Zyen: Science Fiction Romance (Enigma Series Book 10) Read online

  A moan slipped from her lips, jerking him out of his stupefied stare. The items he carried slipped free of his arms to spill at his feet as he bolted toward her trembling form.

  “Carmen?”

  She shrank back from him, her eyes wide and unseeing.

  Zyen had never witnessed such a sight. He dropped down to his haunches and slowly lifted a hand toward her. “Carmen, what has happened to you?”

  The tiny human seemed to look right through him, her eyes vacant and…lost.

  An unknown emotion overtook Zyen in that moment; a feeling of protectiveness so strong, he had to fight to keep his barbs in check. Had someone hurt the little land walker?

  Without thinking, Zyen leaned in, scooped her up into his arms, and stood in one fluid motion.

  Carmen went wild. Her nails raked down the side of his face before he could grab onto her wrist.

  “Cease!” he roared, effectively stopping her flailing.

  Her soft brown eyes blinked up at him in confusion before filling with tears. “Zyen?”

  Zyen’s stomach tightened at the sight of her tears. Confused by his reaction to her pain, he quickly looked away and strode toward her apartment. “Someone has harmed you?”

  He wasn’t sure why he’d asked the question, but the tingling in his barbs grew stronger with the thought.

  Carmen cleared her throat, thankfully lowering her head and hiding her fear from him. It didn’t matter, he could feel it coming from her in waves.

  “You can put me down, now,” she whispered, attempting to wriggle free of his hold.

  Zyen only held on tighter. “Not until you tell me what has you so distraught.”

  “It’s nothing. I just got a little sick is all. I’ll be fine as soon as you put me down.”

  Recognizing it for the lie that is was, Zyen thought about forcing his way inside her mind, but decided against it. If she didn’t want him to know what had caused her to huddle in the hallway like a frightened child, then that was her business.

  He lowered her to her feet, watching her stumble back as if attempting to put some distance between them. “I’m sorry if I worried you, Zyen. And I appreciate you caring enough to help, but I’ll be alright now. You can go.”

  Her dismissal of his person stung more than he wanted to admit. Anger replaced his confusion. “I do not care what happens to you,” he bit out more forcefully than he’d intended. “as long as it does not happen in Aukrabah.” He spun on his heel and left her apartment.

  He had far better things to do than stand around worrying about the likes of a human no bigger than the grouper he’d had for breakfast the day before.

  Zyen strode over to retrieve the food items he’d dropped upon finding Carmen huddled in the hall and entered his apartment. He placed the items on the round, stone table in his kitchen and opened the macaroni and cheese with jerky movements.

  He plucked one of the strange looking macaroni’s from the box and popped it into his mouth.

  How do humans eat such as this? he wondered, nearly breaking a tooth trying to chew it.

  “May I come in?” Oz called from the open doorway.

  Zyen hadn’t bothered with closing the curtain when he’d returned. “You may.”

  Oz stepped into the room. “I need to talk to you if you have a minute.”

  Gesturing toward the chair opposite of him, Zyen waited for Oz to sit before taking his own seat. He popped another macaroni into his mouth. “What would you like to speak with me about?”

  Oz’s lips twitched. “You’re supposed to cook that before you eat it.”

  Zyen swallowed the bite he’d just chewed. “I am not familiar with the human ways.”

  “What happened to your face?” Oz gestured toward him with a flick of his wrist.

  Zyen lifted a hand to the stinging area of his cheek. “It is nothing.”

  “Why don’t you eat with us? Maria is making something that smells delicious,” Oz offered.

  Tilting his head to the side, Zyen studied the human across from him. “Why would you want to feed me?”

  Humor sparked in Oz’s eyes once more. “To ensure that you don’t eat us.”

  Zyen grew even more confused. “You think that I would eat you?”

  “I take it you’ve never heard of Jack and the Beanstalk,” Oz murmured, getting to his feet. “It’s an old nursery rhyme. Come on, let’s go eat.”

