by Hope Hart
I sigh as I recall the disappointment in Harlow’s eyes, and watch as she takes another bite. I wish I could give her what she wants, but I can’t risk her safety. Methi just informed me that the Grivath are closer than expected, and I need to get Harlow to my healers so she can be checked thoroughly and given the sacred Alni plant. It will change her physiology so she is closer to the Arcav. Without it, she is much more vulnerable to injury and death, and I refuse to take the chance that she could be seriously injured or worse.
I blink heavily and frown. Arcav don’t need as much sleep as humans, and yet I feel strangely exhausted. Perhaps it is simply relief now that I have Harlow close.
“I don’t want you to be sad,” I tell her, and she ignores me. My voice sounds strange and far away, and I push my plate from me, suddenly revolted by the idea of food.
Harlow looks up, and her eyes widen, just as every muscle in my body goes limp, and I crash to the floor with a thud.
“Oh my God!” Harlow is at my side, leaning over me, concern in her voice, and I wonder if I’m dreaming.
“Varian? Are you okay?”
I groan. I can’t move. I fight claustrophobia at being unable to move my limbs, and wrack my brain to pinpoint what has happened. Has someone conspired to weaken me and take Harlow from me? I must protect her!
“Poison,” I groan, terrified that Harlow’s food will have been contaminated too.
But no, my tiny mate would have succumbed first, and I close my eyes when I see the guilt-stricken expression on her face.
No. Not my mate. She wouldn’t do this to me.
Water is leaking from her eyes as I stare up at her, bewildered.
“I’m sorry, oh god, I didn’t think it would be this bad. I just thought you’d take a nap.”
A nap? She wanted me to sleep? It hits me then. This is yet another escape attempt. Rage fills me at the idea that she will once again try to avoid going back to Arcavia with me. Doesn’t she understand that I can’t let her go?
I groan again as I try to move and fail. Harlow yells for help and the door smashes open, Methi rushing toward us.
“The healer,” she screams at him. “Get the fucking healer!”
Harlow rolls me onto my side, and I focus all my will on reaching for her. She gasps as I clutch her hand. “Do… not… leave… me.”
Her eyes make more water, which falls onto my lips and I taste salt. She pulls her hand from mine, and at that moment I know she will always choose to run from me.
“I’m sorry, Varian. But I have to take my chance. I’m not leaving Earth with you.”
Her eyes soften, and she leans down, kissing me first for the first time, and I soak in her scent as her lips meet mine. Then she reaches across me and grabs her pack, which she has placed nearby. A well-thought-out plan. As her betrayal hits me, I glare up at her, vowing that she will never have such an opportunity again.
Harlow
Varian growls at me like a wounded wolf with its paw in a trap. I’ve never felt like more of an asshole, but I know one thing: If I don’t go now, this will all have been for nothing.
The Arcav at the door will be back in seconds with the healer, and I can see Varian’s rage written all over his face. He will never forgive me for this.
I slip my hand down and grab his weapon. It feels foreign in my hand, smooth and slippery compared to my gun.
I jump to my feet and back away, and my mouth drops open as Varian somehow rolls further onto his stomach and attempts to crawl toward me.
“Do not leave me, mate,” he slurs, eyes glowing with fury. His horns are long and lethal, claws fully extended and teeth bared, fangs on display. He looks like a demon sent to drag me down to hell and I tremble in response.
I turn to leave, taking one more moment to meet his eyes. If I have my way, this will be the last time I lay eyes on him, and it hurts somewhere deep inside to see him so weak.
“I will find you,” he vows as I step out the door. I choke back a sob and run like hell.
My eyes are so blurry I can barely see as I run down the hall and hit the elevator. Thankfully, it opens immediately and I get in. The Arcav seem to mistrust our technology, and I’m banking on them taking the stairs. I turn as the doors close, and meet Brin’s wide eyes as they burst out of the staircase.
Fuck.
The Arcav are fast, and they might send someone to cut me off downstairs.
I almost drop the weapon in my hand as I turn it over, attempting to understand how to use it. I don’t actually want to fire at anyone, but I need to at least look like I know what I’m doing. A small button must arm the gun, and a control on the side seems to be for the power level. While the implants in our ears allow us to understand Arcavian, that doesn’t mean we can read it, and I have no idea what the swirly letters on the weapon actually say.
The elevator hits the ground floor, and I take a deep breath, wiping away tears. I’m going to be completely exposed when the doors open, and I could be facing any number of Arcavs, all of whom actually know how to use their weapons.
My whole body shakes uncontrollably as I stand like a statue in the elevator and the doors slowly open. I exit weapon first, and nearly run into a human woman who drops a tray of plates with a startled shriek.
I hold the weapon on her, mentally begging her forgiveness.
“Do you have a car here?”
She nods, eyes wide, face pale and I feel like the world’s biggest asshole.
“Hand over the keys. Quickly.”
She pulls the out, and she’s shaking almost as much as I am. “Where is it?”
“Black Dodge, end of that parking lot,” she points.
“Thank you, I’m sorry.”
