“This is a really bad idea,” Lily Fontenot whispered urgently as she crept through the trees surrounding the massive field now serving as a shuttle lot. It was late afternoon and darkness fell fast in these strange mountains. Everything on this distant planet looked similar to Earth. But the operative word was similar. The shape and size of the trees were Earthlike, yet the leaves and grasses were more blue than green. The sky, on the other hand, was a vivid teal. And large bodies of water, at least the ones Lily had seen so far, were a strange emerald green.

Thea Cline glanced back at Lily with an unrepentant smile. “Do you have somewhere else to be?”

It was a valid question. Boredom had been a serious challenge in the four weeks since leaving Earth. Since leaving Earth? The phrase tightened the knot of tension already twisting Lily’s gut. That made it sound as if they’d had a choice. The truth was much more infuriating. Lily, along with over three thousand other human females, had been kidnapped by a band of alien mercenaries called Outcasts.

Most of the Outcasts were Rodyte or Rodyte/Bilarrian hybrids. Both species were nearly indistinguishable from humans. They were bigger than most human males and the incandescent rings in their eyes were odd, but their body shape and the arrangement of their features were so familiar that it was possible to forget they were aliens.

The purpose for the mass kidnapping was simple, and as primal as a predator’s need to hunt. The Outcasts had come to this primitive planet in a barely explored sector of space to establish a settlement free from government corruption and pointless social conflicts. They wanted to live by their own rules and create a secure environment for themselves and eventually their sons and daughters. But progeny required the one thing an uninhabited planet couldn’t provide—genetically compatible females.

That was where the captives came in. Each female the Outcasts kidnapped was genetically compatible with one or more of the Outcasts. To Lily’s knowledge, she was the only exception. The Outcasts wanted her because she was a well-respected geneticist, and cross-species reproduction was tricky to say the least.

“What about that one?” Thea motioned toward a small shuttle near the perimeter of the field. “The hatch is open. We can walk right in.”

“There could be people on that shuttle for all we know. There’s probably a reason they didn’t secure the ship.” Lily sank deeper into the shadow of the trees, while Thea crept closer to the clearing. Thea was bold to the point of recklessness, while Lily had a tendency to overthink everything. The contrast in their personalities was one of the reasons they enjoyed each other’s company. Lily was the voice of reason for hotheaded Thea, while Thea frequently urged Lily beyond the boring sameness of her comfort zone. This spontaneous quest for weapons certainly qualified. Lily had no idea what Thea intended to do with a blaster even if they managed to find one. All of Lily’s logical objections hadn’t deterred Thea in the least, so Lily reluctantly gave in and joined the hunt.

“There’s only one way to find out.” Thea tossed the challenge over her shoulder as she stepped out into the hazy sunlight.

Lily hurried after her friend, frantically looking around as she went. The first week after their arrival, they’d been confined to the ships on which they’d arrived. They’d been allowed to visit lounges, dining rooms and gymnasiums during the second and third weeks. They’d also been taken outside in shifts to a well-guarded area the captives named “the yard”. By the fourth week, numerous failed escape attempts and endless hours of redundant conversations helped the captives realize they had nowhere to run. Now well-behaved females were allowed outside without an escort as long as their explorations didn’t take them too far from the multi-ship complex and they checked in with security as they departed and returned. Thea seldom qualified as well-behaved, but Lily talked the guard into giving them a chance. She hoped he wouldn’t be punished for his decision to let them go.

Twenty-three shuttles were scattered across the clearing with no rhyme nor reason. Lily pictured them in straight, evenly spaced rows, perhaps arranged by size or the duration of their stay on the surface. Her basic nature required order and strict control, which was one of the reasons her captivity had been so challenging. This was a good example of the overarching philosophy guiding the Outcasts. Overlord Kage Razel told his followers where to land, but left the specifics up to each individual. The fewer rules required of the Outcasts, the better they liked it. And the longer the overlord would remain in power.

Thea reached their target without incident and hurried up the steps leading to the shuttle’s interior. “It’s clear,” she called a moment later and Lily quickly joined her inside.

Pausing to look around, Lily was surprised by her lack of reaction to the advanced technology. Three months ago this would have filled her with wonder and curiosity. Now she’d seen it all before. A Rodyte general named Garin Nox flew out from behind the moon and proved to Earth that aliens were real. Lily had been working aboard an enormous Rodyte ship when the Outcasts kidnapped her, so this two-man shuttle was far from impressive.

