I studied him for a long pause. "So, you came to search for compatible females?"
He paused and the way the features on his face morphed into an expressionless one, I suspected there were more reasons for their interest in Earth, and not something he'd just offer up.
"You're special, Ella," he said.
I choked on a forced laugh. "If being special means attracting the attention of a blood-sucking monster, then count me out. I don't want any of this."
He looked at me with pity in his gaze, but that wouldn't help me. What was I going to do? Hide out in this mansion forever?
"How do I stop them from coming after me?" I pleaded, my voice coming out barely a whisper.
This time, he took my hand in his. "If we knew that answer, we would have eradicated them from our planet long ago."
His confession sat in my gut like concrete, spreading, dragging me into a sea of fear because it meant I was stuck. These things that snuck onto Earth now saw me as a means to make themselves stronger, and I wasn't a fool to ignore what that entailed.
Me imprisoned.
For life.
Tortured and whipped.
Drained of blood but kept alive so they could keep taking and taking.
I could barely take a breath as I pictured myself locked up for life by these things.
Thane's thumb caressed the back of my hand in small circles. The move was slow and tender, and it made me glance over at him. He must have seen the fright on my face because he leaned closer, his arms reaching out and looping around my back. He pulled me against him. Embraced by his strength, I let myself melt against the rock wall that was his chest, my ear just above his heart.
Bang. Bang. Bang.It thumped.
"We'll be by your side always."
But my mind refused to make sense of his words because all I heard was forever, and that terrified me. How could they stay with me so long? And then they mentioned the whole being bonded to me forever. What the hell did that mean? Forever until I died of old age? I couldn't live a life without freedom, without the chance to make more friends, to maybe even get married and have kids. Not that I wanted that now but wasn't that what people did? Maybe that wasn’t possible in our world now with the Vepar here.
On one bright side, if the Khonsu couldn't find another compatible person, they wouldn't have to kill anyone. Maybe they'd leave this planet, or perhaps the Vepar had already put into motion a means to eradicate them from our planet. I didn't know the answer to anything, I just wanted to survive. To not be miserable, or be dragged down with fear, and definitely to not be tortured.
This was a new world we all had ventured into and the unknown was like an ominous cloud over all our heads.
Were the Vepar really here as a potential backup home in case they couldn't remove the Khonsu on their planet or before all their females were killed by the Khonsu? But then why would they bother bonding to me? Or did I have it all wrong and they bonded to many females, which begged the question of what they got out of the connection? Dozens of questions circled my mind, my head buzzed, and didn't want to face any of this because things seemed so much more complicated than I anticipated.
Thane rubbed my back, his breath washing through my hair, his arms were like lifebelts wrapped around me.
"Will I ever have my normal life back?" I finally broke the silence and glanced up.
He stared down at me, his blue eyes glinting. "You will always be safe with us," he said again.
I couldn't find any words to say to him as he had basically just admitted I would never be returning home. I pressed my cheek back against his chest, seeking comfort even though he was partially the cause of all my problems. The dreaded answer I knew all along was now confirmed. Normality was gone for me, and only uncertainty lay ahead. While so many other questions poured through my mind about where I'd live such an existence, and if they intended to stay on Earth forever, I didn't ask them. I couldn't bear to hear the answers because holding myself together now was hard enough as I trembled in his arms and tears pricked my eyes.
Everything I knew would change.
Any dreams I had were gone forever.
I curled further into Thane.
He nudged me slightly as he shuffled further onto the bed and climbed in under the blanket with me. Taking me into his arms once again, we lay together, tears sliding out of the corners of my eyes. Everything was happening so fast, and now I couldn't even be angry at the three Vepar. If they found me glowing, then the Khonsu would have done so sooner or later and I would much rather be with the Vepar than the Khonsu.
"Everything will be alright," Thane whispered softly, his voice as light as a caress. He kissed the top of my head and I couldn’t help the warmth that spread over me.
I'd be lost without their protection, because nothing would ever be all right again. Not a single thing.