Page 9 of Blinding Light

“Knock, knock, who’s there? Are you trying to test me?” When his hand crawled across the other side of the wooden frame, devious fingers practically touched Cyprian’s hot forehead, and he let out a satisfying murmur. “Definitely new to Helion customs.”

The thought of him actually touching him made him shiver, and he tried to block out Bekn’s words.

That wouldn’t happen. Not here on a spaceship.

Right?

“I’m going to tell you a little secret. Did you know that the Imperial family can sense other heartbeats?” The Imperial laughed from behind the wooden frame. “Yesss, give it to me.Thump. Thump. You didn’t know, did you?”

Cyprian’s heart lunged to his throat as the meaning of those words kicked in.

“Yes, that’s right. I can feel your heart beating as if it were my own. But faster, oh so fast. I can feel your fear. Hmmm…delicious.”

Cyprian felt movement. His breath hitched when the Imperial raised himself to his full height and shoved the bed away. He stared him down with those prying amethyst eyes, smiling. Both of his incisors were adorned with shining silver gems that made them look like murder weapons. “Hello there, littleaeon.”

3

Moargan watched as the stranger with yellow eyes stared at him from where he was huddled behind his bunk. He could practically feel his beating muscle, the sweetest of ambrosias when followed by a good contest. Especially when it was wildly thumping like this one.

Fear.

Helplessness.

Trepidation.

Moargan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Yes, the air was filled with fear, thick and dripping like sweet honey.

The stranger was trembling, his mouth slack.

They appeared to be around the same age, though they didn’t share the same build. He was smaller, slender. He looked innocent, the way the unruly black hair tumbled down his head and curled behind his ear. He had pale, smooth skin that carried soft features.

He was stunning.

But that wasn’t why he’d come down here to play, was it? Moargan inwardly shrugged. Okay, maybe that was part of his reasons. He hadn’t liked the guy standing in his way earlier, onlyto flush so sweetly before hiding back in the shadows. He’d wanted to see more of him. Had been drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

Moargan didn’t know why. Besides, he didn’t need to have a reason. He was the heir to Helion’s supremacy. He was an Imperial. He could have anything and anyone he wanted. And right now, that was this enticing stranger.

His multi-slate dinged with the information he’d requested, making this stranger not so much of a stranger anymore, his grin widening when he saw the other guy flinch. Moargan took his time to take the other guy in, from head to toe. He sat practically folded in two. “Now that doesn’t look comfortable.”

“H-how did you find me?”

“Thump. Thump. Thump. I don’t need my sight to sense your presence. Perhaps you should ask yourselfwhyI wanted to find you?”

“D-did the captain say anything?”

Interesting question. Moargan slowly shook his head, making an internal note. “He did not. Xander, is it?”

“Okay.” The stranger swallowed, and Moargan’s gaze became more intense as he watched the way that slender throat bobbed. When he caught Moargan staring, his cheeks blushed. “Uhm, yes, that’s my name. So…then…why did you want to find me? Sir.”

Moargan snorted but didn’t correct him. Funny what that one-syllable word did to his insides.

I bet I can make you run.

Oh, did he love a goodAureate. Moargan wasn’t anything if not true to the name of his heritage. His family were predators, and as the heir to their empire, Moargan took the freedom he was given.

“Trust me, I can think of a few things,” he replied, pressing a finger against his lips as if contemplating his options. “You see, I called for you to tend to my needs. But then you had to go andrefuse the honour.” He pressed himself against the bed frame, grinning when he saw Xander cowering away.

Those fascinating, yellow eyes flicked to the door before they swept back to him, unsure.

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