Table of Contents

NOTICES

ALIEN HUNTER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TRIGGER WARNING

CHAPTER ONE | Theresa

CHAPTER TWO | Baldor

CHAPTER THREE | Theresa

CHAPTER FOUR | Theresa

CHAPTER FIVE | Baldor

CHAPTER SIX | Theresa

CHAPTER SEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER EIGHT | Theresa

CHAPTER NINE | Baldor

CHAPTER TEN | Theresa

CHAPTER ELEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWELVE | Theresa

CHAPTER THIRTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER FIFTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER SIXTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER NINETEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE | Baldor

CHAPTER  TWENTY-FOUR | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT | Theresa

NOTICES

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied, used, transmitted, or shared via any means without express authorization from the author, except for small passages and quotations used for review and marketing purposes.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and incidents in this novel are fictitious and not to be construed as reality or fact.

Alien Hunter Copyright © 2022 Veronica Doran

ALIEN HUNTER

Fated Mates of the Sea Sand Warlords

Book Six

By Ursa Dax

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Once again, thank you to all my wonderful readers and new friends on this journey. Thank you to my mom, SMD, for the childcare and proofreading that help make my books possible. Last but not least, major thanks to my own fated mate, my husband RSH, for his unending support.

TRIGGER WARNING

This book contains battle scenes with graphic violence described on-page. There are  mentions of foster care, the loss of a mate, and grief in characters’ backstories. There are also mentions of pregnancy.

CHAPTER ONE

Theresa

I wiped the blood from my palm on a spare bit of hide, squinting down at my work. I was trying to butcher a dakrival, one of the huge alien beasts that the Sea Sands people hunted and used for meat. But even with the sharp alien knives, my work was still… messy.

“It is good. You are improving,” Bokeelie said, nodding her head and smiling from where she crouched beside me. I turned my head to look at her, my eyes narrowing behind my sunglasses as the brutal alien sun beat down around us.

“Thanks,” I said, but I frowned as I looked back down at the carcass again. It needed to be better. I needed to be better. I needed to prove my worth here. Earn my place. The Sea Sand people had done so much to help us, help me – from feeding us to protecting us to healing us. I sure as shit wasn’t going to be dead human weight around here.

Somebody would probably tell ya that’s tied to some trauma, girl. I ignored my own inner voice, the voice that was probably right. I mean, after being bounced from foster home to foster home until the age of 18, it kind of made sense I wanted to cement myself here. To earn a permanent home. To earn… love.

I blew out harshly, sending strands of my blond hair flying. Rationally, I knew I didn’t need to earn my place. That just doing my best was enough. But that didn’t stop the emotional side, the side that told me I’d never find my place, find my family, if I wasn’t useful.

“Thanks for waiting.” A human voice made me look up again, distracting me from my thoughts. Standing above me was Jocelyn, another of the human girls who had been on our ship, abducted from Earth and dropped on this planet in the name of research. Like me, she had been working hard here so far, trying to learn about life with the tribes and putting her skills to use. She was a botanist back home, and had been working with the healers here, learning about the local plant life and how to use the herbs.

“It is no trouble,” Bokeelie said, rising. Even though the alien women were smaller than the men, they were still well over six feet tall. Jocelyn smiled again and nodded, the movement shifting her hood so that some of her kinky black curls poked out. She adjusted her hood, pulling it tighter against the smooth, deep brown skin of her cheekbones.

“How’s it going here?” she asked me in English, her words shaped by her northern UK accent. She nudged the dead dakrival with the toe of her boot.

“Alright, I guess.” If tearing this poor animal to shreds while trying to make clean work of it counts as alright.

“That is enough for now. Vola can finish,” Bokeelie said. I swallowed a tight surge of shame, nodding and shifting over for Vola, another alien woman, to finish the job. As her clawed hands worked deftly, I pinned my eyes to her fingers, memorizing every movement, every stroke of the long black blade. I’d done animal autopsies in school and had assisted on surgeries at the vet practice I’d worked at back in Mississippi, but that didn’t exactly compare to trying to hack apart a wild bovine creature bigger than any Earth cow I’d ever seen. It would have been better if I’d been a butcher back home. Or a farmer or something… But I would get better. I would. I had to. I had to do something. So far, the main thing I’d managed to do on this planet was get lost in the cliffs and almost get eaten by a dang krixel, forcing Chapman to risk herself to save me. I did not plan on repeating any scenarios like that. No Sirree. Theresa was going to put her head down and not cause any more trouble. That was for freaking sure.

“Are you ready?” Bokeelie asked Jocelyn. My friend nodded, pulling something that looked like a blackened plant stem from her pocket.

“Yup, and I found some more of the grix you were talking about.”

“Good,” Bokeelie said, her long kangaroo-like tail swishing on the sand in satisfaction. “Today I will show you how to make a tonic for the stomach.”

Jocelyn’s response was cut off by the shout of warriors. My hands curled into fists as my heart spun out in my chest. All around us, people started running from their tents, moving out towards the open sands and away from the cliffs.

“Gahn Fallo returns!”  a warrior called, sprinting by us.

Only him?

Fear gripped me, and alongside Jocelyn, Bokeelie, and Vola, I started to sprint. Not long ago a small party had left our new settlement at the Cliffs of Uruzai. Chapman, Zoey, Gahn Taliok, Galok, and Gahn Fallo had gone across the sands with a new type of alien, a huge lizard who looked more like a gator from back home than any kind of man. From what I’d understood, they’d gone in search of more of the lizard man’s kind in case we needed allies in an attack from human forces. Including gator-man, there had been six of them. So why is only Gahn Fallo coming back?

The reality that this planet had knives, had teeth and claws to rival those of any warrior, gnawed at me. I’d seen for myself just how deadly this place could be – first during the zeelk attack out on the sands when we’d first arrived, and then again with the krixel in the cliffs. But even so, even knowing what could have happened out there, I hoped and prayed that the others who had left would be alright.

Jocelyn and I stopped among a crowd of waiting Sea Sand people. I was vaguely aware of more humans running up to join the group as I caught a glimpse of the gigantic Gahn Fallo, thundering over the sand on his many-legged irkdu.

“Why is it just him?” an angry human voice hissed in English from beside me. I jerked to find Kat on my right, her delicate features pulled into a fierce scowl under her hood.

“You think the others are OK?” Jocelyn asked from my other side. All I could do was shake my head, unsure, as Gahn Fallo got closer.

“They’d fucking better be alright. If something happened to Galok out there, and Gahn Fallo left him…” A deadly edge undercut Kat’s voice. These alien men were massive, dangerous warriors. But I wasn’t sure anything they had to offer could match the rage in that tiny human body. If something did happen, and Gahn Fallo left Galok, Kat’s mate, behind, then he’d better watch himself. Kat already blinded one of these guys…

“I think they’re OK,” I said suddenly, a small thread of hope winding itself through my ribs. A thread of hope shimmering red like hair. Chapman’s hair. “Chapman was with them. Y’all know Fallo would never leave her behind if there was something dangerous going down.”

“Hmmph,” Kat said, still scowling, but I heard Jocelyn make a noise of agreement beside me. I nodded to myself, feeling more and more sure of my judgment.

“And if something had happened… Well… He wouldn’t be empty-handed, now would he?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it – to say that if something had happened to the others, Gahn Fallo never would have left the body of his mate behind. Gahn Fallo may have been madder than a rabid dog, but he loved Chapman with an intensity I’d never seen back home. It was the same with all the alien men who’d found mates among us humans – Gahn Buroudei, Gahn Taliok, Galok. Even the gator-man who apparently was meant to be mates with Zoey exuded it – a single-minded devotion that took my breath away.

So the fact that Chapman’s body wasn’t in his arms as he leapt from his mount was a very good sign.

The raging snarl on his face, however… Well, not such a good sign.

Kat launched forward, looking ready to fight men or aliens or God himself to get her Galok back. But my blood-stained hands shot out, gripping her bird-like shoulders, feeling the pull of bone beneath her solar protection jacket, identical to the one I wore.

“Watch yourself, honey,” I murmured. The Sea Sand people had been good to us so far, but as strong as Kat was, I still didn’t want her getting mixed up in something ugly with Gahn Fallo.

“You have about one second to let me go,” Kat said, her slender shoulders heaving under my grip as she took a huge breath.

“You’ll get your answers. Look.” I forcibly turned Kat so she could see what I was talking about. Gahn Buroudei, Cece’s mate, was sprinting from the tents towards us. The group parted for him, and all the waiting aliens raised their tails before the two Gahns, a Sea Sand gesture of respect.

“What news, Gahn Fallo?” Buroudei asked. He stood, tall and noble and still as Ghan Fallo paced, rolling his huge head on his massive muscled shoulders. Finally, Gahn Fallo stopped pacing, turning to Gahn Buroudei. I felt Kat tense beneath my fingers, and I murmured soft nothings to her. But those soft nothings apparently didn’t do much, because a second later she was screaming and wrenching from my grip.

“Shit!” I cried as Kat’s tiny form took off through the crowd. Without thinking, acting on pure instinct, I ran after her. She was damn quick, but my legs were longer. I caught up to her as she reached the front of the crowd. I caught her hand, yanking her back. But that didn’t stop her words.

“Where are the others? Where’s Galok?”

The two massive Gahns swivelled to look at us. I froze, heat rocketing up my neck to my face. I didn’t really want the attention of these two Gahns, or any Gahns, on me. It didn’t exactly vibe with my new plan to keep my head down and not make trouble. But Kat didn’t care about any of that. My other hand moved to meet my first, both of them gripping her bony wrist. I was pretty much certain that the moment I let go, she’d charge the red-eyed Gahn. She was practically snapping her jaws, her boots scrabbling in the sand to get away from me.

“Easy girl,” I muttered, falling into the same soothing tone I’d used back when I was a vet tech. Back in another world. Another life.

Gahn Fallo finally spoke, and I held my breath.

“The others are alive in Gahn Baldor’s territory.”

“Why have you left them? Your own mate…?” Gahn Buroudei asked, his copper-coloured sight stars swirling in confusion. Gahn Fallo growled.

“Keep your filthy accusations out of your tone, Buroudei. I have returned at the bidding of my mate. To bear, as you have said before, the news.”

“Then what is it. What is this news?” Buroudei snarled. Kat had finally stilled somewhat, now that she’d heard Galok was alive. We both waited silently, a wall of aliens at our backs, for Gahn Fallo’s next words.

“What other news could there be than this?” Gahn Fallo cried, his lips pulling back from his fangs. He drew two long, black weapons from his back, their blades glinting under the hammering sun. And his fangs glinted, too, when he spoke his one final word. The one word that sent dark cold spilling down my spine despite the sun and the sand and the heat.

“War.”

CHAPTER TWO

Baldor

“Jara is gone.”

I stopped sharpening my blade, my large black batliff, to look at my most trusted man, Xyan. The candlelight of my tent flickered across his skin, illuminating the frown on his features.

“This is not news. She has been gone before,” I responded dryly. She had only just returned to the tribe after many ages lost in the desert. And since her return, she’d spent many recent days on trips away from the tents. She claimed these recent outings were to gather babkit branches for the evening fires. But her ages-long absence? When everyone had thought her dead? She had given no real explanation for that yet.

“No,” Xyan insisted, his voice growing harder. “She left yesterday morning and did not return.”

I stood, strapping my batliff to my back. Jara and her secrets. It was enough to do a Gahn’s head in.

“Send a small party to scour the nearby land and shore for her in case she is injured or needs help. But this does not change our plans. Our men must be ready to leave tomorrow night.”

Xyan raised his tail over his eyes and gave a growl of acknowledgement before quickly leaving the tent. I blew out a long breath, turning to stare into the flame of the candle lighting up my tent. If Jara were injured somewhere out on the plains or by the sea, then I would not want her abandoned. But something deep inside told me that she was gone in such a way that we would not ever be able to bring her back. That she had left, this time for good.

I grunted, throwing the flap of my tent aside and stepping out onto the plains. My tent was on the edge of our tribe’s settlement. Straight ahead of me the packed red plains shattered into stones. Beyond those stones, great waves crashed, the darkness of the Bitter Sea looming like a beast in the dusk-bitten light. I could smell the sharp salt of it from here, could hear the broken crash of the water. Behind me stood the rest of my people’s tents. Behind those, Gahn Irokai’s mountains. Or, rather, now Gahn Taliok’s. And beyond those was the open desert of the Sea Sands.

I turned to survey those mountains now, staring out over the tents of my people. Soon, we would travel past those mountains, deep into the desert. All the way to the Cliffs of Uruzai.

To claim my mate.

It would be only my third trip into that desert. The first trip was the first time the Lavrika had summoned me to see my mate. It was a trip of destiny and death. Destiny, because I saw the face of my mate – Zolinna, a treasured friend since childhood and a woman I had lain with many times before the mate bond had been awakened. And death, because while I was gone she was killed by a forsek by the shore. Taken from me before I could ever claim her as my true mate. That was many ages ago, now. Back when I was just a tribal hunter and before I was a Gahn. My second trip to those cliffs was much more recent. And once again, I had glimpsed the face of my future mate in the sacred pools. But it had not been a face I’d recognized. Not a woman from my tribe, nor any other. A strange female with a small face and round ears and hair brighter than the sun shining on stone. I had not expected to encounter another mate in this lifetime. And to see one so strange was baffling, almost disturbing. Yet it did not hinder the hard pull of the sacred mate bond. Even now, before I’d even found her, I ached for her. I longed to run my fingers through her strange pale hair, touch the slender fingers of her tiny hands.

I’d never asked for her. I’d never begged for another mate after losing my first. For many ages after Zolinna’s death, I wondered if I were even worthy. But my thoughts of worthiness did not seem to matter to the Lavrika.

Questions of worthiness. Of destiny. I’d had so many over the long and grief-stricken days. What did it mean if your destiny died before you found it? Fate had hollowed itself out before me – made itself bright, then made itself empty. But there was something else, someone else, glowing in that emptiness. Reaching a strange and clawless hand towards me.

Did I dare to take it?

I snorted at myself. Of course I dared. That’s what I’d been preparing my men for. For the journey. For the battle. For her. The new Gahnala. Unworthy as I may have been, and as shaped by sorrow as I was, I was still a mighty warrior. A Gahn. And I would not leave my mate among the men of other tribes.

In the centre of the tents, some of the women were building the evening fire, preparing to roast the hunters’ kills. Xyan was right – Jara was not among them. Horot fish glittered in a pile near the flames, having been skewered by spears in the shallow pools near the tents. There was dakrival meat, too. That and balbok, the fibrous weeds of the sea, along with valok, would comprise our meal tonight. Good food. It would sustain my warriors as we prepared to depart.

I did not join my people at the fire yet. Instead, I moved through the tents, out of the settlement, to stand alone on the plains. I stared at the darkening peaks of Gahn Taliok’s mountains. Once again, I pondered our path for the coming days.

We could go through the mountains. My scouts had informed me many days ago that Gahn Taliok’s tribe had left the mountains, leaving behind only a small party of guards. But the last time I had sent men into those mountains, almost all had been slaughtered. Travelling with the full force of my men meant that we would probably traverse those mountains easily and mostly unharmed, but I did not want to risk losing a single warrior before we made it to the Cliffs of Uruzai. We were a large tribe, and strong, but we were still outnumbered against the three tribes who now appeared to be allied. The three tribes hoarding the new women, my mate among them.

The dipping sun cast long shadows around me. The red plains turned black, like old blood caked into the ground. The scattered boulders of the plains shone under the glow of the rising moons and stars, dwarfed by the peaks of the mountains at the end of my territory. No, we would go around those mountains. It would take a few more days to do it, but avoiding a skirmish before the real battle would keep my forces fresh and strong for the main event. My instincts pressed me to go fast, fast, go now, to kill any man who stood between my mate and me. To plunge into the mountains and never look back. But I would not be rash. I would not ruin our chances before we’d even begun.

I would not lose my mate this time.

With dreams of the future warring with memories of the past, I turned my back on the mountains and finally rejoined my tribe.

CHAPTER THREE

Theresa

I rubbed my hands against each other, stretching my fingers and trying to crack my knuckles. My weak-ass human fingers and wrists were killing me. Ever since Gahn Fallo had come back, I’d been working double-time, trying to help the alien women of the tribes. More beating and cleaning hides, and more butchering meat to smoke it and increase the stores of supplies. It felt good to help, to work myself close to the bone, to leave myself exhausted by the end of the day. But dang, it was taking a bit of a toll.

“Sore?”

I looked up to meet Melanie’s dark eyes, even darker than usual in the dim light. We were seated at the evening fire, the flames making her long hair shine and her pale skin glow. Normally she sat with her mate, Gahn Taliok, and his people at the other end of the fire. But since her mate hadn’t returned yet she’d been hanging out with us.

“A little,” I admitted with a small sigh, placing my hands in my lap. I didn’t want to complain about it too much. Didn’t want to feel like a burden. Not that Melanie would mind. Melanie was so kind and caring. But still.

“I can give you something for that. Bokeelie has shown me some awesome stuff. There are numbing herbs I can make into a poultice,” Jocelyn said, leaning around Melanie to look at my hands. Without her hood to restrain them, her thick curls were free, brushing her shoulders as she shifted on the sand.

I nodded noncommittally, not wanting to make more work for Jocelyn if I could help it.

On my other side, Kat plopped down, a welcome distraction from me being the centre of the conversation.

“How’s it going?” I asked her. Kat grabbed a nearby chunk of roasted meat and popped it into her mouth, chewing fiercely. She’d been working, too, but most of her work was being done in the labs on the ship.

“Pretty good. I’m taking a break from examining the Lavrika’s blood and I’ve gone back to working on a sunscreen. The formula should be finalized soon.”

“Oh, nice!” I said, smiling at her. Our human supply of sunscreen wouldn’t last too much longer, so it was good that was sorted out.

“What about you? What did you do today amid all the fucking chaos?”

She was right. Things had been kind of chaotic since Gahn Fallo had returned. The Sea Sand men had already been on alert lately after Galok and Kat had been attacked at the ship, but everything had been turned up to eleven, now. In fact, even now, most of the warriors were running back and forth through the tents, gathering supplies and weapons and organizing guard and patrol parties instead of eating at the fire with us.

“Just the usual. Helping with chores’n’stuff.”

“Cool cool,” Kat said grabbing some more meat. For someone so tiny, that girl sure could eat. Then she turned her attention to Melanie. “How you doing?”

A meaningful look passed between them. Both of them had mates away from the safety of the settlement. According to Gahn Fallo, the others in the party would stay in Gahn Baldor’s territory for a few days while Kor tried to track down his people. After that time ran out, they’d come back here, another few days of travelling. Based on when Gahn Fallo had returned, the party should be showing up any day now if luck was on their side. And I truly hoped it was. I didn’t want to lose anybody else out here, including Kat and Melanie’s mates.

“OK,” Melanie finally said, turning to stare into the flames. Smiling wanly, I reached out and squeezed her shoulder. I didn’t envy the worry she was probably feeling right now, not knowing if Gahn Taliok was safe or not.

But what I did envy? The bond she had with her mate. It was astonishing, seeing the way these alien kings bowed to their human mates, totally overthrown with love for them. What would it be like to be the recipient of a love like that? I couldn’t even comprehend it, frankly. The last boyfriend I’d had was a cheating son of a bitch. That definitely didn’t compare to a seven-foot-tall bodybuilder alien warrior who’d literally kill a man for you.

But I didn’t need to worry about things like that right now. Did I want a mate from among the alien men? If I was being totally honest with myself, then yes. I did. The chance at true, forever love? The chance at a family, maybe even motherhood? The desire for it was thick as molasses inside me. But I needed to focus less on myself and my own desires and more on helping the others right now.

“How’s everyone over here doing?”

I looked up to see Cece standing above our little seated group, hands on her hips and a smile on her face. I couldn’t help but smile back. Cece had been one of my first friends, one of my roommates on the ship. She’s also been the first girl to get an alien mate – Gahn Buroudei.

“All good over here,” I said with a nod. “How ’bout you, honey? Want some food?”

“Yes, please! I’m starving,” she said. Kat scooted over to make room for her to sit and I handed her some meat.

“Thanks,” she said, taking a massive bite. But before she even started chewing, her face went white in the firelight. She stood and took two quick steps away from us before stopping and hurling her guts up out onto the sand.

“Oh, fuck!” Kat yelped, leaning to get away from any splatter. I jumped up and gathered Cece’s long chestnut hair into one of my hands, the other rubbing her back slowly.

“You OK, hun? You eat anything funny today?” So far none of the humans had come down with any alien viruses, and I didn’t think anyone had gotten food poisoning yet either. But then again, there was a first time for everything.

Cece spat, then straightened slowly, her face shining with sweat.

“I don’t think so, I’ve just eaten what we all eat every day.”

I released her hair now that she was standing. Smoothing a few stray strands away from her sweaty brow, I was aware of Kat, Melanie, and Jocelyn standing up and forming a loose circle around us.

“I’ll go grab you something I made earlier,” Jocelyn said before turning and striding quickly towards the nearest healers’ tent. I kept rubbing slow circles on Cece’s back. Memories of rubbing the backs of younger foster siblings when they were sick echoed inside me as my hand moved.

“You sure you didn’t eat anything funny? Anything out of the ordinary?” I pressed. Cece just shook her head.

“When was your last period?” Melanie’s voice made us both jump and look towards her. Her quietly observant eyes were trained on Cece’s pale face.

“It was on the ship. I haven’t had one on this planet yet.”

“Oh fuuuuuuuck,” Kat said, her eyes growing wide. I felt my own gaze widen as I figured out exactly what was happening.

“You’re pregnant,” I breathed.

Cece looked from Melanie, Kat, and me, her eyes wider than anyone’s.

“No way. We haven’t even been here that long!”

“Honey,” I said softly, my hand stilling against her back. “We’ve been here a few weeks, now.” It didn’t really feel like it, so I understood her denial. Things happened so dang fast here it could give a girl whiplash, making the days fly by. But all those days stacked up.

“If you were ovulating not long after we arrived…” Melanie’s voice trailed off, and Kat swore again, more quietly this time.

“Holy fucking shit,” Cece finally said. She pressed her lips together and her brow crumpled. A second later, tears welled up.

“It’s gonna be OK,” I said, pulling her into a tight hug. She sagged against me, her chest hitching, pressing her palms up to her eyes. Her shoulders shook in my embrace for a moment, before she finally stilled and then pulled away.

“I know it will be. I’m not upset… I’m just… shocked.”

Kat snorted and bumped her shoulder playfully.

“You’re shocked after all that alien raw-dogging you’ve been doing?”

Cece stared at her, then burst into laughter. It was infectious, running through the group until we were all wiping away tears, practically bent double. Jocelyn returned at that moment, looking at us like we’d gone crazy.

“OK, what did I miss here?” she asked while handing Cece a small jar. Cece took it gratefully and sniffed the contents.

“Oh, not much,” Kat said between giggles. “Just that our friend Cece over here has an alien bun in the oven.”

“Bloody hell,” Jocelyn said. “So it’s possible, then?”

“Looks that way,” Cece replied, her laughter dying down. She placed a hand on her stomach and stared at it.

“Well, you’re in luck my lovely. Bokeelie said that stuff is used a lot for pregnancy nausea.” Jocelyn nodded towards the jar Cece held in her free hand. Cece brought it to her lips and took a small sip.

“Thanks,” she said, and Jocelyn smiled back.

“How do you feel now?” I asked, watching her face closely. Cece took a steadying breath, then turned to me.

“OK now. I think puking helped. Or maybe this stuff is already working.” She raised the jar and took another sip, a bigger one this time.

I nodded, swallowing a sudden thickness in my throat. A new protectiveness was rising inside me. An urge to care for Cece. To make sure she was OK. And there was something else there, too, tightening in my chest. It took me a moment to realize what it was, but once I did, there was no way to put that feeling away again.

It was hope.

Finding love here was possible. Having babies here was possible. I’d always wanted to be a mother, for as long as I could remember. It’s possible. It could happen for me, the same way it had happened for Cece. My own eyes filled with tears at the thought. I was so, so happy for Cece. And I was cautiously happy for myself, too. For my future. For what could be.

“Oh my God, I have to find Buroudei!” Cece said suddenly, her head snapping up as her eyes tracked through the tents of the settlement. I turned to look with her, finally catching sight of her tall mate talking to some of his warriors near their tribe’s tents.

“He’s there,” I told her, nudging her with my elbow then pointing.

“Thank you,” she said with a broad, teary smile. She took a deep breath and looked like she was about to take off at top speed.

“Slowly!” I urged, instantly entering mother hen mode. “You don’t want to be taking any tumbles in your state.” Being pregnant on Earth with a human baby was one thing, but here? With the first human-Sea Sand hybrid child? Who knew how things would go? She’d need to be extra careful.

“Right,” she said. “God, this doesn’t feel real. OK, I’m going now.”

I watched her leave our little group, satisfied that she wasn’t running. Though she did seem to be walking as fast as she possibly could towards her mate. And even though it was probably meant to be a private moment, I couldn’t tear my eyes away as she met up with Buroudei, speaking quickly and gesticulating wildly. And I couldn’t stop staring when Buroudei gathered her into his strong arms, lifting her until her legs wrapped around his waist.

Kat’s voice made me finally look away, my cheeks hot with a tangle of emotions.

“I wonder how she just told him,” Kat said. “On Earth, I know girls like to put positive pregnancy tests in cute places to surprise their boyfriends and shit. But you can’t really do that here. All she has is her puke. ‘Come, Buroudei! Behold my pregnant-lady barf!’”

We all laughed again. As the laughter died down, I found myself shaking my head.

Shaking my head at everything that had happened. Everything that was possible. Utter disbelief.

No.

Belief.

CHAPTER FOUR

Theresa

The next morning, I awoke to the sounds of shouting and footsteps sprinting in the sand just outside the tent. Uh oh. Here we go. Was this the attack from Gahn Baldor’s tribe that Fallo had come back warning us of? I sat up, heart pounding, and dressed quickly in my grey pants and tank top. Melanie and Kat, who were sleeping in the big human tent while their mates were gone, rose as well, and everyone else started waking and dressing, too.

“What’s happening?” Jocelyn asked, tying her tight curls into a bun on the top of her head, her face hard and serious.

“Not sure yet,” I said, biting my lip and looking towards the flap of the tent. There was more shouting outside, and then a string of words we were all able to make out through the fabric walls of the tent.

“The party returns!”

Melanie gasped, and Kat let out a whoop. Holding hands, they tore out of the tent. I let out a shaky sigh of relief.

Nothing to worry about, yet. Hopefully.

“Well I don’t know about you, but I don’t plan to stand around in this dim bloody tent waiting to find out what happens,” Jocelyn said, shrugging into her solar protection jacket. I nodded, pulling on my own jacket and yanking the hood up tight.

“Let’s go,” I said.

We headed outside. I realized too late that I’d forgotten my sunglasses, but the sun was only just starting to rise, blushing at the horizon, making everything dreamy and tinted rose gold. Melanie and Kat were already way ahead of us, excitement at seeing their mates spurring them on.

“Come on!” I called, starting to run. Déjà vu hit me as once again I approached a group of aliens waiting at the edge of the settlement. But this time, instead of a lone Gahn on an irkdu, there was a whole group approaching. Kat ploughed through the crowd ahead of us, dragging Melanie and creating a path for us to reach the front. I smiled, stark joy for my friends exploding in my chest when I saw their mates, Gahn Taliok and Galok, riding towards us on their irkdu unharmed. I scanned the group, relief pouring through me when I saw Chapman riding with Galok on his irkdu. And there was Zoey. I jerked in shock to see that she was riding on the massive lizard man’s back. And that wasn’t the only weird thing I noticed…

There were irkdu without riders. But as they got closer, I discovered they weren’t irkdu. They were smaller than the irkdu. I gasped as I realized what they were. Besides the gator-man alien who had left with the group, there were now three more, four in total. I slapped my hand over my mouth as the strangeness of these new aliens became apparent. They were huge. Almost prehistoric looking. I’d thought that the first lizardman was big, but these three new ones were even bigger than him. Even down on all fours, scuttling across the desert, I could see that they were gargantuan creatures.

“Who’s that?”

Jocelyn’s voice made me close my gobsmacked mouth. She was pointing at Gahn Taliok’s irkdu. Narrowing my eyes against the brightening sky, I realized there was another Sea Sand person on his mount. It looked to be… a woman?

“No clue,” I answered honestly, shaking my head. “Also, how is that the person you’ve zeroed in out of all this?”

Three massive new lizard aliens were thundering towards us, and she was asking about some unassuming lady with Gahn Taliok?

Jocelyn turned to me.

“Yeah, but we already knew that lizard guy was going to find more of his people, right? But the woman… She must be from one of the other tribes. She’s not from the settlement.”

“You’re right…” I looked back towards the group who were almost at the settlement now. Jocelyn had picked up on something important that I hadn’t – we’d not only had contact with the lizard people, but also with another Sea Sand tribe. Maybe she’s a messenger? An envoy? Maybe there won’t be any attack.

I hoped so. There’d been enough fighting since we’d gotten here. Would a little peace have killed these guys?

Kat was waving her arms wildly above her head, jumping up and down and calling to the group. Melanie was quiet beside her, but I could see the way her whole form was tensed, leaning forward, as if already reaching for Taliok without even knowing it. As the group raced over the last stretch of sand towards us, warriors in the crowd made warning growls. I could hear the clink of weapons all around me. One warrior directly behind us spoke.

“New women should step back. We do not know these creatures.”

I turned to see him brandishing a knife towards the lizardmen, who were now rising to stand on two legs. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of them. They definitely were bigger than that first gator-man. Brushing ten feet, easy.

“Like fuck I’ll get back,” Kat hissed, casting the warrior a deadly look. And with that, she turned forward again, running towards the group at top speed.

Holy hell, girl.

My warning call to Kat died in my throat. She was already off to the races, so to speak. Seeing her, Galok leapt from his irkdu, drawing towards her with his arms outstretched.

Well, he looks relaxed enough…

If these new aliens were a threat, they wouldn’t have brought them back here. Right?

Gahn Taliok was next to leap down from his mount. I heard Melanie’s tight intake of breath as he stalked over the sands towards her, his scarred face dark. With a strangled sound, Melanie moved forward to meet him, melting into his arms as he embraced her.

Warm, gooey goodness filled me as I watched the couples embrace after their time apart. I really was a sucker for romance. And what these guys had was beyond any kind of romance I knew. It was…

Out of this world?

Cheesy.

But I didn’t care if it was cheesy. Seeing my friends so happy, so in love, was just plain nice. It was even nice when the crazy Gahn Fallo raced to meet the group, catching Chapman as she slid down from Galok’s irkdu and drawing her into his chest.

It got slightly less nice when he hissed vehemently at the three new alien lizards who accompanied the group and tried to put Chapman behind his back.

“Knock it off. You’ll offend our guests,” Chapman said, shoving an elbow backwards as Fallo grappled with her. “This is Kor’s uncle, leader of his people, and two of his men.”

I followed her gaze, staring at the three new aliens with the group. They were close enough for me to really get a good look at them, now. The tallest had similar colouring to the alien that was now letting Zoey carefully down to the ground. Right. The one with Zoey is Kor. So that big one whose scales were deep blue and grey like Kor’s had to be his uncle. The two hulking aliens at the blue gator-man’s sides were no less impressive. Slightly shorter than their king, but still bigger than any Sea Sand man, they gleamed like metal statues. One’s scales rippled in shades of copper and brown, while the other glinted a stunning emerald green. I had to admit there was something beautiful about them.

And something deadly. I eyed the long dark claws on their hands and feet, the spikes, currently flattened, but that would likely rise to a dangerous point if they were threatened. They had no sight stars, and I realized I’d been with the Sea Sand people so long that that now seemed strange, even though the sight stars themselves had once been strange, too. Instead, they had large, bright discs at the inner corners of their eyes, and those discs narrowed and expanded as their great heads surveyed our group.

“Wouldn’t want to cross one of those boys, eh?” Jocelyn whispered beside me, and I snorted.

“You’re telling me. But it looks like they’re here in peace, at least for now. And…” My voice fell away as I looked closer at the smallest of the lizardmen, Kor. When I caught sight of the way he’d drawn Zoey into his side, his massive scaled arm around her protectively, my eyes widened. And my eyes almost bugged out of their sockets when I saw the blissed-out smile Zoey was giving him, her head tilted back.

Jocelyn must have seen the same thing at the same moment I did.

“Is she…?”

“I think so,” I responded. “She’s his mate.”

Jocelyn whistled. It was quiet and low, but the sound still made the new lizardmen crank their great heads towards us.

Oops.

I braced for something crazy to happen, but luckily Buroudei’s arrival distracted them. I breathed out, watching the scene now that all three of the Gahns were here.

“You are slow, Buroudei. A Gahn should attend to the matters at hand right away,” Fallo snarled.

“I was tending to my mate.” There was a sharp bite to Gahn Buroudei’s words that wasn’t often present. Of all the Gahns, Buroudei seemed to be the most level-headed. The peace-keeper of the three. But apparently he did not have time for Fallo’s shit this morning.

I pulled my hood further forward now that the sun was rising higher, wishing I’d brought my shades. Even squinting as I was, I got a clear view of Gahn Taliok stepping forward, Melanie’s hand held firmly in his own huge one.

“We return with this man, Kor, mate to Zoey, and three of his father’s people. They are here as our allies. The leader among them is called Gog. This woman is Kor’s mother, who has left Gahn Baldor’s tents to join us here.”

Growls and snorts of surprise ran through the group. But considering how much info Gahn Taliok had managed to drop into a few short words, the reaction of the group around us made sense. So Zoey is definitely mated to Kor now. And that’s Kor’s mom. And those are his father’s people…

It was… a lot.

But that kind of seemed to be par for the course on this freaking planet.

I noticed Kor speaking quickly after Taliok, his voice grating on strange words I didn’t recognize.

He’s translating.

“You foolish Gahns may consider them allies, but the moment one foul spike on their hides emerges, they will feel the bite of my blades,” Gahn Fallo growled. I shook my head, frowning when his words reached my ears. Luckily, Kor was smart enough not to translate that part.

“Then I guess your own mate is a fool, too, because as long as the Bitter Sea men are here in peace, they are under my protection.” Chapman’s voice was hard and sure.

Fallo heaved a great sigh, the muscles in his shoulders visibly unclenching.

“You know that I would follow you into any darkness. If this is your decree, then I will heed it.”

“Good,” Chapman said with a satisfied nod, and I heard Jocelyn laugh quietly beside me.

“It’s like watching a yappy dog get scolded by his master,” she whispered to me, and I smirked in return.

“Yeah, if yappy dogs were seven-foot-tall walls of pure muscle.”

“True,” she conceded, grinning.

As crazy as Fallo was, it was good to know at least somebody out here with some sense could control him. Get that yappy dog on a human leash, so to speak.

Soon enough, the groups began to disperse. Now that the excitement of the party’s arrival had started to wane, the warriors went back to whatever duties they’d been responsible for earlier. The threat of Gahn Baldor’s attack still hung in the air. The three Gahns, Chapman, and Melanie escorted the lizardmen and Kor’s mother into the settlement. Kor went with them, presumably to translate. Galok, Kat, and Zoey joined Jocelyn and me.

I drew Zoey into a tight hug as soon as she was within arm’s reach, my chest hitching with a sudden influx of emotion. For so long, we’d thought Zoey had been dead. We’d only just gotten her back into the group when she’d left again on the trip with the others. It felt so fucking good to have her back here and safe with all of us.

She hugged Jocelyn, then the other human girls who had gathered – Serena and Taylor and a few others. When all the greetings were done, Kat spoke.

“So, you and Godzilla bro?”

Zoey’s eyes flashed behind her glasses.

“Yup. What of it?” she said with a firmness of tone I hadn’t been expecting. But Kat shrugged it off, breaking into a broad grin.

“No judgment here. As long as he’s good with you, he’s good with me.”

Zoey relaxed, a dreamy smile painting her features.

“He really is. He’s so, so good.” Her gaze looked far away for a second behind her glasses, then she brought herself back. “What did I miss here?”

“Actually, a fair bit,” I answered. “We’ve all been going like crazy, trying to get ready for a possible attack from Gahn Baldor’s tribe.”

Zoey nodded.

“Yeah, Kor’s mom came from there. She said they’re preparing for something. That they’ll probably be coming this way any day.”

I bit my lip, sweat rolling down my back. But there wasn’t much sense worrying about that right now. Whatever would come would come.

“Oh!” I said suddenly. “And some happy news, too. Cece is pregnant.”

“Dieu…” Zoey breathed.

“I know,” Jocelyn said.

Galok grinned above all of us and pulled Kat into the broad loop of his muscled arms.

“This is very good news. To know that cubs are possible,” he said, his fangs glinting. But Kat scowled in his embrace.

“Excuse me! Do not be getting any ideas in that giant head of yours,” she said. “We may be mates and all, but we’ve only been together for a few weeks. So you can chill. Besides, my birth control shot will last a little while longer yet. And after that, we’ll have to switch things up. Hope your pull-out game is strong.”

“Hmm. I have never played the pull-out game. But I do not doubt that I am very strong,” Galok replied, bending down to place his chin on the top of Kat’s head. She tried to look annoyed, but the bloom of pink along her cheeks under her hood said otherwise.

“If it’s possible for Cece and Buroudei, then I wonder about Kor and me. I mean it was possible for his parents, and they were different species. He and I haven’t exactly been careful,” Zoey said, pushing her glasses up her nose, frowning.

“It’s definitely something any girls with mates will have to be aware of,” Jocelyn said. “But I’ve been working really closely with the healers, learning about the herbs here. Maybe I can figure out some birth control for whoever may want it.”

Not me.

I clamped down on that thought. But the sudden intensity of it, the sureness, was impossible to ignore. If I ended up in love with somebody out here, I would be over the moon to get pregnant.

Don’t get ahead of yourself. Before any of that happens, you’d need to get a mate, anyway. And so far, there ain’t been even the slightest sign of that.

And so I put away my own desires, smiled, and focused once again on the happiness of my friends.

