Taylor frowned, but didn’t say anything. They walked side by side into the Great Hall. Had he not been holding her, Taylor would've stopped, shocked by what lay beyond the cavern door.
The journey in had been all craggy cave, wet walls, and musty minerals, but somehow the stone door had transformed the cave from something out of Middle Earth into a sultan’s palace. Plump red pillows lined the benches that cuddled against row and row of long tables. Rich tapestries clung to the walls adding vibrant color to an otherwise slate room. Thick black rugs brushed the cobbled aisle, giving it a polished look. Taylor visually followed the stone pathway to…she squinted. Was that a throne?
Of course it’s a throne.
You’re
about
to
meet
a
King
.
She’d never met a King before. Oh sure, she'd entertained a few Saudi royals at Sergei's club, but she doubted that a King would be expecting a lap dance. Such things were beneath them. Weren’t they?
How did one behave in front of royalty?
Every culture had its own version of royalty. Each with its own set of rules when it came to dealing with them. Taylor had seen Kings and Queens on the television, but were they the same here? Did they even have Queens? She had her doubts. The cultural differences she'd witnessed thus far on Zaron were in stark contrast to the ones she'd left only a few days ago.
Had it only been a few days? It seemed like a lifetime.
Taylor cut that line of thinking off at the knees and dumped it in a shallow grave. She was done feeling sorry for herself.
The door shut behind them with a thunderous boom. Her palms began to sweat as Linx led her forward. She rubbed them over her jeans just in case she had to shake the King's royal hand.
Blood roared in her ears as her heart tried to pound its way out of her chest. This was a mistake. She shouldn't be here. She was a stripper for goodness sake! Wasn't there a hotel or motel she could crash at until Linx cleared up her 'visa' issue?
The empty throne came into sharper relief. Fear and trepidation slowed her steps. The royal seat was neither gold nor silver. Taylor expected to see jewels at least, but there were none. The seat was a spider web of steel with spindly legs and humanoid skulls for feet. If she hadn't been told it was a throne, Taylor would've thought she was viewing a torture device.
Was this some kind of joke? She looked at Linx, but he wasn't laughing. Her gaze slid back to the empty-eyed skulls. Their grotesquely pointed teeth seemed to grin mockingly at her.
This wasn’t the throne of a King. This was the throne of a barbarian. What had she gotten herself into? The urge to turn and run away nearly overwhelmed her.
Linx must've sensed her unease for his grip tightened and he kept her moving.
A tawny-haired man with a fight-carved face lounged insolently against the base of the throne in the shadows. He was a study in muscle, though Taylor doubted that he’d ever stepped foot inside a gym.
Was this one of the King’s private guards? His bodyguard perhaps? He looked the part. Built for sheer brute force without all the frivolousness of subtly. One glance told her that the man could crush skulls with his bare hands until all that remained was bone dust.
His lazy gaze started at the top of her head, resting momentarily on her full breasts until her traitorous nipples hardened in awareness, before proceeding to her toes. He reversed direction without saying a word and stopped when he returned to her face. Taylor shivered under his uncompromising regard and hated that her reaction wasn’t all because of the cool, damp air and fear.
In her old life, he was the type of man that she would’ve been attracted to. His rock hard body and edgy vibe would’ve turned her on. The old Taylor would have wanted to lick and touch every one of his bulging muscles. And even if she didn't surrender right away, the promise of mind-blowing sex would have been too tempting to resist for long.
Taylor would’ve gone out of her way to catch his attention, lure him with her body, and seduce him into her bed…but not anymore. She’d learned her lesson and it had very nearly cost her everything she held dear. Taylor forced herself to meet his eyes. Something odd flared in the icy blue depths before being carefully banked. The man’s unflinching gaze slowly moved from her to Linx.
"What do you want?" His clipped words made the temperature in the room drop.
Linx arched a brow and looked at the
guard
.
