A Gray Area Read online

  “But now, it's strong enough for people to feel it and avoid it,” Leo concluded.

  “Could be a supe power?” Jason asked.

  “I know of no race that can do such a thing,” Kyrian said as he looked at Malik for input.

  Malik shook his head. “Ungaru can drain blood, but not souls. I'm at a loss.”

  “New supernaturals emerge every day.” Davorin crossed his thick arms over his broad chest. “We've got everything from acid spit to an ability to manipulate machinery. That damn alcantan poisoned people with his goo. Is a soul-sucker really so far-fetched?”

  “No, it isn't,” Landry said as he gave me his listen-up-this-is-important look. “I agree with the Stone Boy. This is a supernatural villain; mark my words.”

  When Landry said cryptic things like “mark my words” it was so—

  “Not good,” I whispered. I pushed the flower toward Kyrian. “Take it. Then I won't have to hide it if Connolly stops by.”

  “You're on board with keeping this to ourselves for now?” Kyrian lifted a brow at me.

  “I'm on board.” I looked around the table.

  The rest of FEAR murmured their assent. Kyrian and Malik exchanged a relieved look.

  Chapter Five

  “May I speak with you privately?” Kyrian asked me as he picked up the flower.

  “Of course.” I got up and followed him down the hallway to the back of the bar and then into the storeroom where he kept his transporter—to transport him from Earth to his spacecraft—set up.

  Kyrian closed the door behind us. “King Jovan has been asking about when you're going to visit.”

  “Well, not until this gray issue is resolved.”

  “Yes, but what can I tell him?”

  “That I'm not ready.” I sighed deeply. “Honestly, I wouldn't go even if there were nothing happening here. I don't know when I'll be ready to fly off to Eden.”

  It wasn't an angel joke; the Triari home planet is named Eden.

  “Is it... are you scared of space travel?” Kyrian asked in a tone that expressed his disbelief.

  His full lips twitched and drew my gaze. Kyrian had confessed his love for me, but I'd already given my heart to Malik. Still, his declaration hung between us, and—in the odd way of attraction—they made me more interested in him. I stared at his sleekly-muscled body; his broad shoulders thickened by years of wearing Arc wings, his dark blond hair gleaming in the low light of the storeroom, and his classically handsome features. I found myself wondering what it would feel like to run my hands through his hair and press my lips against that rapid pulse in his neck.

  I blinked away the thoughts. I had more than enough man in Malik and just that morning he'd proven to me that I had made the right choice. Malik was powerful, protective, and a little possessive, but he was also kind, generous, and the most attentive lover I'd ever had. The Bleiten Prince was everything I wanted. I was completely happy with him. But I wasn't dead. I noticed Kyrian; any woman would.

  “Amara?” Kyrian prompted me. “Is that it? Are you scared?”

  “Scared of what?” I frowned at him; completely forgetting our conversation.

  “Of space travel?” He frowned back. “Are you all right? Maybe I should take you up with me and put you in the auto-examiner.”

  “The what?”

  “Personal spacecraft come equipped with an automated med-bay,” he explained. “There's a machine that can examine you more thoroughly than any human doctor could and all in a matter of minutes. Then, if something's wrong, there are other machines to treat you.”

  “Oh.” I glanced back at the door. “Okay, but I need to tell the others that I'm leaving.”

  “You mean Malik.” He grimaced.

  “Yes, I mean Malik,” I said gently.

  Some women might enjoy breaking hearts. I did not. Especially when I cared about the man who I hurt. And I had not only hurt Kyrian, but also Davorin. Both men had made overtures toward me, and both had lost to Malik. Before them, I hadn't had a date for months. Feast or famine they say. Well, it's only a feast if you get to taste all of it.

  “I'll wait here.” Kyrian waved me off.

  I headed back into the main room. Malik looked up as soon as I entered; as if he could feel me there. It was the same for me; I knew when he entered a room. That kind of visceral connection is precious, and I hoped it would last. I waved him over.

  “What is it?” Malik asked after he joined me.

  “Kyrian says he has a med-bay with an auto-examiner that he wants to use to examine me.”

  Malik frowned. “I have one as well. I should have thought of that.”

  “You do?”

  “Tell the Arc to handle the flower,” Malik's voice dropped to a deadly level. “I will take care of my dvarra.”

  Dvarra; it was the Bleiten word for girlfriend. Although, that's a loose translation. It's closer to mate or consort; a woman held in high esteem by a Bleiten male. A step away from wife. It was a hell of a title if you'll excuse my pun. And the look in Malik's eyes told me there would also be hell to pay if Kyrian took me on his ship to examine me.

  “Okay.” I laid my hand on Malik's chest. “Stand down, Nightshade. I'll let Kyrian know.”

  Nightshade is the translation of another Bleiten word; Starsiene, Malik's surname. It was also his codename in the team.

  “No; I've changed my mind. I will let him know.” Malik started for the storeroom, but I stepped in his way.

  “I said; stand down,” I said softly. “He wasn't coming onto me; just offering to help.”

