Dragon Lords Books 1 - 4 Box Set: Anniversary Edition (30 page)

W
hat a strange way to
pick a life partner,
Nadja thought, trying to take a bite of Qurilixian blue bread. Her hands shook too badly, and she was forced to set the slice down. She had thought there would be more to the actual choosing process than walking through an aisle.

It would have made sense if the prospective couples talked, or even danced, while they spent time getting to know each other. Then again, maybe such meet-and-greet customs were an illusion. No one was going to show their worst in a first meeting. Marriage this way was a gamble. Why prolong the decision? Nadja had to hand it to the Qurilixian men. They knew what they wanted and they obviously just took it.

A large buffet offering of foods had been prepared, spread over the long wooden table to which the brides had been directed. There was an array of local meats, fruits, cheeses and breads. She watched a bride bite into a tiny pastry. Steam rolled out of the hot dessert and the woman instantly inhaled several deep breaths to cool her tongue.

Nadja even thought she detected white chocolate at the end of the table. Real chocolate was hard for most people to come by. Her father always had an abundance of it on the ship, but Nadja’s diet plan rarely allowed for the indulgence. The sweet morsels were too far for her to reach, and she was too nervous to ask one of the servants to fetch her some.

To her surprise, Morrigan had chosen to sit beside her. Nadja followed the woman’s eyes to where she stared at the married couples feeding each other by the firelight. The brides’ table was set aside from the rest of the festivities. The offworlders drew minimal notice from the jovial Qurilixian couples who seemed much more interested in their partner than the visitors.

Nadja nervously picked up a silver goblet of wine, swallowing the sweet liquid a serving man had poured for her. She was grateful for the drink and hoped it would help calm her nerves. The servants were fully clothed, not like the grooms had been. The memory of piercing green eyes and a delectably muscled body caused her to drink faster.

Nadja observed that the style seemed to be long hair for both genders. The women wore dresses of flowing material. The men wore simple tunic shirts and breeches, definitely having the appearance of an Old Earth Medieval influence. Wearing such clothing would take some getting used to, but she would adapt.

“Where do you think the grooms went off to?” Morrigan asked quietly.

Nadja, surprised the woman was speaking, quickly swallowed and opened her mouth to answer. She knew that the men went to prepare for the night’s events. Her words were cut off by a servant who filled her half-empty goblet.

“They go to make offerings to the gods,” the servant said. Nadja lowered her goblet to the table when he’d finished filling it. The servant topped off Morrigan’s liquor and urged the women to drink with a movement of his hand. They didn’t. He scratched absently at a thin scar across the tip of his nose, as he continued, “They ask for a blessing on this night in finding a wife.”

“I thought that was what the bridal procession was all about,” Morrigan said.

“The Procession of Finding reveals the gods’ will but does not guarantee a match.” The servant again motioned for Morrigan to drink and she did so with a look of annoyance. The servant smiled and wandered off.

“Are you nervous?” Nadja asked, keeping her voice low and not touching her drink. Already she felt a little dizzy and didn’t want the alcohol to affect her thinking. Her suitor was a big, strong man and she’d be a fool not to be apprehensive about his size. When Morrigan didn’t answer, Nadja gave an uneasy laugh. “I can barely sit still. I think this drink has a lot of liquor or something in it.”

Morrigan still didn’t answer, only continued to drink as she helped herself to blue bread. Nadja looked around, but there was no one else she could talk to. She realized how alone she really was. On the ship, she had a sense that they, as women, were joined in a common mission. Now, on the planet, everyone would be thinking of themselves and their futures—as was natural.

This was too much. She couldn’t follow that gigantic man back to his tent. It was all wrong. He didn’t fit the picture in her head. She wouldn’t know what to do with a man like him. He was too big, too warrior-like. She had expected someone small—more academic in nature. She had her fill of tough guys with aggressive personalities while living under her father’s rule.

“Rigan?” Nadja insisted in a whisper. She felt the blood draining from her face.

Morrigan quietly looked over.

Fearful, Nadja bit her lips and leaned toward the woman. “I’m scared. I think I’ve made a mistake. Do you think they would let me go back to the ship?”

