Their mouths hung open as they took in the sight of Taylor and I.
“Are you the Sirrets from the valley?” Taylor asked, putting two and two together. “Why did you tie up Drovo? Did he threaten you?”
A short male with cropped black hair snapped his jaw shut and admitted, “Well…no.”
“Untie him then.” I demanded with my chin up, daring any of them to defy me. Taylor and I had the edge at the moment. We were an unknown entity to these guys, a novelty. They might do as we say.
The tallest male of the group, with long brown hair that reached the middle of his back, bent down and undid Drovo’s bindings. The leader looked at the tall male with disapproval. The youngest of their group looked wide-eyed with fear. There was a strange familiarity to the young male's face. I know I’d never seen him before, so why did he look so familiar to me?
Drovo held his side as he got up and limped toward me. I held out my hand and took a step toward my crush…my friend. At this point, I didn’t give a damn what our relationship status was. I was about to throw hands with a bunch of blue bullies if they tried to hit my Drovo again.
“Don’t touch him!” The short leader cried out. “He’s cursed!”
“He’s not cursed,” I sighed with exasperation. Drovo hesitated before taking my hand. I sighed again, grabbed his hand, then pulled him toward me and draped his arm around my shoulder. He smiled down at me, thankful for the help.
“Who are you?” Shorty asked.
“We’re humans. We were captured and crash landed on this planet almost two moon cycles ago now.”
“Females?” he asked with a sickening gleam in his eyes.
“What’s it to you?” Taylor asked, with her arms crossed over her chest.
“You are not safe with these males. They are dangerous and cursed,” he huffed.
“We’re safer with them than we are with you.” I eyed them definitely.
“They’re an abomination,” one of the others added, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Or have you not seen them in their other form?” Shorty eyed Drovo suspiciously.
“Oh, you mean their super powerful shifter forms that they use to protect us and their dekes?” I stared shorty down and he deflated under my unwavering glare.
“That doesn’t matter. It’s still too dangerous to have females living under the mountain instead of in the valley.” I could tell he wasn’t going to budge from this issue. There was something in his tone when he said the word female that made me think that he saw Taylor and me as walking wombs instead of people.
Everyone turned as they heard heavy footsteps thudding along the ground. Brexl turned the corner with his claws out, ready for battle, but he stopped short when he saw the Sirrets surrounding us. His eyes were wide with terror as he took in the sight of them. Again it struck me as strange that this shifter, who could easily wipe the floor with these guys, was so scared of them. Shame was a powerful emotion and the other dekes knew exactly how to hold it over the shifter’s heads.
Seeing Brexl gave me an idea. “It doesn’t matter how safe it is in your valley. Taylor and I have luminesced. Brexl and Drovo are our mates.”
Chapter 12
Kayla
Drovo looked more than pleased to play along with my lie as he wrapped his arms around me and protectively pressed me to his chest as he eyed the others.
Taylor held out her hand to Brexl, who slowly approached her and turned three shades of blue as he put his hand in hers. Good lord, I’m not sure he had it in him to pretend to be mated even though our lives might literally depend on it.
He belatedly wrapped his tail around her leg in an attempt to make my lie look real.
The males from the other dekes did not look convinced, but relented for now.
“The sun is getting low. Let us build a fire. I’d like to hear more of your luminescence." Shorty said the last word with a grimace as if he couldn’t imagine these amazing, sweet, shifter, males could be blessed with such a gift.
One by one, the males passed by us to walk toward the front of the ship. The male, who had untied Drovo, put a respectful fist to his chest and gavea small bow.
“Drovo, Brexl,” he greeted them by name as he passed by.
The youngest male of the group was the last to walk by us. He bowed with a fist to his chest as well.
