An orb forms between our hands, and I know she’s the one. Our bond is calm and steady. We are a match. She is my destined mate, the one who can balance my energy with hers.
She smiles up at me in delight, which quickly turns to fear.
“What’s wrong?” A sudden concern that I’m hurting her makes me break our bond. “Jovie?”
She staggers back, looking ready to run. Only then do I hear the thunder of heavy feet behind me.
Jovie’s scooped up in a blur of radiant blue armored plates and black horns. But as I reach for her, a tail bashes into my side, throwing me into the air.
Breath leaves me. Tree branches brush over my body. I slam into a trunk, let out a grunt from the pain that flares in my back, and fall to the ground.
Get up! Someone else has her!
I cannot bear such a dishonor for the rest of my life. My Storm is in chaos, writhing and tearing at my insides from the injustice, fear of losing her, and panic that she might be hurt. If I lose her to another male, I might just detonate.
An animalistic growl roars out of me. Arcs fry my spark arrestor. I get up, push through the tree branches, break several, find the male who has Jovie, and run with everything I have in their direction.
I will get her back or die trying.
She’s mine!
11: Jovie
Teasing Aura was fun, sneaking through the treetops like I used to at home as a kid. But mostly, I wanted a chance to study him at a distance. He’s far taller than a human and many of the other males, with mounds of muscle that bulge and twitch with every movement, speaking to just how powerful his species is. But the arcs that lick off of his body like he’s a walking Tesla coil have me intimidated.
I’ve seen an engine lash out when its circuitry or charging system isn’t wired correctly. It can punch holes in flesh and vaporize humans.
When I finally get up the courage to confront him, his touch is far gentler than I expected. His purple skin is firm and rough, but his eyes caress me with such tenderness that I already feel his dedication.
He’s chosen me. And the big purple brute has already protected me from the creepy Listhaetis that Talros warned me about. But it’s the light he forms between our hands that has me the most stunned. His electric green gaze brightens, and a smile stretches his handsome, scar-peppered face.
This must mean something special to him.
I mean, it’s wicked cool.But an orb formed with the help of myhumanhand is about as likely as me forgiving my sister and my ex.
As the heat of our orb soaks into my palm, I notice a shudder beneath my boots. Something moves in my periphery, steals my attention from gorgeous, intoxicatingAura.
There’s little time to react.
One moment, I’m with him. The next, he’s gone, and I’m gasping for the air another alien male has knocked out of me. The blue-scaled species carts me deeper into the trees.
His skin rattles like light hail on a clay tile roof. Each scale glows just a hint, even in the daylight.
“Hey!” I shout at him.
He doesn’t stop.
The meadow vanishes, trees blur, and soon, sand flies up from his tracks.
He’s heading for the river.
I am not a swimmer, but as I strain to be free of his grasp, I can’t find enough breath to call for help.
He dives in. My head goes underwater. Alarm washes through me as I strain to hold my already limited breath.
He side winds downstream toward a small lake. My lungs start to burn. I claw toward the surface, toward the light, praying he’ll understand I need air.
And finally, I’m airborne, inhaling,flailing, and alone. I tumble across soft, warm sand. The male that’s stolen me launches out of the water after me as a flash of purple swings him by his tail. The creature catches himself on the beach and lurches for Aura, who stalks toward him like he’s on a mission to break him in two.
