“I had four doctors in here, you flea-bitten, mangy rat with wings!”
The Preor’s face tightened at the insult, but he did not retaliate. “You did not get her the help that would save her—help from the Preor—even after you admitted her condition may be fatal.”
Jenna stubbornly glared up at him, no defense for his words. Sasha felt a lump grow in her throat and hugged Whelon tighter. She realized he still spoke with the others about leaving the planet and she had missed everything.
“Wait, what’s going on?” She tapped Whelon’s shoulder to get his attention.
“We are going home, shaa kouva. Where you belong.”
“Whoa, wait, wait a minute…” She pushed and struggled until Whelon had no choice but to set her on her feet. She felt so much better due to his presence that she was easily able to free herself from his arms. She stared him down, her arms folded across her chest and a stubborn tilt to her chin. “I can’t just go.”
“Why?” Whelon’s confusion, the furrow to his brow and frown on his lips, was almost funny.
“They are kidnapping her!” Jenna screamed as she struggled to get past the Preor blocking her way and through the door.
To Sasha’s utter horror, vans began pulling up and the parking lot soon became filled with eager reporters and cameramen. They had arrived at just the right moment to hear her mother screaming. Even though Sasha was currently protesting leaving, the way the Preor gathered around her did look a bit threatening.
She nudged Whelon in the chest to give herself some space and took a good step back. The surrounding Preor spread their wings to keep her in their circle, and the news crews ran to get footage of everything.
Perfect. Sasha rolled her eyes.
“See! See?” Jenna called out. “She’s a prisoner!”
The media crews shoved microphones and cameras into people’s faces, asking the gathered humans and Preor all kinds of crazy questions.
Whelon shook his head as he ignored them all and moved toward Sasha, his hand extended. “Shaa kouva,” he whispered. “Are you rejecting me?”
“No.” She softened her voice. “Of course not. But I can’t just leave, Whelon. I have a life here. Besides, if we disappear now, we may never be able to return.” She glanced around the crowd and forced a smile to her lips as she waved for the cameras, ignoring the fact that she wore nothing more than a thin, dirty robe and her hair looked teased up for Halloween.
Not my finest look, but at least they can see I’m okay.
“You really will not come to the ship?” Whelon questioned her, surprise in every word and written across his features.
“No, not right now, anyway.” She shook her head to punctuate the point.
She hated the crestfallen look that overtook his expression and hated that he was hurt, but she just couldn’t leave the planet. She hadn’t had a chance to process the situation and even though the Knowing was comprehensive, in a lot of ways, she didn’t really yet know Whelon.
She stared into his eyes and silently pleaded for him to understand. She wasn’t leaving—yet—and if he truly did cherish her, he would respect her wishes.
Sasha was eager to prove to the rest of the world that the Preor didn’t abduct women. The only way to do that… was to stay.
Chapter Fourteen
Sasha’s gaze didn’t waver and Whelon had to accept that she truly was not going to change her mind. He turned to the Preor males who had accompanied him—all of them hardened warriors and excellent guards. He gestured for them to release Sasha’s mother and her mercenary guards.
Jenna broke free of the Preor and bolted, not toward her daughter as everyone expected, but through the crowd and straight to the cameras.
“Thank goodness you came in time!” Jenna called out. “If you hadn’t come, we’d both be on their ship! Once they got their fiery claws onto us, we’d be reprogrammed! You saved us.” She went on, waving her hands and making up sensational stories that the cameras ate up so easily it surprised Whelon.
“You really will not go?” he questioned Sasha softly.
She shook her head. “I’ll stay here for a while. I know my mother has clean clothes and toiletries for me because she planned some big interviews. I’ll shower and find something to eat now that I can eat. Then we can talk.”
“I must return to Preor Tower—and the ship.” Some urgency crept into his tone. “I have duties at the tower and even more on the ship. I cannot simply remain.”
Sasha frowned, reaching out to stroke his arm, and he basked in her caress. “I’m sure we can work something out,” she offered gently. “You’re here now so you must have leave, or something?”
He shook his head, unsure how to explain things to her. “The Preor respect that finding a mate is the most important task in a male’s life. We also respect that a male may get… difficult when the mate is nearby. But I am a healing master, Sasha. Preor dragonlets are being born and I need to be there.”
Her face softened and it brightened Whelon to see her reaction to the mention of dragonlets. She loved children, that much was obvious from her expression. His heart ached as he looked her over, hoping they could start working toward their own young ones soon.
“I understand.” She smiled. “I suppose we’ll have to spend some time apart.”
He shook his head violently, gripping her hands tightly with his own. “It does not work like that, Sasha. We will both weaken and sicken if we are separated for too long. I cannot just go back to work and visit you at week’s end.”
“I suppose not.” She frowned and glanced around, a thoughtful look on her face as she paused and pointed at a small group of Preor gathering on the opposite side of the parking lot. “What’s happening over there?”
“I set up an emergency clinic nearby. When we flew off to find you, a couple of the males must have followed us.”
“An emergency clinic?” she echoed.
“Yes. Well… when we were looking for you, we found some humans in need and I… I could not just leave them.”
Her eyes dampened with tears and she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “You’re a true healer, Whelon.” Her voice was filled with such pride and appreciation that Whelon felt as if his heart grew in size.
“I was given the position of healing master not only for my skill but also for my heart,” he murmured quietly.
Sasha reached up and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. “What’s going on out there now? I know this suburb. I’ve been here a few times on charity drives. Where did you set up?”
“Farthing Street. There’s an abandoned shack we’ve converted into a field hospital for the locals.”
“I can’t believe this, Whelon!” She laughed, a light, tinkling sound. “I’ve been there. It’s known as one of the poorest sections of the city. Charity workers are scared to go there because of the crime rate. It’s like a warzone.”
Whelon frowned. “I have seen war, shaa kouva. This was nothing like battle. This was children starving, women in despair and men broken. Frightened, desperate people met us, not warriors.”