“What’s wrong?” Morrigan asked, her eyes narrowing in concern. Her body tensed.

“I…” Nadja paused and shook her head. Her eyes teared as she thought of the invincible body of pure sinew and flesh. Hearing the sexual jokes around her and seeing the couples kissing in the nearby field, she knew she couldn’t go through with it. Her heart pounded so hard it nearly choked her. Weakly, she managed, “They’re very big, aren’t they?”

And primitive. And confident. And energetic. And…

“Who, the men?” Morrigan questioned needlessly.

“Yes,” Nadja whispered. A loud shout of laughter came from the field and she began to pant for air. The more she thought about the reality of her situation, the more terrified she became. Surely a man of her suitor’s size would injure her. She touched her temple, trying to stop her head from spinning. “Do you think they will…will hurt us? They seem bigger than most humanoid men. This place is not what I imagined when I signed on. Actually, I don’t know what I imagined.”

She had been so busy running away, that she didn’t stop to fully consider what she was running toward.

Morrigan looked surprised. “Nadja, have you been with a man before?”

Nadja shook her head in denial, embarrassed. Her father was a Medical Alliance doctor. Every morning up until a month ago she had been given medical checks. If her virginity had been compromised he would have known and he would have been livid. Whoever took it would have ended up at the wrong end of her father’s scalpel and she’d have been locked in punishment for the rest of her life. She’d barely even been kissed, too afraid the medic unit would report the foreign germs on her mouth.

“Not even a droid?” Morrigan insisted.

“No.” Nadja’s eyes roamed over the fluttering tents in the distance, unable to meet the woman’s probing gaze. Morrigan seemed very adept at reading people. Trembling, she lied, “I was always too embarrassed to go to the clubs and try one. But I’ve seen pictures. Do you think these guys are…
shaped differently
than human males? The uploads were not specific as to their heritage.”

“I haven’t given it much thought,” Morrigan admitted. “I think that galaxy law requires the species to be, uh, physically compatible before they are matched up. Otherwise, the marriage would do no good. We’re all humanoids. Besides, I hate to sound crass, but the whole point of this is so they can propagate their species.”

“I suppose,” Nadja answered, not comforted by Morrigan’s cold view of their situation. She gripped her goblet tight before lifting it to gulp more of her wine. Without having to be asked, a servant was right there to refill it for her. She drank that cup too, much to the man’s obvious pleasure.

“Did you ask any of the others?” Morrigan inquired when the servant had retreated down the table. “Have any of them said anything about not being with a man before? Or maybe having been with a man?”

Nadja was confused, not sure how such a thing was relevant, and shook her head in denial. Aside from the general sex talk and unsolicited advice, they didn’t discuss their personal sex lives with her. “We’ve never discussed it.”

“It’s really not that big of a deal.” Morrigan smiled. Nadja barely saw it. “I hear several of the women have had their virginity replaced. So it can’t be that bad, can it? It hurts for a second, but no more than the series of shots they gave us on the way here.”

“I suppose you’re right, though I hadn’t heard that.” Nadja nodded in agreement and tried to calm down. It wasn’t working. She was too scared. Surely she could make it back to the ship before it was too late. There were jewels and other valuables in her bag that could easily pay for a return trip. Once back on the Earthbase she could find another ship to take her somewhere else—anywhere but here.

Silence fell over the grounds, drawing her attention away from Morrigan.

Too late.

“Oh!” Nadja gasped, stiffening. The men had arrived. Instantly, she picked the tall, green-eyed barbarian out from the crowd. It was as if he sensed her, instantly finding her at the table and coming directly for her. The effects of the wine swirled in her head and she again felt as if she were losing her hearing. Voices became low murmurs.

One by one, the prospective brides fell silent. As they watched, the handsome warriors made their way to stand below the table. Their eyes scanned and quickly fixed upon the woman of their choice.

