Page 53 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

“Hanging?” I ask, tilting my head in confusion at her choice of words.

She huffs out a soft laugh and her lips quirk into a faint smile, one that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “For not giving mefalse hope. For telling me the truth, even though it wasn’t what I wanted to hear.”

Her words hit me like a blow, but not in the way I expect. There’s no anger, no bitterness in her tone—only gratitude. How could my honesty, which destroyed her hopes, be something she appreciates? And yet, the way she looks at me now—with a fragile kind of trust—makes my second heart flutter in my chest with hope of its own.

Would she ever accept me as her spirit mate? Should I tell her that my second heart beats only for her and will until the day I die?

But I suspect she doesn’t believe in spirit mates. To humans, the concept is as strange as it is sacred to us. Even though Haley feels the pull of the amoris bond just as strongly as a Leadiriian female, the other humans seem to view the bond with suspicion. But surely Mara feels the pull between us.

I don’t move. I can’t tear my gaze away from her, and I feel certain no power in the universe could make me. An entire herd of dicros could stampede through the now unlocked door, and I wouldn’t care. The only thing that matters—the only thing that can hold my attention—is the small female in front of me.

Before I can respond, a sharp metallic clang echoes through the corridor, shattering the fragile moment between us. The sound reverberates off the walls, loud and out of place in the quiet stillness of the ship.

Beside me, Mara stiffens, her breath hitching as her hand grips my arm. I can feel the fear crackling through her.

My muscles tense, every instinct sharpening as my ears strain, swiveling to pick up any out of place noises, while my hand falls to the hilt of my sword. Then, I hear it.

The faint shuffle of footsteps echoes from somewhere in the distance. The steps are too soft, too deliberate to belong to an animal. Whatever it is, it doesn’t move with the lumbering gait of a tiniio. And it stands between us and safety, moving slowly, but surely up the corridor that leads to the ship’s exit.

Mara leans in close, her breath warm against my ear as she whispers, “Is it the tiniio?”

“I don’t think so.” My response is little more than a breath as I soundlessly pull my sword free.

Every muscle in my body is coiled, poised to strike, but I force myself to stay motionless. My senses sharpen, straining to catch the slightest hint of movement, the faintest sound.

There!They’re close enough now that I can pick up each individual’s movements, and I count four separate sets of footsteps. A heartbeat later, my nostrils flare in irritation as a pungent odor reaches me. My blood runs cold with dread at the foul stench that now permeates the ship like a cesspit.

Pugj.

My grip on my sword tightens as I take a step in front of Mara, instinctively placing myself between her and the unseen threat. Every protective instinct in my body roars to life. If it was only me in this fight I wouldn’t worry, but I’ve seen how thin human skin is, and I know one wrong move could mean the end for her.

“Mara,” I whisper, my voice low, “stay behind me. Do not make a sound.”

She presses close against my back, her warmth a stark contrast to the icy dread settling over me.

Her breath is quick and shallow against my neck as she whispers, “It’s the Pugj, isn’t it?”

My jaw tightens. “Yes.”

I take a light step forward drawing closer to the intersection where the corridor branches off into two different paths—one leading to the exit and the other deeper into the ship. My ears twitch as the low murmur of guttural voices reaches me. I can’t make out their words, but I don’t need to. I know what they want.

Mara.

Sard!I should have known they wouldn’t give up. Not after they saw a wonderous being like Mara. Not when they realized there are females on our planet. Not when Haavor realized he could have a female all of his own.

A wave of rage rises within me, threatening to consume me entirely. They don’t care about her. They see her as something they can take, something they can use for their twisted purposes.

The thought of my mate being dragged away, of her being hurt, makes both of my hearts pound against my ribs like a drum. I glance over my shoulder and my gaze lands on Mara again, this time taking in every detail. Her eyes are wide and her colorless face is even paler than normal. Her breath is coming in fast pants, and I know she’s scared, but her jaw is set with determination.

She’s a strong, courageous female, and she deserves better than to be hunted by our enemies. I ache to gather her in my arms and carry her to safety, but I can’t. Not when the Pugj stand between us and the outside world.

She’s my spirit mate. Even if she doesn’t know it, even if she never accepts it, I do. Every beat of my second heart belongsto her, and if it takes every drop of blood in my body to ensure her safety, then so be it. Iwillprotect her.

The whisper of voices is louder, now, and I know they’re close. The Pugj will be upon us in mere heartbeats, and there’s not enough time to race back down the long hallway. My instincts roar at me to move, to fight, but I force myself to take a deep, steadying breath and to think. To plan.

Glancing around, my gaze lands on a large, empty crate pushed slightly away from the wall. There’s a small amount of space that looks as if it should be just big enough for a human to fit behind. It’s not ideal, but it’s the best we have.

I turn to Mara, lowering my voice to a whisper as I gesture toward the hiding spot. “Get in there. No matter what happens, stay hidden.”

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