Page 10

CHAPTER NINE

X ara woke to a gentle tugging sensation at her scalp. Something warm and small nestled against her neck, making tiny suckling noises. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and reached up, fingers connecting with soft fur and a tiny body.

One of the alien babies had snuggled against her neck during the night and was now contentedly nibbling on her curls. Its lavender fur tickled her skin, and its silver markings pulsed with a gentle, soothing rhythm.

“Hey there, little one,” she whispered. “That’s not food.”

The pup squeaked and nuzzled closer, undeterred. She carefully extracted her hair from its mouth and sat up, wincing as pain shot through her injured leg. The other two pups were curled together at the foot of the bed, their markings synchronized in sleep.

A rich, savory aroma filled the cave, and her stomach growled in response. Strips of meat were smoking over the carefully banked fire. The meat was arranged with precision, clearly meant to be preserved rather than immediately consumed.

She glanced around the cave. No sign of her silent, intimidating host.

Why would he do this? Tend her wounds, feed her, protect her and these small creatures? Everything about him screamed predator, from his massive frame to those lethal claws and the way he moved—like violence held in perfect check. Yet here she was, alive and cared for.

The contradiction didn’t fit any model she understood.

She shifted to the edge of the bed, testing her weight on her injured leg. The moss bandage felt cool against her skin, and the pain, while still present, had dulled considerably.

The pup that had been nibbling her hair chirped in protest as she stood, clinging to her shoulder. She stroked its head absently as she limped toward the cave entrance, drawn by the fresh air and morning light.

At the mouth of the cave, she paused. The alien jungle sprawled before her in all its crimson glory, but something else caught her attention. In the distance, between the twisted trees and carnivorous vines, pinpricks of light flickered in distinct patterns.

She’d seen those flickering lights before but now she was even more convinced that they weren’t random bioluminescence. They were organized, deliberate.

Three short pulses, followed by two long ones. A pause. Another pattern, and then another, but eventually the cycle repeated.

“Something is creating those signals,” she murmured. The pup on her shoulder trilled in response, its markings flashing rapidly.

The scientist in her couldn’t ignore the implications. Patterns meant intelligence, and intelligence meant potential communication, perhaps even civilization.

She needed to investigate.

Returning to the cave, she found a sturdy branch near the fire pit that would be perfect for a makeshift crutch. She hobbled over to retrieve it, then paused to grab a strip of smoked meat. The rich flavor burst across her tongue as she took a bite, savoring the smoky taste.

“I’ll be back soon,” she told the two sleeping pups. The third chirped from her shoulder, clearly intending to accompany her.

Using the branch for support, she made her way back out of the cave, then hesitated.

Perhaps it would be better to wait until her rescuer returned.

Then again, she suspected he wouldn’t approve of her leaving the cave.

The jungle looked safe enough in daylight and nothing had attacked her during her previous explorations.

No doubt the real predators only come out at night, she thought optimistically as she marked her surroundings and set off into the forest.

Each step was a challenge, but the branch took enough weight off her injured leg to make progress possible. The pup clung to her shirt, occasionally making soft sounds that almost seemed encouraging.

The lights grew more distinct as she approached, still pulsing in their mesmerizing patterns.

“What are you?” she whispered, pushing aside a frond of crimson vegetation.

The jungle floor grew increasingly treacherous as she moved deeper. Roots twisted underfoot, and the vegetation seemed to shift and recoil from her touch. The makeshift crutch caught in the undergrowth, forcing her to tug it free repeatedly.

After twenty minutes of slow progress, sweat beaded on her forehead. Her leg throbbed, and her arms ached from supporting her weight. But the lights were closer now, just beyond the next tangle of vegetation.

She pushed forward, determined.

The branch caught again, more firmly this time. As she yanked it free, her injured leg buckled beneath her, and pain exploded up her thigh as she collapsed to the ground. The pup on her shoulder squealed in alarm, its markings flashing wildly.

She tried to stand, but her leg wouldn’t support her weight. The moss bandage had come loose in the fall, revealing angry red flesh beneath. The wound wasn’t healing as well as she’d thought.

“Damn it,” she muttered, dragging herself toward a nearby tree trunk. “So much for exploration.”

The pup leapt from her shoulder, landing on the ground with surprising grace. It faced the direction they’d come from and emitted a high-pitched series of squeals that made her wince.

“What are you?—”

A shadow fell across her. She froze, then slowly looked up.

Her rescuer stood there, massive and terrifying, silver eyes blazing with an emotion she couldn’t name.

His sensory tendrils writhed like angry snakes.

His chest heaved as though he’d run a great distance at top speed, but he’d made no sound as he approached Not a single footfall or broken twig had betrayed his presence until he chose to reveal himself.

For a heartbeat, they stared at each other—her sprawled on the ground, him looming above her, radiating barely contained fury.

Then he moved.

In one fluid motion, he crouched and scooped her up, one arm behind her back, the other under her knees.

He lifted her as though she weighed nothing, cradling her against a chest that felt like warm steel.

Her head spun from the sudden movement, instinctively gripping his shoulders for stability.

Her pulse quickened and her skin prickled at his closeness, a reaction she couldn’t entirely attribute to fear.

The pup chirped, bouncing in circles around his feet until he bent slightly, allowing it to scramble up his leg and perch on his shoulder—mirroring how it had ridden on Xara.

