Guarded

by Sabrina Kade

  I think hard for a few moments, relieved not many of the others are paying attention to us anymore. Blythe glances over occasionally, but she’s also reprimanding Korben about something. It’s kind of funny to watch a seven-foot Sidyth lower his head in shame when—

  Azan hisses. When I turn, he looks a bit annoyed. Maybe because I wasn’t paying enough attention to him?

  Oh damn, that’s kind of hot.

  “Sorry,” I say, pushing some stringy, blond hair away from my eyes so I can see him more clearly.

  Chin lowers. Chin lifts.

  “Sooo… yeah. Something to say.” I wonder if I can get him to say anything I want. Maybe I want to hear what his name sounds like on his lips. Oh damn, maybe I want him to say my name. There’s shifting next to me, and I realize Azan’s dragging his finger down my arm to capture my attention again. I suck in a breath, electrified by his touch. “Say you want me to stay here and talk to you,” I say quickly before I can censor myself. “I’d like to hear you say you want me to stand next to you.”

  And then I lower my hand and Azan’s falls. This line of work has certainly made me rusty when it comes to flirty. I barely have the slightest idea how to be cute without coming across as overly sexy to appeal to alien clients. I may be smart but I’m damn dumb when it comes to anything the least bit social.

  “Forget I said that,” I say quickly, wondering if I should have followed my first instinct and moved away. “I should go.”

  “Do not.”

  His voice takes me by surprise, and I spin around to face him. His expression hasn’t changed, and his eyes blaze with more heat than ever. A small smile quirks to my lips as I take him in again. I’m not as short as Ellis, and Azan isn’t as huge as the fugly one, but that doesn’t make the situation any less jarring when our eyes meet again. Azan’s at least seven feet tall, a few inches taller than Blythe’s prince, and he’s probably one of the thickest ones here. His muscles ripple as he takes in a few shallow breaths, still staring down at me. He’s a few shades darker than Korben, but still incredibly pale. Plus, his bulky left arm is completely covered in python-like scales, giving it a wet, shimmering appearance. This is a man who a prince trusts with his life. Azan is always close to Korben along with the fugly one.

  I can’t see all of Azan’s face, but I know in my heart he’s attractive. Maybe not Jensen Ackles, but attractive in a non-conventional sort of way. His eyes alone make me wet, and he’s got plenty of heat to work with below the belt. Despite the fact that I can’t see half of his face, I long to at least see that heated expression in his eyes, no matter his reasons for looking. Are his lips full and pink? Does he have scars on his jaw or chin? What would it be like to have that mouth on mine?

  Despite the mask, I think Azan’s the most attractive Sidyth here, even if he’s not the most humanoid. But why does he watch me the way I watch him? Maybe he’s worried about trying to go after other girls like Lacey or Sloane, thinking they’re too good for him, despite all of us being whores. Maybe he only chose me because I’m not cute enough to try for anything else.

  “What language?”

  Azan’s voice pierces the air again, and his voice, in my translator and from his lips, is everything I hoped it would be. Deep and throaty, he talks like he doesn’t use it very often, but when he does speak, people listen.

  My eyebrows furrow at his question and shockingly, he reaches out to touch the small bump in my ear where the translator’s tucked under the cartilage.

  “I asked, what language?” he rumbles. It’s so low, and with his mouth covered, I bet no one can tell he’s talking to me. Sickeningly, that makes me feel so fucking special. “You understand me now, yes?”

  I nod dumbly. “You speak English?”

  He nods. “Little. I do translator work for him.” His chin dips and lifts in Korben’s direction.

  I’m surprised. “How many languages do you know?”

  “I speak close thirty,” he says simply with a heaving shrug of his massive shoulders.

  My eyes widen. Knowing Azan can speak so many languages makes me hot and bothered. He’s not an idiot. In fact, I’ll be shocked if he’s not one of the smartest people on this planet. He’s almost too good to be true.

  “Bother you?” he asks.

  “Huh?”

  “Does… does bother you? So many languages.”

