by Hope Hart
I look up and realize Varian’s eyes have narrowed on me.
I raise my eyebrow. “Do you know who they are?”
“I believe so. Can you tell me anything else about them?”
“Umm. They were tall, but not as big as you guys. They weren’t as built either. In fact, I’d say they weren’t much bigger than most human males but they carried some kind of weapon that they used to shock the women they took. We were split up and taken to different ships as soon as we were sold. That was the last we saw of them.”
Varian nods. “Thank you. This is very helpful. Now that we know which race we are looking for, we can begin tracing their ships. Hopefully, we can find out where they would have taken the human females.”
I nod and get to my feet. I’m completely drained and all I want to do is curl up in bed.
“Please, can I go now?”
Varian nods and I mumble my goodbyes, walking from the room. It’s like I’m sleepwalking, and Vazta walks silently beside me. I have no recollection of getting from the palace to the medi-center, but once there, I leave Vazta at the door and crawl straight into bed.
I spend the next few days moping. There’s no other word for it. I stay in my quarters with Shauna, Ruby, and Jessica, and spend most of my time curled up in bed.
At one point, Jessica strokes my hair while I cry.
“It’s not fair,” I mumble, wiping my tears as fast as they appear. “They bought and sold us like we were things.”
“I know. The Arcav are going to make them pay, Peyton. I’ve heard Varian’s planning to shut down Gule. It might not happen this year, or even the next, but he’s going to end it.”
“Harlow just had his baby. You heard him, he’s taking a step back for a few months to spend time with them.”
We got the news yesterday. A beautiful baby girl, born in the palace, since Harlow couldn’t make it to the medi-center.
“That doesn’t mean he won’t shut it down eventually.”
“They’ll just do it somewhere else,” I scowl at the thought.
Jessica sighs. “Maybe. But at least the ones who sold us will go down.”
It’s not enough. I want to burn that planet and everyone on it.
I’ve never been a sulker, and I’ve just about had enough of myself when I hear a commotion outside. I shoot Jessica a look and she cracks open the door, her eyes widening when she glances back at me.
“It’s Vazta,” she says. “I think he’s hurt.”
Chapter Five
Vazta
I grit my teeth as fire sweeps through me. Varian asked me to help Azel to train some replacement guards, and I stupidly decided to spar with them while my mind was still on my female and the scent of her pain.
I was so busy wondering how I could convince Peyton to leave her quarters that I didn’t notice when one of the new recruits seemed to be fighting slow. I let him lull me into a false sense of security and it was entirely my fault when he came up under my guard and shoved his horn into my chest.
Arcav heal quickly, but that doesn’t mean that we do not occasionally need medical attention, particularly when the wound is as bad as this. Blood is pouring from my chest, and Roax is helping me through the medi-center, my arm wrapped around his neck.
“You need to be more careful,” he warns me. “Some of these new recruits are desperate to become a guard.”
I let out a low growl. “He would not have won if I was not distracted.”
Roax snorts. “Distraction can kill you, my friend.”
The source of my distraction moves down the corridor toward me, her face pale.
“What the hell happened?”
“Just a small injury,” I smile, pleased to finally see her. “Nothing to worry about.”
Peyton’s eyes narrow as she studies the blood dripping down my chest.
“A small injury? You’ve been ripped open. Who did this?”
Her gaze moves past me to the crowd of Arcav following us into the medi-center. It is easy to see that Tava is responsible, his clothes covered in my blood.
Peyton’s face turns grey and she begins to shake as the crowd of Arcav moves closer. I hold up my hand and stop their approach, keeping one eye on my female.
“Thank you for seeing me here,” I say to them, “but I will just need Roax.”
Brin appears, a frown on his face as he studies me.
“Straight through to the treatment room,” he tells me, gesturing for us to follow him.
Peyton moves closer, and I straighten my shoulders in pride. She would not admit it, but she is worried for me. I see it in the way she studies my wound with her large eyes.
