Wrage (Galaxy Gladiators #11) - Alana Khan Page 0,8
on opposite ends of a ship, in separate quarters. That won’t work. You have to cohabitate. And now that you’ve alerted me to your plans, I’ll be watching you.” He points to his eye.
A moment after he leaves, I rise and call his name. “Can I ask,” I say when he returns, “what the punishment is if the peacekeepers come after us?”
“Life in prison. You wouldn’t want that.” His face is deadly serious as he shakes his head as if he’s a concerned friend urging you not to drive drunk.
I sag back onto the bench and put my face in my hands. My mental Rubick’s Cube is immoble. If we were playing a game of chess it would be ‘check’ and ‘mate’. I’m out of moves.
Chapter Three
Wrage
Mated. I never wanted to be mated until my master put Sibyl in my bed night after night. I should have known something wasn’t right—Plenum of Trent was not a generous male. Females weren’t used as gifts, they were used as rewards.
She played me. She was beautiful and sweet and looked at me as if I hung the stars in the sky. I thought mating was my idea until the entire scheme played out, then I realized she’d dropped little hints throughout our time together.
As soon as I agreed to give up every credit on my ledger, I never heard from her again. It was all false. All a trick. Except my feelings for Sibyl.
Now that I know her love for me was a lie, I hate her. And I hate myself for allowing my own tender feelings. What bitter irony that less than three lunars later I find myself mated to a female who looks so much like her it’s uncanny.
At least I won’t fall in love with her. She’s mean as a reptile.
I look over at her and must admit, her sadness looks real. She’s just breathing into her hands, and occasionally moaning. Definitely not happy.
“When was the last time you ate?” I ask.
She heaves a deep breath and finally forces herself to bring her gaze to mine.
“Last nutrition bar?” Her eyes search the sky. “A day. Last actual meal? A week, maybe longer.”
“Let’s get you fed on the way to the hotel.”
“Want to feed me before you fuck me?” she accuses, her eyes scalding in their intensity.
I wonder where she was raised. Her family obviously never taught her how to be nice.
“We have six days for that, maybe more.”
“What do you mean, maybe more?” Her voice is deep, serious, as if she senses the next disaster is about to crash down on her. “You said your ship was leaving in six days.”
“Right. The ship that took me in as a favor. I don’t know if their kindness will extend to my new mate. We might be stranded on this planet until we figure out where to go. Together. Wouldn’t want our purple dots to be separated, would we?”
“Who do you need to ask to see if I can stay?”
She looks at me, and for one swift moment, all her anger, and bluster, and bravado fade away. All I see is her fear, terror really, as her blue eyes widen and her lips pop open. Maybe all that hatred and all those snide remarks were her shield, her protection. This female’s scared.
“Let’s call a hover and get you fed. On our way I’ll comm Zar, the captain.”
Zar, I’ve met a female. She’s human. I’d like her to return to the ship with me.
I’ll have to give it thought. I have to keep everyone safe. One more mouth to feed and house is a serious request.
Just so you understand how serious, let me explain. Havaché effects Wryth'Ns differently than others. I accidentally got drunk and mated. On Paragon you mate for life or they put you in jail. We’ve been implanted with trackers and will be imprisoned if we don’t stay together. I’d understand if you can’t allow us to leave with you. I apologize for putting you in this position.
I’ll get back with you.
I have the hover driver take us to his favorite restaurant on the mainland. I think I’m rich. I was a gladiator slave all of my adult life, except the past two lunars where I’ve been with the gladiators on the Devil’s Playground and bought nothing. I don’t actually know what a credit is worth, but I have a lot of them.
“This place looks expensive,” Elyse says as I help her out of the hover.
“I think I can afford