Page 10 of The General's Bride

Suddenly, the monitors came on and they all showed her. What was going on?

The large screen in front of Paris showed her close up. Heat surfaced in her cheeks. To see herself so up close and personal like this was embarrassing. The way her hair was tousled, coupled with the obscene outfit she wore, she looked like a harem girl.

Is that what the hunky alien had in mind? Put her in some kind of harem? If that was what he thought, he had another think coming. Realizing it was futile to try escaping from the tight bonds, Paris calmed down and thought of her next course of action.

Just then, the object of her earlier contemplation walked into the room. He was dressed similarly to the way she’d first seen him in, but this time he was bare-chested.

Her heart fluttered. Damn. She wasn’t supposed to be happy to see him. He’d kidnapped her for crying out loud.

A smile crossed his harsh face, but it wasn’t one of humor. The expression in his eyes was hungry and lustful and Pariscouldn’t fight back the shiver that spread through her body. She licked her suddenly dry lips.

Maybe if she tried to reason with him, he’d let her go. Just as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she realized it was wishful thinking on her part. Especially with the way he now looked at her.

His gaze latched on to the small movement of her tongue and she turned her head away, unable to meet the intensity of that dark green gaze. Why out of all the men she’d ever run across was this the one who made her more aware of her femininity than any other man—this person who might not be human? She’d seen enough sci-fi movies to realize maybe there could be some kind of reptilian creature beneath his humanoid flesh.

Paris forced herself to look into his eyes again, trying desperately not to get lost in their depths. “Please let me out of this thing. I think you’ve made a mistake.”

He frowned, cocking his head to the side. Then he spoke harshly in that indiscernible language.

“I don’t understand.” She shook her head.

His nostrils flared. Holding out his wrist, he pressed down on a raised part of his skin.

She wondered what he was doing. “Did you hear what I said?” she demanded.

“I heard you the first time, but now I finally understand what you’re saying. What game are you playing? Why are you speaking in the Earth tongue?”

“You speak English!” Her eyes widened in surprise.

The barbarian gave her a narrow-eyed stare. “It seems like I must since you’re not being cooperative. Thanks to this language chip I’ve implanted in my arm, I can understand and speak most known languages.”

“Who are you?”

Again he frowned, his eyebrows knitting together. “So you wish to continue with the games, Princess?”

Her eyes widened. “Princess? Me?” She’d been called many things in her lifetime, but this was a new one.

“Aye, London. You are a princess, though a spoiled one. Perhaps it is time for you to behave as someone befitting your station.”

“My station? I don’t even know who you are!”

“That is enough, London!” he roared.

There was that name again. Her sister! “Look, there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not —”

“Silence! The only words I want to hear from your lips are the sound of you begging for mercy. By the end of the day, you’ll be screaming my name. And once we’re back on Thibius, we’re to be married as planned.”

Blood pounded in her ears as her heart rate sped up. “Married? Are you crazy? I’m not —”

“London, I’ve already told you, I don’t want to hear it. You’ve caused me enough trouble as it is.”

His statement stunned her. London was supposed to marry this man? This situation was getting stranger by the moment. Is this what had happened to her twin? And mother? Were they abducted by aliens?

Alien abduction? Maybe she’s seen way too many science fiction movies but somehow, she believed if there were other intelligent beings on other planets, they’d be green with multiple tentacles. Besides, being built like a supersized muscular version of a comic book hero, he looked like any other human.

As fantastical as being taken to another world sounded, it sort of made sense. When she was old enough, Paris had investigated the disappearance of her mother and sister but had found no traces of them. The only clue left behind was her mother’s abandoned vehicle with her keys and purse left behind.Most people would have given up on the idea of ever seeing their loved ones again but in Paris’s heart, she knew her sister was somehow alive despite there being no trace of her.

Maybe it was a freaky twin thing, but it explained the dreams she’d had growing up of a girl who looked like her, but wasn’t. The girl had been in a strange place, in different clothing. Clothing appeared to be made from the same material the barbarian now wore.

---