Bonded to the Alien Centurion Read online

  5

  Dani froze as the big alien warrior stepped into the ring with her. A shiver raced down her spine at the hard look on his face. He wasn’t playing around or being civil anymore. This was serious. He was serious. She swallowed, her suddenly dry throat clicking.

  She needed to win this. Or he would own her. Claim her. Not happening.

  “Oh, this is bullshit!”

  “Your Majesty, I really must protest!” Kenna and Madison cried at the same time.

  Dani rolled her shoulders, an eye on her new opponent even as Madison pushed forward to put a hand on Daaynal’s.

  “Your Majesty,” her voice was tight, urgent. “Surely Major General Black has proven that our women fight just as well as your men. Putting her in with a fresh opponent seems a little… unfair, wouldn’t you say?”

  Everyone in the room froze as Daaynal looked down at Madison’s hand.

  Dani sucked in a quick breath. Shit, did they have rules against touching the boss or something? She hoped not. She needed to get Madison out of here in one piece or her head was going to be on the chopping block with command. How she was going to do that when she was unarmed against a whole ship full of alien warriors she had no clue. Orders from command rarely made sense.

  Madison snatched her hand back, skin pale, and the emperor shook his head.

  “Both combatants are already within the circle. The challenge will proceed.”

  Dani caught her opponent’s gaze with a hard look of her own. If he thought she’d go easy on him because he’d been her escort, or because she thought he was good-looking, he had another think coming. She wasn’t so easily swayed, despite what the Lathar might think about human women. Or humanity in general.

  She’d seen in a heartbeat what Madison hadn’t, that this was a setup, but not quickly enough to get them both out of harm’s way. Now she could only save one of them.

  “I’m good with going ahead, on one condition.” Her words were directed to Daaynal. He lifted a hand to halt the fight for a moment.

  “What condition?”

  Dani’s heart rate was above normal waiting for his answer. She needed him to agree to this or the whole plan fell apart.

  “That whatever the outcome of this match,” she motioned between herself and the Latharian warrior in front of her. “The vice president is free to return to the Defiant.”

  The quick look of surprise that flared in the backs of the emperor’s eyes made her bite back a smile of triumph. The possibility that she might sacrifice herself to gain something of greater importance obviously hadn’t occurred to him. Good. Humanity had few enough advantages against the Lathar. At least, if they could keep the alien race guessing, that was something.

  A hush fell over the room as she waited for Daaynal to reply. She held her breath. Then he nodded.

  “Agreed. Should the vice president wish to leave, of course.” His voice rose over the sound of a nearby warrior’s protest. Dani ignored the ruckus, her gaze locked to the emperor’s, and then she nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  He inclined his head and, with a motion of his hand, indicated that the fight should continue.

  She turned back to her opponent, making sure to keep her weight lightly on the balls of her feet as she considered him. Unlike Konaat, he didn’t dance around or try and impress her with fancy moves. Instead, he adopted a guard position, his attention focused on her.

  Confident, but not overly so. That made him far more dangerous. Plus, he’d already seen her fight once, so the same moves wouldn’t work on him. Thankfully she hadn’t had to use even a fraction of her available repertoire on Konaat.

  Keeping her weight balanced and ready for anything, she circled him. He was tall and well-muscled, with the kind of build that made women sit up and take notice. His movements were easy and graceful, indicating he’d had a shit load of training.

  Nothing said more, however, than the multitude of braids hanging over one shoulder. They practically filled the side of his head and she knew each indicated a battle honor. They were the Latharian version of medals. Few men in the crowd around them had so many.

  Great job, Dani, she told herself. You just had to go and pick some kind of bloody alien hero.

  Putting the thought from her mind, she concentrated, and the room around them fell away as she and the alien warrior sized each other up.

