Текст книги "The bride contract"
Автор книги: Melissa Emerald
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 19 страниц)
33
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Chapter 33 – Kiahn
I am a fucking idiot.
There’s just no other explanation.
Visions of my little Niska having to defiantly lay everything out to me – having to raise her voice and poke me in the chest, having to spell out to me how desperate she obviously was back at Moon’s Rest Space Station.
I scrub my hands down my face. “Of course she fucking was,” I mutter to myself, still in disbelief at how I had the gall to feel wronged by her without considering the circumstances.
I’d tried to go to her, not even an hour after she’d rightfully stormed out, leaving me to feel ashamed of myself. But she’d refused to answer the door to her chambers.
All day she’d stayed hidden, and she’d not come to dine with Lois, Jaya and my brothers. last night “I don’t know what you’ve done, but you better apologize,” Lois had advised, pointing an accusatory eating utensil right at me.
I’d noticed the servant behind her stiffen at the action. No one speaks to a prince of Xaavia that way.
But she was right.
I’ve tried her door five more times since then. She won’t answer, and the door is locked. When I try a sixth time, I find the door to her rooms ajar. “Niska?” I ask, pushing it open to peer inside.
She’s nowhere to be seen.
It’s three hours later, and I’m not even done searching the palace. My heart is in literal pain from not knowing where she is – not knowing she is safe. Knowing I’ve upset her. When I stumble into an unchecked room – one of the many studies here in the western wing – I find my Aunt and cousin, sat together, scrolling through records of some kind projected in front of them.
I storm closer, and it’s not until I’m almost walking through their projection to stand directly in front of them that I realize they are listing females of eligible age for a breeding contract.
I grind my teeth together and glare down at them both.
My Aunt turns off the projection and looks up at me. “Kiahn. Are you and Niska friends again?”
“How the fuck could you do this?” I growl.
She makes a dismissive noise that almost sounds like a chuckle. “Oh, my horns, Kiahn, they were only contraceptives. And yes, it’s not nice to be lied to, but in the end, what does it matter? The likelihood of you siring a child on the poor girl is-”
“I’m not talking about the pills!” I roar, startling both females. “I’m talking about forcing her into a contract in the first place.”
“Nobody forced her, Kiahn.”
My blood has reached boiling point. “What choice did she have, Zalora?! A life of slavery, abuse and early death?!” I pace away, spearing my fingers through my hair and gripping a fist-full at the roots as I really let my Niska’s situation sink in. “That or my breeding bench?” Turning, I glare at my aunt again. “You may not think you forced her, but is coercion much better?”
“And what do you think happens to the females of Xaavia every day when they sign their breeding contracts, Prince Kiahn,” she pushes back, standing and leaning on her cane. “Do you think they rejoice at being strapped down by a male their father picked out for them?”
My jaw ticks as I stare at her. “You mean the same females that you were just now trying to pick out for me?”
“Kiahn,” Vel implores, scooting herself forward on the overstuffed seat. “We’re just trying to improve relations between our principality and the capital. The king doesn’t-”
“The king doesn’t want anything to do with us, Kiahn,” Aunt Zalora interrupts. “He wants to ultimately depose us, replacing the ruling of this principality with a new branch of his offspring – ones with potent venoms that he deems useful. I only ever wanted you to sire children to challenge that.”
I say nothing as I stare at my aunt. She stares right back, her eyes going glassy as she says, “King Zeelix is battling his urge to erase all memory of your mother and the fate he left her to, Kiahn. It makes him uncomfortable to be reminded of what he did. And you and your brothers are the biggest reminders of all.”
I can not deny any of what she is saying. Even I’ve let my mind circle this line of thought like water around a drain. But we are talking about my Niska, not my fucking father and what he did to my mother. I let out a displeased snort through my nose and turn my back to them to gaze unseeing through the window. Not for the first time do I wish that my bloodline venom had properties that my father valued. If for nothing else, that I would not need to worry about shit like this.
I also wish I could feel the properties of my own venom. I could use some clarity and focus right about now.
