Chapter 6

Kalpar sat in the corner of Constance's office, watching her work. Despite the overly elaborate, formal furniture, it was actually a working office. Since they'd returned from the hospital, he'd watched her work on a proposal for a charity project, reconcile financial records, and conduct several virtual meetings, also related to various charities. His little human continued to surprise him, proving less and less like his preconceived notion of her with every moment.

Even the hospital had been a revelation. She knew the name of everyone they encountered and made a point of greeting all of them. A few people were less than friendly, but she smiled at them anyway before she moved on. The majority, however, clearly liked her and as for the children, they obviously adored her. Any of them who were capable of moving scrambled over to meet her while the bedridden ones gave her eager smiles.

Even though they weren't there for long, she insisted on spending at least a few minutes with each individual child before gathering them all together for story time.

But it changes nothing, he thought grimly. Although he was also less and less convinced that Marshall had any true concern for his daughter, he clearly considered her a valuable asset and he would be prepared to bargain for her return. Especially if he intended to arrange a mating with Vexian. He found his hand on one of his knives at the thought. Given what he'd heard of the male's proclivities, he doubted it would be a happy union. Not my business.

He pushed the unwelcome thought aside as he watched her. She was frowning down at her screen, biting on the end of her stylus. The sight of her pretty lips pursed around it caused another of those unforeseen reactions in his body. Not an actual erection - there was no chance of that - but a rush of warmth as if he were actually becoming aroused. He mentally cursed as his body reacted, his skin prickling with heat and his nostrils flaring as if he were scenting a potential mate.

Her fresh, clean scent should not have caused such a response but there was no doubt that… something was happening to his body. Perhaps it was simply due to the previous night when he'd realized she was pleasuring herself beneath the covers. The sensible option would have been to ignore it. Instead he'd found himself stalking over to the bed and pulling back the sheet. The image of the small hand lodged between her slender thighs was forever imprinted on his brain.

Despite her small size, she was clearly ripe, ready to be mated and bred. He'd been on the verge of insisting that she remove her hand, that she let him explore every inch of her delicious body with his hands and his tongue and his… The realization that there was no hope of anything else had finally brought him to his senses. Yet the heat continued to prickle his skin as he returned to his chair for the rest of a sleepless night.

And then there was his cock. The head of a Catari's cock changed shape for several reasons - to aid in penetration or breeding or simply pleasure - but those changes were only supposed to occur in the presence of his mate. His cock had responded simply to her presence in the room as he showered, and her wide-eyed gaze had sent another surge of awareness over his skin.

Perhaps before he returned to the farm he should make a visit to Drakkar, the Arkanian medic who resided in the mountains to the north of the farm, and make sure there was nothing amiss with his body chemistry.

He was contemplating the prospect when she looked up and found him watching her. The pretty tide of pink flooded her cheeks and he found himself wondering how far it reached - past her collarbone? As far as those two sweet little breasts?

Her eyes widened as they went to his hand and he belatedly realized he was flipping his knife - a habit he'd picked up many years ago.

"W-what is that for?"

"It's just a habit."

"You need something else to do with your hands." Her color deepened and he suspected she'd suddenly realized the implication in her words. "Don't you have a hobby?"

"Knife throwing."

"Are you serious?"

He flipped his knife again and threw it at the far wall. It landed in the exact center of the ornamental scrollwork, just as he'd intended.

"Wow." Her smile was a little shaky as she watched him retrieve it. "I guess it's a good thing you're on my side."

An unwelcome pang of guilt hit him at her words, and he quickly changed the subject.

"I noticed something unusual at the hospital today. Everyone you came in contact with, from the doctors to the volunteers, was a female."

"That was one of the conditions of the visits. My father decreed that I was not to have contact with any men during my visits. Since he backed up his ‘request' with a large donation, they were happy to comply."

"All the members of your charity organizations are female as well."

"All of the ones I have contact with, yes. The only time I have any contact with a man is during the social events he requires me to attend, and even then he monitors every interaction." She peeped at him from under her eyelashes. "That's why I was so curious about the naked male in my shower."

"Indeed. Did my presence also lead to your… behavior last night?"

From the rush of color to her cheeks, he was sure he was right. Ignoring a surge of satisfaction at the knowledge, he rose to his feet.

"It's time for you to eat."

"You know I'm quite capable of determining that for myself. Or are you trying to fatten me up like a calf for the slaughter? To make me a more desirable acquisition for Lord Vexian?"

"You do not need anything to make you more desirable."

The compliment emerged before he could prevent it, drawn by the bitterness in her voice, and she gave him a startled look before she smiled.

"Thank you. As it happens, I am hungry. Shall we dine?"

She came to his side and took his arm. He stared down at the small hand on his arm for a fraction too long before he turned and led her out of the room.

More dishes had been prepared and left in the dining room, but this time the table was actually set for both of them. She gave it a pleased glance before handing him the bottle of wine that had been left chilling.

"Will you open this please?"

"I don't mind, but why don't you have servants attending to you?"

He couldn't imagine Marshall opening his own wine, let alone serving his own food. She sighed.

"It's complicated. My father is very conscious of his station, and by extension, mine, but several times over the years I have become… friends with a servant. He dislikes that even more than he dislikes the thought that I might not be living up to my position. Since many of the servants who attend me are also his spies and I dislike the formality he prefers, it has become easier to simply take care of myself." She smiled ruefully as he handed her a plate of delicacies. "Well, perhaps taking care of myself is an exaggeration. I'm simply without visible servants."

