by Zara Zenia
Melody frowned, her heart flipping and flopping at his offer. It still left a lot of problems for her, problems that seemed impossible to solve, but one thing at a time, right? She might never get this same offer from Devron again, and she knew she should take it while she could.
And yet . . .
Guilt gnawed at her as she traced the lines around Devron’s eyes with her gaze. He’d aged since they met, she felt.
Was that her doing?
She had been as difficult as she could manage.
Was it too much?
He seemed to be suffering so much because of her. Maybe it would be a blessing for them both if she left.
23
After offering his solution to Melody, Devron couldn’t bear to look at her anymore. She was too beautiful, too perfect, and too much of a reminder of what he had to give up.
But he couldn’t keep her prisoner when she so clearly wasn’t taking to the bond. He’d thought that her spiritedness would die down once she realized that the life he offered wasn’t so bad, but apparently, he was less desirable than he’d given himself credit for.
He left her with the bedroom and slipped out into the temperate night to talk to his neighbors.
“Are you sure about this?” Gaddis asked, sharing a look with his mate. Neither of them seemed to like Devron’s plan. They both looked wildly uncomfortable at the thought.
“Won’t that . . . cause you great discomfort?” Sina asked, her clawed fingers twisted together.
Discomfort was an understatement.
The Frenzy was bad enough without an Omega. Having had one and then losing her . . . well, it might be enough for the damned curse to finally do him in.
Devron couldn’t let that cloud his judgment, though. Melody was counting on him to make the right choice and to consider her future when he did.
He nodded resolutely.
“It will, but there’s no other way. Melody is never going to find peace with me, here or elsewhere. The only way to help her is to get her far enough away that the bond cannot control her.”
Gaddis shifted in his seat anxiously. “What about you, my friend? What is to become of you when the Frenzy returns?”
Devron clenched his jaw and pushed back the memories of agony and torturous need.
“That is a problem I will tackle when it arrives,” he said, clasping his hands atop the table. “So, what do you say? Will you help me?”
The two Selithi exchanged another glace, and Devron began to wonder if he’d made a mistake in coming to them. They were already wary enough about Canian customs—especially with regard to Omegas—and helping Devron hide with her had been one thing. But helping her escape? Sending her back to her planet—if that’s what she decided she wanted—could invite scrutiny and retribution not only from Canians, but from the galactic community as a whole.
Most other lifeforms in touch with them were willing to turn a blind eye to the Canians’ slaving exploits so long as their planets remained untouched and they occasionally saw some compensation for their inattentiveness. But the kind of firestorm this situation could start had the potential to involve far more than the people on Planet Cania, and Devron’s Selithi neighbors knew that.
“This thing you propose is dangerous,” Gaddis said, glancing toward his mate.
“But we wish to assist you,” Sina chimed in. “It is clear how much you care for Melody. I am sorry she could not learn to reciprocate.”
Devron’s throat tightened, and he swallowed to shove back the painful lump of emotion pressing against his windpipe. He would not let them see his weakness.
“As am I,” he said stiffly instead. “I’ll make the arrangements for you to leave tomorrow,” he added, stomach twisting at the thought of their leaving with Melody, taking her away, leaving him behind.
It had to be that way, though.
Distance was the only thing that could lessen the bond. Even that would never kill it completely, but with enough space and enough time, perhaps one day, Melody could come to forget about him. The thought soured his stomach, but Devron knew that would be the best outcome for her. She’d never wanted any of this.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Gaddis said, walking Devron to the door, his face still a mask of concerned doubt.
His friends thought him crazy. They thought he was overreacting.
They didn’t see the desperation in Melody’s eyes.
She would never accept him. No matter what he did, no matter how he tried to please her, it would never be enough.
Why waste any more of their lives trying to fight it?
He’d rather face the Frenzy than Melody’s continued depression.
Lying on the couch in the living room, Devron was convinced he could smell Melody lingering in the air. Once she was gone, he’d have to leave too. There was no reason for him to stay behind in the Selithi village without hiding his contraband Omega. Going back to mining sounded horrible after all he’d been through, but what else was there for him?
Though he’d promised her safe passage away from him, Devron still suspected Melody might try to make a break for it in the middle of the night. He couldn’t sleep. Every sound made him strain and every shift of shadows caught his eye. But each time he calmed his breathing to hear better, he found the sound of Melody’s soft snores waiting for him.
Dawn broke without Devron finding any sleep, but he was anxious to get the day over with. Not anxious to be rid of Melody, but eager to get through the most unbearable part of it in order to start recovering. The knock on the door left him with a mixed feeling of uneasy dread. He was grateful to his neighbors for being so prompt and considerate. They must have figured he’d like to cut short the waiting, but suddenly, his time with Melody was gone.
When Devron opened the door, though, it wasn’t Gaddis and Sina on the other side. Instead, there were two unfamiliar Selithi, both glaring at a meek-looking Canian. He clearly wasn’t a nobleman, and the way he hunched, constantly looking at the broad-chested Selithi warriors, made him look like easy prey. Devron didn’t recognize the guy, though.
