"I'll never understand you,” she muttered into her food and then bit into one of the apples. It was juicy and sweet. She moaned and bit into it again and again, until her mouth was so full she couldn't chew.
He laughed and she scowled at him, making him stop.
"I'm sorry ... I've never seen someone eat fruit with such ... such ... hunger.” His expression changed as he said that last word, concern surfacing in his eyes with a trace of fear. Was he worried that he'd said something wrong?
He looked her over.
"I haven't eaten in almost two weeks, if that's what you're trying to figure out.” She ate the remains of the apple and swallowed it down. “You'd eat like this too if you knew what it was like to be hungry. I bet you've never been hungry in your life."
He frowned at her, a dark look entering his eyes. She knew she was pushing him. He deserved to be pushed. He'd probably lived the pampered life of luxury. He probably didn't have a clue about the terrible kinds of things she'd been put through. He shifted on the bed and her gaze lowered to his neck. There were several scars streaking down it, from the corner of his jaw to around the back of his neck. The more she looked at him, the more scars became evident. There was one to the side of his right eye, a dark one that said it had been a bad wound when it had happened. Maybe he did know of pain, but no amount of pain could be comparable to the things she'd experienced.
She scoffed some of the berries to distract herself from her dark thoughts. One of them fell down her top. She dipped her fingers in and went to pull it out, but stopped when she realised that he was watching her. A furtive glance revealed his eyes were fixed on her hand where it was down her flight suit. She drew the berry up slowly, tracing her skin with it and teasing the curve of her left breast. His lips parted.
Perhaps he did want her. His eyes had said as much when he'd been on top of her and when he'd watched her in the shower.
"I can fulfil that desire,” she said and his eyes shot up to meet hers.
"What desire?” he snapped with venom in his voice. She'd flustered him now.
She smiled and ran the berry a little higher towards her neck before tracing it along her lower lip and then sucking it into her mouth along with her fingers. She sucked them a moment, her eyes never leaving his. His narrowed and darkened again, but this time it was hunger in them, not anger.
She pulled her fingers free of her mouth with a pop. “That desire."
He glared at her and then stared out of the window.
She leaned back on the bed, intent on getting him to admit that he did want her.
"Come, Captain,” she whispered with a smile. “You own me after all ... you don't want to inspect the goods? You don't want one little taste before you drop me off? Your family would never know you'd been with a Terran ... I'm clean."
His gaze shot to meet hers again. She couldn't read it now. There were too many conflicting feelings in it. She'd always been good at reading people, she had to be to avoid getting hurt worse than she had been, but he was beyond her capabilities. She'd never met a Lyran before. Perhaps it was his species and not just him.
She picked up another berry and caressed her breasts with it. “You don't want a taste?"
He frowned at her and took a deep breath. She'd never seen someone look so offended before.
"I have to do your bidding ... I'm yours ... you own me."
He stood sharply, his frown intensifying. “Stop saying that!"
She was taken aback by the force of his words. Earlier he'd said that she wasn't his, that she wasn't a slave anymore.
"Does it offend you that you own me ... that you can do anything with me that pleases you? I'm yours to command, Captain Lyra II. You won't touch me but I'm not stupid ... I know you want to ... so why don't you?"
He paced across the room, keeping his back to her. “You are not my property. You belong to no one but yourself. You are free."
"You didn't answer my questions.” She stood and followed him across the room.
"I ... it does offend me that someone thought to make you a slave and you believe you are one still."
She moved around him until he was facing her. He looked at her, right into her eyes. There was so much passion in them.
"And my other question?” she said, cocking her head to one side.
He paused, drew a deep breath, and then whispered, “Because it is wrong."
She would've laughed at that but he was so serious and solemn. She looked at him a moment, studying his expression and his eyes. He really did believe that it was wrong of him to want her.
"Because I'm a slave, or because I'm a Terran?” she said and moved closer to him. She wanted to know which it was. Something was holding him back and she was determined to find out what it was. Disgust? Fear? Loathing? It had to be something other than self-control.
"You're not a slave,” he said. “You're free."
She grabbed the chain attached to her collar, raised it up so he noticed it and then gave it a sharp tug. “I'm not free!"
"Why haven't you taken that off?” he said with a concerned frown.
She laughed now. “I can't. When the Sekarian handed you the chain, the collar took your DNA imprint. Only you can remove it because you own me."
The muscles in his jaw tensed at those last three words. He really was repulsed by the idea that he owned her. Most men in the universe would have been pleased. They would have been abusing her by now. Not this man though. All he wanted to do was free her. He thought he was doing that by setting her down on some random planet. He really was ignorant to the way the universe worked. From the moment he ditched her, it would be just a matter of time before someone else caught her and put her back into slavery. She was valuable. He didn't realise that.
His fingers brushed hers as he took the chain from her and she stood mute as he slid his other hand around the side of the collar and flicked the latches. A tremendous sensation of freedom and happiness filled her when the weight of the thick leather and steel collar disappeared from around her neck. She looked up into his eyes as he moved closer and the feelings inside her altered when he stroked her neck and the scars she knew were there.
He was so close.
