I Married Kayog (Prime Mating Agency #15)

Chapter 1

Linsea

The gleaming domes of Acadia Galactic University beckoned me as I sauntered down the path to the main entrance.

My eyes flicked this way and that as I took in the diverse crowd of off-worlders milling about, engaged in animated conversations, or trying to locate a friend or acquaintance.

I recognized many faces, some of them merely for being part of a famous family, others for having interacted with them in the upper circles of galactic politics or peacekeeping.

It had been a long time coming for me to finally attend this prestigious establishment. And knowing my dearest friend would also be in attendance made it all the more exciting.

Long before I reached the first steps at the bottom of the ten-meter-wide staircase leading up to the large terrace in front of the entrance, I spotted my beloved Tala.

Her bright-colored outfits always made her easy to find among large crowds.

Her long, flowy, bright-orange skirt gave a teasing glimpse of her endless legs through a slit that stopped just above her right knee.

A light-yellow, sleeveless, fitted top hugged the gentle curves of her narrow waist. A beaded tribal necklace hung around her long and slender neck down to her navel with matching earrings.

The same colorful beads adorned the tight curls of her black hair.

The ensemble made her dark skin glow and screamed of her joyful personality and pride in her heritage.

She beamed, her obsidian eyes lighting up as she waved at me. I waved back, a smile settling on my face as my heart warmed with the pleasure of reuniting with Tala after eight months that felt like eight years.

As I hastened up the stairs, she met me halfway, drawing me into a surprisingly strong hug, belying how deceptively fragile her slender frame appeared.

I closed my arms around her, reciprocating her embrace before closing my wings behind her.

She purred and rubbed her face in the crook of my neck where my down feathers were the fluffiest, and in a way she knew tickled me.

I chuckled and released her.

“Damn, I didn’t realize how much I had missed those winged hugs!” Tala exclaimed in an overly dramatic fashion that had me laughing.

“I guess I’ll have to make up for it over the next few days,” I said teasingly.

“You better,” Tala replied with false outrage. “It was about time you got your fluffy tail here. How dare you abandon me in this frightening place for so long all by myself?”

I rolled my eyes as she hooked her arm under mine and dragged me up the stairs.

“First off, you’re not alone,” I countered in a less-than-impressed tone. “Second, I was off on the mother of all internships. You would have plucked my feathers had I not taken it.”

“Yeah, yeah, Miss I’m-so-well-connected. Always the same folks getting all the advantages,” she replied with a theatrical pout.

I snorted and playfully elbowed her. “Don’t hate, you diva. Keep hanging out with me, and you just might get connected, too!”

“Why do you think I’m friends with you?” Tala asked as if the answer should be obvious.

I pressed a palm to my chest, pretending to be deeply wounded. “What?! I thought it was for my winged hugs?”

“Well, that too,” she added, waving a dismissive hand.

“I’m glad to hear it,” I replied, making a face at her.

“Are you all settled?” she asked as we wove our way through the throngs to enter the main hall of the massive building.

“I still have some unpacking to do. I’ll finish it tonight once I get back to my room.”

“Nuh uh! Absolutely not tonight. You can take care of that shit tomorrow,” Tala replied in a tone that brooked no argument.

“Why? What’s going on?” I asked, intrigued.

“Echoes of Madness is playing,” she said as she began giving me the tour of the campus.

I scrunched my face. “That sounds like a human hard rock band. I’m not really into that.”

“It’s not hard rock!” she swiftly countered. “Their style is more like grunge, alternative metal, and soft rock. And girl, let me tell you, when Kai starts singing a ballad, your toes are going to curl something fierce… Well, talons in your case.”

I snorted again and opened my mouth to reply, but she continued singing the praises of the band—or rather of its lead singer.

“When he starts belting out a rock section, your ovaries will flat out explode. And that body…! The way he moves should be absolutely illegal. That hip thrust—”

“Tala, this is way too much information!” I interrupted, more amused than scandalized. “Honestly, it sounds to me like you want a one-on-one date with him, not a third wheel to rain on your parade.”

“Not a chance,” she said with a falsely dejected expression. “He doesn’t like women.”

“Oh, Kai is gay?” I asked, curious.

“I wish,” a sexy male voice said behind me.

