Nebula Book 1: His Breeder

“I really think this is a bad idea. You should not approach Akdronis like this. He is hot-headed.”

That’s the thing, though. Akdronis changed. He was kinder now, softer. She hated that she wanted nothing to do with the man, but came to that conclusion. Meanwhile, his own flesh and blood was still convinced that he was the devil himself.

He had changed, yes, but she wished that he would be productive. He should use his energy to bring good to The Ruins, instead of stalking and obsessing over her.

She told him time and time again that she wanted nothing to do with him. What was so hard to understand?

It didn’t matter that she grew a twisted liking for his attention. She knew that she couldn’t be with him– not after what he put her through.

“Please,” Draekon pleaded. “We should leave. You should talk to Kira or Vrox before you see Akdronis.”

“I don’t need to be coddled,” she snarled back at him. She was so angry that she was hot to the touch. As an educated, independent woman, she hated having her wings tied.

Who was Ak to keep her from happiness? His brothers might stay away from her out of respect for Akdronis, but that didn’t mean that the rest of the population had to avoid her, too.

She clenched her fists, ready to fight for her happiness.

– • –

“Let us hurry. I want to check on my flower,” Vrox told the brothers.

He, Akdronis, and Ni’ev were distributing goods through the camp, making sure that all men had what they needed for the next few weeks.

“Kira can wait a little longer,” Ak told him. There was no denying that the Commander was smitten with his family. He was a good leader, lover, and father. Ak was proud of him.

“My flower is Terra,” Vrox corrected with a smile.

“I thought she was your seedling?”

It was hard to keep track of Vrox’s lovey-dovey blabber. Ak never saw the need for nicknames. Sure, he preferred to be called Ak over Akdronis, but he’d eat dirt before he called his brothers a “flower,” or a “seedling.”

Nebula appeared in his thoughts like she often did, smiling, hair free, arms full of her silly colorful rocks.

What would her nickname be? What could he make up for her?

The nickname would never meet the light of day. It would forever live in the darkness of his thoughts. He knew this, but he was alright with that. Slowly but surely, he was coming to terms with the idea that Nebula would find happiness elsewhere.

He’d entertain daydreams while she lived her sweet reality. That was okay. At least he’d have his thoughts. Maybe in another lifetime, he would get a sweet reality, too.

Cloud.

That’s what he’d call her.

His cloud, inspired by her hair. That beautiful hair of hers wasn’t the typical boring waterfall he saw on all men and women in The Ruins. It was Nebula’s most stunning trait.

“Alright, boys, let us go home,” Ni’ev said.

Vrox chuckled. “Boys?”

Ni’ev grinned. “I am older than you. Did you forget, mighty Commander?”

“You know, Ni’ev…” Vrox swung his sword, so it rested over a shoulder. “Technically, if you die, you stop counting birthdays, and I would easily surpass you in age.”

Ni’ev snorted. “Go ahead and try. You spend half the day caressing Kira. Your hands have probably become as soft as Terra’s.”

“Fates, do not mention her hands in front of Rokan, or he will go on another rant about how small she is,” Ak interjected.

Vrox chuckled. “I will see you all later. I must go to the common room.”

Ak parted ways with his brothers, headed for his dwelling. He wanted to get to his journal and write an entry. It had been an eventful day. On his way there, he saw a small batch of blue filis– flowers. They reminded him of Terra, so he plucked one to give it to Kira.

When he turned the corner, he found Draekon standing by the entrance to his room.

“Ak, I must warn you that…”

Nebula ran out of his room like a bat out of hell, ripping his curtain off the wall in the process.

“You dick!” she screeched in English.

Her eyes were lava, her hair bound clouds, and her hand thunder once it reached up and slapped him across the face.

He stumbled back two steps. The soft needles and pins on his cheek didn’t hurt, but they shocked him. Nebula’s strike didn’t have to hurt to make her intention clear. She wanted to hurt and disrespect him in front of his family.

“Who do you think you are to meddle in my fucking life?” Her hands pushed his chest. The flower he had in his fist fell and disappeared with the wind.

“I…”

What could he say? He didn’t understand what he did wrong. How did he mess up this time?

“Telling men to stay away from me? When will you understand that I am not yours, and that I will never–”

“That is not fair,” he interjected, surprising her.

Seeing the anger in his tone, Draekon walked closer to Nebula as if to protect her. The subtle move only hurt him further.

“That is not fair. I have apologized to you, I have prayed to the Fates for forgiveness, I have punished myself, I have respected your wish for distance. I have done…” he swallowed hard, feeling like his heart was at his throat. “So much. I have done all I could to fix my mistakes, but you are disrespecting me, invading my personal home, and accusing me of things I did not do.”

Nebula scoffed. “Really? You’re playing the victim while you’re the one ruining my life? Who do you think you are to tell men to stay away from me?”

But that wasn’t true. He did the opposite. He encouraged a male to befriend her. How did things get so twisted that he ended up as the bad guy a second time?

“I did not do this. I am no longer the villain here.” He turned around and left, unable to face her hatred.

Nebula watched him go, ready to explode. He wouldn’t even own up to his manipulation. He was infuriating.

She looked down at her stinging hand.

Damn it, she shouldn’t have slapped him. She probably disrespected his entire family line with that slap. Physical touch was a big no-no for Ezronians, so they would take a slap to the face more seriously than humans.

She looked at Draekon. His lips were pursed, as if he was holding something back. He probably disapproved of her attack as well.

“Fuck,” she exhaled, mad at Ak, mad at herself.

This was a shit show through-and-though.

– • –

A week passed, and she hadn’t seen Ak since they last clashed. It was strange, but she could feel his absence.

Kira didn’t bring up the topic, but Nebula was sure that Draekon filled her in on the fight.

Where was she supposed to go from there? Men still avoided her gaze as if she was Medusa in the flesh. They were too afraid to pursue her. At this rate, she’d never find her own happiness.

Maybe she could ask Vrox to clarify that she was up for grabs.

Maybe she could ask Ak to do it himself.

She groaned. If only Ezron had Tinder.