Her eyes fell to his mouth and her lips parted.
She wanted to kiss him.
Just a brief kiss of thanks for setting her free.
That's all it was.
Her eyes met his again.
She pressed her hands into his chest to steady herself, tiptoed, and closed her eyes as her lips touched his. It was as brief as she intended, nothing more than a brushing of lips. She set back on her heels and took her hands away. He was staring at her now with fire in his dark eyes. His breathing was as heavy as her own.
"Will you kiss me now I'm not a slave,” she whispered, holding his gaze and trying to read him. “Or is it because I'm a Terran?"
Her eyes widened when he grabbed her waist and dragged her up against his hard body. His lips crushed hers in a passionate kiss that made her heart skip a beat. She closed her eyes and leaned into it, wanting to feel his strength and his heat. Before, she'd wanted him to kiss her so she could prove to him that he wanted her. Now, she just wanted him to kiss her.
His tongue brushed hers as she licked his lips and she held back a moan when his hands, rough and strong, coursed up her back and pulled her harder against him. She was out of her mind. He kissed across her jaw, his breath hot and heavy in her ear. She decided that she didn't care. So what if she was giving him the impression that he could have her if he wanted her.
He could.
Something about him made it impossible for her to deny him. She wanted him. She'd wanted him from the second he'd touched her in that dirty port town.
Something buzzed.
Balt rolled his eyes and released the woman. In Iskara's name, what was he thinking? She wasn't his slave or his whore, but he was treating her as though she was. He stepped away from her and ran a hand over his hair.
"W
hat is it?” he said to the quiet room filled only with their dual panting.
Damn he wanted to kiss her again. He'd never tasted anything as sweet and tempting.
She looked confused.
"Bridge to Captain Lyra II, we have company.” The voice crackled over the intercom panel beside the door. The woman looked less confused.
"Company?” he said and turned towards the door. His heart jumped into his throat. They couldn't have caught up with them so quickly.
"The Minervans want the woman."
Balt frowned over his shoulder at her. She looked frightened now. They wanted her? Why?
He grabbed her arm and dragged her along behind him as he walked to the bridge. The Minervans usually fired first and asked questions later. Why was today so different? What did they want with the woman? Was she so important that they wouldn't risk firing upon them? They attacked his ship regardless of himself being onboard. Did they value her more than him?
The door to the bridge slid open with a swish and then closed behind them.
"On screen,” he said to the communications officer.
The middle glass window of the bridge darkened and then the Minervan appeared on it.
"Captain Lyra II.” The Minervan smiled winsomely. It was the man from the port. “Give me the girl and your ship won't be harmed."
Balt glared at him and walked forward with the woman. His hand tightened around her wrist when she tried to get away.
"What do you want with her?” he said.
The Minervan laughed, revealing his sharpened teeth. The woman tensed.
"You're so ignorant, Lyran. You don't know what you have.” The Minervan's attention drifted to the woman.
Balt looked at her. There was so much fear in her eyes, more than he'd ever seen.
"I would've thought your filthy Lyran hands would've been all over her by now ... but you must be a fool as well as ignorant ... to waste such goods,” the Minervan said with a lewd look at the woman. “Check the back of her neck and tell me what you see."
Balt pulled the woman towards him and turned her around. He brushed her hair over her shoulder and frowned when he saw the black intricate mark on the back of her neck. He knew that mark. The woman stepped away and looked over her shoulder at him, a pleading expression on her face.
"So you see, dear Captain ... we want her ... hand her over and we'll leave quietly."
He stared into the woman's emerald eyes. He couldn't do that to her.
"No deal. I own her. She's my property now,” he said and slammed his fist down on the communications panel. The screen went dark and then cleared to reveal nothing but space. He turned to his crew, never relinquishing his grip on the woman's arm. “Change course. Set coordinates for Lyra Prime."
He dragged the woman with him as he headed back to her room. She had some questions to answer. His blood boiled when he thought about how close he'd been to falling for her trick. How dare she use her beauty against him? How dare she make him feel as though she really wanted him?
The door to her room slid open and he threw her inside. She hit the table and landed on her backside on the floor. She sat there, looking up at him with disbelief in her eyes.
He sneered at her.
"Did you intend to kill me?” he shouted at her. She flinched away and shook her head. “I don't believe you. You would've killed me!"
He grabbed her upper arm and roughly hauled her onto her feet. She lowered her head away from him and then slowly looked up at him.
"I wouldn't have,” she whispered, her voice shaking with fear. “I should to avenge my people, but I didn't intend to."
He didn't know whether to believe her. If she was lying, she was incredibly good at it. From where he was standing, she looked sincere.
"Tell me,” he said, his grip on her arm increasing. She cringed and whimpered. “How does Terran royalty become a slave?"
She hit him hard in the chest and broke free of his grasp. She backed away, rubbing her arm. Tears filled her eyes and he regretted his actions. She didn't deserve his anger. His heart said she hadn't been out to kill him. She'd wanted that kiss as much as he had.
"Only the mark saved me from death and made me valuable. The Vegans killed all my friends and killed my family before they realised who they were. Only I was left.” She backed up against the wall and slid down it, curling up and holding her knees to her chest as she sobbed.
