“What does your roommate have to do with choosing a mate?” His tone was light and teasing, but his gaze sharpened, becoming even more penetrating.
“We promised each other that it was all or nothing. Either we go through this together or we both go home.”
He nodded, acknowledging the statement, but he didn’t comment on the arrangement. Instead, he asked, “Has Sedrik contacted you?”
She tore her gaze away from his and started walking along one of the meandering paths. She didn’t care where it led, she just had to move, had to have a change of scenery. “He sent a couple of messages. I didn’t answer them either.”
He matched her step for step, remaining at her side. “I’ve heard that the orientation is thorough. Do you fully understand what is expected of you?”
“I have three months to decide which of my genetic matches I’ll allow to claim me.” She was reciting what she’d been told without applying the concept to her life. This was a mission, part of her cover story. She’d go through the motions until she found an opportunity to meet her objectives. Then one of the Outcasts would bio-stream her to his ship and Dakar would never see her again. She refused to look at him, didn’t want to think about him.
The thought made her want to laugh. She’d thought of little else since she met him. With nothing to occupy her time, she’d imagined all sorts of situations involving the handsome enforcer. And each and every one compromised her mission.
“Three months isn’t a lot of time to make a decision that lasts a lifetime. How long do you intend to wait before interacting with us?”
“However long it takes. If Kelsey isn’t approved, the rest is pointless. I’m not doing this alone.”
His large, warm hand lightly touched her elbow, drawing her to a stop. “You’re not alone, Alyssa. I understand that this is frightening, but you’re making it harder than it has to be. Indigo is worried about you and so am I.”
She glanced at him then away. “When did you talk to Indigo?”
“Last night at dinner. I’ve known her mate for years. We frequently socialize. You like Indigo, don’t you?”
Remembering the lively instructor made her smile. “I suspect most everyone likes Indigo. She’s got one of those personalities that’s hard to resist.”
“And I can introduce you to Lexie. She’s mated with my middle brother, Kaden. She’s from Colorado as well, a town not far from yours.”
She eased her arm away from his hand and started walking again. He was too damn handsome for her peace of mind, so she tried not to look at him. “How do you know where I’m from? Were you given a dossier on me?”
“It’s only fair. Shouldn’t the compatible males know as much about their potential mates as the females know about the males?” He allowed her some space, but matched her strides, preventing her complete withdrawal.
“I haven’t read the information on you or Sedrik. Your lives are none of my business if I decide not to stay.”
“Oh, I think one or the other of us can convince you to stay, even if Kelsey is disqualified.”
The sexy confidence in his tone sent another shiver down her spine. She didn’t want to like him, needed to remain distant, detached. Again, he wasn’t making it easy to remember her role. “Does Sedrik know you’re here? He mentioned being older in one of his messages, made it sound like that gives him the right to court me first.”
“I thought you didn’t read our messages?”
The challenge in his tone made her look at him. Big mistake. His eyes alone had the power to scramble her thoughts. Combine that with his rugged features and muscular body, and all she wanted to do was touch and taste, damn the consequences.
“I never said I didn’t read them. I said I didn’t respond.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth, narrowed, then returned to her eyes. “My men found something yesterday. I’d like you to see it. Will you spend some time with me?” He held out his hand, a faint smile curving his lips.
She glanced back at the guards flanking the main entrance to village one. “I don’t think we should be alone together. It’s not a good idea.”
“I’ll be a perfect gentleman. I promise.”
Dakar nearly choked on the words. His thoughts were anything but gentlemanly at the moment. Every instinct he had demanded that he touch her, taste her, claim her. But he had to move slowly, win her by degrees. Alyssa was human, and humans didn’t mate for life. They flited and fluttered from one lover to the next without forming lasting attachments to any of them.
Just the thought of anyone else touching Alyssa filled him with rage. According to her dossier, she described her sexual experience as limited. But she refused to answer any of the more specific questions. That was all right. He’d shared pleasure before, so it was unfair to expect her to be untouched. Besides, her past was irrelevant. She was here now and that was all that mattered.
She would belong to him or his brother. He hoped she’d choose him, intended to do everything in his power to make sure he was the one she selected, but Sedrik was an acceptable alternative. Sedrik was the only acceptable alternative.
She ignored his outstretched hand but graced him with a smile. “If you misbehave in any way, I’ll never trust you again.”
“Agreed.” He motioned to their left and they started walking again.
With light blonde hair and pale blue eyes, she was everything Rodyte females were not. Her head barely reached his chin and her delicate features had a childlike purity. And her skin. He’d never seen skin so smooth and creamy. He was anxious to see the rest of her.
Bowing to Rodyte customs, she wore a white blouse and calf-length skirt. Flat-heeled boots adorned her feet and a wide belt accented her waist. The skirt was full, swirling around her legs with each purposeful stride. He clasped his hands behind his back, determined not to lay a hand on her again until she was comfortable enough to enjoy his touch.
“Which city does she live in?”
