"I don't give a shit who you are," Riley ground out through his teeth. "Don't touch me."
Khalon threw a hand out, wrapping it around Riley's slender neck. "You are mine until otherwise released." He brushed his thumb across soft skin, the stir it caused in Khalon's stomach unsettling. If something wasn't done and quickly, the connection between them might grow. Khalon couldn't have that. The last thing he needed was to form some false sense of attachment to this creature.
"Screw you! I'm not scared of you."
Khalon leaned in, his fangs growing as he grinned at the all but trembling prince. "Then why do you reek of fear?"
Riley lifted his chin in defiance. "I reek of a guy who got chased by a bunch of demons down a piss-stained alley."
Khalon let out a snort of disgust and released the incorrigible human. Unbelievable. How could he be expected to mate with this... this impudent pixie? Riley was about as fierce as a newborn fawn, all wide-eyed and fluffy tailed. It was humiliating, to say the least. Besides the insult there was the profound threat the human posed to Khalon and his Soldati warriors. Khalon could not risk his people on such a frail and fickle creature.
Riley rubbed at his neck, his glower on Khalon. "You have some serious anger issues."
With a frustrated grunt, Khalon tugged on the golden rope near his wardrobe, ringing the bell to summon the servants. Toka was promptly at his door.
"Get him out of my sight before I finish what those bastard demons started. Clean him up and feed him. I need time to think of my next course of action without him and his incessant babbling."
Riley gasped. "And you're still single? How is this injustice possible?"
What sounded like a giggle escaped Toka before he clamped a hand over his mouth. Was Khalon losing his touch? Now the servants were laughing at him!
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I meant no offense." Toka's big amber eyes grew glassy and Khalon sighed. The last thing he needed was to make the foxling weep. Rayner would become irate with him, and Khalon had enough to deal with at the moment without one of his friend's insufferable lectures.
"Just go."
Riley pulled his arm from Toka's reach. "Now hold on a second. I demand--"
"Go!" Khalon roared, balling his hands at his sides before the urge to strangle Riley overpowered him.
"Going." Riley turned and fled from the room with several servants in tow. Toka excused himself when Khalon called out to him.
"Keep an eye on him."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Toka bowed before turning and leaving him alone to his thoughts, the room blissfully silent.
How could one human cause so much discourse? So much noise? With a sigh he dropped down into the chair Riley had vacated, curling his lip with a snarl. Now his chair smelled of the human. Something flowery. Lavender? Sandalwood? What the hell did it matter? He'd just closed his eyes when he heard Rayner's footsteps.
"Can I not have a moment's peace in my own chamber?" Khalon grumbled. "What do you want?" He opened his eyes and peered at his friend, who boldly took a seat on the footstool before Khalon without invitation.
Rayner's eyes filled with concern. "Do you truly believe the priestess has made a mistake?"
Khalon leaned forward, his hands clasped between his knees. "You saw him. I was to be mated to a fierce warrior. Not that." He sat back and ran a hand through his hair. "He's frail. I have swords taller than him."
"Strength does not lie with size alone."
Khalon narrowed his eyes, aware of Rayner's amused expression. "Remind me why I have yet to imprison you for your insolence?"
"Because the last time you imprisoned someone, humans were still defecating in holes inside those ridiculous little wooden sheds. Also because you love me."
Khalon scoffed. "You overestimate my attachment to your miserable carcass."
"I love you too," Rayner replied with a chuckle.
"Are you saying I'm growing soft?" Was it possible?
"I'm saying perhaps you're growing into your own skin." Rayner patted Khalon's knee, his eyes still alight with amusement.
Khalon would not dignify that with a response. He was not going soft. "The answer to your previous question is yes: I believe the priestess has made a mistake. How could it not be? A human? You know very well there's more at risk here than my reputation."
Rayner nodded. "Then there is only one thing to do. We take Riley Murrough to the great priestess. Request she remove the mark along with his memories of us."
Khalon considered this. "It means a new mate will be revealed to me."
