Page 36 of Made For The Alien Warrior

“Our lips touched.”

Zar smirked. “So?”

“So we already have an imprint of the mate connection,” Tiegan snapped.

“Females are in such short supply,” Korben said, tugging on his ear. “I do not think this will be a problem if she is agreeable to a mating.”

Annoyed, Tiegan strode away from the war room and went in search of Sim-pony. The thought of Sim-pony finding another mate made his chest burn with fury. He wanted to grab his zapten and go hunting. Something.Anythingto fight back the rage.

She has not agreed to be your mate, Tiegan.

Did such technicalities matter when he had already suckled her lips? She allowed him to crawl into her bedding and hold her. The mating process was underway, though it was not yet completed. No one else could have her.

As he strode, he heard a voice call to him. “Tiegan.”

He stopped and changed directions. “Healer?” He noticed the red-haired female floating in the sacred damas. “How does she fare?”

“I am keeping her alive, but her Plutonian blood has not yet been awakened. It is troublesome as her pulse is faint.”

“Have you contacted Rune?”

“He is on his way from the camp. Until we can insert the nano-tech into her bloodstream, she will have to remain in the sacred damas. It is a barrier to thejideza, but it will not last forever.”

The Healer’s worried frown perplexed him. He was used to the Plutonian elder having all the answers, and it was strange to see him looking so anxious. Humans truly had changed everything.

He looked at the girl again. “I hope you can heal her.”

“You have grown oddly concerned about humans when you were indifferent before.”

“It is for Sim-pony’s sake.” He recalled how desperately she’d begged for him to save the girl. “She cares for her.”

The Healer nodded.

The humans seemed to share a connection. Almost as if they’d formed a tribas of their own. Upon their return to the sacred damas, Sim-pony and the bald woman had been greeted by the other females and brought into the fold.

Though he’d demanded Sim-pony go in and rest, she stubbornly refused and insisted on staying with the others. Sah-ah, Eema, Si-moon and Ki-ah had rallied around her, daring him to tear their comrade away. He had wisely retreated.

“This mystery,” the Healer’s voice bounced against the walls, “concerns me the more I think of it.”

He glanced up.

“Sim-pony claims she has been hearing Adhi’s voice since she was a brood.”

“She has.” Tiegan dipped his chin.

“Now, both Sim-pony and the voice are on this planet. While Sim-pony and this girl,” he pointed down at the woman with hair the color of flames, “have a sickness caused by a Plutonian illness, Adhi does not.”

“Perhaps it is random.”

“Neh.” The Healer stroked his beard. “Such matters are never coincidence. Sim-pony and Adhi are connected. I believe this female is connected to them as well.”

“Adhi has not yet given us her account. The females demanded an audience with her first.”

“Question her without delay.” The Healer stared into the distance. “I believe she will give a similar account as Sim-pony.”

“You believe the light that beamed Sim-pony to us brought Adhi as well?”

The Healer pursed his lips. “Get her account first. I will think on how to handle these matters.”