Brawn was right beside her again and had his hand on her arm. She jerked back, but not from fear, surprisingly, but because his skin was hot to the touch.
“I guess I should have explained that the warriors of Hades have a higher temperature than most other species in this galaxy.” Brawn looked at Lukin, said something in this very strange yet beautiful language, and then looked back at her again. “And especially since you are human, we will feel well above your own body temperature.”
“Come on.” Brawn took her hand, and she snapped her attention to him.
If they had meant to harm her, or put her into slavery, surely they wouldn’t be acting so kind to her? She allowed him to help her down, and as they moved away from the room she had been in and down a long, sterile-feeling and metal hallway, Brawn veered her off to the side.
“Lukin thinks with his stomach most days, but I assume you’d enjoy bathing first?” he prompted. He pressed a button on the metal wall, and a door materialized right in front of her.
Inside, there was a bathing chamber with a large crevice, where she figured the water accumulated with a spout at the top of the chamber. A small shelf held some drying rags and a bowl, which was probably used for personal matters, was beside that.
“The necessary bathing tools and washing equipment are all there.” He spoke like a soldier—clipped and with a slight hardness to him. “When you’re finished and dressed in one of the body wraps, just head down the hallway, and it’ll open up to the dining module.” He went to leave her alone, but she started speaking before she realized what she was doing.
“Why are you doing this?”
He stopped and faced her again. “I told you. You’re our mate.”
“But what does that mean?” Her heart started beating faster, threatening to burst from her chest.
He moved closer to her until she felt his body heat sink into her flesh. “It means you’re ours. You’re our woman, our female, and our mate. You’re the one who will bear us strong Hades sons. The one that will give us pleasure as well as receive it.”
Her throat tightened. Her mouth dried. And her body felt as though it was disconnecting from itself.
“I won’t be a sex slave. I won’t be a breeder.” She blinked rapidly, feeling the ground tilt beneath her. Minka would rather die than be an alien male’s whore. She had barely breathed the words out, but when he took a step closer to her, he cupped her cheek in his strong hand and tilted her head back. “If that’s what you plan, you might as well kill me now.” Minka refused to back down, although the smart thing to do would be just that. These men could crush her with as much effort as it took her to breathe. “I won’t be stock for some race of men who think all I’m good for is popping out soldiers for them.”
Brawn held onto her face, staring into her eyes, and she knew this man was more than just physically strong. Looking into his face, she could see the thoughts moving through his head, the intelligence in him, the fact that he was determined in everything he did. How she knew any of that was beyond her, but it was cemented inside her as he watched her.
“We don’t want a slave or just a vessel for our sons. What we want is a female who is our equal, who is strong and can handle the type of passion a Hades warrior can give her.” He grinned and flashed straight white teeth with a set of fangs. “And in fact, I like that you are not afraid to put me in my place when the time calls for it.”
He sounded so sure of himself, so determined to make her see that what he said was the truth. And stupid her, she wanted to believe him. Minka wanted to forget about the short, horrifying time she spent on that godforsaken planet, the people who turned their backs on her at the last moment, and almost dying.
The only person she cared about was now dead, and he saved her life in the process. What else did she have aside from giving this new life a chance?
“Will this be easy?” he asked and then let go of her face. “I doubt anything worthwhile in this life is easy, but if you give us a chance, I promise to prove to you that not all beings in the galaxy are what you need to fear.” He took a step back and then nodded toward the bathing receptacle. “Bathe, and then join us, please.”
He smiled, and despite his frightening appearance, that one act of kindness made him transform into something gentler. He turned and left her alone, and Minka stood there and thought about everything that happened so far.