Chapter 28

They made it to the elite house before she realized something was wrong. She had trailed Draven, three other Livarians spreading out to the sides and behind them. Lost in her own thoughts, and an inner argument where she was putting the Prime in his place, she hardly noticed her surroundings, or the others until they made it to the door.

The guards at the door nodded, their faces grim and serious and Draven stopped a moment to murmur to them before passing through the door. He moved stiffly, lacking the subtle grace she was used to associating with him.

“You're hurt,” she frowned at him as she joined him in the entrance hall.

He looked down at her, amusement lighting his face for a moment.

“Worried?”

What?

“What happened? Don't you think it's more important to get some medical help than to interrupt my supper and boss me around?”

He chuckled.

“We ran into a Thrak nest. We were well outnumbered for a bit. It is nothing, the armor is healing it as we speak,” his gaze was intense on her face. “Though I am grateful for your concern.”

“I am not concerned, I just think you should have left me alone.”

His chuckle deepened and he waved her into the sitting room. Today, the table was clear of the maps she had seen on the first night. There were two chairs arranged at the table, an almost intimate setting. She hesitated. This wasn't part of her plan. In fact, it ran in direct contrast to her determination to avoid the man.

Draven gestured her to a chair and moved to the side of the room, grabbing a decanter and two glasses.

She sighed and sat where he had indicated. She would just have to get it over with.

Shortly after they sat, the door guard that Draven had spoken to appeared in the doorway, two plates in his hand.

Mia's stomach rumbled embarrassingly. The supper had looked delicious. The smell of roasted meat and the spices from the mushroom sauce tickled her senses. The guard approached the table and sat the plate in front of her. He studied her with interest before retreating back toward the entrance. Then she was alone with the Prime.

He tilted his head, indicating she had permission to begin eating as he poured a clear looking fluid into the cups.

Her teeth clamped together for a few seconds. He really managed to get under her skin. It was more than frustrating that he simply gave commands and permission and expected to be obeyed. And especially after their last interaction in this building, she fought the urge to fight him at every step and do the opposite of what he wanted.

It was a momentary glitch in her motivations. Not eating wouldn't solve any problems and she was hungry. She spooned one of the mushrooms off the plate and popped it into her mouth.

Heaven exploded on her tongue; the sauce was filled with warm spices that left her taste buds tingling. It was perfectly balanced and somehow felt creamy and smooth in her mouth. Beneath it all was a slightly smokey flavor and she realized it was coming from the mushroom. Mia didn't hesitate to get to work on the rest of the plate, pulling in the white vegetable that looked somewhat like a carrot and using it to mop up the sauce. The meat was a pile of slices to the edge of the plate, which she avoided.

“Explain to me what has been happening between the women,” Draven sat back. He took a sip from his cup and watched her, as she popped a piece of warm buttery bread into her mouth and chewed.

She considered him for a moment.

“I'm sure your men have already given you a full report on the incident,” she gestured to his light tool.

He tilted his head in acknowledgment. “I would like your perspective on the matter.”

She sat back as well, trying to gauge him. What would it matter since he only seemed to bowl over any of her suggestions or actions anyway? She pulled the cup toward her, took a tiny sip, and then grimaced. The liquid was sweet, in a syrupy way, but the burn as it slid down her throat assured her that it had an alcohol content that she didn't want to play around with. She set it to the side.

“My perspective?” she asked.

He nodded.

“From my perspective, keeping your little secret backfired. The women don't know what's going on, so they've come to their own conclusions. Some of them have made their opinions well known.”

He watched her impassively, no sign of what he was thinking crossing his face. It was tempting to continue, to explain how wrong he had been, but something told her trying to rub his nose in it wouldn't go over very well and would discredit everything she said.

“What exactly are these conclusions?”

Mia hesitated. It was one thing to tell him that she thought he had been wrong, and a totally different thing to clue him in to the details of what Leanne and Ashley had said. She trusted, for the most part, that the women would remain unharmed, but, then again, Draven didn't strike her as a man of infinite patience.

“Mia,” he warned.

“Some of the women are saying that the new constraints are a punishment for not choosing.”

“Yes, your friend mentioned something like that in the garden. But there's more to it and I would like to know what.”

She sighed. How to approach this?

“Why did you stop us from cleaning up the mess in the dining hall?”

Draven blinked at her, the question throwing him off for a moment.

“It is a dishonor for you to clean up after another's unsavory actions. It places you below them or in support of them.”

“That wasn't what we were doing at all and your men knew it, too. On Earth, cleaning that would have been a sign that we did not support those women's actions, an apology of sorts for their behavior.”

He shook his head. “It isn't becoming.”

