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Chapter Seven
Tayla
“Like I said, I’m sure we have some tools around here somewhere. We’ll just have to find them and see what we can do. It sounds like you have somewhere important to be.”
I was scuttling after Adreax, trying to overtake him despite his long stride. I needed to head him off, distract him, before he got to my equipment.
“You’re damn right we do. If we don’t get this delivery to its proper recipient on time, there will be hell to pay.”
His words gave me pause. What could he be delivering that would be so important? I wanted to know more, but I didn’t want to push Adreax further into his foul mood. I had to be careful.
“I’m sure your boss will understand that you had a bit of trouble, right? I mean, it’s not really your fault that you’re stranded here.”
“Our boss, as you say, isn’t really known for being understanding. If we make it off this rock, and if we manage to get our delivery there, we’ll be lucky to leave with our lives.”
My mouth dropped open, and I stared at him in disbelief. I mean, I knew I didn’t know much about alien cultures or whatever, but a late delivery was hardly grounds for the death penalty.
“That’s crazy,” I asserted. “What kind of merchant works under those conditions? I would quit if I were you.”
At this, Adreax actually threw his head back and laughed a great bellowing laugh.
“Just quit? As if it’s that easy. Lady, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shook his head in disbelief. But now I was mad. He was mocking me, and all I was trying to do was help. This wasn’t fair.
“Well, maybe I don’t, but at least I’m trying to make the best of an unpleasant situation. You’re doing nothing but whining and crying like a small child. I’m sorry your ship is damaged, but I didn’t ask you to come crashing into my planet and causing trouble.”
“Your planet? This enormous hellscape belongs to you?”
I backed slowly toward Alec, realizing too late that something I’d said had piqued the alien’s interest and potentially given away too much information.
“Well, not exactly mine,” I stuttered, trying to regain my foothold on this conversation before it got away from me. “I created it, kind of, but it doesn’t belong to me per se. Really, it’s just an experiment. We aren’t staying here, either.”
But no matter how much I backpedaled, I could sense that Adreax was appraising me in a new way. I watched his eyes travel around the camp and over our shuttle, taking inventory of everything around us. Then, his eyes returned to me, and I watched his tongue run across his lips hungrily. This was not good. Alec had been right. Why was I such a poor judge of character?
“Tell me about this experiment, Tayla,” Adreax spoke softly, trying to coax me.
“It’s nothing, really. Just an enormous ball of dirt,” I insisted.
“So, you won’t mind if I take a look around, then?” he asked, and I could hear something menacing in his words.
I swallowed hard, willing myself to remain calm.
“Actually, I- Just be careful with the equipment. It’s expensive and uh… hard to replace out here,” I finished, faltering on the last words as he glared at me over a table of delicate instruments.
Before I could stop him, he reached out a hand and flicked one instrument with a finger, sending it spinning. I rushed forward, shouting for him to stop, but as soon as I was in reach, he grabbed my wrists and spun me around roughly, so my body was pressed against his. Alec made a move to help me, but a snarl from deep in Adreax’s throat made him stop dead in his tracks.
“Don’t even think about it, little man.”
I stopped struggling, holding my breath and hoping that Adreax would come to his senses.
“Don’t worry, Tayla. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m just here to have a look around. Now, if you can behave yourself, I’ll let you go.”
“Behave myself?” I hissed. “This is my camp. This is my planet. I’m the one making the rules, and I would like you to leave. Immediately.”
Adreax lowered his head so that he was speaking directly into my ear. I felt the heat of his breath on the back of my neck and shuddered.
“You’re mighty brave for such a little thing. I like that in a woman. And I can tell you have a brilliant mind, too. I’m afraid I’m not much for the sophisticated sciences, but I can still appreciate a woman who has a good head on her shoulders. They’re more fun in bed.”
I felt him rub the stubble of his cheek up the back of my neck one more time, filling me first with butterflies and then with revulsion at my own response.
Before I could say another word, Adreax spun me away from him, sending me tumbling into Alec’s arms. He smirked, and I watched in horror as he plucked several instruments off of the table and tucked them under his arm.
“I’ll be going then. And thank you for your assistance,” he announced, holding one of the instruments up with a lecherous grin as he stomped away from my camp.
I ran to the table in distress, falling to my knees and wiping tears from my eyes. Without those instruments, I couldn’t finish my experiments. And what use did he think they would be to him? It’s not like I was hiding extra rocket parts among my barometers.
