“Yes, it’s a can filled with liquid that you spray into someone’s eyes if they are attacking you.It burns and makes it harder for them to see.”
Vaxa’an frowned.“And then what?What happens to the enemy?Is that all you do to punish them?”
“It depends how serious the attack is, I suppose,” she murmured, her ‘eyebrows’ dropping a bit in a puzzled expression.“What would your people do against an attacker?”
“An attack against a female?They are executed.”
“What?” she whispered.
“A forced mating or physical attack against a female is the worst crime on Luxiria.We do not tolerate those males in our society, so we execute them.It is simple.”
She went silent, processing what he was telling her.He wanted her to feel safe on Luxiria.No male would dare harm her.Luxirians celebrated females.They gave life.Without females, there would be no Luxiria, a truth that had been plaguing their race since the Jetutian attack.
“Where I’m from,” she said, “it’s not as simple as that, though perhaps it should be.Some rapists are never charged, some go to prison and then get let out shortly after.”
Vaxa’an recoiled, surely not hearing her correctly.“They force themselves on females and then get to assimilate back into society?”
“Yes.”
Rage built up in Vaxa’an’s chest.His female wouldneverreturn to her planet.Not when these ‘rapists’ were roaming free.
“Vaxa?” she asked, running her palm down his chest.“Are you alright?”
“No,” he bit out, wondering how she could be so calm about this.It went against everything a Luxirian stood for and she didn’t even seem affected by it.
“That upsets you a lot?” she asked.
“Tev,” he hissed, body tensing, making her sit up on her elbow to see him better.“Females should not be treated like that.”
Kate went silent.She regarded him, looking like she was on the verge of saying something but holding her tongue.
“What is it?” he asked. He could read his female much more easily now than when he’d first met her.Her human expressions were becoming as familiar to him as Luxirian ones.
“In a weird way, Ilikethat you’re upset about it,” she said quietly, slowly.“I am, because it shows that you respect women.”
Vaxa’an sensed that there was more and he waited patiently, letting her take her time to form her thoughts.
“But,” she started, “what about the place that you took me from?”
“The Pit?” Vaxa’an grunted, his lips drawing into a deep frown.
“The Pit,” she whispered.“There were all those women there.We were all frightened.I woke up naked and chained and I didn’t understand what was happening.And then we were led into that arena…and the girl next to me said that we were to be won as—as sex slaves!”
Vaxa’an’s fist clenched against her hip, discomfort burning in his chest.
“If Luxirians are so against violence against women…why were you there?” Kate asked softly, her green eyes holding his.“I was lucky that you picked me, I realize that now…because you didn’t force me into any sexual situations that I didn’t want.But I can’t help but wonder what happened to the other women.The other aliens most likely aren’t as honorable as Luxirians.You can’t tell me that the thought hasn’t crossed your mind.”
Vaxa’an closed his eyes, his mind clouding with turmoil.Of course, he’d thought about it but he was ashamed to admit that he hadn’t so much as looked at the other females being offered that span.He hadn’t seen the expressions of fear on their faces because the moment that his eyes had connected with his Kat…he’d thought of nothing else except claiming her.And once he had, all he’d wanted was to get her safely home, back to Luxiria.
“I did not act honorably that day,” he admitted to her.“When we journeyed to the Pit, I was there for one purpose only.To find a Breeder.”He’d explained the concept of Breeders to her the previous span, so he knew that she understood what it meant.“My species is slowly dying out.After the attack, we waited, conducting research on our own females to see if anything could be done for them.But the tests were inconclusive and time consuming.Last lunar cycle, I brought the council together and we all agreed that there was only one way forward…to breed with a compatible species.As Prime Leader, I needed to set an example for our people.”
“But why the Pit?” she asked.
“It was the quickest and easiest way.It was not a far distance to travel, and I would have a greater chance of my Instinct choosing a compatible Breeder.I did not know that only human females were being offered.”
“Would you have gone had you known?” she asked, looking down at his chest.
He huffed out a breath, wanting to be honest with his mate.“No.”Kate sucked in a small breath and he ran his fingers down her spine, trying to calm her.“We knew little of humans.We were told they were a…fragile species, so no, we did not think there would be compatibility.But my Instinct proved me wrong.It knew.”
