Bought By The Zandians (Zandian Brides 2)

Across the room, I see Danica stiffen. It was almost as if she is able to hear Gorde’s words. My belief that she’s a runaway is no longer the only suspicion I have about this human.

No, we’re not returning you, little slave.

I keep my eyes on her as I speak. “The prison will be hectic if they’re transitioning ownership to the Ocretions. We can play that to our advantage.”

He taps his wrist and contacts our operations specialist back on Zandia. “Raxx. If I needed to get into an Ocretion prison on Hectan-3 as a bounty hunter, what would I need?”

Danica

They think I can’t hear them, but I’m listening intently as I eat the dessicated apples and prunes, the walnuts. Human food to match my body, things that originated on a long-dead planet.

“Thank Mother Earth,” I whisper, touching my belly. I need the sustenance now more than ever, and my appetite seems endless as I finish one packet, then another.

I sneak glances at them. Both are strong, tall, well-muscled, and handsome. I’ve seen my share of males from around the universe, and these two appeal to me on a visceral level.

But I can’t stay with them. They want a breeder, someone to carry on their own genes. Oh, they may not mind mixing their DNA with those of a typical human, but what I carry inside me is something they could never accept. Not all of me.

The taller one, Gorde, approaches me, and his dark purple eyes search me, starting a slow burn in my body. “Danica.” I sense a gentleness from him under the rough exterior, something sweet. I’m drawn to him with an impossible pull. How can I like him this much, so fast?

“Thank you.” I hold up the empty packet in my hand. “It was delicious.” I find it hard to look away from his eyes. A tingle starts in my core. Mother Earth, again? My body is ready for him.

His shoulders loosen. “Good. I was worried it wouldn’t…suit you.” He holds out both hands. “I’m not familiar with what humans eat.”

“Even though you have human slaves on your planet?”

He swallows and a tendon moves in his neck. “I am not currently mated.” His voice is stiff. “The Zandians who have human mates are far more knowledgeable about their traits.”

Mated.

Interesting choice of words. One generally doesn’t mate a slave. Akron certainly never considered me a “mate”. I was a sex slave, a servant, a breeder. Never a mate. What kind of society do they have on their newly recaptured planet?

“So you are generally kind slave owners. Moderate.” I try to imagine life there.

He tilts his head and looks away from me. “We are not unkind.” When he looks back, he smiles. “You will be treated well, Danica.”

“But all females are breeders.” My stomach clenches. I’ve had my share of breeding. That’s why I’m gunning for freedom.

“So are the males, if you think about it that way.”

I tilt my head. “What way?” He seems so earnest, I get lost in his amethyst eyes.

“Our population was greatly diminished. Zandians, all of us who are left, must do everything we can to ensure that our society survives and thrives. We’re needed to provide young who can carry forward our genes.”

“But you don’t want human males. Or any other species, right?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Well, we have some human males—the ones who pledged their fealty and fought by our side to regain our planet. They will forever have a place on Zandia. But we won’t accept new male immigrants. We can’t have them, Danica. We have few enough females to go around as it is.”

“And if one…came to Zandia, somehow? What would happen?” I’m not planning on sticking around to find out, but I guess I should know, in case I don’t escape before we arrive.

“Enemies are killed. Neutral beings are sent away, somewhere else.”

“Where? I mean, where would you send a human male?” I have to stop the urge to cover my abdomen protectively.

He blinks. “There’s a planet across the galaxy where it’s safe for

humans. Well, as safe as they can be. Jesel. But they can’t stay on Zandia.”

Jesel, yes. That’s what I’d heard, too. A planet where humans are actually free.