Chapter One

THE PICTURES SHE HAD viewed during the three months she had prepared for this mission hadn’t done Dazonia Major justice, Embeth Williams realized as she stared out the window on the spaceship carrying her from Earth to the Dazon home world. Below her was a vast expanse of purple, green, and orange, with other colors swirled throughout.

Though she knew the scientific reasons behind such differences from Earth—different light wave spectrums, varying chemical reactions, and dissimilar mineral composition—that made it no less wondrous to be viewing the beautiful planet below her. The planet she was quickly approaching was so alien to her. Its vast difference from Earth only underscored how alien the planet was.

As though she had needed a reminder. She wasn’t likely to forget she was entering an alien world in an attempt to ensure peace between humans and Dazon. It was a precarious position and a fragile mission, and she wore the weight of it heavily. At thirty-three, she feared she was too young and inexperienced to successfully navigate the turbulent waters ahead.

However, her father, a consummate ambassador with a distinguished career, had personally picked her for the assignment and suggested her to his superiors. Warwick Williams liked to remind her she came from a long line of diplomats, and that she had a more personal stake in the negotiations than other ambassadors might.

After watching Elena suffer for years from Kaiser’s Syndrome before succumbing just a few months before Jorvak Ha had kidnapped all the Earth women with the disease had given Embeth a unique perspective. She didn’t suffer from the illness, so she wasn’t a biological match for the aliens, but she empathized with both sides.

On one hand, she was still outraged that Ha had kidnapped four hundred Earth women and experimented on them, creating several hybrid alien-human babies, and disregarding all rights of the women involved, and had yet to face any consequences for his actions.

On the other hand, she wanted the nanotechnology that could help women with Kaiser’s Syndrome, or any other illnesses for that matter, by keeping their symptoms in check. Her end goal was to find a way to help her people, and she knew she would have to concede certain points to the Dazon for that to happen. She was nervous, but optimistic, about her mission.

Damon Connors, her chief bodyguard, cleared his throat from the doorway to catch her attention. She looked over at him, tearing her gaze away from the ever-nearing landscape beneath them. “Yes, Damon?”

“The captain wanted me to tell you we’ll be landing in five minutes, Ambassador.”

She nodded her head. “Thank you.”

Damon inclined his head before leaving her without another word. He was a taciturn man, and careful with her security. It made him an ideal bodyguard, and she didn’t mind the lack of chatter. It was nice to be around someone who didn’t always feel the need to fill the silence. Working in the ambassadorial corps meant a great deal of socializing and pleasantries, including small talk which she had always endured rather than enjoyed.

As the ship began a steep descent, she shook her head to clear away silly, useless thoughts and focused on soaking up the view before her. From what she could observe, there appeared to be wild, untamed areas teeming with vegetation until they approached the city. There was a dome over the urban area, and she knew from her own research in preparation for the mission that it was to protect from the fierce lightning storms that raged on the planet half the year, rather than to seal in oxygen.

Their visit coincided with the other season, and the lightning storms were brief and infrequent this time of year. As the dome opened, and the ship slipped through, she briefly wished she was on the other side of the rotation, just to see the spectacular light show from the safety of the dome. It was rumored to be extraordinary, but she wasn’t slated to be there long enough to ever see it firsthand. The mission was tentatively scheduled for ten days, though she was flexible enough to know that could shorten or extend, depending on the outcome of the peace talks.

The ship set down gently, with barely a noticeable bump, and certainly nothing as gauche as a bang to jostle her. She was certain her luggage would be attended to by the Dazon or her own personal staff, so all she had to do was step out of the ship and meet the delegation sent to greet her.

Having received a thorough tour of the ship upon boarding that morning, before they folded, she was familiar with the layout and made her way to the exit doors. Damon fell into step beside her about a hundred yards from the open doorway, which was really the cargo bay doors opening and angling downward to allow their departure.

The closer she got to the exit, the clearer she could see a distinct solitary figure waiting for them at the bottom. He must be the delegate sent to greet her, and he was attractive indeed. Her heart gave a funny little skip when she got close enough to see that rather than the typical brown-gold eyes most Dazons had, this male had startling green. It was the color of old green bottles left to fade in the sun, but that description didn’t do him justice. They were far more vibrant than the color suggested they should be.

He was a little more golden than some of the aliens she had seen in pictures and met back on Earth and at the Moon’s consulate, but it only gave him a more magnificent aura. Like all the others she had seen or met, he had no hair on the side of his head, but he made up for it with a thick mane of brown hair atop his head, feathering down to bristly strands at his temples.

He had no eyebrows, but possessed a strong brow ridge and a patrician nose. She was unsurprised when he introduced himself as royalty a moment later, bowing his head at her in that gesture of respect she had come to recognize from Dazon males.

“Welcome, Ambassador Williams, to Dazonia Major. I am Second Prince Ysaak Chon, and I’ll be your guide during your visit.”

THE AMBASSADOR’S PICTURE hadn’t done her justice. Ysaak had felt a strange and unusual pull toward the visual representation of the woman coming to Dazonia since he had received the image a few weeks ago, along with her dossier. He had spent hours looking at her image, and he had been entranced by her.

Now, in person, he could see her lips were even fuller than he had expected, and her skin was more of a mocha than a caramel. Her hair, which seemed to be a rich brown in her pictures, was actually black in real life. It waved around her face and fell halfway down her back in a lustrous cloud that he wanted to bury his fingers in to see if the waves were as soft as they looked.

It was a strange reaction, and he almost flinched when she held out her hand. Instead, having studied as much Earth culture as he could over the intervening weeks since they had set up the peace talks, he recognized it as a common Earth greeting and took her hand to shake.

The first touch of her smooth skin against his slightly rougher palm sent a shockwave through him. His entire body stiffened, and all his senses seemed sharper. His erection, which had stirred to life at the first sight of the ambassador, was now hard and aching, pressing against his trousers in an indecent display of desire. He was thankful he had worn the traditional garb today, which included a long overjacket, though the formfitting suits the military and many other Dazon males opted to wear simply for comfort would have provided support and disguised his reaction as well.

The intense reaction frightened him, and it was as though a voice whispered in the back of his mind that she was his. No, whispered was far too tame of a word. The voice was shouting at him, hammering into his subconscious that he needed to claim this woman immediately.

This had to be what some males called the mating flare, a phenomenon for which he had more disdain than respect. It had to be a myth, and he had easily discarded the notion of such an instinct existing until that moment.

Realizing he was holding her hand too tightly, and she looked puzzled, and perhaps a bit alarmed, he immediately let go of her hand, dropping his to his sides and balling them into fists. “We welcome you to Dazonia Major and hope you will enjoy your stay with us, Ambassador.”

Her expression was calmer again, and she inclined her head. “Thank you, Prince Ysaak. I’m excited to be here and look forward to learning more about your culture.”

“As do I, Ambassador.” The formality of the moment helped restore his equanimity just as much as not touching her did. He would have to remember to keep distance between them and avoid any accidental touches.

He didn’t know what had come over him, but he wasn’t prepared to believe in some superstitious mating flare nonsense. More likely, it was simply because he had never seen a female approximately his own age before, and though she was an alien, she was still beautiful and exotic, and his body had given a predictable reaction. That was all there was to it, and there was no need to ascribe anything more to it.

He led her from the docking bay at the back of the palace through a long corridor of gray-tinged orangestone created from the soil of their planet hundreds of planet-cycles before. It had been fortified with metal polymers over the years that kept it sturdy and impervious to both attacks and the fierce lightning that ravaged the planet. With the addition of the dome roughly two hundred planet-cycles ago, weather was of little concern these days, but it was tradition to keep the palace as it had been for generations.

He pointed out architectural details and historical tidbits to Ambassador Williams as he led her down the corridor and up several flights of stairs. “I apologize for not having a levitator as Earthlings use,” he said when they started the third flight of stairs, and he noticed the ambassador looked a little flushed.

She waved a hand. “I rarely use the elevator back home anyway. Stairs are healthier for you.”

He inclined his head, making a mental note to tweak his translation program. The Dazons who were already integrating into Earth’s culture would have far fewer mistakes in their communication, because the translation program would adapt quickly when immersed in a foreign language. Having the ambassador here would help his communication device adapt faster too, but there were bound to be errors in the interim.

It was both a relief and a disappointment to bring her to a suite of rooms set aside for her use a few moments later. He was eager to flee from her proximity, though also strangely reluctant to do so. Something about the ambassador drew him in and made him want to be by her side. Again, he discarded the notion that it could be something as primitive as a mating flare. If Dazons had ever had such an instinct, surely it had been bred out of them in the last three generations during the genetic tampering necessary to reproduce at all, coupled with the lack of females, since only twenty percent of their population were women.

He bowed to her at the doorway. “If you’re well rested, we have a state dinner planned for this evening to welcome you, and you’ll meet most of the policymakers at that time. All of the High Council will be in attendance, along with some representatives from the General Council, and the Emperor and First Prince, of course.”

“I’m sure I’ll feel up to attending, Prince Ysaak. Will you be there?”

The question was innocent, but he was certain he wasn’t imagining the sparkle of interest in her eyes when she glanced at him. That the attraction might be mutual was exhilarating, yet terrifying. He had absolutely no experience with the opposite sex, other than his sister, Taleeza. She was only twelve planet-cycles old, and she was being groomed for her role as part of the breeding program. He rarely interacted with his little sister, and he had never met the woman who had been his egg donor.

There had certainly never been a girlfriend or any kind of sexual companion other than some light experimentation with other males in his youth. If she was attracted to him, she might expect things he had no idea how to give. It was unlikely though. After all, she was an ambassador on an important mission, and she wasn’t likely to be swayed by anything so rudimentary as a physical attraction. On Earth, men and women were roughly equal in number, so she wouldn’t find a male to be a novelty worth exploring.

Not that he considered her a novelty. She was exquisite and fascinating, but not because she was such a rare sight. He was certain if he had suddenly been dropped into a room full of thousands of Earth women, he would have sought out and found Embeth Williams automatically anyway. She drew him personally, which was alarming.

Realizing he still hadn’t answered, he inclined his head once. “Yes, I’ll be there. I’ll also escort you to the meeting room. Please settle in, and if you require any assistance, press this button.” He showed her the button on the inside of the doorway, but still didn’t step into her room. “I shall see you this evening, Ambassador Williams.”

“Thank you, Prince Ysaak,” she murmured and bent her head before disappearing behind the door as he pressed the button to close it. The hydraulic hiss was like a bomb going off and startled him though he had heard the sound a million times. He’d simply been so focused on her deep brown eyes and creamy mocha skin that he had lost the ability to focus on anything else.

Shaking his head at his own behavior, he turned and strode from the ambassador’s quarters, determined to deal with this unusual reaction. He had to completely shut it down by the time evening came around, and he was in her presence again.

Chapter Two

The suite of rooms was sumptuous and had a familiar enough layout that she was able to determine what was meant to be the bed, where to hang her clothes—which someone had already done—and which room acted as the restroom. The plumbing was a bit different than what she was used to, but she soon figured it out and had a bath running in the tub in no time.

She wasn’t certain what material they used. It looked like marble with gray lines twisting through a burnt-orange base, but it felt slightly rough, and there was no grout or anything to suggest it had been built a piece at a time. It simply appeared to be a single large piece of whatever building material hollowed out to form a section for soaking.

Despite the slightly rough texture, it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. As she settled into it, she realized it actually had a bit of an exfoliating effect, and coupled with the warm water filling the basin, she could feel some of her tension fading away.

She was still nervous about the forthcoming state dinner that evening, but even more nervous about the talks that were due to begin the next morning. Anxiety threatened to get the best of her for a moment, and she breathed deeply in an attempt to calm herself.

There was a daunting task ahead of her, but when she wasn’t panicking, she knew she was well suited for it. She wasn’t completely close-minded to the idea of sharing genetic material with the Dazon, but she also didn’t regard them as superior beings to whom the humans must yield everything.

She was driven to make sure Earth received just as much benefit from any arrangement and summoning a mental picture of Elena during her last few days, when she had suffered so greatly that even doctors could do little to control her pain, would always have the effect of helping her focus on what was at stake, no matter how far they might veer off course.

She appreciated her father’s confidence in her, and she truly didn’t believe there was another ambassador who could do a better job, but she was still thrust into an alien situation with literal aliens, and it could be difficult to surmount cultural differences to find a mutually satisfying solution that would ensure peace for all.

Yeah, no pressure at all there. However this went, it could either lead to a new era of prosperity and harmony for Earthlings, or it might cause an intergalactic war. No wonder she was tense and anxious about the whole thing.

She hastened to reassure herself that her sudden bout of nerves had absolutely nothing to do with the Second Prince, as he’d introduced himself. She hadn’t learned a great deal about the royal hierarchy of Dazon, simply because there hadn’t been enough time as she had crammed as much knowledge as possible into her brain in a short span of time.

She knew the Emperor led, and the First Prince would inherit from him someday. The second Prince was the second son, and any subsequent princes bore the title of third, fourth, fifth, etc. She was fuzzy on how much power any of the second and beyond princes wielded, but she hoped she had an ally in the young prince. Not that he was any younger than her, she was sure. It was difficult to tell, but he appeared to be around her age. She knew Dazon days lasted thirty-one hours instead of twenty-four, so he could be anywhere between twenty and thirty planet-cycles and still look around thirty years old. It didn’t matter, and it was silly to speculate.

She shouldn’t be thinking about anything but preparing for the evening ahead. She certainly shouldn’t be mooning over the second prince of the royal family of this alien planet. It had been too long since she’d been on a date, and she had certainly not prioritized romantic attachments over the years as she focused on her career in the diplomatic corps.

Perhaps that was catching up with her. It had to be why she was so fiercely attracted to the alien who had greeted her. Ysaak was impressive and sexy, but she hadn’t anticipated feeling actual attraction for any of the Dazons males. The scenario had honestly never occurred to her, and now she considered herself foolish for not at least accounting for the possibility and preparing a plan to deal with it.

The most obvious plan was to avoid the prince as much as possible, but that sounded unfeasible when he had mentioned he would be her guide during her stay. She would probably spend most of her time with the prince, so she would have to make sure she didn’t make a damned fool of herself or allow the attraction to get out-of-hand. There were far more important things to focus on, like peace for two planets, instead of her own suddenly raging libido.

Disgusted with herself, she slid from the tub and spent several minutes trying to figure out how to empty it before wrapping herself in a long silken cloth that felt nothing like a towel. She wondered how it wicked away moisture as the cloth abruptly adhered to her body in a similar fashion to the suits the Dazon wore, aside from the prince’s garb, and the cloth rapidly absorbed every drop of water on her body; even the places it didn’t touch.

She watched in awe as the fabric seemed to suck up droplets from her feet as though using a vacuum, though she could feel nothing that suggested such an action. The process was fascinating, and as soon as she was dry, the cloth loosened again so she could hang it on the rack where it had been. It felt as dry and silky as ever.