CHAPTER FIVE

Baldor

My irkdu snorted, tossing its head as I commanded it to remain steady. It no doubt could smell the irkdu of the other tribes. The Cliffs of Uruzai were in sight, now, a dark and jagged band in the falling night.

“What are your orders, my Gahn?” Xyan asked from his irkdu beside me. Behind us, the full force of my tribe’s warriors, apart from a small party left to protect the women and children at the tents, waited for my words.

I thought about stopping here for a short time. Letting my men get some rest after their travels across the sands. But there was no real sense in that. I was certain that scouting parties for the other tribes had already seen us and were relaying word of our presence to their Gahns.

I stared at the cliffs, everything in me stilling. Those cliffs held my destiny. A new destiny. One I never imagined I would reach. There was no avoiding it, no outrunning or escaping it. Its claws were around my throat, that strange woman’s fingers already around my heart. The whisper of wind, the snuffling of our beasts, and the clink of weapons fell away. There was nothing left except me and those cliffs. And the woman that they hid.

Xyan and the others were still waiting for my command. I took a deep breath, unsheathing my batliff. I raised my long weapon in the air, shaking it with a war cry. All around me, my men did the same, unsheathing weapons and snarling.

“We charge!”

I led the way, driving over the sands so hard it made my braid whip out behind me. My men rallied, their cries echoing in unison in the dark air. The cliffs sped towards us, growing and growing. We were close enough that my sharp eyes could see tents, now. My heart surged. Those tents had to house my mate. Wherever she was. Whoever she was.

But I was right. We had been spotted. A swell of warriors spilled from the cliffs, racing on their own irkdu to meet us. It was only a breath until we met on the sands, the force of the connection sending waves of energy in all directions. I roared, slashing at warriors coming at me from all sides. We were less in numbers. But we were strong. So strong…

We can do this.

I was sure of it. My task was a sacred one – the retrieval of my mate. In this I could not fail. I would find her. And I would kill any man who stood in my way.

I felled a warrior, then leapt from my mount, joining the fray on the ground. Everything inside me went darkly quiet, black silence pulsing behind my eyes. I let that darkness fill me – ages of unspent love and shattering grief. I let it drive my limbs, let it forge me into a weapon. I had always been a strong warrior. It was why I had been named Gahn. But here, now, in this battle for my mate, I was stronger than I’d ever been. I sliced through the crowds of warriors like the wind over the sands. My blade spun and struck, my eyes tracking between every attacker coming my way. All around me, I was aware of my men holding their own.

We are beating them.

I let a sharp talon of hope pierce me, but I did not let it slow me down. I kept forging forward. I had almost made it through this dense pocket of men. I could see the tents along the cliffs. If I looked close enough, would I be able to see her?

No. I wouldn’t. Because suddenly, my view was obscured by a small group of men charging onto the sands. But no, these were not men. Not men I had ever seen or known. They were monstrous, some beasts of the desert I did not recognize.

But they fell into the fray with a murderous vengeance. They beat down my warriors with single flicks of their massive fists, claws like blades flying.

What are they?

I screamed in dark rage as one of these new attackers heaved a huge arm at Xyan, knocking him to his back on the sands. I leapt forward and the creature turned on me. I hefted my blade, my eyes jerking up and down his form. He wore a loincloth, as we did. But his face was so foreign – snouted and strange.

But he has sight stars…

I did not have time to contemplate familiar sight stars in such strange eyes. The huge creature roared, his snout opening to reveal black fangs. I slashed my blade at him, aiming for his throat, but he caught it easily, wrenching it from my grip.

It cannot end like this.

Even without my largest blade, I still had others. I ripped a knife from my back, bending into a more defensive stance and growling.

The huge creature loomed over me on powerful legs, spikes flaring along his arms, head, and neck.

“You stand between me and my mate,” I hissed at the monster. I was sure he would not understand me, but I could not stop the words. No one had any right to keep my mate from me. This was the will of the Lavrika. I would claim her.

I sucked in a sharp breath as the creature answered me in my people’s tongue.

“You have brought violence here, and thus you threaten mine.”

Mine?

No. It cannot be. This creature has a mate?

Everything I did not know crashed inside me. Who the new women were. Who these huge unknown warriors were. And they were certainly warriors. As my eyes flicked back and forth, I could see them pummelling through my ranks. We were losing.

But we cannot lose.

“Any man who stands between me and my mate will meet his end,” I told him honestly. I may meet my own end in the process, too, but there was no other choice. I would not leave my mate unclaimed. And if it was a fight to the death to find her? Then I would leap head-first into that dark fray.

“I do not relish killing any man of the Sea Sands. But no man has permission to take a woman from this place.”

Permission? I did not need his permission, nor any other man’s.

Enough talking.

I hissed, launching forward with my blade, slashing at the beast’s belly. But though he was gigantic, he was also quick. He evaded the thrust of my blade with ease. His sight stars pulsed as one of his huge scaled hands latched onto both my wrists, forcing my hands together. His other hand moved to my throat.

He will squeeze. And it will be the end of me.

My instinct told me to fight him. Fight him with everything I had. But I had always been a clever Gahn. I knew, even now, even as righteous blood lust pounded through my veins, that I would never escape his hold. Perhaps this was always how it was meant to end. Thrust backwards into the darkness of death to find my first mate instead of claiming my second.

No.

Zolinna was gone. I hated it, but it was true. She had been gone for ages, now. There was no clawing my way back to her. But my new mate, my strange and lovely one, was here. She was real. And she was almost within reach.

I will fight for her. Until the end.

I managed to snake one of my hands out of the irkdu-looking creature’s grip. I plunged my blade into the wrist of the hand that held me by the throat. The creature grunted as my blade sank deep, but his grip remained steady at my neck. Spikes along his forearms twitched, and a slight jerk of his arm had those spikes tearing into my flesh. My lips drew back from my fangs, my vision blurring as he started to squeeze.

Everything darkened, melted, plunged into shadows. I felt nothing, not even the hot blood coursing from my shredded hand, not even the fingers at my throat. My body seemed no longer to be my own. My senses faded.

But through all that terrible nothingness, I heard it.

The words.

“Do not kill him, Kor!”

I slumped to the sands as my neck was immediately released. Gasping, chest heaving, I snatched up another blade, my gaze shooting upwards to meet whatever next blow was coming my way.

But there was no blow.

Instead, it was Gahn Taliok, standing tall before me, his large blade drawn.

Perhaps they wanted to save my death for another Gahn to take. If anyone would have reason to kill me, it was Taliok. Our territories bordered each other, and our men often clashed.

I rose, forcing strength into my limbs. I would not meet my death down on the sands. If I were to die, I would rise to meet it.

Two more men joined Taliok, smeared with blood, their blades glinting. They stood next to Gahn Taliok as equals, and I realized that they must be the other two Gahns of the cliffs. I did not know their faces, but I knew their names. Gahn Buroudei and Gahn Fallo.

“End your attack and we will not kill you,” one of the Gahns said. I was unsure if he was Buroudei or Fallo.

The largest of them sneered.

“What are you speaking of, Buroudei? Anyone who dares attack us here must lay his life upon my blades.” He swished those blades through the air now, baring his fangs. But Buroudei slashed his hand in defiance of those words. And it was Taliok who spoke next.

“He has attacked, yes. But I would hear his reason for attacking.” Taliok levelled his eyes onto mine, his scarred face hard and dark. “Gahn Baldor. Have you come here to fulfill the fate bestowed upon you by the Lavrika?”

How does he know?

There was no point in denying it, now.

“Yes,” I growled. “The Lavrika has shown me the face of my mate. And I believe you keep her here.”

Gahn Fallo snapped his jaws and swung his blades again, but the other two Gahns remained still, watching me closely.

“Call off your men and we will spare all who remain alive.”

I stared at Gahn Buroudei, not understanding his words. Why would they agree to such a thing? It was unheard of on the sands. We battled and raged against each other, always. And revenge was always taken with blood.

“This is not our way,” I said slowly, looking between the three Gahns.

Taliok responded, his voice falling heavy like stones through the air.

“We have a new way now.”

New alliances. New monstrous warriors tearing through my army. New women hiding among these tribes. A new way.

“If you do not call off your attack, all your men will die. We are stronger in numbers and we have allies.”

I wrenched around to face the battlefield again. The three huge lizard monsters were so far unharmed, pounding through my warriors like they were fighting small children. The other irkdu man creature was still beside me, ready to tear my throat out the second I made a move.

I knew that this would be dangerous, I knew that we could suffer losses, but I had anticipated only fighting my equals, fellow warriors of the Sea Sands. I thought we’d have a fighting chance. We were not prepared for this – these strange new men. How could we have been? I did not even know of their existence.

Everything I knew, everything that the sands and my people had taught me, was cracking open. My instinct told me to fight until the bone-breaking end. But I would lose them all – every man who’d pledged himself to me. And, once again, I would lose my mate before I even found her.

It cut me to the core, it went against everything I believed in.

But I did it. I called them off.

“My men, fall back and cease the attack!”

Gahn Buroudei echoed my cry, telling the cliff warriors to draw back. Slowly, the message worked through the fray, and everyone began to still.

“We will allow your men access to our healers,” Gahn Buroudei said. Both Gahn Fallo and Gahn Taliok looked irritated by his words. As for me? I was still shocked and confused by them. Offering to heal an enemy tribe’s warriors? It made no sense. We have a new way now…

“The survivors will not be harmed, I agree. But we should not heal their wounded. Let them take care of their fallen themselves,” Gahn Taliok said. “Gahn Baldor has harmed many of my own men, and his warrior nearly killed your man Galok in the human ship.”

“And he was blinded for it,” I hissed, rage pounding through me.

Taliok advanced towards me with a quick step forward, his face pressing in towards mine. His sight stars exploded with raging light, his expression as angry as my own.

“I have given up my vow of blood vengeance against Gahn Fallo for my mate. And I will do it again, now, leaving all my old hurts to the sands when it comes to you, Gahn Baldor. But do not test me. My restraint is brittle.”

Gahn Buroudei placed a hand on Taliok’s shoulder, easing him back. I clenched my fangs, keeping myself from hissing back with anger in return.

“We are also to blame for some of this. For this attack. We should have called a meeting of the Gahns, as Gahn Irokai had wanted, when the new women first appeared,” Buroudei said.

Gahn Taliok grunted, his eyes still trained on me.

A meeting of the Gahns? Such a thing has not been done in generations.

“We will take you into the tents and meet with you. We will explain all, as long as you remain peaceful in our territory,” Gahn Buroudei continued.

“Your territory? The Cliffs of Uruzai belong to all. You have no claim to them,” I snarled. It had always been so. It had allowed warriors from any tribe to come here in relative safety to answer the Lavrika’s call.

“It is a new claim,” Gahn Fallo growled. “And one we will defend.”

“Come with us now, in peace,” Buroudei urged, stepping between Fallo and me.

My eyes flicked to him.

“I need assurance I will be granted access to my mate.”

Though Gahn Fallo hadn’t been the one I’d been talking to, he was the one who answered.

“You will receive no such assurance.”

“Then there can be no peace!” I cried. But the lizard man was upon me in an instant, snatching my hands behind my back and holding them there with incredible strength.

“Then all your men, and you, will die,” Fallo said. And with a long, deep breath out, I knew that he was right. I could not pummel my way forward now. I could not paint the path to my mate with blood. I would have to be more strategic. To, at least for now, engage in whatever peace was offered. For my own men, and for my mate.

“We have no right to keep his mate from him. We will not deny the will of the Lavrika,” Buroudei said sharply. “Even when Kor, strange as he was to us, emerged from the shadows of the cliffs, we offered him a glimpse of his mate.”

“Kor did not kill a single one of our men,” Taliok said, his eyes moving to the creature who held me. Kor.

“Gahn Baldor was doing what any one of us would do to retrieve his mate. He did even as I did on Gahn Fallo’s plains all those many days ago,” Buroudei reasoned.

“Do not remind me of your insolence, Buroudei,” Fallo grunted.

“All these things have been done,” Buroudei replied. “We have agreed to move past our old wounds for the new women. Gahn Baldor will have to do the same.”

All three of them stared at me.

Finally, I acquiesced.

Bleeding and bound, I raised my tail to them.

CHAPTER SIX

Theresa

Like we usually did when something crazy went down on this planet, all us human girls were in our big ol’ tent, crowded at the entrance and staring out between the flaps of hide. Not that we could see much from here. Whatever was happening was taking place way out there on the sands, and there were a bunch of tents between here and there, not to mention the ring of alien guards surrounding our tent. But even though we couldn’t see what was happening, we all knew what it was. The other tribe – Gahn Baldor’s tribe – had finally attacked.

Kat and Melanie were at the very front of the group, their worried faces pressing forward in the darkness.

“What do y’all think they want?” I asked them, placing what I hoped was a comforting hand on each of their shoulders.

“Who the fuck knows with these bastards,” Kat hissed, her knuckles tight and white as her fists clenched the tent’s flap.

But Melanie spoke up.

“I assume they’ve come for the same reason Cece and Buroudei came to attack Gahn Fallo’s tribe when we lived there.”

I stared at the top of her head, but she didn’t turn around.

“So, because of us,” I finally breathed out. This fucking sucked. All of it. All this war, this strife, this bloodshed because of us. I didn’t want this – any part of this. Why can’t we all just get the hell along?

I wished there was something more I could do. That any of us could do. But we’d learned mighty quick that these guys, though welcoming to us, were intensely territorial and had generations of war behind every insult and injury. They’d already made huge strides allying here at the cliffs, but that was only three of the five Sea Sand tribes.

Well, if we are the cause of all this fighting, at least we were also the cause of this new peace and the alliance, too. I tried to take some comfort in that as I looked out over Kat and Melanie’s heads once more, squinting, trying to make sense of whatever was happening in the darkness out there.

But there was nothing to see for quite some time.

And then, when there was something to finally see, it was utter chaos.

The night went from dark and quiet to a shaken-up snow globe of motion. Before I could even get a sense of what was happening, warriors came pouring back into the settlement, many of them carrying what looked to be the injured. Or the dead.

Mel and Kat sprinted out of the tent, no doubt to make sure their own mates were OK, and I followed. With so many injured, there had to be some way I could make myself useful. I may not have been working with the healers like Jocelyn had been, but I could definitely help set bones and do sutures.

Luckily, Taliok was striding towards us. He took Melanie up into his arms, kissing her fiercely, before slowly releasing her, but still keeping a firm, bloodied hand on her wrist.

“We are taking in the wounded of our own armies and of Gahn Baldor’s. We require hides for bedding from the new women’s tent.”

“Of course,” I said, nodding quickly. Melanie pulled out of his embrace and we ran back into the tent, relaying the message to the others.

The next few moments were a frenzy of activity. Every human girl gathered hides up into her arms, and we carted everything out.

“Grab anything that can be used for bandages. Any spare water bottles for rinsing wounds, too. Anything that might be useful!” I shouted as we finished with the hides. We ran back inside our tent, grabbing at spare clean clothing, bandages, and water bottles. I grabbed up a human first aid kit that we’d retrieved from the ship’s cargo hold and sprinted back outside.

My breath caught in my throat and my eyes grew wide.

In the time it had taken to retrieve the supplies, all of the warriors had returned from the battlefield. About two dozen in various states of injury were currently sitting or lying right outside our human tent, and there were more being helped to the tents of Taliok’s, Buroudei’s, and Fallo’s tribal healers.

“Holy shit,” I breathed, surveying the men sitting and lying at my feet. Taliok picked through the broken bodies around us.

“These are all our men, from the cliffs. Sea Sand healers will tend to our enemy’s wounded under the supervision of our guards.”

“Gotcha,” Jocelyn said from beside me. “Is anyone bringing us Lavrika’s blood?”

But Kat already had that covered. She was running towards us from the other tents, her arms laden with jars.

“Got it,” she called, skidding to a stop.

“Galok?” I asked, taking one of the jars from her.

“He’s good,” she said with a quick nod. “Now let’s get all these poor fuckers sorted out.”

“We need some kind of triage protocol,” Jocelyn said. “I’ve been working with the healers, and you were a vet tech, right? You and me, let’s run through these guys and make some quick assessments. Then we can figure out what to do next.”

“Perfect,” I said. “Grab something to mark the most injured so we can come back to them quickest. Everybody else, wait here for instructions.”

“I have some first aid training,” Serena called from nearby. All the human girls besides Chapman and Cece were here now, ready to help out, watching us.

“Good,” I said. Then I turned to Jocelyn. “Let’s go.”

Jocelyn and I raced through the group of injured men, taking note of the most gravely injured. The men who needed the fastest attention were marked with scraps of hide laid on their chests. I ran back to the group, that task done. I spoke quickly. We needed to work fast. Even with the Lavrika’s blood, some of these men were in real rough shape.

“The men who are in the worst condition have scraps of hide on their chests. Serena, Jocelyn, and I will take the Lavrika’s blood we have and tend to them first.”

Jocelyn and Serena each took a jar from Kat and ran to their tasks.

“Everybody else, find a man who isn’t marked and do whatever you can to keep him comfortable as we work through everybody.”

With my jar of Lavrika’s blood, I got to work. The first warrior I knelt next to, though, would need more than just that. A huge gash ran from the bottom of his jaw down to his collarbone, blood spilling every second. I scrabbled back to where I’d left the first aid kit, returning to his side with a needle and thread for sutures. I took a quick breath in, willing my hands to steady, my heart rate to calm down. I can do this. I’d done hundreds – thousands – of sutures. I knew what I was doing. Didn’t matter if it was somebody’s puppy hit by a car or a seven-foot-tall warrior, I would help them. I would save them.

Zeroing in on exactly what needed to be done, I got to work. My fingers flew, the needle slipping and pulling until the warrior’s wound was closed. I was tempted to dump the whole jar of Lavrika’s blood on his neck, but I knew other men around here would need some, too, and I didn’t know how exhausted our supplies were going to be at the healers’ tents. We could always get more from the pools, of course. But would we have time for that?

Working carefully, I poured a slow stream of Lavrika’s blood over the freshly-closed wound. Then I grabbed some clean hide and pressed it to his wound, keeping everything nice and tight while the Lavrika’s blood had a chance to work its magic. And it really was like freaking magic. A few moments later, I tentatively pulled my hand away, to see that the wound was already looking better. It would take more time to heal considering how deep it was, and this guy would have to take it easy due to the blood loss, but I was heartened to hear him groan, his eyelids flickering where he’d been totally unconscious before.

“Stay still, honey. You lost a lot of blood.”

The warrior’s eyes cracked open, his sight stars a dizzy haze that took a long time to focus on me.

“The battle… I must go.”

He started trying to sit up, but I summoned all my strength and pushed him right back down.

“The battle’s over. So you just stay here like a good boy.” I had to stop myself from going even further, asking him, “Who’s a good boy?” Old habits die hard.

“Did we win?” the warrior croaked.

“I… I think so?” I realized then that I had no idea what had happened out there. All I knew so far was that both sides had injuries. And the other army had been brought back here, too. Now that I think about that, that’s really weird, right? That we’re healing the other side too?

I was keenly aware that I had to move on to the next injured man, but I took a quick moment to look up to try to get my bearings. To figure out just what exactly had happened.

All the injured were either lying here with us humans or had been taken into the healers’ tents. A large crowd of warriors who hadn’t been seriously injured stood away from the tents, and a smaller group of warriors, none of whom I recognized, stood apart from them. Both groups held their weapons ready.

And there, between those two groups, came Burdoudei and Fallo. As they passed, I realized it wasn’t just them. Behind them was a third Sea Sand man I didn’t recognize.

That man was bound. His hands were held behind him by Kor’s claws. One of the enemy warriors?

Clearly, he had been defeated. But there was a hard set to his jaw, a proud set to his shoulders, that made me wonder if he had been defeated after all.

There’s only one kind of man out here who looks like that while being escorted by his enemies,

A Gahn.

It must have been Gahn Baldor. The one whose men had attacked Melanie and Kat’s group in the mountains. Whose warrior had almost killed Galok. As I stared at him – his thick muscles, his hard jaw, the shaved sides of his head and the long dark braid that swung down his back, I felt something I tried so hard, all my life, to avoid. Something I’d always tried to replace with understanding, even love. But I couldn’t avoid it now. I couldn’t replace it, couldn’t outrun it. It ran through my veins, dark and hot, making my chest heave in anger.

It was hate.

But even if I couldn’t stop myself from feeling it, I wouldn’t let it distract me. Buroudei, Fallo, and Kor took Gahn Baldor away to another tent, and I forced myself back to my task. The warrior with me now was conscious, and mercifully was still lying down like I’d told him to. I was satisfied with his condition, so I gripped my jar of Lavrika’s blood, my needle and thread, and moved on to the next man.

And so the night went on like that – torn open and bleeding, with me trying to pull all the pieces back together.

Needle and thread. Push and pull.

Skin and blood.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Baldor

“Where will we hold this meeting? My Gahnala is resting in my tent, so it cannot be there.”

Gahns Buroudei and Fallo walked slightly ahead of me. As we moved through the settlement, I let my gaze swing back and forth, taking everything in. The three tribes’ tents were all here, in astonishingly close quarters. Frankly, I couldn’t believe that they were all living so close together in peace.

They did not lie when they spoke of a new way…

But where would this new way lead us?

At that moment, Gahn Taliok rejoined our small group.

“My Gahnala is helping the injured. Let us go to my tent,” he said. Buroudei and Gahn Fallo grunted in agreement. I said nothing.

We kept walking, my hands still held tight in Kor’s grip, forced behind my back. Soon enough, we came to a large tent and stopped walking.

“Release his hands, Kor,” Gahn Buroudei commanded. Kor did so silently, a hulking shadow behind me. I let my hands fall to my side, one of them dripping blood, regarding the other three Gahns.

“I will allow you into my tent if you do not draw a blade,” Gahn Taliok said.

“I will not draw a blade if my life is not threatened, nor those of my men.” Nor that of my mate. But I did not say that last part. Though it pained me she was not yet safe among my tribe, nothing I’d seen here indicated that my mate was in any danger with these men.

The three other Gahns led me into the tent. As the flap fell closed, Gahn Buroudei called back.

“Kor, come in here too. You are our ally, now, and are a part of this.”

I tensed, turning to face the tent’s entrance as the huge, strange man who had bested me came inside. He filled so much of the space. As Gahn Taliok lit candles, throwing light into every corner, I finally got a good, hard look at this Kor. He was one, no, two heads taller than any man here. His shoulders broader, his tail longer and thicker. His hide was broken up with dark scales, shifting in shades of black and blue, and his claws were like knives unto themselves. So were his spikes: black points that now laid flat along his arms, his head, his neck, and his tail.

But though he was huge and terrible to my eyes, he made no other move against me. He truly is an ally here. And he speaks our tongue…

I had so many questions. So much I wanted, I needed, to know.

Chief among those questions was the one that fell unbidden from my mouth.

“Where is my mate?”

Fallo snarled, his tail thrashing. Taliok remained stone-still. Buroudei stepped forward to answer.

“If she is one of the new women we hold in our protection here, then she is safe with her kind. Likely helping the injured men.”

I forced down a tight growl. The thought of my mate, my Gahnala, tending to other men, men not even of my tribe, sent arching fury down my spine. I wanted to tear these tents, these men, apart until I found her.

“What does she look like?” Gahn Buroudei asked, shaking me from my anger.

I did not want to answer. I wanted to keep all of her loveliness to myself. But these men had her. Maybe even knew her well. They were the only ones who could tell me anything about her at this point. So I spoke.

“She is strangely pale. With white in her eyes. Unlike anything I have ever seen. No claws, and small round ears. No tail, either. I have heard tell of some of these new women in Gahn Taliok’s mountains, and I believe she is like them, but also not like them. Her hair is so light, like a bright streak of sky in morning, and it falls to here.” I slashed the claws of my uninjured hand at my shoulder to indicate the length of her hair.

How else could I describe her? How could I put such foreign beauty into words? It was like trying to catch the wind in my rough claws.

But apparently I had said enough.

“Yes, I know this woman,” Gahn Buroudei said, his tail swishing. “She is a good friend to my Gahnala.”

“Do not tell him anything else, Buroudei,” Fallo warned, growling. My breath stilled in my chest. I ignored Fallo, focusing entirely on Buroudei now. He knows her. He knows of my mate.

“Shut your foul maw, Fallo, before I’m forced to bind it,” Buroudei snapped. Taliok stepped up to Buroudei’s side against Fallo, forcing the Mad Gahn down.

“I have no love for Gahn Baldor,” Taliok said. “But I would not keep any man from knowing of his mate. Now that I know the ache of that bond myself…” His words trailed off, his gaze growing far away.

Fallo said nothing more, and Buroudei turned to me once more.

“There is only one new woman with hair like that you have described. Her name is Thereeza.”

Thereeza.

The word, the name, was a revelation so fierce it was corporeal. A blade to the gut. A hand on my cheek. A pounding in my chest, a drum in my head, beating over and over and over until I could hear nothing else.

Thereeza. Thereeza. Thereeza.

She was no longer just a face in the pools, a face in my mind and in my dreams, but someone who was real, someone who was here. Someone alive, with a heartbeat and a name. The sounds of both of those – that heartbeat, that name – were mine, now. I’d claim them, memorize them, work them down into my bones until there was nothing else left. Nothing else left but her.

I’d never gotten the chance to do that with Zolinna. And look where that had left me. An empty cave in my chest where a heart should be.

“Let me to her.” The words were a demand. A command. Fallo growled again. My fingers itched, pain beginning to throb in my injuries. I was so close, now. If they do not let me see her…

“We will, if she agrees,” Buroudei said, and Taliok grunted in agreement. “We would not keep a Gahn from his mate. Even after the attack you have brought upon us. Forgoing the will of the Lavrika could destroy us all.”

“What do you mean, ‘if she agrees?’” Why would she not agree to see her mate?

“There is much to tell you of all of this,” Buroudei heaved a sigh. “We will tell you all we know. Which includes the fact that the new women do not feel the sacred mate bond. If you are to have her, you must win her to you.”

I let this revelation wash over me, wondering if these Gahns were trying to deceive me. How could it be possible that a woman would not feel the mate bond, as I did? That she could see me, and be indifferent to me? It was at totally odds with how I felt – consumed by her before I’d even met her.

“They speak true,” Kor said from behind me, making me whirl to face him. His huge snout opened as he spoke again. “I too had to win my own mate to me. There is no easy path.”

But the words, if they were even true, did not deter me. No path in my life had been easy.

I turned back to the other Gahns,

“Give me all you have to tell. I am ready.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Theresa

By the time we were done patching everybody up outside our tent, the sun was starting to rise. It touched the sky in the distance, blooming with light. A new dawn, a new day. The battle was over and we would be OK. I stood from where I’d been crouching, wiping a bloodied hand across my forehead. It got pretty dang cool at night, here, but even without my solar protection jacket on I was sweating. We’d been running our asses off all night tending to the wounded survivors of the battle. I allowed myself a weak smile as I looked around at the warriors we’d helped. We hadn’t lost a single one of them. I knew there had been some casualties of the battle, but luckily every wounded man who’d been brought back here would be alright.

“We did good,” I said to Jocelyn as she joined my side.

“Yup. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go collapse into my hides now.”

I sighed, knowing exactly what she meant.

“Oh, shoot,” I said, remembering. “We took all the hides out for the wounded.”

“I don’t even care. I’ll sleep flat on the sand. I’m knackered.”

She handed me her empty jar of Lavrika’s blood and smiled tiredly before turning to head into the tent. Kat came up to me a moment later with her jar.

“What am I, the jar lady now?” I laughed as I took it from her. I still had my own empty jar, too, so now my arms were full with three large jars.

“I dunno, I just saw Jocelyn give you hers. Want some help?”

I knew Kat would jump in to help me if I asked. But I took in the dark circles under her eyes, and I knew she’d be wanting to get back to Galok after all of this.

“Nah. Go find your tall glass of alien man and get some rest. I got it.”

“Thanks,” she said, and in a surprising move for the prickly little thing, she slammed into me, wrapping her arms around me, crushing the jars into my chest as she hugged me.

A moment later she drew back.

“Get some rest,” she told me with a firm look. Then she turned and jogged away, heading for the tent she shared with Galok.

“That’s good advice for everybody,” I said to the people around me. The last few humans who were helping out over here nodded and headed into the tent. Some of the most injured alien men, after we’d worked on them, had been carried into tents to recover. The ones who were left here weren’t too roughed up. They stood and headed back for their own tents, some of them limping, but all able to walk with their own strength. I was glad to see it.

Now it was just me, other than the alien warriors standing guard outside our tent the way they usually did.

I guess I should go put these back…

I looked down at the jars in my arms. The other healers may have needed them for something soon. Maybe they’d even be going to collect more Lavrika’s blood if they’d exhausted their resources.

I’ll go return them.

I didn’t quite feel ready to sleep yet anyway. My body was exhausted, definitely, but my brain was still whirring with adrenaline from the evening’s events. Even if I laid down now, there was no way I’d be able to get to sleep. Plus I didn’t even have a bed at the moment. I didn’t mind not having a bed knowing it had gone to an injured warrior, but still – it wouldn’t make for the comfiest sleep.

I readjusted the stone jars in my arms so they wouldn’t fall and started walking. The closest healers’ tent was the tent of Gahn Taliok’s healers. The large hide-covered structure stood directly ahead of me. Anxiety gnawed at me when I remembered what Gahn Taliok had said – that the enemy warriors would be healed in the tents. The men who attacked us could be in there…

But it didn’t matter. I’d get in, then get out. Besides, if the other Gahns had decided to bring them into the settlement and heal them, then there must not have been too much danger. Right?

I reached the tent and managed to move the flap aside with my elbow, keeping hold of the jars. I slipped inside, letting the flap fall. It was already getting brighter outside, and my eyes needed to adjust to the dimness and candlelight in here.

Like there had been outside the big human tent, there was a large group of injured men here. I froze, staring down at the ground around me. I knew there had been a lot of injuries on our side – I’d seen them and treated them. But the injuries I’d treat weren’t at this level. In this tent, every spare place on the floor was taken up by a damaged warrior, many of them appearing unconscious. Deep wounds were bandaged – wounds much more numerous and severe than the others I had seen tonight.

Even though they’d attacked us, I felt sympathy for these men.

Was it because they were outnumbered? Why are they so much worse off than our men?

“Thank you for these.” A voice I recognized made me look up from the many injured men. Bokeelie, one of Gahn Fallo’s healers, held out her hands for the jars. I dumped them into her hands gratefully, my arms stiff from holding them.

“Rough night?” I asked her. I followed her as she deposited the jars on a shelf. She turned back towards me, her tail swishing.

“It has been a long night. And it is strange to heal my tribe’s enemies. But these are strange times.”

“Why are they so much worse than our men?” I asked, letting my eyes fall and graze over the carnage once again.

“I want to say it is because our men are strong, strong. But really, it is because of our new allies. They are stronger than any of us,” Bokeelie said quietly.

Of course. If Kor’s uncle and the other two had joined in the fight, they would have torn through the enemy ranks like a hot knife through butter. Dear God…

“Most of the worst wounded are here. There are more from Gahn Baldor’s tribes in the other healers’ tents, but not as many, and not as badly injured. And our injured were all taken care of at your tent, thanks to you and the other new women.”

“Of course, anything to help,” I said, nodding fiercely. “Y’all have done so much for us. We help each other.”

Bokeelie smiled.

“Yes. We are one tribe, now.”

She turned away to tend to a man who had just stirred nearby, leaving me to my thoughts.

We are one tribe now.

But what about Gahn Baldor’s tribe, and the fifth tribe of the desert we hadn’t even encountered yet? Were they with us, or against us?

I rubbed my temples. The exhaustion was definitely catching up with me now. I figured by the time I got back to the human tent, I’d be ready to pass out.

The more I thought of collapsing in the tent with the other girls, the nicer the image became. Bed or no bed, it was time for me to sleep.

I spun and walked forward, wrenching back the tent flap and stepping forward.

Only to collide with a brick wall. If a brick wall was wrapped in the smoothest, warmest hide.

I reeled back from the shock of the contact. Before I could fall on some poor unsuspecting warrior at my feet, two strong hands caught my wrists, pulling me up and steadying me.

“Thanks. Sorry about that,” I said. I looked down at the hands that held my wrists. For some reason, they still hadn’t let go, even though I was standing upright just fine on my own now.

I realized with a jolt that this was the first time one of the alien men had touched my bare skin. Of course, when we’d first arrived here, one of Gahn Fallo’s men had hauled me up onto his irkdu during the zeelk attack. And Gahn Fallo himself had carried me down from the cliffs after Chapman had found me after the situation with the krixel. But like this? Hands on my skin like this, holding me? It had never happened. I stared down at where those huge hands gripped my wrists. My arms and hands looked tiny, like a child’s, in that alien grip. Long clawed fingers wrapped around me.

Bleeding fingers.

One of the hands holding me was bleeding, oozing thick black onto my skin. That must be why he was coming here.

I wrenched my gaze up over the carved abdomen and pectorals to see who it was.

And when I did, everything else fell away. Cold fear spiked, making me gasp. But strangely, that cold was battled, beaten back, by heat creeping up my arms, coming from my wrists.

It was Gahn Baldor.

His expression was twisted into one that could only be described as terrifying. A hard, square jaw set tight. Lips drawing back from fangs. Eyes whose sight stars were pulled so tight, so focused on my face, that they looked like shining bullets. The sides of his shaved head gleamed in the candlelight, his long braid hanging down his back.

Instinctively, I tried to pull away. His face was way too intense. I could feel his gaze drilling into me. What he saw, looking at me like that, I had no idea. All I knew was that I needed to get out of that harsh gaze as soon as possible.

But his fingers tightened on my wrists as I pulled.

“I’ve found you,” he breathed, and I froze. What on God’s green earth is that supposed to mean?

“Sorry for bumping into you, but I really must be going,” I said, tugging my hands back once again. Something flashed in his eyes, something I couldn’t quite name. But finally, he let me go. He looked down at the palms of his empty hands, frowning.

“You should get that looked at,” I said, stepping back and away from the massive Gahn. “Your hand.”

He glanced up, almost looking confused.

“Ah. This? This is nothing. I came to check on my men.”

There was something hanging unspoken in the air. Something I felt like I was on the cusp of understanding. But this night had been too freaking long, and I was too damn tired for some mysterious bleeding Gahn who’d made this whole mess in the first place. I rubbed at my wrists absentmindedly, noticing a weird tingling there. More blood to clean off.

And suddenly, I was angry. So fucking angry. Angry at everything – humanity for leaving us here. Gahn Baldor for attacking. And now, for him leaving the smear of his blood on my skin.

“Why are you even here?” I hissed, surprised by my own vehemence. I’d always been known as the sweet one, the motherly friend. But I guess this is what happens when someone attacks people I care about. When someone pokes the Mama Bear.

“So it is true what they have told me, then,” the massive alien said, tilting his head slightly as he stared at me. “You do not feel it.”

“Feel what?” I asked, scrubbing my forehead with my knuckles in exhaustion.

“The mate bond.”

Excuse me?

“The… the what?”

No. No, it wasn’t possible. There was no way this guy was supposed to be my mate. This huge, terrifying Gahn who’d attacked our settlement.

My breath caught in my throat as the mighty Gahn straightened and raised his tail over his eyes. Then, as it swished back into place on the sand behind him, he spoke.

“Thereeza of the new tribe. I am Gahn Baldor. I offer myself and my army to you, my Gahnala, my mate, as divined by the Lavrika.”

My mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Gahn Baldor was looking at me like he expected something, but what could he expect after a proclamation like that?

“Look,” I said, shaking my head rapidly. “I’m sure you’re an OK guy under other circumstances and a great Gahn and all that, but I don’t know you. All I know is that you’ve come here and attacked us and caused a heck of a whole lotta damage. So, thank you? I guess? But I’m going to go back to my tent now.”

Baldor’s sight stars pulsed then pulled tight again, zeroing in on my face.

“You ask why I have come here,” he said slowly, “and you seem angry that I have attacked. But you should know that the reason for both is one and the same. I have come here, and entered battle against the other tribes, for you. And only for you.”

Fuck my life.

I groaned, pressing the palms of my hands to my eyes.

“Well that’s even worse,” I gritted out. Knowing that all this carnage, all this blood, had been spilled for me? Not exactly my idea of romantic. Maybe for some other girls, but not me.

“Why couldn’t you just come and talk to the other Gahns, to me? All of this could have been avoided!” I tore my hands away from my eyes, feeling them burn with unshed tears.

“Such a thing is not our way,” the Gahn said, his brow contracting as he frowned. “But the Gahns speak of a new way, now. And I begin to understand why…”

The “why” of that was definitely us. Us humans had pretty much demanded that all violence cease. If any of the tribes wanted to be near us, they had to promise peace in the settlement. But that was a little too late for Gahn Baldor. He’d already attacked. Already destroyed the peace here.

“OK, well, like I said, I’ll be going now.” I needed some sleep to sort all of this out. Finally, Baldor moved aside, watching me closely as I stepped by him to the tent flap. I pulled it aside, then swore under my breath.

“What is it?”

I ignored the way the Gahn’s deep voice prickled along my spine.

“It’s the sun. I didn’t bring my solar protection jacket. Us humans can’t be out in the sun much or our skin will burn.”

“Your skin?”

I could feel Gahn Baldor’s eyes dragging down my bare arms. I whirled on him, scowling.

“Yes. We’re not from here and we have to have protection from the elements. The sun being one of them.”

Gahn Baldor studied my face for a long moment, then looked behind me, staring up at the sky.

“I will find a way to tear the sun down for you, as punishment for even dreaming to harm you.”

Lord help me.

No wonder the other girls, even the most adamant among them, like Kat, had fallen so fast and hard for their mates. These guys spewed lines like this like it was nothing. And there was no artifice to it, either. His sharp eyes were still studying the sky as if he really planned to do it.

“That won’t be necessary,” I said. “I just need some clothing to cover me, that’s all. Usually, I wear a jacket – a cloak – but I left it in the other tent.”

