Page 3 of Essa

"Someone's on the other side of the door," Seth says, a muscle in his jaw flexing as he watches the door. "I know it's someone in your crew, but it's unsettling."

"It's the lizard," Adam says, his voice full of disdain.

"Phial is not a lizard," I snap, my feelings getting heated as soon as one of my friends is talked about in a not-nice way.

No one disrespects my friends. No one. Not even guests on our ship. My tail thrashes behind me. The telltale sign that I'm close to lashing out.

Adam's an aggravating male—one who has no respect for anyone or anything. We're doing him a favor, but he still chooses to be rude and disrespectful. He stares me down with a taunt in his eyes, asking me what I'll do about it. I wonder if he'll keep pushing if I show him what I can do.

"He looks like a lizard," Adam says, crossing his arms over his chest. Seth steps in front of him, blocking the staring contest we're in. At least one of them is somewhat intelligent.

"Ignore him," Seth says, his voice filled with worry.

The ethereal glow of his pale eyes takes my mind off the male behind him, trying his hardest to get under my skin. I give Seth a stiff nod and try to relax my body. Okay, so maybe I don't want these males as friends. That's fine. They won't be on the ship for very long.

Maybe it was wrong of me, but when I found out the clones were male, I hoped they might be interested in me. I know that's wishful thinking, but it would be convenient.

My friends have all recently found their mates, and I haven't even found a male to have sex with me in almost two years. It doesn't help that we've been pretty busy, and Jovi and Alik always got the pleasure crew since they needed it more than anyone else on the ship.

Now, though? Now, I'm the only one without someone to share my life with. I mean, I have my friends, but that's not the same at all.

It's for the best that I haven't found anyone. I'm still betrothed to a male on Haven III, my home planet, and if I start a relationship with someone else, I'll have to call off the engagement. It works out better if I don't find anyone to spend my life with.

Adam looks around Seth. His eyes are still angry and hate-filled, and I lift my lips slightly, showing my fangs. It would be so easy to rip into his throat and leave him on the floor to bleed out. He doesn't want that. I don't want that, but I could do it in seconds.

No, these aren't the males for me. This is a job and nothing more. My friends can have their happily ever afters. I'll be happy for them.

The entertainment door opens, and Jovi and Alik walk in. Their daggers are strapped across their chests, making them seem more dangerous. They're bigger than these humans by a good few inches, not to mention having two more arms. Jovi and Alik don't feel threatened in the slightest, but they have two strange males on a ship with their mate. They'll make sure everyone knows who's in charge here.

"We need to talk." Alik motions for the two males to sit back down on the loveseat and drags Holoth's recliner over to sit across from them. Jovi stands next to him, a hand on the back of the chair, as they stare down the human males.

"Am I good to leave?" I ask, eager to get away and do something more entertaining than being stared at.

"Yeah, will you keep an eye on Sloane?" Alik asks.

I give him a short nod before heading out. I linger for a moment longer to look at the two males who will be our job for the next who knows how long. Adam's still staring, still angry,his gaze burning into mine, making my fangs thrum. Seth's eyes are back on his hands, his red curly hair covering his eyes from my sight.

I turn back around, my tail twitching at the end. I need girl time right now, and I know the best way to get it. I'll make some sweets in the food synthesizer and ask Sloane and Avery to hang out. Yes, they'll help to ease some of the uneasiness I feel after interacting with the males. Maybe they can also help me figure out why I feel so shaken by the interaction.

two

Adam

Calm the fuck down, or you're going to get us kicked off this ship and dumped at the nearest drop-off.

Seth's voice is an annoyance in my mind, breaking through my seething rage like he's perfectly fine with everything that's happening. The asshole's been in my mind since we stepped foot on this ship. Telling me over and over to stay calm, not to pick fights, not to ruin our chances of starting over.

She's being fucking terrifying right now. Look away. Look away, or you're going to ruin this. You're going to blow this whole thing if they find out how fucked up we are.

That was the warning he gave me over and over when the golden-skinned woman was staring me down. I couldn't stop myself, though. She was so easy to rile, and then she came and touched me. She touched me, and I saw the pity. It was masked underneath her own frustrations, masked by the rage she seemed to feel at seeing the scars. But there was still pity, and I'm not going to be fucking pitied.

Seth was screaming in my mind to avert my gaze, just to submit. He's not broken in the same way I am. He can still feel fear. He still has self-preservation baked into his genetics. Me? That shit was some of the first things they burned out of me. No one needs a soldier who has fear. A soldier meant to be fodder in an invasion we lost. Fear has no use when you're just a body meant to be a meat shield. Seth wasn't a meat shield, or he was, but in a different way.

"How much do you know about our crew? About the crew we're supposed to hand you off to?" the purple-skinned alien in front of us asks.

He told us his name was Alik right after the golden-skinned woman left. I didn't catch introductions when I was still staring after her, trying to see if I could get her even angrier. I don't know why, but it's the closest I've ever felt to any kind of thrill from someone other than Seth.

How much are we telling them?Seth asks.

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