eyes move back up to mine. "So I see," he murmurs, stepping out of the room. "It is beginning soon. Follow me."

I breathe a silent sigh of relief that he doesn't try to stop me again. Practically, there's no denying he holds the real power in this situation.

He leads us down the hall and then turns into another one, taking us all the way to the end where a pair of bright blue double doors lay open. The low murmur of conversation is already going on inside. A low level of nerves hums in my belly, but I have enough practice not to let it show.

When I walk in, there’s a definite lull in the conversation. About ten men are sitting around a large table, most of them wearing a variation of the long tunic robe that Naefaren wears. The colors ranging from a vibrant orange to a deep purple and every color in between.

Except for one. He's wearing what looks like a hard leather vest over a white shirt, the very lack of color in his outfit drawing attention. His emerald green eyes are striking against his indigo colored skin and dark, blue-black hair. When they meet mine, he smiles, his face warm.

"Would you like to sit here?" he asks in a gentle voice.

But that isn't what stops me in my tracks. It's the fact that he's speaking English.

"You know English?" I ask, shocked to hear something familiar coming out of someone so very not familiar. It makes me feel a little less like a stranger in a strange land.

"Elorshin's Pari, his wife, and mine speak it," the man next to him remarks. "I have been trying to learn also, but my accent is not quite as good." He smiles at me too, his amethyst purple eyes arresting, set against periwinkle blue skin and navy blue hair. He has one of those open, honest faces that invite you to confide in him even when it might not be the best idea. "I am Drevakin. Perhaps you would like to meet my Pari, Clara? I know she would love to meet you."

"As would Margot," Elorshin confirms.

"I would love to meet them both," I say, a smile spreading across my face. Clearing my throat, I move to sit down in the chair Elorshin indicated. It and the one at the head of the table are the only ones left unoccupied.

Naefaren glances over as I take a seat, his eyes drifting to the two men next to me. He nods and then looks back at the man he was talking to while Elorshin and Drevakin introduced themselves. I can't hear what he's saying, but he's obviously wrapping the conversation up as the other man nods and steps away.

Naefaren turns as well. Walking over, he sits at the head, catty corner to me. Everyone quiets as he takes his seat.

"My thanks for coming at such short notice," he starts, meeting each man's eyes as they turn their attention to him. "As I am certain you have all gathered, Ling is joining us because the matter I need to discuss with you involves her." He nods at me. "She was matched with me through Celestial Mates. But Malathin Saren somehow managed to have her arrive at the office in House Caffaar, while also keeping Celestial Mates from informing me I was even matched. He was there to take her back to House Saren when she arrived and then he sent me this." He takes out a rolled up piece of parchment and hands it over to the man sitting across from me. "He wanted me to step down as Prince of House Viir in exchange for her."

I watch as the parchment makes it around the table, the men's faces grim.

"This is a declaration of war," one of the older men says, his voice growling low.

A few others murmur their agreement.

"Yes, but he could argue that Ling is not Naefaren's Pari, but merely his match," Elorshin says in a quiet voice. "It is still wrong, but our laws have not quite caught up with our circumstances."

The room erupts with voices again as an argument over that statement ensues. I watch Naefaren let it happen, his expression thoughtful as he listens. It dies down on its own as another voice speaks up.

"Perhaps there is a middle ground here," Drevakin interjects. The others quiet, giving him their attention. "As I am sure Naefaren would agree, war is costly. Both sides pay a price." He looks over at Naefaren who nods.

"Agreed," my match murmurs.

"Then perhaps we can wield a different kind of power. A cleaner retribution," Drevakin says with a grim smile. "What do Major Houses value most?"

"Honor."

"Power."

"Prestige."

Drevakin shakes his head as the different responses are called out around the table. "Wealth. They value wealth. Without it, their people grow disgruntled. And disgruntled people begin to look for someone to blame for their poor circumstances."

"Perhaps a Prince," Elorshin murmurs, his smile a little evil.

"Exactly," Drevakin agrees.

"And how do we do this?" one of the others says, his voice exasperated. "We cannot simply take their possessions!"

"No, we cannot," Naefaren agrees. "But we can refuse to trade with House Saren. A trade embargo with this many Houses involved is certain to have an impact."

This sets off another round of discussions. I catch bits and pieces here and there and catch one word in particular that the translation device doesn't translate.

I lean over to Elorshin next to me. "What does Paritella mean?" I murmur. "And why do some of them think you need it in order to attack House Saren physically?"

"The Paritella is a bond. A deep one between mates, both telepathic and empathic. Once forged, it cannot be broken. The bond is sacred in Alvan culture, revered and protected. If you were Naefaren's Pari, rather than only his match, Malathin's actions would be deemed completely unconscionable."

I frown. "But kidnapping is fine?"

Elorshin grimaces.

"That is not what he means," Drevakin chimes in, leaning forward so he can see my face. "What Malathin did was clearly wrong, without honor. But if you were Naefaren's Pari, it would be one of the highest crimes an Alvan can commit."

Hmm. Celestial Mates should put something like the Paritella front and center in the reading materials. Of course, I haven't had a chance to go through all of it.

"How do you bond? How do you form the Paritella?" I ask.

Their reaction tells me more than their words. Both of them flush and look at each other.

Ah. I think I got it.

"Through...intimate relations," Elorshin mutters, not looking at me.

Poor guy. Taking pity on them, I don't ask any more uncomfortable questions but I continue to consider the Paritella. Sounds to me like it would be a political advantage to forge that bond with Naefaren. It would clearly delineate our relationship and put House Viir in an even stronger position against House Saren.

Maybe...we should just go for it.

Not how I hoped or dreamed I'd solidify a partnership, but I'm a practical woman. And there's no denying I'm attracted to Naefaren. He's gorgeous, intelligent, and he came to rescue me even though he didn't know me at all. And he obviously cares about his people.

It isn't like I plan to go back to Earth at this point.

I let the thought ruminate in the back of my head as I tune back in to the conversations around the table. I listen as they hammer out a plan that also involves spreading the news of what Malathin did.

"Other Houses may think twice before associating with House Saren if they learn of this," Naefaren agrees. "Further isolating Malathin. And perhaps his allies if they do not publicly denounce his actions."

Everyone murmurs their agreement. The details of the embargo are laid out and it doesn't take long for each Prince to sign off on the agreement.

Once it's done, Naefaren stands. "Thank you. It is good to know we will stand by each other in times of need." He looks around. "And I am also certain you all have much work to go back to after I forced you here on such short notice."

Everyone begins to stand, murmuring their agreement and chuckling as they stream out of the room. Elorshin and Drevakin say goodbye to me personally before going over to Naefaren and spending a little more time with him than the others had.

Finally, they leave as well. And then it's just Naefaren and I in the room. Alone.

"Naefaren?"

"Hmm?" He turns around, a questioning look on his face. He's obviously still occupied with what occurred in the meeting.

I take a deep breath and let it out, nerves constricting my chest and between my legs is a throbbing tension. I'm just going to say it.

"Should we just form the Paritella? From what I understand, it would make our political position much stronger."

I watch as Naefaren's eyes sharpen and narrow. When he starts to walk over, I wonder if I've made a terrible mistake and offended him somehow. Offended a seven feet tall, muscled alien who’s really still a stranger to me.

Maybe not my smartest move.

Blood rushes to my face and my pulse pounds low in my belly. I force myself to hold my ground as he steps closer.