by Avery Rae
The combination of his unexpected honesty and the richness of his voice stoked a faint heat in the pit of my stomach. It was unfair such cruel people got to be so alluring. Although, it hadn't been much of an issue until him. Perhaps it was because Rylos, for all his wrongs, actually spoke to me like I was a sentient being. I'd grown so used to being treated like a rock that talking to him was almost addicting. He had an unfair advantage due to my captivity.
"So what is your purpose then?" I asked. "Why bring me into a dark room, where you can see me, but I can't see you?"
"You can't see me, no, but you can touch me."
"Touch you, huh?" I let out a long sigh. All of my semi-kind thoughts about him from seconds ago were already flitting away.
"Not like that, unless you wish—"
"I don't."
Another rich laugh came from him, this one sending a jolt all the way down to my lower back. I inhaled sharply, willing my body to get itself under control.
"The game I want to play," he said in a low voice, "is one of trust."
"You want me to trust you?"
"Yes. I want to take you somewhere, but I need you to trust me."
"Somewhere? Good. I love ambiguity," I replied, voice thick with sarcasm.
Rylos was a fool to think he could build trust with me, or whatever it was he thought he was doing. I would betray him the moment I saw a way out. The Korysti got no loyalty from me now, and they never would. They had that chance when we landed here. They made their choice and it was the worst one.
"Will you play with me?" he whispered from the darkness.
I swallowed thickly. "Fine."
Rylos moved closer. My pulse picked up speed. There was a quiet rustling in the darkness. A second later, I felt him wrap something around my head. I jerked and he stilled me.
"What're you doing?" I asked.
"Trust me."
"Easier said than done."
But I did just that. He placed a strip of fabric over my eyes and knotted it behind my head.
"Now, take my arm," he said.
"You're being very dramatic right now. I want you to know that."
I blindly reached out for him. He took hold of my lower arm then slowly trailed his hand down to mine, brushing his fingers over my palm before taking my hand in his. I slid my lower lip between my teeth and looked aside.
"Tell me, are all humans as forthright as you?"
"Why don't you ask your researchers who treated us like lab rats?"
"I'd rather speak with you."
I faltered in place. Did he really mean that? Better yet, why did I care?
He gave my hand a gentle tug. "Come, pet."
I frowned. It seemed as if the moment I started to find something reasonable about him, Rylos would rip the rug out from under my feet. If he was trying to keep me off-kilter, he was doing a phenomenal job. He seemed good at figuring just what to do to keep me in the game. And I didn't even know what game I was playing. Not now, not ever.
For example, as much as I wanted to jerk my hand away from him, I also wanted to see whatever this mysterious thing was. It was better than being alone, right? So I let him lead me through the darkness. We didn't walk for long before I heard a door slide open. Rylos let go of my hand and took me by the waist, steering me somewhere.
"Are you ready, pet?"
Unable to see, I focused hard on his voice and the rich tones made my skin tingle. So unfair.
"Thrill me," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite my excitement.
"That's my intent."
Rylos undid my blindfold. I was standing in a doorway, the inside of the room blocked by his tall form. It was the library, from what I could tell. But it was bright, and filled with color. Not just pink, purple, and blue—there were yellows and oranges.
"What's going on in there?"
"A small gift for you."
He gave me a fleeting smile before stepping aside. The moment I saw inside the room, I covered my mouth to stifle a gasp. Home.
The library had been converted to look like my solar system. Holographic projections of each planet filled the room. As if compelled, I strode inside straight toward that big blue rock I hadn't seen in over ten years. I reached out to touch it and my fingers slipped through the hologram.
"How?" I asked in disbelief.
"The Korysti deal in information and technology." His smile, already faint, faded completely. "It's why our researchers spent so much questioning you and learning your language. Our knowledge of the universe has made us very wealthy for such a small planet."
"Good to know you guys got so much out of our misfortune." I winced, feeling strangely wrong for having said such a thing. At least at a time like this. I tried not to think about it too long.
