3013: GENESIS (3013: The Series Book 11) Read online

  It was their home, and they would protect it at all costs.

  The large ship was made of a sleek, black metal and dark tinted glass so that it glittered like a dark jewel against the inky backdrop of space. The many lights that shone from the various levels were beacons of welcome for the visitors that arrived on a daily basis, but they could also run on stealth mode when needed.

  As he strode through the crowd of people in the main lobby, Tavius looked around at the employees that mingled amidst the countless visitors. Since they had launched New Vega, hundreds of Krytos had reached out to the brothers and had asked to become part of their pack. Those members helped keep the vessel running smoothly, but they weren’t the only people who worked there.

  Over the years, members of other races had asked the brothers for employment for the simple fact that they’d wanted the chance to travel the stars in luxury. Others had wanted to open up shops on New Vega, creating an eclectic collection of places to enjoy while onboard. Currently, the waiting list for retail space was a mile long, which allowed the brothers to be damn selective on who they allowed onto their home.

  Now, Tavius had the irritating responsibility of meeting one of those visitors so he could escort her to her room like he was some sort of freaking lackey.

  Glancing around again, Tavius briefly considered asking someone else to take on the task of meeting their VIP guest and her entourage. No, Tavius thought with a sigh. He couldn’t leave this duty to anyone else, especially not his brothers. Maddox would say something to the little elite that would probably make her cry, and Daimon’s taciturn nature would be considered rude to the visiting VIP when he refused to speak to her.

  Why the hell did someone like Mya Spartan want to start a business on New Vega anyway? Well, it wasn’t like she was creating a business, really. Starlight Designs was an established enterprise already, but Tavius couldn’t see the reigning princess of the company coming to New Vega to be a shopkeeper.

  The mere thought was laughable.

  Overall, it was a wise business decision on both sides, though. Tavius had read the report Mya had sent along with her request for a meeting with them. Opening a shop on New Vega would give Starlight Designs a whole new clientele, while the Adaro brothers would benefit from the well-known business increasing streams of consumers onboard.

  That was, if the business was run properly.

  Tavius doubted that this would be more than just a passing hobby for the only daughter of the Spartan-Rollins clan. Despite what people thought, Tavius and his brothers worked their asses off to keep New Vega running. Because of that, he valued hard work and dedication. He’d seen little of either from his past dealings with the pampered elite scrolls that came to New Vega. They came to shop, to visit the spa, to gamble and to party. Some of them visited with the goal of hooking up with someone in one of the sex clubs or with another visitor who was there for the same reason.

  What happened on New Vega, stayed on New Vega.

  Hell, he couldn’t count the number of times he’d been hit on by a scroll who wasn’t happy with her bonded, and each time, he felt a little more jaded about relationships. It made him angry when people cheated. Tavius had his share of bed partners over the years, but he’d never made a true commitment to a female. He’d certainly never lied to someone he’d been intimate with, and he always made sure they knew not to expect anything serious before he touched them.

  Krytos males usually mated in pairs or trios to one female, and when they did, they were completely devoted to their chosen mate. It wasn’t the norm, but Tavius and his brothers had decided years ago that they would mate the same female since they were so close. Each of them was fiercely protective of one another, and it just made sense that they would only trust one another with the person that would become the center of their world.

  But they hadn’t found their mate yet.

  And Tavius was beginning to doubt they ever would.

  He made his lips curve into a smile he wasn’t feeling as he passed by a group of females that giggled foolishly as he walked past them. There was no point thinking about any of this, since all it did was put him in a shitty mood. Besides, it wouldn’t do him any good getting even more pissed off when he had to greet the VIP in a few minutes.

  Tavius nodded to one of the New Vega security team that called out a greeting to him as he passed the security checkpoint, then he made his way down the hallway that lead toward the landing bays. Once he was there, the automatic doors slid open, then shut behind him again after he’d entered, closing out the sounds of laughter and music that he barely noticed anymore.