  Zyen arose and followed Oz into the hallway. “Perhaps you should check in on Carmen. I found her huddled up outside her apartment, terrified and pale.”

  Oz slowed his steps. “When was this? I just spoke with her less than an hour ago.”

  “Recently.”

  Stopping in front of Carmen’s door, Oz called through the curtain, “Carmen? Are you alright?”

  “I’m okay,” came her soft response. “I had a mild panic attack, but I’m fine now.”

  “May I come in?” Oz pressed, reaching up to grip the curtain.

  There was a brief pause. “I’m not dressed. But there’s nothing to worry about, I promise. I should be used to them by now.”

  Oz hesitated. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “Dinner is about ready. You should get dressed and come eat. Maria will be hurt if you don’t show.”

  Zyen listened to the exchange, noticing the difference in Carmen’s tone when she interacted with Oz as appose to the way she spoke to Zyen. She trusted Oz, that much was obvious.

  “I might be down there shortly,” Carmen called out. “I think I need to rest for a minute.”

  Oz continued to stand there, gripping a handful of that curtain. “Would you like for me to ask Abbie to take a look at you?”

  “That’s not necessary, Oz. Truly, I’m fine.”

  Releasing the curtain, Oz backed up a step, reached for the material once again before allowing his hand to fall away. He glanced up at Zyen. “Come on, let’s give her some space.”

  For some reason, Zyen found it difficult to walk away. It took him a second to force his feet to move. “What is a panic attack?”

  Oz motioned for Zyen to follow him down the hall. “Are you familiar with anxiety?”

  At Zyen’s nod, he continued. “A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. When they occur, you think you're losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.”

  Zyen frowned. “What could Carmen possibly have to fear that she would fall victim to this panic attack?”

  Oz glanced up and met Zyen’s gaze before returning his attention straight ahead. “That’s something that only Carmen can divulge.”

  Slowing his steps, Oz entered his apartment with Zyen tight on his heels.

  The smell of food hit Zyen square in the face as he breeched the doorway. He noticed Maria standing in front of a makeshift stove, stirring the contents of a pot.

  She looked up in surprise, a friendly smile on her face. “Hi there. I hope you’re hungry, because I cooked enough to feed a small country.”

  Zyen glanced at the pot. “Perhaps a small country of land walkers. A Bracadyte male could eat that entire pot of food in one sitting.”

  Maria blinked, and then a warm, tinkering laugh filled the room. Zyen decided he liked the sound of it.

  “Well, it’s a good thing that I made plenty of biscuits,” she chuckled, laying the spoon aside and wiping her hands on a small towel. “Have a seat.”

  Zyen moved to the table where Oz now sat, pouring himself a glass of wine.

  The mysterious Cuban pulled his hair back into a ponytail and offered Zyen a drink.

  “What is it that you wanted to speak with me about?” Zyen accepted the wine and took a healthy swallow of the sweet, red liquid.

  Oz leaned back in his chair. “You Arkadians get right to the point. And I dig that about you.”

  When Zyen simply remained quiet, Oz grinned and continued. “Here’s the deal, big guy. Maria and
I need to go home for a while. Though I have every intension of coming back to the States and building a hotel on the bay in Freeport, I can’t in good conscience leave the Islanders without jobs. My hotel employed over two hundred locals in Playa Pilar. That’s two hundred people out of work. And with the Incola virus spreading throughout Cuba, more and more businesses are closing down.”

  Zyen nodded his understanding.

  “Tourism will return once the virus is contained,” Oz went on to explain. “But in the meantime, I can offer a lot of jobs with the rebuild.”

  “When you say jobs, you are referring to payment for work done?”

  Oz took a sip of his wine. “Yes. And I know it’ll be a long time before I make that money back, but it’s worth it for me. Once the hotel is back in business and the tourists return, I can have someone oversee it all while I begin construction on the new hotel in Freeport.”

  Zyen stared into Oz’s eyes. “You care for your people.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I do.”

  “What is it that you need from me?”

  Oz didn’t hesitate. “I want you to go with me to Cuba.”