"That was never our intent. But we were hurt."
"Rylos . . ."
I shook my head. It wasn't worth it. I was a broken record and he'd long since plugged his ears to drown out the noise. If he couldn't admit their wrongs, then fine. I wasn't going to change his mind.
I wasn't going to let that ruin this moment. This was the closest I'd been to home in so long. I missed it so much it hurt to look for too long. I tore myself away and walked toward the sun with a small, sad smile. I thought of all the times I'd complained about the heat in my last years on Earth. Now . . .?
"I miss feeling the sun on my skin." I held my hands out to the large star as if it was a fire that could warm my palms.
Rylos stood beside me, staring at the hologram. "I've been to a planet with a sun not unlike yours before. It was unbearable at first, but I grew fond of it."
"That sounds about right," I replied with a soft smile. A smile that faded more the longer I looked at him. "Why did you do all of this?"
His eyes flicked down to mine. "I told you. Trust."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"I don't believe I do."
I furrowed my brow and began to slowly walk through the solar system, circling each planet, trailing my fingers through their vivid projections. Rylos stood in front of the sun, watching me like he often did. Silent and slightly unnerving.
"I understand you wanting to make me earn your trust. That makes sense, considering my record." I paused behind Venus, peeking out from behind the cloud-covered planet to meet his eyes. "What I don't understand is . . . why are you so worried about me trusting you?"
Rylos didn't answer right away. He disappeared behind Mercury. I unconsciously held my breath, waiting for him to appear again. A tingle made its way down my spine as I felt him move behind me.
He touched a hand to my side, featherlight. "It's just important you trust me."
"Why?" I asked without turning around. I was fishing for something but I wasn't sure what. I just knew there had to be something more behind the way he treated me. His words and actions were inconsistent. They didn't match up. But mine didn't either, did they? Why?
"I don't know," he replied. I knew he wasn't lying. I heard my same confusion in his voice.
As we stood there beside the projection of Venus, silence drifting between us, Rylos moved closer. His hand at my waist moved to my stomach, slow and tentative, giving me every chance to push him away. I didn't want to.
I touched his hand and looked down at his light purple skin, a beautiful contrast to the dark olive of mine. With tentative movements, he pulled me back against his hard chest. I rested my head against him, my wildly pounding heart the only thing giving away how unsure I was. What're we doing? Why are we doing this?
That wasn't a question I could answer despite my mind's desperate attempt to make up an excuse. Maybe it was the planets and stars shining all around us. Maybe it just felt right in the moment. I wasn't sure. All I knew was that I wanted this and it frustrated me that I did. Because I shouldn't.
I tilted my head back and he was there, tentatively touching his lips to mine. It wasn't enough. I turned in his arms, took his face in my hands, and pulled him down for a biting kis
s. Confusion and frustration powered each movement of my lips against his.
Rylos responded in kind, hooking an arm behind my back and jerking me in closer. I was too lost in our frenzied kiss to notice that he'd lowered us to the floor, our lips never parting for longer than a quick breath of air.
As he leaned over me, a hand worked its way beneath the scant fabric of my clothes, pushing it aside. The chill of the cool air that flowed over my exposed chest was soon masked by the warmth of his hand. I arched into his touch with a moan and something feral roared out from inside Rylos.
He tore his lips from mine and pressed a smattering of hard, fast kisses along my jaw and neck, moving to my chest. The last of my clothes were gone in the blink of an eye and his hands were everywhere, touching, exploring. Seeking me out in ways that left me a mess, writhing against the floor, desperate for more. So he gave it to me.
Rylos moved down my body, trailing frantic kisses as he went, then sank his face between my thighs. Everything about this moment was fast and hard—as if a moment's thought would tear it all down. There was no time for words or questions. Not that I even had the chance. His mouth and hands robbed me of my ability to think. All I could focus on was how good he made me feel, the way he could make my hips buck with a simple swirl of his tongue.
