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Chapter Six

B rianna

Braxx slept all day except when someone arrives with food. He seems to be making up for lost time and eats every bite they bring him. When he’s not eating, he’s sleeping, kind of like a baby—or a shark.

“Computer, dim lights.” I don’t want it to be completely dark in case Braxx wakes up and is disoriented. Reading isn’t helping me fall asleep, so I bring out the big guns—the snow planet’s white bears.

I’m awakened from a deep sleep by my awareness that there’s a warm body pressed to my back and an equally warm arm slung around my waist. Possibly due to some residual caveman instinct, I freeze, ordering my brain to come fully online. At first, I’m convinced it’s two months ago and it’s Axx’s powerful arm keeping me from falling out of the tiny bunk we shared. Then I realize the masculine arm belongs to Braxxus, which is even more distressing than the first thought.

Is he coming on to me without even asking? For a moment I thought he was the nicer of the two twins. Then I hear his deep, rhythmic breathing and realize he’s sound asleep. I don’t feel his engorged cock pressing against my backside; maybe he’s less like his brother than I thought.

Axxios and I didn’t share that tiny bunk for long, but during that time I certainly got used to having a warm front pressed against my back. It’s so safe and reassuring.

As I’m debating whether or not to pull out of his embrace and possibly wake him, I’m aware the instant his consciousness shifts from asleep to awake.

“Mighty forward of you, sir,” my tone is teasing and light.

His hand lifts off my body as he scoots away so swiftly I assume he’d fall off the other side of the bed if the rail wasn’t up.

“Sorry, Angel. So sorry. I didn’t mean to take liberties.”

He’s so serious—it’s endearing.

“It’s okay Braxxus, you were sleeping.”

“You’ve been nothing but kind. It was totally improper of me to—”

“It’s okay, really.” I turn to face him. At first, I’m struck by how odd it is to see Axx’s face looking out at me from silver instead of gold skin. Then I’m caught by the innocent sincerity in his blue-green eyes. “It’s okay.”

“I’d never want to hurt you or scare you. I just want to get to know you. I don’t want to think of you as my fantasy angel anymore, I want to get to know the real Brianna.”

There it is. The look. The look I would have paid my life savings, meager as it was, to receive from his brother. He’s looking at me without guile. He wants nothing from me but to get to know me.

I don’t know who’s more dangerous, the sex god who can melt my panties with one hot gaze, or his earnest brother who clearly wants to please me in other ways.

“I’d like to get to know you, too.” I smile openly at him. This twin doesn’t scare me with blatant sexuality like his brother. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything. Tell me about your home planet, your mother, your fathers—your father—it’s hard to think of a father in the singular,” he chuckles. “Tell me about your childhood and your schooling and your work, and your...did you have bondmates back on your planet? Do you miss them?”

“No bondmates, we don’t have that. One female marries one male, and I didn’t have a male.”

He smiles and nods, making no secret this pleases him greatly. I don’t share much about my childhood, it was so mundane, but I fill him in on the life I was leading when I was kidnapped.

“You touched unclothed males for money? Did none of the males in your family object?” he asks in all sincerity.

“It’s an honorable profession. It doesn’t involve sexual behavior.”

“Males disrobe for you and you touch their skin and that’s honorable?” His brow furrows in confusion.

“Do you have female physicians on Mythros?”

He nods.

“Do they touch naked men?”

He shakes his head. “Female physicians for females, males for males.”

“It’s different on Earth. It’s socially acceptable. You say you remember when I was touching you even though you were in a coma. That wasn’t sexual, was it?”

“It would have been if I was a gold.” He spears me with a sincere look.

“What?”

“If it had been Axxios instead of me, I can assure you he would have taken it as sexual.”

I open my mouth to debate that statement, but then snap my mouth closed, knowing he’s right. It doesn’t take much for Axx to turn any situation into a sexual one.

“Well, on Earth it’s an honorable profession.”

He nods, “On Mythros we have birantos , that’s honorable, too.”

Do I have ESP? Because I have a sinking feeling I know where this is going. “Do tell.”

“They have houses of pleasure for golds who’ve lost a mate or weren’t lucky enough to have found one.”

“You’re pissing me off. Stop.”

His brows rise in innocent bafflement.

