3013: GENESIS (3013: The Series Book 11) (10 page)

“Even
though we have days to do it,” Abrom said as he smiled as his mate.

“It
never hurts to be prepared,” Natima said primly. She turned back to Mya. “The TechCon
is essentially a mixture of fantasy, entertainment and technology. People dress
up and wear crazy costumes, while others come to check out the latest gadgets
and games, and buy all kinds of wares that are for sale.”

“It
sounds like fun.”

Natima
nodded. “It really is. Usually, we travel to Earth every year, but this is
great being able to be so close to the event. Our sons have a shop on Alpha
Station: X1. They’ll be coming here in a few days for the convention. We
brought a few samples down to see how they will look on the stands. If we wanted
to, we could set everything up now since security is so tight, but we still
haven’t decided exactly what we are going to bring. Would you like to see what
we brought with us today?”

“I’d
love to.”

Mya
watched as Abrom lifted the box onto the table. He unlocked it and lifted the
lid. There were a variety of items tucked into a foamy substance that kept them
in place. There were a few daggers similar to the ones she’d noticed all Krytos
wore. There were also a few wicked looking curved ones, along with others that
had decorative hilts. A dagger with a handle made to look like a claw caught
her attention. She reached out to touch it, and when she hesitated, Abrom took
it out of the case and handed it to her.

“Be
careful,” he told her. “The blade is sharp.”

Mya
nodded to him, then pulled the dagger from its sheath. The metal gleamed in the
light, but what really fascinated her was the intricate work on the handle. “This
is excellent work. I’d like to buy this,” she told them. “I have a brother
whose birthday is coming up soon. My name is Mya Spartan. I’m opening a new
store on the third level.”

She
handed the blade back to a stunned Abrom.

“Spartan?
As in Regent Spartan and High Commander Spartan?”

“By
the gods, you own Starlight Designs!” Natima gasped.

Mya
held back her sigh. Since she’d been on New Vega, she’d forgotten how most
people reacted when they found out who her family was.

“It
would be an honor to have you buy one of our pieces,” Abrom said.

Making
a quick decision, Mya said, “Actually, all my brothers and my fathers would
love your work.” It looked like everyone would be getting something sharp for
the holidays this year. “Do you think you could hold this for me at your store
until I can come take a look at what else you have?”

“Of
course!”

Natima
practically bowed to her as Mya thanked her and told them she’d be by their
shop to see them soon. After she left their table, she walked over to speak with
all of the other local sellers that were there. She introduced herself to them
and praised their wares, then promising to stop by later to visit their shops.

When
she was done, she turned around, she almost ran right into Tavius, who was
standing right behind her. There was a gentle expression on his face as he
looked down at her that made her heart beat a little faster.

“Sorry,
I didn’t know you were finished yet,” Mya blurted out, startled by his
closeness.

“No
worries.”

She
bit at her lower lip. She felt foolish and didn’t know why. “There are so many
wonderful people here on New Vega. I haven’t been able to meet everyone yet,
but I would like to try to get to know all of them.”

“I’m
sure they will love to meet you.”

Tavius
led Mya toward the entrance as pride swelled inside him. She didn’t know it,
but Mya had acted just as an alpha female would have. He’d been watching as she
spoke to his people. Her gentle bearing put them at ease, and he noticed she had
a kind word for everyone. It pleased him that she wanted to get to know them,
and he made a mental note to introduce her to more locals whenever he had a
chance.

They
checked out four of the conference rooms and two of the smaller ballrooms
before heading down to the ballroom on sublevel five. “This level is for mature
audiences only,” Tavius explained as they took the elevator down. “The ballroom
actually takes up level four and five since it’s so big. This is our last stop,
then we can go get something to eat.”

Like
sublevel one, the hallway of sublevel five was lit with lamplight sconces, with
cobblestone lining the floor. There weren’t as many people walking around,
however most of the stores on this level weren’t the type that encouraged
window shoppers.

