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

  He slowly turned to face her, curiosity swimming in his beautiful eyes. And they were beautiful, Carmen silently admitted.

  “Oz explained to me about your panic attacks. What kind of fear would cause such an episode?” Zyen questioned in a low, rumbling voice.

  Heat stung Carmen’s cheeks as shame spread through her body. She swallowed hard and attempted to hold his gaze without blinking. “There is nothing I fear. It’s just a medical condition.”

  He took a step forward, his head tilting slightly. “You lie.”

  Indignation reared its head. How dare he assume her words were false. No matter that they were, he didn’t know that.

  She opened her mouth to tell him where he and his accusations could go, when a feminine voice called out from behind. “Zyen? May I have a word?”

  Carmen stepped aside, flustered that she hadn’t heard anyone approach. She quickly turned and came face-to-chest with a female as tall as Kaspyn.

  “Excuse me.” Carmen backed up a step to look into the stranger’s eyes. Her breath caught. There, staring down at her from her great height, was a female even more beautiful than Kaspyn…if that were possible.

  The white-haired beauty watched Carmen with the same curiosity that Kaspyn had back in Cuba.

  Without warning, the tall, exotic female reached out and touched some of Carmen’s hair. “You are even smaller than Abbie. What is your name, tiny human?”

  It took Carmen a second to find her voice. “Carmen Mendoza.”

  “I am Syrina,” the taller female responded.

  Fiona suddenly rounded the corner, a chuckle escaping her lips. “Stop scaring Carmen, Syrina. She’s liable to kick your ass.”

  Syrina smiled and released Carmen’s hair. “I was merely talking with her. I did not scare her.”

  Carmen begged to differ, but she kept her opinion to herself.

  “You wanted to see me?” Zyen appeared in the doorway, his gaze locked on Syrina.

  Syrina nodded, sent Carmen a quick smile and slipped past Zyen’s massive form to disappear inside his apartment. Fiona followed suit.

  Carmen didn’t wait around to hear what was being said. She trailed off down the hall toward her own room, marveling at the incredible beauty, the Arkadian female possessed. A tiny spark of jealousy flickered to life…

  Chapter Five

  Zyen spent the following day readying himself to go to Cuba with Oz. After Syrina and Fiona’s visit the night before, Zyen had been informed that Syrina would be accompanying him on his trip—as would Gryke, Fiona, and Brant.

  According to Fiona, her mate Gryke wouldn’t hear of Oz returning to Cuba without him, which had prompted Fiona’s decision to go. Zyen wasn’t sure about Brant’s motives, but he understood Syrina’s. She was, after all, Zyen’s blood relation.

  Syrina’s mother had been Zyen’s father’s sister. After Syrina’s mother had passed away, Zyen hadn’t seen much of his younger kin. She’d stayed mostly to herself until the king had appointed her to assist Kaspyn in whatever the princess needed.

  Zyen’s lips twitched with the memory of Kaspyn’s reaction to the king’s command. She hadn’t wanted or needed Syrina’s help and wasn’t shy about letting her opinion be known. But Kaspyn hadn’t counted on warming up to Syrina, and it wasn’t long before the two of them had become inseparable.

  Odd how things change, Zyen thought, picking up a clean vest and a pair of sharkskin shorts. Kaspyn was now mated to Thrasher, pregnant with her first child, and Syrina had befriended the human, Fiona.

  Striding off toward the bath house, Zyen’s mind drifted to the tiny land walker, Carmen. He hadn’t spotted her throughout the day and wondered if perhaps she was avoiding him. She’d had a strange look in her eyes the night before when she’d shown up at his apartment to apologize. He had recognized it as fear.

  Normally, Zyen wouldn’t have cared if a human feared him or not, but for some reason, it bothered him that Carmen did. Zyen had never harmed a female in his life, nor would he. Especially not one as tiny and defenseless as Carmen.

  He entered the bath house only to be stopped by Hauke.

  The dark haired Bracadyte stood at the entrance with his arms crossed over his chest. “My mate is not clothed at the moment.”

