Heir Of Violence (#1 Betrayed Destinies) - ONC2024

Chapter 16 - Patience Required

Zaen awoke to the provocative scent of woman and sex, except his bed was empty and he wore his briefs. He inhaled again, deeper. Caeryssa had definitely been here. Her hotly feminine lavender scent lingered in the air. He lifted his hands to his face, then brought the bedding to his nose. Not just in here—she'd been in his bed. The distinct aroma was unmistakable.

They'd had sex.

Finally.

And he didn't remember.

He sucked a finger into his mouth. Stars, she not only smelled delicious, she tasted fantastic, too. Damn it. How could he not remember? All he had was an impression of wet heat surrounding his cock and that little sound she made when she gasped. Fuck, if only he could recall what other sounds his little pixie had made.

Zaen groaned and thumped his head into the pillow. Seriously? Had he even pleased her? Fuck, he'd better have not left her wanting. It was a miracle she'd come to his bed in the first place, what with the shitstorm surrounding them.

Something nagged at him. Basilisk. Why was it so important? Who or what was... He shot up in bed, tapping his wrist com.

A planetary guardsman answered, "Yes, Sarru Zaen? How may I assist you?"

"Karzen Hawke's ship is the Basilisk. Search the registry and find the craft's type. I want any spacecraft of that type on-planet or at the space station impounded under royal decree. No one in or out until I get a chance to see who's inside. Ping me with the data when you get it."

"Yes, my sarru."

Zaen flicked off his comm and threw back the covers while smacking his lips. Gah, his mouth was like ass. Hope he hadn't kissed Caeryssa with that foul breath. What in the black void had he eaten? He froze as memory of that suffocating heaviness and sharp pain in his chest returned.

Poison.

Someone in the palace wanted him dead. Fists clenched, he rose and stalked to the bathroom. As he showered and brushed his teeth, he considered potential suspects.

One of his father's detractors? The king was only in his first century. He could remarry and have more kids. Kinda surprising he hadn't in the ten cycles since Zaen's mother's death. Not that the king didn't have women around him constantly. Was his father looking for a political alliance like he had with Zaen's mother? Or was he searching for his soulmate? Either way, it would be smarter for his opponents to kill the king first. Zaen was replaceable, after all.

More likely that someone targeted Zaen and not his role as crown prince. This probably wasn't aimed at the crown. Karzen? Caeryssa's father would want him dead, but would he subject his own daughter to the agony of bond separation and uncertainty of survival? After all, Zaen was half-dragon and would more than likely take Karzen's precious daughter with him to the grave.

A woman scorned? He snorted. Yeah, there were a lot who were probably pissed that he had a soulmate, but he would have expected them to go after her. Still, he couldn't rule that out and wouldn't that make Dhevun's day? With a grin at the sour expression he anticipated from his bodyguard when he told him to interview the palace elite-chasers, he dried himself off and dressed in leather pants.

He reached for a tunic, then a wicked idea had him lowering his arm. Let his little hellion deal with him bare-chested after running away from their bed with his seed on her thighs. Maybe if he flustered her enough, he'd get her back into his bed sooner.

His cock jerked. Yeah, he was not pleased she wasn't still naked in his bed. A memory of her silky blue skin and those storm-grey eyes half-lidded with desire flashed behind his eyes like the afterimage of a lightning strike and her voice shivered through his mind. A name...