Free Zealot by Cyndi Friberg Page B

You’ll have to try harder.”
    Planting her fists on her hips, she glared at him. “I’m not fifteen. I can’t believe you did that.” She rubbed the spot through her little pink shirt as he grinned at her.
    He’d wanted her distracted from the fact that he’d marked her, but it was obvious he needn’t have bothered. She didn’t realize the significance of what he’d done. All she knew was she’d be able to help Chandar now. He started to tell her then suppressed the urge. Yes, this was the first step in creating a mating bond, but it was also temporary. His scent had to be reapplied every five to seven days or it would fade and she would be free to explore other options.
    Instead, he asked, “Are you all right?” He was still feeling a bit woozy.
    She made a face. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not the first man I’ve kissed into submission and you probably won’t be the last.”
    The surrendering had been pretty mutual, so he didn’t argue the point. But he had every intention of making sure he was the last man she ever kissed.
    With that goal solidly fixed within his mind, he pulled his uniform top on and closed the fasteners. He watched her as he tucked in the shirt. “I need to contact the ship, get clearance to show you our secrets.”
    “Do I still need to sign the contract?”
    He’d been hoping she’d bring it up so he wouldn’t have to. “It would keep my brother from killing me if you would. Generals are weird about people following rules.”
    “Your brother is a general?”
    “Yeah.” She didn’t need to sound so impressed. “He’s one of the leaders of the rebellion.”
    “If I sign the contract, will you tell me what battle born means?”
    He nodded. “If you sign the contract, I can tell you anything you want to know.”
    “Then let’s keep your brother from killing you. Did you bring a contract with you? You seem to have everything else.”
    “A good Rodyte is prepared for anything.”
    One of her eyebrows arched while the other stayed still. How did she do that? “I thought that was a Boy Scout.”
    “I wouldn’t know. What’s a Boy Scout?” He picked up the sample processor he’d used to test her blood and returned it to the overhead compartment then retrieved the datapad he’d stashed there along with the other equipment.
    “It’s a club for boys,” she told him. “They go on camping trips and have activities that teach boys how to be better people. Supposedly. I have no personal experience with the organization as I am an only child.”
    He smiled, charmed by her effervescent personality. “Here you go. You can just sign with your finger.” He passed her the datapad.
    She signed the screen then handed it back to him.
    “There’s no turning back now,” he said dramatically. “For the next six months—you’re mine!”

Chapter Four
     
    For the next six months—you’re mine!
    Indigo was pretty sure Zilor had been kidding, but a knot formed in the pit of her stomach as the words echoed through her mind. It didn’t really matter if she signed a contract or not, he was taking her to the moon. It wasn’t like she could change her mind and sneak away when he wasn’t looking. For the next six months, or until they chose to bring her back, she’d be at the mercy of the Rodytes.
    These men needed to come with a warning, Irresistible to hybrid females . Ashley, Raina, Laura, and Indigo, they were compiling quite a list. Now she understood why the others had found it so hard to resist their respective temptations.
    Refusing to dwell on her humiliating defeat, she smoothed down her hair and looked anywhere but at Zilor. “Can you hang around up here while I go pack or will you come back for me?”
    “It’s more than likely that whoever is watching your house sensed your disappearance.” He waited until she looked at him to add, “You can’t go back there. I’ll send Raina to gather your things first thing in the morning. That way your mother