"Isn't that your wish?" Rayner asked as he stood. His expression turned guarded, and for once, Khalon could not decipher his thoughts.
Did Rayner not wish him to get rid of Riley? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he quickly dismissed it. Ridiculous. Rayner was a Soldati, the most powerful next to Khalon himself. He understood the desire to have a warrior as great as him at his side, to share his life, his heart, and his bed. Rayner might be taken with the foxling servant, but it was merely another passing fancy of his. The idea a Soldati would take a servant as his mate was laughable, not to mention prohibited.
Khalon stood. "Inform Adira and Ezra. We leave for the temple of the great priestess in the morning."
Rayner bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
With that he turned and left the room. No jovial ribbing, no innuendos, or playful insults. Did Rayner not agree with his decision? Riley was a human. He was neither strong nor honorable enough to be a Soldati, much less a Soldati prince. As soon as they reached the temple of the great priestess, everything would be set to rights.
Chapter Three
"SO, UH, you guys just sit around waiting to bathe people?"
Riley felt a little self-conscious undressing in front of a bunch of strangers, but then again, it wasn't anything he hadn't done countless times in the locker room at the gym. Of course, the locker room hadn't resembled a palatial Turkish bath. He had to admit it was pretty impressive. The brown-and-gold tiles shaped into intricate designs and the mosaic tigers along the walls of the circular room were gorgeous. The glowing wall sconces gave the place a warm, cozy feel.
"We have served the Soldati for centuries. It's our honor," one of the servants stated gently as he led a stark naked Riley to the expansive bath. He entered the steaming water and sighed. It felt damned good, and he did kind of stink. He would have preferred to be alone in the bath, but that was looking less likely with every servant that joined him. He'd had a dream like this once after watching a few too many episodes of Spartacus. Of course his dream had less to do with bathing, and more with enjoying a different type of steam.
One of the servants poured a nice-smelling substance on his hands before moving on to wash Riley's hair. A second servant lathered up Riley's right arm, another his left, while a third massaged Riley's shoulders.
"Do you... turn into things?" Riley asked a red-haired servant. He seemed to be the only one who talked, and when he spoke, the others jumped to it.
"I am a foxling, as are the rest of the servants. My animal form is a red fox. Foxlings vary in species."
Cute. He kind of looked like a fox with his heart-shaped face and bright amber eyes. His eyes were outlined in dark kohl and his hands, wrists, and forearms were a dark smoky color that faded into his bronzed skin.
"Is that makeup on your hands?" Riley asked.
"No. That is my skin," he replied with a smile. "As I said. I am a foxling."
"Right. Sorry, still getting used to this whole not-human thing. What's your name?"
"Toka."
"Toka, where am I?"
"You are in the home of Khalon King, in the realm of the Soldati."
"And where exactly is that?"
Toka smiled impishly. "Upstate New York."
One of the servants moved his hand lower, and Riley gave a start. "Hey, whoa, I appreciate the assistance, but I can scrub my own nads, thanks."
The servants giggled and Toka scolded them, though
Riley noticed he wasn't harsh or unkind. "You have a way with words, Riley Murrough."
"You can call me Riley." He finished washing himself and allowed the servants to escort him out of the bath, where he promptly took the towels from them. "Thanks, guys, but really. I can dry myself."
As soon as he was done, he slipped his arms into the lush, ornate robe held out for him. He tied the sash and followed Toka to a different set of doors than he came in from. There was a large bedroom decorated in rich hues of red and gold, from the elaborate rug to the canopy of the giant four-poster bed. A delicious scent made his mouth water, and for a moment, he thought he'd died and gone to heaven. There was a carved wood table set with more food than Riley could eat in a week.
"Come. You must be hungry."
Riley didn't need to be asked twice. Had he wanted to refuse just on principle, his stomach would betray him. The need to inhale some of this tasty-looking food overtook any concerns regarding his current outlandish predicament. He tried not to talk with his mouth full, but he wanted to eat and get some answers. Ooh, chicken!
