Free Breeders (Breeders #1) by Ashley Quigley Page A

until this morning. Oh my goodness, the
drops. They worked. I made a mental note to talk to Jules about this at our
next visit. Freshly dressed, I went to scan.
    Mason was sitting patiently at the table waiting for me. “Good
morning,” I said softly, aware of the awkwardness that hung between us. Or was
it tension. His posture indicated the latter.
    “Tea?” he asked sternly.
    “Yes, please.” I added honey to it, something which I had
grown to love since being in Centre Town.
    “Is that it?” he asked as I sipped it gently. “Aren’t you
going to lace it?”
    “Excuse me?” I choked.
    Mason pushed back angrily from the table. “I know what you
did, Ariet. What did you take? Where did you get it from?” The rage flashing
across his eyes frightened me. How did he know?
    “I’m not sure what you mean.”
    Jumping up suddenly, knocking his chair over, he banged his
fists on the table. “I will only ask you one more time, Ariet. Where did you
get it?”
    “Jules,” my voice shaky.
    “Show me,” he commanded. I sat gravely still. I had never
seen him this enraged before. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me towards my room. “Show
me, Ariet,” he yelled. I removed the vial slowly from its hiding place, my eyes
never leaving his. He watched me intensely. “Give it to me,” he demanded
angrily.
    “No!” I responded firmly, surprising myself with that
answer.
    “Give it to me or I will take it from you and report you to
the Elders and Evelyn,”
    I hastily removed it from his hiding place and flung it on
the bed, collapsing to the floor in despair. Racing over to pick it up he
turned it around and around in his hands. “Dammit, Ariet. I could kill Jules.”
    “Don’t, please. Don’t report her. She was trying to help me.
I wasn’t even sure what it would do.”
    “It makes you compliant, Ariet, and then removes it from
your memory as if it never happened.”
    “Jules said it was untraceable.”
    “It is, but that is not the point. What if someone finds
this? Do you really need this to be with me?” hurt showed in his voice.
    “No,” I stumbled. Fresh tears came to the surface. “I’m
sorry, Mason. I just didn’t know what to do, how to do it.”
    “Ariet, you can’t use this. What if you become pregnant? We
don’t know its effects on the fetus if you continue to use it before you get tested
for the presence of an offspring.”
    “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” I stuttered through tears.
    “I’m sorry you felt you had the need to use this. I should
have known, I should have known when you were…”
    “What, when I was what?” I asked.
    “When you were responsive. Tender even,” his voice hardened.
“I’m going out. You stay here. Do not leave the dwelling, do you understand?”
Without waiting for my response, Mason turned to leave the room, but not before
I caught the look of sadness and disappointment in his eyes.
     
    It was late when he returned home. He was sweaty and tired
looking. I worried frantically that he would not be home in time to scan before
lights out. He stopped in the doorway, his shoulders stooping, as if the weight
of this burden, of dealing with me, was too much to bear. We stared at each
other for a few minutes, the silence deafening.
    “I’m sorry, Mason.”
    “You put us both in danger, Ariet. This is not just about
you anymore, but it is about me as well. Both our lives depend on this, and I
need you to make it clear to me that you understand this.”
    “I do. I’m sorry. I made supper, please join me.” I gestured
to the table where a chicken and fragrant rice dish, one of my favorites from
home, awaited us. “It's cold,” I smiled apologetically.
    He shrugged, wolfing his food down within a few mouthfuls. “I’m
going to wash.” He stalked away from the table towards his room. Clearing the
table, I chastised myself. I never realized how difficult this was for him as
well for me. I could hear the shower running. Awkwardly, I made my way into