It took him a moment to make sense of the question. “Lexie?”
“Yes. You said she’s from Colorado.”
“She’s from Fort Collins. I looked it up on Google maps and it appears—”
“Google maps?” She looked at him, a bright smile animating her face. “Rodytes use our internet?”
“Our central database assimilated all of the digital information on Earth within hours of our arrival.” Curiosity flickered within her ice-blue eyes. “Are you interested in computers?” Her dossier listed her occupation as IT professional. He hadn’t been familiar with the title.
“Guilty.” She glanced away, apparently embarrassed by the admission. “Computers are my life. I’m part of a team that manages one of the largest data farms in the world.” She looked at him then averted her gaze. Why did she keep doing that? “Do you know what a data farm is?”
Something in the question made him pause. He’d spent the majority of his life in code enforcement. He knew a verbal lure when he heard one. Rather than redirect the conversation, he watched her closely as he answered. “A data farm is the human equivalent of our crystal array.”
Her gaze snapped back to his and her expression darkened, filling with secrets. “Indigo mentioned your crystal technology. I’d love to learn more about it. Is there any way I could see the crystal array? It would be like taking a sugar junkie to a candy store.”
On the surface her interest seemed innocent. So why were his instincts pulsing like a persistent alarm? “I have something else in mind for tonight. I’ll have to get permission to take you into any of the secured areas, so it’s not an option right now.”
“All right.”
They’d left the residential area and entered the commercial district. Automated factories and warehouses spread out to either side of the railed walkway. A transport-bot zipped past, pulling a large trailer stacked high with crates and boxes. He thought she’d let the subject drop and focus on the present, but she asked another question instead.
“If you
guys can access our internet, why aren’t we allowed to videoconference or at least email our friends and loved ones?”
“I didn’t make the rules, but you agreed to them. The program leaders have gone out of their way to make sure you’re not surprised by any of this.”
“True, but it’s hard to be isolated from everyone I know and love. I’m completely cut off from my support system.”
Unable to ignore her distress, he reached over and gently took her hand. “I’m sorry you’re lonely. You might not feel quite so isolated if you didn’t keep yourself locked away from everyone.”
She gasped and snatched her hand back. “Are you spying on me?” She stopped walking and faced him, hands on her hips.
“Not in the way you mean. I stopped by yesterday to make sure everyone had settled in and had everything they need. One of the other females mentioned that you stay in your apartment and only come out long enough to grab a food tray, which you take back to your quarters with you.”
“Heather?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. “Of course it was Heather. She might be less bitchy with Chelsea gone, but she’s still a horrible gossip.” She shook her head, expression mutinous. “It’s no one’s business how I spend my time.”
“I disagree.” He waited until she looked at him again to explain. “She said you only emerge twice a day, which means you’re not receiving adequate nutrition. I don’t want my mate growing ill before I have a chance to court her.”
He wasn’t sure what she found amusing, but the statement made her laugh. “Your concern would be touching if your ultimate goal wasn’t to get me in bed.”
“My ultimate goal isn’t to get you in bed,” he stressed. “My ultimate goal is to claim you as my mate and spend the rest of my life proving that I am worthy of you.” Her eyes widened and her lips parted. Had he shocked her?
“You don’t even know me.” She sounded sad, as if she were longing for something she would never have. “How can a lifelong commitment be a consideration right now? It’s irrational.” Before he could reply, she hurried off down the path. She had no idea where they were going, but apparently she didn’t care.
He understood her reaction. She was frightened, confused by concepts that made no sense in the context of human norms. Already he was pushing too hard. With a frustrated sigh, he lengthened his stride and caught up to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. We’ll keep this light and casual. Tell me about your life on Earth. What’s involved in managing a data farm? Tell me about your friends and family. How did they react to your decision to join the transformation program?”
Tension melted from her expression and posture, but she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. Was she bothered by his appearance? He’d been told that humans found Rodytes attractive, so why… It was suddenly crystal clear. She was attracted to him, very attracted, and she was stubbornly resisting her body’s needs.
Desire cascaded through him, fueling his simmering passion. He desperately wanted to kiss her, to see if the pull would ignite inside her and burn away her fear. With Rodytes it was all but inevitable. If a couple was genetically compatible, they both felt the pull, at least to some degree. But everything was more complicated with humans.
It took her so long to speak that he gave up on hearing her answers.
“My job is largely routine.” Her pace slowed, becoming more of a stroll. “Things can get extremely hectic when something goes wrong, but we spend a lot of time paging through diagnostic screens.”
“Do you enjoy such a routine occupation?”
“There are still plenty of challenges, but I find balance in routine. It’s peaceful.”
He looked at her, enjoying the elegant curves and angles of her profile, but wishing she’d look at him. “And when you’re not at work? Is the rest of your life peaceful?”
She chuckled. “Anything but.”
“Do you have siblings? Are you close with your parents?”
“I’m an only child.” Her voice grew soft and nostalgic. “Mom died when I was young, so it was just me and Dad for many years.”