The pilot hadn’t just left the hatch open. He’d left the ship in standby mode. The holo-matrix, a three-dimensional grid used to control everything from simple beverage kiosks to the most sophisticated ship in the Rodyte fleet, hovered in front of the pilot’s seat, waiting for the next gestural command.

“Let’s try to fly it.” Thea’s utter lack of expression made it impossible to determine if she were serious or not. “How hard could it be?”

“Harder than you could imagine.” Lily dismissed the silliness with an impatient wave of her hand. “He left the ship active. He clearly doesn’t expect to be here long.”

Thea made a face. “Spoil sport.” But she opened the nearest compartment and began her search.

Lily did the same while her analytical mind considered Thea’s suggestion. “Even if we could fly the ship, where would we go? We’re not even sure where we are.” Escape was pointless, and dangerous. If they escaped into the surrounding wilderness, they would likely starve to death. If they didn’t die of exposure first. They had nowhere to run and no one to help them. None of the Outcasts had any interest in returning to Earth. The women were stuck on a primitive planet with a bunch of mercenaries determined to “bond” with them.

Just the thought of mating with a Rodyte sent a shiver down Lily’s spine. Even though they possessed incredibly advanced technology, the Outcasts were savage and aggressive, used to taking whatever they wanted without regret or mercy. She might not be able to produce offspring with any of the Outcasts, but she was still a young, healthy female. Something could happen to one of the genetically compatible females, or one of the males might not be accepted by his potential mate. Genetic compatibility didn’t ensure that a couple’s personalities would mesh, and some women were compatible with multiple males while some males only had one compatible female. No matter who the female chose, she was damning the other males to life without a soul-bonded mate. Such disparities had caused all sorts of complications back on Earth. It was just a matter of time before such a male shifted his focus to Lily.

She spent a lot of time thinking about the possibilities that might lead to one of the males claiming her. It was almost as if she didn’t want to be left out of the coming chaos. But that was ridiculous. She was an independent female, entirely responsible for her own happiness. The idea of finding a permanent mate hadn’t even entered her thinking. A twinge of guilt accompanied the assertion. She didn’t like to lie to herself, but the truth was still too painful. It was simply that the other captives talked about nothing but their potential mates. They complained and whined about their captivity, but they also talked about the males. This one was so sweet, they were all so big and strong, and that one had such pretty eyes. The females wondered who they would match and what would happen once the men found out which female was capable of giving them offspring.

Since their arrival on this planet, the males had focused on creating the actual settlement. They’d cleared large sections of land for shuttle lots, training fields, and the multi-ship complex that now housed five of the six thousand occupants. The overlord had also forbidden his men from being alone with any of the females. The females were required to travel in small groups whenever they left the security of their cabins. Until Overlord Razel deemed the compound safe, the physical pleasure of his men would have to wait.

“Can I help you with something, ladies?”

The deep, indolent voice made Lily whip her head toward the speaker. He lounged in the hatchway, arms crossed over his chest. Long dark hair framed his handsome face and flowed in wide waves past his shoulders. He wasn’t as tall as many of the Rodytes and his body appeared lean rather than bulkily muscular. He wore brown pants that looked as if they’d been braided out of leather strips and a snug green shirt rather than the khaki uniforms favored by most of the Outcasts. He also had a neatly trimmed beard, which was unusual for a Rodyte. A cluster of braids at his temple had been decorated with metal beads. Lily had seen him before, but she didn’t know his name.

“We were just...” Unable to manufacture a believable lie, Lily just shrugged helplessly.

Thea moved forward, her steps calculative. She tossed back her long blonde hair as a wily gleam brightened her dark eyes. “Are you Rex Dravon?”

“Who wants to know?” His tone turned silky and he moved toward Thea, his stride lazy and rolling.

“I’m Wilma. She’s Betty.”

Though Thea’s tone had been conversational, the male laughed. “Does that make me Fred or Barney?”

Thea shot her a surprised glance before admitting, “I didn’t expect you to understand the reference.”

“I’m aware.”

Completely derailed by his reaction, Thea struggled to recover control of the situation. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Neither did you,” he pointed out. “At least, not honestly. Shall we start over? I’m Rex Dravon. And you are?”

