DRAMON'S POV

Venus is not my mother. She is not Salina. She doesn't turn to alcohol or drugs when times get rough. That is why she stole my gaze years ago. She is smaller than most of my people, and humans choose to hide behind walls in Colonies, but Venus has always spewed fire.

I wait. I kneel on the moist ground for the next day to arrive. My Clan is more quiet than usual. Shame silences them. Venus was married into the ranks, and they dishonored her title by treating her recklessly.

I am more guilty for leading by example.

I am guilty of everything.

"It's your fault! Your fault! Don't forget it. I lost this child because you killed it," Salina sobbed. "And now that your wife is pregnant, you want to push me to the side and forget everything?"

I lower my hands onto my face. I between a moon and sun, getting torn apart as I'm pulled in opposite directions. Venus is waiting for me in our home, but I've wronged Salina and owe her.

Salina only calms when she's in my arms. I can't let her kill herself. I've already killed enough.

"It's all your fault," she sniffled.

I reach out to touch her shoulders, and she jumps to my lap and soaks my chest.

"I'm sorry." I've said those words so many times that the wind is tired of hearing them.

Salina clings to me, and I feel drained. I'm nearly dead as my child.

"I'm sorry." This time, I apologize to my little one.

I remember the day clearly. It had been raining, and I was lost in my head as I trained with one of my men. The battle was intense, and I was so out of touch that I didn't sense a pregnant Salina. She touched my shoulder, and I turned fast enough to send her flying backward three feet. She fell on her back and bled, and that blood inked this nightmare.

It had all been my fault. I'm a murderer of children. A murderer of hope. Now, I dare to kneel under the moonlight, trying to resuscitate the dead hope between Venus and I because I'm selfish.

When the morning comes, I feel warm with the hint of a fever settling in. My knees and thighs ache. My body is not used to kneeling for anyone.

It is strange how it took a human whose head can barely reach my chin to crumble me down.

My Captain comes to me multiple times. He tries to convince me to see the healer, but my spilled blood belongs to Venus. I will only let her wash it away.

I eat only because I will need the strength to face Rexon that night, and the only thing that keeps my dizziness at bay is my focus on Venus kissing Rexon. The memory makes me feel hot for reasons other than my fever. My crimson irises lock on a tree, and I stare at it with so much abhor that I swear it trembles.

When the night falls, I rise to my feet and go hunting.

I take my vest off, and the cool night caresses my warm skin. I hate its touch. I want Venus'. I want her twinkling eyes as I fuck her into my bed to be my night sky. I want her to come on my cock while I'm lost somewhere between paradise and her pussy. I want her gasping as if she's about to die with me. I want her laying atop me in the afterglow, my cock and my fingers pinning her so tightly that neither the Waters, Wind, Fires or Earth can separate us.

I hike up deeper into Rexon's territory. Every step hurts my pride. Not only is this male protecting Venus as if I'm dangerous, but he's making me walk through his land. All Rider Kings feel uneasy when they're not the ones in command of an area.

I spot Venus first. Beautiful and angry.

Rexon stands too close to her. I want him in hottest Fire. I want him small, old, and feeble so he can't give me any competition. Instead, he stands to my height, my weight, my interest in Venus.

We speed-walk to each other and fight again. I'm slower this time, sluggish. Rexon wears bandages and is pumped with medicine. I wear three days worth of battle.

He kicks me in the gut, and I barely register the pain before I feel it on my jaw. I sweep a leg under him, kicking his ribs twice before he drags me down and we go tumbling.

Venus is pleading in the background, but she's held back by Rexon's men. I turn to look at her, and my view of the enchanting woman scatters when my head hits a rock. I'm so stunned that my body goes slack.

"Get off! Stop!"

Venus shoves herself between us, rambling words of anger at us for being foolish. She calls for my men so they can carry me away and heal me. Her hands palm my chest as she calls my name, but there's no worry in her gaze. She doesn't care about me as much as I do for her.

"Venus..."

Her eyes flare, but she waits.

I have a tornado of words for her, but I can't find the breath.

"Venus... anything."

I'll give her anything. Salina is gone, my pride is in tatters, my body is defeated, my best friend— my beast, has lost respect for me.

Her eyes flash. "You want me?"

I nod, ignoring the pain that bursts in the back of my head.

She thinks for a long moment. Her eyes are arctic as she says, "Give up your title as Rider King, then."

VENUS' POV

He stands, and I linger nearby to catch him in case he goes down. His eyes scan me from head to toe, and then he walks away. He chooses his Clan over me.

That's what I thought. Dramon never disappoints when it comes to disappointing.

I turn and walk toward Rexon, gasping when a bloody forearm wraps around my middle and soaks my top.

"Where are you going?" Dramon's chest grumbles behind me.

I crane my neck to look at him with my mouth agape. "But— but I..."

"Let me say goodbye to them."

He's serious? He's leaving his Clan for a woman? No! That's insanity!

"You lie," I swallow.

He stares at me with a calm expression. "I choose you."

"My King!" a frantic voice calls.

Both Dramon and Rexon look their way, but I keep staring at Dramon's strong neck. He must have hit his head harder that I thought if he's saying what I think he is. Maybe he misunderstood. Maybe he's playing with me.

"We have intruders."

"More?" Rexon grunted while touching his bruised ribs.

"Yes. Two Wenches and a kidnaped human woman were seen in the canyon."

I'm not surprised to hear this. It's common for Wenches to kidnap humans. Their skin can't handle this planet's hot sun, so they depend on human slavery for survival. They're simple-thinking, instinctual, ugly creatures.

"The canyon," Rexon sighs, and I know why. The area is a maze. It's full of high cliffs. Navigating it would be a nightmare.

"Dramon, your beasts," I tell him. "Your men can get an aerial view."

"I don't need his help," Rexon scoffs.

Rolling my eyes, I bring my lips to my mouth and whistle. I hear Treysa stomping my way, but I'm surprised to hear flapping above me. Is that Dramon's beast?

He collapses on the pond, splashing all of us, and lowers himself to let me climb on. I waste no time on hopping on its back.

"Wai—" both Kings call for me.

"Treysa, follow!"

I shoot into the sky, ignoring the pain in my knee. I'm determined to find this human. Dramon and Rexon can do their bickering while I get the job done.

"I choose you."

I ignore Dramon's words and the strange stir it caused in my chest. I'm human before I'm anyone's wife, and I need to help this woman.