Epilogue - Zhain Roic
Z hain stood at the edge of the dance floor, his gaze scanning the swirling mass of bodies. The throne room aboard the station had been transformed for the wedding reception, its usual starkness replaced by a riot of color and light. The air was filled with music and laughter, the sounds of celebration and joy, and Herris blossoms adorned every surface, their pale petals soft and delicate. They were reserved for royalty, so he’d never seen so many in one place before.
He smiled as he caught sight of a couple in the middle of the dancefloor. Traax and Zara, the newlyweds, moved together in perfect harmony, their bodies swaying to the beat. A small pang of jealousy rolled through Zhain at the sight of the mating marks around Traax’s wrists. One day, he would find a female who called forth such marks on his skin.
Traax’s face lit up with a happiness Zhain had never seen before, his usually harsh features softened by a smile for the female in his arms. He looked at his new mate as if she were the only thing in existence and he needed to memorize every detail this instant.
Zara, for her part, was utterly radiant. Her white gown, a mix of both Earth and Latharian designs, swirled around her as Traax spun her out and then back into his arms, her laughter ringing clear and bright. The bonding necklace of Traax’s family line glittered around her throat, a symbol of her new status as a princess of the empire.
His gaze flicked to the sides of the room, where Zara’s trio of drakeen stood like silent sentinels. To his surprise, they swayed slightly to the music, their massive metal frames looking somehow almost... graceful.
“Scary as hell, aren’t they?” a female voice said behind him.
He whirled around and found himself looking down at one of Zara’s pilots. Crash, he remembered. She was small, barely reaching his chest, with jet black hair cut in a short, edgy style that revealed the graceful arch of her neck. Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief and something else… something that sent a shiver down his spine.
Oddly, he suddenly felt like prey. And he liked it.
His lips curled into a smile. “More frightening is the ease with which she controls them.”
Crash grinned. “Yeah, well… that’s the thing. Ghost can pilot anything, anywhere, anytime.”
She cocked her head, her gaze sweeping over him in a way that made his blood start to simmer. “Okay, so that was a ruse to get you to talk to me. Now, how do I get you to dance with me?”
His smile widened, and a warm, fluttering sensation took root in his chest.
Bending slightly at the waist, he offered her his hand. “All you have to do is ask, my lady.”
She laughed, the sound bright and infectious, and reached out to place her hand in his. Her skin was soft and delicate against his. “Well then, handsome. You’d better lead the way.”
“Of course, my lady. It would be my pleasure.”
He pulled her onto the dance floor, one hand resting on her waist while the other held her hand respectfully. Crash fit perfectly in his arms, her body molded to his as if they had danced together this way for years.
She moved with grace, as if the music were a part of her. Her eyes never left his, a silent challenge and invitation all at once.
“So,” she leaned in to murmur, her voice low. Intimate. “What on Earth is a handsome man like you doing standing all alone at a wedding?”
He chuckled. “Admiring the view, for the most part,” he replied, his gaze sweeping over her form.
Her eyes sparkled with delight. “Oh, is that so? And do you like what you see?”
“Oh yes, very much,” he murmured, his hand tightening on her waist. “Human fem—women… You are quite stunning.”
“Well, handsome, you’re not so bad yourself.” Color decorated her cheeks in bright banners, but she didn’t look away. “I’ve been trying to work out how to approach you all night. Then I gave up and decided to go in all guns blazing. Crash and burn.” She winked.
Surprise and pleasure coursed through Zhain at her bold confession. Human females, he was learning, were very different from what he remembered of Latharian females. They were fierce, direct, and totally unafraid to go after what they wanted.
And Crash seemed to want… him .
“Well…” He dropped his voice to a low, intimate murmur as he pulled her closer until she was flush against his larger, harder body. “It worked. You have my absolute attention.”
Her smile softened, became warmer. “Good.”
They danced in silence for a few moments, letting the music wash over them. He lost himself in the feel of her and the way her body moved against his. She was so tiny and delicate compared to him, it was intoxicating.
The song ended, and she looked up. He bit back the shiver that rolled down his spine at the look in her eyes.
“What do you say we get out of here?” she suggested, her voice pitched so that only he could hear. “Find somewhere more... private to continue this conversation?”
Zhain’s smile was slow. She might have thought she was the one stalking him, but nothing could be further from the truth. As she was about to find out.
“I thought you’d never ask.”