Stop (Cold Mark Book 3) (2 page)

My back straightened at the implication. Even if it were true.

Killeg slid with a gentle glide, barring Stiller’s view from me. He didn’t say anything. He just continued to hold his best friend’s gaze with a dominating glare only a Pluma could enact. I was thoroughly content with not being on the receiving end of it.

The look was enough. Stiller bowed his head in a respectful manner and jumped off the bar. Although his casual stride halted at the parlor door. In a soft tone, he stated, “I hope you two know what the fuck you’re doing. She’s not worth our extinction and you both know it.” With those parting words, he went to check on Jax.

My lips thinned, and my own words were soft. “Well said.”

Out of view, Stiller still shouted, “Hell, you fucks. Even the damn Human knows it!”

A gentle, sardonic chuckle from behind had me spinning in a flurry.

I had no clue when Phila had exited their bedroom, but he stood only a foot away from me. The corners of his eyes were crinkled as he peered down, holding my gaze. Black eyes so intriguing in their complexities were full of hilarity. He admonished gently, “Braita…how do you know we won’t start a war if you choose your Plumas over us—not the other way around?” My jaw gaped as he tsked gently, brushing his long hair over his shoulders, and showing the tips of his pointed ears in sharp relief. “Or will we?” He hummed ever so quietly, his attention honed solely on me. “It is a conundrum, is it not?”

I snapped my mouth closed. “Riddles are not helping this situation.”

He shook his head and lowered his face to mine. “Oh, but this is a riddle…yes?”

My black brows gradually furrowed because he was more right than he knew. “Perhaps.”

He leaned forward, his eyes wholly capturing mine.

I held perfectly still, curious as to what he was planning.

Sweetly, he kissed the tip of my nose. “You know it is, Human.”

A seven-foot-tall Mian peered down at me. It was the delegate of Triaz I had first encountered when my name had been called on Joyal. He was also the litigator currently handling the transaction—me—between the Plumas of the east and the west. His blue glowing eyes stood out from the darkness of his imperial hooded cloak which sported the Triaz symbol—even though he clearly wore the mark of the west on his left temple, a circle with a line through it. His expression was blank, hiding all thoughts of what he was truly thinking as we stood outside the hov-craft deep in the dark woods, surrounded by the Plumas of easts’ bodyguards. They had arrived at this location before we had landed. He asked, “Are you well, Ms. Valorn?”

“I am.” Even though there was a cool breeze ruffling all the bodyguards’ colorful hair, Phila and Killeg stood on either side of me, their body heat warming my arms.

He tilted his tall frame in my direction and took an exaggerated sniff above my head. He pulled out a small bottle of perfume from his cloak. I jerked in surprise, tucking my head down when he began spraying it all over me. It was a fragrant scent, but also, surprisingly clean. I choked at the overwhelming smell filtering through my nostrils, coughing loudly in agitation until he stopped. He put the perfume back in his cloak, his words simple. “You don’t want to see your Vaq smelling of the east, do you?”

I barely kept from blushing, though my tone was strong to hide all fonder that had occurred on the hov-craft. “I was on their ship. How else do you expect me to smell?”

I could have sworn his lips twitched before he turned and started walking, and I know I heard him mutter under his breath, “
Less of them, Ms. Valorn
.
Definitely less of them.”

I stuck my tongue out at his back. No one could see with my hood up as it was. He was a smart ass, which was as interesting as the man himself. I quickly put my feet into motion as our group followed behind him, trekking through the underbrush. I spoke in careful Mianese to his back. “Sir? What is your name? I’ve never caught it.”

“Rule.”

I blinked. “Rule?”

He didn’t glance back. “Yes, Ms. Valorn. I go by the name Rule.”

“So…Mr. Rule, then.”

“No. Just, Rule.”

I stepped over a large root dipping out of the hard ground. “Rule.”

Patience kept his posture relaxed. “Yes, Ms. Valorn.”

My head teetered back and forth in thought. “That’s neat.” I grinned. “Rule.”

Monotone. “Thank you, Ms. Valorn.”

Jax snickered behind me where he walked next to Stiller. “Enough, Braita.”

“I do think it’s neat.” I gazed back. Winking, I whispered, “He rules the roost of Triaz.”

“Yes, Ms. Valorn,” Rule stated loudly. I jerked my attention forward, my eyes wide on the back of his hooded head. He was still walking with a casual stride. In plain English, he murmured in his monotone voice, “I do rule the roost of Triaz.” He glanced over his shoulder, his blue shimmering eyes piercing me in place, so much so, I had stopped walking. “And, now, if you would please be quiet? These guards are here for a reason, as is our clandestine location for the Plumas of the easts arrival in Center.”

My mouth bobbed for a moment, and then I nodded quickly. Quiet. I could do that.

Firmly put in my place, I kept silent as we trudged for miles through the forest surrounding the city of Center. The only light came from the glowing Mian eyes to mark my way where Mian from the east and west came to ‘play’ together.

