Page 17 of Rule

My gaze dropped to his crotch and I took adeep breath. Like I’d just told myself - I was here for a reason – to have sexwith the king and give him a child. If I couldn’t do that, I was of no use tohim and he’d send me back to Earth. If I wanted to stay here, if I wanted toavoid being killed by my stepbrother or married off to Troy, I needed to use mylimited seduction skills on the king. It was obvious that he couldn’t make thefirst move. Maybe he would just close his eyes while we were fucking. I mean,a pussy was a pussy, right?

My cheeks went red, but I took another deepbreath and walked toward the king. He seemed almost frozen to the spot, and hedidn’t move when I pressed my body against his and put my arms around his waist.Steeling myself, I kissed his chest and then his collarbone before nuzzling hisneck. I stroked his lower back and a bit of his middle back, but my throbbing shoulderwouldn’t let me lift my arm any higher.

The king still hadn’t moved a muscle, andfeeling awkward and weird, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my mouth againsthis. His lips were warm and firm, but his entire body went ramrod stiff. WhenI licked his lower lip, he made a startled noise and pushed me away.

Not expecting it, I tripped over my own feetand landed hard on my ass. It sent agony up and down my spine and through mykidneys and I couldn’t stop my sharp cry of pain.

For one terrible moment, I thought I wasgoing to black out. I immediately lowered my head between my knees, breathingin long, slow inhales and exhales, counting out seven beats for each breath.

I cringed when the alien’s hands wrappedaround my arms and he lifted me to my feet. He wasn’t rough, but I still scurriedaway from him and held my hands up in supplication as tears slid down my face.“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought that was what you were, um, here for.I’m very sorry.”

He scowled, and my throat went dry. Whatwas the punishment for angering a king on Draax? What if it was a beating? Mykidneys actually pulsed in pain at just the thought, and I backed up againuntil my legs hit the side of the bed.

“Please, I’m very sorry.”

The king turned and walked out of my room,closing the door softly behind him. My heart thudding in my chest, I sank ontothe bed, holding my hand against my throbbing kidneys and trying not to cry.

I was so screwed.

Bran

I hurried down the hallway toward my ownbedroom. Court’s bedroom light was off and there was no sound coming from hisroom, but I still snuck past it like I had done something wrong. I entered myroom and closed the door behind me.

What in Krono’s name just happened?

After my shower, I’d gone to Bella’snursery to check on her. She was sound asleep with her tiny fist curled aroundher favourite doll. I’d sat on the floor beside her bed for nearly half an hour,just staring at her face. Krono, I loved her.

The human’s room was next to Bella’s and,at first, I couldn’t identify the sound I kept hearing. Finally, I stood andpressed my ear against the wall that separated the rooms. It sounded like thehuman was crying.

I’d hurried out of Bella’s room. I toldmyself I was only going into her room to tell her to be quiet, not because Iwondered why she cried. Bella was a real groden if she was woken up, and I hadno wish to spend the rest of my night soothing a grumpy toddler.

I’d gone into the human’s room, and thenthings went strange. I scrubbed a hand across my jaw. The human had changedher clothing and I was almost mesmerized by the smooth, paleness of her longlegs. I was just thinking about what they might look like wrapped around mywaist when the human had approached me. The feel of her soft lips on my chestand neck had shocked me into stillness. When she’d pressed her mouth againstmine, licking me with her soft tongue, I’d come to my senses and pushed heraway.

I cringed and walked to the bathroom connectedto my room to stare at my reflection. I hadn’t meant to be rough, but I’d hurtthe little human. No longer covered by Court’s cloak, it was obvious that herbody was small and fragile. When she’d landed on the floor, the cry of painand the way her lovely face paled, had made me feel lower than a glackenswine.

But it was even worse when I had helped herto her feet, and she had startled away from me like a terrified grundleswat.The way she cried, and her body trembled in fear… I groaned and returned to myroom, climbing into bed and staring up at the ceiling. I hadn’t meant to scareor hurt her and once her translator was working, I would tell her that.

Chapter Five

Evelyn

With my phone broken and no clock in myroom, I had no idea what time it was. The storm outside the window made itimpossible to even tell if the sun had risen, but it felt like morning. Thewind rattled the window and I took a step back. It was cold in my room,despite the heat blowing from the vent in the floor. I studied the thick snowthat was falling and wondered how long the storm would last.

After a few minutes, I gathered my courageand left the bedroom, carrying my uneaten plate of food. I’d dressed in at-shirt and jeans before putting a sweater on over my shirt. It was chilly inthe palace, but mostly I was embarrassed at how noticeable it was that I wasn’twearing a bra. I tried to put it on, but the pain in my shoulder made itimpossible. Just getting the t-shirt and sweater over my head was an exercisein agony.

I hadn’t slept again last night, the painand the homesickness and the worry that I had somehow insulted the king, makingsleep impossible. I felt sick to my stomach, exhaustion was making my visionblurry, and I was on the verge of tears.

I moved slowly down the stairs and down thehallway. I could hear some noises coming from a doorway to the right, and Ipeeked my head into the room. It was the kitchen and, again, while it wasgiant-sized compared to the narrow alley kitchen in my apartment, it didn’tseem nearly large enough to feed an entire palace of people. Of course, thepalace still wasn’t exactly bustling with aliens. The only Draax in the kitchenwas the one who had picked me up from the ship last night.

I tried to smile in a friendly way at himas I entered the kitchen. “Good morning.”

Maybe the translator was working now.Please God, let the translator be working.

He studied the plate of food in my handbefore scowling and striding forward. He took the plate and said somethingthat was gibberish before pointing at the food.

Shit. Still no translator.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I, uh, I wasn’thungry last night.”

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