Page 37 of Tavarr's Mate
He comes to a stop and strengthens his hold on my leash. Confused, I pause and glance around him, spotting a huge fallen tree blocking our path.
A ferocious growl shakes the trees and makes me gasp.
Then I realize Tavarr emitted the noise.
Fear slices through me.
He yanks me forward and wraps a protective arm around me.
Before I can ask what’s wrong, a tall Kleaxian male appears on the fallen tree trunk. Footsteps sound behind us, and I turn in time to witness two more Kleaxian males stepping out from the trees. Tavarr gives another growl.
Are they going to rob us? I can’t imagine what else they want. My mate always keeps a small bag of shimmering coins in his pocket. I have nothing of value on me. The bandits certainly won’t get much out of this.
“Disgusting human,” the man on the tree trunk says. He spits on the ground.
My stomach flips. I press closer to Tavarr, trusting he will protect me with his life.
With his life.
Oh my God. My heart hammers in my chest and terror fills my veins. Tavarr is a fierce warrior, and he’s larger than each of these men, but he’s still outnumbered three to one. If they all converge on us at once…
“You aren’t from this village,” Tavarr says, pinning each man with an assessing gaze. Sizing up the enemy. “And none of you are Kleaxian Warriors. You all have the build of a ten-year-old boy.”
Though we’re in a life-threatening situation, my mate doesn’t seem nervous. He’s standing tall, exuding confidence, and his eyes have turned black. I swallow hard. Will he fight all three of these males? I don’t like the way they are looking at me, their gazes dark with fury and revulsion.
“We are part of the Urulian Brotherhood.”
According to my translator,Urulianmeanspure blood. The back of my neck prickles and there’s a sudden chill in the breeze.
Pure blood can only mean one thing. They don’t approve of Kleaxians claiming human females, or females from any other race.
“The king disbanded the Urulian Brotherhood long ago,” Tavarr says. “All remaining members of the brotherhood are on the king’s kill list. I think you all know what that means.”
As I turn to glance at the two Kleaxians behind us, Tavarr lifts me and tosses me over his shoulder. Before I realize what he’s doing, we’re already halfway up a tree. He’s climbing at a rapid pace, jumping between branches, using only one hand to climb while his other hand is grasping my legs. I had no idea he could move like this.
He sets me down on a thick branch, near the very top of the tree. Taking my hand, he places it on another branch and says, “Hold on to this and don’t move. If you’re afraid of heights, sweet human, I urge you to not look down. You shouldn’t look down anyway. I’m going to kill them all.” He presses a kiss to my forehead and then disappears, jumping down from branch to branch at inhuman speed, until he reaches the forest floor.
Another growl shakes the leaves. I clutch the branch and peer below, praying nothing bad happens to Tavarr. He moves onto the path where the three Urulian Brothers are waiting.
The male on the tree trunk pounces on him.
Oh God, no.
I wish Tavarr had been carrying one of his blasters, but weapons are usually only carried by the warriors during times of war. At least the three outlaws don’t appear to be carrying weapons.
I hear nothing but growls and screams. Though I’ve never heard Tavarr scream before, I don’t think those pained shrieks belong to him. He rolls on top of the other alien and in an amazing feat of strength, grabs the outlaw by the head, twists it from side to side, and then rips it completely off. Blood spurts onto the white stones of the path.
Sickness churns in my stomach, but I don’t look away. The remaining Kleaxians converge on Tavarr, but the fight moves into the trees on the other side of the path.
Dammit. I can’t see a thing.
Part of me wonders if Tavarr directed the fight in that direction on purpose, because he doesn’t want me to witness the carnage. I can’t believe I once considered escaping to the wild to live alone, before Tavarr had a chance to claim me.
An agonizing screech rips through the forest. Seconds later, I hear it again. Then nothing but quiet. Deathly silence. The breeze turns even colder.
Tears sting in my eyes. Emotion tightens my throat. If Tavarr is alive, why isn’t he calling out to me? I open my mouth to yell to him, but no words issue forth. I’m too choked up to speak. Too worried I’ll holler his name, only to receive no reply.
A rustling in the underbrush catches my attention. I pull myself up on the branch, until I’m standing up and clutching onto two smaller branches above. A tall, skinny figure emerges from the trees. I gasp.