How gauche to be impressed by a towel, she thought with a small giggle as she padded from the bathroom into the main sleeping chamber. She flipped through the clothing she had brought, a mix of formal and professional attire, along with a couple of casual outfits in case there was an opportunity to explore on her own.

For the evening ahead, she picked a simple black dress, figuring it was a safe bet. It had a modest neckline, fitted bodice, and A-line skirt that ended a couple of inches above her ankles. It was nothing spectacular, but until she had a chance to evaluate how the others dressed, it was a safe and practical choice. She kept her makeup and jewelry discreet, and when she was done, she looked prim and proper, as expected of an ambassador.

Which was why it was such a surprise to see the flare of heat in Ysaak’s eyes when he came to fetch her a bit later. She was understated and elegant, but from the flash and shifting of green with gold in his quickly shielded eyes, she could have been standing naked before him.

She was certain she didn’t imagine it, and neither did she imagine the way he twitched and moved away from her when she deliberately brushed her hand against his arm. Purely as an experiment, she told herself, though she knew she was a big liar. She couldn’t believe how much she wanted to touch the man she barely knew. It wasn’t even strictly sexual. She simply wanted to run her fingers down his arms, perhaps across his chest, and hold his hand. She hadn’t had such a response to anyone since her first crush in junior high twenty years ago. She was conflicted and confused by how Prince Ysaak made her feel.

“Are you ready, Ambassador Williams?”

She nodded, waiting to see if he would offer her his arm, but he didn’t. It must not be the custom, so she fell into step beside him, careful to maintain a few inches between them, because she was so tempted to lean into him instead. The reaction was disconcerting and distracting her from something that required full attention.

“I hope you won’t think me too forward for saying you look lovely, Ambassador.”

She smiled at him, praising his garb, which was similar to what he’d worn earlier, but with a more fitted jacket and tighter trousers. Rather than the beige color, this garb was stark black. It suited him well. “You look very dashing yourself, Prince Ysaak.”

Damon trailed behind them, and she was comforted by his presence. She was certain there were guards all over the palace, but none of them had a personal stake in ensuring her safety the way Damon did.

Part of the agreement was he went wherever she went unless she chose to dismiss him. However, when they reached a large room with a domed ceiling composed of some kind of clear material that wasn’t quite as clear as glass or as opaque as plastic, he took up residence near the doorway, giving her a nod. That was standard protocol, and she tried not to let it add to her nervousness as she walked beside the prince into the large room.

There were tables set up along the back of the room, but the occupants currently mingled in the front part of the room. She observed quietly, seeing a mix of males in their black uniforms and others wearing the more traditional outfit like Ysaak’s. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was a bit startling to see a room full of men and know she was the only woman present.

Of course she had realized on an intellectual level that because there were far more Dazon men than women that the men would dominate society and all aspects of it, but it was still startling to see evidence of it after having lived in a roughly equal society all of her life. Her father’s appointments had taken her some places where there were still sharp disparities between genders, but in most of the places she had lived and grown up, men and women mingled and were considered equals.

It was daunting and a bit frightening to know she was the only woman in the room. It left her feeling vulnerable, and she couldn’t believe the swell of relief she felt when her gaze fell on an old woman seated at one of the tables. At least there was one woman present besides herself. She leaned close to the prince, nodding in the direction of the elderly woman. “Who is she?”

“She is Councilor Denbo Shah’s wife,” said Ysaak, nodding toward a man near them who had to be at least half the other woman’s age.

“He’s so young,” she said without thought before blushing. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.”

The prince shrugged a shoulder. “It matters not, Ambassador. Few men can afford to maintain a wife, and the option isn’t available until their fertility fades. At that point, the women choose to do what they wish with the rest of their lives. Some choose marriage, and others choose a different way. Nexa Shah chose to marry the councilman, and he’s honored to have the gift of a mate.”

She nodded, doing her best to hide how strange she found it that a man in his thirties would have married a woman who looked to be in her mid- to late-sixties. The culture was quite different, obviously, and she was certain it had been influenced by the biological weapon that had kept their females from reproducing and had gradually edged the entire population closer to extinction.

As they became aware of her presence, the attendees came to greet her. She recognized them immediately as politicians, because there was something smarmy about them all, and it was a quality inherent to all politicians, whether human or alien, or so it seemed.

She was gracious and polite, but also relieved when they worked their way to the center of the room, where a wizened man sat on a throne that looked like it was made from clear acrylic. It was unimpressive, but perhaps the acrylic-like substance was a rare or expensive material in their world.

The man himself had shorter stature than many of the other Dazon males, who were routinely above seven feet tall, but that didn’t make him seem any less powerful. He was watchful, with alert dark eyes set into his brown skin with its luminescent golden glow. He inclined his head to her, but made no move to stand when his son introduced him as Emperor Chon.

She bowed at the waist, uncertain if that was the proper decorum, but having been unable to find any information about it in the data provided to her by Commander Darvig when she had stayed at the consulate on the Moon to research the culture. “I’m pleased to meet you, Emperor Talek.”

Talek touched two fingers to his forehead. “Welcome to our home, Ambassador Williams. I know you’ve met my younger son, and allow me to present First Prince Aryk Chon, who is my successor.”

Her gaze moved to a tall Dazon standing near the throne. Like Ysaak, he wore the black suit with a long jacket and tightly fitted trousers. There were gold buttons going down his jacket, but that was the only decoration that suggested he held any sort of status. His skin was more brownish than gold, and his eyes were mud-brown. His hair was thicker and longer than Ysaak’s, but his brow ridge wasn’t as developed or pronounced.

Upon first impression, she gleaned he was petulant and demanding, bordering on cruel. She had no basis for that assumption, and she knew it wasn’t right to judge him by his appearance. Still, she was cautious and wary when she inclined her head to the First Prince.

Aryk didn’t bother with the gesture of respect or nodding his head. He said an abrupt, “Ambassador,” and that was his sole greeting. His body language suggested he was there under duress, and he seemed stiff and unwelcoming. More than that, he seemed angered to be in her presence, and she sensed he thought he was better than she was.

At that moment, something that sounded faintly like a gong rang, and the group of politicians all moved toward the tables at the back of the room. She flashed Ysaak a grateful smile when his hand fastened around her elbow, and he led her to the main table in the center of all the others. He held her chair for her to help seat her, and she wasn’t certain if that was a universal gesture of chivalry among all humans and Dazon males, or if he’d been studying her culture as closely as she’d been studying his.

She was relieved to find he sat on her right side, but dismayed to find Aryk on her left. The Emperor sat at the head of the table beside Aryk, and a dozen more joined them, all wearing the black traditional garb rather than the more comfortable suits. Introductions were made, surprisingly by Aryk, and he seemed to be almost bouncing with glee as he went around the table, saving the last introduction with an air of anticipation. “And this is Dr. Jorvak Ha, Chief Scientist for the Dazon Empire.”

Horror filled her when she learned the other man’s name, unsettled by the way his eyes moved over her in an assessing fashion, as though picking her apart. He seemed to want to know how she worked with no indication that he would ever put her back together again. Perhaps it was just because she knew what he had done, but he seemed like pure evil. She wasn’t a person often guided by feelings or emotions, so to feel so overwhelmingly certain that he was a terrible person, and that she should stay away from him, made it difficult to ignore the impulse to flee.

Only sheer stubbornness and the need to negotiate peace between them kept her in her seat, though she didn’t bother to spare a greeting for Ha. Instead, she turned her attention to the Emperor. “Are you aware, Emperor Chon, that your chief scientist is a criminal on my planet?”

The Emperor inclined his head, but made no further comment. He was difficult to read, and she couldn’t be certain if he supported Ha or not. The fact that the scientist was at the table with them suggested he did, but that also could have been the work of Aryk, who was clearly not just Jorvak’s sponsor, but also his friend, as she quickly gleaned from the conversation between the two men. They spoke with easy familiarity and respect, suggesting they considered each other equals.

Equal assholes, she thought to herself as she sipped very carefully on a pale pink liquid. It was tart, and she was certain it was some sort of alcohol. She regarded it with caution, as she did the rest of her meal. Until being seated with Jorvak Ha, she might not have been so mistrustful about what she ingested, but now, paranoid scenarios flashed through her mind, each more ludicrous and terrifying than the last.

Finally, she was able to calm herself with the reminder that she was of no interest to the Dazons, at least from a breeding perspective. Elena had been her half-sister, and though her father was also a carrier of Kaiser’s Syndrome, Embeth’s mother was not. Elena’s mother had died when Elena was just a toddler, collapsing from an aneurysm years before she would have begun to display symptoms of Kaiser’s Syndrome. It hadn’t even been a recognized disease at that point.

Embeth carried the dormant gene, but unless she partnered with a man who also carried it, her children had no risk of getting Kaiser’s Syndrome, and she didn’t suffer from it herself. Since the mutation caused by Kaiser’s Syndrome was what made Earth women genetically compatible with Dazon males, she was safe.

She remained quiet and watchful during dinner, answering questions when they were addressed to her, but mostly taking the opportunity to observe. The gathering wasn’t much different than any other political dinner which she had attended over the years, despite it being a group of aliens rather than humans.

She was thankful when dessert came, or what she assumed was dessert. Pale golden globes were drizzled with a darker amber sauce that she tasted carefully, unable to bite back a small moan of pleasure that fortunately only Ysaak heard.

He leaned closer to her, keeping his voice low as he grinned. “These are dahlia fruit, which grows naturally and profusely on the planet, and there’s a grove at my favorite place. Perhaps I’ll have a chance to show you when we tour the planet. This is a delicious way to have it, but they’re incomparable fresh from the vine.”

The tart, yet sweet, fruit melted on her tongue, and she nodded, too busy savoring the flavor to find a response for a moment. When she could speak again, she said, “I look forward to trying it in its natural state too. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever tasted.”

His eyes gleamed. “We have a favorite in common then, Ambassador Williams.”

Ha picked that moment to ruin the peaceful camaraderie she had discovered with the Second Prince. He cleared his throat, speaking over the soft buzz of voices at the table as his gaze focused on her. She shuddered slightly under the intensity of his eyes.

“Ambassador Williams, it would please me if you would stop by my laboratory for an exam tomorrow sometime, perhaps after your morning meetings? I would very much like to study your physiology for research.”

She had just reached for the glass of pink liquid to clear her throat, which had turned dry under his gaze, and the fragile stem snapped in her hand when she tightened her grasp. “I believe you’ve done enough research on Earth women, Ha.” She refused to use his official title of doctor or scientist. He was a mad butcher, not a doctor, at least by her standards.

He seemed impervious to her cold tone and note of accusation. “It’s vital for my people to learn as much as we can about Earth women’s biology. You’d be doing us a great service.”

She set down the broken glass, angling the fluted part so the liquid inside wouldn’t spill on the table. “I’m not here to do you a great service. I’m here to find a peaceful way for our two groups to coexist.”

Ha smirked at her, allowing a hint of his disdain to show. “There can be no such arrangement, Earth woman. Your people are foolish and naïve if they believe they can stop anything that will happen to them.”

“That will be enough, Dr. Ha,” said the emperor in a firm tone, one laced with disapproval. “This dinner is to welcome the ambassador, and you are far out of the bounds of etiquette by asking her to submit to a physical exam.”

With a churlish nod of his head, the doctor looked down at his plate, seeming chastised, but his eyes revealed his anger. “I apologize, Emperor.”

Of course he didn’t apologize to her, she noted with a sour twist of her lips. “If you’ll excuse me, Emperor, I suddenly have a headache. I believe I’d like to have an early night before our meetings begin tomorrow morning.”

The emperor inclined his head, seeming unsurprised. He waved a hand at Ysaak. “Of course, Ambassador. My son will see you back to your chambers and ensure you find the meeting hall in the morning. I hope you rest well.”

She almost snorted, but good manners and training kicked in, so she inclined her head instead. “Thank you, Emperor. Good evening.” She spoke the parting to the entire table, though her heart wasn’t in it. She was certain there was visible anger in each step as she strode from the dining room, relieved when Damon fell in to step behind her, and only vaguely aware of Ysaak beside her for a moment.

Once they were safely out of hearing distance, she turned abruptly to Ysaak. “Do you all feel that way? Am I just wasting my time here? Is every Dazon convinced they can just take all the women with Kaiser’s Syndrome, and there won’t be any repercussions?” She knew she was ranting at Ysaak, and her tone was unbearably rude, but she couldn’t rein in the impulse in her anger.

“Did you know my sister had Kaiser’s Syndrome, and she died just a few months before Ha stole all those women? If she hadn’t, she would have been in the group he stole. To see him sitting so casually at this dinner, one ostensibly to welcome me... It’s a...a... It’s like a slap in the face. He should be in prison, not enjoying fancy royal dinners and a promotion to Chief Scientist.” From what she had gleaned from Ryland Breese’s debriefing reports, that was a recent promotion given since his return to Dazonia Major.

The prince maintained a peaceful expression. “I agree with you, Embeth.”

She wasn’t certain if it was his agreement or the use of her first name that soothed her raging temper so quickly. She looked at him with surprise. “You do?”

He inclined his head. “Are you up for a walk?”

She hesitated before nodding. Embeth looked over at Damon, nodding again to let him know she wanted a bit of privacy. His gaze flashed deliberately to the small heart she wore around her neck, a concession to which she had readily agreed before the mission began. It was more than jewelry, containing a tracking device that allowed Damon to find her any time she was out of his presence on Earth or Dazonia Major. After her guard faded away, she fell in step with Ysaak, who led her down the hallway and out to a balcony.

Even in her anger, she was temporarily distracted by the beauty of the night sky, with its intense orange and green, and the faintly purple-blue color that served as a backdrop thanks to the differences in the Dazon atmosphere. It was almost enough to soothe and distract her, but not quite. “Am I wasting my time here, Ysaak?” It felt natural to call him by his first name after he had already initiated the drop of formality.

After a brief hesitation, Ysaak shrugged. “I truly don’t know, Embeth. My father has not revealed his position, though Aryk is a vocal supporter of Ha and his research. The High Council has clearly endorsed Ha’s methods as well, though there is much dissent in the General Council. The General Council is composed of the common citizens and represents the voice of the people.

“Unfortunately, even with all the people behind the General Council—and most are in agreement that the accord must be consensual—the High Council has more power. Aryk has more power still, and my father holds the ultimate power in our system. However, without knowing his position, I can’t plainly state that yes, you’re wasting your time, or no, you aren’t. All I can suggest is to wait and see. Be cautious and on your guard.”

She let out a sigh as she leaned against the orangestone, her gaze focused on the stars above her. They were different from the stars back home and a stark reminder she was on an alien planet, standing beside an alien to whom she was wildly attracted, but conflicted by her mission and the feelings rushing through her. At the moment, anger was chief among them. “I cannot believe the sheer nerve of Ha to join us for dinner, knowing he’s a wanted criminal on my planet. It’s completely disrespectful, and it doesn’t bode well for a truce between our people.”

