Forsaken by Cyndi Friberg Read Free Book Online Page B

go.”
    “I’m not leaving her with him,” Ashley cried.
    “Yes you are.”
    She started to object again, but something stopped her. Their gazes locked and silence lengthened. It was almost as if… Were they arguing telepathically? What other powers had Bandar given her? Was this why Ashley had walked away from her old life without a backward glance?
    Like an obedient mind slave, Ashley stood and followed Bandar from the room.
    So much for human loyalty.
    There was no way Raina was taking this sitting down. She shot to her feet and moved away from the bench, ready to defend herself if necessary. Even in the midst of her bravado, the thought was ridiculous. These Rodytes were massive, muscle-bound bullies. She had no chance in a physical confrontation. However, she was smart, and determined, so Kotto better watch out.
    Rather than advancing with the overt aggression he’d shown toward Bandar, Kotto stayed where he was and looked into her eyes. “We’re at an impasse and I’m not sure how to resolve it. You don’t trust us, which is understandable. But I can’t give you details about our mission unless you sign a six-month contract and somehow I doubt you’ll bend even that far.”
    “So let me go. I’m sorry things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to.”
    He locked his hands behind his back and strolled toward her. Bandar had chosen the same pose. It must be a Rodyte thing. “If it were just the hydroponic gardens at stake, I might have done exactly that.”
    Her stomach clenched so hard she was momentarily robbed of speech. “And now?” His nonchalance wasn’t fooling her in the least. He was like a cobra, coiled tight and ready to strike.
    “Now I know about the journals, so the situation is much more complicated.”
    “Do you often listen in on private conversations?” It was a lame response, but fear had always scrambled her thinking. When it came to fight or flight, she always ran for the hills. She was a scientist, not a soldier.
    “My men are searching your house in McLean, Virginia.”
    Raina’s heart missed a beat as she heard the statement. She’d met Ashley in Georgetown. Kotto was making sure she realized he knew where she lived. “The journals aren’t there.”
    “If that’s true, they’ll go to Falls Church next and—”
    “You leave my mother out of this!” She took a step forward before she realized what she was doing. “Mom gave me the journals years ago. She wants nothing to do with any of this.”
    “Then tell me where I can find them and there will be no need to involve anyone else.”
    Anger surged up through her fear. She might be a glorified lab rat, but he’d just pushed one of her hot buttons. “I thought people who could travel through space would have evolved beyond threats and intimidation. You’re an asshole.”
    He had the audacity to smile, as if her indignation amused him. “I haven’t threatened anyone. I was informing you of my intentions and giving you the opportunity to alter my course.”
    “The threat was implied and you know it.”
    He stood directly in front of her now, his arms at his sides. She had to tilt her head up to look into his eyes. He wasn’t quite as tall as Bandar or as muscular, but the menace emanating from Kotto made him seem bigger. Hostility pulsed between them, yet there was an undercurrent of something different, something darker. Her fear gradually morphed into a more complex emotion, leaving her anxious and confused.
    “We don’t have to be enemies, Raina.” He said her name with a hushed intimacy that sent tingles down her spine.
    She stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. Was this how it began with Bandar and Ashley? Did he erode her defenses with an irrational combination of aggression and tenderness? A familiar twinge assailed Raina’s heart. What fierce warrior would be interested in a lab rat? Cold, hard reality trickled through the mental haze. Kotto was interested in her brain not her body. She