Alex Wales: Promise

She lifted a narrow shoulder in a half-shrug. “Once again, you wouldn’t have a choice. I rule supreme. If I want the two of you in bed, then it willhappen.”

Alex didn’t bite. Whatever sick game of dominance this woman was playing, she wasn’t going to win this time. “Yeah, about that,” she began, never taking her eyes off the so-called Priestess. “Who exactly do you worship? Who is the deity you serve and honor?”

Aleena’s blue eyes hardened as much as her features. She still looked beautiful, but in a very cunning and cold way. “I don’t serve anyone, Alex. The people of Eden serve me.” She pulled on Alex’s hair.

“Then, you’re not a Priestess.”

She leaned forward, almost pressing her body against Alex, and whispered in her ear. “You might be right, because I make up the rules as I go along. So, what doesthat make me?”

“A bitch?” If she doesn’t stop tugging on my hair, not even the threat of a blaster is going to stop me from beating the shit out of her.

Aleena laughed in her face, before releasing her hair. “I was thinking more along the lines of Goddess.”

“How do you keep this planet off the radar?” Alex shifted her gaze to stare at the wall filled with screens, refusing to indulge this delusional woman’s quest for grandeur. A long panel, with keyboards, smaller screens, and other gadgets she hadn’t seen before, lined the surface. This had to be Aleena’s control center, where she watched and plotted without the people above suspecting a thing.

There was something featured on every screen. Although Alex couldn’t see all the images clearly, she recognized the paths and the surrounding gardens, as well as the room they’d entered to get access to this hidden lair.

Aleena stepped back, but she was still close enough to grab Alex’s curls if she wanted to. “Oh, you’re a smart one, aren’t you?”

“Why do you lie to your own people and tell them there’s no way to get off this planet when there obviously is? I bet you’re hiding ships as well, and maybe even a spaceport of some sort.” It didn’t have to be big, and certainly didn’t have to house more than one ship, but Alex suspected it was probably located somewhere within this large cavern.

“My people don’t need to know anything I don’t want them to. It’s my duty to guide them.”

“How could you do this to us when we all believed in you, trusted and served you? How could you take advantage of us like this?”

Aleena’s blue eyes darkened. “Oh, Damon. I didn’t take advantage of you. I’ve been keeping you safe. Trust me. You don’t need to be out there. Only bad things happen in space.”

Alex couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her, to make Aleena this way.

“It should be our choice, not yours,” Damon said.

“You sound like those fools.”

“What fools?” Alex asked, trying not to breathe in the sweet scent of her.

“The Elders, of course…” A faraway look filled her eyes.

“What elders?” How much was this woman hiding?

“Aleena, is this really necessary? Aren’t we running out of time?” Elroy asked, taking a step.

“Hush, Elroy. We’ve got time.” Aleena stepped close to Alex, but this time trailed her fingers down the valley of her breasts, pausing for a moment before turning to head for Damon. She ran a hand over his smooth arm. “The Elders ran the planet before you were born. Lucky for me, there’s no one around who actually remembers they ever existed. They were five people who thought they knew what was best for all of us. They’re the ones who built the walls to keep the birds out, but they were stupid enough to think it would be enough. It wasn’t, because at night, the birds still flew overhead and managed to catch the odd person walking in the gardens.”

Damon’s brow furrowed as he listened.

“We needed much more protection, and I was determined to find it in the stars. That wasn’t my responsibility, of course. They only trusted me with selling our wares and foods to other places. It was a great way to trade, I have to admit. Visiting those markets was a way for me to find the answer I wanted, and I eventually did. I found it in a couple of sorcerers I managed to lure with the promise of riches beyond their comprehension. The fools. We don’t have any riches to offer, never did.” She ran her fingertips up and down Damon’s arm, as if he were a pet. “While I was out there, I was attacked. Brutally beaten and raped. I returned to Eden, ashamed. The ordeal became a horrible burden, which would haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat. Suddenly, the energy bars and water weighed heavily in her stomach. For some reason, she knew what Aleena was leading to, and she didn’t want to hear it.

A small groan echoed around them.

“Hush,” she whispered. “I managed to get the sorcerers to help me with what needed to be done, and then made sure that anyone who was old enough to remember the old ways was used as fuel to create the security we so desperately needed.”

“I don’t believe you,” Damon spat. “You would sacrifice our people for protection?”

“Wasn’t it worth it? I’d say it was.” Aleena sneaked a quick glance at Alex. “No one’s bothered us for decades, the birds stay out, and you’re the only one who can wander in and out. Do you ever wonder why?”

Alex hadn’t seen many people during her stay, but they all didseem pretty young. How long ago had Aleena done this crazy act?

“Now, we’re finally ready to carry out the final step in completelyseparating us from those horrid night birds and the dangerous galaxy. This way, no one will ever find us, again.” She looked at Alex. “We’ve got less than half an hour to complete the moon ritual.”

Alex had lived a lot of her life without having to take care, or give a crap, about anyone but herself. Yet, she couldn’t let this manipulative woman make such a serious decision for everyone without their consultation. It was her bitch of a mother all over again.

“Priestess,” Elroy began, “we should begin.”

Color sprouted high on Aleena’s cheekbones. Her long, pale hair tumbled over her shoulders as she crossed her dainty arms in front of her. “You keep quiet, now,” she snapped. “Elroy’s dislike of aliens almost gave everything away. He’s got good reason to hate them, of course. We were promised to each other all those years ago, and were about to make our union public, when the Elders found out what had happened to me. They labeled me tainted, even though it wasn’t my fault. I was attacked, but they wouldn’t listen and forbid our union. By then, I was a little scared of men anyway, and sought out companionship from women. They just felt safer, softer, and knew how to wipe away my tears when they fell at the most inopportune times. Elroy was patient and loyal, waiting until I was ready. For that he must be rewarded.” She held out a hand to him. “Come here.”

Elroy hesitated. “What about them? I need to keep this-”

“Just come here.”

He headed toward her with the blaster at his side. When he placed his hand in hers, she led him farther into the cave and away from the rest of them.

Alex looked up, and for the first time, she noticed the moonlight filtering in from above. She turned her attention back to Aleena and Elroy. They paused, their hands still joined.

Aleena rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for your loyal service.”

“The pleasure was always mine, Aleena.”

Alex wanted to knock the smugness off his face. Her fists balled up at her sides with rage. Her blood boiled as she glared at the rocky surface-wondering what this crazy bitch had in store for them, and hating