Zaedon's Kiss: Sci-fi Alien Romance (Ketaurran Warriors Book 3)

by Rayna Tyler

  Cara tensed in my arms. I did not need to see her face to know she was glaring at me. In my anger and haste to find her, I had not considered there might be someone in the bar searching for her. If not for her quick actions, I would have led the males directly to her and possibly to the home of her friends.

  “Maybe you’re wrong and it’s not the same female.”

  The first male spoke again. “I’ll bet ten cradassons that I’m right. Word has it she left the Quaddrien with some ketaurran males.”

  “Yeah, but if she left with the ketaurrans, then why would one of them be looking for her?”

  “How should I know? All I’m saying is it’s the best lead we’ve gotten so far. I’m getting tired of sitting around in the bar. What will it hurt to track the male and see if I’m right?”

  There was a moment of silence before the second male answered. “Fine, let’s circle around and see if he headed back toward the market.”

  Luckily, they did not pass our hiding spot, and I heard the sound of footsteps moving in the opposite direction.

  Cara pushed against my chest until I released her. “Tell me you didn’t go to the bar on the east end of town?”

  “Cara, I…” I could not blame Torrlun for giving me the information, or for my decision to go there searching for her.

  She placed a finger against my lips, the anger fading from her gaze. “We can talk about it later. Right now, I’d like to get back to Torrlun’s place and see if he’s done with the part.”

  The calmness in her voice was unsettling. For her to do nothing about those tracking her surprised me. “You do not wish to go after the males?”

  “If getting back to the farm wasn’t critical, I’d say yes.” She leaned forward, peered in one direction, then the other before glancing back at me. “Besides, it didn’t sound like they were going anywhere soon, so we can always come back later if we get bored and want to have some fun.” With a wiggle of her brow, she took my hand and pulled me into the passageway.

  Chapter Five

  Cara

  By the time Zaedon and I made sure we weren’t being followed again and had returned to Torrlun’s home, my friend had completed repairing the part for the harvester. Erin had invited us to share their evening meal, and as much as I would’ve enjoyed spending more time with them, I knew it wouldn’t be safe. For any of us.

  If we’d had the time and the settlement wasn’t farther away than my grandparents’ place, I would’ve suggested we stop so I could relay the information Des had asked me to pass on to Burke.

  The weather, in the form of a massive rain storm, had started shortly after Golyndier disappeared from the horizon, and was impeding our progress. After an hour of fighting conditions that continued to make driving difficult and letting Zaedon brood in silence—something totally out of character for him—I decided it was time to have our discussion.

  “It’s getting late, and the storm doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon.” I chanced a glance in his direction to see if he was listening. I took his grunt as acknowledgment, then slowed the vehicle even more when it started to slide again.

  “I think we should pull over and wait for the rain to stop.” The base of the transport was set high off the ground, but maneuverability was horrible when the roads turned into muddy sand. Visibility was growing steadily worse, and with the uneven and worn areas on the road, I was concerned we’d either slide into a bordering rock wall or end up in one of the many nearby ravines.

  The road wasn’t heavily traveled, and the chance of anyone else being out here was slim. Most people hated being stranded and would have stopped, too afraid they might drain their solars. Based on our late-afternoon departure, I figured we had a few more hours of daylight left, not that it mattered with the storm blanketing the sky.

  According to the controls, the transport’s power registered at a decent level, enough to get us back to the farming community, if I was willing to push it.

  Zaedon returned his gaze to the viewing pane, frowning at the surrounding darkness as if it was the first time he’d noticed it. “It would not be my first choice, but I would have to agree.”

  Glad to have his support, I stopped on a high spot in the middle of the road, leaving a comfortable distance between the transport and the ravine on our left.

  I got out of my seat, took a much-needed stretch, then headed toward the back of the vehicle and opened one of the overhead storage units. “We still have some of Ellie’s pyteinna left.” I retrieved the container my grandmother had given me for the trip.

  “Oooh, yes.” I pulled out a storage cylinder filled with a clear brownish liquid and two of the mugs stacked on the shelf next to it. “Thank you, Laria.” My friend might not be great about keeping supplies in the home she shared with Celeste and Sloane, and now Jardun, back at the settlement, but I could always count on her transport being stocked with some of Nayea’s ale.

  Nayea was an older ketaurran female who lived at the settlement and provided medical care to anyone who needed it. Besides mothering all of the males on Burke’s team, she made the best ale I’d ever tasted.

  After grabbing a couple of glow emitters and turning them on, I powered off the overhead solars to keep from draining the transport’s engine.

  Zaedon helped with the containers, then settled onto a bench seat across from me, the side of his long legs brushing against mine. After several bites and a few hefty swallows of Nayea’s ale, Zaedon’s mood seemed to lighten, the hint of a smile forming on his lips.

  It seemed like a good time to start our talk. “Zaedon, I know you’re upset, but before you say anything, I want you to know that what happened earlier wasn’t your fault.”

  Zaedon’s smile faded. “You mean when I put your life in danger by allowing the two males to follow me?”

  I filled his mug to the top again, hoping it would help. “If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I shouldn’t have deceived you, and I’m sorry.”