I moaned as I locked my legs behind his neck, a hand sinking into his dark hair, urging him closer. Faster. Something. Anything. I was so close to the edge that it was all I could think about. He dug his fingers into my lower back and lifted me to him, finding an angle so perfect that I plunged my other hand into his hair and pressed him even closer.
"Rylos," I cried out, my voice nothing more than a hoarse gasp.
Another swirl of his tongue and I was lost to the world. My body tensed. My back arched. My eyes slammed shut. As waves of heat crashed through my body, Rylos held me tight, coaxing everything out of me that I had left.
When my hips stopped bucking, Rylos carefully lowered me back down to the floor. He pressed small, light kisses to my inner thighs that made my shattered, spent nerves tremble.
Before I had even fully recovered, Rylos had me dressed and pulled me to my feet. Still somewhat delirious, I gave him a confused look. He could barely meet my eyes. I furrowed my brow, tilting my head to the side in an effort to get a better look at him.
"Rylos?"
"You should go to bed," he murmured.
He still wasn't looking at me. There was something painfully conflicted about his expression. Like he'd done something wrong. Or maybe it was regret? I couldn't be sure. It wasn't like he would tell me if I asked. So I turned and left.
Heavy pangs of guilt slammed into me all at once the moment I was in the hallway. I'd succumbed to a Korysti while my fellow humans were out there suffering. Something inside me tried to revolt at the thought that it was just a Korysti. It was Rylos.
But that didn't make it okay, did it? No. I hugged myself as I walked back to my room with dragging steps. When did it become okay because it was Rylos? Was it before or after he made me cry out his name on the floor of that library? All I knew for sure was that I didn't have the answers.
8
I'd tossed and turned all night, confused about everything. I told myself I only let Rylos have me because I missed having that connection with someone, but surely a Korysti—a Korysti who paid to have me—wasn't the answer?
That one made me laugh in a hollow sort of way. I kept on coming back to that reasoning like it meant something to me. Did it, though? Did I really care that he'd bought me, or was it an easy excuse to dismiss these strange feelings? Unsurprisingly, I didn't find the answer before I slipped into a fitful sleep.
The next morning, I was rudely awoken by the sound of Solyndi and Kastia bursting through my door, shouting back and forth. They didn't sound angry. They were panicked. I sat up in bed, rubbing at my bleary eyes. The two of them were speaking so quickly I couldn't even begin to process what they were saying. I wasn't even sure my translation discs could keep up.
"What's going on with you two?" I asked, covering one ear to dampen their echoing yells.
Kastia rushed to my bedside and slammed my breakfast tray down in a panic, "Governor Solys is coming to dinner. Tonight."
I blinked at her. "Are you screaming because it's a bad thing, or a good thing?"
"Both!"
"He's our governor," Solyndi said in an increasingly shrill voice. "Rylos gave us very little warning and we don't have nearly enough time to get everything ready and—and—"
"Stop talking!" Kastia shouted. "And you," she pointed at me, "start eating so we can get you dressed!"
I slid out of bed with a stretch. "Why not skip dressing me this morning and let me help?"
Kastia looked horrified. "We couldn't."
"Yeah, you can. I can't stomach another day of sitting around. Consider it a favor."
They shared a look, a silent conversation taking place between them.
Finally, Solyndi made a shrill, frustrated noise and said, "We really need the help, Kastia."
"Time's wasting away," I said in a sing-song voice.
Kastia exhaled loudly. "Fine, fine. Let's get started."
"Wait, do I get one of those maid dresses?" I eyed the A-line dresses that I'd been envious of since I first arrived here. They had enough fabric to make a good five or six of the outfits I've worn so far.
Solyndi looked down at her dress. "You want to wear one of these? Humans are so weird. You get to wear some of the most luxurious, expensive clothing on Korystus and you want to wear a maid's uniform."
