She stops before she reaches me and tilts her chin up so she can stare at me. “You are an asshole.”
The device in my ear translates her words, but I am not sure it is correct. “Everyone needs to shit.”
Her glare sharpens. “It means you are arrogant and cruel. Did you understand that?”
All I have left is arrogance and cruelty. They have kept me safe and stopped me from growing close to anyone. Orik is young and foolish. No passing affection with another banished warrior will last. The banished die alone.
I have known that my entire life, but tried to escape my fate once. Since then, I have resigned myself to the solitude. But the rut, once experienced, never leaves and around her I am aware of the waking heat in my blood. When she sleeps, I will tend to myself and hope the release by my hand is enough.
“I understand.” I do not want her to see me as mean.
“Sabine will be furious if she finds out you have mistreated us.” She presses her lips together in a tight smile. Now who appears cruel?
“You would put your friend between warriors and yourself?”
“She’s not my friend. Not anymore. It’s her fault the colonygaveus to you. If she hadn’t—”
“What? Chosen the life she wants? You would deny her happiness? Her choice of mate?” I lean in close. Her heartbeat is rapid, and the scent of her sweat makes my meq harden. It rubs against the fabric of my pants, and I want nothing more than for her to take another step and press against me. “That is arrogance, Mia.”
“I don’t want to be here!” her voice bounces off the trees.
“You won’t be if you keep shouting. Something will hunt you and eat you.”
She pales. “You wouldn’t let that happen.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
Her tongue darts over her lip as she considers my words.
“You need me for protection.” In truth, any warrior will do. It doesn’t have to be me, and when she works out that I need her more than she needs me, I will have no chance of going home. Without a woman, I dare not return. I will be killed. “Orik has found a place to rest. Would you like to continue walking, or remain here and call me names that serve no purpose?”
She stares up at me, then rocks back. “I can call you names when I’m wrapped up in a blanket.”
“Yes, you can.”
Her eyes narrow and I know she is plotting some kind of revenge. “If I agree to be your fake mate, then you would have to treat me like one.”
“I would.” I nod. “And you would have to share your blanket with me.”
She blinks and steps back as though the thought hadn’t occurred to her, but she can’t go far because I’m holding a loop of rope, keeping her close.
“So are we fake mates or not?”
2
Mia
Idon’t want to be his fake anything. Except fake captive. Because that’s what I am. Even though no one is calling it that, I am his prisoner. That’s what we all are. The aliens snatched us out of the clearing when that screaming monster attacked and since then we have been at their mercy.
Sure, they claim they value women because in their tribes, men outnumber women three to one, which is why the fourth born sons are banished. Why Sunif, and the men he calls brothers, were banished.
But he is different from the others. He is older, I think. He’s definitely a lot harder, and while Edilk may have been the smiling leader, if things turn sour it is Sunif they look to. Or perhaps Sunif is the real leader and Edilk is the public face because he appears friendlier?
Either way, those two are close. That may be the only leverage I have with him, even though I don’t know how to use it yet.
In my mind I curse Sabine for dragging us all on this adventure. I wasn’t aware she was a colony dissenter. That she hated the role she’d been given. I know she didn’t like the man the colony had selected to father two of her children, but that’s the way it needs to be. They need to track bloodlines and family for a few generations until there are more of us, or another ship arrives. The colony leaders want what’s best for all of us. They want the colony to succeed and for that to happen, there have to be rules and requirements.
I never wanted to leave the damn ship. It was safe there.
