3013: GENESIS (3013: The Series Book 11) (7 page)

* * * *

Time
meant very little on a space vessel.

Because
New Vega was constantly traveling around Alliance-controlled space, there was
no actual day or night. Most of the ship ran on a standard time schedule, but
there were several screens scattered on every level that listed the times on
each planet so visitors could keep track.

Even
though Mya had been on New Vega for a few days now, she was still struggling to
acclimate to the new system.

After
her night out with her friends, she’d spent most of the day in bed sleeping off
a wicked hangover. They’d finished the bottle of
ahava
wine, then Kahla
had thought it would be a good idea for Mya and Pia to try several of Sanctum’s
signature drinks. Ryland and Mikal had to come to the bar hours later, and had
watched the chaos unfold. By the end of the night, they’d had to carry Mya and
Pia back to their rooms.

Since
she’d slept all day, Mya had spent the rest of the night working on finishing
up some of the samples she wanted ready for the store opening. Her designs were
usually replicated back on Earth at one of their manufacturing plants once she
scanned them into the company’s system, but her new line wasn’t complete yet. She’d
been ready to go back to sleep when she’d gotten a message that her team had
arrived earlier than expected.

So,
instead of getting some rest, she’d gotten dressed for the day.

A
surprise had greeted her when she’d opened her door. A single perfect flower
had been placed on the floor right outside her doorway. It was something she’d
never seen before, with pale-gold petals and a bright crimson center. She’d
picked it up and sniffed at it’s lovely, sweet fragrance.

Going
back into her room, she’d put the flower in an empty water bottle. She recalled
telling Tavius that she liked flowers, and the thought he had done something so
sweet for her made her smile.

After
she collected her guards, they headed down to the docking bay to meet her team.
The crew included those who would help fix her store, as well as several sales
people who would also make alterations and help with custom orders.

Mya
tried to insist that they take a day to get settled, but everyone had been
ready to work. After everyone checked into their rooms, they’d all met at the
store where Mya had explained her vision. Then they’d kicked her out of the
store so she wouldn’t get in their way. She hadn’t felt bad about it. There was
only so much she could do to help with the construction part of the project,
and she knew that they would get more done without her there.

Hours
later, she was still awake. Needing a change of scenery, she’d left her room
and headed down the hallway of the second level to the lounge area she’d
discovered earlier that was close to her room. She’d settled in one of the
comfortable chairs with her tablet and stylus, and lost herself in working on
some new designs.

“What
are you doing up?”

The
sound of Maddox’s deep voice startled her so bad that her stylus flew out of
her hand. It rolled across the floor, stopping at his feet where he stood in
the doorway. He bent down and picked it up, then slowly walked over until he
was towering over her.

Mya’s
pulse sped up at his nearness, and she felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment
at how sloppy she looked. Her long hair was piled on top of her head in a
haphazard bun, and she was wearing gray lounge pants and a matching zip-up
jacket with a bright pink tank top underneath. Though she rarely wore facial
enhancements, her face was scrubbed clean and she didn’t even have anything on
her lips.

Crap.

Why
hadn’t she put on some lip shimmer or something?

Her
gaze slowly rose, taking in the traditional leather outfit he wore until she
reached his face. The first thought that came to her was that he looked tired.
She immediately wanted to tell him to go to bed, but it wasn’t her place to do
so. His inky black hair wasn’t pulled back like it had been the last time.
Instead, it hung loose down to his shoulders, and she had a strong desire to
run her fingers through it.

She
saw a hint of amusement enter his dark eyes, and realized she’d been staring at
him in silence. When he looked at her with that focused stare of his, she had a
hard time keeping any thoughts in her head.

“I’m
sorry, did you ask me something?”

Maddox
held back a smile as she blinked up at him with clear confusion etched across
her lovely face. He knew he’d startled her when he’d walked into the lounge. In
truth, he’d stood in the doorway for several minutes before he’d spoken. He’d
liked watching as she concentrated on her work, and found her serious
expression appealing.

