The Genesis Project (8 page)

He'd invited her to the private tasting against Adams wishes of course. Adam was matched to Bianca, his conniving little tease of a sister. They were a political match and Xander thanked whatever Gods or Goddesses in the verses that Chancellor Reynard had a son and not a daughter. Otherwise it would be Xander who would be in a political match, and that would put a wrench in his attempt at wooing Gen into seeing that they had a future.

He was the most eligible male at the Academy now that Adam was matched to Bianca. He was meant to have Genesis and have her he would. Matches were made through tasting and in tasting, one could find their most
suitable
life partners. Blood was exchanged. From that exchange a Pars lineage could be discerned, their types of physical attributes and their ability to sire children. Genesis called to him on every level of instinct he possessed. To the last strand of his DNA, he knew she was going to be his. By the Moon Goddess, could she be his
true
match? It wasn't just her smell or her physical beauty, but her way of thinking and her outlook on life. She calculated everything. Made no moves without first considering the outcomes. He'd learned this quickly about her from their classes. Being matched to Genesis would be a reward in itself.

Today she wore a pale blue dress that looked soft against her golden skin. When she walked, her skirt hung on for the ride, molded to the flare of her hips. She didn't wear a bustle to expand the fullness of her dress, not
that
she needed it. Gen had enough ass to rival any female here. Females at the Academy claimed the bustles kept their skirts from dragging, but he was no one's fool. They wanted to appear voluptuous, generous in their endowments. And because surgical enhancements had been banned, females of his species were shit out of luck in the ass department.

Gen's bodice was intricately designed in a geometric pattern of some sort. Her beautiful breasts were supple and round. She didn't have to over compensate. While other females primped and fluffed like peacocks, Gen gracefully blossomed like the evening orchids of Florian. Now he was a waxing poetic of all things! Xander shook the thoughts free as she neared him in the hall. She was still with Nimziri, and her hand was now playing with the chocker at her neck.
Didn't
she understand she was openly taunting every male within eyeing distance? He needed to get her alone again. Their time in the lab was brief and way too short for his liking. If it wasn't for Adam, he'd have had her wrapped in his arms coaxing a kiss from her plump lips.

Whether it was her uniqueness that called to him or her utter lack of interest in male's period, Xander wanted her. He wanted to taste her lips. Feast on them because they always looked swollen from a male's attention. He wanted to watch her sleep, hear her soft snores. Find all her imperfections and deem them perfect.
What in the Goddess!
Did he really just think that? He only had two classes with Gen! It wasn't enough to have him thinking like a lovesick lad who'd only experienced fifteen rotations! He knew her legs were exactly forty-two inches
from
waist to toes. He wanted all eighty-four inches of long legs wrapped around his waist as he sunk balls deep into her waiting heat. That just made for entertaining ideas and too many lonely nights that ended in utter frustration. He needed to get a grip on reality, bed a girl quick or he was going to have a serious problem. He wanted her. No mistaking that, but he would not be led around by his cock! Xander couldn't suppress the groan that left his lips. Genesis Blackmore had ruined him and hadn't even noticed.

“Xander.” Someone was calling him, and he didn't care. Genesis was slowly making her way towards him, still talking to that Neanderthal of a Strigoi, Nimziri.

“Treegold.”

“What!”

Xander
turned to the person interrupting his thoughts.

“I just wanted to make sure you were still coming by tonight.”

Yasira. He'd forgotten he was tutoring her in tasting. He knew her angle without even having to question her. She was two rotations younger than him, and thought to have him for herself. Her father wasn't from a prominent lineage, but still she reached for him. Normally he'd reward such behavior. Now, he didn't care for it.

“Yes, I'll be there.” He clipped.

Xander didn't even look at the other female. He could feel the heat in his groin begin to simmer as Genesis passed him. He didn't turn to watch, but saw in his peripheral vision. Her spine straightened, and her head tilted
to
the side as if she could hear his conversation. Two hundred rotations ago that would have been true. Now, the Strigoi were lucky if their senses where functioning at top level. The Uni-wars had crippled their species. Fucked Old Earth up so bad it was a miracle she could give birth to New Earth at all.

