Born of Defiance

She signed the contract and waited for him to finish reading through it.

Once he signed it, he handed her a small card. “That’s the address to the condo, and the number for my link. If you’ll give me two hours’ notice, I can meet you there, and make sure that you get in without any problems. Security’s really tight for the building so you’ll be very safe there, alone. The downside is that even if I tell them you’re coming, they might not let you in without me there to verify your identity, and sign the paperwork to have you added to my lease as a licensed cohabitator.”

That was a nice bonus. In truth, she’d been a little afraid of living alone. Eris was a major city, with over ten million Andarions living in it. As much as authorities liked to deny it, it wasn’t uncommon for lone females to fall prey to vicious predators. It was the primary reason she’d wanted a short commute to school. “Then I’ll see you in two days.”

“Two days,” he repeated before he stood. “I shall look forward to it.”

As he started for the door, she rose. “Um, may I ask one thing before you leave?”

“Sure.”

“What’s your name?”

He gave her a shy smile. “Talyn.”

What a beautiful, proper name. It suited him. “Thank you, Talyn.”

Inclining his head, he took his leave.

Stunned by it all, Felicia couldn’t believe that she’d been lucky enough to find a patron so young and handsome. One who didn’t seem to want to treat her like his property, and demand that she serve his every perverted whim.

Unlike the last revolting beast who’d almost assaulted her in front of her broker and guard. If not for them, she’d have been raped in this very room.

You know you can’t trust him. Males lie. Her mother had beaten that into her head from birth.

And yet, Talyn seemed honest.

They all seem like that, daughter. Until they rip out your heart and feast upon it.

She refused to allow her mother’s poison to infect her. Glancing down at the card in her hand, she frowned as she finally saw the address of her new home. With a gape, she looked to her broker. “Is this correct?”

“Brooksyn?”

She nodded.

“Then, yes. That’s the address we verified. He owns the entire top floor of the building. It’s a twenty-room flat, with an indoor pool and fully functional gym.”

Felicia was aghast at that. “Twenty rooms?” Seriously?

“Yes. It’s positively palatial.”

Especially in Eris. No one had homes that big, as a rule. Except royalty.

Or a mighty War Hauk.

“And he doesn’t live there full time?”

“No. He’s an officer in the armada. They require him to live in the barracks. He has a strict curfew and if he misses too many, they’ll strip his rank.”

“And what rank does he hold?” Deputy commander?

“Major.”

That only confused her more. While majors made fairly good pay, they didn’t make enough to afford a twenty-room condo by her school.

He must be royal-blooded. That was the only logical explanation.

“Has he a wife?”

Herun shook his head. “Nor is he pledged to any female. We screened him thoroughly.”

Her head spun at the news. “What’s wrong with him, then?”

“He has no paternal lineage, whatsoever. He’s the bastard son of an Outcast. No one on his father’s side would even adopt him.”

Ouch. No wonder Talyn was willing to pay so much for a companion. There was no other legal way for him to have an Andarion female as part of his life. And to pair himself with an alien female would lower his caste even more.

Which, given how low it already was, would be quite a feat.

It wouldn’t matter how high his rank or how pure his mother’s bloodline. No family would contract their daughter to a male without some paternal lineage. Especially not one whose father was such an Outcast that no one else in his entire family would adopt his son to protect him.

Just what crime had his father committed for his shame to taint his son so thoroughly?

A bastard herself, she knew exactly how harshly Andarions treated children like them. But at least she knew her father’s lineage and he allowed her to count it, even though her parents had never married. While being a half-Vest limited what choices and careers she had open to her, it was nowhere near as bad as being a solid lack-Vest.

Not to mention, she was female and that automatically put her in a better caste than his, since maternal lineages were the higher valued in Andarion society.

Her heart aching for him, she lifted her cowl and returned to her small cell that had been her home since she’d begun her companion training.

She glanced around the small, spartan room.

While her mother hadn’t been thrilled with her choice to do this, she’d understood that it was the only way Felicia could go to her expensive university without crawling to her father for the money.