Rye (Joyadan Mates Book 1)

by Sadie Carter

  “It’s not locked,” Elika told her dryly.

  “What? Oh.” She deflated a little. Elika had soon learned that these women lived for drama.

  She was exhausted, and she would love nothing more than to be by herself for a while. But Darac had asked her to look after the three women.

  Lucky, lucky her.

  After this, she and the Zerconians were even. They may have given her a place to live and a job, but being around these women for more than an hour was a test of her patience and endurance. And she hadn’t had much patience to begin with.

  It didn’t help that it felt like Rye was avoiding her. After his apology the night before last, he’d quickly left. Did he regret that kiss?

  “You! Are you listening to me?” Madison asked.

  Elika winced and looked over at her. Be nice. Be nice. The Zerconians needed to keep the Earth Council on their side. Punching the niece of the council head would not be a good idea. Satisfying. But not good. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Of course I’m talking to you. Who else would I be talking to? When are we leaving this planet? Why aren’t we heading to Zerconia?”

  “Because we need to wait.” She wasn’t about to tell them the reason.

  “We need someone to do our nails. Madilyn’s got two chipped nails and poor Molly has chewed her to bits. So can you go away and get someone to deal with that?”

  Elika closed her eyes. Why me? I would rather have my teeth pulled one by one.

  “I can’t get anyone to fix your nails. You’ll have to do that yourselves.”

  “Ourselves! We can’t do it ourselves. We have been kidnapped, traumatized, and now we’re being held on this run-down horrid little ship, we’re being taken to a planet filled with sex-starved aliens, and we have to do our own nails! This is too much!”

  Elika stood up and glared at the three women. “Too much? You think this is too much? You spoiled little brats don’t even understand the word traumatized. I was held for ten years by an egomaniac who used me, who beat me, who starved me. That is traumatized. Yes, you were kidnapped. Yes, that was awful and terrifying, and you have every right to be scared. Everyone on this rust-bucket risked their lives to save the three of you and have you once said thank you? No, instead you have complained and moaned, and I have had enough. I don’t want to hear another word!”

  There was a moment of silence then a deep voice came from behind her.

  “Is everything okay here?”

  She whirled around to find Rye, Zuma, and Steele standing just inside the doorway.

  Fuck.

  ***

  Elika paced the large communal area. Betsy wasn’t a large spaceship. This space doubled as both the recreational area and meeting place. After Rye had walked into the room, the three women had turned their attention to him, swarming him. She had snuck out as they complained loudly to him about her.

  Great. There was no escaping what she’d said to the three human women. She knew how important this treaty with Earth was to the Zerconians. Far more important than she was.

  What if she had jeopardized that?

  What if, right now, they were discussing how to get rid of her? Why else would she have been summoned to this room? She’d received the communication from him ten minutes ago as she’d sat worrying in her room.

  The fact that Rye hadn’t come after her spoke volumes. He hadn’t even noticed her leave the room once those three had him surrounded.

  No wonder he would prefer their company to hers. They were beautiful and human.

  Not a scarred, traumatized witch.

  “Where is everyone?” she muttered to herself.

  Just then the door opened, and Rye stepped in. Her breath caught in her throat as she hungrily studied him. A few days’ growth covered his cheeks and chin and the lines around his eyes were more heavily pronounced than usual. He appeared tired and disheveled.

  And she wanted him more than ever.

  “Oh good, the two of you are here already.” Willa breezed into the room with a bounce in her step.

  Elika didn’t know how she had so much energy. Elika felt more worn down than a zonka beast during mating season. She blushed at her thought. Goddess, she had sex on her mind lately.

  “Elika? You okay?” Willa asked as the door opened and Deacon, Steele, and Zuma entered.

  “Um, yes, fine.”

  Rye turned his sharp gaze to hers, studying her face. “You’re flushed.”

  “I’m fine.” No way was she confessing what had caused her to blush.