I hear yelling behind me as I sprint toward the car, and I pray that the human woman has told me the right car. I’m genuinely frightened for my life at this point. I’ve just taken down the Arcav King, and there’s a good chance his men will be out for my blood.
I see a flash of blue in the corner of my eye and scream as I realize someone has just fired at me. I don’t know if it’s a warning shot or if they’re trying to take me out, and I crouch down as I unlock the car and crawl inside.
I hunch over as low as I can as I start the car, and back out. I shriek as an Arcav male steps in front of the car, weapon up, and I gun the engine.
“I will run you over,” I yell at him, and he simply stares me down.
“Fine,” I say. Let’s see if I’m any good at chicken. I hit the gas, and his eyes widen in shock as I roar toward him. He holds his weapon on me, and I wonder if this is how I’ll die, but he dives and rolls out of the way at the last minute.
I’m free.
I can’t risk taking the car far, as I’m certain the Arcav will send out an alert. My whole plan is to hunker down somewhere reasonably close until the Arcav go back to the base or assume I took the car further and spread out.
It’s not a great plan, but it’s all I’ve got.
I can’t risk driving for more than half an hour, so I follow the signs toward a national park and as soon as the trees begin to become more dense, I look for a place to stash the car. I drive off the main road and back the car into the forest, wincing as branches scratch the paint. Someday, when all this is over, I’m going to find this woman and buy her a new car. A pang of guilt hits me. What if this was her way to get to work? She could have kids to take to school, and I’ve just stolen her only wheels. I blow out a breath. One thing at a time.
“I’ll make it up to everyone,” I vow as I get out of the car. “Just let me get out of this tight situation.”
God I hope Varian isn’t permanently injured or worse. He was talking and moving slightly, so he should be okay, right? My stomach churns as I walk back toward the side road, and I lean over and retch into the grass, head swimming.
“He’s not dead.” I wipe my mouth. “There’s no way he’s dead.”
It’s pitch black, and I stumble out of the forest and onto the road. I need
to toughen up. He was going to take me to another planet against my will. He has no respect for what I want, and sees me as a possession that he owns. I try to think about all the ways he’s messed up my life in the past week, but instead all I see is the smile he gave me when he went completely overboard for my dinner.
“Stay strong,” I mutter, but my stomach clenches at as I picture the look of betrayal in Varian’s eyes as he stared up at me, and his vow that he would find me.
The scariest thing is that I believe him.
Three hours later, I stumble across a sign in the dark.
HoneyMill Stables
I blow out a breath in relief. The last few hours have been some of the worst of my life, as I replayed the look on Varian’s face, over and over again. I go back and forth between justifying my actions and calling myself a coldhearted bitch. I never wanted to hurt him, I just wanted him to leave me alone. I just wish I could have some sign that he’s okay.
I just need some sleep. Here, I’ll find water, and hopefully a horse blanket and somewhere to rest and hide for a few hours. I’ll need to be gone by dawn, but maybe I’ll be thinking more clearly after some rest.
I can only hope.
Chapter 16
Harlow
I curl up in a ball in the stables but don’t sleep. The horses didn’t pay me much attention when I snuck in, so I’m just shivering in a corner waiting for daylight. Just before dawn, I’m not at all surprised when the doors fly open.
The stables are flooded with light, and the horses go nuts, screaming their displeasure.
This is it, I realize. I wish I could’ve had more time. I wish this hadn’t been my life. I wish I could’ve been one of the people sitting at home, watching the news and gossiping about the Arcav King’s mate.
I stand up, pointing my weapon, and stare into Varian’s eyes. He’s surrounded by his men, all of whom look pissed.
“You’re alive.”
His eyes are cold as he stares back at me. “Of course. I told you I’d find you.”
I hit the power button on the weapon, and every Arcav in the stables points their weapons back at me.
“Don’t shoot!” Varian turns, and one by one, they slowly point their weapons at the ground. The man on Varian’s left is the last to do it, and I can see how badly he’d like to pull the trigger.
“Jaret.” Varian doesn’t even look at him, his eyes back on me, examining me from head to toe.
Jaret reluctantly lowers his weapon, but I see the retribution in his eyes and I make note of it. I don’t want this guy at my back anytime soon.
My hand is steady, although the rest of my body is trembling with adrenalin and exhaustion. Varian doesn’t look worried, and for once, isn’t staring at me like the sun shines out of my ass.
Instead, he looks at me like I’m just another human to be ordered around.
“Let me tell you what will happen if you shoot me,” he says, and I simply stare at him.
“First, if you manage to kill me, my men will immediately kill you for assassinating their ruler. I won’t be here to stop them, and I certainly won’t be able to protect any other humans from retribution.”
I know he’s right, and I can see it on Jaret’s face. He would be the first one to shoot, and at this range, he’d take me out before my finger left the trigger. I’m only guessing how to use this weapon, and there’s no way I can take out all the Arcav crammed in this space.
I have one last card to play. I slowly raise the weapon, and point it at my own head.
Every man in the room sucks in a breath, and even the horses are silent. Varian’s eyes burn bright once again, and he’s no longer staring at me with indifference.
