Dark Nine ❈ Dark Nine Universe Bk1 ❈

Chapter Fifty-Six

Diana's POV

I find some water and I sit on the edge of the expansive pool. It's not too dissimilar to the pool on Planet Apastron.

I sit there still revelling in the sex I just had... but I'm reminded of her... floating in the pool, drunk on Arcturus.

And I've found Arcturus.

He's reclining on what would be a lounge but it's carved from rock, he came here to avoid everyone and now his dark purple eyes are on me, he looks hellishly mad.

Arcturus was a quiet Kor. But I had seen his obsession with Orlai and hers with him.

The only reason he would leave as her life was taken was he felt something for her – maybe something forbidden.

He's watching me from all the way over there, maybe three hundred feet away.

When I tune into my unique instincts, I am not so sure I should go anywhere near him.

But I also know walking away would be disrespectful.

He lost someone too.

I take my feet from the water and I stand instead, moving slowly toward him.

When I reach him I can't bring myself to get too close, so I stay by the water and I sit by the edge, looking at Arcturus' dark velvet eyes for a few seconds before focusing on the water, and looking at him through the reflection instead.

"I miss her," I whisper, "And I'll never see her again."

Arcturus is listening to every word.

"She was on borrowed time... she knew it too..." Arcturus speaks very low, barely formed words. I just blink in acceptance, nodding, "What do you want, Empress?" he asks this even lower, clearly a ask-me-something-necessary or get-the-fuck-away-from-me type of vibe.

"Nothing," I answer him honestly, looking over my shoulder to answer Arcturus boldly.

Then I turn and slip into the pool, letting the water cover me as I kick back to the surface and then swim for the other side.

When I reach the end, I realise there are no steps in or out of the pool.

I can pull myself up just fine, but I get a small surprise at the end.

When I wade to the edge, Arcturus turns off his Stealth, waiting for me with a hand out. I look up from his feet and ankle and calves as he offers me help.

Why say no?

I reach up and Arcturus grabs my wrist and hand, pulling me out of the water with ease. I land softly on my feet next to him and he just releases my arm the same time I jerk away from his grip.

He was still a huge Kor on his own and I didn't trust him.

I just felt sorry for him.

As I power-walk away, I immediately feel Arcturus is following me step for step. When I look behind to see what the hell he wants? His ravaged metallic purple pits for eyes are planted on my slim neck and he's starting to snarl and venom secrets over his sharp fangs.

Run now.

All my instincts scream at me to go, and I shift from fast walking to a full-blown sprint, turning on my own Stealth to get the hell away.

Fuck that.

I barrel head-long into multiple Kors, Mercury and Neptune caught me in their Stealth which flickers off once they have me. I turn around in their arms and see their bared dripping fangs which are on full display for Arcturus. I also see Alpha Centauri behind Arcturus, after grabbing his arm and stopping him from lunging at me.