  “And what did he want to talk to you about?” Malik's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

  “My uncle,” I snapped.

  Malik blinked. “You're mad at me.”

  “I am.”

  “Why?”

  “I like your possessiveness,” I said. “It's sexy. But only in moderation; too much of it makes you a cretin. Reel it in.”

  Malik stiffened and his jaw clenched. “I see.”

  “Don't do that.”

  “My dvarra just informed me that I'm behaving like a cretin,” Malik said. “I think my reaction is reasonable.”

  “You aren't trusting me. It's offensive.”

  “I trust you,” he growled. “I don't trust him.” He stabbed a finger at the storeroom.

  “Trouble in Hell?” Davorin called over to us.

  “Shut up, Davorin!” We said in unison.

  Davorin grimaced as the rest of FEAR laughed their asses off.

  “What do you think he's going to do; abduct me and fly off with me to Eden?” I got right back to it.

  Malik just stared at me.

  “Wow,” I whispered as I leaned back. “You do.”

  “It's a possibility.” He looked uneasy; as if it wasn't the only possibility he'd considered.

  “Kyrian is not going to abduct me,” I said calmly. “If he were going to do that, he would have done it while you were gone.”

  Malik blinked and his shoulders relaxed. “Perhaps you're right.”

  I lifted a brow.

  “You're my first dvarra,” Malik whispered. “And you will hopefully be my last. I'm sorry if I don't know how to...” He waved his hand.

  “How to have a relationship?” I asked gently.

  “How to be a proper dvarro,” he corrected.

  That would be the male version of dvarra. I don't know why, but it felt odd hearing Malik refer to himself in that way. Like hearing a man call himself your boyfriend for the first time.

  “It'll get easier.” I hugged him. “Have a little faith.”

  “Bleiten aren't big on faith,” Malik teased me.

  “We'll work on that too.” I kissed him quickly—well aware of our audience—and then headed back to the storeroom.

  Chapter Six

  With the Triari, the titles of Prince and Princess could denote either military rank or royal standing. Yes; it's confusing. That's Triari for you. The first time I'd ever been on a spaceship had bee
n when Prince Traegur—a military commander of the Host—had captured me and experimented on my blood. At least, he thought his scientists were analyzing my blood. I had used my ability to form illusions and made his scientists draw their own blood while they believed they were taking mine. The scientists had eventually come to the conclusion that there was no trace of the Amaranthine Elixir left in my blood. Prince Traegur hadn't been happy about that. He was going to murder me—as he had my parents—when Malik, Kyrian, and Davorin had rescued me.

  It had been a close call, but I think I would have been able to handle the Triari prince on my own if they hadn't shown up. I may have had a problem getting off the ship, though. I would have had to find a transport and then figure out how to activate it to send me to Earth, or I would have had to learn how to drive a spacecruiser (one of the little crafts that were used to ferry people from ships to planets) very quickly.

  Malik's personal spacecraft was much smaller than the Triari battleship I'd been on but far larger than the spacecruiser Kyrian had piloted during my rescue. It had a control room instead of a cockpit, three bedrooms, a galley, a med-bay, a gym, an entertainment room, and a pool. I was fascinated by the pool. The idea of swimming in space was thrilling.

  Malik promised me a dip after my exam.

  He escorted me through glassy, raven-black hallways and then stopped in front of a normal looking door. I lifted a brow at the manual handle. The Triari battleship had automated panels beside their doors. You'd touch the panel and the doors would slide open.

  “Bleiten can open their own doors,” Malik said with a smirk. “Automated doors are a waste of energy. It takes the same amount of time to do this”—he turned the knob and opened the door—“that it does to hit a panel.”

  “Fair enough.” I chuckled as I followed him into the med-bay.

  It was completely white; a stark contrast to the hallways. A table ran the length of one wall. Above and beneath it were cabinets. The rest of the room was full of equipment. There were several machines that I didn't recognize, but the one shaped like a tanning bed seemed to be the obvious choice for an auto-examiner. Sure enough, Malik led me across the gleaming floor toward the pod. He pushed a few buttons and the top opened to reveal a white interior. A mattress filled the bottom half with a small, plasticky pillow at one end.

  Malik helped me climb into the pod and then moved to close the lid. “Just relax. Try not to fidget.”

  “I don't fidget,” I muttered primly as he shut the lid.

  Malik's laughter muted as the lid sealed with a whooshing sound and soft lights came on inside the pod. I thought I might get a little claustrophobic in there but there was enough space that I felt comfortable. A whirring started and then a popping sound echoed around me. I felt a light tingle as the lights started to change. I tried not to concentrate on the colors; I didn't want to mess up Mal's equipment by accident.

  A few minutes of the tingling light-show passed and then the popping and whirring stopped. Malik lifted the lid and smiled down at me.

  “You look lovely against all that white.” He reached in and helped me out of the pod.

  “Thank you, Dvarro,” I purred and slipped into his arms.

  A low growling rumbled from Malik's chest as he looked down at me, but he set me away determinedly. “We need to look over your results.”

