Laarn said nothing as he followed the emperor and his champion into the palace after the messengers. He wasn’t surprised at being pulled into such a meeting with the two most powerful men in the empire, not after Daaynal had named him as lord healer in front of everyone at the tournament. Sure, he still had to undergo the lord healer’s trial, but that was nothing compared to his healer’s trial, a mere formality as he claimed the position. All that mattered was that the emperor had named him, and now his path was set. No getting out of it. Once Daaynal had made his mind up, that was it.

The Emperor made his way into the war-room, turning to watch the rest of them file in. The last to enter were the two messengers, their combat bots taking position to guard the door outside. Laarn frowned. Why were bots being used in place of guards?

“Tell them what you told me,” Daaynal ordered the messengers, motioning toward Laarn and Xaandril. The big champion had leaned his hips back against the nearby conference table, arms folded over his broad chest. Laarn took a moment to flick a glance over the guy’s markings. Drawn in serranas blood and burned right into his skin, they marked all the battles he’d been in over the years. It was an old tradition, not often practiced anymore, not to the extent Xaandril did anyway. Occasionally a warrior marked an important battle. Both he and Tarrick had a starburst marking on their upper arm from their first major battle, but they hadn’t bothered since.

The messengers turned, and Laarn easily read the exhaustion on their faces as well as the way the one on the left held himself stiffly, favoring his left side as though he had sustained an injury there. The one on the right, obviously the senior warrior, spoke.

“We’ve been patrolling the outer borders for the last couple of months,” he started and coughed. When his hand came away, Laarn caught the telltale flash of scarlet in his palm. He was right. Both men had been in battle, recently. The messenger continued, “There’s been increased activity on the borders. Trade, bounty hunters, general unrest and movement. Several colonies and outposts were attacked and at first we thought it was the Krynassis—”

Xaandril hissed at the mentioned of the reptilian race, but Laarn ignored him. The champion’s dislike of reptiles was well known.

“But it wasn’t? How do you know?” he asked, a frown between his brows. The reptilian warrior race had always caused issues, nibbling at the edges of the empire’s territory or even bold enough to raid colony worlds within it, carrying off whatever supplies and slaves they could get their grubby, clawed hands on.

The warrior shook his head. “We were approached by one of their hive queens, the ruling one in the area. She confirmed that their nests are also being targeted… by Lathar. Fortunately for us, she also knew the identity of the clans involved. Apparently, as the queen closest to our borders, she’s been keeping an eye on our politics. She knew these particular clans are not currently in favor.”

“Really?” Daaynal had his arms folded across his chest, rubbing at his stubbled chin with a massive hand. Even though he was undoubtedly male, when he looked like that, a keen light in his green eyes, Laarn saw echoes of his dead mother in her litaan. “Interesting. They’ve never shown such awareness before.”

The warrior shrugged. “It seems there’s been a massive upheaval in their society. There was an uprising, their Brood Queen was challenged and killed, which has filtered down through the Hive Queens. Most have been replaced with more… forward-thinking females, it seems. Still deadly though. We nearly lost a warrior after he hit on one of her guards.”

Laarn lifted an eyebrow. The reptiles had females, he knew that. He had even seen a few and had to admit they were striking in their own way. He’d never wanted to take one to bed, though. He probably wouldn’t survive the damn night, no matter how attractive she was. Besides, his tastes ran to curvy little Terrans called Jess these days. A fond smile curved his lips and heat rolled through him at the memory of her look as she’d tied her favor in his hair. She would be his soon. Very soon.

“So, which clans?” he asked, bringing the conversation back to the point at hand.

“Three. D’Faran, F’Naar and R’Zaa.”

Xaandril and Daaynal exchanged a look.

“No surprise there,” the champion grunted. “Those three have been a pain in the ass for years one way or another.” He fixed his gaze on the emperor. “Are you finally going to let me go kick their asses to the afterlife and back?”

Daaynal ran a hand through his hair, scooping the loose strands back off his face and snapping a band from his wrist around it.

