On a Barbarian World: A Phoenix Adventures Sci-fi Romance Read online

  She just wasn’t sure she could live like this, knowing she was second best.

  “Such a serious look for such a beautiful woman.”

  She glanced up and saw Coran, one of her students, looking at her. He’d apparently come in from some distant village and, despite being older, she would have guessed he was a warrior not a miner. He was as tall and broad as a warrior, although his simple clothes were very well-worn. He had streaks of gray through his dark hair that she thought gave him a distinguished air, and his deep-brown eyes were the most serene she’d ever seen on anyone. He looked like he was always going to start smiling about something.

  “I…it’s personal, Coran.”

  He studied her. “Your warrior isn’t treating you right?”

  She automatically touched the hidden bands on her arms. “No…yes.” She blew out a breath. “I love him and he cares for me…” She looked around. “I want to belong here.”

  “It seems you already do.” Coran leaned closer. “These people speak very highly of you. The knowledge you share, the way you stand up to the warlord, how you’ve helped him achieve his quest.” Coran smiled. “The way you make him laugh.”

  “He wants me to stay, but he hasn’t asked me to be his wife.” She straightened. She shouldn’t be talking to Coran about such a private matter. But God, she wanted to talk to someone. “I won’t let myself be second best.”

  Coran’s brow wrinkled. “Warriors rarely talk of love, but they have their ways of showing it. If your warrior doesn’t value you or your love, he isn’t worthy of it.”

  She shot Coran a rueful smile. “Kavon is a good man. But if he doesn’t love me, there isn’t anything I can do about that, except respect myself.” The thought of leaving was a thousand knife cuts to her belly. She swallowed and looked around the village square. God, how had this become so familiar, almost like home. She looked up, her gaze snagging on the gauzy curtains at the balcony off their rooms.

  But she knew while she liked the place, it was the man who’d become home to her. The man who made her feel complete in almost every way.

  But she wouldn’t, couldn’t, follow the heartbreaking path her mother had.

  Suddenly, there was a whooshing sound overhead. Her students all gasped and sprung to their feet. Coran spun, his face turning serious.

  Aurina shielded her eyes from the sun…and saw a sleek, gray shuttle shoot overhead.

  She gasped. It was the shuttle from the Sky Nomad.

  “Oh, my God.” She ran. She dodged through the streets, around groups of people looking up and the crowds spilling from the houses.

  When she got to the main gate, she saw the shuttle landing in an empty field not far away.

  A second later, she saw the three tall, wide-shouldered forms of her brothers step out into the Markarian sunshine.

  Aurina had never felt so happy and soul-shreddingly sad at the same time.

  Her brothers had come for her.

  But going with them meant leaving Kavon behind.

  For now, she focused on the men walking toward her. Right now, she needed the strong arms of someone who loved her around her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  A roar sounded overhead, and frowning, Kavon strode to the window. Durendal was still clutched in his hands. He’d been busy checking with the restorers who were caring for the sword.

  He pushed the curtains aside…and saw the sun glint off the metal of a small ship. His gut hardened.

  He turned, and without thinking, slipped Durendal into the scabbard on his back. He ran from the room.

  “Warlord!”

  He ignored the restorers and took the stairs two at a time. He charged out of the house.

  Ahead, he saw the tables and chairs Aurina had set up for her classes. Some of her students were milling around.

  “Aurina?” he shouted.

  One of them pointed. “She went to meet the skyflyers.”

  Dammit. Kavon headed in that direction. He pumped his arms, using all his speed and calling on his nanami for more. She’d accepted him as a mate, wore his bands, but since they’d returned, she’d seemed unhappy. She appeared to enjoy working with the miners and digging in her boxes of flowers he’d gotten her for their balcony. He already was planning to give her an entire garden. At night, she was all heat in his arms…but she was holding something back.

  She’d given him her heart, but he was afraid that life on Markaria was not as exciting or comfortable as her tech-filled life flying through the stars. Up there, she got to see amazing things. Here, life was very normal.