“Thea Cline. You are just as attractive as I’d heard.” Her flirtatiousness gradually returned. Lily had seen the strategy at work before. Thea flattered and teased, subtly extracting information with carefully veiled questions. “I know you work with the Outcasts, but do you consider yourself one of them?”

“Ahh.” He glanced at Lily, clearly seeing right through the attempt. “You’re looking for a ride off this rock.”

Thea didn’t deny it. “Wouldn’t you?”

“Probably.” He sauntered forward, closing the distance between him and Thea. It didn’t take much. The shuttle was tiny. He rested one palm against the fuselage and leaned down slightly, mimicking her slightly seductive tone. “Problem is, even if I don’t consider myself an Outcast, they’re my only customer at the moment. If I piss off the overlord, I shut down a very lucrative revenue stream.”

“Some things are more important than money.” Thea met his gaze directly, chin raised stubbornly. “Take us to safety and we’ll pay you whatever you ask.”

His dark gaze swept down her body, then back to her face. “Tempting, but I can buy all the pleasure givers I want with what Kage pays me.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she stressed. “Name your price and we’ll meet it. ‘Kage’ doesn’t need to know how we escaped.”

“He’d know. Overlord Razel has a pet harbinger who keeps him informed about anything that affects the Outcasts.”

Just the mention of the harbinger made Lily tense. Arton the Heretic, the overlord’s “pet harbinger” was a thorn in Lily’s side. Reported to have powerful psychic abilities, Arton only spoke when he had something important to say. Except when he was around Lily. He harassed her on a daily basis, attempting to convince her to unlock the datapad they’d stolen from her supervisor, or provide them with the chemical formula needed to stabilize the genetic transformation each couple would need to undergo. Without the formula, the Outcasts’ breeding program was dead in the water.

Most of the Outcasts had been born with latent magic, but Rodyte scientists found a way to unleash that power during the mating process. When a Rodyte male claimed his mate, it triggered a mutual metamorphosis that increased the chances of conception. By using this natural transformation as a delivery mechanism, the scientists were able to insert genetic modifications without either body rejecting the changes.

Lily had been working with the Rodyte doctor who supervised the transformation project back on Earth and the Outcasts desperately needed her expertise if they were to launch a transformation program of their own. She wasn’t sure why the overlord had chosen Arton as her tormentor, but he seemed to enjoy the assignment. Fortunately, for Lily, her stubborn nature had kept him from succeeding. So far.

“You have no problem with their kidnapping us and dragging us to this godforsaken wilderness?”

If Thea was trying to shame Rex Dravon into helping them, Lily was pretty sure she was wasting her time. Lily was well acquainted with his reputation. She just hadn’t known what he looked like until now. According to all the gossip, he was a ruthless smuggler who only cared about money. He’d admitted as much a few minutes ago.

He lifted one broad shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. He was a handsome devil as Thea had said. Way too many of the Outcasts were. “I see both sides of most arguments. You don’t like losing control and they just want to survive.”

“And you’re just trying to make a buck?” Thea made the possibility sound cowardly.

Rex laughed. “I’m a businessman. There’s nothing shameful in focusing on prosperity.”

“There is if people are being harmed in the process!”

“You look pretty hale and hearty to me.” Something dangerous gleamed in his gaze as the smile faded from his lips. Like most Rodytes, his eyes were so dark they appeared black, and the gold rings, known as phitons, gleamed hypnotically. “I’ve seen abused prisoners, sweetheart. Neither of you qualify.”

“So the trap worked.”

The amusement in Arton’s now familiar voice snapped Lily’s head back toward the hatchway. The harbinger stood there, much as Rex had earlier. Arton was taller than Rex and more muscular. With Arton, it was his coloring that set him apart from other Rodytes. His hair was a unique combination of silver and black.

His strange gray-blue gaze settled on Lily. “I would have been surprised if Thea hadn’t taken the bait, but I expected better from you.”

“Bait for what?” Thea asked before Lily could respond. “What was the purpose for your ‘trap’?”

“It had been ten days since the last escape attempt. We were considering rolling back some of the restrictions. Obviously, that won’t happen now.”

“We weren’t trying to escape,” Lily insisted, not wanting the others to suffer for her misbehavior.

