Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
But instead of the Imperial Guard, which is made up exclusively of Majorans, I saw a couple of Denarins staring back at me. One had blue skin and the other had olive-green skin tones and both of them looked worried.
“Yes?” I asked. “What do you want?” Which was about as polite as I was prepared to be, even to someone from the Goddess Empress’s Court. I was in a fucking hurry to get to Natalie and I didn’t have time to mess around with government agents.
“Are you Baron Vik’tor from O’nagga Nine?” the green-skinned one asked me.
“Yeah, that’s me but I’ve already paid my Imperial taxes this year,” I snapped. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my female is in trouble and I need to get to her.”
“It’s because of your female—and ours—that we’re fucking calling you,” the blue skinned Denarin snapped.
“What?” I was shocked. “What are you talking about?” I demanded.
“Listen carefully, we are bonded to a La-ti-zal by the name of Rylee,” the green-skinned Denarin told me. “I am Lucian and this is my Bond-mate, Drace,” he added, introducing the two of them. “Rylee was taken from us a little while ago and we have been searching for her ever since. We are told that a merchant named Gumpas took her using the same kind of device the Commercians use to extract females from Earth.”
“Gumpas?” I demanded. “That’s the same son of a bitch that took my female, Natalie!”
“We fucking know,” the blue-skinned one—Drace—snapped.
“Rylee finally contacted us just now,” the green-skinned one—Lucian—told me. “She told us that she and Natalie are both being held—”
“In the Court of Shadout the Twenty-second and one half over on the male side of Tangella Alpha-Prime,” I finished for him. “Yes, I know—I’m trying to figure out how to get to Natalie right now but you can’t get clearance to land on the male side unless you’ve set up a prior appointment.”
“I say we just fucking land anyway,” Drace growled. “We have to get to Rylee!”
“It’s too late.” Lucian put a hand to his head, frowning intensely.
“What? What’s too late?” I exclaimed, feeling panic spread through me.
“They’re entering the throne room now,” Drace said. He also had a hand to his head and a look of intense concentration on his face. “I can see it through our Bond with Rylee.”
“Well, is Natalie with her? What’s going on?” I demanded, feeling a mixture of fear, irritation, and envy that the two of them had been able to Bond with the female they loved while I had been unable to Bond with Natalie.
“She’s there—Rylee’s got our mental link wide open. They’re going before the Emperor now,” Lucian told me. “Just keep your channel open and we’ll keep you informed,” he added. “All we can do now is wait and send a prayer to the Goddess of Mercy that our females will be all right.”
Though I hated to admit it, I knew he was correct. Events had gone beyond our control—it was up to Natalie and Rylee now.
I just hoped like hell they knew what they were doing.
FIFTY
NATALIE
I hoped like crazy that Rylee and I were doing the right thing. Our plan depended on the Emperor’s mood. Would he listen to us? I sure as hell hoped so, but I didn’t know.
We approached the throne again, flanked by the enormous guards in their bronze armor and stood at the foot of the dais where Shadout the Twenty-second and one half sat on the Throne of Night. He glared down at us, his sensual mouth twisted into a snarl.
“Well?” he demanded. “Have the two of you had enough rest?”
“We are ready to speak to you, Your Highness,” Rylee said firmly. “You have told us that you have lost the will to live…you feel that something is missing in your life. Isn’t that right?”
“Well…yes. The Emperor frowned and nodded. “I suppose you could say that. But I have so much…” He spread his hands, indicating the vast palace and all its riches and guards. “What could be missing?”
“Companionship,” I said, taking up my part of the narrative. “Caring. Love.”
The Emperor’s frown deepened and his lip curled.
“I am a male! I do not need such things!”
“Everyone needs such things,” Rylee corrected him gently. “What you need, Your Majesty, is a mate. And I believe that Natalie and I know the right one for you.”
“Well…go on.” Emperor Shadout nodded grudgingly. “My people have lived without mates for centuries, but I will at least hear what you propose.”
“Do you know that on the other side of your planet there is someone who longs for you?” I asked him, raising my eyebrows. “A woman who looks at your face and wishes to be with you?”
“Really?” The Emperor looked surprised. “Of whom do you speak, La-ti-zal?” he demanded.
“I speak of Empress Shalaya the Twenty-second and one half,” I told him. “Right before I was taken by the merchant who sold me to you, I was staying in her court. She told me there was a prophecy that the two halves of your planet—the males and the females—would come back together again.”