He moved closer to her, not quite touching, but his hand rested near hers on the stone rail. “I agree, but as the Second Prince, I have little influence on such matters. Father asks my opinion, but it bears no more weight than the average councilman for the High or the General Councils. Aryk’s opinion influences my father to an extent, but only because he will be emperor someday, and not because he holds power over my father. Emperor Talek is a wise man, and I hope he reaches the only obvious solution.”

“Which is?” she prompted.

“Earth and Dazon must cooperate, and both of our people must be satisfied with the arrangement. It can’t be one of coercion or suppression. For this to truly work for all of us, the women have to be willing to either donate their eggs or mate with Dazon males, and our cultures will have to find a way to blend and coexist.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t been aware of holding, suddenly overwhelmed by the surge of desire sweeping through her. She’d been attracted to his appearance before, but now she found herself equally attracted to the man himself. It was almost dizzying how much she wanted him, and she had to take a deep breath to control the urge to do something inappropriate, like take his hand in hers. “I should get back to my room. We have an early start in the morning.”

His gaze was fogged over, his eyes a mix of molten green and gold, but he sounded unaffected when he spoke. “Of course, Ambassador Williams.”

“Please call me Embeth, at least when we aren’t working in an official capacity.” She much preferred that to the stiff and aloof ambassador title.

“Of course, Embeth, and I would prefer Ysaak when appropriate.”

As they neared her door, she experienced a sudden image of sitting on the prince’s lap as she rode him, screaming out his name as her sheath convulsed around his erection. It was a powerful mental picture that tightened her nipples and made her panties damp.

Without thinking, she swayed toward him, and his head bent, as though he was in the same fevered grip of desire. If it hadn’t been for Damon clearing his throat, reminding her he was there and witnessing it all, she was afraid she would have kissed the prince.

Stiffening abruptly, she took a step back and straightened her posture. “Thank you for the escort, Ysaak. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night, Embeth. I hope you sleep well.” He showed her the gesture of respect with his fingers to his forehead before leaving her.

She studiously ignored Damon, and his wide grin, as she swept through the doorway of her suite, pressing the button to close it behind her with her guard on the other side. Right then, she needed to be completely alone. She wasn’t certain whether it was to prepare herself for tomorrow’s events, or to pick apart the time she’d spent in the prince’s company to hoard the best moments like a dragon with gold.

It was disconcertingly familiar and almost exactly as she had felt for her first crush. Absolutely damned ridiculous behavior for a thirty-three-year-old ambassador on a foreign planet, she told herself as she prepared for bed. That did little to quell the buzz of desire still burning through her, or the spark of excitement at the idea of seeing Ysaak again in the morning.

Chapter Three

Embeth sat patiently as she waited for the Emperor to begin speaking. His sons flanked either side of him, and she briefly wished Ysaak was seated beside her instead of across from her. It felt strangely lonely on her side of the table, though Damon was just outside the doorway, and she wasn’t completely alone. She wouldn’t have even noticed or minded if it hadn’t been for the contemptuous expression Aryk wore, and the way he furrowed his brow ridge every time he looked at her, making his disdain plain as day.

“Please tell us about the lives of Earth women,” said Talek.

She moistened her throat with a sip of water before she began sharing details of the average person’s life on Earth. Though the emperor had specifically requested information about women, she gave him information about men, women, and children, hoping to paint a vivid picture for him to illustrate how critical women were to society on their planet.

She spoke for more than an hour, answering the occasional question as she shared relevant information, before concluding with, “As you can see, losing vast numbers of women would destroy Earth, much as it caused your society to decline. We don’t have the genetic manipulation capabilities that your scientists possess, so if our female citizens were taken from us, it would be an extinction-level-event for humans.”

Aryk yawned, making his disinterest clear. “From what I have observed about humans since Dr. Ha’s return, having reviewed his data, it seems to me wiping out humans and integrating the females into the Dazon Empire would be a favor to your planet, and not the tragic event you portray.”

She let out a ragged gasp, waiting for the Emperor or Ysaak to refute the words. Ysaak’s mouth started to open, but the Emperor shook his head barely perceptibly, and the Second Prince remained silent, though he was glowering at his brother.

Bolstered by Ysaak’s reaction, she said, “It’s true humanity has its problems. We’ve pushed ourselves to the brink of extinction more than once, and not to mention the animals and other life forms we have forced into extinction. We’ll either grow into a more compassionate and caring race, or we’ll destroy ourselves. Either way, it should be decided by humans and not an outside force.”

“Perhaps you simply lack guidance and the ability to do what must be done.”

She shook her head at Aryk’s retort. “Fine, let’s assume you’re right on a large, global scale, and that kidnapping all Earth women who are compatible with your genetics—and Jorvak Ha claims he could make any Earth woman compatible with the right technology and research—would be a benefit to Earth.

“Let’s not pretend that you actually care about what happens to Earth, of course, but let’s say you’re right. You’re not accounting for individual reactions and rebellion from the Earth women you plan to steal away. If you think these women will cooperate with you, you’re mistaken. If you rip them from their homes and families, separating mothers from their children, you’ll find you’ve done nothing more than introduce a whole other level of war to your society.”

Aryk pointedly yawned again. “There are ways to ensure compliance. From a biological perspective, all we really need from Earth women are their eggs.”

“Perhaps, but Ha failed to adapt an exo-womb that could support a human/Dazon hybrid, so he impregnated human women without their permission or consent to see if he could grow offspring. He was successful, but the human woman was a critical ingredient.”

She hated speaking so dispassionately about the women who had been traumatized by Ha, having met most of the four hundred before undertaking her mission. She had also seen the infants produced from the experiment, some left without mothers because they had died during the birthing due to Ha’s arrogance in creating multiple pregnancies with babies that were larger than typical humans. Those infants were being cared for at the consulate, but there was no long-term solution in place.

Still, she was certain she wouldn’t get through to Aryk with an emotional appeal. He either had no emotions, or he simply didn’t care about humans, regarding them as a lower life form.

“Dr. Ha will navigate that problem. I have faith in him.”

She couldn’t help the hint of anger lacing her words. “How pitiful to pin the hopes of your race’s survival on an arrogant scientist who has no regard for the sanctity of life.”

“His priorities are straight, Ambassador Williams. He’s focused on the sanctity of Dazon life, which is far more valuable than a mere human. Your women will cooperate, or they will be forced to. We will handle the situation either way.”

She was close to screaming at him, which wouldn’t further diplomatic relations or help find a solution. Instead, Embeth took a deep breath and turned her attention to the Emperor. “Emperor Talek, if you share your son’s point-of-view, is there any point to continuing these talks?”

The Emperor didn’t clarify his position. He simply sighed heavily. “Today is not a good day for this, I fear, Ambassador. There is something which requires my attention, and I need to postpone our talks another Dazon day. In the interim, I entrust you to Ysaak, who will act as your guide and show you some of our planet. I hope you find that plan agreeable.” His tone made it clear he wouldn’t be swayed even if she protested and insisted on continuing the talks that day.

To be honest, it would be nice to escape the room and Aryk’s presence. She was currently agitated and not capable of thinking as clearly as she should for the grand scale of negotiations that must be undertaken. She nodded her agreement and turned her attention to Ysaak, giving him a small smile. “Thank you for taking the time to be my guide, Prince Ysaak.”

“Second Prince,” corrected Aryk with an arrogant sneer as he got to his feet. “That means he has little say in the outcome of these events, Ambassador Williams.”

She didn’t even look at the First Prince as she got up and walked around the table to meet Ysaak in the middle of the room. Instead, she nodded to the Emperor, adding, “I’ll see you in the morning, Emperor Talek.” It was a relief to turn away from Aryk and walk beside Ysaak as they left the room, with Damon falling into step behind them.

“I apologize for my brother,” said Ysaak. “He’s stubborn and refuses to see any point-of-view besides his own. Unfortunately, he’s close friends with Jorvak, and he would have been predisposed to support his friend even for the most heinous actions, which Ha has clearly demonstrated his capability of committing.”

Before she could think better of it, Embeth reached for his hand and squeezed it lightly. “It means a lot to me to know you don’t support your brother and Ha’s position.”

He hesitated for a moment, having stiffened at the touch her hand, but then held tightly to hers. “Unfortunately, Aryk was being truthful when he said I hold little sway in the matter.”

She nodded. “Still, it’s nice to have an ally, especially when your father is so close-lipped about his stance.”

Ysaak’s expression softened. “That’s my father’s way. He is often aloof and carefully hides his opinions as he weighs others’. Aryk thinks Father is swayed by those opinions and incapable of forming his own without influence, but he fails to see the strength in our father. I have no doubt the emperor has already decided his position on the matter, and he’s simply getting a feel for all sides. He won’t be swayed by anything Aryk says if it’s contrary to what he’s decided.”

She sighed heavily. “Which means he also won’t be swayed by any of my arguments if the emperor agrees with your brother and Ha. It’s worrisome.”

He still held her hand, which he squeezed once more before letting go, seemingly with great reluctance. “It is, but I would ask you to set aside all that for the day. I thought I would take you on a tour of the planet—at least as much as we can accomplish during the time we have. I’d like you to see the beauty of Dazonia Major and try not to worry about the issues before us for the next thirty-one hours.”

The prospect was exciting, and she nodded her agreement even as her insides turned to mush at his use of the word us. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said it was nice to have an ally, and she firmly believed she and Ysaak shared similar views.

How much easier negotiations would have been if he had been Emperor, or even First Prince, but it would do no good to wish for something that couldn’t be. Instead, she would attempt to push aside thoughts of the mission she had focused on for the last three months and enjoy herself. A small respite, especially in Ysaak’s company, was more than welcome.

He led her from the palace to the docking bay where she had first arrived. This time, rather than one of their intergalactic ships equipped with a space-folding system, there was a much smaller shuttle awaiting them. She glanced briefly at the small vessel before looking at Damon. There would be room for him too, but she would feel crowded with her guard present. She turned slightly to Ysaak, saying, “I must speak with my guard for a moment. Please excuse us.”

He inclined his head and walked toward the ship as she turned to face Damon. “You have my tracking signature, right, Damon?”

He nodded, wearing a frown. “I do, Ambassador, but I don’t like the idea of you leaving alone with just the alien to guard you.”

“I trust the Second Prince, Damon. I’m certain I’ll be safe with him.”

Damon surprised her by nodding his agreement. “It’s not Prince Ysaak I worry about, Ambassador Williams. I’m simply concerned about you being left in a vulnerable position with only the prince to guard you. I have no idea if he can watch after you properly.”

“I think we’ll be fine, Damon, but if not, I can contact you with my transmitter. I remember how to use it to let you know I’m in trouble.” The device was clever in its design. Besides being a GPS unit, she could also use it to transmit Morse code. She simply pressed and held the back in the right pattern to transmit a code to Damon. She didn’t know all Morse code, but she knew how to send the most basic SOS message, and Damon would be able to track her coordinates.

“Very well, Ambassador Williams.” Damon made the concession with clear reluctance, but apparently had realized she wouldn’t be dissuaded.

“Feel free to enjoy yourself and unwind a bit too, Damon.”

He glanced around him and shook his head. “I don’t think I can relax here. It’s all too clear the opinion many have of humans, particularly human males. We’re expendable.”

She let out a small sigh as she nodded. “It’s our duty to change that opinion, Damon.”

He didn’t look optimistic, but he humored her with a nod. “Enjoy your tour, Ambassador.”

She nodded and shared a quick word of parting before she walked closer to Ysaak, where he stood near the small shuttle. She gave him a big smile. “I’m all yours then, Prince Ysaak.” Only after she uttered the words did she realize how suggestive they were, and she could feel heat creeping into her cheeks. She was thankful for her darker complexion and its ability to hide her embarrassment.

“Then let’s begin, Embeth.”

He assisted her onto the shuttle, though she could have climbed the ramp easily by herself. She wasn’t certain if it was a show of chivalry, or if he just used it as an excuse to put his hand on her back. Either way, she didn’t mind.

Her attraction to the prince had only increased in the intervening hours they had last seen each other. He could quickly become a craving, and though she should be alarmed by that thought, she couldn’t feel anything but mild concern at the moment. She was too excited by the prospect of touring the planet and spending the day with Ysaak to allow gloomier thoughts to intrude.

He piloted them himself, and she had been right in her assessment of the interior. There would have been room for Damon, but it would’ve been a tight fit. She likened the shuttle to the typical Earth sports car, which was designed for two, though three or four could cram inside. “Where do we begin, Ysaak?”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to take an aerial tour of most of the planet if you want to see everything, or at least as much as we can, but we’ll have a chance to stop at least once.”

“I’m ready.”

It didn’t take long to learn the shuttle moved rapidly, zooming over the landscape so quickly that she couldn’t see most of the details. They covered what must have been hundreds of miles in just a matter of minutes as he increased the altitude, angling them higher into the sky.

At first, it was a little frightening, and she held tightly to the handles built into the sides of her seat as they zoomed through the air. When she adjusted to the speed, and especially as he started to slow down when he approached what was apparently the first point of interest on the tour, she was able to relax her white-knuckled grip and start to enjoy the experience.

He paused in midair, just hovering there, as he pointed to a large arrangement of mountains capped with what looked like snow, though faintly blue in color. “Those are the Temberzan Mountains, and the highest point on the planet. It’s so cold at the top that no life can survive there, save for a tenacious...snow beast that lives on a type of rodent that also thrives there.”

She arched a brow. “Snow beast?” He couldn’t mean something like a yeti, could he?

Ysaak hesitated, and then shrugged. “The translation program can’t find a more appropriate word. It’s a small, hairy creature with large fangs and long claws. I don’t know how to describe it, and I can’t think of an Earth equivalent. Apparently, neither can the translation program.”

She nodded to indicate her understanding, uncertain if she was relieved or vaguely disappointed to know there weren’t abominable snowmen prowling the Temberzan Mountains.

Soon, they zoomed off again, and this time when he slowed, it was to hover over a large urban center, also enclosed by a dome. “You’ve been to the capital, or Sector One, and this is Sector Two, our other major urban center. The population here is approximately three million, and this is where the breeding quarters are located. The facility where children are reared is located at the capital.”

She shivered at the unpleasant reminder of why she was there. “Why aren’t the children kept with their mothers?”

“It’s more of a production facility than a mother-child relationship,” said Ysaak, his disapproval clear. “It takes too long to raise a child, or even two or three children, in a proper context with a mother, so the duties have been separated over the generations following the use of that biological weapon against our ancestors.”

She shook her head, unable to comprehend the cold disconnect in such a system. “Okay, but why aren’t there rearing facilities near the breeding facilities? It would facilitate mothers being able to visit their offspring.”

