ROMANCE: MENAGE ROMANCE: Tapped and Taken by Two (Pregnancy Sports MMA UFC Fighter Romance) (Alpha Male Romance) (48 page)

~

Larisa followed Nillana through the corridors of the Halpasen royal palace. She wasn’t so keen on meeting this “Lord Kallos”, and as much as it freaked her out, she was grateful that someone—perhaps Trella—had taken the liberty of bathing her while she was unconscious. Even in her own company, she wasn’t fond of smelling poorly.

Larisa tried not to stare at any of the other Halpasen they passed, but she couldn’t help but notice the looks they gave her. She was a short and pudgy human amongst a species of the tall, slim, and elegant. She was glad she had at least been given something more suitable to wear than her yoga clothes or that nightgown. The embroidered hem of her long dress grazed the floor as she walked. The long sleeves were itchy, and the bust was a bit too tight, but the golden belt cinched at her waist and showcased her hourglass shape raised her confidence. Even though she was traversing the halls of an alien palace, and even though she actually still wore her running shoes.

Nillana paused at a tall door flanked by two guards.

“Your betrothed is behind these doors,” she said. “You’ll meet him now.”

Larisa took a deep breath, Nillana watching her carefully with her large violet eyes. They unnerved her a little. Getting the sense that these aliens weren’t too quick to anger though she went ahead and finally asked the question that was on her mind as kindly as possible.

“What if I don’t want to… get married?” Larisa dug her thumbnail into her index finger. What she really wanted to say was, “you need to take me back right now, cause there is no way I’m marrying an alien.”

A look of seriousness though descended on Nillana’s face that Larisa hadn’t seen before. “You
will
get married,” Nillana said. “He cannot ascend to the throne without a queen, and he refuses to take one of our own. He needs you. And you will need him.”

“I—”

“Go,” Nillana said, tapping the door with the back of her hand. It slide open with a hiss. “Do not waste his time, mine, or yours.”

She put a hand on Larisa’s back, guiding her inside the chamber.

It was a long chamber, reminding Larisa of the interior of a church with its punctuating columns, decorative banners, arching walls, and high ceilings. There was a large, curved window along the back wall, backlighting the figure who stood in front of it.

“Nillana,” the figure’s voice boomed. There was a smile in the voice, visually masked by shadow.

“Brother,” Nillana greeted him back. “Meet Larisa Cathaway.”

The figure stepped forward, descending a few steps and bringing his features to light.

Sea-green eyes looked out from iridescent, honey-olive skin. His jawline was sharp, but the slope of his nose gentle. His ears, adorned in dangling silver, curved up to a fine point from between tuffs of platinum hair. He stood a good few feet taller than her, and the broadness of his chest was exemplified by the shoulder pads built into his outfit of draping sheets of black and emerald green.

“Larisa,” he said, his voice like a spring breeze. “It is my absolute pleasure to meet you at last. I am Kallos Nyh’jas, prince of Halpa. I trust my sister treated you well?”

“As well as could be expected, I suppose, considering I was abducted,” Larisa said before she could correct herself. As captivating as he was, her tongue moved faster than her brain. “I mean—” She stuttered.

Larisa, you idiot
, she scolded herself.

Kallos smiled and held up a hand.

“I can understand that,” he said. “I take no offense.” 

He regarded her for a long moment, the silence sending shivers up Larisa’s arms regardless of the warm humidity in the air.

“Nillana has brought me a true beauty,” he said. “Both externally—and from what I see now, internally. I am pleased.”

Larisa blushed.

“I am glad you approve of her,” Nillana said. “I did spend some time searching for the right one.”

Larisa looked from Kallos to Nillana, and back again.

“You searched for me?” Larisa said.

“Well, yes,” Kallos said with a kind smile and sparkling eyes. “Not just any human would do as my bride and queen.”

“I—”

“Come, let me show you to your chambers,” he said, taking her hand. His skin felt like soft leather against hers. “They are your own private chambers, of course. Only after the wedding will we share a suite.”

Larisa tore her hand from him, her stomach twisting.

“Wait, wait,” she said, stepping backwards. “I don’t want to get married. I want to go home. Back to Earth. I don’t belong here.”

Kallos’ eyes darkened.

“Of course you belong here,” he said, stepping towards her. He retook her hand and knelt before her. “You will be my queen, Larisa. And I, your king.”

The gesture made her heart quicken, but she pulled away again, this time taking several steps back.

“I—I don’t think you understand. I’m human, you’re, whatever you guys call yourself...Halpasen. I belong on Earth. I don’t want to be royalty. I can’t—I can barely manage leading my own life, let alone an entire planet.”

“I don’t think
you
understand, Larisa,” Kallos stood and straightened his posture. He looked down at her with an expression swirling with anger, sorrow, and confusion. “I sent for you, and only you. Together we will rule Halpa. Together. Planetary origins matter not.”

Larisa stared at his feet, finding them much easier to look at than the painful emotions that consumed his face.

“Come,” he said. “We will get you settled in. You will feel better once you relax. I will call for food and drink to be delivered to you.”

Larisa shook her head, still avoiding his gaze.

Kallos fumed, but Nillana stepped to Larisa’s side.

“I will see her to her chambers,” Nillana said. “She is tired from the journey. We must remember that Earth is not a spacefaring planet. Adjusting to culture shock will take time.”

“Very well,” he said with a heavy, frustrated sigh. “Take her, then.”

Nillana grabbed Larisa’s arm and Larisa allowed the woman to lead her out of the room. Larisa turned, just before the doors closed, to see Kallos with his back to them and facing the window.