I jerked my head around to see a very handsome Edocit male walking past us. He winked at me, which had both of us chuckling as he continued on his way.

“Is he asexual then?” I asked Tala as we walked past the administrative offices towards the library.

She shrugged. “That’s what the rumor says. He’s been here two years and never dated anyone despite every possible type of galactic pussies being thrown at him.”

“TALA!” I exclaimed, genuinely shocked, and my cheeks heating.

She grinned at me, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she further prodded me, taking great pleasure in my embarrassment.

“Feathery, scaly, hairy, fleshy,” she enumerated, pinching the brown skin of her forearm as she stated that last word, “Mr. Kai wants none of it.”

“Oookay,” I said, unsure as to what I should respond to this.

“Is it normal?” Tala asked, this time with sincere curiosity.

“Is what normal?” I asked, baffled.

“For Temerns to be asexual? You also never seem to be interested in anyone,” she added, giving me an assessing look.

My brow shot up. “Kai is a Temern?”

“Yes.”

“Oh wow, I had not expected that. But no, my people do not tend to be asexual, or at least not in a proportion different from any other species. We do get aroused, but we don’t tend to do hookups or one-night stands.”

“Why not? Is it a cultural or religious thing?”

I shook my head while giving her an indulgent smile.

“Neither. But we’re empaths. We feel what our partner feels.

It can be quite awkward and uncomfortable when the other person has great expectations or develops a deep attachment that you cannot reciprocate.

The guilt of causing them pain, distress, or discomfort can be quite the deterrent. ”

“Damn! So I guess none of us were good enough to make him want to cross that line,” Tala said with a sad expression.

I frowned at her, although my amusement was still visible. “Don’t you have a partner? Aren’t you still with the lovely and very sexy Mares?” I asked.

“Yep!” Tala replied smugly.

“And you’re drooling over a Temern?” I challenged in a slightly reproving tone.

She huffed. “There’s no crime in enjoying the view and having one’s ego stroked by attracting the attention of the popular guy.”

I snorted. “I thought you didn’t do beaks?”

“Girl, that guy would make anyone do anything!” she exclaimed as if it was self-evident. “Every rule has an exception, and he is all of them. I mean, you know how humans like kissing. But for Kai, we’d give it up in a heartbeat.”

I burst out laughing. “After so many decades, centuries even, of cohabiting with humans, I would have expected you would all know by now that even species with beaks like mine are able to kiss.”

She made a disdainful gesture. “You guys do the tongue wrestling dance. It’s not the same as a proper, soft, cushioned kiss that people with lips can exchange.”

“Fine, fine,” I said, shaking my head at her. “But you know, fanning yourself over the fact that a Temern has a beautiful voice is a bit silly. Every bird folk can sing.”

She pointed at the cafeteria as we walked past it and indicated the hallway that led to the labs and research departments before leading me down the right corridor towards the lecture amphitheaters.

“I’m aware of that. But Kayog is something different altogether. Beyond the fact that he’s super-hot, he’s an amazing singer and performer, the top athlete in multiple sports, and a genius in class.”

“Sheesh, sounds like he’s Mr. Perfect,” I said with a hint of sarcasm. “But as we both know, there’s no such thing. So what are his issues? Let me take a wild guess. He’s entitled? Arrogant? A bully?”

She shook her head at each of my questions then made a weird face. “Kai is none of the above. His only flaw—if you can really call it that—is that he’s a pretty hardcore introvert.”

I gaped at her. Of all the answers she could have given, that one never featured on the list. “An introverted lead singer?! They’re the biggest attention whores in the universe!”

Tala sighed, a frown creasing her brow as she guided me towards the hall where our first lecture would be held.

“It’s complicated,” my friend replied at last.

“Complicated how?” I insisted.

She chewed her bottom lip while reflecting on her answer.

“I’m not sure how to describe it. Kai often isolates himself at completely random times.

You’ll see him hanging out with a group of jocks, then he’ll suddenly take off in the middle of a conversation.

A few times, he also walked out of class and didn’t come back.

In fact, he attends most of them remotely. ”

“And yet he’s a top student?” I asked, the suspicion taking root in the back of my head audible in my voice.

“He’s not cheating, if that’s what you’re implying,” Tala said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Once you meet him, you’ll see that Kai is genius-level smart. But come, class is about to start. We’ll finish the tour after.”