Without a word, he turned and strode back toward the cave, his gait so smooth she barely felt the movement, despite his obvious fury. His grip was firm but careful, mindful of her injury.

She didn’t know if it was the pain, the adrenaline, or his proximity, but the combination made her giddy.

“I take it this means you’re not a big fan of field research.”

That earned her a quick glance. His eyes narrowed, and his lips tightened, but he didn’t speak.

“It’s not my fault,” she continued. “Your stupid planet keeps trying to kill me.”

He snorted and turned his attention back to the jungle.

She should have been terrified. His body was designed for war. Every muscle was chiseled from stone, and those deadly claws could eviscerate her in an instant. Yet she was safe in his arms, and when she looked into his eyes, she could see his concern for her.

“Are you taking me back to the cave?”

He glanced down at her, his eyes darkening with an emotion that looked like hunger, but the expression vanished before she could identify it. He increased his pace, striding through the jungle without effort despite the thick underbrush and uneven ground.

“I can walk, you know,” she grumbled.

A low, rumbling sound emerged from his chest, vibrating against her ribs. A warning, perhaps.

“Fine,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Be that way.”

He stopped and lowered her legs to the ground. When she tried to stand, her injured leg buckled again.

He caught her easily and gave her a look that was somehow both smug and frustrated.

“Fine, I can’t walk,” she admitted, her face heating.

He sighed and tucked her back against him but he no longer seemed quite as angry. One of his tendrils slid around her waist, slipping beneath the hem of her shirt, its touch both strangely comforting and unexpectedly arousing. Arousing?

Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself, but then the tip of the tendril brushed against the underside of her breast and even with her bra in the way, the touch was electrifying. Her nipples hardened instantly, and the warmth in her cheeks spread downward.

His nostrils flared and his eyes darkened as he inhaled. She held her breath, waiting for him to acknowledge the sudden change, but instead, he continued walking.

She exhaled, disappointed and relieved at the same time.

She’d assumed that they were headed back to the cave but instead they emerged from the trees at the base of a cliff, a towering wall of jagged rock and crimson vegetation.

She gasped as he swung her around to his back, easily supporting her with his tendrils as he started to climb.

She clung desperately to his shoulders until she realized how firmly the tendrils supported her.

“I didn’t realize how strong they were,” she murmured, settling against him as the tendrils supported her, allowing her to relax against his back.

When they reached the top, the tendrils released her, allowing her to slide down his back. He strode forward a few paces, scanning the area and she followed, looking around curiously. The pup chirped and she lifted it down so it could explore as she joined him at the edge of the cliff.

The jungle spread below them, a sea of crimson leaves and winding vines. It was strangely beautiful, the light of the three moons casting glittering reflections on the dense foliage.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on now?” she asked.

He pointed, his arm raised, and she followed the gesture to an area where lights flickered beneath the trees. Then he indicated another, and another. They were clustered in regular groups, the area the lights covered varying only slightly.

“Are those... settlements? Villages?”

He nodded and her heart started to pound.

“Is there someone there who could help me get back home?”

His eyes darkened and his lip curled in a snarl as he shook his head violently.

“No, they can’t help me? Or no, you don’t want me to try?” she asked suspiciously.

He hesitated for a moment, then sliced a claw deliberately across his arm.

She gasped as silvery blue blood welled in the cut, but he ignored it.

He pointed at one patch of lights, then flicked blood across the ground.

He pointed to the second patch and repeated the gesture.

She paled, reaching out to grab his hand before he could do it a third time.

“You’re telling me they’re dangerous?”

He nodded decisively and her shoulders slumped in defeat. So much for the idea of escape.

“I guess everything on this planet really does want to kill me.”

He frowned at her and shook his head.

“Not everything?” she guessed. “Well, I suppose the pups don’t.”

His eyes darkened and one of his tendrils slipped around her waist again, drawing her closer.

The heat of his body radiated into her skin, and her heart skipped a beat.

By accident or intent, it had reached through one of the rips in her shirt and she could feel the smooth heavy warmth against the sensitive skin of her back.

“Or you,” she whispered.

His gaze locked on hers, the strange, silver depths mesmerizing. Then his tendril tightened around her, drawing her fully against his body.

His lips claimed hers in a kiss that was more than just a kiss—it was a declaration of ownership, of possession. His teeth grazed her lower lip, demanding entry. She parted her lips with a moan and his tongue swept into her mouth, the taste of him intoxicating.

A rush of desire flooded her core. She had never been kissed like this before, never felt so completely and utterly consumed.

His scent surrounded her, musky and masculine, and his strength overwhelmed her.

Her hands slid up over his chest and his muscles rippled under her touch.

He growled softly, deepening the kiss, and she arched against him, unable to resist the temptation of his hard body pressed against hers.

As quickly as it began, the kiss ended, his lips leaving hers. He drew back, his breathing ragged, and she could see the raw hunger in his silver eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered.

A soft sound emerged from his throat. Then, with obvious reluctance, he gently set her down and backed away. She immediately stumbled and he lunged forward to catch her.

She opened her mouth to demand answers, but then their eyes met and the pain in those silver depths tore at her.

“Let’s go home,” she said instead.

His eyes blazed so fiercely she thought he was going to kiss her again.

Instead he only picked her up and settled her on his back once more.

He paused long enough to settle the pup back on her shoulder then headed back down over the cliff, leaving her confused, shaken, and more than a little aroused.