Rebel (The Draax Series Book 3) Read online

  He shook my hand and the moment his rough warm palm pressed against mine, my nipples went hard and my brain went blank. I licked my lips, staring up at his mouth. God, he was so handsome. I’d seen plenty of Draax on Earth, but never one as good looking as Galan.

  “Human?” Galan’s hand squeezed mine and dammit if my pussy didn’t go damp. “Are you all right?”

  “You’re so pretty,” I said.

  He blinked, surprise registering in his beautiful copper eyes. My face went a bright red. Oh my God, I just told this huge warrior alien that he was pretty. What was wrong with me?

  Ask him if he wants to have sex. You’re gonna die anyway, right? Why not bang a smoking hot Draax before you do?

  My inner voice made a very good point. Even if I somehow talked my way out of prison, I was dead in three months anyway. I should be living my life to the fullest and at this exact moment, living my fullest life meant finding out just how big Galan’s dick was.

  “Human, are you all right?”

  I took a deep breath. “I’m good. Galan, would you like to have…”

  Ukana. Ukana. Ukana.

  The words dried up in my throat and stuck like flypaper. What the fuck was I thinking? Galan would never sleep with me. No Draax would.

  “Would I like to have what?” Galan said.

  “Nothing. Never mind.” I tried to drop his hand, my breath catching in my throat when Galan tugged me closer. The heat of his body was like a drug and I could feel my body swaying toward his as he studied my face. Something flickered in his eyes and the copper darkened to a beautiful burnt bronze. He inhaled deeply, his nostrils flaring as his gaze dropped to my mouth.

  “That is a tiny human.”

  The voice behind us scared the bejeezus out of me. A hard pressure flicked around my waist and squeezed. I stared at Galan’s tail wrapped around my waist before looking over my shoulder at the Draax standing in the hallway.

  He studied Galan’s tail before smiling at me. “Hello, tiny female. What is your name?”

  “What do you want, Luka?” Galan said.

  His voice sounded strange… strained and on edge.

  The Draax blinked at him. “Nothing. I was headed toward the garden for my evening walk. I have never seen such a small female before. Is she new to the castle? Can she even clean or work in the garden? She looks so frail.”

  He held out his hand to me. “I am Luka.”

  I reached for his hand, wincing when Galan’s tail tightened to the point of pain. “Ouch, Galan, stop that.”

  I tugged at his tail and, his face a dark green, Galan released me. I shook Luka’s hand. “Hey, Luka. I’m Ellis.”

  “Ellis.” Luka smiled at me. “That is a strange name.”

  “Uh, thanks, I think?”

  “What part of the castle do you work in?”

  Galan took my arm and pulled me past Luka. “We must be going. Goodnight, Luka.”

  “Goodnight,” Luka said.

  Still holding my arm, Galan practically marched me back to the infirmary.

  “What’s wrong?” I said.

  “Nothing.”

  “You’re pissed about something.”

  “I am not angry.” He opened the infirmary door and pushed me into the room. “Sigan, the human will be spending the night in the infirmary.”

  “I know.” Sigan looked up from his desk. “Teo has already messaged me. Who will you assign to keep watch over her?”

  “Adrix,” Galan said. “I will speak to him now. Make sure you give her more serum and as much juice as she can drink.”

  “Yes, yes,” Sigan said. He joined us at my bed and once I’d climbed in, he attached the weird smooth cuff around my wrist again, tethering me to the bed.

  “Is that necessary?” Galan said. “Adrix will stop her from leaving.”

  “I am not risking her touching my equipment,” Sigan said.

  “I won’t. I promise,” I said.

  He snorted. “I do not believe you, human. You will remain cuffed to the bed.”

  “Shocker,” I said.

  My stomach growled and Galan said, “Make sure she is given food as well, Sigan.”

  My mouth watered and my stomach growled again at just the mention of food.

  “When did you eat last, human?” Sigan said.

  I thought back before shrugging. “A couple days ago… I think.”

  Galan muttered something under his breath that I didn’t catch before heading toward the door. “I will call the kitchen and have food brought to the infirmary.”

