Alien Savior (Zerconian Warriors Book 5) (13 page)

“I was trying to protect her.”

“By hurting her, yeah, that sounds like male logic. Willa doesn’t strike me as someone who forgives easily. You hurt her, Darac. Now you have to make it up to her. You got a plan on how to do that?”

“Any suggestions?”

“Grovelling? On your hands and knees would help.” Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him. “I’m glad you’re alive.”

“Me too, small human. Me too.”

***

“I can’t believe you let him come with us!” Willa raged, pacing back and forth. Rye sat on the chair in his office while Zuma lounged on another chair in the corner, playing with a hoverbe. He flicked it out, and it flew around the room, hitting each corner then diving under the desk to return to him.

“Why would you do that? He’s not one of us.”

“We owed him,” Rye told her.

“He saved us, I saved him. We’re even,” she insisted.

“The two of you might be even, but we are not. He stays.”

“For how long?” she asked.

“As long as necessary and before you keep arguing with me, last time I looked I was in charge of this crew.”

She ground her teeth together. “Why does he even want to come with us?”

“Probably because you’re the only thing keeping him sane,” Zuma replied with a grin.

“I am not his mate!”

“Yeah, ever think you might be protesting too much?”

“Screw you.”

“I’d rather not screw myself. I prefer a partner with curves, boobs, hips, an ass to hold on to.”

She rubbed her temple. She was developing another migraine. Two in less than a week. That was a record.

“You told me to choose, Rye. I did. I chose you guys. My family. So then why would you give him a damn job?”

“I didn’t give him a job, just let him come along with us. Besides, I was wrong about forcing you to choose.”

Something crashed, and she turned to find Zuma on the floor, looking dazed. “Did you just say you were wrong? Am I dead? Did the Coizils kill me? I died, didn’t I? I must have for you to say you were wrong. You’re never wrong.”

She ignored Zuma’s rambling and stared at Rye. “Wrong? What do you mean, wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have told you to choose.”

“But you were right.”

“Was I? So I should expect you to remain single? Deacon has a girlfriend back on Joyadan, and I haven’t made him give her up to be on this crew.”

“But this is different.”

“Really, how?” Rye drawled.

“Wait, are you trying to convince him that he wasn’t wrong?” Zuma asked incredulously. “Are you ill? Is whatever is wrong with Darac starting to affect you?”

She gave Zuma an irritated look.

“How is it different, Willa? Because Deacon’s a man?” Rye asked.

“Of course not. You’re not sexist.”

“No? Then what am I?”

“He was our prisoner. He tried to kill us.”

“Yep. But he’s no longer our prisoner. And he saved us. So why would I stand between the two of you now and make you choose?”

Agitated, she spoke without thinking. “Because I owe you.”

Rye leaned forward, looking interested. “How do you figure that?”

“You gave up everything for me,” she blurted out. “If it wasn’t for me then you could have gone off and done anything. If it weren't for me, you wouldn’t have turned Gabriella down when she wanted you to leave with her. I heard you tell her that you couldn’t leave because of me.”

“Damn it,” he said under his breath.

But she was on a roll, and she wasn’t stopping now.

“When Mom and Dad died you had to give up your life. Because of me. They died. Because of me.” She sobbed out a breath.

“Jesus,” Zuma said.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her blurry eyes.             

“Willa, look at me.” Rye moved in front of her. But she couldn’t look at him. Not after she’d blurted out all of her issues. He placed his finger under her chin, tilting her face up. “Willa, why didn’t you tell me you felt this way?”

“It’s the truth. I owe you everything.”

“No. You owe me nothing and do you know why?” he asked almost harshly.

She shook her head.

“Because we are family. I love you, Willa. Maybe I’ve never said that. But I do. You are my sister. I didn’t give up anything for you. My life is better because of you.”

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes, feeling utterly embarrassed.

“But Gabriella?”

Rye sighed. “That was wrong of me to use you as an excuse.”

“An excuse?”

“I was a lot younger than I am now and she was very insistent.”

“Pushy, bossy,” Zuma interjected.

Rye gave him a quelling stare. “I didn’t want to hurt her so I used you as an excuse. Had I known you were listening in, I wouldn’t have done so. What’s the rule about eavesdropping?”

She dropped her gaze. “Sorry.” No matter how old she was, he always seemed to have the ability to make her feel like a child.

“So you didn’t give up a life with Gabriella for me?” she asked in a small voice.

He ran his thumb down her cheek in a surprisingly gentle move. Then he clasped her face between his hands. “No, baby. Not at all. I raised you and our brothers because you are my family, and I love you all.”

“Even Zuma?” she asked with a sniff.

Rye grinned, and it made him look years younger. Lighter. “Even Zuma.”

“Hey, I’m lovable,” Zuma protested, moving towards them. “So long as we’re sharing the love how about a group hug?”

“Now you’re pushing it,” Rye said dryly. “I’ll hug her. You’ll have to find one of your women if you want any loving.”

Zuma stuck his lower lip out as she giggled.

“Willa, why do you think it was your fault that our parents died?” Rye asked seriously.

“I went missing. They were looking for me when those rogues set upon them.”

“Did you pay those rogues to kill them?”

“No.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable.

“Did you disappear on purpose so they would go looking for you?” Rye asked.

“Of course not.”

“Did you force them to leave the safety of the village without weapons or protection?”

“No.”

“No, because you were two. You were a child. I doubt you even have memories of that day, do you?”

