Snows of Aturia (The Darvel Exploratory Systems #3) Read online

  She had thought that a cabin on the southern continent would have been a pleasant retreat to inspire her imagination, but if this was where she was going to spend a few days while awaiting transport, she had no complaints. It was just the sort of fuel her imagination craved. She wanted to ask her rescuer a million questions, but the whip of air made conversing difficult, and the cold temperatures eventually forced her to tear her gaze away from the beautiful sight to press her face once more into the warm feathers.

  From the corner of her eye, Vanessa watched as white wings folded, and her fingers dug into the feathers along his collar as he suddenly plummeted. Pressing her face against him, she just barely held back her shriek—or maybe she didn’t. She couldn’t really tell with the wind whistling in her ears from their rapid drop, made even worse when her hearing became muffled for several seconds before her ears uncomfortably popped.

  Her rescuer’s body suddenly contorted around her at an angle that practically enfolded her within his large frame as he dropped his legs. It was the only warning she got before the landing jolt slammed her head against the bottom of his jaw.

  “Fuck!” she hissed, slapping a hand up protectively over her head even as the male snarled a low curse.

  He stiffened when her fingers encountered a protruding horn-like spur at the corner of his jaw. She was relieved that she hadn’t hit that part of him because she was certain it would’ve done some damage. Nearly as large as her thumb, she noticed that it had a slight curve to it as it came to a point. A rattling croon rolled through his chest, his throat vibrating hard enough that she could feel it even through her fingertips where she touched the large spur. She yanked her hand away, her face flooding with embarrassment.

  Vanessa swallowed a groan. What had gotten into her? For all she knew, the alien could have taken that as a sexual come-on. That was the last thing she needed. She spared a covert glance, eyeing the men who were carefully deposited around her on what looked like a massive extended balcony. No one seemed to look her way, or even notice the sound coming from the male holding her. Well, no one human, anyway. One of the large males nearest to them turned his head, the long wispy feathers on his head raising slightly as he looked at the male holding her before turning a speculative gaze on her.

  The narrowed amber eyes almost had her ducking her face back into the feathers. She probably would have hidden within them if not for the fact that the male was still crooning at her in a strange, repeating sequence of two reverberating notes, and she wasn’t sure if that would cause further confusion. Instead, she gave his chest a pat, indicating that she wished to be put down.

  Jor’ytal’s beautiful, gold hawk-like eyes blinked down at her before she was slowly lowered to the stone floor, his croon only growing louder.

  “Thank you,” she mumbled, flushing further with embarrassment as she felt several more pairs of eyes turn toward them.

  She immediately dropped her gaze to look at the balcony beneath her feet. Although windswept, the bare stones had several areas crusted with ice that grew even thicker toward the edge where the balcony was enclosed by an elaborately carved wall. Rivers of ice seemed to drip off the carvings, making the crouched winged figures adorning them appear almost monstrous.

  A shiver ran through her, and she stepped away, turning toward the light she could see coming from the narrow windows on either side of a massive pair of wooden doors. Not a drop of light spilled out from around the doors, giving her hope that the interior would be pleasantly warm rather than drafty. She took a step and slipped, only to be rescued once again by her alien and pulled up securely against his body. He regarded her silently, his strange croon disappearing. His feathers fluffed out and his mouth curved downward with disapproval as his fingers tightened around her arm where he gripped her. One wing dipped, curving around her in a wall of white feathers.

  “Stay with me. You are not made for our world and are as helpless as a youngling,” he remarked in a deep, rumbling voice.

  The observation stung a bit until she looked down at his feet. She noticed then that the aliens had little trouble clinging to the stone and ice with the strong hooked claws on their toes, the dark claws stabbing out from the tufts of feathers on their feet. She supposed that the comparison was apt since the Aturians had an advantage that she and the other humans lacked. Not that everyone seemed willing to acknowledge the fact. She could hear the curses that came from one of the men as he stubbornly tried to walk by himself repeatedly only for his boots to skid uselessly on the ice.

