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He nodded. “I’ll take that as the insult it was meant to be.”
She closed her eyes, her breath shuddering. “I was dreaming, wasn’t I?”
“You were.” He cleared his throat, wanting to learn more about what made her tick as much as he wanted to learn anything he could about their common enemy. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’d prefer not relive the death of my people again.”
Though an apology seemed inadequate at best, he couldn’t stay quiet. “I’m sorry, Sienna, I truly am.”
“Yeah, so am I.” She rubbed at her arms. “I-I shouldn’t be here.”
“You’ve got someplace else you’d rather be?”
She dug her fingertips into her brow, weariness etched deeply into her face. “I need to reconvene with the six otherrares.If I don’t, I’m not sure we’ll survive.”
His pulse lurched. He couldn’t imagine that possibility, herefusedto imagine it. Not only was Sienna vital to saving his world, he couldn’t lose her. Her death would be an injustice of the highest order, one that would likely kill him, too.
He shoved away the mess of his emotions. He clearly wasn’t thinking straight. He was getting too invested, and that made him weak. His voice came out harsh, accusatory. “Meeting up with any of your kind would be a mistake. It would be the perfect opportunity for the Dronians to annihilate you all at once.”
Followed by my world, my people.
“We don’t have a choice.” She shook her head, as though mentally berating herself for spilling her secrets to him. She blinked up at him, clearly deciding it was too late to stop now when she added, “The day you captured me I had five days before I was supposed to reunite with the otherrares.You’ve kept me with you for—how many days now?”
“This will be day three,” he said neutrally, though guilt was a dull blade slicing inside his gut.
“Then I have two more days,” she said dully.
He had to draw on every bit of ruthlessness he had and then some and remind himself why she was his captive. He couldn’t let her go now. He needed to use her desperation to his advantage. If she was half as frantic to meet up with herrarecomrades as he was to learn about their enemy and save his people, then there was hope yet.
She pushed back some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. “Looks like I failed before the meeting even eventuated.”
“What makes you say that?”
Her shoulders drooped. “Not all of usraresknow about the meeting. It was my mission to find those still in hiding and let them know about our rendezvous.”
He frowned. He’d never heard such defeat in her voice. She hadn’t failed yet! “Why can’t you still find them?”
She glared at him, the smudge of light outside that heralded the start of a new day giving clear visual of her emotions. “Other than the fact you’re holding me hostage here?”
“Perhaps I can help?” he suggested, while every atom in his body berated his offer.
She blinked and a green light filled her eyes, an effervescent glow that made his breath catch and his senses reel. Gods, but she was beautiful. She held his stare. “Help me find them and I’ll tell you everything I know about the Dronians,” she promised huskily.
It was madness to even consider the idea. The moment she found one of her own kind they’d use their combined powers to get rid of him once and for all, and his opportunity would be gone right along with it. But it was the closest he’d come yet to getting information he could relay back to his world.
And besides...he wasn’t without his own demands. “I’ll do what you ask...on one condition.”
“One condition?” she repeated dully.
He nodded. “Iama bounty hunter. It’s in my nature to expect some kind of reward for helping you.”
“If it’s money you want, I don’t—“
“Kiss me,” he interjected throatily.
She licked her lips, her eyes glowing the brightest green. “One kiss,” she said softly, cautiously. “Then we leave this house immediately and we find my people.”
He nodded assent. Words weren’t particularly necessary at this point. All he cared about was pressing his mouth against hers. All he could focus on was her lush, full lips that were made for kissing.
