Page 8 of Guardians

Determined to remain calm and composed, Lexie squared her shoulders and continued her explanation. “Bianca is one of our tent mates and she has a respiratory infection that isn’t getting better on its own. We’re extremely worried about her. We’re also worried about the rest of the camp. We live in close quarters and have no way to quarantine her.”

“Medicines are more valuable than food, by far,” Zion warned. “I am not unwilling to help out a neighbor, but giving your friend a course of antibiotics means it will be unavailable for the next one of my men who falls ill.”

Lexie swallowed awkwardly and paused to lick her lips. Her mouth was so damn dry she could hardly speak. “If you also help us get our possessions back from the wolves, we’ll be able to produce antibiotics as well as other medications, antitoxins, and nutritional supplements.”

Zion shot to his feet and took a step toward her. “You brought alaboratoryto Rydaria?” His features had been fierce before. His displeasure made him look downright savage.

They had been created in a lab. Of course, he would feel threatened by the possibility. “Not a lab. Just simple scanners and analyzers. They were meant to allow us to use the indigenous plant life to treat common illnesses and perhaps supplement our diets.” She lowered her gaze, responding to Zion’s authority with instinctual submission. “None of it is sophisticated enough to harm anyone.”

“Look at me,” Zion commanded.

It took all her willpower to drag her gaze back to his. The male was as intimidating as hell.

“How badly do you want to help your friend?”

Her lips trembled and tears gathered behind her lashes. She’d known it would come to this, but she’d had to at least try to negotiate. They wanted mates and saw no other use for females. Kane had made that clear when he visited their encampment.

“Zion, I?—”

She wasn’t sure what Kane was about to say, but Zion cut him off with an upraised hand.

“Answer me,” Zion prompted, his gaze never leaving Lexie’s face.

She blinked and tears escaped the corners of her eyes. Damn it. The worst thing anyone could do was reveal weakness to an enemy. She sucked in a deep breath and lifted her chin. “I knew the price you’d demand when I chose to come here. I’m willing to bond with one of your coalitions, but I would much rather negotiate a mutually beneficial barter.”

Zion dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his huge hand. “There are only two things your camp can provide that we need—laborers and mates. Only one of those roles is available to females.”

“Several of the women are in relationships with men also in our camp. Will they be allowed to enter the village together?”

“Can their men protect and provide for them?” Zion challenged with a smug little smile. “Why have they not done so before now?”

Scrambling for anything that didn’t lead to her accepting Kane’s offer, she started pointing out complications to their plan. “Even if every eligible female volunteers, there are not enough of us to provide mates for all your coalitions. Won’t that cause resentment and hostility?”

Zion shrugged. “We’ll just have to form larger coalitions.”

Lexie felt her eyes widen. Mating with three hybrids had been shocking enough. She couldn’t imagine submitting to a larger group. She cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, unsure how the next idea would be received. “There are three youngwomen in our camp who paid their way through college working as escorts. If they are willing to make themselves available for pleasure, is there any reason you wouldn’t allow them to set up a brothel?”

Consternation scrunched up Zion’s rugged features. He clearly hadn’t expected that suggestion. He looked at Kane then the other guardians who were scattered around the room. “What are your thoughts on allowing a human brothel? We would have to protect them, of course. But I see no reason why we could not provide for them.”

“Why would being a sex worker appeal to them more than joining a coalition?”

Lexie didn’t know the blond guardian’s name, but his disapproval was apparent in every derisive syllable. His confusion was understandable. Being that judgmental, however, was unacceptable. “They prefer to remain in control of their own lives and their own bodies. They also insist on the right to refuse customers at any time, for any reason.”

Zion scoffed. “Why would I allow that?”

“Because they’re offering hope and comfort to the males not lucky enough to claim a mate.”

“I think it’s a good idea,” Malik, the village doctor said. “Even if their visits were infrequent, it would give single males something to look forward to.”

“The brothel could be part of the voucher system,” another guardian suggested. “That would slow the visits down.”

Zion nodded, stroking his chin as if his mind was working through the possibilities. “Tell these women that I will allowthe brothel, but I want to work with them to establish a list of procedures.”

Relieved that he was capable of compromising, Lexie decided to push her luck just a little farther. “Is a brothel worth a course of antibiotics? We can continue to negotiate, but is this enough to?—”

“No,” he said firmly. “The price of the antibiotics is a mate. Matching females with coalitions is my primary focus. I will not be distracted by the other.”

For a long tense moment Lexie struggled for words. If she gave in to his bullying, it would change her life forever. But if she didn’t, Bianca, and likely many others, would die. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. “Then I will become a mate.”

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