His brows arched and his phitons gleamed like polished silver. “Really? Then what are you doing on this shuttle?”

“Looking for weapons.” She glared into his eyes. There was something about this male that made her feisty. “We’re stuck on this planet whether we like it or not. We didn’t want to be defenseless.”

Without changing his expression he reached down and unclasped the blaster strapped to his thigh. After checking a setting on the weapon’s side, he handed it to her. It felt cold and heavy in her hand, so she immediately lowered it to point at the floor. She’d never learned how to shoot a gun and had no interest in learning now.

“Do you feel safer now?” he challenged.

His sarcasm annoyed her, made her want to lash out. “You’re right, I’m unlikely to shoot you, but we both know she won’t hesitate.” She handed the blaster to Thea, who immediately aimed it at his face.

“This is not happening on my shuttle.” Rex quickly took the gun from Thea and handed it back to the harbinger. Then he looked at Thea again, humor making his dark eyes shine. “You blast his brains all over the walls, baby doll, and I’m the one who has to clean it up.”

Baby doll? Thea ignored the nickname. In fact she looked as if she intended to pretend the smuggler had ceased to exist.

“Thanks for your help, Rex,” Arton said as he reached for Lily’s arm. “Someone will be along to collect her in a few minutes.” He nodded toward Thea as he drew Lily toward the hatch.

“No thank you.” Lily twisted out of his light hold. “Thea is one of my roommates. The guards can escort us both. Females are not supposed to be alone with any of you.”

“She has a point.” Rex was clearly enjoying the conflict.

Without responding to the provocation, Arton focused entirely on Lily. “Thea is going to detention. You’re coming with me.” He offered no other information.

Lily dug in her heels, feeling restless and oddly achy. “If this is a punishable offence, I should go to detention too.”

“Maybe later.” His long fingers wrapped around her upper arm with steely efficiency. He wasn’t hurting her, but all the tugging in the world wouldn’t set her free.

They descended the stairs and emerged in the sunlit meadow. Left with no other choice, Lily rushed along beside him, struggling to keep up with his long-legged strides. The shuttles blurred and her shoes skid across the thick turquois grass as she focused on her tormentor. He wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt with a brewery’s logo on the front. Earth garments would have been welcomed by the captives, but they’d been forced to wear the same ugly khaki uniforms as most of the Outcasts. Apparently, the overlord’s pet harbinger wasn’t subject to any of the rules.

She wasn’t surprised. Not only was Arton a powerful psychic, he was second-in-command of the Outcasts. Arton answered to Overlord Razel, and only Razel. She’d seen him break up fights and berate seasoned warriors who immediately responded with deference and respect. The rank-and-file Outcasts genuinely liked their overlord, but they feared the heretic.

“Where are you taking me?” She cringed at the shrillness in her tone. She didn’t want him to realize how fast her heart was beating. Each of their arguments had become more volatile and the tension pulsing between them was already palpable.

“Somewhere without distractions.” He didn’t turn his head, didn’t slow his pace, just hurried along, dragging her behind him.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” And why did Arton piss her off faster than any person she’d ever met? Yes, he was intentionally provocative, but her easygoing nature vanished the second he walked into a room. “Distractions from what?”

He stopped and pivoted toward her, his gaze boring into hers. “You know damn well what you’re supposed to be doing and it has nothing to do with stealing weapons.”

“Not this again.” She rolled her eyes and stared off into the distance. “Aren’t you tired of the same old argument?”

“Extremely. That’s why it ends today.” Without explaining that ominous statement, he resumed his discourteous pace.

She continued glaring at him. Not that he noticed. His face remained forward, gaze fixed straight ahead. He drew her into the trees surrounding the shuttle lot. The shadows hadn’t felt this cool or threatening while she explored with Thea. If Arton wanted to hurt her, he’d had plenty of opportunities. Most of their arguments had taken place in corridors, but other captives had been nearby. She was truly alone with him for the first time and it made him seem larger and more menacing.

When it became obvious that Arton wouldn’t leave Lily alone, she decided to do some research. Knowledge was power and she had always thought it wise to know as much as possible about her enemies. Rumors and speculation ran rampant about harbingers in general, and Arton in particular, on both the battle born ships to which she’d been assigned. Both ships had been commanded by Arton’s younger brothers, or half-brothers. They all shared a father, Kryton Lux, a retired general who still held sway with Rodymia’s ruling class. Arton was born to Kryton’s first lifemate, while the younger three Lux brothers were born to Skyla, Kryton’s current mate, and the love of his life. Because of Lily’s interaction with Arton’s brothers, she knew a fair amount about his family. Arton personally, however, was still very much a mystery.

