Tallusian Nights [Xihirian Shifters 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

“Those clothes are rather large on you. Sorry, they’re mine. We’ll find you something better later.”

“Oh thank you.” Zalora smiled. “You put all those cosmetics in my room, too.” The woman nodded. “I appreciate borrowing the clothes and thank you for thinking of all the other things, too. You were very kind.”

“My pleasure.” Tanta grinned. “We girls understand each other.”

“Yes we do.” Zalora grinned, too.

“Follow me.” They walked a distance then took a lift three levels up. When they walked off the lift, they walked into an enormous room, full of windows looking out into space. The view was magnificent. Zalora looked around to see out of the windows.

“This is glorious.” Zalora spun around. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I love this room.”

“This is the captain’s deck. This ship and this deck are outstanding. This way to the dining area. A special meal has been prepared. Captain Val Braeden’s suite is on this deck as are his offices.”

“Really? Nice.”

“Yes, you’ll like it.” Tantia grinned. Zalora tensed.

Do I still smell like Val? He told me I would. For sure, Tantia knows there’s something between me and Val.

“They’re all waiting for you. You’re our guest of honor.” Tantia smiled. Zalora could smell the food, and her stomach growled. Tantia heard it, too. “It does smell good. You must be starving for a good meal. We have excellent chefs.” When she entered the room, her father did not look pleased. Hostility, anger, and confusion mixed with more negative emotions attacked her like weapon’s fire. He stood rigid next to his wife. Colletta looked troubled. Then a wave of worry combined with fear entwined with her father’s emotions bombarded Zalora. She stumbled as if they pushed her back. Tantia quickly grabbed her arm. “Are you okay, Princess?”

“Yes.” Zalora coughed. “Call me Zalora.” She turned to look at Tantia. Surgeon Triller, Kade, Val, and two other Xihirian men she did not recognize stood next to her father at the other end of the room near one of the immense windows. In the distance, Zalora thought she saw Tallusia. Even though it had suffered much, it still looked like a beautiful blue ball.

“Daughter.” His tone was sharp, curt. Instantly, her stomach clenched as she felt impending doom. “I have some distressing news.” Her father’s lips pressed tight together. She hated it when he gave her that look. It was never good. Val looked at her father then to her.

“Yes, Father?” She could feel him seething with anger. Now her stomach boiled up into her chest, giving her indigestion. For a second she thought she might vomit. All of the Xihirians looked at him as if puzzled, too, by his proclamation and tone. Colletta looked down at her belly, rubbing it in a soothing motion. Zalora thought for sure she saw tears in Colletta’s eyes. “What is it, Father?”

Damn, I knew Triller was holding back something.
Emotions from Triller attacked her as well. Her ability to read emotions had signaled her earlier regarding him. She should have insisted on what had changed his mood after the exam. Worry assailed her emotions. Mixed with everyone else’s, she was overwhelmed. For a moment, she felt as if she could faint. She placed her hand on Tantia’s arm to brace herself. Tantia moved closer to her.

“Surgeon Triller tells me you are with child.” Zalora felt as if she could melt into the floor. “Did you hear me?” The rest of the room stilled. “Did you hear me, Zalora?” He insisted she acknowledge him. “You are with child.” Her father grew louder. He stepped closer to her. The humiliation of this public announcement was too much. Zalora put her hand over her stomach as she felt sick.

“I heard you.” Zalora looked at Triller. The old man looked down. Then her notorious temper rushed out of her in a flood of heated words. “Well.” Zalora put her hands on her hips, turning to face Triller. “Surgeon Triller.” Her tone was curt. She could feel his indecision and embarrassment. “You”—she pointed at him—“had a duty to tell me first. After all, I am your patient. I am an adult woman.” She shook her finger at him. He continued to look down. “Regardless of my father being your king, this is my body. Not his,” she raged. “You’ve violated my privacy.” Zalora never raised her voice, but the sharp edge in her tone could cut stone. The entire room remained silent, and no one moved. “How dare you tell him first?” She glared at Triller. “How dare you tell him at all. It’s my decision to tell others. You have betrayed my trust.”

“Shut up,” her father yelled. His expression was furious as he interrupted her lecture of Triller. Zalora immediately silenced, and she sensed Val’s as well as the other Xihirians’ eyes were on her. Heat rushed to her face, heat of rage, embarrassment, and more.

