Read Online The Alien's Captive by Ruth Anne Scott - Free Book Online Page B

“He’s given you everything you could wish for since you came here. He spent weeks searching for Frieda when she disappeared. He even let your other sister come to visit you.”
    “He didn’t let her come,” Anna argued. “He was away at the time. It was Piwaka that let Emily come to visit me, and you made her leave early so Aquilla wouldn’t find out an Ursidrean and the Lycaon came with her.”
    Penelope Ann stiffened. “Don’t quibble with me, Anna. Is that the gratitude you show Aquilla for his hospitality to you and Frieda since you came over from the Lycaon?”
    “I don’t want his hospitality or yours anymore,” Anna replied. “He’s not the man I thought he was, and if you’re going to stand there defending him, you’re not the person I thought you were, either. You told me a big story about how you used to be some kind of martial arts champion back on Earth, and how you fought against the Romarie and all that nonsense. I thought you had some backbone, but I can see you’re just as twisted as Aquilla. You’re weak and spineless. You haven’t got a bone in your body, and I don’t want to have anything more to do with you.”
    Anna turned away. A lump stuck in her throat, and her foot trembled when she put it onto the bridge to walk away. She didn’t really despise Penelope Ann or Aquilla, but how else could she get through to them? Everywhere she turned, doors once opened to her closed in her face when she tried to help Menlo. Something had to give. She couldn’t live on this knife edge much longer.
    She wasn’t sure she could keep her balance on the branch, and she hesitated to take the first step. Penelope Ann grabbed her hand. “Wait, Anna. Don’t walk away.”
    Anna couldn’t look at her. “Leave me alone. I’ll help Menlo on my own. I don’t need any help from you.”
    “I helped you by keeping these eggs secret,” Penelope Ann murmured. “If you give me a chance, I’ll help you again.”
    Anna’s head whipped around. “You will?”
    Penelope Ann’s cold expression softened. “I never knew Aquilla could be so cruel. I never would have believed he could do to anyone what he’s done to Menlo. I didn’t want to believe it, but now that he’s doing it, I see it’s wrong. You’re right. We have to stop him. Don’t ask me how, but we’ll find a way.”
    “What can we do?” Anna asked. “Will you try to talk sense into him?”
    Penelope Ann shook her head. “Talking won’t do anything. Piwaka already tried to talk to him, and you heard how well that went. If he won’t listen to a seasoned warrior like Piwaka, he won’t listen to you or me.”
    “But you’re his mate,” Anna pointed out. “Would he free Menlo if you asked him?”
    “Free Menlo?” Penelope Ann repeated. “He’ll never free Menlo. He’ll twist him around until the Ursidreans give up the man who killed his brother, and then Aquilla will kill him.”
    Anna’s hand flew to her mouth, and she sucked air between her teeth. “He wouldn’t do that, would he? He would never get away with it.”
    A soft smile played on Penelope Ann’s lips. “He’s already talking about it. He’s got it all planned out. Menlo is a dispensable pawn in his scheme to get revenge against the Ursidreans.”
    Anna stared at her. “Then there really is no hope. We’ll never convince him to back down.”
    “No, we’ll never convince him,” Penelope Ann agreed. “The only solution is to subvert his plan ourselves.”
    “How?” Anna asked.
    “I’m not sure,” Penelope Ann replied. “But you don’t have to worry about doing it all yourself. I’ll help you come up with a plan.”
    Anna threw her arms around Penelope Ann’s neck. “Thank you! Oh, thank you! You don’t know what this means to me.”
    Penelope Ann pushed her off. “I’m beginning to understand.”
    “Just tell me what I have to do,” Anna replied. “I’ll do anything you tell me to do.”
    “I’m not telling you anything,” Penelope Ann