“That needs stitches,” she tells me, rolling her eyes when I simply grin at her, enjoying her concern.
To my surprise, she steps closer, dragging my other arm around her shoulders. I will not lean on such a tiny female, but I wrap my arm around her, taking a moment to bury my nose in her sweet-smelling hair.
She tenses beside me and then looks up at me, rolling her eyes at whatever she sees on my face.
“Let’s get you fixed up, Casanova.”
I scowl down at her. Sometimes I do not understand this female.
“My name is Vazta.”
We slowly walk down the corridor until we get to the treatment room. Brin gestures for me to remove my shirt and I cut it with my claws.
“Jesus, Vazta, what were you thinking?”
Peyton moves closer, her eyes on the deep wound. It hurts to breathe, and I can feel myself struggling to get enough oxygen.
“I was thinking about you,” I tell her honestly, and she freezes, backing away.
“Come closer, female. I was wondering what I had to do to see you. Now I know that I had to get gored in order to see your beautiful face.”
She stares at me. “Gored? It was a horn that did this to you?” She steps closer, inspecting the wound while Brin places his instruments and tools close by.
“Jesus, I think he hit a lung. How are you still standing?”
“Your male is strong and virile,” I say, sending her a grin.
Brin steps closer and I reach for Peyton’s hand. She hesitates but allows the contact, and I grit my teeth at whatever Brin does. I keep my eyes on Peyton’s face, so I get to see her curiosity and interest as she watches Brin inspect and then heal the wound.
“What is this instrument?”
Brin explains medical terms to her, and I ignore him, watching her nod and lick her lips as her clever brain processes the information. She asks detailed questions which has Brin pausing to shoot her a considering look.
“I’m a… healer on Earth,” she says and his eyes widen slightly as he nods. None of us missed her use of present tense in that statement.
“I would be happy to give you a tour of this medi-center and explain some of our newest machines and devices sometime soon?”
Peyton’s eyes light up, and a smile hovers around her lips.
“I’d love that.”
Brin returns his attention to my wound, tutting at whatever he sees on his scanner. I wince as he begins the healing process and Peyton shoots me a sympathetic look, lightly stroking the back of my hand with her thumb. It is the same small comfort I gave her just a few days ago in the Royal Quarters, and I relish her touch.
I am disappointed when Brin is finished. I would take the intense flashes of healing pain for days if it meant that my female would gaze down at me with concerned eyes and touch me of her own free will.
“You know what happens now,” Brin says. “You will be extremely tired as your body heals the damage. I suggest you stay here for the night and I will check you in the morning.”
I nod, my eyes already heavy. Peyton releases my hand and I stare up at her.
“Stay with me, please?”
She bites her lip, glancing at the door, and Roax sends me a grin, strutting out of the room now that he knows I am okay. The beds in these rooms are large, with more than enough room for Arcav and
their mates, and I pat the space next to me.
“I will not touch you,” I vow. “Just… stay with me tonight.”
Peyton hesitates and I find myself holding my breath. I almost roar with triumph when she slowly moves toward the bed, curling up against the other side. I reach for her hand and she allows it, even as my eyes slide closed.
Peyton
I don’t know what I was thinking, curling up beside Vazta last night. All I knew was that the massive Arcav was obviously in pain, and I couldn’t help but feel slightly responsible. He said he was distracted because he was thinking about me.
He grinned when he said it, as if it was a joke, but I saw the truth on Roax’s face. A warrior like Vazta wouldn’t have usually been so injured in training.
I woke up wrapped in his arms, his face buried in my neck. I took a moment to gasp with panic, but when he laid still, in a deep sleep, I relaxed enough to study his face.
Vazta is a handsome guy, with a strong forehead, granite jaw, and surprisingly lush lips. His eyelashes are ridiculously long, adding a touch of gentleness to an otherwise hard face.
