by Ivy Barrett
Nikki shook her head, then her dark gaze landed on Jessica and stuck. Nikki’s brows arched and challenge hardened her expression. “We’ve all been really worried about you. It looks like you’re all nice and cozy. What should I tell the others?”
Rook tensed, obviously ready to jump to her defense. She placed her hand on his forearm and gave it a little squeeze. She didn’t blame Nikki for her bitterness. From her perspective, it looked like Jessica was selfishly ensuring her own comfort and security while the rest of them were basically forgotten.
“I’m fine,” she told her resentful friend. “Tell the others we should be there soon.”
“Be where soon?” Nikki flared. “Where are we going and what’s waiting for us when we get there? No one is telling us anything!”
It wasn’t true. Dare had explained the situation to Nikki and the others. Nikki just didn’t like what she’d been told. Did she hope the answer would change if she kept asking the same question?
“As soon as the ship is repaired, we will deliver you to Protectorate Headquarters,” Rook told her. “The high command will determine the next course of action. I would tell you more if I knew more. Unfortunately, the rest is out of my hands.”
Nikki didn’t look happy with his answer, but she didn’t argue the point. “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, what about Erin? Her situation is different from ours, different from Jessica’s. Erin shouldn’t be here.”
Jessica cringed. This was the subject that had gotten her into trouble with Dare. Why had Nikki brought it up again?
“Even if I agreed with you,” Rook’s voice took on a dark, steely edge. “I would be disregarding a direct order if I released her. The high command will—”
“Screw the high command,” Nikki snapped. “And screw you too if you won’t help her.” Without giving him time to respond, she walked away from the com-panel.
Rook sighed and disconnected the link.
“Will you help her?” The question was out before Jessica could stop it.
It took him forever to speak, and when he finally did, his words were tight and careful. “What I want to do and what I’m allowed to do are often different things.”
She arched one of her brows in silent challenge and folded her arms across her chest. “You just defied a direct order from the high command for me. Why not Erin?”
He glanced at Dare, obviously hoping for assistance. Dare just stared back at him, expression unreadable. With another frustrated sigh, he focused on her. “There’s a significant difference between you and Erin, and you know it. Besides, we didn’t disregard the order, we postponed it.”
“That’s a copout and you know it,” she countered. “Erin made no commitment to the Ventori. She was kidnapped and held against her will. She’s still being held against her will.” They were in private this time. Her anger didn’t humiliate him or undermine his authority.
“She’s a potential mate,” he said firmly. “Her males deserve the opportunity to court her. If she refuses their claim, then she will be released. The Ventori do not force themselves on females.”
Jessica wasn’t so easily swayed. She raised her chin and glared up at him. “How do you know? Rape victims are often too ashamed or too frightened to report the crime. If they were stuck on a spaceship, they’d have nowhere to go. Besides, you said it yourself. The situation is dire. You’re fighting for the survival of your species. Some of your kind might find that cause worthy of a little coercion.”
“Do you feel coerced?” Dare asked, finally joining the conversation. “Is that what this is really about?”
She blew out a long, ragged sigh. It was now or never. She didn’t want to hurt them, but if she let them claim her they’d sense her reluctance through the link. However, if she didn’t tell them now, it would be too late to do anything about it.
“I don’t feel coerced and I really am upset about Erin. But I do have some more questions before I give you my answer.”
“We shouldn’t have left this room until we had claimed her,” Rook grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.
“Then I’d be confronting you with regrets.” The intensity of her emotions subsided, but she was no less determined to have answers before she made up her mind. “Is that what you want in a mate, someone who is trapped by her physical desire?”
“We want you to be happy and content,” Dare insisted, silencing his brother with a glare. “What would you be regretting if we hadn’t been interrupted?”
“Let’s finish one conversation before we start another,” she insisted. “What can be done about Erin? Nikki is right. Erin is different than the rest of us. She’s special.”
“Because she’s a virgin?” Rook asked.
She tensed. How had he known? “I never told you that.”
He shrugged. “It’s obvious. Physically, she’s a mature woman, but there is still much of the wide-eyed innocence in her.”
“So you need to fuck it out of her as fast as possible?”
Rook grasped her chin, gaze drilling into her. “Watch your tone. I understand that you’re upset, so I’m being lenient. But I will not tolerate disrespect from anyone.”
Lowering her gaze, she paused for a slow, deep breath. “I apologize. As you said, in many ways Erin is still a child.”
“That’s not what I said.” His fingers lightened their pressure, but didn’t let go. “I said her innocence is obvious. Erin is not a child. She is ripe and ready for seduction.”
“I agree,” Dare added. “Her expressions reflect fear, but her scent is all fertile female.”
“Which doesn’t change the fact that she was kidnapped.” She twisted out of Rook’s light hold.
“You were all kidnapped.”
She glared at Rook. He knew damn well what she meant. “Put her in a shuttle and take her back to Austin. No one needs to know she was ever here.”
“They already know,” Rook snapped. “Have you forgotten about Kyla? If I set Erin free, Chancellor Savator will just send LeAuntiez after her. Talk about terrifying. No one eludes LeAuntiez.”
