That was enough to make up his mind. Covering the distance between them, he smashed his fist into the side of the man's head.
Zach crumpled to the floor.
Aaron hadn't been expecting to take out the leader of the Elysians with just one blow. He must have caught the man unawares or at a time when his defenses were down.
Before he could think about it further, the small curvy dragon shifter launched herself at him. The woman went for his face and would have clawed out his eyes if he hadn't defended himself.
Grabbing her hands, making sure not to hurt her in any way, he held her back.
"Who are you?" Her eyes glittered with anger.
Hope crossed the floor toward them. "Mira, he's with me."
The girl's gaze swiveled to Hope. It was as if seeing a familiar face took all the anger out of her.
Her shoulders drooped. Her lips trembled. With a small choking sound, she pulled out of Aaron's grasp and fell into Hope's arms.
Hope held her thin shoulders as the girl cried loud, sobbing tears.
"Why didn't you find me earlier?" Mira burst out.
Hope's gaze met Aaron's above Mira’s head. "What did they do to you?"
Mira shuddered. "I was held captive. Another Elsyian man ran experiments on me. He was trying to break my shield." She went pale, squeezing her palms together for support. "I escaped here and hid. This man," she nodded to the figure on the floor, "found me only just before you arrived. He was trying to help; he wouldn't hurt me." Mira's jaw set in a stubborn line.
"He can't be trusted." Aaron gestured to Zach. "He’s the leader of the Elysians.
"I have you. You’re safe." Hope ran her fingers over Mira's hair.
Aaron went to the doors that led onto the balcony. The skies were turning pink. "It's almost dawn." He turned to them. "We must leave"
"Let's go, Mira." Hope tried to coax the other shifter toward the balcony doors.
"No." Mira pulled out of her grasp. She dropped down to her knees and touched the forehead of the man on the floor.
Zach groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.
For the second time in less than ten minutes, Aaron broke into a run. He slid his body between Hope and the man.
"I can take care of myself." Hope swore under her breath.
Aaron paid no attention. All his focus was on the man whose eyes were open.
The Elysian male stared back at Aaron with a steady gaze.
The dragon shifter touched Zach’s shoulder.
"Mira, stay back." Aaron’s muscles thrummed with tension.
"You wouldn't be standing here in my home if I didn't want you here." Zach’s voice was mild.
"This is your home?" Hope moved around Aaron to stand near Mira.
Zach touched the side of his head, looking at his fingers that came away stained with red.
A quick inhale of breath from Mira. "You're bleeding." Ripping her T-shirt at the hem, she tore off a strip of cloth and held it to the side of his head.
"I'll live." Zach's brow furrowed as he looked at her face.
He placed his hand over Mira's to hold the cloth in place.
Mira's hand dropped to her side, her cheeks staining red.
Aaron leaned forward on the balls of his feet, ready to attack at the first sign of aggression from the other man. "Why are you helping us?"
22
Aaron
Zach's jaw firmed. "The same Elysian male who attacked the bar kidnapped her without my knowledge."
For a race that was supposed to be losing their access to emotions, the man had plenty swirling below the surface.
"You are the leader, yet you're unable to control your own people?" Hope's brow creased.
Zach stiffened, his spine straightening. "He's no longer on my core team. I have him under arrest."
"Seems to me you have a rebel on your hands, alpha." Aaron folded his arms over his chest. "You'd be better rid of him completely."
Zach glanced at Aaron, his eyes narrowing. "He's my half-brother."
Aaron angled his head. Interesting. "For a race that has lost your emotional anchors, and one with a reputation for being ruthless, you sure have a conscience."
Zach's features tightened. "There is a misconception that the Elysian are emotionless."
"I know you can feel. Why else would you have come to help me?" Mira touched his forearm.
The Elysian's gaze followed her gesture. His gaze fixed on her fingers in contact with his skin.
This time Mira kept her hand where it was.
Zach raised his chin at Aaron. "There is a chemical imbalance in our brains when we are born. Because of this, our rational mind overrides our emotions. It's why the Sian Web was created. A few hundred empaths born every generation plug into this collective psyche and provide emotions for those who most need it." Zach's voice was cool.
Yet his thumb stroked Mira's hand, a subtle movement that was not lost on Aaron.
"In turn, the empaths benefit from drawing on the logic their minds lack."
"If you are losing your empaths, why haven't you gone insane like the others?" Aaron widened his stance.
"My mother was a wolf shifter." His eyes flickered, revealing what it had taken to admit that to them.
Mira gasped, moving closer to him.
"It's the reason I haven't lost touch with my emotions. Others who were born better balanced have been able to hold out for longer."
"You are the leader of the Elysians; we are in your house. You didn't need to explain anything to us." Aaron frowned, running his hand over the nape of his neck. "Yet you've given us enough that we can work out your weaknesses and use it against you."
Zach's gaze flicked over Mira's features. "It's important that you don’t judge my race by the actions of a few like my brother." He squared his shoulders. "When my brother kidnapped Mira, it showed me an error of my own. Emotions need to be willingly given if they are to help us." His gaze locked with Aaron's. "If you understand my race and my motivations, you can convince your alpha to help me out."
A sound from the landing outside the door had all four of them freezing.
Zach recovered first. Springing to his feet, he pulled Mira up with him.
"Tell Leana I was wrong to demand volunteers from your city." He turned to Aaron. "However, should she still feel that it is the best for both our species, I'd gladly accept them."
Was it Mira's kidnapping by his brother that changed Zach's mind about the volunteers?
"Go with him." Zach held Mira's hands between his own.
"But—" Mira raised her chin.
"Trust me." Zach reached out as if to touch Mira, before stopping himself. "Keep her safe,” his gaze flicked to Hope and back to Aaron, “as you would your own mate."
Mate?
Next to him, Aaron felt Hope's muscles stiffen. But she didn't correct him.
Tugging his hand from Mira's, Zach made for the door.
Mira swallowed. "I'll be waiting for you," she called out to him. "Don't take too long to find me."