Page 4 of Taken By the Storm King

I blinked hard, trying to focus on the figure filling the doorway.

Whatever he was, he was definitely alien.

His presence dominated the room, his tall frame and the burnished bronze of his skin reflecting the soft glow of the pearls. The scales on his arms shimmered like molten gold, highlighting every subtle shift of his muscles. His face was framed by a short, well-kept beard that emphasized the strong line of his jaw, the dark hair contrasting with the bronze tone of his skin. His black eyes---endless and unreadable---fixed on me, and I stared back in wonder. He was beautiful in a way that defied logic, his appearance both mesmerizing and unnerving. But I couldn’t let myself forget the danger he might pose.

He stayed near the doorway, watching me intently. “You’re awake,” he observed in smooth, deep tones. “How do you feel?”

“Where... am I?” I rasped, barely able to get the words out. My throat felt raw, and I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “What happened to my team?Did you see where they went? Were Brooke, Emme, or Imogen injured?”

“Enemies attacked you and your companions. I brought you here to protect you,” he stated with quiet authority.

“Protect me?” Frustration built within me, sending my heart into an anxious rhythm. “What about my team? They’re still out there! What if they’re hurt? You can’t just keep me here while they---“

He stepped closer, silencing my reply before it formed.“I saw them reach the shore under covering fire from their own vessel before I retrieved you. The currents near the coast are treacherous, and the Mersai were still present; searching immediately would have been suicide.”

I closed my eyes, frustration welling up in my chest. “I’m not safe if I don’t know what’s happening to them,” I protested, emotion making my words unsteady. “You say I’m a guest, but you’ve given me no choice. How is that any different from being a prisoner?”

His black eyes studied me,and I saw a muscle feather slightly high on his cheekbone.“Would you prefer I left you to drown?”

“I’d prefer to know what you want from me.” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. I lifted my chin slightly, though the effort left me lightheaded. “And your name would be nice.”

The corner of his mouth ticked up, a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I am Thalassar,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “And what I want is to understand why humans have come to our world.”

“Lucy,” I offered, though my voice shook as I said it. “And we came because we had no choice. Earth is dying.”

His expression shifted, his gaze turning sharper. “So you seek to take our world instead?”

“No.” This was not at all how negotiations were supposed to go. “We want to work together, find a way to coexist. We’re not conquerors.”

He moved closer, his movements smooth and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. His scales glinted as he moved, their shifting colors hypnotic. My pulse raced as he stopped beside the bed, his height imposing as he towered over me.

“Pretty words,” he murmured with a teasing undertone. “But can I trust them?”

“Can I trust you?” I countered, though blood rushed loud in my head. “You saved my life, then made me a prisoner.”

“Not a prisoner. A guest.” His fingers brushed lightly against my arm, and a shiver ran through me. His touch was warm, almost electric, leaving a trail of tingling awareness in its wake. I hated how my breath caught, but I couldn’t pull away. It was as though my body betrayed me, responding to him in ways I didn’t understand.

“Though I admit, an unwilling one for now,” he continued, his voice softener this time.

I averted my gaze, trying to break the spell of his touch. “Then let me leave.”

“I cannot. Not yet.” His gaze held mine, steady and unyielding. “Here, you are safe.”

“Safe and trapped,” I muttered, turning my head toward the window, though weakness kept me from sitting up to look out.

“You are not what I expected,” he said, his voice closer now.

“What did you expect?”

“Greed. Arrogance. The desire to take what is not yours.” He appeared at my bedside, his silhouette reflecting in the window. “Instead I find... curiosity. Wonder.”

I turned my head slowly to meet his gaze. “Your world is beautiful. We don’t want to destroy it. We just want to survive.”

His hand settled lightly on my shoulder, the warmth of it seeping through the thin fabric of the gown. “Then perhaps we can help each other.”

“How?”

“Tell me of Earth. Of your people. Let me judge if you speak truth.” His fingers trailed down my arm, leaving a path of warmth in their wake. “Stay here, as my guest truly, not my captive. Help me understand.”

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