One of my favorite scifi romance authors, A.M. Griffin, recently placed the third installment in her Game Keeper’s series on pre-order. I couldn’t wait to sneak a peek, so I asked her if I could get a glimpse I can show my readers. Guess what? She came through with an excerpt of the The Alien King’s Desire I can share with my readers!
The Alien King’s Desire
By A.M. Griffin
Copyright 2019 @A.M. Griffin
Excerpt:
Melis stopped at the door to the meditation chamber. As he was about to go through, he paused. What was he doing?
He shouldn’t be here. But the urge to open the door and enter was strong.
His mind warred with itself. He knew the right and sensible thing to do was to return to his office and review the notes he’d made on the guests. Any one of them could help him usher in a brand-new era. One that would benefit his and every other kingdom on the planet.
The guard beyond the doors couldn’t help him at all.
Yet he was here.
This is foolish. I should leave.
Melis turned to do just that when he spotted Lanta coming down the hallway. He knew the exact moment she spotted him too. Her steps faltered and she stumbled. He also saw the moment when she wanted to turn back. He thought she would. But she continued forward.
She stopped in front of him and stuck out her hand. “Very nice to meet you.”
He should’ve told her it was unnecessary to shake hands multiple times a day with the same person. A fact Payton had pointed out to him.
He glanced down at her outstretched hand. He shouldn’t chance it. If he touched her again, he wouldn’t want to let her go. The intensity in their skin-against-skin contact was something he’d never experienced before. Releasing her hand was no simple task. It had been one of the hardest acts he’d ever had to do. What if he couldn’t let her go this time?
“Am-am I doing this right?” she asked softly.
He looked at her. Ancients, she was beautiful. Her eyes were a deep brown with speckles of tan. An array of lashes framed them. He wanted to kiss her eyelids and feel her lashes tickle his lips.
With the thought of lips, he looked at hers. They were dark pink and full. When she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, he shuddered. That small act sent tendrils of pleasure throughout his body. He wanted to taste, suck and nibble her.
He couldn’t deny himself any longer. He had to touch her.
Melis took her hand in his. The same warm feeling of home rushed over him. He almost let out an audible sigh. “Do you remember my name?”
Lanta vigorously shook his hand up and down. “Kgosi Melisizwe bu Kumkani.”
“I told you, call me Melis.”
She continued to shake his hand. “You said only your friends call you that.”
“We’re friends now. You would greet me by saying, ‘Hello, Melis.’”
Her eyebrows pinched together in a beautiful show of confusion. “I can’t call you that. It wouldn’t be proper.”
Their hands continued to go up and down. “Are you defying me?”
“Um…no.”
“Hello, Lanta. How are you doing?”
She hesitated and pulled her lip between her teeth again. Then after a few seconds, she said, “Hello, Melis. I am doing well.”
He stilled his hand.
“We’re supposed to release now,” she said.
“Only if I make you uncomfortable. Am I making you uncomfortable, Lanta?”
He rubbed his thumb across hers. She was soft compared to him. He wanted to run his hands across her body. He wanted to learn every inch of her.
“Yes…No.”
“Well, which is it? Yes or no.” His voice dropped an octave.
She seemed to think about it. “Yes.”
He could hold her forever, but he didn’t want to make her uneasy. He released her hand. “I apologize.”
“It’s only because you’re paying too much attention to me,” she quickly added. “My job is to blend into the background.”
Her? Blend? She was too beautiful to blend into anything. Any room she stepped into radiated with her light. One look at her and everyone else was quickly forgotten. When she was near, he couldn’t think of anything but her. His soul, his very essence called out for her and there were times when he thought hers called to him.
“Una was right. You shouldn’t speak to me,” she added.
“Yet, here I am.”
“You’re privileged. You can speak to anyone, even though you shouldn’t.”
He was the Kgosi, and before that he was the Kgosi in training. He and his brothers had opportunities others not as fortunate as him would die for. He was privileged. His mother and father stressed that to him. But they also stressed that he could use his privilege for good, to do what was right, and to champion those less fortunate.
“I don’t deny that, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“You shouldn’t speak to or notice me. There are consequences.”
He took one step closer to her, wanting to be in her space and smell the sweet aroma she gave off. “What are my consequences, Lanta?”
“Not for you. For me. If I don’t blend, I’m no longer effective at my job. All Princess Una has to do is tell her mother that she’s unsatisfied with my work and my rating will fall. Do you know what happens to a personal guard whose rating has declined?”
This wasn’t the conversation he’d expected to have with her. He’d thought they would talk, possibly about the sensation he felt whenever she was in his presence, or why he couldn’t leave her alone.
“No.” He stepped back.
“I cease to be a personal guard.”
It was as if she’d slapped him. The cold reality was there in front of him. The feeling was one-sided. This infatuation had to end. Now. “Then I shall leave you alone.”
Melis turned and started down the hallway.
“Kgosi Melisizwe?” she called out.
Melis stopped and glanced over his shoulder. She stood in the exact spot he’d left her. “I told you how to address me.”
She shook her head.
He could press her about it, but what good would that do? He couldn’t force her to be his friend. Melis let out a sigh. “Yes?”
“I didn’t report that I’m human only because I’ve lived as an Oncun since I was eight years old. I have since corrected the records with the guards.”
“They told me. They’re very good at what they do.”
“If they were so good at their jobs, they would’ve told you the Nisroc is a thief.”
He raised an eyebrow. “A Nisroc? Here? I didn’t invite one.”
“She’s taken the form of a Halaliel. She appears to like shiny objects.” She nodded toward him. “Like your rings.”
Melis raised his hand and, sure enough, two of his gold and diamond finger bands were missing. He swore under his breath. What else could go wrong tonight?
Then she went through the door to the meditation chamber and disappeared from his sight.
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