“I thought you said the King was expecting us,” Taylor said in a hushed breath, hoping that only Linx could hear her. Had they come on the wrong day? Had the King changed his mind about seeing them? What if he did? What would she do then? There were only so many places she could hide on Zaron without risking discovery and deportation.
“He is,” the guard said. He rose slowly and walked to the front of the throne, then sat, resting his meaty hands on the thick metal webs.
“Your Highness.” Linx's lips kicked up at the corners in amusement. He gave the man a short bow.
Taylor gaped. This was the King. It couldn’t be. Kings didn’t look like cage fighters. Kings were soft, well-spoken, pampered. She glanced around the room at the lush red pillows. Okay, so maybe he did pamper himself a little, but that was as far as the stereotype went. Her gaze returned to the fierce looking throne and the even fiercer looking man seated upon it.
“If I grant you this favor, then we are even,” the Dark King said.
“I wouldn't exactly call it a favor, Your Highness. Perhaps a gift."
Gift? What did Linx mean by that?
The King's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"But you're absolutely right, we're even now," Linx said hurriedly before the King could speak. "I will be back to retrieve her within seven days.” He gave Taylor a warning glare and indicated to the King with a jerk of his chin.
Nothing
like
being
forced
on
someone
, she thought wryly.
Taylor dropped down onto one knee. “Thank you for allowing me to stay, Your Highness, and for putting me under your protection.” She recited the words Linx had made her memorize. Taylor must've done it right because Linx smiled at her when she finished.
“What are you called, Earthling?” the King asked, drawing her attention away from her sister's mate.
“Taylor Shelley, but Taylor is fine.” She tittered nervously, then clamped her mouth shut.
“You may call me Hades.”
Taylor stared at him for a few seconds. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “I'm sorry, did you say Hades?" She frowned. "Like the god of the underworld? Is it because you live inside a mountain?” She indicated to their surroundings.
“No.” He shot a pointed look at Linx. "It’s because it is my name."
“Oh, that’s a good reason, too,” she said.
Linx sighed. “Forgive her impertinence, Sire. She's never been presented to royalty before and doesn't understand our culture. She meant no offense.”
"Fascinating." The King looked at her again like she'd just sprouted ram horns out her ears. It was obvious he wasn't used to receiving 'common' people. He continued to stare, his aqua blue eyes boring into her until Taylor felt naked. Finally, he deigned to speak. “The Phantom Warrior tells me that you have given up your wild Earth ways and plan to start a new life here on Zaron, if King Eros grants his permission.”
Wild ways?
Taylor glared at Linx. What in the world had he told Hades? She wasn't wild. Just because she'd chosen an unusual profession didn't make her a slut. She resisted the urge to hit him, then turned back to address the King. “That is correct, Your Highness,” she said through gritted teeth. Why was it when men were 'wild' they were considered studs and when women were proud of their sexuality they were called much, much worse?
The King stared at her, no doubt judging her like so many of the men that she'd met in her lifetime. Would he consider her unworthy to stay in his kingdom? If he did, what would that mean in terms of her fate? She lifted her chin and stared right back at him. Taylor wouldn't let a King or any other man make her feel inferior.
The silence became painfully uncomfortable. Sweat broke out on her forehead as they continued their staring contest. Taylor was about ready to repeat her answer, when he spoke.
“Pity, that you decided to make such a change now,” the King said, clearly bored with the whole conversation. “I had hoped for a
distraction
.”
Hoped for…what the hell?
Taylor’s temper flared before she could rein it in. She shot to her feet. “Well you won’t find one here,” she spat.
The arrogant jerk!
She should've known by looking at him that he'd be an ass. Taylor had thought that traveling a hundred light years would make a difference. When would she learn to ignore her hormones and see people for what they truly were? Men were the same no matter what solar system they lived in.
Linx’s eyes widened and he glowered at her. "You are speaking to a King," he hissed. "We talked about this. You forget your place."
"My place? My place is a hundred light years from here." But he was right. Hades was doing them a favor by letting her stay here. The least she could do was be gracious. Taylor opened her mouth to apologize, but one look at the King's arrogant expression changed her mind. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared right back at him. He could take her apology and stuff it up his tight butt.