To participate in the transformation program, each male was required to fill out a detailed profile. When Lily checked the database, she discovered that Arton didn’t have a profile. Apparently, he wasn’t interested in a mate.

Lily refused to analyze the emotions that discovery unleashed. Was it possible he wanted a mate but didn’t care about—or wasn’t capable of producing—children? Either way it made no difference to her. She was certainly not interested in bonding with any Rodyte, especially one as disagreeable as Arton.

The setback in her investigation disappointed Lily, but she didn’t give up. She wasn’t able to find information on Arton personally. Still, she found all sorts of articles, news reports and interviews pertaining to harbingers in general. Their abilities were the unintended result of genetic engineering. The mutation that gave them their psychic powers also produced their unique coloring. Anything involving harbingers was controlled by their powerful guild leaders. The guild owned and operated the fortress-like academy and was responsible for the aggressive recruitment policies. Most infants born with harbinger coloring were taken to Harbinger Academy voluntarily so they could be educated and trained by other empowered Rodytes. If the family refused to relinquish their child, however, the baby was taken by force.

Lily shivered. Had Arton been torn from a loving family? Was that why she frequently saw pain and hatred in his eyes? She knew he had no contact with his brothers or his parents, but she didn’t know the reason for the estrangement.

It didn’t matter. She couldn’t let it matter. She alone could protect the other captives, and maybe someday find a way to return them to Earth. “You know I can’t help you and you know why. Do we have to keep having this conversation?” She forced calm into her voice, hoping to deescalate the tension.

“You were helping the battle born,” he reminded. “Why do you find us less worthy than them?”

Guilt panged through her soul in response to the accusation in his deep tone. Technically most of the Outcast were battle born. Their mothers were Bilarrian prisoners forced to breed with their Rodyte captors. It had been the males’ hope that their offspring would “restore” magic to the Rodyte people. Lily found the practice horrific, but refused to blame the sons for the sins of their fathers. Despite their unconventional parentage, the battle born were determined to leave the past behind and claim a future free from subjugation and prejudice.

The Outcasts, on the other hand, emulated their fathers, taking what they wanted without mercy or regret. “The battle born asked for my help. They didn’t kidnap me and hold me against my will.”

He scoffed, still not bothering to look at her. “They brought an army to Earth and surrounded the planet with spaceships. Your people only offered to help them because they knew there was no other choice.”

“That’s not true. The battle born forced nothing on Earth. In fact they defended us against other alien invaders.”

He looked down at her then, his expression inscrutable. “Are you really that naïve? The battle born are every bit as ruthless as the Outcasts. They just use manipulation and intimidation to get what they want. We’re less hypocritical.”

They could debate the past for the rest of their lives and it wouldn’t change the present situation. “Your opinion of the battle born is irrelevant. I will not help you force your will on human females.”

“What if they volunteer?”

They reached the other side of the woods separating the shuttle lot from the multi-ship compound. Twelve identical ships had been positioned with their narrow bows pointed inward and their wide stern sections outward. The ships were then connected by airlocks and railed walkways, forming a massive pizza-shaped complex that enabled the Outcasts to consolidate resources and better defend their new home. All of the females and about half the males were now housed aboard the “Wheel”. The other thousand males had been dispersed through the remaining ships, so they could perform security sweeps, as well as hunting and scouting expeditions. The secluded location of the planet made supply runs time-consuming and expensive. The hope was for the settlement to become as self-sustaining as possible.

“What are you talking about?” she asked. He released her arm as they reached the zigzagging gangplank leading up to Viper, ship eight in the Wheel. It was the ship on which Lily, Thea, and their other two roommates had traveled from Earth. The overlord and his entourage had moved their lodgings to the Viper shortly after their arrival, so it was now a sort of headquarters for the Outcasts.

The walkway was narrow enough that they couldn’t walk side by side. There was a wider, less steep entry ramp on the other side of the ship that led to common areas like dining halls and the workout center. This ramp took them directly to deck three where the majority of the females were assigned. Their apparent destination helped Lily relax and not sound so confrontational. “How can a captive ‘volunteer’ for anything?”

