Page 332 of Hunters and Prey

Chapter 17

Roman

Skye Palace

Planet Anarr

The Hai System

Panic and rage suffused every part of his being. Roman didn’t hesitate when he saw Chiara being drug through a window that was supposed to be impenetrable – but Neprijat tech was on a level of its own.

He was through the window so fast Alexei cursed as he tried to keep up. Roman used his wings to run faster than humanly possible as he chased after the Neprijat Snatcher. The feel of Chiara’s panic spurred him on to even greater speeds until his feet barely touched the ground and he left Alexei behind.

Then he saw them, right where the mouth of the main river was.

Water poured off the side of the island into one of the lakes far below and the Neprijat was fighting Chiara for every damn step as they grew closer and closer to the edge. Roman had never seen her fight. Her teeth and claws were out and she managed to slice them right across the Neprijat-Drakesthai’s face.

Howling in pain he released her.

Roman put on a final burst of speed, unsheathing his broadsword. He leapt – catching wind under his wings.

But Chiara didn’t run like he’d expected her too. She pulled something out of her pocket and made to lunge at the Neprijat. Airborne, he could do nothing. One more second and he would have the right height.

The male backhanded Chiara and the device flew out of her hand.

Roman roared. Tucking his wings in tight he dropped like a stone, holding the hilt of his sword with both hands – point down. The other male looked up, blood streaming down his enraged face.

Roman landed with a thud, sword piercing through the male’s chest downward. The Neprijat-Drakesthai screeched with fury and Roman twisted the blade with a snarl.

Suddenly the male started shaking. So fast Roman thought he saw two of him. Then without warning he collapsed.

Chiara breathed hard behind the Neprijat, a medpack in her hand. “Get that sword out of him,” she ordered.

“No,” he snarled. “I’d rather lose a warrior than risk letting him get away again.”

“Just do it!” she snapped, tapping the medpack and pulling out her simulcast at the same time.

Roman didn’t understand what she was trying to accomplish, but he was going to trust her. Chiara looked like she knew what she was doing – like she had a plan. He had to believe in her. Ripping the sword free the body collapsed and blood poured from the chest.

Instantly Chiara slapped the medpack over the wound and programmed it. He prowled around her, making sure to keep his body between her and the edge at all times while he watched.

Physicians came running from the palace with a hov-gurney. Chiara pointed and directed. “Get him into surgery immediately but make sure he’s properly restrained. I will be there in a few minutes.”

They didn’t argue with her. The physicians did precisely as she said and had the unconscious warrior in the palace without a single word.

Roman paced back and forth as he stared at his mate – covered in the Snatcher’s blood. He could feel her pain – but only because he pulled on that bond hard, focusing his attention solely on her. Her hand, she’d been cut. And her emotions were chaotic.

“Are you hurt other than your hand?” he demanded, unable to keep still.

Chiara didn’t move. She just watched him. “No.”

“Why did you spare his life?”

“When you calm down and we get cleaned up, I will show you.”

He stopped pacing and tried to do as she said, taking deep breaths. Roman needed to kill something. His mate had taken that satisfaction away. Now he needed something else.

“You almost died,” he said after a few moments.

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