“No.” She’d tried. She thought she had glimpses, but she had no idea if they were actual memories or things she’d imagined from what other people had told her.

“Do you know who was supposed to be looking after you that day?” Rye asked.

She frowned. “I thought Mom was.”

“No, it was me. I was supposed to be watching you. But I got chatting to this cute girl and when I turned around you were gone. So if it’s anyone’s fault that Mom and Dad died, it’s mine.”

She glanced between the two of them; Zuma looked as grim as she had ever seen him.

“It wasn’t your fault, Rye.”

Rye raised his eyebrows. “No? Why not?”

“Because you didn’t know I was going to wander off. You were a kid too. And it was the rogues that killed them.”

“Exactly.” Rye placed his hands on her shoulders. “So you’re not the cause of Mom and Dad’s deaths.”

“And neither are you,” she added.

“Right.” Although she thought she saw some doubt in his gaze. But whatever she saw was quickly gone. “And you don’t owe me anything.” He glanced over at Zuma. “None of you do. We’re family, that’s what counts. Why didn’t you come to me about this earlier?”

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to bring family stuff up while we were working. You know, I figured you didn’t want me to be your sister when I was on board the ship.”

“You’re always my sister, but I know what you mean. I don’t make any allowances for family. You earn your place on my crew. But I never forget who you are. Besides, we don’t work all the time.”

“No. I guess I didn’t want to be more of a burden.”

“Burden?” Zuma spoke up. “Where the hell do you get this stuff from? You’re not a burden. You need me to shake that into you? Tattoo it on your forehead so you don’t forget it?”

“Well, that wouldn’t do me much good since I’d only see it when I was looking in a mirror. Relax, Zuma. I get it. I’m not a burden. You both loovve me.”

Zuma rolled his eyes. “You are so mature.”

Leaning up, she kissed his cheek. “Love you.” She kissed Rye’s cheek too. “And you.”

They both grunted.

She grinned.

“So if you want to be with Darac, then I’m not standing in your way,” Rye told her.

“Yeah, well, you don’t have to worry about that because I don’t. Want him that is.”

“Fine, so long as we all know where we stand. Are you, umm, feeling all right?” Rye asked.

“Got a bit of a headache, but otherwise, I’m fine, why?”

“No reason.”

Huh, that didn’t seem odd at all.

“Both of you get back to your duties,” Rye told them gruffly.

Zuma nudged her as they walked along the passage. “Beast man and Willa sitting in a tree. K. I. S—”

“Oh my God, you’re immature.” She elbowed him in the guts.

With an exaggerated noise of pain, he held his hand over his stomach and stumbled back.

She snorted. “Give it a rest, that didn’t hurt.”

Unlike her head, which felt like a giant was squeezing it between his monstrous hands.

“I’ve got to go relieve Deacon on bridge. You look like you need some rest.”

“I’m fine. I’ve got stuff to check on in the engine room.”

Zuma veered off to the bridge while she moved down to the lower level towards the engine room. Each step seemed to make her head throb more. She didn’t have time for this.

“Willa?”

She sighed. And she really didn’t have time for him. She looked up as Darac approached. Damn, the man was hot. Super-hot. Even his walk was sexy. Thick muscles bunched and moved as he strode towards her, every step filled with confidence.

And he doesn’t want you.

Didn’t matter how much permission Rye gave her or what Mila said or how much she wanted him.

He didn’t want her.

“Willa, I wish to speak with you.”

“Darac. I’m kind of busy. I need to check on some things in the engine room.”

“I will come with you.”

“Fine. Whatever.” She was in too much pain to argue with him. He walked along next to her.

“How far from your home are we?” he asked.

“About three days away.” She moved around the engine room, pretending to be busy but she couldn’t really concentrate on anything but him. What would it take for her to get over this infatuation she had for him?

“Look, Darac, let me make this easier on both of us. I know you don’t want me. I guess you made a mistake about this whole mating thing-oomph.” He moved so quickly, she didn’t see him. One minute, he was across the room, the next he was so close she’d bumped into him. Her body heated, his scent, raw and spicy, made her head swim, her breath came fast and shallow.

“Don’t want you?” The look in his eyes was intense, focused. Suddenly, he drew her against him, kissing her, and he swept his tongue inside. Pleasure swamped her, and she plastered herself against him, his heat scorching her body. He wrapped his hands around her waist, lifting her into the air, searing her with his touch. His mouth devoured hers, making her whimper with desire.

Then he placed her back on her feet and drew back. Head swimming, she worried she would completely embarrass herself and collapse at his feet.

She swallowed.
Step back. Step away
. Stupid body never listened to her when he was around.

“You believe I do not want you? You are my mate.”

Be cool. Don’t let him see how he affects you.

“Yeah? Then how come you keep pushing me away? You didn’t want to kiss me when we were being held by the Coizils and then when we did kiss, you practically shoved me away from you.”

Way to be cool, Willa.

“I did those things to protect you. Not because I changed my mind or I do not want you. You are my mate. You are everything.”

“What do you mean, protect me?”

“I believed the Coizils would kill me. Often when one mate dies, the other mate follows them. Not always, but I could not take the risk that you would follow me into the other world.”

Oh.

“What about later? When we’d been rescued?”

“I did not know if I would always remain this way, walking a tightrope between sanity and madness. If I had to be killed, if I went mad and did not come back…I did not want to risk you. I would never put you in harm’s way, Willa.”

“And now that’s changed?” she asked, trying to keep her mind on topic. She longed to lean against him.