Chapter 12
TWELVE
Cyprian
Cyprian stood near the grand entrance hall of Erovik. Fully aware that his composure was the only thing shielding his operation from chaos, he kept his wings folded tightly to his back, his posture commanding but unthreatening. The tense atmosphere had already seeped into every corner of the establishment. Word of the Axis arriving on station spread faster than plasma through an exhaust conduit, and now, half the courtias were gathering in each other’s suites while the other half were notably absent from Erovik entirely. None of them liked the Axis. To them, it was just another hand out to take a cut of the credits they earned.
“Director,” Glivar’s gravelly voice interrupted his thoughts. The hulking green male appeared at Cyprian’s side. His expression was set with grim determination. “The inspector and his people are moving through the upper suites. He’s already threatened three staff bots, and I overheard him questioning one of the newer courtias .”
Cyprian’s claws flexed involuntarily at his sides before he forced his hands to remain neutral. The general story given to the inspector was that Fivra hadn’t worked out and was gone. No one knew where. No one cared. “Did the other courtias given anything away?”
“Nothing useful,” Glivar assured him. “They’re sticking tight to the story, but the bots might crack if he digs deeper. They’re programmed to answer to only certain people, but not adaptable enough to outwit someone who knows what to ask.”
Cyprian exhaled sharply through his nose and tilted his head, scanning the crowd through narrowed eyes. They didn’t have time for this game of cat and mouse. Xryvos and his small staff were a blunt instrument in a calculated world, and if the inspector had already resorted to intimidation tactics this early in the inspection, it meant he was getting desperate.
“Let him make his threats,” Cyprian growled. “The courtias will stay out of his way, but if anyone breaks down and tells him about Fivra, I want to know immediately.”
Glivar started to say something, but both males turned sharply as the hiss of the entrance doors cut through the air. The heavy thud of boots followed, signaling the arrival of the Axis inspector. Xryvos entered with all the grace of a battleship—large, imposing, and devoid of warmth. His angular, metallic armor caught the light, throwing harsh reflections across the walls. Behind him, two subordinates walked like silent sentinels.
All pretense of civility stuttered as Cyprian and Glivar turned to watch the inspector’s purposeful stride. Cyprian’s wings flared out just enough to establish his dominance without appearing overtly threatening.
“Director Cyprian,” Xryvos’ voice was a cold, mechanical echo that carried through the hall. Every syllable was precise, clipped, and devoid of emotion. “We are short on time, so I will dispense with pleasantries.”
“I wasn’t expecting any,” Cyprian replied. “Welcome to Erovik. Shall I provide a tour, or do you intend to disrupt my courtias’ and clients’ experience with further dramatics?”
Xryvos ignored the jab, stepping closer. His two subordinates remained at the edges of the hall. Their sharp gazes scanned the space like hovering predatory drones. “I have reason to believe your facility is harboring a fugitive,” he said bluntly. “A Terian female acquired from the Falmic-5 auction.”
“Ah, yes. Fivra. She is not a courtia here.” Cyprian’s voice was calm, but bladed. “She was not a good candidate for the occupation. Despite that, since she was acquired through proper channels and entered into Erovik’s records, I do not see a problem. We are a legal, Axis-sanctioned establishment.” His words were carefully chosen, even as defiance boiled beneath his surface.
“The Terian female is not an ordinary acquisition, Director,” Xryvos snapped. He took another step forward, his metallic boots resounding with deliberate intent. “She, and those like her, are part of a…delicate matter within the Axis’ jurisdiction. Their current status is classified, but she should not be here. Your courtias claim she is no longer here, but I find that unlikely. Produce her now, and this process will be considerably less…disruptive.”
Cyprian’s wings flexed as dragon fire burned in his throat. His expression remained neutral, but his silver eyes gleamed like molten metal. “You have done your search, Inspector. If you could not find the female you seek, then she is not here. But to barge into my halls, fracture my clients’ trust, and issue baseless accusations—not to mention vague threats. Your actions have been more ‘disruptive’ than anything you claim I’ve done.”
