Talson Temptations 2: Talson's Test (9 page)

“Well, spend your time wisely. I told Dad I’d use the time to check on a few of our shipping concerns. But you don’t worry about it, bro. While I’m working my ass off, you enjoy that tasty little piece of—”

Z disconnected the call before he was forced to pound his brother into tomorrow.

After cleaning up, he dressed and realized Adri had nothing to wear. After doing a bit of research, he found her apartment and called Val back to ask him to bring her a bag of clothes, to make up for being an ass earlier.

Val dropped off the bag without another word, then left with a sad glance at the bedroom door.

When Adri woke, she’d have a few of her things to make the transition easier.

They’d spend time together. She could see he wasn’t an ogre, he’d learn how better to please her, and they could figure out how they’d mold the future, their way.

Z entered the bedroom and lay next to his
iriu
, absorbed with her flawless skin, her pale hair and her exotic beauty. So wondrous, this woman. His body and mind burned for her. Literally.

Feeling the love brought forth heat, and he fisted his hand, not surprised to see a fire there. It lingered in his open palm but didn’t hurt his skin. He played with it, using the flame to highlight Adri’s soft curves. With a gentle fist, he extinguished the fire. But the blaze in his heart continued to burn as he watched her sleep.

How had he ever thought he didn’t want The Testing? Only in his ignorance had he tried to avoid his
iriu
. After feeling this, he thoroughly respected how difficult it must have been when his father lost his first wife, Z’s mother. Just a short time after a full bonding with Adri and Z was a mass of nervous energy and devotion. And hell, maybe even…love.

Hell, I’m a fucking greeting vid.
Wincing at his loss of manly stoicism, he nevertheless appreciated his good luck. Vague recollections of fire and a nervousness about the future tapped at the back of his mind, but then Adri blinked up at him and smiled.

* * * * *

They spent the evening wandering the docks. The next day they took in a movie, and Adri learned that when Z said he hated womanly drama, he meant it. He’d made so much noise in the cineplex the attendants had tried to order them to leave. Then they’d seen Z’s size and politely requested he go, much to her misplaced amusement.

He made her laugh. He annoyed her with his overbearing attitude, yet he also pleased her. Men liked to look at her. She’d grown up knowing that, especially on a planet where the ratio of men to women was five to one. Yet in New Hattan, whenever a man looked a little too interested for too long, Z called him on it. The humans backed down immediately, rightfully wary of the six-foot-six bruiser. But even the Otra they encountered took pause before engaging Zaret. To her bemusement, she liked his strength.

Growing up on a world where men bullied because they could, she’d hoped to eventually find a gentle
iriu
.

Z never bullied her, though. He prodded, he cajoled, but if she said no about something, he would concede to her, unless it involved her safety. There he refused to budge.

“Come on, big man. In here.” She pointed at O’Malley’s and waved to Miguel.

Z frowned. “Who the hell is that?”

She rolled her eyes, secretly pleased at his jealousy. “The bouncer and a friend—just a friend—of mine.”

They neared Miguel, who eyed Z up and down before nodding. “Go on in. Sheila’s waiting for you.” He grinned, and she knew her friend had gotten lucky.

“Thanks. Come on, Z.”

“Talson.” Miguel nodded with respect, but before Z could answer, Adri dragged him inside with her.

“Now remember, Sheila doesn’t know. None of them do. Don’t say anything, okay?”

He sighed. They’d argued about this too. He wanted to be honest, and he didn’t understand why she would refuse to tell her friend about who she really was now that they had bonded. She’d already quit her job. Adri knew she’d have to tell Sheila, but she would do it when the timing was right. To admit to Sheila, in a bar, that she’d been lying for half a year didn’t seem right.

She found Sheila guzzling a drink and laughing at something Tony said behind the bar. Tony glanced up at her and waved.

“Another friend of yours?” Z growled.

“Can it, Zaret.”

“I’ll try.”

“Adrienne, finally!” Sheila waved her over.

“Adrienne?” he murmured.

“Shut up. And be nice, or no sex later.”

He frowned but didn’t say another word. To his credit, he put up with Sheila’s blatant ogling. Nor did he say anything when her friend tried to put her hands around his arm.

“Oh my God. He’s huge.” Sheila batted her eyes at him. “Are you sure you’re into real blondes?” Sheila shook out her now-red hair. “Redheads have more fun.”