Mya
paused to read the signs of the shops closest to them, and tried to contain her
shock. Obviously, sublevel five had been deemed for mature audiences only
because this was where the hard-core sex clubs, brothels, mature-rated
holo-galleries and VR stands were located. There were more security officers
patrolling the level, but that fact didn’t make Mya feel more comfortable.

She
was grateful when Tavius took her hand in his when a group of Helios males
walked by them. Unable to help it, she moved closer to his side. To her relief,
the males nodded to Tavius, but ignored her. Tugging her with him, Tavius led
her to the end of the hallway, where a set of two huge black doors had been
propped open.

Unlike
the elegant splendor upstairs, this ballroom had dark walls and an almost
gothic feel to it. Even the chandelier lighting didn’t help make the room
brighter. On the left side of the room were several large temporary holo-rooms.
Next to those were a dozen VR stands. Across from those were tents for vendors,
but what struck her as odd were the chaises and plush couches that had been set
up in the center of the large room.

Mya
didn’t feel the need to wander around as she’d done upstairs, even though this
room’s setup seemed almost complete. Instead, she held tight to Tavius’ hand.

“You
know I would never let anything happen to you,” he whispered. She nodded, but
didn’t say anything in response to his statement. Pulling her to a stop, Tavius
cupped her face with his other hand. “You are safe with me, Mya.”

“Okay,”
she said, but didn’t sound very convinced.

Pulling
her closer, Tavius motioned a few of the crew members over. After he introduced
them to Mya, they updated him on the setup. Mya was distracted from the
conversation by watching some of the vendors set up. Her eyes went wide as she
noticed what they were selling. One of the tents showcased a variety of sex
toys, while another had whips made of different materials on display. A third
had paddles with what looked like spikes on them.

Tavius
heard Mya gasp softly. Following her line of sight, he cursed when he saw what
she was looking at. Dismissing the male he’d been talking to, he all but picked
Mya up and dragged her toward the exit.

Stupid,
he thought. He’d been monumentally stupid bringing her down there. For some
reason he’d thought Mya would be amused by the setup on this level, but he’d made
a huge error. He just wanted her to see the contrast to the ballroom upstairs, but
since she was so innocent, he hadn’t considered that the lower levels might
scare her.

He
called for the elevator using the priority code, overriding anyone else that
tried to use it. A few seconds later, he was pulling her inside the car.

“You
don’t ever have to come down here again,” he promised.

“Sorry,
all of that just took me by surprise.”

“Don’t
be sorry. I only wanted you to come with me because this was a chance to see
sublevel five when you’d know you would be safe.”

“I’m
fine, really. Sublevel five is…interesting. But I don’t think I want to go down
there again.”

“And
you don’t have to,” he swore. “I mean it, Mya. And if for some reason you ever
do need to, you won’t go without me or one of my brothers. Promise me.” After
she nodded, he pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry you were frightened. If it
makes you feel any better, Maddox might kill me when he finds out I took you
down there.”

Mya
leaned into him and relaxed. “I wasn’t frightened.” Not exactly true, but she
wasn’t going to admit that. She was touched that he was so worried about her,
but she didn’t want him to think she was weak. People came to New Vega for all
sorts of entertainment…and now she understood exactly what kind of amusements
were  offered on the lower levels.

Large
hands stroked her back, and she felt her body reacting to his gentle touch. She
could sense his sincerity and guilt since they were touching. They must have
been really strong emotions for her to be able to read them. Pulling back, she
looked up at him and smiled. “What’s next on our tour?”

“Lunch?”

“Sounds
perfect.”

Tavius’
wrist unit beeped, and he sighed after reading the incoming message. “A friend
has stopped by unexpectedly. Do you mind coming with me to meet him? He doesn’t
come here often, and I just want to see him before he takes off again.”

“Sure,
I’ll go with you.” Mya thought a distraction after the debacle downstairs would
be good. She’d just been caught off guard by what she’d seen, and now she felt
completely foolish.

Stars,
she’d acted like a scared child.