  “It’s okay,” a robed Abbie rushed out, suddenly appearing at Hauke’s side, “I’m done now.”

  Hauke smiled down at his mate before taking her hand. “Even though Brant has fashioned us a bath in our apartment, my mate still prefers to come here.”

  Abbie laughed. “The tub isn’t big enough for the both of us to get in together.”

  Zyen found himself relaxing in Abbie’s presence. Odd how his perception of humans had changed so much in such a short time. “I should like to speak with Brant about a private tub upon our return from Cuba.”

  Abbie’s eyes suddenly lost all mirth. “I worry about Oz and Maria’s decision to go home right now. I’m not sure I trust the Cuban president.”

  “I am not certain that Oz trusts him either,” Zyen admitted. “But I do not take Oz for a fool. I am certain that he knows what he is doing.”

  Abbie nodded, her eyes sparking with concern. “I hope you’re right.”

  Zyen waited until Hauke and his mate exited the room before peeling out of his vest and shorts. He laid his clean clothes next to the ones he’d removed near the side of the pool and grabbed a towel.

  He placed the folded towel on top of his clothes before stepping into the steamy warmth of the water.

  Swimming a few laps in the luxurious pool, Zyen stopped along the side, grabbed a cake of soap, and went about washing his hair.

  The scent of strawberries drifted up his nose, reminding him of the tiny human’s subtle essence.

  A warm sensation erupted in his groin, sending nerves running along the length of his shaft. It pulsed to life, hardening with a quickness that stunned him.

  Surprised by his body’s reaction to thoughts of Carmen, Zyen laid the soap aside and dunked his head beneath the water to rinse his hair.

  The sight of his unwanted erection sent anger surging through his system. What was happening to him? Carmen Mendoza was a land walker. And not just any land walker, but one so small that her head barely reached his ribcage.

  Zyen was more than disgusted with himself, he was downright livid. Showing courtesy or being friendly with the land walkers in Aukrabah was one thing, but to mate with one of them would be an abomination.

  Mate? his mind whispered in rebellion. Where had that thought come from?

  Anger warred with need, the longer he stood there thinking of the tiny dark-haired human. Need won out in the end.

  Zyen climbed from the pool with jerky movements, snatched up the towel he’d grabbed earlier, and disappeared behind the nearest wall. He lowered himself onto the bench that rested there, opened his towel and gripped his throbbing erection. A hiss burst from his lips with the first stroke of his palm along his length.

  Tightening his hold, Zyen closed his eyes and allowed his mind to conjure up a vision of the half-naked Carmen he’d seen frolicking in the Pool of Life.

  Her small, firm breasts had strained against the thin scrap of material she’d worn, accenting her hardened nipples. Zyen hadn’t been able to shake the vision of the wet material clinging to her like a second skin.

  A moan threatened to escape as he recalled her firm bottom encased in the triangular shaped fabric she’d worn.

  With his mind growling in protest, Zyen continued to pump his fist up and down the length of his now painful erection, imagining Carmen’s small hands in the place of his own.

  His fangs slid down against his will to pulse in time with his aching sex.

  Common sense chose that moment to surface, and with it, the realization that he’d nearly stroked himself to release while fantasizing about Carmen.

  Zyen surged to his feet, secured the towel around his waist, and moved to step from behind the wall.

  A sound echoed inside the
bathing chamber, causing him to slow his steps. His gaze landed on his clothes that still lay next to the pool’s edge, and he wondered if he should simply march out there, grab them, and leave, or wait to be sure one of the Bracadyte women hadn’t disrobed upon entering.

  Most Arkadian females bathed in one area, while the males used a smaller, more practical bath house. But Aukrabah did things a little different, with both genders using the same pool. Not that Zyen saw anything wrong with their method of doing things; he didn’t. A Bracadyte male would never overstep his bounds with a Bracadyte female; no matter how comely he though her to be.

  He had noticed, however, that the males tended to wait until the bath house was empty of females before they entered; and vice-versa.