“Your father did love my sister, Kiahn.” Aunt Zalora says. I can hear the thud of her cane against the flooring as she approaches. “He is not so cruel that he would set the wheels in motion to get rid of us, but as soon as one of his senators suggests it, he will entertain it. Once the idea garners more support. We will be replaced.”
“Maybe we should be,” I shrug before turning to face her. “Maybe it is time for new bloodlines.”
I half expect her to spout something about disrespecting my mother, or counter that we do not know what a new ruling family would do to these lands and our people. But instead, she steps close, tipping her head back to look me in the eye and says, “and then where would your Niska be?”
* * *
I stare at the single, pink, blinking dot shown on the palace bio-locator map that Vel tapped into from security. My aunt had slunk away after I’d told her she is being sent on a visit to the capital for a time – without her assistant. I can understand her intent with what she did with Niska, but the whole thing feels wrong now that I’m firmly looking at it from the right point of view. I had been angry at Niska for the lie, when she hadn’t really had a choice – or rather, she had a set of two fucked up choices, and one was only slightly less shitty than the other.
But, I need to speak to Niska. I need to apologize. First, I need to find her. And for that, I needed Vel.
“Are you sure there’s no maintenance scheduled?” I ask, still eying the pink dot on the map that indicates there is one lone person on board the royal cruiser. “What room is that anyway?”
Vel squints at the map, pinching and zooming here and there as she readjusts the angle. “Looks like the lagoon room. I suppose it could be an engineer-”
She doesn’t get to finish her words. I am already out the door, racing toward the palace port tower.
I know it’s her. My breathing speeds up the closer I get, my heart feels like it could burst right out of my chest at this rate. But nothing could prepare me for how relieved I would feel to finally set eyes on her again.
There, in the middle of the indoor lagoon, my Niska floats on her back, staring up at the artificial night sky on the ceiling while holographic moonbugs flitter over her like they’re putting on a show for an audience of one. She is wearing a silk sleeping shift, though it is different from the one she was wearing when I had so foolishly confronted her about the contraceptives. This one is cream in color and clings to her shapely form now that it is soaked through from the lagoon.
I don’t bother to take my own clothes off. Instead, I start wading through the warm waters, only caring about speaking to my Niska, and not much else.
She must hear me, and feel the ripples in the water at my approach. Her only indication of a greeting, though, is how her eyes flick to mine when I’m practically standing over her. They go back to the moonbugs pretty quickly, and I feel like I’ve been dismissed.
Sighing, I lay back and float with her.
It is peaceful with my ears submerged beneath the water. All I can hear is the faint tinkle of the lagoon’s waterfall, and my own breathing. All I can see is the artificial night sky, and dancing moonbugs.
But all I can think about is her.
We drift like that for a short while. At one point, my leg floats against hers and it feels like that one small touch sends a surge of sorcery through my body. I try not to look to see where she is, but do so anyway. My movements are slow and smooth, but I manage to maneuver myself alongside my Niska so that we are both floating side-by-side, staring up at the fake stars and the up-lit exotic plants of the lagoon room.
After some time, I tentatively move my hand closer to hers. Inch-by-inch as we drift together. My fingers spread, trying to extend toward her until I feel the faintest brush of my hand against hers. I suck in a breath, hoping she won’t dismiss me and go off to hide somewhere else.
I thank the four that she doesn’t. Slowly, my hand tries again. We bump and brush each other, until my little finger wraps around hers.
And she allows it.
As gentle as my hold actually is, it feels to me like I’m desperately clinging to my Niska.
I hear her sigh and she stands, stopping her floating to face me. Mirroring her, neither of us say anything at first. We just stare at one another, our hair and clothes dripping.
“I want you to know that I am very sorry for lying to you, Kiahn.”
My brows pinch and I close my eyes. “No, please don’t. Don’t-… You have nothing to apologize for.”
“I do,” she insists. “I lied to you. The closer we grew, the more I wanted to tell you, but I just… I didn’t. And then I had to go and make it complicated by wanting more from you, so, please accept my apology.”
