Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

Ruune

T he blast of heat hit me as soon as we stepped through the door of the cocktail bar, a stark contrast to the frigid New York air outside. I shook a few snowflakes from my dark hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the mingled scents of perfume, cologne, and something spicy and sweet that I couldn't quite place.

"Cinnamon," Caroline said, noticing me sniffing the air. She pointed to an arrangement filled with various unusual elements along with bright blossoms. “They have cinnamon sticks in the flowers.”

I nodded, impressed by how quickly she'd picked up on my curiosity. I hadn’t heard that humans were empathic, but I had done precious little research on the species. It was a decision I was regretting. So far, the human females I’d met were striking and captivating. They didn’t have the ability to draw you in like the females on Varos I who used their hypnotic eyes, nor did they make you weak-kneed like the females on Kallavan, who shot you full of a numbing agent when they wished to mate. No, these females were more subtle in their approach, and I found the uncertainty to be a welcome challenge.

It was easy to see why Griff had fallen for his human mate. There was no denying her beauty, and I had never seen my cousin so content. I watched him help Caroline out of her coat, his blue skin a stark contrast to the sea of less-colorful humans crowded around us and felt like I was intruding on an intimate moment just by the way he looked at her.

Looking away abruptly, I focused on my first exposure to an Earth bar. Like many alien drinking spots, this one was bustling. But instead of mercenaries with tentacles in place of hair or space pirates with dusky purple skin, the people standing were well dressed and appeared unarmed. I’d heard that Earth was a silent and dangerous place, but the people of Manhattan seemed more interested in drinking and talking than brawling, which was fine by me.

The bar itself was long and sleek, brown wood gleaming under the warm glow of hanging lights that looked like exploding stars. The wall behind the bar was high and mirrored, reflecting the sparkling light and refracting off bottles filled with various liquids. If they weren’t at the bar, patrons gathered around high, round top tables. Every space seemed to be filled, and the hum of conversation nearly drowned out the music playing from nowhere and everywhere.

"Ruune?" Olivia's voice pulled me back to the moment. "You coming?"

I flashed her a grin, hoping it came across as charming rather than nervous. There was something about her that intrigued me in a way that felt new. "Of course. Lead the way."

As we meandered through the crowd, I couldn't help but notice the sidelong glances and not-so-subtle phone cameras pointed our way. I preened a bit, enjoying the attention.

"Don't let it go to your head," Griff murmured as we settled onto stools at the far end of the bar that seemed to empty for us. "They probably think you’re a prince, too.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him. “They’re not all wrong.”

“Trust me.” My cousin put a hand on my arm. “You do not want the alien-chasers after you.”

That didn’t sound good. “Alien chasers?”

Caroline laughed, as she shot her fiancé a stern look. “They aren’t dangerous, per se. The city went a little alien-crazy, that’s all.”

"A little?" Olivia choked back a laugh. "Try a lot. It was all over social media for days."

"Is that so? I wouldn't mind causing a bit of a stir myself." I winked at Olivia, only half-joking.

She didn’t smile back, her look more appraising than anything.

"Trust me," Griff said, his tone serious. "You don't want that kind of attention."

Before I could reply, Pippa sidled up next to me. Olivia's coworker was beautiful, but her eagerness offered little challenge. Not that I hadn’t enjoyed plenty of eager females before.

"What are we drinking?" she chirped, leaning in close enough that I could smell her sultry perfume.

Caroline handed me one of the menus propped on the bar. “If you don’t mind peppermint, I’ve heard the Candy Cane martinis are good.”

“Should we have two?” Pippa asked before calling out our drinks to a man behind the bar.

“What is a candy cane?” I asked her as she took the menu from me and hopped onto a bar stool directly in front of me.

She puckered her lips and winked. “Something sweet that you suck.”

So much for Earth women being subtle. Despite my enjoyment of pursuing females, I got the powerful sensation that I was not the one doing the pursuing.

I turned to Griff. "So, cousin, tell me more about this media frenzy. Did you enjoy being the center of attention for once?”

Griff shifted uncomfortably. "Not particularly. It made things…complicated."

Caroline squeezed his hand. "But it all worked out in the end."

I watched their easy intimacy with a mix of curiosity and something that felt uncomfortably like envy. Shaking it off, I plastered on a grin. "Well, I for one wouldn't mind a bit of complication. Keeps things interesting, doesn't it?"

"Is that why you're here?" Griff’s gaze locked on me. "For 'interesting' complications?"

I shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. "I'm here because I wanted to see you. It’s been too long.” I let my gaze sweep over both Olivia and Pippa. “Though I won't deny I'm enjoying the distractions.”