“It leads to too many ambiguities. They made the deliberate decision to separate the facilities because too many Dazon women grew deeply depressed when seeing the children raised away from them. For their sakes, it was critical to separate motherhood from reproduction.”

She shuddered as she imagined how awful it must be for both the mother and the babies. The women were valued for their eggs, but would never know their offspring, and the resulting babies were raised in government facilities that had to be similar to orphanages. She could feel tears pricking the backs of her eyes as she imagined the sad scenario, and she blinked several times until the urge to cry had passed. “And this is the future Ha and your brother envision for Earth’s women?”

Ysaak shook his head. “I assume it would be an acceptable version, but Ha envisions integrating human women back into Dazon society and restoring a semblance of the civilization we once had.”

She curled her lips. “He’s exceedingly naïve in thinking he can control millions or billions of Earth women who have been ripped from their lives.”

Ysaak gave her a reassuring smile. “I have no doubt of that, especially having met such a perfect specimen of female humanity.”

She blinked. “Me?” He nodded, and she laughed. “I’m hardly an example of perfection, but thank you for the compliment.”

Swirls of gold mixed in his green irises. “You’re utter perfection, Embeth.” All semblance of teasing had gone, and he seemed completely serious, as though he truly believed that.

It wasn’t the first time a man had shown appreciation for her curvy frame and generous butt, so why was she feeling so breathless from a simple compliment? Her heart raced in her chest, and she was thankful when he continued the tour a moment later, distracting both of them with the next point of interest.

AFTER THEY HAD BEEN flying for a few hours, he set down the vessel for the first time at a cliff. She gazed out in awe at the sight before her. The day was clear, with a purplish-green cast to the sky, and the two suns blazed overhead. The closer one was brighter and added a faint hint of orange to the atmosphere.

It wasn’t the sky that really caught her attention though. The landscape spread out before her was rugged and beautiful. They were perched on the side of a cliff, far from the edge, of course, which afforded them a beautiful view. The walls of the cliff were smooth, but with occasional jagged chasms and sheer drops.

Some kind of purple-white flower covered most of the ground, and there were a profusion of vines bearing golden globes that she recognized as the dahlia fruit from the state dinner. “Can we get out?”

“Yes, we can. Remember the oxygen content is a little lower here than on Earth, so you might feel dizzy or lightheaded for a few moments until you acclimate.”

She nodded to indicate she’d heard his warning as she fidgeted in her seat, feeling like a little kid about to enter Disneyland for the first time. He stood up a moment later and extended his hand to her. She took it and followed him from the small craft out to the cliff. She drew closer to the edge as he paused to set something on the ground before joining her.

When she looked down, she gasped. Spread below them was a waterfall, and the water was lavender tinted. It dropped down the face of the cliff in a torrent, hitting the bottom pool with enough force to create foamy waves. It was dangerous, yet incredibly gorgeous.

At that moment, a flash of lightning lit the sky and reflected on the water below, and it was a breathtaking sight. She turned to him in her excitement and was suddenly woozy. Ysaak’s arms clamped around her to keep her from falling, and she was pressed against his body.

She looked up at him, and her heart hammered in her ears. The excitement of the landscape had morphed to the excitement of being held by him, and it took every scrap of control she had not to stretch her neck upward in an unspoken invitation for him to kiss her.

He held her for a moment longer than necessary before clearing his throat and carefully sending her completely upright again. Once assured she was steady, his hands fell from her shoulders, and he waved his hand in the direction of the items he had placed on the ground. “Are you hungry?”

She looked to the spot he indicated, and she was surprised to see a table and chairs set up. “How did you do that?” All he had carried from the shuttle was a small bundle.

He grinned at her. “It’s all automated. It’s a picn...icking kit.” He seemed to stumble over the word, and it was clear the translator had struggled to find the proper term. “I had to modify it from existing technology, since we don’t often eat outside, but I thought you would enjoy a pic...nicking after observing the custom from the data available to me about Earth.”

“I do enjoy a good picnic.” She walked to where the table and chairs were arranged, complete with a checkered cloth on the top. There was also a wicker-looking basket, though of a color she had never seen before. Somewhere between violet and lavender, she wasn’t certain if it was the natural color of the material used to make the basket, or a decorative addition. “This is really impressive, Ysaak. I haven’t been on a picnic since I was a sophomore in high school.”

That had been with an ex-boyfriend, and the date had been pleasant, but not a memory she had cherished. Now was the first time she had thought about it in years. She was certain this picnic would be far more memorable than the one she’d shared with Billy—no, Willie, she mentally corrected.

He assisted her into her seat before taking one across from her and opening the basket. A plethora of unfamiliar items soon appeared before them, and she was surprised the table didn’t bow under the weight of all the food. She also wondered how he managed to squeeze it all into the small basket, but assumed the basket used the same kind of physics they used for their suits, which were capable of holding weapons and other items that remained invisible until needed.

She enjoyed the delicacies he offered, though her attention wandered occasionally to the sky whenever a flash of lightning lit it up. “Will it rain soon?” she asked as lightning flashed again, a bit closer than it had the last time.

He shrugged. “It’s possible, but it isn’t the rainy season. If it does, we’ll simply move our picnic to the shuttle.”

“I don’t think there’s any need for that. I’m about to explode. If I eat another bite, I probably will.” She rubbed her tummy in a comical fashion, though it truly was almost uncomfortably full. She had continued trying delicacies even after she’d run out of room for them, wanting to taste everything and experience as much as possible of the Dazon culture before her mission ended.

He stretched from his chair, not needing to leave it to pick a fresh dahlia fruit from one of the nearby vines. His movements were slow and sensual as he rubbed the golden fruit on the front of his black suit, having opted for comfort rather than tradition today apparently. He took a bite, and light-yellow juices trickled down his chin for a moment before his napkin could catch them. “Surely you want to try the naked dahlia fruit? It’s lovely dressed up, but nothing compares to it in its natural state.”

His words were sensual, and they seemed to be discussing something far more intimate than fruit. Her nipples tightened against her jacket, and though she really had no more room in her stomach, she leaned forward to take a bite from the fruit. He had deliberately offered the side where he had bitten from, and her teeth grazed the edge of his bite mark.

She closed her eyes a second later when the flavor of the fruit exploded on her tongue. It had been lovely last night with that amber sauce, but it had also muted the flavor. Without adornment, the fruit was naturally tart and crisp, while being incredibly sweet. For some reason, that reminded her in the notes she had read from Earth women that some had commented Dazon males’ semen was exceedingly sweet. She wondered if it was from their ingestion of dahlia fruit, or just their own natural flavor.

How would Ysaak’s semen taste? As the fruit slid down her throat, she imagined being on her knees before him, taking his cock into her mouth, and discovering for herself. That left her breasts heavy and aching with need, instant heat spiraling through her belly, but she tried to rein in the erotic image images parading behind her eyes. She couldn’t afford to allow herself to get distracted.

“Was it as sweet as you expected?”

She wiped her chin. “Even sweeter.” For her part, she was referring to both the fruit and Ysaak.

“Have you gotten your fill, Embeth?”

She nodded as she pushed back from her seat, suddenly feeling the need to escape, or at least put some proximity between them. She glanced around. “I have an indelicate question, Ysaak. Do you have restroom facilities on your shuttle?”

He smiled. “Of course. Allow me to show you where they are.” He led her to the section and showed her how to use it before exiting the craft again.

After attending to her business, she stepped out of the shuttle, knowing she should suggest they move on, but still enthralled by the beauty and tranquility around them, even though it looked wild and dangerous. Ysaak stood closer to the edge of the cliff, so she walked over to join him. Without thinking, she put her arm around his waist and leaned against him. “Is this the favorite spot you were telling me about yesterday?”

His arm came around her in a similar gesture, and he pulled her closer. “It is. I feel at peace here. When I was younger, I would sometimes jump from the cliff into the water below, though I’ve gained common sense and no longer do such things now.”

She looked down, dizzy at just the thought of plunging so far before splashing into the turbulent purple water below. “I admire that you could make the leap to start with. I’m not that brave.”

He chuckled. “I think it takes great bravery to fold across the galaxy to an alien planet in an attempt to find peace for both planets. It makes jumping off the cliff look insignificant, belisa.”

She turned her head to look up at him with a frown. “What is belisa?”

He tipped his head, seeming to be searching for a clarifier. “It would be like beautiful angles, I suppose.”

Her lips twitched. “Do you think the translation program means angel instead?”

He seemed to consider it for a moment, and it was clear the translation program was actively processing. A moment later, he grinned. “Yes, I suppose angel would be a much better fit than angles.”

She giggled, allowing herself to snuggle deeper into his embrace, though it was dangerous. In that moment, she decided common sense was overrated, and she might even jump off the cliff with him if he brazenly suggested such a thing. At least a metaphorical cliff, and she lifted her head without thought as he looked down at her.

A moment later, Ysaak’s mouth slanted over hers, and they shared a gentle, almost exploratory, kiss. Their lips molded together, and his tongue swiped over hers in small strokes before gently probing the seam of her mouth to gain entry. She granted the request without having to think twice, opening her mouth to accept his tongue, which she stroked with her own.

He tasted sweet, almost so sweet that it bordered on bitter, and though the first taste was unpleasant, she soon adapted to the difference between him and a human male, and as the kiss deepened, she found his taste was addictive.

“Embeth.” He whispered her name when he broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to hers gently as they looked into each other’s eyes. “I was certain it was a myth, or just an old-fashioned notion our people had outgrown.”

“What was a myth?” Her voice was raspy with passion, and she didn’t sound like herself. For that matter, she didn’t feel like herself at the moment. She felt lightheaded and swept away by need.

“The mating flare. I felt it the first time I touched you, but I didn’t want to believe it. It’s such a silly concept, and there are many complications involved, but I can no longer deny my mating instinct flares around you. You’re meant to be my mate, Embeth.”

Her eyes widened, and her body jerked with spasms of pleasure at the words. Her brain wanted to reject them as silly and primitive, but every other part of her was embracing the idea with gusto.

She tangled her fingers through his thick brown hair, pulling his head back to hers for another long kiss. This one was more frantic and full of ardor than the first one, and they were both perilously close to losing control. She could feel them edging toward the drop-off of the cliff, though it wasn’t a real cliff. If she let herself go, she might lose sight of why she was there, or do something to inadvertently sabotage finding a peaceful resolution with the Dazon.

With that thought in mind, she forced herself to break the kiss, moving a step back from him, though her hands remained plastered to his chest, smoothing the silky fabric of his black suit without thought. “I can’t do this. Not yet, I mean. I want to, but—”

“You have more important matters to focus on.”

Embeth shook her head. “Not more important. Simply bigger. The outcome affects more than just you and me, so I need to focus on why I’m here and not allow myself to get distracted with passion.”

“I know you’re right, but the more time I spend with you and touch you, the more difficult it is to control the mating flare. There’s a voice roaring in the back of my head that you belong to me, and it’s taking every vestige of control I have not to claim you as my mate right this moment.”

With a long sigh, he dropped his hands from her. “Knowing that, I should get you back to the palace and safely out of the path of temptation, at least for now.” His voice had a faint edge of warning when he added, “This isn’t over though, Embeth. When the peace talks are over, and a negotiated agreement is reached, then you will be my mate.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she simply squeezed his hand with hers before following him back to the shuttle. Her body was clamoring to mate with him, but the idea of actually being his mate, of accepting him as the equivalent of a husband on such short acquaintance, seemed surreal and terrifying. But also exhilarating and more right than it should, she admitted to herself as she boarded the tiny craft and took her seat once more.

They hadn’t known each other long, and it was far too soon to rush into something as serious as bonding or marriage, but once business was concluded with the Emperor and Aryk, she intended to explore whatever this thing was developing between herself and the Second Prince. She owed that to both of them, just in case there was something to the mating flare idea.

Chapter Four

She was having a terrible dream. She knew she must be dreaming, but it was more of a nightmare. She was paralyzed and unable to move or speak, and it reminded her of the night terrors she had experienced as a child. The mission and the stress of it must have stirred them up again, leaving her locked in her subconscious and at the mercy of her mind.

She was unsurprised when flashes of Jorvak Ha’s face filled her vision, and she tried to scream and thrash, though she couldn’t move. Embeth was desperate to wake up, but she could do nothing but ride out the duration of the dream. Everything was hazy, though she remembered pain and the need to scream. Finally, the paralysis broke, and she woke with a cry of terror trapped in her throat.

Her heart was pounding, and she sat up abruptly, reaching for the sensor pad that turned on the light. A moment later, the warm glow of the lighting system filled the room and chased away all the shadows. It had been one heck of a nightmare. Her heart was still racing, and she was faintly damp from perspiration. She wiped her brow with the silky coverlet as she struggled to regain control.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to be alone, but it wasn’t Damon she wanted. Instead, acting more on instinct than logic, she pressed the communication button near the sleeping platform and asked the person who answered to send Prince Ysaak to her room. In her vulnerable state, she knew she shouldn’t invite him in, but she wanted to feel his arms around her in a reassuring fashion, to know she was safe.

He arrived quickly, and she sobbed with relief when Ysaak entered the bedroom, coming straight to the sleeping platform. She held out her arms, and he didn’t hesitate to join her on the soft cloud of a bed, taking her into his arms.

Feeling him hold her was reassuring, and finally the fear started to dissipate. She was still trembling, and she rolled close to his warmth as he whispered softly against her temple. His words finally penetrated the haze of her thoughts, and she realized he was asking her what had happened. “Nothing really. I just had a terrible nightmare. I don’t remember the details, though Jorvak Ha was there. I was probably dreaming I was one of the poor women he had kidnapped and experimented on.”

He made a soothing sound as he rubbed her back. “I won’t let him touch you.”

She lifted her head, giving him a feeble smile. “I don’t think I’m a target anyway. I don’t have Kaiser’s Syndrome. It was simply my imagination and the stress of the mission, I’m sure, combining to give me terrible nightmares. I used to have night terrors as a child, and I’m occasionally still plagued by them when I’m overly stressed.”

He nodded. “I just want you to know I would do anything to protect you from Jorvak or my brother. I don’t believe you’re a target either, but no one will harm my mate if I’m alive to prevent it.”

Her heart stuttered at his words, and though she didn’t commit to the idea of being his mate, she could no longer fight her own need to feel his arms around her...and more. She started kissing him, and there was no hesitation on either side. She didn’t hold back, and she was certain he had unleashed whatever scraps of self-control he’d clung to in order to keep from doing this earlier, when they had stood near the edge of the cliff and looked down over the waterfall.

She had studied enough of their culture to understand how to make his suit disappear, and she flicked the button on his neck when she found it, moaning her delight when he was naked before her a moment later. Clearly, he felt the imbalance and set about removing her cotton nightgown.

