Page 24 of Tempting Her Grumpy Protector
“Greer…Greer please, I need you!”
And then the night split with a low, lethal growl.
“Let her go, you fucker!”
The voice—deep, cold, and furious—hit her like a blast of fresh air. Sunny lifted her head and saw Greer, stalking out of the shadows. Her Protector looked like an avenging god, bare-chested, his pale eyes burning red.
Rage, she thought dizzily. Oh my God, he’s going into Rage for me!
Rage was a state of berserker fury that Kindred warriors only went into when they thought the woman they loved was threatened. But Greer didn’t love her…did he? Sunny was too dizzy to figure it out.
Chief Lowhung didn’t release her.
“This female is mine for the night,” he said smoothly, smiling at Greer. “She came to me willingly—of her own volition.”
“You’re a fucking liar,” Greer snarled.
The Chief drew himself up, looked deeply offended.
“How dare you call your host a liar?”
“How dare you try to rape Sunny?” Greer shot back. “She is under my protection. And no one—no one—touches what’s mine.”
Sunny’s heart gave a weak thump at the possessive growl in his deep voice. She shook her head, trying to tell the Chief herself, but her words came out slurred. “I don’ wan… you. I wan…want… to go home. With Greer.”
That earned her a scowl from Lowhung, his three eyes narrowing. But after a tense beat, he appeared to back down.
“Oh, very well…” The Chief took his hand off Sunny’s arm and took a step back. “Take her then, if you object to our customs.”
“If your custom is to drug your women and rape them, then yes, I fucking object!” Greer growled.
Sunny swayed.
“Greer, I feel so…so strange,” she moaned.
And then she fell.
17
GREER
Greer caught her before she hit the ground. He gathered Sunny into his arms and cradled her small, curvy body against his chest. Thank the Goddess, he’d gotten to her in time!
Or had he? Because even though his prize had been taken away, the Thropp’ian Chieftain was smiling—a knowing smirk that curled the corners of his mouth.
“The little scientist drank deeply of the Mating Drink, Protector,” he said, laughing unpleasantly. “I only hope you can help her. She will need to be satisfied…if you wish her to live.”
“What? What does that mean?” Greer demanded. “What the fuck is in this ‘Mating Drink’ of yours, anyway?”
But the Chief only shook his head, laughing. Greer wanted to go punch him—to make him answer. But just then, a low moan broke his concentration.
Looking down, he saw that Sunny’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes looked desperate and glazed at the same time.
“Greer, please…” she moaned. “I need…need help.”
“Hang on, baby—I’ll get you help,” he promised.
But he had no idea how he was going to do that—or what kind of help she needed. Though maybe he had an idea.
