Titan Rising 2 (Syalantian 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

back and gave him a puzzled look before speaking, "Then what do I call you?"
    His look of pure bliss reflected in his words. "From a female to her male the name, or term of endearment is Santi," he cooed placing soft kisses on the bridge of my nose, sliding sideways on the smooth upper folds of my eyes, moving lower to my flushed cheeks...
    The annulment. The thought struck me anew. His kisses now tracing the curves of my neck. I gasped, "Won't this mean you'll lose the Crown?"
    "Yes," he murmured, "I will. But the position is mostly ceremonial. The ruling body of Syalantia has been a democratically elected senate for the past 600 years. You were young but you should remember when my father came to Earth all those years ago? The sovereign is now basically Syalantia's greatest ambassador."
    I whimpered at his ministrations, barely able to stand from the quivering in my legs. "What about what Anula said...uh..., what about your uncle?"
    He pulled back. No! Don't stop. The core of my being cried out to him. His look grew stoic for a brief instant, then relaxed. "I cannot control the law, but neither can he. My uncle has always been openly xenophobic, but he's also old. I believe the Syalantian people will outlive him and his narrow views on alien species."
    "That sucks, but that's not so bad. I mean, that's it, right?" I questioned with intense scrutiny.
    For the first time in any encounter we've had, the prince dropped his eyes. His hands reached for mine and our fingers intertwined. Guiding my arms behind my back he held me firmly in his arms. He pressed his body up against mine and held me quietly for a few heartbeats. I felt his posture stiffen. He dragged in a deep breath and laid soft lips on my forehead before he spoke again.
    "My branch of the family, and that of the former Queen-to-be will also be excommunicated from the Empire and all its affiliated worlds," he stumbled.
    I stopped breathing. Anula, her family and his? Kicked out of their home, out of the Empire? Wait. Wasn't Earth now part of the Empire too?
    He must've caught the rapid loss of color on my face. "Do not worry my Emery. All except Anula have mated their Asanti or corresponding Santi. I know it may sound selfish of me, but they understand the happiness I seek. They would not deny us our union. Quite to the contrary, they will most likely applaud when they've learned we found each other, no matter what the consequences of such a union may bring to the family. Besides once the bonding starts between two people through the dream dancing it is imperative that it is completed through the physical joining.”
    I was intrigued “Why? What happens if they don’t?”
    “The unsatiated love and longing for each other has been known to lead to lifelong depression, insanity, even death,” he quavered.
    I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that my loving this man, would drive an innumerable number of people from their homes. From their way of life. Even more astounding was that I believed him when he said they would gladly choose their imminent fate for his happiness. They would all choose it, as they have all known the same joy and happiness. Plus, I did not want to see him or me end up in the loony bin or worse.
    I slipped a hand into his tunic, and felt both of his hearts quicken under my touch. This man truly believed every word he was saying to me. The longer I stood there with this crazy, beautiful man the more I believed it too.
    Sliding a heavily muscled arm around my waist, he lifted me off my feet, twirled me around laughing with wild abandon. "My beautiful Emery, we can be together. It doesn't matter where we are or what we do. I have earned several degrees and acquired many skills. Even if no employment is available in my respective fields, I will find work at a mining ore settlement on an outer planet. If we have to, we could be savages on any one of the numerous uninhabited planets on the edge of Syalantian space, or I could even get a job