“I think we have to. If those two have linked up with D’Faran, this isn’t just clan leaders being a little pissy… they could field a war group big enough to cause serious damage if they tried to take Lathar Prime.”

Laarn rubbed his chin and then suddenly became aware it was an almost identical gesture to the one his uncle had used. Quickly he dropped his hand in case they thought he was imitating the emperor. “They won’t attempt to take the home system,” he said.

“Think about it. D’Faran have purist tendencies, and both the others got soundly spanked by the Terran women… Kenna held a pistol to J’aett’s head in front of all his men in the main courtyard and Jane blew Ishaan F’Naar’s brains out on his own ship for poisoning Karryl. No, they won’t come for Lathar Prime… they’ll go for Earth itself. Remove the problem at the source.”

“Shit,” Xaandril breathed. “He’s right. They will.”

“Not happening.” Daaynal’s voice was firm as he straightened up. “Not on my watch. Xaan, you take a war group and head out to the borders. Stop the bastards before they can mobilize. Stop them at any cost. Laarn, take a team of combat healers and go with him. I suspect your expertise will be needed—both on the battlefield and in the healer’s bay.”

“Yes, sire,” both men replied automatically, knowing not to argue when the emperor used that tone of voice, and turned to follow the messengers out.

“Laarn, a moment, please.”

He turned at the order, waiting as the others filed out. He tilted his head as he looked over at his uncle. “Your Majesty?”

Daaynal waved in irritation. “Cut the crap when it’s just us. Daaynal will do just fine.” His gaze was firm. “Make sure you see your little human before you go and cement your claim. I do not want to have to fight fires over females while you’re gone, understand me? Especially not one so important to us.”

Laarn inclined his head, hiding his determined expression. “Don’t worry. Before I go she’ll know she belongs to me.”

* * *

“You’re leaving? Now?”

Worried, Jess had slipped away while the tournament was still ongoing to find Laarn in his lab again. This time, though, he wasn’t working. Instead, he was packing cases with medical equipment.

“Yes,” he replied, his expression grim and his long hair dancing over his broad shoulders. He didn’t look at her at first, carefully packing some medical gadget into a padded case and then adding it to a bigger one. “The situation on the outer borders has gone into meltdown. The emperor has ordered a war group to head out and check the situation. Apparently, some colonies have been destroyed, so healers will be required.”

“Destroyed?” Her eyes widened. “Will you be safe?”

Worry coiled in her gut, her heart clenching at the thought of him in danger. A chuckle rumbling in the back of his throat, he appeared in front of her suddenly. Sliding a big hand into her hair, he used his thumb under her chin to make her look up and meet his eyes.

“Did you not just see me out on the sands, little one?” he asked, his eyes and voice warm. A shiver hit her as he crushed her cheek with his thumb in a soft caress. “I might be a healer, but I’m Lathar… I’m a warrior born and bred. I’ll heal, but I can also kill without mercy. Especially to save my people… and the ones I love.”

His voice dropped on the last words, his gaze latching onto her lips. Before she knew it, he’d crowded her back against the counter behind her, his big body cutting off her view of the rest of the room. The air between them heated as he looked down at her, intent written over his face as he slowly bent, lowering his lips to hers.

She moaned, bringing her hands up to his broad chest. This time, instead of the jacket he usually wore, she got to touch his skin. Like the rest of him, it was warm and hard, silky to the touch. The kiss was softer than any he’d given her before. He teased her lips, feathering his mouth over hers as though he were learning the shape and texture of them before he nibbled lightly on her lower lip. She parted them with a whimper, needing more of him, his kisses, but he didn’t take her up on the offer. Instead, he carried on with the soft nips, his free hand sliding around her waist to pull her up firmly against him.

She registered the thick, full hardness of his cock pressed against her softer belly and gasped. He was huge, she’d known that, but to feel it pressed against her again took her breath away… and sent thick, dark heat swirling through her body. Anticipation and need weakened her limbs as she clung to him, pressing herself to him in invitation and hoping he’d deepen the kiss, claim her lips like he had before.

