He didn’t even blink, just wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me into his arms as easily as lifting a barbie doll. Unlike the plastic toy, I kicked, squirmed and pounded on his arms.
“Put me down.”
“Mine. Danger.”
Danger? I glanced down at the blood and gore that, until a few moments ago, was a walking, talking alien person and tried not to gag. “Are there more of those things?” I tore my gaze from the mess and looked up to find two unblinking eyes studying me with an intensity that made my heart sputter, then resume at double speed.
“Always more.” The giant settled one arm under my backside and held me perched on one forearm as easily as I would hold a toddler. My feet dangled to his hips and I had to wrap an arm around his shoulder for balance. His body was shockingly hard, and hot. Under the dust I noticed warm, brown hair a shade darker than cinnamon. His eyes were amber, the color of bourbon on ice. His lips were full. Kissable. Unlike any of the other Atlan beasts—and I was pretty damn sure that’s what he was—he had a neatly trimmed beard. I wanted to rub my cheek against the dark scruff to see if it was soft or scratchy. I wasn’t sure which I would prefer. Guess that would depend on what he was doing with it.
Gazes locked, I leaned away, a bit shocked, as he inhaled deeply, his nostril’s flaring.
Was he smelling me?
His eyelids drifted down as if he’d just tasted heaven. Pure bliss. When he opened his eyes again, the look I saw there made my breast’s grow heavy and my pulse race. I licked my lips. Was he going to kiss me?
“Larkspur.”
“How do you know my name?”
“Mine.”
Second time he said that. What, exactly, was he saying? Did this Atlan warlord think I was his mate? I’d watched the Bacherlor Beast TV show, just like every other single woman on the planet. I knew what ‘mine’ meant. The day Warlord Wulf said it and then ‘claimed’ the makeup artist on live television was burned into my brain. I’d probably rewatched that episode at least ten times and always wondered how a normal, average woman would let an alien talk her into having sex up against a door with the entire world on the other side listening to their escapades.
I was getting an inkling now, because this guy was smoking hot. Sexy. The look in his eyes, the absolute focus on me? That could be addictive.
Maybe that was the adrenaline talking. Was it normal to be aroused after fearing for one’s life? Less than a minute ago, I’d been ninety-nine percent sure I was going to die. Maybe that’s why my body was going haywire.
He turned, still holding me, and stepped outside through the hole in the wall he’d just made. How strong was he? He burst into that bathroom, tore that Hive in half, and didn’t break a sweat. Did aliens sweat? Not sure.
Fresh air filled my lungs and recharged my system. From my perch on the Atlan’s arm, I saw the sun rising on the horizon. The sky turned that morning shade of coral pink I loved. Dew made the thick blades of grass outside shiny and wet. Everything felt peaceful. Morning traffic was light, the people out this early in too big a hurry to pay attention to us.
That changed when my giant’s friends showed up. Suddenly I was surrounded by Atlan Warlords, black SUVs and a handful of people in black suits. One of them walked up to us, squinted up at my giant and put her hands on her hips. “This your girl, Kai?”
“Yes.”
Kai. His name was Kai. Interesting and unusual. I liked it.
The woman turned her attention to me. “You can call me Jennifer, Ms. Linton.” She pulled a very official looking badge from her jacket pocket, flashed it at me just long enough to make sure I couldn’t read a damn thing, and put the leather-bound identification away. She nodded at two of her people and jerked her head in the direction of the restaurant. “Clean up the mess and make it quick.” She blinked once. Twice. Studied me. “We finished cleaning up your apartment a couple hours ago. If you want to go get anything, I’d do it now. I have a surveillance team over there. No activity yet, but we have no idea how long the quiet will last.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jennifer was busy studying Kai, but she did respond. “There was a Hive attack at your apartment after you left for work. Kai here—” She lifted her hands in a sweeping gesture to indicate the giant still holding me like a small child—“…interrupted a trio of Hive Soldiers interrogating your sister. He killed them all, made a god damn mess there, too, and took your sister to The Colony where, as I understand things, she was claimed as the mate of an Atlan warlord named Tazo.” She crossed her arms and looked at Kai. “That about right?”
A rumbling sound erupted from Kai’s throat. Clearly whatever he was thinking about was not pleasant. “Hive dead.”
“The Hive was at my apartment, too?”
“Yes, Miss Linton. You are very popular at the moment. The Coalition Fleet sent an Elite Hunter to track you as well.” She squinted at Kai. “Your mate found you first.” She dipped her chin, a grin making her look less severe. “Bet that pissed ‘em off. How’d you pull that off?”
“Mate.”
“Right. Because that explains everything.” Jennifer chuckled, which I didn’t understand. At all. Nothing about this situation was funny. Not one damn thing.
My ‘mate’ found me before a group of aliens specialized to hunt people down? Just because Kai said ‘mine’ didn’t mean it was true. I twisted my torso until we were nose to nose.
Why did he have to be so gorgeous? I should be yelling and demanding he set me down, not staring at his lips and trying to remember what the hell I’d been about to ask him. Think. Right. My sister.
“Where’s Lavender?” My sister was supposed to be home, asleep. Safe. “Are you telling me you kidnapped my sister and took her to another planet?”
