Page 71 of When Eden Falls

Several clusters of small, white barked, blossoming trees encircled the middle of the vast area before us. The tree roots were growing out of circular holes in the stone floor, their pink flowers glowing in the evening sun. Yuska stopped and gestured towards one of the tree clusters, to where a burly male with a shaven head, and two slightly smaller, dark-haired males stood. I smiled to myself. All three of them looked smart in high collared, dark tailored jackets and matching trousers. All clean and freshly shaven.

They turned towards us as we approached. Oz’s grin was unmissable. “Hey Zam, I can see your belly button.”

“Zip it, Akquarian wannabe.”

He laughed. “In a good mood today, yeah?”

She groaned her opinion, and I caught Rooke rolling his eyes. He stepped forward, ushering us in closer and said, “Okay, as we’re all here together, I should lay down some rules.”

“More rules?” Zamya folded her arms across her chest.

“It’s necessary given the occasion.”

Zamya muttered a response under her breath. I tried to hide my smirk, but Rooke caught it. His eyes sparkled when he began, the first rule clearly aimed at me. “Rule number one; don’t drink too much. Two; stay on your guard and don’t wander off anywhere alone. And three; strictly no intimate contact with any Akquarian whatsoever. This may be some kind of mating ceremony but it won’t involve us. Understand? Oz?”

“Hey, why specifically me?”

“It’s not aimed specifically at you, but I can see you scanning the crowd. You’re searching for Oonla, aren’t you?” All five of us looked at Oz. The old battle scar running down the left side of his jaw stretched as he ground those muscles tightly. “She’s off limits, Oz.”

He held up his left hand and flicked at a small, dark gemdangling from the cuff. “Then, what is the purpose of this token thing?”

“It’s for decoration,” Zamya chided, repeating my own words.

“That token,” Rooke pointed, “is not to be removed. We’re here as guests, nothing more. I will not condone you performing an act that can potentially kill you.”

Oz scoffed. “Not sure about you, boss, but sex never killed me before.”

“No, but a strange, alien STD could.”

“I’d also like to mention,” Zamya added, “that we’re trapped in this shithole because you were dying in the first place, so be a good boy and keep it in your pants.”

Oz stared at her, contemplating her words. He straightened his broad shoulders and mumbled, “Fair point.”

“Nice to see not all your brains are in your dick. I’m going to get a drink.” Zamya grabbed Cora’s arm, pulling her over to where two elaborately decorated rock-tables stood on the far side of the veranda. Oz and Kobe followed.

While Rooke watched them go, I closed the gap between the two of us, taking in the sight of him. His jacket and trousers were a dark green, matching the colour of his eyes. The high collar and cuffs fashioned an intricate golden pattern, giving him a look of refined stature. The outfit suited him. Nux, he looked so damn handsome. I smiled and his eyes shifted to me.

“What are you smiling about?”

My smile widened and I said, “You look rather dapper this evening.”

He smirked, stepping forward to peck my cheek. The sensation of his breath tickling the skin of my neck made me tense as he whispered, “You look beautiful.” He pulled back, holding my gaze. His eyes didn’t contain the amusement they usually held when he mocked me. Was he being authentic?

“Starting to appreciate my elegant side, are you?”

“Elegant?” He chuckled, flashing his teeth. “I was thinking it was more…flaunty?”

Ah, there it was. It baffled me why he could never pass a compliment and let it settle nicely. He always made a joke out of everything between us. I sucked in a deep inhale, trying not to take the bait. “You’re a rat, Rooke Maddox. Let’s get a drink.”

He chuckled and followed me through the ever-increasing crowd. Several females turned to look in our direction as we passed. At first, I thought they were admiring Rooke, but then I realised they were looking at me. One took in the jewellery I wore around my neck, meeting my eye with a look of distaste. It unnerved me. What did they have to worry about? I wasn’t going to steal their males from them. The only one I longed for was the dark-haired commander walking behind me.

The two drinks tables were situated in front of a section of balcony wall on the furthest side of the veranda. Potted plants were strategically placed, sectioning the area off from the main party. Small groups of Akquarians lingered, helping themselves to the array of brightly tinted pink and blue drinks covering the expanse of each long table. We stopped next to the pink ones displayed in odd bowl-like glasses without handles.

“These look interesting,” I said, wondering what was in them to give the liquid such a vibrant colour. Picking one up, I took a sip. It had a smooth yet bittersweet taste, but it settled nicely on my tongue, and the after taste was extremely morish.

Rooke sipped one. I watched his nose crease up, making an effort to swallow down the beverage. His mouth instantly flew open, trying not to gag. “What the hell is it? It’s vile.”

“I thought it tasted nice.”