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What could she be? Could this be some unknown hybrid between Kar’Kali and something else?
As I stare at her in wonder, the sparking in my chest returns. At first, the feeling is unfamiliar, but as my cheeks start to burn and my heart starts to slam harder in my chest, I realize what is happening.
It’s her. She’s affecting me. My body is responding to her.
This female is my spirit-mate, mykorika.
I’ve waited so long that I had accepted the possibility of never finding her. It was my choice to leave my community behind and surround myself with strangers. I had always thought I only had a chance at bonding with a Kar’Kali female, but here I sit in front of an alien girl with my blood pumping red in my veins.
I help her sit up with slow movements, not wanting to scare her if she comes to. It’s plain enough that she was stolen from her home to be sold into slavery, but I’m not sure why she would be tossed into a cargo hold all alone. She was chained to one of these crates like an animal. Either these slavers were in dire straits, or she was taken here as punishment.
She starts groaning, her head lolling around.
I touch her face, cradling it in my hands to lift her head. She is a beautiful creature, my mate. She is painted in shades of brown and black, with sharp features. Black hair, black lashes, slashing black brows.
“I’ve got you,” I tell her as her consciousness starts to return. “Are you all right?”
Her eyes are unseeing for a moment, then she blinks. She’s waking slowly, so I get to work on her chains. Myikaniwill cut through them easily. I hate to let go of her, but I lean her against the wall, hoping she is comfortable.
As I set my blade to heat and start slicing through her bonds, one of my fellow crew finally notices me in the corner.
“Is that a female?” he exclaims.
I glance over. It is one of the Plax males. Can’t remember his name. He has bolts of expensive fabric draped over his shoulders, and I can tell his take will yield a fine profit for him.
“She is mine,” I growl at him.
He shrugs. “Don’t need to worry about me. Slaves are more trouble than they’re worth, in my opinion. I’m just surprised is all. Must be defective, that one.”
The newly mated male in me is ready to squeeze his neck until his eyes pop out. Defective?
“Don’t speak of her,” I advise him.
He narrows his eyes at me. “You seem a little stranger than usual, Kar’Kali. She mess with your brains?” The Plax wiggles his claws.
“The spirit has sent me my female,” I tell him.
“One of those mating bond situations?” he asks, genuinely curious. “Aren’t you the least bit worried that she’s in here rather than stowed in a slaving brig or something? Maybe there’s something wrong with her.”
“She is perfect,” I murmur. I know this male’s opinion doesn’t matter, but I’m still annoyed by his line of questioning.
“She ain’t spoken yet, my friend,” he says, unconvinced. “All I’m saying is they didn’t toss her in here for nothing. Way I see it, there are a couple options. She could have a disease, which is why I’m over here, see? You gotta be careful with people operating outside of the system because they don’t provide proper healthcare . . .”
I block his voice out, focusing on removing the chains without letting my blade brush against her skin. If I ignore him, perhaps he will lose interest. My mate is stirring, and my heart leaps in my chest in the hopes that she will regain her faculties soon. The chains drop away, and I gather her limp body into my arms.
“Ti kori, you are safe now,” I whisper to her.
Her lids flutter. Her eyes widen. The color of those eyes stuns me, an icy blue like the hottest star.
Her body tenses up when awareness comes to her.
Yes, she must be aware of her mate’s presence. The mating call is lighting a fire within her, making her body taut with need like mine.
Her small hands grip down on my shoulders. She grits her teeth. Is she in pain?
“Tell me if you’re hurting,” I say. “Speak to me. I can fix it.”
“Fix this,” she growls.
