Page 68 of The Alien Who Saved Christmas
Xane’s jaw dropped, his head whipping around to look out the view-screen.
Outside, the attackers were falling over, hitting the sand. Oh Gods… He looked back at Sadie, who was already wilting in his arms. He quickly snatched her up, checking her over with his free hands. She was asleep.
The blinding white flare had sent everyone except him into unconsciousness. Everyone who wasn’t a Rtaharion. Someone had just detonated a glint-weapon on Corono, breaking countless interplanetary laws. There was literally only one person in the universe who would do something so recklessly aggressive.
Hathgarr.
Xane made an incredulous sound of thanks and raced for the ship’s door, carrying Sadie with him. He made it outside, just as a Rtaharion ship landed a hundred meters away. There was no mistaking the royal crest on the side.
His brother had come to save him.
Xane grinned and gave Sadie a little bounce in his arms. “We move forward together, wife. Just as you wanted.”
Unconscious bodies littered the desert floor, as he headed for the ship. Xane scanned them, knowing the glint-weapon had knocked them out for at least twenty minutes. Vice-Corporal Siganthum-Rycen Lonel Lonel was sprawled out near one of the side hatches. His men had nearly pulled it open. He’d been heartbeats from having his tentacles on Sadie.
As a Rtaharion, Xane understood the rules of honorable war. He knew he should leave the prone man where he lay.
As a husband, he wanted the fucker dead. And being Sadie’s husband took precedence over everything else.
Leaning down, he grabbed the Vice-Corporal’s laser-gun with one of his hands. Sadie held securely in the others, he took aim at the asshole who’d scared his wife. Without a flicker of remorse, he shot the Vice-Corporal right in his gelatinous head.
Killing an unconscious man was no doubt wrong, but not as wrong as trying to kidnap and rape Sadie. The Vice-Corporal would keep coming after her. Any male would, if he had enough means and enough darkness in him. The Vice-Corporal was rich and amoral. It was a bad combination. Xane was not about to allow the bastard another chance at her. No matter what else happened today, the Vice-Corporal wouldneverbe a threat to Sadie, again.
“Xane!”
Hathgarr.
Xane raced towards his brother. Just in case the Ravaging Death King was in a bad mood, Xane carefully set Sadie down in the sand, before he crossed the final dozen yards.
“I didn’t expect to see you for weeks.” He called.
“I was not far away. On Zaglthia.” Hathgarr’s turquoise eyes ran up and down Xane’s body, assuring himself that his younger brother was in one piece. “I got here as quickly as possible. I thought it well worth burning the premium blue salt to save your ass. You know how much I enjoy saying ‘I told you so.’”
Other Rtaharions began pouring off the ship, scanning the area for threats and protecting the king. And protecting Xane. The 1 family was always shielded, except from each other. No one was dumb enough to get between the siblings, when they battled. Their forbearers had founded the planet. Their line had sat on the throne for millennia. They were the prime family of Rtaharion, and no one else could fight as fiercely as they did.
Right now, though, Xane had no intention of disagreeing with his egotistical older brother ever again. He had never been so happy to see the man’s ugly face and massive horns.
Walking right up to the king, he wrapped all four of his arms around Hathgarr in a bone-crushing hug. “I have missed you.” He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. “I am sorry, brother.”
Hathgarr gripped him back, just as hard. “Iam sorry, Xane.” His voice broke and he had to clear his throat. “I never wished to drive you away. I tried to force you into a mold where you didn’t fit, and it nearly cost me my favorite person. It will not happen again. I welcome you home, however you choose to live.”
Xane’s brows soared. It was astonishing to hear his brother saying something so magnanimous.
“But it never would’ve gone so far, if you weren’t an idiot.” Hathgarr persisted, quickly ruining the tender moment. “A fewarguments about a ranch and you leave the planet? Join with mercenaries? Get yourself enslaved? I have been searching the universe over for your stupid ass!”
“Well, you found me at the perfect time.” Xane assured him, pulling back to grin at Hathgarr’s familiar glower.
“I see that.” Hathgarr nodded towards the Vice-Corporal’s body. “Anyone I know?”
“Doubtful. I barely met that son of a bitch, myself.”
“I suppose spending time on this hellish planet would turn me to indiscriminate murder, too.”
“The Vice-Corporal was not a close acquaintance, but he was a slaver and was plotting to steal my wife. The death I gave him was merciful.”
Hathgarr stared at him. “Your wife?” He repeated in a doubtful tone. “Xane, how long were you in the sun today?” He didn’t bother to wait for an answer. “Never mind. We’ll go back to my ship, and the doctor will check you out. Come.”
Xane dodged his grasp. “Wait a moment.”
