Page 22 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

The fact that she hit none of the Rulari meant nothing to Korben. It was her expression as she wasted bullet after bullet that conquered his heras. Sah-ah’s mouth opened on a throaty scream and she kept pulling on the trigger until they were far away from the Rulari and high enough that the bullets were harmless.

Steering Enthara with one hand, Korben snatched the sword away from Sah-ah before she accidentally shot him in the eye. Her mouth closed abruptly, and she looked at him with such fierce determination that he immediately wanted to suck on her face.

The wind tossed her frizzy black curls against her cheeks. She lifted her chin, almost as if she dared him to scold her for her recklessness. Korben lowered Enthara to the ground instead.

Sah-ah’s eyes widened, and she pointed a finger up. “Waat eez yu don?”

“Come.” He slid to the ground.

She remained on his zapten’s back.

“Sah-ah,” he called firmly.

She shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. Korben could understand her hesitation. They hadn’t flown that far from the Rulari, but he was satisfied that they wouldn’t be able to reach him up here. They were situated on the top of a large hill.

The Rulari would need to hike a distance and they rarely exerted so much effort. They were lazy and relied on their swords to intimidate and overpower. When it came to skill and bravery, they were far below the Plutonians.

Korben did not plan to spend a long time here, but there was one thing he felt compelled to do. Marching to Sah-ah, he wrapped an arm around her and plucked her off the machine.

She flailed awkwardly, her arms draping his neck. His heras pounded at the proximity and he quickly set her on her feet. As she slid down, her softness grazed his hard body and his pants tightened.

She was quickly becoming a problem, this human. The urge to devour her crashed in his mind like the storm that descended without warning. Looking at her, a new resolve formed in his heras. He could not live with himself if he turned Sah-ah over to the Heronas.

Will you offer Lans’s female then?

The hypocrisy of such a move burned him. Korben made a mental note to call Lans and get an update as soon as he had Sah-ah a safe distance away from the Rulari. They needed to strategize and find a way to save his brother and The Healerwithoutgiving the humans up because losing Sah-ah was no longer an option.

Not anymore.

He didn’t know exactly when he’d come to that decision, but he couldn’t imagine handing Sah-ah over to the Heronas. Somehow, she had gained control of his zapten when it should be impossible to do so. And, somehow, she had gotten control of his heras.

Denizi.

Korben needed her by his side, if only to explore these strange feelings she created in him. Later, when he’d figured out a plan, he would launch a full investigation into this beautiful female until his curiosity and his loins were satisfied.

Korben snapped the sword from Sah-ah’s hands. She cried out, reaching for it as if it were her brood. Her distraught response made him wonder if she had planned on using this weapon on him. He lifted it out of her reach, stepped back and pointed the sharp end right under her chin.

She froze, her arms hiking into the air. Korben tested the weight of the sword in his palm and then looked her fragile human body over. The task would be difficult, but he’d seen the courage in her eyes. If anyone could wield this, she could.

Lowering the weapon, he offered it to her and said, “I will teach you.”

Sah-ah gave him a confused look.

He walked around her, wrapped his hands around her elbows and helped her hold up the sword. “I will teach you how to fight.”

Ten

Sara

Fightingfrom within a robot exoskeleton had been the most thrilling experience of her life. She couldn’t believe she’d fought with alien tech wrapped around her body. Enthara was the coolest… animal? Machine? Whatever.

But, as amazing as the fighting sequence had been, the excitement had drained her. Sara’s adrenaline spike was plummeting fast. Korben, unfortunately, didn’t seem like he’d have any mercy on her.

He studied her like a drill sergeant with his pupil, his square jaw turning firm and his purple eyes flashing. She sighed, reading the intensity in his expression with a glance and wishing she wasn’t starting to understand him so well.

Not being able to communicate verbally with Korben had forced Sara to observe him more. She saw things she wouldn’t usually notice, things that hinted at the mechanics of what made him tick.

Like his connection with Enthara. When she was near Korben, Enthara’s eyes shifted to an almost dual-toned effect of purple bleeding into red. It happened this morning when his eyes had lingered on her lips. She’d felt Korben’s curiosity, and it made her wonder if he was about to kiss her.

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