I blink, uncertain how I’ve managed to offend her this time. “Then you’ll know to leave a letter saying you have come,” I pause, putting a meaningful emphasis on the word as she scowls, “with me willingly.”
“If I decide to travel with you, I have one condition,” she says slowly, her delicious scent intensifying, clouding my head. She holds a finger up.
“What?” I ask. “Have I not promised you enough?” I would give her anything. Would lie about everything to get her to go with us, to secure my throne. Convincing the Roth the humans are our future instead of enemies to be forced to heel is the only truth that matters.
“You do not touch me, or the other women, without our permission.” There’s a hunger in her eyes that has me imagining pressing her against the wall, tearing her pants off and claiming her right here.
The fire in me burns hot at the idea.
“If your scent is any indicator, you will be begging me to touch you before the day is over.” They’re the wrong words to say, but they are true ones, and I want her so badly I can nearly taste her on my tongue.
“In your dreams, asshole,” she retorts.
“Always,” I tell her. “Every night.” My voice is raw. I clear my throat, making myself smile. “See? I can pretend to be a good mate, just as you will pretend.” The lie drips from my tongue like poison.
She stares, her face blooming with pink again.
“One hour. The furthest hangar. Bring your companions and whatever else you require.”
“We’ll see,” she says slowly.
Before I can ruin the moment any more than I already have, I stalk from the building. My skin bristles with unchanneled power. Everything is more intense around her. Everything is more powerful.
I need her so badly that I think I might die if she is not by my side in the next hour.
CHAPTER FOUR
LEIGH
Billie and Piper fall in step at my sides. They’re silent, processing Nydo’s proposition, clearly as bewildered as I am.
“And you think he’s telling the truth? We all know they’re liars and sadists,” Billie says, her face scrunched up as she thinks.
“They haven’t been sadists,” Piper says softly. Her long legs eat up the ground, willowy and strong like some kind of surfer model. She’s always been sweeter than the rest of us. “The Roth that invaded Earth were, sure, but the ones in the prison weren’t…”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I explode. “They pumped us full of drugs so we could be bred. That’s horrible.”
“Don’t yell at her,” Billie says, shooting me a glare.
“I just meant they didn’t hurt us on purpose or for fun. And the three Roth brothers…” Piper says, her light blue eyes fixed at some point in the distance. “The Roth brothers have been kind. Nydo, maybe not as much. But the other two aren’t bad.”
I hadn’t realized she’d been talking to them.
“You really believe that he’ll get us back to Earth?” Billie asks quietly.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I don’t know. I know he needs us. But no, I don’t see him letting the three of us go.”
“Then we don’t leave—” Billie starts.
“But we don’t stand a chance of getting off this stupid planet at all without their help. So… maybe we take the deal. Leave. Get off Sueva. And then try as hard as we can to get back to Earth. The Suevans would keep us here and marry us off as soon as we’re willing, anyway,” I grumble.
“It’s not so bad here,” Piper murmurs.
“I want to go home,” I tell her.
“I do too,” Billie agrees. “So we take our chances? Pretend to be mates or wives or whatever the fuck theses aliens call it and then get gone as soon as we can?”
“If that’s what you want.” I’m not going to decide for them.
“And you don’t think they’ll hurt us?” Piper asks. Of the three of us, she’s the softest, despite towering over Billie and me by about half a foot. All willowy grace and kindness, like some kind of Disney princess stuck in the worst fairytale ever.
I sigh. “I don’t think so. Nydo can be… scary. But…”
“You don’t think he’ll really hurt you,” Billie finishes.
“Ugh.” I stare at the wispy clouds in the clear blue sky, the Suevan asteroid belt unsettlingly close above. “I do. I don’t think he’ll fuck with me.”
“I think he would absolutely fuck with you,” Billie says slowly.
“Billie!” Piper laughs, a musical sound I’ve heard too little of lately.
I scowl at her. “I think he’s committed to pretending I’m his mate to get what he wants. I think he knows he needs me somewhat willing to go along with his scheme.”
“Maybe,” Piper says.
“We have less than an hour to decide, pack, and get there. I’m not going to try to convince you either way.” My shoulder lifts, and a jewel-toned bird soars overhead.
“But you’re going.” Piper runs her fingers through her long blonde hair. “With or without us?”
I nod. “I want to go home.” Even if the way there is paved with shitty Roth intentions.
I’m smart.
I’ve been on my own for a long time.
I will figure it out.
Billie exhales noisily, a hand on the curve of her hip as we finally round the corner to the freaky tree house we share with the other single human women. “I’m in.”
“Me too,” Piper agrees easily.
I hug them both to me, my heart squeezing with affection. “Thank you,” I say softly.
I hope I haven’t ruined all of our lives.
I finish scrawling out the note, then pin it to the front door. I could have sent a comm, but I don’t really feel like dealing with tech at the moment. The note feels more surreptitious, and leaving sneakily seems like the best option.
Billie and Piper stand directly behind me, each with a small pack on their shoulders.
We’re leaving Sueva, leaving our home for the last week or so, and it’s a mark of exactly how little we have. Only enough to fill a small pack. Toiletries in mine, some underwear and a soft shirt I like to sleep in. That’s it.
That’s all I have, that and the clothes on my back. Piper and Billie haven’t been in a hurry to adopt the weird, flowy garments the other women wear, either. The other women have been kind and good to us, and I think we could have been friends, if only I’d tried.
The thought makes a lump form in my throat and I inhale, trying to push it down.
“You don’t have to come with—”
“Shut up,” Billie interrupts, nudging my arm with her elbow. “Let’s get out of here. To new adventures,” she says, her brown eyes glittering.
“To new adventures,” Piper echoes, like we’re making a toast and not running away.
I can’t bring myself to say it. I just nod once.
The whole way to the hangar, we’re silent.
Are they thinking the same thing I am? That this might be a huge fucking mistake? Are they mad at me for involving them?
When we finally arrive at the furthest hangar, the three Roth males are waiting outside the spaceship, a mixture of surprise and relief on their faces.
Light licks across Nydo’s hair, and my gaze is immediately drawn to him. Energy seems to pulse from him, the air sparking between the three brothers, who watch us like cats might track mice from a distance.