“What’s going on?” he asked, brows scrunched up in confusion.
“This intruder claims to have a missive for you,” one of the guards said, shoving the Canian’s shoulder roughly, making him whimper as he staggered forward.
“Devron?” Melody called sleepily from behind him. “What’s happening? I thought Sina was going to—” She stopped midsentence as she finished rubbing her eyes and frowned. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I asked,” Devron answered, irritation rising.
“I–I have a m–message from Lord Egeon Nor,” the Canian said. Melody’s gasp echoed the clenching tightness Devron felt inside.
Nor had found them. He’d been too late in getting her away.
No matter. This weakling was no match for him, even without the help of his Selithi compatriots. He would fight for Melody’s safety. For her freedom.
“You should leave,” Devron warned, his hands balling into fists at his sides. The Selithi guards shuffled closer. They might not know Devron personally, but they knew of him. They knew he—and by extension, Melody—were considered guests here, part of the village, more or less. If Devron wanted this guy thrown off the cliffs into the waters below, he didn’t think he’d have much trouble convincing the guards to make it happen.
“You’ll want to hear my message,” the man said, voice strengthening as the shock of being surrounded by the big Selithi began to wear off. “Unless, of course, you no longer care about your mother?”
Devron lunged forward, grabbing the other Canian by the throat, using the wall the Selithi formed to shove him back. “Talk. Now.”
“Devron?” Melody whispered, stepping closer.
“Go back inside,” he hissed. Whatever trick Nor was trying to play, he wouldn’t let the man get his hands on her.
“You can’t just order me—”
“Melody, please,” he growled, fingers
tightening on the man’s neck until he wheezed and clawed at Devron’s fingers.
“What about my mother?” he demanded of the stranger.
“N–Nor has her,” the messenger sputtered. “He’ll only release her if you bring the Omega back.”
“Never,” Devron growled. “He’d kill her.”
“Execution is the only suitable punishment,” the messenger said, earning another squeeze from Devron’s grip.
“What is the meaning of all this?” Sina’s clear, calm voice punctured the early morning and snapped Devron’s attention her way.
“This man has come to blackmail me,” Devron hissed.
“Be that as it may,” Sina said, stepping in front of him, between him and the other Canian, reaching for his hand to pry it away from the man’s throat. “We have laws in this village. You cannot assault a man in the street, Devron.”
“I’m only the messenger,” the guy cried, throwing up his hands to protect himself the moment he was free. “Nor is the one you want.”
“He’s right,” said Melody, her gentle hand on Devron’s arm making him jump. “Ever heard the phrase, ‘don’t shoot the messenger’?” she asked.
Devron frowned. “No.”
Melody sighed, rolling her eyes. Nothing was ever as easy with Devron as she thought it should be.
“This guy’s just doing his job. Your real beef is with the asshole who kidnapped your mom.”
“Master Nor awaits your response!” the Canian said, skittering away. The Selithi guards who had escorted him this far followed in close pursuit, though they were unhurried about it. It seemed unlikely that the guy was going to stick around the village to cause trouble, but they’d make sure he found his way out in a timely manner.
With the others gone, Devron felt Sina and Melody both staring at him, both with a hundred of their own questions, and all he could think about was his mother.
Going after her was a step too far, but how had Nor even figured out who she was? How had he figured out who Devron was?
That was a mystery. Someone had to have sold him out, and the only ones who knew where he was were the Selithi. It was so unlikely, he didn’t know what to do with the information, so he filed it away to be dealt with later and turned to Melody, his heart in his throat.
She was still bedraggled, hair rough and wild, eyes somewhat bleary, lines from the bed linens etched into her face from where she’d slept on the wrinkles. She was gorgeous, and he wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to whisk her inside and fill her with unimaginable pleasure. But instead, his chest was full of lead, his heart racing.
“Melody . . . I need your help,” he said, palms damp. She was his only hope. “My mother needs us.”
Melody’s jaw clenched, a muscle in her cheek twitching as she folded her arms in front of her as if that could act as a barrier of some sort between her and the alien asking impossible things of her.
“What? Are you insane? You want to give me back to that guy?” Her voice cracked, hysteria breaking back through. Nor would kill her when he got his hands on her again. There was no doubt about it. The messenger had said as much. But it wasn’t just the dying that terrified Melody. It was all the things Nor would do to her before he killed her.
She’d already had a very small taste of his sadism, and that was before she’d humiliated him, imprinted on the wrong guy, and thoroughly pissed him off. She didn’t even want to imagine what he’d do to her now.
She didn’t need to imagine it.
“No, of course not,” Devron said, but there was a note in his voice Melody mistrusted. A note that said even if that wasn’t his plan, he didn’t exactly have a plan, either. Which meant the option was on the table, whether he admitted it or not.
“No. No fucking way. You’ll have to kill me before you’ll give me back to that guy,” she said, tightening her arms around herself. “Who’s to say this isn’t exactly the out you’re looking for? I’ve been nothing but problems, you want to get rid of me, and now, getting rid of me could help you . . .” She trembled more and more the longer she talked, the argument seeming more convincing by the minute. Why wouldn’t he trade the woman who doesn’t want to be with him for his own mother?
