Page 5 of Guardians
CHAPTER 3
M alik rushed ahead so he could scan open the door to the cabin he shared with Kane and Diego. Kane was still carrying their mate wrapped up tight in a quilt. Their mate. How the hell had they ended up with a mate? Sure, they were part of Zion’s private guard, but all of them had given up on the idea of ever having a female in their lives again. The first two years on Rydaria had been so filled with backbreaking labor and uncertainty that no one had time to think about anything but survival. By the time the village was secured and most of the cabins had been built, the sixteen hybrid females had chosen their mates.
There was no way to leave the planet and long-range communications devices were forbidden. It had been obvious from the start that they were never meant to leave Rydaria. The bastards back on Earth had described the planet as a lush paradise waiting for exploration. In reality, it was a harsh, unforgiving prison with impressive scenery. According to everyone on Earth, hybrids were freaks, dangerous animals who needed to be exiled to protect the public. It didn’t matter that they were the victims of Nuevo Biotech or that, to his knowledge, they were innocent of any crime.
Then without warning or explanation the humans arrived on Rydaria. Most of the hybrids wanted nothing to do with their former tormentors. The rest wanted to wipe them off the face of the planet. Kane and Malik were among a rare few who were curious about their arrival. Had the scientists come willingly out of some bizarre sense of responsibility or was this an ironic punishment for their myriad crimes? It soon became obvious that it was the latter. Everyone associated with Nuevo Biotech had been dumped on Rydaria and forgotten. The people of Earth were trying hard to forget that the Griffin Project had ever happened.
Diego wanted nothing to do with the humans, but Kane and Malik talked him into assigning a couple of his Shadows to observe the camp. Kane spent a good deal of time spying on the humans as well, but he was unable to get nearly as close as the Shadows could. Their ability to blend with their surroundings wasn’t just a skill. It was a genetic adaptation, one of many the scientists had cultivated in their hellish labs.
Psychic sensitivity, telepathy, telekinesis, and clairvoyance, all those abilities and more had been discovered in the hybrids. And as more and more of the hybrids developed ‘gifts,’ the scientists became more reckless. Laws and scientific standards had all been abandoned by the time the first hybrid transformed. The shift from human to animal had first resulted in a monstrous mutation that had to be terminated. The process had to be fine-tuned numerous times before the first successful shift took place. Once the ruthless bastards figured out how to do it, every hybrid still in captivity was subjected to the excruciating process.
Malik shook away the past, refusing to dwell on those dark, hopeless years. Nuevo Biotech was half a galaxy away and they held no power over him now.
Kane carried Lexie into the cabin and chuckled when he realized she was sound asleep.
“Let her rest,” Diego suggested. “This has been overwhelming for her.”
Kane nodded then took her into the nearest bedroom, which happened to be Malik’s. Malik followed him into the room and quickly shut the blinds. Kane gently placed her on the bed. Rather than trying to slip her beneath the bedding, he simply left her cocooned in the quilt.
As they returned to the living room, Malik said, “We need to prepare a meal. She hasn’t had anything substantial in weeks.”
Diego nodded and walked into the kitchen. Opening the solar-powered cooler, he inventoried. “There’s enough biforen left to make a stir-fry or maybe a stew. For anything more elaborate, we’ll need a provision voucher.”
Each person in the village was issued a provision voucher at the beginning of every week. Additional vouchers had to be earned, so everyone tried to hunt for and/or grow as much of their own food as possible. There were sixteen utility printers scattered throughout the village, but they all accessed the same three molecular conversion units. This meant the hybrids needed to be careful not to overload the vital energy transformers. Zion’s solution had been the voucher system.
“A biforen stir-fry will be fine,” Kane decided. “There’s no reason to complicate things.”
Diego nodded and closed the cooler’s door. “Do we need a plan for tonight or are we just going to let things unfold spontaneously?”
The question made Malik smile. Diego preferred to have every moment of each day planned out in minute detail. Malik was much more of a go with the flow sort of person, and Kane was somewhere in between. He appreciated structure, but was willing to adapt when faced with unexpected obstacles.
“I formed this coalition,” Kane reminded, silver-blue eyes flashing dangerously. “It’s my right to fuck her first.”
“I wasn’t hinting otherwise,” Diego assured him. “But are we going to try and keep things slow and gentle for tonight or am I allowed to slip the leash?”
“That depends how far off the leash you intend to run,” Kane countered.