I could run. The tent wasn’t all that far. But I knew we’d depleted our Lavrika’s blood healing all the wounded, and I didn’t want to waste any of it treating my lame human sunburn when other people needed it more.

But I also wasn’t about to send somebody running to the human tent to get my jacket, either. Everybody was busy and just as exhausted as I was.

Sunburn it is.

I sighed, about to head out into that brutal morning light when I heard the rustle of fabric beside me.

“It will take me some time to bring down the sun. But for now, let this shield you.”

I turned to find Gahn Baldor stark fucking naked in front of me, holding a wide, long strip of fabric out to me.

It was his loincloth. This alien king was giving me the clothing that a second ago had been wrapped around his freaking cock. And he expected me to wear it like some kind of shawl?

“Um, no! No thank you!” I squeaked, heat slamming through me. I won’t look. I won’t.

I couldn’t help the quick bob of my eyes downward, but I yanked them right back up. I didn’t see much in the gloom of the tent – just the muscled girth of two thick thighs. And something huge and dark between them…

Nope! No way, we are not thinking about that right now, girl!

“I do not understand,” Gahn Baldor said, frowning. “You say you need clothing, and thus I will offer you mine. You are my mate. Anything of mine, from my clothing to my very skin and claws, is yours.”

“Alright, well, I’m going to go.” I was getting déjà vu for how many times I’d said I was going to go so far. But this time, I meant it. I stepped out of the tent, out into the light.

But I didn’t feel the heat of the sun touching my skin. A shadow descended over me.

I looked up to find Gahn Baldor stretching his loincloth over my head like a goddamned parasol. And he was still buck naked.

“What are you doing?!” I cried, startled. Somehow out in this bright light he seemed even more naked. And to hold the hide above my head, he was standing awfully close…

“I am protecting my mate,” he said simply. I stared up into his face. His sight stars glinted, a colour I hadn’t seen on any other alien male. They were shattered silver, metallic and strange.

“Sir, you need to put some clothes on is what you need to do,” I sputtered, flushing.

Frankly, I’d rather burn until my skin peels than stand in the centre of this settlement with the naked enemy Gahn holding his loincloth over my head one second longer.

“I will return my loincloth to its place when you no longer have need of it.”

OK, this guy was kind of unshakable. Even if I tried to leave his side now, and tried to run, I had a feeling he’d just keep pace beside me, keeping me in the shade of the hide he held.

“Alright, fine. Let’s go,” I finally said. I didn’t have the energy to keep fighting whatever this was. “My tent’s over there.”

We walked in strained silence. The whole way, not even a bare inch of me was in the sun. With every step, Gahn Baldor adjusted, keeping me firmly in the shade. But even in the shadow of his hide, I could feel his eyes burning on me. Never leaving me.

We made it to the human tent, and I turned to face him, my cheeks heating when I once again remembered that this guy was naked. I lifted the flap of the big human tent, stepping into its shadow.

“Look, I’m good now. So you can put that thing back on.”

Gahn Baldor grunted. I kept my eyes firmly glued to his face as he bent and re-tied his clothing around his pelvis. He really is good-looking… I couldn’t stop myself from thinking it. All the alien guys here were, in my opinion, pretty darn delicious. But there was something dark and cutting about Gahn Baldor. Something about the sharp bone of his jaw and the high, broad cheekbones. The shaved sides of his head and the silver glint of his eyes. Something extra appealing.

But that didn’t matter right now. I did not need to be thinking about how hot the enemy Gahn who’d just attacked us was. What I needed was sleep. That would clear my head, for sure.

“When will I see you again?” The Gahn straightened and pinned me again with that silvery gaze.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. The darkness of the tent was calling to me. I could feel it, a physical pull, urging me to sleep.

“You are tired,” Gahn Baldor said, narrowing his gaze.

“Yes, I am,” I admitted.

“It is not my wish to keep you from your rest…” He paused, looking like he wanted to say more, but he just made a deep grumbling sound instead.

“Well, goodnight,” I said awkwardly. Even though it was morning, those were the first words that came to mind. And with that, I turned from the strange Gahn and headed into the tent.

Our bedding was still being used by all the wounded, so I found a spare section of sand and laid down there. Serena stirred beside me but then settled back into sleep.

I longed to join her, to sink down into that darkness and not have to worry about anything. But now that I was here, I couldn’t stop thinking about what had just happened.

A mate.

It was what I had wanted. What I had craved. What I had hoped for. Love, and the chance at a family. Watching the other girls fall in love with their mates had been so beautiful, and it had been made extra lovely by the fact that it meant it could happen for me too.

Why did it have to be him?

A Gahn, our enemy, no less. One who’d attacked, who’d shed blood here.

For you.

I groaned, his words echoing in my head. These Sea Sand men and their freaking alien testosterone. Why did everything have to be blades and battle and glory all the time with these guys? While Godzilla had never been my thing on Earth, I found myself jealous of Zoey. Why couldn’t my mate be like Kor and just come here peacefully, not hurting anyone?

But then again, if Kor had been a leader with a whole army at his back, his arrival may not have been so peaceful, either…

I sighed, trying to get comfortable. There wasn’t much point in worrying about all this now. What had been done was done. What I needed to focus on right now was getting some rest. And then, after that, I’d figure out what to do about Gahn Baldor.

My mate.

Oh, Lord.

CHAPTER NINE

Baldor

I stared at the tent flap after it closed, driving my mate from my line of vision. I raised a hand – my bloodied one – to my chest, feeling the strong pounding there. I thought I’d lost my heart so long ago. But clearly, I had found it once again.

Because now it thundered.

I kept my hand there a long moment, feeling the drive of the organ under my ribs. I could feel new life winding through my limbs. New love, new hope. So much feeling that had been restrained by sorrow for many days heaped upon many more. That sorrow was still there, deep and dark. But for the first time, I felt like my life could have meaning again after such a brutal loss.

But my strange and tiny mate did not seem to feel the same. The other Gahns had not lied to me – these women did not feel the automatic pull of the mate bond. If Thereeza felt anything for me, it appeared to be distaste, even fear. I thought about the other Gahns’ words – words about winning her, and something about falling off of love. Falling onto love?

I couldn’t remember. My head was too full of everything I’d learned speaking to the Gahns over the course of the night. Their tales had been long and so bizarre I almost didn’t believe them. But the proof of all their words was right here in this settlement in the form of the new women and the Bitter Sea warriors.

Finally, I released my hand from my chest, looking around the settlement. This was the first time I’d seen it in the broad light of day. I still could not believe that all three tribes had their tents so close together and that there had not yet been any bloodshed because of it. But then again, a few days ago I would not have believed that my men and I would be brought into this place and healed after attacking the other tribes. We have a new way now…

I turned back to the large tent Thereeza had gone into, almost hoping that she would come back out again. I wanted it so badly I could practically see it – her small face with her round white and brown eyes appearing in between the flaps of the tent, this time smiling.

She certainly hadn’t been smiling before.

I heaved a sigh, going over our interaction. I could not find fault with a single one of my actions, truly. I felt I had presented myself as a mighty Gahn and worthy male. There should have been no reason to refuse me, even if she did not feel the bond. And yet, I still could tell I had not made a favourable impression upon her. I am not good at this. I never thought I would have to make a favourable impression upon a mate. A female was supposed to feel the mate bond as deeply as the warrior did. And even outside of that, I’d never had the chance to experience matehood with Zolinna. I did not know what a mate might want, especially one as foreign to me as Thereeza. I had to face the fact that, for perhaps the first time in my entire life, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

It was a humbling thought for a Gahn. I was not used to such things. I sighed again, sitting on the sand, crossing my legs and staring out at the bustle of the settlement’s activity. The warriors stationed at the tent regarded me with fierce eyes, but I ignored them. I knew I would have no trouble with warriors such as these. I may not have been able to defeat Kor, but a regular tribal guard would be no match against me.

Well, I would figure this out. I would sit out here all day and all night if I had to, pondering the mystery of my beautiful mate. I’d wait for her to re-appear, then try to start it all again. Surely, once she realized what a strong Gahn I was, she would have no objections to me. But even with those thoughts, a dark claw of doubt poked at my belly. Doubt that told me that not only had I lost one mate but that I would lose this one, too.

Enough of that. That would not come to pass. Fate could not splinter before a man twice in his lifetime. Thereeza may not have been drenched in the sacred mate bond yet, but she would be. I would awaken those feelings within her. Feelings that already were hard at work within me. Bringing my heart back from the shadows of death. And my cock. I grunted, adjusting my loincloth. Knowing that she was so near, just on the other side of the tent’s thin wall, was intoxicating. I still had her scent strong upon me, and if I breathed deeply I could find it again easily among the scents of the other women in the tent.

It is too bad I am hardening for her now. This should have happened earlier, when I was nude. Then she would have seen my cock’s full power and would have no doubt fallen to her knees before it. Perhaps that is what they were talking about when they spoke of love and falling…

My man Xyan’s voice distracted me from very pleasant thoughts of Thereeza kneeling before my cock.

“The tent is ready for us.”

I stood, my tail swishing to acknowledge his words. I was glad to see him up and well after taking such a brutal hit on the battlefield. But like so many in my tribe, he was strong. A fighter, both in blades and in life. Pride swelled in me as I clapped my hand to his shoulder. Even the mighty lizard warrior Kor could not fell him.

“Where is it?”

Xyan turned and pointed next to the large healers’ one I had just come from. That large tent was Gahn Taliok’s healers’ tent, and it was where all of my most wounded men were currently housed while recovering. A new tent beside it would be for my other men and me. It made me tense to sleep among the tents of another tribe. I had never done it before, and I did not like the feeling. But my mate was here. And there was nowhere else for me in this world but by her side. So for now, we’d stay among these other tribes until I decided my people’s next move. As long as we remained here in peace, there would be no more clashing of blades. This, too, did not feel right to me. But if it meant getting closer to my mate, then I would do it. I would kill for her, so I would have to keep myself from killing for her, also. No matter how unnatural it may have felt.

“You should rest, my Gahn. Have the healers tend to your hand.”

Xyan’s sight stars moved from the new women’s tent back to me meaningfully. He was probably right. But though I was reluctantly ready to put away my blades to be here, I was not yet ready for another tribe to heal my hurts. Those of my men – yes. Absolutely. I would not have them die needlessly if another tribe offered them Lavrika’s blood. But I was not ready to accept such help for myself, yet. Maybe it was pride, or maybe the hard bonds of the old ways chaining me. Or maybe it was that I just wasn’t quite ready to leave this spot by my sleeping mate, even though she had left me with such ease.

“I will rest here for now,” I said, sitting once again in my place on the sand. I shifted, getting more comfortable, leaning against one of the tent’s bone posts.

I closed my eyes. I felt Xyan standing unsure above me for quite some time after I did so. Then, when there was no more to be said, he left.

Hopefully, he would go rest – we both would. And then we would plan for the future.

Because the future was coming, more quickly than I ever could have imagined.

And we could not stay here forever.

CHAPTER TEN

Theresa

“Oh my God, who is he? Is he sleeping?”

“OK, he’s lowkey cute though…”

“He’s gotta be one of the enemy warriors, right? I don’t recognize him…”

English words in tittering human voices roused me. I groaned, sitting up. My mouth was so damn dry, and as I stretched, I felt grains of sand fall from my hair. Right. No bedding hides. I raked fingers through my shoulder-length hair, leaning back so that the sand wouldn’t go into my eyes. Then I stood and brushed more sand from my clothing. I had collapsed, fully dressed, on the ground in here, so I didn’t need to get dressed. And I could tell by the light, or lack of it, coming into the tent that I wouldn’t need my solar protection jacket now. Dusk had fallen.

Solar protection jacket.

Well, didn’t that just stir some memories? Memories of an enemy Gahn telling me I was his mate, then stripping down to use his only clothing as a freaking sun shield over my head. It made a girl’s head spin.

I pushed thoughts of Gahn Baldor to the side for now. I had hoped some sleep would have helped me clear my head, help me figure out what to do. But it hadn’t. So for now, I would push it to the back of my mind. It was pretty easy to do, considering the distraction of whatever excitement was going through the group of girls around me.

“What’s going on?” I asked Jocelyn. She and a few others were crouched by the tent’s flap, looking outside.

“Some mega-hot bloke fell asleep right outside. Reckon he’s waiting for somebody in here.”

My heart dropped like an anvil. Lordy, wonder who that could be. I wiggled into the group, peering outside.

Yup. It was Gahn Baldor.

And… I kind of got why the girls were all in a tizzy. From here, we could see him in profile. He was seated cross-legged on the sand outside, leaning back against the tent’s post. His head was tipped back against that post, too, showcasing his hard bone structure and the thick column of this throat. The way his arms were crossed made his corded muscles bulge, even though he wasn’t flexing or anything. Man, that guy was naked beside me a few hours ago. The thought was pure steam inside me, heating me up. But instead of inflating, I collapsed into the sand, sighing.

“What is it?” Jocelyn asked, turning her keen gaze onto me.

“Oh, nothing. Only the fact that that’s the Gahn of the tribe who attacked us just sitting out there.”

“No way!” Serena said, turning to face me, her blue eyes wide.

“Yup. And there’s more.” I debated telling them about what Gahn Baldor had said, but what would be the point of hiding it? These girls were my best friends now. And if anyone was going to help me work this out it would be them.

“More?” Jocelyn pressed, and I took a breath, steadying myself.

“He’s my mate. Or he’s supposed to be, anyway.”

Silence descended for a moment. But it was only a short moment. Because a second later cheers and laughter ran through the group of girls.

“Shh! Don’t want to wake him up!” somebody hissed through her laughter.

“Well, I’m glad y’all are so pleased about it,” I huffed, crossing my arms.

“Wait, what’s wrong? You’re not happy about this? I got the sense that you wanted a mate, too…” Jocelyn’s voice trailed off as she pursed her lips, looking at me.

“I do! Or I did! I don’t know. I just didn’t expect it to be the Gahn who attacked the other tribes here.”

Jocelyn settled herself beside me. “Yeah, I mean, I guess I see that. But at the same time, that’s just what these nutters do. It’s their culture, and you can’t blame yourself, or even him, really, for doing the only thing he knows how to do.”

“I guess so,” I murmured. I drew my knees up to my chest, settling my chin on them and poking at the laces on my boots.

“I’m not saying you need to jump into his arms if you aren’t feeling it, yeah? But you of all people have been raving about how sweet and lovely this mate bond thing is. And if anyone deserves that kind of sweetness, it’s you.”

“Thanks,” I said, feeling tears spring to my eyes. It was kind of her to say that I deserved happiness. But would I find it with the brooding, silver-eyed Gahn who’d come here so aggressively, blades drawn? I didn’t want or need anything crazy in my life. I didn’t need to stand out or even be special. I just wanted a quiet sort of happiness. I didn’t need the attention of a Gahn. Hell, if there had been some lowly alien farmer or something, I would have totally wanted to be his mate. But so far I hadn’t met any guy like that here. No farmers. No plain ol’ accountants or grocers or mailmen, either. All of these guys were trained, hardened warriors. Even the few old men hanging around still wore blades strapped to their backs.

There was no way out of that violence. I hadn’t fully appreciated it before, when I’d been longing for the love of a mate. I’d only seen the pretty, perfect parts of the other girls’ bonds. The romantic parts. But now that my mate was here, blades in his hands and dripping with blood, it was harder to look away from the darker parts.

But then again, maybe everybody has a little darkness in them…

Jocelyn was right. Gahn Baldor had been doing what all of these guys did. I couldn’t exactly fault him for that, even if I didn’t like it.

“Why don’t y’all go ahead to the evening meal? I’ll deal with our uninvited guest out there.”

A new round of titters went through the group, but everybody got up and one by one they exited the tent. They made an almost comical show of creeping past Gahn Baldor so as not to wake him. Jocelyn was the last to go, and I went outside with her.

“You sure you’re good?” she asked. I nodded.

“Yeah, thanks. Go on, now.”

“OK. Come find us to eat, though. I know you must be as hungry as I am.”

A well-timed grumble from my stomach made us both laugh, and Jocelyn turned and headed for the big communal fire that was already blazing. Now it was just me, the warriors standing guard, and the sleeping Gahn at my feet.

I turned and looked down at him. Man, there was no denying it. He truly was gorgeous. Like, almost painfully so. Somehow, even with his head tipped back asleep like that, he still managed to look almost elegant. Regal. No mouth gaping open, no drool or snoring. He looked like some ancient Roman marble figure in a museum somewhere. But not just any marble figure – one modelled off of the image of a god. A really, really muscly one.

Has he been here the whole time…?

I shifted from foot to foot, suddenly losing all the boldness I’d had before. I’d told the other girls I was going to deal with him, but what exactly did that mean? I took my time deciding, watching the slow rise and fall of his broad chest under his crossed arms. Like this, he looked so peaceful. It was hard to believe that he had led so many men into battle against us.

I could just leave him here and go eat…

But something about that didn’t feel quite right. Neither did nudging him with the toe of my boot, although if Kat had been there I was sure she would have had no problem with such a gesture. I settled on crouching down in front of him.

We were really close like this. If I tipped forward even slightly, I’d fall right into his lap. I kept my eyes up and off of that lap, focused on his face. Being this close to his face, I could see a slightly weathered hardness to his skin and a few silver hairs among his black ones. I wondered if he was a little older than the other Gahns. But then again, the lifestyle here wasn’t a stress-free one. Not exactly conducive to an anti-ageing beauty routine, so it was hard to say.

Whatever his age, whatever he’d gone through in his life, it didn’t take away from the brutal beauty of his face. My eyes traced his dark brows, the stony square jaw, the odd, cat-like nose that seemed to fit so well among his other features. The high, cropped Doberman-like ears. I titled my head, letting my gaze trail down his neck to his hard shoulders, where the bronze of his skin swirled into black. The melt of the colours into each other was striking, and in the rapidly disappearing evening light, his skin looked lovely. Almost begging me to reach out and touch it.

Oh, hell no, honey.

I’d literally almost done it! I’d almost reached forward and stroked my fingertips across his skin. To see what that beauty felt like.

Enough of this, time to wake him up.

I dragged my gaze back up to his face, only to gasp when I found two dark eyes open and watching me. His sight stars pulsed as our gazes met, and my heart slammed in my chest.

“Good evening,” he drawled, his voice deep and smoky.

“Evening,” I responded, rocking back on my heels, trying to create some space between us. For some reason, this felt way too intimate. Maybe it was the darkness of the sunset or the fact I’d just been next to him naked mere hours earlier.

Whatever. Doesn’t matter.

“Did you rest well?” Gahn Baldor uncrossed his arms, straightening up then leaning forward, his elbows on the knees of his crossed legs. And just like that, he collapsed the distance I’d created between us. Even though I was crouching and he was seated flat and leaning forward, the height difference meant our faces were level. My breath caught, and I swallowed hard.

“I did, thank you. And yourself?”

What the heck was this conversation? Some bizarre collection of pleasantries that would have been more at home back in the South than here. I just attacked your settlement and now I claim you as my mate. Say, how’s the weather?

“I always sleep well after a battle. Though even in sleep I could smell you.”

Um!

“Well, sorry, it’s been a busy day and night, if you hadn’t noticed!” I hadn’t been to the steam tent to clean myself since yesterday morning, and after all the sweating I’d been doing I’m sure I didn’t smell great. I looked down at my bare arms and realized I hadn’t even cleaned all the blood off myself properly, either.

“Sorry? Why do you apologize?” He regarded me with a stoic sort of curiosity. “I have never dreamed better dreams than those just now, drenched in your scent.”

Heat pounded into my cheeks, then down into my abdomen. What the hell what the hell what the hell. Why was that so embarrassing and arousing at the same time? These guys really are, like Jocelyn said, total nutters.

“Even now, your scent…” His sight stars drew tight, his brow falling heavier over his eyes. “It is almost more than I can bear.”

Eep. In a rush to create some more space between us, I jerked backwards, falling onto my ass. Gahn Baldor moved with a quickness that was shocking considering his bulk. I was on my butt, my hands planted in the sand behind me, while the huge Gahn loomed over me on his hands and knees. He blocked everything else out – the setting sun, the tents, the other warriors. Even the sounds of the settlement seemed to die away as I stared up at him.

My throat tightened, my whole body burning as he shifted slightly. One of his massive thighs was between my own. It was a hair’s breadth away from pressing against my crotch. My stomach tightened.

I couldn’t move or speak. I was pinned to the sand, to the moment, by the intensity of Baldor’s nearness. He seemed to feel the same. His jaw tightened, a growl building in his throat.

“Thereeza, I-”

A black blade appeared at Baldor’s throat.

“You may be a Gahn, but you are not a Gahn of this settlement. Get away from the new woman.”

No!

Seeing that blade at his throat terrified me. I may have barely known the guy, but I definitely didn’t want to see him hurt right in front of me. Especially not because of me.

“It’s fine!” I called upwards, but my words came too late. A flash of what looked like irritated impatience flew over Gahn Baldor’s features before he slammed upward. His reaction reinforced just how hard as fucking nails these guys were. Who the hell ends up with a knife at their throat and gets annoyed instead of crap-your-pants petrified? My own chest was seizing with fear and I wasn’t even in any danger.

I scrambled to stand, too, just in time to see Gahn Baldor tackling a man to the ground. It had been one of the guards outside the tent who’d put a blade to Baldor’s neck. The second guard hissed, drawing his own weapon.

Oh, shit.

I jumped in front of the second guard, raising my hands in a placating gesture.

“It’s all good, don’t worry about it. Please!”

I guessed seeing the other warrior with his weapons drawn in front of me took Gahn Baldor to another level, because I heard him roar, followed by the crunch of bone. I turned just in time to see him pull his elbow back from the crushed nose of the warrior on the ground before he whirled, his fangs bared. His braid had come loose in the combat, long strands falling to one side over his shaved skin.

Now I was holding my hands up towards him instead of the other guard.

“Stop this fighting. Right now.”

Gahn Baldor’s blazing eyes wrenched from the warrior behind me as I spoke. His handsome face was a twisted mask of feral fury. That fury ignited something primal in me. It didn’t feel like fear, but I didn’t have time to examine whatever weird feelings were happening right now. Right now, I needed to focus on diffusing the situation.

“No man can place his blade to a Gahn’s throat, nor draw weapons before his mate, and expect to live,” Baldor barked.

“Yeah, well, that’s not how we do things here,” I snapped. “You need to back down. You already broke that guy’s nose. Now let it be.”

Other warriors had noticed the kerfuffle and were running towards us. Clearly, Gahn Baldor was strong, but he wasn’t going to be able to take on a whole camp of warriors on his own. I moved closer to him. As I did so, a sudden memory came to me.

One of my favourite foster homes was one I stayed at when I was ten years old. They had a little farm with a chicken coop. I helped out with the animals and would often go collect the eggs and check on the hens. Well, one morning I found a coyote caught in the wire it had tried to wriggle under. I didn’t want it to hurt those chickens, but I’d always loved all animals, even as a kid. I couldn’t leave it there.

I still remembered the snapping of its jaws, even 18 years later. The way it regarded me as a threat, even as I moved to help it.

The way it bit at my forearm as I freed it, leaving a scar that you could still faintly see.

Luckily my foster mother had come running out, banging on a pot, scaring the poor critter off before it could do any more damage to me or the chickens once it was free. But even now, I still remembered its face and its fury and its fear.

That was how I felt coming closer to Gahn Baldor now. Like I was approaching a snarling animal caught in a trap.

Will he scar me, too?

He hadn’t drawn his huge blade from his back, at least. The warrior on the ground got up unsteadily, clearly stunned by the blow to his face. I could feel the second guard still standing ready behind me. The others who had run towards us had reached us, now, standing in a circle and ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Why do I feel like I’m trying to diffuse a freaking bomb here?

I focused on Gahn Baldor. My hands still raised, I stepped even closer. His hand arms were heaved out to the sides, fingers stretching, claws ready. His face was still dark and twisted, and somehow seemed to get even darker as he focused in on me.

“Easy,” I said, shaking my head slowly. Not knowing what else to do, I placed my palms on his chest. I didn’t give myself a chance to marvel at the smooth warmth of his skin and the rock-hard curve of his muscles. I was too worried about getting everybody to just take it down a notch.

Well, touching him definitely didn’t seem to take anything down a notch. His nostrils flared, his sight stars exploding in a haze across his eyes. He growled again, the sound resonating down my spine. For some reason, the only phrase left in my head was “down, boy.”

So I used it.

“Down, boy.”

Baldor’s face twitched, confusion cutting through the blood lust in his gaze. And I wasn’t sure it was just blood he was lusting after as he stepped even closer to me, pressing into my hands.

“Down, boy!” I said again, more loudly this time.

“You want me to go down?” he grunted, his chest heaving under my palms. “On the ground? I cannot fight well from there.”

“No, I want you to back down. Relax. Stop fighting.”

He looked even more confused now.

“You would have me ignore the insult these warriors have thrown upon me and let them live?”

“Yes,” I said firmly.

He stared at me in silence for a long time. Then he took one huge breath, letting it out slowly. His hands rose, covering my own and pinning them to his chest.

“I did not understand the other Gahns before this. I did not understand how they could forgo our warring ways to make peace here. But now, I do.”

His voice dropped lower, quieter, meant just for me.

“There is nothing I would not give up for you, Thereeza.”

Dang. Hit a girl right in the feels why don’t ya.

I couldn’t stand the intensity of his gaze any longer. I looked down at his hands covering mine on his chest. So strong and huge and…

Swollen?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Baldor

She’s come to me.

It did not matter if she was doing it to distract me, or to stop the fight that had broken out. She had come to me. She was touching me, sending fire racing through my veins. The softness of her hands was scorching agony. I pressed them tighter into my chest, suppressing a groan.

Suddenly the fight did not matter anymore. Nor did the insults or my pride or any of it. All that mattered was Thereeza and her mightily soft hands upon my hide.

Does she feel anything, yet? Surely she cannot be this close and feel nothing? I bent my head lower to hers, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply. That scent would destroy me.

My eyes flew open at Thereeza’s sudden proclamation.

“Your hand!”

Confused, I looked down at my hands on hers. She was leaning further forward, staring at my right hand.

Now I could see why. The appendage was swollen, the wounds there oozing. I’d never gone to see a healer yesterday, and now it looked like things were festering. I’d been so distracted by Thereeza’s closeness, then the warrior’s attack just now, that I hadn’t noticed. But now that I had, I could feel a hot creep of pain up my arm, pounding in time with my pulse.

“It’s infected,” Thereeza said, her eyes wide as they met mine.

Was she… concerned for me?

Precious, beautiful mate. I would soothe her worries.

“Do not worry, sun-haired one. This is nothing for a Gahn.”

Her face flattened into seriousness. For some reason, she did not seem soothed at all…

“I’ve seen creatures bigger than you die from wounds smaller than this.”

What creatures? Maybe a krixel? There weren’t that many creatures bigger than me in this world. But then I remembered the lizardmen of the Bitter Sea. Not many creatures that I knew of, anyway.

She shook her head and snaked her small hands out from mine. I lurched forward, seeking to maintain that contact, but she had already turned away.

“Are you alright?” She was speaking to the warrior whose face I’d smashed.

I glowered at him. Black blood streamed from his nose, and no doubt his head felt like it was full of sand at the moment, but he would likely be fine. I hadn’t gotten the chance to kill him for his actions. And now my pretty mate was turning her attentions to him when he did not deserve it. This soured in my stomach, and I stepped up closer behind her back, glaring at the warrior, letting him know through my narrowed gaze that if he took up any more of my mate’s time then I really would kill him.

He caught my look and frowned.

“I am fine,” he said sullenly.

“See. He is fine,” I grumbled. “So you do not need to waste any more of your attention on him.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, that attention is coming right back around to you, now.” Thereeza turned and regarded me with a fierceness that surprised me in her soft face. “What kind of dang fool lets a wound get like that when there are three different healers’ tents right freaking here?”

Fool? She thought I was a fool?

Perhaps I was a fool. Because I’d barely begun to know my mate, and already I was failing with her. I did not know how to please her. Nor how to make her mine.

I stared at her in bewilderment and she breathed out a short sigh.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

Thereeza took hold of my uninjured hand and tugged. I stood, watching her tiny form yank at my arm.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to get you to follow me!” she cried. She gave another adorably weak tug, and finally, I moved, allowing her to guide me.

She forged forward, looking like a very small and very angry warrior in her own right. I could not tear my eyes away from her as she led me forward. It was fully night, now, and the light of the moons and stars cascaded over her form, making her pale hair glow and her skin gleam. My fingers jerked involuntarily in her grip, a love-stricken spasm I could not control. If she felt it, she ignored it. She did not slow, and I found I liked the single-minded focus she used to lead me forward.

Though I was suspecting more and more that I would like every part of her.

We stopped outside the tent where I’d first seen her. Gahn Taliok’s healers’ tent. I forced down a groan. I still did not want to submit to the healers of another tribe. But if my mate demanded it, I would do it.

We went inside. I was glad to see that there were fewer men here than before. Many of them were healed enough to leave this tent. And the ones who remained seemed much better. Some of them were sleeping, but others were sitting up and talking amongst themselves. The ones who were able stood and raised their tails before me.

“Sit, men, and regain your strength,” I said, jerking my own tail. I did not want them wasting energy raising their tails to me. But still, since it had already happened, I could not help but feel a surge of pride. I was glad to have Thereeza here to witness the glory of my men’s respect for me, their Gahn. I looked down at her, but oddly she did not seem impressed.

Hmm.

“Rika! Hi! How are you doing? I’ve got a new patient for you,” Thereeza said.

An old healer whom I recognized came towards us. If I remembered correctly, she was one of Gahn Buroudei’s healers. I’d spoken with her earlier when inquiring about the status of men’s injuries.

Thereeza released my good hand, then gently gripped the wrist of my injured one. Curse me and everything I’ve ever known. That touch. Those soft fingers, that gentleness, the timid heat…

What would it take to turn such gentleness to lust?

I would find out. I swore to everything that was sacred that I would find out. No matter what it took. I would lose my mind otherwise. And there was not enough room in all the Sea Sands for two mad Gahns.

Thereeza pulled my hand upward and Rika bent towards it. The wounds had stopped bleeding, but now they were oozing red pus, my fingers swollen like ropes of Dakrival innards.

“He needs Lavrika’s blood. No other herbs or poultices will be enough for this,” Rika said, raising her head.

“No problem. I can do it myself if you’re too busy or tired,” Thereeza replied.

“We have none. We have used the last of our stores.”

Thereeza responded with a word I did not recognize. Her tiny little teeth bit down on her pink lower lip.

“It is no great matter,” I said. I was glad the Lavrika’s blood was used on the other men before me. I would get through this some other way.

“It’s not ‘no great matter!’” my mate said sharply. Then she turned back to Rika. “Give us some jars and we’ll go get more for you.”

Me? Go get more Lavrika’s blood? Such a chore was a healer’s task, not one for a Gahn. But then again, the only reason the Lavrika’s blood had run out was because of the attack I had launched. And if Thereeza was going, there was no way I would stay behind. Now that I had found her, I did not relish the idea of letting her out of my sight for even an instant. If I couldn’t see her, I couldn’t protect her. I had already made that mistake once in my life. I straightened and looked at the old healer.

“Yes, Rika. Bring us your jars. We will do it.”

Rika’s sight stars pulsed in surprise as she looked back and forth between us.

“The Gahn will go fetch Lavrika’s blood…” She said it slowly, as if she did not believe the words. She, too, understood the unusual nature of such a thing. A king doing the mundane duties of the tribe, something usually done by the women. I hardly believed I was doing it myself. I would not have believed any of this before I’d come here.

I have not yet even claimed her as my mate, and already she has shifted the foundations of my life.

Rika remained still a moment longer as if to make sure I had spoken true. But then she moved away, collecting empty jars before returning to us. She tried to give them to Thereeza, but I moved my good hand between them.

“Give me a hide and I will take them.”

Once again shock widened her eyes, but she moved to do my bidding anyway. She gathered a spare hide no longer being used as a bed for an injured man and gave it to me. I bent to the ground, placing all the jars in the centre of the large square of hide and them bringing the corners together. I stood with the large bundle, tossing it behind my shoulders, hearing the jars thud against each other.

“You’re the injured one. I should take some,” Thereeza, said, frowning at me. Yes, it was true that I liked everything about her. I even liked these stern frowns. Though I hoped she would show me more of her smiles, too.

“As I have said before, this is nothing for a Gahn.” I adjusted the jars against my back. “Let us go.”

Thereeza looked down at the injured hand hanging by my side, still frowning. My good hand was up, holding the corners of the hide with the jars. Having my other hand low like this was making the blood pound painfully in it. For all I spoke of this injury being nothing, it would be good to get it dealt with swiftly.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

The two of us exited the tent and moved through the settlement. Most of the people of the three tribes were gathered around one large fire for the evening.

Only one evening fire… For three tribes…

We moved past the fire, out towards the open sands. The opening to the caves of the Lavrika was on the other side of the cliffs. We’d have to follow along its rocky walls to get there.

But three warriors who stood guard between the tents and the open sands turned and drew their weapons at our approach. I immediately lowered the jars to the ground and crouched into a defensive stance between Thereeza and these men. Thereeza may have called me a fool, but the real fools were the warriors who thought they could draw blades before my mate and live.

“Hold your horses… er, irkdu,” Thereeza said, poking at my shoulder.

I sighed, forcing myself to tamp down the desire to launch full-force at these men. My irkdu was not even close by. I did not have time to ask her why she needed me to hold my irkdu before one of the armed men spoke.

“No man may take a new woman from the settlement alone,” called the warrior directly in front of me.

“Yes, especially one not of this alliance,” said the one on my left.

I stood, straightening to my full height and keeping Thereeza behind me. She shifted her hand. The gentle press of her palm beneath my batliff, between my shoulder blades, was the only thing holding me back.

“You should ask your fellow guard’s nose what happens to men who try to stop me,” I snapped. I was growing tired of this. There may have been new women and new ways, but a Gahn was still owed respect. No one had the right to get between him and his mate. Especially not some lower guard of another tribe.

“What is happening?”

Gahn Buroudei was hurrying towards us, followed closely by Gahn Fallo. The two stopped when they reached us.

“What is happening is that your guards are taking their lives into their claws by disrespecting me,” I said.

“He has tried to leave the settlement with a new woman,” said the guard on the left.

“I have tried to visit the sacred caves of the Lavrika with my mate to retrieve Lavrika’s blood for your healers,” I corrected, hissing.

“I volunteered to go with him,” Thereeza piped up from behind me. Her words warmed me. They made me want to say, See? She wants to go with me.

What I really wanted to be able to say was, See? She wants me.

But this was close enough for now.

Buroudei’s mouth thinned into a hard line.

“It is true we do not allow men to take new women out of this settlement without chaperones from other tribes. But she is your mate, and you are a Gahn. I would not keep you from what you wish to do.”

Finally, some sense.

Gahn Fallo looked like he wanted to argue, but he held his foul tongues for now.

“Oh, while you are here,” I added, “I may as well tell you that you might hear some complaints from your men. I attacked one of your guards earlier, outside the new women’s tent.”

“What?” snarled Fallo.

“I was right to,” I said, my jaws snapping at him. “He held a blade to my throat, getting between my mate and me. So far I have maintained our truce here, but in this, I had no choice. He is lucky I did not take his life, and it was only my mate’s demands that kept me from doing so, truce or not.”

Buroudei sighed, and Fallo relaxed somewhat.

“That is fair, Baldor,” Fallo finally said, his red sight stars settling on my face. “Even I cannot find fault in your actions. I only find fault in the fact that you let that warrior live after such a display.”

“Quiet, Fallo. You know as well as I do that our mates and their friends require peace here!” Buroudei replied, sounding irritated. I could see quite easily that though this peace had held so far, it was not always an easy one with three Gahns present.

As soon as everything settles, my next priority must be to take Thereeza from this place forever.

I was already itching to get back to the plains of my people and smell the salt air.

“Let him pass,” Buroudei said to the guards who’d tried to stop me. Then he turned back to Thereeza and me. “But we expect you to return before dawn, Gahn Baldor, as you are only travelling to the Lavrika’s caves which are not very far. If you do not return, a search party will be sent for you.”

I wanted to rage against that, to call it disrespect and draw my dark blade. But even through my anger, I could tell that this was an assurance for Thereeza’s safety, not something done against me. Even though I did not like it, I could understand why such measures had been put in place to protect these precious females. As someone who had suffered such a great loss once, I probably understood it better than most.

“This is fine,” I said stiffly. I felt Thereeza let out a breath behind me. Her small hand curled into a fist against my back, then fell away.

I bent to retrieve the jars, pulling the corners of the hide closed and putting the bundle over my shoulder again. Under the watchful eyes of the others, I placed my other hand, injured yet defiant, on Thereeza’s shoulder, drawing her near though being careful not to touch my wet wounds to her lovely skin. She stiffened slightly but did not pull away.

“Come, sun-haired one. Let us go.”

And with that, we left the other men, the other tribes, and everything else behind.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Theresa

Gahn Baldor and I set off away from the settlement. We kept close to the wall of the cliffs, with Gahn Baldor keeping himself between the desert and me. Likely because the open sands were a dangerous place. I shivered slightly, though, as I remembered that the cliffs could be just as dangerous. I didn’t like to think of the time I’d spent trapped by the krixel if I could help it, but as the gigantic cliffs loomed beside us, I couldn’t help myself.

“Your body shook. Why?” Gahn Baldor said, his questioning voice dragging me out of my memories.

“Oh. Nothing. Just thinking about something.”

He looked down at me as we walked, his silver sight stars a dark gunmetal grey in the night. It didn’t look like he was going to let that one go. I guess I’ll tell him.

“I got trapped by a krixel in the cliffs. Well, not these cliffs. Back when we were staying with Gahn Fallo.”

Gahn Baldor stopped walking, his heavy arm around my shoulders forcing me to stop, too.

“What is it?” I asked, confused. I gasped when Gahn Baldor dropped the jars to the sand, backing me up against the cliff wall. He caged me in with his massive body, his huge hands planted beside my head as he leaned down.

I wanted to tell him to get his infected hand off the dirty, dusty rock, but he spoke first.