“King Zambali, do not speak to Zalora in this way.”

“You shut up too.” In a flash, her father focused his anger on Val. “You do not speak until spoken to.” He pointed his finger at Val. His hand shook. Zalora had never seen her father so worked up. Val, too was ready for battle. His eyes gleamed and he made a noise low in his throat, making her hair stand up at the nap of her neck. Zalora implored Val with her gaze and put her hand up, motioning him to back down. Obediently Val retreated.

“Respectfully, Father.” Her tone was hushed and tense. “Do not tell me to shut up.”

“I can tell you what I wish. Now, be silent then.” He waved his hand. “Has someone forced himself upon you? Perhaps a Realmist?” He eyed Val. “We will terminate this unfortunate event.” Her father’s face twisted with fury as he turned his eyes to Zalora. His emotions fueled her own.

Her controlled calm evaporated completely. “No, you cannot do such a thing,” she shouted. Her response surprised even her.

“Zalora?” Val turned to look directly at her. His voice sounded gravelly, less human. She shook her head, pleading with him for patience and then turned to confront her father.

“No one has forced me to do anything, except the Realmist blowing up my home, making me leave to survive.” She glared at Triller. “And for sure, no one is terminating my child.”

“Well, what have you done? Have you been a disreputable woman? A harlot?” Her father stepped closer. For a moment, she thought based upon his surge of emotions he was going to hit her. She moved back, flinching. Val stepped closer to the both of them, his hands clenched at his side. It seemed he might grab her father. Urgency set in. She quickly intervened. “I can take care of this situation.” She implored Val then turned back to her father. “No, I have not. I am not a harlot.” She defiantly held her chin up. Val growled low. The sound was frightening, full of loaded intimidation.

“It appears so to me. Whose child is it? Do you even know? Are you such a whore?” He leaned toward her. Zalora’s mouth gaped open, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She could not believe her father would ask her if she knew or call her whore.

“Of course I know.” She looked at him incredulously. “I am not whore.”

“You have obviously behaved as such.”

“Mine.” Val stepped forward. “The child is mine.” His jaw was clenched tight.

“Of course I know.” Zalora ignored Val. So astonished by her father’s question, she had a surge of anger overcome her. At first, she did not even really hear Val’s statement. When she looked to Val, his eyes were blazing amber as he assessed her father. Zalora could feel her father’s sudden apprehension or fear of Val’s reaction. The man bared his teeth. Colletta blushed deeply and stepped behind her father.

“The child’s mine.” The man standing next to Val placed a hand on his shoulder as to calm him. Val growled again, and this time it echoed in the room, making others tense. “The child’s mine as is Zalora.”

“Captain Val Braeden, get your father on the communicator now! This is an outrage,” her father shouted. He was so angry it was pushing his fear down. Again, Zalora was sick from the immense emotions floating around her. “I want to discuss this with him. Now! Do you understand me? I want to talk to your father now.”

“What does his father have to do with this? Val’s a grown man as I am a grown woman.” Zalora stepped closer to Val.

“Daughter, I’ve told you to be silent. I do not want to hear your voice again until I ask to.” He pointed his finger at her.

“I won’t be shut up!”

“His father”—her father pointed at Val—“is the reigning Prince of Xihirah, Admoncor of the Xihirian fleet. His son will not disgrace my daughter in this way. This must be made right,” he yelled to the room. “How dare he disgrace us in this way.” Her father shook his fist. Val seemed to grow larger. His muscles bulked out.

“I have mated with your daughter. She’s mine. The child’s mine. Do not be insulting to my mate.” He made another aggressive sound. “I don’t intend to allow her to be apart from me.” Val stepped closer to her father. This time, Kade stepped closer to Val, and his shoulder bumped his. Kade glared at him. Val glared back but seemed to cool. Kade’s action was an intentional move to redirect Val. The other Xihirians tensed, too, seemingly ready for battle. Kade growled low, hardly audible.

“It’s okay, Val.” Kade spoke close to his ear. Zalora could hear him clearly. Her hearing had vastly improved. Kade noticeably soothed Val’s growing temper. “He wants you to marry Zalora. Be at ease. This will all work out. This is a simple misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding, I’ll be damned.” Her father stomped.