“If she behaves, I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” He flashed a predatory smile as he added, “If she challenges me like she challenged you and Zion, I’ll fuck that sweet little ass.”
“No,” Kane said firmly. “It’s your right to take her ass first, but not tonight. If she challenges you, push your cock down her throat. She needs to learn her place, but she’s not here because she wants to be. She’s here because she has no choice. Treating her harshly will reinforce that fact when we need to make this less traumatizing.”
Diego nodded. He was clearly not happy about the decision, but Kane was coalition leader. His decisions were final. Diego had spent his entire adult life in the military. He understood the chain of command. Instead of arguing with Kane, he turned and looked at Malik. “How do you want her? Spread-eagled on your bed?”
“Absolutely, but not tonight.” Malik paused, remembering her tear-streaked face and the misery in her eyes as Kane belted her ass. “Kane’s right. We need to balance domination with reassurance. Right now she’s convinced that being our mate is a lifelong prison sentence. Changing her opinion is our only hope of having a happy future.”
The frustration gradually faded from Diego’s gaze. “I guess some of the darker pleasures can wait.”
Kane moved into the kitchen and gathered what he’d need for the stir-fry. Diego joined him and they reviewed what had been discussed that morning as they sliced up the vegetables. Diego and one of his Shadows had been gathering information at the wolf village so Diego had been unavailable for the council meeting.
Not needing a review, Malik went into his bedroom to check on Lexie. She was tossing restlessly and murmuring in her sleep. He sat down on the side of the bed and brushed the hair back from her face. “It’s all right, Lex,” he said softly. “Everything is going to be all right.”
She whimpered and her eyelashes fluttered. “Where am I?” she asked as she blinked her eyes open. “It’s too quiet to be the lodge.”
“This is the cabin assigned to Kane, Diego, and me. And now you,” he amended with a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore.” She averted her gaze as color erupted on the crest of her cheeks. “How long do I have to wear this thing?”
“Let me find out.” Malik walked to the doorway and called out, “Lexie’s awake. Can I remove the plug and treat the welts on her backside?”
Diego stared at him for a long moment before he shrugged. “She won’t relax and enjoy dinner unless you do. Go ahead.”
Malik looked at Kane to make sure he was alright with the second request.
“She’s suffered enough for today,” Kane decided. “You can treat the welts.”
When Malik returned to the bed, Lexie was lying on her side, torso propped up on her elbow. She’d tucked the quilt around her body so she was covered from shoulders to ankles. “Why did you need their permission? Do they outrank you or something?”
“They do, but that wasn’t the reason. Whoever administers a punishment decides when it ends.”
“I see.”
“Go use the bathroom if you need to, but do not remove the butt plug.” He paused, realizing that the salve would be more effective if her skin was clean. “In fact, take a very quick shower while you’re in there. If you’re not back in ten minutes, I’ll come get you.”
She stared back at him silently, unmoving and expressionless. Then her eyes filled with tears and her lips began to tremble.
“Why are you crying?” He sat down on the edge of the bed and took her cold hand between his.
“I haven’t been able to bathe, really bathe for eleven days. It’s been too cold for anything but a sponge bath.”
“Well, our water gets really hot, so don’t burn yourself. I’ll give you fifteen minutes, but no more.”
Nodding repeatedly, she offered him a watery smile and crawled off the other side of the bed. “Thank you.” She tossed the phrase over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom. She’d taken the quilt with her, an infraction he should have corrected, but he couldn’t bring himself to erase her smile.
She returned in thirteen minutes looking rosy and relaxed, perhaps a little too relaxed. “Did you take out the butt plug?”
“I started to, but reconsidered.”
“Wise decision.” He motioned toward the bed. “Lie down on your belly.” She was careful to keep the quilt secured while she assumed the position, but she shouldn’t have bothered. As soon as she settled on her belly, he flipped open the covering and exposed her nudity. “Your body is beautiful.” He ran his hand from the nape of her neck to the curve of one rounded butt cheek, resting it there possessively. “Stop trying to hide from us.”
Turning her head sharply to the side, she rested her cheek on her folded hands and looked at him. “Would you be comfortable walking around naked in front of a room full of strangers?”
“I was not allowed to wear clothing for over two years.”
She gasped and twisted so she could see him better. “Why?”
