My female gasped when I abruptly turned toward her, gripping her arm roughly and pulling her toward me. My lips curved in satisfaction.
I thought she would struggle when I pulled her over to my chair and pushed her to her knees, but she knelt willingly enough and I gripped her delicate shoulder as I wrapped the chain around her wrists and the metal.
I leaned close, invading her space, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear. “Cooperate with me, give me valuable information, and I may let them live.” She shivered, her breathing becoming ragged. Good.
The female was the leader, that was clear by how the others deferred to her, how she tried to protect them. If any of these three had information, it would be her.
I took my seat and powered up the ship, putting in the coordinates. It would fly itself back home.
“Is this your home planet?”
I tilted my head down to see the female. “Do not pretend ignorance, human.”
She blew out a heavy breath, lips pursing. After a pause, she seemed to rein in her irritation and when she spoke her voice was soft, reasonable. “If you won’t believe anything I say anyway, then why do you think questioning me will be of any use?”
I let my voice turn icy. “You will be incentivized to tell the truth.”
Her swallow was audible.
Silence descended. My warriors either rested or worked on the holograms projected in front of them. I glanced closer and refrained from a snort. Sorkyl was playing a game, not working. That male couldn’t keep his mind fully on a mission to save his life. But he was fiercely loyal and a damn good fighter, which was why I’d brought him.
A soft sizzle from the chain brought my focus back to my captive. She wasn’t looking at me, but she flinched when my gaze landed on the top of her head as though she could sense me looking. She froze, hunched over and not looking at me, but I’d seen her hand movements.
I reached down and wrapped my fingers around her tiny wrist. She gasped as I jerked her hands up and the object she’d been holding tumbled from her fingers. It was a small piece of tech. I picked it up and turned it over, studying it. It was meant for short distance communication, but it looked like she had tried to modify it to match the frequency that would open the energy chains.
“Sneaky little thing.” I bared my fangs at her, but she didn’t flinch back this time, stealing her spine even as the pulse at her neck jumped. I crushed the tech in my hand and stood. “Search them. Thoroughly.”
Her eyes widened in fear as I knelt in front of her, still towering over her. “Do not fight me and I won’t have to touch you more than necessary.” She went still. Neither of us wanted that.
She closed her eyes and seemed to focus on steadying her breathing as I brushed my hands over her, keeping my touch light, especially when I pressed around the giving flesh of her breasts and her silky inner thighs.
I found a writing utensil, a notebook with some pages blank and some with handwriting, a clear bag with a piece of rock inside it, and another small piece of tech. I sat back and flipped open the notebook, but the writing was all in her language. I would need to see if I had anyone who could translate it.
“I could read it to you, if you like,” she offered.
I glared, “as if I would trust a word coming out of your vile mouth.”
She glared back, opening her mouth as if to retort before catching herself and dropping her gaze, collecting herself, and then looking at me calmly again, asking, “what is your title? Are you in charge of a part of the military?”
I narrowed my eyes at the brazen little thing. “Getting information would be of no use to you. You will never have the chance to take it back to your fellow humans.”
“I’m simply trying to understand who you are,” she said softly.
“You will learn nothing further about us.” I stood and walked away from her, unwilling to sit back in the chair with her so close, asking her questions in such an innocent way. She was good, I would give her that. She played her role very well.
The rest of the ride was blessedly silent, and the viewing window finally showed my cliffs. Facing each other with a canyon in between, they towered higher than any other in the region, which was why my great grandparents had decided to mark their ruling presence here.
The ship slipped seamlessly into a cavernous cutout in the cliff, above all the homes and shops of my city.
I undid her chains and gripped the female, “time for you to face your consequences.”
Chapter 7
I couldn’t believe it. Homes and larger buildings with several levels were built directly onto the sheer cliff, dozens if not hundreds of feet from the ground. Walkways arched between them, though more vorpyr flew than walked.
The architecture reminded me of ancient East Asia architecture, with tiles adorning hip and gable combination style roofs, having many sharp arches. The colors of the homes were vibrant, and many had their sliding doors open, sheer curtains fluttering in the breeze. It was magical. Or it would be if not for the beast gripping my shoulder hard enough I feared he would either forget his claws and skewer me or break a bone.
A glance at my companions proved that Tatiana had gotten control of herself, most likely thanks in part to the gentleness ofthe male who’d taken over as her guard. I wished Emerald Eyes would take a lesson from him.