  He’d timed it right, and saw that the space cruiser carrying Mya Spartan and her guards had just landed. Maybe she wouldn’t be as bad as he expected. Tavius knew her oldest brother, Jax, and even liked the surly elite…most of the time.

  His mood lightened as Tavius considered just how pissed off Jax was going to be when he found out his little sister was on New Vega. A few days ago, he’d received a vid call from the lovely Serra Spartan-Archer. He liked and respected the geeky little scientist, and he vastly enjoyed the way Jax Spartan and Sullivan Archer both bitched and complained about the Adaro brothers’ friendship with their chosen.

  Serra had explained that Jax and his other brother, Talon, hadn’t been told that Mya was moving to New Vega. She and her mother-in-law had thought it was best to allow the young woman to establish herself and her business before they were told. Tavius thought the idea was daft, but he was always up for a little mischief, and so he’d agreed to keep quiet about the subject…and to the other favor Serra had asked for.

  Usually, he would have just laughed at such a request, but he owed Serra for when she’d been kidnapped from New Vega by some crazy bitch and the mercenaries that worked for her. Serra didn’t blame the Adaros for what happened, but they took responsibility anyway.

  Tavius and his brothers always paid back their debts. And so, he had somehow found himself talked into watching out for the little elite scroll while she was on New Vega…like a damn babysitter.

  Sometimes having friends just sucked.

  ***

  CHAPTER THREE

  Mya was so excited she was all but vibrating.

  She bounced out of her seat the second the space cruiser landed in the docking bay on New Vega. Upon approach, she’d been mesmerized at the sight of the big, black vessel, and she couldn’t wait to see if the interior of the pleasure palace was as impressive as it looked from the outside.

  “Come on! Let’s go!” Mya pulled at Pia’s arm, making her friend laugh.

  “Relax. We still have to let them check the cruiser over before they let us disembark.”

  Mya huffed out a breath. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  Pia stood up and stretched. “I spent the first couple of years based on Alpha Station: X3 after I graduated from the academy. We had the same protocol there.”

  “That was before you came back to Earth and met us,” Mikal said as he wrapped his arm around Pia’s waist.

  Pia laughed. “True. I always forget you guys have never been off planet before. Weird.”

  “Not really when you factor in that my family went nova every time I suggested it. And these two poor guys were stuck with me, so they never got to go anywhere,” Mya corrected.

  Ryland frowned at her. “Is that what you really think? Mya, we had vacation time. We could have gone anywhere we wanted to, but we chose to stay with you. You’re not just a damn job or duty to us. You’re our family.”

  Mya smiled up at him, touched by his words.

  One of the crew came to the door of their sitting room. “We’ve been cleared and can leave the ship whenever you’re ready, Miss Spartan.”

  “Thank you, Officer Jones. We can head out now.” Mya waited until the officer hurried out of the room before she sighed. “I still don’t understand why it’s so hard for them to call me by my name. It’s been driving me crazy this entire trip.”

  Mika
l snorted. “Yeah, like any elite is going to be so informal with you. They’re afraid it will get back to your fathers or brothers. Just deal with it.”

  Mya glared at him. She knew that, and had dealt with the same formal treatment all of her life back in the Capital. A little part of her had hoped that things would ease once they boarded the space cruiser, but perhaps that had been foolish of her. The crew still answered to the regents and higher ranking commanders.

  But now that they had arrived on New Vega, everything would be different.

  With that in mind, Mya grabbed her small bag she always carried with her, and followed Ryland and Mikal off the ship with Pia at her side. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed as she looked around the stark gray landing bay. But then again, it was a room that was more functional rather than for show. As she got to the base of the ramp, Mya had the oddest feeling that someone was watching her. Turning, she glanced over and found her gaze locked with a pair of penetrating black eyes.

  Holy nova, the man was sinfully hot.

