Some of you might recognize a character in this chapter, I wanted to shed some light on his beginnings and why he is the way he is in the other story he appears in. Please review and comment, I look forward to it!

24k Magic by Bruno Mars

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When I woke I rolled onto my back and felt a pretty prominent bite mark on my shoulder, it was healthy spread of a adult male yautja. It was daring anyone to make a move on me as I sat up, didn't mean that it didn't hurt. Cause it hurt like a son of a bitch. Glancing around he wasn't in the room, which wasn't unusual most days, so I got up and got dressed myself. Today would be red, his favorite color, with a necklace of onyx and obsidian with matching arm band.

He had left out a naxa for me to eat and some meat, cooked of course, so I figured he was training or working on his ship maintenance. I could hear him actually in the cockpit so I wandered in and leaned in the doorway. My eyes on his broad back as I crossed my legs.

"Thank you for breakfast. What's the occasion?"

"Visiting clanship. En route." Was his brief answer and I perked up instantly, my eyes widening slightly as I approached Xian as I smiled.

"Really?"

"Yess. Have to visit clan leader." I could tell he was a little crabby, maybe because of the protocols he would have to follow, but as I traced up his spine I planted a kiss on his shoulder blade as he sat in the cockpit.

"For me?" I asked hopefully and he huffed softly, finally turning to look at me and his gazed raked up and down my form.

"Always for you, little one," Cupping my cheek he thumbed my lips before smirking now, spreading his mandibles. "Wore my favorite color. Red as thwei."

Blood.

I blushed slightly and smiled back at him. "I knew today was special." I touched his hand then looked at the displays on the control panel. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Too many things to prepare." He brushed it off as he sat up, towering over me as I put both hands on his stomach to stop him leaving the conversation.

"You need sleep too. You're not a machine,"

"No….I am better." Grinning he tugged on my braided hair gently before walking around me, heading back to the bed chamber probably to put on his armor. I groaned as he said that and followed him, my sandaled feet slapping on the metal floor as I watched him put on his armor piece by piece. He didn't go for the light armor approach but today was different, it seemed he was preparing himself for a confrontation of a sorts.

"So we're almost there?" I preened my appearance nervously as I knew red was an attractive color to males and I didn't want to start a scene that Xian would have to end.

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I knew that he was popular but I didn't know how much until we boarded the clanship, stepping through the airlock I stayed close to him. Not expecting a welcoming party of younger males and males about Xians age, none of them had a human in tow. Like me.

They embraced, shaking each others shoulders before I was noticed, one of the older males making a comment that he brought his 'pet'. I bit my lip but before I could say it Xian said it for me.

"She is not a pet, brother. Come, my throat is dry…" Putting a hand on my back he led way to the local bar which wasn't that different from a human bar except that almost all the patrons were male except for a grizzled female barkeep who was missing an eye.

I was lifted and set on a stool by Xian, my legs dangling as they talked quickly, clicking and chattering while I played with my necklace. They were discussing hunts they had been on, females they had mated, in Xians case he stayed quiet but did inquire about one of his younger sons, things that were relatively normal.

I turned my head when I noticed a younger male staring at me, he had sandy markings and a creamy stomach with large coppery eyes. I quickly turned away, perhaps he had never seen a human woman before I reasoned and I had only just started listening to the conversation again when I felt a tug on my hair.

Hard.

"Ow! What the hell—" I yelped and Xian instantly turned his head, his attention on that sandy colored male who was now in my personal space. Head tilted and eyes on my face, staring intently at me like he was expecting me to sprout another head. A large arm encircled me and Xian put himself between me and this male who looked up at my larger male now that he'd lost sight of me.

"Do not touch her." It was a low, slow warning tone I'd never heard before.

"It's only a ooman. Are you selling her?"

Excuse me?

A couple of the males chuckled but the older ones stayed quiet, watching with interest for XIans response. He seemed taken aback but quickly answered, his claws starting to dig into the metal counter top while the rest of him appeared perfectly calm.

"Perhaps you did not understand…she is mine, pup."

The younger male bristled at being called a pup because he puffed up and growled. "You dare call me a pup?"

Before I knew it he pushed Xian in the shoulder, a sign of aggression and confrontation in their culture. My eyes got big as Xian looked down at his shoulder then promptly punched him in the jaw knocking him back, he stumbled and touched his jaw, his lower left tusk was cracked off and oozing green blood.

"You hit me." He sounded incredulous, mystified that it had actually happened and Xian stepped away from me, spreading his arms and mandibles as he approached the younger male.

"You think because you are the clan leaders nephew, Vor'mekta, that you are exempt from punishment. I will show you your error."

That was the most I had heard Xian speak in a long time to someone who wasn't me and it was surprising as Vor'mekta lunged towards Xian. The difference in skill was very apparent as Xian caught his arm, twisting it so the younger male was in a prone position. Grabbing the back of his head he slammed his face into the ground, once, twice, thrice until there was a fluorescent splat on the bar floor. Pushing the now limp male away so he fell on his ass Xian shook himself and growled as Vor'mekta pulled himself up, his face a bloody mess and quickly darted out of the bar.

"Xian…" I breathed as he looked at me and cupped my face, leaning in and in front of everyone kissed me. I blushed as red as my hair as he broke the kiss and lifted me up, holding me to his chest he hummed softly.

"I will bid you farewell, brothers. I have business to attend to." With that he carried me out with me peeking over his shoulder at the now buzzing bar. Stepping over a trail of blood I looked at him and rested my chin on his shoulder.

"Will you get in trouble for that?"

"Yes." He answered softly but didn't seem too bothered by what he had just done. Maybe his status as an elite would protect him some, but the nephew of the clan leader? That wasn't good for what I wanted to discuss, it set a lot of things against us.

"He deserved it. He pulled my hair," I touched my hair and he chuckled as he gave my ass a squeeze, speaking softer still.

"Only I touch you, my flower."

"I know…" I gave his jaw a kiss and he hummed again softly, purring quietly as we made our way down the halls deeper into the clan ship. Unnervingly the trail of green blood seemed to follow the very way we were headed. A storm was brewing and his quickening pace was all I needed to know that the clock was now set in motion against us.

Like all things.