  Stepping a little closer to the edge of the wall, Zyen eased his head forward until he could see who had entered the room, and his breath caught. There, with her back to him, stood a very naked Carmen.

  Zyen’s fangs shot down once more, and his shaft jerked to attention so fast it opened the front of his towel.

  Biting back a snarl, Zyen yanked his head back far enough to remain hidden and stared down at the evidence of his desire. And he did desire the little, dark-haired human. That much had become painfully obvious.

  He returned to the bench, listening to Carmen splash about, and visualizing her naked form sluicing through the water.

  He’d seen her naked, seen her incredible beauty in all its sensual glory. He wanted to march out there, snatch her up, and…and what, take her?

  Zyen glanced down at his massive erection before blowing out a breath and leaning his head back against the wall once more. Aside from the fact that she was human, she was far too small for his larger form. He could never penetrate her; not without ripping her in half.

  Anger swiftly replaced his lust. He was a Bracadyte warrior hiding behind a wall from this tiny, scrap of a human. And for what? he wondered, jumping to his feet. To save her precious, human feelings? Well, what about his feelings?

  Storming from behind the wall, Zyen marched over to the pool, jerked up his clothes and unhooked the towel from around his waist.

  Chapter Six

  Carmen was definitely going to miss Aukrabah with its alluring lights scattered throughout the halls, and the comfortable temperatures of all the rooms, when she returned to Cuba. But it was the bath house she’d miss the most.

  The water bubbled up from beneath somewhere, sending steam rising in its wake. The back of the pool ran slightly downhill, taking the used bathwater with it. Carmen had never seen anything like it in all her life.

  She swam to the back of the pool, only to dive under, flip around and head toward the bench along the side where the strawberry soap rested.

  Popping up in front of the bench, Carmen bit back a scream when her gaze fell on a very naked, very large and angry looking…Zyen.

  With her breath lodged in her throat, Carmen could only stare in terror at the blond giant in front of her.

  She could feel her stomach tightening; her legs begin to shake and she had to lock her teeth together to keep them from chattering.

  And then he straightened, drawing her attention to the huge erection resting between his muscular thighs.

  Carmen had never known a man could be that size. But Zyen was no man. He was a Bracadyte; and not just any Bracadyte, but a giant Arkadian that was now staring down at her with a look that froze her very insides.

  Still unable to speak, Carmen forced her body to shrink back away from the bench. She had no doubt that fear shone from her eyes, but she could no more stop it than she could stop the panic attack currently threatening to overtake her.

  Zyen’s head tilted to the side and something akin to understanding appeared in his gaze. He quickly pulled on his sharkskin shorts and had them laced up by the time Carmen reached the center of the pool.

  He held out a hand to her. “I am not here to harm you.”

  Carmen shuddered, taking in great gulps of air in hopes of holding off the anxiety slipping up her spine.

  Though she wanted to believe that Zyen wouldn’t hurt her, she had little control over the attacks once they started.

  The room began to dim around her. Her chest tightened with pain. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as well as her ears.

  Zyen’s face faded in and out of her vision, and the sound of his voice seemed to come from a great distance.

  And then he was in the pool with her, his large hands cupping the sides of her face. “Look at me.”

  Warmth sank into Carmen’s head, relieving some of the panic running amok in her brain.

  “Breathe,” Zyen calmly instructed, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. “Do not think, Carmen. Simply breathe.”

  Carmen did as he said, clinging to the melodic sound of his voice. A moan escaped her with the first pulse of energy that entered her temples; a warm, vibrating sensation that relaxed her stomach and slowed her pounding heart.

  Zyen carefully released her, yet his eyes—those incredibly expressive eyes—remained glued to her. “What has you so afraid that your mind cannot control your body’s reaction to it?”

  Shame suddenly washed through Carmen, bringing her current state of undress back to the forefront. Though her body remained below the surface, she gave him her back and brought her trembling hands up to cover her breasts. “Please leave.”

  She wasn’t sure how long he stood there before the sounds of him exiting the pool could be heard behind her. She waited several heartbeats before turning around to find him gone.

