Page 75 of When Eden Falls

“Take it off!” I thrust my wrist at him.

“It’s done. It cannot be removed.”

“You can’t waste your claiming token on me. Take it off!”

“I’m not wasting it.” His voice was ridiculously calm compared to my erratic tone. “There’s no other female I want.”

“Dybgo, I’m not here to be had.” I stepped away, noticing the heated gaze he was smothering me with. This couldn’t be happening. I needed Rooke, Zamya, anyone. “I’m not here to find a mate. Humans don’t do that.” He raised his eyebrows, questioning my comment. “I’m here as a guest. To enjoy the party. Nothing more.”

He looked to his feet and smiled to himself. “Eden.” He stepped closer. “I’m fully aware of that. I’m not intending on taking you to my bed tonight. I offer you my token as a symbol of my devotion. A promise that I will continue to hold you in high regard.” He stepped even closer. “Sometime in the future, maybe you’ll start returning my favour. And when that happens, I will be waiting for you.”

I realised I’d been holding my breath, trapped in his intense gaze. He certainly knew how to woo a female with his presence. A part of me wanted to melt into his words, but another found them arrogant and presumptuous.

“I will be gone soon.”

A hint of sadness warped his face for the briefest of moments. “And until that day comes, I will be waiting.”

Thankfully, the gap between us had remained comfortable. He had not encroached on me, nor forced me in anyway. He wasa gentleman; I knew that much already. But the situation left me feeling confused and unsettled…

“Is this because of my eyes?” I blurted out, suddenly remembering Cora’s comments about the illustration she found in an Aquarian book; that the Aquarians could believe in a ridiculous prophecy like the Alluran Nux priestess had. “My eyes do not make me special.”

Dybgo’s baffled expression confirmed he had no idea what I was referring to. “Your eyes truly are stunning, but that is not the reason why I offer myself to you.”

Nux, how was this possible? He wanted me. Me, Eden Riley. A pilot in the Alluran Solarfleet. I was nothing special, not overly sociable. I’d lived my younger life in the shadow of my outgoing friends, who no longer held that title. Yes, I’d dated before. I had three ex-boyfriends. One who had been a fleeting teenage crush. Another who had cheated on me profusely. Rooke insisted I should’ve left him on several occasions, but my previously mentioned friends kept telling me he would change. He never did. I dumped him the week after my mum’s death.

The third one had started out with potential. Ben Otley was his name. We had been good together. But as the months dragged on, my work had taken me away for longer spates, and it became more of a casual affair. Eventually it turned into something non-existent. I’d stopped calling him when I realised my thoughts were consumed by Rooke and not him.

Lost in the memory, I realised I missed Ben and the non-complexity of our relationship. It had been easy. What Rooke and I had wasn’t even physical but it was complicated. But comparing it to what Dybgo was suggesting made it all look comfortable and acceptable.

I chuckled inwardly. After so many years of living in the shadows of the crowd, who would’ve thought I’d be here, standing on mythical Earth, essentially being asked to date an alien male in a rather nonconventional way? This was beyond comprehensible. If the scenario had played out on Allura, Dybgo would be seen as the ideal man. He was kind, loyal, strong, protective. And tocompliment it all, he had an amazing body. One my own seemed to be calling to.

Wait…what?

I squeezed my eyes together, trying to shift a strange sensation from settling over my senses. Placidity seemed to be replacing my rational concern towards what was happening here. I felt alive, contented.

A long, deep, soothing breath escaped me, and I looked at the stone dangling from my bracelet, then back to Dybgo. Nux, he was handsome. “Okay, so…are you allowed to give me this?”

“Havav has given me his approval, yes.”

Has he now?“Well then…I guess…I’ll let you know if I change my mind.”

He subtly bowed his head, accepting my answer. I took that as my cue to leave.

It appeared the couple in the corner had been watching our interaction unfold. As I passed them, the female glared at me, at my wrist, which confirmed my thoughts of how other Akquarians would view this union—not that I was going to allow it to happen.

Nux, I needed a drink.

I scurried to the drinks table. Snatching up a glass, I downed the pink liquid. Wow, that tasted good. After slamming it on the table, I threw back another one.

“Eden.” My head whipped round, and I found Zamya hurrying towards me. The anxious worry had returned to her face. “I’ve lost Cora. Have you seen her?”

C h a p t e rT w e n t y – O n e

We found Cora bending over a plant pot, vomiting. Yuska stood behind her rubbing her back. Her look of disapproval pinned us as we approached. “She told me she’s drunk both pink and blue drinks.”

Zamya looked at me and I shrugged. I had no idea how much Cora had drunk.

Yuska tutted. “To be honest, she shouldn’t be drinking anything in her condition.”