The three of them were similar in appearance but different.
They all resembled their father: seven feet in height and muscular builds, but their eye and hair color varied.
“What is this you speak of, brother?” Genet took a step forward. His light green eyes were narrowed, and Erak could feel his brother’s rage escalating as well. “Is it not you that Father blames our recklessness on?” Genet spread his arms wide. A cruel smirk covered his expression.
Erak held his younger brother’s stare with a glacial one of his own.
Genet was right. Being the eldest, he had led his brothers astray, showing them that the kingdom could wait. He took claim for starting it, but that had been when they were adolescents.
His brothers had led their own life from that point on, and what they did was on them. Their father wanted to descend from the throne, and it was time the three of them stepped up and took on the responsibility.
Erak refused to back down from Genet.
“I do not deny that I have led you down a path of destruction, but heed my words, little brother. It is time we take the throne and ease Father of his burdens. It is time we find our fated females and produce heirs. I am ready to be the ruler Father knows me to be. Are you two ready to take that responsibility?” Erak stared at Genet and then directed his authority at Raimi.
Genet would have been the harder to break, but the words his younger brother spoke shocked him.
“I admit I am growing weary of this life, of the random females, and of feeling like I’m missing something.” Genet breathed out roughly and ran a hand through his ash-colored hair. “I am with you, brother. I am ready to find my female. I do not wish to fight with you and can accept my role as an honorable male.” He turned around and spoke to Raimi. “Are you ready to do this? Ready to be a ruler Father needs?”
All was quiet for a moment before their youngest Asek brother murmured his agreement. Erak exhaled, not realizing that he had been holding his breath.
Their next adventure would be one that would change their lives and their planet’s history.
ChapterThree
LUNA
Planet of Kat’aki
Luna wiped the sweat that beaded across her brow with the back of her hand. Every part of her body ached, but she didn’t dare stop what she was doing. She scrubbed the table harder, trying to get out all the Caltika monster blood.
The fight that had just happened hours before had been fatal, with random body parts scattered across the bar and the stench of death lingering in the air. The gelatinous, green goo had come from the beast when it challenged one of the Monte males to spend the evening with a female.
It was clear the Caltika had no idea the powers the Monte species actually possessed. The large, wooden bucket beside her feet held what was left of said beast after she scraped him from the table. It took every ounce of willpower for her to hold back her gag reflex every time she glanced down at the chunky remnants.
“Really put some elbow grease into it.”
She gritted her teeth at the flirtatious comment right behind her. Luna didn’t bother responding or lifting her gaze. Maximo slapped her on the ass as he passed, but the only reaction she gave was to tighten her hand around the blood-soaked rag she held.
Just a few more months and you’ll be out of this shithole.
Luna said the mantra over and over in her head and scrubbed harder. The small restaurant, Tao, was where she had worked for the last two years. Kat’aki, or the planet of red dust as it was more commonly known, was her home, at least for the time being.
Working in the gritty, rundown bar on a planet known for prostitution, illegal activities, and filled with the worst of the worst criminals was not how Luna saw spending her life. It didn’t matter, though, not when she was hoping to save enough to leave and travel to Euk’toria, the planet of happiness.
This had been her life since birth. It didn’t matter that she was born to a human prostitute and left in the street until a couple, who had to be the only kind and decent people who lived on this forsaken planet, had claimed her as their own.
Of course, love and happiness can only last so long in a place that rivals the very pits of the damned. The urge to leave had always been strong within her, but some obstacle had always stood in her path, forcing her to stay and face the abuse.
When the very people that had taken her in and cared for her were murdered, Luna decided it was time to leave or she would be the next person this rotten planet claimed. If she was going to die, so be it, but it wouldn’t be on this fucked up planet.
“Listen up everyone.” Luna forced herself to stop cleaning and turn around. Maximo grinned suggestively at her, which made her skin crawl. “I have just been informed by my contacts that tomorrow night will be busy. We are to have warriors from the Aktulla planet visiting our fair establishment in hopes of entertainment and pleasure.”
Maximo swept his gaze around the room, but his stare always stopped back on Luna.
“Not only that, they are from the royal Asek line. Whatever they want, you will give to them. You all know how wealthy and powerful the males of the Aktulla planet are, the Asek line especially, and so, it is all of your duty to show them an experience they will not forget.”
Luna knew what Maximo was truly saying. He wanted his employees to suck and fuck all patrons that entered his meager, repulsive place of business. A pimp is what she called him, but he called himself a “businessman”.