Free Warlord Reunited: 3 (Barbarian Claims) by Cynthia Sax

weak human mate?”
    “Weak?” A bark of laughter escaped Berke’s lips. “You?” His female nodded, her brown curls bouncing around her slender shoulders, her expression adorably serious. “You captured Tolui on your own. You flew across numerous galaxies to rescue your friends. You dare to question my orders. Constantly. Ellie, you’re the strongest female I’ve ever met.”
    “Truthfully?” She squeezed his fingers.
    Berke squeezed back, using only a fraction of his strength. “Truthfully.” They turned a corner, the docking doors visible down the corridor. Red beams outlined the frame, his clever female having set bombs around the entrance.
    “Then I was wrong.” Ellie worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Me being human isn’t the reason.”
    Berke concealed his confusion under a mask of indifference. “That isn’t the reason for—”
    The ship shuddered and Berke wrapped his arm around Ellie’s waist, steadying her, reassuring himself she was unharmed.
    “Tolui may be extremely impatient.” He guided Ellie into an alcove, positioned across from the docking doors, far enough away to shield them from shrapnel. “But he’s not a fool.” Berke created a protective cage around his female with his body, supplementing her woefully inadequate body armor. “He’ll send his clones into the ship first.”
    Ellie wiggled her ass, swishing her pert curves back and forth, back and forth, tormenting Berke’s semi-hard cock. “You take the clones closest to us. I’ll take the farthest clones.” She raised her guns, her hands impressively steady.
    Berke’s lips twitched. His little human was accustomed to assuming command. “You agreed to follow my orders, gerel .” He drew his second gun and aimed toward the door. “You take the clones farthest from us. I’ll take the nearest clones,” he joked, seeking to break the tension between them.
    Ellie laughed, rubbing her body against his, and Berke’s heart beat faster, adrenaline pumping through his veins.
    A blast rocked the ship. The docking doors propelled forward and bounced off the far wall panels. Berke silently counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Figures rushed into the corridor and crouched behind the docking doors. Five.
    A second blast ripped through the space, temporarily deafening Berke, shrapnel pinging around them. He flattened Ellie against the concealing wall, covering her with his body. Bodies flew, blood splattering the metallic panels, the odor of death scenting the air, the doors reduced to fragments.
    “How many did we get?” Ellie asked, her voice muffled.
    “Two.” Berke released her, his ears ringing. “There are two more clones to kill and Tolui to apprehend.”
    Shots sounded, bullets pelting the panels around them. Berke ducked into the corridor, shot at the gap where the docking doors once were, and ducked back. Ellie did the same, Berke’s breath catching every time her body was exposed to the bullets.
    A dark form rushed across the narrow space. Berke shot, the form stumbled and disappeared into an alcove, leaving a trail of blood on the floor.
    “You got him.” The pride in Ellie’s voice warmed Berke’s heart.
    “I injured him,” he corrected gruffly. “I’m crossing the corridor.” He coiled his muscles, lowering his torso. “Cover me.” He sprang, rolling across the space.
    Bullets flew around him, stinging his skin as they skimmed his arms and legs. The fourth clone leaned out of the door frame, his gun aimed directly at Berke.
    A gun retorted and the clone was tossed backward, blood blooming over his right shoulder. His body jerked as more bullets ripped into his tanned flesh.
    “Gotcha,” Ellie crowed, his female’s enthusiasm making Berke smile.
    “The last one is mine.” He flattened his body against the door of the storage chamber, his chest heaving, perspiration streaking down his back, the recess concealing him from the clone’s bullets.
    “Not if I get him first.” Ellie swung her gun