"Yes," Aria said. "And you must agree. You heard the others when he asked if all of them knew the Clayors were here. I thought they all knew, but apparently not. The Brions sure didn't."
"They might have been lying to protect their general."
"Maybe, but they weren't the only ones. By far."
It seemed like it almost pained him to admit it, but Sota nodded.
"I agree," he said. "But who? We knew."
"Yes," Aria allowed. "We were told because we had no idea about the hive mind. It has to be someone who knew about it."
"I'll ask around and see what the others think," Sota said. "In the meantime, carry on with your mission, Aria."
She glared at him, willing him to say no more on the matter. But Sota didn't get to his position by not speaking his mind.
"What I said before was out of line," he said through tight lips, as if admitting his foolhardiness was not something the esteemed ambassador enjoyed. "But don't be a fool, Aria. I expect better of you. He might have been right about the Clayors and our defense. He may even be right about the traitor in our midst. But he is still a Brion. War is everything to them. They don't think of civilians and casualties like we do.#p#分页标题#e#
"I've talked to their ambassadors. All of them, even those who aren't warriors, are prepared to meet their death. They expect the same from everyone else. All I'm saying is that when that man chooses to sacrifice a large chunk of Ilotra to get his victory, he will do so without regret. And before you defend him, there is no guarantee you won't be in that chunk when it goes down."
With that ominous, almost prophetic thought, Sota left her alone at last. Aria fell to sit back in her seat, deep in thought. Sota was harsh. Ironically, he had a lot in common with Ryden in that regard.
Harsh, but honest, she thought miserably.
Had she slapped Sota for telling the truth? Was she really being a silly girl who fell for broad shoulders and eyes that made her knees weak?
Everything he'd said was true, she knew that. They were her own concerns, repeated back to her. It might have depressed Aria to think so, but it wasn't her job to look for the brightest side of things. Only the most honest.
At least she no longer needed a cold shower. Her desire was suddenly all gone, along with her good mood.
CHAPTER TEN
Aria
The bath felt nice and relaxing, exactly what she needed after the day she'd had. Aria loved her bath, the only luxury she'd asked for on Ilotra. It was so big it was practically a small pool with seats to rest on. Of everything that was hers, Aria adored that the most. She didn't mind hard work and doing more than her share, but after long hours and tedious tasks, it gladdened her that she could always slip into the hot water.
The day she'd had definitely qualified. Aria rested her head against the porcelain edge, looking at her hair floating gently around her shoulders. She felt that after the terrible, deadly cold of space she appreciated the warmth more than ever before.
That's why she was so upset when the clerks came to disturb her. She’d had given strict commands about that, but she'd left an exception for very important things. Apparently Ryden looked like someone you didn't leave waiting. Aria couldn't help smiling at that. It was, after all, very much true.
With regret, she got out of the bath and put on the first robe she could find.
When she approached, the doors to her private rooms slid open and there was the general, a peculiar look in his eyes. Aria thought she could recognize lust, which both excited and scared her. Mostly because she had no idea what she might say to him.
"General," she chose to say.
Only then did Aria consider what she must have looked like. Her honey-golden hair was wet, clinging to her soft tan skin. She wasn't wearing anything under the thin robe, hastily thrown on. Her nipples were hard under it, poking out through the fabric clinging to her body.
She thought she could hear a soft growl from Ryden, which bypassed her brain and went straight to her pussy. If she'd had any doubts before, that sound alone was enough to tell her the general wasn't there to discuss Ilotra's defense systems.
Aria wished she could vouch for her own defenses, but Ryden seemed to take them down simply by existing. She had to look away and repeat her question not to stare at the gorgeous general as intently as he was watching her. She tried to cover herself, feeling a blush on her cheeks. The general bowed his head slightly in greeting.
"I seem to have interrupted something," he said and Aria could hear the hunger in his deep, sexy voice.
"Yes, I—" Aria murmured, embarrassed by the state of her clothing. "I was taking a bath. It has been a long day."
