“Why not?” he growled.
“Because that is almost as intimate as sex.” I lifted my chin.
Braxis grunted in concession. “I suppose it is. Very well—no blood-drinking. Do we have an agreement?”
“We do.”
Braxis grinned. “Care to seal it with a kiss?”
I rolled my eyes and he burst into laughter.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Come then.” Braxis held an arm out to me. “Let's resume our dinner.”
I warily took his arm. Braxis grinned as if he'd already won. He led me from the suite, glancing at me often as we strode through the corridors to the recreation room. A rec room on a spacecraft is an extraordinary thing. Or at least the ones I'd seen so far had been. Malik's old ship had a rec room with an area for dining, a natural rock swimming pool, spaces for athletic games or working out, and a lounging section before a massive viewing panel. The panel could be set to be clear and give a view of what lay beyond or turned into a giant screen that displayed celestial images. The latter was employed when the ship was moving and there would be little to see outside beyond blurred light. Currently, images of galaxies shuffled across the giant screen, reminding me of my journey to Hell, when Malik and I had made love on one of the loungers below images of outer space. I swallowed roughly and looked away.
Playing mind games with Braxis while my loved ones worried and the fate of Danu hung by a thread was the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever done. But I knew I had to do this if I ever wanted to see them again. So, I demurely let Braxis lead me to a table and patiently sat there while he went to get us another tray of food. Braxis had fled Hell with only his closest warriors and his pet witch so I wasn't surprised that there were no servers to wait on us. There were only warriors—big, muscular men who stared at me as if they were envisioning the ways their chief was making me pay for what I'd done to their friends. Envisioning and relishing. Yes, I was on my own—not a single sympathetic face in the lot.
Perhaps this was why some prisoners fell for their captors. With no one on your side, you tend to reach for any kindness handed to you and if that kindness happens to come from your captor, it doesn't change the fact that it's all you've got. But I wouldn't be clinging to Braxis for his kindness, if he even showed me any. I was made of stronger stuff than that. No, if I clung to him it would be part of my plan.
Braxis laid a tray down on the table and took the seat beside me instead of across. It made me uncomfortable and he spotted that immediately. So he leaned closer.
“I brought you more wine since you seemed to enjoy it.” He poured me a new glass with one arm resting on the back of my chair, curving possessively around me. “We've traded our services for supplies on the planets we've passed. One of the payments included a few barrels of wine.”
“Services?” I asked before taking a fortifying sip.
“Mercenary work.” He shrugged before setting a plate in front of me.
“Is that how you met Gregory?”
“It led to our meeting, though I didn't meet him initially.”
I tried not to show my surprise. He was insinuating that Gregory had a coconspirator. I shouldn't have been shocked. Gregory had been a prince of the Host, he must have made friends during his career and there was bound to be people who shared his traitorous beliefs. I suppose I was surprised that his friends would support him even after he was so publicly condemned. Or maybe I was simply surprised that such a murdering bastard could have friends at all.
Braxis leaned out to the side so he could see my face better. “You're upset but I don't believe it's about Gregory betraying the Triari.”
I blinked, surprised again but this time it was about Braxis himself. Who knew he could be insightful? “Gregory and I have a history and it's not a good one.”
“What has he done to you?” Braxis' voice went low.
I made a derisive sound. “What? Worried that someone else might have tortured me first?”
Braxis narrowed his eyes at me. “Tell me what he did, Amara.”
“I don't want to talk about it, Braxis. Especially not with you. Let it be.” I started eating.
Braxis pushed my plate away and turned in his seat to face me. “Tell me... please.”
I clenched my jaw and glared at him mutinously before finally admitting, “He was one of the men who murdered my parents.”
“Gregory murdered your parents?” Braxis asked as if this made no sense.
I sighed deeply and sat back, not even caring that this brought me into contact with his hand, which was still perched on the back of my chair and immediately flattened against my back. “My father created an elixir that was supposed to allow the Triari to settle an inhospitable planet. It was meant to rapidly heal any damage that the planet's environment caused and it worked exceptionally well.”
“How well?”
“Too well.” I met his stare.
