Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 28347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
“Thinking of escaping?”
She turned and saw the dark figure rising from the sitting bench. He turned and faced her, and the flickering flames illuminated his face. Even if she hadn’t been able to see Lukin’s face, she’d have known it was the youngest brother. He moved closer, and she took one step back, not because she was afraid, but because it was an instinct.
“You weren’t going to try to leave, were you?” he asked with an almost tired tone to his voice.
Minka shook her head, but then licked her lips and said, “No, of course not. I’m not an idiot.”
He moved closer.
“I know I’m safer with you three.”
He nodded, and when he stopped in front of her, she inhaled deeply, like she was instinctively bringing him into her body. “That’s good, because you are,” he said and reached up. He snagged a lock of her hair, held it up to the light, and rubbed the strands between his fingers.
When Lukin dropped her hair and it landed back on her shoulder he took a step back. “There isn’t anyone on this planet, or in this galaxy, who will protect you the way we will.”
“I know.” And she did, without a doubt, which was as strange as it was comforting. She knew this, because she felt it deep in her body, in her bones and cells—in the very make-up of her soul. She relied on her instincts to help her survive, to keep her moving away from threats, and to give her strength to fight when she needed to.
Her instincts were telling her that these men really would lay down their lives for her if it meant she would survive another day. A part of her couldn’t wrap her brain around that, because she didn’t know them or really understand this whole mate and breeding mentality.
That wasn’t how humans were programmed, but if she wanted to make this work, she needed to accept that this was her fate and that it could be a lot worse.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said softly, not knowing why she even spoke. Maybe she just wanted to break up this weird silence that stretched between them. She looked over at the bench he had been lying on. “You slept out here?”
He was silent for a moment and then exhaled. “I couldn’t sleep either.” He stared into her face, and despite the fact that she couldn’t see him very well, she had a feeling he saw her as easily as if the sun was in the room with them. “I usually leave for a few hours when everything is silent and my brothers are asleep. It lets me think and clears my head.” The silence stretched between them for a second. “But I know you need plenty of water, and I was going to go out tonight and stock up.”
She swallowed, and her mouth and throat were so very dry, yet not because she was thirsty, but because this male made her feel strange—in a good way.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty?” he asked just as softly, but because his voice was so deep, it seemed much louder in this great cavern.
“No.” She held onto the hide tighter and felt sweat start to bead between her breasts.
Lukin tilted his head to the side and examined her like she was some kind of experiment. “I can assume how difficult all this is for you.”
“Can you?” She didn’t say it with an attitude but was genuinely curious if he really did understand what she could be feeling.
“Well, I guess I have never been in your situation, so I can only imagine. But you’re probably frightened, confused, and don’t know how everything will play out.” He smiled, and she realized that small act changed his entire “demon-like” appearance. He seemed almost softer.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, and then she found the courage to ask him, “Can I go with you?”
“You want to go with me to fetch water?”
She nodded. “Yes. I just want to get out of here, see the planet that is my new home, and clear my head.”
He didn’t respond for a moment and then exhaled. “That is not a good idea, Minka. It is dangerous out there—”
“I trust you,” she said without hesitance, and she did, with her life.
He shook his head, turned his back to her, and the silence once again intensified.
“I do trust you, Lukin, but I have to get out of this cave. I feel like my life is unraveling right before me.”
He faced her again and then breathed out as if relenting. “I should let my brothers know, because they wouldn’t want me to take you...” He ran a hand over his hair and looked at the cave entrance. “But they would say you shouldn’t go, and I can see you desperately need to.”