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double-door entry, set wide open, led to a bedroom. A huge bed filled
the center of his room.
    My heart stopped.
    “Miranda, it’s good to see you.” Dimas
rolled my name off his tongue with an unrecognizable foreign accent, and I came
alert in an instant. It was as though he had appeared out of nowhere. He walked
to me, extending his arm.
    I hesitated, and then grabbed his hand
and shook it hard, remembering what my dad taught me. Keep your friends close
but your enemies closer. But I didn’t want my enemy close to me. More than
anything, I wanted to punch his perfect face and run out of his quarters, but I
had to be smart. There was a time and a place for rebellion, and now wasn’t it.
Dimas was twice my size and built like a first-round draft pick.
    “Please, have a seat.” He pointed to a
white leather couch. It immediately caught my eye, since the color scheme at
Nidus consisted of black, gray, or silver. Even his dining room chairs were
covered in white leather. I stopped there, because the last thing I wanted to
know was the color of his sheets.
    “Sure.” I kept my answers short and
sweet. I walked around the couch and perched on the edge, ready to spring into
action should he make a move on me. I wouldn’t let him touch me. I’d protect
myself, even if I died fighting to the end.
    “May I get you something to drink?” he
asked.
    “Water would be good.” My mouth was so
dry I feared my tongue might be permanently stuck to the roof of my mouth.
    I accepted the glass of water he
offered, careful to keep my fingers from touching his. “Thank you,” I said,
eager to quench my thirst.
    My heart raced and my hands were sweaty
and clammy. So many questions fogged my brain.
    Why was I there?
    What did he want?
    How could I stop him?
    “I see you are wearing the clothes I
sent you.” He sat opposite me and smiled, revealing perfectly straight, white
teeth.
    “Yes, thank you. It’s nice to be out of
the scrubs.” For whatever reason, I grinned when our eyes met. I’d never paid
much attention to Dimas’ features, but the more I stared at him, I noticed how
young he looked. If not for the slight five o’clock shadow, I’d have to say he
wasn’t older than twenty. I wasn’t sure, though, because all the Eslites had
flawless skin.
    “You are quite beautiful.” He arched a
brow and sipped his water.
    “Thanks.” No matter how hard I tried, I
couldn’t tear my gaze from his. It was as though he had me in a trance. I
noticed everything about him. From his debonair smile, to his square jaw, and
his perfectly sculpted body that belonged in a Calvin Klein underwear ad. The
guy was hot. What the heck was wrong with me?
    That freakin’ alien might rape me.
    I had to be losing it. He was pure evil.
Wasn’t he?
    I dug my fingernails into my palm, and
the pain broke our connection.
    “Consider them an early birthday gift.”
    What? How did he know my birthdate? Oh,
wait, they’d poked and prodded every hole in my body, of course he would know
my birthday. But why would he observe an earthly custom? For half a minute I
didn’t say anything, just kept staring at the shaggy, black rug beneath my
feet. Hoping and praying he would let me leave as soon as possible, virginity
intact.
    I managed to squeak out another, “Thank
you.”
    “I also have another gift for you. I
thought it would be better if I told you in person.”
    I immediately glanced at him but didn’t
meet his gaze, directly.
    Please don’t rape me.
    Please don’t rape me.
    “What’s that?” I asked, feigning
courage, even though my entire body shivered. I tapped my feet repeatedly, and
I leaned forward, ready to make a run for it. Every muscle in my gut clenched,
my thighs tensed, and I pressed my knees shut.
    “I thought—”
    “No matter what you do to me, I’m not
going to copulate with you,” I blurted. “At least, not willingly.”
    For several seconds, Dimas said nothing.
Then, he did something I hadn’t expected. He laughed.