“You’re no longer captives. You’re allowed to go anywhere you like.”

“Except back to Earth,” she snapped, annoyed by his nonchalance. “We’re all here against our will. Until that changes, everything else is moot.”

She paused for a moment on the landing at the top of the gangplank. Their elevated position allowed her to see over the treetops. Miles and miles of forest spread out to the east, the undulating field of turquoise broken only by the areas the Outcasts had cleared. To the west a massive body of water gleamed like emerald glass. Fluffy clouds partially blocked the sun, but another object hung in the sky unobstructed, almost intrusive.

“Did you guys give it a name?” She pointed toward the large planet clearly visible above their heads. Like the blue-green leaves, it was a constant reminder that she was no longer on Earth.

“The team of scientists that first explored this area named it Scarlett.” Much of the planet appeared red, so Lily didn’t question the name. Then he added, “They call this planet Rhett.”

The combination made her smile. “Do you understand the reference?”

“I didn’t at the time, but I have since read portions of the book and watched scenes from the motion picture.”

She accepted his answer with a nod. The Outcasts’ knowledge of Earth frequently surprised her. On the surface they appeared to be brutal warriors only concerned with warfare. This was one of many examples proving there was more to these men than their militant appearance. “How did a team of Rodyte scientists learn about Gone with the Wind?”

“Humans hold the key to our survival. We’ve all been learning as much as we can about your various cultures.”

The key to their survival? Was that how they saw their captive brides? How they justified the mass kidnapping? She knew from working with the battle born that the Rodyte race was in trouble. They’d been altering their DNA for so long that unexpected complications were now common. Genetic compatibility between pureblooded Rodytes was rare, and hybrid matches were even more infrequent. That was why they’d searched for other humanoid races capable of producing offspring with Rodytes. And their desperate search led them to Earth.

The ship felt closed, almost claustrophobic after hours in the fresh air. Each corridor was rounded, more like a tunnel than a hallway. The decks were coarsely textured for added traction while the matte-gray walls were smooth. Arton reached the forward lift and motioned her inside.

Tension returned with a vengeance. “My cabin is down there.” She indicated the other end of the rounded corridor.

“I know.” An enigmatic smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “We’re going to mine.” The silver rings in his smoky eyes shimmered, but his expression revealed only his determination to be obeyed. “You can walk or I’ll carry you. The choice is yours.”

She looked up and down the corridor, deciding if she gained anything by refusing. He was at least eight inches taller than her and close to twice her weight. A physical confrontation would be no contest. “Why are we going to your cabin?”

Rather than argue with her, he leaned down and swept her into his arms, cradling her against his chest like a child.

She gasped and instinctively wrapped her arm around his neck. At least he hadn’t slung her facedown over his shoulder. “The argument doesn’t change if you lock me in your cabin.” Their faces were on a level as he carried her into the lift, which focused her gaze on his sculpted features. Strong yet noble, his face reminded her of the armored angels so popular in Renaissance art. But the rest of him was anything but angelic. His biceps were so thick they strained the sleeves of his T-shirt and his forearms were covered in the Rodyte equivalent of tattoos. His muscular body emanated raw power and defiance blazed in his silver-ringed eyes. How was she supposed to win any confrontation with Arton the Heretic?

Arton stared into Lily’s vivid blue eyes and his thoughts scattered. He wanted to kiss her, feel her lips part beneath his and taste the sweetness of her mouth. With silky black hair and porcelain skin, she’d attracted him the first time he saw her. But he was not looking for a mate, and Lily deserved more than a few heated encounters with no long-term commitment. If the others detected his scent on her, it would indicate that she was willing to share pleasure without being claimed. Regardless of how appealing he found her, he would not help turn Lily into a pleasure giver. Such was frequently the fate for unprotected females.

“No distractions,” he reminded, forcing his thoughts away from her soft-looking lips. Her unique appearance had made him curious enough to ask Kage about possible causes. The overlord knew more about Earth than most of his men. According to Kage, the exotic shape of her eyes and the sculpted contours of her face were the result of an Asian parent. Her vivid blue eyes, however, indicated that her other parent was likely European. Arton found the combination enchanting. “We’re going to talk this out without interruptions.” Then he needed to set her down as soon as possible, because being this close to her, feeling her softness press against him, drove all thoughts of negotiation from his mind.

