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Maybe she should discard them? But then she would have nothing to protect her feet from the rocks and brittle leaves she had found herself stumbling across. She shook her head, slowing to a walk as she approached the treeline to the woods.
It would probably take her a few days to reach Delilah’s home, and that was if she could remember where the woman lived. It wasn’t like their last journey from Delilah’s house to Ragtar had been a sight-seeing one. She’d had other things on her mind while being lugged to the city from inside of a large net.
Maybe she could retrace her steps, find her friend, and convince Sahin to help her escape back to Earth. She wasn’t sure how long it would take to get there, though, and Cordelia’s feet were already killing her. She didn’t even think she’d gone more than a few miles, but they ached fiercely.
Stupid silk slippers.
At least she could see farther than she’d been able to the last time she’d been out in the wilderness. It was crazy how being on Aragnok for so long had allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness around her.
Her first few days, even weeks, on the planet had been horrible. Everything had been cloaked in darkness and shadows, but now she could clearly see the muted glow of plants, trees, mountains in the distance, and so forth.
Cordelia ran a hand through her hair as she entered the woods at the base of the mountain.
Delilah said her mate had one of the portal keys, right? Hopefully she could swipe that sucker and go home, away from all this madness.
Cordelia ignored the slight hitch in her breath at the thought of leaving Aragnok permanently. There was no reason for her to stay, nor was she going to fool herself that she might be able to find happiness like Delilah did. She had to shake that silly notion from her mind.
Cordelia’s place was back home on Earth, even if her parents had passed a few years ago and she only had one crazy aunt remaining in her family, well, and a raccoon she left food for outside of her apartment during the winter.
You’ll never see Ezul again, a taunting voice whispered, and Cordelia chortled, nearly pausing to laugh despite the sudden pain that lanced in her chest.
She didn’t even know why the thought upset her in any capacity. She hardly knew him, and what shedid knowwas that he was grouchy son of a bit–
Something cold brushed against her spine and Cordelia jumped, whirling around as her heart nearly exploded out of her chest.
The only thing behind her was the faint glow from the city, the blanket of stars that littered the night sky, and an otherworldly view of a planet just beyond Aragnok’s large moon.
Nothing else. But she could have sworn something had touched her lower back just now. It had been a disturbingly familiar sensation, just like she’d felt earlier while scaling the vines.
She looked around, glaring at everything and nothing. “Hello?”
Cordelia shivered, feeling the wind tug at her gown. She rolled her eyes, face palming. Of course it was the wind, just like it had been earlier.
Maybe she was finally losing her mind. It made sense. A psychotic break after over a month of living on a different planet.
Cordelia turned back around, heart catching in her throat at the Aragnokan standing only a few feet in front of her, a sneer plastered to his face.
“You!“ she exclaimed hotly, ignoring the way her womb spasmed in delight at his proximity.
Ezul was an intimidating alien. He was close to seven feet tall with short black hair, small horns protruding from his hairline, and a dark gaze that held her captive. His nails were even thicker, sharper, resembling claws.
And his skin? She loved the contrasting deep gray with the brilliant white that splintered across his flesh like lightning.
Ezul stepped into her space until less than a foot separated them, and Cordelia could have sworn the air between them grew thick with tension as static tickled her skin.
He dropped a heated gaze to her breasts, his black eyes flickering with bright white sparks, skimming lower before clearing his throat and pinning her with a hard glare. It was almost as if he was irritated she was practically naked in front of him.
Like it’smyfault.
“Where are you wandering off to, little menace?” His voice was rough, as if he hardly used it, and the gravelly timbre made her shiver, nipples pebbling against her gown.
Cordelia’s mouth dropped open in outrage when she registered his words, but she quickly covered it up with her own sneer.
“Excuse me? If anyone here is a menace, it’s you.” She poked Ezul’s leather breastplate before skirting past him, determined not to fall victim to his enthralling, and rather rude for that matter, voice. Simply looking at him was making her heart speed up, and she didn’t like it.
She didn’t know what it was about that sexy alien, but he rubbed her the wrong way. Or maybe she was starting to wish he’d rub her therightway.
Actually, no. It didn’t matter. There would benorubbing!