“You’re being obtuse on purpose. I don’t touch men for money. Well, I do, but not sexually. I didn’t touch you sexually. It’s a completely different thing.”

“I understand.”

I can see by the look on his face he so totally doesn’t. But at least he’s smart enough to shut up.

“You’ve gotten your last massage from me.” My lips are pursed in anger.

“I hope not, Brianna. I don’t have a clear memory of exactly what you did, but what I remember was...wonderful. Maybe you’ll teach me and I can massage you.”

I roll my eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you and Axxios were related—oh yeah, you are,” I joke.

His face becomes serious. “You don’t like Axx. Why?”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to, it’s obvious whenever he’s in the room with you.”

“You’re sick, Braxxus, you’ve barely been awake for two minutes when Axx and I are together.”

“I know what’s obvious, and angels shouldn’t lie.”

Those gorgeous turquoise eyes seem to be looking all the way into my soul. It suddenly strikes me that Braxxus could be more of a threat than his brother. He’s not only handsome, but he’s capable of humor and all sorts of other, deeper emotions. I could fall for this guy, maybe I’m already tumbling for him a bit. And males from his planet don’t do things solo—it’s a family affair.

“I’m not lying,” I lie.

He yawns and his eyes dip to half-mast.

“Get some sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day, you move into your cabin.”

“Mmm, perhaps you’ll come with me,” his words are slurring, he’s exhausted.

“I already told you I’m not that kind of girl.” Even as I say that a very explicit, XXX-rated picture of the three of us flashes in my mind. Maybe I am that kind of girl, but I’m not going to admit it.

Before I know it, his arm has snaked around my waist and his naked chest is pressed against my t-shirt covered back. His ass is jacked back away from me; there’s no rapey vibe.

“Is this okay, Angel? I just want to hug you. Nothing objectionable,” he adds.

I don’t say anything, but it’s clear I’m not objecting.

His breathing is slow and deep and rhythmic. Me? I’m wide awake. Like two 5-hour energy drinks awake. Every cell in my body is doing a happy dance. I was built to have him pressed up against me like this. Our bodies fit together perfectly. Part of me, that dirty Wanton Brie, is thinking of all the sexy things we could be doing to each other’s bodies right this minute. Her core is lubricating, clutching at itself in desire.

The other me, the uptight, prudish me, feels scandalized that I’d even think such things.

“You awake Brianna? Can’t sleep?” his deep voice rumbles in my ear.

“Nope.”

“I upset you. I’m sorry. I know you’re not a biranto , you’re nothing like that. You’re a good female. I have the utmost respect for you.”

His warm breath is ruffling the hair on the top of my head. Right now I’m wishing he had a little less respect for me. I’m wondering if his lips would feel different than his brother’s, if he would taste different. My heart has speeded up just thinking about kissing him.

“So what about you, Braxx? Did you have a female back on Mythros before you left for the war?”

The muscles in his arm tighten around my waist ever so slightly. I’ve touched a nerve. “I shouldn’t have asked,” I backtrack, “it’s none of my business.”

“That’s not the way it works. Silvers don’t...do that.”

Uh oh. “Silvers don’t do what?”

“Golds rut. Golds rut before they find their bondmate. Silvers don’t.”

“Pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about, Braxx, because I don’t.”

“We explained this yesterday. Golds have an overabundance of male hormones. They couldn’t go without rutting until they find their bondmate. Silvers...don’t.”Is he trying to confuse me?

“Silvers don’t what?”

“Silvers don’t have those urges.”

Why is my pulse galloping in fear at this thought? Did I finally find a male who likes me only to find out he...doesn’t have those urges?

And if he doesn’t have those urges, why am I feeling soft, tender kisses pressed to the top of my head? And why is the arm pressed against my belly pulling me back further into his embrace?

He dips his head and whispers in my ear, “Don’t worry, Brianna. Everything will work out. It always does.”

Braxxus

One day ago, everyone I knew thought I was going to die. One day ago, I didn’t even know I was alive. And now here I am, pressed against my bondmate. I’ve dreamed of her, this female, as far back as I can remember. I’m completely attracted to her, more than attracted, attached. But she doesn’t know me, and really, I don’t know her. And she fears me. It has something to do with Axx and she won’t tell me. I wonder if he will.

All I know is even though my back is throbbing in pain, my body feels more alive than it ever has.