  “Galan, wait!” I glanced at Sigan, a little embarrassed at the eagerness in my voice. “Will I, um, see you again before I leave?”

  Galan nodded. “I will stop by in the morning.”

  “Okay.”

  He left without saying goodbye. Sigan hooked me up to the IV and gave me a bottle of gallberry juice before returning to his desk. I drank the entire bottle and then laid in the bed and stared up at the ceiling. All things considered, tonight would probably be the best night of my life. Sure, I was dying of cancer and by this time tomorrow night, I’d be in a prison cell, but tonight I was warm, I had as much gallberry juice as I wanted to drink, and I’d have some food in my belly.

  It was the best a liar and a thief could ask for.

  Chapter Five

  Galan

  The castle was quiet this early in the morning. I stopped in front of Quill and Sabrina’s private quarters and hesitated with my hand raised to knock. Our queen was not an early riser and I risked waking her at this hour, but I had no choice. I’d seen Quill in the training room, clashing swords with Krey, and if I had any hope of speaking to Sabrina alone before the human was sent back to Earth, now was the time.

  Ellis. Her name is Ellis.

  I said her name out loud. I liked the way it sounded on my tongue and I said it again before knocking on the door. To my surprise, it opened almost immediately.

  “Galan, hi.”

  I bowed. “Good morning, my queen. I am sorry for waking you.”

  “I wasn’t sleeping. Come on in.”

  I followed her into the room, smiling when Jovie slid off the couch and skipped toward me. She held out her arms. “Up, Uda.”

  I picked her up and kissed her smooth cheek. “Hello, meena. Are you the reason your mama is awake so early?”

  “She certainly is,” Sabrina said. “She’s lucky she’s so damn cute.”

  Jovie rested her head on my shoulder and I nestled her in the crook of my arm as Sabrina eased down onto the couch. She rubbed her belly and smiled at me. “Quill isn’t here. He went for an early morning sword fight with Krey.”

  “I know.” I sat down on the couch beside her. “It is you I wish to speak with.”

  “Oh? About what?”

  Quill would be angry with me when he found out what I was about to do, but I had to do it. I hadn’t slept at all last night, my guilt and my worry for Ellis kept me awake until keo had risen in the sky and bathed my apartment in warm light.

  “It is about the human in the infirmary,” I said.

  Jovie sat up and patted my face as Sabrina studied me for a moment. “What about her?”

  I took a deep breath, praying to Krono that this would work.

  * * *

  Twenty minutes later, the door to Quill and Sabrina’s living quarters opened and Jovie squealed and bounced on my lap. She wiggled her way free of my grip and slid to the ground, running unsteadily toward Quill who scooped her up and kissed her cheek.

  “Good morning, little queen. Did you sleep well?”

  Jovie hugged him, burying her face in his neck. He rubbed her back as he smiled at me. “Good morning, Galan.”

  “Hello, Quill.”

  He joined us in the living room, giving Sabrina a kiss before sinking into the chair across from the couch. “I see our little queen did not let my sadora sleep in this morning.”

  “No, she did not,” Sabrina said with a laugh. “She was awake about three
minutes after you left.”

  “I told you last night to let your mama sleep this morning, did I not, Jovie?” Quill said to his daughter.

  She giggled and relaxed against his chest, her tiny tail curling around his forearm as he turned to me. “You are here early, Galan.”

  I didn’t reply and Sabrina said, “He wanted to talk to me about something.”

  “I imagine he did,” Quill said. “So, my queen, has he convinced you to convince me to keep the tiny human thief until she is healed?”

  Sabrina glanced my way and Quill grinned at me. “Do not look so shocked, Galan. I know you almost as well as you know yourself. Honestly, I am surprised you waited until this morning to speak to Sabrina.”

  “I agree with him,” Sabrina said. “We should keep her until the gallberry juice heals her cancer.”

  “Of course you agree with him,” Quill said. “Your compassion and generosity are no secret.”

  “Your queen’s mercy is what makes her so loved by your people,” I said.

