Page 24 of The Thren's Fated

She accepted his embrace then, unsure what else she could do. They walked back to the larger room, a powerful arm around her waist and tentacles tangled with her arms and upper body.

Lena noticed the enormous bed now as Screl led her to the edge of it and urged her to sit. Fear threatened to course through her again as she looked up at him. He could do whatever he wanted to her; he had said as much at Ochin’s.

But what did he want?

Screl circled two tentacles around her head once more, brushing her hair with that familiar soothing motion. It felt like her brain was getting whiplash. One moment he was violent, threatening to hurt her, and the next, he was caressing her face and gazing deeply into her eyes. His intentions were jumbled, confusing.

The room looked eerily similar to what you’d expect in a human’s quarters. She found it hard to believe that Threns showered and slept in the same manner as her species, but remembered what Ochin had said.

Screl enjoyed bringing his human escorts back to his ship. Was that what she was now? His escort?

Lena felt another prickle of anxiety, but tried not to let it wash over her. As he petted her, Screl was careful not to move his tentacles below her collarbone, oddly respectable after everything else he’d done. Still, there was a hunger in his eyes as his blue-gray appendages circled her head and neck. He hadn’t ravaged her yet, so maybe that wouldn’t happen.

The word escort did imply consent.

She grew weary, her limbs heavy and eyelids drooping. Screl pushed her legs onto the bed and pulled a blanket over her, wrapping her tightly. She was certain he would get in beside her, but he just lightly touched her cheek once more before stepping away.

Lena’s eyes shut as she saw him exit the room, unable to hold off sleep any longer.

INTERLUDE

She hates me. She hates me and I have no one but myself to blame. I scared her and she hates me. It is what I deserve. I was overeager, reckless. I should have waited, but after so long, the thought of another moment without her made me insane. After seeing that male hurt her, I needed to do something. This could ruin the Peace Accords. I can’t go home. Father will find out and he will not be pleased. He does not understand. It was easy for him, easy for my siblings. None of them will understand. I will pay for this.

CHAPTER 9

Lena opened her eyes, yawning deeply.

What a strange dream.

She reached over for her console, but it wasn’t on the side table. Where had she put it? She always left it in the same spot before she went to sleep.

All at once, she realized she was being watched.

She shot straight up at the sight of a Thren sitting in a chair at the other end of the room. Gripping the blanket tightly across her chest, she realized that she was still fully naked from last night, her pajamas missing.

Last night.

The shower. The ship. The kidnapping.

Bolts of fear coursed through her as her breathing sped up, and she began trembling.

Screl was watching her, head cocked to the side. Those blue eyes glimmering, radiating between bright and dim, but wait…

No. It wasn’t Screl. It was a different Thren.

This one was smaller and leaned more blue than gray, their skin almost mottled compared to the uniform color of the commander. The Thren continued to stare, hands gripping the arms of the chair and tentacles slowly undulating.

A female, Lena was pretty sure of it.

“You are awake,” the Thren said, standing up and approaching the bed.

“Who are you?”

“I am Dronzal Qidrex,” the Thren answered, as if that explained anything.

Her voice was like Screl’s, but higher pitched, though it still had that sonorous, infiltrating quality to it, like it was everywhere, all at once.

Dronzal’s eyes continued to roam across Lena’s face and blanketed body. With the covers pulled up to her chin, Lena tried to stop the deep-seated panic from building, though she was certain the female would rip off her blanket at any moment.