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I suppose the news of humans arriving onThe Rightful Heiris no secret, but my stomach still starts to twist with unease. Come to think of it, he didn’t react to me in the same way that warrior in the market did when he felt the mating call at first. That man had looked sick, shocked, and rattled. He had doubled over, fallen to his knees. Is this alien truly my mate? But why would he fake it?
“I’m taking Raffanaki to EC-12 so that he’ll live something closer to a normal life for a while, far from the war. It’s a simple place; there’s no need to worry for my safety.”
“Have you forgotten that you were stolen from that colony? In the center of market, of all places.”
“The pirates that try to hit EC-12 don’t usually try to steal people,” I say. “They usually just try to steal resources and money. There’s no reason to avoid my home because of a freak incident.”
“No.” The warm hand on my back presses me closer.
“Excuse me?”
“No, you should stay here onThe Heir,” he tells me, brows furrowing.
“I’m sorry, but you have no right to dictate that,” I retort, shocked that he’d so boldly tell me what to do.
“My right as your mate is to protect you.”
“The only rights you have over me are the ones I give you,” I say as my heart races. I start to push away from him, but he clings tight to me. “Let go of me. Humans don’t love at first sight like this—”
“As my mate, you must remain here,” he insists. “I have no interest in forcing you to love me, but it is my duty to see that you’re safe.”
“I’ve made commitments, and I’m leaving for my colony—”
“Our commitments might be in opposition then.”
His eyes resemble coals.
“I can’t go with you,” I say firmly. “I have other plans. I don’t even know you—”
“You can’t be convinced otherwise?”
“Sorry, but I—”
“I'm sorry too.”
“Uhhh?” I’m not sure what he means.
And then, he hauls me off my feet. I’m shocked for a moment, and he plucks me up as easily as one snaps a flower from its stem.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I demand, wriggling in vain. “Let me go!”
He begins stomping up the gangplank without a word of explanation for his behavior.
“Commence takeoff when I lock the hatch,” he barks into his comm device.
“Hey!” I cry, grabbing his hair and yanking. It’s thick and silky to the touch, and he barely flinches. “You can’t do this!”
No reply.
When he makes it inside the spaceship, the gangplank starts to hiss shut behind him and the engines are already firing. I reach uselessly toward the cargo doors as they slowly swing to a close. He doesn’t put me on my feet until he’s carried me out of the cargo bay and inside the ship. I get my bearings as the bright hallway I find myself in sways. He swoops forward to keep me steady, but I shove him off. Instead, I rush to a nearby alcove with a window panel, just in time to watchThe Rightful Heirbecome small before we launch into oblivion.
CHAPTERNINE
KALLA
AsThe RightfulHeirfades from view, my mate whips around with a mixture of fury and sheer terror in her eyes. It’s not the kind of look that should exist between mates, but here we are. I’ve stolen her, carried her off against her will. I made the mistake of letting someone choose for themself once already. I won’t lose another for the sorry excuse of free will.
She has unparalleled beauty— that pale pink toned skin, the orange-red hair, warm yellow-brown eyes… The colors of her are strange to Kar’Kali eyes, but they melt together in such a lovely way. She’s taller than Niko’s mate, though still small enough to worry me. Did I hurt her just by grabbing her? I tried to be gentle, but she seems delicate. Her shape draws my eyes, too, but it’s not the best time to be assessing her long legs, her pretty breasts, and the curve of her hips.