  Zyen couldn’t have heard him right. “That is an odd request. Why would you want me in Cuba?”

  “As I’m sure you remember, I had a traitor in Playa Pilar. Though he’s been dealt with, that doesn’t mean there aren’t others on that island that might wish me harm. There is also the possibility that a few of Howell’s men got away. I would like the extra protection for the women. I’d thought about asking Brant to go as well. Not only can he help me with the rebuild, but he fights like a berserker. He’d be a good ally to have close.”

  Zyen had seen Brant fight as well and knew that Oz spoke the truth.

  “You would be paid well.” Oz accepted the bowl of food and the small plate of baked bread Maria handed him.

  “Your human money means nothing to me,” Zyen growled, angry that Oz would attempt to bribe him for his help.

  Oz held up a hand. “I meant no insult. It was only a gesture to show you that I need and would appreciate your help.”

  Maria appeared at Zyen’s side and set a bowl and plate of baked bread in front of him. “Beef stew and biscuits. I hope you enjoy.”

  Zyen peered down into the steaming bowl of stew, marveling at how quickly the humans had gone from being the enemy to having him over for dinner. “My thanks.”

  “Most welcome,” Maria returned, before snagging her own food and taking a seat next to her mate.

  “Well?” Oz prompted.

  Zyen fixed his gaze on the persistent Cuban. “When do you plan on leaving?”

  “In the next couple of days.”

  “That soon?” Zyen tore off a piece of Maria’s baked bread and popped it into his mouth. The flavor nearly ripped a groan of pleasure from him.

  Oz nodded. “The sooner I get back, the better. There are people there that I care about, and the thought of any of them going hungry is unacceptable to me.”

  Zyen’s respect for Oz grew a bit more. “I will go.”

  Chapter Four

  Carmen lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Zyen had witnessed her break down in the hallway.

  It wasn’t that she cared what the Arkadian thought of her, she simply hated appearing weak in front him…or anyone for that matter.

  The last few years hadn’t been easy for Carmen. She’d spent the majority of that time trying to overcome her past and make a life for herself in Playa Pilar.

  Carmen shuddered to think of where she’d be if not for Oz’s generosity. He’d taken her in and given her a job without question. She’d eventually opened up to him about her life on the streets, skimming over some of the more horrific details. There were some things Carmen couldn’t bring herself to disclose…not even to Oz.

  She threw her legs over the side of the bed, slipped on her shoes, and made her way to the kitchen.

  Her hand shook slightly as she reached for the curtain to pull it back. She took a deep breath, gripped the material and tugged it aside.

  Carmen hated the panic attacks she suffered. They left her drained and numb. She’d begun experiencing them around puberty when her grandfather would mentally torment her with threats of the strap.

  Juan Mendoza, Carmen’s grandfather, was a very religious man. He believed that sparing the rod would spoil the child, and he rarely spared the rod.

  Carmen had been whipped from a very young age; forced to attend church with a bunch of religious fanatics that looked down their noses at anyone outside their belief.

  Music had never been allowed in Juan Mendoza’s house, nor did he have a television. Carmen’s life had consisted of cooking, cleaning, and studying. She’d had no friends, no phone, and no outlet. Her chores were done in a timely fashion, as was her school work. Any free time she’d had in between, was spent on her knees, praying.

  A sound caught Carmen’s attention, jerking her out of her past nightmare. It took her a moment to realize she stood outside Oz and Maria’s apartment. Strange, she didn’t recall walking there.

  “Are you going to stand out in the hall all night?” Oz called out in humor.

  Carmen pulled the curtain back and stepped into the room.

  The first thing she noticed was Zyen’s massive form seated on the other side of the table from Oz. Her steps faltered.

  Maria waved her over. “Have a seat. I’ll fix you a bowl of stew.”

  “I can do it,” Carmen argued, motioning for Maria to stay seated.

  Sending Carmen a soft smile, Maria nodded and went back to her meal.

  Carmen took her time at the stove, spooning the stew into her bowl. She plucked up a biscuit, grabbed a spoon, and moved back to the table. The only seat available, rested next to Zyen.

