DangerouslyHis (9 page)

A
hybonius
was a winged creature with a face that
resembled a human’s more than bird’s, including lips instead of a beak. Short,
stocky legs supported a plump body and green feathers that were billowy and
fluffy.

“They aren’t ugly. They’re really friendly. On Drazlan they
are kept as pets. A few were brought to Sonis and escaped. I’m sure if you can
catch one you’ll be able to make a pet of it.”

“Who in their right mind would want to look at one of those
things on purpose?” Eva asked in disgust.

“When I build my dwelling I’ll have numerous windows.” She
turned around to Jess. “They’ll be free of barriers to allow the air and breeze
to pass through.”

Eva and Jess exchanged glances.

Saia lowered her eyes and turned away. “
If
I were to
build my own dwelling.”

Eva came up behind her. “Maybe your new mate will build you
a home. Who knows? Does he even live in a palace? He might have a place like
this of his own.”

Saia brightened a little. “I never thought about that. I
just assumed he lived in a palace as well. Do you think he might build me a
dwelling if he doesn’t have one already?”

“Hon, you are so special. You have the brightest smile I’ve
ever seen. One look at you and he’ll get you whatever you want.”

Saia frowned. “What I really want is to travel the galaxy.”

Eva averted her eyes.

“I know you think I’m naïve. My new mate won’t buy me a
dwelling because he’ll be too busy fighting wars. He won’t let me leave the
planet and go exploring because I’m a commodity. As long as he has me, he has
access to the Drazlan royal guards.”

Eva gathered Saia in her arms. “Taio will make sure Ranuit
Pi does right by you. When Taio gets through with him, he’ll be the perfect
mate.”

“You don’t think I’m naïve for wanting a love match?”

Eva pulled back. “What? Hell no. Taio and I have a love
match and so do Jess and Rasha.”

“My parents don’t have a love match. I want…wanted something
better than their relationship.” Saia waved the thought away. “It’s foolish.”

“Most human marriages are based on love matches. Though
there were some cultures on Earth with arranged marriages.”

“What about your culture?”

“Love match was the norm.”

“Saia, we don’t see anything wrong with wanting to be happy
or finding love,” Jess said.

“I’ve always dreamt of falling in love and my mate and I
traveling distant galaxies. Jess, you were a space pirate. It sounds so very exciting.
Why would you give up a life where you can travel to settle down on one
planet?”

Jess snorted. “We robbed unsuspecting vessels for their
cargo. We even kidnapped and ransomed people in exchange for goods—anything we
could use to sell or trade was free game.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t as
glamorous as you’re making it sound. We spent a lot of time running from the
Galactic Council and anyone else we stole from. A lot of people wanted to kill
us. We were eight lives into our ninth one.”

Saia looked at her, confused.

“We were living very dangerously.”

Saia remembered hearing about Kane and Sa’Mya’s story.
Though Taio was in love with Eva, he had been contracted to Princess Sa’Mya,
now Queen Sa’Mya of Laconia. Luckily for Taio, Sa’Mya had agreed to break the
contract. After leaving Sonis, she was captured by space pirates—namely Kane,
Jess and the rest of their crew. Kane and Sa’Mya had fallen in love while he
was holding her for ransom onboard
The Vengeance
. When Sa’Mya tried to
contact Taio, she inadvertently gave their position away to her uncle, who
found them and had Kane and his crew thrown in the dungeon. He’d planned to
kill them before Taio and Eva showed up.

When Eva told her the story, Saia had been on the edge of
her seat, enthralled with every word.

Saia shrugged. “Aside from the kidnapping and stealing,
pirating sounds so adventurous. You probably met so many wonderful species and
saw new and wonderful worlds!”

“If you take out all the parts about us running for our
lives, I guess it wasn’t that bad.” Jess chuckled. “Some of the original crew
is still intact. Ryan is the captain of
The Vengeance II
now. Eli and
Kyle are still a part of his crew, and I suspect after leaving here, JB will
join them again.”

At the mention of JB’s name, she perked up. “Did JB like
traveling to different worlds?” she tried to ask coyly. Every time she’d
mentioned him before, Eva, Jess or Lo’Ren had shut her down immediately.