His breath was warm against my neck, his exhale reaching my cleavage and making my nipples harden. I froze at the realization and quickly freed myself, heading straight back to my room, where Jessica was waiting to tease me mercilessly. Ruby chuckled and even Shauna gave me a tiny smile before returning her attention to the window.
Now, I’m about to have my first lesson with Saria— the Lahmu Queen. I’ve seen her around, and she’s the kind of woman every other woman loves to hate, with an air of superiority that must come naturally. With her gorgeous face, I’d feel superior too, but I’ve seen her training with Meghan, and even with her dead wings, she’s incredibly quick on her feet.
The Queen is going after her throne, and she’s a bad Bitch with a capital B. If she’s offering self-defense lessons, you bet your ass I’m going to learn from her.
I change my clothes and make my way to the training center, where I watch Eve’s class. Roax is eyeing Saria with a scowl on his face as she talks with Meghan, her face serious. Apparently, Roax has been tasked with keeping the Lahmu Queen safe until she has come to an agreement with Varian. From the annoyed look on his face, Roax isn’t exactly enjoying his new job.
Bree flops down beside me. “You ready?”
I nod. “I’ve seen Saria fight. She’s vicious. That’s exactly what I need to be if I’m going to take out Udan.”
I can feel Bree’s eyes on me, but then she shrugs and turns her attention back to Eve’s class.
“I’m going to see if I can go with her.”
“Huh?”
“Saria. I want to go to Huldra.”
“Why would you want to do that?”
I shudder as I think of everything I’ve heard about that planet. The King’s collection of prisoners from across the universe, the mountain they lived in, and even the dragons. It all scares me.
“I’m bored,” Bree says, and smirks as I raise my eyebrow at her.
“Boredom is good,” I tell her. “Boredom means you’re safe.”
She nods. “Sometimes. Sometimes boredom can suck the life out of you. I need to have an adventure. I need to get out of here. Now I just need to convince the Ice Queen to let me go with her.”
“That’s what they’re calling her?”
“Yeah. It fits, right?”
Sometimes. But sometimes I sense a deep well of rage hidden beneath her haughty exterior.
“Oh hey, look, it’s Vazta.”
I freeze and look up, meeting his eyes. He looks pissed, a scowl on his face as he stares at me.
“Wow, what’s his problem?” Bree asks.
“I made the mistake of falling asleep next to him last night. Then I snuck out this morning. Poor guy obviously woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
Bree snorts, and we both get to our feet as Saria steps onto the empty mats and raises her eyes, gesturing for us to approach.
She doesn’t say a word, but within moments, her class is gathered, quiet, and ready to get started.
Saria pauses, scanning us all before she finally begins talking.
“Tell me. Why are you here?”
I glance around, unwilling to talk about my plans for revenge.
“So we can protect ourselves,” someone says from the back.
Saria nods. “From males?”
We all glance around again and most of us nod.
“Tell me,” she says again, beginning to pace. Her wings hang unnaturally on her back, but you could be forgiven for assuming they worked just fine if you only noticed the way Saria moves.
“What do you think is your biggest problem when fighting a male?”
Their strength. My hands sweat when I think about all the aliens I’ve seen so far. Most of them have been much larger than human men, who are also usually bigger than my 5’2 frame.
Bree raises her hand beside me and Saria nods at her.
“They’re stronger than us,” she says, and Saria nods.
“They are. Most males will be stronger than most females. This is simply biology. But that does not mean that a female cannot win. In any situation, your best bet is to run and run fast. But if you can’t, you must use your brain. Males will always underestimate us. They can’t help but do so. But their arrogance will also be their downfall.”
Her voice is strong and sure, and I feel her confidence extend to all of us. I see more than one woman nodding along, while others straighten their shoulders and stand taller under Saria’s gaze.
“You,” Saria points at me and I jolt. “What is your name?”
“Peyton,” I say, not loving all the eyes suddenly on me.
Saria nods. “You will help demonstrate.”
I move forward to the front of the class, stepping close to Saria. She scans me, looking unimpressed.