"So if we're in New York, how come I've never heard of this place? You'd think someone would have spotted it." And probably tried to book a wedding. Khalon would make a mint. Not many castles in New York these days. The decor was pretty extravagant too. He knew a few people who would have happily given their firstborn to get married in a place like this.
"In your world you must have come across magic."
Riley cocked his head. "Like, Vegas magic? Because I hate to break it to you...."
Toka chuckled and poured Riley some fruit wine concoction. "No. Like monsters, changelings, mermaids, witches, things that go bump in the night."
"On TV. Lot of weird stuff on TV." Actually a lot of weird stuff in real life lately too.
"Well, that weird stuff is real."
Riley swallowed a mouthful of tasty chicken. "You're telling me ghosts, vampires, werewolves, it's all real? You expect me to believe that?"
"You were just saved from demons by a group of magic-wielding warriors who can change into tigers. Yet you can't believe the rest exist?"
"Touche."
The thought that every otherworldly creature he'd ever seen on TV might be real was... terrifying. The whole reason he was never scared as a kid--and admittedly as an adult--was because he knew none of it was real, and now....
"Our world has always existed alongside yours, protected and hidden by magic wards. For centuries the growing discord in both our worlds has begun to weaken the wards, allowing those bound to our world to slip through into the human world. Demons are notorious for slipping through, but the Soldati have hunted them since before humans walked this earth."
"Speaking of Soldati. What's the deal with King Crabby-Pants?"
Toka took a nibble of what looked like a sugar cookie, only fancier. "He's not as bad as he seems."
"You mean he's only a self-absorbed prick some of the time?"
Riley moved on to some of the other meats. There were all kinds and cooked to perfection. There were bowls of fruits, platters of cheeses, vegetables, and plenty of mouthwatering desserts. He plucked what looked like a lemon bar. One thing was for certain: the Soldati knew how to feast.
"I'm sure your boss is a great guy and this is all just a big misunderstanding. So why don't we expedite this process a little and you tell me how I can get back home." He gave his most charming smile. "How about it?"
Toka's troubled expression gave Riley pause. "You're safer here. The demons are searching for you. They won't rest until you're either dead or have been claimed."
"Claimed? Are we talking joint taxes, or...?" He had a feeling Toka wasn't talking about taxes.
"A union of body and soul."
"Union? You mean sex? I have to have sex with Mr. Personality so the demons don't tear me apart? Wow, okay. I can do that. A few drinks and it'll be like any other night at the club." He reached for the wine bottle, only to have Toka gently lay a hand over his.
"It's more than sex."
"First it was just sex, now it's more than sex? What's he want, a commitment? It's going to take more than one night chained up in his basement with him growling at me to win me over. Okay, and an amazing dinner, but I'm not that easy." He popped a couple of grapes into his mouth. Khalon and his warriors had saved Riley's life, and he was grateful, but it didn't give the guy the right to have him locked away in his castle like some medieval princess, or prince, apparently. It wasn't like he asked for any of this. He was an unwilling participant in this bizarre situation.
"Khalon is a Soldati king and a great warrior descended from the fiercest Soldati warriors. Every Soldati king is destined to be mated with an equally powerful creature, one of the great priestess's choosing. This mate will rule at his side as his lover and prince. The union makes the Soldati more powerful. It's a position of honor and privilege. Khalon's mate is meant to bring greatness to him and his kind."
"And instead he gets stuck with me. Yeah, I can see why the guy would be pissed." No one had ever mistaken him for a warrior, much less a prince. Four years of art school, and what did it get him? A string of crummy jobs and a long list of clients who wanted him to either work for a pittance or give his art up for free. His mother was right. He should have been a pharmacist.
Toka leaned over and took hold of Riley's wrist. He pushed up the sleeve, revealing the tribal bands around Riley's forearm. "This is Khalon's mark. It was imprinted on your soul from birth by the great priestess, waiting to be revealed the day your king arrived to claim you. Today was the day you were to be claimed, which is why the demons found you and why you were able to see them. The all-seeing Eye led Khalon and his warriors to you." He released Riley's arm and Riley couldn't help but run his fingers over the black tribal patterns.
