7. ZAYDEN

ZAYDEN

I didn't like any of my suggestions to her. I didn't want anybody else. I didn't want to have her live in my city, being close by yet unreachable, and least of all, would I have ever returned her to the traders.

But I didn't want to force her either. I never had forced myself on a female before, and I wouldn't start with her. It would hurt, but I would give her up and pick another from the many I had purchased yesterday for the bio warden so she may compare the humans' bodies with each other and grow her databank.

For years I had fought to become king of Zyphar. A title I wouldn't give up for the whims of a female. The gods demanded I marry a pale blonde, and I would. I would prefer her, but the choice was hers. As far as I remembered, there were at least four others I could choose from, and I was sure none of them would be as foolish as my Alice and decline becoming the queen of my people.

The idea of Alice refusing me sat ill with me. It hurt my pride. But I would get over it if I must.

"How would that work? Giving it a chance?" she asked in a low voice, avoiding my eyes.

I knew I was giving her too much power over me, but I couldn't help myself. "Let me show you my realm, my people. Let us get to know one another before you make your final decision," I offered.

I didn't regret my offer, but I did clench my teeth at the realization that I was giving her more of a choice than I had ever given any of my opponents. I allowed her to see a weakness I would have killed any other person for.

That was until a devious plan began to take shape in my mind. Ra, if she wanted to play games with me, I would play games with her. My ego was somewhat appeased by more realistic reasoning, that one: Alice might have been drugged yesterday, but she had responded to my body. I had aroused her just as much as she had me. And two: her enchantment with my world was easy to read on her face. I recognized stubbornness when I met it. I had plenty of it myself. But I would put mine aside for now, just to convince her that it wasn't the smartest move to cut off her nose to spite her face.

"I will have you and the others given their own quarters. We will spend time together where I'll show all of you Zyphar and what it will mean to be my queen. We will give it one rotation. What do you say?"

"Rotation?" she asked, unfamiliar with how we measured time.

"That moon." I pointed at Yang, where it was visible to our right. "it moves around Zyphar. The next time it will be in this position, we will decide."

"How many days is that?"

"Forty-five."

"Fine," she agreed, jutting her stubborn looking chin out and looking so utterly adorable that I couldn't help but lean forward and claim her luscious lips.

The way she melted into me stroked my slightly hurt ego. She wanted me, and I knew I could have easily talked her into sharing the bed with me right then, but I worried she would hate herself and me, by extension, the next day or even just hours later. Nef, she would have to come to me; she needed to admit it to herself. I would help her along the way, push her if needed. She was mine; she just didn't allow herself to see it yet.

I was a successful battle commander, and I was not above manipulation to get what I wanted, and what I wanted was her. She had no idea that she had just declared war on Zyphar's most successful and experienced conqueror. Just like I had won Zyphar, I would win her, and I would enjoy the process.