Alien Savior (Zerconian Warriors Book 5) (12 page)

“You should have killed me.”

“I was going to,” Koran replied calmly.

Darac raised his gaze. “Why didn’t you? I was a danger to everyone and instead you sent in a helpless female? What were you thinking?” His voice ended with a roar. How dare he put Willa in jeopardy.

Koran’s gaze remained steady. “Do you know how many friends I have lost to the madness? How many more I may lose?”

Darac leaned across the table. “I know. I am older than you.”

“Then would you not do anything you had to save a friend? We are old friends, Darac.”

“Yes. We are. Which is why I thought I could trust you to do the right thing. I am not the important one. She is.” If anything happened to her…

“So, she is your mate.” Koran sat back, a hint of satisfaction on his face.

Darac stood suddenly, resting his hands on the table, he loomed over Koran. “It matters not. I am not the male I was. I am barely in control. It eats away at me constantly, and I believe I am only growing worse. You know what I am capable of, and you had no way of knowing that I would not hurt her. You could have gotten her killed!”

He paused, seething, working hard to calm himself.

“She was protected.”

Darac gave him an incredulous look. “Protected? I could have snapped her neck in seconds.”

Koran leaned forward. “I would not have done so had she not been so insistent that you would not harm her.”

“Willa has no sense of self-preservation. She would be the first to put herself in harm’s way to help another. Should this happen again, you will do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”

“I believe nothing but tying her up would have kept her from you.”

“Then that is what you should have done,” Darac told him. “Mates come first.”

Koran watched him thoughtfully. “She is not your mate yet. Why have you not mated her? It could fix you.”

“Would it? You are so certain of that?”

Koran frowned. “When Zoey denied Dex as her mate, he became crazed. He lost time, spent hours sparring with others, but after they mated he was himself once more.”

“I am far beyond that. I was gone, Koran. Then she brought me back. She gave me control. But just barely. When the Coizils were torturing me, I came so close to losing control and killing as many as I could before they killed me.”

“But you did not.”

“Because I needed to make certain of her safety. It was the only thing keeping my mind together.”

Koran leaned forward. “She still needs you. Are you planning to give up? To give in to the madness. What would that do to her?”

“Nothing. Because we are not fully mated, she would not follow me to the other side.”

“That is beyond stupid.”

“Beyond stupid?” Despite himself, Darac felt a trickle of amusement. “You are starting to sound like Mila.”

Koran shrugged. “She is my mate. I did not deny her.”

“I am not denying Willa.”

“No? It is obvious she cares about you. She risked her life to help you.”

“What if mating does not fix me? What if I am this way forever? I would tie her to a monster.”

“Monster? You are no monster.”

“No?” Darac glared at him. “Any threat to Willa and I go into a murderous rage. I have known you for many years, I consider you a friend and earlier I would have killed you without the slightest hesitation.”

“You have control now.”

“But for how long? I cannot mate her until I know I will not place her in harm’s way. You saw me. Saw how out of control I was. I am protecting her.”

“By pushing her away?”

Guilt ate at him. He had seen the devastation on her face when he had pushed her away. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. “I pushed her away for her own safety.”

“I am sure that will keep her warm at night. Or perhaps another male will do that. She is very pretty.”

He swung out at Koran, who blocked his arm and pushed him back.

“You wish to fight?” Koran taunted.

“You will not speak of her that way.”

“What do you care? You are going to die like a martyr and leave her. She will be free to join with whoever she chooses.”

Letting out a deep yell, he shoved Koran back, then turning, slammed his hand into the wall. All he managed to do was bruise his knuckles. He slammed his fist into the wall again, splitting the skin.

It felt good. The pain actually cleared his head a little.

“You need to try,” Koran told him. “You have a chance. It is more than most get.”

“I am unstable. The risk is too great.” Before, he had hoped there was a chance they could mate. But he had totally lost it again.

“I believe there is risk either way. You kissed her. The mating has begun. She could even now be feeling the effect of that kiss.”

He had not been in his right mind when he had kissed her earlier. A kiss set the mating process into action. If the mating did not progress, if one mate denied the other then human females could grow overly aroused. To the point of pain.

“It did not affect Mila as much as it did the Crown Princess, but there is no way of knowing how Willa will react.”

Darac let out a deep breath. “Let me speak to an Elder. Then I will determine what to do.” He could not stand the idea of her suffering.

Koran nodded. “Good. She is interesting, your mate. Very, ah, forceful.”

Forceful? That was one way of putting it. “Willa knows her own mind. When she is scared, she tends to become bossier.”

“Bossy. Yes. I believe some of my warriors were actually scared of her.”

Shockingly, Darac actually found himself close to grinning.

Darac stretched and his stomach rumbled. How long since he had eaten? While waiting to speak to an Elder back on Zerconia, Darac had debriefed with Koran. Along with Koran’s ship, two other Zerconian warships had been sent to rescue them. They had run interference with the other Coizil warships while Koran and his warriors extracted Darac and the others.

The Elder had assured him that it would be impossible for him to harm his mate. Protecting his mate was a primal instinct that he couldn’t ignore. There was no guarantee that mating Willa would fully pull him free, but because he felt more in control around her, the Elder felt that fully mating with Willa would allow him more control.