“You want my perspective? This is exactly your problem. You've taken women from Earth, from full lives where they have meaning and a purpose, and you've brought us here and tried to fit us into the mold of your society. If this is going to work, if you want the women to settle here, you cannot try to change everything about them. Give them a reason to want to stay, a purpose. And maybe a little leniency socially. What you want is for women to become half of what will make your future here. It is only fair to allow Earth customs and traditions to meld in with your own where you can.”

There. That was the best she was going to be able to do for him. It would be his choice now what he wanted to do with it.

He considered her for a long moment.

“You haven't told the women of the danger you discovered.”

Mia frowned. “You already know my feelings about that.”

“Indeed,” ice blue eyes sparked in the dim light across from her. “What I don't know is what has inspired your loyalty in the matter. Why haven't you told the women?”

Frustration thrummed through her. “Let me get this straight. You allow me to overhear a conversation about your enemy, and then you threaten me to keep the information from the other women. Now you want to know why? Are you trying to make me lose my mind?”

“You were hardly threatened.”

“I felt threatened.”

“I think that's not what you felt, at all,” a smug and masculine smile curved his lips.

“And we're back to this,” Mia stood, her chair pushing back. “Thank you for taking me from the hall and making me reiterate things you already knew,” she headed for the door.

“I haven't excused you,” Draven's voice was a smokey shot of whiskey from behind her. Why did the man have such an effect on her? And yet, defiance stirred in her blood.

“Am I prisoner here?”

“Only as much as you make yourself. I expect basic courtesy, I am Prime. You have gotten away with far more disrespect than any other already. If you'd like to go back to the dorms, then I expect you to request my leave.”

Uh huh. Sounded like a power trip to her. She closed her eyes resisting the urge to press her palms against them, but she didn't turn back to him.

“I'm tired. I would like to leave and go to bed, with your permission.”

There was amusement in Draven's voice when he answered.

“Go. I look forward to our future consults.”

She hesitated. She really, really wanted to walk out, but his words arrested her.

“Consults?” she asked at last.

“Yes. I've decided I need a consulate between the Livarians and the Earth women. It is essential to the well-being of all that we meet daily.”

She whirled, not liking the amusement in his eyes when they met hers.

“Explain to me exactly what you're saying.”

“Tomorrow evening, and every evening thereafter, you will join me here for the evening meal to discuss the dual needs of our people.”

“And if I refuse?”

He tilted his head. “If you're people's needs are not important to you, then you are not the woman I think you are.”

“You could ask the others for their input.”

“No,” he said simply.

“No?”

“No. You present your perspective of your people's plight or they learn to deal with our customs on their own. Your voice is unique in regulating this situation.”

Mia bit her tongue against the growl that was forming. Her voice wasn't unique. He could use any one of the women, or at least many of them, the way he was using her, so what was his game?

The look he was giving her was one of a conqueror, sure of victory. She let herself accede to the idea that he was intent on seducing her. Phoebe, perhaps, hadn't been so far off on her assessment, but it made little sense to her. She was hardly the most attractive of the women, if that was what he wanted. In fact, there were very few virtues she could spout that would be impressive; maybe that was why Brian had found several other avenues of release.

She wasn't enough for this, and she just wanted to go home where she could thrive in her little apartment with her cat and do her best to fulfill herself through her job. She had already come to the conclusion that she didn't need a relationship, not a boyfriend, or a friendship, to fulfill her purpose. She was...or at least had been...useful. Needed. It really didn't matter to her if those that she helped were ever going to remember her in the end.

There was no point arguing. Besides, she got the impression that was what he wanted. Like he got some kind of sick amusement out of riling her up.

“Fine,” she turned from him and strode out the door, ignoring his amused chuckle that brushed against her senses.

One of the door guards broke off as she left the building, dogging her steps. She ignored him, breathing in the cool evening air and studying the compound around her. Darkness had fallen and long shadows stretched across the street. The birds had fallen silent, so she listened to the padding of her feet along the stones.

Arrogant Livarian.

Ok. Deep breaths.

She inhaled deeply and forced her exhale to come out slow and controlled. What she really needed was a good long run. There had been far too much pent up energy this evening and she needed some sort of release, something that she was in control of. She turned and eyed her guard. Would he consent to some evening exercise or would duty ensure he was back at that door as soon as he left her at the dorms?

She didn't get the chance to ask; the man tensed, his eyes suddenly focused. He leapt toward her, something blue flashing in his hands. There was a sharp prick against the side of her neck, her fingers raised automatically to the spot. And then she was sinking into her subconscious and, without her permission, her legs sank beneath her. Strong arms lowered her with a harsh curse, but she was gone before she hit the ground.