When
the doors of the elevator opened on the main level, Mya breathed a little
easier. Tavius held her hand as they walked toward the lobby, and she found
herself curious about who they were meeting.

Tavius
looked around the large lobby, scanning the faces of the people passing by for
his friend. He heard his name being called, and turned around to see D’Aire
Ambassador Orion D’Sil walking toward him.

His
smile of greeting froze as Mya jerked away from him. Letting out a cry of joy,
she ran toward the D’Aire male, whose eyes widened in surprise before he bent
down and caught her into his strong arms with a tight embrace.

Fuck
it.

Friend
or not, Tavius was now going to have to kill him.

***

CHAPTER
TEN

“Let
go of her.”

Tavius
let out a vicious snarl, baring his fangs as he stalked toward them.

Orion
gently set Mya back down on her feet, and it enraged Tavius when the other male
pushed her slightly behind his back as if to protect her.

From
him? The son of a demon thought he had to protect her from him?

Yeah,
he was totally going to have to kill the winged bastard.

“Tavius,
my friend. This isn’t exactly the greeting I was expecting.”

Mya
chose that moment to push forward, coming between the two males. “Tavius? you
know Orion? This is the friend we’re meeting?” She frowned. “Why do you keep
growling at him?”

Tavius
took a deep breath, then another to try to calm himself. Rage had caused his
vision to blur, and he fought back the change that tried to take over him. For
fucking star’s sake, he’d almost shifted into beast mode and attacked a friend
for touching her.

“Oh,
Uncle Orion, it’s so good to see you!”

Orion
brushed his hand down her hair. “It is always a joy to see you, little one.”

Tavius
sputtered for a moment. Wait…what? “Uncle?”

Orion
studied him for a moment, then the D’Aire’s iridescent blue eyes shimmered with
understanding. “I’ve been friends of the Spartan-Rollins family for years, and have
known Mya Spartan since she was born.”

Mya
smiled up at Orion. “He’s not actually my uncle, but I’ve called him that for
as long as I can remember. My mother went into labor while she was at an event
with my fathers. Orion was there and flew her to the med-center before my
fathers could freak out. He saved everyone a lot of worry.”

“Ian
and Jack still acted pretty crazy until they had you safe in their arms,” Orion
said with a laugh.  

Tavius
wanted to slam his head into something hard. Not only had he frightened Mya,
but he’d almost killed her uncle in front of her. He was supposed to be the smooth,
charming one, damn it.  But he couldn’t seem to do anything right today.

He
opened his mouth, intending to apologize, but that wasn’t what came out. “Mya,
stop touching his arm,” he snapped. “Come here.”

Shit,
shit, shit!

What
in the nine moons of Rivos was wrong with him?

Even
knowing he was acting insane, he jerked her away from the other male, holding
her to his side. It wasn’t necessary to look down to know she was staring at
him as if he’d lost his mind. Instead, he focused on his friend, and the
satisfaction gleaming in the D’Aire’s eyes confused Tavius. “We were going to
eat. You should join us.”

“Perhaps
I will,” Orion said with a grin.

Mya
glared at Tavius, and was ready to blast him, but she stopped as she realized
that he was jealous. She could sense it, feel it by touching him. It struck her
that she’d been able to read him whenever she touched him. It had always been
easier for her to read those closest to her. Perhaps her ability was growing
since she’d opened her heart to Maddox last night, and her feelings for Tavius
were growing just as strong.

The
three of them went to eat at a place owned by a D’Aire couple on the second
level. Mya waited until they were seated and they ordered their food before she
asked, “So, how do you know each other?”

“As
an ambassador for the D’Aire, I have to travel a great deal. I’ve been to New
Vega many times, and have had the privilege of getting to know the Adaro
brothers well over the last few years.”

“Usually
you inform us before you visit,” Tavius said. “Why the change this time?”

“Technically,
I’m not supposed to be here.” Orion grinned. “I was just on Earth a few days
ago, and imagine my surprise to find that my favorite little designer was
missing.”

Mya
frowned. “My family knows where I am.”