“You look weak,” she says, and just like that, I’m back in Udan’s cells, hearing his guards say the same thing. I feel my shoulders hunch. If only the floor would open up right about now.
Surprisingly, Saria nods.
“This is not a bad thing. You will use your breakable appearance to lure your attacker into believing you are unable to fight back. And then you will kill him.”
I’ve always looked younger than my age. And yeah, I’m on the petite side, with nowhere near the amount of toned muscle as someone like Eve or Saria. But she’s right. I can use that to my advantage.
Whispers break out among the other women and Saria laughs, obviously annoyed.
“Did you believe I would teach you to tickle your opponent? At the very least, you must knock them unconscious, otherwise you will just infuriate them and lose your element of surprise.” She frowns at us. “This is a merciless universe. You must become a predator, or you will always be prey.”
I nod, fired up. “I believe you. We want to learn.”
“Good.”
We break into groups, going over the drills Saria teaches us. Her style is underhanded and sneaky, but she’s all about hitting hard and fast. At one point, I see Vazta watching, and I narrowly miss an elbow to the nose as I become trapped in his gaze.
He’s right. Distraction is dangerous.
“Hold on for a moment,” Saria says, frowning as she watches one of our groups. She gestures Roax forward impatiently and then runs her eyes over us.
“Peyton,” she says, and I step forward. “You’re going to run this drill with Roax.”
I hear a low growl behind us, and immediately recognize it as Vazta’s. Saria glances over my shoulder and the growl silences, but I can feel Vazta’s attention on every inch of my body.
I frown. What is he even doing out of the medi-center? He needs longer to recover from such a horrific injury.
“Okay,” Saria says, gesturing for me to get ready. I step into fighting stance and she instructs me to look at Roax’s huge body.
Nervousness hits me. By now, I know Roax well enough to give him some measur
e of trust. He’s careful around us human woman, particularly those of us who were rescued recently. He tries not to make any sudden movements, but he’s still an incredibly large male.
I gulp, even as he sends me a reassuring look.
“Now,” Saria says, “think of all the things he could do to you if he wanted to. Imagine yourself at his mercy. Weak. Think how much stronger he is.”
I examine that huge body. You’d think that the Arcav would be slow and lumbering with the amount of muscle that they carry, but you’d be wrong. They move lightning fast. Suddenly, he’s not Roax at all. He’s Udan, and he’s tormenting us, threatening to give us to his gladiators or sell us as sex slaves.
I tremble, hating myself for this weakness. Vazta roars behind me, and I hear a scuffle, likely someone tackling him.
Saria pays no attention, keeping her eyes on us.
“Once he has seen that you’re afraid, he will assume you are not a threat. Now, think of all the ways that you will make him regret underestimating you. And make him pay.”
Roax swings his hand, and I react before I’m even aware of it. I duck under his arm like we were taught, snarling as I push his arm away and knee him in the gut.
“Ow,” I groan.
It’s like kneeing concrete. Thanks for the warning, Saria.
“Arcav are built with few vulnerabilities,” she says. She moves forward and shows me a small spot underneath Roax’s ribs. Roax is a good sport, letting me hit him, and his tiny inhale tells me I’ve hit the right spot. I grin and Saria nods approvingly, pointing out some of the other vulnerable spots we should know.
I let my mind return to Udan. That last, desperate fight before we were rescued, when I was certain I was going to die, taught me one thing.
He can be hurt. Hitting him wasn’t like hitting an Arcav. I scratched his face and made him bleed, and he gasped when I punched him in the throat. Of course, he broke my ribs in retaliation, but the point is, he’s easier to hurt than the Arcav.
The rest of the lesson passes quickly, and I feel Vazta’s eyes on me the whole time. Strangely, it’s not like when I first arrived, and I would do anything to avoid his attention. Now, his gaze is… reassuring. I trust him enough to know that he would have my back if someone tried to hurt me.
