Chapter 1
One week. That’s how long it had been since I had woken up and still I hadn’t done anything. Gyyx kept trying to pamper me. He wouldn’t let anyone question me about the Klimnu, and I was grateful but a day before there was an attack again. The warriors were all on high alert looking for Ullie knowing he was with the enemy now. He knew inside secrets and had access to the compound. It was time to tell them my story even though it wasn’t going to be fun. A lot of truth was going to come out, but they deserved to know anything I was able to tell them.
I sighed and ran my hand over his bare chest. He smiled and his eyes cracked opened.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Morning.” I rolled over and kissed him. When he tried deepening the kiss I pulled away shaking my head. “Nope, not today, buddy. I’m going to tell everyone what happened to me. It’s time I meet your family and everyone else. I’ve been here a week now, and they’re all worried especially now that there has been an attack. You know that. You’re a warrior too.”
He sighed and nodded. “I know it’s time, I was thoroughly enjoying not having to worry, but that little prick is going to pay for switching sides. Why the hell would he do that? He’s a fucking warrior for god’s sake.”
“Some people do bad things because they feel like they don’t have a choice.”
He glared but even though I didn’t agree with what Ullie did I got it. I had made a lot of my own bad choices.
“You can’t think that the things you did are as bad as what Ullie did?”
“Just because I’m your mate doesn’t make my past squeaky clean, Gyyx. What if he was forced?”
He rolled his eyes. “It didn't’ seem that way from what Elaina said. She was there when he would have handed them over to the Klimnu. Ero was knocked out. So clearly I’m right.”
I laughed. “I’m not saying I think he is innocent. Sometimes things aren’t as they appear to be though.”
“Okay, okay, let’s not fight. You need to get dressed if we are going to have breakfast with everyone.”
I nodded and gulped. It was the day they were all going to learn of my captivity. I wasn’t even sure if my story would help them, but I was determined to finally do some good in my life. Maybe it would help make up for all the bad I had done so early in my life. I could only hope it would redeem me.
I climbed out of bed and picked the least sexy outfit the girls had given me and cleaned up. When I was done I brushed my long hair and did a side braid. My bangs needed trimming.
“Hey babe, do you have any sharp scissors?”
He smirked at me. I blushed realizing it was the first time I had called him anything other than his name.
“What for?”
“I need to cut my bangs; they’re too long.”
He paused as if thinking and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get them.”
“Thank you.”
No more than two minutes later I held a very sharp pair of shears. Carefully I began to cut some of the length off. My tongue peeked out and pressed on my upper lip as I concentrated to get them even. My hand shook as I trimmed away the long hair.
By the time I was done, I realized I was pretty good. Besides the shaking hand due to the sears being pretty heavy and I had small hands, I did damn good. I was definitely out of practice. Captivity pretty much made me lose a part of myself.
Now it was time to take that part of me back. Erase the past and finally move forward with my mate. Life would be so much brighter. I knew I could really fit in this world.
Gyyx stuck his head in the bathroom. “You ready? I’m starving.”
I chuckled. “You’re always starving, but yeah I’m done.”
“You look beautiful.”
Hearing those words from someone who actually meant it took some getting used to. I didn’t say anything, but I couldn’t hold back the smile. Each day it got easier to hear him compliment me.
I followed him outside. It always seemed to be bright and sunny. The sky was always clear with no clouds. I was beginning to wonder if there was any different kind of weather. I wondered if it rained or snowed. Were there ever any gloomy days?
I held his hand as he led us to the eating hall. It was the place where they held meetings and had their community dinners, which was often. They were a very close knit species. At least the ones here. Gyyx had told me about the others. They were all segregated to family lines or whatever. His parents and the warriors kept in contact, but once the Klimnu starting attacking the other groups of Denynso locked up their compounds tight and didn’t let anyone in and a select few were allowed out to get supplies. Otherwise they lived behind their walls. It was a shame because if they would all work together they would be more powerful than their enemies.
A tall man stood beside me out of nowhere, and I jumped. He was actually shorter than all of the other warriors and not as bulky. He looked more human. He didn’t have a Mohawk, and he didn’t have white hair. He had dark brown hair and eyes that matched. The dark orbs held such sorrow. And then he spoke. “Damn you’re fucking tiny. I bet Gyyx could tear you in two.”
My eyes widened. “Wow, you’re really going to go there the first time we meet?”
Gyyx slammed into him throwing him to the ground. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that, asshole!”
The man groaned and jumped to his feet and rubbed his back. “It was a joke damn.” Then he looked at me. “Sorry, I’m Ero and you must be Leia.”
I frowned. His smile was fake. Anyone could see this guy was miserable, and I had a feeling I knew why. He didn’t resemble any of the Denynso I had seen yet. “Yes I’m Leia, and for the record Gyyx didn’t need to defend my honor.” I hated that he felt like he had to run to my defense. I could have easily taken Ero down myself.
Ero smirked and nodded when he moved forward he cringed and tried to cover it up. But I was an artist. I spotted things like discomfort and insecurities a mile away. He was an artist’s dream for drawing. His eyes alone were enough to make any one of us want to do a happy dance. Not because we thought it was funny but because no one couldn’t fake that kind of emotion.