  Moving to the side of the pool, Carmen pulled herself up onto the bench and stared at the doorway Zyen had disappeared through. He’d calmed her anxiety simply by touching her face. The panic attack she’d felt rushing up on her had disappeared as quickly as it came.

  She snatched up the soap and began scrubbing at her skin with brisk movements. She wanted nothing more than to return to her room before someone else entered the bath house.

  Most Bracadyte males called out before stepping inside the bathing room, as did the females, but Carmen hadn’t. She’d assumed the room would be empty after poking her head around and finding no one in the pool. She’d been wrong.

  A vision of Zyen’s naked form floated through her mind in vivid detail. He was like something out of a nightmare; huge and muscular, staring at her with those pale amber colored eyes.

  Try as she might, she couldn’t prevent the memory of his unbelievable erection. It had to be more than a foot in length and thicker than her forearm. How could any woman enjoy something that size?

  Carmen squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to block out the scene from her psyche. But the harder she tried to shake the unwanted vision, the more it seemed to linger.

  The sound of water splashing nearby jerked Carmen out of her nightmarish trance. She’d been so caught up in thoughts of Zyen, she hadn’t noticed Kaspyn’s entrance.

  “What has you so preoccupied?” Kaspyn swam toward Carmen at a leisurely pace. “You look as if you are about to be ill.”

  Carmen’s arms instinctively came up to cover her breasts. “Nothing, I’m just tired, I guess.”

  Stopping next to Carmen’s smaller form, Kaspyn plucked up the shampoo and began massaging it into her long, white locks. “Perhaps you should get some rest. Syrina tells me that you will be returning to Cuba on the morrow.”

  “I am. Though God only knows what we’ll encounter when we get there.”

  Kaspyn seemed to contemplate Carmen’s words. “Do not fret so. I have been told that Zyen, Syrina, Pyre, and Brant will be accompanying you on your journey. As long as they are with you, you have nothing to fear.”

  Nothing but Zyen, Carmen’s mind whispered, recalling the look in his eyes when he’d stepped from around that wall and dropped his towel.

  Instead of answering, Carmen asked a question of her own. “Is it true that Bracadyte males are incapable of harming a female?”

  Kaspyn paused in her bathing. “I do no
t know about incapable, but their sense of honor would not allow such a thing. Why do you ask? Has one of them harmed you in some way?”

  “No, of course not. I was simply curious, is all. I mean, they are the size of mountains. They could break me in half with a flick of their wrist.”

  Kaspyn chuckled. “Anyone could break you in half, little human. You are not much larger than a Bracadyte child.”

  Embarrassed by her size, or lack thereof, Carmen shrank down further in the water. “I’m not that small.”

  “You cannot be more than four feet tall,” Kaspyn teased, rinsing the shampoo from her hair.

  Indignation flared to life. “I’m closer to five feet.”

  A spark of humor remained in Kaspyn’s eyes. “I am only teasing you, little one. You cannot help being small, any more than I can help my larger size.”

  Carmen’s gaze flicked to Kaspyn’s perfect form. “I would give anything to be your size. Then no one could ever…”

  “No one could ever what?” Kaspyn prompted, suddenly serious.

  “It’s nothing.” Securing her feet on the bench, Carmen snatched up her towel and held it in front of her as she stood and stepped from the pool.

  Carmen gathered up her clothes, stopping at the door on her way out. She looked back at Kaspyn. “It might be a while before I see you again. I wish you well with the birth of your child.” With that, she stepped into the hall and hurried to her room.

  Chapter Seven

  Zyen stared out the window of the small bungalow Oz had readied for him, watching the waves crash along the shores of Playa Pilar.

  Oz and his traveling companions had arrived in Cuba the day before without incident. As promised, the Cuban president had pardoned Oz and the Bracadytes for any crimes they’d previously committed on Cuban soil. Of course, the president wasn’t aware of Oz’s past dealings with the Cartel.

  Learning about the Cuban Cartel had been interesting to Zyen. He’d listened with rapt attention on the yacht as Oz filled him in on everything that had transpired with Maria’s family.