“You seem to misunderstand your position here,” Xryvos growled. His hand grazed the hilt of a weapon strapped to his side in a simple, calculated gesture. “This is not a negotiation, Director. If the Terian female is not presented to me within the next five liks , I will consider this an act of noncompliance. You may think your reputation or business will shield you, but let me assure you, neither carries weight against Axis authority.”
Cyprian’s lips twitched upward in the barest hint of a mocking smile. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them until their faces were mere inches apart. “It’s you who misunderstands, Inspector.” Cyprian’s voice dropped to an icy calm that coiled like a serpent ready to strike. “You may claim authority here, but Erovik is under my protection, and so are the beings within it. If you wish to make seizures, tread carefully, because the Axis is not the only power in this quadrant.”
It was the first time in his life that Cyprian had directly challenged an Axis ruling, and it felt as if he were stepping out of an air lock and into open space. Smoke curled from his nostrils as the fire churned and his dragon itched to emerge and tear this fool apart. The air crackled with unspoken tension.
Xryvos’ subordinates shifted slightly, the barest flicker of unease passing through them, but it was Xryvos who stood his ground. His sharp features twisted into a sneer. “A dragon’s roar may sound impressive, Director, but without teeth, it is merely noise. If you continue to obstruct—”
“You want Fivra?” Cyprian cut through the inspector’s sentence. “Then you will deal with me directly.”
Glivar, who until now had remained a looming shadow at Cyprian’s side, stiffened in place, his usually stoic expression dipping briefly into shock.
Xryvos’ expression darkened as he squared his metallic shoulders. His presence, though formidable, paled against the sheer command Cyprian radiated. “So, you do have her,” he said with smug satisfaction.
Cyprian took another step forward, forcing Xryvos to crane his neck slightly just to maintain eye contact. He was well aware that his crimson wings gave him the aura of a predator ready to strike, because he was actually holding back from striking this miserable being. Cyprian’s wings flared wide, casting a long shadow that stretched across the floor. “The Terian female you seek is under my protection. She is not a courtia to be bought and sold. She is my chosen mate.”
The words echoed through the hall like thunder. The weight of the pronouncement rippled through the room, eliciting a collective intake of breath from a collection of people Cyprian hadn’t realized had congregated around the edges. He glanced up to see courtias poised in the doorway, listening. The faces around him showed shock. Even Viparia leaned against a nearby column, head tilted in visible surprise that he would admit this to an Axis agent.
Glivar groaned softly, but he didn’t speak. His jaw tightened, his sharp eyes flickering between Cyprian and the Axis inspector.
Xryvos tilted his head slightly. His sharp, angular features twisted into a sneer. “Mate?” Disbelief and more than a little condescension infused his tone. “Do you expect me to accept this? The Axis does not recognize petty romantic entanglements as a shield against their authority.”
Cyprian’s eyes narrowed. He had run out of patience with the inspector. Tension radiated from his body. He loomed over Xryvos. When he spoke, his voice was low and thrumming with power. “I don’t care what the Axis recognizes. Fivra is mine. That is the end of it.”
The inspector faltered for the first time. His sneer was replaced by a flicker of doubt. His subordinates exchanged uneasy glances.
“You expect us to believe this?” Xryvos hissed. “A director of a brothel acquiring a mate from among his staff? The Axis will see this for the desperate ploy it is.”
Cyprian pulled in a deep breath. There was no walking back this conversation. Every word he uttered would be in the inspector’s report. Every word sealing a fate he’d never imagined would be his. “You’re welcome to inform the Axis, Inspector.” He extended his hand toward Xryvos, palm upturned in a mocking invitation. “Tell them that a Zaruxian has chosen his mate, and that they now seek to lay claim to her. Let them weigh the profits of this inspection against the wrath of a bonded Zaruxian stripped of his mate.”
Xryvos’ gaze darted to Cyprian’s wings and then the crowd behind him. Only a fool would miss the shift in the room— courtias , guards, and even the staff bots now hung on Cyprian’s every word. In this moment, he wasn’t just the director of Erovik. He was the embodiment of power and defiance.
“You may posture all you like, Director.” Venom dripped from Xryvos’ words. “But this changes nothing. I will inform my superiors of your transgressions, and when I return, I will bring an elite legion. The Terian female will be found, and there will be nowhere for her—or you—to hide.”