  I shake my head hard. Is he kidding? This is the sexiest introduction I’ve had in years. Maybe ever. Hmm, I guess that’s a little sad. Shit, he’s waiting for an answer. “No, it doesn’t bother me.”

  “Not good English.” He shakes his head. “Translator, okay?”

  I nod again, feeling like an idiot as his language changes back to Sidese. It’s rich and warm like honey, and though I like hearing him speak my language, it’s also easier for him to get his point across when he’s speaking his own. Plus, I love the almost Germanic cadence of the Sidese language with that rumbling voice of his.

  “Okay.” He dips and lifts his chin once more before straightening up.

  I realize he’s been stooping down closer to my level for most of our conversation. I guess he has to. I’m not quite five and a half feet tall, and Azan is… massive. My eyes drift across his shorts, and I’m surprised I thought Azan didn’t like humans, or me. He’s pitched a full-blown tent in his pants, and my mouth practically waters at the sight.

  Hey, I may be a nerd but I know how to appreciate hardware in a smooth, sexy manner.

  The following silence no longer feels unpleasant or uncomfortable.

  How can I possibly feel insecure while a massive alien rocks a massive hard-on right next to me?

  ***

  I miss Azan’s presence after the Sidyths depart for the night, and the girls settle into their familiar circle with Blythe and I acting as the supposed leaders.

  “What did everyone think? Any problems? Any red flags?” Blythe tries to meet my eyes, and I’m not entirely sure why. Does she want me to dish and spill about Azan all sleepover style, or is she expecting me to protest that I’m not enjoying the attention, so she can show the Sidyths will behave under her and Korben’s thumb?

  Either way, I’m quiet and thankfully, other girls want to put in their two cents.

  Ellis speaks first. “They’re not terrible. The big one isn’t as scary as I thought he would be. He’s… uh… polite.”

  “Most of them are,” Sloane adds. “I don’t have anything to complain about.”

  Thank hell. I scan over everyone else, wondering if any of them are going to ask about Azan and me, and how he snuck me out of the Gathering Room for a drink. He didn’t say anything, only grabbed my upper arm and led me outside the doorway. As though, he didn’t want anyone else looking at me. Azan’s a bit wild, but there’s something I like so much about that. For someone who hates predictable, I love never knowing what Azan’s going to do next, just that he’s always going to do something. My heart flutters at the thought of his thick scaled fingers curled around my arm. I felt downright tiny next to him.

  Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t focus so much on how I’ve found someone I don’t hate. I turn towards one of the girls who doesn’t get along with Blythe for obvious reasons, which include hanging from the ceiling by her hair. “What about you, Celeste?”

  She shrugs and absently plays with her long braid before answering. I can tell how much Blythe wants to apologize to her, yet again, but it’s going to take more than a few words for Celeste to ever forgive her.

  “I’m not looking to fall in love or anything, but I’m excited at the prospect of going outside and seeing the rain. I mean, even if we don’t get to stay here forever, I’m happy to spend some time with guys who aren’t going to rape me the entire time.”

  “No one’s going to hurt you,” Blythe says, but Celeste merely turns away with a small frown.

  “Right.” I nod and turn towards the work out twins. They kind of fell in the middle when it came to the meet and greet. They weren't hostile, but they made n
o extra effort. I look at Blythe out of the corner of my eye and notice she’s frowning, probably trying to put their faces to names and coming up blank.

  I help her out this time. “Rene? Devyn? Any issues?”

  “Looking forward to getting outside, right Devyn?” Rene says.

  “So long as we can go outside and do a little training, I’m happy. The big guys seem to trust us.” Something shifts in her expression, and she smirks at Blythe. “Good job there. You’ve got the prince wrapped around your finger. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

  My thoughts drift back to my short time with Azan. I wish there was a way to spend more time with him. He doesn’t say much, but most of the things he does say completely capture my attention. I want to know about the thirty languages he speaks, and why he’s the translator for the prince when I could have sworn he was the muscle. Maybe that’s Fugly’s job. Either way, if I’m going to have any more chances to get to know him, I have to keep Blythe focused. It’s dawning on me how easily these big guys can get caught up in your head, and I haven’t had an orgasm yet.

