Page 46 of Owned

“Likely, but that is not why I am doing this.”

“‘You don’t honestly believe that, do you?’” Zevon threw Laidon’s words back in his face. “I think it’s time that we both stop fooling ourselves.” He ran his fingers through his long dark hair then shook his head. “I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do with you.” He turned and strode down the corridor as he muttered, “Get some sleep. You look like shit.”

* * *

Raina and Cylex were curled up on the couch watching an Altorian entertainment vid. The holographic characters moved freely around the room creating a much more immersive experience than a human movie, but the story was similar to several caper flicks Raina had seen back on Earth.

Kern had spent the morning hunting and came back with an animal called aporinate.

Cylex had been impressed. “The herd is large, but fast. I’ve tried to take one down numerous times and failed. I didn’t take you for much of a hunter.”

Kern shrugged as he hoisted the carcass up in one of the trees behind the house. “Jevara’s father loved to hunt. He took us with him for the first time when we were five. Jevara hated it, but I loved it. So the emperor took me and left Jevara with his mother from then on.”

“I bet that went over well,” Raina said as Kern began to skin the carcass. Everyone in Alaska hunted and fished so this was nothing she hadn’t seen many times before.

“We were already competitive, but it definitely didn’t help.”

Cylex offered to assist Kern with the carcass, but Kern shook his head. “No need for us both to cover ourselves in blood.” After dressing theporinate,Kern sliced off three thick steaks for their dinner and handed them to Raina.

She cringed as the thick slabs of flesh smeared her palms with blood. Good thing she had a strong stomach.

The males tossed the offal into the fire pit and covered it with ash, not wanting to attract scavengers. They carried the carcass into the garage to protect it until Kern had time to butcher it properly. They entered the kitchen and Cylex retrieved a plate for the steaks. He stashed them in the refrigeration unit while Raina washed her hands.

“I need a long, hot shower,” Kern assessed as he glanced down at himself.

“We were watching an entertainment vid,” Cylex told him. “Would you like to join us?”

“Yes, but don’t wait for me. I might be a while.”

That had been almost an hour ago and Kern had yet to join them.

Cylex slid his hand down from her waist and pinched her behind. “Where are you? You’re clearly not paying attention to the vid.”

Truth be told, she’d been distractible for the past couple of days. “The two weeks was up yesterday and I’m still not sure what I should do,” she admitted. The past ten days had passed in a blur of companionship and eroticism. Kern’s willingness to share his past had opened the door to honest communication. It had been the launch point for a courtship that was intense and passionate. It also contained laughter and tenderness, which she hadn’t expected.

Raina insisted that Cylex expand the transfer link to include Kern. When and if she allowed them to claim her, they would do so together. It was important that all three of them take this journey together. Feeling the intensity of Kern’s emotions thrilled Raina, made it easier to give up control. Both her mates cared for her deeply and her attachment to them was rapidly growing beyond physical attraction. In fact, she was starting to dread returning to the Citadel.

Rather than stress about the pressures awaiting her, she intentionally spent time with them separately. She wanted to know them both much better and whenever they were together there was a definite current of competition. It was fun to watch them try to outdo each other, but she needed them to start working together. So as the days passed, they hiked through the woods and swam in the pool tucked away in a shallow valley beyond the house. They ate all of their meals together and sipped wine on the porch as they watched the sun go down. They shared stories about their lives, their friends, even the people like Jevara whom they hated but couldn’t avoid.

The only subject they hadn’t tackled yet was the future, and they were out of time.

“What are your concerns?” Cylex’s voice was quiet yet careful and his mind was shielded, keeping her out.

“I don’t want to be a soldier. I’ve never taken a life and I’d really like to keep it that way.” She sat up and scooted back until she leaned against the arm of the sofa. She hadn’t planned to leave the cabin today, so she’d dressed in a baggy tee and pull-on shorts.

Cylex told the entertainment vid to hibernate and sat up as well. One of his long legs moved back to the floor while the other was bent in front of him. “Power triads do more than participate in battles. Your cousins have both been assigned nonlethal missions.”

She thought back over what Flora and Cara had been asked to do. Flora’s triad had destroyed a shipyard to prevent Jevara from ramping up his fleet of lethal fighters. It had turned into a battle, but only after the Torretians attacked. Cara had been sent on a rescue mission. Again the only fighting resulted when the Torretians left them no other choice.

“Unlike Jevara, the Citadel’s ultimate goal is peace and cooperation,” he went on when she didn’t comment. “We would much rather trade with the Torretians than destroy them with elemental energy.”

Kern strolled into the living room towel drying his long hair. He wore a loose pair of pants but had yet to don his shirt.

Raina’s gaze moved leisurely over his sculpted torso and she unconsciously licked her lips. She might be more comfortable with Cylex, but Kern never failed to get her heart racing.

A sexy grin bowed his lips and his silver-blue eyes shimmered. “You look hungry, pet.”

He refused to drop the nickname and she had to admit she was starting to like it. “I’d rather work some things out first.”

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