The walk to Larisa’s private chambers was short. Nillana showed Larisa inside and pointed out a few sections of wall and pieces of furniture that she could command by touch: the window could be controlled like the viewport in Nillana’s ship, and the bed would unfold from the wall. Lights, temperature, and airflow were voice activated, and on a panel next to the bed, a holo projector could be accessed.

When Nillana turned to leave, Larisa didn’t say a word. Nillana paused, then turned slowly to face her.

“You would do well to remember that Kallos is not just a prince,” Nillana said. “He is also my brother. I will see him happy, and you will be the one to make him so. You
will
please him. You
will
marry him. And you
will
be his queen.”  

  As soon as Nillan left the room, Larisa fell to the floor and cried.

~

“He requests your presence in the palace gardens,” the messenger at her door said.

Something had been beeping in Larisa’s room for the past ten minutes, but she hadn’t been able to discern what. It seemed that eventually, they figured it was better to contact her in person.

“I don’t know where that is,” Larisa said.

“Senna has been tasked to show you,” he said, indicating to a woman at his side.

Larisa looked over at her newly acquired handmaid.

“She will also guide you in selecting proper attire,” he said, turning to leave.

“Wait—right now?” Larisa said.

“Yes.”

The door slid shut behind him.

“Come,” Senna said, activating the wardrobe. “Let us find something flattering for this rendezvous.”

“I suppose just staying in tonight isn’t an option?” Larisa sighed.

Senna chuckled. “One does not simply decline the request of a lord.”

“I’m beginning to get that feeling.”

“Here, try this one on.”

Larisa took the silver dress from her and held it up to the light. There was a charcoal pattern on the front that reminded her of Celtic knots, and a similar design snaking the hems.

“Is there something that isn’t low cut and sleeveless?” Larisa said.

“Sleeves are too formal,” Senna said. “I am not sure how it is back on Earth, but here, the shoulders and neck are sensual places. It is attractive to display them.”

“I don’t really look good without sleeves.”

“Sure you do. Come, try it on. I don’t know if you realize this, but your body type is not something we see here on Halpa. I wish I had your shape myself. It’s just so healthy and voluptuous.”

Senna helped Larisa into the dress and buttoned it up at the back.

“Here,” Senna said, handing her a pair of heeled sandals. “We created a wardrobe for you to fit you in a pleasing manner, but we have been having problems with the shoes. You have tiny feet compared to us, but these should fit.”

Larisa slipped into them. She was surprised, given what Senna had said, that the alien footwear fit perfectly.

“You look stunning,” Senna said. She tapped the edge of the window and the glass turned into a mirror.

Larisa stared at her reflection. She couldn’t help but notice how the black in the dress matched her dark hair, and how the dress hugged her curves. She had to admit that she didn’t look half-bad. 

“Normally I would attend to your hair as well, but I am afraid we don’t have much time. Lord Kallos is already waiting for you.”

“Fine,” Larisa said, combing her hair with her fingers. “Let’s get this over with. I imagine he’s the one I need to convince to take me home anyway.”

Larisa’s first glimpse of the gardens came from above. One of the corridors they passed through bordered an open atrium that looked down on a large, glass dome. The glass was frosted, but shades of greens and browns pushed through. They descended to the entrance floor in a cylindrical elevator made entirely of glass. Larisa looked out at the dome in silent awe. She had seen interior gardens before, but none as large as this and surrounded by glass. She wondered to what degree the atmosphere was controlled inside, and if it housed local species or those from other planets. She thought about asking Senna about it, but decided against it as the elevator stopped and the door opened.

Senna led the way around a corner to an arched doorway in the dome, which opened at their approach. Warm air rushed out at them.

“I will wait for you out here,” she said. “In case you do not remember the way back to your room.”

“What if this takes a while?” Larisa frowned. “You don’t have to just stand here.”

“It is my duty to serve you. I can walk around and otherwise keep busy. I am certain I can run a few errands before you are finished.”

Larisa was about to protest but was cut off.

“Now, go on. You should not keep Lord Kallos waiting.” Senna patted her on the shoulder. 

Larisa took a steadying breath and stepped into the dome. A few steps on the cobblestone floor and the door closed behind her. But she didn’t look back, her attention swept away by the alien fauna before her.

Trees with spiralling trunks stretched far and tall, their canopies a mixture of green and violet; from beds of soil sprung vibrant ferns and broadleaved plants collecting water in their hollows; and flowers as large as her hand hung from trees or curled out from shrubs.

She breathed deeply, momentarily forgetting why she was here and simply absorbing the scents and sights. She ambled along the path, running her hand over the bark of trees and fingertips gently grazing petals. It was quiet in the garden. No chatter common in public parks, just serenity. It was a strange sensation, given the stress-induced headaches she had on-and-off the past two days on Halpa. 

A bit like the botanical gardens back home, Larisa thought.

“I was wondering how you’d like this place.”

Larisa jumped, stumbling backwards and into a tree.

“Sorry—I didn’t mean to startle you,” Kallos said, coming into Larisa’s periphery from where the path split into two.

Larisa held a hand to her chest, as if to settle her racing heart.

“I didn’t see you there,” she said.

“Yes, I believe that is evident. Come, let me show you around.”

He held out his hand. She stared at it, then looked up into his eyes. She blushed, and he waited. Finally, she pulled her eyes away and took his hand. His touch was gentle, as if he was purposely relaxing his grip. Her heart began to beat hard in her chest.

“You shine brighter than the stars, Larisa,” he said after a slight silence. He looked away as he said it, and Larisa wondered if he, too, was nervous. “I must admit that I was worried you would refuse to meet me…”

Larisa stared at the stone ground as they continued walking.