Her shock and disbelief seemed genuine, so he indulged her curiosity. The past was not something any of the hybrids liked to talk about, but her apparent confusion supported her claim that she had not been directly involved in the Griffin Project. “The monsters at Nuevo Biotech thought that keeping us naked would make us more compliant and discourage us from trying to escape. Being naked bothered me for about a week. After that I just didn’t give a fuck.”
“Then I have six more days before I should no longer give a fuck.”
Her feistiness made him stroke her sensitized skin longer than he’d intended. She squirmed, stubbornly pressing her thighs together. They would have to rid her of that impulse as well. Her body belonged to them now and they had the right to look at her whenever they liked. “If you’d like me to find you something to wear once I’ve treated these welts,” he traced an especially distinct mark with his fingernail, “I suggest you adjust your attitude.”
“I’m sorry,” she gasped then hissed out a breath. “I’d appreciate it very much if you let me get dressed.”
“That’s better. Now, slide your legs apart and tilt your hips upward.”
“Is that really necessary?” Her voice was tense, her hands twisting in the quilt.
“If I told you to do it, it’s necessary.”
With obvious reluctance her legs eased apart.
“More,” he ordered.
“You’re supposed to be treating my rear end,” she argued. “Why do my legs need to be spread?”
“Because the sooner you realize that you no longer control the situation, the sooner we can all start enjoying ourselves.” He slapped her twice on the ass, one firm swat to each side.
A growl of frustration escaped her throat as her legs slid farther apart.
Malik watched her slit come into view. The pink flesh was still flushed from her punishment. He traced her damp crease with his fingertips, just barely parting the outer lips. “Fold your legs beneath you.”
“Malik, please don’t do this.” Her voice trembled and her head tossed back and forth.
“I just want a taste.” When she still hesitated, he pulled up on her hips until her knees rested on the bed. Then he pushed them apart, opening her thighs. He lowered his head and covered her pussy with his mouth. She was already slick and so damn warm he couldn’t resist pushing his tongue into her core. Her salty/sweet taste coated his tongue, and his senses exploded with signals. His heart thudded wildly, blood sizzling through his veins. His cock instantly hardened and the urge to fuck her was nearly overwhelming.
It would be so easy to crawl onto the bed, open his pants, and thrust his cock balls-deep into her snug passage. It had been years since he fucked anything but his hand, and the temptation pulsed through him with urgent demand. But Kane was coalition leader. It was his right to take her first. Malik’s turn would come, but he would not dishonor Kane by ignoring the custom.
Instead, Malik licked and sucked on her pussy, devouring her juices. She jerked and gasped each time his tongue passed over her swollen clit. Her mind was still resisting the rapid-fire changes, but her amazing body had already succumbed. He sucked on her clit, forcing her to orgasm even as she shook her head and begged him to stop.
She cried out and stiffened. Then her legs shook, toes curling up off the mattress. Her surrender thrilled him, feeding the dominant needs raging inside him.
“Such a good girl,” he murmured as he lifted his head and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “You taste even better than I’d imagined.” She started to lie back down on her belly, but he stopped her. “Let me take out the plug first.”
Her descent stopped and she held perfectly still. Clearly, she was eager to be rid of the unfamiliar fullness.
Malik eased her cheeks apart and grasped the end of the butt plug. “This really is a mercy.” He slowly spun the device then drew it out until the widest part held her open. “Without being stretched like this, taking our cocks will hurt much worse.”
“So don’t fuck me there,” she snapped, but a fresh rush of liquid moistened her pussy.
He’d been about to pull the plug out, but her sassiness made him push it deep again. “Kane told Diego that your ass was off limits tonight.” He slid the plug in and out as he spoke, stretching her reluctant opening again and again. “We all agreed that you needed reassurance rather than domination. Were we wrong? Do you want Diego to force his cock inside this tight little hole? He’ll be happy to continue your lesson in obedience.”
“No,” she cried. “I don’t want that. I’ll be good.”
Slowly drawing the butt plug out, Malik directed, “Hold this position until I return.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
He hadn’t prompted her to use the title, but it made him smile. It was clear that her will was far from broken, yet they were all making incremental progress. He walked into the bathroom and recycled the plug, then washed his hands and wet a washcloth. After grabbing the healing ointment, he returned to the bedroom. She was exactly as he’d left her, and her expressive green eyes watched him closely.
“The welts are superficial. They will be gone by morning, but this ointment will alleviate any lingering sting.”