Relief filled him. He could survive. He could have her. Now, he had to figure out how to convince her to mate him.

She had kissed him. She was attracted to him.

But she also thought he had rejected her.

***

“You wish to become part of our crew?” Rye leaned back against the wall, watching Darac closely. “Why would I agree to that?”

“We both know Willa is my mate. I must be with her.”

Rye crossed his arms over his chest. “Way I see it, that’s your problem, not mine. Not Willa’s either.”

“You are correct. But our mating is a process. It is finalized with joining and formalized with a ceremony, but it begins when two mates meet. When they touch. When they kiss.”

Rye stiffened. “Are you saying that your mating to Willa has begun? She didn’t consent to that.”

“No. I understand that our way of mating is foreign to your culture. But the fates choose our soul mate. Willa is mine. I cannot live without her and now that the mating process has begun she may start to feel symptoms of the mating process.”

“Symptoms?”

“I would rather not go into details. But they may cause her to act more irrational. I have recently learned that once we mate, my control should return.”

“Should?”

“There has never been an instance of someone who was totally gone being brought back by finding their mate.”

“And you expect me to bring you into my crew? To allow you around my sister?”

“I would not hurt her.”

Rye snorted. “So you say.”

“So I know.” The conversation with the Elder had reassured him he could never harm her. “You are in my debt.”

“And your price is my sister?”

“Of course not. My price is a place on your crew so I can get to know your sister better. So I can watch over her. Make certain she is not adversely affected by the mating process.”

“And try to get her into your bed, right?”

“I would never force her.”

“Damn right you wouldn’t because you’re not coming with us.”

“Her need for me may grow to such levels that it becomes painful. I can help her. You cannot.”

“Help her by mating her?” Rye asked incredulously.

“Yes.”

“But you said you wouldn’t force her so how does that work?” Rye asked curiously.

“To force a female is abhorrent. I could never do that.” The thought sickened him. “But I believe Willa feels something for me as well.”

“That so?” Rye tapped his fingers against his thigh. “All right. I agree we do owe you. So you can crew with us.”

Good.

“Until we determine that Willa isn’t adversely affected by whatever has gone on between the two of you.”

That was fair. Not exactly what he wanted, but more than he had expected.

Rye moved away from the wall towards the door. “Oh, and I would say she definitely feels something for you. But it ain’t interest. In fact, I think you’re pretty high on her shit list.”

“Shit list?” That did not sound pleasant. “Why do you not take care of your sister as a brother should?” If he had been blessed with a sister, she would want for nothing. He would protect her from any and every threat.

Rye narrowed his gaze. “Willa can look after herself.”

“Are you forcing her to work on this crew to pay you back for looking after her when she was young? If that is the case, I have plenty of credits. I will pay for her release.”

“Be careful what you say. Very careful,” Rye whispered.

“Is that not the case?”

“No, it is not the case. I do not own my sister. She is free to do as she pleases.”

“You do not feel that she owes you?”

“No, of course not. Willa is her own person. She has never owed me anything. I don’t know where you’re getting your idiotic ideas from, but you can take them and stick them where the sun doesn’t shine.”

“Where the sun doesn’t shine? Do you mean Quashtar?” Quashtar received very little sunlight.

Rye frowned then shook his head. “It’s a saying. It means you can stick your misguided beliefs up your ass.”

He shook his head. Humans. Why did they not say what they meant? It would make life much simpler. “I believe you were lucky to have siblings and that as the eldest it was your privilege to take care of those younger and weaker. Willa believes she was a burden to you. That she must make this up to you. That she owes you for raising her.”

Rye stared at him for a long moment before turning and walking away.

***

Willa slammed her fist into the punching bag, trying to work off some aggravation.

He’d kissed her.

Then he had shoved her away.

Begged someone to take her away from him.

“Ouch, remind me not to get on your bad side.”

Willa paused, sweat covering her skin, limbs trembling with exhaustion as her breath heaved in and out of her burning lungs.

“Did you want something?” she asked Mila, who walked towards her. The other woman was dressed in a baggy shirt and an ugly, gray skirt that almost reached her ankles.

“Not really. Just thought I’d check up on you to make sure everything was okay.”

Willa smacked the punching bag again. “Didn’t think you’d have something so primitive as a punching bag onboard. I was expecting fighting droids.” The punching bag could be programmed so it was a certain weight and size but it couldn’t fight back the way a droid could.

“Our warriors mostly like to fight each other. Every time they try to use a droid, they break it. Someone could be very rich if they could invent a droid that could stand up to a Zerconian warrior in a temper. Fighting is a way of exerting their aggression.” Mila sat on a bench. She had to half-jump as it was made for large Zerconian frames rather than smaller human ones.

“I hear you guys are leaving us soon,” Mila said.

Yep, soon they would be headed back to Joyadan, and she could forget all about Darac. Hopefully. She smacked the punching bag again. Once, twice.

Forget him. He meant nothing to her. Nothing.

“Yeah, we’re headed home.” Wow, way to make great conversation, Willa.