  “That is true,” Quill said.

  “We have more than enough of the gallberry plant to heal her,” Sabrina said. “And I know for a fact that you just finished a trade deal with the Scuun that gave us, like, a mountain’s worth of isotopes for the ships, so you can spare the fuel as well. Once she is healed, Galan and Krey will return her to Earth. It’ll only be a few days, honey.”

  When Quill didn’t reply, a familiar stubborn look crossed Sabrina’s face. “This is important to me and to Galan, my king.”

  Quill smiled at her. “My queen, you know I cannot resist anything you ask of me. Galan knows this as well, which is why he spoke with you when I was busy with Krey.”

  Sabrina’s smug look made both me and Quill laugh.

  “You’re so getting lucky tonight,” Sabrina said to Quill.

  He laughed again. “I look forward to it, sweet sadora. But I will confess that Galan involving you was not necessary. I had already changed my mind about healing her. I planned to speak to Teo once we finished breakfast and let him know the human stays until she is fully healed.”

  I shouldn’t have been surprised by Quill’s confession. If my brain hadn’t been so wrapped up in thoughts of Ellis, I may have even assumed he would change his mind. Despite Quill’s outer appearance, he had a compassionate and kind nature.

  Sabrina’s smile widened as she stared at Quill. “God, I love you.”

  “I love you too, sadora. Galan, join us for breakfast.” Quill said. “We will speak with Teo once we are done.”

  I wanted to return to Ellis, wanted to wake her and tell her the good news, but I would not be rude to my best friend or his mate. “Thank you. I would like that.”

  There was a knock on the door and Quill shouted, “Come in.”

  Teo stepped into the living quarters, bowing first to Quill and then to Sabrina.

  “Good morning, Teo,” Quill said. “You are just in time to join us for breakfast.”

  “Thank you, Quill,” Teo said. “But I am afraid I did not stop by so early for food.”

  “What’s going on?” Sabrina asked.

  “The Emirans and Cillades are at war.”

  “Again?” Sabrina glanced at Quill. “Didn’t the last war between them just end six months ago?”

  Quill nodded. “What are they quarreling about this time, Teo?”

  “Who knows, my king.” The disgust was evident on Teo’s face. “It does not take much to set either race off so it could be almost anything.”

  “Are the Emiran’s requesting our assistance?” Quill asked.

  “No. Not yet. But both races have sent war ships to each other’s planet and they are currently warring in space. Their battle is blocking the Tyranian jumpgate.”

  “For Krono’s sake,” Quill groaned.

  Quill’s annoyance was obvious, but I could hardly contain my grin. The Tyranian jumpgate was the jumpgate to Earth’s galaxy. With the Emirians and the Cillades fighting around it, we were effectively grounded. Quill would not risk sending a Draax ship to Earth, not when it could be caught in the crossfire of the Emira and Cillade war.

  “Are there any of our Draax on Earth currently?” Quill said.

  Teo scrolled through his tablet. “Neani and Venta are in the province,” he paused and glanced at Sabrina, “I mean, the state of California. They were delivering gallberry juice to one of the hospitals. I have been in contact with them and informed them that they must arrange living quarters on Earth for now. I have sent messages to Earth’s various leaders, informing them we will not be delivering gallberry juice for the foreseeable future. As well, I have contacted the Iowa authorities regarding the thief and told them we would be unable to deliver her before she died of the cancer sickness.”

  I stared at Teo in irritation. “Obviously we will cure her cancer while she is here.”

  “Why would we?” Teo said. “She is a thief.”

  “She is a female,” I said.

  “A female who is too small to breed with,” Teo said. “Even if she was not a thief, no Draax here would breed with her. Trying to carry a Draax child would kill her, even with a constant supply of gallberry juice.”

  I wanted to shake the old Draax, but he honestly meant no ill will toward the little human. He did not understand the value of human females beyond breeding capabilities.

  “Not all Draax want children,” Sabrina said with a glance at me. “Besides, with this new work program in place, human women have more value than being breeders, Teo.”