I do nothing but map her features for a breath or two, until there’s nothing left for me to do but get on my knees in front of her, the waters now up to my chest. “Only if you accept mine, Niska.” I peer up at her as a small puff of air escapes her lips. “I blamed you for a position you had no control over, instead of thinking about why you made your choices, I chose to sit and stew in my own feelings of being wronged. Truly, Niska, I am very sorry. Not just for my behavior, but for the situation you and your friends are in, and the things you’ve had to do to get yourself out of it.”
A ghost of a smile lifts one corner of her lips. “It wasn’t all bad,” she says, reaching out to stroke her thumb over my cheek. “Some of it turned out to be pretty good, actually.”
I lean into her touch, closing my eyes. “Please accept my apology, Niska. It is tearing me to pieces that I upset you.”
And then her hand is gone.
Niska sucks in a long breath and lets it out in a burst, her shoulders rising and falling with the motion. “I accept your apology, Kiahn… But where do I stand if we end our contract now? Do me and the girls still get to stay here? Do we get somewhere to live? Will we be safe?”
I stand, taking hold of her hand in both of mine. “Niska, you will never go back to that life. You will always have a place here. You can have it all – everything I agreed to in the contract, but… you want to end it-… now?”
She tilts her head to look up at me, a small smile on her face, but my heart plummets when she says, “I think it would be for the best, yes.”
“But-”
“I was bought for you, Kiahn,” she interrupts, her expression soft, but her tone firm. “Nothing about us is normal, and the longer I try to pretend that it is, the harder it’s going to hurt when this all comes to an end.” Her pretty eyes go glassy and her lip trembles a little when she says the words that I know I’ll hear echoes of for the rest of my life. “Please don’t force me to love you any more than I already do, Kiahn. I don’t think I could stand it when you have to walk away.”
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34
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Chapter 34 – Niska
Kiahn kept his promises. Our contract ended and Lois, Jaya and I moved out of the palace, to a house that Kiahn ensured I own. I’m also paid a very healthy allowance for our living expenses, and have three full-time members of staff here to look after us and help us to navigate our new lives on Xaavia.
The house is beautiful. It’s huge, too. Much bigger than is really necessary to house three human girls, but I’m not complaining. The whole place has a kind of French chateau vibe, except with the odd piece of alien technology that somehow manages to not stick out too much – like the floating orbs that help me control the lighting and room temperatures. My wardrobe is stuffed to bursting with so many custom-made dresses in a rainbow of colors that I feel like I’m living in some kind of fairy tale.
Except I let go of my prince.
It was for the best. I know it was. Kiahn getting upset when he’d found out my lie was just the slap in the face I needed to wake myself up. The whole situation was just not normal.
He’s a prince, for fuck’s sake. And an alien one at that. Not to mention the way we came into each other’s lives?
It would have never worked out.
That hasn’t stopped Kiahn from sending me gifts every day, though. Yesterday it was a bouquet of exotic alien flowers that change color depending on the pace of the heartbeat of someone nearby. The day before that it had been the Xaviann’s version of a box of chocolates – the flavors of which were… interesting. He sends me messages through my wrist comm unit he’d set up for me, too. His messages are not lengthy or deep. But he asks how I’m feeling, if I’ve eaten, and whether I enjoyed my meals or if I slept well.
He wishes me goodnight every evening.
The sensible part of me wants to tell him to stop being so sweet. It’s the same part of me that knows it’s going to hurt like a literal gut-punch to see him sign his next contract. Whenever that may be.
But the truth is, it’s only been barely a week since we left the palace, and I already miss him. He hasn’t visited yet – maybe he never will. I can’t decide which I would prefer. Az is here almost every day, offering to give us tours of the city. He includes Jaya and I in the offer, but we all know he’s only here for Lois. It’s blatantly obvious by the way he gazes at her like she’s the center of the universe, even while he’s talking to others. Vel has come to see us every day too, sometimes she brings a few of her ‘Earthophile’ friends, and even Zann has dropped by a time or two. But still no Kiahn.
That was, until today.