  “Are you certain? Do you have a temperature?” He walked towards her, his hand raised.

  She shied away from him, and he paused. Something flashed over his face. Concern? Regret? She couldn’t tell. But he moved once more, placing his large, cool palm over her forehead.

  “You’re hot.”

  “I’m fine,” she repeated. She might feel hot and feverish, but it had nothing to do with illness and everything to do with the man who frowned down at her, studying her.

  “You better not be lying to me,” he said in a low voice.

  Immediately, her temper prickled. She straightened her shoulders and glared up at him. “So what if I am?”

  Now why did she have to go and say that?

  He moved even closer, so close she had to strain her neck to stare up into his face. If she just leaned forward a few inches, she’d be touching him. She could bury her face in his chest and for a moment, let the safety he exuded surround her.

  “You look tired. Have you been sleeping?”

  That question caught her by surprise.

  “I sleep fine,” she lied. He held her spellbound with his gaze. He knew she was lying.

  “Anyone bring some popcorn?” Zuma said suddenly. “This is better than that crap show Willa is addicted to.”

  “Hey, there is nothing crap about the Lady Lula and Magnus,” Willa protested. “She’s rich and posh, he’s a poor villager with some mad fighting skills. There’s romance, action, and adventure. It has it all. Mind you, this tension between Rye and Elika is almost as good.”

  Suddenly, Rye moved away from her. “Shut up. All of you.”

  The harshness of his voice immediately brought everyone to silence. Only Zuma kept smiling. Elika took a deep breath then another as Rye moved across the room and sat down. Legs trembling, she stood still, just trying to keep from showing how deeply he had affected her.

  “So, does anyone know where Darac is? Kind of rude to call a meeting and then not show up,” Deacon said into the silence.

  Elika took the opportunity to slip into a seat. She glanced over at Rye, but he was doing something with his communicator. He’d dismissed her. She could learn a lot from his attitude. Although, she didn’t know how to just shut off her emotions so easily.

  “He’s been held up by Cinderella’s evil sisters,” Willa said as she flopped into the chair beside Elika. One eyelid closed, then opened.

  “Is there something wrong with your eye?” Elika asked with alarm.

  “What? No.” Willa sat up. “I winked at you.”

  “Oh. What does it mean?”

  “Well, um, I guess I was kind of implying that you knew what I was talking about.”

  Now she completely confused. “But I do not know what you are talking about.”

  “And didn’t Cinderella have two stepsisters, not three?” Zuma asked.

  “You’re all ruining my analogy.”

  Willa sighed, and Elika’s stomach tightened with nerves. Was she angry at her for not understanding?

  “Willa, she doesn’t get it. You’re making her anxious, so explain already,” Rye snapped.

  Willa frowned at her brother, then turned to Elika. “You don’t look anxious.”

  “I am not. Why he thinks he understands me, I do not know.”

  “I understand you better than anyone.”

  “Ooh,” Zuma said. “Elika and Rye, sitting up a tree—” Steele placed a hand over the other man’s mou
th, muffling his next words.

  She didn’t understand what he had been about to say. Why would she be up a tree?

  The door slid open, and Darac stomped into the room, his face like thunder. He picked his mate up off her seat then sat on the seat with a heavy thud. The seat groaned under his and Willa’s combined weight, and Elika caught her breath waiting for it to collapse beneath them.

  “Jeez, big fella. You trying to break more of the furniture?” Willa grinned at him.

  He scowled. “It was not my fault the bed broke. It was you who wanted to try—”

  “Whoa, whoa,” said Zuma and Rye at the same time.

  “No need to go into your bedtime activities with our sister,” Zuma told him, looking serious for once.

  “We were trying to move the bed, you idiots,” Willa said with a scowl.

  They all stared at her skeptically.

  “Really.” Willa threw her hands into the air. “Darac pulled a bit too hard and the bed sort of collapsed. Now we’re sleeping on a mattress on the floor.”