He stripped it over her head and tossed it away without regard for its landing spot before his mouth returned to hers, consuming her with obvious hunger.

She let her hands roam over his golden-brown skin, tracing every line and nuance, making note of his rippling muscles, and the way his body spasmed when she sucked on his tongue.

“My mate,” he growled against her lips as he broke away from her temporarily, but only to adjust their position so that he could lift her higher. “Perfect body and perfect skin.”

His words were heady and made all the more tantalizing by the fact she was certain he was telling her the truth. Men had called her beautiful before, often going for her curvy frame and luscious butt, but none had seemed to find her as perfect as he did.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, stroking the bristly hair at the side of his head with one hand while the other brushed against the nape of his neck. His mouth sought out her left breast, sucking forcefully on the generous mound as his tongue teased her nipple. She rubbed her body against him, needing release and something more from him.

His mouth moved her other breast, and she whimpered her pleasure when his tongue twirled around the taut bud. “Ysaak, I need you.”

“I need you too,” he said roughly against her breast, part of her nipple still in his mouth obscuring the clarity of his words. “I need to taste and touch you and know every inch of you, my precious mate.”

She pushed him back gently, pressing against his shoulders until he got the message that she wanted him to lie back. He let out a groan of frustration when his mouth separated from her breast, and she made a soothing sound by clicking her tongue softly at him. Embeth slid slowly down his body, her wet pussy leaving proof of her arousal on his skin as she went.

She settled between his knees, urging his legs to spread further as she confronted the proof of his arousal. His cylindrical shaft thrust proudly upward, and she examined it for a moment, surprised by how ergonomically shaped he was with his rounded tip and no obvious head. There was a slit at the tip leaking his fluid, and she bent her head to taste.

It was even sweeter than his kisses, and she found herself eagerly drinking from his erection as steady streams of his arousal flooded her tongue. She sucked and bobbed her head, loving his growls of pleasure and the way his hips thrust urgently toward her mouth. When the steady stream of his semen became a torrent, and he called out her name as his body spasmed, she lightened her suction and flicked her tongue across the tip, uncertain if he became sensitive like a human male, but not wishing to hurt him as he exploded into an intense orgasm.

His tip continued to weep sweet nectar, and she licked it away as she waited for his breathing to return to normal. His skin had flushed slightly more golden, and he almost glowed in his luminescence. The sight of Ysaak in a post-orgasmic state was breathtaking, and it made her want to send him there again.

With that thought in mind, she began to ramp up the intensity of her suction again and yelped a protest when he suddenly lifted her off him, almost violently, though he didn’t hurt her.

“No,” he almost roared at her as he pushed her into the mattress, pressing her back firmly into it as he parted her thighs and took up residence between them. “I must be inside you now, my mate.”

Her body was eager and ready for him, and despite his intimidating size, the perfect design of his cock made it easier to accept all of him than she would have expected. His girth eased inside her slippery passage a moment later, and she moaned as he stretched and overfilled her in a delicious way.

“I knew you were mine when I saw your picture.” He almost completely withdrew before thrusting back into her again. “Tried to deny it... Fool... Mine,” he completed with a growl as he began to thrust rapidly in and out of her.

She met each thrust with her own intense need, slipping a hand between her body so she could stroke her clit and bring herself closer to the edge that much faster. Their joining was frantic and intense, and everything she had ever wanted, but nothing like she had expected.

Briefly, as she hovered on the edge of orgasm and could feel his shaft twitching inside her in preparation of his own release, she considered the idea of asking him to pull out. Realizing there was no danger of pregnancy, since she wasn’t suffering from Kaiser’s Syndrome, she ignored the impulse and clamped her thighs around him to pull him even deeper inside her spasming sheath.

They orgasmed at the same time, and they shouted out their mingled pleasure as they came together, and when he whispered, “My mate,” against her ear, she didn’t have the strength or the inclination to refute the assumption, at least not then. Being in his arms like that, and in a vulnerable state from passion and release, she couldn’t find a valid reason to refute his assumption that she was his mate.

Chapter Five

Embeth woke alone to the annoying beeping of the alarm she had programmed on her smartphone. Ysaak must have slipped out sometime in the early morning hours, and though she understood the need to be discreet, she still keenly felt his absence.

As she rolled out of bed, her head was swimming, and chills shook her. Her entire body ached, and it was like having the ‘flu and a migraine all at once. She barely made it to the en suite bathroom before she vomited, having to spend several minutes leaning against the toilet before she was certain she could stand up.

Falling ill was an unexpected turn of events, and she hoped she hadn’t picked up some dreadful alien virus for which she had no immunity, though she had learned during her research that Dazons rarely suffered from any illness, since most had been eliminated due to genetic manipulation and nanotechnology. More likely, it was something she’d picked up on Earth before her departure, and it had taken a few days to incubate.

A quick shower left her feeling just slightly better than death, and she managed to slip on a loose black dress that was appropriate for the morning meeting, but wasn’t too taxing to put on.

A glance in the mirror revealed her complexion was more gray than brown, and she looked awful. Though she lacked the energy to do it, she forced herself to apply enough makeup so that she didn’t look like she was about to keel over. She didn’t think she was critically ill, but she was definitely the sickest she’d ever been in her life. Not that she would allow that to keep her from hopefully getting a peaceful agreement settled with the emperor that day.

She had barely finished preparations when there was a chime at her door, and the hydraulic doors parted to reveal Damon standing there, with Ysaak a couple of feet behind him. “If you’re ready, Ambassador Williams, I’ll escort you to the meeting room,” said Damon.

“That won’t be necessary, Lieutenant Connors. I’ll take the ambassador.”

Damon seemed nonplussed by Ysaak’s words, but he inclined his head.

She fell into step beside Ysaak, leaning heavily against him for a moment as a wave of lightheadedness swept over her. She trembled from a chill, and his arm around her waist.

“Embeth? What’s wrong?”

She gave him a shaky smile and concentrated on walking forward. “I woke up feeling ill. I’m sure it will pass, and I’m certainly not delaying our talks because of a touch of the ‘flu.”

He looked concerned. “Why don’t I take you to the medical facility before the meeting?”

She shook her head, almost immediately regretting the motion because caused a wave of nausea to overtake her. “No, that won’t be necessary.” Since the Dazon relied heavily on nanotechnology for health, she assumed the solution offered to her would be in the form of nanotechnology.

She wasn’t opposed to the technology, per se, but she wasn’t about to undertake the treatment herself, and especially not on an alien planet where Jorvak Ha was the chief scientist and could take advantage of the opportunity to study her physiology as he had requested during the state dinner.

As they neared the meeting room, she forced herself to step away from Ysaak, straighten her shoulders, and walk through to meet the Emperor and First Prince on her own steam. She nodded to Ysaak when he held the chair for her, hoping no one else saw how heavily she collapsed into it.

It was a surprise when Ysaak sat beside her rather than taking the open chair beside his father, and she could see the Emperor was puzzled by his actions as well. Had she felt better, she might have tried to quietly encourage him to return to his usual post, but she was certain he was sitting beside her as a way to monitor her health, and she didn’t have it in her to fight him.

“Good morning, Emperor Talek and First Prince Aryk.” She barely darted her gaze in his direction as she spoke his name, mostly keeping her attention focused on the older man beside him.

“You don’t look well,” said Aryk with a smirk. “Would you like to postpone the meeting, Ambassador?”

She was surprised by his perceptiveness, assuming he had barely glanced at her before, and certainly not long enough to notice when she was in a state of health versus sickness, but she waved a hand and tried to appear unconcerned. “No, thank you. I’m certain I’ll be fine. It’s nothing a little rest can’t cure.”

Aryk’s smirk grew, but he simply shrugged his shoulders. “As you wish, Ambassador. For my part, there is no reason to drag out the meeting anyway.”

“Oh?” She forced herself to look at him, trying to hide her disdain. “What do you mean by that, First Prince?”

“I mean my position is well-established, and I consider these so-called peace talks a waste of time. Your planet has a resource we require, and we should simply take it. You’re a primitive species, and we owe you neither respect nor acknowledgement of equal status. You should be thankful we’re willing to take some of your primitive race and integrate it into our advanced civilization.”

Ysaak snorted. “How advanced could we be if we’re seriously considering stealing half the population from a planet and forcing the women to...what, be our breeding partners? Or perhaps you think our wives, and they’ll fall nicely in line with whatever we demand? Is that what you envision, brother?”

Aryk looked unconcerned. “Dr. Ha assures me there will be ways to deal with any rebellion. It’s a simple matter to withhold the nanotechnology that keeps the disease in check.”

Nausea surged in her gut, and she wasn’t certain if it was from disgust or her illness. “Yes, and then half the mothers die, as we’ve observed on Earth. Of the fourteen pregnancies that went to term, six of the Earth mothers died, leaving sixteen hybrid babies with no parents. If that’s your plan, you might as well just steal the eggs instead and continue to manufacture your children in breeding facilities instead of raising them as part of a family unit.”

Aryk shrugged again. “I have no objection to that plan. I see it as a fine idea, but there are those who wish to restore a more feminine balance to our society, and they must be appeased. Earth women will provide that, and then subsequent generations of human/Dazon-hybrid females will take over the role. Dr. Ha anticipates we can completely breed out the human genome from our species within five generations.”

Ysaak was clearly angry as he leaned across the table, glaring at his brother. “I told you it was dangerous to put that man in charge of anything, and when you decided to promote him to Chief Scientist, I registered my protests virulently. He’s bad for our empire and bad for relations with the humans. We should send that mad doctor back to Earth to face justice there.”

Aryk blinked, looking astonished. “You would hand over one of our brightest scientific minds to a bunch of barbarians? Some of their civilizations still practice the death penalty.”

“You make that sound like a bad thing,” said Ysaak with a sneer. “When it comes to criminals like Ha, I could fully support a return to the death penalty.”

Aryk glared at him. “It’s clear to me that you’re an Earth sympathizer, brother. When I’m Emperor, you will be relocated as ambassador to that backwater planet. You can oversee what’s left of the population after the culling.”

“Culling?” asked Embeth as a wave of dizziness passed over her. She was thankful for Ysaak’s support, because she wasn’t feeling up to verbal sparring with the First Prince.

“We’ll select the best stock for breeding, and the rest will be left behind. Should they offer resistance, they’ll be executed.”

She had to take several deep breaths to center herself and fight the pounding in her head. “You just demeaned my planet for having cultures where the death penalty is still used as justice and now speak of killing my people with ease? Doesn’t that seem hypocritical to you, Prince Aryk?”

She darted a glance at the Emperor, who had yet to speak a single word and seemed to be impassively viewing the proceedings as though it didn’t affect him at all. It was frustrating as hell, and she wanted to scream at the old man to settle this once and for all.

“You’re an inferior species, and sometimes animals must be put down. It’s as simple as that.”

Ysaak let out a low growl. “What kind of monster are you, Aryk? I never knew you could be so heartless and self-consumed with your own wants that it would blind you to doing the right thing.”

Aryk’s voice took on an angry edge too, and he was almost shouting when he replied, “It’s not self-consumed to worry about our race over that of the useless humans. They are a resource to be exploited and nothing more. If you elevate them to equal status, it obfuscates the issues at hand and simply complicates matters further.”

“It forces you to deal with us like we have feelings, opinions, and emotions,” said Embeth before clearing her scratchy throat. She greedily drank the water beside her in an attempt to rid herself of the irritation. “Of course you must disconnect or find a way to lessen us in order to enact the simplest, yet most brutal, solution available to you. I’m thankful you’re not yet Emperor, Aryk.”

“Not yet, but I will be soon, and whatever flimsy peace accord you reach with my father, I won’t guarantee I’ll support it. I have decided on a solution, and if my father delays progress, it’s nothing more than that—a delay.”

Suddenly, the Emperor spoke. His words were authoritative, though his voice was calm and almost without intonation. “That’s enough, Aryk. I’ve observed you both over the past few days and have seen the differences between you and your brother. I’ve watched how you would each handle the situation before us. I’ve spoken privately with the both of you, and though I knew your stances, I still had to see for myself how you would react when given a chance to make the right choice.”

Aryk’s lips tightened, and he looked at his father as he furrowed his brow ridge. “There’s only one right choice here, Father. I hope you’ll be wise enough to make it, but if you aren’t, whatever you do today can be undone when I ascend to Emperor.”

Talek looked sad as he shook his head. “That won’t happen now, Aryk. I’ll be amending the Articles of Succession so that Ysaak takes over for me upon my passing. That will happen at the next meeting of the High Council, and you’ll officially be removed as my heir. You’ll always be my son, but it’s clear to me that you’re not well suited for the position of Emperor.”

Aryk’s mud-brown eyes darkened, and flecks of black mixed in with an occasional flash of mustard-yellow seemed to suggest he was enraged, though it was difficult to tell for her, as a human, how to interpret his physiological changes.

“You can’t be serious, Father. Lines of succession are clearly delineated. The First Prince always becomes Emperor.”

“Except in the case where the First Prince is incapacitated, unsuited to lead, or dead. All those circumstances have occurred in the past, and the Second or Third Prince has always inherited, depending on who was left in the family.”

Aryk scowled. “Are you planning to kill me then, Father?”

“No, of course not. I’ll simply make it known you’re unfit for leadership. Ysaak has far more compassion and wisdom than you do, my son. It pains me to admit it, but it’s the truth. You’ve always been selfish and willful, and prone to take the easy path, but I’d hoped you would outgrow it as the planet-cycles passed. Sadly, it has become entrenched in you. They are sad traits to find in any Dazon, but particularly in one meant to lead the people.”

Aryk was clearly enraged as he stood up so quickly that his chair hit the orangestone floor and skidded across it several feet. “You won’t get away with this. I have supporters and friends. They won’t accept this, Father.”

Talek looked unconcerned. “They will, my son. There might be resistance, but they’ll fall in line, and all will do what’s right. They might be politicians, but many of them still have compassion and understand the need for a peaceful solution to our mutual problem with the humans. You will alienate them with your own beliefs, and there will be no meaningful resistance.”

Aryk didn’t speak as he stormed from the room, though his anger remained like a palpable cloud for a moment as it settled over the three of them like a gloomy shroud.

She cleared her throat after a moment’s silence. “I take it then, Emperor, you’re open to discussing a solution that’s beneficial for both Earth and the Dazon empire?”

“I am, Ambassador, and have been from the start. I’m particularly anxious to find a solution that doesn’t require my only daughter to enter the breeding center in two planet-cycles. I think we can find an accord that will be satisfying to both planets, but it’s clear to me that you’re in no state to do so at the moment.”

She wanted to protest, feeling the need to hammer out the details and get them cemented while the emperor was so amicable to cooperation, but a wave of fatigue swept over her, and she didn’t think she was successful in hiding it. Ysaak and Talek exchanged a quick look of concern that was evident on both their faces, and the emperor nodded his head toward the door.

