I was her champion, her protector, but any attachment was strongly discouraged. Warriors were given strict guidelines and they were enforced with heavy and serious consequences. This human female was a temptation I couldn’t afford to indulge in. My attraction was a surprise, but I wouldn’t cross the line. I knew my boundaries. Three hundredspanof discipline as a warrior had honed my skills.
I could andwouldresist the urges of my body.
What if she is my Venya?
The question popped into my head and I gulped audibly as the idea that Kerra could be my one true mate danced around in my head. No, it wasn’t possible. She was human. I was Braxthar.
My greedy eyes didn’t listen to the logic of my brain. They roamed over her slender and curvy frame with delight and landed on the long brown strands of her silky hair that reached almost to her waist. Stray curls fell over one shoulder and I longed to brush them back as my fingertips grazed the soft contour of her cheek. Human fur only covered select areas and I found the possibility of exploration exciting enough to send blood rushing into my quills and lower into my reproductive organ. I remembered the way she felt in my arms as I held her close and the scent of her skin as hints of a fruity, light perfume clung to the surface.
This female was much more than I anticipated when I agreed to become her chosen protector. My life for her life.Undying loyalty. Total obedience. Swift justice.The creed of the Braxtharian Warrior.
I had pledged my house and my name in service of the council.
She owned me, commanded me, and held my life within her grasp and Kerra didn’t even know it.
Such power was a gift. I knew as her eyes met mine in the reflection of the ship’s observation window that I had chosen both wisely and foolishly. She would be my greatest victory and my biggest regret. Instinctively, I understood she was more than a simple mission.Cosmoshelp me if I ever fell in love with this human female.
She would become my destruction.
My fate was already connected to hers and I hoped I could find a way to complete the task set before me and honor my people. My council were brutal rulers. The Braxtharian enjoyed our prosperity and freedom because we instilled fear and demanded allegiance. Vindar was the most luxurious and feared planet in the seventh system for these reasons.
My oath was given and the instructions of my council final.
I would protect and secure the marked female and bring her to my home planet.
That would be the end of our interaction. Once she was safe, I would walk away and probably never see her again. Kerra had a destiny that extended far beyond my simple assignment. I had to release her with the knowledge that the council would fulfill their duty and bring her before the Galactic Conclave. The fate of an entire race rested in her small hands.
My hearts beat a little quicker as our gaze remained locked.
“Sometimes people hurt the ones they love, Motok. I’m sure that’s not exclusive to the human race.”
Her sad tone broke every promise I had just made in my head and I walked forward, stopping only an inch away as my palms itched and my fingers flexed with the desire to feel her warm, soft skin beneath my hands. “You are correct.”
She blinked and a lone tear slipped down her cheek. “I don’t want to be here. Don’t you understand that? Can’t I go home,please?”
Devastation filled my chest with a powerful feeling of remorse, and it overloaded my senses. I wasn’t used to the emotion this human conjured. “I must take you to Vindar. It’s imperative. My mission isn’t negotiable. The fate of my people – and yours – rests on your cooperation.”
She startled at my words and spun around, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”
“You are marked. Protected. Your ability to reveal the truth to the council and the Galactic Conclave will save my people. We’re at risk for destruction.” The words lodged painfully in my throat with their truth.
“What are you talking about?”
She held up a hand as I opened my mouth to speak.
“I think it’s time you explained exactly what’s happening and why I’m here.”