  “Why you do not get some masics, I do not know.” Darac shook his head. “They are much easier to move.”

  The beds on this ship did take some getting used to, but anything was better than sleeping on the ground, so she wasn’t complaining.

  “I apologize for being late. I was caught by those human women.”

  She stiffened, waiting for him to turn to her. Should she apologize? She knew those women were important. They were potential mates, and one of them was related to one of the members of the Earth Council. One word from her and the Earth Council could revoke their treaty with Zerconia. At least that’s what Madison told Elika.

  Except Darac didn’t turn to her. But she did feel someone’s gaze settling on her. She turned to find Rye watching her intently, and she quickly turned her gaze away. Right now she wanted to pretend he wasn’t in the room.

  If only she had a spell that could help her achieve that.

  “You need to learn to run faster,” Deacon suggested. “That’s what I do when I see them coming.”

  “Or you could do what Rye does and just frown at them until they’re the ones running,” Willa added.

  “Oh, I think they like Rye,” Zuma said. “When I went in earlier to see if I could help keep them entertained, that blondie was all over him.”

  “Shut up, Zuma” Rye growled. “Let’s get on with this meeting, shall we?”

  Darac nodded, sitting up straighter. “I called you all together because the Coizils are close. They took the bait we laid out, and they are due to land in ten hours. Koran, Kyle, and a team of our warriors will land shortly after. They have appropriated a ship from Pastian, where two of our ships wait in case they are needed.”

  “While Elika creates the distraction, Kyle, Koran, and the others will sneak on board the Coizil spaceship carrying the Drazum stones and take care of any lingering guards,” Rye said. “Kyle will engage the cloaking device, and they will fly it away, hopefully without any of the Coizils being any the wiser.”

  “Are you certain this Pnir guy won’t betray us?” Steele asked.

  “He won’t,” Rye said darkly. “He owes me. Plus, we gave him enough cash to keep him quiet.”

  “Won’t the Coizils blame him?” she asked. “They’ll figure it was a trap, right?”

  “There’s no reason to tie him to the disappearance of their ship. After all, he is trying to sell them some of his copper supply,” Rye told her.

  “You are certain you can create the distraction, Elika?” Darac asked.

  All eyes turned to her, and she swallowed nervously.

  “Yes. I’m going to make it seem like an earthquake, so it’s not too suspicious. It would be best if I am outside while I work the spell and I would like to spend as much time outside beforehand as I can to build up my magic stores. I will be unaware of what is going on around me while I create the spell.” That thought terrified her.

  “You will be well guarded,” Rye told her, and some of the tension in her stomach eased.

  She licked her lips, nervous about this next part. “There is something else I have been thinking about. I think I should go with Kyle and the others while they sneak on board the Coizil’s ship.”

  Rye sat up straighter. What did she just say? Because she cannot have offered to risk herself by entering the Coizil’s spaceship. He had to have heard wrong.

  “What? Why?” Willa asked.

  “Because I can help. Kyle’s cloaking device can only hide objects, it can’t hide people, right?” she asked.

  “No,” Willa replied slowly. “But if you provide a distraction, the Coizil ship will hopefully be empty except for just a few guards.”

  “Hopefully,” she said. “But what if it doesn’t work as well as we are hoping? A small group of warriors isn’t going to be enough to keep Kyle safe.”

  “And you think you can keep Kyle safe?” Rye asked derisively. “What can you do that a group of armed, trained warriors can’t?”

  Willa sent him a quelling look, but he ignored her. No way was he letting Elika do something as idiotic as this. It was bad enough she was providing the distraction to lure the Coizils away from the ship, but at least she wouldn’t be in the thick of any fighting.

  That he would make damn certain of.

  Elika gave him that cold look he hated so much. The open, vulnerable Elika she had shown him had once more been hidden behind that mask she wore so well.

  “There are spells I can create that will provide a distraction to help Kyle and the others.”