She’d said “for many years” not “now”, so he prompted, “And then?”
“Then came Julia, the simpering little gold digger who set her sights on Dad. She’s only six years older than me, but Dad can’t see beyond her surgically sculpted face and fake boobs.”
He tried to disguise his laugh as a cough, but her annoyed look warned him he’d failed. “Are they simply lovers or did your father marry this ambitious female?”
“He married her and parades her around like the trophy she is.” She shuddered then sighed. “I really did try to give her the benefit of a doubt. She makes Dad happy, well, as happy as my father ever gets, so I tried to be pleasant and find out more about her. The more I learned, the less I liked her. She’s obsessed with appearance and social standings. She went after my father like a predator and…enough about Julia. I moved out shortly after she moved in and we both pretend the other doesn’t exist.”
“Avoidance is a legitimate strategy.” They reached a fork in the path and he guided her to the right. “Every warrior knows battles must be evaluated and not all are worth the effort and possible loss of life.”
She looked up at him, eyes slightly narrowed. “Is every struggle you face a matter of life or death?”
“Of course not, but some are.” They’d almost reached their destination, so he kept moving, encouraging her to do the same.
“Do you think of yourself as a warrior? I thought you were a cop not a soldier.”
“My official position is in code enforcement, but I support the rebellion in any way I can.”
“That’s right. You’re on a first-name basis with the Nox brothers, and Sedrik is the first battle born general. You’re right in the thick of things.”
He didn’t understand the bitterness in her voice. Had her life lacked influential people or had she been manipulated by them? “Is your life so different from mine? If a ‘gold-digger’ was after your father, he must be a man of affluence and power.”
“Oh he is, which is why I’m leery of power brokers. They make decisions that affect thousands, sometimes millions, of people’s lives and yet they seldom stop to think about those people.”
“That’s not true with the rebellion. Garin Nox isn’t even battle born. He launched this rebellion on behalf of his brothers and at great risk to himself.”
“As I understand it, he was greatly rewarded for his efforts. Hasn’t he been elevated over all the other generals? I can’t remember the exact title.”
Garin’s promotion was recent and, to Dakar’s knowledge, the event was not part of orientation. Indigo was mated with Garin’s youngest brother. Had she mentioned it to Alyssa? It seemed unlikely. “How did you learn about Garin’s promotion?”
She shrugged, but her gaze darted away again. “One of the instructors told us. I don’t remember which one.” With obvious effort, she dragged her gaze back to him. “Did they break a rule or something? I didn’t mean to get them in trouble.”
He wanted to believe her, needed to know he could trust her. Unfortunately, he’d learned a long time ago to trust his instincts and his instincts told him she was lying.
They’d reached the access point to their destination, so he let the subject rest. He motioned toward the ladder attached to the wall of the cavern. “We’re going up there.” He pointed to the large panel in the floor of the room suspended above their heads.
“What’s up there?” She looked up with the most adorable combination of curiosity and uncertainty.
“Climb the ladder and find out.”
She spread her skirt. “I’m not really dressed for climbing.”
“There’s no one around, and I promise not to look. Perfect gentleman here, remember?”
After another moment of hesitation, she turned to the ladder and climbed. He stayed politely back from her as he ascended, but her palm didn’t trigger the access panel. “I’m going to c
limb up behind you, so don’t panic. I’ll keep my hands on the ladder.”
He continued upward until his boots were one rung down from hers. She hugged the ladder as much as possible, but his entire front pressed against her back. “I won’t hurt you, Alyssa. Relax.”
She nodded, but her shoulders remained tense and her back arrow-straight. Her soft hair brushed his face as he reached for the security pad and her scent filled his nose. Gods she smelled good. He turned his face toward her and inhaled deeply as he waited for the panel to open.
It only took a second or two, but he felt as if time stood still. Her warmth and softness, her intoxicating scent, everything about her called to him. Unable to fight the impulse any longer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her more securely against his body.
She gasped and scurried up the ladder, rubbing her back, butt and thighs against his face as she went. For just an instant, the scent of her arousal reached his nose. Lust flamed within him and his hands clutched the side rails of the ladder. She was not nearly as indifferent as she pretended. He smiled at the irony. Her reaction had put them in a more intimate position than he’d intended. And he wanted more of that evocative smell!
He climbed up and closed the access panel before straightening and looking at her. She had her arms crossed in front of her and her eyes were wide with uncertainty. “I shouldn’t have touched you. I apologize.”
She started to say something then shook her head and looked around. “What is this place?”
Overhead lighting had activated as they entered the room. “It’s an observatory of sorts.”
“Not much to observe.” She motioned toward the cavern walls surrounding them on three sides. The ceiling was the same ragged stone, and there was only one large piece of equipment in the center of the room. “What is that?” The device was larger at the bottom and extended all the way to the ceiling, becoming progressively narrower.
Enforcer (Battle Born Book 11) Page 6