He walked over to her and crouched down.
"What does the Minervan want with you?” he said.
She laughed. “You really are ignorant just as he said. I'd be worth a lot on the pleasure market ... the last surviving member of Terran royalty ... he'd sell me to the highest bidder as a whore."
He braced himself when the ship rocked. The Minervans weren't going to give up easily now that they knew he had her onboard. They wanted their prize as usual, but for once it wasn't him.
He looked at her, his chest aching to see the tears streaking her face.
"What are you going to do?” she whispered.
Another blast shook the ship.
She reached out and touched his arm. “If you hand me over, the Minervan will leave you alone."
He couldn't believe she'd just said that. She was willing to sacrifice herself in order to save his ship. He shook his head.
"I won't do that. A few more minutes and the coordinates will be set and we'll be able to lose them when we go into sub-space.” He placed his hand over hers.
She looked down at it, her expression blank, and then looked back into his eyes.
"My family destroyed your world,” he said. “I have to repay that debt and protect you."
Her eyes widened into a stunned look. “You're not going to ditch me?"
"No.” He shook his head again. The plan to ditch her had been ridiculous even before the Minervan had shown up, a ploy to get her out of his sight and his thoughts. Now it was insane. He couldn't set her down anywhere. He had to protect her. “I will take you to Lyra Prime and my parents ... and I will speak to them."
Her eyes widened further when another blast rocked the ship. There was genuine fear in their green depths. He curled his fingers around hers and held her hand. With his other hand, he pressed the button on the wristband he wore.
"Captain to the bridge. How are we doing with those coordinates? It's getting bumpy back here.” His eyes never left hers. He squeezed her hand, hoping to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
She swallowed and screwed her eyes shut when the ship shook. There was a high whine and the front cannons fired. At least his crew had found the good sense to retaliate while they waited. He was going to have to have words when all this was over.
Another blast hit the ship and the woman was in his arms, curled up with her head against his chest. He'd never met a woman so changeable in all his life. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her, unable to resist this chance to touch her again.
"Ready now.” Came the reply from the bridge.
He closed his eyes, rested his chin on top of her head, and held onto her tightly as the ship jerked and the sub-space engines kicked in. His head spun and his stomach turned. It was never pleasant making the transition between space and sub-space.
"What was that?” she said, still buried in his arms.
He knelt beside her and peeled her off him. Dipping his head, he looked up into her eyes. They searched his, pleading him to reassure her. He smiled and brushed the hair from her face. She really was beautiful, and that kiss had been electric. It had made him realise just how much he wanted her.
"Just the engines making the switch. We'll be approaching the Lyra system before two days have passed."
She uncurled and looked around her. Her gaze settled on the windows. He looked there, at the lights streaming past in a constant blurred line. When he went to look back at her, she was on her feet and moving past him. His eyes followed her as she walked towards the windows. He wondered if she'd ever travelled t
hrough sub-space. Not many ships had technology capable of it.
"What's your name?” she said and looked over her shoulder at him. A smile graced her lips and her cheeks coloured. Was she embarrassed to ask? She hadn't blushed when she'd kissed him.
"Captain Lyra II.” He couldn't help teasing her, knowing that she already knew his title. He smiled too. “Balt."
"Balt?” she said and he nodded. “I'm Kayla."
Kayla. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. He remained kneeling on the floor, staring up at her, not afraid of the comfortable silence between them. Looking at her now, he couldn't believe that he'd thought she'd been out to kill him. There was so much desire in her eyes, so much honesty in them too.
She walked slowly back towards him and sat on the end of the bed near him. He turned so he was facing her but remained on the floor at her feet.
The last of Terran royalty.
She was beautiful enough to be a princess. She was more beautiful than any princess he'd met.
"Balt?” Kayla said, slightly unnerved by his staring at her with such fire in his eyes. What was he thinking in there? She wanted to ask him but was too afraid of what the answer might be. “What will you do with me now?"
"Nothing,” he said. “You're free ... you don't belong to me. All that back on the bridge was just to throw the Minervan. You're not my property, Kayla. You belong to no one but yourself."
Her chest warmed at his words and the soft way he'd spoken her name. His expression was tender, eyes narrowed slightly on hers and his focus so intent that she felt as though she was the only other person in the universe with him.
"Doesn't your crew need you on the bridge?” she said, her nerves getting the better of her. She didn't want him to leave but she couldn't handle much more of this meaningful silence. It spoke words to her that made her feel strange. The longer he continued to be close to her like this, the more she began to realise just how attracted to him she was.
And just how attracted to her he was.
He shook his head. “They don't need me to fly the ship."
"You said it was two days to Lyra Prime ... what do you intend to do in all that time?” She wished she hadn't said it when he rose on his knees and moved closer to her. His eyes narrowed on hers. She knew exactly how he intended to pass the time. She cursed the fact that she wasn't strong enough to stop him. Regardless of how attracted to him she was, he was still a Lyran, a son of Lyra no less. She shouldn't be having these feelings.
Sons of Lyra: Slave Princess [Sons of Lyra Series] Page 3
