Free Star Catcher by Kimber Vale Page B

within their own species.
    “Terrible, isn’t it? Our history books have some pretty awful stories in them, that’s for sure. I wonder what kind of tale these markings tell. It’d be interesting to know. Hopefully a happy one, huh?” Stella nudged her horse around the stone to examine the other side.
    Noth’s head jerked up when he heard her cry out. Without warning, Stella’s mount reared on its hind legs. The look of terror on Stella’s face stabbed at Noth’s heart. Maggie came down on all fours with Stella fortunately still holding on, but the horse turned and raced off across the powdery lake bed.
    “Run.” Noth grabbed his stallion’s mane as it took off after them. The horse’s excitement warred with Noth’s dread and mingled with the mindless panic he read from Stella’s white. He tried to call the animal back, but an image of a long, legless creature coiled in the dirt overwhelmed the horse’s mind.
    “Faster. Catch them.” Goliath’s thundering hooves picked up speed, and they closed the distance on their targets. Noth mentally shouted for Maggie to stop. He reassured her she was safe and blew out a breath of relief when he saw her pace slacken.
    “The threat is gone. Stop running. We will take you home.”
    Noth was alongside them now, matching his speed to theirs as he continued to talk the animal down. Stella’s efforts to gain control were succeeding. She pulled back hard on the reins once more, and the mare finally trotted to a stop.
    Stella was breathing hard, visibly shaking as she turned frightened green eyes on Noth.
    “Good horse.”
    Goliath snorted at the compliment, while Noth slid to the ground. He grasped Maggie’s halter, and Stella dismounted and fell into his arms.
    “Shhh. You are safe.” He stroked her untamed hair from her face and realized her hat was gone. So was his. The wild ride must have blown them off.
    “It was a rattlesnake that spooked her.” Stella still panted as she looked up at him. “This is turning out to be quite a date.”
    “Are you injured?”
    “No. And I don’t think it bit the horse. Only scared her.” Noth did not read pain from the animal, and he nodded in agreement.
    “Thanks for catching me.”
    He had no response. His heart still thumped wildly with an alarm he did not know how to put into words. He captured her lips with his and felt his pulse calm almost immediately as her soft lips moved against his, warm and alive. She was safe and sheltered in his arms where she belonged. His tongue reached for hers while his fingers wove through her unbound hair.
    Scrion, he wanted to crush her against him and never let go.
    They nibbled and tasted, let the sweetness of their kiss wash away the anxiety until his head pounded with lust instead of fear.
    “Mmmm,” Stella said as she broke contact. “I could stand here and kiss you forever.”
    “I would like that.”
    Stella smoothed a finger over his lower lip and grinned up at him. “Come on. Let’s hand in these horses and go home. I need to get you back to your place and thank you properly for rescuing me twice today.”
    Her count was incorrect, but Noth was not going to argue. He would take all the thanking she wanted to give. They climbed on their horses and headed back toward the trail. They even found their hats along the way.

Chapter 8
    Stella combed her hair to the side with her fingers, and then snapped a rhinestone clip above one ear. She grabbed her packed overnight bag with a grin and headed out the door.
    The anticipation of getting her boyfriend back to his place at the end of the evening always made their time together even more exciting. If their dates were cake, then the nights spent wrapped in his arms were the cream filling. Noth’s tiny studio apartment just off campus wasn’t impressive in size or appearance, but it was private, and with no television or friends to distract them and little more furniture than a bed, the place had become a sex palace.
    Tonight, she