Hide to Stay Alive (Club Release 1) (22 page)

A dark shiver runs down my
spine as I recall what happened to Megan and Gayle. “I really am
lucky to be here,” I whisper.

The hugmar tree sends out
another warm pulse causing me to smile. “Thanks. My parents and
Backpack would have loved you.”

From the corner of my eye,
I spot something flying toward me. I glance over and see some type
of strange butterfly. A big ass butterfly thing with a tail
swinging back and forth. As I stare into bright green eyes, I take
a step back and wonder where Din Zar is. I could use a warrior
right now.

When I take another step
away from the pretty thing two hugmar vines stretch out and wrap
around my wrists. I look at the vines and try to pull my arms back.
A warm sensation comes from the tree. The warmth calms me. I know
it’s the tree connecting to me. Strangely, I’m okay with that. I
understand that the feeling coming from the hugmar tree is one of
security not the deadly squeeze of an Earth python.

A buzzing sound made by
the interesting bug has me looking up. The thing flies through the
leaf covered vines that shoot from the tree’s trunk instead of
branches. These vines reach out and travel through the other trees
as well as hang around the thick green trunk.

The bug is flying around
touching the vines and leaves as though the brightly colored thing
is playing a game. My eyebrows shoot up when it suddenly flies
straight at my face. I stand still as it hovers in front of
me.

Light green wings are
covered in dark blue swirls, the bug flaps its wings slowly enough
for me to appreciate the beauty of its wings. I smile as I look
into the bugs bright green eyes. The butterfly looking thing flies
in closer and swishes its tail as it lands on my nose. I laugh when
I feel the small creature’s antennae tickle my nose.

I watch as the thing flies
away and then suddenly comes back and taps my cheek with its left
wing a few times. My mouth curls into a huge smile when I realize
the pretty creature just kissed me. Butterfly kisses is what my mom
called them although she gave them to me with her eyelashes. Both
types of kisses were equally good.

The hugmar vines release
me as the butterfly like creature flies away. “Thank you,” I tell
the tree. It vibrates causing me to smile. “I love the plants here
on Zaphin.”

One certain warrior is
also stealing my heart. The door opens and I look to see Din Zar
walk out carrying two drinks. He waves me over. “Come,
seema.”

I don’t question him. I
just do what he bids. Making him happy makes me happy. On the
patio, he takes my hand and pulls me into his lap. I melt into him
enjoying the feel of his body heat and light caress.

I remember the pretty
creature and say, “I saw the most amazing butterfly looking thing.
It has bright green eyes and dark blue swirls on its green wings.
It landed on my face and gave me a butterfly kiss. Can you tell me
what it was?”

“
It’s a neolot. They live
in the trees and eat flower nectar that keeps them zipping from
place to place. It sounds like you met a very curious one. Not all
of them will get close to people.” He kisses the top of my head and
continues to stroke my arm. “Maybe the neolot could tell you’re
special, seema.”

His compliment strums my
heartstrings and builds my hope that I can stay with him forever. I
think back on the club and his warrior friends. “What does Din
mean?”

“
Din is a title that means
a zaphinian has completed a high level of combat training. Most of
us have also been trained to pleasure the being we are dominating
as well.”

Shock rolls through me.
“Seema means I’m someone to be dominated.” I don’t like where this
is going and I feel a little dumb for not fully understanding his
dominant role in my life sooner.

He sniffs the air and
sighs. “Don’t be offended, seema. All seemas and playthings are to
be dominated by us. It’s our way.”

A knife to the heart would
be kinder. “I’m just a slave to you!” I try to get up but his hands
tighten and pull me in closer.

“
No, Hallie. I won’t lie.
You mean more to me. I’m intrigued by you. Dominating you makes me
happy.”

His last words make me feel
a little better. Until a new question pops into my head. “Am I
expected to do everything
all
zaphinians with the title Din say?” I don’t like
this at all.

Zar eases me back and looks
into my eyes. His commander look is back. “You are
my
seema. That means you
do whatever
I
tell
you to do. I also expect you to do what any of my friends tell you
to do. Din Von told you to stay at the table last night. You didn’t
do it.” His eyes grow colder. “From now on you are to obey me and
the warriors that are my friends.”

The pulse between my legs
starts throbbing. I’m toast when he uses that masterful tone.
Trying to stay focused, I ask, “How do I know who your friends
are?” The rebellious side of me doesn’t want to obey everyone on
the fucking planet.

He sniffs the air and his
eyes glow lightly. “You only obey the warriors I introduce you to.
When we are at the club, you are to stay close to me or one of my
friends at all times. Another safe zone is our table. The one we
were at last night is just for us. With time, you’ll get to know
your place.”

My
place
. For some reason I’m not liking this
obeying thing at all today. It could be in part because I’m horny.
I look out into the jungle and long to run free. Among the plants
I’m not horny and confused. Tears well in my eyes, I blink them
away.

Din Zar pulls me to him
and strokes my back. “Don’t be mad and sad. I promise to take good
care of you. The jungle is no place for you, little
seema.”

I shrug. “I just don’t
know if I can always obey.” As I breathe his scent in and think
about how kind he’s been to me, I don’t think I can disobey him.
The others, I probably can.

“
I understand. Just
remember that when you don’t do what you’re told you will be
disciplined. It’s all up to you.” He shifts me to a seated position
in his lap. I miss the coziness of his chest immediately. “Hand me
my drink, seema.”

