I touch where that beloved love token hangs on a chain around my neck.
He smiles, then studies his own cuff and nods slowly. “It’s in no way logical, but I experienced a similar electrifying sensation when Ula first put the cuff on my wrist. It should have been unnerving, but it was eerily… natural.”
“There’s the added bonus that these babies are kind of like an organic tracking device, so to speak.” I waggle my eyebrows and channel my inner Lord Vardox. “Mwhahaha! You’ll never be able to get away from me now.”
That makes him laugh.
“If nothing else, they look awfully damn fine on both of us,” I add. “Not to mention, they match your beautiful eyes and talented tentacles. What’s not to love?”
“I’m glad they please you so much. It was well worth the cost.”
I gulp. “Uh… how pricey were they?”
His lips twitch. “You mean the super rare mystical heartstone amulets that are the stuff of fairy tales?”
I whimper. “Please tell me I didn’t have you drain your bank account to buy them?”
Kai leans back on the bench with an air of unconcern. “They were expensive, but in line with the value of such a rare and coveted stone. No doubt, some of our colleagues back at the Alliance will want to get their hands on them to learn more about the Laidhuian heartstone.”
I clutch my wrist to my chest. “Fuck that. I’m not letting anyone get near mine and you can’t share yours. They might mess with the mystical powers of our stones.”
Kai snorts with amusement. “Whatever you say, darling.”
“Damn straight.” I pat his thigh in approval.
Kai doesn’t think he is, but he’s totally a stealth romantic under his gruff exterior. It’s even more freaking adorable to me because I know I bring it out in him.
I stand and pull him to his feet. “Come on, we need to hurry and grab some lunch.”
He raises a questioning eyebrow. “Why do we need to hurry?”
I grin from ear to ear. “Because we’re going undercover into the fray once more.”
Tentacular Tales Con, here we come—again!
CHAPTER EIGHT
Starblade’s thoughts soon flew right out of his head when Vardox picked him up and tossed him gently onto the bed. Then Vardox began to disrobe, and Starblade could not stop from staring at the Masnok’s stunning body.
His deep red skin and sharply defined muscles made Starblade look soft in comparison. The tentacles on his back that he usually kept hidden under his cloak undulated in the air as if conducting a symphony only they could hear.
When Vardox’s pants fell to the floor, Starblade prayed he wasn’t drooling as he ogled Vardox’s thick, erect cock. Far too many times to count, Vardox’s manhood had brought him immeasurable pleasure. But it had also been quite some time since they were last intimate like this.
Starblade’s attention was instantly drawn to the tentacle Vardox had injured during his Blood Duel with Khamos. Several inches of it had been chopped off and Starblade had fretted over it for weeks.
As if Starblade was broadcasting his thoughts, Vardox gave him an amused look and waved said tentacle in the air.
“I told you it would grow back, darling. It’s fine.” Vardox stepped closer to the bed until he was standing over Starblade. “In fact, it’s quite eager to get involved in the action.”
That’s when his healed tentacle whipped in Starblade’s direction and tore the clothes from his body until he lay nude and eager for Vardox’s touch.
—The Tentacular Tales of Captain Starblade,Ch. 171
River
After lunch,we head back to our suite to put on our undercover attire for the afternoon. I appropriate Kai’s Inigo Montoya wig and mustache, while I have him wear what I like to call hisMen in Blacksunglasses to hide his beautiful amethyst eyes—which, by the way, soooo complement the heartstone in our matching cuffs, just like I told him—from the canny gazes of my intrepid fans.
Once we’re ready, we attend the first panel of the afternoon featuring several fan fiction writers considered to be experts on my series. They have a lively debate around their predictions about the future of the series, and more importantly, the relationship between Captain Starblade and Lord Vardox. I’m tickled pink by the whole thing. Witnessing their impassioned conversations and the enthusiasm of the audience, especially during the Q and A portion, is super energizing.