  No, not a man, she corrected herself. He was male Krytos in his prime, with a face almost too perfect to be real framed by long dark-brown hair that fell to his broad shoulders. The old-fashioned dark-gray suit he’d paired with a lighter gray shirt did nothing to detract from his muscular frame. There was something in his piercing black gaze that hinted of the savage nature he hid beneath his civilized attire, but it only added to his appeal. The intensity of his dark gaze made her palms go damp, stirring something inside her she’d never felt before.

  It was…unnerving.

  Mya realized that she’d stopped at the bottom of the ramp when Pia bumped into her. Grateful for the distraction, she pulled her gaze away from the sexy Krytos and focused on the elite soldiers that were beginning to unload her belongings.

  “Careful, I think you might be drooling,” Pia whispered.

  “Shut up.”

  Pia chuckled softly, then said, “Brace yourself, hon. He’s coming over here.”

  Mya stiffened slightly and made herself turn back around. Stars, he was even better looking up close. That was so not fair. She wanted to groan, but smiled instead.

  “Ms. Spartan? I’m Tavius Adaro. Welcome to New Vega.”

  Crap.

  She’d been lusting after one of the owners of this massive space vessel. That was so not good. How the hell was she supposed to have a meeting with this male in a few hours and focus on work? And if he was this good looking, what did his other two brothers look like? She was going to be a rambling idiot, she just knew it.

  That is, if she could speak at all.

  Mya had never gotten so tongue-tied by a male before, and didn’t know what to think about her reaction. Usually, she couldn’t make herself shut up, but right now her mind was completely blank. She’d noticed his fangs when he’d spoken, and imagined how it would feel to have them scrapping over her skin. Just the thought made her body quiver. Fangs shouldn’t be sexy…but they were on him. Her eyes widened as she realized he was simply looking at her as he waited patiently for some sort of response to his greeting.

  Double crap!

  “Hi!” The word burst out of her. “It’s just Mya. I mean, please call me Mya. I’m sorry. Since this is my first time off planet, I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed.”

  “Really? I’d think someone with your status would have traveled the stars.”

  “Ah…well, I work a lot.”

  Tavius was intrigued by her response, but he kept his face expressionless as Mya introduced him to her guards. He’d been told she’d been bringing a protection detail with her, so he wasn’t surprised by Ryland, Mikal and Pia’s presence. But the easy way they acted with one another told him they were close, and they weren’t just there because of duty. Although they carried blasters at their sides, they weren’t dressed in uniforms. Then again, elites in uniform tended to stand out on New Vega, since most humans that came there were on vacation.

  What did surprise Tavius was his reaction to her. All enhanced elite females were physically attractive, but there was something special about Mya Spartan. The second her eyes had locked with his, he’d felt as if she could see into his very soul. The thought was slightly disconcerting, but he hadn’t been able to tear his gaze away from hers.

  By the gods, she was lovely.

  Those crystal clear gray eyes were mesmerizing, and Tavius knew they’d haunt him after he left her presence. Her beautiful but delicate features made her seem almost fragile. However, instead of disgusting him as weakness usually did, it roused his protective side so that he felt the beast within him stir to life.

  Uncomfortable with the turn of events, he focused on the various containers the elite soldiers were unloading from the cruiser. “I see you were serious about moving here.”

  Mya let out a laugh. “I am, but most of that isn’t my stuff. Well, it is, but it isn’t.”

  “That makes it clear.” His lips twitched, but he held back his grin when she blushed.

  “Sorry. I meant it’s mostly for my work.”

  “Your work?”

  “I’m a designer, which means I make clothes. In order to do that, I need equipment, material and a whole slew of other things. The blue containers are filled with work stuff. The rest are personal items.” Her gray eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “Did you think I just slap my name on my designs and let someone else do the real work?”

  Tavius found himself smiling down at her. “I have no idea what goes into what you do, but I look forward to learning more at our meeting later.” Calling out to one of the males standing watch over the unloading, he said, “Joran, see that the blue containers are moved into a secured storage area near the shopping pavilion. The rest goes up to Ms. Spartan and her guards’ living quarters.”