Since
she was curled up in her seat, Maddox sat down on the ottoman at the end of her
chair and held out the stylus to her. She glanced down at it as if she’d never
seen it before. After a long pause, she finally took it and looked back up at
him.

“Thank
you,” she whispered.

He’d
felt the heat of her fingertips brush against his, and he’d had to fight the
urge to jerk his hand away. He leaned forward and braced his forearms on his
knees. “What are you doing in here alone, Mya? Where are your guards?”

“They’re
sleeping. You and your brothers said this level was secured.”

“It
is,” he conceded. He still didn’t like her sitting out here alone, though.
Maddox had seen her leave her room on the security feed, watching her on the
monitors in his office while he tried to get some work done.

He’d
found himself doing that a lot over the last few days. It distracted him, but
he couldn’t seem to help it. He frowned as he studied her. “You look exhausted.
You’re too young to have such dark circles under your eyes. You should be in
bed, not working.”

His
breath caught as her face lit up and she laughed.

By
the gods, she was beautiful.

“What
can I say to such flattery?” She laughed again. “Honestly, Maddox, your
compliments are going to make me blush.”

“You
seem to blush quite easily,
tava
.” The word came out before he realized
it. It startled him for a second, but then he realized how right it felt.

Her
smile wobbled and her brow creased. “Did you forget my name?”

Exasperated,
he said, “No, Mya. I didn’t forget.”

Her
gray eyes sparkled with mischief again. “I just thought I’d ask. You know,
since you
are
older than me. I thought I might have to remind you.”

A
grin spread across his face. He liked that she’d turned the tables on him,
paying him back for his comment about her being young. “Are you implying I
might be losing my memory?” he growled playfully. “Do you dare?”

She
batted her eyelashes at him and tried to look innocent. “I don’t know what you
mean.”

His
sharp bark of laughter caught him off guard. “You are an impertinent—”

“If
you call me young again, we are going to have words.”

His
brow rose at that. “Are we?”

She
gave him an exaggerated nod. “Oh, yeah. What does
ta
—”

Maddox
didn’t give her a chance to finish her question. He reached out, wrapping his
large hand around the back of her neck. Pulling her close, he settled his mouth
over hers and drank in her gasp of surprise.

He
used the parting of her soft lips to stroke his tongue inside her sweet heat,
groaning at the sheer pleasure of the experience. Her taste was sweet,
intoxicating. It made him want more. Made him want to strip her down so he
could feast on every inch of her soft, creamy flesh.

He
growled low in his throat when she let out a soft, seductive moan. Taking the
kiss deeper, he stroked his tongue against hers, coaxing her to respond to his
gentle demand. When she moaned again, he felt it vibrate straight through his
entire body, right down to his cock that went hard as stone. He wanted to strip
her bare and take her over and over again until neither of them could move.

But
this wasn’t the time or the place.

When
he felt her hands glide into his hair, he realized that he’d jerked her out of
her chair, onto his lap. Struggling to regain control of himself, he grabbed
hold of her shoulders and pushed her away from him.  

He
was arrogantly pleased by the dazed expression on her face, and it made him
want to kiss her again. Fighting the urge, he helped her to her feet as he
stood. He let go of her, then gripped her firmly again when her legs almost buckled.

When
she could stand on her own, he bent down to retrieve her tablet and stylus that
had fallen to the floor. Without looking at her, he took her hand in his and
pulled her out of the lounge.

“Wh-where
are we going?” she asked, a little breathlessly.

The
lust burning through his system made his voice sound harsh when he answered
her. “You are going to bed.”

“Oh.”

He
gritted his teeth against the disappointment in her tone. He wanted to join her
in bed, but the strength of his need for her made him refuse to give in. Not
tonight. It was too soon. But he couldn’t deny the attraction that sparked
between them like an electrical current. It was intense and slightly
disconcerting, and he knew thoughts of their kiss would keep him awake for a
long while.

And
keep him hard.

