His Highness the Duke (21 page)

my life started to end when I came here. The moment we came together in the tent, my

biological clock began to tick. I‘m dying, Bron. It is the curse of my people. When a

female has sex, she begins to die. Otherwise, I would have lived forever. So when you

dismiss me like I‘m some simple woman who needs protected from the details of

what‘s happening, I get insulted. In a roundabout way, I gave up my life for this

possible battle. I gave it up to save your world. So if I annoy you by asking about the

alien threat too much, or am persistent, that is why. I want my last acts to mean

something. So, when you say you will handle it and dismiss me, I feel very

disrespected.‖

She became very animated as she spoke. Bron instantly swung down from his

mount and went toward her. ―Dying? Are you …?‖ He searched her for signs of pain,

but saw none. He sniffed the air. She didn‘t smell sick. In fact, she smelled sweet.

―Yes. I don‘t have much time. So you can see why I need you to tell me about the

Tyoe.‖

―How much time do you have? There must be someone I can call. The palace

doctor. A medic? The Medical Alliance for Planetary Heath—they will have an answer.‖

―Maybe fifty years,‖ she answered mournfully.

―Fifty…‖ He frowned.

―I know. I‘m sorry.‖ She didn‘t move off her ceffyl.

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His frown deepened. He would have asked her if she was joking, but he could

see she was serious. ―Is that not the normal lifespan of a human?‖

―Earth human, yes, but my people were not from Earth. We are immortal until

we have sex.‖

He breathed deeply. ―You smell very human to me.‖

―I am human, just a different kind of…‖ She frowned and moved to slide off the

animal‘s back. ―You think I‘m lying about this? What possible reason would I have to

make up such a thing?‖

―No, I know you are not lying, but perhaps you are… mistaken?‖ He

automatically lifted his hands to help her down. ―If you are human, this concern is not

valid. When you became my wife we became joined. Our—‖

―The queen already told me about the whole sharing years thing, but I don‘t

think it will work with me. We might have been young at the time, but my sister and I

remember very clearly what our mother said. When a woman has sex, her biological

clock begins to tick and she begins to die. The species must go on, and that is why

motherhood must be carefully considered and—‖

Bron sighed with relief, believing to understand. ―You were young?‖

Aeron frowned. ―Yes.

―You are not dying.‖ He reached to cup her face. ―Your mother was trying to

keep you from attracting the attention of boys.‖

―My mother was not a liar. My grandmother and aunts and cousins were not

liars. We all knew the…‖ she paused and took a deep breath. ―It was the last thing my

mother…‖

His expression fell. ―Last? How old were you when you lost her?‖

―I was sixteen years when we lost them all,‖ she said bitterly.

―All? Was there an accident? Like a mine collapse?‖ He reached for her but she

shied away from him.

―I guess it doesn‘t matter anymore.‖ Aeron paced away from the ceffyls. The

animals took the opportunity to start grazing along side of the road. They licked at

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plant blades, pulling them into their mouths. ―My home was destroyed. Not just my

actual home, but my whole planet. The Gregori had a weapon, a very big weapon, and

they wanted to test it. My planet was conveniently located. That‘s it. Convenient. Their

ship didn‘t even land. It just bored a laser drill into the surface and ignited the core. It

happened so fast. We, my sister Riona and I, were in space. We were on our way back

home after an educational trip to the Zonar District. The only consolation was the

resulting blast blew apart the Gregori ship and it was destroyed. Apparently it was in

direct line with an energy factory. Bad luck for them. There was no way to calculate

how the energy blast from that factory would have projected. The Federation looked

into it, but it was determined everyone involved was already dead. That is why I

originally applied to work at the Federation, to see their investigative reports. They

called it a tragedy and that was it. Everything I knew was gone and it was simply a

tragedy with no one living to blame.‖

―You‘re Jagranst?‖ Bron had remembered hearing tales of the planet that died.

She stiffened, but nodded. ―My brother, Mirek, heard variations of the story from

different travelers when he was in space doing ore negotiations. I did not know there

were survivors. We weren‘t even sure the stories were true. They sounded like a scary

tale told to frighten. I‘m sorry that happened to you, Aeron. I did not know.‖

It was no wonder she was so desperate to help his people. He couldn‘t imagine

seeing his home, his people, his planet, destroyed before his eyes with nothing to be

done about it but watch and live on. Had he lived through that, only to discover that it

might happen again, there was nothing he wouldn‘t do to stop it.

―Riona and I are all that is left,‖ she said. ―I didn‘t mean to get into this

conversation. It has no real relevance to stopping the Tyoe or the fact I‘m dying.‖

Bron felt her concern, her fear, her sadness. So much was made clearer with her

story. He was a man of action and, as such, he would take the only action he could.

Right now, that would be to comfort his wife by taking control of the situation. ―We

don‘t know that you are dying.‖ Just saying it caused his gut to tighten, but the warrior

in him refused to just accept that as her fate. ―I will give every year I have to ensuring

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you are with me. If you are to die, we will die together. I gave you my years, Aeron. I

will not take them back now.‖

Fifty years was a long time in some ways, but when compared to an eternity, he

could see how she would feel she didn‘t have much time. It would have to be enough. If

that is all they had, it would be enough. He could not imagine living without her. It was

that simple.

Bron wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and keep her safe.

Every instinct told him to protect her like the delicate creature she appeared to be. But

there was a strength in her, born from tragedy and impossible to ignore. ―It is too soon

to give up hope. Whatever time the gods give us, we‘ll take. But one thing we Draig

know how to do is fight. Whatever comes, whatever needs to be done, we‘ll do it.

