Pursued: A Sci-Fi Alien Warrior Romance (Raider Warlords of the Vandar Book 4) by Tana Stone (ebook reader txt) 📗

to the Raas again? Before I could answer my own question, more words spilled from me. “I didn’t want to go. Not at first. And my parents didn’t want me to go. I used to hear my mother’s screams every time I tried to fall asleep.”

“You grew up without a family?”

“The empire became my family,” I said, parroting the words I’d had drilled into me. Somehow, though, it felt wrong to repeat this lie to Bron. “But it wasn’t true. The instructors at the imperial academy weren’t family. Their job was to break me down and build me into something they could use. The empire is not my family. I don’t have a family anymore.”

There was such a long silence I wondered if the Raas had left, although my eyelids were too heavy for me to open.

“I also have no family, but the horde and Raas Kratos did become my family.” His voice was not more than a whisper.

“So, you know what it’s like,” I said. “To be alone.”

“It is rare to ever be alone in a horde, but I do know what it is like to feel alone. It took a long time after my parents died for me to not to ache from their loss.”

I nodded, the memories of being torn from my mother’s arm rushing up and threatening to choke me. “At first, I cried myself to sleep missing my parents, but if the Zagrath caught me, they beat me. I haven’t shed a tear since.”

His gaze didn’t leave me. “The empire took your life from you.”

I shrugged. “I’ve been alone for so long I don’t remember what anything else feels like.”

“You are alone, even though you work for the empire?”

I’d never spoken to anyone about my job, but it was as if I couldn’t stop myself for telling him. “I do the kind of work that you can only do alone. Not many Zagrath know I exist, even in the military.”

“You’re a spy?”

I laughed, the sound high and melodic. “More than a spy, Raas.” I put a finger to my lips. “I’m the empire’s most deadly assassin. They call me Mantis.”

Another silence as I breathed in the perfumed air and wondered why I’d kept such big secrets for so long. It was freeing to talk about them. Another laugh bubbled up in my throat. I hadn’t laughed a real laugh in longer than I could remember. Now, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“And are you here to kill me?” Bron asked.

I shook a finger lazily in the air. “A very good question, Raas.” I huffed out a warm breath. “That was my task, but I’m not sure if I can do it.”

“No?”

I shook my head and a wave of dizziness rushed over me. “I’ve always been able to tell myself that the individuals I killed were bad because most of them were. Even though the empire was taking them out for a reason, they were usually greedy or cruel. But you aren’t. And the raiders aren’t anything like what the empire says about you. I mean, sure you’re huge and terrifying, but you aren’t raping and pillaging like they claim.”

“You are an assassin who only kills those who deserve to die?”

I frowned at that. “Mostly. At least that’s what I tell myself. It makes it easier.”

The water splashed around my neck, rising higher, then there was a body brushing against my knees.

“What happens if you do not succeed in your mission?” Raas Bron pulled me out of the water and held me to his naked body. I forced my eyes to open, and his eyes were molten pools as he gazed down at me.

I stared up at him. “If I fail the empire but remain alive, I will have betrayed them. If that happens, they will send an assassin to kill me.”

Chapter Sixteen

Bron

I swallowed hard as I looked down at the human female I held to my body—check that, the human assassin for the empire.

The scented water had done its work. The ancient oil with the rich, orange hue and slightly spicy scent was known for loosening inhibitions and lips, but even I was surprised by how effective it had been on Alana. I glanced back at the panel by the door. It hadn’t hurt that I’d considerably increased the amount of oil in the water. Feeling the oil go to work on my own muscles and inhibitions, I was actually surprised she was still conscious.

She lifted a hand and pressed her slender fingers to my chest, drawing my gaze back to her. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?” Her words were slurred as her eyelids drooped.

“That you’re an assassin for the empire?”

Her brow furrowed even as she traced the curved marks on my chest with one finger. “That I don’t want to kill the Raas.”

I held her so close I was sure I could feel her heart beating. “You are sure you don’t wish him dead?”

Her attention was fixed on the dark swirls climbing toward the hollow of my throat. “He isn’t bad.” She frowned as a tear slid from the corner of one eye. “I’m afraid he might be good.”

I cupped her face and brushed the tear away with my thumb. “What if he’s killed many?”

“I’ve killed many,” she whispered.

My gaze was riveted to her finger moving languidly across my skin. “What if he’s raided ships and destroyed outposts?”

She leaned in and brushed her lips against my chest. “That does not make him bad. I have met many bad creatures—and killed most of them—and I know the difference.”

My skin was scorched from her touch, and my throat was thick. “But the empire will kill you if you fail.”

She pressed her eyelids together briefly, then opened them and peered up at me, smiling sadly. “They were always going to kill me eventually. I think I’ve always known that.”

“I will keep your secret.”

She gave me a drowsy smile. “And I’ll keep yours.”

“Mine?”

“About Zendaren.” Her eyelids sagged closed again, and she slumped against me, her