I did, however, become acutely aware of my bare bottom on top of his rock-hard thigh. Did he have to be this sexy? This perfect? Did he even work out? Because I didnotand the contrast between his hard angles and toned muscles and my soft, rounded bits was a bit embarrassing. Maybe I’d have to start jogging or lifting weights or something.
When he swung me up in his arms once more, I didn’t protest. He lowered us both into the hot water with me sitting on his lap. The heat felt wonderful, especially in certain sensitive, feminine areas that were a bit sore. With a sigh, I leaned back and settled with my back against his chest. His arms came up and wrapped around me so that I felt safe, secure, relaxed. Exhausted.
With slow, gentle movements, he began washing me, the brush of a soft spongelike material interspersed with his massaging fingers when he found a knot in my shoulder, a sore spot on my thigh. “You are so beautiful, mate. So soft and perfect. I cannot believe. I finally found you.”
Did he just say I was perfect? Beautiful? I wasn’t an ugly hag, but I was average looking at best. Nothing special.
Except to him, maybe I was. The way he touched me made me feel like he meant every word, like he worshiped me, valued me, adored me. I’d never felt like this in my life.
As if on cue, my silent tears started up again, rolling down my cheeks to fall in the bath water like small soldiers marching to their doom. Let my guard down, turn into a weepy mess. Great. Just great.
Somehow, even though he couldn’t see my face, he knew. He lifted and resettled me so the back of my head rested in the crook of his elbow. His handsome face hovered inches above mine, the air between us mingling so that we shared breath. “Why do you cry? Are you unwell? In pain?” A look of alarm flashed behind his stormy blue eyes. “Should I summon the doctor? Did I hurt you?”
Before he could ramble on, I lifted a finger and pressed it to his full lips. “Shhh. No. I’m fine. You didn’t hurt me. You were wonderful. Best sex I’ve ever had and it’s not even close.”
He nibbled on my finger and I quickly withdrew, unable to stop thinking about kissing him again. Would his kiss be different than the beast’s?
“Your pain destroys me. What can I do? Tell me how to care for you.” He lifted one wet hand from the bath and wiped my tears away with such tenderness, the tears made little salt-water babies and fell even faster.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying.” I had no idea. Emotions swelled inside my body until they poured out my eyes. Inside, I was a tangled mess. “I think I’m just tired. I haven’t slept for almost two days.” A near hysterical laugh escaped and I didn’t even try to stop the words that poured from my lips. “Aaaaand, my apartment was broken into by scary aliens who tied me up and interrogated me. Another alien kicked down the door and killed three living beings right in front of me. One of them held a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. I still don’t know how he missed. I was transported—against my will—to another planet where three huge Prillon warriors argued with me for hours. The doctor did medical procedures on me with weird alien gadgets, and they all refused to let me leave. One Atlan beast claimed I was his mate, then another came in, attacked him, fought in front of me, dragged me away to his private quarters and worked my body over like a sexual magician until I had so many orgasms I couldn’t think straight. Meanwhile, my sister is still in danger and I didn’t know if she is dead or alive. I have no idea what’s going to happen next or what life here might be like. And we’re what? Mated now? Which is basically married, and I don’t know anything about you except your name.”
No wonder I was falling apart. Totally normal day.Not.
“Fuck. I fail you already.” My revelations seemed to upset him, which for some reason, upset me even more.
“I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I just…it’s a lot to deal with.”
His face transformed with a boyish grin. “Sexual magician?”
If I hadn’t already been flushed from the heat of the hot bath water, I had no doubt my cheeks would burn bright red. “All my rambling, and that’s what you heard?” Men. Apparently the same in every corner of the universe.
He nuzzled my cheek, his face completely transformed by a smile that left me breathless. God, he was beautiful. Truly. So far out of my league, he had to be a dream. “Rest. I’ve got you. When you wake, I will tell you anything you wish to know about me and show you around your new home. You will be happy here. I promise. You are mine now, Lavender. Mine to care for and protect. You are everything. You are the only thing that matters.”
He kissed me, soft, gentle kisses. Lingering, sweet kisses. He kissed away my tears. Kissed my eyelids when I closed my eyes. Traced my brows with whisper-soft brushes of his lips. He worked his magic and I melted in his arms. He held me, kept me safe.
I cried. I worried about my sister. I wondered if this thing between us was real. If he would change his mind. If my sister would accept Kai as her mate. If Lark and I would both live here, on another planet, or return to Earth and our old lives. I worried about who would cover my shift at the vet clinic and whether Mr. Kaur’s cat had recovered enough to go home. Poor thing had been chomped by an alligator. Don’t see that at the clinic every day.
I wondered what the rest of this place, this planet, was like. I’d only seen transport, medical, and Tazo’s quarters. Would we stay here forever or go visit other planets? Other places? Maybe even Atlan? I wondered why the Hive were in my apartment. Why they were after my sister. What the hell she’d gotten herself—and now me—into. I wondered what my mother would think if she were still alive. Would she approve of Tazo? Of Kai? I wondered if this warlord, this beast, with his auburn hair and cloudy blue eyes, was really mine, forever, or if fate was playing a cruel joke on my heart.
Who was I to argue with fate? I was too tired for that fight. Right now, Tazo’s strength, his arms around me, his soft kisses felt too good to resist. So, I allowed myself to believe. To trust. To hope.
To sleep.
5
Warlord Tazo
“Warlord Tazo,we have news of your mate’s sister.” Governor Maxim’s voice echoed through the bedroom. Lavender shifted in her sleep, her bare arm coming to rest lower on my torso, dangerously close to my cock.
“Go ahead, governor.”
“Warlord Kai found her surrounded by Hive. He eliminated the threat and is being assisted by a human team. There is some sort of delay in recovering the images. However, you can assure your mate they should arrive safely on The Colony by the end of the day.”
“Thank you.” The comm went silent and I looked down at my beautiful mate to find her staring up at me with drowsy brown eyes. She’d been sleeping for hours, dark circles of exhaustion remained under eyes. I’d carried her from the bath and held her in our bed, watched over her, as nightmares invaded her mind and clawed their way to the surface. Twice she’d woken with a scream, thrashing. Crying.
I stroked her back and assured her she was safe with me, calmed her until she went back to sleep.
If I could, I would kill the Hive Soldiers who had tormented her a hundred times over.
