Page 36 of The Arabis Triad

“I packed a fresh dress for her, once she is dry. Don’t let her catch a chill,” Coltan said.

“Geez, I didn’t think a bunch of alphas could be such old women. Go, I’ll be fine.” She nestled against Ashir’s chest, as content as she’d ever been in her life. She closed her eyes and concentrated on feeling that special skin to skin contact.

“Our mate has spoken,” Coltan chuckled.

“Very well. We will return,” Paxt said.

He placed a kiss on her forehead, and she smiled up into his face. Coltan gave her a lingering kiss on her mouth. The fire inside her simmered to attention.

Although they’d just had sex, she wanted more. She could think of nothing better than spending a lazy afternoon learning each other’s bodies.

“Come back soon,” she muttered.

“We will, mate,” Paxt said.

Paxt and Coltan disappeared back into the jungle. Ashir settled on a carpet of cool leaves. She stretched out beside him, slung an arm over his waist, and rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed as she nestled against him.

She must have drifted off for a few moments, but opened her eyes when a shadow fell over her, blocking out the warm suns’ rays. She was about to tell one of them to move out the way, when her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the shadow.

Her heart hammered, the breath sticking in her lungs.

A Reptile bludgeoned Ashir’s head with a heavy metallic rod. He was thrown sideways, twisting awkwardly on his neck, blood splattering over her arm. Before she could scream, something hard slammed into her head.

Darkness was immediate.

Chapter Fourteen

Coltan

Coltan dug through the clothing that Celethe had packed for their trip. He chuckled. Their little sister was a true romantic at heart. Finding a mate was not only a thing of fantastic tales now-a-days, but that one life-changing event that everyone on his Homeland lived for. He had never known such happiness.

He was more than determined to retrieve the crystal so that the Arabis Homeland would once again prosper. The crystal had already unlocked an instant connection with Evelyn. He couldn’t hazard a guess as to why. The Fates had to be involved. Finding a mate was a fated-blessed connection, after all, and far beyond his ability to understand as a mortal being.

It wasn’t just their Triad that had already found their mate. The Ozar had as well as others, such as Trum. If the Erion had taken Evelyn’s friend Lucie, then he could assume they had also found their mate as well. It was miraculously astronomical. The connection between the power of the crystals and the human women were indeed exceptionally strong if it could unite Traids with their fated to form the Quads their population was dependent upon. Someone, this being that had stolen both the crystal and the human female, had discovered the power of the connection. To what end though, he had no idea.

Only that the rest of their Homeland could now find their mates. New Quads would be formed. Children would be born. Their Homeland would flourish. They would herald in a new time of prosperity for their planet—all because of one human female relaxed and sated in the arms of his brother, soaking in the sun. After he killed the scaled ones for torturing such a perfect creature, he would send thanks to the Fates for sending her to them.

He picked out a sky-blue dress. It would match the color of Evelyn’s eyes, although seeing her in her naked form was what he preferred. He was sure she would accept all of them soon, and they would complete their bond and fully mate-sync. That was such a private and personal happening and one that he could hardly fathom himself.

Often, his parents, especially his mother, would tell them about the bond. He ignored the look of pity he’d often catch in her soft gaze when she thought they weren’t looking. That wistful look that they would also find their mate and have children of their own. She would be happy. It was a happiness he just now understood.

Heavy footfalls sounded in the corridor. Coltan turned as Paxt burst into the room.

“Grab your weapons.”

One look at Paxt’s face, and he knew it was serious.

Coltan threw the dress on the bed, racing to the weapons room. “What is it?”

“The drone has returned. There’s activity not far from the crash site, but the sensors picked up movement at the lake,” Paxt said.

Coltan’s heart stalled. “Where we just were?”

Paxt merely nodded. His expression was grim, eyes dark, mouth flat. Coltan had never seen his brother so worried. It only fed the black dread that was filling the pit of his stomach. He clenched his teeth, forcing his mind to clear. He couldn’t have thoughts clouding his judgement. He didn’t know what they would find, but he needed to have a free head.

Without another word, Coltan slung on a loaded chest strap and hip holster and reached for anything nearby. He grabbed his favorite sword in one hand and his pulser in another, spearing his brother with a dark look. If anything had happened to Ashir or Evelyn, he would kill every last fucker he could.

“Let’s go.”

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