  “Yes, Alpha Tavius. I will see it done.”

  Tavius gestured to Mya and her guards. “Your things will be brought to you. I’ll show you the way to your rooms now.”

  Mya glanced back at the containers. “Oh, but…”

  Amused, he said, “I assure you, your things will be safe until you need them.”

  She glanced up at him through thick lashes. “I still haven’t gotten permission from you and your brothers to open my shop. Do you think it’s wise to store my stuff so close to temptation? Are you trying to drive me crazy?”

  Tavius grinned at that. “I’m sure you won’t have a problem convincing us.”

  “I hope not,” she said softly as she walked with him toward the automatic doors. The sedate gray of the landing bay gave way to the opulent cream and gold interior of New Vega as the doors opened. Laughter and music drifted through the perfumed air, and Tavius found himself watching Mya for her reaction.

  He wasn’t disappointed.

  Mya’s eyes went wide, and she tried to take in everything at once as she and her detail were led toward the security checkpoint. It made her a little nervous as she and her guards were checked in and their biometrics were put on file so they would be able to access the bio-locks onboard, but the process was quick, and they were soon heading out into the main lobby. The sight of it made her jaw drop in awe.

  She glanced over as another set of doors slid open down a hallway, then watched as several people entered. Male and female greeters waited to welcome the newcomers. The male greeters wore sarongs wrapped around their waists, and their bare chests were oiled to a gleaming shine. They greeted the female guests with leis of pale-pink flowers, while the female greeters placed leis made of white flowers around the male visitors’ necks. The female greeters’ ample breasts were on display through the semi-transparent sarong dresses they wore, and they flaunted their considerable assets as they pranced around the group.

  “What the…?”

  Tavius turned back to see Pia scowling at the two men beside her who were staring at the female greeters. He’d noticed the star mark on Pia’s face near her right eye, but also saw that she had the initials of both of her males on the other sid
e of her face, signifying that she’d been claimed.

  Mikal winced as Pia’s elbow plowed into his solar plexus, and Ryland cursed softly as he was given the same treatment. Mya coughed to cover her laughter, and amusement sparkled in her eyes when she grinned up at Tavius.

  “Your employees are certainly…friendly here. And impressive.”

  Tavius laughed. “Indeed, they are.”

  “Yeah, they are impressive,” Pia said as one of the bronzed-skin muscular males lifted up one of the giggling female visitors and carried her away from the group.

  Mikal and Ryland scowled down at Pia, and the three of them started arguing in whispered voices. To give them some privacy, Mya took a few steps away from them. Tavius followed, then one of his eyebrows winged up in surprise when she spoke.

  “So, don’t I get lei’d?”

  “How remiss of me,” he murmured, feeling his blood begin to heat at the double entendre. “I assure you, that can be arranged.”

  She smiled. “The surprise factor is gone now. I do love flowers, though. They look so pretty.”

  That gave him pause. The way she was innocently smiling up at him made him think she hadn’t meant her words as they’d sounded. Or perhaps he’d just been hoping that she was issuing an invitation. “I’ll have to remember that.”

  “Okay,” Pia announced as she and her bonded stepped over. “We’re done being stupid. We can go now.”

  Mya laughed. “I love how your fights always last for less than five minutes. I don’t know how you manage it.”

  “Easy,” Ryland said. “We argue for a few minutes, then Mikal and I tell her we’re sorry and that she’s right, and all is well again.”

  “And sometimes we grovel,” Mikal added.

  “Exactly,” Pia agreed with a grin.

  Tavius couldn’t imagine groveling for any female. Dismissing the ridiculous notion, he started walking again, leading them across the massive lobby. A few seconds later, he heard Mya gasp. From their position, they were finally able to see where the lobby opened up into the shopping pavilion. There were five tiers various shops and restaurants, with gilded gold balconies lining each floor.