Stolen

by Tana Stone

  Kos narrowed his gaze at her. “You think I am concerned about my feelings?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re just irritated that you didn’t get some. You probably thought I was a sure thing, huh?”

  “A sure thing?”

  She stalked over to him. “It means you thought we were going to fuck, and you’re mad we didn’t.”

  Anger flared in his chest, and he clenched his fists. Was that really what she thought about him? That he only wanted her for sex? Did she really not understand that he wanted her for much more? That he wanted to bind himself to her for life?

  He steadied his breath and locked eyes with her. “I am not mad at you for that, although I will not deny that I desire you. But if you wanted to make sure I did not claim you, then you made a serious mistake getting us thrown in here.”

  Hope swallowed hard, her gaze darting to the single large bed that was the centerpiece of the room.

  He leaned down so that his lips brushed the tip of her earlobe. “Why do you think the Curator put us in here together? Didn’t you hear him say we’re to be the featured attraction at his next party?”

  “Yes,” she stammered, “but…” Her words drifted off and her cheeks flushed pink.

  “Well, pretty human,” he said, feeling her trembling. “That means we’re going to have quite an audience the first time I claim you as my mate.”

  Fourteen

  Hope stared up at the ceiling with her arms crossed. Kos’s big body next to her made the bed sag toward him, but she resisted the pull, staying firmly on her side. If his steady, heavy breathing was any indication, the Drexian was fast asleep.

  How could he sleep? She felt like kicking him to wake him, but she knew her irritation was irrational. Why shouldn’t he get some sleep? It wasn’t like any of this was his fault, after all. He could probably sleep like a baby while she lay there replaying in her mind all the stupid things she’d done that had landed her in her current predicament.

  She blew out a breath. It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d screwed things up. Only this time, she’d sucked someone else into her mess. Someone who didn’t deserve it.

  She turned her head to look at the massive body next to her. Even though the lights had been dimmed, ambient light still spilled in from the hallway, making it easy to make out his profile. She looked away quickly. Even asleep, the guy was hot.

  At least when he was asleep she didn’t have to see the look of betrayal in his eyes every time he glanced at her. Maybe she was imagining it, but she wouldn’t blame him if he hated her forever. She might hate someone if they’d ruined her life, especially if she’d fought to free them.

  She squeezed her eyes closed. Kos was right. Why couldn’t she have been grateful? Why had she been so determined to get away?

  Because running is what you do, a little voice whispered to her.

  “Shut up,” she whispered back. She didn’t always run, although she did like to keep moving. But that was more a result of being a travel blogger than anything else.

  A job you like because it keeps you from putting down roots.

  “Seriously?” she mumbled to herself. “Where was this insight when I was deciding to commandeer a space shuttle?”

  Even if it was true that she had a problem staying in one place, she came by it honestly. Her mother had taken off when she was a kid, preferring to bum around with a shaman instead of doing the messy work of being a mom. Hope had gotten over it, but she’d learned never to rely on anyone to stick around. It was easier to keep moving, which made her current situation even more uncomfortable.

  Now, she was literally trapped in a cell with a guy. She couldn’t leave if she wanted to, and neither could he. They were officially stuck with each other. If she’d been put out by the idea of an arranged marriage, imprisonment and forced copulation was taking it to a whole new level.

  Hope twisted restlessly, trying to push thoughts of what they might be forced to do out of her head. There had to be a way around it, because the alternative…? She shivered and rubbed her arms.

  Kos drew in a deep breath and rolled over to face her. She closed her eyes and willed herself to fall asleep, telling herself that she was back on Earth. But the sounds of the other prisoners sleeping made it impossible for her to forget where she was. How did people ever sleep in prison, she wondered? The sound of labored snoring came from somewhere farther down the hall, but the rhythmic purring from Xarla was much harder to ignore.

  Huffing out a breath, she opened her eyes again. That’s when she felt him staring at her and turned her head to see that Kos was awake.

  “You should try to sleep,” he said.

  She put a hand to her fast-beating heart. “You startled me. I thought you were asleep.”

  “I was. You move a lot.”

  “Sorry. It’s hard to sleep with all the noise.”

  Kos angled his head, as if listening. “Now I hear it. I suppose I got used to sleeping through things when I was at the Drexian military academy.”

  “I’ve slept in enough hostels that you’d think I’d be used to snoring,” Hope said, “but I’ve never slept in a prison before.”

  “Are you afraid?” he asked.

  Before she could think better of it, she said, “Of course I’m afraid. Aren’t you?”

  “I do not think the Curator will hurt us or starve us,” he said, touching a hand gently to the side of her face. “I am only scared for you.”

  His soft touch felt scalding, and her pulse fluttered wildly. “For me?”

  “I do not want anyone seeing you.” A muscle ticked along his jawline. “The idea of males watching you is unacceptable, even if they are watching you with me.”

  She tried to swallow but her throat felt thick. “Maybe we can trick them. Convince them we’re doing things we’re not.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I do not know how we would do that.”

  She sighed. “Yeah, me neither. And Xarla said that the crazy red-skinned bitch Zaria uses a laser whip if you don’t perform like they want you to.”