“They don’t really hurt anymore,” she told him, looking uncomfortable again. “Can I just get up?”
He found her reaction amusing. Arousal eroded her embarrassment but as soon as her passion cooled, her awkwardness returned. “Your opinion would change if you tried to sit down. Now, be a good girl and hold still for me.” Malik took his time, spreading the salve over her bottom as he enjoyed the silky texture of her skin. She needed to get used to being touched by them even when she wasn’t desperate for an orgasm.
There was no time like the present for the lesson, so he caressed her much longer than necessary. He smoothed the ointment over her cheeks, allowing his fingers to skim along the cleft between her cheeks and dip between her thighs to tease her folds. He avoided her clit and never lingered in one place for long. His purpose was to make her feel good without reigniting her passion.
Once the welts were thoroughly coated, he eased his fingers between her bottom cheeks and massaged her puckered hole. She sucked in a breath but held still for him. Even when he eased the tip of his finger into her body, she held still and let him have his way. Pleased by her behavior, he wiped his hands on the washcloth and lightly rubbed her back. He ran his hands along her sides and gently squeezed her breasts.
“Life with us doesn’t have to be unpleasant.” He kept his hands on her breasts and whispered into her ear. “The more readily you submit, the more we will indulge you.” He finally took his hands off her and told her she could lie down. She immediately obeyed, but he stopped her when she reached for the edge of the quilt. “I did not give you permission to cover yourself. Besides, the ointment needs to soak in.”
She released an exaggerated sigh as she settled onto her belly again.
They couldn’t see each other unless they both twisted their necks so he pulled a chair over to the bed and sat facing her. “Did you live on Earth or are you from one of the colonies?”
“I’d never left the planet until I was brought here.” She sounded resentful, even though her tone was little more than a whisper.
Malik was confused by her response. “Was that by choice or did you lack the means?”
“It was entirely by choice.” Conviction rang through her tone, but there was something sad in her eyes, something lost. “My family has lived on a ranch northwest of Dallas for the past two hundred years. I was hoping to raise my children there as well.”
The implication of her words brought Malik up short. “You have a mate back on Earth? Oh, fuck, were you separated from your children?”
“No. I only meant that when I found Mr. Right and started a family, I was hoping he would agree to continue the tradition.” She wiggled a little then rolled to her hip, casually drawing the edge of the quilt over her upper body. “That really does feel better. Can I sit up now?”
“Let it soak in for a few more minutes.”
“What about you?” She settled on her side, head resting on her upraised hand. “Where did you live before the nightmare began? Had you ever been off-world?”
She finally seemed relaxed and comfortable with him, so Malik decided not to reprimand her for the subtle disobedience. “I grew up in Florida, but I spent six years in the military so I went wherever they sent me.”
“Where did they send you?”
He shrugged. “All over Earth-controlled space.”
“Did you receive your medical training in the military?”
He shook his head. “I was still pre-med when my grandmother died. She’d been awarded custody of me after my mother died so Gran’s death left me with no one. The law considered me an adult, but I had no skills and no support system. I had no choice but to join the military.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.” She sat up and scooted closer to him, dragging the quilt along with her. “You lost your mother and then your grandmother? That’s quite a one-two punch.”
“There were thirteen years between the two punches, so it wasn’t quite as bad as it sounded. Anyway, my primary reason for joining the military was to help pay for the rest of my education. I agreed to serve six years and then returned to college as soon as I was discharged.”
“But Nuevo snatched you before you could graduate?”
He nodded. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his years in captivity. Instead, he shifted her focus just a little. “Kane said you were some sort of consultant for Nuevo.”
She wrapped the quilt more snugly around her as she explained, “I study big cats, primarily lions. I’d just spent five years observing a large lion pride in Africa when Nuevo hired me. As you can imagine, the project leaders had all sorts of questions for me.”
“But all you ever did was answer questions,” he pushed, needing to be sure that she’d had no direct interaction with any of the hybrids. He didn’t care how desperate he was for a mate; that was a line he wasn’t willing to cross.
“I was a source of information, nothing more. The closest I ever got to those horrible labs was a videoconference. And in case you’re wondering, I was never told what the Griffin Project was about.”
“You never suspected?” he challenged, his gaze locking with hers. She was clearly intelligent and her education was rooted in science. How could she not realize what the Griffin Project was about? The question made him scoff inwardly. Shapeshifters and psychic shadows, how could anyone guess what was really taking place on Nuevo’s outpost?