“Xander, you're not listening.” Yasira chided.

Last rotation all he wanted was to get up the other females skirt. Her hair was short and spiked. She'd even painted red streaks in her hair to draw attention to herself. Last rotation he'd wanted Yasira, and she'd played games with him at every turn. But this year she'd only had eyes for him. Figures she would now that Reynard was no longer the most sought after male. Now that she couldn't sink her
political
reaching fingers into Adam. Every female wanted a chance at Xander Treegold, and he'd indulged more than a few. He'd used his wiles to get under more than his share of bustles, and now he only wanted one. Pathetic.

Xander's brain was a chaotic mess of ideas and sexual fantasies. Genesis Blackmore was too innocent and extremely naive in the ways of males. It was time someone teach her a lesson, and he was the male to do it. It would take time, a lot of time, but eventually she'd give up her gold, because Xander was an excellent gold digger.

“I hear you, Yasira. Now go entertain yourself elsewhere.”

Yasira pouted, but Xander didn't have time to deal with her latest fit.

“
If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere else I need to be.” Xander sidestepped the petite female and continued in the direction he'd last seen Gen.

# # #

Nim continued to apologize as they walked down the hall to the great room. She tried to be accepting of his apology, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive him. This emotion was too new for her. Gen had not been easy to anger in the past, now it could happen at a moment's notice. Maybe it had to do with Luna approaching. She wasn't sure. Now that the last class was finished, all she'd wanted was to rest in her stasis bed. Rejuvenate and begin making preparations for her trip home. Luna was not far off. Everyone else would be leaving in a few weeks. She was looking forward to spending time
with
her father inside his lab.

“And that's all I'm trying to say Gen.”

“Nim, stop apologizing and just promise to never do it again.”

She should have been paying Nim more attention. She could hear the frustration in his voice as well as her own. She'd heard every word he'd said. But she'd also heard Yasira confirm her tutoring session with Xander. It was completely foolish on her part. Mostly because she shouldn't care and mainly because it was none of her business who he tutored. Why should she concern herself with Xander? Honestly, the male was too arrogant and had way too many boisterous opinions of himself.

“Why would I do that?” Nim questioned.

Exasperated,
Gen turned her full attention on Nim.

“You're my dearest friend Nim.” Wasn't it obvious?

Nim's entire body tightened. His scent became mangled with an emotion she knew to be outrage. She didn't understand his reaction and tried putting a calming hand on his shoulder, but his body recoiled at her touch.

“Dearest friend?” Nim said slowly. His breathing changed. His entire frame frozen solid. Gen watched fearful as his pent up anger began to pour out of his mouth in hateful words.

“Dearest fucking friend?” He said again with incredulity.

“Nim please.” Gen whispered, “You're making a scene.” A small crowd had gathered around
them,
and Gen could feel the shift of energy in the air. The scent of anger mixed with confusion was cloying to her nostrils, saturating her skin. It covered her in a fine sheen of regret. She had not intended to hurt her friend. She hadn't given out any signals that she was agreeable to his advances. Had she?

“I put my heart out on the table Miss Blackmore,” Her name was said with venom. Nim's features changed, becoming more pronounced. “I've made no attempts to hide my intentions. Why do you think I've been hanging around? Why all the gifts and vid feeds? Did you think I did all of this to gain only your friendship? Are you truly that naive?”

Nim's voice was loud. It carried throughout the hall as he questioned her. Had she missed something? Were
there
clues to his courtship? Was she actually that blind?

“Nim, I apologize,” He cut her off with a slice of his hand through the air, silencing her reply. He took two steps back, turned and headed in the direction of the training room. The crowd that gathered parted in an effort to let him through. This was Gen's very first confrontation. The amount of exertion Nim used to get his feelings out, drained her. Gen put a hand to her forehead checking to make sure her body's temperature had not actually risen. Heat flooded her veins, made her clothes feel too tight. The recruits gathered around murmured about Nim's actions. Most of the males agreed with him. While some of the females couldn't be bothered at all to give their conversation much thought. Gen found herself dumbfounded, even after the crowd dispersed.