The corner of Cyprian’s mouth twitched in a wry, humorless smile. Slowly, like a predator savoring the moments before a kill, he cocked his head. “Let me make something clear to you. You could bring a legion, a fleet— fek , the full might of the Axis—and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
Xryvos took a small step back, but his expression remained dark. “Big words. But words are just that. When the Axis sends that fleet, your bravado will turn to ash, and so will she.”
Cyprian trembled with the urge to change to his dragon form. It licked beneath his skin and the desire to tear this insolent creature to shreds was so strong, he salivated from it. More smoke curled from his nostrils. The wisps hinted at the fire waiting just below the surface. The room held its collective breath, and even the two agents flanking Xryvos took a step back, their metallic grips tightening on their weapons instinctively.
Cyprian’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous rumble. “If Axis agents try to harm her—or anyone under my protection—they will face my fire.”
“You underestimate the Axis,” Xryvos said, but his voice quaked faintly.
Cyprian’s claws flexed. “I know the Axis better than you imagine, Inspector. You are not invulnerable. Not here, not anywhere. If you think your superiors will risk the wrath of one of my kind, let alone the scrutiny of clients within Erovik, you are even more foolish than I thought.”
“The Axis will not back down, Director. Not for you. Not for your primitive ‘mate.’ They will erase her from existence, and when they do, you will see the futility of your arrogance.” The inspector straightened abruptly. His metallic armor clicked faintly. “Mark my words, Director,” Xryvos said, his voice mechanical but laced with brittle fury. “The Axis will not ignore this insult. You’ve made an enemy.”
Cyprian’s lips curled slightly. “No,” he said simply. “They have.”
Xryvos’ gaze lingered on Cyprian’s imposing form before he spun on his heel. His boots tapped against the floor as he made his way to the exit, his agents following close behind. The hiss of the entrance doors closing behind them was a signal that the storm—at least for the moment—had passed.
The silence that followed was suffocating, like the calm after a blistering battle. Cyprian remained where he stood, wings slowly retracting, folding neatly against his back. His eyes burned with the remnants of his defiance. What had he done?
It was Viparia who broke the fragile moment, stepping forward from her place by the column. “Well, well.” Her voice dripped with amusement, though her golden eyes gleamed with a mix of admiration and concern. “If I wasn’t fond of your little mate, Director, I might have fallen a bit for you myself, after that little display.”
A ripple of nervous laughter flitted through the onlookers, but it was faint and uncertain, their gazes flickering between Cyprian and the now-empty exit.
“The show is over. Everyone go back to your suites.” Cyprian’s head spun. Not only had he just declared war on the Axis, he’d potentially put Erovik and everyone who worked here in danger.
As the onlookers began to dissipate, Cyprian turned to Glivar, who stood with a look of hardened determination. “We need to move quickly. Have my transport ready. I’m taking Fivra and leaving.”
Glivar blinked. “You’re serious?”
“Not only serious, it’s our only option,” Cyprian replied, his voice low with a sense of urgency. “Congratulations, Glivar. You’ve just been promoted to director.”
Glivar’s jaw dropped. “No, boss. You’re the director. There has to be another—”
“I said what I said.” Cyprian ran a shaky hand through his hair. “And I meant every fekking word of it. Now find a way for me and Fivra to get off this station. Kaelen is getting two guests instead of one.”
But as he strode to Viparia’s suite, doubt flickered through his mind. What if the Axis found out before they could escape? What if Xryvos was already a step ahead of them? Shaking off the thoughts, he pushed open the door and looked around, finally finding Fivra still hidden in the wardrobe, surrounded by a sea of shimmering silks and jewels.
She poked her head out. “Are they gone?”
“Yes,” he said. “For now. We need to leave.”
She emerged slowly from her cocoon of fabric, expression wary. “Why? Do they know I’m here?”
“Probably, but we can’t worry about that right now.” He pushed the fear down deep as the instinct to protect flared fiercely in his chest. “I need you to trust me. We have a plan, but I need you to stay close. I won’t let them take you.”
She nodded slowly. “I trust you.”
He reached out a hand to her, feeling like he was about to jump off a cliff, unsure if his wings would hold. “Come with me.”