Alien Conquest (Fated Mates of Xaensskar #2) - Jude Gray Page 0,27

the first time I’ve seen you smile.”

“It’s not your fault my jeqwa is confused. I know who I am.” He shrugged. “I’m going to ignore it until it wears itself out.”

His stare was distant and I got the feeling he was speaking to himself more than me. But finally, he focused on my face and gave a sharp nod. “So yes, I can show you Corsov. This is your home now—at least until I go back and deal with Xaena Kros.”

I fell into step beside him when he began walking, and when he noticed that I was practically running to keep up with him, he slowed his pace. “So,” he said, “I see your ankle has inexplicably healed.”

I laughed. “I would lie to get a proper bed. The hard ground bruises my very bones.”

He shook his head. “Kid, have you been surrounded by females your entire life? No self-respecting boy would ever say the things that come out of your mouth.”

My face heated, but again, I laughed. I pretended not to notice when he shuddered at the sound. “I’ve always been a reader. Anything I can get my hands on. The man who owns me gave me a tablet, once. It’s an old one, sure, but—” I closed my mouth and turned around when I noticed he’d stopped walking and was staring at me with the familiar rage in his eyes.

“What?” I asked.

He visibly forced himself calm. “The man who owns you?”

“Oh. Ilen. He runs Stone Haven. He took my brother and me in when we were…” I swallowed hard, and my fingers trembled when I lifted them to pull the brim of my cap down a little to shield my eyes. “When we were children, starving and near death.” Might as well be honest. Being an orphan on the streets of Brighmin was rough.

Without thinking, I began to massage the scar on the palm of my right hand.

He leaned forward, grabbed my wrist, and angrily flipped my hand over. He stared at the long, slightly raised scar for a long time. “How did you get this?”

I didn’t know why I was reluctant to answer, but I couldn’t make the words come out until he squeezed my wrist and repeated the question. I licked the dryness from my lips. “Before Ilen found us, a man followed me into an alley where we’d been…” I hitched a shoulder. “Living. I’d left Galen alone and went to steal us some food.” I lifted my chin, and knew he’d hear the defensiveness in my voice, but I didn’t care.

His fingers tightened painfully on my arm, but I don’t think he was aware. He watched me, his eyes so dark they were more black than green. He said nothing, just waited.

I shuddered, half sick with the memories I was reliving, half aroused by the nearness and the touch of my intended. He did not release my wrist, and I wasn’t about to pull away. Gods, no.

“It was my first real scar,” I murmured. Then, “He tried to take my baby brother. When I fought him, he brought out a blade.” Dexx rubbed his thumb over the scar, and it took me two tries before I could continue. “I grabbed the blade and kicked the fuck out of his balls. Galen ran…I guess the stranger thought we were too much trouble. I’m sure he went on to find a boy who didn’t have such a vicious protector.” I smiled up at him, but tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks.

He gave an agonized groan and muttered, “fuck, fuck,” before jerking me into his huge, protective arms. I melted against his chest, forgetting the bitter pain of my past as I wallowed in the sweet perfection of my present.

Chapter Fifteen

DEXX

I took Krey to the town of Corsov and showed him the deadlands he wouldn’t see from our camp and cabin. And I showed him to those who called Corsov home. They would need to become familiar with him, to know that he was under my protection. They wouldn’t dare hurt him.

His eyes grew bigger with every new thing he saw—the crude and crowded buildings, the few prostitutes, completely devoid of clothing despite the cold, who stood in the “street,” the knife fight on the corner, the huge Khork with his four arms, a tiny, legless, bald man on his shoulders.

“It’s…” Krey gulped and pressed closer to me when a gray and wizened old woman limped toward him, grinning. “It’s all very strange, Dexx. It’s like