“What happened? Were you hurt?”

The raw ache of his voice made my eyes widen. His face was harder than the rock at my back.

“No, I’m fine. I’m OK. It trapped me in a crevasse, but other than being out in the sun too long and getting dehydrated I wasn’t hurt.” God, that had been a hellish day and a half. Thank goodness Chapman had found me. I still felt a deep twinge of shame that it had even happened in the first place. That I’d put her in danger, and required rescuing.

“I should have been there. It never would have happened if I had been there.” He groaned, then, his huge head dipping. His forehead bumped against the top of my head, pressing downwards. I watched the muscles in his shoulders jump and go taut when his forehead touched my hair.

“I could have lost you before I’d even found you.”

There was a ragged heartbreak in his words. It felt like it was too much. Out of place. I was fine, after all. There was no reason to be so upset about it now.

“It’s OK,” I said, wanting to ease whatever was breaking open in him. “Like I said, I’m fine. And it was my own fault anyway. I wandered away from the others and ended up somewhere unsafe.”

Gahn Baldor remained still, pressing his forehead into my hair for a long time. Finally, with a shuddering breath, he pulled back. There was a dark seriousness to his eyes, a stony set to his jaw.

“So this is why they tell me they will send a search party for us, then? Because they have lost track of you before?”

I laughed softly, unable to help myself.

“Guess so,” I said, shaking my head. I mean, I knew that wasn’t the reason Gahn Buroudei had said that about the search party, but it still felt a bit funny to think about.

“Well, these Gahns do not know me well enough.” His face pressed closer, his voice falling lower. “No one will ever have to search for you again. Because now, I have found you.”

My laughter died. His words were a sobering tonic. My chest hitched as he spoke again.

“And now that I have found you, I refuse to lose you. Not even for a moment.”

He was so fucking close to me now.  His arms like metal bars on either side of me, his chest a wall before me. His eyes piercing me, consuming me.

Without meaning to, I felt my back arching. Like my body was searching for some contact before my brain caught up. Gahn Baldor’s sight stars flared before slipping down to my breasts. His gaze lingered there, his jaw working.

I could let him touch me. Just a little…

The force of that desire was intoxicating, flooding my senses. I barely knew this enemy Gahn. And he’d attacked us. But being out here, alone like this under the dark curtain of the night, I felt my resolve slipping away. Something was drawing me into him. It wasn’t just his physical presence. It went deeper than that.

Just how deep, though?

I had no clue.

I squeaked, inhaling sharply when he finally did touch me. He leaned closer, moving to lay his forearm against the rock instead of just planting his palm there. His other hand moved to cup my jaw. His hand was huge, easily holding the entire side of my face. His fingers twitched as if he were trying to hold something back.

I wanted to draw him closer. But should I do that now? I still barely knew him. I definitely didn’t know for sure if I would accept him as my mate or if I could even trust him. But the intensity of the heat between us was building. Clearly, he was feeling it too. I choked out a huffed breath when my eyes caught on the straining hardness beneath his loincloth, pulling the fabric tight. His forehead lowered further, bumping against mine. His mouth was so close that when he spoke next, I felt his words on my skin more than heard them.

“Thereeza,” he groaned. “My world has been dark for so long.”

There it was again. That ragged pain…

“But now, here you are, with hair like the sun and eyes like young stars. You’ve brought the light back.”

Holy hell, those words. My body was alight with them, with him.

And I almost gave in. Dagnabbit, I nearly pushed this enemy Gahn to the sands and mounted him right there on the open air. But when his other hand came to rest at my neck, his thumb desperately fingering my pulse, I felt the sharp difference in temperature between that hand and his other. And reality came tumbling back.

“Your hand!” I exclaimed, rearing back so hard I bumped my head against the rock. “Ouch!”

Gahn Baldor’s hands moved up to hold either side of my skull, pulling my head forward.

“Have you injured yourself? I see no blood.”

I tried to shake my head but couldn’t in his strong grasp.

“I’m fine. Just a bump. You’re the one who’s injured, so please let go now.”

He did so, though reluctantly. When I raised my head to look at him again, he bent, his eyes an inch from mine.

“What!?” I cried, almost jerking back and hitting my head for the second time. Graceful.

“When a person of the Sea Sands has hit their head, it can affect their sight stars when the injury is serious.” His brows collapsed down into a deep frown. “But your eyes are so different. I do not know what to look for…”

“Oh, yeah. Happens to humans too. Our pupils can get messed up with we have a bad head injury.”

“Pupils… Your dark sight stars?”

“Yeah. In the middle.”

He came even closer, his nose brushing mine, sending explosions of goosebumps over my skin.

“Your pupils are very large. What does it mean?”

“It means it’s dark out here.” I didn’t even want to know what my eyes looked like right now. Probably glazed over, pupils blown with arousal. Even now, I could still feel heat pumping between my legs at this huge warrior’s nearness. But I didn’t need to tell him all that right now. And technically the thing about the darkness was true, after all.

“I’m fine. Really. We need to keep going,” I said quickly. After a long moment of staring into my eyes as intensely as if they held the meaning of the universe, he finally pulled back. But only a little.

“I will trust your words. It is hard to tell what would injure you. You are so small, and your skull does not seem as strong as mine.”

I snorted at that and we resumed walking. A smile tugged at my lips as his arm went around my shoulders once again.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I replied. “Been called hardheaded once or twice in my lifetime.”

Gahn Baldor grunted.

“If you mean stubborn, then that is good. It is a good quality for a Gahnala.”

His Gahnala. His queen.

Get your head on straight and focus, girl. There’s not going to be any Gahnala if the Gahn dies of sepsis.

Under the heavy weight of his arm, I moved a little quicker, drawing him forward with me.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Baldor

I kept Thereeza tight to my side as we continued around the cliffs. That whole side of my body was hot, burning where she touched. And it wasn’t because of the infection pumping through my veins on that side, either. It was all her, and my body’s need for her.

We’d been so close a few moments ago. Cursed injury. If she hadn’t stopped to remember it, what could have happened between us?

Patience, Gahn. Patience. It will come.

But with her agonizingly soft form against my side, I did not feel patient. I felt simultaneously hollowed out and filled to bursting. I hungered and pulsed. Old sorrows and new lusts warring.

Sometime later, we reached the entrance to the caves of the Lavrika. The Lavrikala, the sacred guardian, watched us closely as I raised my tail over my eyes.

“We are here to collect more Lavrika’s blood.” I held the jars, still bundled in their hide, up with my uninjured hand so the guardian could see.

“It is not customary for a Gahn to do such a thing,” the Lavrikala said, her eyes narrowing.

“I am aware,” I said. I had basically been saying the same thing myself, over and over, since I’d arrived at this settlement.

“We have a lot of wounded we’ve been taking care of, including him,” Thereeza said, jerking her head up towards me, clearly referring to me. “We need to get more, if you’ll allow us passage.”

The Lavrikala regarded us for a quiet moment, then swished her tail in agreement.

“You may pass.”

“Thank you,” Thereeza said, bobbing her head and showing her small blunt teeth in a smile so lovely it almost made me dizzy. This infection must be spreading faster than I’d thought. There was no way I was weakened in such a way just from a female’s smile…

Was there?

Thereeza and I passed the Lavrikala and entered the darkness of the cliffs. The passage was too narrow for us to walk side by side, so I urged her in front of me, keeping one hand firm on her slim shoulder. In any other circumstances, I would go first to make sure the way was safe. But here, in the sacred caves, we were probably safer than anywhere else in this world. All the dangers existed out there, in the sea and in the sand. All of it at my back. So her going first was best now.

“I forgot how dark it was in here,” Thereeza whispered. Even speaking so quietly, her voice cascaded and jumped from the walls around us.

“Nowhere could be dark where you are,” I said simply. I meant it. There may have literally been no light around us, but that did not matter. Not with the burning beauty of my mate guiding the way.

And soon enough, there was more light. Ahead was the large cavern that housed the Lavrika’s pools. The narrow passage of rock opened, funnelling us into the large open space.

Memories pounded through me. Memories of the last two times I’d come here, both times to be presented with my destiny. One of which was doomed.

But my new destiny? The one standing before me, turning her small head as she surveyed the sacred space?

I would hold so, so fast to her. My claws were strong. I would not let love slip through them again.

“You have been here before?” I asked, recalling her previous statement. About forgetting how dark it was.

“Yes,” she said, turning to me. The glow of the sacred pools illuminated her skin and the wet glitter of her eyes.

“All us humans have been here. We went into the pools and the Lavrika gave us the gift of the Sea Sand language. It’s how you and I can speak so easily.”

Interesting. I had never heard of such a thing. I had never heard of a female entering the pools at all, besides the healers dipping their jars. This part of the story had been forgotten by the other Gahns. I did not blame them for that – there had been much to tell.

“Then I am doubly thankful to the Lavrika. Both for showing you to me, and for allowing us to speak.”

“Oh, yeah, you must have been here recently, too, right?”

“I have been here twice.”

Thereeza cocked her head at me.

“Twice?”

My heart lurched in my chest. I wanted so much to tell her of my past. To tell her of all that had happened in my life. My time as a hunter, my time as a Gahn, and between them, the loss of my mate. But again that dark doubt surged. I could not claim my first mate. I could not keep her safe. If Thereeza knows such a thing, surely she will turn from me forever. The shame of my loss, that I had not saved my first mate, had not been there for her in her time of need, closed my throat and kept me from speaking further on the subject.

Someday soon, I will have to tell her. I cannot keep the secrets of my heart from my mate.

But I was not ready to tell her now.

“We should collect the Lavrika’s blood,” I said, lowering the jars to the floor. Thereeza nodded her head in that charmingly odd way of hers, then bent to take two jars.

“Yes. And you need to get over there and put your hand in the pool, too.”

So she would not spread the salve into my wound with her own soft hands? Pity.

I took a jar in my good hand, and together we moved to the edge of the nearest pool. Thereeza knelt at the edge, dipping her jars in and filling them. She stared at the glowing contents of the jars before placing the lids upon them. I watched her as she worked, unable to stop myself from admiring the glint of silvered light on her delicate features. I kept my gaze on her as I filled my own jar, watching as she returned to collect the last jars and fill them.

When Thereeza was finished filling the jars, she stopped what she was doing, her face crumpling into a frown.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting up straighter.

She muttered something in her own tongue then sighed. Moving to her knees, she took the wrist of my injured hand in her two small ones.

“We still haven’t dealt with your hand! Come on. Lean forward.”

I let her soft grip guide my hand into the pool. A surge of sparking energy moved through me, but I could not tell if it was from the Lavrika’s blood or from her. Either way, I could not shake the feeling that those two hands were leading me into my future. Forging me into the man, the Gahn, that I was meant to be.

Thereeza had submerged my hand past my wrist. So much so that her own hands were in the liquid with mine, invisible beneath the milky surface. But I did not need to see her to feel her, holding fast to me as I had sworn to hold fast to her. Linked by fate and now melded in the sacred Lavrika’s blood. My hand pulsed with my blood and my chest pounded with thick love. The kind of love I’d never be able to free myself from.

And I’d never want to.

She may not have accepted me yet, but she is mine. She will be mine in the way no one else has been.

I would claim her. I would mate her. And I would make her my Gahnala.

A desperate, blinding possessiveness reared inside me. My good hand shot down into the liquid, covering both her hands with my clawed fingers. Pressing her hands harder against my wrist. Her head jerked to me, her eyes meeting my own.

Those strange eyes widened as they registered the words that rang so hard and true that I did not even need to speak them.

For this day and all the days that will come, you are mine.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Theresa

Our hands were plunged down together into the Lavrika’s blood. Baldor’s good hand was pressing into my fingers, his eyes boring into mine. The glow of the pools around us gleamed along the sharp cut of his cheekbones, his broad jaw. They turned his sight stars a bright mercury, his hair, still loose from the fight earlier, gleaming. My heart pounded, my breath stilled. Bright heat exploded from our points of contact. My arms were buzzing with it, electricity under my skin.

Is he going to kiss me? Am I going to let him?

I didn’t get the chance to find out. Because my stomach chose that extremely delicate moment to gurgle loudly.

Baldor immediately yanked his hands from the Lavrika’s blood, crushing me to his side, drawing his blade.

“I did not think it possible for a predator to enter these caves. Stay close!”

Kill me now. Please.

“There’s no predator,” I said, hating every second of this exchange. It was embarrassing enough when stuff like this happened in front of a human guy. But in front of a gorgeous alien that you now needed to explain human bodily functions, too? Yikes.

“But the sound -”

“That was me,” I said, wanting to dive down into the pool next to us, never to be seen again. “My stomach. I’m hungry.”

Baldor slowly leaned away from me so that he could better see my face.

“So this growling sound was you… A sign of your hunger?”

“Yes.” Oh my god let this end.

“Is the redness in your cheeks also a sign of your hunger?”

“No, that’s something else. That’s… Nevermind.”

Gahn Baldor sheathed his blade slowly, still looking around the caves as if he didn’t quite believe me. But when my stomach gurgled again, he jumped, his gaze falling to my abdomen.

“Fascinating…” he said, staring at my torso until I crossed my arms over myself.

“I guess it’s a human thing. I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

There’s been so much going on it was easy to forget it. But now that I’d remembered, I was ravenous. Even a little woozy.

“I have done a poor job providing for my mate thus far. Come.” Gahn Baldor stood, gripping my hands and pulling me to my feet.

“Oh wait, how’s your injury?” I asked, looking down at those hands. No matter how hungry I was, it didn’t make sense to leave here if his hand was still all messed up.

But I could tell it was already way better. The wounds had closed, and the swelling had already reduced significantly.

“This really is amazing stuff,” I said, shaking my head. “Kinda makes sense humanity wanted to steal it. I mean, that doesn’t make it right, of course. But wow. We don’t have stuff like this where I come from.”

“Your homeworld? The Gahns told me a little of it. And of the threat they think your people pose.”

I sighed. I still couldn’t believe that not only had human authorities abducted us and dumped us here, but that they were probably coming back to blow us all to smithereens.

“Yeah. We may not have stuff like the Lavrika’s blood, but we have other things. Weapons. Technology.”

Gahn Baldor’s hands moved up to cup my jaw. I flinched at the contact. I wasn’t exactly used to him just touching me like this. But his hands and his gaze were steady on my face.

“You need not fear your kind, nor any other enemy. No man will threaten your safety and live. This, I promise you.”

“Does that mean you and your tribe are going to join us here? Join the alliance and stay at the cliffs?” I asked, feeling hope grow.

Baldor’s eyes darkened.

“I did not say that. My only priority now that I have found you is to take you away from here. You will be safe with my people by the sea.”

“No!” I cried, ducking out of his hold and stepping back. I needed to put more distance between us. Being too close to him was making things all foggy and strange. I wasn’t able to think straight.

But even so, I knew that that was not going to happen. I wasn’t going to leave this place, these people. The other human girls here, and even many of the Sea Sand people, were my dear friends. My family. We’d carved out a life here, day after painstaking day. We’d made a home. And sacred mate bond or not, I wasn’t about to give all that up on a whim because of a smoking hot alien king who wanted to spirit me away.

“No?” Gahn Baldor said, his frown deepening. “I do not understand…”

“I’m not going to leave this place. This is my home now. These people are my people.”

Gahn Baldor’s mouth opened and closed several times, the glow of the caves alighting on his fangs as he did so. “I understand that you do not yet feel the mate bond. But you must understand that as my mate and my Gahnala, your place is at my side in my tribal lands.”

His words were more a statement than a question.

He’s not asking me what I want. He’s telling me what he wants.

“No, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to do that.” I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest. All the other Gahns had put aside their differences for their mates and for the peace here. Gahn Baldor would have to do the same.

Otherwise we wouldn’t stand a chance.

And for some God-forsaken reason, that made me really, really sad.

He seemed equally perturbed, staring at me wordlessly. Finally, he sighed, running his claws through his long hair.

“This must have been what others spoke of when they called you hardheaded.”

I laughed mirthlessly.

“Guess so. I thought you said that was a good quality for a Gahnala?”

Baldor’s newly healed hand moved to rub his jaw thoughtfully as he studied me. Then he let it fall, taking a large step towards me until there was only a breath between us.

“I could take you whether you wanted to go or not.”

Uh oh. A hot streak of fear, mingled with a rather fucked-up arousal, went through my guts.

“They’d never let you,” I whispered. I knew it. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him. He attacked us. I shouldn’t have even come here alone with him.

A dark claw came up to brush my lower lip. Baldor’s face was intense, even pained. My instincts were screaming at me to cut and run, but my body wouldn’t move.

“Whether they’d let me or not is immaterial. You underestimate my devotion to keeping you, no matter the cost.”

What the hell? Was he saying he’d risk dying to try to take me from this place?

That definitely did not sit right with me. The thought of his death was… not a good one.

“Why can’t you just join with us here? Bring your whole tribe and be our allies?” I pleaded.

That claw brushed my lip again, and I gasped, unable to keep myself from opening my mouth. A muscle in Baldor’s jaw jumped, his sight stars falling to my mouth.

“You ask much of me, Thereeza. And much of my men.”

My eyes burned, and I realized bitterly that I was feeling… betrayed. Betrayed by this brutal Gahn I didn’t even know.

“Weren’t you the one who said there was nothing you wouldn’t give up for me?” My throat felt tight, and it was hard to get the words out.

But maybe I was asking too much of him. I hadn’t given him any real indication that I was into this. I’d made no commitment to him. And now I wanted him to uproot his entire tribe, his whole way of life, and live among his enemies?

OK, when you put it like that, it’s definitely a lot. Maybe it wasn’t all that fair for me to expect him to give up everything he’d known basically the same day he’d met me. But then again, it wasn’t exactly fair of him to just say he’d kidnap me, either.

His claw moved from my lower lip to the side of my face, fingering a strand of my hair.

“If I do this… If I agree to ally with the other Gahns and move my people here…” His voice grew husky. “Will you accept me as your mate?”

The dark desire on his face was unmistakable. But I didn’t want to promise him anything I wasn’t 100% sure about yet. Besides, I wasn’t about to pimp myself out for political alliances. If I accepted a mate, it would be because I was head over heels in love with him. Not to gain access to the power of his tribe.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “You doing all that wouldn’t guarantee my acceptance or anything. But it would be done to protect me and the other girls. There’s safety in numbers.”

“There is safety in my people’s lands, away from here.”

Anger bubbled up inside me. Why did he have to be so argumentative, so proud? How could he even be so sure?

“Well, from what I’ve seen, this whole planet is a death trap. It has its beauties, but it has monsters, too. The deserts have the zeelk. The cliffs have the krixels. I’m sure your lands have their dangers, too. What about the Bitter Sea? What kind of danger is there?”

Gahn Baldor took in a very sharp breath, his nostrils flaring. A flash of what looked like pain crossed his features. But it was hard to tell. His face hardened into an expressionless mask.

He let his hands fall away from my face. For some reason, the absence of his touch felt all wrong. I had the absurd desire to apologize just to bring his hands back, even though I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong.

How the heck do the other girls navigate issues like this with their mates?! Our lives, our cultures were so different. Our expectations, too. Gahn Baldor had expected that he’d come here, be victorious in his battle, and that I’d be falling over myself to jump into his arms, seduced by the mate bond. And I’d expected that, if I had gotten a mate, he would be… softer in his ways. That he’d be like Buroudei or Kor and that he would want to instantly please me no matter what. We’re probably both freaking idiots. The dreams of what we’d thought we’d find in each other were fading under a harsh alien sun.

And I didn’t know how we’d find our way back.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Baldor

I would have to speak to the other Gahns about this. About a possible alliance. I had not been interested in considering such a thing before, but Thereeza’s words had torn me right down to my bones. Her words about the monsters, the dangers, of my lands. The very dangers that had dragged my first love from me. I could not protect Zolinna, and if I took Thereeza with me, perhaps I would not be able to protect her, either.

Everything in me rebelled against that idea. I felt deep in my core that I would destroy anything, destroy everything, before harm came to her. But was that reality, or was that pride speaking? And hurt? She had not accepted me, and she had made no promises to do so. That was almost a rejection. And that rejection made me want to drag her away from here, show her my power, and force her to love me.

But she had already said it before. She was hardheaded. I would not be able to force the mate bond upon her.

And I would force no more upon her this night, either.

“Come. We have filled our jars. Let us go.”

Thereeza’s head bobbed, the motion tight. Her face no longer looked so red. In fact, it looked oddly pale, even for her. Perhaps this also has to do with her hunger? Or something else?

I was bereft at my lack of understanding. I knew nothing of her besides my bone-crushing love for her. Though I’d argued and tried to work around it, even now I knew that I would do it. I’d stay here and submit to the alliance of the Gahns if she required it.

Even if she made no promise to be my mate.

That thought made me gnash my fangs. That I might live beside her and never get to love her. Not completely. Not the way I wanted to. I ached, even now, to worship every bit of her with my tongues, and to feel her clamp along my cock with her wet heat.

But even if that never came to pass, I would station myself here. At her side. There was nowhere else in this world for me now.

We left the cliffs together. I kept my arm around her for safety’s sake, but the ease that had started to grow between us had gone. The jars were heavier on my back than before, echoing the heaviness between my mate and me.

Why has the Lavrika done this to me? Given me a mate who died, and now a mate who does not want me?

There was  cruelty in such a fate. I had thought I was a strong Gahn. I’d lived through the death of Zolinna. And I thought nothing else could touch me.

But this small human female, with all her strange softness, had the ability to injure me the way no blade could.

I was distracted from my brooding by the flash of fur ahead of us. Immediately, without even thinking, I unlooped my arm from Thereeza’s shoulder, grabbed a small blade from my back, and hurled it forward into the night.

Thereeza made a small sound of shock that she stifled by throwing a hand over her mouth.

“What is it?” she asked, looking at me with wide eyes.

“A rakdo,” I said. “Before I was a Gahn, I was my tribe’s best hunter. It was instinct to get that kill.”

“Oh,” she said, sighing and placing a hand to her chest. “You scared me.”

I stopped myself from growling miserably, but just barely. Part of me, most of me, did not want her to be scared of me. I wanted her respect and her love and the eager wetness of her cunt. Not her fear. But another part, a smaller whispering part, the part twisted by grief and loss and desperate for any scrap of her, wanted to instill fear in her. Fear of my power, my strength. My lust. I knew I could not frighten her into my arms. That trying to do such a thing would only make her run from me. But still, that one despicable part wanted it. Wanted to pin her to the rock of the cliffs, ravishing her until she could do nothing but cling to me and scream that she was only mine, and mine forever. I wanted to crash against her, crash into her, until I was sure that nothing, not even death, could take her from me.

You have become a broken Gahn. And you do not deserve her.

We walked together until we reached the body of the rakdo I’d felled. It was a good size, healthy with a shiny coat. It would produce a good amount of meat. I bent and hoisted it onto my shoulder along with the jars.

The entrance to the settlement was in sight. I could see the guards, the very same three who’d tried to stop me from leaving with Thereeza. Bitter rage against them, against everything, against fate itself rose in my chest, but I forced it down. I had tried the path of rage, the path of violence, when I’d come here, blades drawn for her. And it had not worked.

So what path remained to lead me to her? To the heart of the creature who, though she was beside me, felt worlds away?

That, I could not say.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Theresa

“Well, goodnight,” I said.

We were outside the human tent now. Gahn Baldor twitched his tail in response.

“I will leave you here, then.” He sounded resigned. “I will take the jars to the healers.” He paused, eyeing me, then added, “But I will return afterwards.”

“You’re going to sleep out here again?!” He may have gotten his hand healed, but his body was no doubt in need of proper rest after the infection and the battle. “You should sleep somewhere more comfortable!”

He smiled wanly, and I realized it was the first time I’d seen him smile so far. But it wasn’t a happy one.

“My sun-haired one. You do not seem to understand that there is no comfort away from you.”

Oh.

I pressed my lips together, half of me wanting to argue, to tell him no, he needed to sleep somewhere better. In a tent, in some hides. But the other half was too damn tired to argue any more. He was a big boy. If he wanted to sleep sitting up out here on the sand, then so be it.

“Ah, here. A gift.” Gahn Baldor hoisted the dead rakdo off of his shoulder, readjusting his grip and holding it by the scruff of its neck in front of me. Rakdo meat was pretty decent, and the large, lynx-like animal had a glossy copper-coloured coat that we could definitely use for something.

A bed for Cece’s baby?

That thought churned inside me, bringing up a wave of hormones I was not prepared for in any way, shape, or form. I blinked back tears at the image of a tiny half-human, half-Sea Sands bundle curled up on this fur.

Exhaustion followed the emotions. The thought of dealing with the rakdo right now was too much.

“I’m so tired,” I said honestly, my voice breaking. I let out a deep breath, willing myself not to cry. You need to toughen up. Get your shit together. I stared at my boots, counting from one to ten in my head. It was something I’d done as a kid. To take my mind off stressful situations. If I could just get to ten, I’d be OK. It was a little game I played with myself. And if whatever was wrong was still wrong by the time I reached ten? Well, then I’d start it all again.

The rakdo withdrew from my line of vision.

“Do not trouble yourself. I will clean and butcher the kill for you.”

“Thanks,” I said, still looking down. One, two, three… “You can go now.”

I saw Gahn Baldor’s dark, clawed feet move closer. Finally, I raised my chin.

“Not until you’re safe inside.”

“Oh, right.”

Like a true gentleman.

Gentleman? You mean the alien warrior who came here, guns blazing, and said that he could steal you if you refused to go with him?

What a combo.

“I’ll go inside, then.” I looked up into his face.

He was leaning forward and down towards me. It wouldn’t be too hard to reach up and brush his cheek. Just to see what it felt like.

But I didn’t.

We said no more to each other, and I turned and went inside the tent.

If I was hoping for calm and quiet in the tent, I didn’t get it. Everyone was wide awake, and I was surprised to see that everyone was here – all the humans. Even Chapman, Cece, Melanie, Kat, and Zoey. They usually spent the night in the tents of their mates.

“Nice to have everybody all together,” I said, smiling tiredly as I entered the group.

“Hey!” Zoey said brightly. The others all turned towards me and smiled, beckoning me into the group. I took a step forward, then faltered, sudden dizziness overtaking me. Kat was up in an instant, throwing an arm around my waist with a strength that always surprised me considering her tiny frame.

“You alright?” she asked. “Where were you all evening, anyway?”

“I’m OK. Just starving. Haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

Chapman leaned over, grabbing some stuff off of a shelf nearby. Then she stood and came towards Kat and me.

“Sit down and have some of this.” I took the open valok plant that she offered, and gratefully let Kat guide me to the ground.

“Sorry, y’all,” I said. “Didn’t mean to be a bother.”

Kat snorted, and Chapman shooed my words away with a wave of her hand.

“Not a bother at all!” Cece said, moving closer to me. “You should have seen the scene I created earlier, barfing at the evening fire again tonight. So this is nothing.”

Oof. The mention of barfing had me feeling queasy. I took a few sips of the valok gel, and that helped a little.

“How are you feeling?” I asked Cece, finishing the valok plant.

Chapman took the husk from me and then pressed some smoked meat into my hand. I chewed on it as Cece answered.

“Not bad at the moment. It can come on suddenly. The heat definitely doesn’t help, and the smell of the meat at the fire is just too much sometimes.”

“But you weren’t at the evening fire, right? Where’d you run off to?” Kat asked, bumping me gently with her elbow.

“Here, have this too,” Chapman said, handing me a water bottle. I undid the cap and took a swig, already starting to feel a lot better.

“Long story,” I said with a sigh. “Well, maybe not all that long. I went with Gahn Baldor to the caves to get more Lavrika’s blood for the healers.”

“Oh, shit,” Kat said, drawing out the word so that it sounded like “sheet.” “So, what, did you guys get freaky in the caves? Is that why you’re so hungry and thirsty? I feel like that’s almost like getting railed in Church or something. Good for you!”

The idea of “getting railed in Church” made my Southern heart stop for a second.

“Um, no, we most definitely did not do that!” I exclaimed. “We just went together to fill up the jars. He killed a rakdo on the way back. No big deal.”

“What’s he like?” Zoey asked, pushing her glasses up her nose and gazing at me with her long-lashed eyes. “I know it can be weird when some rando comes out of the woodwork claiming he’s your mate.”

I huffed out a small laugh. Yeah, she’d definitely know that better than most.

“He’s… I don’t know.” How did I put everything I was feeling into words? That I felt drawn to him, almost intoxicated by him sometimes. But that we also seemed so at odds? Our wants, our expectations, so different from each other’s? “I mentioned the idea that he should ally with us here. Join the other Gahns and bring his tribe.”

“And?” Chapman said, a hard edge to her voice. So far, as the only military one among us, she’d taken on the brunt of figuring out strategies to deal with an eventual human attack.

It was crushing to look at her face and tell her, “He didn’t commit one way or the other.” I bit down on my lip, hard, feeling like I’d somehow failed. “Sorry.”

“Theresa, stop saying sorry. You’re fine!” Cece said, scooting closer. Melanie nodded from beside her and the others all gave reassuring smiles.

“If he’s your mate like he says he is,” Cece continued, “then he definitely will do it. It just might take some time. We’ve kind of changed their way of life overnight, here. But I don’t think any Sea Sand man would give up the chance to defend his mate, no matter what.”

“I hope so,” I said. And it wasn’t just for selfish reasons, either. I really did want all of us to have the best shot at survival here. And that meant working together.

“He’ll do it,” Chapman said after a quiet moment, nodding firmly. Out of everyone, her mate was the loosest of all the alien cannons. So to hear her say that, so sure of herself, was heartening.

“What have you guys been up to?” I asked after another sip of water. I was ready for a change of subject. Enough about me and my brooding mate.

“Oh, man, all kinds of stuff,” said Zoey. “We’re trying to figure out what kind of defences we can set up in case the human forces do come back here. Kor’s uncle and the two guards left. They weren’t so sure about everything, but the other Gahns took them to the ship earlier. Once they saw that, and saw the technology humans are capable of, they decided to officially join with us. So the three of them have gone back to the Bitter Sea to rally their forces.”

“So they’re going to stay here too?” I asked. That was good. Probably. I hoped. As long as everybody kept their cool and didn’t rip one another’s heads off. You never knew with these Zaphrinax warriors.

“Yup. Although we’re going to have to figure out the water thing,” Zoey replied. “They can survive out here, but Kor said the other three were starting to get uncomfortable without water.”

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Kat said. “Galok took me to this awesome spot in Buroudei’s territory – an oasis. It’s way closer than the sea, so they can go there to have a dip when they need to.”

“Um, OK, how come Buroudei has never taken me to the oasis!” Cece cried, her mouth falling open. “That sounds amazing.”

“When all this shit ends and things are safe, or, at least, safer, we should all go. I would totally love to go back,” Kat said, grinning.

“I’m in,” said Melanie.

“Same,” said Jocelyn. A round of agreement went through the group. A trip to an oasis sounded very, very nice right about now. Especially since, now that I had eaten, I was more and more aware of how gross and sweaty I was. I’ll deal with that tomorrow. I’m too tired now.

“Zoey and Kat are going back to the ship tomorrow,” Chapman said, interrupting our daydreaming.

“Whatchya gonna do there?” I asked, looking at the two in question.

“I’m going to check out the drones, see if I can disconnect them from whoever has access to them in orbit,” Zoey said. “If they’re still in orbit, anyway. I’m also going to see what else I can do with the tech on board. Maybe some kind of scanner scrambler. Not sure yet.”

“And I’m doing more work with the Lavrika’s blood,” Kat said. “I want to see what we can do with it besides healing. It carries massive amounts of energy. There’s a chance we could use it for defence, maybe even in some kind of weapon.”

“Dang,” I breathed. Something about that felt so wrong. Using the sacred, healing liquid to destroy. But desperate times truly did call for unholy measures, it turned out. “Say, can I come with?” I added suddenly. “I may not be able to help all that much, but I promise not to get in the way.”

“Well, sure,” Zoey said, looking surprised. “What, need a change of scenery?”

“Something like that,” I said quietly. I couldn’t imagine staying here tomorrow all day while Gahn Baldor shadowed my every move. I needed some time, some distance, to try to figure out exactly how I felt and what I wanted from him.

“Sounds good, T,” Kat said. “We’ll come get you in the morning tomorrow.” She stood, stretching. “As for me, I’m headed back to my tent for the night. I’m beat.”

“Me too,” Cece said, getting to her feet slowly.

“Come on. We’ll all go,” Chapman said, nodding to Melanie and Zoey who got up as well.

“Night, y’all,” I called to them. They said their goodbyes, then left the tent.

Once they had left, the rest of the group quieted down, getting ready to sleep for the night. I realized that there were a bunch of new beds in the tent.

“Where’d these come from?” I asked Jocelyn as she snuggled into a bundle of hides beside me.

“Gahn Baldor’s men cleaned them and brought them all back.”

“Oh wow. That was nice of them. But honestly, I’d rather the people still recovering use them instead of us.”

“Well, that’s what we told them, too,” Jocelyn replied. “But they said… let’s see, how did they word it?” She paused, then cleared her throat, her voice falling into a comical growl. “Gahn Baldor would have our hides if he found out we were still using yours.”

I laughed at that, feeling a flicker of warmth at the mention of Baldor. I pushed that warmth down, though, as Jocelyn kept speaking.

“It sounds like most of them are in pretty good shape now anyway. Even the most wounded ones are up and moving around, now.”

“That’s good,” I said, honestly relieved, some of the guilt that felt so heavy on me earlier lifting. I grabbed some spare hides nearby and pulled them into a bed-like bundle. It felt good to snuggle down into them. Hopefully, I’ll actually be able to get some decent sleep even knowing Gahn Baldor will be right outside all night…

“Everybody OK with lights out?” I heard Serena ask from her place next to one of the tent’s candles. We all agreed. She blew out the small flame, and darkness fell.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Baldor

After delivering the jars of Lavrika’s blood to the healers, I checked in quickly on my men in their temporary quarters. It was crowded, and some had opted to sleep outside the tent, but I was pleased and relieved to see that all of them were doing much better than before, their wounds healing well. As I looked over my men, taking note of how they were recovering, I tried to imagine us staying here. Living here, among the other tribes. They would not like such orders, I was sure. Perhaps they do not all need to stay. Perhaps only I can remain here. I could give up my Gahnhood and leave my tribe. I’d do it for her in an instant, no hesitations. But Thereeza’s words about protection echoed. They wanted my alliance here in case of a human attack. And one single man who’d given up on being Gahn would not be as useful as the full force of his army.

I pondered all of this as I returned to the rakdo where I’d left it outside the human tent. On my way back, I jolted, realizing I’d never procured food for Thereeza. The feeling that I did not deserve her intensified.

I could bring her food, now. But for some reason, I had the instinct that my presence inside the new women’s tent would not be well-received. The two guards outside the tent were also eyeing me warily. They were not the same guards who had been here earlier, but I had no doubt they would be perfectly willing to recreate that scene. To pull their blades if I got too close to the new women. If that happened again, I was not sure that even Thereeza’s pleading would be able to stop me from killing them. My mood was too foul.

I stopped outside the tent, listening. The new women were speaking in their own tongue, and I could not understand their words. I heard Thereeza’s voice among them, making my heart jump. I breathed out slightly as I realized I could smell smoked meat and valok, and that I could hear chewing and drinking around Thereeza’s foreign words.

So she is eating. Good.

I could not provide meat for her in that moment, but I would at least clean up this rakdo I’d claimed for her. I sat next to the animal and drew a small blade. The guards tensed, watching me closely, but when they realized what I was doing, they made no move to stop me.

My blade worked over the rakdo, butchering it easily. I put its hide and fur off to one side, keeping it clean and away from the blood for whatever Thereeza may want to do with it. Perhaps another article of clothing to protect her skin from the sun. Although the fur would likely be too heavy in this heat. She would do better with the woven peet grass garments our women wore, but with longer sleeves, and a hood to cover her face. I knew she had her own hooded cloak, brought from her own world, but I found myself desiring to see her dressed in the garments of our people. The greenish-grey weave of the peet grass would look lovely with her strangely pale hair.

And it would look even lovelier on the sands after I strip it off of her.

I growled, which earned me a sharp look from one of the guards.

Curse me, I needed her. Badly. There had been moments tonight when I’d thought…

I’d thought she’d felt the same.

Well, maybe not entirely the same. She did not feel the mate bond, yet. But there had been instants of what I’d thought was desire.

Or perhaps your own pride deludes you. The reality that I knew so little about my mate was a painful one. Those moments I’d thought had been desire could have been something else entirely.

I finished butchering the rakdo, tying the pieces together just as Xyan’s feet appeared in my vision.

“Greetings, Gahn.”

I looked up to see him raising his tail.

“Xyan,” I said. Much like Zolinna, Xyan had been one of my closest friends since childhood. He had hunted with me on the plains and on the shores, and when I became Gahn he served me as my closest commander and advisor. Above anyone, I trusted his judgment.

He is the one I must tell first of my thoughts. Thoughts about joining the other three tribes…

I stood.

“Walk with me,” I said. He raised his tail again in acknowledgement, and we began to walk. I would not go far from the new women’s tent while my mate was inside. But I wanted to be out of earshot of the tribal guards standing there.

We moved away from the tent towards the cliffs, always keeping the new women’s tent in our sights. We found a small crag that created a private area in the cliff wall where I could keep my eyes on the new women’s tent. We stepped into its shadows. As we did so, I looked up at the cliffs, thinking of the krixels there and what Thereeza had told me. That she’d been trapped by a krixel in Gahn Fallo’s cliffs. Those words had choked me. They were so close, too close, to what had happened to Zolinna. Only it hadn’t been a krixel, then. From what I’d heard from my tribe when I’d returned, a forsek, one of the zeelk-like creatures of the shallows of the Bitter Sea, had gotten to her.

I should have been there. Both times, I should have been there. Over and over, again and again, I was too late. Too far away. Too weak.

But that would have to change. To do the kinds of things Thereeza asked would take great strength and leadership.

“What is it, my Gahn?” Xyan asked when I did not speak. I dragged my eyes down from the cliff’s immense heights, glancing at the new women’s tent and then at him.