  No. He wouldn’t lose her. He charged through the gates and saw the ship had landed in the field ahead. As he watched, Aurina ran toward the three tall strangers.

  Something hot and ugly flared in Kavon. Aurina was his. He’d tried to be patient and go her way in their claiming…but maybe it was time to truly claim her as a barbarian would—no asking, or cajoling. Then, she would not be uncertain of her place or where she belonged.

  He pushed himself to close the distance to his mate.

  Behind him, he heard some of his warriors scrambling to follow him.

  Aurina was hugging the men, laughing and crying. A small group of awestruck villagers had gathered nearby, watching the group and goggling at the ship. Aurina rested her head on the shoulder of the tallest man. He wasn’t as broad as a Markarian warrior, but he had the look of a man who knew how to fight. Possessive rage slammed through Kavon. A lifetime of honing his warrior control was gone in an instant.

  He strode forward, grabbed Aurina, and yanked her from the man’s arms. Kavon hauled her back against his chest. She yelped, then settled back against him, her hands clamping onto his forearm wrapped around her middle.

  “Kavon—”

  “You will not leave me.” He spun her and pulled her up so her face was an inch from his. “You will not leave me. I have claimed you, you are mine.”

  He heard sounds, and saw the three men were now grim-faced and all had drawn small weapons.

  “She’ll do as she pleases, barbarian,” the tallest man growled, command in his voice.

  Yes, this man was used to giving orders. But he’d never encountered a warlord before. Kavon pushed Aurina behind him and reached up and drew his sword. Instantly, he felt the difference in weight and the grip.

  But Durendal was a sword built for combat and it felt right in his hand.

  He might just destroy an ancient artifact to protect Aurina and keep her with him. One he’d spent his entire life searching for.

  And he didn’t care.

  Aurina leaped between them. “Stop it!” She held a hand up to him. “Kavon, these are my brothers. My family.”

  Brothers? He stared at the three men, but didn’t see any resemblance to Aurina. Still, it soothed the beast inside him…a little.

  It didn’t matter who they were. They wanted to take her away from him—the beast roared to life again—and he wouldn’t let that happen.

  She turned to her brothers. “Put those laser pistols away. Kavon and his people rescued me. Protected me and took me in. They don’t need weapons pointed at them.”

  “He said he owned you,” the man in the middle said. He was broader than the others, with a tougher-looking face. Kavon recognized the eyes of a fellow warrior.

  “Rynan, no,” Aurina insisted. “He claimed me. It’s different.”

  The man raised a brow.

  Aurina stamped a foot. “It is. Look, everyone, put the weapons and the testosterone away.” Her gaze swung back to include Kavon. “How about instead of alpha male stupidity, you ask me what I want?”

  Kavon’s gaze clashed with Rynan’s. After a taut moment, they both reluctantly lowered their weapons. Kavon slipped Durendal back into the scabbard.

  “Aurina, this planet is primitive,” Rynan said.

  “Ry, you’ve been here three minutes. It’s a nice planet. Not high tech, but—” Her face lit up “God, I have so much to tell you about nanami and a ship t
hat crash-landed here thousands of years ago.”

  “Then we can leave?” Rynan said.

  Kavon stiffened. He watched Aurina turn to face him and he saw the excitement leak from her. Her lips trembled. “Kavon…I can’t stay here.”

  Kavon felt his face turn into a blank mask—a warrior’s mask that didn’t give anything away.

  But inside, he felt like she’d run him through with a sword. A mortal wound. Emotion filled him with a heaving painful mass…worse than any wound.

  ***

  Aurina watched Kavon, her heart tearing in two. She wanted, no, she needed something more from him.

  She needed his love.

  She felt the scrutiny of her brothers and the villagers. Some of Kavon’s warriors were also nearby. God, she should have had this conversation with him in private. She just hadn’t been able to form the words.

  Aurina straightened her shoulders. “I can’t just stay and warm your bed. I need more. I deserve more, and so do you. I want to be a partner, a wife. And I know you need someone to help you rebuild your family name, someone you love enough to give everything to.” Her voice broke. It tore her apart that the person he needed wasn’t her. “If I stay, we’re both denying ourselves.”