Needing
to get away from her, he pulled her with him as he stormed down the hallway. Stopping
in front of the door to her suite, he shoved the tablet and stylus at her. “Go
inside,” he ordered, giving her a little push. “You need sleep.”

He
turned away from her and had only taken a few steps when she called out his
name. For a second, he thought about ignoring her, but discovered that he just couldn’t
do it. Something about her called to him. Turing, he frowned at her in defense
against her power over him.

“That
word you called me. What does
tava
mean?”

“It’s
a Krytos word,” he said, evading giving her the answer. “Go to bed, Mya.”

With
that, he stalked away from her, heading toward his own suite…and away from
temptation.

***

CHAPTER SEVEN

Three
days later, Mya came to a conclusion.

Males—no
matter their race—were confusing as hell.

It
had taken her long hours to recover from the passionate kiss Maddox had given
her the other night. He’d completely rocked her senses, and she still hadn’t
fully recovered. Maddox couldn’t know that it had been her first real kiss. It
had been more than she’d ever dreamed, but the aftermath left her confused.

Mya
hadn’t been able to talk to Pia about the kiss—or the ‘incident’ as she liked
to call it—since she would have had to admit to going to the lounge alone after
everyone else had gone to sleep.

Her
guards hadn’t said she couldn’t, but Mya knew they wouldn’t be happy with her
either, even though the second level was secure. Her plan had been to immerse
herself in work so she wouldn’t think of all the reasons she hadn’t been able
to sleep, but she wasn’t able to escape the reason for her frustration.

No,
it wasn’t singular. It was plural—specifically, the Adaro brothers.

As
if they knew she didn’t want to think about them, the three males kept popping
up everywhere, but their encounters didn’t help her understand them any better.
Daimon had showed up at her store the morning after the incident. He hadn’t
spoken to her much, although that didn’t surprise her. What had astonished her
was that she’d immediately felt guilty seeing him after kissing his brother.

She
was even more shocked when Daimon started working with her crew. At first, she
was a little tense with him there, but it was fascinating to see how
effortlessly he took over as the leader of the workers. When they had
questions, they went to him. He didn’t say much, but all the men and women
deferred to him whenever he did speak.

It
would have upset her if Daimon had just taken over completely, but whenever
there were decisions to be made or if part of the project was completed, he
came to her for approval. He usually stayed in the shop until early afternoon,
but by the third day, Mya had grown comforted by his presence, and started missing
him after he’d gone.

Daimon
might have had a rough exterior, but he was fair and kind. He treated everyone
with respect, unless they did something not to deserve it. When Mya discovered
that he had a sweet tooth, she made sure to bring him something extra special when
she and her guards got the crew lunch every day. It was a small way to thank
him for his help, and she liked the way his dark eyes lit up in appreciation
when he ate whatever she brought him.

Tavius
came by the store a few times during the afternoon after Daimon left for the
day. He told her he was interested in seeing the progress, but only stayed long
enough to fluster her with a few quietly spoken compliments and to make sure
she didn’t need anything. She thought Tavius did it simply to drive her crazy. After
he accomplished that goal, he’d disappear, only to do it again a few hours
later.

He
had simply smiled when she’d thanked him for the flower, and every day since,
she’d discovered another bloom outside her door. The gift was sweet, but it
confused her because she didn’t know what it meant. She’d found a beautiful
vase in a store near hers yesterday when she’d gone in to introduce herself to
her neighbors. It was important to her to keep the flowers in something that was
worthy of their beauty, and the store carried one-of-a-kind glasswork that were
pieces of art.

Mya
had only spoken to Maddox once after the kiss they’d shared. Actually, he might
have spoke to her, but she’d been too overwhelmed by his sudden appearance that
it had left her tongue-tied. It was during the second day after the incident
when he’d stormed into the shop late in the evening, followed by several
servers carrying large trays.

“Eat
something,” he’d growled at her.

