She paused in front of one of the narrowest passages and peered into the darkness. The light from the hall only illuminated the first few feet of the passageway and she pondered where the dark tunnel might lead. She wouldn’t be able to explore without a light source, which reminded her that she’d seen some of the Aterans use something like oil lanterns. Now all she had to do was figure out where she could snare one.
Kalinda tipped her head back and stared at the lights affixed to the ceiling. She stood on tiptoes and reached overhead, her fingers brushing the light. She tried to get her nails under the rounded dome to pry it loose. If it had a power source, she could take it with her deeper into the caverns.
Except, before she could get the object of her salvation free, a pair of scaly arms wrapped around her from behind. She yelped, the shout escaping her without thought, but her yell was cut off when a massive hand clamped over her mouth. Surprise transformed to terror and she struggled in earnest, kicking and flailing in her captor’s grip, but his hold was far too strong for her to overcome. Her heart raced and sweat broke out across her brow, panic swelling inside her.
A forked tongue flicked against her ear and cold, alien breath tickled her neck. A raspy voice whispered to her, “Where do you run to, little sand mouse? We have not yet had a chance to play.”
Kalinda’s chest tightened and her blood froze within her veins. She recognized the alien’s voice. The male who now held her captive had been the one to attack her the first night on the planet—the one that caused nightmare after nightmare every night. She’d avoided the male as much as she could but it seemed he’d found her. She thought she recalled the others calling him Chaze.
She struggled harder against Chaze’s grasp, but his strength outmatched hers. She breathed deeply and shouted against his hand, doing her best to cry for help, but he didn’t loosen his grip.
“The other males already discuss who shall claim you and your friends,” Chaze whispered. “I intend to stake my claim. Shall we see if you can stir my blood, little mouse? Even if you cannot, surely there are ways we can enjoy each other.”
Kalinda closed her eyes, the oppressive sense of defeat closing in on her. She slowed her struggles, the reality of her situation stealing the need to fight from her. There was nothing she could do, no way she could stand against the raw power of the alien beast.
With that realization… tears slunk down her cheeks.
Chapter Four
Nakan moved through the mountain tunnels with ease, familiar with the twists and turns. He had spent most of his life within the mountains, these paths in particular, and every passage was well-known to him, even the less-traveled areas that led to old storerooms and maintenance corridors. That knowledge was helpful when he wished to move around without being plagued by his subordinates. Being the leader of the Hard Sands meant he had little privacy and his movements were known by all. Some nights he wished for time alone—for personal business or simply a relief from the constant attention of others—and that was when he used these passages. He could slip into the city and return without his guards realizing he had left.
The route he traveled from the mines to communal halls took him near the human females’ quarters. He paused at the opening of their corridor and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to inhale the foreign yet intoxicating scent. It took him no time to pick out the scent of Kalinda—the female with hair the color of ambroze. The scent of her brought her face to mind and he imagined her delicate features and deep brown eyes.
His blood stirred and rushed between his legs. He shifted on his feet, uncomfortable with the unfamiliar sensation. An Ateran male could only be aroused by a single female—ever. Before he met Kalinda, he had never experienced the sensation. It was alluring, though at times, uncomfortable. He had never imagined that his kode, the one and only to stir his blood, would be a creature from the stars. Truly, Kalinda and the other females had been sent by the goddess Eana. Their arrival had been a signal from above. There was no doubt.
Every instinct drove him to go to Kalinda and claim her, remove her to his quarters and make her his own. It was the way of warriors and mates, as it had been since the dawn of time. Yet this was a unique situation and he knew he could not succumb to his drives. He was no animal. He was the warlord of the Hard Sands, and he would not interact with his mate as he was now—covered in dust and grime from the mines. He would search her out after he had eaten and cleaned himself. He would present himself as a noble Ateran worthy of her.
He did not doubt she would respond in kind. After all, they were destined to be mated. Even if she was an alien from another world, she would surely feel the same stirring of her blood, the inevitable draw to him.
Nakan breathed deeply once more, pulling in more of her delicate scent. Yet… yet her flavors faded as he stood in place. So, she was not in her quarters though she should have been, considering the time. The human females had no duties other than to recover from the crash.
He took a few steps, following her scent, and found himself moving toward the communal hall. Perhaps she remained there, still eating. He paused a moment and wondered if he should truly chase her there or wait until later. It would not be well thought out for their first encounter to be in the communal hall while surrounded by so many others. Had he come upon her traditionally, they would have entered a tent within the Heart Sands during the time of Ulmur. He would have presented himself to his kode as an honorable warrior. They would spend the night joining, binding themselves to each other, and then emerge as a bonded pair.
But the strange circumstances of the humans’ arrival had changed all—including the traditions of Ulmur in the Heart Sands. He had first seen Kalinda outside the crashed vessel, amid the chaos that had erupted the first night of their arrival. The Hard Sands males had ridden across the sands, venturing to the Heart Sands in search of the source of the burning rains. He had not been able to speak with her at the Heart Sands nor during the return trip to the Hard Sands. Decorum pounded into his mind by his sire forced him to keep his distance, and his body ached for the private time he craved.
But that time was not now.
He turned and strode down one of the lesser-used corridors, taking advantage of a shortcut to his quarters. He would order a private meal, eat and bathe alone, and then send for Kalinda when the time was right. He would meet with her when he was able to present himself properly.
Yes, that would be his plan.
He had nearly reached his quarters when a scream echoing through the tunnels had him freezing in place. A chill raced up his spine as his mind processed the sound. It had been too high-pitched to belong to an Ateran—male or female. One of the human women? Instincts told him he was correct. They further gave him the sense that it was not a nameless female, but Kalinda. His kode. Had she fallen into some kind of danger?
Nakan took off at a sprint, weaving through the tunnels. His tongue flicked out and he drew more air into his lungs, searching for Kalinda’s scent. It filled him, guiding his way as he ran, until he found himself in a section of the tunnels used for food storage. He could not imagine why she had ventured to these boring halls, but it was a thought for later. Now he must get to her and keep her safe.
Without thought, he reached for his hip—the blade that rested there—and came up empty-handed. He had removed his weapons as he worked the mine and he damned himself for his stupidity. He had believed his mountain stronghold was safe. There had not been an attack in the center of the Hard Sands since the last great war.