Page 26 of The Hive

Her reactions were forcing me past the point of control, and I didn’t like it. I was a monster, but tightly leashed. Except when she was around. She took that leash in her delicate fingers and coaxed me to notice her without even trying. If I believed in magic, I would call her a witch. We were so close to freedom, I couldn’t afford to lose it now. Everything was at stake.

“What was that about?” Ax asked as he dried his snowy hair.

“You know what that was about. You can smell her, fucking ripe with slick and”—I glanced at the camera and walked up nose to nose with Ax—“covered in Lex’s pheromones. How she managed that, I have no idea, but she is risking all of our lives with her games.” I adjusted my cock and turned to pace the length of the room. This mission was spiraling. It was nothing like I had imagined it would be.

“So, what exactly upset you? That she’s risking the mission being reckless, or that she has obviously been”—he lowered his voice—“cuddling with Lex?” He flopped onto the nest platform to watch me pace.

I hated that he would accuse me of petty jealousy. “The mission! She is risking all of our lives for her immature antics. This is not a game.” I raked my fingers through my inky hair in agitation.

“I think you’re jealous that our princess found a way to get some snuggles, got all covered in his scent, crawled back here smelling so fucking delicious and knowing you couldn’t have either one of them.” He sprawled out in the nest as if it was his own. He was so fucking aggravating.

“You’re wrong.” He wasn’t wrong. Over the years, Lex and I had occasionally been more than brothers in arms, and Saphyra was a walking fantasy with all her long, luscious curves. Being forced to sleep next to her as her pheromones intensified almost hourly was a torture like I had never suffered.

Ax laughed like he knew I was lying. There was no point in arguing. Nothing would change our situation until we were clear of this aurinium-plated prison. And that would only be possible if we could keep the princess from ruining the entire plan with her ill-conceived adventures.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Saphyra

The freezing water stung my skin. A fitting punishment for what I was putting these men through. Brave, noble, strong, foolish men. I wasn’t worth this risk. Why come here for a single person? Anyone could wear a crown. Give it to someone else. I didn’t want it.

Shadow had every right to be disappointed in me. I couldn’t control myself. I had one simple task, and I’d endangered everyone for my selfish curiosity. Not only that, but the frustration of being attracted to them and denied over and over again was aggravating.

My skin grew pink as I scrubbed the scent-neutralizing soap roughly against my body. I just needed to keep it together for a couple more days, and then we would be on board the freighter bound for Pharanax 8. From there, we would secure transport back to Verden. That assumed everything went according to plan.

Satisfied that I was thoroughly scrubbed, I hit the controller to stop the flow of water. The soft towel abraded my tender skin as I dried off, and I realized that in my frenzy to shed the intrusive pheromones I had rubbed myself raw. The skin was smooth and unbroken, but tinged red and blotchy. And of course, in my hurry to escape the alpha’s scrutiny, I had forgotten to pick up clothes. Again.

There was nothing I could do but brave the eyes of my decoys, and when I opened the door and peeked, they were reclined in my nest. Their presence no longer bothered me. It was comforting to know they would be there while I slept.

Their gaze was a physical thing following me as I scurried into the wardrobe. And when I came out and crawled into the nest, they did their best to keep their eyes off the flimsy lace nightclothes that replaced the towel. The towel probably covered more, and I debated getting another one to wrap up in, if only to ease their discomfort. I’d be lying to myself if I said I hadn’t come to like the way their furtive looks made my tummy flutter.

Dinner had come and gone while I was in the vents, but Shadow had materialized a handful of nutrition bars while I’d showered. Where they came from, I will never know. When he handed me one, his warm, calloused fingers hesitated on mine just a second longer than I would have expected. Maybe he felt bad about earlier.

Ghost rolled onto his side, watching me while I ate, curled up comfortably in the bowl of my nest. “So, you met Lex?”

I nodded and mumbled in the affirmative around the bite as I snacked on the bland block of flavorless sustenance.

“And how was that?” There was a mischievous glint in his eye when he asked that very leading question.

Shadow growled in annoyance and turned his back to Ghost and me under the guise of watching the door.

I swallowed the last of the crunchy meal bar and studied Ghost’s face, trying to understand this line of questioning. “He was very kind and understanding. He trusts you both very much.”

“Uh huh…” He drew the agreement out as if he was waiting for more. But when I didn’t respond, he went on. “But do you like him?”

“I don’t see what that has to do with anything. I barely know him at all. I conveyed the plan, that’s it.”

“Did conveying the plan consist of rubbing yourself in his pheromones for some reason?” he asked, chuckling as he rolled toward me.

By now, I was used to Ghost’s jokes and the way his body crowded against mine while he worked on the pod controls. I took it in stride and smiled at his closeness. “It did not, but the vent cover gave out, and I was able to get into his cell. He was worried about me, I think. He listened to me and let me sit with him.”

“You can talk to us too, you know.” He leaned down and nipped at my collarbone.

Even though his tone sounded serious, it still made me laugh. “I talk to you all the time.” I turned my head, taking advantage of his proximity, and pressed a playful kiss to the corner of his lips. We were playing with fire, but the tension between us was strained to breaking. Every soft touch or teasing brush of skin had been building like an inferno since the day I’d met them.

“So you do. Roll over, princess. I want to show you something.”

Shadow tossed a storm-filled glance over his shoulder that lingered a bit too long on my exposed skin to be as angry as he pretended, and went back to glaring at the door. For some reason, I had grown to trust them, even if Shadow was full of anger and pain. I knew it wasn’t directed at me, not really. He wanted to save his people and despised anything that would jeopardize that. It was something I could understand. I wanted to save Lyrah, Zillarah, Revayah, and even stupid Flora.

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