They reached deck four and he exited the lift, then carefully placed her on her feet. She immediately stepped back, taking her body just out of reach.

“What can you say to me that you haven’t said ten times before?” She looked back at the lift as if she’d try to run, but ultimately fell into step beside him.

“Actually, there have been some developments of which you’re not yet aware. I’m hoping they will change your outlook on the situation.” They turned a corner and entered the short hallway leading to the officer cabins. As they approached his door, the privacy panel directly across from his opened.

Kage Razel stood framed by the threshold, his dark head nearly touching the lintel. His outfit caught Arton by surprise. Kage had abandoned the “barbarian” costume he wore to intimidate those interested in hiring the Outcasts or those foolish enough to compete for the same contracts. For the past few weeks he’d worn a nondescript uniform just like his men. At the moment, he was bare to the waist except for the munitions harness crisscrossing his broad chest. He wore synth-leather pants and knee-high boots. His head had been recently shaved on the sides, but a narrow section of long hair ran from front to back down the middle of his head. Much of his torso and both arms were covered with detailed images and raised sigils, commemorating events or expressing meaning only Kage understood.

“Overlord,” Arton greeted, glancing at Lily to gauge her reaction to his best friend.

Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open for just a moment before she snapped it shut. She moved closer to Arton, but he was relatively sure it hadn’t been a conscious decision. Kage had that effect on a lot of people. His size alone was enough to intimidate.

“Have you told her yet?” Kage asked without preamble.

“I was about to.”

Displeasure narrowed Kage’s dark eyes. “It’s been at least an hour since I told you to find her. Where have you been?”

“On Rex’s shuttle. Two intrepid females took the bait.”

“Lily was one?” Kage looked at her, his scowl giving way to disbelief.

“Surprised me too.”

“Who was the other?” He didn’t give Arton time to respond. “Never mind. It had to be Thea. I never should have left them in the same cabin. Thea must be claimed as soon as possible. That woman is a menace.”

“You can’t be serious.” Despite Lily’s fear, she came alive in defense of her friend. “It’s only been a few months since she lost her husband and children. She might never tolerate another male. She’s certainly not ready now.”

Kage waved away her concerns. “She has six matches. One of them will be able to overcome her painful past. You need to focus on the problem at hand. You both do.” Kage shot him a look that warned him not to argue. “I thought of a way to speed up the negotiations.”

“There is nothing to negotiate,” Lily objected, her voice soft but tense. “The only thing we want is our freedom and you aren’t willing to—”

Kage took her hand and snapped a tether band around her wrist before she could finish her argument.

“What the hell is this?” She held up her arm now encircled by the smooth alloy band.

“It creates an electronic tether,” Arton told her. Then he looked at Kage and asked, “What are the parameters?”

“Ten feet.” Kage accented the revelation with a humorless smile, then he motioned toward Arton’s arm. “At least I allowed barriers.”

His gaze narrowed and he clasped his hands behind his back. “Make it twenty-five.”

“She’s not the only one who needs motivation.”

“Ten feet is impossible,” Arton argued. They would have to sleep in the same room. There was more than ten feet between his bed and the couch in his living room.

Kage motioned toward Arton’s arm again, but he ignored the gesture. “If you’d been more persuasive, this wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Lengthen the tether and I’ll consider it.”

Any hint of humor evaporated and Kage’s dark eyes turned cold. “I didn’t ask for your input. Hold out your arm. That’s an order.”

When the overlord gave a direct order, even his best friend was expected to obey. Resenting the situation more with every passing second, Arton slowly unclasped his hands and held out his arm. The band snapped into place and automatically connected, forming a seal only Kage could deactivate.

“You have until morning.” Kage’s icy tone echoed his expression. “This is your last chance. Make her see reason, or we move forward without her.” He stepped back and the privacy panel slid shut.

Arton looked at Lily. Had she heard the ultimatum?

Her attention appeared to be focused entirely on the band. She ran her fingers along every surface, searching for a release. When she found none, she tugged with all her might, trying to slip her hand free. “What happens if we get more than ten feet from each other?”

“It triggers the pain center of your brain,” he told her. “Trust me. You don’t want to feel the result.”