“Some
of them do,” Orion corrected. “And some of them have not been told yet.” He
chuckled when he saw the guilt etched into Mya’s face. Knowing her family well,
he knew exactly why she hadn’t informed her older brothers of her move.

Orion
had been escaping his own past when he’d become an ambassador. He had known the
Spartan-Rollins family for many years. After he’d lost his own family, he’d
become a mere shadow of who he once was. His lack of emotions had served him
well in his duties, but then he’d visited Earth and had been made godfather to
a tiny human infant. Suddenly, he’d felt a glimmer of hope again.

And
now—even though it was years later—he was ready to focus on finding a little
peace for himself. Since there was nothing he could do about that yet, he
pushed aside thoughts of that and smiled at the woman he’d come to think of as
family. “If they give you any grief, you might want to ask Talon why he hasn’t
mentioned giving up his post on X4 in order to take a position with a strike
force team.”

Mya
gasped. “Seriously? Oh, my mother is going to be so pissed!”

Tavius
watched, slightly fascinated as she did a little happy dance in her chair. “Aren’t
you worried about your brother doing such dangerous work?”

“Of
course I am, but now my mother will be too focused on being pissed at Talon to
worry about me.” Mya waited as their server came back to their table to deliver
their food and drinks, then asked, “Do you have any goods on Jax I can use
against him?”

Orion
chuckled. “You are mercenary, little one. But I think you brother is too busy
right now to worry about your new business venture.”

Worry
clouded Mya’s gray eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes
and no. A new race has been discovered outside of Alliance territory. Actually,
they aren’t new. They are an ancient race called the Xenon. They’ve just
cloaked their planet, Xenthian, to keep themselves isolated all these years.”

“Oh,
wow. That’s exciting!”

Tavius
didn’t share Mya’s enthusiasm. What he wanted to know was, “Are they a danger
to us? How were they discovered?”

“So
far, we do not think they want war. They’ve closed themselves off for so long
that their race is not used to interplanetary travel anymore. In the past, they
would search the stars for intelligent life, but for some reason, they stopped.
But recently, an Alliance vessel was fired upon by an unknown ship, and they
crash landed on Xenthian. It is a world of magic, and there is still much we
need to learn about them.”

“Were
the Xenon responsible for the attack?” Tavius asked.

“They
say they weren’t, and Commander Ivy Dalton’s report confirmed that. She is now
the soulmate to the
Vasili
—or king—of their planet.”

Mya’s
eyes widened. “Well, that’s one way to form an alliance with a new planet.”

Orion
laughed. “True. The Alliance will be inviting the Xenon to participate in the
Ministry of Nations. It’s a good idea to find out how they feel about
connecting with other races as soon as possible.”

Mya
turned to Tavius. “You’re the chancellor for the Krytos, aren’t you?”

“I
am, but it’s not really a thing. I mean, no one else wanted to do it. The
Krytos aren’t exactly an organized group since we’re all so scattered.” He
shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m just doing it since my brothers and I
can get the word out to all the Krytos easier than others could.”

“Right,”
Mya stressed playfully. “You just don’t want to admit that you’re a leader of
your race.”

He
grumbled before shoving food into his mouth.

Orion
also paused to eat a little, then he said, “I have more news. I’m officially
retiring soon, but I have one last assignment to complete before I do. I
stopped here on my way to the grand opening of Alpha Station: X21.”

“I
heard a rumor about that. Now it all makes sense.” Tavius slapped the table top.
“That station was supposed to replace an existing one, but it’s being moved to
a different location near that Xenthian planet, isn’t it?”

“It
is,” Orion confirmed. “I said I would go for the party as the official D’Aire
representation, but I’m also going to see if there is any sign of Quilla Rego
on the new station.”

Tavius’
expression darkened. “That female needs to die.”

Mya
was startled by his harsh reaction. “Who is Quilla Rego? Is she related to Lord
Malik Rego?”