"I most certainly do."
The day flew by as I helped Kastia and Solyndi clean up the house. It wasn't exactly messy to begin with. It felt like I was cleaning things that were already clean, but it was still nice to do something different for once.
As I worked, I meant to take note of all the possible exits or places to hide that could come in handy, but at some point, I just sort of . . . stopped. I was kind of enjoying myself. Was that so wrong after being locked up somewhere worse than here for a year? Hadn't I done my time for failing my people? I could take my time getting out of here. It wasn't like I could find the right diplomat or merchant ship to hop onto overnight.
I was carrying the last of the dishes into the dining room when I heard the front door open and shut. I craned to look out the open doorway to the foyer and saw Rylos in his bare-chested outfit. Work clothes, he called them. I quickly looked away when I felt my eyes lingering for too long. It was too awkward after the night before. It seemed to be the same for Rylos. He turned away, about to undoubtedly head to his room, when he suddenly stopped and faced me again.
"What're you wearing that for?"
"I'm playing maid today." I set the dishes down and gave him a mock curtsy that only seemed to confuse him further. "Welcome home, Senator."
The awkwardness in the air seemed to clear for a moment as a smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he walked toward me. He looked so unbelievably good as he did it. The iridescent, lightly glowing fabric tied around his waist accented the pale purple of his skin beautifully. Every time my eyes drifted to his lips or hands, I couldn't help but think about the night before.
When he came to a stop in front of me, my heart skipped a beat before flitting around wildly. He smelled wonderful. A soft floral scent. It was different from the woodsy, musky scents human men wore, but . . . it worked for him. I had the strongest urge to press my face to his warm chest and inhale, never mind how creepy that would be.
"Is this a protest? You're going to dress like a maid until I get you clothes you prefer?"
"That's not a bad idea, but I was actually helping Kastia and Solyndi prepare for tonight."
"That's very kind of you." Rylos's eyes were trailing downward, following the outline created by the snug fabric against my chest and waist. When they reached the flare of the skirt, he touched the fabric, giving it a little tug. "I could get used to this, pet."
I pla
ced a hand on my hip. "You're setting yourself up for disappointment then."
His smile grew as he brushed a stray lock of hair from my face. "Ah, yes, I nearly forgot. You plan on escaping from me at some point, don't you? How's that coming along?"
"Who's to say I don't already have a plan in place?"
The tips of his fingers found their way to the side of my face and a faint tremble worked its way through me. I couldn't help it. The way he touched me was unlike anything I'd experienced before. It was almost as if he was memorizing me. The gentle touches here and there. It was far more intoxicating than it had any right to be.
"Is it truly so bad here?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"How do you imagine you'd feel in my position?"
"Grateful."
"You keep on saying that like it means something." I brought my hand up to his and pressed my palm to the back of his hand. "Why should I be grateful? Even if you're kind to me . . . you bought me, Rylos."
I looked down. There I was, saying that again. Like it really meant something to me. As if he hadn't shown me nothing but kindness and . . . something more. Something I couldn't explain. When I brought my eyes back to his, I noticed that conflict from the night before was warring for the dominant position on his face.
"There's something I need to tell you," he said slowly.
"What's that?"
He looked away and said something so softly in reply that I didn't catch it.
"What did you say?"
His eyes shot back to mine, those pools of silver dimming ever so slightly. "I didn't buy you."
"You don't expect me to believe that, do you? They just handed me over, did they? I know how much my friends were sold for, so don't—"
"They were going to euthanize you, Marion."
I couldn't have masked the horror in my expression even if I wanted to. I tore my hand away from his and took several steps back. "They were going to kill me? That's what your people do to fellow sentient beings?"
The worst part was that it didn't surprise me. I could see the Korysti doing something like that. And I had let one have me. I let him coax his name from my lips with his tongue. My stomach revolted, churning more with each thought. How did I let myself be so manipulated? When did I get this lost?