“He enjoyed living on the vessel. I think he liked the idea
of meeting the different females.”

Different females?
“He had a lot of them?”

“Um…” Jess’ gaze shifted to Eva. “No, not really, he just
liked to meet different species.”

“Maybe he was hoping to meet the right female,” she said.
“And if he met that female, he wouldn’t need to seek out anyone else.”

“Whoa, wait. Get him out of your head,” Jess said.

Saia didn’t think that she could.

So far, she’d found out that he liked to travel and didn’t
have plans of settling down on one specific planet. She had also learned that
Earth males respected their females and treated them significantly different
than Drazlan males did.

No, if she had her wish, JB would be her perfect mate.

“What if I don’t want to stop thinking about him? What if he
and I become friends? There’s no harm in that, is there?”

Jess sighed. “Saia, you don’t want to go down that road with
him—friend or anything else.”

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because it won’t end well for you—or for him,” Eva
answered.

Saia hadn’t had the chance to return to her apartment after
her trip to Jess’ dwelling. On the way back, her mother called and requested
that she join her in the females’ common room. Some of the guests for her
engagement party had started to arrive and her mother wanted Saia to be cordial
and mingle.

She was more than at ease talking with royals and
dignitaries from other planets. She had been trained on how to conduct herself
since she was born. She smiled and laughed when appropriate and did her very
best not to grill every person about their world, culture and travels. Her
mother said there wasn’t anything really wrong with her questions; the problem
was the manner in which Saia posed them. Fainia complained that Saia was too
forward and pressed too hard for answers. She had even described her as overly
aggressive once. Her mother simply didn’t understand that if Saia couldn’t
visit different worlds, at least she could live vicariously through those who
did.

When she became too aggressive in her questioning, her
mother would smile and gracefully change the subject. That was Saia’s cue to
back off.

Taraj Hazouto, a dignitary from Holis, began to explain how
twins in her species shared thoughts and feelings. Saia wanted to ask if the
feelings extended to sexual relations as well, but one scolding look from her
mother, who seemed to know what she was thinking, and Saia held her tongue.

Her mother asked Taraj if she planned to petition to join
the ranks of the Galactic Council or remain a Holis dignitary, and as she
explained why she loved being a dignitary and had no desire to leave her
position, Saia’s com-link beeped.

Saia looked down at her console. It was JB’s signature. “If
you will excuse me,” she said.

Fainia waved at her. “Yes, please. Tend to your call.”

Taraj dipped her head. “It was nice speaking with you,
Princess Saia.”

Saia stood. “Your species interests me so. I hope my many
questions haven’t offended you?”

“Of course not,” Taraj said, smiling. “You may ask anything
you wish.”

“Thank you,” Saia said.

She found a quiet, secluded area and held the com-link up to
her mouth. “This is Princess Saia Xochis.”

“You promised to meet me.”

Her heart skipped a beat. His voice was deep and husky with
a promise of everything her mother had ever warned her against. She flicked her
eyes in Fainia’s direction, who seemed enthralled with whatever Taraj was
saying.

“Are you still there?”

“I am.”

“Well? Did you change your mind?”

Saia glanced around the room and bit her lower lip. “I don’t
know.”

“Meet me in the royal gardens. Alone. Go to your room and
leave out the back balcony.”

She looked toward her guard. “But my guard won’t know I’m
leaving if I go out the back.”

He chuckled. “I know.”

Could she do it? If Olo found out it would mean another
beating for sure.

“I won’t keep you long. You’ll be back in your room before
anyone misses you.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll meet you.”
I can’t believe I’m going to do this.

“I’ll be waiting.”

She turned off her com-link and looked around the room. No
one was paying attention to her. It was the perfect time to sneak—

“Princess, where are you going?”

Saia jumped. She turned to Milin. She hadn’t seen her
waiting behind her.

She placed a hand on the side of her head. “I have a
headache. I’m going to lie down for a while.” When Milin started toward her,
Saia stopped her. “No need. I’ll call you if I need assistance.”

Milin dipped her head. “Yes, Princess.”

As Saia left the room, she expected the guard Taio had
appointed to her to follow, and he did. They didn’t talk as she made her way
back to the royal apartment.