  Sabrina’s cheeks were flushed, and I could hear a hint of annoyance in her voice. I couldn’t blame her. She’d worked hard to convince Quill that hiring women to work on our planet, rather than just trading gallberry juice in exchange for them carrying our children, was a good idea. While Quill backed her on the new work program, it was still viewed by many Draax in the castle as a waste of human females.

  “That is true, my queen,” Teo allowed. “But even those who are working in the castle are healthy and large enough to carry a Draax baby.”

  Teo made a point. Every female who worked at the castle was on the bigger side with wide hips and the lush curvy body that we Draax found appealing. Quill had agreed to his queen’s idea of a work program for the females, but only on the condition that the females who worked in the palace carried the gene necessary to breed with us. Although Quill often said he could not deny Sabrina anything she asked, he could not be persuaded to allow a female who was not breeding compatible to participate in the work program.

  I supposed that wasn’t completely true. There was one in the program who was not breeding compatible. The woman named Candala was a friend of Evelyn’s, and Sabrina had asked Quill to allow her to join the program as a favour to Evelyn.

  “The human will be given serum and juice until she is healed,” Quill said.

  “As you wish,” Teo said. “Once she is healed, I will have her sent to Iron Gate.”

  “What?” I jumped up from the couch, making Jovie cry out and cling to Quill in surprise. “You are not sending her there, Teo.”

  “She is a thief.”

  “I am aware,” I snapped. “I swear to Krono, Teo, if you say ‘she is a thief’ one more time, I will…”

  “Galan,” Quill said. “Hold your tongue.”

  My nostrils flaring, I sank back onto the couch. Jovie’s tail flicked out and she brushed it along my forearm in a soothing manner. I made myself smile at her and she tightened her tail around my arm before releasing it.

  “What is Iron Gate?” Sabrina said.

  “It is the prison located just outside the city,” Teo said.

  “We can’t send her to a Draax prison,” Sabrina said.

  “She will be fine, my queen. No Draax there will hurt her,” Teo said.

  “The prison is full of Draax rakart, and she is not going there,” I said.

  “What does rakart mean?” Sabrina said.

  Quill thought for a moment. “An earth word equiva
lent would be scum. But even then, they would not hurt a female. No Draax would. Females are precious.”

  “She is not going to the prison,” I said.

  “She cannot stay here,” Teo said. “You would risk the life of your king and queen?” He pointed to Jovie. “The princess? Be reasonable, Galan.”

  “She is small and weak,” I said. “She is not capable of hurting them.”

  “You have no idea if that is true or not,” Teo said. “The best place for her is Iron Gate. We will give her a separate cell from the other prisoners. Once the war is over between Emira and Cillade, we will return her to Earth for her imprisonment.”

  “No,” I said.

  Teo rolled his eyes. “What has gotten into you, Galan?”

  When I didn’t reply, he turned to Quill. “Do I have your permission to transport her to Iron Gate once she is healed?”

  Quill glanced at me. “If she is kept here in the castle, she will need to be locked in her room, and one of your men must guard her whenever she is not in her room.” His gaze turned to Sabrina and then Jovie. “If she hurts my mate or my child -”

  “She will not,” I said. “I will guard her myself, Quill. Your mate and child will not be in any danger.”

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” Quill said. “The war between Emira and Cillade could go for moons, as the previous one did. Do you want to commit to playing nanny to a thief for that long?”

  “Yes,” I said. “She is only one small female. How much trouble can she be?”

  * * *

  Ellis

  “Is that really necessary?” I pulled the covers up and hid my hand under them when Sigan held out the cuff. “I almost wet the bed because I had to wait until this morning for you to uncuff me from the bed.”

  “You should not have tried to escape earlier,” Sigan said.

  “Oh c’mon, you can’t blame me for trying.” I held out my hand and Sigan slid the cuff around my wrist and closed it, tethering me to the bed again.

  “I can blame you and I do.” He checked my IV and made a few adjustments while I hid my grin.

  The way Sigan took everything I said so literally, amused the hell out of me.