Page 19 of Guardians

Thrilled by the opportunity, Lexie blurted, “How long were you imprisoned?”

“Seven years.”

Her jaw dropped and her heart lurched into her throat. “I had no idea it had been going on that long.”

Diego pressed back into his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “How long did you work for them?”

“Ten months,” she told him then shifted her gaze back to Kane. “May I ask for a clarification without being charged for another question? It deals with the project in general rather than you specifically.”

The corners of Kane’s mouth quirked, but he didn’t quite smile. “I’ll allow it.”

“Who was their captive the longest and how long were they in captivity?” Nuevo Biotech operated an autonomous outpost that orbited Earth’s moon. The remote location was part of the reason Nuevo had gotten away with their illegal experiments for so long. It was hard to monitor what was going on hundreds of thousands of miles away.

“Zion was the first and he won’t admit how long he was there.” Malik picked up a piece of bread and tore off a corner, but the morsel never made it to his mouth. “We know it was a least ten years, but it could have been considerably longer.”

Lexie shook her head, trying to imagine the utter hopelessness of being abused, even tortured for a decade or more. “No wonder he’s so… harsh.”

“He’s harsh because it’s necessary,” Diego objected. “We all have strong personalities and even stronger opinions. Only someone as ‘harsh’ as Zion could keep us all in line.”

“What else do you want to know?” Kane prompted. “I’m losing interest in the conversation.”

If this was the only opportunity he would give her, she had no choice but to be bold. “What are your abilities? How did the procedures change you?”

Kane released a faint scoff and averted his face. “Common sense could have told you that. Segments of an apex predator’s genome were added to our DNA. What do you think that did to us?”

The subject was making him irritable. She should probably save her last question for another day, but he also said he’d never talk about this again.

When she just sat there silently, Kane went on, “I’m faster, stronger, meaner, and my instincts are now driving forces that I can’t ignore.”

“We’re social to an extent, but we are also extremely territorial,” Malik interjected. “Our willingness to cooperate with the other coalitions only extends so far. What’s ours is ours and we will kill to protect it.”

All three of them were staring at her with intense, possessive gazes. She belonged to them now. She’d agreed to let them claim her, and they’d made sure the entire pride knew about it. Anyone that threatened her would deal with them. The realization sent a little shiver down her spine.

“One more question,” Kane cautioned.

She was so upset by what she’d learned already that she could only think of one thing to ask. “Do you think the leaders of Earth were right to isolate you like this? Are you dangerous?”

The men looked at each other, but it was Diego who answered. “Yes. If we had been left on Earth it would have resulted in bloodshed, likely a lot of bloodshed.”

Surprised by his honesty, Lexie gave herself a moment to absorb the information. She presumed the hybrids were just as resentful as the scientists. Both groups had been dumped herewith no hope of rescue. Rydaria had been labeled a penal planet with the highest level of danger present. Everyone on Earth had abandoned them and other travelers had no reason to risk establishing contact with the inhabitants. Like it or not, all they had was each other and the hybrids were in control.

“We’ve indulged you long enough,” Kane decided. “Find something else to talk about.”

She sighed. There was so much she wanted to know about all three of them, but Kane wasn’t making it easy. “Can I ask questions about your past as long as it has nothing to do with Nuevo?”

“The past is irrelevant,” Kane growled out. “Our lives began the day we left Earth.”

Malik stood and began clearing the table. “I’m not sure I agree with you, Kane. Knowing about Lexie’s life on Earth has given me a better understanding of her outlook and attitudes.”

“I agree with Malik,” Diego chimed in. “I’d like to know more about her and I’m willing to answer her questions in return.”

“Then by all means do so.” Kane swept his arm toward Lexie then folded both over his chest.

Ignoring Kane’s grumpiness, Lexie smiled at Diego and stood up so she could help Malik remove the dishes. Kane was the best looking of the three, but Diego was a close second when he wasn’t scowling at her. “Where did you call home before all this happened?”

“Texas,” Diego said with a pronounced drawl that hadn’t been there before.

“Really?” she cried happily. “Our ranch was northwest of Dallas. What part of Texas are you from?”

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