  “What about you, Blythe?” I ask.

  “Me?” She almost seems surprised by the question.

  “Yeah, you. You’re the one who’s been pushing us to give the big guys a chance, and we’re all kind of curious.” I know I am. “Are you happy with him? Does the prince make you happy, or is this all some scheme to save your ass at the end of the day?”

  Her eyes widen, and I almost regret asking this, but I must know. The others do too.

  “Is that what you guys think?”

  “It’s not a crime to ask if you’re only looking out for yourself,” Alaska says, frowning. “Pardon us for wanting to know if you’re not trying to make a deal with these guys to save your own skin. I’m not the only one who’s worried about it, am I?”

  I lower my head with a blush, not that anyone needs to know why. Mostly, I’m thinking about Azan, and if he ever takes off that mask. And if he can, where he can put his mouth on various places of my body. Of course, I don’t say that.

  “No, that’s not it,” Blythe says. “I’m like you guys. I came here assuming the worst when we saw Sidyths, and when Korben grabbed me, I assumed this was going to be another assignment, but he didn’t do anything I didn’t want. I believe he wants to stand for something different than the rest of his people.” She speaks so openly I can’t help but wonder if she’s telling the truth.

  “And the rest of them?” Krista thankfully voices another one of my concerns. “You think the rest of them are like him?”

  I desperately have to hear this and hope Blythe isn’t stupid enough to make empty promises.

  “Some of you have been talking to them, and yet, I haven’t heard about anything terrible happening. This could be an amazing chance for us, guys. If we keep an open mind, we may be able to find happiness here.”

  “For as long as the assignment lasts,” Ellis says. “Then it’s back to business as usual.”

  Blythe chews on her lower lip, and I know she’s keeping something from me. From all of us. It’s annoying, but I don’t point it out. “Listen, guys, Korben’s a prince, we all know that. Let’s just say he has more money than most of our regular clientele. He told me if I want to stay, he would make it happen.”

  A hushed silence falls over the group, me included. I swear to God my vision blurs. I thought I heard some of the Sidyths talking about this, but hearing Blythe say it? That it’s possible for us to stay here? To no longer spread our legs because some alien paid us to?

  “Stay here?” I hope she can’t see through me. “With them? For how long?”

  “Maybe forever. Long enough to start a new society here.”

  My heart picks up at the idea, and suddenly I’m dying to see Azan again. Ugh, what the fuck is wrong with me? One little piddly conversation and I’m running to the hills like a love-struck teenager.

  “We should give them a chance,” Blythe says after a bit more arguing. “We have an opportunity here we’ve never had before. At least I haven’t.”

  I smile. “Me neither.” This is new. This is different. I’m so excited I can barely keep it together. I’m immediately looking at the others. I hope I’m not the only one who wants to stay.

  “Same.” Sloane shifts uncomfortably, pushing a thin hand through her dark red hair.

  “I can’t say this place is terrible.” Celeste looks at me as she says this, but my mind’s still racing.

  “So Korben could work something out?” I ask again. “If we wanted to stay… if there’s someone, someone wanted to be with, could he make it happen? Because if he can, it would be stupid to try my hand at getting something better.”

  Blythe nods. “I believe in Korben. If he says he’ll be able to keep us here if we want to stay, I want to give him the chance to prove himself right.”

  I cock my head to the side as she blushes. Fuck me twice over; she looks so happy. I want to try the local cuisine if it makes Blythe smile like that.

  “You like him, huh? He’s won you over?”

  “I’m falling for him. I know it’s only been a few days, but—”

  “No, I get it,” I interrupt before she backpedals. “These guys are showing us kindness we haven’t seen in years, some of us in decades. It’s hard not to want to fall in love with something like that.” Suddenly, I can’t wait a moment longer. “I say we take a vote.”

  “What is this, grade school? Not everyone’s here.” Alaska frowns.