“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned this LeAuntiez. What makes him so ‘terrifying’?”
She’d asked Rook, but Dare responded. Rook was too busy trying to control his temper. “You’ve never seen a Celestian in action, I take it. They’re unique, to say the least.”
Anything that unnerved a Ventori Defender had to be horrific. Still, they had drifted off topic again. “There’s nothing we can do for Erin?”
Her yielding seemed to calm Rook. He uncrossed his arms and his expression softened. “I will make sure the chancellor understands her circumstances. He’s a fair and reasonable male. He will do—”
“Whatever is best for the Ventori. That’s his job.”
Quickly closing the space between them, Rook placed his hands on her shoulders. “It would be easier to lie to you. To put your fears to rest, so you’d refocus on us. But we understand that honesty is important to you. Now we stand at an impasse.”
“Erin is out of your hands. I get it. I’ll take up the fight with Chancellor Whatshisname.”
Rook started to speak, then shook his head. His hands slipped inside the loose sleeves of her robe, then slid to her upper arms. “Does your invitation still stand? Will you allow us to claim you?”
She lowered her gaze, unable to watch disappointment extinguish the spark of hope in his eyes. “I’m not saying no. I’m just not ready right now.”
He squeezed her shoulders, prompting her to lift her gaze. “We’re not angry.” He glanced at his brother. “At least I’m not.”
Turning her head, she looked at Dare. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw set, but the gleam in his gaze could have been determination rather than annoyance. “I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to lead you on.”
He shook his head and the tension eased. “It’s only been two days. We’re expecting too much of you. Especially after what happened tonight.”
“
I’m intrigued by the idea of a totally committed relationship, but there are so many unanswered questions.” She glanced at one brother and then the other, trying to assess their reactions without starting a power struggle.
“We’ll discuss them over dinner,” Rook decided. “Unless you gave up and ordered a tray without us.”
She shook her head. “I’ve been trying to learn Ventori, but I’m still pretty hopeless.”
“There are several tutorials in the ship’s main computer,” Dare told her. “Each targets a different style of learning. Experiment until you find one that works for you.”
“May I take a shower and dress before we eat?”
“You have no need for—”
“Was the dress I manufactured before acceptable, or would you like a different style?” Dare smoothly overruled Rook’s objection.
“The style was fine, though I wouldn’t mind a different color. Maybe something with a pattern this time.”
“It will be ready by the time you’ve finished showering,” Dare told her.
“Is it all right if…” Heat exploded across her cheeks as she looked at Rook. “Can I have a break from training while we eat? I really need to just relax for a while.”
Rook seemed to think about it for a moment, then yielded with a tense nod. “Put it in the recycler,” he said. “I’ll manufacture a new one for our next training session.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
The shower felt wonderfully refreshing, but removing the anal trainer left her feeling hollow and alone. She hadn’t heard Dare enter the bathroom, but a new dress was hanging on the back of the door when she stepped out of the shower enclosure. He’d chosen a subtle geometric pattern in jewel tones that made the simple style appear elegant and understated. She slipped into the garment and pulled back the front section of her hair, leaving the rest in loose waves around her shoulders.
By the time she returned to the common room, the brothers had laid out a candlelight dinner. They loitered around the table, obviously anxious for her to join them. Dare pulled out her chair and Rook poured the wine.
Rook had told Nikki they were in New Mexico, but the scene still felt fantastical. She was being courted by two virile aliens. Her rejection hadn’t driven them off. If anything, they seemed more determined than ever.
Dare filled her plate and then his own.
Rook held his wineglass in one hand but didn’t seem interested in the food. “You said you had unanswered questions. Let’s see if we can answer them for you.”
Before she could respond to Rook, Dare asked, “Why did you become a carnal companion? You’re not the sort of female who is usually interested in the program.”
It was a fair question. “I was bored and lonely. Nashville was a huge disappointment after my years on the road.” She looked at Rook. Had Dare told him about her rock star years?
“Your ‘years on the road’?” Apparently the brothers hadn’t spoken about her checkered past. It wasn’t surprising. Rook preferred to remain focused on the present. “What does that mean?”
“I was in a band, a relatively successful alternative rock band.”
“She sings like an angel,” Dare said. “I found recordings of some of her performances. She also composed the songs. Our female is extraordinary.”
Warmed by the praise, yet restless, Jessica guided them back toward the crux of the issue. “The entertainment industry is basically nonexistent, thanks to the Skarilians. In fact, opportunities of any kind are few and far between. I was bored out of my mind. I needed companionship and adventure, or at least some sort of challenge. I’m more sexually… open-minded than many humans. It just seemed like a good fit.”
“That also indicates that you could be happy as our mate.” A hint of challenge threaded through Rook’s words.
“But this adventure never has to end,” Dare pointed out with hopeful inflection.
They made it sound so simple, so perfect. But life, at least her life, seldom worked out that way. “And if at some point I wanted it to end?”
“Then we’re not trying hard enough,” Rook stated absolutely. “It’s our job, our responsibility, to provide for all your needs and ensure your wellbeing.”
“That’s why it takes two of us,” Dare added with a charming smile.