  He took another long sip, studying me over the rim. “Why did you feel you could not tell me?” His voice was even, but I could tell by his tone that my actions had hurt him.

  “You hadn’t exactly been happy about making the trip. I was afraid if I told you why I wanted to leave, you’d try to stop me.”

  Zaedon held the mug on his lap and sighed. “I will admit I have been a little…”

  “Overbearing, pushy, controlling,” I added with a smile.

  “I was going to say overprotective, but you have made your point.” He grabbed another pyteinna. “Why did you go to see the human male?”

  “I wanted more information about Doyle and what he’s been doing.” I’d spotted Zaedon shortly after talking to Des and assumed he’d seen me leaving his place. “My friend Des doesn’t really trust ketaurrans.”

  “Another reason not to take me with you,” Zaedon said.

  “Yeah.” I filled my mug for the third time, glad he understood my motivations, but hating how others viewed his people.

  Even when Zaedon was doing his best to irritate me, I felt comfortable being around him. Besides being a good listener, he was also perceptive. “Is what and who I am a problem for you as well?”

  “What? No.” I coughed through my last swallow. “Why would you think such a thing?”

  “Your opposition to my presence and insistence that I return to the settlement has been concerning.”

  No matter how hard I tried to fight it, I’d found myself caring about Zaedon, about what he thought and how he felt. I hadn’t wanted to discuss Graham with anyone, ever. But Zaedon deserved better from me. He deserved to know the truth, to know the real reason I tried to keep him at a distance. “Neither of those things has anything to do with you, not personally, anyway.”

  I glanced at my lap, running fingertips along my mug, searching for the right words. I returned my gaze to his, the understanding in his turquoise eyes making it harder to tell him what I needed to say. “I had a partner once. Someone who worked wi
th me. Someone I got involved with.” I tipped my head back, draining the last of my ale, then said, “It ended badly.” Getting out the words hadn’t been as hard as I’d thought or as hurtful as I’d expected.

  “How so?” He leaned forward and placed his hand on my leg.

  “Something went wrong on one of our missions, and Graham was killed.” I couldn’t bring myself to give Zaedon any details and was glad that he didn’t ask for any.

  “It is why you work alone now, correct?”

  It felt good to tell Zaedon about my past, but his uncanny perception could see the things I wanted to keep hidden, reminding me once again why it wasn’t a good idea to let myself get close to him.

  I wasn’t prone to crying, but if I did more than nod, I’d end up sobbing and throwing myself into his strong, welcoming arms.

  Pushing myself, along with the memories that needed to stay in the past, off the bench, I got to my feet. After several deep breaths, I opened another storage unit. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some sleep. Celeste told me they sometimes spend the night in here when they travel.” I heard him get up, could feel him standing behind me, and froze.

  ***

  Zaedon

  I stood behind Cara, unsure what to say or do. Being assigned as her bodyguard without her permission had caused an unwanted tension between us, my overprotective actions earlier today only making things worse.

  Her revelation about the male she had lost, a male whose bed she had most likely shared, gave me insight into her behavior and how to proceed with our relationship. We both had things in our past we would rather not talk about. It was our future, the one I hoped we would spend together, I was concerned about.

  She was strong-willed, and if she had chosen to break down and shed tears for the memories of her past, I would have gladly taken her in my arms, comforted her with the caress of my tail. She was also a proud warrior, and if she chose to deal with her grief by remaining strong, then I would support her decision.

  “Cara.” When she didn’t speak or move, I reached above her head and grabbed the blankets off the shelf. “I think getting some rest is a good idea.”

  The tense line in her shoulders disappeared, and she turned, giving me a thankful smile. “I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the floor.” She glanced from the benches, which were obviously too small to rest on comfortably, to the wide strip of metal flooring running from the control area to the back of the transport.

  “It is better than some of the places I have slept.” I handed her one of the blankets, then shook out the other before spreading it on the floor.

  “The storm will make the evening temperatures drop much lower.” I unhooked my belt and set it along with my sheathed blade off to the side, yet within reach in case we got unexpected visitors. The odds were low, but after being tracked by the males from the bar, I wasn’t taking any more chances and wanted to be prepared.

  I removed my jacket and rolled it to form a pillow, then sat along one side of the blanket. “We will stay much warmer if we sleep closer together.” I patted the space next to me.

  Cara wrinkled her nose. “Fine, but only if you promise to keep your hands”—she glanced behind me as an afterthought—“and your tail to yourself.”

  I chuckled, knowing what she asked was going to be extremely difficult. “I promise to do my best.” I waited for her to settle in beside me and cover us with the other blanket before rolling on my side to face her.

  Ketaurran metabolism was different from a human’s. I hardly felt the effects of the potent ale. I was a little drowsy, but not quite ready to go to sleep.

  We had yet to discuss her visit to see the male named Des, and though I was curious to hear what she had learned, I hoped bringing up the topic would not upset her again. “Did you learn anything of interest from the male you visited, anything you would like to share?”

  “You mean other than confirming there’s still a bounty on my head?” She rolled on her side, tucking the end of my jacket under her head and coating it with her scent. “Yes, I did.”

