Free The Spawning by Kaitlyn O'Connor

lifted her foot, more because she knew it would expose her sex than because she objected to him examining whatever he wanted to. She was too damned eager by half, for him to touch her anywhere he wanted to and any way he wanted to.
    Either he didn’t notice her resistance or he ignored the brief battle. He lifted her foot and examined the bottom and then set it carefully on the ground and examined the mate. “You have a sprain, at least … possibly a break.”
    Miranda looked down in surprise. “I was wondering why it hurt.”
    He sent her a strange look. “It is against your custom to acknowledge injury?”
    Miranda lifted her brows at him, staring at him blankly. “No.”
    He touched her cheek almost caressingly and rose. Turning without another
    word, he strode briskly back toward Khan.
    Seeing him, Khan rose and met him halfway.
    “They have been badly battered,” Teron said tightly, struggling with the anger that had been building in him from the moment he’d begun to examine the women.
    “Mayhap it is only that they are so fragile anyway, but the gods damned bastard could see that only to look at them. I could see it. I didn’t even have to examine their little hands or test their tiny bones to see it. He has left them baking in the heat—their delicate skin is burned—and they have had no water. I could see that from the dryness of their lips … nor much food from the look of them, though it’s hard to say when I’m not the least familiar with their species.”
    Khan nodded grimly, not surprised, but still angered. “I will finish with the trader and send the gods damned bastard on his way … after I have discovered what he knows about how to care for them. Tell Gerek to bring them water and Adar to bring food. The others should go out again. We’ll have to work longer days to make up for the jasumi we must part with.”
    Teron hesitated. “The one with the red hair has the mark of a warrior.”
    Khan’s belly tightened the moment he mentioned the red hair, but the comment
    took him by surprise. It took an effort to refrain from turning to look at her. He had no wish to insult Teron by showing he doubted his word, but he couldn’t envision it. He had touched her. She was the softest thing that he had ever felt. He had lifted her to her feet—the wonder of it was that he had not tossed her clear over his shoulder when he had for she had been so unexpectedly light he’d used far more force than was necessary. She was as lovely as the day was long and he’d seen strength in her intelligent eyes, seen it in THE SPAWNING Kaitlyn O’Connor 35
    her self-possession when he’d studied her, for she’d been the only one of all of them that hadn’t instantly begun to quiver in terror when he approached her. But a warrior? He simply couldn’t imagine it. “The mark must have been from something else,” he said finally.
    Teron shook his head. “She told me that a perp had tried to cut her throat, but that she was faster. He sliced her arm instead.”
    “What is a perp?” Khan asked, thoroughly mystified.
    “I did not ask that, but nothing, certainly, that translates into our tongue.” He frowned. “I did not ask about the mark, for that matter. I noticed it when I examined her.
    She seemed … discomfited. She said that it was old and told me how it had happened.”
    Khan considered it, doubtful but thoroughly intrigued—as if he’d needed
    anything to further arouse his interest in her, he thought wryly. “Mayhap it is the truth. If the females are so small then it seems logical that the males would be, as well, so that they are better fitted to one another as it is with our females. And, if that is the case, then they would be more equal and more capable of holding their own with their males.”

    * * * *
    Miranda watched Teron and Khan without any attempt to hide her interest when they met and stopped to confer, wondering if the doctor was giving him a detailed list of all of their injuries