“My mate, it is adamn shamebecause you should have nice words spoken of you constantly. It is good for a hunter's pride to be complimented. I compliment my hunters daily, remind them of their strengths, discuss their weaknesses, so they can see themselves clearly in my eyeballs.” Aphrodite bit down the bubble of giggles fighting to break through her lips. His words were too sweet and kind to ruin with childish humor. She smiled as he gazed at her.Really gazed at her.In the way that melted her insides, he memorized her face. “I decree a strict regimen of compliments will do my mate well.”
“Oh,” she wheezed, “That’s not necessary.”
“I decree it.” He nodded, heading from the bathroom and ending the conversation. She tried not to argue or bicker because…no one had ever put in the effort. And he was right; it was adamn shame.
They wove through metal hallways and past hissing doors that nearly opened. The sensors under his feet seemed confused by his gait.Well, it’s never had to read him while he was carrying his mate.It was fun to watch the computer try to catch up. Then, he stopped at a door, and it did hiss open. Through a large doorway, Xexisbrought her into a new room. A proper captain's quarters. She scanned the room from his arms.
“Oh, man.” She whistled, raising a brow.
“I believe that means you are impressed?” He chuckled.
“So then, if I’m correct,Kannatchmeans captain, huh?” She held onto him for support as he placed her sweetly on a bed.A large bed, and not just for him.Her belly flipped strangely at the idea. He stepped away from her, the door clicking shut behind them. She held the towel to her chest with one arm, and the pile of clothes in her lap with the other.
“Close enough.” He shrugged.
“Oh, excuse me,” she scoffed. “What is your title then, huh?”
“Kannatch.” He put two hands to his sides and two crossed over his chest.
“For those of us who only learned Anglo-saxis, what does that mean?” she teased, eyeing him suspiciously. “What do you do?”
“What I do is simple. I lead.” He puffed out his chest, putting all four fists to his sides and proudly smirking to the ceiling. Aphrodite rolled her eyes. After a moment of him posing, he eased and talked with all four of his hands waving in unison. “I am in charge of hunters, their missions, where they go, who they hunt, who pays them for the hunt. In my people,Kannatchis the main source of hunts and ensures that we are all safe.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Wait, so you’re like really important?”
He eyed her, mouth pinchers curled up inwardly.It’s his confused face.He squinted with his large eyes which only made them seem bigger in his head. She grimaced, lips pressing into a flat line.Ah,we’re at an impasse.Aphrodite cleared her throat, “I mean, your title is an important one. Are you a royal person or is this a title people vote on to give you?”
“Oh! You mean my heritage!” He tossed all his hands up in acknowledgement, chuckling to himself. She let him have it, getting up from the bed. Putting the clothes on the comforter, she turned from him as he continued. “I am the second son of theKorzavic—I believe that is like a leader, but in the formal sense. Humans used to have them back when you had castles.”
Aphrodite had only just begun to pull on the offered panties when she smacked her shin into the bed frame in surprise. Hissing in pain, she bounced on one leg. He lurched forward as she spun to face him. A large patch of fabric clutched to her chest, her free hand rubbing her sore shin, she glared at him. “You’re aprince?!”
She was ready to foam at the mouth.He is fucking royalty?She stammered, bouncing on one leg till two of his hands grabbed her and forced her to stand still.Of fucking course, he was!
He cocked his head to the side, “I am unsure why you are unhappy with that?”
“Royalty?” She hugged the shirt to her chest. “You're a prince and you are mated with me? I’m a fucking—”
She blinked rapidly.He’s a prince?There were so many things she couldn’t form into words. They all angrily floated on her tongue, biting into her flesh like a stinger on a bee.
“You are my mate.”
“Yes, but like aren’t you supposed to mate a princess?” She forgot the shirt and tossed her arms out to the side. The world around her slowed down as both their gazes fell to the fabric pooled ather feet. To his credit, Xexis took three steps back immediately and wheeled around to give her his back. She scrambled to pull the fabric over her head and chest. He audibly swallowed. She grabbed up what were probably pants and shoved her legs into them.“As I was saying, if you’re some important title, why is your mate not an important title person?”
He scoffed, “Mates don’t have to be important—wait, no they are important, but not in a title way. They are—you are purposely turning me in squares.”
She choked on her own laughter as she stuffed her hands over her face. After swallowing the traitorous giggles, she spoke, “Circles.”
“Squares is more appropriate; it has sides and I am facing a side of the room.”
She inhaled deeply through her nose.Is this…what fighting was like for him?She tentatively stepped up to his side and tapped him softly on a bicep. Slowly, Xexis twisted to face her. His gaze was tender again and she melted. Arms wrapped around her torso, she exhaled “Xexis, I am not an important person. I am a smart person. And I was someone with stuff that was important to do back at the main station, but I'm not a daughter of aKorzavicor anything like that.”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “Of course, you’re not. Your species does not have aKorzavic, you have government officials who bully their underlings into committing things.”
She stared at him, wide-eyed and speechless. He smirked, chest puffed out and proud once more. She scowled, “Did Quagmor tell you that?”
“Yes. He. Did.”
Chapter Ten:
