Page 52 of Desired By her Alien Prince

"Lilith," Fay mused. "Funny how things always come back to her."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked, "How is she? Is she as brainwashed as you?"

Brainwashed?

I shook my head sadly. "Oh, Ben, you don't understand."

He rattled his chains. "No, I don't. If your alien is going to kill us, get on with it already."

"I told you we will take you back to Earth," I reiterated.

He scoffed.

"Fay, please, your parents are worried senseless," Alex tried.

"They sent you here?" I made sure I hadn't imagined that tidbit of information.

"They did," Ben confirmed.

"How did you get aboard the ship?" Azazel asked from behind me, and I threw an irritated look at him. He had promised to let me do this my way.

"Is that what's concerning you? Is that why you're trying to lure us with false promises before you have us killed? Or will you kill us yourself, sister?"

The venom in Ben's voice took me aback. "I wish you would believe me. The man responsible for all this mayhem, Behlial, is locked up. His sons rebelled against him. Earth will be free from now on."

"Right," Alex sneered.

"How did you get aboard?" Azazel insisted, and this time, I didn't bother glaring at him.

"It wasn't hard to sneak aboard one of your little ferries," Ben jeered. "Your vampires were way too busy kidnapping more of us to pay attention to Alex and me."

"How did you find our quarters?" Azazel asked next.

Ben shook his head and looked away, obviously not wanting to talk to Azazel.

"Ben, please," I said.

"It doesn't matter now Ben," Alex said to him. And to me, "After the maidens left for the spaceship hovering over New York, Ben and Idid the same, hoping to somehow… I don't know, find you and Lilith.

"When your parents called on a secure line and told us what these aliens were doing to you, that they were brainwashing you, that you left with one of them," Alex looked at me as if he pitied me, rising my ire. "… your parents begged us to rescue you. So, like Ben said, we snuck aboard one of the ferries. As to how we found your quarters… it wasn't that hard. It took patience, but once we learned that silver and golden belts meantnobilityandroyalty," here he snorted, shaking his head, "we just followed them to theroyalchambers. One of your servants was all too happy to point us to the right rooms in exchange for her life."

"Honestly, I think your brother Seth must have pissed her off royally, because she even led us to yours and Seth's chamber."

"Her name?" Azazel barked.

"Calliope," Ben supplied with a sigh.

"She will be dealt with," Azazel promised.

"We should have went for Lilith first, like I wanted," Ben shook his head at Alex.

"It wouldn't have mattered," I said. "Lilith would have fought you just the same as I did."

After a moment I looked beseechingly at Ben. "I know you probably won't believe me, but we'll give you a tablet where you can read the truth after you leave. Azazel and I have been destined for one another for many lifetimes, and this time we can finally be happy."

Alex huffed, but Ben listened to me, giving me hope that maybe one day he would understand. "I have not been brainwashed, and neither have the other girls. Actually, some of them will return to Earth with you." Only Azubah, Lilith, and I would stay here. The others had opted to go back home. "The stolen humans and Nayphyllyms have been given a choice to return to Earth or stay with us."

"Are we going to be given a choice?" Ben asked, and my heart clenched at the idea that he wanted to stay for Lilith. Maybe a little for me too, but Seth had already made it clear that this wasn't an option.

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