“What are you doing?” He takes a step forward, as if against his own will, and I back up, jamming the weapon closer to my head. Sweat rolls down my spine, and I know this is a dumb move.
But I’m so tired.
I can’t run anymore. God knows Varian won’t let his guard down around me ever again. I just want to turn back time and disappear before my name was called. Maybe, if I make him believe this is it, he’ll finally leave me alone.
“I’m done living like this,” I tell him. “Leave me alone, or I’ll take out your mate,” I spit, and watch his hands clench at his side.
“Move the weapon.”
“Leave.”
“Move it, and we will talk.”
I can’t back down. “No.”
“Please,” he rasps, “just listen to me.”
He looks if I’m pulling out his heart in front of him, and his huge body quakes with strain. I swallow around the lump in my throat. Torturing him this way feels like I’m pulling out my own fingernails one by one. I never wanted to see this proud man beg in front of his people.
I move the weapon, keeping it raised, but no longer aiming it at my head. My racing heart slows slightly, and the tension level goes down a notch.
Varian releases a shuddering breath. “Let me tell you what will happen if you end your own life,” he says softly… almost gently. “I will eradicate all human life. I will be nothing but a shell, bent on revenge, and your brother and partner will be first in line.”
I shudder. He’s serious. I can’t believe I was having second thoughts about leaving him at the hotel. He just threatened to kill everyone on my planet, and right now, I wish I could watch him crawl desperately across that hotel room floor again.
“Drop. The. Weapon.”
It falls from my hand with a soft thud. I’m all out of cards to play.
Harlow
The stable owners are standing outside when Varian carries me out, holding me tightly against his chest. I turn my face away as they stare at me in shock.
I’m silent as Varian places me in the hover craft the Arcav use to go small distances. He straps me in, and I avoid his eyes, closing my own and leaning back against the gel seat. He sits next to me while some of his men file in, and I can hear them murmuring to each other as they move past us toward the back of the small craft.
For once, Varian has nothing to say to me, and I welcome the silence. It’s hard to reconcile the man who touched me so tenderly in my dreams with the same man who threatens to kill an entire species if he doesn’t get what he wants.
I must fall asleep, because when I wake up, Varian is carrying me again. I don’t know where I am, and truthfully, I don’t care. I’m placed on something soft, and my eyes fly open as my sweater is pulled up over my head.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking off your clothes. You smell like animals and need to bathe.”
I feel my cheeks flush, and push his hands away. “I can do it myself.”
He ignores me, and I slap at him until he growls and steps away, frowning down at me.
“What the hell is your problem?” I snap.
“What is my problem? I’ve been far too lenient with you, assuming that you would come to me when you were ready to start our life together. Instead, you run and you run, and you threaten me with your life! No one threatens my mate’s life. Not even my mate!”
I throw my hands up in the air. “Oh here we go. Again with the ‘mate’ crap. You’re like a broken record. I’ve told you, I. Don’t. Want. It. Find someone else!”
“You think you don’t want it, because you’ve refused to let us become one. That ends tonight. Once we complete our mating, there will be no more running.”
That sounds ominous, and like the number one reason why I shouldn’t go near him.
“I’ll never have sex with you!”
He gives me a knowing look. “Don’t lie to yourself, mate. You love the feel of my hands on your skin. Soon you’ll be begging for more.”
Okay, he’s obviously doing the ‘mate’ thing to annoy me, so I’m choosing to ignore it. Rage fills me at the thought that he could be right. Like it or not, but I have insane chemistry with Varian. He only needs to look at me to have my nipples hardening and my panties wet.
“I will never
beg you,” I hiss, and he laughs, so I push up off the bed and push my hands against his chest. It’s like trying to move a mountain, and it simply stokes my fury further.
“I think you’re a blight on this world,” I tell him. “We were doing just fine until you arrived. If I could have one wish, it would be for you and all your people to disappear and never return. I hate you. I want nothing to do with you. You have ruined my life.”
His eyes shine with rage and my whole body trembles as his face darkens. It seems like he’s balancing on a wire of self control. I’ve never truly been frightened of him until tonight. Scared of losing my freedom, yes, but he looks angry enough to do murder.
“You are a spoiled child,” he tells me. “You think I’ve ruined your life? I’ve offered you everything. And no, I won’t disappear so you can go back to risking your life in the muck and the filth of the human streets. One day, you’ll thank me for not letting you give up on us.”
Not likely. Once again he’s choosing to completely ignore my wishes and framing it like he was doing me a favor.
“I’m telling you right now, that will never happen.”
He smiles and it sends a chill down my spine. “I have an eternity to prove you wrong.”
I snort. “You have forty or fifty years if you’re lucky. And I’ll be a fragile old woman for some of them.”
He slowly shakes his head. “You think I’d risk losing you to a slow death? You’ll be taken to our healers at the first opportunity.”
I feel the blood drain from my face. He’s mentioned his healers before, but never in such an ominous tone.
“And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“Our race has long conquered death and disease. Unless you have a traumatic accident, you will never die.”
The world spins around me. He’s talking about the closest thing to immortality. I’d outlive Josh, Blake, and everyone else I know.