“I wondered,” she admitted. “I was concerned that something was seriously wrong, but the whole thing blew up before I could decide what I needed to do about it.”
“If you’re completely blameless, why are you here?” He was being a jerk and he knew it, but he needed a better understanding of the female Kane had chosen for their mate.
She finger-combed her damp hair back from her face as her gaze filled with memories. “The legal team was ruthless and there was such a public outcry against Nuevo Biotech that the cops scooped up every person on Nuevo’s payroll and charged us with the same set of crimes. We were tried separately, but it was like an assembly line. They presented the same evidence over and over. No one cared that our level of involvement had been vastly different. Nuevo signed our paychecks. That’s all that mattered to any of them.”
He helped her scoot to the edge of the bed and then they both stood up. “Our lives on Earth are over. We can’t go back,” he concluded with a shrug. “We were both dumped here like an unwanted pet, so all we can do is make the best of what little we’ve been given.”
She nodded, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I had plans for my life, dreams and aspirations.”
“We all did.” Malik pulled her into his arms, but she remained tense and unresponsive, so he let her go.
Apparently, clothing would mean more at this stage than a hug, so he crossed the room and rummaged through his closet until he found one of the short-sleeved tunics he wore under his flex armor. It would envelop her body like a dress and the sturdy gray material would provide the modesty she clearly wanted. Returning to the bed, he handed her the tunic and motioned toward the bathroom. “Get dressed then join us in the outer room. The others should have something for you to eat by now.”
Lexie smoothed the gray tunic down over her thighs, hands shaking, heart thudding in her chest. Three aggressive hybrids waited in the outer room. They expected her to accommodate their sexual needs and obediently do anything they asked of her. They hadn’t thrown her on the bed and fucked her the second they arrived at this cabin. That was something, she supposed. Malik had eventually taken out the uncomfortable butt plug and eased the stinging of her welted behind with his magic ointment. Maybe the other two would follow his example and give her some time to adjust to her new circumstances. She thought of Kane and Diego and sighed. Patience seemed unlikely. Even Malik had taken full advantage of her nudity when her ass was in the air. And he seemed to be the most reasonable of the three.
After using the bathroom, she washed up and tugged a brush through her damp hair. Then she wandered around the bedroom feeling lost and vulnerable. Malik’s attention had been unexpected and confusing. If the purpose for the belting had been to hurt and humiliate her, why had he taken away the pain? And why do everything else he’d done to her? She could still feel his mouth pressed against her pussy, feel the sensual slide of his tongue in and out of her core. A violent shiver passed through her torso and lodged between her thighs. Just thinking about the orgasm he’d wrested from her body made her ache for him to do it all over again.
This wasn’t helping. She shook away the images and headed for the door. She’d been told to join them in the living room and heaven knew she was hungry. Besides, if she procrastinated much longer, one of her mates would likely come get her and spank her for ignoring the command. The strangest wave of tingling heat rolled through her body at the thought. She’d been mortified and afraid the entire time Kane punished her, yet she couldn’t ignore what it had done to her senses. Being naked and at his mercy had aroused her like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Even the pain, and it had been extremely painful, made her orgasm more intense. She didn’t understand why her body was reacting this way, but she was honest enough to admit that she’d been affected by it.
She eased open the door and peered out into the living room. The cabin was compact and rustic, built for function rather than esthetic appeal. The furniture, what little there was of it, had obviously been handcrafted, probably by Kane, Diego, and Malik themselves. A stone fireplace took up most of one wall and the flames drew her like a moth. It had been so long since she’d been warm and felt completely safe. The thought brought her up short. Why in the world would she feel safe here? The first thing these three had done was strip her naked and take a belt to her rear end. No. The first thing they’d done was agree to save Bianca’s life and declare before the village leaders that she was their mate.
“You didn’t sleep very long,” Kane commented, his silver-blue gaze slightly narrowed.
“I was too hungry to sleep.” It wasn’t a lie. She was hungry. But that wasn’t what drew her from sleep. She was anxious about the rest of the night; not afraid, just uncertain. She had never been interested in casual hookups, had never had sex with someone she just met. Now she’d agreed to make her body available to three veritable strangers.
“Have a seat.” Diego motioned toward the table. “What would you like to drink? We have sunjit tea, milk, and water.”
