Dating Outside Your DNA (12 page)

"But your father is dying."

Kragen was right. Even now his father gasped for each breath.

When that last breath ceased, Banyon would be given the power to make decisions. He would restore their people to what they once

were--fierce fighters who brought all the spoils of war to their king.

"It's almost a shame that he has to suffer so," Kragen spoke  softly. "He would be better off if he were to...die quietly."

Anger rushed through Banyon. "You dare to speak treason

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against the Supreme Ruler? Would you do the same if it was I lying in  the royal chambers? Would you talk of ending my life?"

"Of course not, Prince." Sweat ran down Kragen's fat jowls. He  pulled a cloth from his pocket and mopped his face. "I don't want the  Nerakians to gain in strength and our planet caught unaware."

"That would never happen." But Banyon wasn't so sure. His  warriors had gotten lax from years with only an occasional raid. They  were fat and lazy. Captives were bro ught in by the slave traders,  rather than the men going out and hunting for themselves.

"My spies have told me some familiar faces have returned to  Nerak."

Banyon was bored with their conversation. He wanted to hear no more talk about what could happen.  His father's men guarded their king well, protecting him from crossing over until it was his time.  Until he died, Banyon could do nothing. He turned away from Kragen, dismissing him with a supercilious wave of his hand.

"As you wish, Prince. I only thought you might want to know  Aasera lives."

Banyon whipped around. "What is this you speak? She's dead.  Her country celebrated her life." He reached up and ran a finger down the scar above his right eye. Cold fear was quickly replaced with burning anger.

Kragen shook his head. "No, she lives. My informant tells me she's training new explorers for travel."

Frustration filled Banyon. It wasn't fair that she'd been alive all this time while he'd had to suffer unmercifully every time he looked in the mirror and  saw the two inch scar.

"It makes no difference. No one has ever been able to capture  a Nerakian female off Nerak. Do you propose we land on their planet  undetected? It's never been done. Again, you give me information  without solutions. I'm beginning to wonder what use you are to me."

"There are other ways to get revenge." Kragen looked pointedly  at Banyon's scar, something few men were brave enough to do.

"What, snap my fingers and she appears before me?"

"Aasera was banished from Nerak when she became pregnant.

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She made the decision to keep the child and live on Earth." Kragen examined his fingers. "The child must mean a lot to her. I mean, she gave up everything for it. The girl is still on Earth."

Excitement coursed through Banyon. "This is good." Aasera would be destroyed if her child was harmed. Finally, after all this time, he would take his revenge.

"I'll never be able to leave until my father dies. The ships are closely guarded."

"Like I said, there is a way that will...ease your father's passing.  It could be costly, though."

This was where Kragen had been leading him all along. His advisor thought he was being crafty. He didn't know that nothing mattered as long as the end result was the same.

"Make it happen. The gems will be waiting when it's done."

"I will also send men to Earth as soon as it is safe."

"No, I'll go myself."

"It's dangerous, Prince."

"The stupid earthlings won't suspect me of landing on their

planet. Besides, I want to see this place I've only heard about."

"But...but. ..we aren't travelers."

"We are now."

"When do you plan to leave, Your Highness?"

"Soon." He smiled, his pupils turning to gray shards of glass.  "Leave me. On your way out, tell them to send in the new female."

Kragen started to say something, apparently thought better of it,  and bowed instead. The door closed silently behind him.

Banyon began to laugh. Oh how he would make Aasera pay for  disfiguring him. A Rovert's skin did not heal like other species. They  had to carry scars around until they crossed over. The mark Aasera  had left on him was a testament to the fact he'd been beaten. He'd

make Aasera's child pay, and she'd pay dearly.

There was a light knock on his chamber door.

Banyon hadn't seen the new female. One of the traders had

brought her. H e'd been told she was quite beautiful. Anticipation rose

to the surface. He was more than ready to conquer her.

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"Enter."

The female was in chains, bound at her wrists, a longer chain dropped down to her bound feet. Ah, he did like a chained female.

This  one trembled. He would've liked one with a little more spirit, more fight. His pulse raced. He needed an outlet for his anger. He nodded at the guard. The man bowed, then left.

Banyon walked around the female. She trembled more, her chains rattling. She was easy to look upon. The trader hadn't lied about her beauty. Her pale green hair flowed past her shoulders.

When he faced her again, she raised her eyes, then quickly lowered them.

They were deep crimson. He didn't have a fondness for that shade. He stepped closer and removed the clasp at her shoulder, tossing it to the side. She gasped and tried to hold her robe in place.

"Let it fall," he told her in a voice that was soft to the ears.

The trembles that plagued her body became more fierce. No, she wouldn't be any sport at all. Her robe fell to the floor.

"Ah, I see the trader was right. You are quite magnificent."

The girl cowered before him as she tried to shield her nakedness. It would do her no good, of course. Tears formed in her eyes as she began to cry and beg. It always amazed him when he saw species who cried. Roverts didn't have tear ducts so couldn't produce any moisture.

"Please..." she pleaded. "I beg you..."

"Yes, you usually all do, but of course, it never does any good. I will still  look upon your nakedness."

"I will be shamed if you take me," she cried, turning her head

away.