  Kos growled low, and Hope felt the rumble in her chest.

  “It will be okay,” he said, cupping her face in his hand. “I will not let anyone touch you.”

  She loved that he was still willing to defend her, even after she’d totally screwed him over and landed them both in a weird alien zoo jail. Of course, she knew that he would only be able to do so much. The Curator and his goons were the ones with the whips and the electrified floors and who knew what else. Even a badass Drexian warrior was outmatched when it came to those things.

  She turned so that she faced him fully and wiggled closer to him, enjoying the heat that radiated off his body. Kos moved his hand from her face down to her hip, tugging her even closer until their bodies were flush.

  “I’m really sorry, you know,” she whispered.

  “I know.” He moved his hand back to her face, brushing a loose strand off her forehead. “This is not your world. You did not understand the consequences.”

  “Maybe, but I shouldn’t have tricked you and knocked you out. That wasn’t cool.”

  A smile teased the edge of his mouth. “No, it was not, as you say, cool. But I could have tried not to scare you into accepting me.”

  She peered up at him. “I keep telling you, my freaking out really had nothing to do with you. It’s totally my deal. If I wasn’t such a commitment-phobe, I’d be all over you and the whole tribute bride deal.”

  His eyebrow quirked.

  Hope placed a hand on his chest. “I’m not just saying that because we’re locked in a room together.”

  A small laugh escaped his throat. “No?”

  She grinned and shook her head. “Nope. Trust me. If I couldn’t stand you, I wouldn’t care if we were strapped together back-to-back. I still wouldn’t be nice to you.”

  “Thank you, I think.”

  “To be honest,” she said, “you’re exactly my type. I mean, look at you.
You’re any woman’s type. Tall, dark, and built.” She gave her head a small shake. She’d had a point, right? “But you’re also not a dick, which is a big plus.”

  “Again, thank you.”

  She slapped his chest lightly. “You know what I mean. I’ve been involved with a lot of guys who weren’t very nice, probably because they were exactly the type not to want to stick around either. That’s one problem with picking men who won’t get attached. They’re usually not great guys.”

  “I do not understand why you would want to select a mate who would leave.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I wasn’t picking a mate. I was just having fun, dating, you know.”

  He shook his head. “Drexians do not date. We occasionally visit the pleasure planets, but that is purely recreational.”

  “Well, then the men I used to date were purely recreational, too,” Hope said. “I never even thought about settling down or getting married.”

  “Is that not unusual on Earth?” Kos asked. “To never get married.”

  She squirmed a bit. “It’s not that unusual. I guess most people don’t decide not to get married. They just don’t ever find the right person.”

  “But you decided?”

  “That’s right. I didn’t know anyone who’d been happily married. My parents weren’t, that’s for sure. And when my friends got divorced, it totally sucked for them. It’s easier to avoid all that heartbreak by never falling in love or getting married in the first place.”

  “And now?” He rested his hand over her smaller one pressed to his chest. “If we get rescued, you would still choose to reject our match and be alone?”

  Hope’s mouth was dry. Would she? After everything, would she really tell the guy to take a hike? She wanted to tell him that she’d changed, but she knew she hadn’t. The thought of one guy forever still made panic flutter in her chest. “I…I don’t know.”

  The flicker of hope in his eyes dimmed, and he pulled his hand away from hers.

  Fifteen

  What did he expect? Kos thought, sitting up. The female had been perfectly clear. Did he really think she would change her mind so easily? She struck him as more than a little stubborn.

  The back of his neck prickled, and he squinted across at the clear wall. The Curator stood on the other side, his hands behind his back as he rocked on his heels.

  “Don’t let me interrupt you,” the Curator said, his voice low and seductive. It made Kos stifle the urge to shudder.

  Kos stood quickly, glancing back at the bed. “Like I told you before, we are not together. I was only the pilot taking her back to my people.”

  The Curator shook his head slowly as he tapped a finger on his chin. “I do not think so. I know all about you Drexians, although you are the first specimen I’ve been able to obtain.”

  Kos flinched. Of course, he was the first of his kind to be taken. Drexian warriors were not known for being taken by surprise. They were also rarely knocked out and tied up by those they were trying to save. He almost dreaded his people discovering this shameful capture as much as he dreaded being held captive.

  The Curator smiled at him, the expression spreading across his face and giving him that wide-eyed look that seemed so out of place for a twisted criminal. “No, Drexians are very territorial about their females. If this one wasn’t yours, you would not look at her the way you do.”

  Kos swallowed hard. “I assure you; she is not mine. This human has chosen not to take a Drexian mate. I was taking her back so she could join the other females who have rejected their matches.”

  The Curator’s already wide eyes popped open even more. “You don’t say? You really have no claim on this female?”

  “None,” Kos said.

  “So, you would have no problem with me moving her into a display case with another exhibit? Perhaps the Krelpies, although I’d hate for her to get hurt so soon.” The Curator’s eyes danced. “You do know they have a spike at the end of their phallus? No problem for Krelpie females, but it might not be that pleasant for the human.”

  Kos squeezed his hands into fists. “Leave her alone.”