  She stopped and tried to read his face. But he looked frozen, like she’d hit him over the head with a sword hilt.

  There was movement from behind Kavon. She recognized Coran’s worn robes as he pushed forward.

  “Warlord Mal Dor, you are crazy not to claim this woman as your mate. She is smart, unique, beautiful, and she loves you. A true match for any warrior.”

  Coran’s words warmed her, but she wasn’t sure how Kavon would respond to being chastised by one of his villagers. “Coran, thank you, but I can’t force Kavon to do something he doesn’t want to do.”

  Coran flicked his hood off.

  Everyone gasped and Kavon’s eyes widened. He, his warriors and the villagers all dropped to one knee.

  Kavon didn’t stay down for long and rose. “King Corant.”

  King? Aurina looked between the two.

  King Corant smiled. “I am sorry for the deception.” He looked directly at Aurina. “I very much enjoyed your class, Aurina. I wanted to see Kavon’s estate and see his skyflyer without all the pomp and ceremony that follows me around.” He scowled. “Even a king can’t always get what he wants.” King Corant’s gaze moved to Kavon. “If I were younger, Mal Dor, I would have her bonded and round with my child by now.”

  Kavon took a menacing step forward, moving closer to Aurina and pulling her close to him with one arm. She gasped, her gaze caught on the possessive glint in his gold eyes.

  “I have already taken her as my bondmate. And I am working on the child.”

  Shock slammed into Aurina. “What?”

  Amber-gold met her gaze. “The bonding at the cabin…that was the ceremony where a warrior claims his bondmate, if she’ll have him.” He shoved her sleeves up, baring her armbands, touching the jewels.

  Around them, people gasped.

  “When you accepted the wine I offered, and accepted me as your mate, it linked us.” He stroked her armband, his fingers brushing her skin. “Inside the bands, my name is carved in our sacred script. A symbol that you are mine and I am yours. These signify that you have my love, Aurina.” He went down on one knee. “You’ve shown me to live in the moment and not dwell in the past. To want more in my future than revenge and power. I want you in my future.”

  She tugged at him, her heart overflowing. “Get up.”

  He stood before her, one of his big hands pressing to her belly. “You are my future, and the children we’ll make together.”

  She swallowed. She needed to be clear and honest here. “Okay, I may have misunderstood the importance of the bonding ceremony. But you talked before about finding a wife, some warlord’s daughter. The bonding ceremony isn’t marriage, though.”

  Corant started laughing. “Warrior, clearly you have forgotten your woman is not of our world and not knowledgeable of all our customs.”

  Kavon scowled. “Thank you, my king.” There was an edge to his words, but as he pulled Aurina close, there was nothing but gentleness in his touch. “No, Aurina, they are not the same. Marriage is not about love. It is about alliances and business agreements.”

  “Oh?”

  “Most warriors only dream of finding someone who makes their hearts beat and their nanami sing. A true bonding is far above marriage in our customs.”

  Her throat was so tight she could barely speak. “Oh.”

  “Whatever you need me to do to prove how I feel, I will do it.”

  “God, Kavon.” She gripped onto him, needing to hold him tight. “I should have told you how I was feeling. I was just so afraid.”

  She sensed one of her brothers move, then Dare cleared his throat. “Aurina, trust you to go and essentially get married and not know about it.”

  “Why did you even set the e-beacon off if you didn’t want to leave?” Rynan grumbled.

  She froze. “E-beacon?”

  “That’s how we found you,” Rynan said. “We tracked the signal.”

  “I never set it off. Kavon has it…” her voice trailed away as she looked up at him.

  “I set it off a day ago. I could see you weren’t happy. I love you, Aurina Phoenix. I want you with me, but if I don’t make you happy…”

  She felt a tremble go through him, saw the love shining in his eyes. It left her breathless.

  “Please don’t leave me.” His voice was a ragged whisper.

  “You love me?” Aurina felt dizzy.

  “Yes.” A hard, unyielding word.

