“Soul-mates?” Jenna repeated in a hushed tone.
“That’s right. Each of you is the soul-mate of a member of this crew. That’s why you’ve been brought here. To meet your tanash’ae.”
Eva felt her throat tighten.
“So you intend to convince us we’re in love with some guy, then use us for breeding,” Crystal scoffed.
“This has nothing to do with procreation. I’m talking about love.” He focused directly on Eva. “The love of two people destined to be together. Of people who make each other complete. Soul-mates. Tanish’aei.”
His turquoise eyes, like deep tropical pools, mesmerized her, and his words resonated through her as if they held a special secret meaning just for her.
“Excuse me, Commander.”
Eva dragged herself from the almost hypnotic trance and glanced to her right, toward the voice. The woman who’d dragged Aria away stood in the doorway. Eva noticed the woman had two gold ovals on her collar while the two men who stood by the door had none. They must be a symbol of rank.
“Captain wants to see senior staff.”
“Thank you, Casey.” The commander rose. “Excuse me, ladies. You will remain here until someone is free to take you to your quarters. Make yourselves comfortable.”
He followed Casey, the female officer, out of the room, followed by the other two men. The door slid closed behind them, leaving Eva and her companions alone in the room.
Crystal rose and approached the door, but it didn’t open. She flattened her hand on it, then dragged her fingers along the edge, clearly looking for a way to trigger the mechanism.
“Are you okay, Eva?” Jenna asked, sliding her arm around Eva’s shoulders.
“Did you feel…funny…when that man came into the room?” Eva asked.
Could the aliens have drugged them? Maybe something in that last drink at the resort?
“What do you mean?” Jenna asked.
“She means were we hot for him.” Crystal turned to face them.
Eva shot her a glance, and Crystal shrugged.
“You were practically drooling over him, sweetie.” She crossed the room and sat beside Eva. “He is definitely a hunk, but I find that other one—Terrien, I think they called him—much hotter. I really would love to jump his bones.”
“Crystal, how can you think about that now? We’ve been kidnapped by people from another planet,” Jenna said.
“That’s the key. They are people. Just like us.” Crystal’s calm in the face of this incredible situation amazed Eva. Eva shook her head. “How can you treat this so lightly?”
“We’re here,” Crystal responded. “I figure I’ll make the best of it. At home, a lay is a lay, but here…” She shrugged. “Well, who knows what special talents these alien hunks have?”
“They said they know who our soul-mates are.” Jenna stared into space.
“That might be what they believe, but I don’t buy it,” Crystal said.
“Me, neither,” Eva agreed.
After about twenty minutes, the door slid open and Commander Raa-ling entered, followed by Casey and Terrien, the man who’d brought them here from the planet. Eva’s skin tingled with awareness of Raa-ling’s masculine presence.
“You’ll be taken to your quarters now,” he said to all of them. “If you have any more questions, pose them to your tanash’ae.”
Terrien stepped toward Crystal who now sat in one of the easy chairs, and Casey approached Jenna. Crystal and Jenna stood and followed their assigned guards.
Ice water pulsed through Eva’s veins. She couldn’t just let this happen. Eva leapt to her feet and stepped in front of them.
“Don’t go with them. If we stay together, we have a better chance.”