Automatically, I reach
out, grab his glass off the table, and hand it to him.

He takes a drink and then
puts the glass back on the table. He cups my chin and raises it
slightly so that I have to look into his intense eyes. “You can do
this, seema. Being submissive is a natural part of you. You like to
please me. When I told you to hand me my glass, you did it without
even thinking. Embrace that side of you and you’ll do well
here.”

Heat blooms across my
cheeks. He’d been testing me and he’d proven that I am
submissive.
On
this planet, that’s not a bad thing
,
my logical side points out. The thought of him dominating me
sexually has me shifting in his lap.

The sound of him inhaling
and then growling lightly has desire flooding my system.

“
I’m glad you’re starting
to see how well you fit in here.” Zar runs a hand up my thigh and
places it at the junction of my legs. “When we’re done talking I’ll
take you inside and satisfy you.”

CHAPTER

26

~
Hallie ~

♥

Hope has my pulse leaping.
“Can you do it now?” I yearn to lick the little scar under his
lower lip and then work my way down his body.

His eyes harden. “No, I
want you to suffer a little longer for disobeying me and Din Von
last night.”

Fuck. I don’t want to
suffer anymore.
If you want that big cock
of his then you’d better start
listening
to him?
my logical side ruthlessly says.
The ache between my legs proves she’s right. If I’d listened and
trusted him last night I wouldn’t be so needy today.

I shiver as I recall the
sweet taste of his cum and the feel of his blunt cockhead easing
down my throat. The remembered feel of his wide length inside me
has me clenching my core. I need him.

No, I need to cool down. I
look at the white scar below his lip. “How did you get this
scar?”

He rubs the scar and then
answers, “In my youth I wasn’t fast enough to dodge Von’s throwing
knives.” He chuckles as he looks into my eyes. “By the time we were
adults both of us ended up scared but with a new respect for speed
and for how powerful our weapons are.”

“
I wish I had a brother or
a sister.” I run my finger over the scar and then add, “But being
an only child may have been safer.”

He leans back and pulls me
to his chest. I happily snuggle against his muscular body. “I’m
glad you weren’t raised to be a warrior.” He strokes my hair for a
moment and then stops. “Tell me why you hide.” His tone says he’s
not asking.

My mind draws up a picture
of my parents. The vision causes my heart to hurt. A slight growl
vibrates through his chest. Not wanting to make him mad, I answer,
“My parents taught me to do it. The most important thing to
them…was me staying alive.”

“
Your parents are right.
Are they still alive?” He gently moves his hand up and down my
thigh.

“
No.” I press my face into
his chest and breathe in his masculine scent. It calms me. “I still
can’t believe they’re gone. We heard a noise out in the woods. My
father told me to go hide and then follow normal procedure. I
quietly ran from camp and hid in the first good spot I could
find.”

A tremor shakes me as I
remember breathing shallowly and feeling dread as time went on that
horrible night. “I could make out some sounds but I couldn’t tell
what they were. When the sun came up, I headed south. We always met
a mile south of where we split up. I waited for them for a day.
Then I started circling the area to see if they were waiting for me
somewhere close by. When they never showed up anywhere in the area,
I went looking for them.”

Another tremor runs
through me. Zar rubs my back comfortingly. “Go on, seema. Tell me
what happened.”

My lips tremble so I bite
them for a second and then take a deep breath. “I traveled back to
our last camp.” Tears fill my eyes as sorrow pierces my heart.
“They didn’t show up because they were dead. They’d been beaten to
death and all of our stuff was gone.” A sharp pain knifes through
my chest as I recall how desolate I felt.

A tear rolls down my
cheek. Zar wipes it away as well as the one that follows closely
behind. “They were good people. I did right by them. It took me all
day but I dug a grave and put them in it together. A part of me
wanted to drop in the hole with them so we could all stay together.
I didn’t want to be alone.” I release a harsh breath as my throat
tries to close up.

Strong arms wrap tightly
around me. “You’re not alone anymore, Hallie Mead.”

As his warmth surrounds
me, I know he’s telling the truth. I wrap my arms around his waist
and soak in his masculine scent. A tremor runs through me. He
caresses my hair and keeps me pulled in close to his body. “I’m
glad you didn’t die, seema. How old were you when this happened and
afterwards how did you take care of yourself?”

I know telling my story
will help me heal. That doesn’t make it easy though. I answer his
question in an unsteady voice. “I was sixteen. I was on the edge of
their grave and about to jump in with them when I remembered that
the reason we split up was so some of us could live. Since they
were gone, I knew they’d want me to live.”

I’ll never forget the
anguish I felt as I laid my parents—my only friends—to rest. That
night I slept on the grass next to the dirt covering my parents. My
hand resting on the loose soil. This part of my story is too
painful to say out loud.

My hands rub small circles
over his back. The motion soothes me. “I did what I’d been taught
to do. I lived off the land. When I’d come near a group of people
or a town, I’d watch them from afar for several days. If I thought
it was safe enough, I’d go in and ask a few select people if they
wanted to trade me for what I needed. Sometimes I got to work and
make a little money other times I traded and left.”

“
I’m surprised none of the
men took you for their own,” he whispers into my ear.

“
I’d been taught to avoid
big men and how to dodge all people. A couple of times I was almost
caught.” I shiver as I remember the yellow-toothed human males
trying to get me.