“I’m sure you do. You’re cute.” Z smiled.

Sheila practically melted, and Adri decided she’d been as nice as she could be.
Stop
flirting with my friend. You’re
mine
.

His smile widened.
Sure thing, baby. So maybe later, I can get a taste of that ass, hmm?

She flushed. He’d been bugging her to take her everywhere. Some stupid, barbaric practice of “owning” a woman the ‘Or Fal ceded to. Then again, she had a feeling the

‘San Fal males were the same. She’d once or twice heard rumors that her brothers’

girlfriends couldn’t sit for a week after some alone time with the guys. Then again, that ew-factor had kept her from investigating the full truth.

As if the thought had conjured them, Jace and Rand, two men she’d been hoping had left the planet, appeared at the doorway to the bar. Except this time they had two of her brothers with them.

“Hell. Zaret, we have to leave.”

“I love when you call me Zaret.” He leaned down to kiss her, and her insides turned to mush.

“Oh man, is it hot in here or what?” Sheila fanned herself and winked at Adri when Z let her go.

“Well, I’ll give you one thing. You sure can kiss.” He chuckled. “Anywhere you want my lips, baby. They’re yours.” Then he glanced at the doorway and nodded to the back. “Come on. We need to fix this now.” Adri groaned.

Sheila perked up. “What’s going on?”

Just what Adri didn’t need. Everyone knowing there was going to be a throw-down out back between opposing aliens. “Nothing. A few guys Z knows from work. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Adri leaned close to whisper, “After I get lucky tonight.” 

Sheila gave her a high-five and no more problems about leaving.

Once out the backdoor in the alley, Z turned with Adri, forcing her behind him, and confronted the others. She wasn’t surprised to see all six of her brothers had joined the party.

“’San Fal.” Z nodded. To her surprise, Val and another male who looked just like him appeared at the other end of the alley. “My brothers. You know Val. That’s Romy, the baby.”

Not the baby. That’s Roarke,
Romy sent them both.

Z grinned. He didn’t seem at all worried about her kin, and she wondered if she should warn him her brothers had a lot more firepower than Jace and Rand.

“She’s ours, Talson. Give her back.” Jace held up his sword and everyone watched it glow red.

“You haven’ t learned a thing. She’s not a possession, dickhead. Why don’t you just ask her who she’d rather be with?” Z sighed.

Adri didn’t know what to say. She had assumed she’d be fought over like a thing, the way the males in her family usually treated her. They loved her, but they had a hard time talking to her, instead of around her.

Zaret didn’t. He turned to her. “Adri, baby, who do you want to be with? Do you want Jace and Rind?”

“That’s Rand.” Rand’s face turned red.

Her brothers watched without expression.

“Whatever.” Z shrugged. “Adri?”

Thrilled to be asked her opinion, she opened her mouth to give it when Z

interrupted with a mental warning.
Swear to the Suns, you try to screw me with this, and I’ll
paddle your ass before I fuck it tonight. Tell them how much you love me so we can go back to the
hotel and get busy.

She turned to him, her hands on her hips, and asked out loud, “How much I love you? How about you confess how much you love me instead?”
Fuck my ass? Bullshit. If
you aren’t careful, I’ll fuck yours.

She didn’t expect Z’s huge grin, or the laughter that followed. Jace and Rand, as well as her brothers, looked horrified—and they hadn’t even heard the part about her ass. Romy and Val chuckled and exchanged something, what looked like currency, if she wasn’t mistaken.

“So much time away from home has eroded your discipline, little sister.” Her oldest brother Kels scowled. “This is how you show respect to a warrior? But then, maybe this

‘Or Fal is not a warrior, hmm?”

Z ignored him. “Fine. I love you. Now,
iriu
,” he said in a louder voice with a telling look at the ‘San Fal warriors, “tell Jason and Rand how much you love me.”

“It’s Jace.” Jace glared. “Jace ‘San Fal.”

Adri could feel her own laughter bubbling up. The big guy had openly admitted he loved her, and he didn’t lie. She felt the affection from deep within. The ‘Or Fal were a different kind of Otra. No ‘San Fal would ever openly acknowledge feelings for a female, and never in public.

“So unworthy.” Kels frowned. “Come, Adri. Time to go back home.”