"Isn't that lonely?"

"Yes." Her eyes met his across the table, a wealth of sadness in the crystal blue depths. "I have spent much of my life alone but I have never become accustomed to it."

Her simple statement sent an unexpected pang of sympathy through him, and he was almost glad when she looked down at her plate. He rarely allowed himself to feel sympathy for another. His fellow warriors were the only ones who had earned his loyalty. He stiffened at the thought of them and their interest in his mission. Allowing her to touch his emotions would only make his task more difficult.

He was careful not to meet her gaze as he filled his own plate, keeping his expression stoic and professional as they ate. When she reached for a second helping, he permitted a slight frown.

"You should eat more slowly."

"I can't help it. Everything is so delicious tonight. Perhaps it's the company."

He grunted, refusing to respond to the shy smile in her eyes, and she bit her lip and looked down. Fuck.

"I understand. I have eaten too many meals alone."

The acknowledgement was undoubtedly a mistake, but he found it hard to regret them when he was rewarded with a radiant smile. Determined to move to less personal matters, he changed the subject to the calls she had conducted over the afternoon. She was willing to be diverted and they spent the rest of the meal discussing what was clearly a favorite subject for her.

They sat at the table talking long after they'd finished eating. They'd also emptied the bottle of wine and she swayed slightly when she finally yawned and rose to her feet.

"Time for bed."

"Very well." He joined her, tucking her hand in his arm once more - merely to support her, he assured himself. "What is it tomorrow? Widows? Orphans? Some helpless but appealing animal?"

She giggled, leaning slightly against his side, and drawing a corresponding smile from him.

"Nothing so interesting. I have a weekly grooming appointment."

"Grooming?"

"My father insists that I be buffed and polished like one of his vehicles - although unlike them, I am never allowed to be driven." She leaned closer as they reached her bedroom. "I almost wish…"

"Wish what, my little human?"

She came to a halt, looking up at him, her eyes like stars in the dim room.

"I almost wish that…" A great shuddering sigh escaped her and she shook her head. "Never mind. It's foolish to long for things that cannot be."

She started to turn away but he held her easily in place, pulling her closer to his body.

"What do you wish, Constance?"

"That all of my first times were not going to belong to Lord Vexian. I've never even been kissed."

Despite the warning bells chiming in his head, he couldn't resist the shy invitation in her eyes and he lowered his mouth to hers. He'd intended nothing more than a brief touch, but as soon as their lips met, pleasure exploded through his system. When her lips parted beneath his, he couldn't resist sweeping inside to taste her sweetness. She made a small sound of pleasure, her arms sliding up to his neck as she pressed her soft little body against his.

He groaned, and deepened the kiss. Instead of pulling back, she responded eagerly. Heat suffused his skin but he ignored it as he took more of what she so willingly offered. Cradling her head with one hand, he used the other to bring her even closer - close enough that he could feel the small stiff peaks of her nipples against his chest.

His cock stirred - a slight but perceptible movement - and the unexpected reaction flared through his veins, shocking him out of the moment. It should have been impossible, but his body was responding to her. What was she doing to him? How could he have been so foolish as to kiss her?

He tore his mouth away, a sudden growl building in his throat, and he clamped down ruthlessly on both his anger and the lust surging through his body. Her eyes flew open as he took a step back.

"Please… don't…"

"This is a dangerous game, little human," he ground out.

"But…"

"Constance, go to bed. Please."

Perhaps she heard the desperation in his voice because she stopped arguing. She studied his face for a moment, her hand pressed to her mouth, then nodded.

"I need to change," she said quietly.

"Go ahead."

He turned his back to her, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted more, more of those sweet little lips and that delightful little body and that shy enthusiasm. I can't. No matter how much he wanted to explore the connection between them, he still had a mission to perform.

"I've changed. I'm going to brush my teeth."

He knew he should follow her, but he desperately needed breathing space, an opportunity to consider his conflicting emotions. He compromised by going as far as the bathroom door, standing in the open doorway and keeping his back to her.

His body was still throbbing from the unexpected sensations, and he found himself imagining her standing behind her and watching her face in the bathroom mirror, his hand cupping one of those sweet little breasts as he explored the curve of her neck with his mouth. Fuck. He could smell her arousal in the air, just as he had last night. That too was something that shouldn't have happened. He should not have been so aware of her response - a mate's response.

No. The very thought was impossible.

He heard her approach but he couldn't bring himself to move until a small hand lightly touched his back.

"I'm ready for bed."

She was using the same pleasant, neutral voice she'd used at the hospital when dealing with unfriendly people. Recognizing that broke something in him, but he forced himself to nod and step aside. He heard the soft rustle of sheets as he returned to the chair he'd used the night before but when he finally turned around, she was still sitting upright, watching him.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she said quietly. "I wanted you to kiss me and I'm still glad that you did. You didn't betray my trust."

"You think that's why -"

He bit off the words, and she nodded.

"Yes. I know you're an honorable male, Kalpar."

Her words cut into him like one of his knives, rendering him silent. She didn't seem to expect a response, a tiny smile curved her lips before she finally laid down and closed her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to go to her, even if it were just to hold her while she slept. Instead he settled back in his chair and prepared to keep watch over her instead.