She noticed Xoris’ eyes had fixed onto her chest. She looked down and saw the chilly air had made her nipples hard. Their outline was visible through the thin material of her dress.
Maybe she could manipulate Xoris. He believed in this mission wholeheartedly, but she also knew he was attracted to her. He wasn’t a stupid man, but he was arrogant. She’d have to earn his trust over time and wait until she found an opportunity to escape.
“I’m sorry,” she said in a shy voice. “It’s cold in here.”
He glanced up at her and swallowed. “I’ll get you a blanket.”
He left but returned swiftly with a small blanket. His hand brushed over her breasts as he drew the blanket up to her chin.
She felt bile rise in her throat but she sweetly thanked him anyway. He smiled down at her, seeming pleased by her gratitude. “What’s going to happen to me? I just want to be prepared.”
“I’m going to artificially inseminate you in the hopes that you and the donor are compatible.”
“Who’s the donor? Nedas?”
He looked taken aback. “Why would you say that?”
Turn them against each other. “He told me you were going to give me to him when you were done with me. Since you’re a scientist, I assumed you wouldn’t want to mix donors.”
“True, I don’t want you to have multiple donors. This sample is mine.” He placed his hand on hers, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from flinching. “No one but me will touch you here.”
Jade knew he meant for this information to calm her. He was oblivious to how repulsive she found him. She let out a sigh of feigned relief. “Oh, good.”
Trying to keep the emotion from her voice, she asked, “What will you do about Theo?”
His hand shot back from her and he sneered. “Nothing. Why do you care?”
“Well, he’s going to be furious when he finds me gone. He does have a very bad temper.” She looked away from him as though embarrassed. “You’re the last man to have shown interest in me. He was very angry by that. He may conclude that you took me.”
Xoris relaxed and waved his hand at her. “Even if he does, he’d never be able to prove it or find this place. I’m a highly respected member of society. If he comes after me, he’ll be thrown in jail.”
***
Globs of greasy purple blood washed off Theo’s hands as he reviewed what he’d learned.
“Xoris is behind this,” Rhaego intoned from his side.
Theo looked over his shoulder at the two Cae, or rather, what was left of them. It hadn’t taken them long to divulge all they knew to Theo. His torture had been vicious. So much so that even Rhaego had turned away.
When Theo had shown up to the safe house, Rhaego had explained that the two scaly Cae wanted to make a deal—give information about a traitor in Tremanta in exchange for their release. Theo had laughed maniacally at that and had explained, to the two terrified Cae, that their information would earn them a swift yet painful death rather than a long, painful death and nothing more.
Rhaego had watched as Theo had torn into the Cae abductors. His friend had understood his need for violence in that moment. Rhaego’s people, the Tuvasta, held matehood as sacred even to this day, when mating marks hadn’t been seen for so long. He’d initially marveled at Theo’s mating marks and had comprehended the gravity of the situation instantly.
Studying the mating marks on his now-clean hands, he acknowledged that what he’d done to the Cae would be nothing compared to what he’d do to Xoris.
Before expiring, the Cae had told Theo that Xoris was the one who’d paid them to find and abduct Jade. To Theo’s disappointment, they knew little else. Only that he intended to hold her somewhere in the woods away from prying eyes.
He needed to figure out his next move. She’d said that her pod had landed somewhere in the woods. He needed more information about where she’d run from.
“How is this possible? She’s an alien,” Rhaego asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Theo had been asking himself the same question on his ride here in an effort to remain calm and focused. “She’s similar enough to us that we could have ancestors in common.”
“Or maybe the Goddess has finally decided to bless us with matehood again,” Rhaego mused, hope shining in his gray eyes. “We’ve treated our new world much better than the old one. We learned from our mistakes. Maybe this is our reward.”
He gave his friend a tight smile. Rhaego was slightly larger than Theo, and his sharp horns and fangs made him look intimidating. His appearance could cause even the bravest of males to cower. In his own city, Rhaego was considered to be an attractive male; here in Tremanta, females tended to shrink away from him. He and Theo had bonded immediately.
What no one else knew about the male was that he was a hopeless romantic. Since they’d met as young males, Rhaego had always talked about finding a true mate. He returned to his home city to chase a bride every year.
“I need to find her, Rhaego,” Theo said, letting his emotions wash over him for a moment. “I won’t survive without her.”
“I will help you in any way I can, old friend.”
Regaining his composure, Theo used his communicator to call Zikas.
The old man answered quickly. “Have you found her?” he asked, the worry in his voice evident.
“I know who took her and I know she’s being held somewhere in the Manta Forest. I need to know everything you can tell me about Jade’s arrival here. I think she’s been taken to a location near where she originally landed. If I can backtrack her journey to Tremanta, I might be able to find her.”
“She was found near
