Maya had never had to explain her situation to anyone, human or Tallean, before, since so many living at Reka 5 shared a similar past. She tried to find the simplest way to say it.
“I’m a human from Earth, and I was taken by the Dominion as a slave along with hundreds of others that day. I was lucky, and we were freed during our trip and dropped off at Reka 5. I’ve been there for a few years.”
Ranek looks pensive. “So the Dominion has found another source of free labor.”
She laughed. “Hell no! We gave some so much grief that they had to try breeding us to be more docile. By the time I got to Reka 5, there were already plenty of established humans there. Do you really not remember anything?”
“Some of my memory has returned.”
Maya paused in her perusal of the map. Did that mean he remembered his old mate?
“I remember that I have a brother. He is very intelligent. More so than me. His name is Vasek. And I must be honest, I also remember that I worked for the Dominion, but not anymore.” Ranek looked worried, like he thought she might hold it against him.
“If you think I’m going to hold it against you, I’m not. There have been plenty of Talleans who switched sides and started fighting for the other planets in recent years. Did you know Ulrek the Horrible is on our side now?”
The outraged look Ranek sent her almost had her laughing.
“Ulrek? Are we speaking of the same male?”
“Highly decorated Dominion captain? Kind of an asshole. Did some shady business with Kean, the Euphora dealer.”
Ranek stilled as he took in the information, then he stumbled back a step and sat down in a chair. His face was sheet-white, a difficult thing considering his rich complexion.
“Are you okay?”
“No,” he said, his voice shaking. “I am not. I am missing many years of memories. I know Kean and Ulrek personally. We’d thought Kean was lost after a pirate attack, but then he resurfaced, and there was talk of him making Euphora in the outer planets. I thought perhaps I had come out here to join his new venture, but…”
“It’s not a new venture anymore. He basically rules Vosthea now.”
“Vosthea? But the Dominion rules that.”
“Not for years.”
“Fuck!” His hands went to his head. “And Ulrek?”
“I don’t know much about him, just that he started freeing human slaves and sending them to Reka 5. I was part of the last run he did for the Dominion. And that was even before Kean took over Vosthea.” Maya decided that was all she’d say. Ranek was obviously distressed with his lack of memory.
She approached him instead, offering comfort. He pulled her into his lap, and she let him hold her.
When he finally spoke again, his voice sounded strange in the stillness. “I remember something else.”
“What?”
He hesitated.
“It’s okay, you can tell me.”
“I do not know if you already know.”
Had he remembered his old mate? If he did, he did not change the way he touched and held her.
“Tell me,” she urged.
“The males in my line are cursed.”
Well, okay. That was new.
“Your body language tells me that I have not told you.” His body felt tense against hers, and he took in a ragged breath before he said, “There has not been a happy mating in generations. They say it’s bad luck, but some call it a curse.” His arms tightened around her like he was afraid she’d run.