“I am thinking of joining with the other Gahns here.”

Xyan’s sight stars pulsed, the only sign of his shock at my words. Otherwise, he did not move, no doubt not wanting to offend me by showing his true thoughts.

But I did not want shows of respect now. I wanted truth.

“Tell me your real feelings on the matter, Xyan.”

His gaze roved out to the settlement of tents, his jaw hardening, before his eyes moved back to me.

“I think, like you, I do not favour the idea. My instincts tell me it is not a good choice.

I grunted, understanding, because I felt the same way. But I still didn’t like it.

“But,” he said, his eyes moving back to the settlement, and a slight softening coming over his features as his eyes fell on the new women’s tent, “these new women…”

I followed his eyes. A new woman emerged from the tent, moving away to the cliffs, likely going somewhere to relieve her bladder. If the new women had bladders, anyway.

Wait, do they?

Hmm.

When the new woman disappeared from our sight, Xyan faced me again.

“These new women could mean everything for our people, our tribe.”

I stiffened, feeling like a fool. I had not considered this enough. I had been thinking of my own desires regarding being near to Thereeza, and my own instincts about avoiding peace with the other Gahns. But Xyan’s words were a blow to the gut. My men…

There had not been enough females in any tribe for generations. Many of my men were unmated. How could I lead them away from the opportunity to be near these new females? It had become very clear that with the alliance of the three tribes and now the strong men of the Bitter Sea, I could never hope to take all the new women with me back to our plains by the sea. If I wanted my men to have access to potential future mates, it would have to be here, at the Cliffs of Uruzai. More and more, the choice to stay here seemed inevitable. It made me growl, and I almost felt itchy, my desire to be away from the enemy Gahns prickling under my skin. But Xyan’s almost pained look as he watched the new woman who had gone into the cliffs return to her tent made me pause. Everything stilled as I watched my friend closely.

Neither of us could be considered very young men anymore. I could see the hardness, the slight creasing at the sides of Xyan’s eyes. But like me, he was still young in his strength and body, with a warrior’s vigour. And yet, in all his ages of life, he had never been granted a mate. Not like me, who had now been granted two. The hunger in his eyes as he stared at the new women’s tent could not be denied. He would never try to sway my judgment or the future of our tribe because of his own feelings and desires. But I, as the Gahn, could not ignore them, either. And there would likely be many of my men who would feel the same. Men who would risk their lives for the chance at a mate. Staying here might very well be risking our own lives if the peace did not hold. But what future did our tribe have, out alone on the plains with few women and dwindling numbers?

The new way. A new way forward…

“You speak true, Xyan. If more of our men get mates from among the new women, it would not do to be far from here, cut off from any allegiance to the men who protect them.” I forced my hackles down at that, the fact Thereeza was in the protection of any man but me. “And it has never done our people good to ignore the will of the Lavrika. There must be a reason it has joined men, Gahns, from the different tribes to the women of only one tribe.”

And, from what I understood, things had even gone further than that. There was a second Lavrika, in the Bitter Sea, who had joined one of those water warriors with Jara. I had discovered her here in this camp earlier and had been apprised of the fact that the brutal Kor was her own son. The Lavrikas of the sea and the sands have been pulling all of us towards each other, linking us through a bond so strong it cannot be ignored. The mate bond.

For what purpose, I could not yet say. But the decision hardened in my gut. We would stay here, and I would send a small party back for the women, children, and elderly. It would not be easy to tell my people this news. But then I thought of Xyan’s expression, his ache, and realized that convincing my people, at least the unmated men, perhaps would not be so difficult after all.

Things truly are shifting, like the tides beating at our shores. I just hoped that it would lead us somewhere good. And that I was not making a grave mistake.

“Come,” I said to Xyan, my decision made. “We must go and get some rest. In the morning we will meet with the other Gahns.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Theresa

I woke and dressed quickly the next morning, invigorated by the idea of getting out of the camp and going with the other girls to the ship. I hadn’t been there since the crash, and while I definitely didn’t want to relive the violence and trauma of what had happened there, I was interested in checking the place out, seeing what was laying around and what I could do to help.

I chugged some water from a bottle nearby and ate some of the smoked meat we always kept on hand for snacking. While we’re at the ship we should see if there’s any more Earth food… Zoey had brought us a bunch of contraband stuff she’d snagged from the staff quarters on the ship, but we’d eaten it all up pretty fast. Can’t really blame anyone for that after only eating meat and cactus jelly for weeks. After that, Cheetos and chocolate had been a freaking revelation.

Wonder if I have time to visit the steam tent…

The Sea Sand women had constructed us our own steam tent to get clean. Of course, we were welcome to join in at the smoke tents of any of the three tribes, and sometimes it was nice to sit in the smoke with the Sea Sand ladies and their kids and grandkids. But it was also convenient to have one right next to our own tent.

Kat came through the tent flap, smiling when she saw me.

“Good stuff, you’re up!”

Zoey came in close behind Kat. Both of them had their solar protection jackets on and were carrying their packs.

“Y’all think I have time to clean up a bit?” I could see them taking in my appearance – sweaty and dishevelled with more than a day’s worth of grime on me.

“Yeah, no problem. We still have to eat anyway. We’ll meet you back here when we’re done.” Zoey said.

“Perfect,” I replied with a grateful nod. I put on my solar protection jacket and boots, then gathered a clean uniform, with clean undies and socks, into my arms. Pulling up my hood with one hand, holding my clothes with the other, I stepped out of the tent.

Gahn Baldor rose from where he’d been sitting, raising his tail to me.

Of course.

I’d been hoping to go at least a little bit of time without seeing him this morning. Because I could not fucking think straight with those muscles and that face and those black and silver eyes burning a hole right through me.

“Thereeza.”

Woo boy. I sucked in my stomach without meaning to, feeling a flutter of muscles and nerves. The way he said my name… It burrowed inside me. Made me hot, and not because of the sun beating down.

“Gahn Baldor,” I returned, doing my utmost to keep my cool and probably failing. Honestly, I’d never once in my life been what anyone could consider cool. I was the warm one, the soft one, the overly caring, sensitive, mothering one. And that warm, feeling part of me wanted to step right up to this muscled alien man and take whatever it was that he was offering. But I steeled myself. I needed to get to know him more. See if I could trust him. I hadn’t forgotten the weird way things had gone last night.

“There is no need to call me Gahn. Please,” he said, his voice slipping lower. My cheeks slammed with more heat.

“OK. Good morning, Baldor.” Oof. Something about that felt weirdly intimate. And all I was doing was saying the guy’s name!

“I have cleaned the rakdo kill for you. I smoked the meat and kept the hide and fur aside.” His head turned, and he gestured at a bundle on the ground with his tail.

“Oh, thank you. You didn’t need to do that,” I stammered. I almost wished he hadn’t. It was bordering on… nice. Too nice. Too confusing.

Baldor cocked his head.

“Before I was a Gahn I was a tribal hunter. I know how to catch and butcher a kill. It is all part of providing for my mate.”

I pursed my lips.

“Well, I do appreciate it, thanks.” I wasn’t going to turn my nose up at meat he’d brought back for the tribe. And it was way more than I could eat, so it would benefit the others, too. Once again, my eyes slipped down to the shining, soft rakdo fur, images of some kind of baby bed swanning through my head. The thought brought on a visceral feeling. My fingers curled against the clothing I held in my arms, longing to curl around something else. Something smaller and alive with chubby cheeks and bright eyes…

I don’t think you’re still dreaming about Cece’s baby…

I sighed. It was pointless to think about babies for myself right now. From what I understood, babies born outside the mate bond were extremely rare. And even though I had a man offering the mate bond right in front of me, I would never accept him just to get a baby out of the deal. I wasn’t going to use him like that. I did want to be a mother, absolutely. But only with the right person. And I still wasn’t convinced that this brooding Gahn was him.

“Well, I should get going. I’m going to head into the steam tent then go back to the ship with some of the other girls today.”

“The ship… the flying irkdu that transported you here?”

I laughed at the image.

“You could say that.”

“It is not safe out on the open sands,” Baldor said, stepping closer, making me inhale sharply. The warriors guarding the human tent were watching us closely, and I didn’t want to give them a reason to attack again. So I stayed still, not backing away, not showing any sign of distress. And honestly? Distress wasn’t even what I was feeling, anyway. Baldor loomed before me, the sleeves of my jacket brushing his abdomen as I held my clothing tightly against my chest. My heart hammered at his nearness. He’d re-braided his hair, allowing an unobstructed view of his broad, carved face and strong shoulders.

“It’s OK,” I breathed out. “We’ll be travelling with guards.”

Baldor growled, low in his chest, and the vibration of it ran up my arms.

“I do not like this. I would accompany you, but I have committed to meeting with the Gahns today.”

“No, great, that’s fine!” I stammered, shaking my head as I looked up at his face. The whole point of me going with Zoey and Kat was to get some space between Baldor and me for the day, anyway. “You go talk to the Gahns, and I’ll go to the ship. We can meet up later.” I tossed that last bit in without thinking. It had been automatic. Since his arrival, Baldor had been at my side pretty much incessantly, even sleeping outside the tent at night. So it felt weirdly natural to assume I’d see him again when I returned. But this time, I was the one who’d initiated it. What is my subconscious trying to tell me with that one, and why won’t it just let me catch a break?

Baldor’s eyes narrowed. I stopped breathing altogether when one of his hands moved up, the rough pad of his thumb tracing along my jaw to my chin. It was such a soft touch. Barely there at all. But it pounded through me.

“I must meet with the Gahns. But I will send my man with your party. Xyan.”

“Fine,” I squeaked out, my chest hot and hammering with my madly beating heart. I didn’t really care who the heck came with us at this point. All I cared about was the fact I needed to get out of this… closeness. Because I was just about ready to ignore everything that was bothering me – Baldor’s attack, his reticence about accepting peace here, the fact he’d said he could try to steal me – and crash my face to his. I licked my lips and felt Baldor’s fingers tighten at the side of my face as his gaze dropped to my mouth.

“Tell your guy to come meet us here,” I said, jerking back. I stepped away from Baldor, clutching my clothes as if they could act as some kind of shield. Baldor watched me unflinchingly, not saying anything more, and I finally broke eye contact, whirling from him and running to the relative safety of the steam tent.

I sighed, trying to relax now that I was away from him. This reaction was way too strong. My body pulsed, heat everywhere, but especially in my chest. And lower, between my legs…

OK, you’re attracted to him. That’s fine. Everything else still stands. You’re not going to jump into bed with him while he talks about war and kidnapping you, no Sirree.

Trying to shake some sense back into myself by literally shaking my head, I put my clean clothes down then undressed. I put the dirty clothes in their own pile. I’d clean them while I was in here.

I surveyed the small space. There was nobody else in here, just me. The tent was tall and conical with an opening at the top to allow smoke and steam to escape.

Bless whoever stocked up last, I said, relieved and grateful when I saw that the tent had lots of everything I needed. The herb-smelling grass we used to create the fire and smoke. Stalks of talka – succulents that had lovely-smelling, milky, soap-like insides. Scraps of clean hide to use as cloths. There were additions that were unique to the human steam tent, too. Rocks to heat in the fire, and water bottles with water to create a sauna-like experience. The Sea Sand people preferred just the smoke in their tents. When we’d shown some of the alien women how to create a steamy sauna, they hadn’t enjoyed it. The steam had made them cough and hack in a way the smoke never did, and they didn’t like the feeling of the humidity on their skin. It was part of the reason they’d built us our own tent in the first place – so we could have our weird, wet human sauna away from them.

I frowned, placing my fists on my bare hips. In order to create that weird, wet human sauna, though, I’d need a fire. And there wasn’t one.

Every other time I’d come to the tent to clean up, somebody had already been there and the fire had been ready. I’d never had to do it myself before, and I’d never set up a bonfire or campfire or anything back on Earth, either.

Well, I’m sure I can get it going. I’d seen other people do it before.

I scoured the space, finding the dark rocks that created sparks when they were smacked together. Then I placed a bunch of the grass in the centre of the tent where the fire pit was.

OK, off to a good start. Feeling real pleased with myself, I crouched in front of the grass. I banged the rocks together.

Nothing happened.

My I’m-an-awesome-survivalist mentality deflated immediately. Shoot.

This shouldn’t be too hard. Try again. I’d never been one to let something kick me in the butt hard enough that it kept me down. And these silly little rocks wouldn’t, either.

I banged them again, and again, and again. Once I even got a little spark, but it fizzled onto the sand, not catching on the grass. Forcing down my mounting frustration, I tried again, this time smashing my thumb between the rocks.

I cried out then shoved the thumb into my mouth. It wasn’t a serious injury or anything, but dang did it hurt.

Unfortunately, Baldor didn’t know it was a slight injury. Because a split-second later he was barrelling into the tent, his silvered eyes blazing.

“Oh my God,” I screeched in English, reeling from the shock of him just standing in front of me when I was butt naked. I managed to switch gears back into the tongue of the Sea Sands quick enough to say, “Get out!”

But Baldor had apparently been totally deafened by my little human shout earlier. Because he didn’t move a freaking inch. I crouched down tighter, drawing my arms hard around my knees. My clothes weren’t quite within reach, and even if they were, reaching for them would mean I was even more exposed than I already was.

“I thought you needed help,” Baldor choked out, his sight stars practically vibrating. I could tell it was only with monumental effort that he kept those sight stars on my face.

“I do need help,” I moaned, letting my forehead fall to my knees. “Mental help, apparently.” I felt truly insane in that moment. Because as much as I was embarrassed and just wanted him to go, I also felt… well… aroused. I couldn’t deny it. Being naked in this small tent with Baldor looking so… Baldor, was doing things to me.

And apparently it was doing things to my balance, because at that moment I totally lost control of my precarious crouching position. The balls of my feet shifted in the sand, and my hands flew out to catch myself.

Of course, I didn’t need to catch myself, because Mr. Zero-Reaction-Time-Reflexes over there was at my side in an instant. Less than an instant. His hands caught my wrists, keeping me from falling to the side and forcing me onto my knees. Fantastic. Now I was kneeling, my hands in his, nothing covering any freaking part of me.

This time, Baldor’s restraint shattered, and I watched, frozen, as his sight stars dragged down my front, pulsing when they reached my breasts, then pulling tight when they settled between my legs.

“You can let me go now,” I hissed, yanking my hands from his grip. Mercifully, he let them go. His eyes returned to my face, and I gasped at the expression there. An expression so dark, so hungry, it was almost terrifying. But it wasn’t terror zooming through my body. It was desire. Baldor’s hunger was pulling at my own. Drawing it out from deep within my body. Making me clench.

I need some clothing. Now.

I spun on my knees, moving to all fours and reaching for my solar protection jacket behind me. I realized too late, when I heard Baldor groan, quiet and low, that I was giving him a pretty damn clear view of my bare ass like that. Oh well. Too late now.

I wrenched back around to face him, slipping into my jacket and seating myself firmly on the sand. I drew my knees up to my bare chest inside the jacket, pulling the hem down so that I was a little human ball in its fabric. Not even close to fully dressed, but none of my parts were on display now except my head, feet, and hands.

I came in here to get clean, and now I’m even sweatier than before…

Baldor seated himself, too, crossing his legs and pinning me with his gaze. I eyed him, and the huge bulge beneath his loincloth, suspiciously. Why does he look like he’s getting so comfy in here?

“I have decided to join with the other Gahns in peace here. I will meet with them today to discuss the details. But I plan to move my people here as soon as possible.”

I felt my eyes widen, almost not believing his words. Then, a flush of giddy glee went through me. Cece said he would do it, and he’s doing it! I smiled, broad and easy at him, and he groaned again.

“I want more of that happiness. I will do whatever it takes,” he rasped. My breath caught, and my smile faded as I took in the depth of his words.

“I’m really glad you’re doing this. Thank you,” I finally said, meaning it. One more tribe here meant one less tribe to war with. Less violence, less bloodshed. I couldn’t ignore the fact that he was doing this for me, or at least me being his mate was probably a big factor in his decision. He may have come here spilling blood for you. But now he’s accepting peace for you, too.

My chest ached as affection for this serious Gahn swelled. I knew how hard it was for these guys to put aside old grievances and to decide to uproot everything and live next to their enemies. This was no small thing he was doing. In fact, it was huge. It meant something. Something I couldn’t ignore.

Maybe there’s a chance… A chance for us. For peace, for happiness, for all the beauty of the mate bond after all.

“Thank you,” I said again. I shifted my position, straightening my legs out then moving to my knees. Tension rolled through Baldor as I shuffled forward, placing my hands on his shoulders.

“This means a lot to me. To everyone.” It wasn’t just me this affected – it meant more peace for all of us. And a better chance if we did have to fight off human forces.

“Thereeza,” Baldor grunted, his voice so raw it caught on every nerve along my spine, like sandpaper brushing my skin. His eyes were trained to the hem of my solar protection jacket, where it fell at the very top of my thighs.

“Yes?” I said, realizing I had shifted even closer to him without meaning to.

His sight stars snapped up to my eyes at the same moment his hands shot out to grip my hips. I arched at the contact, my body already telling me to fucking straddle him already. I was losing control.

“Tell me to go. Tell me now. Because if you do not deny me, and deny me firmly…” His voice trailed off, and my core clenched as the meaning of his unspoken words hit me. If you do not deny me there’s no telling what I might do…

And oh, a part of me really wanted to see what he would do. And it wasn’t a small part, either. But a part that was growing bigger and louder every moment.

It wouldn’t take much to get onto his lap. A slight shuffle of my knees, and I’d be straddling him. I’d feel that hardness against me.

I gasped, squeezing my thighs together in my kneeling position. Every muscle in Baldor’s body was tense, his brow heavy, his chest heaving in tightly controlled, shallow breaths.

But the sudden sound of people talking right outside the tent made me jump, forcing reality between us like a wedge. We weren’t in a private place. Another girl could literally walk in here at any moment. And Zoey and Kat would be back any minute, too, looking for me.

And I still haven’t freaking cleaned up yet!

That thought alone was enough to send me shuffling backwards away from Baldor. I totally reeked, and embarrassment flooded me at the thought of getting close to him again in my current state.

“You should go,” I whispered, nodding in a way I hoped looked firm but felt flimsy as hell.

Baldor’s nostrils flared, and his tail whipped on the sand behind him. For a second, I thought he’d ignore my words. It looked like he was ready to pin me to the ground right here and now, like he was the hunter and I was the prey, and good grief was that alarmingly arousing. But finally, he rose, his eyes never leaving me.

“If you command it, then I will leave you.”

I nodded again, unable to make myself say it. Because every second that went by I was less and less interested in seeing him go.

He turned, lifting the flap of the tent, about to step outside.

“Wait, Baldor!”

He spun around. I grimaced at the hungry, hopeful flash I saw on his features.

“Can you help me start this fire first?”

Baldor looked surprised for a moment, then smiled slightly.

“Of course, tiny sun-haired one.”

He crouched down across from me, taking the two rocks. I watched his fingers and the pinch and pull of the muscles in his arms he struck the rocks together expertly, the spark falling directly to the grass and igniting quickly. Heat blazed between us, literal heat this time. Heat from something other than the unbearable tension.

The firelight licked across his features, making his eyes shine while his face darkened with shadows. The temperature in here was rising rapidly. I really needed to take my jacket off.

I grabbed the other stones and plunked them in a tight ring around the outside of the fire so they would start to heat.

“What are you doing with these stones?” Baldor asked, watching me curiously.

“The humans do it this way. We heat the stones, then add water to make steam.”

The huge Gahn’s nose wrinkled, and I snorted at the expression.

“Why would you do such a thing?”

I shrugged.

“Most of us are used to using some sort of water or moisture for cleansing ourselves. We have something called saunas back home. There are dry ones, closer to the other smoke tents. And there are steam ones like this.”

I watched him. I remembered how much I’d needed him to leave. But I was still captured by the feeling that, truly, deep down I wanted him to stay.

“Want to see?”

“Yes,” he answered instantly. He doesn’t want to leave either. At least the fire is between us right now and I’m not about to climb into his freaking lap.

“OK, get ready. You might not like it,” I warned, grabbing a water bottle and unscrewing the cap. The rocks were probably sufficiently hot by now. Before we even lit the fire it was already hot in here. Baldor watched my movements closely, his mouth pulled into a flat line, almost looking puzzled. It was… extremely cute, to be honest.

I poured water onto the hot stones, making sure not to douse the fire. Through the haze of sudden steam, I could see Baldor’s muscles tighten at the hiss of the water hitting the rocks, but to his credit, he didn’t jump up or otherwise show any surprise.

The moisture in the air combined with my sweat, and my skin was soaking almost immediately. Droplets ran under my jacket, and I unzipped it. Just a little, because I could see Baldor’s gaze flash to my hand on the zipper, even in the steam.

“Do you need any more assistance?” There was a desperate grate to his voice, coupled with a slight streak of hesitation. We both know he needs to get out of here, but he doesn’t want to go.

“No,” I admitted. He stood with a grunt and turned.

I sighed with relief at his turned back, finally shedding the jacket that was sticking to me. I saw Baldor go rigid at the sound of my jacket falling to the sand, but he didn’t turn around.

“I will see you tonight upon your return,” he said. He sounded hoarse, and I had a feeling the strangeness in his voice wasn’t due to the steam.

He left a second later, and I blew out a long, slow breath, trying to relax. My body was still slammed with arousal.

Distraction time.

I made short work of scrubbing my dirty clothes with a combination of sand and talka gel. Then I used the talka gel on myself, starting with my hair. The stuff really was pretty awesome. It acted like a shampoo and conditioner all-in-one, and you didn’t need any water to rinse it away. I did use a small amount of water from the water bottle anyway, though, just to give my scalp and face an extra good rinsing. It had been a while since I’d gotten clean, and even though the water was very warm in the heat, it still felt great. I grabbed up one of the hide cloths and squeezed more talka gel onto it, breathing in the sharp, rosemary-like scent before working it into my skin. I could see my skin getting lighter in colour – especially around my hands, wrists, and forearms – as the grime and last remnants of blood were wiped away. I kept going, working quickly, swiping the cloth everywhere – down my legs, between my toes. I still had to clean between my legs, but frankly, I was avoiding that. I could feel my nerves thrumming there, sensitized by Baldor’s presence. The guy wasn’t even here anymore and he was still having this strong of an effect on me.

But there was no point in coming in here if I wasn’t going to get completely clean. I cleaned the cloth the same way I had cleaned my clothes, then put it to the side. Afterwards, I would take that wet cloth and my old clothes and lay them in the sun, the bright light acting as both a dryer and a natural disinfectant that left the clothing and hides smelling remarkably fresh.

Squeezing the last of the talka gel from the stalk, started swiping it along the crease where my thighs met my groin. Shit. I wasn’t even anywhere close to anything sensitive and I was feeling it.

Just do it quick.

I started scrubbing the talka through my curls. When my fingertips brushed my clit my spine straightened like I’d been hit by lightning. Shocking pleasure ran through me, and I couldn’t stop my finger from immediately returning to that spot.

I should not be doing this. Someone could walk in any second.

But, good God, I’d never felt this aroused before. My eyes fluttered closed as my fingers worked quickly. In the blackness of my closed eyes, Baldor’s form swam into brutal clarity. The hard curve of his shoulders and chest. The stony set of his jaw. The intensity of his glittering gaze.

The huge staff of his cock.

I bit back a moan, my fingers working faster. I felt possessed, like I had no control over my movements or thoughts. I slipped a finger inside myself, the palm of my hand grinding into my clit, and with memories of Gahn Baldor breathing against my mouth, I came. Everything clenched, and I bit down hard to keep from making noise.

A second later, when I had apparently somewhat come to my senses, I whipped my hand away from myself, cleaning my fingers then splashing water between my legs. The water running over my sensitive skin made my nerves jump, my nipples tightening. I ignored it, dressing quickly, then used the empty talka stalk to clean my teeth and tongue.

I scraped my fingers through my damp hair, hoping the heat of the sauna would explain the redness of my cheeks. Because I really didn’t feel like explaining to anyone that I’d just finger-banged myself thinking of Gahn Baldor.

But maybe I didn’t need to be so distrustful of him, of this, anymore. Maybe I should just give over to these desires. He said he’d move here and lay down his blades for you. He’d go against every instinct, every piece of history, for you.

I mean, a girl couldn’t ask for too much more than that.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Baldor

I pounded over the sands, driving my legs hard and fast. I kept my mind off of all the beauty I had just left behind in that tent. If I thought too much on it, on her, I would lose all resolve and tear back there. Even now, I felt that desire at the edges of my mind. The desire to slam into her, pin her to the ground, and make her understand that she was mine.

We had come so close. If she had made one more move…

Growling, I dug my claws into the palms of my hands, creating bloody fists as my skin tore. I barely felt it. My whole body was alight with Thereeza and I had no time for mortal wounds.

I knew I needed to go and find the other Gahns. But not now, not yet. Not while my body was an explosive, corrosive mix of arousal and frustration. Even now, I wanted to pound my fist into something if I could not pound my cock into Thereeza. I was not in the right frame of mind to negotiate with men I had, up until last night, considered my forever enemies. Men I hated for the tribes of their birth. But if they were to be my allies going forward, I would need to be able to approach them with a cool head. I was not like Fallo, eager to destroy things without a thought. I would not necessarily say no to destroying. But I would at least think about things first.

I swerved away from the settlement, heading for the privacy of the cliffs. I entered a crevice at random. These cliffs were labyrinthine, a massive formation of stone muddled with tunnels and valleys and peaks. I kept walking, not caring where I was going, passing through shadow and sun. The ground began to take a steep incline upwards, and I ran, feeling the burn of my muscles as I sprinted up and up and up. It was not enough to ease the blood in my cock. How there was even enough blood left in the rest of my body to keep running I did not know. It felt like every drop of it, and every sensation, was concentrated between my legs.

Finally, I slowed, stopping in a shadowed place. I stared at the blank red rock of the cliff wall, my chest heaving. My hands were still curled into fists. I was not ready to uncurl them without hitting something first. I punched the rock. Once, twice, thrice, until my knuckles were bloodied. And still, I was not satisfied. Biting back a roar of irritation, I wrenched my loincloth to the side, gripping my member. I worked it fast and furious, the blood from my palm slicking along my length. I pretended it was Thereeza’s wetness, and my cock throbbed.

The vision of her naked body exploded in my mind as my eyes fell closed. I planted the palm of my free hand on the cliff, leaning slightly forward as my other hand worked up and down my hard length.

Curse me, she was so lovely. Lovelier than any woman had the right to be. Lovelier than I deserved. But deserving or not, I wanted her. And as soon as the opportunity presented itself, I would take her.

I imagined those sweet, soft thighs parting. Imagined sucking one of her breasts into my mouth. Having breasts outside of pregnancy and nursing was a novel concept, and it was breathtakingly erotic. I could practically feel her soft flesh between my fangs. As I squeezed my hand, I could almost feel her tight heat clamping down on me.

And when she took my cock, how would she take it? Would she be tentative, hesitant, almost shy as she had been so far with me? Or would she be lustful? Would she take it all and beg for more?

The idea of her begging for more, for me, had me exploding all over the rock. Growling, I slowed the movement of my hand. A few breaths later, I tucked my half-hard member back into my loincloth. Still, I did not feel better. The ache of my cock was no longer so forceful, but my fangs were still clenched in frustration. I did not want to find the other Gahns. I did not want to see anyone. Unless it was Thereeza, preferably once again without her strange clothing.

I hissed out a sigh, raking my bloodied knuckles across my forehead. I yanked my hand away, jerking my head upwards as a foul shriek tore through the sky.

A krixel.

Yes.

This would do it. This would satisfy me, set my nerves at ease. A hunt. After Zolinna had died, I had often gone hunting to ease my mind and pass the time. I pulled a medium-length blade from the straps at my back, moving low but quick up the incline further. I thought angrily of what Thereeza had told me before – about being trapped by a krixel. It could have killed her. This krixel was not that one. But it would die anyway. Even if I did not want to kill it, the thing had me in its sights now. And krixels were not predators who gave up on their prey.

But I had never before been prey. And I did not plan to start now.

The beast came at me from the skies, screeching, then flew back, its wings beating hard. I crouched, my eyes shooting upwards, knife ready for the krixel’s second pass at me. Its greyish-black wings blocked out the sun as it came for me. I felt a mad grin spread across my face, and I had half a moment to wonder if I were more like Fallo than I had thought. Than I had hoped.

Perhaps I was mad. Because I dropped my blade, not wanting this battle to end too soon, and leaped for the creature, grasping it around its thick waist and slamming it down to the ground. We were a tangle of limbs, its claws slicing through me as my own claws and fangs fought back. Feral blood lust erupted, made all the stronger by the grief of my past and the frustration of my present. I was unstoppable in that moment, my fangs clamping down on the krixel’s meaty throat. The thing fought and tried to scream, but it could not. Blood poured from its neck, from my mouth. Its wings flapped behind it as it tried to lift up and away from me, but I wrapped one arm around its neck. With the other I grabbed up my blade again, plunging it between the creature’s ribs. Finally, its fight came to an end. And finally, I felt somewhat sated. At least, enough to have a steady mind to meet with the Gahns.

I rose from the corpse of my kill, leaving it there for the cliff scavengers. Krixels did not produce good meat or hide for our use. I spat, its blood bitter in my mouth. More of its blood, and my own, darkened my hands. I likely looked crazed, with its blood streaked down my face and neck and chest. And I had my own wounds, too.

I could join Thereeza at her strange steam tent. Ask her to help me clean it all off…

I would have done it, if not for the fact that she had probably already left that tent. She was going to that ship today. Without me. And that made me want to pound my fists into something all over again.

I breathed slowly, forcing myself to remain somewhat calm. When Thereeza had first entered her steam tent, I had commanded Xyan to accompany her and her party. My man would make sure nothing happened to her, that was certain.

I tipped my head back, looking up into the sky, letting the warmth of the sun bathe my skin. The blood was drying rapidly, tightening on my skin, cracking as I breathed and moved.

I decided I would not clean up, would not tend my wounds, before my meeting with the Gahns. Let them see me like this, victorious, with the blood of my fallen enemy dripping from my fangs. I would not go to them meek and clean and whole, but rather ripped-open and stinking of my own strength and anger. Because that was who I was. The broken and bloodied Gahn. The one who’d lost so much. Too much.

If Thereeza does not accept me, it will be the end of me. It was a desperate thought, a grief-stricken one. Here I was, thinking of my strength when this strange, soft new woman had the power to destroy me with a sweep of her delicate hand. And I was powerless against her.

I had survived the loss of one mate, barely.

I would not survive losing Thereeza.

I will have to make it so that she can do nothing but accept me. I will be the only choice. I will make it so that she aches for me so fiercely, she will never feel whole without me.

I already knew that I would never be whole without her.

Squaring my shoulders, I headed back down towards the settlements.

It was time to find the other Gahns.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Theresa

Zoey swore in French, my limited experience with Creole making me recognize the general meaning of her words.

“What’s wrong?” I said.

“Oh, it’s not that bad. This is just gonna take a long time, is all.”

She and I were in a small storage area where the ship’s drones were kept. I’d finally managed to get my act together after the steam tent debacle and we’d made it to the ship.

Zoey stood up, straightening from where she’d been crouching next to the bottom shelf of drones.

“I’m going to have to disable access one by one. At least it looks that way.”

“Dang,” I replied, surveying the rows upon rows of drones on the shelves in here. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Depends,” she said with a small laugh. “How much coding experience do you have?”

“Uh, that would be none,” I admitted, feeling deflated. I was hoping she’d be able to show me what button I needed to push, cutting her work in half so that I could disable 50% of the drones. But it didn’t look like that was going to be likely.

“Well, I’m going to have my work cut out for me, that’s for sure,” she said, tossing a few of her braids behind her shoulders and adjusting her glasses. “Because after this I’m going to need to figure out some kind of scanner scrambler or something. Something to mask our settlement’s location, make it harder for them to see what we’re doing.”

“Them” was the research vessel in orbit. The first thing we’d done when we’d arrived here was go to one of the computer control bays on the ship and activate this ship’s scanners.

“Yup, there they are,” Zoey had said, pointing at a dot on the screen. The research vessel was in orbit, even now.

“I really don’t like the feeling of them being up there and watching us,” I said, shivering.

“I know,” Zoey replied gravely. “But, on the bright side, their scanners aren’t perfect. Remember how grainy that image of the kangadude was when they showed it to us on the ship? And they didn’t even seem to know about Kor’s people – probably because they live in caves deep underground. My guess is they’re counting on the drones down here to do their dirty work, but they’ve been laying a little low since Kor destroyed the last one.”

And the mention of his name, Kor’s huge reptilian head dipped into the small space. I jumped, clapping my hand to my chest as my heart rate rocketed at the shock of him. I hadn’t spent too much time up close to him, and having his big scaly snout poke in here without warning damn near made me jump out of my own skin. I took a breath, forcing myself to chill out. I knew by the warm smile Zoey greeted him with, and everything else I’d heard about him, that he was a really good guy beneath all the scales and spikes.

He’d tried to come in here with us, earlier, not wanting to be left out in the hallway on guard duty. But this guy was truly massive, nine-feet-tall and with shoulders that had to be more than four feet wide. This particular room with the drones wasn’t that big, and he just didn’t fit.

“How go your efforts?” Kor asked, lowering his snout until it bumped the top of Zoey’s head. My heart. It was just too dang sweet.

“Slow, but OK so far. How about yours?”

Kor straightened, hitting his head on the top of the door frame then growling as he slouched down again.

“Any effort made in your protection will always be done perfectly.”

Zoey laughed, and I shook my head at the sincere gravity of his words.

“Then you better get back to it and stop distracting me!” Zoey teased.

Kor grunted, and I heard him mumble something about Zoey being the one doing the distracting as he pulled out and went back into the hallway. I couldn’t hear the muffled conversation happening out there now. Kor wasn’t alone – Xyan was outside this room, too, clearly instructed by Baldor not to leave my side. Two other men, one from Taliok’s tribe, and one from Fallo’s, were also out there, and Kat and Galok were in a lab in another part of the ship.

“Well, we better get to work,” I said. I took off my jacket, putting it on the floor. If I couldn’t actually disable any of these drones, at least I could be useful in another way. I started pulling the drones from the shelves, one by one. When I’d cleared the lower shelves nearest me, I grabbed a ladder resting in the corner and started climbing.

It went on like that for a long while. Me climbing up and down the ladder and bringing Zoey the drones while she connected them to a computer in the room, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she worked on their programming. We stopped briefly to eat and for bathroom breaks (the ship had actual toilets to use, hallelujah!) but otherwise, we maintained a steady rhythm of work for hours. It was monotonous, but we were so busy that the time flew by, and I was surprised when Kor stuck his snout back in here, telling us that dusk was falling.

“Well we got a good chunk done for now. We can do more tomorrow,” Zoey said, standing up and pushing the computer chair against the small desk she’d been seated at.

“Sounds good,” I said, smiling. I was exhausted after all the physical labour of the day, but it felt great. Like I’d accomplished something. Or helped Zoey accomplish something, anyway. And that was close enough. “I’ll come back again with you tomorrow.”

Baldor probably wouldn’t like that. He’d maybe even tag along for the journey. My body heated at that thought. Being with Baldor, in a small little room like this…

If he came with us, it wouldn’t be Kor doing the distracting anymore.

The monotonous work of the day had allowed my mind to wander back to the events of the morning, over and over again. But whenever I’d gotten too wound up by the daydreaming, I’d forced myself to work faster, harder, burning out my body so I was too tired to let my mind run wild.

I wasn’t quite sure that it had worked.

Even now, I was itching to get back to the settlement. I wanted to see Baldor. I wonder how his meeting with the other Gahns went… Please, please let them all have been halfway normal. Fingers crossed nobody has any new blades stuck in their guts today.

I grabbed my jacket and Zoey and I exited the room, moving out into the ship’s hallway. Zoey had rigged things so that there was power running to the areas we needed it. That meant that this hallway was lit up, just the way it had been when we’d all been on it before, travelling unwillingly through space. I zipped my jacket up, feeling a cool shiver run over me. It felt like that journey through the stars had been years ago. Part of another life. And my old life, on Earth? That seemed even further out of reach.

As soon as we stepped into the hallway, Kor slipped a giant blue and black scaly arm around Zoey. She moved closer into him, clearly enjoying the embrace as they walked. The ceilings in the curving, metal hall were much higher than Kor, and he didn’t need to bend out here. But even so, I could see him tilting, leaning down and to the side, so that he was close as he could get to Zoey. It was lovely to see, and a warm burst of joy for the two of them went through me.

I started walking, too, and Xyan quickly fell into step next to me before one of the other warriors could get close to me. Yup, Baldor definitely told him to stick right to my side. I glanced up at the man’s profile. He seemed like a quiet, serious kind of dude, but he’d thrown me a few genuine smiles in the time we’d spent together today, one of which was when he’d helped me up onto his irkdu and had been clearly amused by my clumsiness. I also appreciated that, even though I knew his orders from Baldor would be something along the lines of “Don’t let her out of your sight and don’t let anybody else near her,” he wasn’t pushy or anything. He just did his thing without bugging me. I decided that I liked him.

I hadn’t talked to Xyan much at all on the way here. As we met up with Kat and Galok, heading out towards the sands, I decided that would change.

“So, how long have you known Baldor?” I asked. Xyan’s face jerked to the side to look at me, as if surprised I’d spoken to him.

“Since birth. We are of the same tribe.”

OK. Dumb question. It wasn’t like these guys met at a frat party in college or something.

“So you’ve known him a really long time then,” I added, more to myself than him. But he answered anyway.

“Yes.”

Holy crap, why hadn’t I thought of this before? Here was a guy who’d known Baldor his entire life – someone who was close to him, who maybe knew Baldor better than anyone. Why hadn’t I been taking advantage of this before?

“Tell me about him, please. As his friend, what do you think of him?” I asked as we emerged from the ship onto the sand.

Xyan looked forward again as we drew closer to his irkdu.