Nadja’s heartbeat thundered in her ears, as if keeping time with her suitor’s steps.
Thump, thump, thump.
Closer he walked, up the platform, to stand before her. The crystal around his neck pulsed with a soft light, doing something to her will. A fog descended on her reason. The green-eyed barbarian’s presence consumed her with liquid fire, tearing down her inhibitions and resolve. She tried to fight it. She tried to turn away from those probing green orbs, that pulsing white crystal. It was no use. He was there and he was looking at her as if she already belonged to him.

Sound came back in a rush. Music again filled the air. Its low rhythm was as sweet as a warm spring sun, and as gentle as the wind’s caressing kisses. It enhanced what was happening inside her, flowing into her chest and pulling her forward.

The man leaned toward her and her breath caught. Two braids were wound into his hair from temples to ends. The silken locks dipped to his shoulders, brushing forward as he moved. When he smiled, a lighthearted expression that drew her in, she nearly swooned. She reached for a drink, desperate for anything to keep her from jumping up and discovering if his lips were anything like she imagined. Her hand never made it. His lips parted to speak and her hand fell down to the table.

“I am Olek, bride,” he said. The seductive tone of his voice made sure there was no mistake as to why he was there. He had come to claim her. “Come.”

Nadja didn’t refuse. How could she? Those eyes commanded her with a soft magic. She saw kindness in them and relaxed. Maybe his large build meant he worked hard for a living. He could be a carpenter or a farmer. He might not be a warrior at all. He could not help it if family genetics had made him tall, and gave him the most perfect of eyes. The thought helped to calm her fear. However, when he smiled an alluring smile, her fear returned tenfold.

Nadja stood and held his gaze as she walked with him to the edge of the table. Magic filled the air with a spellbinding force, controlling her as she dutifully followed Olek’s lead. When she came to the end, he took her hand in his. The warmth seeped into her chilled fingers, shooting sparks of fire up her arm. She shivered in anticipation, but the feeling was overshadowed by an intense fear of not being able to live up to his expectations. Surely a man like this would be used to women in his bed. Would he expect her to know what to do? Would he be ashamed of his choice when she didn’t even know how to return his kiss?

He escorted her from the feast to the campgrounds before letting go of her hand. She walked silently behind him. The position gave her ample view of his strong back. Her mouth went dry and she couldn’t look away. The muscles in his hard thighs pumped with each of his graceful steps. Her eyes traveled up to where his flesh dipped beneath the loincloth. She had seen naked men before when she watched her father perform surgeries. She knew that men’s privates came in all different shapes and sizes. She hoped this one came small. Looking at his broad intimidating shoulders, she swallowed nervously. Very, very small.

He took her through the campgrounds, past a row of pyramid tents. Tiny tokens had been pinned to the outside of them. Nadja saw the other women ducking inside them with their suitors, giving little protest. Laughter drifted on the breeze as the married couples enjoyed their own celebration. The fires still burned. Music played faster, encouraging the couples to dance.

Olek stopped next to a green tent and Nadja almost bumped into him. He turned, giving her troubled expression a laughing grin. He tilted his head toward the inside of the tent, directing her to go in. When he spoke, the soft burr of his accent rolled over her. “Come, bride.”

Again, she couldn’t deny him, moving to dip under the green tent flap he held up for her. When she drew near him, she smelled the warm oil on his glistening skin. It mixed with the natural scent of him. She breathed deeply. This was as close as she had ever been to such an inadequately dressed man before.

She faltered in her movements, glancing up into his eyes. Before she knew what was happening, a strong hand was on her face, gently cupping her cheek. The touch was fire to her already flushed features. Her lips parted with a ragged, scared gasp. Olek took it as an invitation and dipped his head forward.

Nadja almost screamed when he tried to kiss her. Her first reaction was to run. Dodging under his arm, she darted inside the tent. Nadja froze mid-step as she looked around. The red earth floor was covered completely in soft furs. It cushioned her feet beneath her slippers. Below the center point of the pyramid was a high platform bed, which required a step to climb onto it. Silk hung down around the sides, stirring delicately in the torchlight like soft white clouds.

She should have run
out
of the tent, not in.

Spinning to do just that, she realized the only exit was still blocked. She was trapped. Olek grinned, though the look seemed baffled.

“I-I,” she stuttered, not sure how to explain her rude behavior, or if she even should.