Shit, Melody realized. This was really bad for her.
24
No amount of arguing or back and forth about the situation was getting them anywhere. Eventually, Sina could see how frustrated everyone was and suggested they split up for a little while to discuss options in a calmer manner.
There were no options Melody wanted to discuss. She wanted to leave, like Devron had promised her she could. It was unfortunate for him that his mother was under Nor’s control, but Melody wasn’t about to sacrifice her life for the woman she’d never even met.
Sina tried to convince her for a little while that Devron was genuine and wouldn’t stab her in the back, but Melody wouldn’t hear it. She’d learned that lesson the hard way.
Hell, if Brandy hadn’t stabbed her in the back, she wouldn’t even be on this stupid planet so far from home.
Eventually, Sina gave up on talking to her. She left Melody alone and joined the others. Knowing that they were all talking about her, all working together to decide her fate without her, didn’t sit well.
The day dragged on, and Melody didn’t hear any news from the others. Not only had she not heard any news, but no one had come to check on her. Were they foolish enough to let their guard down now, of all times?
Could she afford to wait for nightfall to try her escape?
Devron and the others weren’t keeping her privy to the plans—understandably, since she refused to agree to any of them—so she didn’t know when they were going to try to take her to Nor. If she were in charge, she’d do it tonight, before there was time for something to go wrong—like her escaping.
But that meant if she wanted to get out of here, she had to do it now while no one was in the apartment with her. Leaving still seemed like a fool’s mission, but what other option was there? Wait for Devron to sell her out in exchange for his mom? Get traded to Nor so that he could torture her to death?
Those weren’t really options.
Setting off alone on a strange planet didn’t sound a whole lot better, but at least it wasn’t certain death. Of course, she kept telling herself how insane she was the entire time she gathered the few things she thought would be useful—a change of clothes and some rations—and then she hesitated by the door, holding her breath and listening.
It was late afternoon, and the Selithi were in the middle of one of their shift changes, the streets busy with activity. It was good cover, other than the fact that she stuck out like a sore thumb no matter what time of day it was.
“You’ve got this,” she whispered to herself, hand tightening on the makeshift pack.
“Going somewhere?” Devron’s voice startled the hell out of her, making her jump, squeaking in surprise.
“Where the hell did you come from?” she cried, her voice full of accusation.
“I believe I asked my question first,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, eyes flashing white-hot fire as he stepped closer to her.
Melody swallowed, her throat thick, her mouth dry.
“I . . .”
His eyes mesmerized her. They drew her in and made her heart still in her chest, breath frozen in place.
Deep down, her body responded to his closeness. Warmth trickled down inside her, and her thighs tightened.
Damn him and that magnetism. It infuriated her to no end, enough that she could just about snap herself out of it.
“I’m sure as hell not going to let you take me back to Nor,” she spat, one hand on her hip.
“I don’t need your permission,” he reminded her, his expression harder than she’d ever seen it.
In all the time they’d spent together, Melody had never seen Devron like this. So serious, so . . . worried.
He’d never mentioned his mom before, not that she could remember, but there was
no doubt how important the woman was to him, judging solely by his reaction.
“Right,” she spat again. “How could I forget? I don’t get any say in what happens to me.”
“I would never let harm come to you.”
“Yeah, right,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes. “If you think for a second that I’m gonna believe you care—”
“Enough,” he shouted, voice booming throughout the small space. Instinctively, Melody shrank away from him, the order taking effect against her will thanks to the shock of it.
She hated that he’d caught her so off-guard that she was getting teary. She never had that reaction, but something about his booming command and the oppressive weight of this situation . . . it was too much for Melody. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she swallowed frantically, trying to shove them back before he saw.
Devron didn’t miss it at all. The moment the order left his lips, he regretted his tone. Doubly so when he saw the shimmering wetness in Melody’s eyes, the way her lips quivered as she tried to hold in her shocked cry. He didn’t mean to lose his temper with her, but she was so damn infuriating. She never let him get a word out, never let him explain himself.
But now he’d gone too far.
“I’m sorry,” he said with a sigh, hanging his head. “It’s wrong of me to put you in this position without your input, Melody. I understand that—”
“Do you?” she snapped, earning a hard look from him. She didn’t make it easy, even when he was trying to apologize.
“Yes,” he growled, jaw clenched tight. “I do. But my mother . . . she needs me . . . us . . . you. I need you, Melody. I don’t know what Nor will do to my mother if I don’t rescue her, but I don’t have to tell you it won’t be nice. She doesn’t deserve his mistreatment any more than you did.”
“Damn it,” Melody grunted, shaking her head. She hated when people made her feel guilty. Guilt was an emotion that a street kid didn’t have room for. Feeling sorry for someone else didn’t get you far when you needed to steal to have a roof over your head. But Devron’s mom didn’t have any part in any of this. She didn’t deserve to suffer for her kid’s dumb mistakes.