She
hadn’t eaten all day, and somehow he had known that. Mya had glanced over to
see the servers uncovering trays of some of her favorite Tarin dishes, and by the
time she’d looked back up to thank him, he’d already left.

He
seemed to have a really bad habit of doing that.

For
some inexplicable reason, Mya had sensed Maddox close by several times over the
last few days, even though she hadn’t seen him. The few times she had caught
sight of him as she’d been exploring some of the other shops in the pavilion, they
had only been brief glances that left her unsatisfied.

Everyone
she met in New Vega couldn’t say enough about how wonderful the Adaro brothers
were, and with all the stories she heard about them, it just made her want to
know more. They cared for their people and kept them safe. Owning New Vega and
being the alphas of such a large pack kept the brothers busy, and she couldn’t
imagine the weight of responsibility each of them were burdened with. But the
strain didn’t show, and she had to admire them for that.    

On
the third day after the incident, Mya was exhausted and cranky. She still
wasn’t sleeping well. She’d tried taking hot baths, counting stars, reading
boring histories of the different worlds on her tablet, but nothing seemed to
help. If this kept up, she was going to have to take a sleep aid, even though
she hated taking medication of any kind.

When
she walked into the shop with her guards, Marvin, the head contractor for
building Starlight Designs locations, took one look at her and visibly cringed.

“Uh
oh. We have an irritated Spartan on our hands.” he called out to the rest of
the workers, who all let out a loud collective groan. “Sound the alarm!”

Mya
frowned at Marvin, but he just grinned back at her. Marvin had known her since
she was a baby. He was a close family friend as well as an employee. He treated
her with the respect due her position, but there was enough friendship and
familiarity between them that neither of them worried about formality.

“She
still isn’t sleeping well,” Ryland said.

Marvin
scowled in concern. “Well, go back to bed, girl. Your fathers will kick my ass
if they think I’m working you too hard, and I don’t wanna think about what your
momma will do to me if she sees how tired you look. You look a little…rough.”

“She’s
seen me already, thank you very much, “Mya said dryly. “I had a vid call with
her last night. Everyone needs to stop commenting about how damn tired I look.”

“Uh
oh, she said ‘damn,’ which means she’s really not feeling well,” Mikal said.

“I
hate all of you right now.”

“Which
is why you need to go back to your suite.” Marvin rushed to add, “We’re going
to be painting over the next few days, so people need to clear out anyway.”

Mya
eyed him suspiciously, but she was distracted when the door opened. Daimon
strolled in, looking too damn handsome for her own good, and well rested enough
to make her envious. His pleasant expression changed into a fierce scowl that
made all the workers back up a step. He ignored everyone as he stalked toward
Mya. She was startled as he took hold of her chin to forcefully tilt her face
up.

“This
cannot go on any longer. I refuse to let you work today. You need to rest.”

Irrationally
angry by his high-handed tone, she frowned. “Let me? How dare—”

Her
words were cut off on a gasp as he wrapped one of his strong arms around her
waist and carried her into the back room where they had a little privacy.
Ryland started to come in after them, but Daimon turned and growled at him to
stay back. Ignoring him, Ryland glanced over at Mya as he stood in the doorway.
When she gave him a nod, he backed away and left them alone.

Daimon
put her down, but didn’t move away so she had to tilt her head back all the way
to look up at him. When he growled at the empty doorway in irritation, she
jabbed a finger in his chest. “Stop that. Ryland was just doing his job.”

“He
should know it is unwise to challenge me.”

“Challenge
you?” Was he kidding?

“Yes,”
he snarled. “I told him to stay out.”

“You
told him?”

He
frowned at her. “Why are you repeating what I say?”

“Because
you aren’t making any sense. You can’t just pick me up and carry me off without
one of my guards objecting.”

“You
are safe with me.”

Mya
didn’t know what to think about the offended expression on his face. He obviously
didn’t get it. Trying to find the patience to explain, she said, “I know I’m
safe with you, but that’s not the point.”

“It
is the point,” he growled.

