“But it’s hard. I hear you.” We lapse into silence, the sound of muttered Suevan conversations babbling around us like water in a stream. As we walk, my glow draws a lot of irritating attention from the few Suevans shopping.

“Are you okay?” I finally ask her, as we round a corner to a quieter street. Lightning bugs the size of hummingbirds flit overhead, bobbing illumination that casts a soft light.

She heaves a sigh, then smiles. “I am more okay now that you’re here. I was literally sick with worry over you. But I love Draz.” She shakes her head, her expression rueful. “I never would have imagined this life for me, but I do love him. We’ll figure the rest out as it comes.” Her hand goes to her stomach.

“Here it is,” she says, and my gaze flits to the myza in front of me. “And look, here they come.”

Sure enough, two hulking Suevans stride toward us. Draz, with his huge sword and devilish scar, and my Kanuz, smirking and swaggering beside him. They’re deep in conversation, but when Kanuz glances up and sees me, he does a double take, standing still as his gaze rakes over me.

Warmth heats my cheeks and chest, and Niki lets out a low laugh.

“I’ll go ahead and leave you two, for now. There’s a comm tablet in there with my info programmed in it already. I’ll call you in the morning and we can train for the Trials together.” She gives me an exaggerated wink, and I shove her shoulder as she laughs. “Don’t get too frisky, Durand. We have work to do!”

With that, Draz scoops her up in a hug, and Kanuz finally gets a grip of himself, walking towards me as the oversized fireflies dip and swirl overhead.

“My flower,” he says quietly, tucking a strand of stray hair behind my ear. I lean into the touch, smiling up at him.

He pushes the arched door open, and I sigh with relief at having him near again.

“The Roth is going to help,” he says, closing the door softly behind us as though he hasn’t just dropped the nuclear bomb of information.

“He what?!” I explode, my heart rate spiking as I stare, open-mouthed, at Kanuz. “You know as well as I do they can’t be trusted.”

“He has two brothers,” Kanuz continues, running his hands through his hair. “They are entering Suevan territory now, in a small freighter. He bargained to help us save their lives.”

“It’s a trick,” I exclaim, angry. I tug at the cropped, silky pink top they dressed me in, feeling stupid for being made up and draped in this silly dress. No wonder I stopped caring what I looked like. I don’t feel like I can be taken seriously in all this, even though it made me feel pretty and put together for the first time in years.

“I understand your apprehension, Gen.” He shakes his head slowly.

“You promised you’d rip out his spine for me!” I poke at his bare chest, and he catches my hand in his, some humor returning to his face.

“And you politely declined, if I recall correctly.”

“That doesn’t mean I think we should make an alliance with the Roth!”

“We are not making an alliance with the Roth. We are allowing one Roth’s brothers to leave our space with their lives in exchange for strategic information against the Roth Overlord’s operations.” His lips purse, and I stand still, letting the information compute, letting it get through the cracks in my initial anger.

“I didn’t think a Roth would even care about their family.”

“I was likewise surprised. Perhaps, next time, you will accompany me on business and I will be spared your anger because we can decide together.”

“Deal.” I heave a sigh, finally taking in the interior of our temporary home. “This is nice,” I say, changing the subject. I don’t want to think about the Roth. Not right now, at least. Right now, I want to hang out with Kanuz. I want to sleep. I want to sleep with Kanuz as part of our hanging out.

“It is nothing compared to my palace at Perzivor, but it will do. Were your companions safe and sound?”

“They are… Kanuz, what do you know about the Warlord Trials?”

“They are the ultimate test of strength, courage, and intellect for our people. Those who make it to the end become the leaders of our cities.”

“Niki is taking part in it. In two weeks... and I’m joining her.” I narrow my eyes, waiting for him to say he doesn’t want me to do it, that I’m a princess now or some other nonsense.

But Kanuz only grins wider, then clasps me to him. “I would be honored for my mate to be a warlord of Sueva. A princess and a warlord. Yes. I like that very much.”

“You’re not upset?”

“Why would I be upset?”

“Because… I didn’t talk about it with you first?” I’m grasping at straws.

“You do not need to discuss every decision with me. I am honored to hear out any problems you have, but your life is yours, as much as you are my mate, you are still your own person, are you not?” He scratches his chin. “I am more and more concerned about what your marriages look like on Earth.”

“I just thought you would be mad.”

“Did you want to have a fight?” He raises one eyebrow, perplexed.

“No,” I say, not sure what to do with my hands. “Of course, I didn’t.”

Suddenly, he slams me against the walls of the myza, caging me in with his broad arms on either side of me. “If it is a fight you want, my golden flower, I am happy to oblige your every whim. I did not know your passions had this edge, but I am more than willing to test how sharp you are.”

My heart speeds up, and I’m suddenly wet with desire. His mouth ravishes mine, and when I reach up to cup his face, his hands circle my wrist. Before I can react, he’s pressed them over my head, pinning them to the wall with one hand.

His other hand makes small circles on the exposed skin of my abdomen, his talons tickling at the seam of the blouse. “I like this outfit very much.”

“It’s different,” I say, my eyes closing as he kisses the sensitive flesh of my neck. A shiver runs down my spine, and I let out a soft moan.

“You like it when I’m firm with you. When I’m in charge. I can tell. I can smell it on you. I can smell the greediness from that wet cunt of yours.” His nose presses against the juncture of my neck and shoulder, and he inhales deeply, challenge in the statement.

My eyes fly open, and I’m more than game to rise to his challenge. “You want it like that, huh? You want to be in charge?”

“Are you going to let me, little flower?” His fangs graze my skin.

“Yes,” I say, and then jerk my hands from his loosening grip. Or, at least, I try to.

“Ah, ah, ah,” he murmurs. His lips curl into a smile against my neck, and then the pressure from his fangs increases. “You said you would let me.”

His hand slips under the fabric of my blouse, and he growls in approval as his fingers caress the pointed tip of my breast.

I let myself sag against him, more excited than I’d ever imagine I’d be by this little roleplay. His fingers loosen slightly on my wrists, and I grind against him, searching for more. Needing him.

His grip loosens even more, and then I yank my hands away, slipping under his arm and laughing wildly as my feet pad against the wood floor. I’m not fast enough though, not by far, and before I hit the doorway to the bedroom Kanuz is on me, his hands on my waist as he throws me over one shoulder.

I squeal, caught between laughter and arousal, and enjoying myself way too much. It’s like a wildfire, this thing between me and Kanuz. I keep expecting it to burn out, to be all smoke, but it burns hard and fast and catches everything in its wake.

With one arm around my waist, he strides through the door, then slaps my ass, hard enough to make me cry out in surprise.

“Is that what you want, Gen? You want that?” His voice is husky and raw, and my amusement at our little foreplay turns molten and dangerous.

Before I can answer, he tugs the fabric from my hips, exposing my bare ass, the pink garment falling to the floor. He rubs the palm of his hand against it, and I moan softly. His hand leaves my skin, and for a moment, I tense, thinking he’s going to spank me again.