“So you’re a courier, then?” N’Ashtar cocked his head to the side, entirely unimpressed. I didn’t smack him, but it was a close thing. As most women did, I absolutely hated when someone mocked me for what I did or insinuated that I wasn’t good enough for it. God knew I’d gotten enough of that when I was rising up the ranks, first as a lawyer and then as a diplomat. No thank you. While I knew I hadn’t left it entirely behind, as the head of the crew, I’d been someone. I’d been important, and if people were going to mock me, they would do it behind my back and not to my face.
Really, that was all I cared about.
“I help facilitate information and make compromises,” I said primly, trying not to show him he was getting under my skin. He totally was, and I hated that about him. Whatever it was about him that got to me, it did its job and it did it quickly.
N’Ashtar hissed in that low, amused way of his. “You are clearly well experienced in compromise and relationships, given how yielding you are to my people.”
My cheeks flushed, my scowl deepening as embarrassment set in. He wasn’t exactly wrong. I wasn’t very good at compromise, not when it sacrificed something my people needed. I definitely wasn’t going to compromise to some aliens who didn’t know a spaceship from a building. “You know what? You can just—”
The words died in my throat when his hand circled my wrist, gripping me tightly. It burned in the best way, flaring the heat that had long lain dormant inside me. I swallowed thickly despite the lump in my throat, trying to pretend I wasn’t affected and failing horribly. It got even worse when he pulled me back against him, wrapping me in his arms as he nuzzled my neck.
I tried to push him away, even though it didn’t get me very far. His breath was hot and heavy in a delicious sort of way, and what I could feel of his body was rock hard with not an ounce of fat left on him. The primal part of my brain urged me to lean in, let him hold me, need me, take me. But the logical part of me, thankfully, took control.
It took me a second to figure out how, but I kneed him in the crotch. Not that it did much, because there was no yelping or clutching of cock. Instead, he just pulled back, giving me a perplexed look. “Is something wrong?” His eyes slitted. “Is that part of the mating ritual where you are from?”
“I was aiming for your cock,” I retorted, aware he was still holding me too tightly for me to get away. The worst thing was, I didn’t feel trapped. I felt like I could have leaned against him forever, delighting in the warmth and security of his arms. If there had ever been a hell no, it was to that. “Apparently you don’t have one.”
N’Ashtar chuckled, a smile brightening his face but with hints of his normal smirking underneath it. “I have one,” he assured me. “With a bit more nuzzling, you could make its acquaintance.”
For a second, I was tempted. I wanted to let him touch me more, wanted to feel between his legs to figure out if he had junk and where it was. From the way he spoke, he was obviously familiar with the term, even if it was translated. But I couldn’t. That was not allowed, not right now. No way in the seven hells.
“I don’t want you touching me,” I told him tartly. This time, when I tried to pry his hands off me, he let me, leaving me to storm my way back to the campfire and the other women. I didn’t look back, didn’t think about him, the way he’d held me, nuzzled me so sweetly. I didn’t.
No matter how much I wanted to.
1
N’Ashtar
Why, yes, I had just run from all of my duties and responsibilities the moment there was news of Dana. How could I not? I knew any time that passed was time that meant the Caterri were farther away with her, moments where she was not in my arms. It was unacceptable. I may not have entirely understood or accepted what I felt for the fiery human, but she definitely deserved more than the Caterri could give her.
If something happened to her before I could rescue her, I didn’t think I could forgive myself. She was my responsibility, as were all the humans. The only reason I could escape is because I knew O’Rrin, R’Asha, V’Annor, and the others would guard the humans with their lives. As females, they were precious to our tribe. We had so few life bearers. Yet even among the women, Dana was special.
Not that I would ever tell her such a thing. As it was, I didn’t think she would forgive me for leaving her alone for so long with the enemy, like she didn’t matter. Had she known O’Rrin was badly injured and it was critical to his safety? Or had she thought none of us had cared enough to come after her? I didn’t like either thought. Or either mental image. Dana cowering under the oppressive thumb of the Caterri, forced to do whatever they wished. Dana being beaten for refusing to cower to them. Dana, Dana, Dana.
My mind was so full of her that I missed the first time my name was called. And the second, and probably the third. It wasn’t until R’Asha was almost on top of me that I heard him. As