She knew they meant every word, and their devotion wasn’t really the problem. “Where will we live?
“There are several options,” Rook told her. “Staying aboard our ship is one, but that could be hard for someone not used to the confinement.”
“Claiming you would make us eligible for Camp Accord,” Dare said.
“What is Camp Accord?” He’d made it sound as if the place were something very special.
Dare exchanged an odd look with his brother before he explained, “The U.S. government has allowed us to establish a family-focused settlement. Only those who have distinguished themselves through bravery or sacrifice, and those who have claimed, or are courting, a mate will be allowed to join the colony. It’s very exclusive.”
“Which isn’t to say that it’s luxurious,” Rook warned. “As I understand it, the conditions are still rather primitive. Everyone in Camp Accord works together toward common goals.”
His concern was almost insulting. “I’m not afraid of hard work. In fact, I welcome it. I’ve always been goal-oriented. I don’t do well without a purpose.”
Rook accepted the claim with a nod. “You’d also be able to interact with other females. It’s quite likely some, if not most, of your friends will end up in Camp Accord.”
“Well, then how do we—”
“Commanders, either of you!” Dentar, their new first officer’s voice echoed through the entire cabin, his tone sharp and urgent. “We’ve got big trouble headed our way!”
He spoke in rapid Ventori, but Jessica picked out enough to understand that the interruption was an emergency. The frantic exchange that followed, however, was beyond her comprehension.
“Guard our mate,” Rook snapped as he headed for the door. “I’ll deal with LeAuntiez.”
LeAuntiez, the chancellor’s henchman. Jessica shuddered. This couldn’t be good. How had he found their ship so quickly? “You said the ship isn’t really broken down. Can’t we just fly away?”
Dare scooted his chair closer to her and pressed her hand in between his. “The Brokvata, the high command’s elite guard, have the fastest ships in the fleet. Attempting to evade them would be a waste of time. But no one will harm you or the other females. You are literally the only hope our species has for survival.”
“Can you turn on external surveillance? I’ll be less freaked out if I can see what’s going on.”
Dare took her hand and led her to the living room, then activated a six-pane display so she could watch the action surrounding the ship as well as on the command deck. Rook arrived half a second before the image of an irate male flashed onto the main view screen. With wavy golden hair and the brightest, bluest eyes Jessica had ever seen, the male was clearly not Ventori. He was, however… beautiful was the only word that came to mind. Yet nothing about him was effeminate.
“Is that LeAuntiez?” She whispered the question, her pulse racing from fear and uncertainty.
“Yes. He’s pureblood Celestian. There are less than one hundred still alive, thanks to the Skarilians.”
She looked at Dare, puzzled by the odd reverence in his tone. Rook had shown a similar deference when talking about LeAuntiez. “What makes Celestians so special?”
Dragging his gaze away from the display, he looked at her with obvious confusion. “Their race is documented in many of Earth’s holy texts. They are long-lived and extremely powerful beings who protect and guide less advanced races. On some planets they have been worshiped as gods. I believe human tradition depicts them more as an extension of your deities rather than the deities themselves.”
“Are you talking about angels?” She shifted her gaze back to the obviously angry male arguing with Rook. �
��LeAuntiez is an angel?”
“Celestians visited Earth in your distant past and interacted with your ancestors. Those people explained Celestians in the only way their extremely limited existence could comprehend.”
“Does he have wings?” She laughed at her own question, but his answer deflated her amusement.
“Of course. Even Celestian hybrids have wings.”
Angels? Aliens weren’t fantastical enough. Now she had to deal with angels? “What will he do with us?” She knew enough about biblical teachings to know that angels weren’t always bringing comfort or guidance. They also destroyed cities and punished the wicked.
Dare motioned toward the display. “He’s demanding that Rook release you and the other females into his custody. Rook refused.”
Rook stood in front of LeAuntiez’s image, fists planted on his hips. He spoke so fast, she couldn’t understand him, but his tone and posture required no translation. She was pretty sure her mate had just told an angel to go to hell. LeAuntiez’s image blinked off and the ship began to vibrate. Were they taking off?
Instead, four small, angular ships surrounded the Lestrra. One landed, while the other three hovered about twenty feet off the ground. A small ramp extended from the ship on the ground and LeAuntiez emerged. He was dressed in formfitting body armor, like many of the Ventori, but a crimson cape flowed from his broad shoulders, billowing out behind him as he walked. Halfway down the ramp his wings unfurled, shooting out from beneath the cape. Jessica gasped. With a span of at least twenty feet, his wings seemed to shift and flow with iridescent color. The continual morphing made it impossible to determine their exact shape or texture, but one thing was apparent. They were not covered in feathers.
Rook met him in the space between the two ships. LeAuntiez was half a head taller than the Ventori, but Rook didn’t seem to care. He gestured angrily, determination hardening his features.
LeAuntiez listened to the tirade for only a moment, then batted Rook aside with one massive wing and continued his purposeful trek toward the Lestrra. Rook scrambled back to his feet and ran after the Celestian. Both males disappeared off the display. Apparently the part of the ship they entered wasn’t under surveillance.