"Kenyon, Sherrilyn - Fire And Ice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kenyon Sherrilyn)

Gathering her courage, Livia opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks.
Never had she seen anything like it. A sea of aliens and humans danced and bobbed through the smoky bar that smelled of sweat from many species, and of cheap alcohol. The obnoxious music was so loud, it made her ears throb.
A big, orange reptilian male gave her a frown as she hesitated in the doorway.
"In or out," he snarled.
She took a deep breath to fortify her courage. That, and she mentally conjured an image of Clypper's fat jowls and beady, lust-filled eyes.
Shuddering, she stepped inside and let the door pulse close behind her.
"Twenty-five credits," the reptile-man demanded.
"Excuse me?"
"Twenty-five credits. You pay or I toss you out on your ass."
Livia arched a brow at him. It was on the tip of her tongue to put him in his place, but then she remembered he had no idea who she was.
And she must keep it that way.
If anyone learned she was a Vistan princess, she would be sent back to the hotel where they were staying.
Not to mention the fact that her time was short. She had to find a man before someone missed her and started a search.
Pulling out the money she'd stolen from her brother, she paid the fee.
"Okay," she whispered to herself as she surveyed the bar full of people. "It's time to find him."
She walked through the crowd and flinched as several unwashed humans eyed her with interest.
Livia quickly amended her list of qualifications to include a man who bathed.
A tall, dark human male smiled at her, displaying a set of black teeth.
Okay, she would also add one who knew how to use a toothbrush.
As she crossed the room, she saw a brunette at the bar who looked like a hopeful prospect. She headed for him. But as soon as she drew near, she froze.
It was her father's personal runner.
If she knew how to curse, she would definitely curse at her luck.
Just don't let him see me.
Falling back into the crowd, Livia kept an eye on him while trying to scan the crowd for her target. Surely, there was someone here who could...
A commotion in the entrance caught her attention.
Livia turned to look.
Oh no! She panicked at the sight of her father's Royal Guard swarming into the bar. Immediately, the gray clad soldiers began questioning patrons as they spread out to cover as much of the bar as they could.
She trembled. For them to be here in force and grim meant Krista had volunteered her location and no doubt, her intent as well. Livia groaned at the very thought.
How could Krista betray her? Her maid had been so helpful in the planning and execution of her escape.
But then for some unknown reason, Krista lived in fear of Livia's father and one scowl from him would have easily caused her maid to tell everything.
Right down to the grittiest of details.
Livia cringed at the thought of her father's reaction. But at least Krista, unlike her, would be spared his outrage.
Krista was protected by their laws. Only a male of her family could punish her, and Krista had no living male relative.
Livia was not so fortunate, and there was no telling what her father would do to her for this.
Chastity was one of the highest virtues any woman could possess on her world. In fact, men and women were only allowed to mix during meals, chaste, royal functions, and when married couples performed conjugal duties. For a woman to seek out a man not related to her was strictly forbidden.
And punished severely.
She shook the fear away. She'd known the consequences before she set out. Either way, she was going to pay for her indiscretion, and if she had to pay, then she was going to make sure she completed the deed.
Clenching her teeth, Livia scanned the room for a hiding place. At the back of the club were a line of booths. She headed for them.
Unfortunately, all of them were occupied.
Drat!
"Hey, babe," a rough looking man asked her. "You want some company?"
She considered it until he reached out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her toward him, his hand biting fiercely into the flesh of her upper arm. "C'mon," he said with a slick smile as he roughly ran his hand through her wet hair, "what say you and me head to the back?"
She jerked away from him before he hurt her anymore. "No, thanks."
Stepping away, she saw the guards heading her way as they skimmed the crowd.
Her heart hammering, she ran to the last booth and sat on the empty bench before the guard saw her.
"What the hell are you doing?"
She shifted her gaze from the guard to the man who sat across from her. Livia's breath caught in her throat.
He was more than passable.
In fact, she'd never in her life seen a man so incredibly handsome.
His features were sharp and aristocratically boned. His dark brown eyebrows arched finely over the most piercingly blue eyes she'd ever seen.