I expected to see pain in her eyes. Instead I met blind fury. “What the hell did you do, Alex?”
“We’re outgunned and outmatched in every way. They knew we were coming. They were waiting for us. This was a trap. An ambush.”
Her dark brows rose along with her voice. “So what? That doesn’t mean we surrender.”
Our ship jerked for a moment as the energy beam locked onto us and pulled us toward the safety—and prison—of the warship’s docking bay. The jolt didn’t manage to break her gaze from mine.
I reached for her because I couldn’t stop myself. “Bonded one, please.”
“Don’t. Don’t fucking touch me.” She leaned as far from me as she could manage. “You shut down the ship. No, not just that, you know them. I’m your… what? A gift? For the enemy herself? You played me for a fool. You used me.”
“I’m sorry.” Fuck, was I. Her words, her anger and hatred hurt more than any physical wound ever would. With those, I would die. This was an agony I’d have to survive because it wouldn’t kill me. Even if I wished it would.
“Stop saying that, you asshole. I can’t believe this. You’re one of them? You’re the traitor? I trusted you!” I heard the tears in her voice, tears I couldn’t see. “You’re just like everyone else. I can’t believe this is happening. Even aliens are assholes. Perfect. Just fucking perfect. I never should have left my apartment with you.”
“Jamie,” I began.
“Are you or are you not the enemy?”
The huge warship drew us closer, then swallowed the Valor whole like the predator she was.
“Well?” she asked.
I looked her in the eye, steeled every bit of my will. “Jamie Miller of Earth, I am one of them. You might be my bondmate, but you are the first Starfighter. Velerion’s most powerful weapon. And now you belong to Queen Raya.”