  Absently, she wondered who it was. The low muttering wasn’t loud enough for her to identify his voice and the heavy snow made it difficult to visually differentiate between the men. Certainly not enough to identify the man standing with his arms flung from his sides and his legs braced as he attempted yet again to walk unassisted.

  She rolled her eyes and turned away from the sight. She wasn’t too proud to accept help to keep her from falling on her ass. It just meant getting inside sooner. If they had to cling to the aliens for assistance, then so be it. She was glad to see that most of the men were on the same page as they clung to the muscular arms of aliens holding them up as they were escorted toward large doors that opened automatically at their approach.

  The swirling snow that obscured so much of her vision cut off the moment she was led inside, and Vanessa gaped at the beautiful interior. Smooth stones covered the walls and floors, and numerous sconces lit with artificial light brightened the warm interior. Although there was minimal decor in what she perceived to be some sort of entry way, what she did see was vibrant in color thanks to the large viewscreen that filled most of the wall. It cycled through beautiful images of the region filled with exotic wildlife. Although it was wintertime, they gave her a hint of the planet’s beauty as she was steered past and into a long hall.

  To her surprise, the male holding her didn’t release his grip on her arm now that they were indoors. Nor did he drop the large wing that still bowed around her side as he led them into a large room filled with numerous overflowing shelves and dominated by a large hearth despite the castle’s modern conveniences. A fire roared inside of it, and although she knew it wasn’t responsible for the warmth, it was a wonderful sight. There were several large chairs set near it, and the shelves were filled with angular metal and wooden cases with blocky alien script that could have been books, giving the room the cozy feel of a study, something only the wealthiest could afford. Her parents had a study in their home, but it paled in comparison to this one. The one thing that didn’t quite fit was the one wall that held a long-range comm system. Its viewscreen took up much of the wall.

  A map filled the screen, shifting in perspective every couple of minutes, often bringing up close-up views of certain areas. To one side, more of the blocky alien script slowly cycled like a series of updates. She peered at it curiously, her attention dragged away only when the male beside her spoke, his deep voice stirring a mortifying thrill in her blood. A quick glance around informed her that most of the alien males had left, except one who continued to look her way every so often.

  “Your approach over our mountains occurred at a bad time. It was a foolish point of entry through our airspace. The storms here are highly unpredictable to most technology during winter, but we were fortunate to get to you in time, especially since you had a vulnerable female with you,” the male beside her rumbled, his brows slanted down in a perturbed glower. “Rest assured that as soon as the weather permits, though it may be several days yet, we will get a comm out to your human colony base to retrieve you. Until then, you are my guests in the comfort of my estate.”

  Several days in a beautiful castle? Vanessa nearly wiggled with excitement. This definitely beat the hell out of her cabin retreat. She couldn’t wait to pull out her datapad and get to work!

  Carthy removed his helmet, melted snow running off of it onto the stone floor, and nodded. “We are grateful for the assistance, Jor’ytal, and for the accommodations while we wait. Your criticism is certainly valid given that we did not accurately factor in storms. Truthfully we did not see any indication of one brewing.”

  “You would not,” Jor’ytal grunted. “The storms come up too quickly to accurately predict and track and are merciless. Travel is discouraged during the winter for this reason.” His eyes narrowed. “Were you not aware of this? It is something that has been explained to Darvel many times.”

  The muscle in Carthy’s jaw jumped and Vanessa winced. They hadn’t been prepared at all.

  “No sir, we were not aware of that fact. We accepted the transport with the understanding that it was the most direct route to the southern continent. Had we been made aware of the threat of unpredictable winter storms, we would have not accepted the transport. We would have rerouted through the capital at Darvel’s expense.” He glanced fleetingly at her. “No disrespect meant, ma’am. The trip from the capital by private charter would have taken a few extra days but that would have been preferable to putting you and my crew at risk.”

