Chapter 20

 

Simin Gralloch, Heidron of the fleet, had groomed his hair and left it loose instead of bound at the nape. He had dressed in the leathers of a warrior broadcasting his prowess, displaying battle scars and warning all who saw the swath of oiled flesh of his tried and tested skill. Unarmored to show potential combatants he was fearless, he came bearing gifts.

This was how she had first seen him. This was how she should know him, just as he would learn to know her on her odd Nierran terms.

Uncovered hair was a sign of flirtation. Well, his was flowing down his back, combed to a shine by his own hand. Not a single slave had been invited to prepare him. He had bathed himself, prepared himself, and milked his cock three times before their meeting so the damned beast might lie down behind the breechcloth.

Etaine’s suggestions had been… terrible. The female was not feminine at all.

What kind of woman would suggest offering flowers? They would only die in a day or two. Flawless rubies though, there were so many things that could be done with precious stones.

In an effort to gain at least a little headway, there was a bunch of wilting petals on the tray, dotted with fat rubies to catch her eye. And in the middle of the offering was what he had spent the morning preparing: a pot of gruel and the burnt nutcake Simin had made himself.

After all, it was the duty of an Alpha to feed his mate, prepare meals to an extent, even hunt fresh meat when near a planet that boasted worthy game. But to bake… to stir and season… this was the work of slaves.

She enjoyed slave work. He would try to please her.

Burnt fingers aside, he was determined to impress the woman standing out of reach, wearing the same white dress.

Though today, the dress boasted a bit more detail than the day before. A collar had been sewn on, the sleeves embellished into gathered folds. Even the skirt’s silhouette had gone from a shapeless drape that covered her well-formed legs to something that nipped in at a curved waist.

Morgaine looked less like a woman in a shapeless sack and more like a seamstress displaying her work.

Simin took notice, running his eyes from her hidden toes to her glorious hair, he took his time studying what she presented, keeping his expression light and his smile pleased. He then forced his tongue around her strange words, performing the only phrase he’d learned. “Good afternoon.”

It sounded appalling, tripping from his tongue, but blue eyes came alive. Shy smile on her lips, Morgaine repeated the pleasantry.

Hearing her form the words, Simin realized he’d said it wrong, but that was not what mattered. The Omega was impressed with his effort.

“Those are the only words I’ve learned so far, but I will come each day with something new to surprise you.” Far more comfortable conversing in his native tongue, he set the tray of food on the golden line for her to take when she was ready. “I made you something to eat, though I am not nearly as skilled with the preparation of recipes as you seem to be with needle and thread.”

She looked down at the tray strewn with flowers and sparkling blood-red stones. Bemused, she refused to step forward. “Etaine explained to me that Omari males serve meals to their wives. On Esin’s ship, they tried to feed me often. When it was Esin’s turn he brought… I can’t even remember what he called it.”

Retreating a step back before she might smell the musk of Alpha anger in the air, Simin took a controlled breath. He even managed to speak without grinding his teeth. “Did you enjoy his food?”

Lost in her thoughts, Morgaine failed to notice his shift in mood or his blatant attempts to hide it from her. Instead she stared down at the tray with its yellowing flower petals and simple fare. “I never tried it. I couldn’t eat after the caning. Or if I did, I don’t remember. Nothing there tasted good because everything they served me had been stolen from my settlement. The women here call me Nierra, but my people were nothing like those men.”

He could work with this line of information, lead her to pleasant things. Crouching down so he might sit upon the floor and cross his legs, Simin grew casual, smiling as he asked, “I can’t make any promises that your lunch will taste good. Fairly certain I burned your cake, but after you eat some, take pity on a poor man and tell me what I did wrong. Tastes like burnt nuts to me. Believe it or not, that was the better of three. The rest were ejected straight into space.”

She’d gone from wide-eyed shock to see the male sprawl on the floor, to trying to bite back a laugh at his foolishness. “I’m sure the inside is just fine.”

“So you’re saying it’s not supposed to be charred on the outside…” Rubbing his jaw, he gave her a playfully pained look. “Don’t spare my feelings, I can take the truth.”

At that she did let a little snort of laughter free and cracked a grin. “I have not met a man yet who could.”

Hand to his heart, insulted grimace on his face, he declared, “You wound me.”