Sunjit was an aromatic herb that grew everywhere on this planet. Her camp had been using it for everything from teas to food seasoning to a sort of potpourri for their tents. “I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen a cow since we arrived,” she said with a tentative smile. “Do I even what to know where the milk came from?”
“We’ve domesticated the dorren ,” Malik explained. “ They make wonderful pack animals and provide us with milk and cheese.”
Malik pulled out one of the chairs and Lexie sat down. The scientists had encountered several large herds of animals in the months they’d been here. They had tried to hunt them, but without conventional weapons they had failed miserably. She wasn’t sure which animal Malik meant. Still, it amazed her how much the hybrids had accomplished since arriving on Rydaria. “I hate to ask, but do you eat their meat as well?”
Kane shook his head as he brought a stack of dishes to the table. “They’re too valuable. We hunt their wilder cousins, the biforen . There are also a variety of smaller animals in the forest. Biforen meat is in the stir-fry.”
As they bustled around gathering the components for the meal, Lexie took a moment to look at her mates, really look at them. She’d always thought Kane was attractive. Tall, dark, and ruggedly handsome, what was not to like. His dark hair and pale blue eyes were a lethal combination. Malik’s appeal wasn’t as flashy as Kane’s. His hair was a lighter shade of brown and his eyes were hazel. Still, his easygoing personality was comforting and unique in a cabin full of aggressive predators. The word shifted her gaze to Diego. He was by far the most predatory of her mates. Every expression, every movement of his body revealed his feline nature.
“Did Malik take good care of you?” Diego asked after a long, silent pause.
She nodded, instinctively lowering her gaze. Diego didn’t try to be intimidating. He didn’t need to try. Everything about him exuded danger.
Once all the dishes were on the table, the men took their places. Kane was directly across from Lexie. Diego sat on her right, Malik on her left. She looked at the meal before her and felt tears gather in her eyes. There was easily enough for all her friends, yet they would probably go to sleep hungry again. Hungry, cold, and miserable.
Diego scooped out a heaping spoonful of stir-fry and placed it on Lexie’s plate. There was sliced fruit and a basket full of bread. “Dig in.”
She picked up her fork, but her composure shattered in a deluge of tears. “I can’t sit here and feast while my friends are starving.”
All three men stood, but Malik reached her first. He pulled her up off the chair and into his arms. For a moment he just held her and let her cry.
“Please, can we send them some of this food?” She looked up at him pleadingly.
“We can’t and you know why.” His tone was firm but patient. For the moment.
“But we haven’t eaten real food in weeks. It would be so easy just to?—”
“We need them to join our village,” Kane cut in. “Sending them food is counterproductive to that goal.”
She shook her head, overwhelmed with guilt and sympathy. “Then I won’t eat either.”
“Like hell you won’t,” Diego growled, the warning clear. “Sit down and fill your belly.”
Kane pulled her out of Malik’s arms and turned her to face him. Lightly cupping her chin, he tilted her head back until she looked into his eyes. “We’ll go to your camp tomorrow so you can talk with your friends. Let them know that our offer is legitimate and encourage them to join you here.” Before she could argue, he bent and brushed her lips with his. “Do as you’re told.” Everyone returned to their seats and the men filled their plates.
The kiss had been brief and unexpected. Her first reaction was confusion. Part of her still wanted to defy them, but Kane’s lips had been soft, the kiss coaxing, and she wanted to keep it that way. With a sigh of frustration, Lexie sank onto her seat and took a tentative bite of the stir-fry. The meat was darker than pork, yet redder than beef. “It tastes sort of like elk.” She speared another bite now that she knew it wasn’t dreadful. The vegetables were unfamiliar, yet their taste was bright and slightly sweet, balancing out the richness of the meat. Food deprivation took over and she quickly finished off the first portion. Diego filled her plate again and she continued sating her hunger.
“Thanks for this,” she said in between bites. “Whoever made this clearly knows their way around the kitchen.”
“We had no choice but to learn,” Kane explained. “Everyone was required to fend for themselves until we started organizing into coalitions.”
“When and why did that happen?” She was curious about the village in general and her mates in particular. Hopefully if she encouraged them to talk about general concepts, it wouldn’t feel intrusive when she started asking personal questions.
“It started with the cabins,” Diego told her. “It took too much time and resources to build each one. Sharing them was the only thing that made sense.”