“Ysaak, escort the ambassador to her quarters before returning to me. There are many details to address, and I feel the need to move with haste before Aryk can mobilize resistance.”

“But you said—” Ysaak began.

Talek waved a wrinkled hand. “Yes, and I believe most of the High Council will fall in line and understand, even accept, the wisdom of the General Council and my position on this matter, but I don’t want to underestimate greed and cronyism either. We must settle things quickly.” The emperor turned his gaze back to Embeth. “That, along with your own comfort, is why I hope you’ll feel up to finishing these talks tomorrow, Ambassador Williams.”

She inclined her head and gritted her teeth, determined she would be ready even if she had to wheel herself in on a gurney for the discussion ahead of them.

Shortly thereafter, Ysaak took her arm and led her from the meeting room. Her legs felt wobbly, almost like jelly, and they were less than half the distance to her chamber when they gave out completely. She would have fallen if Ysaak hadn’t scooped her into his warm embrace, holding her tightly against his chest as he strode down the hallway to her assigned suite of rooms.

For decorum’s sake, she should have told him to put her down, but she really was in no shape to walk on her own. She managed a feeble greeting for Damon, noting his alarmed expression and vaguely aware of Damon telling Ysaak he would fetch a medic from the landing team.

She was reassured at having an Earth medical officer rather than someone from Dazonia Major, and she relaxed against Ysaak as he carried her into the room to lay her on the bed. Embeth clung to his hand when he would have moved away, murmuring his name.

“I don’t wish to leave you, belisa, but you heard my father. Timing is crucial, but you won’t be alone. Your guard has gone to fetch a medic from the human team, and I’ll send in my sister Taleeza to watch after you.”

She wanted to be weak and beg him to stay, finding his presence the most soothing of anyone’s, but she forced herself to push past that urge and nod at him. She wasn’t normally such a baby when she was sick, and she would be just fine in the care of the human medic and his sister. Technically, she was certain she would be fine on her own, but she allowed herself a moment of weakness and admitted she didn’t want to be.

Somehow, she managed a shaky smile for him. “It’s all right. You have to do what you must. I’m just happy the emperor agrees with our position, and it’s vital to see everything put in place as quickly as possible. Don’t worry about me.”

He was holding her hand, and he brought it to his lips to partially kiss across her knuckles. “How can I not worry about the state of health of my mate? You’ll be heavily on my thoughts, and I’ll check in with you often through the communication system. I’ll return to you in person as quickly as I can, Embeth.”

She nodded, certainly not up for dissuading him from that. She yearned to call him back when he left her chambers a few moments later, but she resisted the impulse. She wasn’t alone for long, because a young Dazon female entered the room a few minutes later, followed shortly by Damon and Lieutenant Powell, who was a military officer and a trained medic.

Like Damon, he was from the Air Force and had been recruited for the assignment due to special skills and his interest in traveling to an alien planet. She briefly remembered the scramble in the Pentagon to figure out who had jurisdiction for her security when it came to an alien planet.

The lieutenant gave her as thorough an exam as possible with his limited equipment. “I think it’s just some kind of virus, Ambassador. It’s nothing I recognize or I could identify at this moment without cultures and a laboratory—and that’s not really my department anyway—but I’d say it’s just a simple virus. I imagine you’ll be back on your feet in no time.”

“I certainly feel like hell,” she admitted. “You’re certain it’s nothing serious?”

He gave her an un-reassuring shrug. “I don’t believe so. You’re running a low fever, which is suggestive of viral activity, and though I’m sure you feel awful, all your vital signs are normal. It’s something that must run its course, I’m afraid.”

She groaned. “Let me guess? Being viral, there’s nothing you can give me for it?”

The lieutenant gave her sympathetic smile. “Unfortunately, that’s exactly right. I have some analgesics for discomfort, and if you develop anything like a cough, I can address secondary issues, but I don’t have any antiviral medicine on me, and none of that stuff works all that well anyway, to be honest.”

She let out a soft sigh. “I was afraid you’d say that, Lieutenant. Thank you for your time.”

As he moved away, she listened to him speak with Damon for a few minutes, catching the gist of the conversation, which was he wanted the guard to keep a close eye on her and call him if there was any change in her status.

She was distracted from their conversation when the one she presumed must be Taleeza sat on the edge of her bed and placed a cool cloth on her forehead. She moaned her delight at the sensation. “Thank you. You’re an angel.” That reminded her of the mistranslation between angles and angels during her picnic with Ysaak, and she was amazed that had been only yesterday. It seemed like far more time had passed than that.

“I hope it soothes your illness, Ambassador Williams.” The girl was soft-spoken, and she looked young, but not twelve as Ysaak had stated yesterday. No...he’d said twelve planet-cycles. Since a planet-cycle was roughly fifteen months in Earth time, that put the girl closer to sixteen in human terms.

That seemed like a more appropriate age for her, since she had a womanly body, but a young face and shy demeanor—particularly when she looked in Damon’s direction. Her golden luminescence increased slightly, chiefly in the facial region and her brow ridge, suggesting she was blushing with embarrassment each time she looked at the lieutenant.

Even though she felt lousy, it made Embeth want to giggle at the hint of attraction in the girl’s eyes. She well remembered her first crushes, and she was happy the young woman had a chance to experience that feeling before being forced into a breeding facility. As Damon left the room, she asked Taleeza, “Do Dazon females feel it too?”

“Feel what, Ambassador?” asked Taleeza, her brow ridge wrinkling.

“The mating flare?”

Taleeza shrugged. “I don’t know, Ambassador. Surely you’ve heard it’s mostly just a myth or an old instinct that we’ve moved beyond?”

“That’s what your brother said too, until he felt it.” She closed her mouth abruptly, realizing she was giving away far too much information about her and Ysaak, even if it was to his younger sister. She had no idea which side Taleeza would align with, though surely it would be her father’s more reasonable stance. On the other hand, Aryk’s solution of stealing the women or their eggs would free Taleeza from a future as a breeding drone.

Taleeza’s brown eyes sparkled with interest. “How extraordinary. Ysaak has felt the mating flare?”

Embeth didn’t answer her, deciding it was a good time to take a rest and avoid further awkward topics that she had introduced. She closed her eyes, aware of Taleeza’s soothing voice washing over her as the other girl spoke.

“Truly, Ambassador, I don’t know if I have felt the mating flare. Women used to feel it, but the scientists have tampered so greatly with our genetics that I don’t think any feel it now. Of course, we’re hustled off to the breeding quarters as soon as we reach majority, and our contact with males is limited before then, so who can say for certain? Obviously, the government scientists don’t want the females to have a mating flare, or any of the males to feel it for a female, because it would lead to conflict and resistance.”

She opened her eyes again. “Because mates wouldn’t want to be separated?” asked Embeth.

“Precisely.” The cloth disappeared from her brow for a moment before returning with fresh cool water. “I’m certain my brother wouldn’t allow you to be stolen away from him and forced into the breeding facility, where your eggs are harvested every month in an accelerated fashion, and the best years of your life are wasted, while your future is stolen from you one egg at a time. Nor would you be anxious to part from him in order to become an egg factory to produce children you’ll never raise. Am I correct in that assumption, Ambassador?”

“Yes,” said Embeth quietly as slumber started to slip over her.

“It’s a future none of us want, which is why we’re all so hopeful about Earth and the Dazon Empire finding a solution. I’d very much like to have a life outside of breeding.”

Embeth thought she murmured an agreement, but she couldn’t seem to summon the energy to speak. Instead, she dozed and drifted somewhere between conscious and unconscious as Taleeza talked to her, and the time passed.

At some point, she was certain her fever had spiked, and she began to moan and thrash. Pain filled her, and her legs refused to move. She thought she heard Taleeza on the communication system calling for medical assistance.

It could have been moments or hours later when she heard the door open, and she managed to pry her eyes open slightly. She expected it to be Ysaak or Lieutenant Powell, so it was an unpleasant shock to see Jorvak Ha looming over her, flanked by three of his assistants. “No,” she rasped through her swollen throat.

“What are you doing here?” asked Taleeza, trying to insert herself between the doctor and Embeth, to Embeth’s gratitude. “I called for her medical person.”

“I’m far more qualified than he is. Step aside, young princess.”

Taleeza’s shoulders firmed, though it was difficult to make out any other details when Embeth’s vision blurred. “I won’t. You shouldn’t be here. You know the ambassador doesn’t want you here.”

Jorvak looked over Taleeza, who was at least six-feet tall, but still far shorter than the scientists. “Is that correct, Ambassador Williams? Would you prefer I leave?”

“Yes,” she said softly, unable to manage to project any volume.

“That’s unfortunate, because the only one leaving is the princess.” He angled his head toward the door, and two of his assistants began to drag Taleeza toward the exit. She tried to raise her voice to call out to Damon, but he wasn’t in sight when the hydraulic doors opened. Her heart thundered with fear, and she was certain the men in front of her were the reason Damon wasn’t at his post.

“What have you done to my guard?” she rasped.

“He’ll recover,” said Jorvak with a lack of concern. A moment later, he produced a cylinder, and she tried to scramble from the bed as he drew nearer. “Relax, ambassador. You’ll feel so much better after I administer the nanotechnology.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want that. Get it away from me.”

The doctor ignored her, and soon enough there was a sharp pressure against her arm as prongs at the end of the cylinder pressed something through her skin. She knew very well it had to be the nanotechnology and began to panic. She tried to hit out at the doctor, using what precious little energy she had, until she had worn herself out and collapsed against the bed. Her last memory was of Jorvak speaking over his shoulder to his assistant, who was reading data on some kind of tablet-like device. “Well?”

“The retrovirus appears effective.”

Before she could ask what that meant, she slipped into unconsciousness, all reserves of strength depleted; grateful to embrace the darkness and escape the sneering image of Jorvak Ha above her.

Chapter Six

Ysaak looked at his father uncertainly. “Are you certain about this, Father? There’s no need for you to step down, and I truly don’t want to be emperor yet.”

Talek smiled at his son, looking indulgent. “The best emperors do not wish to be so, my son. You should always view it as a burden and not a privilege. Once you become immune to the burden and embrace the privileges that come with being Emperor, you’re far more likely to hurt those beneath you to keep those perks. I have every faith you have the compassion and necessary wisdom to lead our people while negotiating a truce with Earth.”

Ysaak felt overwhelmed, and he balled his hands into fists. “I’m not sure this is what I want, Father.” What he had envisioned was accompanying his mate back to Earth, certain she would insist on returning there, and having no objection to doing so. He had not been groomed to lead the Empire, and he certainly wasn’t ready to have this responsibility thrust upon him.

Nor could he walk away from it, especially when his father phrased it all so logically, making it seem like he was the only choice. It was obvious Aryk was no choice at all, so he supposed he was, unless his father decided to groom Taleeza to take the role instead.

It wouldn’t be unheard of in their empire, but female rulers had always acted as regents for their sons until majority the few times emperors had passed before their male descendants could reach legal age to rule. It was completely unheard of in the last three generations, since the Veluvians’ biological weapon had crippled their females’ fertility and driven them to the edge of extinction.

He was certain Taleeza would much rather embrace the role of Empress than breeder, but she was even less equipped to lead than he was. She’d been groomed for the life of a breeder, not a leader.

“If you think it’s best, Father, I’m willing to be your heir and lead the Empire, but please rethink retiring. There are too many changes occurring too quickly, and the people will accept it better if you remain at the head for a while longer, to ensure stability.”

Talek shook his head. “No, I believe change is exactly what we need. We’re entering a new phase in our society, and we need a younger emperor and his lovely human mate to lead us through it.”

Ysaak jerked in surprise. “What?”

Talek chuckled. “I’m old, but not blind, my son. It’s quite obvious to me that you have claimed the ambassador as your mate.”

Heat swept up his neck and into his face, and he felt awkward with his father for the first time in years. “I haven’t bonded with her yet, Father, but I hope to when our arrangement is finished.”

Would Embeth even entertain the idea of staying permanently with him on Dazonia Major? As Second Prince, he had been virtually free to do as he wished, including relocate to Earth. As Emperor, he would be tied to the planet. With a heavy heart, he signed his signature beside his father’s a few moments later, yielding to his father’s persuasive arguments while hoping it didn’t cost him his mate.

They had barely finished the paperwork when the door burst open, and Taleeza came rushing through, pushing away the guard trying to stop her. “Let me through,” she demanded.

“That’s enough.” Ysaak waved off the guard as he stood up from the table where he and his father sat to walk to his sister. “What’s wrong, Taleeza? Is the ambassador sicker than she was?”

“Yes, but it’s worse than that, Ysaak. I sent for her medical person. I believe she called him a lieutenant something... It wasn’t her lieutenant that came though. Jorvak Ha and some of his assistants are in her room, and they threw me out.”

Ysaak let out a howl of pure rage as he tore from the sitting room and his father’s private suite to ran down the corridors of the palace, covering the distance to Embeth’s room in record time. He was dismayed to see her guard slumped against the floor, and he paused briefly to feel the other man’s neck, finding a steady pulse that suggested he was simply unconscious from whatever means, but not on the verge of death, and not in imminent danger.

His thoughts were focused squarely on his mate as he opened the door and rushed through, prepared to fight Jorvak and his assistants to the death if required. Instead, he found the suite deserted, other than Embeth sleeping on the bed, snoring softly. Everything was deceptively quiet and peaceful, but he was certain Taleeza hadn’t lied to him about Ha being there, and he would have believed his sister even if Lieutenant Connors hadn’t been passed out in the hallway.

Cautiously, looking around the room as he went, he approached Embeth and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling her throat for a pulse. He let out a harsh sigh of relief when he found it steady and strong beneath his fingers. Her eyes opened a moment later, and that fevered, glassy look he remembered from earlier was gone. She simply looked confused, and her color was much better than it had been. “What’s going on?” Suddenly, her dark eyes widened, and her fear was obvious. “Ha was here. I think he hurt Damon and maybe your sister.”

He shook his head. “No, Taleeza is fine. She’s the one who alerted me to the danger, and your guard is passed out, but appears stable. Do you know what he did to you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t remember much. Something about a retro...” She trailed off, closing her eyes before they opened a moment later to reveal her annoyance. “I’m sorry. I can’t remember what they said. I remember he gave me an injection of nanotechnology, and I feel much better now. Whatever he did, I think he dealt with my illness, but I’m concerned about what samples he might have taken, or what else he might have done to me.” She put her hand on her stomach suddenly. “What if he impregnated me?”

He put his hand over hers. “I’m sure he didn’t. Remember, you don’t have the necessary mutation to make you compatible with Dazon genetics.”

She let out a harsh breath, clearly relieved. “Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry. I’m still a little fuzzyheaded.”

He put his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest, because he needed the reassurance of holding her in his embrace. “Perhaps he just treated you and did nothing improper, but we’ll arrange a medical exam from someone trustworthy as soon as possible.”

