he was to her and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Ordinarily, he’d flirt and tease, playfully seduce, but she was recovering from a trauma that made his usual approach unthinkable.
“I’ll have Mirra contact you as soon as she’s assessed your friends,” Ayran assured her.
“Thanks,” she said, still looking uncomfortable with the arrangement. “I appreciate it.”
“Are you heading home after you drop them off?” Jaron asked Ayran.
“Absolutely. I’d been in the capital for almost a month before we left for Cretz. I’m more than ready to escapade the excitement for a week or two.” Ayran looked at Velmar, compassion alight in his pink gaze. “I can drop you off on my way. I’m sure you’re anxious for some peace and quiet.”
“Malik wants to speak with him too,” Salvo interjected. Then to Velmar, “I’ll take you home as soon as possible.”
Nodding tensely, Velmar agreed.
They said goodbye and Salvo opened a portal to his living room which was on the top floor of one the few domestic towers in this part of the city that was still habitable. Malik was waiting for them, as were two human females. Nikki glanced at Malik, but her gaze immediately gravitated toward the other women. Jaron hadn’t told her that Salvo and Malik were both bonded to human females. He hadn’t been sure if Kara or Natalie would be there and he didn’t want to disappoint Nikki. Neither couple had been mated that long. Jaron should have known they wouldn’t tolerate separation.
Jaron motioned toward the red-haired female. “This is Kara. Malik is her mate.” He swept his hand toward the brunette. “And Natalie is mated with Salvo.”
A smile rolled across Nikki’s mouth as spirit reignited in her eyes. “How many humans are on Sarronti Prime?”
Kara and Natalie returned her smile, but Kara responded. “There are several thousand, all female, but most have mates among the Outcasts. They’re allies of the Sarronti and live on the surface.”
“‘On the surface?’” Nikki looked at Jaron, her brows scrunched together in the most adorable way. “Do some of your people live underground?”
“It’s a long story,” Natalie said. “We’ll tell you all about it once the guys have compared notes.”
Mercifully, Nikki let the subject drop. “This is a wonderful surprise,” she said. “And by the way, my name is Nikki.”
Allowing the other humans to make Nikki feel welcome, Malik remained a step back. “Would you three like to visit while I speak with Velmar?”
It was a directive, not a suggestion. But Kara didn’t pick up on the subtle inflexion in her mate’s voice or she chose to ignore it. “I want to hear what he has to say,” Kara insisted. “We’ll gossip after.”
Malik acknowledged her decision with a stiff nod and headed for the dining room. The table was designed for six. Salvo grabbed a chair from the kitchen so that everyone had a seat. The brothers chose the ends and their mates sat on their right. Velmar sat next to Kara, which left the final two chairs for Jaron and Nikki on the same side of the table as Natalie.
“Start at the beginning,” Malik directed Velmar. “How the hells did all this happen?”
Velmar expelled a sigh of frustration, then recounted the events with nearly emotionless clarity. “I was in my cabin preparing to make dinner. I sensed a presence for a millisecond, but before I could react—nothing. The universe just ceased to exist. When I regained consciousness, I was on Cretz and had a suppression collar around my neck. It was terrifying and humiliating, and I was angrier than I’ve ever been in my life. I had foolishly believed I was safe in my own home.”
“That’s exactly what happened to us. No warning, no struggle, just Earth one second and Cretz the next. Or that’s what it felt like anyway,” Nikki told them.
“Did you two interact on Cretz?” Malik motioned between Velmar and Nikki.
“No,” she told him. “I knew there were other prisoners. I could hear them calling out and screaming, but I never saw any of them.”
Malik looked at Velmar. “Was it the same with you?”
“It was.” He went on to explain all the things Zerna and Hastos had done in an effort to make him cooperate. Again he listed events rather than exploring the possibilities surrounding them. It was obvious with each word he spoke that he wanted the update concluded as quickly as possible. “I had occasional flashes of insight when I was deep in meditation, but for the most part my abilities were gone.