Together.‖

* * * * *

Aeron took a deep breath. Her heart raced. She didn‘t look at Bron, couldn‘t, not

yet. A strange relief washed over her as she told him the truth. The past was hard to

face, but telling him hadn‘t been as difficult as she imagined.

A hand pressed against her shoulder. ―What you feel is relevant. It is why you

came here. It is why you are trying to save my people from a threat we didn‘t know

existed. You have given us the chance your people never had. Because of you, we are

aware and we will be ready.‖

She gave a small laugh. A tear rolled over her cheek from her watery eyes and

she wiped it away. Aeron turned to him. His face was so open, so calm and sure, yet

there was concern in him too. She felt more than saw it. ―I thought it was fate that

brought me. The will of the gods.‖

―That, too,‖ he assured her. The breeze tousled his hair, pressing against his

handsome face. She lifted her hand, brushing back a strand of dark brown hair to

uncover his eyes. ―None of us know how long we have to live. Do not spend your days

feeling as if you are dying.‖

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The words might have sounded like a command, but they were soft and

pleading. There were things she wanted to say to him, but she didn‘t know where to

start. She‘d already told him so much. She hadn‘t planned it. The words had just rolled

out of her like she couldn‘t keep it all inside anymore.

―If there is a way, I will save you from that fate.‖ He cupped her cheeks, turning

her face toward his. ―By all the gods, I will find a way to keep you with me or we die

together.‖

―There is no reason for you to die if I—‖

Bron‘s kiss cut her words off. The warm pressure of his mouth drew her in. She

was mesmerized by him, pulled by every fiber in her being to be closer to him, to

explore the feelings reeling inside her, inside him. It became impossible to decipher

which were hers and which were his. The sensations were overwhelming, but how

could she fight such passion, such desire? She felt wanted, needed. It was in his words,

in his touch.

Mindless as to where they were, she pulled on his clothes, wanting to be closer.

His hands formed against her back, inching her skirt up by the fistful. Aeron lifted his

tunic to expose his waist. The warmth of his flesh heated her cooler fingers. She turned

her face to his neck, kissing and biting the skin beneath his ear. She breathed deeply,

taking in his scent.

She kissed her way back up his jaw. He whispered in her ear, but she couldn‘t

understand the Draig words. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, on her waist,

her back, touching the exposed backs of her thighs. She unfastened his pants, wishing

there was a way to get him completely naked. In a moment of sanity, she realized they

were on the side of a mountain path, outside, displayed for whoever happened by.

She tried to pull her mouth away to express her concerns, but his lips stayed

insistently against hers. All thoughts fled as his tongue massaged her lips in a deft

stroke. Aeron thrust her hand down the front of his pants, finding the stiff erection

straining and ready. The fact that he wanted her as much as she wanted him excited

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her. He was inside her mind. She heard his impassioned words begging her for more,

but his mouth was busy on hers. Her thoughts whispered back to him, ―Yes.‖

Bron growled, as if he actually heard what she was thinking. He broke his mouth

free and instantly kneeled on the ground. Looking up at her, he pulled at her hand,

urging her to come over him as he leaned back. Aeron straddled his waist. She glanced

over the mountains and valley surrounding them. She couldn‘t see anyone watching,

but that didn‘t mean they weren‘t there.

Bron reached for her face and turned her focus back to him. ―It is fine. There is no

one.‖

She took him at his word. His eyes flashed with gold fire. A shiver worked over

her. He pulled at her skirts and she lifted up. Hands fumbled and pulled in their

eagerness. Finally, they were able to join. It wasn‘t like before. This time it felt different,

more open. Their connection grew until she became part of him. The tip of him brushed

against her. She gasped and bit her lip, tensing just a little in anticipation.

Bron took her by her hips and guided her down. She closed her eyes as the

sensations of his claim overwhelmed her senses. His desire mingled with hers, her

passion poured into him. It was insanity. It was perfect. Perfect insanity.

Aeron pressed her hands against his chest as she let him guide her thrusts. The

position reminded her of that first night in the bridal tent. She‘d been unable to stop

herself. There had been something about him from the very beginning. As much as he

frustrated her, she still wanted him. At first she had thought she‘d thrown everything

away for fleeting pleasure. Now, she didn‘t feel as if it was thrown away. Instead, she

felt as if fate maybe had brought them together.

Her heart beat hard, thumping in her ears, outdone only by the soft groans and

harsh pants coming from beneath her. The slow grind of his hips was enhanced by the

pull of his hands. The pleasure built slowly. Neither of them rushed the climax. She

loved these moments, the mindless sensation that blocked out everything else.

Aeron watched his face. Passion filled his expression, from the lids that fell

heavy over his brown eyes to the part of his lips. His body strained. She detected the

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flex of his muscles beneath this clothing. She pulled at his tunic, exposing his stomach

to touch his flesh. His thrusts became faster, more insistent. There was no stopping the

onslaught of pleasure as it erupted between them. She tensed, closing her eyes as her

head fell back on her shoulders.

By small, shivering degrees sanity returned. His breathing slowed, even as she

still struggled to find her breath. He moved beneath her, prompting her to open her

eyes and look at him. Bron rolled to sitting. The movement caused her to pull off him as

she sat back on his legs. Before she could speak, he took her face and kissed her. He

appeared very pleased by what had transpired. No, it was more than appeared. He was

pleased. She felt it as surely as she felt her heartbeat only now starting to slow down.

―It is time I took you home, my lady,‖ he said against her lips. ―We have much

yet to discuss.‖

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Chapter Twelve

Aeron guessed that it was evening, though the green-tinted light barely changed.

The air did cool some and she was glad for the long sleeves of her dress—even if the