Page 23 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

One matter was, obviously, more urgent than the other. But Zar fondling her lips had already spiked her adrenaline and now they were facing yet another life-threatening event.Yay me.Simone wasn’t sure if she was more disappointed that the danger wasn’t over or that she didn’t get that kiss.

Zar spun and faced the guards. The roar that trembled from his mouth caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand at attention. He was sodangerous. And the fact that she felt such a magnetic attraction to him terrified her.

She heard the trod of boots on the grass and peered past Zar. A troop of lion aliens rose above the plains. She counted at least twelve pairs of beady eyes peering past thick manes.

Simone didn’t need to be a programmer to understand the math here.

One Zar.

Twelve lion aliens.

Odds were definitely not in their favor.

Suddenly, Zar yanked her by the hand and pulled her around the tree. A rain of bullets started again. She squealed, ducking into Zar’s chest and hiding from the barrage.

One bullet bounced against his skin.

She literally saw itbounce.The shot that could squash her lungs simply fell back like a dazed child who just hit a glass door.

Simone’s jaw dropped.

Zar held her shoulders tight and shook her. “Si-Moon, taye het.”

She winced. “I don’t…”

“Taye!” He jabbed a finger at the exact spot where she was standing. “Taye.”

Simone stiffened. From the way he was jamming his finger and the strict tone of his voice, he was asking—noinstructingher to wait behind the tree.

She didn’t know why she felt so insulted by that. Technically, Zar was the one with the bullet-repellent skin and she certainly didnothave that superpower, but did he forget that, just a few hours ago, she helped create the diversion that got them out of the evil alien prison? Why would he treat her like a misbehaving dog when the owners were leaving the house?

Simone, stay. Stay. Be a good girl.

She scoffed, watching as he darted around the tree, eyes hard as flint and fists clenched. Self-preservation warred with her anger. She wanted to live. Her best chances of surviving this lion alien scrimmage was to hide. But something about that irritated her. She was more than some damsel in distress.

Simone had long grown past the fairytale princess stage. When she was little, when hell would break loose and pain was all she knew, she would wish on the stars. She would hope and pray that some handsome prince would come and rescue her.

Guess what?

Prince Charming never came.

She didn’t start to break free until she realized that she wasn’t some helpless character waiting for the cavalry to arrive. She was capable of saving herself.

Back then, she’d no other choice but to save herself.

Summoning all the darkness from those days in her childhood, Simone pushed away from the tree. In the corner of her eye, she saw Zar tearing the lion aliens apart with his bare hands.

Simone skidded to a stop behind a tall tree trunk just as Zar smashed one of the guard’s heads against the root. The entire tree shuddered, from the branches to the ground. Blue leaves dislodged and fell all over her head.

Her eyes fixed on the alien corpse. The lion’s metal helmet had flown off his head and half his face was smashed in. Her stomach roiled and she turned away from the sight.

Simone hated violence. Hated it with everything inside her. But freezing up when bullies were beating on someone was how people got themselves hurt, how they got themselves killed.

She would fight when she needed to. It’s what she’d promised herself in that little Disney princess bed when she was nursing a broken nose and bruised ribs.

She would fight.

And so, Simone swallowed the bile in her throat and pulled the lion alien’s helmet completely off. She placed it over her head, gagging at the stench of blood and brain fluid. It overwhelmed her and made her eyes water.

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