“Your father’s the reigning Prince of Xihirah. You did not tell me.” Zalora looked into his eyes. “I was telling you what it’s like to be a princess, and you already know. All your sisters are princesses, and you’re a prince.” Val eased more at her comments to him. She relaxed, too, almost forgetting her father’s ire. Still Val’s eyes glowed wild. The pupils were long slits. It was obvious Val was a beast bent on protecting what he claimed. Foolishly, her father was too enraged to see the situation clearly.

“Yes, your lover”—he shook his finger at Val—“is the next in line after his father to rule Xihirah. He did not tell you because he’s been dishonest with you. He was only bent on using you for his pleasure. He has taken advantage of my child like a common prostitute.” Her father’s hands fisted, and his face was red. “This will be made right at whatever cost. I will not have my child disgraced in this way. Bringing a child into this universe with this shame.”

“Kade is next in line,” Val corrected, looking at her father with daggers in his eyes. However, his voice was calmed. “It did not come up in our conversations. It was not important what my rank in society is, just who I am as an individual.” Val shrugged, ignoring her father, talking directly to Zalora. “What does it matter who my father is? Or if I am going to rule Xihirah or not. None of it matters.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She looked down. “I’m not going to force you to marry me.” She shook her head. “Don’t worry.”

“You aren’t forcing me to do anything. No one forces me to do anything I don’t want to do. I want to marry you or join with you, as we say. You’re my mate. You’re mine. I told you you were mine. You did not protest. You agreed. Do you not recall?” He stared at her. His eyes were exceptional bright amber. His voice slightly elevated. The emotions which passed over his face made her heart sink to her stomach. It was clear. He thought she was rejecting him. She was not going to allow the hurtful feelings to take root. She loved him. Her heart pounded from her own emotion.

“Val.” She threw her arms around his neck, kissing his face.

“Unhand him, daughter,” her father huffed. The Xihirian soldiers relaxed. Kade’s eyes mellowed. “Look at you. You act like a whore.” Her father pointed. “You are a shame to me.” Despite her father’s words, Val relaxed. Kade stepped back. “You behave shamefully in front of others. You are not the princess I raised.” Her father shook his head in anger. “You can’t keep your hands off your lover even in front of me?” Still they ignored him as they continued their conversation.

“I want you, too. I’m mad at you, but I want you, too.” She kissed his cheek again.

“Mad at me?” Val looked confused. Her father cleared his throat.

“You.” King Zimbali shook his fist. “Unhand my daughter, immediately. You cannot touch her until you are married to her. Do you understand me?” Her father stomped his foot. “My daughter will not be treated as slut in public even though she has behaved as one.”

“Excuse me, King Zimbali, Zalora is not a slut nor has she ever behaved as one.” Val enunciated each word. His eyes blazed brighter, and his teeth elongated fully, making him look fierce. His voice deepened to nearly unrecognizable. She was almost afraid of him. The beast was about to make an appearance. There was a look of amazement then concern on the other Xihirians’ faces. Evidently, they were not used to Val’s temper being uncontrolled. Her father stepped back, alarm on his face. “Do not,” Val growled as he stepped toward her father. “I repeat, do not call my mate, who is the princess of our people, a slut or a whore. Do not disrespect her in any way.”

The other Xihirians moved closer to Val as if surrounding him. Kade looked worried and again bumped Val’s shoulder. Her father’s temper cooled. Val looked to Kade, and Kade’s eyes blazed. They both seemed to communicate silently to each other.

“I want to speak with your father now,” King Zambali asserted in a softer voice. Fear raced off him. He pushed too hard. He knew it from the emotions she could feel from him.

“You’ve humiliated my mate in front of others by your untimely announcement. This announcement should have been joyful. But first this should have been done privately. Dr. Triller has violated Zalora’s privacy. Some things are inherently personal.” He glared at Triller. “There’s no shame in what we’ve shared, not to us. You’ve hurt Zalora.” Val growled again. Her father backed up further, almost into his wife. Indecision passed over his face. However, he did not hold his tongue.

“You will marry Zalora within this day. You will make her child legitimate.” Her father’s face reddened with rage again although he’d subdued his temper. It was clear he was fearful of Val and the others. This was not his world. Zalora could feel her father’s emotions swamping her. She wanted to gag from the weight of them. With every effort, she pushed the impulse down. But it did not stop the heated emotions coursing through her. Her father was confused, upset, hurt, and more. She felt his sliver of guilt.