The sight of him on our doorstep as I yank open one of the huge, pink double-doors catches me off guard a little. The frown he issues me catches me off guard even further.
“You answered the door,” he says in place of a proper hello, his large frame towering over me as he leans forward a little trying to peer inside the house. When his attention comes back to me, he must see the confusion in my features. “You shouldn’t be answering the door. I employ staff to look after you.”
I prop my hand on my hip. “I’m not so high and mighty that I can’t answer a door, Your Highness.”
“What? No, I don’t mean it like that. I mean for your safety,” he says, stepping inside. “It could have been anyone at the door.”
I step back, allowing his big frame more room even though our grand entrance area with twin sweeping staircases is plenty big enough. He’s wearing those golden horn bands and caps today, and those clothes that always remind me of the romantic hero in a period movie, the sleeves of his loose, white shirt shoved up to his forearms. He looks perfect. “It could have been anyone,” I say, repeating his words as I stare up at his handsome face, “but it was you.”
Kiahn’s throat bobs as he swallows, but he stares right back at me. We’re surrounded by the quiet of the house. Lois is napping, and Jaya has probably found a sunny spot to camp out with her head stuck in one of the black-market human books one of the Earthophiles has lent us. There’s an odd-looking grandfather-type clock in our entrance room. It’s made from dark wood like the ones you’d find back home, but the clock-face is arranged differently, and the ‘hands’ are tiny floating orbs. It still ticks, though. Just like back home. Tick, tock, tick, tock… It’s all I can hear. The sound puts me on edge.
“I… I have come to see you,” Kiahn says before executing a deep bow before me. The expression on his face as he rises to his full height again tells me he’s beating himself up for saying something so obvious. He winces as he rubs the back of his neck. “I have come to talk to you,” he clarifies, “about something important.”
Urging him to go to the nearest living room, I follow along behind his huge frame. This lounge area is one of many in the house he gave us, and with its cheery, sunshine yellow walls, it’s one of my favorites. Something heavy settles in the pit of my stomach as I take a seat opposite Kiahn, wondering if whatever he’s about to talk to me about is going to tarnish this room for me forever. The vase set on the low table between us houses the flowers he’d sent to me a couple of days back. Their petals are rapidly turning from a calm white color, to a vivid pink. Are they picking up on my erratic heartbeat or Kiahn’s?
“Niska,” Kiahn starts, scooting his butt and splayed thighs to the very edge of the couch seat. He clears his throat and continues. “I have bought you news of this-” tapping on his wrist comm, an official-looking document appears, floating in mid-air. Kiahn maneuvers it so we can both see the script and multiple royal seals and stamps.
“What is it?” I ask, squinting at the flowing font. My translator can make out a word or two here and there, but it’s clear the bulk of it is legal jargon and numbers that seem to be code for something.
“It’s the deed to planet GX33207,” he answers, his gaze not leaving my face. “It belonged to Prince Ryx from the Southern Principality as one of his many vacation planets. Now it belongs to you.”
He actually bought me a planet.
“Kiahn,” I sigh, “I don’t need a vacation planet.” I’m about to get up and start pacing, because all this; the house, the gifts, the money, a frickin’ planet - it’s all nice -more than nice– but it doesn’t change anything.
But Kiahn stops me. “I know,” he says, shaking his head. “I know you don’t need these things, and I’ve thought about what you said. About your position as a human away from her home planet who just wanted somewhere safe for her and her friends. And, I thought perhaps we could create that?” he taps on his wrist comm, swapping the hologram of the deed for an image of a slowly rotating planet. “This is GX33207. It is only half a day’s travel from Xaavia. Much of its surface experiences inclement weather, but here-” Kiahn reaches out to spin the huge sphere, stopping it and highlighting an area along the equator of the planet. “Here there is warm weather. Prince Ryx had planned on building a pleasure spa in the area. I propose that we build homes for humans who find themselves in the same situation as you were in.”
I stare at him, trying to will away the the tears threatening to sting my eyes.
