His English was more heavily accented than Vaxa’s and Kirov’s.Her brows furrowed, not taking his meaning…until it hit her.He must’ve seen her when Vaxa had had her slung over his shoulder yesterday.Her cheeks flamed and she pinched the hem of her borrowed shirt, wondering if she could get it to cover even more of her skin.
“Lihvan,” Vaxa said, a warning tone in his voice.
“My apologies,lavrix’an.I meant no disrespect.”
Kate cleared her throat, nodding.In the background, she heard grunts, the sound of flesh hitting flesh, a sickening crunch.
“Can’t you take me back to your room?” she asked quietly.
Vaxa frowned at her.“I want you here with me.I will be distracted otherwise.”
“I don’t want to watch you fight again,” she admitted.“It…unsettles me.”
Vaxa studied her for a brief moment but then shook his head.“We have an agreement, female.”
“What does that have to do withthis?”
“You said you will integrate into Luxirian life,” he said.“We are a warrior race.We fight to bring peace to our galaxy.Thisis a part of that.As my mate, you will accept this.”Before she could show her outrage, he leaned close and growled softly, “Luxirian females enjoy watching males fight.”
“Then go find a Lucks-ur-ree-an female,” she hissed back.Unbelievably, she felt a flicker of possessiveness, of jealousy.
Vaxa stepped back, peeling his shirt from his body and dropping it to the metal floor.Kate tried to not let her gaze roam…but it was hard.Dammit, it was hard.
“Watch,” he purred.“We will see how wet your cunt is afterwards.”
Her mouth dropped, her hands trembling at her sides.She felt a flair of anger as she watched him jump five feet down into the pit effortlessly.What alarmed her was the way her heart stammered in her chest, the way her belly clenched.In anticipation?She didn’t know.
Frozen, she stood next to the pit as they began.At first they circled each other, sizing one another up, waiting for an opportunity to strike.But when the fight began, itbegan.
Luxirians fought dirty, she realized as she watched, wide-eyed.Vaxa growled, muscles rippling, lashing out with enough power that would probably kill her if she ever got in the way.Lihvan took a hit, his chest contracting.She heard something break, but it didn’t stop him.He slashed at Vaxa with his sharp, black claws, catching him on his side, drawing dark blue blood.
It went on and on.She was transported back to that scorching hot arena with the two suns where she’d first seen him.She remembered the way that he dispatched of his opponent, quickly, efficiently.He was lethal, deadly.All Luxirians were, it seemed, as she watched Lihvan dish out just as much as he took.
It was never ending.Kate didn’t know how long she stood there, but she found that she couldn’t keep her eyes off Vaxa.She felt breathless, weakened.His body started to gleam with sweat.His eyes held laser focus and they were drilled into Lihvan.If anything, his muscles seemed to grow, becoming even more defined.
Kate let out a whimper.
It was a small sound, but she inhaled sharply when Vaxa’s gaze suddenly zeroed in on her, his pupils contracting.She saw a wildness, a darkness that she realized sheneeded.
Because he was distracted, Livhan got a brutal hit in and Vaxa’s head jerked to the side.Kate saw the blood running from his split lip and he growled, catching Lihvan’s fists with his palm.“Kravix, Livhan,” he rasped in his language, pushing his war general away.
Already, Vaxa’s gaze was back on her and he jumped, catching the edge of the pit before pulling all seven feet of him back to her level.
He was dripping in sweat.Blood ran from his lip and his side.His leather-like pants were torn just above his thigh and his long, dark, beautiful hair was mussed.
Oh my God.
Vaxa inhaled deeply, breaths coming fast, and Kate just knew that he smelled her intense arousal.He’d been right.Kate’s mind might have protested against how barbaric the fights were…but her body had responded to his brutality, his power, his strength.
“Come, female,” Vaxa growled, grabbing her arms a little roughly before sweeping her up into his arms.Kate didn’t mind.
Gone was her gentle alien.
In his place, there was a male who looked like he wanted todevourher.
NINE
Vaxa’an could hardly think, could hardly process a single, complete thought as he rushed to his quarters.The only thing going through his mind was his Instinct’s desire.
