by Sadie Carter
“I have more important things to attend to.” He folded his arms across his chest.
“So how is your investigation going?”
“You know about that?” he asked.
Mila nodded, staring across the room. “Crap. Jaxan, what did you do?”
Koran looked over the room to find Jaxan talking to a curvy female with bright red hair. The female frowned up at him.
“What is the matter?” Koran asked.
“I don’t know. Just give him a minute…give him a minute…” Her whole attention focused on Jaxan and the red-haired female.
Suddenly the female smiled and Mila sighed, relaxing. “Nailed it.”
“Nailed what?”
“Hmm?” She glanced up at him. “Oh, sorry, I forgot you were there.”
She forgot about him? Insulted, he growled slightly. How could she forget about him when he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind all day? Not since this morning when she’d boldly stood up to him.
Not that he approved of that sort of behavior. A female should always be respectful and defer to her mate.
But she’s not your mate.
He shook his head to clear it of that thought and the stab of regret that accompanied it. He wasn’t attracted to this tiny, delicate female. She was nothing like Aline, who was refined and calm.
“I’m acting like a mother hen with her chicks, aren’t I?” She laughed and his stomach tightened, his shaft thickening. “Here I am, watching over them, worried they’re going to get into trouble and I’ll have to ride in to their rescue.”
“You think to rescue my warriors? You are a mere female and small at that.”
“Just because I’m small and a female doesn’t mean that I’m not strong.”
“You could not even lift that chair over there.” He nodded towards a small, wooden chair.
Her mouth dropped open. “I certainly can! Anyway, that’s beside the point. I know I couldn’t match any of your warriors in physical strength. I was talking about rescuing them from themselves before they get slapped. Or worse. Let’s just hope they’re doing better than you are.”
“I am not here to learn how to talk to females. I talk just fine.”
“Uh-huh, sure you do, big guy. I guess you do have more important things on your mind. You didn’t say how your investigation is going.”
“That was supposed to be a secret.”
“Oh, it is. Only Aline and I know.”
She seemed very casual about someone who was her superior. But then, these Earthers were relaxed. He had seen it with Zoey. She cared little for rank or power.
“Well?” She tapped her foot impatiently.
“You do not have the clearance to discuss this matter.”
“That bad, huh? I could help you know.”
Help? Her? Over his dead body.
Why was he so protective of her?
“No.”
“All transmissions go through the mainframe. You need to access it and track the transmission back.”
“I will look into that. Excuse me.”
Turning, he strode off. She was irritating and she stirred him in ways that confused him. He did not want to want her.
So the best idea would be to stay well away from her.
Mila watched Koran stride off. Could he be any ruder? She knew there were big differences in their culture, but surely that had to be rude behavior by anyone’s standards.
“Well?” Aline reappeared beside her. “What did you find out?”
“He’s rude, abrupt, and sexist.”
“I just want to seduce him, not marry him.”
Oh right. Aline wanted to know how to get him into bed. Mila felt ill. The last thing she wanted was to help her sister seduce Koran.
“His investigation isn’t going well. Perhaps you could invite him to your quarters to discuss what to do next.”
No! What are you doing? The voice in her head screamed at her, urging her to tell Aline to keep her grubby hands off Koran. But she held herself back. Even if he was interested in her, which he obviously wasn’t, Aline would murder her.
So she bit her tongue. What did she care if Aline slept with him? He was arrogant, rude and condescending, even if he did stir her in ways she’d never experienced before.
Koran left the ballroom to get some fresh air. The music had grown louder, alcohol was flowing and a lot of the humans had started dancing. Their form of dance was much sexier than anything the Zerconians were used to. Although he noticed that his warriors were more than happy to watch.
He turned to his right, but the sound of giggling and whispering made him turn on his heel and head towards the other end of the terrace.
“Damn it.”
He knew that voice. Mila. Koran moved slowly forward, keeping to the shadows until he spotted a small figure standing under a light. “Why am I such a klutz?”
Her head was bent, the light shining on her brown hair as she studied something on her dress.
“Going to have to soak this.” She glanced toward the door that led back into the ballroom before peeking over the edge of the terrace.
Suddenly, she hiked up her dress, revealing the pale, creamy skin of her thighs. Koran swallowed heavily, adjusting his shaft to try to ease the discomfort as it pressed against his tight pants.
In shock, he watched as she straddled the balustrade of the terrace. What was she doing? Surely, she didn’t think to jump over? The terrace was at least six feet above the ground below.
“Eek!” Mila disappeared over the edge of the terrace just as he jumped forward. He glanced over the edge. She lay on the ground unmoving. Heart pounding in his chest, he leaped over the balustrade and landed in a crouch. The light from the terrace barely lit the darkness.
“Mila! Mila, are you all right?”
He turned the light on his communicator on, allowing him to see more clearly. She sat, her hair a tangled mess with leaves and clumps of dirt twisted within the brown strands.
Holding her elbow, she gaped up at him. “What are you doing here?”
“Checking that you haven’t broken your neck, foolish female. Why did you jump over the balustrade?”
