Page 19 of Tavarr's Mate
“Katrina, it is true that Kleaxians punish their females when necessary, however, Tavarr will be mindful of your past. I have threatened to cut his head off and place it next to Vonn’s if he treats you as cruelly as his brother did, and I will visit you from time to time, as will Zandek, to ensure you are not being grievously abused.”
The breeze picks up and blows my hair in front of my face. I smooth my locks behind my ears and glance at the sparkling night sky, then return my eyes to the prince. I remind myself he’s the one who brought Vonn to justice. He’s the one who beheaded my vengeful former mate and left the stones in the street stained with blood until the first heavy rainfall.
Do I dare trust Prince Kenan to ensure my safety?
What happened to my resolve to only rely on myself and never trust another man?
I glance at the dark forest, sporadically illuminated by the huge flashing bugs that glow bright pink and white as they sail over the massively tall trees. The forests of Tallia are jungles, filled with dangerous creatures, or so all the tourism brochures claimed. Because I’ve never taken a tour in the wildlife, I don’t know how much truth those claims hold.
“Are you actually thinking of running away, Katrina?” He gestures to the forest my gaze is still heavy upon. “Even if you managed to escape Zandek’s house, you would be located quickly. We have the technology to conduct broad scans of the entire planet to search for missing Kleaxians and humans. You wouldn’t get far.”
Damn him for reading my mind.
I tear my eyes from the forest and look upon the lights of the town. Solar lamps brighten the stone streets, and only a handful of Kleaxians are out and about during this late hour, most of them crowded into a small outdoor restaurant on the edge of the market. I spy a human female with long red hair, seated next to a huge Kleaxian at a table. I think it’s the young woman who helped me on the hovercraft. They’re both smiling at each other, and I wonder how she can smile when she’s been claimed against her will and is wearing a leash around her neck. Vonn never took me out in public, so I’ve never worn a leash, but I imagine it will feel most demeaning. Absently, I touch my bare neck.
“Tavarr has come to say goodbye to you, Katrina.”
I gasp and peer around the prince to see Tavarr, the Kleaxian who is apparently burning with a biological fever to claim me, standing tall and staring at me with the same intensity as during dinner.
“Remember what I said. He is not like his brother. I will see you soon.” Prince Kenan nods at me and departs the rooftop, disappearing down the twisting staircase and abandoning me with Tavarr.
Chapter Eleven
I hold my breath as Tavarr approaches. He snares my gaze in his, and I instinctively look at my feet. I don’t want to anger him. Vonn used to slap me whenever I stared into his eyes, even when I was crying and pleading with him to stop hurting me. To my mortification, my lower lip starts trembling and tears burn in my eyes.
Fuck.
I swallow hard and blink rapidly, not wanting to appear weak in front of the Kleaxian who intends to claim me as soon as the king will permit.
His shadow blocks out the moonlight. He’s standing over me, and his presence is suffocating. I feel betrayed by Prince Kenan for leaving me alone with Tavarr. Maybe that’s why I’m almost crying.
I hear a clicking noise and it takes me a few seconds to realize it’s the sound of my teeth chattering because I’m shaking so hard. Wrapping my arms around my center, I continue to stare at my feet, angry at myself for cowing in submission before a Kleaxian male, only moments after I had planned to be brave and fight. But in my defense, I hadn’t anticipated having to face Tavarr again this evening.
He’s taller than Vonn, much broader in the chest too, and though I can’t be sure, I suspect he’s older. The chandelier above the dinner table had highlighted a dusting of white in his otherwise stark black locks, making him look distinguished.
If he’s indeed older than Vonn, why isn’t he already mated?
His hand comes up. I flinch and step back, but he doesn’t strike me. Instead, he gently places a finger beneath my chin and forces me to stare up into his dark purple depths.
My heart skips, and despite myself, a pang of heat resonates deep in my womanly core.
His nostrils flare, as if he senses the unwanted desire I’m trying desperately to repress. His brother tried to kill me, and I think there’s a good chance he wants to do the same. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“No tears,” he says in a deep guttural voice, surprising me. His accent is heavy, but he apparently knows a little English. He lifts his other hand up, then with his thumbs wipes away the tears that I didn’t even realize had trickled down my cheeks.
His gentleness astounds me, as does the glimmer of kindness and concern in his otherworldly gaze.
Could I be wrong about him? Could he truly be appalled by his brother’s actions, just as Prince Kenan promised?
His reddish skin is hot and my flesh tingles as he finishes wiping the moisture from my cheeks. He cups my face and steps closer, so near the heat of his body wafts onto mine like a sensual caress. I promptly flush from head to toe. It doesn’t help that he’s breathtakingly handsome, with a strong square jaw, high cheekbones, full kissable lips, and dark beautiful features.
“No more hurt,” he says, stroking my hair. A wave of endorphins rush my scalp, and I find myself leaning into his touch. My lip quivers again, because I haven’t shared a moment this intimate with anyone in a long fucking time. I hadn’t realized how starved I was for affection until now. I pray it’s not a trick.
I try to detach myself from the attraction I feel toward Tavarr and get a read on him. Is his heart clouded by anger and darkness? Does he really mean it when he says “no more hurt?”
If I plead with him to walk away and not claim me until the end of the year, will he understand what I’m saying? Or even if he does, will he refuse to wait because of the fierce mating urge he’s experiencing? I think of Prince Kenan’s description of Tavarr’s attraction to me, of how he thinks I’m the most beautiful female he’s ever seen and senses I have a kind heart. No man has paid me such a compliment before, and I flush all over again in remembrance.
“Why shaking?” His deep, rumbling brogue makes my pussy clench. I want to back away, but at the same time I long to lean into him, craving his closeness.
