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I quickly move behind her and my hands close a thick, gold metal band that matches the smaller ones around her slender, pale throat.
Her eyes widen and her lips freeze. I lean down to whisper in her ear. “This is the only way to protect you. Behave, little human. Both of our lives depend on it.”
Her hands scrabble at her throat and I don’t like the fear on her face. In some ways I’m leaving her defenseless but I cannot let her give us away.
Can’t let her be hurt in any way. She’s mine to take care of and if it takes this wild plan than that’s what it takes.
Hopefully she gets over her anger and she doesn’t kill me with her bare hands while I’m sleeping with her.
Because that is the other thing. She has to stay with me. No other choice.
I tug her into me and rest my head on top of hers. “I will protect you, small mate. But this disguise is the best plan that I can come up with on short notice and with the supplies that we have.”
Her eyes sparkle with anger and I swear I can hear her voice in my head. “I know. You think I did this on purpose but it’s not true. I have to protect you and this was our best option.”
She huffs out a soundless breath and glares at me. I almost chuckle. Until I see her fists clench and I take them in my hands. “I care for you, mate.” I don’t know what exactly love is but if it’s this strange, warm desire licking at my nerves it’s no wonder all the humans seemed to want it more than anything. It’s addicting. I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her even when she struggles.
14
LACEY
My breath freezes in my throat as I attempt to speak but can’t. Not even a tiny squeak.
Koehn’s deep purple eyes stare at me, a quirk lifting his hard, full lips. He nods. “That’s right. You can’t speak.” He taps the golden band around my throat. “It blocks you from speaking which will keep you from accidentally exposing us. Without this, I think no matter what disguise we used, you would immediately be found out.”
My hands fly up and I desperately claw at the band, my fingernails digging at it relentlessly, to no avail. It stays firm and I know that there’s no way that it’s coming off until he takes it off.
He pulls my hands loose, sighing when I jerk them away, a shiver working down my spine. I feel vulnerable with no way to defend myself like this. My eyes burn with unshed tears that I refuse to let fall in front of him.
He grumbles under his breath and pulls my stiff body into his arms, tucking me into his chest.
‘I know you don’t understand but this is the best way.” He lifts my hands, palms up and smiles. He taps the bracelets on my wrist. “These have a chip in them that will change your appearance. It also gives off an electronic signature that will be covered by this…”. He reaches up and taps his pale blue finger on the wide gold band around her throat.
“This will keep you from giving us away with your voice. It also blocks the signal from the bands on your wrists that help with your disguise and keeps others from being able to penetrate it. It’s the best thing I could come up with to keep both of us safe.” He pulls me tighter into his body and I sink into his massive chest.
I can hear the sadness in his voice and it does calm me. He didn’t want to do this but he had to. That I understand. I’ve had many things like that that I’ve dealt with.
We all do.
“Come along, grab your things.” I roll my eyes and he smirks. “You still manage to talk back even when you can’t talk, small one.” He leans closer to me and whispers, “I like that.”
My body clenches and he grins, his nose sucking in deep.
Oh please, don’t let him be able to tell that he does that to me. That would be too damn embarrassing.
He grins. “Let’s go, small one. Time’s wasting and the auction is tonight. We don’t have much time on this cursed vessel.”
We step out of the ship’s doors and an emissary stands there, waiting for us.
“Commander.” He bows deeply. “It’s not often that we have the pleasure of an Arkadian presence on this ship.”
I’m no spy but even I hear the suspicion in his voice. Koehn nods at him. “I am sure. But I am almost ready to retire and along with my little pet here I’m looking for something to warm my bed for my later years.”
He eyes him warily. His shifty little weasel eyes bounce back and forth between the two of us. “Yes. I see. Well, depending on what you’re looking for we can certainly help you. But the issue is that Arkadian fighters don’t necessarily have the credits necessary for these kinds of transactions.”
Koehn’s lip curls and I catch a glimpse of his fangs and shiver. His eyes dart to me and he grins wickedly.
“I think I can give you what you need.” He hands over a card and the strange alien scans it, his thick eyebrows lifting. A supercilious smile forms on his mouth.
