Twin Dragons: Dragon Lords of Valdier Book 7 by S. E. Smith

from
Cree and Calo. They kept turning around and frowning back at her
when she got too far behind them. She half wondered if their butts
were burning since she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off of
them.
    The black, form-fitting uniforms they wore
didn’t help. All she could think about was stripping them down and
seeing if they looked as good in the buff as they did with their
clothes on. She had never really thought about a guy’s rear-end
being sexy before, but watching as they walked, she decided she was
definitely going to have to rethink that.
    She knew that Carmen was talking to her
Gramps about her. She could only hear a few of the words, but it
was enough to piece together what was being said. At first a wave
of frustration swept through her. She was so tired of having to act
like a deranged kid. She would have loved to ask questions, talk
about some of the things she had seen, and have an intellectual
conversation with someone other than her grandfather or a
Pactor.
    “Cal, has Mel always been this way?” Carmen
asked quietly.
    “Naw, just since we were taken,” he replied
gruffly. “It’s been especially hard on him. Being taken away from
his world at such a young age. The only thing he found comfort in
is taking care of those damn mine creatures.”
    “Maybe I can talk to Creon about taking you
back to Earth,” Carmen said, glancing over her shoulder at Mel. “I
can’t promise anything, but he might agree when all this is over to
return you and your grandson. If not, you are both welcome on
Valdier. It is truly an incredible world, and I’m sure you would be
welcomed.”
    Melina saw her granddad glance back at her.
She acted like she couldn’t hear the conversation going on. She
wondered if hearing Carmen suggest that they be returned to Earth
would help.
    She started when she saw Calo walking toward
her. Panic overwhelmed her when she realized he wasn’t stopping at
a safe distance this time. She scooted backwards until all three
symbiots were between them. Pulling on the brim of her hat, she
lowered her head so that it concealed her face and refused to look
beyond his feet when he started speaking to her.
    “You need to stay closer to the group,” Calo
ordered. “Do you understand? Mel, look at me. I need to know that
you understand that it is dangerous on a Spaceport like this. If
you became separated, a slave trader could grab you. Can’t you look
at me, at least? I need to know you understand what I am telling
you.” His voice softened as he spoke the last part.
    Melina trembled as she waited for him to
realize that she wouldn’t respond. She had to act like she wasn’t
capable of understanding what he was saying. She didn’t know what
would happen if the other warriors on board the Horizon found out she was a woman. While Carmen appeared to be okay, she
was also married to one of them.
    Her biggest fear was that they might treat
an available female differently. That was what the Antrox had done.
They had used the females to control the males. The females had
been given to the males who did what they wanted to them, including
exchanging and sharing between them. She jerked backwards when he
took a step toward her. Her mind still on what had happened while
she had been held captive at the Antrox mines.
    She flinched when he muttered a low curse
under his breath before he turned sharply on his heel. Lifting her
head slightly, she watched as he walked away in stiff silence. A
part of her hurt for making him mad while another part realized
that she had no other choice.
    No matter how attracted I am to him and
Cree, nothing could ever come of it anyway, she thought as she
glanced back at her grandfather.
    She had no idea that he could see the
confusion, sadness, and longing in her eyes as they darted back and
forth between him and the twins. She shook her head and lowered it
again as her hands dropped to touch the two Werecats at her side.
There were some things that were better left to