Later that morning, Tariq sat with Alvaro in his office. “Tell me more about the Felini. I need to understand my Heart’s Blood. She came to me last night but with the intention of blowing me off. Why is she so resistant to the idea of a relationship?”
Everyone in the clutch was aware of Reyna’s appearance in the club last night, and that she’d spent the night with him.
“I take it there’s still trouble in paradise?” Alvaro asked, amused.
Tariq ran a hand through his hair, knowing it was a sign of his frustration. “After much persuasion on my part, she agreed to give a relationship between us a chance. However, a part of her is holding back. She refuses to move in with me or let me live with her. She says I’m moving too fast.”
To him, it was inconceivable. Vampaliens waited their whole lives to find their Heart’s Bloods. Once a match was made, there was no hesitation on the part of either party. They were only too glad to do whatever it took to merge their lives together.
“You’re thinking like a Vampalien. Your Heart’s Blood is a different species altogether,” Alvaro reminded him.
Tariq resisted the urge to inform him Reyna was part Vampalien. One, he didn’t think his Heart’s Blood would appreciate him making her unique heritage known. Two, he wasn’t one hundred percent convinced Alvaro was Reyna’s father. Or if Alvaro was her father, that she would welcome the news he was alive. There was a story there. One he couldn’t wait for her to reveal it.
“As I told you before, the Felini are more like their Earth’s animal counterpart in terms of mating. When the female goes into heat, she chooses the strongest male to breed her. The females do the child rearing while the male provides provision and protection. From what I gathered, Felini children know who their fathers are but the fathers aren’t a part of the parenting equation,” Alzavo said.
Frowning, Tariq shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“To you or me, no, it doesn’t. However, that’s their culture. How old is your Heart’s Blood?” Alvaro asked.
Again, mindful of Reyna’s secrets, Tariq said, “Relatively young.”
“If she was born here on earth, she may not be as tradition bound as the older ones. She’d have seen how human society lives. However, humans aren’t much of a recommendation. Half their family units dissolve into divorce. Your blood mate may be unfamiliar with the concept of mated pairs. She’s not a vampyr, born to expect such a union. Nor a human hoping against the odds to make such a union work.” Alvaro leaned comfortably in his chair, watching Tariq with keen interest.
Tariq mulled over his words. “How did you convince your Heart’s Blood to join with you? Or did you just claim her?”
Vampalien males had been known to take first and ask permission later. On their home world, it was expected that as soon as a male recognized his Heart’s Blood, he’d initiate the bonding ritual. Their women knew and approved of the practice. After all, there was only one Heart’s Blood and if somehow the male made a mistake, his venom glands wouldn’t swell and release the toxin.
Alvaro winced. “She was young. Not a juvenile by Felini standards but barely legal by Earth’s. Her father was their group’s Prime Leader. While we were getting them settled, we put them up in suitable housing. Isabella was fascinated with humans and Vampaliens. While she’d known other species existed, we were the first she’d come in contact with. She hadn’t yet been poisoned by the racial bigotry of the others. We fell in love. Due to her young age, I was hesitant to claim her.” He smiled. “She persuaded me otherwise.”
Tariq asked the obvious, though from Alvaro’s expression he had an inkling. “How?”
“The Felini species as a whole are very sensuous. Touch, both sexual and non-sexual, is essential to their well-being. To put it simply, Isabella seduced me.” Alvaro fell silent, obviously lost in memories of times gone by.
“I wanted to go to her father immediately and make my claim known. She begged me not to, stating he wouldn’t be pleased. Isabella asked me to keep our relationship secret just a little while longer. Said she would tell him when the time was right.” Alvaro looked at Tariq, his face grim. “You know we don’t function well when separated from our blood mates.”
Tariq nodded his agreement.
“Given her age, inexperience, and obvious fear, I tried to be patient. The strain took its toll and I only lasted a month before I issued an ultimatum—either she told her father or I would. I wanted Isabella with me and frankly, I was too old to find enjoyment in sneaking around. I should have followed my instincts and simply seized her. The Felini pride was too small to be a threat. I could have taken Isabella and let her father think she was the price of my assistance. However, I allowed Isabella to do things her way. It was the last time I saw her alive,” Alvaro said, a haunted look in his eyes.
Tariq sat quietly, comparing what little he’d learned from Reyna of her parents to the story he’d just been told. She’d clearly stated her father was dead and her mother was alive. Alvaro believed his Heart’s Blood to be dead. The bond didn’t lie. If she were alive, Alvaro would know. Perhaps he’d been wrong.
“Have there been any other Felini/Vampalien matings to your knowledge?” he asked.
“Hmm?” Alvaro said, snapping out of the daze into which he’d fallen. “Oh, none of which I’m aware. As you can imagine, my clutch and the Felini are on hostile terms. We’d already signed over the land and given them the information they needed to survive here on earth. After Isabella’s death, we cut off all contact with them.”
“Her father killed her?” Tariq asked, unable to imagine such a thing.
Alvaro took a deep steadying breath. “Did it himself or gave the order. Who knows? Once I saw her mangled body, I was in no condition to ask any questions. It was in that first moment of paralyzing shock when they attacked. I barely escaped with my life.”
Tariq tried to picture the scene in his mind. Alvaro was one of their greatest warriors. He descended from one of the seven ruling families on Vampalien. In short, High Lord Alvaro was Vampalien royalty. To be taken so completely off guard, it was a wonder he’d survived. Many mated pairs embraced death when they lost the other half of their heart rather than go on alone. Perhaps Alvaro managed because the bond was new. Or maybe his will to live was stronger than his grief. It was not a question Tariq would ask.
“Tariq,” Alvaro said seriously, commanding his attention. “Protect your blood mate. I don’t know if Isabella’s father and his cronies are still alive, but if they are they won’t be pleased about another Vampalien-Felini mating. Your Heart’s Blood’s life may be in jeopardy. Don’t make the mistake I did.”
A fear so intense it bordered upon panic shot through Tariq’s veins before he managed to squash it. He remembered Reyna stating she’d been thrown out of her pride at an early age. It had been this Jorlan’s idea she come to him. “I’ll keep an eye out but I don’t think there’s cause to worry. Reyna mentioned she’d left her pride at a young age. She and her protector, a male she calls Jorlan, came east and settled in my territory. She believes Jorlan chose this city for a reason. He’s the one who convinced her to come to me.”
“Jorlan,” Alvaro murmured. “The name sounds familiar.”
“Do you know him?” Tariq asked with deep interest.
“Isabella had a cousin with whom she was particularly close. They were both on the ship that crashed in New Mexico. If I remember correctly, he was a few years younger than her. Their fathers were brothers. Like Isabella, Jorlan was interested in all things foreign.” Alvaro shook his head. “Could be the same guy or not. Jorlan may be a common name among their species.”
Now, more than ever, Tariq wanted the full story of Reyna’s parentage. There were too many coincidences. However, he kept circling around one pertinent fact—Alvaro’s Heart’s Blood was dead. The bond didn’t lie, but could it be fooled?