  He stiffened briefly when she placed her food on the table and sat down, but otherwise, he didn’t pay her any mind.

  “Are you about ready to return home?” Maria inquired, taking a sip of her wine.

  Carmen shrugged. “I do miss home. But it’s kind of nice here in Aukrabah too. I’ve never seen anything like this place. The Pool of Life is the most incredible thing I’ve ever beheld.”

  Zyen picked that moment to glance at her. “You have not seen Arkadia. It is said to be magical.”

  “I don’t believe in magic,” Carmen muttered, returning her attention to Maria. “I’ll be ready to go when you are. But I would like to come back here someday.”

  Oz grinned from his position across the table. “We’ll be back here before you know it. Once the construction is finished on the hotel, and it’s up and running smoothly, I’ll be working on getting the one in Freeport moving forward.”

  Carmen could feel Zyen’s gaze on her. Not to mention she could see him in her peripheral. She lowered her spoon and turned her head to face him. He quickly looked away, but not before she noticed a strange light in his amber-colored eyes.

  “Zyen will be returning to Cuba with us,” Oz continued. “And hopefully Brant, if he’ll agree to it.”

  Carmen’s heart began to pound. For some reason, it didn’t sit well with her that Zyen would be accompanying them home.

  Zyen took a drink and then lowered his glass. “Brant has gone through the initiation into the Bracadyte Brotherhood. It may be difficult for him to leave as of yet. He is also erecting more rooms near the clinic.”

  Oz leaned back in his chair. “I won’t ask him to go with us. His work here is too important.”

  “I am certain that Pyre would agree to accompany us.” Zyen took another drink, his attention glued to Oz.

  Carmen thought about the giant Arkadian known as Pyre. Though he was nearly as big as Zyen, his eyes were far kinder. “I think Pyre is a good choice,” she found herself saying.

  A soft growl rumbled in Zyen’s chest, and all eyes were suddenly on him. He abruptly rose to his feet. “I thank you for the meal, but I must go. I have something to attend to.”

  And just like that, he was gone.

/>   Carmen stared at the swinging curtain he’d disappeared behind. “Was it something I said?”

  Oz shrugged. “Who knows. The Arkadians are a strange lot, even stranger than Gryke. And that’s saying a lot. Gryke’s as odd as they come.”

  Laughter erupted around the table. Carmen had heard the stories of Gryke and his weird ways. She’d also heard that he was one of the fiercest, most trusted Bracadytes in Aukrabah.

  The rest of the meal was spent in silence with each of them lost in their own thoughts.

  Carmen hung around to wash up the dishes after the meal had been devoured.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Maria insisted, coming to place her bowl in the stone sink.

  “I want to. You cooked, and you really should be resting. You’re overdoing it, if you ask me. You haven’t been long out of surgery.”

  Maria leaned down and kissed Carmen on the cheek. “You worry too much, but I appreciate you more than you know.”

  Carmen sent her a warm smile. Oz and Maria were her family now. Carmen’s mother Selma had run off when Carmen was a baby, leaving Carmen to be raised by her fanatical grandparents. As for Carmen’s father, she’d never met the man, she only knew that he’d moved to Cuba from the states.

  Carmen’s grandparents had never talked about Selma or the man who’d knocked her up. In fact, they hadn’t talked about much of anything, deciding instead to make their point with prayer and the end of a belt.

  Finishing up the dishes, Carmen dried her hands on a towel and crept from the kitchen as quietly as possible. Oz and Maria had disappeared into the back, and she didn’t want to disturb them.

  Once in the hall, Carmen noticed Zyen turn the corner and quickly enter his apartment. Though he made her nervous, she wanted to thank him for his help during her panic attack and also apologize for raking her nails down his face.

  She forced one foot in front of the other until she stood outside his open doorway. “Hello?”

  Zyen stilled, keeping his back to her. “What is it that you want?”

  “I came to apologize for the scratch on your face, and also to thank you for your help earlier. It doesn’t happen often…” Her voice trailed off.