Read Freedom (Delroi Prophecy) for Free Online Page A

second. She should be sated. Impervious. But instead she felt arousal, sharp and cutting, building as if she hadn’t just had him and the best orgasms of her life. She took an aggressive step forward, fighting to think through the growing fog.
    “This isn’t natural. What’s going on?”
    He grabbed her wrist and tugged her down. The towel she’d wrapped around her body fell to the floor.
    “Now you want to listen,” he complained, his eyes focused on the skin he’d exposed. She grabbed the sheet and covered herself.
    “ Now would be good,” she snapped.
    “ We call it mating lust.”
    She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. Falkor had called Janice his mate. She’d figured it was just their way of saying girlfriend or wife.
    “Be more specific.”
    His eyes narrowed at the order, but he answered. The problem was the more she heard the more panicked she became. “My people have a true mate, someone who can only connect with them, our der’lan .”
    She’d wondered what that word meant. “So der’lan means mate.”
    “ It translates more closely as mate of my heart. There’s only one, Kareena,” he said firmly.
    “ And you think I’m yours?” She ignored the butterflies flying nervously in her stomach, the dread turning her blood to ice.
    “ I know you are.”
    She shook her head. Even if she bought any of this, and she didn’t, it wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want to belong to anyone or vice versa. She’d already lost everything, everyone she’d ever loved. She wouldn’t risk that pain again. Besides, she wasn’t sure if she could trust these aliens.
    “You’re wrong,” she said harshly. “I can’t give you what you want.”
    “ You mean you won’t,” he said, rolling to his feet. His anger pulsed between them and he started to dress.
    Her nod was more a jerk. “Fair enough.”
    He pressed his lips together, holding back what she was sure would be a hot accusing response if he let it out.
    “Fine, but I need you at dinner tonight.” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “Food, not sex. Don’t worry, baby, I don’t share well with others and there will be a lot of others there. Parker and Zola are invited, too.”
    She nodded, not trusting herself to speak, because she had the weirdest urge to reach out to him and beg him to understand. He spun on his heel and stalked from the room. His leaving made her feel bereft. She crawled into bed, dragging the covers over her head as she tried to figure out just what the hell was wrong with her. But she didn’t stay there long. She needed to think, needed to meditate in a place where she felt part of something bigger. On Earth, she’d go into the woods or a virgin park, and she’d discovered just such a place on the ship earlier. She didn’t want to go alone, however, didn’t want to be alone. She dressed quickly and was surprised when Parker and Zola stepped into the corridor at the same time.
    “What’s up?” she asked, a little concerned at their somber mood.
    “ We aren’t sure how freely we can speak in these rooms,” Parker answered mentally.
    “ Just stretching our legs,” Zola said.
    “ I know a place,” she answered Parker and smiled at both of them, continuing aloud. “I found a really cool garden yesterday. Let’s go there.”
    A garden on a spaceship that conveniently had a waterfall. If anyplace was safe from listening devices it was the most likely they could access. No one spoke until they were on a curved bench close enough to get sprayed. Kareena already felt better.
    “So?” she asked.
    “ Has anyone questioned you? About why we were prisoners? Who we are? Anything?”
    “ No. You?”
    Parker pressed her lips together and shook her head. “What I’d really love to know is how they knew to look for us.”
    Zola’s total lack of expression was telling.
    “What?” Kareena asked.
    “ Tel. I stole something they want and someone hoped if I escaped, I’d lead them to