Page 17 of Protected by the Alien Warrior Triad

The human looks sheepish now that he’s seen us keep his home safe from enemies. Even with a weapon like he has in his hands, he’d not have been able to stand up to the endless waves of Scorp warriors flooding through that doorway.

And even now, his home will not be safe for long. My triad and I have more than just ourselves to protect. My mate is the priority, and because of the way she looks at them, I want the two, small children she protects to be the next.

Hadone steps forward, close to Tammy – and for just a moment I bristle with jealousy. And yet, I owe Hadone my life ten times over. I’d rip the head off of any other man who attempted to get near her. But Hadone? And likewise Darok? They can approach.

“Hadone,” my blood-brother says slowly, looking at Tammy as though she’s a precious thing he’s already lost.

Tammy gives him a weak smile. “Hadone,” she repeats, then adds a string of words that I cannot make sense of. She accents the words by pointing furiously at the two small children cowering under the table in the corner.

“She wants us to protect them,” says Darok slowly, piecing her words together logically. He licks his lips, giving Tammy a stare that has a hint of suspicion to it. He’s never been a trusting one.

Mind you, perhaps Darok has wisdom Hadone and I like. All of us feel the wrongness of this situation, but Darok feels it most keenly. We did notearnour mate through ritual sacrifice – so why did the portal that brought us here open?

Darok doesn’t like that the ancient traditions have been circumvented. I feel it as well. I feel as if I don’t deserve such a fine mate to keep and have as my own – not yet, anyway. Not until I’ve proven myself.

Tammy points at the children again, then holds up two fingers.

“What is she saying?” Asks Hadone.

“She wants us to protect both of them,” I answer.

Tammy puts up two more fingers and I squint.

“There are twomorechildren, somewhere out there,” says Darok slowly, and we all understand the gravity of his words.

“By the Orb-God, two more? Somewhere out in that madness?” Hadone sounds angry. “We’ve found our mate. We need to keephersafe, not attempt to help every human in this damned city!”

His voice goes cold. Hadone is a callous man at times, a necessary trait for survival. We all know the odds of getting out of a city laid siege by Scorp warriors. It’s going to be slim odds even without two extra bodies to find and protect.

But four children? Four will cut our chances in half.