“Actually Master Daneth hoped to implant me with a Zandian egg, but the experiment didn’t take.” Bayla patted her belly.
Mina liked the human, who seemed more similar to her than her own sister. Probably because she carried the air of open sexuality trained into sex slaves. “So, he had to use the old-fashioned method?”
“Yes. He didn’t mean to, because he thinks his genes are too old, but it happened, anyway.”
“There’s also Cambry, a human warrior, mated to a Zandian,” Lamira said.
Mina sat up straighter. “A female?”
“Yes. She’s part of the human army. Her mate, Lundric, killed another human defending her. Woe to any male on the training pod who even thinks of harming her—not that she can’t defend herself.” Lamira grinned.
“So your sister and Cambry are on the training pod? Is Lily a warrior, too?”
“Yes.”
“I want to go there.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. The words had almost ejected themselves from her mouth. But they were true. The palatial pod held nothing for her. She wanted to crawl out of her skin most of the time, not knowing what to do with herself, who to be. Hating the secret she carried of who she used to be. Hating how out of place she felt.
Hearing they allowed females to train as warriors thrilled her. This was what she’d been born for. It made sense—she was the daughter of a warrior. And she wanted to be of use to Prince Zander, to aid her father. He was over on the training pod now. She wanted to go there to be with him.
“Good luck with that.” Talia’s tone was dry.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean there’s one thing more important to the Zandians than taking back their planet, and that’s ensuring the species won’t go extinct.”
Her brow furrowed. “So what are you saying?”
“The chances of Zander or Father letting you into any dangerous situation are nil. You and Eslyn and I are the only—”
“I’m not capable of breeding,” Mina interrupted. “I’ve been hormonally modified to not conceive. For another two solar cycles, at least.” She’d refused to let Master Daneth examine her when she arrived, or they would have known. “Maybe I should make that information more public—it might cut down on my admirers.”
The females gaped at her, and she realized what she’d revealed. Only sex slaves were given hormonal implants to prevent pregnancy. Other slaves’ owners expected breeding, even encouraged it to multiply their holdings.
“I’m sure Daneth can reverse i
t, if you want,” Bayla offered.
“No. I want to train with the warriors, not stay around here and make babies. No offense,” she added, realizing how insulting she must sound. “It’s just… I’ve spent the last ten years caged. I want out. I never expected to trade one cage for another.”
“I’ll take you to the training pod.” Erick’s deep masculine voice boomed from the arched entryway, sending tiny shockwaves through her entire body. She would know the sound anywhere. It created a riot of emotion in her. Thrills, mostly, followed by dismay. She couldn’t let this male take her anywhere. She’d ended things with him several nights ago.
Which didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about him nearly every moment of every planet rotation since.
Erick entered the room but hung back, giving her actual space, even though he’d just invaded her psychic space in every possible way. Leave it to him to offer the one thing she couldn’t refuse.
Of course, any other warrior would take her. Or would they? Perhaps not, if Prince Zander forbade it. But Erick was an esteemed master here. He came and went as he pleased. In fact, the guards who’d been gathered at the door had dispersed, as if his mere presence sent them packing. Or maybe he’d actually ordered them away. She wouldn’t put it past him.
Talia and the humans looked between the two of them with interest. Because she wanted to minimize their opportunity for observation, she surged to her feet and met Erick where he stood.
“When?”
He inclined his head in a show of deference. The chivalrous male who turned to beast in the bedroom. No, don’t think about him in bed. Do not remember the way he looks with his shirt off. Or the rough command of his touch.
As if he knew her thoughts, one corner of his lips kicked up, his brown eyes deepening to purple. “Anytime. Now, if you like.”
“Yes. All right. I’ll just grab my things.” She hated how breathless she sounded. It certainly wasn’t because she was excited about being alone with Erick. Definitely not.
He didn’t step aside, forcing her to crowd against his large frame to get through the arched doorway. Her tummy and arm grazed against his hard muscle, sending skitters of heat racing along her skin. She pushed past, not daring to look up into his face for fear she’d stop and drag his lips down to hers.