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of her stomach, Inara slunk out from under Valeron’s grasp and scooted closer to the fire. Though her internal clock told her it was daylight, it was still early enough that little light penetrated their canopied clearing. She used the remaining embers to see as she righted her disheveled clothing.
    Did Neichon know what she and Valeron had done after he’d left? Would he be upset? She couldn’t imagine that he would be, given his intent to share her with Valeron.
    Part of her was frustrated that, while she’d learned a lot about the Spygian people as part of her education, she ultimately knew so little about their mating processes. Yet she’d never expected she would have to know such a thing.
    You are not their mate, Inara. Don’t even think of it.
    Stifling a growl, she rose to her feet and tiptoed out of the clearing. She gave a moment’s thought to simply slipping away and leaving the Spygians behind. Things would be much easier that way. But it wouldn’t be right. The men had been protective of her the past day. The least she could do was give them a ride back to their ship once she fixed her jet.
    Plus three heads, and pairs of hands, are better than one.
    Her poor spacejet would likely need all the help it could get.
    She remembered a nearby tree with some fruit hanging high in its branches, so she headed that way. Sure enough, there it was. Enough fruit to last her and the Spygians the day hung about twelve feet up. Climbing the thick branches, she drew her dagger from its holster at her right thigh and used it to slice through the thick vines holding the fruit, letting them drop one by one to the ground.
    While I’m up here…
    After snagging a branch higher up in the tree, she climbed about ten more feet, until she could scan the horizon.
    Nothing.
    Turning her head, she surveyed the other side.
    Gods. Her heart thumped against her rib cage as she made out the unmistakable sight of the Malucon shuttle, squat and ugly like the species of people who’d built it. But thankfully it was miles away, and it appeared to be heading in the opposite direction.
    “At least there’s that,” Inara muttered. It wasn’t as if she’d truly expected the Malucons to give up and leave this planet anyway. No, once they’d caught sight of her, it was over. Their search would be ongoing…until they caught her.
    After making her way back down the tree, Inara collected the fruit, using the bottom of her tank top to hold it all. If only she had a sack or something, but she’d had no time to grab anything when she’d been forced to evacuate her spacejet.
    Weighed down by her awkward burden, she headed back to the clearing. The men were both awake when she strode into it, and they were clearly agitated. Neichon stomped out the embers while Valeron paced the ground, his booted feet crushing the grass.
    Neichon heard her enter and whirled around. The look of stark relief on his face would have been heartbreaking, had she not already decided to steel her heart against these men.
    “Where were you?” Neichon ground out, stalking toward her. “We were worried sick.”
    She lifted a brow and dropped all but one of the fruits at his feet. “Breakfast is served, boys.”
    The two men stared at her dumbly, as if they were surprised a woman could fend for herself or something. Scoffing, she lifted the fruit in her hand to her lips and took a bite. The sweet yet tangy juice dribbled down her throat, and she swallowed it with a hum of enjoyment.
    When Valeron stiffened, his gaze drawn to her lips, she couldn’t help but recall the night before. The delicious taste of his juices on her lips. Her body grew moist with excitement, ripe with need.
    Oh heavens, if she was going to be stuck with these two for at least another day, as she estimated, she hoped she at least got some more sexual satisfaction out of the deal. Who knew when she’d again have the opportunity, and probably never with men as stunning as these.
    Neichon reached