He looks at me then, with all seriousness in his tone. “Niska, I truly am sorry that I was angry at you for a choice you didn’t have. I want to make it up to you, if you’ll let me.”
Well, now the tears fall easily, and I make this ugly little hiccup-sob noise.
The hologram of the planet disappears and Kiahn sits there looking wide-eyed and worried. “Fuck, please do not cry,” he says, handing me a handkerchief. “I don’t think I could muster up the courage to ask what I want to ask if you’re upset.”
Taking a deep breath to stem the flow of tears, I use the handkerchief to wipe my eyes and peer at him, sure that my face is probably all puffy. But now I’m curious. “What do you want to ask?
Kiahn rubs at the back of his neck, his ear studs and horn decorations glimmering with the movement. “I would like to invite you-… uh… to ask you if you would participate in a date…with me?”
From the corner of my eye, I can see the pink flowers morph into a deep plum. Is one of us having a heart attack?
I sniff away the last of my tears. “A… date? You want to date me?”
Kiahn nods his head. “Vel and her band of human fanatics helped me to research normal human courtship. First comes dating, no?” I nod my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “Then, if I am worthy, we cohabit and I am rewarded with unlimited cuddles.”
I can’t help but snort-laugh at that.
Kiahn lets slip a grin but his brows furrow when he obviously notices the flowers between us – and how they’ve now changed into such a deep purple, the petals could almost be black. He places his palm on his chest for a breath or two as though he’s trying to calm his racing heart.
“Is that what you want?” I can’t help but ask. “Unlimited cuddles?”
Kiahn’s hand falls from his chest as he looks to me with all seriousness as he nods.
I suck in a long breath and let it out again. “Kiahn, why-”
“Because you were right. Nothing about how we met was normal. Fuck, even the breeding contracts aren’t natural for Xavianns,” he huffs, shoving his hand through his hair. “We’re meant to be bonded to one person, not negotiate a short relationship like a transaction. I don’t want that. I don’t want that with you. I want… I just want you, Niska.”
My pulse is rushing in my ears and I can’t help but feel a little dizzy. “They won’t let you do that,” I say, my voice quiet and hoarse. I’m right, though… aren’t I? He has a duty, and I don’t factor into that.
Kiahn gets up and my eyes stay glued to him as he comes to sit right beside me. He takes my hands in his big, warm ones and says, “they can all fuck off.”
“Kiahn-” I try to protest, but he doesn’t let my hands slip from his.
“No, you listen to me, Niska. I have already told my Aunt and my father that I will not be entering any other breeding contracts. Ever. The king can remove my family from ruling this region if he wishes, but it is worth it to me – you are worth it to me. You are my female. My mate…” he pauses and glances down at where he keeps my hands in his. “That is… if you’ll have me?”
This huge, powerful, horned prince is looking at me with so much vulnerability in his expression, I can almost feel my heart crumple just at the sight of it. I want to say yes. But will that be a mistake? What if his whole family gets replaced with someone else in power – all because I get what I want? I don’t want to be responsible for that.
“Do you… do you want some of my venom? The Bloodline Venom that will help you focus and make a decision?” Kiahn swallows thickly after stating his offer. Clearly, he saw the hesitation on my face. “You can… you can say no – to all of it. You can say no to me, Niska. You will still be safe. I need you to know you have a choice in this.” His voice is strained when he says those last words and I remember how it was when I took his venom last – back when we were in the lagoon. I remember how it had made me feel, I remember how it had silenced all the noise until all that remained was my trust in Kiahn. I hadn’t even known him like I do now, but the trust was there, clear as anything.
And it’s still there now.
He’s here to tell me that he’d risk having to give up his royal position, his power, his family’s power, everything he’s ever known, just to be with me.
“I don’t need your venom, Kiahn,” I tell him, my eyes pricking with tears. “Yes.”
Kiahn lets out a shaky breath. “Yes? Yes, you will participate in a human date with me?”
I can’t help but lean closer, reaching up to hook a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down to me so I can brush my lips over his.
“Yes, I’ll go on a date with you, Prince Kiahn,” I whisper into our kiss.
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