Page 15
“I come with good news,” the male says. “Terrifying news, but still good. My heart’s fire is going to have a kit. We went to the healing facility, and Vornak confirmed it.”
He pauses as if expecting some sort of reaction from me. I continue to watch him warily as he sighs and his shoulders drop in defeat.
“Everything you were working towards is coming to pass,” he continues. “Our males are finding their mates and soon we will have a new generation of Bohnari. The gods have been listening.”
I study him further. Grief wraps around him, but joy radiates more powerfully.
“Carrik has said that Lindsey’s pregnancy is progressing well. Since she is the first, we don’t know how long she will gestate. According to Quinn, a human’s gestation period is typically nine moon cycles, but a Bohnari’s is six. Which means we will have to wait to see. Until this, I have been a patient male. But the not knowing and the fear for my heart’s fire is a new experience. I don’t care for it.”
Like the younger female, this male speaks of the same people as though I am familiar with them. As though I know them. My head aches from trying to think.
“It does make my heart happy to know that Quinn has her sisters near when her birthing time comes. Of course, she is also worried about Devon, who still remains without a mate. You have met her. She is the one who possesses copper skin similar to a Bohnari’s and dark hair of tightly wound curls and who accompanied Olivia and Mak to the palace the day you…” his words fade away and the sorrow I sense in him grows again.
Except now he has me curious as heat warms my chest. De-von. Is that the name of the small female who brings me the strange gifts? Every part of her fascinates me, but most especially her hair. It is unlike any I have ever seen before. Visions of the female haunt what little sleep I get. Far too often I wake just as I reach out to touch her. To discover if her skin is as soft and as smooth as it appears. My cock aches with the need to rut, but then unexpected shame scalds me from the inside out.
I blink as I realize the male is speaking once more.
“…do this without you. Mohneek and Orvak are still missing, and both Carrik and Janik grow worried they have some how made it off-planet.”
A single name echoes loudly inside my head and rage boils through my veins. I launch myself at the transparent wall separating me from the male and pound my fists on it, desperate to break down the barrier and stop him from ever saying that name again.
Janik.
Enemy.
Janik.
Kill.
The large male takes a single step back as I claw at the wall and roar my hatred at that name.
“Alik, stop,” he yells. “You must stop before you injure yourself.”
Except, I do not. At least not until he jumps forward and pounds his own fists on the transparent barrier. Shock has me immobile. This isn’t the first time he’s yelled. He’s also begged and pleaded. He’s spoken softly. But not once has he responded with a physical reaction. Once again, I blink in surprise.
The male stabs his fingertip against the clear material—his features twisted in anger—and leans in close. “You are Prince Alik of the Bohnari, not this beast. You are the second-born son of King Danik and Queen Veroneek and you will not forget that. Do you understand me?”
An excruciating pain rips through my head, and I turn away, clutching at it in hopes it will go away. The large male is yelling again, but his voice is muffled and coming from a distance. Another pain stabs me behind the eyes, and I collapse to my knees. My vision goes blurry and then…darkness.
I move and groan with the ache that spreads through my entire body. The noise echoes, but it’s followed by silence. Slowly, I raise my head and glance around. Once again, I am alone in the dimly lit prison. Memories creep in. The female visiting me and leaving. The male coming in shortly after. I remember him speaking of kits and…a stabbing pain shoots through my head.
Tired of pain, I bring up an image of the copper-skinned female. Thoughts of her always calm me. A word whispers in my ear. De-von. Yes. I believe it is her name.
“De—” the sound is harsh and burns my throat. I try again. “De-von.”
It is still a rough noise. Ragged and not quite right.
“De-von. De-von.” That is better. “De-von. De-von.”
It’s a litany falling from my mouth, each time becoming clearer. When next she comes, I will speak it and gauge her response. Perhaps I am mistaken, and it is merely a word, not what she’s called. Yet, it feels right. I am even more anxious for her return even if I cannot explain the reason why.
Carefully, I sit up and return to the corner where her gifts lie. Again, I pick up the first one she brought, the small wood-carved beast and study its smoothness. Is the female’s skin equally as smooth? What about her glorious hair? I vow I will escape this cage, and when I do, I will destroy anyone who gets in my way. Then I will find this female and make her mine.
Chapter 8
Devon
No matter how many times I walk through the palace, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it. At least I don’t outright stare at all the furnishings or the expensive decor anymore. Still, there are more times than not that I wonder, how is this my life?