  The Curator let out a high-pitched laugh. “Oh, I have no intention of touching a hair on her pretty head. But my guests do require entertainment. If I don’t provide enough diversions for them, they’ll be most unhappy. And if they’re unhappy …”

  “When my people find me, you will regret not letting us go,” Kos growled.

  The Curator shrugged. “Many have tried to find me.”

  Kos wondered just how the alien had avoided being tracked down for so long. Surely a floating zoo prison wasn’t tough to track, and he knew the ship wasn’t cloaked. The Drexians were the only ones to have effective cloaking technology. The Curator must pay a great deal in protection money to keep his whereabouts hidden.

  It didn’t matter, though. The Drexians would find him, especially if they used the Inferno Force trackers. He knew Inferno Force had never turned their attentions to tracking down the Curator. They’d never had a reason, and they’d never known exactly what was going on. But if they discovered that a Drexian warrior and a tribute bride had been taken? Nothing would stop them from finding the Curator’s ship. Of course, it was small comfort now, when he knew it might be days before they were reported missing.

  “The Drexians have never tried to hunt you down,” Kos said. “Until now.”

  The Curator flinched slightly but his smile remained. “In that case, it is good that I have a party planned for tomorrow evening. If you and the human won’t be with us for long, it will make the event even more exclusive.” He rubbed his hands together. “Yes, I think I’ll have to increase the cost, as well. This will be a once in a lifetime experience.” He leaned closer to the glass. “A Drexian warrior and a human female. Together. For only one night.”

  Kos’s stomach tightened. He wanted to lunge for the alien, but it wouldn’t do any good, and he did not want the creature to know that he’d gotten under his skin. He steadied his voice, trying to make it sound as light and conversational as the Curator’s. “And if we decline to attend your party?”

  Another laugh from the Curator. “The parties are not optional for the residents in my collection. I’m afraid I require full participation. Can you imagine if I let everyone make their own choices? Why, no one would ever agree to anything slightly distasteful or uncomfortable.”

  “I don’t suppose you ever do anything that makes you uncomfortable?” Kos asked, taking long steps toward the clear wall dividing them.

  “Why would I? I’m the Curator.” The alien took a step back as Kos reached the glass and towered over him. “You should understand power and control, Drexian. What you do is not so different.”

  Kos bristled. “What we do?”

  The Curator’s gaze flicked to the bed. “I know all about your treaty and about the females you take. How is that any different than this?”

  Kos knew the alien was goading him, but he could not resist snapping back. “We do not force mating on anyone. And we would never make any female perform. That is dishonorable.”

  “To you, maybe,” the Curator said. “The entire galaxy does not share the same code, you know. What is dishonorable to you is a natural pleasure to me.”

  Kos wished he could break through the wall and squeeze the life out of the arrogant alien. Instead, he took in a deep breath. “You will not have your pleasures for much longer, I promise you.”

  The Curator giggled. “You look so menacing when you make threats. I might have you do that as part of your performance this evening. I have some guests who enjoy pain with their pleasure, and threats from a Drexian warrior would be quite arousing.”

  Kos tried to make his face expressionless even as his voice was a dark whisper. “My threats are not idle.”

  The Curator gave an exaggerated shiver. “Perfect. Just perfect.” His smile slipped as he locked eyes with Kos. “So, should I leave the human with you and trust you to perform, or should I pa
rtner her with a creature I know will give an enthusiastic performance?”

  Kos despised the choice, but he knew he would rather have Hope with him than with some unknown alien. “Leave her with me.”

  “Are you sure?” The Curator shifted from one foot to the other. “I have a Langarian who hasn’t been with a female in ages.”

  “I’m sure,” Kos said. “As you said, who doesn’t want to witness a Drexian and a human? Our pairings are legendary.”

  “So true,” the Curator agreed, bouncing up and down on his heels. “This party will be all anyone will be talking about.”

  The light began to grow brighter, and the Curator clapped his hands. “Time to start our preparations.”

  As the alien bustled off up the winding hallway, Kos rested his palms on the clear wall, cursing to himself. He had a matter of hours to figure out how he and Hope were going to escape.

  Sixteen

  Hope had stayed silent during the exchange between Kos and the Curator, glad that the room was so dimly lit. She hoped the Curator couldn’t see that she was awake and listening. She didn’t want him to notice her anger or her fear.

  At first she’d felt hurt that Kos was going to such lengths to distance himself from her. Yes, she’d made it clear she wasn’t down with being matched with him, but he seemed to be making a big point of not being with her. To save her, she reminded herself. He was trying to convince the Curator so they wouldn’t be forced to perform together, although she would rather be with him than some unknown alien.

  The thought of some creature with a spiked dick almost made her entire body start to shake, but she made sure not to move. She had a feeling that the Curator would love it if she showed any kind of fear. He seemed like a sadistic fuck, despite his sugary smiles and his weird child-like expressions.

  Kos’s conversation with the white-haired Curator didn’t do anything to calm her fears. She wouldn’t be forced to do anything with any of the other aliens, but that meant she and Kos were officially a couple. A performing couple, at least.