  “Really?” I longed to nuzzle her neck and take a sniff, then remembered Cara’s conversation with Erin and thought better of it. More than anything, I wanted Cara to trust me. Right now, what we shared was fragile, easily broken. The conversation we’d had was a step in making that happen. My earlier mistake with the males from the bar had not helped, but it was a mistake I did not plan on making again. When she did not answer right away, I decided not to push for the answer.

  I’d gotten used to the skeptical way she studied me, as if she could see inside my mind and knew what I was thinking. “Don’t you want to know what else I found out?”

  “Only if you want to tell me.”

  “Uh-huh.” Her grunt reminded me of the usual response my friend Garyck gave to most questions asked of him. The vryndarr was currently part of the group protecting the drezdarr and his ketiorra, Celeste, back at the settlement. “Des said he’d heard that not only did Doyle want what we took from the wastelands, he’s also working with whoever is trying to kill Khyron. The males who are searching for me also met with some luzardees at the east end bar. I’m guessing it was the same luzardees who attacked our friends.”

  She did not use a chastising tone when she mentioned the bar, yet it did not stop me from cringing. If Doyle was truly involved with those plotting to harm Khyron, how many more mercs were active participants? It was troubling news and something my friend needed to be made aware of. Delaying the news for a few more days would not change Khyron’s plans to unite the humans and the ketaurrans. “Perhaps as soon as the harvest is over, we should take a trip to the settlement so you can tell Khyron and Burke what you have learned yourself.”

  Cara narrowed her eyes and poked my chest. “How much ale did you drink?”

  “Why would you ask me such a question? You are the one who filled my glass and already know the answer.”

  She giggled. “It’s a human thing based on curiosity. Yesterday, you were dead set against me leaving my grandparents’ place, and now”—she flicked her wrist—“you’re okay with traveling around the countryside.”

  “I see.” I smiled and brushed some loose curls off her cheek.

  She didn’t try to push me away, only narrowed a mischievous cinnamon gaze at my hand. “You’re touching me.”

  “I said I would try not to, but if we are being honest, you touched me first.” I let my hand drop over hers and kept it there.

  “Fair enough, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re okay with me returning to the settlement.”

  Admitting I had erred to myself was a lot easier than stating the fact out loud, yet with Cara, it came easily. “Had I not been acting in an overprotective manner, you would not have been compelled to leave on your own and seek information without me.”

  “You’re probably right.” She yawned and closed her eyes.

  “Might I suggest a truce of sorts?”

  Her eyelids fluttered drowsily, and the way she snuggled against my jacket made me wish it was my shoulder.

  “Cara,” I said when she didn’t respond.

  “Yeah, sounds good.”

  When her eyes did not open again, I turned off the glow emitters, then scooted closer to her. Breathing in her scent did not help the hardened state of my shaft, but having her near allowed the rest of my body to relax and slowly follow her toward sleep.

  Chapter Six

  Cara

  Wondering what had startled me from my deep slumber, I forced one eye, then the other, open. Sunlight streamed through the transport’s viewing panes, signaling the early morning and an end to the storm. My back was pressed against Zaedon’s chest, his arm draped across my waist, the end of his tail encircling my ankle. Heat from his body surrounded me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt safe and protected.

  My brain was a little fuzzy about the previous night’s events. I remembered telling him to keep his hands to himself. When my thoughts cleare
d, I realized Zaedon had kept his word—well, sort of. I still had my clothes on, and nothing had happened other than drinking too much of Nayea’s ale and falling asleep together. I could rationalize all the reasons getting close to Zaedon was a bad idea as much as I wanted. It wouldn’t change the fact that I cared about him and yearned to run my hands over his scales as I stripped him naked.

  The heavy footsteps I heard crunching on the sand outside the solarveyor must have been what had wakened me. We were too far from any inhabitable places, which meant another vehicle had arrived while we were sleeping.

  “Darn it, I can’t see inside. The panes are too high.” I heard a female’s slightly muffled voice, followed by an irritated smack against the hull’s exterior. “Do you think it’s abandoned?”

  “Must be. Otherwise, whoever owned it would be out here already,” a male voice answered. “Let me get my tools and see if I can bypass the security on the access door.” The male’s voice faded along with his footsteps.

  “Zaedon,” I whispered, then wiggled, trying to dislodge myself.

  He nuzzled the side of my neck. “Be still, my vrincorra. It is early yet.”

  Hadn’t he heard the conversation going on outside? And why had he called me the name of a rare flower in his native tongue? The vibrant jade blossoms were beautiful, similar to an Earth rose, but impossible to pick because of all the thorny leaves surrounding them. I couldn’t tell if he was sleeping, dreaming, or trying to be cute. When his arm tightened around my waist instead of letting me go, I elbowed him in the ribs.

  With a groan, he grabbed his side, his eyes popping open. “Cara, what the draeck?”

  I rolled away from him. “Snuggle time is over, handsome.”

  “Handsome. Does that mean you find me appealing?” Only Zaedon could make swishing his tail look so adorable.

  “Yes, I… You are unbelievable.” I got on my hands and knees, then crawled toward the access door. “Now get over here. We have guests.”