Taio had explained many cycles ago, when she was younger,
that her guards were there to protect her, not befriend her. She found that she
still liked Taio’s guards better than the ones Olo assigned to her. The Drazlan
royal guards were not particularly loyal to her, only to the crown. Regardless,
Olo rotated personal guards every three lunar cycles so she wouldn’t get
attached to any, and they wouldn’t get attached to her.

The guard entered her apartment behind her and posted by the
door while she took the winding staircase up to her private room. Once inside,
she engaged the lock on her door and changed clothes. She put on another dress
that would blend more easily with those worn by every other female on Sonis. If
she stepped out in her woven, jewel-encrusted gown, she would be recognized
from any distance.

At the doorway to her balcony, she hesitated with her hand
on the knob. Taking a deep breath, she turned it and stepped outside. The
balcony was actually another room, fully furnished. The only thing missing was
a ceiling. If she wanted to entertain out here, she could do so with ease.
There was enough seating for twenty comfortably. At the point in the day when
the suns became too hot to withstand, she could activate an awning that would
block out the scorching rays.

There was no need to block out the suns right now. Instead
she stood under the bright rays and scanned the royal gardens for any sign of
JB.

The landscape hummed with various sounds. The gardens teemed
with animals. They scattered in and around the abundance of foliage. Taio and
Eva were so proud of the gardens. They were situated on a large parcel of land
that spanned from the royal apartment to the four guest apartments, enclosed by
a large security fence.

Taio wanted a piece of oasis outside his window. Eva shared
his vision and continued to build and stock the gardens with various plants
that would thrive in the heat. The gardens took a considerable amount of time
to tend. She could see workers meandering here and there, keeping everything
alive in the harsh desert conditions.

Her heart dropped as she searched the landscape. How would
he be able to meet her here? The royal gardens were highly secured. Had Taio
given JB full access?

She glanced down again, frowning. Just when she was about to
leave, she heard a small rustling near the bottom of the stairs.

“Are you alone?” she heard JB whisper.

He made it.

She took a step, squinting, trying to see where he was
hiding. “I’m alone.”

“Good, come down.”

She began taking the stairs two at a time but caught herself
before she reached the bottom.
Don’t look too anxious.
The last few
steps were slow and deliberate. Back straight and chin up. She could hear her
mother’s voice guiding her in her head.

After reaching the bottom, she followed the path deeper into
the foliage. He stood off to the side, hiding behind the large purple leaves of
a
tola
tree.

“I didn’t know if you were really going to come.” He smiled.

“I said I was.” She found herself smiling back. “I don’t
know why though. I really shouldn’t be meeting with strange males by myself.”

“Hey, are you calling me strange?”

“Well, no, but still. Princesses do not do this sort of
thing.”

“How many times have you heard that line?”

She chuckled. “Too many times to count.” She let her hand
play with one of the large leaves, running her fingers across the small prickly
hairs that covered it. “How did you get into the royal gardens anyway? They are
secured.”

“Ship let me in through one of the empty guest apartments. No
questions asked.”

“Well, if Ship let you in, then I think I can trust you. He
wouldn’t let just anyone into the apartments.”

“See? I’m trustworthy.” He held out his hand toward the
path. “Shall we take a stroll?”

She nodded and walked by his side. “Jess and Eva count you
as a very close friend.”

“You were checking up on me?”

She raised a brow. “What does that mean?”

“It means you’ve been trying to get information about me,
Princess.”

“You are a stranger and I am meeting you alone. I thought I
should find out more about you.”

He laughed.

“You may call me Saia.”

“Eva doesn’t think that’s a good idea.”

She nodded. “The formal names are only used in formal
situations.” She flicked her eyes toward him briefly then back to the path.

“It’s beautiful. Does it have a meaning?”

“Saia means ‘adore’ in my native language.”

He stared at her. “Fitting.”

She averted her eyes. “What does JB mean?”

“JB isn’t my real name. It’s a nickname, my initials.”

“Oh.” She fell silent and then added, “What is your real
name?”

“Justin Blake. But only my grandmother and twin sister used
to call me Justin. I haven’t heard it in so long.”

“What do you wish for me to call you?”

“You can call me JB, or if you prefer, Justin.”