  “We’ll vote for now, and when the others come, we’ll vote again,” I say quickly. I can picture listening to Azan saying things in one of his thirty languages, and I hate how turned on I get thinking about it. “We’ll all vote. If you vote to stay, that means you’re into giving the big guys a shot. If you say no, figure things out for yourself.”

  “Oh, that’s fair.”

  “I’m being honest, Alaska. Personally? I’m looking forward to giving this whole experience a fair shot. It’s got to beat the alternatives. You know that. You’ve been doing this for longer than most of us. Has anything like this happened to you and the others?”

  My heartbeat quickens as Alaska’s eyebrows knit together in thought. Everything that made me feel like such a dork in high school is personified in that look. But I stood up to her. That has to count for something.

  “Let’s vote.” Blythe steps in at last, giving me a break. Maybe she can see the nervous sweat on the tip of my nose. “All those who want to give these guys a fair chance and possibly find happiness, raise your hand.”

  My hand shoots up immediately, and I lower it with a blush and slowly lift it a second time. More calmly.

  Of course, Alaska and Kansas want to be difficult and cross their arms.

  “If I don’t want to fall in love with a Sidyth, can I still raise my hand?” Krista asks. “Because that’s not why I want to stay. I don’t want to be raped anymore, and if staying here means that won’t happen, I guess I’m in.”

  “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to,” Blythe says, a hint of a smile on her face as Krista slowly raises her hand, and Kansas does the same.

  “Seriously? We don’t know if Arizona and Dakota are okay.” Alaska still seems to be using this as her big reason for being a pain in the ass. Once we find out her little family members are okay, is she going to be less difficult? I sure as shit hope so.

  “You morons don’t get it, do you? They’re Sidyths. They’re not telling the truth. They’re tricking us because they’re masters in proving women are inferior. And look at you all! Raising your hands at the chance to fall in love!? I don’t care what you think you agree to, because that’s all it is. You think that Sidyth prince is going to keep you here if you’re not spreading for one his brothers? Because I sure don’t.”

  “Is that a no from you?” I ask Alaska. I’m already getting a little bored with her shit. She’s so needy for Arizona and Dakota that it makes her a little less intimidating than usual.

/>   “I guess it is.”

  Not surprisingly, when Alaska sequesters herself back into her corner of the room, Lacey wordlessly follows.

  What-the-fuck-ever.

  It’s hard to get too upset as the conversation continues and comes to an end for the night.

  All I hear is we’re giving the big guys a shot. We’re going above ground. Blythe’s going to make it happen. I can’t get over the idea of seeing Azan again, and for once, I don’t care how silly I look. Blythe may look like a lovestruck, dopey teenager, but she also looks happy.

  Blythe’s never been one to smile, let alone around the clock. I want that.

  “Tomorrow.” I steal glances over my shoulder to see if Azan has come to do night duty.

  I try to force myself to go to sleep when Fugly comes to the doorway and calls for Ellis.

  Tomorrow.

  ***

  It’s not raining the following day, and that’s a little upsetting, to say the least, but how can I possibly be in a bad mood with all the girls and Sidyths standing around, preparing to go above ground? Choices and freedom are all I’ve ever wanted, and now here they are! If the others knew how giddy I was inside my head, despite my stoic features, they’d probably run for the snowless hills.

  “There will plenty of rain for those who wish to see it,” Fugly – who I’ve come to learn is named Hujun, grumbles to the group, stealing a quick look at Ellis. Goddamn, they’re weird to look at.

  “As Hujun said,” Korben continues, “there will be plenty of rainy days, but today is not one of them. Most of my brothers will come with us, not only to enjoy some sun basking but to also see the others not brought to this lair originally. So please be prepared. If one of my brothers is someone you are trying to get to know, I would advise you to request that he stays.”

  I think about going towards Azan’s side, but he’s only looking at Korben and Blythe, and it’s hard not to feel a little stung. Yes, I get that he works for the prince but doesn’t Azan ever get a break? Frowning, I decide not to come across as needy and remain in the back, watching him as he watches me with a heated gaze. If he wants me to stay, then he’s going to have to say it, I decide as we’re all gathered and led up the mud paths to the surface.