Labrinon was right, but Kristor hadn’t meant to scare Rianna. He’d only wanted to get his mission over and done, and return to New Symtaria, while trying to please the Queen Mother. He thought if he spoke to Rianna, she would remain calm.
By the gods, he was a warrior, not someone who should have to hunt impure offspring and bring them home. His father, the king, had bade him complete this mission. How could he say no? So now, he followed behind a mere slip of a woman as if she was the one in control.
He silently fumed as Rianna led him down a walkway, then cut across a grassy area. When they topped a small rise, he looked down upon what appeared to be a festival of sorts, with booths, and much laughter, and many people.
Rianna’s father had said they would be celebrating the July Fourth festivities. Kristor would look up the word on his database when he returned to the dwelling where he was staying. These Earthlings were an odd race, and this mission tiresome.
His gaze dropped to the gentle curve of Rianna’s hips. He watched them sway as he walked behind her toward the celebration. Something shifted inside him. She ignited his imagination. His blood stirred at the vision of naked, intertwined limbs, of her arms pulling him closer, begging for his touch, his mouth….
She stopped, suddenly turning, then clearing her throat. When he raised his gaze, she didn’t look happy that he’d been staring at her form. She should feel pleased that a warrior, and a prince, would honor her with his attention.
“We can sit here,” she told him.
There was a hard edge in her voice. She could take lessons from the women of New Symtaria. They knew how to treat men of his standing.
Labrinon’s laughter filled Kristor’s senses. Anger flared inside him.
Ria started to sit, but apparently had second thoughts, and moved to the other side of the table.
“You’re very stubborn,” he said.
Kristor ignored Labrinon.
“I like to think of myself as being cautious, rather than stubborn,” Rianna said.
He would try to be more pleasant. “Stubborn can be a good quality. I have won many a battle by not admitting defeat, but pressing forward instead. It is a tactic that has worked well for me.” He hadn’t meant to encourage her behavior. “Except on a female. It does not sit well on them.”
She raised an eyebrow. Definitely stubborn, but very nice to look upon. Her thick, dark brown hair was pulled away from her face. Although her features were delicate, there was a sensuous, earthy quality about her that was undeniable. Her Symtarian blood, no doubt.
“What do you mean, you’re a warrior?” she asked.
The proud fighter in him sprang to the surface. “I defend my home from invading armies.”
She seemed to absorb his words, although she didn’t appear particularly impressed. Most women were. He had faced death many times and been victorious. He’d defended New Symtaria with his life, and would do so again.
“What do you know about my parents?”
Yes, she was very quick to dismiss his warrior status. Not that it overly concerned him. He was here only to complete his mission, and return with her to New Symtaria so she could embrace a culture as old as time.
And mate.
Possibly with him.
In fact, now that he thought about it, that was a good plan.
“My parents?” she prodded.
Stubborn, and in a hurry. She had been running when he’d first encountered her. She would not be the type who wasted time. “You come from a very prestigious lineage,” he finally spoke. “There is royalty in your blood, but we are not related, so it will be okay if we mate.”
She squared her shoulders. “I beg your pardon?”
He frowned. She did not seem to take to the idea very well. Maybe he wouldn’t mate with her. Why should he let her have the pleasure of his body, when she didn’t look as though the idea tempted her? This Earthling side of her was without passion.
He decided to ignore her response to the possibility of their one day mating, and continue explaining where she came from. “Your father had Symtarian blood. From what I’ve gathered, he was killed by one of the rogue Symtarians.”
Which was happening to more impures than he wanted to count. Some rogues didn’t like the thought of impures being brought back to New Symtaria and mixing with the pure bloods, but it was a necessity now. The Symtarian blood was too pure and, in a weaker mind, the animal guide was taking over the human side.
The animal guide’s natural instinct was to hunt and kill. It was causing chaos among the different tribes. The impure’s nature was more gentle, and the animal guide less dominant.
Except for Rianna. She did not appear that gentle to him.
“I’m of royal blood,” she stated dryly.
He wasn’t sure about the tone she used, but he would ignore it for now. “Yes.”
“And my mother?”
“She too has passed. I believe the rogue Symtarian scared her so much that she left you to be raised in the institution. I’m sure for your own protection. She was later killed when the vehicle in which she was riding collided with another.” It had taken much time to discover this information. He was ready to be done with it all.
She bit her bottom lip, blinking back the moisture that formed in her eyes. Kristor’s heart beat faster inside his chest. Was she about to cry? Women who cried made him nervous. He probably shouldn’t have delivered the information so bluntly, but what did he know about finesse? He left that to his brother. Rogar knew how to talk to women. It would be better to get Rianna back to Symtaria and let someone else handle her.
He cleared his throat. “Now, are you ready to leave?”
She shook her head, her expression puzzled. “Leave?”
“Yes, to go to New Symtaria.”
“Why would I do that?”
“To be with your own kind.”
“I don’t even know where New Symtaria is.”
“It’s in another galaxy, but I have the means to take you there.”
“The means…”
“Yes, in my spacecraft.”
Now she worried him. Her face drained of color. What had he said? The fear returned to her eyes as she eased her legs from under the table.
“Is something wrong?”
“You just told me that you’re an alien from another planet. What could possibly be wrong?”
Even though she said nothing was wrong, her actions were telling him something different. He reached for her hand. His sister had once told him women liked to hold hands. Except Rianna jerked away from him.
“Don’t touch me! Stay away from me and my family!”
“I don’t understand.” He opened his hands out, palms up.
She shot to her feet, stumbling in her haste to put distance between them. “Of course, you don’t. You’re crazy!” She took off running before he could get his feet out from under the table. He turned sideways on the bench and watched her.
Rianna had a nice run. Long legs stretching out in front of her. She would make a good mating partner.
Except each time they talked, she ended up running away.
