He peers over the edge as the two land on their feet.
“We are not human,” I reassert. “Many of our species are older than yours by thousands of years or more.”
A fighting cluster of Mindorans bumps him, knocking him out of the transport. I see the guard’s harness strap stretch tightly and know it won’t hold his weight and that of the males who tumble out.
Reaching out, I snag a strap on his vest and lug the human inside as the others bump us on the way out. They twist and reorient themselves as they fall.
The human breathes heavily and stares at me with wide, lightless blue eyes. “Thanks.”
“Everyone gets one free save. Pay more attention next time,” I say.
“Yes, sir.” He winces and jams a finger in his ear. “Prince Aurelius.”
“Don’t mention it. Really. Don’t call me that. Just Aura.”
He nods and moves deeper into the transport.
I scan the fields as females flood the arena along with the males. Most alien species I like. A few I don’t. It’s easier to look at everyone from up here, and I use the vantage point to scan every female I can. None of them stir my Storm, and I start to fear the one I hoped would be here isn’t.
Until I see a head of brown hair drawn back in a thick braid on a female who thrashes at someone and scrambles out from under thefortress. She has gorgeous medium-toned flesh wrapped in threads of something I can’t decipher at such a distance. But the way her slender yet curvy body moves, I know she’s a worker, not a princess. The way she fights tells me two critical things: she’s not a sheltered aristocrat, and she’s not afraid to say no.
The female angrily flings a fistful of dirt at someone under the fortress. A shimmering hand claws after her, then another, and another.
Listhaetis?Stars, why are they here?
“Hey,” I call to the guard. “That species shouldn’t be in the races.”
“Why?” The guard I just saved turns back toward me.
“Because they are known foreatinghumans and their offspring!”
His eyes bulge. “I will report this immediately!”
“Look into the Mantis Expedition. That should give you all the proof you need.”
On the field below, guards race toward the slithery bastard. But I’m not sure they’ll make it in time. I am faster and three times their size.
Wisps of green light curl around me and grow into crackling threads, making me a ball of lightning. My Storm surges with a protective desire that compels me out of the transport door.
He’s trying to capture the one I want. And I won’t get to find out if she’s a match if he gets to her first.
Wind rips around me as I fall. I hit the ground hard and cave it in beneath my boots. I pry off the spark arrestor that fizzles as if it’s beyond spent.
I toss it in a pocket and slap on my spare. I don’t have time to worry about it, and launch myself in a furious sprint across the fields.
The female runs into the forest with surprising speed for her petite size. The Listhaetis clambers out from under the fortress and high tails it after her.
My legs move me faster in her direction. I wonder if she knows what Listhaetis are and the threat he is to her.
She fought him like she knows.
But mostly, I want to catch her and find out if this charge I’m feeling, this electric need that pulses in me as I sprint after her, is what I think it is.
It has to be.
My Storm zings around inside me like hot Firespine jabs, begging to get out, to toast the Listhaetis and any other male who approaches her. I want to get her alone. I need to know if she could ever want anything to do with someone as dangerous as I am.
Just because I want her doesn’t mean she’ll want me back.
