Page 9

Mia hummed happily as she set up her new office. While the town reminded her more of a sleepy rural village than a bustling regional center, the science and research complex was state of the art. She’d been given a tiny, enclosed room located on one side of a large open space dominated by lab equipment and transparent workboards.

The central workspace was shared, but this room was her own. One wall of her office was a series of viewing screens similar, as far as she could tell, to computer monitors, like the one in Zoran’s quarters aboard the spaceship. These were joined together in such a way that they could either function individually or as a seamless whole. Another wall held a window overlooking the jungle and a third held the door and a wall-mounted workboard. Additionally, she’d been given a sleek desk and chair, a small tablet, and a bookcase, though what she’d do with the latter remained to be seen. The Xeruvians seemed to rely on digital storage and all her books were back home.

A brief spurt of homesickness swirled through her. She pushed it down, more easily this time. Nothing she could do about that now. Better to focus on what she could change and do than what she couldn’t.

She’d just integrated her tablet with the Xeruvians’ major scientific database when someone tapped politely on the door. Mia pulled it open. One of the Xeruvian scientists she’d met early stood on the other side, her hands folded politely behind her. When Alara had brought Mia to the science center, she’d introduced her to everyone in such a flurry of names and faces that they’d become a blur.

Mia vaguely remembered this female, a fellow plant scientist. She was taller than Mia by half a foot and sported small, decidedly feminine horns sprouting from above her temples. Her hair was dark and pulled back in an intricate braid, accentuating her high cheekbones and slender nose. She wore a loose linen tunic and pants, closed-toe sandals, and a single wide, copper-colored bracelet on her left wrist. Mia recognized the bracelet as a smaller version of the one Zoran had worn when he’d abducted her.

For the life of her, Mia couldn’t pinpoint the other female’s name. She tried out a Xeruvian greeting, certain she was mangling the pronunciation. “ Kii-la, nona-il .”

My soul greets yours . Or, more literally, my soul to your soul .

The female’s face lit up and she rattled off a string of Xeruvian. Mia shook her head and pointed to her ear. No translator. Alara had explained that they had manufactured enough to fit most of the Xeruvians the humans would come into contact with during their first week. Two human women had already tried using translators geared toward Xeruvian physiology with mixed results. The Xeruvians hadn’t wanted to attempt making translators specifically for humans until they had an actual human to work with, beyond the ones who’d already tried. The diplomat and one of her friends, who was still on Earth. Something about their different physiologies? Apparently, those two women had found the process of adapting to the translators rather sharpish.

The female in front of Mia laughed and tapped her ear, too. “My apologies. I forgot for a moment that you have no translator.”

The sound came from the female’s bracelet. Mia deduced that it must be connected to her translator, similar to the system Zoran and the other warlords had used aboard their spaceship. And still used now, she thought with some amusement. Otherwise, she wouldn’t understand a word of what he was saying.

She stepped back, silently inviting the other woman in. “What was it you said?”

“I was correcting your grammar. Kii-la is correct, though your pronunciation is…imprecise.”

Mia grinned. “To be fair, I’ve only heard it twice.”

“From one male to another?”

“Now that you mention it, yes.”

The Xeruvian bowed her head solemnly. “Then you did very well.”

“And the rest?”

“ Nona-il is said to a male of higher standing. For females of equal or higher standing, the correct form is novala .”

Mia’s mouth formed a silent oh . “What term did Alara use when she greeted the other females here?”

“ Novala-la ,” the female said promptly.

“Not kii-la, novala-la ?”

“No, simply novala-la . Colloquially, it means your soul is mine to protect .”

“ Novala-la ,” Mia repeated. “No wonder I didn’t recognize it. Leona is going to have a field day studying your language.”

“Who?”

The female’s mannerisms were so similar to Alara’s, Mia had to laugh. “A friend of mine. She and I were taken from the same building.”

“ Taken . I see.”

Mia had no doubt that she did. And she didn’t want to talk about it any more than she already had. “I know Alara introduced us earlier, but what’s your name? There were so many people.”