He got an honest laugh out of her before Morgaine’s hands fisted in her skirts and she began to nervously chew her lip.

When the Omega stood, struck with indecision, Simin urged, “Take the tray. I’m not going to move from this spot. I’ll even scoot back if it will make you feel better, though we might have to shout to hear one another if I go much farther.”

Slowly inching forward, Morgaine made a grab for the tray, pulling it far enough on her side of the room that even with his great reach, Simin would never have been able to touch her. Mirroring his posture, she set a hip to the floor, legs tucked neatly under her skirt.

Watching as she wielded the provided spoon by the bowl, the Omega sawed off the top of the cake with the handle. Quick work was made of the sides as well, until the unburnt insides of his sorry attempt at baking were carved into a neat rectangle… that actually looked good. Almost edible.

“So that’s the trick…”

“Baker’s insider secrets. I’m pretty good at burning cooking myself.” As she tidied up the plate and cast the burnt edges right atop a particularly large ruby, Morgaine explained. “My mother was the great cook.”

“Was?”

A golden head shook, Morgaine correcting herself. “Is.”

“You must miss her a great deal.”

Hackles raised on the Omega, playfulness morphing into distrustful sharp edges. “Is this some trick?”

“Tell me what she’s like?”

Bitterness bleached her expression into a blank slate of nothing. “She’s wonderful.”

Leaning back on an elbow, affecting his voice to keep it light, Simin prodded, “And?”

“And I don’t want to talk about her with you.” The snap was rude, it was loud, and across the room where Omegas lounged, several turned their heads.

Brushing off her temper, ignoring the spying women, Simin rolled a shoulder and teased, “I’m my mother’s favorite. All my brothers would disagree, my three sisters would as well, but I’m convinced. You might not realize this, but I’m extremely charming.”

Morgaine snorted, Simin grinning.

“My father found her on… oh, what was the name of the planet?” For the life of him he couldn’t remember. “Somewhere very cold. She led the opposing army. One look at her and he knew, took her right there on the battlefield amidst some very confused warriors who didn’t know if they should cheer on the show or keep trying to kill each other. Deep down, I’ve always suspected that was her strategy all along. Seduce and destroy. Now she is Empress to all Omari and doting mother to twelve, yes you heard me right, twelve children. Though I will remind you again, that I am the favorite. My father is a hard-ass son of a bitch, but he adores her to an embarrassing degree.”

His Omega looked stricken, lashes already brimming with unspilt tears. “He raped her before her people?”

Clearing his throat, Simin eyeballed his nails. “The way Mama tells the story, she ran right for him, knives in hand to tear at his leathers. Had him naked and on his back in three seconds flat. Rode him right there on the battlefield for all to see.”

First the girl was horrified, then she was confused, and then it seemed to dawn on her what ‘rode’ might mean. “You’re teasing me.”

“Nope.” That charming grin was back. “Every word is true, though from the look on our scandalized translator’s face, she’s never heard how their romance began. Now, twelve children later, I think it’s safe to say they are both very pleased with the outcome of that battle.”

Reaching down for a crumble of his cake, Morgaine took a bite. Sighing she muttered, “I always wanted brothers and sisters.”

Eager to hear more, Simin turned his eyes from his nails to lay them upon the most perfect Omega that ever existed. “You’re an only child?”

“Of course. I’m Alpha born. My mother was shunned for carrying me.”

What? That made no sense to him in the slightest. “I don’t understand.”

“Alphas are the enemy. They only come to take what they will. One of them took her and it was considered unforgivable by my neighbors.” Tossing her hair over her shoulder to open the pot of gruel and dig in, Morgaine added. “Esin’s ship discovered who my father was while I was in their prison. They executed him.”

“You speak of something horrible so lightly, yet I can sense deep sadness between your words. I’m sorry that happened to her, and I’m sorry it happened to you.” He meant every word, knowing that someday she would learn more about Omari culture and hate him for their ways with conquered women. But today was not that day. Today, she looked up, mouth full of the food he had made for her, and met his eyes.

This was the moment he had been waiting for. Far from the dividing line, he made his goodbyes and climbed to his feet, purposefully cutting their time short. “I must leave now, sweet Morgaine. My apologies. Please enjoy my gifts.”

With her mouth full, she could not reply.