  When he attacked, it was fast and low. She barely had time to catch her breath as he rushed in. His fist flashed in the air by her head and she lifted her arm to block. Protecting her head, she absorbed the blow across her hunched shoulder. Then she twisted and lashed out with a powerful twist of her torso.

  Her fist caught him in the side of his ribcage, sneaking through the guard he tried to get into place to land with a satisfying “thud.” He grunted, breaking away to salute her with two fingers to his temple. She winked at him, amused that the gesture crossed species and planets.

  But his hard expression said she wouldn’t be able to pull the same trick on him twice. And she couldn’t. Her attack was met with fierce resistance, and she swore mentally as each kick and punch was met with a block or a counterattack. Such a big man should not be able to move so quickly. No way. No how.

  He was though. And she was forced to really move it up, using every ounce of skill to stop him. But, like in any fight, she had to let some blows through. One to her hip to avoid a more dangerous one to her head. A kick to her thigh in favor of blocking a punch to her kidneys. He was the same, trading taking a less damaging blow to block something that would have stopped the fight dead and given her the victory.

  Those blows mounted up, though, and it wasn’t long before they were both breathing heavily, breaking away after each contact and exchange to circle each other slowly.

  “Might as well give it up, Major General.” His voice was low and steady as he watched her. “You can’t win this. I’ll just wear you down.”

  She shrugged, her fists tight and her stance solid as she mirrored his movements. “We’ll see.”

  His next attack was fast and ruthless. She pressed her lips together as she twisted and turned, trying to be some kind of superhero to stay out of the way of his fists. But the fast pace had taken its toll. She was a hair too slow on a block and a lucky blow crept through, a fist like a hammer slamming into her side.

  She clenched her teeth as agony exploded through her side, stealing her breath for an instant. Nausea rose, her muscles locking up as she fought the sensation down. She had to keep fighting. There was no other option. But in the split second it took her to get the pain under control, he had her.

  His big body wrapped around hers, and he took her to the ground, wrapping her up. He didn’t pin her down as she would have thought, but instead with his legs clamped around her hips and his big arm around her neck, he forced her spine into a hard curve.

  Anger crashed through her and she struggled against him. He hissed but easily held on, his words soft in her ear.

  “Shh, Dani, it’s okay. Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  His deep voice whispered against the side of her throat, lifting the fine hairs there, and she froze in his hold. Not giving up but listening to him.

  “Please, listen to me,” he murmured. “They’re not going to let you out of this circle, not without you being claimed by one of us. That’s been the plan all along. Don’t you realize? Stop fighting and I promise I’ll look after you.”

  She growled and jerked against him, still fighting.

  He sighed. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Remember that, okay?” He tightened his arm. Her breath came in short gasps as he cut off her air supply. She tried to hold out against him, but despite her intentions to the contrary, she felt herself starting to sag against him, and her world went gray. Relaxing into Sardaan’s hold, she let the darkness wash over her.

  She’d lost. But it didn’t matter.

  The vice president was going home.

  * * *

  Triumph rage
d through him as she relaxed. He’d won. The victory was his.

  He eased up on his arm lock around her neck, only for the lack of resistance in her body to send ice down his spine. She hadn’t relaxed. She was unconscious.

  “Draanth’s sake, Dani,” Sardaan hissed. Rather than yield to him, she’d allowed him to choke her out. “Fucking stubborn female.”

  Turning her over, he checked her vitals quickly. She was still breathing and her heart beat strongly against his fingers when he pushed them against the side of her throat. Relief filled him that he hadn’t hurt her, or worse, followed by frustration. She’d put herself in harm’s way rather than give in. Were all Earth females so stubborn?

  “Dani… wake up. Dani?” he murmured, concern filling him when she didn’t stir.

  Scooping her up into his arms, he stood with fluid grace, looking at the warriors crowded around him. Even the emperor looked concerned at the sight of the tiny female limp in Sardaan’s arms.

  “Is she okay?”