“He is the very best of warriors. The strongest of us all. He has survived more than many, and he has never faltered.”

Hmm, maybe this wasn’t the best idea. The guy who was Baldor’s closest commander, probably his best friend, wasn’t about to tell me all of Baldor’s dirty secrets, was he? If anything, he’d probably try to act as a wingman. But then again, I’d never really seen any of these alien guys lie. If anything, it was the opposite. They were blunt and sincere in pretty much everything.

Xyan boosted me up onto his irkdu. We’d borrowed a saddle for me from one of the other tribes. Nearby, Kat and Galok got onto his mount, and Zoey got onto Kor’s back. The other two warriors mounted their irkdu as well. And then we were off.

We moved over the sands at a good pace, but not so fast that it was uncomfortable or hard to talk. So I kept on asking Xyan questions.

“Tell me about yourself, Xyan. Do you have a family?”

“My parents live back on the plains of our people. I have not been granted a mate.” He paused, then he spoke one more quiet word, low and dark and fierce with determination. “Yet.”

I felt for him, truly. I knew exactly what it was to watch the people around you get their mates and fall in love, wanting it so badly for yourself. And it must have been even worse for the alien guys, because even with the addition of us humans, men still vastly outnumbered women. The reality was that there were still going to be a lot of guys with no mates, no chance at kids. No wonder they throw themselves so hard into their battles. What the heck else is there to channel all their energy into?

“I’m sorry,” I said. “It must be tough,” I said, thinking of the unmated Sea Sand men and their plight. I felt Xyan shift behind me.

“I do not understand your apology. This is life. Fate. No man can change it. He can only rise to meet it.”

Those words sent a shiver down my spine. Rise to meet it, like, rally an army and cross the desert in the dead of night? So many of Baldor’s choices made more sense to me now. And when Xyan spoke his next words, I started to truly understand.

“I am very glad for my Gahn. After he lost his first mate, Zolinna, I did not think I would ever see him happy again.”

The breath whooshed out of me. All around us, the sky and sands darkened, everything turning to shadows.

He had a mate before.

And she died.

Everything was falling into place. Becoming crystal clear. Why he was so desperate to find me. Why he hated the idea of not being at my side for even a second. Why he’d panicked so much hearing about that time I’d been cornered by the krixel. It wasn’t just the mate bond. He’s lost someone before.

I blinked back sudden tears, my throat tightening for Baldor and his pain, thinking on Xyan’s words. He’s lost more than many of us, and he has never faltered…

I didn’t know what else to say to that. It didn’t seem right to try to get more information from Xyan now. This topic was too deep, too sensitive. I’d talk to Baldor about it myself.

I wonder why he hasn’t told me about her. For a second, I wanted to feel hurt about it. Hurt that he’d maybe even tried to hide something that important from me. But I shook my head at myself. From the moment he’d arrived, I’d been pushing him away. Heck, I’d asked Xyan more questions about his life and past than I’d asked Baldor. I hadn’t given him the chance to tell me anything real about himself.

That would change. When I saw Baldor next we’d have a good, long talk. Finally start getting to know each other beyond the intensity of the attraction between us.

The settlement was in sight now, a collection of tents against the dark backdrop of the cliffs. We slowed as we got closer, and something near to the cliffs but outside of the settlement caught my eye.

It was an irkdu, slumped against the rock face.

“What’s happening there?” I asked Xyan, twisting and pointing at the irkdu. The irkdu didn’t usually sleep out in the open like that. Usually, they were roaming the cliffs and sleeping hidden in shadows. Xyan looked out over my head, squinting at the creature.

“Ah. That is Gahn Baldor’s mount. It was injured in the fight.”

“Oh no,” I said, worrying at my lip with my teeth. Just outside the settlement, we all dismounted, letting our irkdu wander away. Baldor’s irkdu hadn’t moved, but it was so huge that I could see from here that it was still breathing.

“So, what are you going to do about it? You can’t just leave it there,” I said, turning to Xyan. He cocked his head at me, frowning.

“If it is strong enough, it will recover. If it dies, one of the other warriors will give up his mount to the Gahn while we train a younger one to replace it.”

My mouth fell open as I stared at Xyan. The irkdu weren’t the cutest animals with their many eyes, their crocodile-like snouts, and their centipede-like legs. But I had assumed that the warriors would have treated them almost like most decent humans would have treated horses. With care, and some kind of respect.

I sighed, rubbing my fingertips against my forehead.

“Nevermind. Don’t worry about it. It’s Baldor’s irkdu, so I’ll sort it out with him.” I lowered my hand from my forehead, then aimed it towards the settlement, jabbing my finger as I pointed.

“Now, please, go and get your Gahn.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Baldor

“So it is decided. Gahn Baldor will ally with us and bring his people to live here at the Cliffs of Uruzai.”

Buroudei’s voice cut through the gloom of the tent. We were in Gahn Taliok’s tent again. Gahn Fallo had snarled like a feral beast at the idea of having our communications in his tent, and Gahn Buroudei’s tent was occupied with his resting mate. Now that I had made myself an ally, they had shared with me that his Gahnala, Zeezee, was pregnant. The news was a hard throb inside me. Because it meant that it was possible. After all this time, I could have cubs of my own, too.

But I would have to claim my hesitant mate first.

We had spent much of the day discussing the current situation in Gahn Taliok’s tent. I could tell that night was now falling by the dimness in here, and Gahn Taliok lit a candle. The other three Gahns jumped into orange flickering light. I shifted, feeling all the blood, both mine and the krixel’s, cracking on my skin. It was getting late, and I was ready to leave. Thereeza will be back soon… I needed to be there to greet her. To see her as soon as possible.

“There is one more thing we should discuss,” Gahn Buroudei said, and I forced myself not to growl with impatience. How much more talking needed to be done? I grew tired of these other Gahns. The only one I wanted to speak to now was Thereeza.

“What is it?” I asked.

Buroudei hesitated, then straightened, lifting his chin.

“We must call an official meeting of the Gahns. Of all five tribes.”

Fallo hissed. Taliok remained silent. Four Gahns in one place was often a recipe for bloodshed. Five only amplified that chance.

“Must we bring every foul Gahn of the desert to our settlement here? How many tribes will we expose the new women to?” Fallo muttered, his tail jerking.

“Buroudei is right,” Taliok said. “It is what Gahn Irokai, my predecessor, had wanted to do in the first place. And I still believe that was a wise decision.”

“Yes,” Buroudei answered. “We must contact the fifth Gahn. Gahn Itok must be made aware of this situation, both with the new women and with the attack we could face.” His eyes flicked to me. “If we want to avoid another attack like the one we just faced, we must reach out to Gahn Itok first. Before he or one of his men learns of a mate from the new women and comes here, blades drawn.”

“Let them all come. Now we are four tribes against one. He cannot stand against us,” Fallo responded. Part of me wanted to agree with Fallo. A vicious, territorial part that would put Thereeza behind my back and stick my blade into the guts of any man who approached her and her peers. But I could see the sense in the plan laid before us.

“I agree with Gahns Buroudei and Taliok,” I said finally, crossing my arms. I wondered what would have happened if the other Gahns had come to me first, telling me of the new women and inviting me into their alliance. I may not have accepted their words, and I may have still attacked to claim Thereeza, but at least there would have been a chance for things to be different. “The reality is that our numbers have dwindled due to the foolishness of our ancestors resisting the Lavrika. If we are to face a new attack from another world, we must preserve our numbers. We need every healthy warrior ready to fight.”

Fallo grumbled, but the other two Gahns grunted in agreement.

“These are our thoughts, too,” Taliok said.

“Who will go to speak with Gahn Itok? The journey to the Death Plains is dangerous.” Gahn Itok ruled over the dark lands beyond Buroudei’s ancestral deserts. It was a land of grey peaks and black valleys and more monsters than existed on the sands or in the seas.

“It is dangerous, but not for clever warriors,” Gahn Buroudei replied, rubbing his chin with his claws. “That being said, I do not think we can afford to send a Gahn on such a long trip. All four of our tribes need leadership here. I propose we send a small party of trusted, unmated men. A representative from each one of our tribes.”

“Hmm,” I said, absentmindedly scratching at the itch of a krixel-inflicted wound on my shoulder. Buroudei was probably right. Sending a Gahn on a long journey into hostile territory at this point in our alliance would not be prudent. We all needed to be here for our tribes now. But at the same time, sending men who were not Gahns might be seen as an insult.

“It will have to work,” Gahn Taliok said. “I was willing to journey to the Bitter Seas with Kor, but that was less than ten days gone from the settlement. I will not leave my Gahnala for longer than that, nor will I bring her with me into harm’s way.”

“So it is agreed?” Gahn Buroudei cast his gaze over Gahn Fallo and me. “We will each choose an unmated man to relay our message to Gahn Itok. We will invite Gahn Itok to return here for a meeting of the Gahns. To learn all that we have learned, and to take part in our alliance.”

“I agree,” I said, twitching my tail.

“Fine,” Fallo said. “But I do not like this. Sending a messenger to do a Gahn’s business.”

“Are you willing to leave your mate for the twenty days the journey there and back would take, Fallo, and leave your tribe here under our care?” retorted Buroudei. Fallo’s eyes flashed, but he said no more.

“I wonder if any of the Death Plains men have already been summoned by Lavrika,” I said, more to myself than anyone else.

“It is possible,” Buroudei conceded. “Since our arrival here, the patrols have not spotted anyone being summoned to the caves. But there is no way to know if one man, or even more than one, was summoned before we settled here. Maybe even before the new women’s arrival, as I was summoned.”

That must have been strange indeed. I had learned that Gahn Buroudei had seen the face of his mate fourteen days before she even arrived in this world. I did not like to think of how he felt during that time. At least I knew of the new women’s existence and had an idea of where to find Thereeza after seeing her in the pools.

And I needed to find her now. I’d spent enough time away from her. I needed to make sure she had arrived back here safely after her trip out to the human ship.

“Is our business concluded?” I asked, fighting to keep the impatience out of my voice.

“For now, yes. Let us choose our men tonight so they may leave tomorrow,” Gahn Buroudei said. Gahn Taliok silently raised his tail then left the tent, followed by Fallo who did not raise his tail. I raised my tail as a goodbye to Buroudei, then turned to leave as well.

“Gahn Baldor?” I stiffened and turned. The other Gahn’s eyes were hard upon me.

“Your man almost killed my Galok. And in return, your man was almost blinded. You attacked here, and men on both sides were lost. You and Gahn Taliok have had many skirmishes, and you owe each other much blood spilled.”

My fingers twitched, ready to reach for my blade if needed. Was he waiting for the other two to leave to attack me? Even I didn’t have the support of Taliok or Fallo, Buroudei would not have an easy time of killing me. I remained still, watching his every move.

To my surprise, his expression relaxed slightly. He stepped forward and clasped his hand to my elbow, gripping my arm.

“We have all made wounds against each other. We all have our grievances. But I must say, I am glad to have you here. I never would have thought this before the arrival of the new women, but now I can do nothing but accept it.”

“Accept what?”

“That we are mightier together.”

I watched him for a long moment. Then, slowly, I shifted my arm to clasp his in return. His grip tightened on me and he raised his tail. I did the same, then finally left the tent.

Darkness was falling rapidly, the sky sprayed with stars and lit up by the long band of our many broken moons. Xyan was approaching me, and he raised his tail.

“We have returned and your mate requests your presence.”

My chest thrummed at that. Thereeza was asking for me?

“Point the way. Quickly, my man!”

Xyan tipped his tail, gesturing towards the open sands.

I murmured my thanks and started off in that direction.

I strode quickly towards the entrance to the settlement, where the warriors stood guard against the open sands. I sped up when I saw Thereeza waiting among those guards, her slender arms clutched to her chest, holding a collection of objects.

My strong legs carried me quickly. As I closed the last of the space between us, she became aware of my arrival and turned her small head towards me. There was the briefest flicker of a smile when she saw me, and my heart leapt as I stopped before her. But the flicker was doused immediately. Her mouth fell open, her eyes widening.

“What happened to you?”

“What is wrong?” I asked, leaning down so that my face was level with hers.

“You’re covered in blood!” she gasped. At first, she leaned back and away from me. Then she reversed her movement, leaning towards me, inspecting my skin.

“Is it yours or someone else’s?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. And suddenly, I felt like a fool. I’d wanted to wear this blood, these wounds, as a sign of my strength for the other Gahns. But now, under the unimpressed stare of my mate, I felt like a boy playing at being a warrior.

“A krixel came at me in the cliffs,” I said quickly in explanation. I saw her stiffen in response to my words, and I automatically reached a hand towards her, brushing her cheek. But I yanked my hand back when I realized my touch left a small crumble of dried blood on her skin.

“Do not fear. It cannot hurt you,” I offered, staring at where I’d dirtied her cheek. I ached to reach out and touch her again, but I did not want to brush her with the violence of the day.

“Some of that is your blood. You’re wounded,” Thereeza said quietly, her eyes running over my shoulders, my chest. My nerves pricked, my skin heating. Oh, what I would give to have it be the soft brush of her fingers instead of just her eyes on me.

“Minor flesh wounds,” I said. I wanted her to touch me. To use those small hands to take care of me. But I also did not want to appear weak, either. I could bind these wounds later myself. I would not trouble her.

“Remember what happened last time you had a minor flesh wound?” Thereeza asked, looking at my hand pointedly. “Come on. I’ll deal with both of you at the same time. I have all the stuff we need.”

“What we need?” I looked at her arms and realized she was holding a jar of Lavrika’s blood as well as a leather bundle. “Is someone else injured?” It had better be a woman or a tiny babe. The thought of her gentle hands on another adult male warrior made me want to kill something for the second time today.

“Kind of. You’ll see what I mean.”

Thereeza led me away from the settlement. Perhaps we were going to collect more Lavrika’s blood?

I was glad to see that this time, the warriors did not try to stop us from leaving. Finally, they had acknowledged that Thereeza was my mate, and I had the right to take her from here if I wished. Well, if she wished to go, anyway. And it seemed she did, as she was the one leading me forward.

I put myself between her and the open sands, and we stayed close to the cliff walls. I stared down at her as we walked, admiring the way the starlight glinted on her strange hair. Even in the darkness, I could tell that it was lighter than it had been before.

“Your hair looks different,” I remarked. Thereeza looked up at me, her slim brows raised. Then she laughed. And I felt wonderful. Wonderful.

“That’s because it’s finally clean,” she said. “I gave it a good scrubbing this morning.”

Ah. This morning. In the smoke tent. Where I’d seen her without her annoying garments.

My cock twitched, and I swallowed, focusing on wherever it was that Thereeza was leading me.

“Are we fetching more Lavrika’s blood for the healers?” I asked.

“Oh, no. They’ve got plenty now. Some of the other ladies even went again back after we did. So we’re all stocked up. It’s how they were able to give me this jar.”

“And where are we taking this jar?”

“Straight ahead,” she said. She pointed to a lump beside the cliffs ahead of us. I recognized it quickly as my irkdu.

“My irkdu is injured. We should leave it be. If it will die, then I would let it die in peace.”

Thereeza stopped, whirling on me with a fury I had not yet seen on her tiny features.

“First of all,” she said, dropping the items in her arms and jabbing the tip of her finger into my chest. “If it’s in such bad shape that it is going to die, then there are more merciful ways to make that happen than leaving it out here to die of dehydration or infection. Second of all, why would you just let it die when you literally have magic healing milk at your disposal?”

I blinked at her, trying to understand her indignation. Was she upset about the injured irkdu? I could not understand this at all. The irkdu were battle beasts. Trained for war. They often died after fighting, but there were always new eggs being hatched and new beasts to train.

Was she worried that I wouldn’t have a mount if it died?

Sweet mate, worrying for me and my needs.

“If it dies it is no great loss. Do not worry, my mate. I am Gahn, and I can have the mount of any man that I choose before a new beast can be trained for me.”

But if anything, my words only made her angrier.

“You’re lucky you’re hurt right now, or I’d have to find a way to knock some damn sense into you!”

“I… do not understand,” I said. Where had I gone wrong? I could not find fault in what I’d said. She stared at me, fire in her strange eyes. Then she closed those eyes, pinching the high, bony ridge of her nose with her finger and her thumb.

“I guess this is just one of those weird cultural clashes.” She lowered her hand and opened her eyes, looking at me again. “Look, whether that’s a work animal or not, it’s still a living creature. I can’t say for sure since I don’t know enough about its biology, but I’m pretty much certain that it feels pain like you and me. If you can help it and let it live, why wouldn’t you?”

Pain? An irkdu feeling pain? The thought had never occurred to me. They certainly could not fight or run properly when they were injured, and they bled, but to think that it could feel pain, like a man? That it would need help, healing?

I stared at the creature, laying still except for the rise and fall of its breathing.

As I stared at the beast, Thereeza knelt and grabbed up the jar and bundle once more before standing.

“This is what I did back on Earth. I was a healer, but for animals.”

This was shocking indeed. Healers who cared specifically for animals?

“Why would you waste healing skills on beasts?” I asked, honestly confused. I wanted so badly to understand her more. But this did not make sense to me.

“Come on. We’ll talk while I work.”

We went to the irkdu.

I watched in fascination as Thereeza crouched down by the beast’s side. She looked at it closely, wrinkling the skin of her bony little nose. I followed her gaze. The irkdu had a long gash along its side, and one of its legs was injured.

“These wounds will likely be fatal. If you want mercy for it, I can make this quicker.”

I reached to pull a blade from my back but Thereeza scowled at me.

“That won’t be necessary yet. Let’s actually do some work on these wounds and see where that gets us first.”

I crouched next to her.

“You keep it calm and still,” she said, opening her leather bundle. Inside were bandages and a bone needle with very thin strips of hide used to suture wounds. She really plans to care for this creature as if it were a person…

When Thereeza laid her soft hand against the irkdu’s side, near its wound, its body jerked, its massive jaws snapping.

This time I did pull out my blade, hissing at the irkdu, getting ready to assert my dominance as its master and keep it from hurting Thereeza. But I stopped dead in my movements when I heard Thereeza’s soft voice traipsing through the air.

“There, there, It’s alright. We’re going to help you.”

I stared at her, slack-jawed. She was speaking to the irkdu almost like it were a sick cub. Like a mother would. It was strange, but the visceral rush I felt could not be ignored. The feeling that told me she would be a beautiful mother.

“Tell me more about this. Why you did this in your world. Healed the creatures.”

Thereeza grabbed a clean square of hide, drenched it in Lavrika’s blood, then gingerly ran it along the irkdu’s deep gash, murmuring sweetly all the while. I was ready with my blade. I would plunge it into the irkdu’s heart myself it made one violent move towards my mate. But it did not. Its many eyes watched her. As did my own.

“Where I come from, animals serve all sorts of purposes. Some are out in the wild just living their lives. Some are for food. Some are for work, kind of like the irkdu. Trained to help people with tasks. And some are what we call pets. They’re small ones who live in our homes like members of our family. To some people, pets are as important as their own children.”

I stared at her, my brow furrowed, trying to process what she’d said. She had come from a strange world indeed. Having a creature live inside your tent, placing it alongside your cubs? But Thereeza seemed honest in her words, and I’d already noted how she’d spoken to the injured irkdu with the soothing voice of a mother.

“So when people had animals get sick, or injured, they would bring them to the office… they would bring them to where I did my work. And we would help the animals get better. Most of the time, anyway. When they’re too old, or too far-gone in their illness, we’d help them pass on.”

“This is what I just offered to do,” I said, looking down at the blade I held.

Thereeza sighed as she threaded the bone needle with the hide thread.

“Yes, but it’s not the same. We did that when it was the best choice. And we would use medication to make things easier for the animal. We called it putting them to sleep.” She turned her eyes on me, her expression fierce. “What we don’t need to do right now is cause this poor thing any more damage when I don’t even think it’s necessary.”

“You think it will live?” I asked, casting my eyes back down to the creature.

“Yes, if you’d bother to do anything about it!” she cried.

“Why does this upset you so?” I probed, seating myself on the sand next to her.

“It upsets me because the irkdu is an animal that’s devoted its life to you and your battles, and now that it’s injured you just plan to leave it to die out here! When there are things to be done to save it!”

We were very different. Our worlds and customs and values so similar in some ways, and so flung-apart in others. But this was important to her, and I was working hard to understand. The fact that the irkdu could experience pain as I could was not something I’d ever known before, and that alone was starting to change my way of thinking.

“I will help,” I said solemnly. “It is my mount. My responsibility. Tell me what to do.”

She turned to me again, her pretty eyes wide. Then she gave me a soft smile. And how my chest cracked open at the sight. I will need more sutures than the irkdu…

“Hold the sides of this wound together while I suture it closed.”

I did so, planting my palms on the irkdu’s tough hide, pressing the sides of the wound together so that it would be easier for Thereeza to do her work. She nodded at me, pressing her mouth into a firm line, before beginning her work. The irkdu flinched and roared as the needle worked through its bloodied hide. Immediately, I copied what Thereeza had done, muttering to the irkdu, telling it to be still, that we were there to help it. It felt odd, talking to the creature in this way, but not necessarily bad. So I kept doing it. Thereeza kept her eyes focused on her work for the most part. But every now and then her gaze flicked over to me. I wonder what she sees…

After suturing the creature’s wound, Thereeza bound its injured leg while I held the limb still. Then she stood, planting her hands on her hips, surveying all we’d done. All she’d done.

“Pour some more of the Lavrika’s blood on the wound we just closed up. Might as well use a bit more and give this big guy the best shot we can.”

I did as Thereeza instructed, carefully drizzling more of the Lavrika’s blood along the deep, now closed, wound. As I did so, my beast huffed, its eyes watching me. This was something I’d never done before. Something I’d never even thought to do. But I decided I was glad to have done it. I’d had this mount for some time. I would be glad to ride it into the future if it lived. And now, I realized, I hoped it did live.

“You did great,” Thereeza said warmly. I puffed out my chest, swelling with her praise. I was about to tell her some word of modesty, to say that this was nothing for a Gahn, when I realized that she was not speaking to me. She was bending and patting the irkdu’s snout. It snuffled, then lowered its head, curling into sleep.

“Time to let it rest,” she said, finally turning her attentions to me. I tried not to be jealous of the poor bleeding irkdu for earning her praise. But I was not so sure that I was successful.

“Alright, next patient. You’re up.”

“What?” Now what did she want to do? Was there some other bleeding creature out there who needed assistance? A brazelbird with a broken wing somewhere?

She smiled, shaking her head, pointing at me.

“Time to deal with your wounds. Come on, we’ll give the irkdu some space.”

We started walking back towards the settlement, stopping halfway in a sheltered spot. Here, the cliff wall cracked inwards, creating a shadowy area. We moved into those shadows, and I clenched at the nearness of her, so close to me in the darkness.

If she does not accept me as her mate soon, I will lose myself to this need.

“Sit there,” my mate instructed, pointing to a flat stone. I did so, leaning back against the cliff wall. Thereeza knelt in front of me. Immediately, I spread my legs so that she could move between them. It was honestly only to give her easier access to my wounds, but when her breath caught at my movement, I realized how erotic it was. And once I had that image in my head, I couldn’t shove it away.

“You said you would tend to my wounds,” I rasped, sounding almost like a beast myself.

She nodded mutely, shifting forward on her knees so that she was between my thighs. Seated on the low stone like this, with her up on her knees, our faces were each at eye level. She gazed at my face, her lips parting. I leaned forward, dying to capture that mouth with mine.

Before I could do so, she spoke.

“You’re sight stars are lovely. But a strange colour.”

I froze. I had not wanted to think of anything besides Thereeza and this moment. I had not wanted to tell her of Zolinna. Not yet. But, I realized, I could no longer keep my past hidden. Not from her.

Not anymore.

“From what those close to me have told me, they used to be darker, warmer, like the sands,” I said.

She tilted her head, staring at me.

“Your sight stars changed colour?”

“Yes. Most of us lose some of the colour of our sight stars as we age. They become grey and silver when we are elderly.”

“But you don’t seem that old.”

Confusion passed over her face, which I was relieved to see. Good, so she does not think of me as an old man. My faded sight stars had never particularly bothered me when it came to my appearance. But I did not want Thereeza thinking I was an old warrior, not vigorous enough for her. Because the straining beneath my loincloth would disprove that very quickly.

“No, I am not.” I said. I heaved a sigh, tipping my head back against the rock. I kept Thereeza in my sights as I spoke. She was the only thing giving me enough strength to haul the words up from deep in my chest.

“They lost their colour the day Zolinna died.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Theresa

I held my breath, waiting for Baldor to say more. Zolinna. That had to be his first mate. The one Xyan had told me about. The one who’d died.

Baldor’s head was tipped back, his eyes on me. His face was stony and almost expressionless, but I could see something beneath the mask. The deep, constant ebb and flow of grief.

I’d had half a thought about jealousy towards this other woman. This other woman who’d captured Baldor’s attention so much. The mate bond was no joke, and he’d no doubt loved her fiercely. But any jealousy I might have felt died away taking in Baldor’s pain. He wasn’t really showing it, but I could tell by the gravel in his voice when he said her name, the tense set of his jaw, that this was difficult for him. Maybe even just remembering her was difficult. And I didn’t want to cause him any more pain if I could help it.

“You don’t have to tell me about her if you don’t want to. Xyan mentioned something…” Oh, shoot. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I hoped Xyan wouldn’t get in trouble for telling me about this. But Baldor didn’t seem angered by what I’d said about Xyan. Heck, this was the Gahn after all. News of his mate’s death was probably pretty common knowledge. It would have to be. The death of a queen.

Baldor didn’t say anything else for a long time, so I quietly began tending to his wounds, wiping them clean with hides and then spreading Lavrika’s blood onto his torn flesh. Luckily, none of his wounds needed sutures from what I could tell. I wound bandages across his chest and over his injured shoulder. As I pulled everything taut, finally, he spoke.

“She was my friend since childhood. Even before the mate bond, I had love for her. When the Lavrika summoned me, I was not surprised to see her face.”

My fingers stilled, coming to rest on Baldor’s bandaged pectorals. I looked up to meet his eyes. His stormy gaze enveloped mine.

“She was out by the water. You were right before, Thereeza, when you asked me about the dangers, the monsters of my land.” Oh, fuck. I remembered that. When Baldor had told me that taking me away from here would keep me safe, and I’d thrown it in his face. I’d told him that there were dangers in his lands, too. Of course, I hadn’t known that his first mate had died there. But damn. I felt about as big as an inchworm in that moment.

“You have seen the zeelk, yes?” Baldor asked.

I shivered.

“Yes. Don’t remind me.”

“Well, we have forsek. They are like water zeelk. Large armoured predators that live in the rocky shallows. They do not usually come onto land, but…”

He took a deep breath, and I felt his muscles tighten under my fingers. Instinctively, I reached my hands up and wrapped my arms around his neck. He stiffened further, then groaned, pulling me tight against his body.

“I was gone. I was not there. It happened while I was journeying back to my people from the Cliffs of Uruzai after being summoned by the Lavrika. She was on the shore when the forsek came.”

I gasped, tears tightening the muscles of my throat and burning in my eyes. I couldn’t stop them from spilling outwards, down my cheeks, onto Baldor’s bandages. His strong hands met the sides of my jaw, gently prying me away from his chest, staring into my face.

“You are doing that human crying. The other mated men warned me not to worry when you did it…” He narrowed his gaze. “But still, it is worrisome. Are you well?”

There was an edge of almost-panic to his voice. Which, considering his last mate had violently died without him being able to help her, kind of made sense. I reached up, rubbing vigorously at my eyes. I hated that I was the one crying, that he was comforting me when he had just told me about his terrible loss.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to cry.”

“The others say you new women do this crying when you feel strong emotions.”

“Yes,” I said sniffing, swiping at my nose. “I’m sad.”

“You are sad,” he repeated slowly, lowering his face further so that we were almost nose-to-nose. Those silvered sight stars that had started this whole conversation in the first place spun and swirled. I couldn’t look away.

“Yes,” I repeated. “I’m sad about what happened. For your loss.”

Baldor’s fingers tightened against my jaw. His own jaw worked, his sight stars pulsing.

“You are too good,” he finally ground out, his lips drawing back from his fangs. “Too kind, too giving. You want peace between the Gahns and no bloodshed. You give your time and energy to heal the irkdu. You are sad for my loss when it happened before you even arrived in this world.” He gave a long, low, miserable-sounding hiss. “I do not deserve you.”

“Don’t say that,” I whispered, more tears spilling. The more I learned about Baldor, the more I cared for him. He’d suffered terribly before now, and that made him anxious about losing me. So he’d attacked us, trying to find me. But he’d also submitted to the peace, to the alliance, for me. He hadn’t understood my urge to help heal the irkdu, but he had done his best to learn, and he had helped me. And now, when I was dithering away like an idiot when he was the one in pain, he said he didn’t deserve me?

But I could see why he thought that. I’d pushed him away at every turn. I needed to give him something, now. Some assurance. And not just because I felt bad that his first love had died. No, it was nothing like that. I just wanted to share what I felt growing inside me every day, every moment.

My own hands moved up to his cheeks. He groaned at my touch, pressing forward until his forehead bumped mine. His mouth was so close…

“I’m not going anywhere, Baldor. You’re not going to lose me.” The words tumbled out of me without me even thinking. I didn’t think about the gravity of them, of what they could mean. They just felt so right in that moment. The reality was that, even if I didn’t 100% accept him as my forever-mate right this second, I was getting invested in this, in us, now. I was willing to give it a shot. I wanted more of him. And I wanted to give him more.

I moved slightly, tipping my head to the side and brushing my lips against Baldor’s. It was as chaste a kiss as any I’d ever given. Not a lick of tongue. But to Baldor, it was like a freaking bomb going off. His hands shot downwards to my waist, his fingers clenching there. And when he kissed me back, it was anything but chaste. I was assaulted by the sheer power behind his movements, my lips opening immediately to his tongues.

Oh my God. Tongues. The three fucking alien tongues the others told me about.

Well, they hadn’t exaggerated. Three strong tapered tongues slicked through my mouth, exploring everywhere. Baldor’s fangs caught my lower lips, and I gasped, arching, feeling him groan into my mouth in return. A slight metallic tang let me know that there was some blood. Baldor’s grip on me was like iron, and as desire slammed through me and I arched even harder against him, I felt the shuddering of his chest, heaving with ragged breaths.

He drew back, plastering his palms to the side of my face, scraping my hair back, his gaze boring into me.

“What is it?” I panted, my lips feeling swollen as I formed them around the words. When he didn’t answer, his gaze growing harder, a niggling doubt tore at me. It wasn’t jealousy, but insecurity. Maybe I don’t measure up to what he had with her. Maybe he’s disappointed, maybe he’s…

“Forgive me,” he choked out. “I am merely making sure that this is real. That you are truly here, in my arms.”

Shit. More tears.

“This is real,” I whispered. “I’m real. I’m here.”

I’m not going anywhere.

Baldor sighed, long and low. “Thank you,” he said. His thumb came up to brush my lower lip, drawing it downward, exposing the inside. His brows contracted.

“Did I cut you with my fang?”

My tongue darted out to lick the spot, and his gaze followed the movement.

“I think so.”

“So that was what I tasted. So sharp and strange. Your blood…”

I froze as his tongue, forking into its three parts, came down to brush along my lower lip.

“Buroudei told me your kind had blood the colour of poison,” he murmured against my cheek. “I did not believe him before. But now I do.”

“Oh yeah?” I said, totally dazed by the fire ripping through my body at his every touch.

“Yes. I do.” His eyes met mine again. “Your blood, your scent, everything about you is more potent than any poison. I feel that I am made stronger by you, and brought to the very edge of existence by you, all at the same time. You have made me question so much.” His voice deepened. “I am forever changed by you.”

I threw my arms around his neck again, not able to contain myself. I needed to be on him, pressed against him, holding him as tight as possible. The waves of affection raising up inside me for this man, this Gahn whom I’d been so suspicious of, were going to drown me.

He was still seated on the rock, and I wiggled forward, moving my knees up over his huge muscled thighs then settling myself so that I was straddling him. His cock was a stone rod pressed between us. I gasped as my clit pressed against its underside, my legs spreading wider.

“I touched myself thinking of you,” I said, flushing furiously at my own boldness. What the hell? When had I decided to tell him that little tidbit?

Baldor’s sight stars pulsed, and I felt his cock strain harder at my words.

“When?” he asked, barely able to form the word. It came out as a tight huff of breath.

“In the smoke tent this morning,” I said hurriedly, apparently throwing all modesty to the fucking wind. But the carnal desire in his expression, in the iron grip of his hands on my hips, made me want to tell him more. “I thought about you,” I said again.

“Show me,” he commanded, his eyes dragging from my face down to my crotch. I hesitated for a beat, wondering if my boldness would hold. But when Baldor growled at my slowness, alighting new arousal inside me, I knew I wouldn’t even be able to stop myself if I wanted to. I shimmied, quickly standing and slamming my pants and underwear down my body, kicking them all off along with my boots. I returned to my position in Baldor’s lap.

“I said to show me what you did in the tent.” He frowned. “When I left the tent, you did not have this…”

He tugged at the zipper of my solar protection jacket, and, face on fire, I ridded myself of that garment too. Then I took off the tank top and bra beneath, tossing them to the sand. I remained silent and still, though I was fucking thrumming, as his gaze raked over my body. His thumbs dug into my hip bones, his fingers splaying over the cheeks of my ass.

“Show me,” he growled, his tone telling me he did not want to ask again. I nodded quickly, my hand slipping down between us. I had to scoot back a touch, to the edge of the rock we were seated on, so that I could get my fingers between his cock and my pussy.

But apparently the view wasn’t good enough. From his angle, his own erection was probably blocking what my hand was doing. Grunting in irritation, Baldor stood. I squealed in shock as I was raised with him, but he kept his hands strong against me. He turned, then put me back on the rock, his hands on my thighs.

“Show me like this,” he said, kneeling on the ground.

Oh my God. Like this?! Touching myself in his lap was one thing. Fingering myself with his face pressed between my legs was a whole new level. I tried to press my thighs together, but his hands moved down to my knees, holding them in place.

His heated gaze moved up to my face, and unable to stop myself from doing something, anything, to ease the ache, my fingers fell between my legs.

Baldor’s lips trembled, his fangs clenching, his sight stars misting in a haze of desire as he stared between my legs. His expression just made me even more turned on. I’d literally never been wanted by anyone this much.

My fingers circled my clit slowly, spreading the wetness up from my entrance. Baldor looked like he was entranced, the column of his muscled throat contracting as he swallowed.

“This is what you did? And you thought of me?” he asked, and I moaned, spreading my legs wider when his breath fanned against my heated skin, modesty suddenly forgotten.

“Yes,” I said, my hips rocking.

“More. Show me more. Show me what else you did.”

Biting my lip, I did as he told me to. I slipped my middle finger inside myself, just as I’d done in the tent. I was so wet already.

“Your cunt is glorious,” Baldor groaned, his grip inching up from my knees to my thighs. “I can see the wetness glistening on your skin. Readying your tightness for my cock.”

His words burned inside me, and my fingers worked faster. Fuck, I was already getting close, now…

I fingered myself and pressed the hard part of my palm to my clit the way I liked, grinding against my own hand.

“You keep touching and pressing and touching above the entrance to your cunt. Here.”

I cried out as Baldor’s claws brushed against the back of my hand.

It took me a second to realize he was asking about my clit.

I hadn’t exactly been ready to give an anatomy lesson up in here, but I had to say no human man I’d been with had been this open to learning. I pulled my hand away so he could see better, fighting my urge to once again close my legs in shyness.

“This part right here feels really good,” I breathed shakily.

I brushed my index fingertip against my clit again, my hips bucking up hungrily with need. My body was starting to complain about the absence of my fingers. Baldor grunted, moving in closer on his knees until his chest was pressed into the jagged edge of the rock he’d placed me on.

“Your wounds,” I whispered, worried about the rock against the wounds we’d just bandaged.

“There is no wound except the wound of not having you,” Baldor said, his voice thick. Dear God, it was too much. Even barely touching myself now, I could feel myself rising higher and higher, my insides clenching.

“Baldor,” I choked out, my skin burning. There was a lot in the speaking of his name. Things I wasn’t sure I wanted to acknowledge. Baldor, touch me. Baldor, take me. Baldor, love me.

But I was pretty darn sure he already loved me.

When Baldor spoke again, there was a dark urgency to his voice.

“Move your hand.”

My fingers tightening into an aching fist, I pulled my hand away. Baldor leaned forward, dragging his nose along my wetness, making me jump and moan.

“I have hungered for this. Beyond what you could ever understand…”

But when his tongues lashed forward, ravaging my skin with brutal hunger, I did understand. Because I was feeling the same way, need rising up in me, uncontrollable and fierce. My hands slipped forward without me even noticing, my fingers threading through the hair at Baldor’s scalp, loosening his braid. His hair was shockingly silky, the sensations of the strands dancing against my fingers as his tongues worked between my legs. He was making deep, rumbling, feral sounds. They were muffled by his face pressed between my legs, but I could feel the reverberation from his thick chest rolling up my thighs, making me quiver.

And when his thickest, centre tongue pressed inside my entrance, I screamed. My spine arched, curving away from the rock behind me. Baldor didn’t let up, his centre tongue slicking in and out of me, curling forwards inside me, hitting my G-spot. His outer tongues lanced up to my clit, probing it from each side while his centre tongue fucked me.

I wasn’t going to last much longer. This was too erotic, the sensations too overwhelming.

“Baldor, I’m close…”

His sight stars spun upwards, meeting my hazy gaze. His look was so intense, so determined. Like he was promising me something. Promising me forever.

And that did it.

It wasn’t just the physical nature of the interaction, but the devotion layered behind it, that pushed me over the edge. I was starting to feel safe with him. Really safe. As I clenched around his tongue, my fingers digging into his scalp, Baldor kept that gaze on me. Watching. Promising.

I rode out the orgasm, unable to stop the frenzied movements of my body. I was no longer arching away from the cliff, but was hunched forward, hugging downward against Baldor’s head, my pelvis grinding onto his tongues.

I was getting really sensitive now that the orgasm had crested.