Her cheeks burned and she turned away. “Everyone calls you
JB. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll call you Justin.”

“I’d like that.”

He laughed. The sound couldn’t have been better if it were
coming from one of the mighty Ancients.

“What’s so funny?”

He shrugged. “This…us. If I didn’t know any better, I would
think we were on a date.”

“A date?”

“Males and females from Earth went on dates to get to know
each other better—when they liked each other.”

She dipped her head, trying to hide the grin that covered
her face. “This is not a date,” she said.

He reached for her hand. “It could be if you wanted it to.”

Yes.

His thumb caressed her knuckles. “Would it be so bad for two
people to get to know each other a little more?”

No.

Wait—yes.

Remembrance of Ranuit Pi made the smile drop from her lips.
She looked away.

“I know you’re engaged. I also know you’re Taio’s little
sister. Those are two very good reasons why I should steer clear of you.”

She nodded. “True. So why did you want to meet me?”

He shrugged. “Because I have a habit of doing things that I
shouldn’t.”

“I usually do as I’m told.”

“If I did what I was told, I would have left a long time ago
and missed the opportunity to meet you. Your brother has threatened me more
than once.”

She stopped and turned to look at him. “I’ve never heard
that phrase from anyone before.”

“What? That he’s threatened me?”

“He must find you to be very special.”

“Um, I wouldn’t go that far. But why do you say that?”

“Because he’s threatened you and you still live.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I would never want to tangle with Taio,
but I’ve had my life threatened plenty times before. Hell, before the Galactic
Council absolved us from all our crimes, we had a bounty on our heads. It was
large too. If I could’ve, I would’ve turned Jess in and collected it for
myself.”

Not believing he could even think of doing such a thing,
Saia gasped, but then saw the humor in his smile. She giggled. “You’re joking
with me.”

“Just a little bit. Jess got on my nerves, but she’s
family—we all are, we’ve been through a lot together.”

“She told me pirating was dangerous,” Saia said, not able to
contain the excitement in her voice.

He looked at her. “You’re saying that like it was a good
thing.”

She shook her head. “I understand your lives were in danger
and you could have died. But…” She took a deep breath. “You got to explore
different planets, meet new species—”

“We got to live life to the fullest.”

She opened her eyes wide. “Exactly.”

“I enjoyed life as a space pirate. Every day was exciting.
We were lucky to still be alive each morning and we never took that for
granted. There would be times when we’d be in some hairy situations and it
seemed as if we were all out of options and out of nowhere, the craziest plan
would come to us and we’d do it because we had nothing else to lose.” He
shrugged. “If we died, we died, but if we lived—well, that was cause for
celebration.”

“How many times were you captured?” she asked, enthralled.

He chuckled. “Too many to count.”

“Look at you. I think you actually may miss your old
pirating days.”

“My pirating days aren’t too far gone. I just might steal you
away, but I wouldn’t ransom you back, I’d keep you all to myself.”

She tried to hide the smile that was creeping across her
face. “And what makes you think I’d let you?”

“Oh, you’d come willingly.”

“Why? Just because you’re Justin the space pirate? You’d
expect me to fall into your arms and go anywhere you wanted?”

“Yes.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m talking to an
ex-space pirate.”

“What can’t you believe more, that you’re talking to a space
pirate or that you’re enjoying it?”

Heat crept over her.

“I saw the gleam in your eyes when you said my name. The way
your gaze lingered on me. I recognize the look on your face.”

“I-I’m not looking at you in any kind of way.”

“Yes, you are.” Justin took a step toward her and cradled
her chin between his fingers. “Say my name again.”

She looked into his eyes. They were so full of fire and
burned with passion, all of it directed at her. “J-Justin.”

“No, Princess. Say my name.”

“Justin the space pirate,” she whispered.

“Much better,” he said in a low voice.

She watched as he licked his perfect lips. She’d never
craved a male as much as she did this one. As his face moved closer, her heart
thumped, anticipating what was about to happen. Her lips parted as his
descended, and only when they touched did she close her eyes.

His lips were so soft. His tongue gained entrance and hers
met it instinctively. Their tongues explored, searching and prodding. His
retreated, then he pulled her bottom lip between his and suckled.