"How did the demons know where to find me?"
"Your life force. We each have a force of energy unique to us. When a new Soldati prince or princess is revealed, their life-force energy will emit a pulse so their mate can find them. Unfortunately the Soldati king and his warriors are not the only ones who can sense or feel this pulse."
"Has the great priestess ever been wrong?"
Toka shook his head, his delicate red hair swishing with his movement. The guy was adorable. "You've been chosen for a reason."
"I hate to break it to you, but I'm just a regular guy. Unless cooking the perfect poached egg becomes a superpower, I've got nothing."
Toka smiled sweetly. "We'll see."
The room grew quiet and Riley wasn't feeling so hungry anymore. "There's no way out of here, is there?" Even if there were, Riley believed Toka. If he went out there on his own, there was a chance he'd run into more of those demons. It would be kind of tough serving up cappuccinos with demons tearing at his mortal flesh, and he wasn't talking about the morning coffee rush.
"I know you have no reason to trust us, Riley, but you saw the demons for yourself. They will kill you."
Riley couldn't help his curiosity. "And if they do?"
"If unclaimed, a new mate will be revealed to Khalon. If claimed, the demons will no longer hunt you, as they fear the power of the Soldati prince as much as that of the Soldati king. However, if you are claimed and happen to be killed, Khalon is destined to live without a mate for the rest of his immortal life. There will be a void he will never be able to fill."
Riley swallowed hard. Well, that sucked either way.
The doors opened and Riley recognized the tall dark-haired guy who walked in. It was one of Khalon's warriors. Toka swiftly jumped to his feet, his hands clasped in front of him and his head slightly lowered. Riley noticed the way his cheeks flushed.
"Rayner."
"Toka." Rayner smiled warmly. He took hold of Toka's hand and put it to his lips for a kiss. "Thank you for taking such good care of our prince."
"I'm only doing my duty, sir."
"Of course." Rayner released Toka's hand and turned to Riley. "I hope you have enjoyed the king's hospita
lity. In the morning we set out to the temple of the great priestess. Khalon will present his case in the hopes of getting the mark removed. You will be returned home."
Riley stood. "The priestess can remove the mark?"
"The great priestess can do anything. She is the one who marked you, and therefore the one who can remove it. Khalon will be given a new mate, and you may return to your life unaware of what has transpired." Rayner bowed and turned to go.
"Wait, what do you mean I'll return unaware? I won't remember?" Riley wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.
Rayner bowed his head. "That is correct."
Before Riley could say another word, Rayner bid him good night and excused himself. Riley sat back down, moving his gaze to Toka and watching him smooth down his embroidered tunic. Seeming to realize he wasn't alone in the room, Toka cleared his throat and motioned to a long gold rope hanging from the ceiling beside the bed.
"Should you need anything at all, simply pull on the rope, and someone will arrive immediately. The servants shall be in to clean up. Sleep well, Riley. May you find what you seek on your journey to the temple. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?"
"So you and Rayner...."
Toka smiled bashfully. "Good night, Riley."
"Good night." Riley returned Toka's smile and watched him go.
He liked Toka. The foxling was really sweet. He clearly had a thing for Rayner, though Riley had a feeling servants and Soldati warriors rarely mingled, much less dated. Did Soldati warriors date, or did they just carry off their lovers and claim them? An image of Khalon claiming him entered his head and Riley jumped to his feet, his face burning up. Nope. Not going to happen. His arm itched and Riley scratched at the bands. He had to get this off. If the priestess could do that, then he'd go along on this crazy adventure.
After the servants came and took what was left of the food away, Riley walked around the room in hopes of easing the fullness of his belly. At least that was his story and he was sticking to it. He was not nosing around. The wardrobe was huge and it was filled with all kinds of snazzy clothes. There were candles everywhere and a huge stone fireplace with a comfy-looking chaise lounge in front of it. The walls were decorated with intricately woven tapestries of tigers frolicking. Once he was done walking off his fullness, he cleaned up in a bathroom that was bigger than his tiny apartment.