“She’s
his sister,” Tavius explained. “For years, we have been searching for Korsek,
who was the leader of the slave trade on Tartarus. He was said to be behind all
the females that have been kidnapped and taken to Tartarus. Jaden and Katra Tor
just discovered that Quilla Rego is actually Korsek.”

In
an instant, Mya’s attitude shifted. She was utterly outraged. “A woman was
behind selling other females? She really does deserve to die.”

Orion
couldn’t help but agree with them. “She escaped Tartarus before they could
capture her, and she’s been hiding out somewhere in the galaxy. Since I’m a
seeker, I’ve been searching everywhere I go to for any sign, but so far there
has been no trace of her anywhere.”

The
D’Aire had the ability to do mind scans on people. It was a dangerous practice
that required permission from the participant or it could do more damage than
good. Some select few were able to sense the thoughts and emotions of others
without touching or even being close to them.

They
were called seekers, and Orion D’Sil was one of them.

“She
must have help,” Tavius said. “There is no way she could have gotten away without
being found if she didn’t have some aid. It’s a good thing the war is almost
over on Tartarus, though.”

They
spent the rest of the meal talking about war and all the changes that were
happening on Tartarus. Mya personally thought that watching a female Dragon
Warrior take over a planet that was dominated by male Tarin warriors would be
worth paying to see with her own eyes.

When
the conversation circled back to the search for Quilla and strategies on how
they could find her, Mya excused herself from the table for a few minutes. Orion
waited until she left before he gave Tavius a sharp look.

“Before
she returns, I feel I have to mention something. If you hurt her, I’ll have to
kill you. And that’s if I get to you before her brothers and fathers do.”

“I
have no intention of hurting her,” Tavius said.

“Intentions
don’t mean shit when it comes to family,” Orion countered.

Tavius
met the other male’s eyes, letting him see the conviction in his gaze. “She is
our mate, Orion. Maddox, Daimon and I will protect and care for her until our
last breath. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

The
D’Aire visibly relaxed and smiled. “I’ll offer you my congratulations…and luck
in getting her to agree.”

When
Mya returned to the table, they left the restaurant together. Orion told them
he was going to stop by to see Maddox, Daimon and a few other friends before he
left New Vega. Before they parted ways, Orion made both of them promise to come
visit him on the D’Aire home world. Tavius immediately said they would the next
time New Vega went by his planet.

Mya
liked thinking that she would still be in a relationship with the Adaro
brothers when it came time to visit Orion. After they watched the D’Aire walk
away, Tavius turned to Mya and said, “There is something that I’d like to show
you. Will you come with me?”

“Sure.
Just as long as it’s not on the lower levels,” she said jokingly.

After
he assured her it wasn’t, there was a companionable silence between them as
they took the elevator up to the second level. Mya was curious as they walked to
a section of the floor she hadn’t been down yet. They stopped in front of a set
of large double doors, and she saw from the plaque off to the side that it was
a private holo-room strictly for VIP guests.

 Instead
of entering the room, Tavius paused and took her hands in his. “I’ve messed up
quite a few times today—”

“No,
you haven’t. Tavius, I’m so sorry about overreacting earlier. Spending the day
with you has been wonderful, and I—”

He
smiled as he put a finger to her lips to stop her. “I’m glad you feel that way.
Now, I want to give you something. It’s something that I’ve been working on over
the last few days, and I’d like to share it with you.”

“You
have me curious now.”

He
pressed a button on the control panel next to the door. “Begin Alpha Tavius, Mya
program one.”

“
Program
is activated and running
.”

The
door to the holo-room slid opened, and they stepped forward into a winter
wonderland. Mya let out a little gasp and her boots sunk into the snow as she
looked around. She was so delighted by what she saw, she barely heard the doors
slide shut behind them, closing them into a whole different world.

The
sky wasn’t just a dreary gray that so often occurred when it snowed, but had a
silvery cast to it. The pale sun shone behind puffy clouds, providing enough
light to give the setting a magical glow. Evergreens with snow covered tips surrounded
the small clearing. The trees looked like sentries, creating a natural barrier
that protected them from the wind that made the flakes dance through the air.