“I’ve been searching for you. Finally had to use our surveillance cameras to track you down.”

“That so?”

“Makes me wonder if you’re hiding.”

Great. An amateur detective. Just what she needed.

“Why would I be hiding?” Willa didn’t look at her. What did she want? What was her game? There had to be an ulterior motive. She wouldn’t search her out just for a chat.

“Why don’t you tell me?” Mila asked.

“What is this? Amateur hour? Can’t you decide whether you’re playing detective or therapist?”

“Maybe a bit of both.”

She turned to look at Mila. “Did your boyfriend send you?”

“Koran? Why would Koran send me to find you?”

“I don’t know, to grill me for information.”

Mila laughed. “If Koran wanted to know something he would ask you himself, believe me. Subterfuge isn’t really a Zerconian trait, not for the males anyway. They’re much too direct. Now, the females, they’re the sneaky ones.”

Willa eyed her. “Yeah, that’s usually my experience, too.”

Mila tilted her head to one side. “Are you accusing me of having an ulterior motive?”

“Don’t you?”

Mila seemed to think about that for a moment. “I want my friend to live, but you already knew that. Otherwise, nope. I just wanted to check on you.”

“Why would you care about me? We don’t know each other.”

“No, but we could. There are very few human mates, us girls need to stick together.”

“Right,” she said skeptically.

Mila’s gaze narrowed. “Wow, you’re suspicious. Is it so hard to believe that I might want to check on you? To make sure you’re okay?

She studied her closely. But she didn’t seem to be lying.

“I’d like to be your friend, Willa.”

“I don’t have friends.”

Mila’s eyes widened slightly. “None?”

“People aren’t that trusting or open where I live. You can just as soon expect your ‘friend’ to stab you in the back as you can your enemy.”

“Sounds awful. My sister and I traveled around a lot; it made it hard to make friends.”

Ah-ha. She knew this tactic. Try to make out that they were kindred spirits, look for a weakness then pounce.

“Willa?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re watching me weirdly. Like you think I’m about to attack.”

Willa blinked. “Sorry.”

“What about the men who were brought in with you? Aren’t they your friends?”

“They’re my crew. My brothers.”

“Oh, but you must trust them.”

“Most of them. But we’re not friends.”

Mila watched her closely. “Sounds lonely.”

Great. Pity. She hated being pitied. “It’s not. It’s fine.”

Mila sighed then climbed down from her seat. “I don’t have many friends. And my only friend on Zerconia is the Crown Princess. I thought you could use a friend, and I need one too. But I can understand why you don’t trust me. I’ll get out of your way.”

She turned to walk out.

Let her go. You don’t need her. It’s a trap.

“He rejected me.” Crap, she hadn’t meant to blurt that out. Willa closed her eyes briefly. Fatigue weighed on her.

Mila turned back. “Darac? You think he rejected you because he pushed you away after kissing you?”

“Yes. In front of everyone.” It was humiliating. “He pushed me off him like I was a piece of crap on his shoe.”

“I don’t know what was going through his head, but he wasn’t in his right mind. You’re his mate.”

“That’s what you believe. Obviously, he doesn’t.”

Shake it off. Don’t show how affected you are.

“Not that it matters. I was about to push him away anyway. I don’t want him.”

“That so?” Mila drawled.

“Yeah, it is.” Willa turned away and grabbed a drink, gulping it down.

“Didn’t seem that way during your kiss.”

Why couldn’t she let this drop? “Look, he’s hot, alright? I can’t deny that. Would I fuck him? Probably. But long term, the two of us would never work. We’re worlds apart. He wants a little mate who he can tuck away somewhere safe while he goes off and does manly things. Then he can come home, beat his chest, and pat himself on the back for taking care of the little woman. I have my own life. I’m nobody’s pet. I worked hard to get where I am, and I’m not giving it up. Not for anyone.”

“And nobody is asking you to.”

She turned to see Darac standing just inside the doorway.

“Damn right, they’re not. And even if they did, I’d tell them where to shove it.” Great. Way to show your maturity, Willa. She took a steadying breath. “You’re looking better.” There that sounded somewhat civil. She could be mature. At least for the next few hours until they left.

“I feel more like myself. Thank you.”

She shrugged. “No biggie. I owed you one. Now we’re even, right?”

“Not at all. I still owe you a great deal.”

“Don’t mention it. I say we’re even.” She strode past him.
Don’t show you’re affected by him. Don’t show anything.
“Nice to meet you, Mila. I doubt I’ll see you again so thanks for the hospitality.”

“Sure, anytime,” Mila called back.

Darac longingly watched Willa walk away. Her butt was encased in some sort of tight material that displayed every curve. He had never seen her wear something so tight, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.

Or at least he liked it too much, and he worried other males might as well. He frowned at the thought of others seeing her dressed that way.

A sudden smack to his chest got his attention, and he stared down at a scowling Mila. “Why the hell did you reject her like that?”

“Reject her?”

“Yeah, when you kissed her. You practically shoved her away from you. Got your work cut out for you now, Darac, if you want to win her over. I thought I taught you better than that.”