At that moment, her communication system buzzed, and he pressed the button. “Yes?”

“It’s awful here, Ysaak. I had to run. I couldn’t stop them.” Taleeza’s voice came through the speakers, thick with tears.

“What do you mean?” As he asked, the hydraulic door hissed open, and Damon staggered in, holding his head. “Taleeza, what’s going on?”

“Aryk and several men, including Jorvak, stormed into Father’s sitting room a few minutes ago, and they killed him. He’s dead, Ysaak. I ran, and he didn’t try to stop me, but I’m afraid.”

“Where are you?” After getting his sister’s exact location, he looked down at Embeth, knowing he couldn’t leave her. Instead, he pinned his hopes on the human male, lifting his gaze to meet Damon’s. “Will you find my sister?”

Damon, though looking worse for wear, seemed alert and capable. It was clear his loyalty was with Embeth, and he flashed her a look of consternation. “I have my orders, Prince Ysaak.”

“I know that, but I’m asking you to do something for me—something very important. I’m sure you’ve realized Embeth is my mate, and I can’t leave her, especially not in this vulnerable state. I can’t be two places at once, and I need someone to ensure my sister makes it safely to the folding ship. We have to get off this planet as soon as possible.”

“It’s okay, Damon,” said Embeth, her voice sounding scratchy, but audible. “I’m safe with Ysaak, and Taleeza might need your help. You know I have my transmitter if we get separated or lost. Also, please contact the rest of the team and tell them to head for the docking bay.”

“Yes, Ambassador.” Damon looked reluctant, but he slipped away a moment later.

“Can you dress yourself, Embeth?”

She looked down at her rumpled dress, giving him a lopsided grin. “I never really got undressed, my love.”

He enjoyed hearing the words from her, but had to focus on getting her to safety at the moment. “Very well. Allow me to contact a pilot I trust, so we can be assured we’ll have a folding ship when we reach the docking bay.”

He watched as she got out of bed, moving somewhat slowly, with a visible tremble, but clearly doing better than she had been that morning. He wanted to hope Jorvak Ha had done nothing more than give her a healing dose of nanotechnology, but he couldn’t help being fearful.

The Chief Scientist being called into treat the ambassador was strange, especially knowing how disdainful Ha was of humans in general, especially those who were of no use to the Empire. That made it seem unlikely he would have simply been there to do his duty or for altruistic motives. He would feel more reassured once she was back at the Moon consulate and could be examined by a trustworthy Dazon doctor.

Using an encrypted channel, he placed a brief call to a friend he was certain would remain loyal to him. It was obvious Aryk was staging a coup, and especially now that his signature was beside his dead father’s on the paperwork that would have announced the change of precedent, making it obvious he had aligned against his brother, he was certain to be at the top of Aryk’s extermination list. He only hoped that didn’t include Embeth as well.

“I’m ready.”

He was pleased to see she hadn’t bothered with nonsense like packing. All she had was a small bag that held her computing device, and he was certain it must have notes of importance, or she wouldn’t bother with it. “Stay close to me, and please do as I say if we get in trouble.”

She smiled at him, though there was a trace of fear in her eyes. “You’ll soon find I’m not one to obey just because a man told me to do something, but in this circumstance, I’ll gladly defer to your experience to fight our way out.”

He walked over to her, taking a moment they didn’t really have to give her a deep kiss before putting his arm around her waist. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to fighting our way out, belisa.”

“I know you’ll get us through, Ysaak.”

Sweat dotted his brow as pressure felt like it squeezed his entire body. “I’ll die to protect you.” He meant every word of it, but it wasn’t his first choice of options. He’d much rather live to a respectable age and grow old with the woman who had so unexpectedly come into his life. He wasn’t certain what the future held for them, but he would be beside her until he was no longer capable of doing so.

He gripped her hand and led her from the bedroom, his focus on protecting her and ensuring his mate made it to safety.

Embeth was strong enough to walk on her own, though it was clear she still felt ill. Ysaak kept one hand around her wrist and the other around his pulser as they moved swiftly through the corridors, heading to the docking bay. Once, they encountered a group of soldiers, and he tightened his grip on the pulser, uncertain if he would be challenged or not.

The largest of the group simply nodded at the prince, calling out, “You should get her somewhere safe, Second Prince Ysaak. Civil war is brewing here.”

Ysaak nodded his head in agreement, hopeful that not every soldier would follow Aryk’s unjust orders after seeing that group, who had made no move to apprehend him or Embeth. He wasn’t certain what the future held, but right now he was focused simply on getting them to Earth.

They ran into another person who stopped them in the corridor as they neared the docking bay. He was a fearsome warrior, and one Ysaak had looked up to since he was young. The man had been Valkor Tosh’s mentor, and Valkor was their most highly decorated war hero, having been forced to act when their old enemy had briefly resurged eight planet-cycles ago.

General Monash and his forces had quickly quelled the Veluvian attack at one of their colonies, while Valkor had singlehandedly destroyed a frigate intent on bombing Sector Two. Their victories seemed to have prevented a wider offensive from the remaining Veluvians. There was still the occasional battle to this day, but the Veluvian army was of little concern.

That didn’t mean the general was peaceful or complacent, and he might be content to follow Aryk. Ysaak was tense as he waited to see what General Monash would do.

“Where are you headed, Prince Ysaak?”

“I’m seeing the ambassador to safety, General.”

Monash regarded them with his one remaining eye, the other nothing more than scar tissue that brazenly stated he was a hero. “Have you a plan then?”

“I’m going to get her on a folding ship and hasten back to Earth.”

Monash seemed to mulled it over for a moment before nodding. “I suppose it’s difficult to have a set plan under the circumstances. Remain flexible and vigilant. Your brother means to rule the Empire, and it’s difficult to say at this point what the outcome of his coup will be.”

Though they didn’t really have time to chat, he couldn’t resist asking the general, “Which side are you on, General Monash? Do you support my brother, or do you favor a peaceful resolution with Earth?”

The general’s ambiguous answer wasn’t exactly reassuring. “I’m a soldier first, and I’m trained to follow orders. Get her to safety and don’t stop for anyone else.”

He nodded, pulling Embeth closer to him and putting his arm around her waist as he hurried her the last few yards from the corridor to the docking bay. His pilot friend had come through, he noted with relief, as he led her up the loading bay doors and inside the ship.

“Damon,” she cried out with concern, breaking away from him to go to her guard. He suppressed a wave of jealousy at the sight of his mate touching another man’s skin, because the logical side of him reminded it was simply to tend to Damon’s wound. The lieutenant had gotten a deep gash in his side. He was clearly enduring the ambassador’s fussing stoically, but Ysaak could see him grit his teeth when she pressed lightly on the wound.

Deciding to rescue the man and discover his sister’s whereabouts, he moved closer to them. It was natural to slide his arm around her and pull her against his side, and though she uttered a small protest, she still nestled against him. He looked down at Damon. “My sister?”

“She’s aboard, Prince Ysaak. She’s gone to fetch a medical kit.” He rolled his eyes.

Embeth sighed lightly. “What about Lt. Powell and the rest of the team? Shouldn’t he be looking at you instead of the princess?”

Damon’s expression clouded, taking on an edge of anger along with sadness. “The quarters they were assigned have been destroyed, Ambassador Williams. I’m not certain if it was a deliberate attack or simply happened during the small skirmishes breaking out, but I couldn’t raise any of them on the radio, and when I stopped by on the way to retrieve the princess, there was no way to enter the rubble.”

Ysaak tightened his arm around Embeth when she swayed slightly, his concern for her rising even as his anger reached a boiling point. His brother had initiated a chain of events that would lead to loss and destruction on both sides, and it was all completely unnecessary if his brother had only been willing to compromise and work together with the humans to reach a solution.

When she started to sway, he placed the pulser in his holster and lifted Embeth into his arms. He passed Taleeza in the hallway, a large medical kit in her arms. “Get him secured, because we’re taking off, and we’ll fold as soon as we’re the minimum safe distance from the planet.”

“Yes, Ysaak,” she said, dipping her head in acknowledgment as she hurried on to fulfill her task.

Ysaak held his curvy mate in his arms, relishing the warmth of her skin and her intoxicating scent, though the tears seeping from her eyes and onto his neck detracted from his pleasure. He hated her to feel pain, and she was suffering. He hated it even more because his family was to blame. His brother had been the catalyst, but he and Talek shared a portion of the blame.

They had been naïve in overestimating the time they had. Neither had expected Aryk to move so quickly, and it seemed obvious now that his brother had already formed a contingency plan for such an outcome, though perhaps Aryk hadn’t anticipated Talek passing succession to Ysaak instead.

More likely, he had simply anticipated what he would do if his father aligned with the humans, and he had planned to overthrow their father the entire time. He felt foolish for not having foreseen the possibility or accounting for it. Rather than letting Aryk storm out of the meeting earlier that morning, they should have arrested him and placed him under guard. They also should have rounded up Jorvak Ha and all of his followers to pack them on a ship and send them to banishment on a distant colony.

The should-haves offered no solution for the present, and he tried to dismiss the thoughts as he stopped by one of the sleeping quarters and laid her carefully on the bed. “I must speak with the pilot, and then I’ll return to you, Embeth.”

She nodded, making no protest, which worried him. He didn’t think she was any sicker than she had been. In fact, she looked to be in better health than she had even a little while ago, but she was clearly weighed down with fear and grief at the loss of her team members. Though he didn’t think he would have the right words, he would talk with her about her feelings once he saw the pilot.

SHE WATCHED HIM GO with a heavy heart, understanding the need for him to leave her for the moment, but wanting to call him back. She was unaccustomed to feeling so bonded to someone and finding another’s presence reassuring and soothing. She wiped her eyes as more tears tried to leak out, determined to suppress the weak reaction until she had time to properly dissect her emotions.

She was sad for Lt. Powell and the others in the team—men and women to whom she had gotten close over the past weeks—but her sadness encompassed far more than the five troops that had been lost during the fighting—or deliberately targeted by Aryk’s men.

Her sadness was for the entire human race, because she knew they faced the possibility of great grief and suffering with no idea how they would escape it. Technologically, the humans were no match for the Dazon Empire, and though she was certain humans would fight, particularly men and women who wouldn’t want to be parted from their families or have them torn apart, she didn’t know if resistance would serve any purpose other than hastening the extinction of the human race.

When Ysaak returned to her a few moments later, she held out her arms. “Help me forget about this for a while.”

He seemed to know exactly what she wanted and needed, and his mouth was soon over hers, his tongue exploring hers as she nipped his lower lip. His fingers were urgent as they removed her dress, and she felt clumsy as she pressed the button on his neck, taking three attempts to get the correct angle to make his suit disappear.

She started crying as he kissed her breasts, and he lifted his head, bringing his mouth to her cheek to lick away her tears. He didn’t admonish her not to cry, nor did he stop his fingers from delving into her wet folds to tease her clitoris. He simply brought her pleasure as he soothed her pain, seeming to understand she was crying for everything, but she still wanted him and needed the physical expression of their love.

As he stroked her before parting her thighs and aligning their bodies, the tears dried up, and the sadness receded in the face of joy. When Ysaak thrust into her, joining their bodies, she saw hope in the situation, and the reason why they would continue to fight, even if it proved futile. Love was worth fighting for, and others surely felt this intense connection. They would also die to preserve it, just as she and Ysaak would, rather than yield to someone who tried to separate them.

His thrusts were deep and hard, and they were both clearly feeling the urgent need to join together and find blissful release. She dug her fingernails into his buttocks, dragging him tighter against her as she met each of his rapid thrusts. He continued to stroke her clit as he thrust in and out of her, and her channel spasmed a few moments later, making his smooth cock twitch inside her as he also attained release.

She whimpered and cried out when his hot seed filled her, locking her legs around him while she wrapped her arms tightly around Ysaak. “You’re my mate,” she said with a sob, though this one was more of happiness than the previous sadness that had weighed on her. “How quickly it’s happened is absolutely insane, but you belong to me, Ysaak.”

He laughed softly before pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “Yes, I do, Embeth, just as you belong to me. You’re my mate.”

She no longer had any doubts of that as she snuggled against him, allowing the aftermath to lull her into a contented state for the time being. Fear, anger, and sorrow would come again soon enough. For the moment, she was content just to have Ysaak in her arms as they made their way back to Earth.

Chapter Seven

They arrived at the Moon consulate a little over an hour later. Folding took little time, but it required being out of the range of any nearby planets or gravitational fields, along with taking time to plot the safest route. It wouldn’t do to fold into the middle of a black hole. They crossed the last forty million miles on engine propulsion after folding near Mars and far from the asteroid belt.

As soon as they landed, Ysaak took her to Dr. Wy in the medical facility, and Damon was right beside her to receive treatment at Taleeza’s tearful insistence. “Honestly, I feel fine now,” she said as he led her into an exam room with Dr. Wy following behind them.

“It doesn’t matter if you do. We need to make sure he didn’t do anything else to you.”

With a sigh, she accepted the wisdom of Ysaak’s words, though she was anxious to meet with the leaders of Earth and deliver the bad news, hoping someone would have a plan that would help give them an edge over the Dazon Empire.

Dr. Wy took several readings via multiple tests, including a full body scan, and the exam lasted for ten excruciating minutes of silence. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as the minutes ticked past, and Dr. Wy’s expression grew grimmer, though he refused to answer any of the questions she asked. All he said was, “Wait for all the results please, Ambassador Williams.”

Finally, he gestured for them to follow him from the exam room back to his office, which was equipped with myriad Dazon technology for which she had no name. When they were seated across from him at the desk, the doctor collapsed into his chair, looking wan. “I don’t believe it. I thought it was impossible.”

“That what was impossible?” asked Ysaak before she could.

Dr. Wy looked directly at her. “I’m not sure how he did it, but Ha appears to have recoded your DNA. You now have the genetic anomaly that causes Kaiser’s Syndrome and makes you a genetic pairing for Dazon males.”

She gasped softly, her head whirling. “No, that can’t be.”

“It’s impossible. He was only with her for a few minutes, and all he did was give her an injection of nanotechnology,” added Ysaak.

A ragged gasp escaped her, and she clapped her hand over her mouth for a moment to regain control. “The dream, Ysaak.”

He turned his head to look at her with a small frown. “What dream?”

She looked up at him, feeling a bit shy in front of the doctor. “That night...when you...when I called you after I had the terrible nightmares. Do you remember that?”

The confusion faded from his expression, and anger took its place. “You dreamed Jorvak Ha was in your room.”

“At the time, I assumed it was simply an old night terror with a new face, but now I think he must have actually been there, and that was when he experimented on me or initiated the treatment—whatever he did to make me have Kaiser’s Syndrome. It all fits. I fell ill the next morning, and I had symptoms of Kaiser’s Syndrome. I was weak and shaky, and my legs didn’t function properly. For a while, they didn’t work at all... Not until he gave me the nanotechnology.”

