Free Alien Savior (Zerconian Warriors Book 5) by Sadie Carter Page A

at him. He didn’t like her pale appearance. Dark smudges marred the skin beneath her eyes.
    She paced back and forth. He noticed her wince then rub her head. Worry filled him. It had been so long since he had felt real emotions. He had gone through the motions. A pretense. But he hadn’t felt much of anything in years. Well, other than anger and duty. “Are you ill?”
    “Just a headache. The pain inhibitor is kicking in. Why did you say that I am your mate? Did you think that would save you? You can’t possibly think they’ll believe this lie.”
    “It is no lie. You are my mate.” He could sense her upset, but didn’t know how to reassure her.
    “I’m not a typical female. I don’t want love and romance and flowers. I don’t understand any of that crap. Most of the time I don’t even understand other people. All I understand is engines. That’s all that interests me.”
    “That is good. Because love and romance are things I also know nothing about. The one thing I am sure of is that you are mine, Willa.”
     
    He was serious. She’d kind of convinced herself that he’d been out of his mind when he’d said those things. How could he know she was his with one touch?
    Stupid.
    Well, he was in for a shock if he thought she’d just accept this, fall at his feet and beg him to take her. He might be the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, but she didn’t want a man in her life. She had worked hard to earn her place on this crew and she wasn’t going to run off with the first cute man who looked twice at her.
    “I can’t be your mate. We don’t know each other. We don’t even like each other.”
    “I like you.” There was a hint of offense in his voice.
    “How can you like someone you’ve just met? How can you want to tie your life to mine? I might be a horrible person.”
    His gaze softened. That crazy side of his wasn’t even evident at the moment. He looked normal. Except for the fact that he was freakin’ huge and devastatingly gorgeous. “You are not a horrible person.”
    “Yeah? Sure about that? Maybe I make little children cry and kick puppies.” She didn’t, of course. What kind of sicko kicked puppies? She’d seen images of puppies. They were gorgeous, fluffy, and so cute. If she were lucky enough to ever see one she certainly wouldn’t kick it.
    “Puppy?”
    “It’s a pet on Earth. Cute and cuddly. I wanted one when I was little, but they don’t have puppies on Joyadan and even if we did Rye wouldn’t let me keep one as a pet.”
    “Why not?” he asked.
    “Because we don’t keep pets on Joyadan. Animals all have a use. A pet isn’t useful, it just costs money to feed.”
    “That seems harsh.”
    She shrugged. “Rye wasn’t telling me anything that I wouldn’t have soon learned.”
    “How old were you?”
    “Five.”
    She didn’t like the look in his eyes. She didn’t take sympathy from anyone.
    There was a bang on the door. “Time’s up,” she said. “I can’t be your mate, Darac.”
    She wasn’t running away. She wasn’t leaving because she found it hard to think clearly in his presence or because she was imagining leaning in to kiss him, touch him.
    Nope, that’s not why she ran out of there as though the fires of hell were licking at her feet.
     
    ***
     
    A sudden jolt brought Darac out of his meditation attempts. He opened his eyes, turning to gaze at his guard. While Deacon looked half-asleep, Darac noted the tension in his shoulders.
    “We are moving.” He sat up, ignoring the way the Deacon stiffened and raised his blaster.
    “Sit down,” Deacon ordered.
    Darac stared at him for a long moment, fighting the urge to assert his dominance. Zerconian males were aggressive and needed physical release. Tension filled him, longing to find an outlet. The male would be an easy target.
    No. No, he could not. Turning, he leaned his hands against the wall, he concentrated on his breathing. Long moments passed as the ship gathered up speed.
    “Sneaking