  “None taken, I assure you,” she murmured, her irritation rising at Darvel. Cheap bastards.

  Carthy’s chin lifted. “We will, of course, relay all of this to our superiors. Aturian hospitality is widely known and appreciated.”

  Jor’ytal, inclined his head before glancing at the other Aturian.

  “Vi’ryk, I know you are eager to return home, but will you please alert the staff to make up rooms for my guests?”

  The male grinned easily, displaying sharp teeth. “Already done. A wing has been prepared for the males. I can escort them on my way out.”

  Vanessa didn’t miss the frown that creased Carthy’s face. “What of Miss Williams? I have to insist that she remain close to us.”

  Both males whipped
their heads toward him, their feathered crowns fluffing out in a way that was definitely not happy.

  “You would insult a female guest of this house?” the one called Vi’ryk asked, his voice rolling with a subtle growl. “Unmated female guests have their own wing to give them peace from the uninvited attention of males.”

  Carthy’s scowl deepened with obvious objection as tension within the room rose. Vanessa eyed both parties warily. Even though it was Vi’ryk who spoke, Jor’ytal’s eyes were narrowed on Carthy with such raw hostility that everything seemed like only a breath away from blowing up. The last thing they needed was a huge incident with their hosts due to an unintended insult. As much as she was grateful for the fact that he was looking out for her, she actually wasn’t worried about being separated from the others. She had heard that the Aturians took protection of the female members of their society very seriously, and while she never would have imagined that it extended to guests, that alone made her confident that she had nothing to fear in her own wing. If it avoided a conflict, all the better.

  Speaking quickly, she drew everyone’s attention to her before the impending argument could break out. “You know, that sounds lovely! I really could use a nice quiet space to rest. Thank you,” she said, projecting as much as genuine warmth into her voice as possible.

  Carthy’s scowl eased slightly as he glanced her in surprise. No doubt he expected her to pitch a fit about not having a guard nearby. Her mother would have. “Are you certain? I’m sure one of my men can double bunk with you so that you have round-the-clock protection…”

  The barely audible hiss of the male beside her sent a shiver up her spine.

  “No, that’s entirely unnecessary,” she interrupted. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I think I’ll be more comfortable on my own. Besides, I’ll have my comm, and it’s not like you won’t be able to check in with me… like at mealtime or something?”

  She glanced up questioningly at Jor’ytal and was relieved when he nodded.

  “We will be taking the main meal every midday, and it will be offered at first meal as well for those who are awake. Those who are not, or who wish to dine in the privacy of their rooms, can comm down something to be sent to them at their convenience. You will have plenty of opportunities to ascertain the safety of the female in your guard. Your protection of her in this case is admirable, but unnecessary.”

  Carthy didn’t look completely convinced but, after she gave him an encouraging nod, he dipped his chin in agreement and lifted a hand, silencing Stephens who sputtered just behind him.

  “Very well. I hope to see you in the morning then, Miss Williams,” Carthy murmured, inclining his head toward her meaningfully, his dark gaze communicating that she only needed to comm him if she changed her mind. He followed Vi’ryk out, his men trailing after him.

  Suddenly alone with the very large alien beside her, Vanessa cleared her throat and gave him a curious side-glance to find him peering down at her, his gold gaze liquid with an unspeakable heat. Her belly fluttered, and an answering heat pooled between her legs. His nostrils flared and his wings expanded, every muscle in his body tensing as if preparing to pounce. Her mouth went dry, her nipples pebbling beneath her bra. She wondered if he would act. The possibility sent a rush of thrill through her. She should have been relieved rather than disappointed when he suddenly stepped back and put some distance between them, his feathers fluffing out everywhere—his collar, crown, and wings—as another Aturian stepped inside.

