Page 86 of Made For The Alien Warrior

“You must have questions you want to ask him.”

“Did you not see that he had no interest in answering them?” Tiegan’s nose flared. “I will not beg him for anything.”

She sighed.

He tilted his head and grazed his blue fingers over her ear. “Since you are in a chatty mood, I have a few questions regarding your kidnapping. The Healer said the rebel suffered from a broken spine. How did that happen?”

She grew still. “I don’t know.”

“That is not an answer.”

“It’s the only one I have.” Nerves tightened in her stomach. Symphony was still trying to put it together herself. At the time, her brain had been spinning with fear, panic and adrenaline. She had only acted on instinct, trying to get away and find Tiegan.

“You must tell me exactly what happened,” he murmured.

Fear slithered through her veins. Whatever had happened… it was related to her arm. And she didn’t know how to tell him that. Thankfully, his eyes started fluttering shut. His body was about to shut down again.

She settled beside him. “I’ll tell you only if you consider having a conversation with your father. One that’s calm and civil rather than just yelling at him.”

“You are insisting on this point.”

“Because I want what’s best for you.” She stared into the distance. “If I had a chance to meet my mother and father again after thinking they were dead, I would take it.”

“Your parents were good to you?”

“They were.”

“Then I understand why you would want such a thing.” Though his words were slurring from exhaustion, the anger in them still rang loud and clear. “If your mother had abandoned you as a child and did not bother to have you in her life, you may not be so forgiving.”

He had a point.

He also had a giant hole in his body and an alien organ transplant to recover from.

Symphony patted Tiegan’s shoulder. “No more talking.”

“Be here when I wake?” he murmured, sounding more like a child than a giant Plutonian who could grow spine daggers out of his back and whip people around with his tail.

“I’ll be here. I promise.”

Thirty-Three

Tiegan

He dreamedof narrowed eyes and spine daggers flailing through the air. Blood rushing from open wounds. Tails sharpened to the tips and wielded like lashing whips. Hands that wrapped around Symphony’s neck and squeezed until she went still.

Tiegan shot up, his chest heaving and his eyes darting around the room. He saw the dark cave walls and smelled the damp scent of the damas in the air.

“Tiegan?” Sim-pony’s soft voice, heavy with sleep, called to him. “What’s wrong?”

He jerked his chin down and watched her desperately. Moonlight bounced over her soft brown skin and plump lips. Worry beamed from dark eyes that glittered brighter than the stars.

Tiegan sucked in a breath, letting it out sharply through his mouth. Lowering his chin, he waited until his pulse had returned to normal before answering. “I am fine.”

“That’s bull and you know it.” Sim-pony’s eyes narrowed in his direction. She looked just as fierce as any warrior when she scooted closer to him and rested her hand on his forehead. Her brown skin was soft as a flora and the scent of something sweet wafted from her. “You’re sweating.”

“I need to drink something cold. That is all.”

“Do you want me to get it?”