24. Jess

"Why are you doing this? How does kidnapping me help?"

Thylor frowned. His red hair was such an unusual shade, I realized these guys probably didn't shift their hair color. It was natural.

He looked like a hot anime character come to life. A dangerous one.

I had to be smart. My hands were tied behind my back, and I sat cross-legged on the ground. I wasn't going to fight my way out of this. It was all about using my wits.

But I couldn't stop my eyes from going to the dark spaceship that took up most of the building.

The barn was some kind of giant hangar, and the ship hidden inside was enormous. Its surface was matte black and solid, no windows or openings that I could see. Maybe four stories high at its tallest, about the length of a football field. The overall shape of it was oblong, with one end rounded and wide and the other narrowed to a point.

With my rough understanding of physics, I assumed the pointy end was the front. The black color probably made it nearly invisible in the inky depths of space. That was all I could guess about it.

I desperately wanted to see the inside. Thylor finally scoffed, and I shook myself and directed my attention back to him. The tour would have to wait.

"You're his mate. Gravod will do anything to keep you safe. And the price for your safety will be his help leaving this backward planet and going home."

So I was leverage. That was something I could work with.

"I don't know if we're really mates. He stood me up tonight. I'm probably not worth much to him."

I wanted it to be a lie, but I worried that it was actually true.

Thylor's brow arched up. "Oh, you're worth everything to him. That's how it is for Lydaxians when they've found their mates. And you are most certainly his."

My heart warmed, even though what he said didn't help my cause. It did make me wonder about his motives.

"I don't get it. Aren't you here looking for your mate? Why do you want to go back?"

Judging by the mix of emotions that crossed his face, I'd struck a nerve.

"I was given an impossible choice. Agree to be the ship's engineer and possibly find my own mate on this foolish mission. Or stay in prison for life. I chose the foolish mission."

Shit. How dangerous was this guy?

"Won't you just end up in prison if you go back then?"

He started pacing, face flushed with anger.

"I'll force them to listen." His lips curled up, but he didn't look any happier. "I'm innocent. The real criminal is a famous general. On the journey here, I was able to access his personal files. Now I have evidence. When I return, I can clear my name and be free."

Was he telling the truth? He had no reason to lie to me. I'd be pissed too, if I were him. I wondered if Gravod knew about any of this.

But even if I could sympathize with Thylor, I wanted him to let me go.

"Don't you want to find your mate first? Before you go back?" Gravod had said the entire crew had the potential to find a human mate. Surely that included this guy?

He growled. "They told me that lie. Took advantage of my unmated status as a xa'xan, gave me hope. I don't believe it now. Powerful figures wanted me gone, and they got their wish."

"Okay, okay." I searched for another angle. "But is Earth really so bad? Maybe this is an opportunity for you."

He stopped pacing and slowly turned to glare at me, arms folded over his chest.

"You have no interstellar travel. Human technology is generations behind ours, and your health care is barbaric. I'd be giving up the chance to see any more of the universe, stuck in this backwater for life. Even prison would be better."

"Well, you?—"

"Has Gravod told you about Vytaris? The mountains? The sky? The food? I miss it all. And I can't be myself here, can't relax in my own skin. I'm losing my mind."

Before I could respond, he stomped off toward the hulking black spaceship. For a moment, he seemed to pause beside it, and then a door-sized panel opened in front of him. I caught a glimpse of gleaming metal walls with inset display screens, each flashing symbols I couldn't decipher. He stepped inside, and the panel slid shut with a whoosh.

"Wow," I muttered. Yeah, human tech was backward compared to whatever was in there. My world felt both smaller and bigger after that tiny peek.

Then I realized. He'd left me alone.

I looked around with frustration. There was nothing I could use to try and cut the ropes around my wrists.

But…

I twisted my legs to the side, came up to my knees, and stood. He hadn't bound my feet, only my hands.

Seriously?I could just walk away.

Either the guy wasn't a very good kidnapper, or he was only planning to be gone for a second. I had to hurry.

With a quick look back at the ship to make sure the panel Thylor went through was still closed, I tiptoed over to the door he'd carried me through earlier. My hands were behind me, so it was tricky to twist around and turn the knob, but I sighed in relief when I found it unlocked. Then I was back outside.

The dim light from the bar parking lot was visible at the other end of the field. I took off in that direction, moving fast but at a steady pace so that I wouldn't trip.

By the time I emerged from the grass, I had to pause and catch my breath. I was dusty and my arms were a bit sore, but otherwise no worse for wear. Thylor hadn't followed me, at least not that I noticed.

I took a few steps into the parking lot, then froze when I heard the distinctive howl of a wolf. It was close. Too close.

Then all hell broke loose.