“Ah. Of course.” The female pressed her palm to her chest. “I am Jyrak of Clan Kael. My brother Thorian developed the translator.”

“Was he one of the warlords that—” Abducted us , Mia thought, then quickly substituted something more polite. “Came to Earth?”

“Indeed! He found a mate as well. Elara Vega?”

“I know her. She’s a climate scientist.”

“Thorian is thrilled to have met her. We all are. To know that the mating instinct has not diminished, that we have hope again.” The excitement faded from Jyrak’s expression, and her gaze dropped. “Forgive me. I do not mean to offend.”

“Why would I be offended?”

“Because of the way you were… taken .”

Mia bit her lip, hiding a grimace. Had the Xeruvians gone about finding their mates in the best way possible? No. Did she blame them for doing it? She sighed. No. But she did wish they’d found a better way.

Mia took a chance on breaching propriety and touched her fingertips lightly to Jyrak’s elbow. “I’m not offended. Elara is a good person. If she has a chance at a good life with Thorian—”

“She will! He is a good male, a strong warlord. Very intelligent.”

In other words, a good prospect. “Then how can I be offended?”

A low rumble sounded from the doorway. Mia glanced around and saw Zoran nearly filling the space. His gaze was steady on her, his eyes a bright glow. Butterflies danced in her stomach, causing all kinds of turmoil, and she sucked in a breath. Odds were, this male knew exactly what effect he had on her, and liked it.

She forced herself to relax against the desk as she greeted him. “Hey. Is it time to go?”

“Yes.”

When he said nothing more, she pulled a face at him. “Have you met Jyrak Kael? We’re going to be working together.”

Jyrak slid Mia a bemused glance, then bowed to Zoran. “ Kii-la, nona-il . It is a pleasure to greet you again.”

Mia grinned at Jyrak. Firsthand demonstrations for the win!

Zoran nodded shortly. “ Novala-la . How is Thorian? Has he returned to your jutji ?”

“He has, my lord. His mate will return here in a few days’ time to become integrated into our scientific community.”

That was news to Mia. She’d have to ask Jyrak about it later, when Zoran wasn’t being all me Tarzan, you Jane .

He and Jyrak chatted a few minutes more, polite small talk about her work here at the science center and progress on rebuilding Clan Kael’s jutji , which Mia interpreted as a territory of some kind.

When they were finished, Zoran turned to Mia and said, “Do you need more time here?”

“No, no. I’ve done what I can for one day.” She held up the tablet and turned to Jyrak. “Can I take this home with me?”

“Indeed, milady. It is your personal interface.”

“Thank you. See you tomorrow?”

Jyrak bowed. “I am at your convenience. Peace be unto you.”

Mia glanced at Zoran, puzzled. Again, he tilted his head in a bare nod and said, as if he hadn’t noticed her hesitation, “And unto you.”

When Mia and Zoran were outside, away from prying ears, she said, “Milady?”

He responded without looking down at her. “Jyrak is of a lower rank than you.”

“Oh.”

She paused as they navigated out of the science center into deteriorating weather, under another overhang. Zoran ushered her through the driving rain into a personal vehicle parked only a few feet away. In the short distance between the two, rain soaked through her clothes and plastered her hair to her scalp. The temperature had dropped as well. Nighttime? The cloud cover was so dense, it was hard to tell what time of day it was. Not full night. Surely that would be darker.

She huddled in the seat beside Zoran as he started the vehicle and steered it away from the science center. Conversation. Maybe that would distract her from the cold until they reached shelter.

“In my country, we don’t stand on such ceremony,” she said. “Or mostly not. People are still polite. Yes, ma’am and all that. But we don’t have the same kind of caste system that you seem to have here. We’re more equal.”

Zoran waited until they were outside the town before responding. “We are not humans, mate, and you are no longer on Earth.”

The reprimand cut her to the bone. She turned her face to the darkened landscape scrolling by outside the window and lapsed into miserable silence.