"Even if I shower you in magnificent jewels? The finest furs?"

Her eyes widened. "Furs? Jewels?"

When she looked at him, he saw the speculative gleam in her

eyes. It was just as he'd thought, she would be no sport.

"Will you remove the chains, my Prince," she whispered. "I want

to hold you close."

He laughed. Her smile wavered when he looked at her, and the

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look of fear reentered her eyes. She tried to wigg le away when his  mouth opened over hers, then connected to her lips with an  unbreakable suction. He held her head in place while she squirmed  beneath him. She was sweet, like the fruit the traders brought to him,  but there was a bitter aftertaste.

When he finished with her, he moved away, and she crumpled to the floor. He hadn't really meant to steal all her essence. Not right now, anyway. She'd been rather fun to toy with, and he'd wanted to mate. Oh, well. It would be at least a week before she had any fight inside her, and he was well satiated for the time being.

He called for the guards. "Take her away. And the next time that trader lands here, bring him to me. I don't like the lower classes.

He needs to be taught a lesson."

He barely gave the female  another glance. Were there none left that had any fight in them? He flung himself down on the lounging sofa, and placed the back of his hand on his forehead. Life could be so dreary at times.

Yes, it was time he went to Earth.

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Chapter 10

L
yraka slapped her hand down on the alarm so it would shut up. When she rolled over, she gasped with pain. She'd only thought she was sore last night. Her whole body was one big ball of ache. It was a good thing Roan hadn't come to her room during the night.

Anyone would have thought all the exercising she'd been doing for the last week would have prepared her for the obstacle course.

Not.

She slowly sat up, easing her legs over the side of the bed, then just sat there. How was she going to make it through the day?  She glanced at the clock again, hoping time would slow down --or stop. That's when she noticed the jar. It hadn't been there last night.  She grimaced as she reached for it.

Mentholated cream
, she read.
 
Eases sore muscles
.

So, Roan had come into her room during the night. Had he looked down at her? Had he wanted to crawl beneath the covers?

Make love to her? Apparently not, since the other side of the bed was empty. Had she been drooling in her sleep? Ugh, she hoped not.

Major turn-off.

No, she had a feeling he only played her like a cat with a mouse. She wasn't giving up and going home.

But she would use the cream.

She unscrewed the lid and sniffed, then quickly moved it away from her nose. This would certainly keep him at arm's length.

With ten minutes to spare, she walked into the kitchen. Roan was already there, sitting at the table drinking coffee. She didn't speak as she walked past him to the refrigerator and opened the door.

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"I see you found the cream on your night table."

Her lip curled. Yeah, she stunk and she knew it. She'd

practically bathed in the stuff, and smelled to high heaven now, but

she had to admit, the heat from the cream eased the tightness in her

muscles.

Roan didn't have to leave the jar in her room. He could've let

her suffer all day. So maybe he wasn't all bad.

She grabbed the carton of juice and shut the refrigerator door.  "It's helping. Thanks."

"You'll feel better the more you work out."

"I can't wait," she said, sarcasm dripping from her words.

He chuckled. She paused pouring her juice. He didn't laugh that  often. She sort of wished he'd do it more. It had a nice sound, and for  some reason, she didn't feel quite so alone. Alone wasn't good.

"The obstacle course is everyone's worst nightmare." He

leaned back in  his chair. "You did good. I was impressed and I'm not  impressed very often."

Shock was a mild word for what she was feeling right now.  Shock and pleasure. Just when she wanted to dislike the man, he  surprised her. Maybe dislike wasn't the right word. He'd taught her a  lot this week. The basics were a necessary evil, they were boring,

and they frustrated her. Rather than dislike, maybe he just

aggravated her--a lot.

Roan drained his cup and went back to the pot to pour another.  The man was a serious caffeine addict. So was her mom. Aasera had

adopted quite a few of Earth's customs. Lyraka wondered if her

mother was able to get coffee on Nerak.

Once, Aasera had told her that they had smoothies and food

capsules on Nerak, but no real food. It didn't sound li ke such a great

planet to her. She suddenly realized just how much she missed her

mother.

Roan wasn't a bad sub for company. He still made her pulse speed up and not just because he had her running on the treadmill every day.

He looked up and caught her  gaze before she had a chance to

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look away.

"Uh..." She cleared her throat. "What exactly are we going to be

doing today?"

"Have you ever fired a weapon?"

"No."

His grin was slow. "How did you expect to kill the bad guys without a gun?"

"I guess I neve r really thought about it." And now that she had, she wasn't sure she wanted to. "Do we really kill people?" Could she kill someone? How did anyone know these things unless they were actually in that sort of situation?

"Sometimes. Not as often as people think. And only the really nasty bad guys."

She nodded, but wondered if the time ever came, could she kill someone?

"Killing isn't easy. You can't hesitate. If you do, it could cost you  your life."

She took a deep breath. Coming into this, she'd known there  would be things she wouldn't like doing. But taking a life?

"If someone had a gun pointed at your mother, and you knew in  your heart he was going to pull the trigger, and you had a gun and  could take him out, what would you do?"

"I think I could pull the trigger to save someone." She downed  her juice, then set the glass in the sink. "So, we're going to a target  range?"