Page 6 of Tavarr's Mate
I scoot closer to Harry and reach in his pocket for his ID card, in case I need to open any doors as I exit the building. I definitely don’t want to venture out using the same route the Kleaxians took inside and risk capture, so I anticipate taking a roundabout path.
The alien holding the female never glanced in my direction, and I cling to the hope that perhaps he didn’t see me cowering in the corner of Harry’s office.
Maybe I can still make it to the forest and hide until this is all over.
Run and hide, run and hide, repeats in my head like a sacred mantra for survival.
Keeping low, I crawl out of the office and head for the door. It’s open, but it’s the only way out of Harry’s private laboratory. Fuck. Before I have time to rethink my escape, two more Kleaxians walk through the door, and both of them definitely see me. I freeze under their glowing purple gazes, terror sweeping through me. My hands shake and the ID card falls from my grip, clattering to the floor.
The grieving alien carries his female to his companions and passes her to the tallest one. They converse for a minute while I inch back to Harry’s office. If I can get the door closed and shove the desk in front of it, maybe they’ll leave me alone. I shudder as an image of women being forced onto the hovercrafts flashes in my mind and press on, entering the office. I shove Harry’s body out of the way and start closing the door, only for it to be propelled open.
A deep growl sounds, vibrating the air and making the back of my neck prickle.
I peer up at the Kleaxian who’s come after me.
It’s the one who killed Harry. His muscles are still tensed, and his gaze is as murderous as when he first set his large eyes on Harry.
As the alien looks down at me, his long tousled black hair tumbles over his shoulders. Now that he’s standing closer, shock surges through me at how large he really is, and for a moment I can’t breathe, let alone move.
After a few seconds, I force myself to snap out of my fear-induced stillness and resume inhaling and exhaling, never once taking my gaze off the Kleaxian.
Run and hide, run and hide.
I jump up and race around the desk, putting as much space between us as possible, but it doesn’t feel like I’m moving very fast. My legs have turned to mush and it feels like I’m running in place in a dream, trying to escape the monster that’s chasing me, but no matter how hard I try to move my legs, I can’t seem to escape. Cold fear closes in and squeezes my heart.
If he plans to strangle me to death, I can’t stop him, but I’m not going to surrender without a fight either. I grab the only weapon in front of me—an engraved pen I’d given Harry on his last birthday—and clutch it so hard my fingers ache, ready to stab him the moment he comes near.
“Vonn,” he says, pointing to his chest.
I blink, stunned. He’s telling me his name.
Maybe he’s not going to kill me, after all.
However, I don’t want to be taken captive with the rest of the human females either, and I keep hold of the pen.
“Vonn’s mate…Vonn’s female, Erixa,” he says, gesturing behind him. His companions are standing near, the tallest one still holding the dead female.
“I’m so-sorry for wh-what happened to your ma-mate, Vonn.” I swallow hard. I can’t believe I’m talking to an alien. A Kleaxian who murdered Harry, no less. “My name is Katrina.”
He gazes at me for a long moment, not blinking. His disheveled black hair gleams under the lights, and there are smudges of dirt and blood on his face and arms. He’s wearing all black, like the aliens behind him, the uniforms clinging to their muscular bodies like a second skin. The same blasters I’d seen other aliens use in the streets hang from their hips, alongside daggers and other devices I don’t recognize.
Vonn points at Harry. “Erixa’s killer.” He steps closer to the desk and jabs a finger at me. “Mateof Erixa’s killer.”
My blood runs cold.
“No-no.” I shake my head. “I was, um,almosthis mate, but I was leaving him. I was supposed to board theStargazerand leave him tonight. I am truly sorry for what happened to your mate, to Erixa.” I back against the wall and all my bravery flees as he rounds the desk.
I lift my right hand in a pathetic attempt to defend myself, but he’s quick to disarm me, grabbing the pen before I’m able to stab him.
Not for the first time, I wish I’d stayed on Earth. I also wish I’d never met Harry, or at least came to my senses and left the fucker sooner.
Vonn holds my wrist in a bruising grip. He leans in and sniffs me, and my skin crawls at his nearness. His hot breath fans onto my face. He smells of blood and sweat, and I soon suspect the horrible reason he’s sniffing me—because the scent of Harry is still on me.
Evidence enough to prove I’m the mate of the human who killed Erixa.
Not wanting Harry to be suspicious of my plans to leave him, I had continued sharing his bed, even though his touch made my skin crawl. At the time, I’d thought my life might very well depend on my ability to trick him into believing all was well between us.
“Mate of Erixa’s killer,” he says again, and I wish I could disappear into the wall.