Zoran stood inside his home, facing the security door covering the entrance. His claws dug into his palms. Mia had lost her natural exuberance on the way here, because of him . His intent had not been to maim when he’d corrected her. Perhaps he had not spoken gently enough. His own pride had been wounded by the conversation she’d shared with Thorian’s sister.

Was he not a good male, a strong warrior? Did Mia find his intelligence lacking in some way? Was that why she hesitated still, why she had not fully accepted him?

He could easily hear her under the storm raging outside and the shower she stood under in the bathing chamber, warming herself. Her energy had revived somewhat when he guided her into their home. It was a simple place, that of an unmated warrior, a one-room space that flowed from the entrance into a sunken living area before rising again toward the screened off sleeping space. Mia had taken one look and proclaimed it a studio apartment , though perhaps that had been an error in translation. This home was a freestanding residence, separated from others by a sluggish river and a broad swath of jungle.

Now he wondered if their home was adequate for her needs, if he had failed her somehow by not having built a larger space to accommodate whatever females did when they were at home.

He would not know. It had been many, many years since he’d resided with a female, and those had been his kin.

The water stopped. Fabric rustled, then soft footsteps padded out of the bathing area.

“Um, Zoran?” Mia said.

He forced himself to turn. She was peeking around one of the screens partitioning off the sleeping chamber. Her hair hung in damp waves past her shoulders, and she had wrapped a flimsy drying sheet around her breasts, baring the gentle curves of her shoulders.

Emotion twisted within him, and he crossed his arms over his chest to hold himself there, even as memory assaulted him. Of his hands on her skin, of the soft, breathy hitches she made when he cleaned her feminine folds. Unbidden, his cock hardened beneath his breeches. He clicked his teeth together, growling at the unwanted intrusion.

Would. Not. Touch.

He tried so very hard to gentle his voice, yet did it snarl and snap when he responded. “Yes, mate?”

Her expression fell, and she sighed. “I don’t have any clean clothes. Do you have something I can wear? Just until I can buy some more.”

“Choose from among my clothing.”

“Oh. Ok. Thanks.”

“You will purchase more on the morrow.”

“Do the local merchants take American money?” A short laugh fluttered out of her. “I mean, how does that even work?”

His control broke so suddenly, he did not realize he had moved until he stood before her, towering over her smaller form. Pressing his body into hers, herding her backward until she bumped against the raised sleeping platform, her eyes wide and uncertain as she dropped onto it.

Carefully, slowly, so that she would see the predator shining in his eyes and know him for what he was, he leaned forward and braced his fists against the bed, one on either side of her luscious hips. From this distance, he could bathe in her scent, drawing it deep into his lungs until it coated him inside and out. Sweet, fresh, feminine. He wanted to bury his face in her throat, nip her skin with his fangs, lick her until she writhed with pleasure and begged him to take her again and again and again.

“I will provide for you,” he growled. “ Mate .”

Her gaze had dropped to his mouth and seemed to have stuck there. She nibbled at her lower lip with her teeth and a soft oh left her on a rush of air. Her arousal spiked sharply, spurring his own to the point of pain, and he wanted, so badly, to push her down, to cover her body with his own, to show her, slowly and in great detail, exactly how a warrior provided for his beloved mate.

But she was not ready. Had she not said so herself?

And he would not push.

Before he could regain his control and withdraw, she touched a fingertip to his lower lip. “You have the most amazing mouth.”

He snarled. Now she had the temerity to caress him, with his strength on full display above her?

The smile she gave him held full knowledge of the things that simple touch did to him, how it had branded him as thoroughly as the mating bond they shared. “Let me get dressed and then maybe we can find something to eat.”

She placed one palm against his chest and pushed gently until he retreated, helpless before her, then shooed him off. He turned as he crossed the meager threshold provided by the partitions, just in time to catch the flash of a bare calf before she disappeared from view.

And shuddered under the aching remembrance of her touch.