She'd
never argued with anyone in her life. Why did he treat her that way in front of the others? Nimaya walked up to her with an apologetic smile.

“I'm sorry Gen, I don't know what's come over him.”

By the Goddess as if she had the answers? Hardly! He'd highlighted all her features. No other female had a curtain of midnight hair and golden hued skin. She was agitated and upset at how things happened between the two of them. She thought they were friends. If she tried to over analyze the situation, she would throw something. She couldn't let Nim's thoughts affect her reaction to the disturbing scene. She was pragmatic if nothing else. This was only a passing fancy for him. An allure, nothing more. Soon he'd come to his senses and realize there was no future for them in that aspect. Things
would
go back to normal. That was the way of it. She'd seen a matched couple split up in a similar fashion. They had made a huge spectacle of themselves. Garnering the attention of everyone. A few days later, she'd seen them in the common area hugging and kissing passionately. It definitely had to do with hormones. It couldn't be anything else that would have them so fickle. What Gen needed to focus on was the nature of her own foolish thoughts. If Professor Aylet could tell she was talking about two people, others would start to notice her reactions. She couldn't have that. Didn't need that, and was not about to put up with it.

Two weeks later, Gen was still pondering thoughts that were taking up too much of her time. The great hall was crowded with recruits, all excited about going back to New Earth for Luna. Some were making plans to meet
up
at different places, others were talking excitedly about being back in their own surroundings. Many of the new recruits complained about the constant darkness of sector 12. It didn't have any stars that were bright enough to cast a warm glow. There were moons, but they provided little light. What light there was came from candles, and other forms of energy that were produced in the mines on the planet. She agreed with the recruits, although New Earth's sun was harmful if exposed for long hours, it still helped where it counted most. It heated the coldest of nights. Especially because the electricity was rationed. There were many blackouts, and during the winter season it was harsh if one didn't learn how to gather the suns warmth. Her father had ray catchers. Dark shiny windows that converted the sun's rays into energy. It warmed their water, heated their food, and provided
warmth
on cold winter nights.

Gen glided through the sea of bodies. Some of the recruits, both female and male, waved as she passed. An impending sense of dread settled in her chest as she passed a small group of seniors. Among them, Adam and his matched Bianca. Adam had taken a step back which gave Gen no room to maneuver as the hall was packed. Their bare arms touched and for a moment so fleeting, a moment she would have missed it if not for the constant spark of energy, his fingers brushed her arm in a caressing manner. Their gazes locked. She knew her eyes held just as much surprise as his. Still she continued to her destination. Confused as she was, she didn't have time for verbal sparring today. Why he made it a point to touch her and then pretend he hadn't was anyone's guess. He'd stop trying to meet with her when
no
one else was around. He'd stopped after the day in their bio class. After he'd issued his warning about Xander, he'd stayed as far away as possible. And
now
he was touching her.

She was making her way to her dorm room when a hand in the crowd grabbed her firmly around the waist and pulled her into a darkened alcove. Gen was firmly pressed against a hard chest.
Goddess help her!
She was but a second from disarming her captor, when the smell of dark earth and fire surrounded her. Xander. He banded one arm around her waist in a tight grip. The other he placed firmly around the top of her bodice. Where he touched her, his heat seeped into her garments and warmed her skin to a level of fire that was unstable. Heart racing, Gen tried to breathe but was unable to get enough air into her lungs. If she wanted to be honest with herself
it
was because she was too scared, too excited and too curious to see what was going to happen next. It was like from a one of the vids she'd watched with Nimaya and Nim. A woman pulled into a dark corner to be manhandled by some rogue. Exhilarating. Did she want to be handle by Xander? That was the true question.