A deeper meaning unfurled within her mind. The same basic concept applied to females. Because the ratio of males to females was so disproportionate, sharing was the only thing that made sense. Her next bite was difficult to swallow, and restlessness made her squirm on her seat. “How long have you three been together?”
“That depends what you mean by together. We’ve been part of Zion’s guard since he was chosen as pride leader,” Diego said. “So we’ve been part of the same team since shortly after we arrived. We’ve lived together for the past two years.”
“Does everyone in the feline village belong to a coalition?” She knew how the village was arranged. There were larger buildings in each cabin cluster. She’d presumed they were barracks, but they could also be meeting rooms similar to the lodge.
“There are several hundred who have yet to be chosen,” Kane admitted. “They’re either too young or have failed in some way to attract the attention of a coalition leader.”
Kane had been very specific when he stated the conditions of the alliance. Each female must bond with a coalition. What about all the unattached males? Were they just shit out of luck? “Does a male have to belong to a coalition to claim a mate?”
“Absolutely,” Diego stressed. “Rydaria is not Earth. Life here is hard and dangerous. Only a coalition can adequately protect and provide for a female. If one of the rogues wants a mate, he needs to join a coalition.”
Anxious to learn more about her mates, Lexie moved on to more personal information. “Malik said he’d spent six years in the military. Were both of you soldiers too?”
“Most of the hybrids have a military background,” Diego answered. “We weren’t created in those labs. We were transformed. And don’t forget, the Griffin Project was funded by a military cooperative. The backers didn’t care if Nuevo explored other applications for the technology, but their primary focus was a stronger, more aggressive army.”
She knew all of this. She’d listened to hours and hours of details during the trial. What she really wanted to understand was how her mates had been affected by what took place in those labs. She started to ask a question then changed her mind. The memories had to be painful. Dredging up the past would likely make them angry.
She’d started to ask a question four times when Kane shook his head and said, “We’ve spent the last three and a half years trying to forget our captivity, but it’s obvious that you need to hear about it. I’ll allow you to ask me three questions about those years, but this is the only time I will speak about it. Think carefully before you pose each question. Make them count.”
Thrilled by the opportunity, Lexie blurted, “How long were you imprisoned?”
“Seven years.”
Her jaw dropped and her heart lurched into her throat. “I had no idea it had been going on that long.”
Diego pressed back into his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “How long did you work for them?”
“Ten months,” she told him then shifted her gaze back to Kane. “May I ask for a clarification without being charged for another question? It deals with the project in general rather than you specifically.”
The corners of Kane’s mouth quirked, but he didn’t quite smile. “I’ll allow it.”
“Who was their captive the longest and how long were they in captivity?” Nuevo Biotech operated an autonomous outpost that orbited Earth’s moon. The remote location was part of the reason Nuevo had gotten away with their illegal experiments for so long. It was hard to monitor what was going on hundreds of thousands of miles away.
“Zion was the first and he won’t admit how long he was there.” Malik picked up a piece of bread and tore off a corner, but the morsel never made it to his mouth. “We know it was a least ten years, but it could have been considerably longer.”
Lexie shook her head, trying to imagine the utter hopelessness of being abused, even tortured for a decade or more. “No wonder he’s so… harsh.”
“He’s harsh because it’s necessary,” Diego objected. “We all have strong personalities and even stronger opinions. Only someone as ‘harsh’ as Zion could keep us all in line.”
“What else do you want to know?” Kane prompted. “I’m losing interest in the conversation.”
If this was the only opportunity he would give her, she had no choice but to be bold. “What are your abilities? How did the procedures change you?”
Kane released a faint scoff and averted his face. “Common sense could have told you that. Segments of an apex predator’s genome were added to our DNA. What do you think that did to us?”
The subject was making him irritable. She should probably save her last question for another day, but he also said he’d never talk about this again.
When she just sat there silently, Kane went on, “I’m faster, stronger, meaner, and my instincts are now driving forces that I can’t ignore.”
“We’re social to an extent, but we are also extremely territorial,” Malik interjected. “Our willingness to cooperate with the other coalitions only extends so far. What’s ours is ours and we will kill to protect it.”
All three of them were staring at her with intense, possessive gazes. She belonged to them now. She’d agreed to let them claim her, and they’d made sure the entire pride knew about it. Anyone that threatened her would deal with them. The realization sent a little shiver down her spine.
“One more question,” Kane cautioned.