“It’s so much… it’s too much,” I moaned, gritting my teeth. Baldor pulled back slightly, just enough to speak, his words brushing against my pulsing pussy.

“This is not even close to enough. You do not know what I have to offer you, mate.” His words cracked, almost sounding angry. He rose to his full height, standing before me, pressing himself between my legs. He whipped his loincloth off, gripping his massive erection. This time, I didn’t even try to keep my eyes off of it.

The way we were positioned, with me sitting on the rock and him standing, his pelvis was pretty much eye level. I stared at Baldor’s member, my mouth going dry at the intimidating sight of it.

OK, it was freaking huge. Fist-thick at the base, tapering slightly at the tip. A smooth, dark organ with no foreskin that I could see. And on either side were the appendages the other girls had told me about. Apparently they were called cock spears. Two slender spikes of flesh on either side of the thickened cock. My breath caught as I imagined what those two slender spears would feel like grinding against my groin as Baldor fucked me.

Fuck. Fuck! That image was way too good. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that step yet, but it was getting more and more enticing every moment.

Baldor gripped his shaft, then began to stroke himself slowly. Without meaning to, I raised my hands, sliding my palms up his thighs, marvelling at the rock-hard muscle beneath his smooth hide.

“I did this, too. After the tent.”

My eyes widened. He’d jerked off after that? We could have been literally coming at the same time, just in different places…

But I didn’t want to just watch him jerk off, as much as it was turning me on. I wanted to feel him.

Baldor froze, muscles bunching and thrumming as I slipped a hand between his legs to cup his heavy testicles. They were warm, dark, and so smooth I had to fight the urge to lick them.

But why am I fighting it?

Emboldened, I adjusted my positioning, swivelling then leaning back on my elbows until my head was between his legs. Baldor still hadn’t moved, his hand like steel on his own member.

Angling my head upward, I opened my mouth and started to suck.

A shudder ran through Baldor as my mouth worked on him from below. His balls were too huge to take into my mouth completely, even one at a time. So instead I sucked at the skin, running my tongue over that heaviness, moaning when I felt his balls tighten and bunch with pleasure.

Suddenly, the movement of Baldor’s hand recommenced, much faster and harder this time. I matched his speed and intensity, sucking more, nipping gently, lapping at him from below. I slipped my tongue towards the front, laving the bottom surface of his erection as his fist pumped up and down the length.

His balls were drawing upwards, tighter. If he’s anything like a human man, he’s probably about to come…

That thought lit me up, and I slipped my hand back down between my own legs, working my clit as I sucked his balls. I was going to come again already.

Baldor growled, then stopped pumping his hand, squeezing.

“I don’t want to spill seed like this. I want to see your face.”

Baldor stepped back and away from me. Before I had the chance to even start sitting up, his strong hands gripped me, lifting me easily. Good thing, too. Because the heat of our encounter was leaving me dizzy. I tried to get my bearings as Baldor lifted me against him then moved forward, pressing my back to the rock. My legs immediately went around his waist to steady myself, and he gripped my ass, sliding me down slightly until his erection was pressed firmly against my crease. My throbbing clit was pressed into his pubic area, and I started rocking against him immediately.

“Thereeza,” Baldor said, my name a strangled sound in his throat. His hips started moving, snapping forward and back, grinding his erection furiously against my skin. He groaned, leaning forward, pressing his mouth against my temple. “There is so much I want to do to you…”

“Like what? What?” I needed to hear him say it in that moment. I thought I might die if I didn’t.

I felt his cock throb against me, and my nipples puckered, dragging against his muscled abdomen.

“I want to press into the sweet tight heat of your cunt. Tasting it was magnificent, but it was not enough. I want to rut you. Hard. And fill you so full of my seed that it drips out of you for days…”

Holy shit. His words, spoken so heatedly against my temple, were going to make me come again. Nevermind the rocking of his body against me, the perfect friction on my clit.

But it was the next words that did it. That made me convulse and clutch to him.

“I want to soak your womb with seed, over and over again, until you swell with my cub.”

I clung to him as my orgasm washed over me, unbearably aroused by the images he’d put in my head. No birth control, no condom, just this thick, hungry, virile male pounding into me, claiming me, marking me… Making me a mother…

“And even when you are heavy with child I will still need you,” he continued. “I will fill my claws with your lushness, and where you are round and soft I will be forever hard for you.”

Baldor’s breath was coming harsher, now. His hips moving more frantically against me. I was lost to him, to the moment, to the future he painted with his words. I couldn’t do anything but hold fast to him, my eyes rolling back in my head.

“You are the future I never thought I’d earn,” he whispered. And then, with a barely restrained bellow, everything in him tightened. My eyes flew open, not wanting to miss the contortion of his face as he came – his jaw grinding, fangs flashing. His tail thrashed behind him as he drove forward against me. Hot wetness spurted up my backside, coating me, and for a second I was bereft that it was wasted. That it wasn’t inside me.

Hold your damn horses, girl.

It was hard to remember that I’d only met Baldor a few short days ago.

But so much had happened since then. I’d started to see so much of him. Parts I wasn’t sure that anyone else had seen. His grief. His sincerity.

His desire.

Baldor stepped backwards so that my back wasn’t against the cliff. He collapsed down into a cross-legged seated position on the sand, shifting me so that I was cradled against his chest, my legs no longer wrapped around him.

Tucked into him, I stayed still like that for a long time.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Baldor

Thereeza was so small in my arms. I held her tightly, my arms a shield around her, keeping her safe from anything this world might have to offer. And when she started shaking, I held her all the tighter.

“What is it? You’re shuddering,” I said, leaning my head to the side to look at her lovely face.

“I’m cold,” she replied. When she nuzzled in closer to my body, I groaned, my hips rocking. Already I was hardening again for her. I wanted to flip her, press her to the sands, drag her hips upward and nudge at her entrance.

But she was cold

Fool. You think you can keep her safe from this world, and you cannot even keep her warm. An adult getting cold was an almost absurd concept. The sun burns her, the night makes her shiver. She is ten times more vulnerable than Zolinna was. How can I ever hope to keep her?

I beat down that voice.

I will protect her. I will keep her. She is mine.

I had not yet fully claimed her with my cock, but I was more and more sure that that moment was coming for us. When I’d spoke of rutting her, of spilling my seed inside her, making her swell with my cub, she’d clung harder to me, moaning, lost in pleasure. She wanted what I wanted.

I just had to figure out how to get her to admit it so that we could both move forward. I needed to make her want me, want this, so badly that she was the one initiating things, so that she was the one climbing desperately upon my cock.

But first, I needed her warm and comfortable.

Her clothes were nearby on the sand. I grabbed what was within reach, keeping one arm wound around her frame. I wanted to dress her so that she did not need to make any effort, but as I stared at the bizarre, stringy contraption that she had been wearing around her chest, I quickly realized I was out of my depth.

Luckily, I did not have to flounder with the odd garment for long. Thereeza grabbed her clothing from me and smiled gratefully.

“Thanks.”

She stood, and I gawked at the spill of moonlight over her naked form. The glistening streaks of my seed were still visible on her flesh and my cock throbbed. I wanted to mark her with more of it. More seed, where no one would be able to see it. But where she would feel it.

But that would not likely happen tonight. Because now she was fully dressed. Reluctantly, I stood, returning my loincloth to my hips. I pulled the fabric awkwardly over my hardening cock, staring at the curve of Thereeza’s rump as she bent to put on her hard foot-shells.

“It’s pretty late,” she said, turning to look up at the haze of stars.

“Not too late,” I said, not wanting this moment, this evening to end. I did not want to go back to sleeping outside the tent without her. But as I’d only just agreed to move my tribe here, we did not have individual tents set up for the men. My army was still sharing the one tent, and I did not have my own.

I will have to remedy that.

“Tomorrow I will hunt a dakrival. I will butcher it and clean the hides myself and construct a tent for us,” I said. Thereeza’s eyes widened, and for a moment I worried she would argue.

“Do not deny me this, sun-haired one,” I rasped, drawing my knuckles across her smooth cheek. “I cannot go another night without you.”

She must not have been cold anymore, because I felt warmth in her skin under my knuckles.

“Alright,” she whispered. I held very still, trying to contain the burst of joy in my chest. It was difficult. I wanted to leap with it, jump and whoop. She is accepting me. Soon she will accept me as her mate, and bind herself to me forever.

I had already waited so long for this. I could wait a little longer. But I hoped it would not be too much longer. Even now, my cock was twitching under my loincloth. I’d savoured our moment together tonight, but I wanted more.

“We should get back.”

I could no longer ignore Thereeza’s words for my own desires to keep her here to myself. I wrapped my arm around her waist, drawing her into my side as we began to walk. We moved along the cliffside back to the settlement, reaching the tents far too soon. I sighed as we entered the settlement, not entirely happy about the fact that I would be living here from now on. But the plains of my people, the crash of the waves, were inside me. I’d bring that history with me wherever I went.

And wherever I travelled would always lead me to Thereeza. My home was no longer a place. My home was in a tiny, strange creature who had come from another world entirely.

You worry about leaving behind the plains and the sea. She has left behind her entire world.

I tightened my grip on her as we approached the human tent, silently vowing to become her home the way she’d become mine.

“I wish you could come in here,” Thereeza said suddenly, startling me from my thoughts. I stared at her in surprise. She was looking at the human tent, lips pursed.

“It would not be right to have a male sleeping in the tent of the unmated new women,” I said. I did not have any desire to sleep next to the other women, anyway. I wanted Thereeza alone and all to myself.

“Oh, no. I know. That would be weird. But still…”

She turned to me, smiling slightly.

“I take it you’ll be out here again tonight?”

I jerked my tail in agreement.

“Yes. We may be separated by the tent wall, but I will not leave your side. Although…” I still had to go speak to Xyan about our plans for the meeting of the Gahns. “I will have to leave for a short time after you are safe inside to speak to my man Xyan. But I will return and spend the night here.”

“Good,” she said. She looked so happy about it. About the fact I’d be coming back to her. That happiness was a spear through my ribs. So pure and beautiful it hurt.

“Thereeza,” I murmured, placing my hands along either side of her jaw. I wanted to say so much to her. But all I could manage was her name. Her eyes shone, and she looped her hands around my neck, tugging me downward.

“Come here,” she whispered. She pulled harder, and I moved further downward. When her incredibly soft lips brushed mine, I had to fight. Fight fang and claw to control myself. You must go find Xyan…

Xyan could wait.

I moved my mouth against hers, urging her lips apart, pressing inside with my tongues. Quickly, our movements became more heated. I realized that the guards near this tent were probably watching us, but I did not care. I wanted their eyes upon me, upon us. I wanted them all to see how Thereeza was starting to accept me. How she opened her tiny human mouth for my tongues, and mine alone.

But all too soon, she pulled away.

“At this rate, I’ll never make it inside,” she said between panted breaths, running her hands downward to rest on my chest. I knew what she meant. Every second I was in her presence made it harder to leave her.

“Go inside. I will return here soon,” I said. Though my body did not agree with my mouth. My hands had moved from her jaw down to her waist and they showed no signs of letting go.

Thereeza laughed, prying my fingers off of her body. She was only able to do so because I let her. If I had wanted to keep her body caged in my grip, it would have been easy. Curse me, I did want to. But I let her do it anyway.

“Goodnight, Baldor,” she said, her smile softening, her eyes becoming more serious.

“Goodnight, my mate.” My mate, my dream, my future.

Thereeza entered the tent, disappearing from my sight. The pull she exerted was still strong upon me. My instincts told me to rend the tent’s fabric with my claws, tear through it all with my teeth until I found her again. I forced myself to turn, striding away from her.

I headed for my men’s tent, next to Gahn Taliok’s healers’ tent. I saw quickly that Xyan was one of the men who had opted to sleep outside. His long form was stretched out on his back on the sand, his hands behind his head. It was a deceptively relaxed position. His hands were crossed behind his head, his chest and abdomen bared to an opponent. But his hands also rested right by the handles of the blades on his back. And when I stepped up to his sleeping form, I watched as his fingers tightened on one of those handles before his eyes flew open and registered me.

“My Gahn,” he said, moving to stand and raise his tail. I waved the gesture away.

“Do not rise. You will need rest.”

“Oh?” he said, sitting back down on the sand. I sat across from him.

“Yes. Tomorrow you and a representative from each of the tribes will leave here and travel to the Death Plains.”

Xyan’s sight stars pulsed, no doubt surprised by what I’d said. He’d probably expected me to tell him he would lead the party who went back to collect our people and bring them back here. He likely would do that, but after this mission. I had left a guard party to protect the women, children, and elderly in our territory. And now that we were allied with these other three tribes, I was not worried about wars or ambushes while I was gone. Gahn Itok’s tribe was far, far from my people’s territory, so he posed no threat either. My tribe would be safe in our territory a little longer without me before we moved them here.

“We need to call a meeting of the Gahns. There is the chance that Gahn Itok, or some of his men, could have mates from among the new women. We want to try to head off an attack like the one we launched.”

“I understand,” Xyan said. I knew he would. He had always been an intelligent warrior. Quiet, but clever.

“You are my most trusted friend and warrior. You know this. There is no one else I would have relay messages on my behalf to another Gahn. That being said…”

I paused, sighing. The danger of the mission did not elude me. But forgoing doing it would probably prove more dangerous in the end.

“…That being said, it will be dangerous. The Death Plains are not easy terrain. And we do not know for sure how Gahn Itok and his men will receive you and the others.”

“It is no great matter. I will do it. I see the sense of such a mission, and I thank you for your trust.”

“Do not thank me. You have done nothing but earn my trust, all our lives long.”

“I am honoured to hear that. And please do not worry about my safety, Gahn. You and I both know I am a good warrior. Besides…”

His voice drifted off, and his eyes flicked somewhere behind me. The human tent, I realized.

“Besides,” he said, his gaze returning to mine, so fierce it was almost severe, “I have something to come back for.”

Something? Or someone?

The Lavrika had not called Xyan. I was certain of this. And yet I could not deny the determined set of his jaw and shoulders. I could not deny the way his gaze had definitely gone towards the tent of the new women.

I watched him closely. He met my gaze solemnly, saying no more. I wanted to press him, ask him questions about this, about which new woman had caught his gaze. And because I was his Gahn, I knew that he would not hide anything from me if I asked.

But he also was not volunteering more information about this subject, either. He was my friend, and I did not want to force him into sharing something that he held guarded and close to his heart. So for the moment, I decided to let it go.

“Whatever your reasons for wanting to return, I put my faith in them and you,” I finally said. This time, Xyan did stand, despite me gesturing for him not to.

“Thank you, Gahn.”

“I thank you, Xyan. Tomorrow morning I will help you prepare for the journey. We will meet with the representatives chosen by the other Gahns and give you further instructions.”

“I will await your orders,” he said, settling himself back on the sand. He laid down again, in the same position as before. As he put his hands behind his head, his hard muscles pulled and bunched. Yes, he was a very strong warrior. The best in our tribe besides me. If any one of my men could venture into the Death Plains and come back unscathed, it would be him.

Satisfied in my choice for the mission awaiting us, I turned and headed back towards the new women’s tent. Ignored the stares of the guards there, sitting down in what had become my usual spot. Once again, I vowed to construct a tent tomorrow. I would not have my mate away from my side during sleep beyond this night.

I crossed my arms, tipping my head back to rest against the bone post. Thinking of that - of Thereeza’s soft, warm little body pressed against mine inside our own private tent, I closed my eyes and drifted.

CHAPTER  TWENTY-FOUR

Theresa

When I woke the next morning, my body felt heavy and languorous. I smiled, stretching like a cat, enjoying the relaxed pull of my muscles. Why did I feel so rested? That might have been the best sleep I’d gotten on this planet so far…

“Well, don’t you seem relaxed!”

I opened my eyes to see Jocelyn sitting up beside me, grinning downwards.

“And you got back late last night,” she added.

“I thought you were asleep,” I said, sitting up too. Nobody had stirred when I’d come back to the tent last night.

“Oh, I was. And I fell asleep late. And you weren’t here. Therefore, I know you got back late.” She eyed me, her grin turning mischievous. “Home late, and now stretching all satisfied like a cat who got her cream. What did you get up to last night?”

“Ain’t you ever heard that it’s rude to kiss and tell?” I said, raising an eyebrow. She laughed, tipping her head back, and I couldn’t help but join in with her. It was catching. And I had to admit, thinking about last night had me feeling damn near giddy.

“Well, thank goodness I can get my fix somewhere else. Chapman and Kat are all tight-lipped like you, but Cece and Melanie have shared some things with me, at least.” She sighed with mock drama, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead as if she might faint. “What’s a poor unmated girl to do?”

I laughed again.

“Honestly, even without the whole mate thing, I’m sure you could go out and get any alien man your little heart desired,” I said. Even outside of the fact that there weren’t enough women for these guys, Jocelyn was stunningly beautiful. Rich, warm brown skin over high cheekbones, large brown eyes with flecks of hazel-gold, and a glorious cascade of kinky black curls. She’d have no trouble getting any guy anywhere. I was sure of it.

“Nah. I’m just being dramatic. I’m not super into casual hookups. I wasn’t on Earth either. I’m a bonafide serial monogamist.” She placed her hand over her heart as if she was making some kind of oath.

“Fair enough,” I said, nodding. I was kind of the same. Heck, I’d been hesitant enough to start hooking up with my own destined mate, the warrior who promised me forever with every longing look in his eyes. I couldn’t picture hooking up with one of the other guys just to scratch an itch. No judgment at all to others who might want to do so. But casual relationships had never really been my thing, so I understood what Jocelyn meant.

“What are you up to today?” I asked. I moved to pull on some clean clothes but realized with a flash of heat that I’d fallen asleep with Baldor’s cum drying all over my ass. Guess another trip to the steam tent is in order this morning…

“I was actually going to come along to the ship with you and Kat and Zoey today. I want to get into the lab and take a look at some of the herbs and plants I’ve been collecting. I asked the Sea Sand healers if any of the herbs they knew of prevented pregnancy, and they looked at me like I was a fucking alien.” We both stared at each other then burst into giggles. “OK, stop, I can’t stop laughing now. You know what I mean. They had no idea why anyone would want to prevent pregnancy, so they didn’t know of any herbs like that. I want to see if I can figure some kind of birth control out for the ladies who might not want to start popping out little kangaroo babies any time soon.”

“Good idea,” I said, already knowing that if she was successful, I wouldn’t be using any of her natural birth control. Baldor’s words from last night still burned inside me. I realized that, when I was ready to go all the way with him, it really would be all the way. No precautions. No protection. Just us, and whatever nature or destiny or whatever you wanted to call it had in store for us.

“If Kat and Zoey get here soon, can you tell them I went to clean up in the steam tent?” I asked her.

Jocelyn waggled her eyebrows at me before saying, “You know what? I’ll come too. I already told Kat and Zoey I was coming, so if we’re in the other tent when they get here they’ll wait for us.”

“Cool,” I said. I pulled on my clothes from yesterday and gathered the clothes I had cleaned. Jocelyn dressed. She tied her hair into a bun on the top of her head, then wrapped her tied-up curls in a long strip of hide, tying it off at the top.

We left the tent, pulling up our hoods. Immediately, my eyes when to the spot where Baldor always slept. My heart leapt into my throat at the anticipation of seeing him there.

But he wasn’t there.

Well, no duh. The guy is a Gahn, after all. He actually has duties to attend to around here. I understood that rationally – that he had other things to do, especially with the mammoth task of relocating his entire tribe here. But it still stung more than I wanted to admit that he wasn’t there. I’d just been with him last night, and I already missed him.

“Alright?” Jocelyn asked.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

We headed into the steam tent. Luckily, Jocelyn actually seemed to know what she was doing. She started the fire up easily, and we waited for the rocks to heat as we undressed.

“You sure did that fast,” I remarked, impressed by the fire she’d built. “You should have seen me trying to do it yesterday. Damn near took off my own thumb in the process.”

She smiled, her expression growing far away.

“Yeah. I lived with my aunt in this little cottage back home. It was so old and disconnected from everything we were basically living off the grid. Well, not entirely, but close enough. We had a fireplace, and had fires outside, too.”

“Sounds nice,” I said.

“Honestly, it was. She was the one who got me into studying botany. She was an herbalist. We used to spend hours out in the woods, collecting mushrooms and plants.” She sighed, crouching and grabbing a hide cloth and a talka stock. “She passed away a few months before I got taken.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said. She handed me the talka stalk, and I squeezed it into my palms. I worked the herbal soapy stuff into my skin, focusing on my backside, before wiping it all away.

“Thanks. But we’re all kinda in the same boat, aren’t we? All of us have lost people. Lost our home.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, scrubbing my scalp as Jocelyn poured water on the hot stones, making steam rise.

The steam obscured Jocelyn’s face as she spoke next.

“But us humans are nothing if not determined. Especially human women. We’re strong. We make shit work wherever we are.”

We finished cleaning ourselves, then scrubbed our clothing. Nobody else had come to clean up yet, so we put out the fire for now. Pulling up our hoods, we stepped back out into the sunshine, both of us squinting in the bright light. Her hands slipping beneath her hood, Jocelyn removed the hide she’d put over her hair. The two of us moved to the side of the human tent where a tall bone frame had been erected, and we put our clothes there to dry in the sun. When we were done with that, we saw Kat and Zoey walking towards us, waving.

“Let’s run back inside and grab some food,” Jocelyn said.

“Good call.”

As Kat and Zoey made their way to us, we dashed into the tent, grabbing water bottles and smoked meat, taking a few bites and sips as we stepped back outside.

“You guys good to go?”

“Yup,” Jocelyn answered. I hesitated, looking around for Baldor. It felt weird to leave without seeing him, without letting him know where I was going. But I’d see him tonight.

We walked towards the settlement’s exit, where the guards stood. I saw Galok and Kor waiting for us, along with a man from Gahn Fallo’s tribe. Xyan wasn’t there.

“Thereeza!”

The deep call of my name made me freeze. I stopped where I was, turning my head back towards the sound. Baldor was jogging towards me, his strong legs driving over the sand easily. He really was a fine vision – all muscle and strength and lithe grace. His hair was neatly braided, the long tail of it snapping against his back as he ran. He stopped when he reached me, and Jocelyn stealthily moved away, going with Kat and Zoey to greet our guard party.

“Hi,” I said, feeling suddenly shy. Baldor seemed to feel none of my shyness, though, and immediately bent his head, lowering his mouth to mine. I gasped against him, opening my mouth immediately. He made a happy grunting sound, his arms snaking around my waist and pulling me closer.

This is nice… Having someone that happy to see you in the morning. To greet you with a kiss. To be so loved. I wrapped my arms around Baldor’s neck, sighing into the kiss as it deepened.

But a loud whistle nearby made me start and pull away. Kat was laughing, waving at me.

“Come on, goo-goo eyes! Bring your boyfriend with you if you want.”

Baldor looked from Kat to me.

“What did she say?”

Kat had spoken in English. Somehow I didn’t think that “goo-goo” and “boyfriend” had translations.

“We’re going to the ship again today. You should come,” I said, the idea already one I very much liked the sound of. I might not get a lot done with him around, though… After last night, even now under the harsh sunlight, I was aware of every inch of him.

“You are returning there again today? Why?” He frowned.

“There’s still a lot to be done,” I answered. We still had all the drones to deal with, then I’d help out with whatever other stuff was going on. Maybe help out Jocelyn with the alien birth control thing, even if I had no intention of using it.

“I did not know you were going. I can not send Xyan with you today, he is engaged in other matters.”

“Is that where you were this morning? You weren’t outside the tent when I woke up.”

Baldor’s serious face softened into a shockingly charming grin.

“Did you wake missing me, mate?”

“A little full of yourself, don’t you think?” I huffed, crossing my arms, not wanting to admit that he was absolutely, 100% correct. But he saw right through me. He smiled wider, reaching under my hood, fingering strands of my hair.

“Perhaps I am full of myself. But I will freely admit that I miss you every moment. Even now, I miss you.”

“Now? I’m right in front of you!” I exclaimed.

A shadow of deep hunger passed over his face, his smile disappearing.

“I know.”

And suddenly, I kinda understood what he meant. We were right next to each other, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted him alone in the darkness again, touching me the way he had last night.

“You coming?” Kat called again, and I sighed.

“I have to go. They’re waiting for me.”

Baldor’s eyes flicked to the party then back to me.

“I am a Gahn. Let them wait.”

I laughed, shaking my head.

“Yeah, yeah. But seriously, I am going to go now.” I paused, then plunged forward with my question. “You coming?”

“I cannot,” he said, his brows furrowing. “I must meet with the other Gahns today, and prepare Xyan for his journey. We are contacting the fifth tribe in hopes that they will meet with us.”

“Oh, wow. Big stuff.” It made sense he was so busy.

“After this is done I had planned to go for a hunt. Kill a dakrival for meat and to get hide for our tent.” He rubbed at his chin. “Here is what I shall do. I will send another man after your party to be your own personal guard. I will complete my duties here. Then I will take care of my hunt out on the open sands. After this, I will come to find you and will escort you back to the settlement. This evening, we will have a tent to share.”

A zing went down my spine, and I clenched my thighs together where I stood.

“OK, that sounds good,” I said, nodding so fast I probably looked like a dang bobblehead. We were going to share a tent tonight…

To be honest, I couldn’t freaking wait.

Baldor released my hair, slipping his hand out from where it had been inside my hood.

“Stay safe, my precious one,” said, his eyes drilling into me.

“You too,” I whispered.

Baldor turned and jogged back to where a group of his warriors were standing, clearly ordering one of them to accompany us. I had thought I didn’t want to be with a Gahn, but I couldn’t deny the thrill that went through me, seeing Baldor command his men. It was clear that he was deeply respected.

A final cry from Kat had me spinning, running to catch up to the group. Gawking at my mate would have to wait. We had stuff to do.

My mate?

I rolled that phrase around in my head. It felt good.

Really, really good.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Baldor

Xyan and three other warriors stood before the Gahns Fallo, Taliok, Buroudei, and me. They were prepared for their journey. Each was a talented hunter, so they did not need to bring supplies besides their weapons and a tight bundle of hides for their small travel tents, strapped to each of their backs. Their irkdu were already summoned and waiting, and I was heartened to see my own irkdu wandering the sands beyond them. Thereeza had been right. The beast had lived. And I was glad it was so.

“You are ready?” I asked Xyan. He raised his tail with a grunt, and so did the warriors from the other tribes.

“Good,” said Buroudei. “You are to negotiate terms of a meeting with Gahn Itok. You are to invite him and his men here in peace. If he refuses, you may leave and report back to us. If he tries to kill you, you are to throw peace to the wind and defend your lives.”

We all knew how useless that would be. These four warriors would not survive against the army of the Death Plains. But I would rather one of my men die fighting for his survival than defenceless and bound by courtesies and politics.

“Do not forget the other orders,” Taliok added, eyeing his own man before running his gaze over the others. “You are to act, to speak, as one tribe. We Gahns have put aside old wounds. Do not forget this as you get further from the settlement.”

The warriors raised their tails again. I did not worry about this with Xyan. He was level-headed and would not cause a scuffle between these other three unless he was provoked beyond good sense. I could only hope that the other Gahns had chosen their men just as judiciously. Buroudei and Taliok I was fairly confident in. Fallo was another matter. But his man raised his tail and agreed to the commands all the same, and I trusted that they would be safe, at least from each other, on their journey.

“This is taking too long. The time has come,” Fallo said. As much as the Mad Gahn’s impatience irked me, he was right. These four men had a long journey ahead of them. There was no sense in waiting.

The eight of us walked out onto the open sands. The waiting irkdu lumbered to their masters, and I whistled for mine to come, too. I would take a look at its wounds, and if it seemed well enough, I would take it with me on my hunt.

Xyan pulled himself up onto his beast, and I spoke to him from the ground.

“Come back alive, my friend.”

“I vow to do so,” he said looking out over the desert then back at me. “And I have never been one to break a vow.”

The other Gahns said their departing words to their warriors, and a few moments later the group departed, their irkdu tearing off over the sand. They would be going in the opposite direction of my people’s ancestral lands. The Death Plains were across the widest stretch of the open sands, well past Buroudei’s old territory. I watched the group until it was out of sight, as did the other Gahns. When our men had disappeared into the glare of the bright horizon, the other Gahns departed to their duties.

I approached my irkdu, placing my hands on its side and checking its wound. The Lavrika’s blood had healed it just as well as it could heal a man, and Thereeza’s sutures had made that healing all the more potent. The long wound that had plagued it was now completely closed, and it seemed to be able to move the leg that had been injured just fine.

“Are you up for hunt?” I asked it. It felt very odd to ask it a question like this, to speak to it in a conversational way instead of just barking orders as I usually did. But the creature snuffled, tossing its head, almost as if answering me.

“Yes, I suppose after lying still for so long you are ready to run.” The irkdu were not idle creatures, even in their natural habitats without our training. They were built to thunder over the sands, searching for new food sources.

Patting its side, I leapt up onto it. I pulled a long weapon from my back, aiming the dark blade out onto the sands, clicking my tongues to urge my mount forward. It roared, then took off. Its speed only gave me further indication of how well it had healed, thanks to Thereeza.

It took a long time to find a dakrival herd. Too long. I had wanted to go to the ship to see Thereeza by now. But late in the afternoon, we finally found a herd running across the sands. I would need a huge beast to get enough hide for a tent, even a small tent. Most hunters worked in groups, and even then they aimed for the smaller, slower beasts. But that would not work for my purposes. I set my sights on a dakrival male leading the herd, a huge creature with a great head, long tusks, and a hefty body that would provide ample hides.

I commanded my irkdu forward, and we caught up to the dakrival herd. I drew level with the leader. I had not brought a spear, but I would not need one. My aim with a blade had always been just as good.

I gritted my fangs, rising to a low crouch on my irkdu’s back as it continued speeding along. I blew out a deep breath, seeing the softest points of the dakrival, willing my blade to find them.

For so long, after Zolinna, when I’d hunted it had been a painful pursuit. Something done out of necessity – to burn the grief out of my brain. To try to escape it.

And now, for the first time in a long time, it felt good to be out on the hunt again. I was not out here to work myself into exhaustion and deaden my sorrows. I was here for my mate, to get meat and hides for us. I was doing this to provide for her. Pride and satisfaction pulled my arm taut, aiming my blade so that it was right and true when I released the handle into the air. The blade spun, then landed perfectly, right at the vulnerable juncture between the dakrival’s head and powerful shoulders. It was a killing blow. The creature did not even make a sound. It fell heavily to the sands, causing the others of the herd to swerve around it. My irkdu and I pulled back, waiting for the herd to leave. Once the other dakrival had left – running faster with fear – I leapt from my mount to collect my prize.

It was the biggest dakrival I had ever caught. Nearly a third the size of my massive irkdu. I hefted the thing, not an easy task, onto my shoulder, then climbed up onto my irkdu. I dropped the heavy load in front of me, holding it steady on my irkdu’s back as we returned to the settlement. I wanted to return to Thereeza’s side right this moment, but I needed to put the dakrival in a safe place first.

My irkdu was still moving with vigour when we returned to the settlement, which I was heartened to see. I leapt down, then slid the dakrival down off it and onto my own back, carrying the beast into the settlement. I dumped the heavy animal down outside the tent that served as my men’s quarters. For a moment, I considered ordering one of them to butcher and clean the thing.

No. This is for Thereeza’s tent. No other male’s hands will touch these hides but me.

“I will deal with this upon my return,” I told the warriors standing nearby. “Now I am going to meet my mate at the ship.”

The men raised their tails to me, and I turned, moving quickly back to the open sands.

Once there, I froze, listening. My tail twitched, my ears stiffening as unease ran through me.

What is it?

My irkdu, who had been waiting obediently for me, suddenly bucked and screeched, diving away from the sands and disappearing into a crack in the cliffs. I stared after it, feeling a cooling sensation on my back. I tensed, whipping around to find storm clouds moving swiftly across the sky. My sight stars exploded, my whole body clenching when I felt the wind start to whip up.

No!

In the distance, in the direction of the ship, a wall of sand moved towards us, whipped up into a frenzy by the wind.

That is where Thereeza is!

Others had noticed the sudden storm drawing close upon us. Behind me, I could hear women calling to their children. I turned to see my warriors, and the warriors of the other three tribes, escorting the elderly, the women, and children, into the relative safety of the cliffs. In that moment, there were no divisions between us. Everyone worked together, running to the safety of the cliffs.

“Gahn Baldor!”

I almost missed Gahn Buroudei calling to me. At his side he protectively held his frightened-looking Gahnala.

“You must come with us to the cliffs!”

The wind was already whipping his words away. I stilled, everything quieting inside my own mind despite the rapidly rising cacophony of the storm.

“I cannot,” I answered him, not caring if he heard me or not. He called something else to me, something about the human ship being sturdy and Thereeza being safe. But his words meant nothing to me. My past rose up, grasping onto my future, threatening to tear Thereeza from me.

I would never suffer such a loss again.

I turned away from it all – the other Gahns, the cliffs, my own men whom I’d battled beside my entire life. I turned from all of them and plunged forward towards the storm.

As soon as I cleared the protection of the cliffs, walking became difficult. The wind battered me so hard it almost felt like fists, like blades. The dust and sand storm swirling ahead of me had not even reached me yet, and already the sand was whipping at my hide, my eyes.

But none of it mattered. Not the wind. Not the flying sand before me so thick and high it was like a cliff unto itself. Not the broad pool of dark clouds curling overhead. The sun was gone, now. It was darkening as if it were already night. It would be even darker in that chaos ahead of me.

I could barely keep my feet stable beneath me, but even so, I forced myself into a run.

Nothing mattered.

Nothing but getting to Thereeza.

I grunted, sluicing through the wind. Before me, higher and higher rose the wall of sand and dust. When I reached it I did not even hesitate.

I forced myself inside.

It was like entering into the shadows of death. I could see nothing. The wind was angry, louder than the clashes of ten battles. The strength of the dark tempest forced me down to my knees. I closed my eyes, unable to help myself with the vicious tears of the grains of sand. The wind was whipping it all so fiercely that every bit of sand, every spot of soft, dust became blades against me.

But that was no great matter. I did not need my eyes. If I had to, I would crawl on hands and knees, blinded. And still, I would find her.

I was the greatest hunter my tribe had ever seen. I had other instincts. I did not need my sight now. Eyes squeezed shut, I started to crawl. Even in the churn of the storm, even without being able to see, I knew I was going the right way. I knew these lands, and let the deep hunter’s knowledge of my body guide me. There was no way it would lead me anywhere but to her.

The wind did not let up. It pummelled and screamed, the sand slicing and grinding against me.

This will take too long on my knees.

Groaning, then roaring, I dragged myself upward, forcing my legs to do the impossible, to run in the shifting brutal sand. The wind fought back as if wishing to halt my progress. As if to keep me from my mate.

But no wind, no tempest, would be enough to keep me from her now.

I will not lose her.

It seemed like my entire life had been this storm. A whole life seeking and fighting and feeling blinded by things I could not change. And still, I had pressed forward. And I would press forward now. I would press and press until I was at her side again and I knew that she was safe.

That, or I would die.

No. I cannot die until I’ve laid eyes upon her. Not until I know that’s she’s alright.

The thought that soft, kind, beautiful Thereeza could be anywhere out in this storm was an ember in my belly. The strength of that heat burned through me, forcing my limbs to slice through the storm when the wind should have forced me back to my knees. But now that I had risen again, I would not be driven back down to the sands.

My eyes were still closed against the onslaught, but my mind was clear. My heart pounded, and I focused on its melody instead of the whipping wind. Thereeza had helped me find my heart again.

Now I would rely on it to find her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Theresa

“I’m gonna run to the ladies’ room.”

“No problem,” Zoey said. “I think you’ve gotten all the drones down for me by now, anyway.”

I nodded. It had been another long day of slogging away, disabling orbit access to the drones. But thankfully we were almost done that mammoth task. After that, it would be on to the next thing, whatever Zoey and Chapman determined that would be.

I stepped out into the hallway smiling at Kor and the new guard, Rakart, whom Baldor had assigned.

“Just heading to the bathroom,” I said. They nodded, and I moved a little ways down the hallway. Luckily the closest bathroom wasn’t far from where I’d been working with Zoey. Any further and I would have had Rakart trailing me. And frankly, alien or human, I didn’t want any man hanging around listening to me pee.

I stepped into the bathroom. For a spaceship, the bathroom was a surprisingly mundane place. It looked almost like a regular old public restroom, with stalls and a row of sinks and mirrors. The ship had water reserves, and from what I’d gleaned from Zoey, the ship had an advanced water filtration and recycling system. So even though it had been out here in the desert for weeks, as long as Zoey kept power running, the toilets flushed and the sinks came on. And let me tell you, washing your hands with real running water felt like a luxury after wiping down with talka soap and scraps of hide.

I did my business quickly. As I reached for the door to go back out into the hallway, the hairs on my arms suddenly stood on end. Odd. The temperature was pretty warm on the ship. I’d left my jacket back in the room with Zoey, but there was no reason for me to be cold, even in my tank top. A shiver ran down my arms, making me roll my shoulders.

Then I heard it.

At first, it sounded like a low whine. Far away, something outside the ship. I poked my head out into the hallway. Kor and Rakart had obviously heard the sound, too, and were both speaking to Zoey, their heads leaning into her room.

I’m gonna check it out.

I wasn’t going to go far. I wouldn’t even leave the ship. I’d learned my lesson about wandering off already. I just wanted to have a quick look around.

While Kor and Rakart were distracted, I ducked out of the bathroom, creeping down the hallway and away from them. The whining was getting louder, becoming a rumble that seemed to be all around us. My heart stopped in my chest when I realized what it could be.

A ship.

Could the human authorities already be descending for an attack?

No!

We weren’t ready! We hadn’t gotten the alliance of the fifth tribe yet. And Baldor wasn’t here, he wouldn’t have a warning!

Panic rising in my chest, I started to run, my boots slapping against the metal tile floors of the ship. I ended up at the back of the ship, outside the cargo bay. I stared at the huge, jagged hole where the doors had been. The zeelk claws had sliced through that metal like fingernails through wet tissue paper.