  She cupped his cheeks. “I love you, too. So much, you stubborn warrior. You should have told me.”

  His arms wrapped around her like bands of steel. “I didn’t know you didn’t understand. I thought the significance of the bonding ceremony would show my love.” A wry smile. “I should have known the words would be important to you. But warriors are not supposed to talk about love.”

  “Of course not.” She pressed her lips to his and in a second, he took over, deepening it. She moaned and sank into him, absorbing the taste of him.

  He pulled back and nuzzled her neck. “And I meant what I said before. I cannot wait to see you swollen with our child.”

  She bit her lip. “That’s not possible, warrior. At least, not yet. I have an implant under my skin to stop pregnancy.”

  She expected a scowl. Instead, she got a smile.

  “The nanami are key to a warrior’s fertility, and since we are bonded, they will work to make us both fertile. A child is inevitable.”

  Stubborn barbarian. She shook her head. Kids were something she’d always wanted. One day. She pressed her lips to his jaw. “Definitely one day, warrior. I’d like to see a bunch of golden-eyed mini-warriors running around.”

  There was the sound of a clearing throat.

  They both looked over and saw her scowling brothers and a grinning warrior king.

  “I hear you have a sword for me,” King Corant said.

  Kavon, slowly and reluctantly set her down, but kept her tucked against his side. He reached up and drew the sword off his back.

  Her chest tightened. She hadn’t seen it since he’d had it cleaned and restored. It gleamed.

  “Magnificent,” Corant breathed, holding out his hands.

  Kavon handed it over and bowed his head. “I present you with Durendal.”

  The king accepted the blade and then lifted it, studying each side of it. Then he lowered it until the tip touched the ground. “Kavon Mal Dor, the Mal Dor name has the favor of your king. Not only for this, an important piece of our heritage, but because of your skill in battle, your determination to protect, your dedication to your people and your mate, and your honor.” The king lifted the sword again. “And because your father was a good warrior, cut down by the treachery of a coward. I will ensure all this is noted in the Royal Records.”

  “Th
ank you.” Kavon bowed his head again, his face solemn.

  Aurina knew he was thinking of his family, of his father. She grabbed his hand.

  King Corant smiled. “So, all that is left is a feast to celebrate the return of Durendal and of course, your bonding.” He winked at Aurina. “We want to welcome your lovely bondmate to the Markarian family.” Then his gaze turned speculative and slid to her brothers. “Perhaps we can also talk about trade beyond our planet.”

  Justyn stepped forward with a charming smile. “Trade just happens to be my business.” He grinned at Aurina. “And if our sister is here, we’ll be stopping by frequently.”

  Corant slapped Justyn on the shoulder. “Let’s talk over an ale, skyflyer.”

  The men headed off toward the estate. Two pretty women appeared at Dare’s side, both smiling. With a shrug, Dare followed them, while a still-scowling Rynan stayed where he was, his arms crossed over his chest. With the promise of a feast, Kavon’s people followed.

  Aurina stared up at Kavon, drinking in his strong face. All hers. Every inch of him. She wrapped her arms around him.

  Then she heard a beep and saw that Rynan was running a scanner over her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Ensuring you’re okay.”

  She shook her head. Rynan could give Kavon a run for his money in the protective stakes.

  Then Rynan went still.

  Her hands clenched on Kavon. God, she didn’t want anything to go wrong. Not when she’d just gotten everything she’d ever dreamed of. “What is it?”

  Her brother ran his tongue over his teeth. “The warrior is right.”

  Kavon nodded and Aurina rolled her eyes. “About what, Ry? He thinks he’s right about everything and doesn’t need any encouragement, please.”

  Ry snapped his scanner shut. “It appears your Namah implant is inactive.”

  “What?” she squeaked.

  “Something’s shut it down. I don’t know the details of these nanami you mentioned, but I’d love to know more.”

  That was Ry, interested in tech and what he could do with it. Meanwhile, she was having a minor anxiety attack.

  As Ry strolled away toward the estate, an arm snaked around her, a big hand covering her belly.