I was not a saint.
I took two steps toward her. She held out her hand and smiled at me.
“I’m Willow, by the way. Willow Baylor.”
“Commander Zarren Helion.”
“Oh, I know.” She didn’t wait for me to decide whether or not to risk touching her. She leaned forward, grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind her as she resumed her journey back the way she’d come.
With one look, I commanded Kayn to remain at his post and secure the prisoner. I would allow my warriors to follow the lady’s orders, but that didn’t mean the follow through would be quick.
Dangerous, that’s what this was. I told myself to let go of her small hand, limit contact. This touching would only encourage her and torment me.
Rarely did I make physical contact with someone I wasn’t trying to kill—who was just as intent on ending me. Her touch was warm. Peaceful. I obeyed the slightest tug from her as we followed Warlord Razmus though the ship.
I hated myself more with every step, but couldn’t force myself to let go.
5
Willow
O.M.G. Commander Zarren Helion—mymate—wassmokinghot. The warden had shown me his picture, back on Prillon Prime. Sure, he’d been handsome—if severe—in the image. But in the flesh? He was a tidal wave of raw sexuality and I was drowning.
Drowning in heat like a howling cat. I want some.
For once, inner-me agreed.
He was tall, like all Prillon warriors. That was no surprise. His features more angular than a human man’s. His skin was a middle shade among Prillons, not a fair, golden shade, not dark brown or reddish copper. Somewhere in between, like a polished, smoky quartz. His black hair looked so smooth it shimmered and reflected different colors when the light hit. His lips? Full and totally kissable. But it was his catlike eyes that knocked the wind right out of me. Crystal clear, and the most beautiful shade of green I’d ever seen. Not army green or moldy green sludge. No, they were vibrant. Alive. The color of the newest leaves on my grandmother’s favorite white rosebush. Every part of him looked to be in tip-top, military condition. Tight. Hard. Strong. His—manly bits—had reacted to my presence. The harder he got, the bigger the bulge in his pants.
Not that I’d looked.
Well, that was obviously a lie. Itotallylooked. After seeing, I totallywanted.
Hell yes, give me some of that…
I knew how to be sneaky. Unfortunately, theLady of the House—hint, she livesdownstairs—had no tact whatsoever. She got hot and wet and started drooling all over herself. I’d put on lovely lace panties beneath my dress. They clung to me now, all damp and irritating.
Not sure how sex was going to go. Holding his hand drew my attention to where our skin touched, the contact like a lighted match, a warning to pay attention or risk being burned. I wanted him to claim me as soon as possible. I didn’t want to worry and fret and stress about whether or not he wanted me, or if making love with him would be like the simulation I’d enjoyed at the processing center. Sure, I wanted intimacy. Pleasure. More than anything, I wanted my new life settled and sorted so we could move forward. With Zarren, and his second. Two mates, two big, Prillon warriors all for me. Oh god, yes. They would surround me, utterly and completely own me, and I would feel safe. Desired. Hopefully, if I could get that Prillon mating collar around my neck as soon as possible, I would feel how dedicated they were, protective. Slap that collar on me, mate. I wanted to know what he was feeling. And when I was ready to rip off his clothes and jump on him like a wild woman? Oh, yes, I wanted him to know what I was feeling, too.
Who was his second? He hadn’t said. But then, we hadn’t talked much either. I wondered if his second would be one of the golden Prillons that looked like lions? Or maybe one of the darkest, the oldest bloodlines, their skin and hair dark as a black cherry tree’s bark. Or maybe one of the copper toned warriors, their metallic rust reds and shining copper hair was a possibility as well.
Or light brown with dark brown hair and golden eyes.
I shivered. The anticipation was going to give me a heart attack.
“Here we are.” Warlord Razmus bowed his head and walked away, leaving me and Zarren in front of a closed door.
This was it. My new home. My new life. A place where I didn’t have to be afraid all the time.
I turned and looked up at my mate. “Are these our quarters?”
“These are the commander’s quarters.” Gently, he extricated his hand from mine and stepped in front of the door. I’d opened hundreds, if not thousands of doors on Prillon Prime. This one was different. My mate had to press his palm to one scanner and his eye to another.Thenhe added voice recognition to the mix, his deep, rich tone speaking words the NPU—Neural Processing Unit imbedded in bones in my head—didn’t translate. The NPU was programmed to instantly translate every language in the Interstellar Coalition of Planets, and a few more that were not even full members, like Earth.
All I heard was gibberish. What was he speaking? A special code?
What did he have locked in his quarters? The secrets of the universe?
Curiosity was going to be the end of me. I couldn’t wait to see what his private space looked like. I would know a lot about him the moment I walked in. Was he messy? Clean? Did he like soft, rounded furniture or crisp lines and angles? Did he enjoy art? Or music? So much to discover.