Dr. Wy looked upset. “If he hadn’t given you the nanotechnology, the disease would have ravaged you. Being genetically induced, it appears your body had no time to adapt to the symptoms, so it caused a rapid progression of the disease. It didn’t do minor damage to your body over a period of years as it does to women born with Kaiser’s Syndrome. The process he initiated was like flipping on a switch, and your body couldn’t handle the overload.”

She scrunched her brow in concentration. “I remember something about a retro...”

“Retrovirus?” asked Wy, looking troubled.

“Yes, I think so.”

He sighed. “That was the delivery system he used to introduce the changes to your genetic code. The nanotechnology would have to be administered separately. They’re using two different technologies.”

Her stomach churned with nausea at the knowledge of what Ha had done to her. “You’re saying I have Kaiser’s Syndrome?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, but the nanotechnology is keeping you in a homeostatic state.”

“Unless he shuts off the nanotechnology by tracing its unique signature and suppressing it,” she said bitterly, recalling Ha had threatened Jada Washington with that, according to the woman’s debriefing of events Embeth had practically memorized in preparation for her mission.

Dr. Wy nodded, but gave her a small smile. “However, the nanotechnology can be reprogrammed to emit a new signal. It’s not as simple as he makes it seem to shut off the healing technology. It requires constant modification to elude the suppression signal, but it can be done, and in fact, the nanobots can be programmed to change their signature on a predetermined, cyclic, or random basis. There’s a solution to Ha’s threat.”

“So Embeth won’t fall ill again as long as no one tampers with her nanotechnology signature? Is that correct, Dr. Wy?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, though there is one more issue we must address.”

The doctor sounded concerned, but also seemed to feel something else she couldn’t quite place. In fear, she reached for Ysaak’s hand, squeezing it tightly as she prepared herself to hear something even worse than the news he had already revealed. “What is it, doctor?”

“You’re in the beginning stages of pregnancy, Ambassador.” He pressed a button on his tablet device, and a large three-dimensional scan appeared in front of them. He tightened the focus to show them a tiny growth in her uterus. She could barely make out anything, even with their advanced technology. “Are you sure? It doesn’t look like anything at all really.”

The doctor laughed. “That’s how most pregnancies began, Ambassador, but I’m positive you’re expecting. The blastocyst is approximately five or six days into development, so it’s a very recent pregnancy.” His eyes sparkled with happiness and a hint of speculation as his gaze darted to their joined hands before returning to hers. “Perhaps within the last day?” he suggested in a neutral voice. “Conception had to have occurred after Ha administered the retrovirus.”

Her cheeks felt warm as she remembered how much she had needed Ysaak on the journey back to Earth, and it was almost impossible to believe the sex they’d had two hours ago had resulted in a pregnancy, one that was already detectable via alien technology. “It’s amazing,” she said, gaze glued to the image of the blastocyst in front of her. The doctor zoomed in further, and she could make out what looked like several dozen cells encased inside the zona pellicuda, which still protected the cells. If she remembered biology class properly, the cells inside would break through the zona once they embedded into the lining of her uterus.

“Do you wish to continue?” asked Ysaak, sounding choked.

She looked at him with surprise. “With the pregnancy, you mean?” At his nod, she didn’t have to think about her response. “Of course I do.” Apprehension sent acid up her esophagus. “Don’t you?”

He let out a heavy sigh. “I do. Of course I do. I’m just concerned about the future, and your safety, along with his or her safety.”

Dr. Wy interjected, “I can tell you the gender, if you’d like to know?”

“Yes,” said Embeth and Ysaak simultaneously.

“The genetic profile indicates he is male.”

Though she was afraid of the future too, she couldn’t deny a surge of joy filled her. “Do you hear that, Ysaak? We’re having a little boy.”

Though he still seemed concerned, his gaze was soft, and a smile touched his lips. “Yes, our own little First Prince.” His gaze clouded. “Though I don’t know what the future holds for him now, or what title, if any, he’ll hold—not that it matters.”

“We can’t know anything for certain at the moment, but we can’t let the looming specter completely suck all the joy out of us, my love.” She squeezed his hand as she said the words, finding she believed them on a deep and instinctive level. There was fear, pain, and suffering coming, but there was still joy and love to balance it. “Are you happy at this moment?”

His gaze was firmly on the scan of their little blastocyst, and he seemed to have acquired new cells in just the last few minutes. “Yes, of course I am, my mate.”

“Then cling to it.” For the moment, they allowed themselves to focus on the happiness and release the fear.

Chapter Eight

The fear returned a thousand-fold later that evening. They were in the cafeteria of the consulate, having dinner as they discussed their future plans. They had just decided they would hold off for a bit before undergoing the bonding ceremony, but Ysaak would come live with her in the interim. Once she was done with her ambassadorial duties, and the humans had settled on a course of action, they would get married the human way, along with undertaking a bonding ceremony to make their union legal on both planets.

“I look forward to having you bound to me for a full Dazon day and night by the kursti, belisa,” he murmured with a hungry look in his eyes—one that had nothing to do with the pasta and garlic bread they were consuming.

She smiled in return, familiar with the ornate strap that bound mates for the first Dazon day and was a symbol of their union. “I wonder what we’ll do with all that time, forced to be with each other for thirty-one hours in close proximity.” Her voice was a deliberate purr.

He threw back his head and laughed. “I’m sure we’ll think of something, Embeth.”

Before she could reply, there was a brilliant flash of gold, so bright that it blinded her temporarily. She shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked out the observation window that provided a stunning view of Earth below. As her eyes adjusted to the intense brightness, she realized the glow was coming from Earth rather than the consulate or the moon. She couldn’t imagine how much more blinding it would be on the planet at that moment.

The intense flash burned for several seconds before fading away, and then chaos ensued. She grasped Ysaak’s hand as they rushed back to the command center, keeping near him because his presence was reassuring even in the confusion, though her mate had no answers either.

Commander Darvig was at the helm, and he was barking orders as Dazons scurried around with data analysis.

Dr. Wy broke into the chaos a moment later, just in time for Darvig to hand him the tablet filled with data.

“Preliminary reports suggest it was a dispersal system for some kind of gas, Dr. Wy. Do you have any clue what it might be?”

Dr. Wy let out a sound of distress after reading for almost a minute before responding. “The women are already falling ill.”

Commander Darvig looked over his shoulder, a fierce frown on his face. “Dizziness, vomiting, loss of coordination... What is it, Dr. Wy? Have our people unleashed a biological weapon on the Earthlings?” He looked ill at the idea.

The doctor sighed. “Yes, of a sort, anyway. It’s not a weapon of destruction, per se, but if I had to guess based on what I’m seeing now, coupled with what was done to the ambassador, I assume they just infected Earth with the retrovirus that modifies the genetic code of humans to add an additional fragment to the ninth chromosome.”

Darvig rubbed his gold-brown eyes. “You’re talking about Kaiser’s Syndrome, aren’t you?”

Dr. Wy nodded. “Yes, Commander. It appears First Prince Aryk and his cohorts have made it so that every Earth woman exposed to this retrovirus will be a compatible genetic match for Dazon males. He appears to have engineered it to exclude human males.”

The commander cursed in the Dazon language.

“And he didn’t deploy the nanotechnology, did he?” Embeth asked Dr. Wy.

The commander looked over at her. “Nanotechnology?”

Embeth nodded. “During my mission to Dazonia Major, it appears he infected me with the retrovirus, and then he administered the nanotechnology the next day to keep the symptoms in check. I doubt it was for altruistic purposes. I would guess he just didn’t want us to know yet what he was doing, until this horrible act was completed.”

Ysaak looked sick. “He intends to hold the nanotechnology as leverage to force the cooperation of Earth and make them turn over the best breeding stock.” He said the last two words with a disgusted curl of his lips. “I can’t believe how shocked I am by this after seeing what he’s already done, but I couldn’t have imagined such a twisted and vile plan, or think he would be capable of forcing half the humans into breeding and servitude.”

“Not so shocking,” contradicted Taleeza, who had been a quiet spectator in the corner until that moment. “Dazon males have done it to the females for the last three generations, and they care even less about human females than their own species.”

Ysaak nodded, clearly agreeing with her, albeit reluctantly. “You’re right, sister.”

“Now what happens?” asked Embeth. It was the obvious question, but with no obvious answer.

IT TOOK HOURS BEFORE their theory was confirmed, and even more time spent by the leaders of Earth on debating whether it could actually be true. It was early the next day before there was a general acceptance among world leaders that the reason women were falling ill was because of a biological weapon used by the Dazon Empire.

As an ambassador, especially with the unique perspective obtained from having been to the planet and present during the coup to replace Emperor Talek, Embeth was involved with the debate behind the scenes and the teleconferences coordinated from the central hub of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. She had folded there with Ysaak early that morning, before he had returned to the consulate.

By early afternoon, the leaders had reached a consensus that war was the only answer. Embeth wanted to disagree, but she had no alternative options to offer, especially with the state of health among the general population.

Dr. Wy was currently synthesizing nanotechnology as quickly as he could, and women would be receiving doses as soon as possible, but in the meantime, half the population of Earth was suffering or ill. There had been a catastrophic number of miscarriages already, and female infants and elderly women in particular were faring poorly.

The babies and elderly should be the top priority when the nanotechnology was available in large enough quantities, but she was certain the nanotechnology would go first to the elite before eventually trickling down to the “common” population. It was disgusting, and for a moment, she could understand why Aryk and his group considered humans barbarians.

Not that the Dazon were any better, having practically poisoned half the population with little regard to what would happen to the weaker members of the race. A large number of elderly women and many of the babies had already succumbed to what the scientists had dubbed ROMKS, or Rapid-Onset Mutagenic Kaiser’s Syndrome.

Only the young, strong, and previously healthy women seemed to be handling the severity of symptoms, though there weren’t any signs of recovery yet. This must have been what Aryk had referred to as The Culling when he had talked about selecting the strongest breeding stock. He’d just left out the detail that they would only take the ones who survived the process and ignore the ones who didn’t or were severely weakened by it.

The president addressed the world that afternoon, having inserted herself as the spokesman for all the world leaders. For a change, Saunders didn’t look perfectly coiffed and poised. She seemed frazzled and looked ill. As a world leader, she, along with all the other female heads of state, had received one of the first batches of nanotechnology that were available, so her symptoms had remained relatively mild and were mostly in check now, but there was still evidence she had been suffering too.

“It is with a heavy heart I confirm news reports that the Dazon Empire has attacked us to infect human women with a virus that will reprogram our genetic material to make us compatible with their DNA. They wish to acquire human women, or at least our eggs, to continue their race. Our negotiation efforts have failed, and the Dazons proved intractable. They insist there’s no peaceful solution available, and we’re reluctantly forced to agree. World leaders have unanimously voted to declare war on the Dazon Empire. Although a frightening prospect, for the first time humanity is drawing together to face a common foe. I’m confident we’ll emerge stronger than ever from this threat, and with a new sense of unity and purpose among all people on Earth.”

It was a pretty speech, but Embeth didn’t buy it. The way the president had swayed and paused to dab her brow to remove perspiration at the key moment when she assured them they would all emerge stronger was an unintentional dose of irony, she was certain. The president was saying the right things, and they were probably what the people needed to hear, but Embeth could take no comfort from the speech, and she had no faith in the president’s words.

At that moment, they were united, but it had taken a lot of squabbling and negotiation just for the major world leaders to agree on an initial course of action, whose sole task was to declare war, but without a substantive plan of how they would do so. She was skeptical that the union could last, even in the face of a common enemy, but she couldn’t continue to worry about that at the moment. She just didn’t have the energy.

She was leaving the conference room with seating for five hundred, along with international teleconferencing equipment, when Ysaak folded in front of her. “What are you doing here, Ysaak? I thought we’d agreed to meet at my apartment this evening. I expected you to still be at the consulate.”

He put his arm around her. “We must return to the consulate as quickly as possible.”

She didn’t even have a chance to reply before he had folded them back to the antechamber of the consulate. It was normally an open area with people coming and going. Today, it was filled almost to capacity, with Dazons and humans alike pressed against the glass of the observation windows. He angled them into a small opening between a group of Dazons, and his gaze seemed to be frantically scanning the stars.

“What is it?” Fear curled in her stomach like an icy ball.

“Our long-range sensors have detected an armada approaching.”

“Armada? Aryk?” she asked, her breath hitching in her chest as panic filled her.

“We don’t know yet, but it seems likely.”

She clutched Ysaak’s hand and leaned against him. “They’ve come to harvest the women, haven’t they?”

He hesitated. “Or just their eggs, though that will still require taking the women they’ve selected. I really don’t know his exact plans, my love.”

Grim possibilities occurred to her, chief among them being torn away from Ysaak, and then she wondered what they would do with the infant already inside her when it was born. Would she be allowed to raise her child, or would he be shunted to a rearing facility while she was forced to be a breeder in a breeding facility?

Her heart ached at the thought, and for a desperate moment, she wanted to get in the ship that had folded them here and disappear to one of the other colonies or somewhere else uninhabited in the galaxy. In their explorations, the Dazon had mapped a good portion of the universe, and Ysaak would know where to go.

Before the selfish impulse could take root, the armada entered their view. It was too late to flee now if they could physically see the ships without the Dazons’ advanced technology. The armada would see their ship folding and might destroy it. She wasn’t yet ready to throw away her life, Ysaak’s, and their unborn child’s in an attempt escape the Dazon.

All the communication screens nearby suddenly filled with the face of the man she had seen in the corridor as they had made their escape from the palace. She didn’t remember his name, but she recognized his scarred face, particularly his missing eye. “That’s General...”

“Monash,” said Ysaak.

“Is he Aryk’s man?”

Ysaak shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose we’ll find out soon enough, belisa.”

“This is General Monash of the Dazon Armada. We’ve come to protect Earth from First Prince Aryk’s unlawful campaign to exploit Earth and its resources, including humans.”

A wave of relief swept through her, and she collapsed into Ysaak’s arms, detecting he was also trembling slightly with relief. She couldn’t determine the size of the armada, or the number of Dazon warriors aboard each of the ships, but that they had some support and advanced technology gave her new hope for the forthcoming war with Aryk and his supporters.

She squeezed his hand and clung to that hope rather than submerging herself in fear.

IF YOU MISSED THE FIRST two books in the Dazon Agenda, you can buy or borrow them with Kindle Unlimited exclusively on Amazon:

WRITTEN IN THE STARS

ALIEN’S BABIES

“Moon Madness,” the next book in the Dazon Agenda, is now available. It features a different couple, but continues the overarching plot of the series.

Don’t forget to leave a review!

Please take a moment to leave an opinion about this book! Readers really rely on reviews and your opinion can help others decide on future purchases. Make sure your vote counts!