I stepped slowly through that hole, being careful to avoid any exposed sharp metal.

The sound was even louder here in the cargo bay. Confusion reined as I tried to get my bearings. My clothes whipped against my skin, and I blinked against dust.

It’s… windy?

If a ship is landing, could it be whipping up the wind and sand? I’d only experienced a spaceship landing in a desert once, and that time I’d been inside the ship in question, not on the ground.

You need to see what’s happening. If something is landing, you can run back and warn the others. Steeling myself, I ran through the large space of the cargo bay towards the open end that led out onto the sands. The wind got stronger. I coughed, squinting against the sand. Hold on, was it dark outside? We hadn’t been there that long, had we?

Baldor said he’d come here after his hunt. If it’s night already and he’s not here…

My heart hammered at the thought that something could have happened to him. There was no way he wouldn’t come here as soon as he was able. A lifetime of lying boyfriends and never having a stable home wanted to tell me that he’d probably lost interest in me. That maybe he didn’t love me all that much after all.

But there was no way that was true. Every touch, every word, everything he’d done had proven that I was it for him. He’d upended his whole life and was going to move his people here. He said he’d come for me.

So if he didn’t, it means he’s not OK.

“Fuck!” The word tore from my throat, a raw sob as I reached the large, open exit that led directly onto the sands. I squinted harder, staring out, trying to figure out just what the hell was going on.

The desert was gone.

No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t gone.

The desert itself had risen up from the ground.

I sucked in a desperate breath, my hands flying to my mouth. By the time I realized what I was looking at, it was too late.

The wall of sand leading the storm crashed against the ship, invading the cargo bay. The lights had been on in here, but the haze of the sand blowing inside blocked them out, leaving me in swirling darkness. I kept my hand clamped over my mouth, falling to the floor, barely able to breathe under the onslaught of the wind and sand. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. The wind was way too strong, and it turned the sand into razor blades. I could feel sharp burning on my arms and face.

Not knowing what else to do, I laid down on the floor, my knees under my chest in a terrified imitation of the yoga position called Child’s Pose. The howl of the storm was deafening, so loud and constant I wasn’t sure if it was happening all around me or in my head.

Baldor could be out there.

He’s strong, he’s a hunter. A Gahn. He’s lived here all his life. He’ll be OK.

I tried to tell myself that. I tried, I really did. But panic and grief were gripping me. I was so certain that I’d already lost him when I’d barely gotten the chance to love him.

Love him.

I did. I loved him. It was the truest thing I’d ever known.

If we both get out of this alive, I will be his mate. I will be his mate so fucking hard he won’t even know what to do.

If I survive this.

There seemed to be nothing to do but wait it out. The wind kept screaming around me, tearing at my clothes and hair. Trying to stay calm and block some of it out, I started counting silently.

One…two…three…four…

My counting was interrupted by the ominous groan of something that definitely wasn’t wind.

The shelves.

It was so hard to see that I had no clue where exactly I was in the cargo bay at this point. A lot of the shelves were bolted into the walls around the perimeter of the room, but there were also tons of freestanding shelves, too, laden with heavy crates throughout the space.

The wind won’t kill me. A box falling on my head will.

Forcing myself to my hands and knees, I started to crawl. But I soon stopped, realizing I had no idea what direction I was going. I could be crawling directly out onto the open sands, right into the heart of the storm, for all I knew.

How fucking long is this going to last!

My calm was wavering. I was scared. Really scared. The same way I’d been with the krixel. Back then, somebody had found me, thank goodness.

What if nobody finds me now?

A sudden creaking directly overhead made me jump. I started to move away from the shelf I was next to, but an incredible gust knocked me down so hard the air was forced out of my lungs. I laid flat on my stomach, gasping like a fish caught on a hook, trying to breathe, trying to do something. The creaking above me got louder, and I knew I was a goner. I heard, practically felt, the shift of the shelf as it started to fall. The last thought in my head before it fell was Baldor’s name. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t say it out loud. I couldn’t do anything else but think it in that moment.

Baldor.

I braced for impact.

It never came.

Through the wind, I heard a metallic screech, then a hard thud and a muted grunt.

It didn’t fall.

At least, not on me.

Able to breathe a little now, keeping my face pressed to the floor, I slid forward. My fingers touched claws. I reached further forward and upward, feeling high alien ankles and the calves of strong legs. But those legs were shaking.

Baldor.

I knew it was him. I knew it. Even without seeing him, I knew he’d come for me.

I still hadn’t recovered enough breath to scream his name the way I wanted to. From what I could tell with my basically non-existent sight and my limited touching, he was standing above me, presumably with the weight of the entire shelf on his back.

I have to move. There was no way he’d be able to hold that for long. If I move, he can get out from under it. He won’t have to protect me.

But when my hands left Baldor’s lower legs, he must have guessed my line of thinking. His sharp voice cut through the wind screeching around us. The wind almost stole it all away, but I latched onto the words, leaning into the sound like it was music.

“Do not move! Another could fall, and I will not be able to catch it.”

His voice sounded strained. I wondered just how much weight he was bearing on his back right now.

There was to be something I can do to help…

But there wasn’t. Every time I tried to stand to help push against him and ease the weight, the wind drove me back down. Fuck my stupid weak human body! I had to settle for clutching at Baldor’s ankles the way I had been before. I tried to tell him through my touch to hold on. I tried to tell him that I loved him. And I felt beyond stupid for resisting him for so long. For not telling him before now. If something happens to him, to both of us, before I tell him…

“Baldor!” I called, choking, upwards, finally able to speak after regaining my breath. I didn’t know if he’d actually hear me or not, but I had to try. “I love you! I want to be with you and be your mate.  Have your babies. Everything you promised, I want it. But you have to make it through this!”

He grunted again, and I flinched as I heard the sound of a heavy create careening off the shelf over his shoulder, landing somewhere on the ground behind me.

“No matter what happens, you will survive this,” Baldor groaned above me. “I will not… will not… lose you.” He stopped speaking then, and I could tell it was because of the force bearing down on him. My eyes were still squeezed shut, but I could feel tears building, my throat aching.

We stayed that way so long it seemed impossible. The wind was relentless, almost hateful. It seemed like it would never leave us alone. The only constants were the wind and the sand and the darkness. And the statue of Baldor’s body above me, my Atlas keeping everything from collapsing down upon me.

But finally, the wind decided it had had enough of us. It didn’t let up slowly, but rather all at once, leaving behind a stunning silence that felt almost as loud as the storm. I blinked furiously, trying to see out of my burning, irritated eyes. It took a moment for everything to come into focus around me. I raised myself gingerly to my hands and knees, then looked up.

Baldor was curled over at the waist, his arms flat and down behind him. One of his legs was in front of the other in a half-lunge. I could see him shaking. His eyes were squeezed shut, his brow so furrowed there were deep valleys of wrinkles in his skin. His fangs were fully bared, his face a mask of brutal strength and agony.

I scrambled to my feet, trying to do anything I could. I may not have been a weight lifter or anything crazy like that, but at least I could lean against him and lend him my 140lbs of weak human self.

As soon as I was upright, I careened forward. I put everything I had into pressing against Baldor’s chest, my boots sliding back in the sand behind me as I pushed. His eyes flew open at the contact, and he growled, a warning, no doubt, that I should move away.

But as strong as he was, he was quaking, now.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I grunted, pushing harder. Pushing with everything I had. A deep rumble built in Baldor’s chest, slowly building to a bellow he started straightening. I could feel every muscle in his chest straining beyond what should even have been possible. I stared downwards, clenching my teeth and pushing, pushing as hard as I could. I could see veins bulge and muscles jump beneath Baldor’s skin. With enormous, astonishing power, Baldor heaved backwards, his roar tearing from his throat as he straightened fully.

The force of his motion sent the shelf flying back in the other direction, clattering to the floor with a catastrophic boom. Baldor snatched me against his chest, hunching forward to protect me from any loose debris that might have gotten flung off the shelves.

I buried my face in his chest, my shoulders heaving with sobs. Finally, the tears came. As much as they burned my irritated eyes, I knew it was good to wash the sand out. Baldor didn’t cry. He didn’t speak. He didn’t do anything for a long time except hold me to him. He held me so hard it felt like he might never let me go.

And I realized I’d be OK with that.

But I knew he would need some care after what had just happened. We couldn’t stay standing here forever.

“Baldor,” I said, trying to pull away from him to assess any injuries he’d gotten. He’d just had hundreds of pounds of metal slam into his back. There was no way he’d walk away from that unscathed. “Baldor, let me go, I need to check your back.”

“No.” It was barely a word. It was more like an animal’s growl. Raw and primal and possessive. I sighed, pressing my cheek into his chest. It felt strange, though, and I realized it was because his skin wasn’t as smooth as it usually was. His hide was rough and sticky because it had been scraped-raw by the sand. I gasped, leaning backwards, forcing my burning eyes to focus. Where his skin was usually a shining bronze that melted into darker shades of brown and black, it was almost all black now with his blood. None of the wounds I could see on his front were deep or bleeding excessively, thank goodness, but his skin was in very bad shape. He’d already gotten an infection once, and now his entire body was basically an open wound.

I touched my own cheek then looked at my fingertips. No red blood. My skin felt sore, but clearly Baldor had gone through a lot more than I had in the storm, especially considering how much more naturally tough his hide was compared to mine.

“What happened?” I whispered, staring up at his face.

“I had just finished my hunt when I saw the storm coming. I could not leave you here. I came to find you. To make sure you were alright.”

“You came all the way through that storm to find me?! All the way from the settlement?” I’d assumed he must have been nearby, maybe on his hunt, and the ship had been closer shelter than the cliffs. “You should have stayed where it was safe!”

Baldor’s face flashed with something that almost looked like anger. His sight stars pulled in to hard points. I gasped as he started walking forward, backing me up against the nearest wall. He caged me in, bending and pressing a huge thigh between my legs.

“My safety matters not. My own life means nothing without you. I have survived loss before. But I know that I would not survive the loss of you. Not now.” He paused, lowering further, brushing his lips against my forehead before he murmured, “I’m not that strong.”

More tears fell. This man had just walked through an alien hurricane, alone, with no shelter, just to find me. He’d kept me alive by using his own body as a shield. I couldn’t think of any word to fit him better than strong.

“Baldor…”

I couldn’t say anything else. Baldor’s mouth met mine with a vengeance. I could feel the built-up fear, the emotion of everything that had just happened. The desperation to keep me here.

But I also tasted the blood of his torn skin. I pulled back, despite his rumble of protest.

“We need to deal with your wounds. I’m not going to lose you to an infection after all of this. And I need to look at your back.”

“I must know first if you are injured.”

I almost wanted to laugh in shock. All I’d done was lay on the floor, protected by him. Apart from some grit still working its way out of my eyes and the irritation of my skin, I was totally fine.

“I’m not injured. Thanks to you. Now let me take a look.”

Baldor’s sight stars pulsed. He didn’t look happy about it, but slowly he straightened. I nodded firmly, then took a look at his front. Nothing too serious there. His skin was all torn up, but that would heal quickly and easily with Lavrika’s blood.

“Stay still,” I said.

Baldor grunted, his tail flicking.

“I said still. Tail included.”

I moved around to his back, stepping carefully through sand and random debris from the storm. I grimaced when I got behind him. There was a huge, deep gash along his muscled back, from shoulder to shoulder, no doubt where the brunt of the weight of the shelf had connected with his body. There was another similar wound along his lower back, just above his tail, though that one wasn’t as deep. And there were vertical cuts, too, where the weight of the shelf had forced his own blades into his back.

Good God. A human would have had their spine snapped. They would have been crushed.

I would have been crushed.

“Oh, Baldor,” I said shakily, ready to cry some more. I gently probed the edges of the wound at his shoulders, a fresh wave of dark blood rolling down his back. So much pain, agony, because of me. I pressed my lips together hard to keep myself from sobbing at the sight of him. Crying wasn’t going to help him now. We had work to do.

I pressed my fingers along his spine, then up around his neck.

“Are you having any numbness anywhere? You can feel your hands, your toes? Any severe pain in your neck or back?” He’d seemed to have walked and touched me normally, so that was a great sign. And he was standing normally. But I was still worried about a spinal injury.

“There is some pain from the flesh wounds. But this is nothing for -”

“For a Gahn? Yeah, yeah I’ve heard that before.” Every time with this guy, I swear. But the familiarity of what he’d just said made me feel a little better. Smiling slightly, taking a deep breath, I moved around to his side.

“Ever since Galok was attacked, we’ve kept Lavrika’s blood stored here. We’ll go to the lab and get some.” I grasped his hand, feeling my chest tighten as his fingers linked in with mine. “But you have to tell me right away if you feel anything weird while you’re walking. Numbness, new pain, anything.”

“Do not worry, mate.” He looked down and sideways at me, the grimness in his expression lifting away slightly. “My ears are sharp. I heard what you called to me through the wind. I heard you say that you have accepted me as a mate.” His face pulled into an actual smile, then. “I do not plan to die after all of this. I have too much to live for.”

This time I did laugh softly, unable to stop myself. There was something so relieving, so reassuring, about his unflappable strength, and his confidence in that strength.

“Alright, come on. Mate.”

I felt his fingers jerk against mine when I spoke that word, heard his sharp intake of breath.

We picked through the cargo bay to the opening that led to the rest of the ship.

Together, hand in hand, we moved forward, leaving all the wreckage behind.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Baldor

It took everything I had to only hold Thereeza’s hand and not press her against a wall and rut her here and now. My hand held fast to hers. I was afraid to let her go. It felt as if I were walking through a dream, a dream too beautiful to be real. I felt that, at any moment, I would awaken and find it was not true. That I had not gotten here in time. That I had lost her.

I squeezed her hand, revelling in the small, solid warmth of it.

No. I hadn’t lost her. This time, I had made it. This time had been different.

The loss of Zolinna was still an ache inside me, but I felt as if I had ended a terrible open loop of grief by saving Thereeza. I had proven to myself that I was not forever doomed to lose that which I loved. My future brightened. For the first time in many ages, it reached for me with kind hands.

Hands that were small in mine, but oh so warm.

We moved through the strange tunnels of the ship. Thereeza pulled slightly ahead, leading the way through the bizarre curves. It was bright in here, with little tiny suns beating down from the walls and the rounded top of the tunnel. Everything was constructed from a bright, uniform stone I had never seen before. I decided that I did not like this place, and I would be glad to leave it soon, Thereeza at my side.

A sudden sound and movement ahead made me tense. I hissed, yanking Thereeza behind me.

I eased somewhat when I saw one of the human women running to us, her long dark braids flying behind her in her haste. My relaxation faltered slightly when I saw her mate, the brutal Kor, who had subdued me in battle following close behind her.

“Where were you?! What happened?” The other new woman launched herself at my mate, drawing her into an embrace. My chest ached when Thereeza kept her hold on my hand firm, despite being pulled forward with some force.

“It’s a long story,” Thereeza said. “I heard the sound of the storm and thought it might be a ship coming down. I went to check it out by going to the cargo bay, but I got stuck there when the wind came in. Thank goodness Baldor found me.”

“Always,” I said.

The other new woman’s eyes flicked to me from behind her clear eye-shells. “You’re looking a little worse for wear,” she remarked.

“We’re going to the lab right now to get the Lavrika’s blood,” Thereeza told her.

At that moment, a figure careening around the curve of the tunnel ahead of us, running at top speed, distracted me. Kor and Zoey turned towards it, and once again I prepared to fight.

“It’s OK!” the other new woman called. “We found her!”

It was Rakart.

Sudden rage consumed me. With everything that had happened, I had forgotten about Rakart. I had assigned him to remain at Thereeza’s side. I had told him to protect her. I let go of Thereeza’s hand, shoving past Kor, drawing a blade. I would sever his hands, and then his head, for disobeying me.

“My Gahn,” Rakart said, his eyes wide behind his raised tail. “I have failed you.”

“You have,” I agreed, clutching my blade tighter. I raised it, ready to strike, when a soft touch on my arm made me halt.

“Stop that right now!” It was Thereeza. Both her hands were clamped on my elbow, trying to drag my arm back down.

“Rakart was assigned to remain at your side and keep you safe. He did not do it. He will die.” I said, my brow furrowing. Why was she trying to stop me? His negligence had almost caused her death. If I had not been there…

It only further proved that nobody could protect my love but me.

But Thereeza’s eyes flashed.

“Don’t you dare,” she hissed. She was more fierce than I had ever seen her. “I snuck away. It wasn’t his fault!”

“You never should have been able to sneak away from one of my warriors. That just proves he is too weak to remain among my army’s ranks.” Rakart was staring at me with grim resignation. He understood my actions. Why didn’t Thereeza?

“If you do this, if you kill him right now just because I got away from him, then I take back everything I said. I won’t be mated to a man who kills one of his own over something like this. I left the group of my own accord and didn’t tell anyone. Getting into a dangerous situation was my own doing.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m serious, Baldor. I won’t be able to stand it if you kill him because of me. And I won’t ever be able to look at you the same way again.”

I sighed. She did not seem to understand that I would not be killing him because of her, but because of his own ineptitude. I glanced at Rakart. He remained still and steady, ready for whatever fate waited for him.

Thereeza’s hands tightened on me, an unspoken warning. I was raging against Rakart, furious with him for not doing as I’d commanded. For not protecting Thereeza the way he should have.

But no punishment against him would be worth Thereeza’s loss of respect for me. I had already changed so many of my ways for her. It seemed I had a little ways to go to keep her yet.

“You are fortunate that your Gahnala is so soft-hearted,” I finally said to Rakart, sheathing my weapon. A flash of pain went through me as the flat of the weapon dragged against the wounds on my back.

“I will never fail you again my Gahn. I am sorry.” Rakart fell to all fours, raising his tail over his eyes. I was unimpressed with his deep show of respect, but Thereeza left my side, going to his. When her little hand fell kindly on his shoulder, I had to fight down the urge to kill him all over again.

“It’s OK Rakart. I’m sorry, too, for sneaking off. You can get up now.”

Rakart stood, his tail still raised.

“OK, enough of all this nonsense,” Thereeza said, whirling back to me. “We need to get you that Lavrika’s blood.”

Since it turned out I could never argue with my beautiful Gahnala, when she took my hand again to lead me, I followed.

Zoey and Kor remained behind to finish up whatever work they had been doing as Thereeza led me further into the belly of this ship. Rakart wisely chose to stay behind with them.

We came upon a very strange space, set off from the tunnel, with completely flat, straight walls and sharp corners. This room had a very bright sun indeed, everything shining and white. Strange stones and jars made of materials I did not understand were scattered around the space.

Inside this odd place stood Galok and two more new women.

“Jocelyn, Kat! Hey,” Thereeza called into the room, causing the new women to turn their heads.

The one with no hair, Kat, ran forward.

“What happened to you two? Tell me you weren’t outside during that insanity!”

“You heard it too?” Thereeza asked.

“We sure did,” said Jocelyn. “We wondered if a ship was landing. Us three ran down to find you guys. Zoey tracked everything on the ship’s scanners and we figured out it was a storm. But when we realized you hadn’t come back from the bathroom, we all started looking for you. We only just got back here to the lab, wondering if maybe you’d come here looking for us.”

“Sorry,” Thereeza said, looking pained. “I was in the cargo bay. Baldor found me. Long story short, we’re mostly OK. But he needs Lavrika’s blood, and fast.”

The two new women looked at me with concern. Behind them, Galok sprang into action, opening a very odd, square stone. This stone, when opened, glowed with its own inner light, and I felt the strangest sensation of cold air suddenly drift over me. I steeled myself. Was this some cold breeze of death upon my skin? I’d already survived the mechanisms of the tempest. I would not die now. Not before claiming Thereeza.

Galok closed the stone. The cold disappeared. Satisfaction surged inside me. See? I am strong, too strong even for the cold pull of death.

Thereeza took a jar from him, and this jar I recognized. It was one of our people’s jars, meant for storing Lavrika’s blood.

“Thanks, Galok.” Thereeza turned to me. “Now you sit down right there on the bench.” She pointed at a long shining plank on squat legs, low to the ground. I did as she commanded, my eyes never leaving her.

“We’re going to go catch up with Zoey and them. She what the plan is now that things are settling,” Jocelyn said.

“Thank you so much. We’ll be there soon,” my mate replied.

The others left, and it was just Thereeza and me in the bright, stark space. The bright light in here illuminated just how much damage had been done in the storm. Thereeza’s face and arms were red with scratches. Her hair was a dull colour, dirtied from the dust.

“Let me tend to your skin,” I begged, that redness making my guts churn. But she scoffed at me.

“You have got to be kidding me. Not while your back is split open in multiple places!”

Before I could try to argue further, she jogged around the other side of the bench.

“Take all these straps and weapons off,” she instructed.

Now it was my turn to scoff.

“Certainly not. I might need them.”

She muttered something in her native tongue, then said, “You can still have them right next to you, I promise. But I need to do some sutures, and all this stuff is in the way.”

“As long as they’re beside me,” I grumbled. I worked the straps off of my bleeding skin then placed them, along with my blades, on the floor by my feet.

“Good,” Thereeza said, and I could not deny that I loved the approval in her voice. And I wanted more of it.

She moved away for a moment, going to another corner of the room, coming back with yet another very odd stone that opened.

“It’s a first aid kit,” she said, placing the thing on the bench beside me. From inside, she pulled out long, thick white pads and what looked to be a very fine needle and thread.

“OK. Here we go. Let me know if you need me to stop.”

Have her stop touching me? Never. Even if it was the worst pain of my life, I would not have her take her hands from me.

She was behind me, so I could not see what she was doing, but I could feel the drag of what I assumed was one of those white pads soaked with Lavrika’s blood over my skin. She wiped up and down and back, clearing away dust and blood. Then, I felt the sharp sting of the needle working up near my shoulders. I remained still under her touch, feeling her pull the wounds closed with quick, gentle fingers. Then I felt her spread yet more Lavrika’s blood upon that wound before doing the same thing to the others. It would take some time for the deepest wounds to heal, but already I felt pain receding as the Lavrika’s blood healed the shallower cuts and scrapes, allowing my skin to close up and become strong again.

“I’m all done back here,” she said. She started running another pad with Lavrika’s blood up and down my left arm. With my other arm, I grabbed my own pad, dipping it then working it up and down my legs to speed things along. I could both see and feel my skin healing as we worked.

Thereeza came around to my front, stepping up between my splayed thighs. My blood heated at her nearness, and I gripped the edge of the bench, knuckles cracking, to stop myself from grabbing her and distracting her from what she was doing. Not because I cared about the fact that my wounds wouldn’t be healed, but because I knew she wouldn’t like it. So, watching her closely, feeling my remaining blood rushing to my cock, I stayed still.

She brushed a soaked white pad across my brow.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered. I did not want to. I did not want her out of my sight for even a moment. But I was powerless against her commands. So I let them fall closed.

With my eyes closed, I could really focus on the sensations she was creating. Her gentle touches stroked down my nose, across my cheekbones, down both sides of my jaw. The painful burning in my skin grew less and less every second, replaced with new burning. When she slipped the pad down my neck, then down to my chest, my cock pulsed, and I grunted. She paused for a brief moment, then kept working downwards.

Now that she seemed to be finished working on my face, I opened my eyes, watching her descend. She stopped halfway down my abdomen, tossing the filthy, bloodied pad aside and getting a new one, soaking it with Lavrika’s blood and returning to my skin. My stomach clenched as the pad brushed downward, running over the skin at my hip bones. My cock was aching, now, straining behind the loincloth. My knuckles cracked again.

Thereeza said something sharp in her own language, her hand flying up to her eyes.

“What is it?” I asked, releasing my hold on the bench and cupping the sides of her face.

“It’s the dang sand. I think it’s falling from my hair into my eyes.”

Ah, that made sense. Her hair was not restrained in any sort of braid, and every time the strands shifted, sand fell.

“There’s an eyewash station over there. I’m going to go rinse my eyes.”

Washing one’s eyes? It sounded horrific. But I trusted that she knew what she needed. I stood, and she walked quickly, squinting, over to a shining bowl in the corner. She leaned forward towards it, but as she did, more sand fell, making her close her eyes.

“Wait,” I said, pulling her up and to me. “Lean back your head.”

She straightened, her back to my front, tipping back her head. I worked quickly, running my claws carefully through her hair, letting the sand fall backwards behind her instead of into her face.

“That feels nice. You’ll have to do it again sometime when my eyes aren’t on fire,” she said, her face scrunched up.

I finished up, running my hands through her hair one more time until I was satisfied it was mostly sand-free. Then she bent back to the bowl thing. I jumped as water spurted upwards in a stream. Without hesitation, she leaned her face, her eyes, right into the stream. My own eyes were long cleared of any debris. I was grateful for that, as I was not sure that even a warrior as strong as myself would be able to put my eyes directly into a stream of water like that. My mate is truly valiant. No fear…

A few moments later, Thereeza rose up slightly, cupping the water in her hand and splashing her face. Then she straightened turning to me. Her eyes were red but fully open now.

But her skin was still very red and scratched in places. I glanced quickly down my body – no real wounds left that needed attending to.

“Now you sit,” I said, aiming my tail at the bench. This time, Thereeza did not argue, sitting down with a sigh. I got to work, dipping the odd puffy pad the way Thereeza had for me. Her eyes fluttered closed as I smeared the pad and the Lavrika’s blood over her face then down her neck. I did the same with her arms, getting new pads when the first one turned brown from the debris on her skin.

Soon enough, all her exposed skin was clean and no longer so red.

“That’s better,” she said, her eyes opening again. “Thank you.”

“I should check the rest of you. Beneath your clothing,” I said, my grip tightening on the pad in my hand. Thereeza’s brows flew upward.

“I don’t think I have any issues under my clothes.”

“I will not be satisfied until I see for myself,” I growled. I knelt before her, tugging at the hem of her tight and sleeveless human tunic. “Show me.”

My cock jumped as I caught the pulse of her throat as she swallowed. She said nothing, but worked her tunic up over her head, followed by her chest garment.

“All of it,” I rasped, my gaze consuming her.

She rose from the bench, working the rest of her clothing down over her sweetly curved hips before kicking it, along with her foot shells, off and to the side.

I thanked the ship’s bright sun for how much it illuminated her beauty. She was right – the skin beneath her clothing was unmarked. I tossed my pad down, not needing it, and stood.

I let my gaze roam over her front, then moved around her back as if I were inspecting her skin for wounds. But really, I was devouring her loveliness. Behind her, I could no longer contain myself. I gripped her waist then stepped up against her, groaning as my tongues met her throat.

She gasped, arching into me, making my cock tug and ache harder.

“You’re wounded…” she said, her words petering out into a moan as my tongues worked up along the soft shell edge of her ear.

“These wounds are not enough to kill me,” I said against her jaw. “But I fear that I will die if I do not finally claim you as my mate, in all ways.”

As I spoke, one of my hands moved from her hip, forward to her cunt. I slipped my fingertips carefully against her skin there, biting back a hiss of desire when I found her wet for me.

“You feel it too. You need this. You are soaking for me. You are dying for me as I am for you.”

She breathed out heavily as my fingertips pressed on the point of pleasure above her cunt. I started circling it slowly, then with increased vigour as she moaned, “Yes.”

I moved my fingers back, coating them in her wetness before drawing them forward again to that nub of pleasure. I slicked my fingers over it again and again, pressing and circling, until she was bucking against my hand. I leaned forward, pressing myself into her back, my other arm moving to loop around her front, holding her fast to me. I gripped one of her soft breasts, almost breaking open at the agonizing arousal it sent through me. I palmed her nipple, massaging that hand in time with the hand working between her legs. Soon enough, she was tensing and crying out, her hips working frantically against my hand before her movements slowed and her breath came heavily from her.

“Not enough,” I choked out. I needed to be buried deep inside her.

Now.

I picked her up then lowered her gently to the floor. This was not ideal. I would have much rather have taken her for the first time in the dark comfort of our tent. But that tent was not even built yet, anyway. And I could no longer hold myself back from her.

She stared up at me from on her back as I knelt between her legs. I ripped my loincloth aside, and she gasped, wrenching her thighs apart wider in anticipation. Seeing her splayed and wanting beneath me almost had me lose my seed right there. And when Thereeza’s own hand went between her legs, I had to fist myself, squeezing.

“One second,” she murmured. My head was spinning so hard I did not have the sense to ask her what a second was. All I could do was stare in brutal fascination, squeezing my shaft, as she pressed two fingers inside herself. As her fingers moved, her mouth fell open, her cheeks flushing.

“You torture me,” I said, unable to tear my eyes from where her hand was. I watched her fingers disappear into her wetness, imagining it was my cock.

“You’re big,” she panted. “I just need to do a little bit…” She added a third finger, her hips rocking against her own hand. I gritted my fangs, unable to stop my hips from pumping into my fist. Thereeza’s breath was coming faster, harder, and with a cry she whipped her hand away.

“Now,” she said, her glazed eyes finding mine.

With a grunt, I shunted forward. I settled on one elbow above her and used my other hand to guide my tip to her soaked entrance. Her eyes fell closed, her mouth opening as I pressed forward.

Her tightness was a tension that would destroy me. It kept me from pounding into her the way I wanted to. But I would not hurt her. Thereeza gripped my shoulders, her body trembling. I drew back, then nudged my tip back in, feeling myself move a little deeper.

Already, this was more pleasure than I’d ever had. I was barely inside her and already I could feel the mate bond pulsing in every nerve. This was perfection, and we’d only just begun.

This was everything.

I started moving my hips in a shallow, controlled rhythm. With every thrust, Thereeza moaned louder and let me in a little further. My cock spears slicked over her wetness, sending other new nerves alight, intensifying the pleasure. When they got pushed upward, brushing her pleasure point, she cried out.

“Harder. Harder, now!”

I could do nothing but obey.

I drew back, then plunged forward, my hips beginning the merciless snapping rhythm I’d wanted to do from the start. Hot pleasure built along my spine, rushing through my wounds, down into my tail, spilling forward to my cock. I lowered myself on my elbows, my mouth finding Thereeza’s neck. I was so crazed with the pleasure that I had to beat back the desire to bite down on her delicate skin. My fangs dragged along her neck, my tongues pressing into the melody of her heartbeat.

Thereeza shifted her pelvis, arching it forward, allowing me even deeper access. She hooked her knees up against my sides, her arms tight around my neck.

“Baldor,” she slurred. “I love you.”

My cock couldn’t take it. Couldn’t take being buried in her heat while she moaned that she loved me. Just as she crested her own pleasure again, clenching around me, I exploded. I raised up on my palms, straightening my arms and throwing my head back, roaring as I emptied myself in her. I kept thrusting through the intensity, my fevered gaze meeting hers.

“Love is not enough to describe what I feel for you,” I snarled. “For so long, I have waited. Through time and agony and grief, I waited. I did not even know what I was waiting for, but it was you.” I punctuated each word with the last movements of my hips. “You are mine.” I drew back, then plunged into her with one final thrust, one final spurt of seed. “I will never, ever, let you go.”

Thereeza moaned again, then nodded, her head bumping the floor. I hated seeing that, and, still inside her, I moved lower again, cupping one of my hands behind her head.

It was Thereeza who brought her face to mine, opening her mouth to me. I entered her mouth with my tongues, my cock in her cunt.

Finally, finally, I was home.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Theresa

The next few weeks passed in a blur that made me lose track of the days. We kept on working every day at the ship, this time with Baldor at my side. We didn’t see any more movement from the human forces, at least not yet, and it allowed me to fall into a sense of security. Work every day, and frenzied mating every night.

Like he’d promised, Baldor made the tent for us. I’d made him position it away from the others to try to muffle the sounds.

The day after the storm, Baldor ordered half of his men to return to their tribe and began the process of relocating here. He was desperate to have his people back around him, and I was no less eager. I couldn’t wait to meet the women and children of his tribe and to have our own version of a wedding, called a Gahnala-Kai, when his people were all here to witness it.

We fell into a busy but steady rhythm. It was almost busy enough for me not to notice that my period was late.

Almost.

But about three weeks after the storm had happened, I was sure of it. I was late. And I was never, ever late.

“Baldor,” I said, tugging at the heavy arm that had been slung over me in sleep. I’d been waiting until I was sure to tell him, but when I’d woken again this morning with still no blood, I knew that it was time.

“Why is my sun-haired one up before the sun of the sky?” Baldor groaned, curving closer behind my back, pulling me in tighter.

I snorted.

“The sun will be up any minute. Besides, you can’t be that tired,” I teased, already feeling the hard press of his cock against my lower back. We were both naked from the night’s sleep, and Baldor’s hand drifted down between my legs, playing with my clit, making my core clench.

“Wait, there’s something I want to tell you,” I breathed, already arching against his touch.

“So tell me,” he said, his fingers still moving. I didn’t want him to stop, but I also couldn’t hold in my words anymore.

“I’m pregnant,” I blurted.

Well, that sure got his attention. His fingers froze between my legs.

“What did you just say?”

I rolled over in his arms, facing him, placing my hands against his hard jaw.

“I’m pregnant.”

His sight stars exploded across his eyes, and I felt his chest puff up against me with a hard intake of breath. One of his hands moved down to my waist, his thumb dipping inward, tracing my navel.

“A cub,” he breathed. A flash of emotion crossed his face, something between elation and pain. Tears sprang to my eyes, and I pulled his face closer to mine, bumping our foreheads together.

“Are you happy?” I asked.

“Happy? This is not merely happy. It is like what I feel for you – something beyond love. Beyond any word I know. I cannot name it.”

I nodded, my forehead rubbing against his. I knew what he meant. Happy didn’t quite seem like enough. But it would have to do for now.

Because, holy shit, was I ever happy.

Baldor’s grip shifted downward to my ass, and he bumped his pelvis forward, nudging his erection to my entrance.

Yes, please.

I angled my hips, hooking my leg over him. He held me so tightly as he pressed slowly inside.

When he took me in the mornings, there was often a sleepy, languorous pleasure to it. But not this time. It was like my news had electrified him. Every muscle was taut and thrumming, his hips snapping fast and hard. The intensity of his movements, the gentle ferocity with which he held me, had me coming fast and hard, and it wasn’t long before Baldor was tumbling over that same edge. We rocked through our shared pleasure until we were just panting and holding each other in utter bliss.

I wanted to stay like that all morning. And we would have, too, if it weren’t for the sudden commotion outside. My eyes flew open, and Baldor’s ears pricked as a warrior could be heard calling outside.

“They are back! They’ve returned from the Death Plains!”

I could see relief on Baldor’s face, and I felt the same way. I liked Xyan, and we weren’t so sure if we would ever see him again. Luckily, Zoey had checked the scanners and had let us know that the storm would have missed them, based on where they were heading. But from what I understood, the storm would have been the least of their problems.

Baldor and I dressed quickly before running out to join everybody else. A group was gathering at the edge of the settlement. Baldor took my hand and we moved quickly over the sands. The crowd made way for us, and we joined the other Gahns and their mates at the front.

True to what we’d heard, four irkdu were almost at the settlement. When they got close, the warriors vaulted down to the sand, running the rest of the way. They all seemed uninjured. That has to be a good sign, right?

“What news?” called Gahn Buroudei.

“Yes. What says Gahn Itok?” Baldor said as Xyan approached us. Xyan stopped, as did the other three, and then he spoke.

“Gahn Itok is dead.”

A hush went through the crowd.

Xyan continued. “He named no successor and a baklok has been called.”

“What’s a baklok?” I asked, looking up at Baldor.

“It is a fierce and violent competition to determine the new Gahn when no successor has been named,” my mate replied.

“Yes,” Xyan said. “We could not negotiate as there was no Gahn to speak to. The tribe is in chaos. When we arrived, the baklok had just been called. As of when we’d departed, no new Gahn had yet risen.”

“So, what does this mean?” I asked, starting to feel anxious. Just when things started to feel somewhat normal around here, we had to get a curveball.

“A baklok can take many days. It means we must wait until the Death Plains has its Gahn before we can try negotiating again,” Baldor said, casting his eyes out over the sand. I followed his gaze, even though I knew I couldn’t see all the way to the Death Plains.

“Well, whatever happens, we’ll be waiting for it together,” I said firmly, squeezing Baldor’s hand. He squeezed back, looking down at me.

“Yes,” he replied, a soft smile tugging at his mouth. “We will. Together.”

Thank you so much for reading Theresa and Baldor’s story. I really loved writing this one. I hope you’ll join me again in book seven as we meet the new Gahn of the Death Plains! If you want to get early access to teasers and to be notified as soon as my new books get released, please subscribe to my newsletter at www.ursadaxwriting.com/contact

Until the next Sea Sand love story,

-Ursa

FATED MATES OF THE SEA SAND WARLORDS

BOOK 1 ALIEN TYRANT

“If you should flee, no matter where you run, I will always follow.”

Book 2 ALIEN ENEMY

“They call me the Mad Gahn. But I never felt truly mad until I saw her face…”

Book 3 ALIEN ORPHAN

“I have trained, battled, and fought my whole life. But winning my mate’s love is the greatest challenge I have ever faced…”

Book 4 ALIEN REJECT

“She is a difficult creature, my tiny Kat. But I have never met with a creature I could not tame…”

Book 5 ALIEN EXILE

“Beneath all that makes me strange to you, my heart recognizes yours…”

Book 6 ALIEN HUNTER

“Now that I have found her, I refuse to lose her…”

Table of Contents

NOTICES

ALIEN HUNTER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TRIGGER WARNING

CHAPTER ONE | Theresa

CHAPTER TWO | Baldor

CHAPTER THREE | Theresa

CHAPTER FOUR | Theresa

CHAPTER FIVE | Baldor

CHAPTER SIX | Theresa

CHAPTER SEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER EIGHT | Theresa

CHAPTER NINE | Baldor

CHAPTER TEN | Theresa

CHAPTER ELEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWELVE | Theresa

CHAPTER THIRTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER FOURTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER FIFTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER SIXTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN | Theresa

CHAPTER NINETEEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX | Theresa

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN | Baldor

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT | Theresa