Pippa giggled, but Olivia just rolled her eyes.

“Earth is our newest ally, cousin.” Griff’s expression held warning. “We can't afford any incidents. I can’t afford any diplomatic incidents before I become ruler.”

I held up my hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I have no intention of causing trouble. I'm just here for a good time."

Griff frowned. He knew all too well what my idea of a good time usually meant. “Ruune—"

"How are things back home?" I interrupted, not wanting to have this particular conversation. "It's been a while since I've been back."

A flicker of concern crossed Griff's face. "Your father is concerned about you.”

I snorted. "I'm sure he is. Probably wondering when I'll stop embarrassing the royal family.”

“He is worried that you’ve stayed away for so long.”

“You have also stayed away.”

“To train and fight. Not to…” Griff’s words trailed off, but I knew what he had meant to say.

"Let's not ruin a perfectly good evening with talk of home, shall we?" I turned to grab the drink being handed to me, only to have Pippa wave her arms as she said something to Olivia and jostled my hand. The martini sloshed over the rim, splashing onto my leg.

"Oh no!" Pippa’s eyes widened as she snatched a napkin from the bar. "I'm so sorry! Here, let me help."

Before I could protest, she was dabbing at my thigh, her face a picture of exaggerated concern. Over her head, I caught Olivia raising an eyebrow, an amused smirk playing at her lips.

"It's fine," I assured Pippa. "No harm done."

She gave me a pouty smile. "Are you sure? I feel terrible."

"Trust me," I said, flashing her a grin. "It'll take more than a spilled drink to dampen my evening with such lovely company.”

Pippa giggled again, twirling a strand of flame-colored hair around her finger. "Well, in that case, maybe I can make it up to you. You haven’t seen the city yet, have you?”

I shook my head. Unless a ride from the flight pad to the hotel counted as a tour.

“Then consider me your official tour guide.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but my gaze drifted to Olivia. She was watching our exchange with a curious expression. The woman was impossible to decipher, which made me want to try even more. For a moment, I found myself wishing it was her offering to show me the city.

Shaking off the thought, I turned back to Pippa, the enthusiastic female who clearly desired me. "That sounds great."

She beamed, lifting her glass to mine and clinking. “Cheers to getting to see the Big Apple together!”

She took a sip, and I followed suit, draining my entire drink in a single gulp. It was both sweet and oddly peppery, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Neither was the sensation of warmth that suffused my chest.

Pippa’s gaze went to my empty glass. “Looks like you need another.”

As she flagged down the bartender, I leaned over to Griff. “What is the giant apple?”

“The what?”

“Pippa said we’re going to see a giant apple.”

Caroline almost spit out her drink. She swallowed and wiped her mouth. “You mean the Big Apple?”

“Maybe,” I said. “Is that not what I said?”

“The Big Apple is another way of saying New York City.”

I eyed her with disbelief. “But it sounds nothing like it.”

She shrugged. “I know, but it means the same thing.”

“Why is the city named after a massive apple?”

She shrugged her lips to one side. “I actually have no idea. Maybe Olivia knows.”

We all pivoted to the woman with dark hair falling in a sheet over her shoulder.

She looked taken aback. “What?” She touched a hand to her cheek. “Is there something on my face?”

Caroline laughed. “Never. Do you know why it’s called the Big Apple?”

Before she could answer, Pippa slid between us and pressed a new drink into my hand. “Another Candy Cane martini. Just don’t chug this one so fast.”

I tried to catch Olivia’s eye over Pippa’s head as the woman chattered about all the great jazz clubs in the city, but I was only half-listening. I was too busy watching Olivia slide off her stool and through the crowd, a pang of regret gnawing at me.

"So, what do you say?" Pippa's voice cut through my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing I had no idea what she'd just asked. “I say that sounds good.”

She squealed, bouncing up and down. "Yay! This is going to be so much fun!"

Confused, I turned to Griff. "What did I just agree to?"

Caroline leaned in, shaking her head. "You just agreed to go to a jazz club with her tonight.”

I released a sigh. "I what?"

Griff's expression turned serious. "Ruune, you can't play around with human women's emotions. Not when Earth is our newest ally. This isn't like those backwater planets.”

I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. My cousin was right, and I hated that I was causing him worry. His father, the ruler of Valoria, was sick and this was the last thing he needed. I was the last thing he needed.

"I need some air," I announced, standing abruptly.

Pippa frowned. "But what about—"

"I'll be right back," I assured her, already moving toward the exit.

I stumbled through the crush of people, pushing gratefully on the door leading outside. As the cold night air hit my face, I took a deep breath. I was in over my head, and for the first time in a long time, I had no idea what to do next.