together.
I remembered him insisting on my changing out of my boots. He wanted me to look pretty. As if what I was about to do was indeed some special occasion.
Revulsion prickled my skin. That orgy last week was the biggest humiliation of my life. Even if I escaped the Dark Anomaly, I already knew I’d never escape reliving it in my nightmares.
How did Vrateus not see that him touching me brought nothing but shame to me?
How was he not ashamed of himself for what he’d done to me?
What was he thinking when his hands were on me?
What could it possibly bring to him?
Vrateus didn’t pleasure himself in the mess hall as the rest of them did. That didn’t mean he didn’t do it later in his own bed, reliving every moment in his mind.
I knew he had an erection when he touched me. But did he do anything about it afterwards when he was alone?
Suddenly, I was trying to imagine him touching himself in the darkness of his room, wherever it was.
He’d always been exceptionally collected and in control. It didn’t prove easy for me to visualize him completely relaxed, stroking himself, and coming undone. I wondered what noises he’d make when he came, would his chiselled jaw ever relax, would he melt into me afterwards if I were with him...
Had we met under different circumstances, what kind of lover would he be? Gentle, like his touch on my body? Or wild and unhinged, like the passion of rage I had glimpsed in his orange eyes?
Absentmindedly, I touched the turquoise-blue chiffon of one of dresses, my fingers sinking into the soft cloud of the many layers of its voluminous skirt.
Wrap style, the dress closed in the front with two bejewelled clasps at the waist, draping softly around the chest area. Two long slits on the back, embroidered with gold and pink, might be for the wings or fins the previous owner of the dress had.
What had happened to the woman whose dress it used to be?
Did she die in the crash when the Anomaly had claimed the ship she was traveling on? Or was she among those who were killed after?
Suddenly, I desperately hoped she hadn’t been on any ship at all. That she had ordered the dress to be delivered from another planet, but it never made it to her. She had remained safely on her home world and had a long, happy life.
With a sigh, I took the dress off the hanger.
Slipping out of my bodysuit, I got out of my bra and panties, too. There was no need for them, anyway. The less I was wearing the faster it all went. That was one of the reasons I had chosen the turquoise dress. Fastened with only two clasps, it was quick and easy to remove.
The doors swished open a moment after I had closed the two clasps at the waist, and Vrateus came in.
I glanced up, catching him staring at me.
He paused, slowly rolling his gaze over me from head to toe.
“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said softly.
It wasn’t clear whether he meant the dress or me wearing it. My cheeks heated, nevertheless, as warmth of odd pleasure spread through my chest.
I hid my face from him by bending over to rummage through the shoe chest on the bottom of the rack. I caught myself searching for some that would go well with the dress.
Why?
I shook my head.
It almost appeared as if I was trying to please Vrateus by making myself pretty for him.
Ridiculous.
Annoyed, I grabbed the same pair of golden strappy sandals I’d had on the last week and shoved my feet into them.
“I’m ready,” I said, straightening my back after fastening the straps.
He continued to stare at me for another moment. His lips parted as though he was going to say something. Then he nodded, taking my arm in his hand and opening the doors.
The errocks shuffled out of the way as we exited. Crux and Nocc bounced foot to foot, their eyes greedily undressing me already.
Bringing my shoulders back, I lifted my chin up and kept my gaze straight ahead, trying to ignore their ogling.
The mess hall was packed—filled with undulating, half-naked bodies. The air buzzed with pent-up energy, lust, and excitement. I quickly focused my gaze at the floor right in front of my feet, letting Vrateus maneuver me to the spot of his choosing.
He positioned us by the wall again, taking his place at my back. I