She was so upset by what she’d learned already that she could only think of one thing to ask. “Do you think the leaders of Earth were right to isolate you like this? Are you dangerous?”
The men looked at each other, but it was Diego who answered. “Yes. If we had been left on Earth it would have resulted in bloodshed, likely a lot of bloodshed.”
Surprised by his honesty, Lexie gave herself a moment to absorb the information. She presumed the hybrids were just as resentful as the scientists. Both groups had been dumped here with no hope of rescue. Rydaria had been labeled a penal planet with the highest level of danger present. Everyone on Earth had abandoned them and other travelers had no reason to risk establishing contact with the inhabitants. Like it or not, all they had was each other and the hybrids were in control.
“We’ve indulged you long enough,” Kane decided. “Find something else to talk about.”
She sighed. There was so much she wanted to know about all three of them, but Kane wasn’t making it easy. “Can I ask questions about your past as long as it has nothing to do with Nuevo?”
“The past is irrelevant,” Kane growled out. “Our lives began the day we left Earth.”
Malik stood and began clearing the table. “I’m not sure I agree with you, Kane. Knowing about Lexie’s life on Earth has given me a better understanding of her outlook and attitudes.”
“I agree with Malik,” Diego chimed in. “I’d like to know more about her and I’m willing to answer her questions in return.”
“Then by all means do so.” Kane swept his arm toward Lexie then folded both over his chest.
Ignoring Kane’s grumpiness, Lexie smiled at Diego and stood up so she could help Malik remove the dishes. Kane was the best looking of the three, but Diego was a close second when he wasn’t scowling at her. “Where did you call home before all this happened?”
“Texas,” Diego said with a pronounced drawl that hadn’t been there before.
“Really?” she cried happily. “Our ranch was northwest of Dallas. What part of Texas are you from?”
“Austin mostly, but we spent a few years down in Galveston.”
“Did you grow up in Austin or move there as an adult?” She was happy to have found common ground with Diego. He seemed hard and hostile most of the time.
“My father was Colombian, and my mother was from Texas. Their marriage ended when I was fourteen. My two older brothers stayed in Colombia with Dad. My younger sister and I went to Texas with Mom.”
He listed the facts with such casualness, but Lexie didn’t believe it for a minute. “That had to be horrible for you. Your family was literally torn in half. Were you and your brothers close?”
“They were close to each other. I was five years younger, so they found me annoying.”
She could picture the scene. A fourteen-year-old Diego pestering his teenage brothers because he was desperate for attention. She understood the dynamic all too well because her only sibling was six years older than she was. “Would you have stayed with your father if they’d given you the choice?”
“Absolutely.” Apparently too antsy to sit still, Diego stood and helped with the dishes. “My mother cheated on my father, so I blamed her for the divorce. I felt as if staying with her was a punishment and I made damn sure she understood that.”
Divorce was never one sided, but she decided to keep her opinions to herself. Instead, she asked, “Did you ever forgive her or did the divorce ruin your relationship?”
“I joined the Planetary Defense Force on my eighteenth birthday. That made it obvious that I wanted to be as far away from her as humanly possible. I can still remember the stricken look on her face when I told her what I’d done.”
She tensed. Wanting to spite a parent wasn’t a very good reason for joining the military. “Have you ever regretted your decision?”
“Long-range patrols give you lots of time to think, to reflect on the choices you’ve made and the people you’ve hurt,” Diego went on after a tense pause. “I realized that there was probably more to the story than I knew. I needed to hear my mother’s side at the very least. That’s when I was captured by Nuevo. I was their prisoner for three years and by the time I was rescued, Mom was dead.”
Lexie cringed. “Oh, Diego, I’m sorry. That must have been more painful than the divorce.”
“I don’t know about that, but regret has a way of eating at you. That’s a fact.”
They finished the dishes and returned to the table. Kane was still brooding like a thunderstorm and Lexie wasn’t sure why. “Are you sure you don’t want to share?” She encouraged him with her brightest smile.
“Get naked and sit on this table and I’ll consider it,” he countered.
Was he serious or did he just think she wouldn’t do it? They’d already seen her naked and sex was unavoidable. Why not call his bluff and learn more about him? “Give me your word that your story will be honest and complete, and I’ll let you play with me any way you like.” She drew the tunic several inches higher onto her thighs.
His gaze narrowed and his lips compressed for a moment, but all he said was, “I’ll make it worth your while.”