Kai charged.
Kai’s movement sent me hurtling toward the doctor, who wrapped me in his arms and spun around so I couldn’t see anything. The move was so sudden, a shocked squeal erupted from my throat.
Body slammed into body, the sound making me cringe. So much power. So much weight. The beasts had to be fighting. I squirmed, quietly demanding to be put down when a loud crashing noise exploded in the room.
Able to move a little, at least, I turned as the governor and his friend moved into place in front of me and the doctor as a first line of defense. They had their weapons out, ready to shoot.
Was this new beast trying to kill me, too? Why did they think they needed to protect me from him if he thought I was his mate? None of this made any sense.
There was a large, crushed section of one wall and the two beasts grappled and punched one another. I’d never seen anything so big move so fast.
“Gods be damned. Fucking beasts.” The governor grumbled. I ignored him. I couldn’t take my eyes off the giant beast who seemed intent on killing Kai.
Warlord Tazo’s fist slammed into Kai’s face. Kai pulled him off the wall and tried to tackle Tazo, get him on the ground. Tazo flipped him, landed on top and started pummeling Kai with his fist.
They rolled. Kai wrapped Tazo in his thighs and punched him. The two struggled, ranging around the small space until they crashed into the medical bed I’d been sitting on. The bed-like table hurtled toward me. I screamed, tried to jump out of the way. The doctor lifted me off my feet as the heavy metal structure gouged a hole in the wall where, seconds ago, I’d been standing.
Warlord Tazo’s gaze darted to me for less than a second, as if making sure I was not hurt, then focused on Kai once more. “Mine! Kill you!”
“Tazo! Stop!” Kai yelled at him.
“Mate! Mine!” Tazo’s shout turned into a roar and he slammed his knee into Kai’s gut.
“Fuck! Stop!” Kai tried to reason with him. It didn’t work. Tazo shoved, sent Kai reeling until his back came to rest against the overturned hospital bed.
“Miiiiine!” Tazo leaped on top of him.
Kai wedged his legs between them and heaved. Tazo went flying across the room. His back made a giant dent in the wall when he hit. The governor cursed.
I thought the impact would knock Tazo out. Nope. He landed in a crouch and looked up at Kai with pure death in his eyes.
Kai moved slowly, palms out. When Tazo didn’t attack, he shifted back into his normal, non-beastly, size. “Tazo, the female is not in danger. She is here for a medical evaluation after a Hive attack. Stand down.”
“Hive?” Tazo stood but didn’t charge. Thank god. All the adrenaline from the Hive attack earlier came crashing through me and I was right back in my living room afraid they were going to kill me. I couldn’t stop shaking. I wrapped the blanket tighter around me and hid my hands inside so no one would see the tremors. “Kill Hive. Where?”
“I already killed them. They attacked her on Earth. I brought her here, to The Colony. Doctor Surnen tended to her. She is here for medical treatment. That is all.”
What was happening here? Why was Kai explaining anything to this guy?
Warlord Tazo apparently decided he wasn’t going to kill Kai after all and turned to the doctor. “Hurt?”
Doctor Surnen cleared his throat. “Miss Linton suffered bruising around her wrists and ankles from the Hive restraints. The ReGen wand healed them quite easily. She is in perfect health.”
Tazo growled like he was about to kill something. “Hive.”
“Dead,” Kai insisted.
“How many?”
“Three soldiers.”
“Soldiers!” Tazo’s roar startled me. Here I thought he was calming down. Apparently not. Before I could blink, Tazo marched over to me and dropped on one knee, bowed his head briefly, and then looked into my eyes. Even on his knees he was nearly as tall as I.
“Warlord Tazo. Mate. Mine.”
Was this some kind of joke? First Kai and now this one? How could two of them think I was their mate? Although, I had to admit, Tazo made my heart race and my fingers ache to run through his dark auburn hair. I wanted to touch him. He was so close. All I had to do was reach out. What would happen if I did? Were these maniacs going to try to force me to stay on this planet?
I curled my fingers into a fist and looked around the room. All the other males seemed to be waiting to see what I would do.