  Smaller and slighter of build, this Aturian was dusky lavender with a bony plating that extended over their nose and brow before terminating into a pair of small, delicate horns. Unlike the other Aturians she had met so far, this one wore a long, embroidered tunic and layers of beaded necklaces draping across their chest. Curious rose pink eyes peered at her discreetly as the Aturian silently stood to the side, waiting for instruction.

  “This is Sa’tari. She will escort you to your room,” he explained before glancing over at the female. “Be sure to see to Miss Williams’ every need, please.”

  Vanessa was both relieved to be given the opportunity to escape his burning attention and at the same time somewhat disappointed. That gave her pause. For whatever reason, the thought of having him there with her in a bedroom had sent a forbidden rush of excitement through her. It was a good thing that it was Sa’tari and not him escorting her to her room. What she was feeling was illegal. She should have been appalled at her reaction to him. How the hell was she going to hide this secret attraction when once again she found herself blushing?

  Sa’tari, fortunately, gave her a friendly smile, her wings fanning behind her slightly as she waved her forward.

  “Come with me, Miss Williams,” she said in a soft, almost musical voice.

  Tongue glued to the roof of her mouth, Vanessa rushed after her. Only when they were out in the hall and away from the imposing alien lord, or whatever he was, was she able to relax enough to speak with the alien chatting animatedly at her as they walked through the halls.

  “I do hope that you are comfortable here. It has been a long time since we have had guests, and even longer since any females have visited here. When I was made aware that you were coming, I did my best to make the room suitable. Do not worry, though, I am familiar enough with the needs of your fragile species. I have put you in a suite with a private bath. I figured you could use it after being out there in the cold, especially considering how small and delicate you are.”

  Vanessa smiled at the friendly Aturian, the last lingering remnants of stress from the day ebbed away. Being called small and delicate when her curvy, solid frame was anything but, teased a smile out of her despite her exhaustion. She supposed that compared to an Aturian, she probably was. Despite how much smaller the female was compared to the males of her species, Sa’tari was still considerably larger than Vanessa. That probably would have made the female frightening, especially with her sharp teeth, if it weren’t for the fact that she was so clearly delighted with having Vanessa there.

  “Thank you, I’m sure I will. Truthfully, a room with a bath sounds perfect right about now,” she agreed as they turned down another hall. “And please, call me Vanessa.”

  Chapter 6

  Vanessa stretched leisurely in bed, reluctant to get up. A sheen of sweat slicked her body, her pulse beating frantically as the fog of her erotic dreams slowly released her mind. Despite the sexual tension crawling through her, she felt completely boneless and content to lay there. After a long, luxurious bath the night before and indulging on the snacks that Sa’tari had left out waiting for her, she had been more than happy to crawl into the enormous bed and drop into a deep sleep where forbidden fantasies came to life. Things that she had not thought of for years, not since reading illicit literature smuggled from one of the colonies as a young woman detailing the sexual adventures of one Miss Celestine—a notorious pirate and, ironically, an erotic author too.

  She groaned, slapping a hand over her eyes. It had to be this planet. She couldn’t remember the last time she had given any thought to such things. Certainly not since she had become old enough to put aside fantasies of possessive alien mates and had begun enjoying casual relationships with men whose company she enjoyed.

  With the muskiness of her slick on her and the tang of sweat on the bedding, she was embarrassed with the idea of leaving the room at all. Besides, the bed was incredibly comfortable. It was all too tempting to just enjoy the remnants of the erotic thrill running through her body, especially considering that the morning light streaming through her window was dim and a wash of white was all that she could see from the snow. The barely audible howl of wind through the thick stone walls wasn’t helping matters any.

  Groaning, she flopped over onto her side only to come eye to eye with her luggage stacked neatly against the nearest wall. She blinked at the sealed black cases in surprise and sat up. Her vision was temporarily obscured by a hank of dark hair falling over her face, but she brushed it back behind her ear and peered around the room with a frown.