THE OFF WORLD COLLECTION (Short, Steamy Science Fiction Romances) (Off-World Series) Read Online Free Page B

when I was frightened of what you might do to me.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “But really, I didn’t have any choice. We are not a free people. We do what the military dictates, or we suffer the consequences.”
    “Then I am sorry for you,” he said. “But that does not excuse your actions.”
    Her vision swam, but she was determined not to collapse in front of him. Jalarans respected strength and courage, and she did so want her warrior’s respect. “What about the vows we took?” she asked. “You said they bound us together.”
    “You are the one who dishonored those vows.”
    “No. I’ve been true and faithful to you.”
    “In your fashion.”
    She reached out, her hand stretching toward him, the news of the baby on her lips. In the next instant, though, she let her hand fall to her side, and the words went unspoken. If she told him of the baby, it might make him stop and think, but she couldn’t use the child to hold him to her. If he did not want her for herself, then she did not want him.
    “It makes no difference that I love you?” she asked. “That I have been doing everything in my power to change the Guardians’ edict?”
    She saw something flicker in his eyes. Something that gave her a tiny spark of hope. But before the spark could grow, he turned on his heel and left.
    For a full minute, Elena stared at the closed door, listening to the silence Rohan had left in his wake. Then, with a strangled cry, she sank into the chair and burst into tears.

PART III
    RESOLUTION
    It was bitterly cold, so cold that the north wind swooping into the courtyard cut through Elena’s heavy furs and chilled her to the bone. Still, she came here often, because the air inside the stone corridors and living chambers of the fortress seemed stifling. As did the walls themselves. From here she could see the red sun hanging like a glowing coal in the sky and the craggy peaks of the distant mountains.
    Rohan had taken her to the mountains. She cherished the memory of that trip. Yet she had never seen his home in the great forest. Nor would their son see it. Not ever.
    Sorrow threatened to overwhelm her. Trying to outrun it, she moved rapidly along the stone walkway. She didn’t glance back, yet she knew that the guards, who kept her in view at all times, were following. Maybe they would freeze their worthless balls off out here, she thought with silent and bitter humor. What did they think she was going to do, climb over the wall and disappear with the precious baby whom the Guardians considered state property?
    It had been three months since she’d seen her warrior or heard any word of him. Three months of dragging herself through each day as if it were an endless sentence. Damn the Guardians, she thought. Damn the timid, fearful society that had bred her. She didn’t belong here anymore. Not since Rohan had taught her to think differently. In truth, sometimes she did dream of running away, of going somewhere she could raise her son to be a warrior like his father.
    But she had no place to go. It was only a dream, a refuge.
    She knew that many called her a traitor, though never to her face. Maybe she was. Certainly she was changed, and she feared the changes in her behavior would make the Guardians decide it was best to take her baby away from her as soon as he was weaned. Her hands squeezed into fists. They didn’t know her strength. She’d fight to keep him, fight to keep what was hers, because he was all she had left.
    Behind her she heard a startled gasp. Whirling, she strained to see through the dim light. One of her guards had fallen to the ground. The other was drawing his weapon, but he was too late. A hooded figure stepped out from behind a stone pillar and grabbed him around the neck. He grunted and went down, his weapon flying from his hand. Before it landed on the ground, the assailant grabbed it and began running toward her.
    She might have screamed for help. Instead, she kept silent, nor did she