  Kenna was by his side in an instant, two fingers against Dani’s throat to check for a pulse the same as he had. Grunting in satisfaction, she moved on, using a gentle thumb to roll back one of the smaller woman’s eyelids. “No burst vessels. I think you just knocked her out.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” a deep voice argued, warriors moving out of the way as Isan shouldered his way through.

  “Bloody human females think they know everything,” he groused as he reached them, sliding a glare at Kenna. She glared right on back until he turned his head. Scars ran down the side of his face and neck, disappearing under the leather combat jacket he wore.

  She nodded to the healer and backed off. “Sorry, old habits. Combat medic,” she murmured.

  Isan grunted in the back of his throat as he reached Sardaan’s side. “Bring her through here.” He motioned, glaring at the warriors around them. “Get your asses out of the way. Injured coming through!”

  “Lay her down,” he ordered as Sardaan carried her through into the same antechamber she’d changed in for the challenge fights. Her human uniform was still draped over the chair by the couch.

  Sardaan laid her down as gently as he could, his worried gaze sweeping over her as he stepped back to let the healer take over.

  Gods, she was so tiny. He hadn’t realized quite how small she was. Awake, her personality made her seem bigger than she was. Somehow. He still hadn’t figured out how she did that. But unconscious… she was so delicate. Worry and guilt hit him hard and fast. Shit, he could have really hurt her. He was bigger. Stronger. There was no way he should have gotten into that circle with her.

  “Will she be okay?” he asked Isan.

  The healer didn’t reply at first, his attention on the scanning wand he ran slowly over her body. Sardaan had used them often himself. Usually on the younglings who needed extra training when they got injured. Which was a lot. While not as comprehensive as the full diagnostic beds in the medbay, it would pick up any issues that needed further investigation.

  “Isan?” he growled in frustration. Gods, help him, he’d shake the draanthic healer if he didn’t need him to treat Dani.

  “Yes, yes… she’s fine,” the healer replied, still scanning. “Bear with me, though. She’s only the second one I’ve seen. I want to make sure I don’t miss anything.”

  Sardaan nodded, even though the healer wasn’t looking at him, and folded his arms. He hid his relief that she was okay. That he hadn’t inadvertently hurt her. More scans were better. Much better.

  “Seeing some old injuries, healed.” Isan kept up a running commentary. “She’s fully developed, an adult of her species. I wasn’t sure because of her size.”

  “Her file said she was in her forties,” Sardaan broke in. “Plenty old enough to have reached adulthood.”

  Isan waved dismissively. “They’re an offshoot. We don’t know how they develop. Latharian cellular regeneration was increased generations ago, which slowed our aging process.”

  “I don’t think humans have that sort of advanced technology…” Sardaan started but then frowned. “Does that mean that their lifespans are shorter?”

  Isan nodded. “Much. But it’s a quick genetic fix.”

  Sardaan shoved a hand through his hair. His breath hissed out from between his lips as relief rolled through him. The idea that her lifespan might be much shorter than his hadn’t occurred to him until that moment, and the thought of losing her so soon scared him right down to his boots.

  He had bigger problems though. He had what he wanted. He’d won the bout and the delicate human major general was his by right of claiming. But she hadn’t agreed to it. She’d been tricked into the circle for the fight. Her hand had been forced, even though he’d had no option. He couldn’t risk her being claimed by another.

  But… she didn’t want to be with him.

  So what did he do now?

  He scrubbed at the light stubble on his jaw. He couldn’t let her go, that was for sure. Even if he hadn’t had orders from the emperor to seduce her anyway, he… couldn’t let her go. Just couldn’t. She was his. Every instinct he had rejected the idea of letting her go. Ever.

  But if she wouldn’t accept him? His mood, already grim because of her current condition, hit rock bottom. For a second, his gaze landed on Isan’s broad back. He could always ask the healer to give her something that would make her more… pliable. More accepting of him. Ker’ann.