“I don’t think so.” She shook her head and stepped in front of Z, tired of running from her problems. “Zaret Talson ‘Or Fal is my
iriu
. I claimed him as mine, as he claimed me. I love him.”

A warm burst of energy filled her from head to toe, Zaret’s love clear in every breath he took, and every breath she shared.

Kels didn’t seem to care.

“Thank you,
veyu
.” Beloved. “That’s just what I needed to hear.” Z kissed her on the lips, regardless of their audience. Val and Romy soon joined them, and Z gently shoved Adri behind him. “Now, it’s time you ‘San Fal learned that it’s best to be civilized away from the Outer Colonies. We can do this here, or you can wait until I come out to visit Tearn Rem later in the month. But your sister, Adri Talson ‘Or Fal, is
mine
.” Before Jace or Rand could move, Z pulled her fire and enveloped both men in a dark flame that seethed with his annoyance.

Her brothers looked shocked, and even Romy seemed impressed. Val had seen it before, and he seemed bored. She heard him mentally send Z,
Quit showing off and finish.

Dad wants a look at your hot girlfriend.

Z slapped him in the back of the head with the hand not on fire.

“Ow!”

She’s my mate, not my girlfriend, dickhead.

Val turned to Adri and bowed his head, his cheeks flushed.
Sorry, Adri. No offense
intended. But you are hot.
Before Z could slap him again, he added,
Fire-hot, literally.

She clasped his hand and squeezed, trying not to laugh at him. Romy, she noticed, had no such compunction. He shook his head, chuckling.

Adri cleared her throat. “It’s okay.”

Jace had managed to slip free of the flame and rushed Z with his sword at the ready. “No, it’s not okay. The female was promised to me.” Her brothers murmured to themselves and watched with interest. She’d known it would come to this. “Z—”

“Adri, stand back. Romy, Val. Don’t interfere.”

His brothers flanked her, and she had the feeling if she even tried to help, they’d stop her. So she let the testosterone all around her flow and stayed the sole, sane one.

True.
She recognized Romy’s voice inside her head, though she’d never heard him before.
But we can’t help it. It’s hard to overcome a primitive need to defend one’s female. And
you’re his, Adri. In every sense of the word. Blessings, Sister.

Z took a few steps forward and away from her. He met Jace head on, without a weapon. But faster than she could fathom, Z disarmed Jace and wrapped him in a headlock that had the idiot’s face turning purple.

In a calm voice, Z said, “Now, I can snap your neck, or you can let go of your sorry claim to my mate.” He raised his glance to her brothers and Rand. “That goes for the rest of you. You make one move toward my
iriu
I don’t like, and I’ll fuck you up. Hard.

Try me.”

She blinked, unsure of this Zaret. He seemed deadly, and she had no doubt he meant every word he said.

But never deadly to you,
veyu
. I would never harm you.

She basked in his concern but didn’t do anything to distract him as he faced off against his opponents. She knew her brothers and had a good idea of what they might be capable. Then Z clenched his hand and everyone watched as his fist burned bright.

Kels nodded. “You have our sister’s fire. You wear her mark. Our father will be expecting you.” To Adri’s surprise, he nodded his head in a show of respect, one her brothers followed.

Rand made no move to do the same, until Kels punched him hard. Rand cried out and crumbled to his knees, but he offered the same respect.

“Zaret? If we could have our brethren back?” Kels asked.

Z glanced down at Jace and dropped him unconscious to the ground. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to choke him out.”

Kels grinned, actually smiled at her
iriu
, and then turned to her. “Well done, Adri.

You chose a warrior to mate. I never thought you would. Father will be pleased.”

“Even though he’s not ‘San Fal?”

“He held your fire. Of course he’s worthy. If I’m not mistaken, his flame would rival your own for power.” Of course Kels would respect that. It grated on him that a female held more firepower than the males. For Zaret to display such a bright flame put him in good stead with her chauvinistic family.

Z crossed to her and pulled her with him to her brothers. “Go ahead. Tell them goodbye, like a good little sister.”

She glared at him, less than happy that he seemed to hold with traditions. Females in their places, showing due respect to Otra males.

But when she finished hugging her brothers goodbye, Z added one final warning.

“Know this. I treasure this female above my own life. Any one of you thinks to take her from me, her family or not, I’ll cut you down where you stand. And if I should fall, they’ll make sure justice is done to Adri’s satisfaction.” He nodded behind him at his brothers. “Understood?”