"That is true," the general agreed, a dark lust in his eyes. "By all means, don't let me keep you from your relaxation."
Aria nodded, smiling gratefully, then hesitating. There had to be a catch to that. She forced herself to play it cool.
"Thank you, General," she said. "Was there something you needed from me?"
"I thought I might join you in the bath."
The attendants who had so far been present to see if either of them needed anything made themselves very quickly scarce after hearing that.
Aria's mouth dropped open and her hands fell to her sides, no longer covering her breasts. A grin tugged Ryden's lips upward.
"That—" Aria began, her hands snapping back to try to cover up her body, but she trailed off. "You... who the hell says things like that?"
"I do," the general replied, taking a step closer.
Aria backed away, caught off guard.
This man is simply unbelievable. Why am I still not saying no?!#p#分页标题#e#
"Human men don't talk like that," she said instead. "Well, most of them don't, I mean."
"I am not human."
"Yes," Aria agreed, her previous concerns coming to the surface again. "You are a Brion. I know. You think you can have everything."
Ryden looked at her oddly, as if confused by her accusation.
"We take what we want, but that does not apply to women. If you do not want me in your bed, it's your right to say so."
"I know my rights," Aria said, glaring.
For some reason, her mouth kept talking. "And I won't deny I’m tempted, just that—"
Her eyes went wide in alarm and she backed away into her rooms, as Ryden approached her with a knowing smirk on his lips.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "I did not give you permission."
"You admitted you wanted me," Ryden said.
"That is not the same thing as saying yes to this madness! I only met you..."
She kept backing further into her rooms. Ryden followed her slowly, almost menacingly. When he was in her quarters, he signaled the doors to shut and lock behind him. Aria was watching on in silent shock, unable to get a word over her lips. Not because of fear, no. She wasn't afraid of Ryden in that moment, but because the same unexplainable temptation made her actually consider his offer. Or was it his command, rather?
"You're not saying no either," the general said, his voice so low it sent shivers down her spine.
Aria still couldn't utter a single syllable. It might have had something to do with the fact that Ryden had walked up to her slowly and purposefully, pulling her hands away from where they tried to cover her chest again.
When he ran his hands over her body, Aria seemed to snap out of a daze. She backed away, glaring at him.
"You are unbelievable, General," she said, but her voice was shaking.
Ryden stopped, but his eyes were burning with passion.
"Here we are, right in the middle of a galactic war," she went on, pulling the robe tighter around herself. "And you think it is okay to walk in here and propose that we fuck like nothing out of the ordinary is going on!"
"I find nothing odd about that," the general said.
Aria was running out of places to run. Her rooms were nice but small. They were in a tiny hallway leading to several other accommodations. Aria's back was nearly against the wall, but she barely noticed. Her eyes hadn't left Ryden since she'd seen him waiting for her. It was like they were glued to him, unwilling to pull free.
"It is all the more reason," he went on. "If I am to fight the Clayors, I might die. You might die. I would rather face my death after tasting you, having a memory of what you sound like when you beg me to fuck you."
Aria's breathing stopped for a moment before her heart started beating very fast. Finally, she said, "That is unbelievably morbid. I take it you haven't spoken to a lot of human women, General? We don't like thinking about dying. We don't find that arousing."
The general came even closer and there was no more air between them.
"Neither do we," he said quietly, pressing Aria against the wall.
"I don't believe you," she stated, but her voice was failing her.
So was her body. Her hands were brushing against his, her body arching to meet him.
"We don't desire death," Ryden said. "There is nothing glamorous about dying; there is only glory in an honorable death. But we do not shy from it either. Before we die, we want to experience the most that we can. And I stand by my words. If death comes for me, I would be glad to have spent my last days with someone like you."
Aria moaned when Ryden pressed his lips to hers, pulling her up into his arms. His hands roamed over the wet, silky fabric, pulling it up until he could run his hands over her ass. She kissed him harder in return, desperate and eager, like he was the only source of air she knew.