  I sighed dramatically as he went to a computer panel on the pod and pushed a few buttons. His eyes moved as he scanned the shifting words and then he smiled.

  “You're perfectly healthy,” he pronounced. “I think we can assume my results will be the same. I'm not going to bother examining myself.”

  “I'm healthy; how shocking,” I said dryly.

  “You know that we had to check.” Malik wove his fingers through mine. “And now we know that you're up for more strenuous activities.”

  “Strenuous?” I batted my lashes at him. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “Swimming, of course.” He looked at me innocently. “I promised that I'd show you the pool, didn't I?”

  The pool was only part of a huge rest area that included a bar, several dining sets, lounge chairs, and a ceiling that was completely transparent. I gaped at the expanse of stars that seemed close enough for me to touch.

  “Over here.” Malik was thoroughly enjoying my reaction.

  He led me down some wide steps to the pool area. Slabs of ocher stone surrounded the oval pool and soft lights illuminated it; showing me that the stone continued down to line the bowl. There was a raised portion at one end with a smaller bowl set into it. Water started bubbling there; spilling over the edge and into the pool. I glanced over at Malik and saw him moving away from a control panel set in the low ledge that surrounded the pool area.

  “Is that a hot tub?” I asked.

  “Our version of one.” Malik pulled off his shirt; exposing the glorious chest that had been lurking beneath. “The heated water overflows into the pool and warms it.”

  “Nice,” I murmured. I wasn't sure if I was talking about the water or Malik.

  Malik had continued to strip as we spoke, and he wasn't wearing underwear. I stared unabashedly at the hard muscles and smooth planes of his body; appreciating every curve and naughty dip. I followed the angled V at his hips down to his burgeoning arousal. He stepped forward, and I smiled eagerly.

  “You're still dressed,” Malik said it like an accusation.

  His hands coasted over the back of my silk dress and quickly found the zipper. Whoosh; it went down to pool around my feet. I stepped out of it and then kicked out of my heels. Malik reached for me, but I evaded him with a grin and slid my hands behind my back to undo my bra. He smiled wickedly as he watched me slowly remove my underwear. First, the bra and then, I slipped out of my panties; tossing them aside with a flirty flick of my fingers.

  “I don't know if I can make it to the water,” Malik growled.

  I dove in.

  Malik's growling followed me below the surface, and I came up smiling saucily. I swept back my wet hair and looked up at him in challenge. He used the stairs instead of diving in; holding my gaze as he took the steps into the pool with a predator's prowl. When the water covered his manhood, I huffed in disappointment, but he was soon pressed against me, and I wasn't the least bit disappointed with that.

  Malik tasted like sin; sweet and spicy all at once. He stoked my arousal with his twisting tongue as his hips moved firmly against me. I reached between us, and he broke our kiss to groan in pleasure. My mouth went to the cords of his neck and I nibbled him there as I worked his thick shaft. But the water made things difficult, and I finally drew away. You'd think that water would be the perfect lubricant. It's not. It removes the perfect lubricant.

  Malik grinned devilishly at me and opened his hand. There was a small tube in it.

  “What's that?” I asked.

  “Waterproof lubricant.” He opened the tube and squeezed a thick gel onto his fingers. “It even works if you apply it after you're in the water.”

  “Where did you get it?”

  “I brought it with me from the med-bay.”

  “You keep lubricant in your med-bay?” I lifted a brow.

  “Doesn't everyone?” He gave me an innocent look as he started to do something very wicked.

  I bit my lip as his hand delved between my legs and rubbed my sex. A delicious shiver took hold of my body as his strong fingers worked the substance over me and then inside me. Now, that was the proper slickness I'd been craving. I luxuriated in the pressing slide of his calloused, warrior's palm on me; the thick pads hitting me in all the right places. Malik tossed the tube aside as he slipped a thick finger back inside me; continuing to rub his palm against the most pleasurable little nub.

  “Don't you need some for yourself?” I asked breathlessly.

  “I'm about to get fully coated,” Malik murmured as his mouth covered mine.

  Malik's hands moved to, and then lifted, my hips and set me on his shaft with a sleek arch. That was da
mn good lube. He was completely sheathed with one stroke, and we moaned together into our kiss. But Malik didn't stay there; pulsing inside me. Instead, he eased out and carried me over to a ledge that was cut out of the side of the pool. He sat down and set me on the stone beside him.

  “I'd very much like for you to stroke me again.” He brought my hand back to his erection.

  I licked my lips as I started rubbing him, and his arms went out along the rim of the pool; extending to either side. His head fell back, and he sighed happily; looking like a sultan being pleasured by his favorite concubine. I didn't find it demeaning. To the contrary, it made me feel powerful without demeaning him. His chest rose and fell and his fingertips scraped the stone as he groaned. Malik was obviously under my sway, but he still looked every-inch the virile, alpha male. I loved it. There was nothing more attractive to me than a man who could be strong without making me feel weak. I started moving faster over him; rubbing my thumb over his sleek tip as I eagerly watched pleasure color his aura and his expression. Malik's arm came around my shoulders and pulled me closer. His head lifted, and he started kissing my neck.