Page 16 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

Korben shook his head to clear the thought. Clavas was his brother and his priority. Always. But the Healer was the most important terros in their camp. He could heal any injury by simply hovering his hands over a Plutonian. The energy he emitted absorbed into the body and refuted all ailments.

The Plutonians had managed to live this long without females because of the Healer’s skills. If the Heronas found out their secret to long life, his species would be in deep trouble.

He had to prevent that from happening.

Sara made a little sound, drawing his attention back to her. Her quiet whine reminded him of the whimper she made when he flung her on top of Enthara earlier. Had she never seen a zapten transform before? How primitive was human technology that they did not possess a basic understanding of zaptenian mechanics?

Korben retrieved another vial of leaves. He had only one dose left, and he was offering it to Sah-ah. Not that she knew. Or cared.

“See?” He turned and showed her his healed back.

Korben imagined what she saw. Muscles corded in blue skin. Indentations from battling the Rulari and the Heronas. His spine dagger was sheathed, but whenever he was in danger, it would pierce his flesh and allow for detachment.

Right now, he did not see the female as a threat. At least not a bodily one. She was doing her best to attack his sanity though.

Korben waited a beat and turned around. “Now you.”

She shook her head.

He drew closer anyway. “Sah-ah.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and slowly lifted her arm to him.

Korben stopped in front of her, holding the pulp aloft. He waited for her eyes to meet his. “Sah-ah?”

She dipped her chin.

He took that as her consent and stepped even closer to her. A hot current zipped between their bodies as his chest brushed hers. Excitement stirred in him again and blood rushed south.

Korben stopped for a moment as he considered this strange reaction. Why was his body throbbing in this needy way? If human males were about her size, they would be much smaller than he. Sah-ah was far too fragile a female to bury himself in. Wouldn’t she break like glass?

He quickly banished the thought. Why was he even considering her as a mate? She was not Plutonian and thus, unable to carry his children. After the Red Death, the elders had chosen not to go searching for mates outside the confines of their species. It would be too easy to become like the Heronas if they ravaged the land experimenting on females in the hopes of stumbling on a species they could impregnate.

His thoughts whirred and he did not realize he was drawing closer to her. The female looked up at him with big brown eyes and soft lips parted. The reasons why heshouldn’tfeel this way turned silent.Electricity crackled in the air. It burrowed beneath his skin and sent sparks tremoring down to his toes.

Korben eased away from her, trying to get himself under control and pulling at his pants to hide the evidence of his awareness. Thankfully, Sah-ah did not seem to notice that she was igniting his mating instincts. If she felt the same as he, she did not give any indication.

Her short, blunt white teeth dipped out to chew on her bottom lip. He’d never seen a mouth that shape before. So big. Like the petals of anerotaleaf. His eyes fell on Sah-ah’s soft skin. Slowly, almost reverently, he reached out and cupped her cheek.

Her eyes widened.

Their gazes locked.

His heras beat out of time.

This female is dangerous.

His thumb gently rubbed a line down from her jaw to her chin. He held her steady and then rubbed the healing leaves over the soft, bruised tissue around her cheek. Sah-ah tensed, but the fear only lasted for a moment. Korben saw when the warmth of the leaves flooded her body.

The fire flickered in the corner of the cave.

One beat.

Two.

The redness of the bruises faded, chased away by the smooth, unbroken finish of her brown skin. She fluttered her hands in front of her face and touched her cheek, a look of awe crossing her expression.

“Sah-ah.” He gestured to her jaw.

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