“Zaya, you are everything precious to me. I’m not sure how I even breathed without you. That scares the hell out of me. Now I know that’s why I didn’t come to find you as soon as I got word they’d discovered my genetic mate,” I said huskily. “If I lost you, it would end me.”
“That’s not going to happen if I can help it,” she told me, holding my face between her hands and caressing my cheek. “You are my wish come true, the only man I will ever love.”
I wanted so badly to breed with her, but I wanted to take my time and do it properly. Raven and Trinity were on their way to pick up the stranger who shot Zaya’s dog. Then there was the matter of the horse, an innocent in all of this.
“Do you think it will be all right to put the stranger’s horse in the barn with the goats?” I asked. Although I had learned a great deal about animals since I’d been with Zaya, I wasn’t sure how they would mix.
“We have a separate stall to put the horse in. I’d rather keep it separate since he or she is so much bigger than the goats.”
“Then that’s what we will do,” I agreed. I dropped a kiss on Zaya’s nose and rested my forehead against hers.
Chapter Nineteen
Steele
By the time Raven and Trinity landed, Bruno had raised his head a couple of times and looked around to see that Zaya was nearby. Satisfied that she was safe, he relaxed and went back to sleep. I could hear my prisoner groaning in the distance outside and decided to question him. I found him sitting in the snow while his horse had dug away more snow so that he could graze.
“Who are you? Why did you come here?”
“Dan Franklin. I was just passing through, and this barking, aggressive dog came at us. I shot him before he spooked my horse.”
“Where did you get those clothes?”
Franklin shrugged, apparently not willing to tell me.
“I’ll tell you where you got them. That is a Mesaarkan mercenary uniform. The only place you would’ve gotten that was from a Mesaarkan. Which means you were working for them. And the dog you shot belongs to my mate.” I gritted the last. I so wanted to punch him for hurting Zaya’s dog and making her cry. Franklin was lucky I was able to save Bruno. I still wanted to fuck him up.
“I think you were looking for the female who lives at this ranch to capture her and sell her to the Saarks. Now, if you cooperate, you might avoid going to Penta Prison. Believe me, you don’t want to go there.”
“I don’t know what you mean. I’ve never heard of Penta Prison.”
“It’s the prison world with no guards and no rules. Gangs run it. You will be transported there and dropped off to fend for yourself. Survival of the fittest.”
I didn’t continue because I heard the whine of a hover transport in the distance. I also knew if I stayed in his presence much longer, I was going to hurt him. The bastard had come here to kidnap my mate to sell to the Mesaarkans. I backed away and waited for Raven and Trinity to land.
I had already filled them in on what he had done.
“How is Zaya?” asked Raven.
“She was pretty shaken that he shot her dog, but I think the nanites are going to fix the damage. It’s a good thing you got here when you did. I was thinking about disposing of this refuse. But he might have some information for us if you can get it out of him. He’s wearing one of the Saark mercenary uniforms.”
Raven grinned. “We’ll take care of him. Go be with your mate.”
When I got back to the house, there was a stew simmering on the cooker. Bruno looked up and wagged his tail while lying on his bed. Zaya was not in the room, but I heard the shower running in our bathroom. I decided to join her. She had left the door open, an apparent invitation.
“Hey Zaya, want some company?”
“I would love yours,” she invited.
I went inside and quickly shed my clothes. Stepping inside the shower behind her, I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her against me. Kissing her neck, I cupped one of her breasts in one hand and her mons in the other.
She hummed, melting against me, and reached up to caress my head. “I missed you.” She sighed as I rubbed circles around her clit and teased her nipple between my thumb and forefinger.
“I missed you, too, Zaya.”
“Show me. Put me against the wall and fuck me.” She turned around to face me; I gripped her waist and lifted her against the wall. As I leaned into her, she put her hands on my shoulders and opened her legs, wrapping them around my waist as I slid my cock into her.
Zaya rewarded me with a cry of pleasure and pressed her lips to mine. I plundered her mouth with my tongue and plunged my cock in and out of her wet heat, loving the sweet bliss of her inner walls hugging my every stroke. She seemed to urge me on with moans and cries of delight while digging her heels into my buttocks. Breeding my beloved mate filled me with profound joy.
