Page 11 of Devin (Warriors of Etlon #5)

Devin

H er scent still lingered in the cabin. It would probably take a week to air it out properly.

Devin circled the camp, having finished his last survey.

He didn’t see anyone out and about. Good.

He could safely walk through camp without having anyone question him about the female.

She was haunting him. Those brown eyes and dark hair staring up at him.

She needed protecting. She needed a mate to bite her neck and fill her with his seed.

No. He did not want a mate, Devin reminded himself.

And when he got a mate, she would be a helpmeet.

Someone who would complement his skills as an architect.

She would be sturdier than one of those frail Terrans that needed protecting from even the smallest creatures night and day.

He did not need one who could get her face smashed easily.

Devin still wanted to kill whatever had touched her. That would at least be satisfying. Perhaps, it would even satisfy the drive to bury himself balls-deep into that troublesome Terran.

Just before he was able to slip to his quarters unassailed, he saw his new warlord who had the audacity to grin at him.

"You may hit me, if you like. However, I will have to strike you back, as I am the warlord," Kave stated as he approached. It finally clicked in Devin's brain that this was all Kave's fault. He had ordered the temptress on purpose.

Devin did not think when he drew back his fist and he planted it with all the force he could muster in the same spot that Val's attacker had managed.

For his word, Kave did not even try to duck or avoid the hit.

He took it gleefully and returned it with equal force.

Devin was not honor-bound to stay put, so most of the blow bounced off and he rounded another punch to the other side of Kave's face.

The warrior grunted with delight and the fight was on.

Devin knew from the start he was going to lose, he had to lose.

To win would be disastrous for his own career and for the clan.

Kave was not a large warrior, none of the Etlonian Mahdfel were.

He wasn't slow or hulking. Kave was much more elegant in his fighting style, trained with the prince himself, and Devin had little more than his basic training and first tour of duty under his belt.

Kave knocked him to the ground twice, and each time waited for him to get up.

This was not punishment. There was no anger in Kave's movements.

Every punch and kick was designed to counter and knock Devin back down on his ass until he had no energy to get up.

The third time Devin hit the jungle floor, the rage in him ceased and he was able to accept the grinning warlord hovering over him without the urge to get up and punch Kave in the face again.

"Good?" Kave asked.

"Fuck you," Devin said without moving. Kave just laughed and offered him a hand.

Devin couldn't bring himself to take it.

He scrambled up. Everything hurt, but the pain was quickly dulling, his Mahdfel rapid healing preparing him for more battle.

Tomorrow, his busted lip and bruised ribs would be nothing but a memory.

"I will not take a mate," Devin repeated.

"That's exactly what Athen said," Kave countered.

"Send her back," Devin demanded.

"We'll just give it a few days. You should talk to her. She's very pleasant," Kave said, staring back at Jane and Zenik’s quarters.

Devin knew the words were designed to inspire his natural jealousy, goading him with the thought that any warrior would go near such a tempting mate.

But his natural instincts had been beaten out of him for the night.

Now, he just wanted to get back to his quarters, sleep to accelerate his healing and get back to work building his city.

He only had to get near the door to know that Val had been installed in his cabin and was sleeping in his bed.

Despite the beating he’d taken earlier, his cock stood out as straight as the confines of his shorts would allow.

He would not let the warlord win. Devin turned, punched a code into the force fence and opened the gate that led to the future city grounds.

He would sleep here, under the stars in the footprint of his masterpiece, and if something came and ate him during the night, it would be all the warlord's fault.