  “What about the spell you’re already doing to distract them?” Willa asked.

  “I can set the distraction spell to run for a certain amount of time then sneak on board with Kyle and the others. I should have enough magic stored up to help.”

  Maybe.

  “No way. You’re not going.”

  Chapter Eight

  Elika stared at Rye in frustration. He had sent everyone else away except for Willa and Darac. Zuma had remained as well.

  “This is a good plan,” she said to Darac who was now pacing the room, a frown on his face. “It helps your chances of success.”

  “It isn’t even a plan,” Rye scoffed. “You are not doing this.”

  “I am. You are not my boss.”

  “You know, ever since you two were caught in that cave, you’ve been acting rather odd. You want to tell us what went on in there?” Zuma waggled his eyebrows.

  “Didn’t I tell you to leave?”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t listen.”

  “You never do,” Rye complained.

  “I’m just wondering what’s going on with this sexual tension between you both.”

  “There is no sexual tension between us,” Rye told him. “There is nothing between us.”

  That hurt. She had thought they were at least becoming friends

  “Good one, bro,” Willa said, staring at her. “Way to be an asshole.”

  Rye turned to her, his regret clear. “Elika, I—”

  “Perhaps we should return to the point of this conversation,” Darac interrupted. “Elika’s offer to accompany Kyle, Koran, and the others onto the Coizil ship.”

  “She’s not doing it,” Rye stated. “We don’t risk a civilian and a female at that.”

  “You have no say in what I do.”

  “I do when you’re risking your fool neck for nothing.”

  “It is not nothing.”

  “No? Then why are you doing it, Elika? This isn’t your fight. It isn’t your war.”

  “Is it yours?”

  “Yes, Zerconia is my home now. My sister loves one of them, which makes him family. So yeah, it’s my fight.”

  “But it is not my home. So it is not my problem?”

  Fuck. He cursed himself for his thoughtless words. He knew exactly why she had offered her help and he didn’t like it one bit.

  “Okay, I think you two are having some conversation the rest of us aren’t priv
y to,” Willa said. She turned to Elika. “Thanks for offering to help, but you’re already doing so much, and Rye is right. This isn’t your fight.”

  Rye knew his sister was trying to help, but he could see the way her words hurt Elika even more.

  “I can do this, though. I can help. I am happy to help. You have all done so much for me, I wish to repay your kindness.”

  “You don’t owe anyone anything,” Rye told her.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Do you two argue about everything?” Zuma asked. “If Rye says the grass is green do you argue that it’s purple?”

  They both turned to stare at Zuma, who shrugged. “Hey, whatever works for you. Some people love to fight for foreplay, other people like to make-out. Po-tay-toes, po-tah-toes.”

  “This is not foreplay. Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Rye grumbled.

  “Nope.”

  Darac’s communicator went off, and he frowned. “The human women wish to speak to me. I told them I would come by after this meeting.”

  Rye saw the way Elika paled. Her hand trembled as she pushed back her dark hair. Was she all right?

  “I have to help. I need to fix what I have done.”

  What she had done? What was she talking about?

  Panic filled her at the idea of being alone once more. Of having nowhere to live. What would she do? Where could she go? She barely had enough credits to buy herself a ticket onboard a transporter, let alone food and accommodation.

  And she didn’t want to leave. She admired the Zerconians and their human mates. Even liked some of them. It could have been her home.

  If she hadn’t messed up.

  “What have you done?” Darac asked. But it was as though he was speaking through a tunnel. Her hearing buzzed, cotton wool filling her brain.

  “Please. Please.” She wasn’t too proud to beg. Any pride she’d once had had long since fled.

  “Elika? What’s wrong?”

  Willa’s voice barely penetrated the haze of fear clouding her mind. Each breath became a huge effort as her chest tightened. Sweat coated her body as her body temperature rose.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Is she ill?”

  She couldn’t tell who said what.