Bless Mother Joyal. We didn’t have to hoof it the entire way to our destination. Black vehicles now carted our convoy to our final target. I sat between Killeg and Phila on the backseat of a stretched armored car with Jax and Stiller sitting on the left couch seat that ran along the side of the vehicle. Rule sat on the right couch seat. Done being quiet, my eyes were glued out the tinted window on my left. I asked in awe of the city, “Why do you call this place Center?” I had been unconscious the last time I exited this city, not getting to see anything except the inside of the Coliseum. Massive buildings erupted right next to quainter structures. It was a smorgasbord of a metropolis, the area bustling with activity. Neon lights from buildings glared and blinked at me from signs luring Mian inside for pleasurable entertainment.

Phila explained, “We call it Center because our force field is centered—located—here. The technology creates a circle throughout the restrictive pulse wave, allowing citizens of the east and the west to cross over from their own land into it.”

My brows scrunched. “You mean, normally, people of the east
literally
can’t cross over into the land of the west, and vice versa? I thought it was merely a politeness to keep the peace.”

Killeg snorted softly. “Damn, they seriously didn’t tell you shit.”

I placed a stopping hand directly in front of his face. “Enough. Just answer the question.”

Killeg smirked at the order, knocking my hand away with a gentle move. “The marks of the east,” he pointed to the star near his right eye, “and the marks of the west are linked to the force field. The mark we choose to obtain—at the onset of puberty—keeps us from crossing into lands where we should not be. It is why the Plumas of the west could not cross over into our land without us allowing it. Here at Center, everyone can gather. Though, no weapons are allowed, except for the Coliseum if a game is planned.”

“Huh, you mean like the ‘arrival ritual’ you made us endure?”

“Yes.” He paused, eyeing me. “The arrival ritual was for the Humans own good. The weak would have only been hurt further here. A swift death for those who could not handle our ways was a mercy.”

“We’ll agree to disagree on that point.” Of course, we would. It had been barbaric in the extreme. Too many Humans had died that day. It was damn near impossible for a Mian to understand that though. I moved on. “How do you allow someone to cross?”

“Each mark contains a numerical code. The delegates of Triaz control the force field. If we would have asked them to allow a certain number to pass, then the delegate would have entered the number into the system, and the individual would have had access to the east. Most delegates live here at Center. Their highest duty is to maintain the force field.”

My eyes skimmed to the right and held on a certain litigator. “Your name does fit.” The delegates literally controlled the land. And, survivable land was everything to any race.

No remorse. “Yes, Ms. Valorn.”

My lips twitched. “Will you say ‘cow’ for me?”

The vehicle went quiet, almost everyone staring at me in shock.

Except for Rule. No, his eyes showed nothing from under his hood. “Cow.”

I grinned. I couldn’t help it. “Thank you, Rule.”

He dipped his head once. “You’re most welcome, Ms. Valorn.”

And…I was pretty sure I saw him smile—just a little—as he turned his head away to gaze out the window. He was definitely an interesting man. One to watch. One to have on my side. He may not have been initially impressed by me when we had first met, but Rule was made of flesh and blood. And everyone had their quirks. I just hoped I was a pleasant one for him.

Stepping from the vehicle, the front entrance to the lavish hotel held my attention. Up above on the mounting steps to the open double front door of the glass structure were my Vaq. They stood side-by-side, both with their arms crossed and feet spread in a solid pose of intimidation. Their own guards dressed in black, just as the Plumas of the easts were, flanked them for this greeting of warring factions. The oxygen in my lungs was non-existent as I peered back and forth between Malik and Leo, a man of gold light, and a man of black darkness.

Though I knew, their appearances were the exact opposite of their personalities.

A trick they held close.

It had worked on me, I was ashamed to admit. But it wouldn’t happen again.

Touching where the Solo on the back of my neck had adhered to my flesh, I was eternally grateful to now have it. I could observe and decide on my own free will what I truly thought of my Vaq.

Rule stared up where they gazed down at me, and then turned his attention to me. “Do you need a few minutes, Ms. Valorn?” He lowered his head and spoke gently. “They are not as frightening as they appear.”

“I know that,” I snapped. My feet were moving before I could stop myself, righteous survival instincts keeping my back ramrod straight. Never show fear to a Mian. Never. The rest of the entourage quickly followed, though Killeg and Phila hadn’t left my side, nearly in perfect sync with me. My Vaq held their ground, evaluating the scene, waiting for me to come to them. I had fled them. It was only natural. I swallowed silently on a dry throat as I ascended the stairs, each one taking me closer to my fate.

When I was in the wake of the light from the open doors, my feet faltered. A quick hand on my back from Jax kept me moving. With determination to show no fear, I stopped mere inches away from my Vaq. I tilted my chin up, raised my brows, and stated coolly, “Malik. Leo.”

My eyes widened in shock, and a harsh grunt escaped past my lips, when Leo grabbed my right wrist and pulled me over to the ‘side’ of the west. I grumbled softly, but he hadn’t hurt me. In fact, his touch had been remarkably gentle, a beautiful dance of defense, twirling me to face the Plumas of the east. It was hard to not roll my eyes as Malik and he stepped even closer together, squishing me between the two of them. “Okay, okay. I get it.”