Yes, she'd noticed that he had a great butt.
She might be 'reformed', but she wasn't blind.
Hades laughed. “Don't underestimate yourself. I have a feeling you could be quite distracting, if you put your mind to it,” he said to Taylor, then glanced at Linx. “You are dismissed.”
"I thought perhaps--" His words died mid-sentence at the look upon Hades' face. Linx hesitated, clearly torn about whether he should stick around. He shook his head, then gave the King another short bow. "As you wish." Linx took a step back. “Behave,” he grumbled under his breath to Taylor.
She fumed silently.
He had started it.
Linx waited for her to respond.
Taylor sighed. “I will," she said reluctantly. “Maybe you should give his ‘Royal Badass’ the same advice. I think he could use it.”
"Nice to see you two hitting it off. I'll give Tabby your best," Linx said, then hightailed it out of the cave like a scaredy cat.
***
Hades wasn't sure what the cat was up to, but he was grateful to have his debt satisfied. He sometimes wished that he had taken the knife to the chest. It would have been far less painful in the long run. He didn't like owing Linx or anyone else.
He stared at the Earth woman that he’d promised to keep safe. She was full of fire like the long, flowing dark red hair that framed her pale face. Odd colored eyes, neither brown nor green but somewhere floating in the middle, stared back at him in observation…and defiance. Her looks bore no resemblance to the Atlantean women or the Phantoms, but they were striking in their own way. He felt himself drawn to her, despite her anger and her obvious human shortcomings.
He’d read Taylor's thoughts easily, when she stepped forward into the chamber. She hadn’t believed him to be a King, but that was nothing new, since half the Atlanteans and Phantoms agreed and chose to follow King Eros instead.
In their eyes, Hades would always be a Half-being, neither Phantom nor Atlantean. A mistake. A ‘Royal Badass’ according to Taylor, though he kind of liked that term. Feared, but not necessarily respected. Their opinions would change quickly, if Zaron were ever under attack. For Hades was good at one thing, better than anyone else on the planet.
War.
He knew how to fight, how to use every weapon. His strategies were beyond compare. He’d been raised as a warrior from the start and did not fear death. Nor did he court his demise. Hades would do whatever he must in order to win, to keep his people safe.
Eros would never be able to say the same. His family made him soft. Weak. Made him forget that he was a warrior first and foremost. That particular failure would never happen to Hades.
He ensured it by keeping his distance from female entanglements. Oh, he enjoyed a good fuck as much as the next man, maybe more so since his dual bloodline gave him an insatiable appetite, but he never let sexual gratification lead to bonding. Hades didn't think with his dick. Never had, never would.
The Phantom people regularly pushed for him to take a mate, but Hades vowed never to do so. His refusal caused strife, but it was a strife that he could live with. He was satisfied with his life. Happy even.
So maybe he got bored on occasion. As King, it was his right. And maybe the women he bedded were becoming interchangeable in his mind. That didn't stop him from enjoying their company. And it certainly didn't mean that things needed to change.
His mood soured as his thoughts switched course. He glared at the human. It was her fault. He wasn't a damn nursemaid. He was King. Kings didn't babysit wayward females. He should call Linx back this instant and demand he come to retrieve her. Debt be damned! Hades noted the rebelliousness in Taylor’s eyes. It sparked something primal inside of him.
Perhaps she was an exception...
She finds you arrogant and thinks you're an ass.
Hades snorted. Her words were strange, but their meaning was clear. She was right. He was an arrogant ass. Those were two of his
good
qualities.
Why wasn't she lowering her gaze?
Didn't she know about the beast lurking beneath the calm facade of every Phantom Warrior? He may only be half Phantom, but his beast was strong---and dominant. It didn't like to be directly challenged. Yet, Taylor wasn't backing down or looking away.
Hades continued to stare, shocked and oddly
impressed
by her brazen display. Something inside of him rose to accept the challenge she unwittingly tossed out.