“You were watching me?”
“I happened to walk up as you jumped over,” he said stiffly. “What were you thinking?”
She sighed and rubbed her elbow. “I had a mark on my dress and I didn’t want to walk back into the ballroom.”
“So you thought you’d jump over the edge of the terrace? You could have hurt yourself!”
“Yeah, I know, not my best moment. Are you going to stand there scowling at me all night or are you going to help me up?”
Chagrined that he had left her sitting on the ground, he held out his hand and pulled.
With a cry, she flew up and crashed into him.
“Oomph, don’t know your own strength there, huh, big fella?” With a wince, she stepped back, limping slightly.
“You are lighter than I expected.” Too light to his way of thinking. He remembered her remark about skipping meals. Were she his, he would ensure she ate properly. Her health would be of utmost importance.
“Have you hurt yourself?”
“Huh?” she asked.
“You’re limping and you appear to be in pain.”
“Oh, I’ve lost a shoe somewhere and I must have banged my elbow.”
“Let me see,” he demanded, holding out his hand.
“It’s fine.”
He growled. “Must you always argue with me?”
“I didn’t realize that I did. Sorry.” She held out her arm for him. He studied the deep scratch.
“This needs tending to.”
“I’ll stick a bandage on it.”
“You could use the regeneration chamber,” he told her, unsure why he was so concerned about what was really just a bad scratch.
“For a scratch? No, it will be fine.”
“Why do you wear these? Are your hands cold?” he asked, pointing at
the now ruined gloves.
“Oh yeah, something like that.” She couldn’t look him in the eyes and he knew she was lying.
“Thanks for checking on me.” She glanced down at herself with a self-deprecating laugh. “Guess that wasn’t my brightest moment. I think this dress is only good for a rag now.”
“You should take better care. You could have been seriously hurt.”
“I know.” She stared up at him. “I guess I had better go.”
Unable to help himself, he cupped her face, leaning in towards her. She was so short he almost had to bend in two.
“I will walk you to your quarters.”
“That’s okay, you don’t have—” Her words were muffled by his mouth as he kissed her.
At first, he kept the kiss gentle and soft, not wanting to alarm her. As her lips parted beneath his mouth, he slipped his tongue inside, tasting her, possessing her.
Possessiveness engulfed him and he wrapped his hands around her waist, drawing her up against him as he deepened the kiss. Pleasure washed through him, increasing with each touch. A sense of rightness ran through him.
She was his.
Mine.
She slumped in his arms and he pulled her up against his chest. He needed to take her back to his quarters. He needed to make her his. To join with her.
A soft growl erupted from him as laughter intruded on their solitude. No one would touch her but him.
He stared down into her face, the need to take her replaced by fear as he took in her unconscious state. What was wrong with her?
Panicked, he glanced around spying a small, concrete bench. He lay her on it, running his hands over her freezing arms. It was cool out here, but she was frozen.
“Mila, wake up!”
Frantic, he grabbed for his communicator. There was only one person he trusted to help him.
Thor.
“Koran? Is everything all right?” Thor asked.
“It’s my mate,” Koran replied. “She’s unconscious.”
Thankfully, Thor didn’t waste any time asking for explanations.
“Is she injured?”
“No.” He ran his hands over her body again to make certain. She was so frail and thin that it alarmed him. “She’s so small. Could I have hurt her?”
“What did you do?” Thor asked.
“I kissed her.”
“For the first time?”
“Yes,” Koran answered impatiently. “Why? Do I need to get her to the healer?”
“No. Remember the first time Dex touched Zoey?”
“She fainted.” He had touched Mila before now, though.
But this was the first time I touched her bare skin. Maybe that was the difference.
“Yes, that’s probably what has happened here. Are there any other symptoms? Anything else concerning?”
“She’s cold. But we are outside and she is not wearing a lot. Plus, she is very thin.”
“Keep her warm and hydrated. If she doesn’t awaken in the next ten minutes, get the healer. Oh, and Koran?”
“Yes?”
“Congratulations.”
Koran turned off his communicator then dragged off his jacket. He hated wearing the thing anyway. He tucked it around her then pulled her up into his arms.
She groaned and relief hit him hard. He sat on the bench and just cradled her close. The last thing he’d expected was to find his mate. He certainly hadn’t expected to feel so protective, so possessive. He wanted to hide her away somewhere safe and keep her all to himself.
Her eyelids fluttered. “What happened?” She held her hand up to her head.
“We kissed. You fainted. Mila—”
“I what?” She sat up straight. “Oh God, how embarrassing. What am I doing on your lap?”
“You were cold and I was going to carry you—”
“No need to carry me anywhere. I’m fine.” She attempted to move from his lap, but he held her against him. “I have to go.”
Why would she not stay still? She was moving around all over the place. “Mila, I need to—”
“Thanks for your jacket.” She handed it over. “Sorry for the trouble.”
“Mila, be quiet and listen!”
She stilled and looked at him in shock. Instantly, he regretted the harshness in his voice.
“Mila! Mila!”