Her expressive blue gaze shifted from her arm to his face. “You’ve heard or you know from experience?”

This was the closest they’d ever come to a normal conversation. Had this mutual insult finally given them a common ground? He glanced at Kage’s door. The wily bastard probably planned it that way.

Arton scanned open his cabin and motioned her inside before answering her question. “I was tethered to a string of instructors until I turned twelve.”

She took two steps into the cabin, but went no farther. “What happened then?”

He seldom thought about his years at Harbinger Academy and never spoke about the abuse he’d endured. But there was too much at stake for him to hide behind his pride. If he could transform her curiosity into cooperation, a few unpleasant memories would be well worth it. “Like you, I accepted that escape was impossible.”

“I haven’t accepted anything,” she warned.

Brushing past her, he walked farther into the room, hoping she’d follow. She didn’t. “Kage doesn’t make idle threats. If you don’t agree to cooperate, he will move on without you in the morning.”

Concern flickered through her gaze, yet her other features remained impassive. “Move on without me?” Challenge threaded through her tone. She still believed she had the upper hand. “That’s not possible. The transformation cannot be stabilized without the formula. If the overlord tries, people will die.”

“We’re well aware.” Arton moved to the sofa and sat, refusing to give in to her stubbornness. If she wanted to stand over there by the door, let her. This was doubtlessly going to be a long, frustrating conversation. “Fortunately for us, you’re not the only geneticist in this star system. Our team is relatively sure they’ve replicated the formula.”

A tall-backed armchair faced the sofa. She moved to stand behind it and rested her hands on top of the back cushion. “‘Relatively sure?’” Her challenging tone sharpened. “He’s willing to risk lives on ‘relatively sure’?”

“So audit their formula.” He crossed his legs and pressed back into the sofa, his voice every bit as challenging as hers. “Tell me where they went wrong or if they got it right.”

“If it’s wrong, I won’t tell you how to fix it,” she warned.

He chuckled. “Then you’ll tell me it’s wrong even if it’s right. I’m not stupid, Lily. But this has to end.” He uncrossed his legs and scooted to the edge of the sofa. “I’m asking you to help me prevent Kage from doing something rash. We’ve been here a month and the men are dangerously restless. If he doesn’t launch the transformation program soon, someone will challenge his right to rule.”

She finger-combed her hair back from her face as she worried her bottom lip. “Let me see it.” She sounded annoyed by her own request.

Pushing to his feet, he crossed the room and picked up his datapad. The formula was already on the screen. He’d been looking at it when Rex notified him that a couple of females had sneaked onto his shuttle. “Translate using human equivalents,” he instructed the handheld computer. Once the translation was complete, he crossed the room and handed her the device.

She studied the complex formula for a moment then shook her head. “It’s surprisingly close, but there are two mistakes. They cannot attempt a transformation with this formula. The result would be uncertain at best.”

He searched her gaze. She stared back at him, her expression open and seemingly honest. “Damn it,” he muttered. “I can’t tell if you’re lying or not.”

“I’m not,” she insisted. “This formula is flawed.”

“Then fix it. The program launches tomorrow with this formula unless you fix it.”

“You must convince them to wait.” She set the datapad down on a nearby table. “Even if the formula is right, the result is still at risk. The transformation cannot be forced. Resistance on the part of either party adversely affects the outcome.”

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, he advanced. Kage was right. Arton hadn’t been nearly as persuasive as he was capable of being. He hadn’t wanted to frighten her. Well, the time for diplomacy was past. He either convinced Lily to help them or lives could be lost. “The couple came to us. They both want this badly.”

She echoed his movements, retreating as he advanced, until her back pressed against the bulkhead. “I don’t believe you.”

“He was assigned to guard your section, so they were together every day. Others commented on their attraction. Did you honestly not notice?”

“Oh no.” Her hand flew to her throat and color bled from her lovely face. “You’re talking about Jillian and Stront.”

He nodded. “Stront suspected that they were compatible, so Kage saw no reason not to tell him. Not only is Jillian his potential mate, but she has no other matches.”

Lily shook her head, eyes wide with fear. “You can’t let them do this. The results could be disastrous.”

“Then fix it!” He slapped his hand against the bulkhead and leaned in, his nose nearly touching hers. “Their lives are in your hands.”