Page 30 of Anna's Bounty
“You will let her comm me every span until you reach Pamia,” Rovos insists.
“Done and done, my friend,” Volethos agrees, quickly recovering from his attack. “Now, I hate to rush this, but it’s a long journey. But first,” his yellow eyes land on me, and I can’t help the step back I take, “can I see her? I’ve never seen a human before.”
All three of them look at me. When Rovos makes no move to suggest removing the mask, I assume it’s my call. With a sharp shake of my head, I take another step back.
Disappointment flits across Volethos’ face, but then he only shrugs.
“Thank you. I owe you a debt,” Rovos tells Volethos and holds his arm out, like he’s asking to arm wrestle. When Volethos grips his hand in the same manner, I realize it’s their version of a handshake.
“Think nothing of it. I’m happy to help.”
When they release their grips, Rovos looks at me, and for a moment I think he will… I don’t know, touch me? Hug me? Grab me and run for the exit? Instead, he turns and starts for the door.
No goodbye or good luck. No smile, not even a friggin’ nod in my direction. Just a glance my way before giving me his back. My heartbeat is pounding in my ears, blocking out all the other sounds in the room. Volethos moves to stand behind me, and I’m suddenly saturated with the overpowering scent of unwashed male.
No, I decide. This isn’t right.
My heart kicks in my chest, and my breath explodes from my lungs.
“Rovos!” I take a step after him, but Volethos’ hands land on my shoulders, his firm grip holding me back.
The door slides open, and Rovos strides through without looking back. At least Igid pauses in the doorway. When she looks back at me, her face is unreadable. Our eyes meet, and then she leaves too.
The door slides closed behind them, and Volethos chuckles. The sound raises all the hairs at the back of my neck, and before I can react, Volethos grabs my cloak, ripping the hood back and knocking my mask to the ground.
“Now, let me look at my investment,” he says, spinning me around by my shoulders.
I look up, and his wide grin has been replaced by a sneer.
13
Rovos
“Rovos, slow down!”
Igid is shouting behind me, but I ignore her, focusing instead on each long stride that takes me across the space station and farther from my human.
She is not your human!I remind myself, clenching my jaw until my teeth ache.She’s not your anything.
The sight of Annah looking up at me, just before we left theShade,her eyes fluttering closed just before she pressed her lips to mine, replays in a loop in my memory. Akees, she called it.
Stop it! My stomach knots, and I lengthen my strides, as if it were possible to put distance between my thoughts. My mind keeps cycling back to Annah—the way she watched me from the back of her cage. Her shy smile and the way she tucks her hair behind her small ears. The way she never took her eyes from mine when I made her come with my mouth—my hands clench my at my sides.
Guilt eats at me when I recall the way she begged me to watch out for her Earth and any humans who might end up like she has. My Annah is thinking of others, when I can only think of being rid of her because she makes me feel things I shouldn’t feel.
When it comes to stubbornness, I suspect we are evenly matched.
I didn’t miss the way her body went stiff, her hands clenched into tight fists, when I left her with Volethos. I didn’t need to see the look on her face to know how much I hurt her.
“You’d draw less attention to yourself if you were full out running,” Igid pants when she catches up. Her hand curls around my bicep, her finger tightening as she pulls me back. My lips lift from my sharp teeth, and I snarl like a rabid beast as I turn on her.
The next thing I know, I’m backed against a wall with her forearm pressing into my throat, cutting off the oxygen to my brain.
“You need to get a grip on yourself,” she growls. Her face is a breath from mine and her eyes narrowed to dark slits. Igid is nearly impossible to anger, but when it happens, she’s formidable. “And listen to me instead of running away.”
Tapping against her arm, I signal that I can’t talk if I can’t breathe. Igid rolls her eyes before easing some pressure off my windpipe and allowing me a breath of air.
“What is the matter with you, Ro?” she asks me.