Mila looked up at the terrace. “That’s Aline. I have to go.”
“Where are you?” Aline’s voice was clearly growing irritated, her voice sharp and demanding. He frowned.
“Aline! I’m coming. Can you let me go now, Koran?”
“You must stay with me.”
“Nope, don’t think so. I gotta go.” She continued to fight against his hold. “Let me go.”
“No.”
She stilled, glaring up at him. “You can’t hold me here against my will.”
He could. He opened his mouth to tell her she was his. That he would do whatever he was necessary to keep her by his side. But the memory of the mess Zoey and Dex had gone through when they first met made him pause.
He did not wish to frighten her.
“Koran, let me go before security comes looking for me.”
If they interfered, they could force him to leave Zazarn. To leave her. Unacceptable.
Not thinking clearly, he quickly stood. She fell to the ground with an oompf.
“Ouch, cheers,” she grumbled.
“My apologies,” he said, horrified. “Did I hurt you?”
This time, when he helped her up, he was much gentler. He noticed her wince when he grabbed her hands. There was a reason for those gloves.
“I’m fine.”
“Mila!”
Mila winced, glancing up at the terrace. “I really have to go before she comes down here looking for me. Coming!”
Turning, she limped off. Pausing, she pulled off the one shoe she still wore.
“Wait, I need to talk to you.”
“Later!” She ran off, leaving him gaping after her. Confusion filled him. Did she not feel an attraction to him? Did she not feel the pull?
She wasn’t the logical choice. Aline would be much better suited. But crazy, clumsy, funny, gorgeous Mila was the one who filled his mind and captured his soul.
***
“Wait, you’re saying you have two human mates?” Zoey burst into laughter. “I shouldn’t laugh but you have to admit this is kind of funny. You were always so adamant you didn’t want a human mate and now you have two!”
Both Dex and Koran frowned at Zoey as she giggled and snorted to herself.
Koran turned to Dex. As soon as he’d arrived back at his quarters, he had contacted Dex. Dex was one of his closest friends and he needed his advice.
He had hoped to catch him on his own.
“For a very brief moment, I did wonder if the ambassador could be my mate. She would be the logical choice. But I was wrong. Mila is my mate.”
“Logical?” Zoey asked.
“She is organized, intelligent, and logical. Very unlike other human females.”
Zoey snorted. “Sounds boring.”
Dex shot Zoey a look and she sighed. “I can’t believe you let Mila walk away. Dex dragged me off to his quarters to do the nasty with me.”
Nasty?
“You believe joining to be nasty?” Koran asked.
“Zoey very much enjoys joining with me,” Dex told him arrogantly. “Nasty is a word for joining.”
“I used to enjoy joining with you.” Zoey glared at Dex.
Dex scowled. “I will not do anything that might harm the baby.”
Zoey rolled her eyes. “Sex won’t harm the baby. Thor told you that.”
Dex crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”
Koran shook his head. Would he ever understand these Earthers? Of course, Dex could not join with Zoey at this time. She carried his child.
“So what is this Mila like?” Zoey asked. “How’s your temper? Remember how Dex went all Hulk and abandoned me?�
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“I did not abandon you!” Dex placed his hand on his hips. “I did not realize how much time was passing and I certainly did not know you were ill.”
When they had first met, Zoey had refused to join with Dex, which had left her in a constant state of arousal and Dex riding the edge of his temper.
Zerconian males could be very aggressive. They released tension through physical activity. Dex’s body had gone into overdrive, he’d lost track of time, and hadn’t realized that he’d left his mate alone for days.
Koran frowned. “I admit my control over my temper has not been as good as I would like, however I do not feel I have become overly aggressive.”
“That is good,” Dex told him. “We do not know that every human-Zerconian mating will be the same as ours.”
“I will simply explain everything to Mila in a logical way and then join with her.” Koran nodded. There. Done. Having a human mate wasn’t his first choice. But if she were his mate, he would do his best by her.
She would need more care than a Zerconian female. She was very small and delicate. Then there was her habit of falling over. She could badly hurt herself. He frowned. He would need to ensure that she took more care.
She needed a minder. On Zerconia, females were accompanied by a guard outside of their homes to ensure their safety. Perhaps he should arrange a guard for Mila.
“Right and you expect her to just swoon into your arms and declare her undying love and devotion? Dude, those delusions are taking over. You need to smack them back into submission.” Zoey rolled her eyes.
What?
Zoey waved her arm about. “Women don’t like being told what to do. They want to be asked.”
“But she is my mate!” She should be with him! Protected by him, cared for by him. “I do not think I can ignore the urge to take her for long. I believed Darac to be threatening her and I barely managed to hold myself back from attacking him. What shall I do?”
“To win over your mate?” Zoey asked. “You could try smiling once in a while. Do you remember how?”
“Zoey,” Dex scolded.
Zoey gave her mate an apologetic look. Then she turned to Koran. “Sorry, Koran. The baby kicked me all night. I’m tired, hot, and sweaty and sore and I have a really bad craving for chocolate. It’s making me cranky.”