That
was it. She poked him in his chest and snapped, “It isn’t. They are my guards.
They—” poke, “—don’t—” poke, poke, “—work for you.”

Mya
poked him one last time, then winced as her finger started to sting. Poking the
damn male in the chest was like jabbing her finger against solid concrete.
Daimon scowled down at her, but he was gentle as he flattened her hand against
his chest.

“Stop
doing that or you’ll hurt yourself.”

She
didn’t bother telling him she already had. Distracted by the feel of his hard,
warm chest beneath her palm, she wished he wasn’t wearing his dark-brown shirt
so she was feeling his bare skin instead. She sighed. “That didn’t hurt you at
all, did it?”

“No.
You aren’t taking care of yourself,” he accused.

“Hey,
wait a—”

“You’re
ill, Mya. You have a sickness that some people get when they aren’t used to
space travel. Due to the change in gravity, the air pressure, the movement of
the vessel, and the lack of sunlight, your body is having a difficult time
adjusting. You cannot sleep, you’ll get headaches, mood swings, and your
appetite will suffer. It will pass, but you will acclimate quicker if you can
sleep more.”

“I’ve
tried, damn it,” she insisted.

“Try
harder.” He released his hold on her chin to stroke his hand down over her hair.
“Little star, you need to rest.”

“Umm…”

Gah!
Mya wanted to slam her head against the wall in hopes it would get her brain
working again. His gentle touch and the use of the endearment weakened her
knees and made it hard to think. He was still holding her hand against his
chest, and she could feel the steady beat of his heart pounding beneath her
palm. Her gaze trailed down from his eyes to focus on his perfect lips, and she
couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to feel them pressed against
hers.

Daimon
let out another low growl. As if he’d read her mind, he leaned down and took
her lips with his. He didn’t devour her like Maddox had, but Daimon’s kiss was
just as powerful. She melted into him, reveling in the way his mouth seemed to
fuse with hers so perfectly. His arms wrapped around her waist again, and he
hauled her up against him, holding her tight to his hard body.

Stars,
it felt so right to be in his arms. She let out a gasp when she felt the hard
ridge of his erection pressing against her stomach. He jerked away from her,
releasing her so quickly she stumbled back a step. Unsure what had happened,
she whispered his name.

“Leave,
Mya. Go rest.”  

She
flinched as if he’d slapped her. One second he’d been kissing her breathless,
and the next he sounded as if he couldn’t wait to get away from her. He
obviously regretted touching her, and the rejection stung.

Without
saying a word, she left the room.

Head
down, Mya walked over to her friends. “I’m going back to my suite now.”

Mikal
opened the door for her, and she left the shop. When Pia tried to talk to her,
Mya simply shook her head. She couldn’t talk about what happened. Not yet. Before
she entered her suite, Mya promised her friends she was going to try to sleep
for the rest of the day. She could see the concern in their eyes before she
closed her door, shutting them and the rest of the world out.

The
tears didn’t begin to fall until she was curled up on her bed. Two of the Adaro
brothers had kissed her, and both of them had turned away from her after, leaving
her feeling as if she’d done something wrong. Maybe it had been her fault. They
could probably sense her interest in them, but she’d never kissed anyone before
and didn’t know what to do. Maddox and Daimon were probably sickened by her
inexperience.

Mya
let herself wallow in self pity for awhile, then she took a long, hot bath.
When she started getting a headache, she thought about eating something, but
didn’t have the energy or the desire to get up to see what was in the food
console. After a few more hours, Mya finally gave in and took a sleep aid.

She
woke up the next day feeling groggy and still not quite herself. As she put her
wrist unit back on, she noticed she had missed several calls, but didn’t bother
to check any of them. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. Deciding to
avoid going into the shop today, she made a quick decision to work on finishing
some of her sample designs.

The
warrior line was basically a vest and pants with a matching utility belt, but
the design was a combination of Dragon Warrior, Helios, Krytos and Tarin styles
all in one, made out of a material she’d never worked with before.