  His lip curled back in disgust. At himself. Just thinking about drugging her so she would accept him was shameful. He was a warrior. An honorable male. He didn’t want to drug his mate into his bed. He wanted her to want to be there. To be as eager for his touch and his body as he was for hers.

  No. He wouldn’t drug her and he couldn’t send her back to her ship. So what the draanth was he to do?

  He could make her fall in love with him…

  The thought hit him like a bolt out of the blue and he stood there, like a deearin that had been caught in the lights of a skitter. Goddess, he could… His mission was seduction after all. But instead of just her body, all he had to do was seduce her mind as well and make her fall in love with him.

  He smiled slowly to himself, satisfied with his plan, as Isan folded the scanner wand away and stood up.

  “Well, she’s fit and healthy,” the healer reported. “Small, but it doesn’t appear to be due to any deformity. They just are that small. She has evidence of old injuries… bone breaks and scars. She’s been a warrior for a long time from the looks of it. But fit and healthy. And… fertile.”

  Sardaan blinked, surprised. “I hadn’t even thought about offspring.”

  Isan’s lips curved into a small smile and he clapped Sardaan on the shoulder. “And that is why I’m the healer and you’re on track to war commander. Isn’t it? You don’t need so many brains for that. Now take your mate and get out of here. She’ll probably want some rest and relaxation after all this exertion.”

  6

  “I’m good. I don’t need any rest,” Dani argued in a mumble.

  She’d clawed her way back to consciousness to the sound of deep male voices. A rush of warmth filled her at one of them, but in the cotton wool between asleep and awake, she wasn’t sure why. Just that she liked it and felt safe when hearing it.

  The memory of being beaten in the fight hit next. She was on the Latharian vessel… and she’d lost. Shame hit, her cheeks burning as she lay there, no strength in her body as she tried to work out what the hell to do next. How had this happened?

  She’d lost to Sardaan. But he hadn’t hurt her. A quick mental check of her body revealed no new areas of pain. Some bruising and muscle aches but nothing that immediately flagged as an issue. She could fight if she had to.

  Her mind went back over the fight. She replayed it all, move by move, like clips from a movie flashing in her mind. She was good, quick and agile. But he was bigger. Stronger. He’d beaten her with brute strength. She should never have let the fight hit the fl
oor. That had been her big mistake.

  They’re not going to let you out of this circle, not without you being claimed by one of us. That’s been the plan all along.

  His words came back to her and she sagged against the soft surface she lay on, numbness filling her. She fought it back, thinking quickly. This was just a setback. That was all. The mission—to learn more about the Lathar—was still active. She just had to adjust the basis she approached it from. In fact, if she thought about it, she was in a far better situation to observe them now than before. Now, she was actually part of their culture and society. That was an unprecedented level of access.

  With a groan, she opened her eyes and rolled to her side, legs over the side of the couch as she sat up. There were just two alien men in the room with her. Sardaan and another one, with similar gray-ash hair. It wasn’t a true blond, she realized, but more a gray. Not the gray of age—it was too vibrant and shiny. Healthy. They were both men in the prime of their lives.

  The other man was scarred, one of their healers, and she inclined her head to him. “Thank you, Doctor.”

  He tilted his head to the side, a small smile creasing his lips before he nodded in acknowledgment. That was something she’d noticed about them. They had delightful, almost old country manners.

  “You are most welcome. You have some cuts and bruises, but no other damage. However,” he said, raising his voice over Sardaan’s pointed rumbling and looks toward the door, “if you start with a headache, feel sick, have any balan—”

  She chuckled. “I’m more than familiar with the signs of a concussion, Doc. Don’t worry, I’ll call you if I feel bad. Promise.”

  “She says she feels fine. You say she’s fine. Leave us,” Sardaan growled, his abrupt manner with the healer making Dani cut a quick glance at him as he bundled the other man out of the room.

  “There was no need to be rude to him,” she said as he walked back toward her.