He chuckled again at her eagerness, and this time, gave in to her silent demands. Releasing her lip from his teeth, the pressure of his fingers at the back of her neck tilted her lips up for him and he claimed them. She whimpered as he invaded her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers and back again in an erotic dance that fired every cell in her body. Where he’d learned to kiss like that, like a sex god, when the Lathar had no women, she didn’t know. It didn’t matter. All that did was that he was here, with her.

The kiss started off soft and sweet, slow and languorous, but within seconds, any sweetness disappeared. Heat built and exploded as his kiss grew harder and hotter. A growl in the back of his throat, he pulled her tighter into his body, his hands on her just this side of cruel. But she didn’t care, the same feral need gripped her as she slid her hands over his shoulders and chest, the satin of his skin highlighted by the smooth scars as she touched him.

With a gasp he broke away, leaning his forehead against hers. His chest heaved as he fought for breath, and, she realized, control.

“Not here,” he said in a voice just this side of a growl. “Not now. I need to go…” At her small cry of protest, the corners of his lips quirked. “When I take you, little one, it won’t be a quick fuck snatched before I have to leave. It’ll be all night, all day… and everyone in the palace will hear my name on your lips as you scream.”

She shivered, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

“Don’t look at me that way…” He swore, the heavy Latharian words almost unintelligible. His features just this side of feral, he claimed her lips again in a hard kiss before breaking away. “Perhaps something to remember me by…”

Before she realized what he was doing, he’d boosted her up onto the counter, shoving his hips between her parted thighs to drink from her lips again. She whimpered, the soft sound one of submission as she opened up for him. The answering male growl did things to her on a primal level, and a second later she felt his hand on her leg under her skirts as it slid upward. Her breathing caught as he reached her thigh, and she parted wider for him, arching her back. His rumble of approval was lost under their kiss as he thrust his tongue into her mouth again to seek hers.

His questing fingers reached the juncture of her thighs and a thread of amusement rolled through her as he started, realizing that she didn’t wear any underwear. Breaking away from their kiss, he looked down at her, the light color of his eyes swallowed up by darkness. “Only ever leave your underthings off for me,” he demanded. “No other male… not unless you want him dead.”

Unable to speak, she just nodded, her breathing catching when he swept blunt-tipped fingers between her folds. They were slick, wet with the evidence of her arousal, which he gathered, smoothing the slickness up and over her clit. “This is mine, little Jess,” he murmured, lips against her jaw and the side of her throat. “I’ll have your release before I go, my name on your lips, but when I get back… you’re mine. Understand?”

She nodded, breathless with anticipation as his fingers explored her pussy lips, grazing against her swollen clit. Her breath caught at the slight contact and she arched her back, rocking her hips to try and get more sensation. He chuckled, hot mouth on her skin, and nipped her earlobe.

“Eager for me, are you, little one?” he murmured, the tip of his broad finger circling her pussy. She whimpered as he breached her body just a little before withdrawing.

“Not yet, I don’t think…” he breathed, kissing a trail of fire down her neck. Every cell in her body was focused on the path of his lips and that of his fingers as they stroked through her swollen pussy lips, slick with her own desire. He found her clit again, and she stiffened for a second. Then she whimpered as pleasure rolled through her, exploding out from her clit to fill her blood.

He murmured soft words in his own language as he kissed her and circled her clit in small strokes. Lifting her hands, she clung to his broad shoulders, her fingers biting in as he drove her nearly insane with his touch. Her clit ached with each stroke and she arched toward him, offering him more of herself. She needed more, needed his touch… needed him.

He moved, sliding a thick finger deep inside her. She whimpered, pressing her forehead to his shoulder as he slid it back and in again. Adding a second finger, he used his free hand to tilt her head back.

“No, Jess, I want to see you. I want to see what I do to you. I want to see the expression on your face when I make you come. Your pleasure, the pleasure I give to you, is mine. Understand?”

She swallowed, nodding and biting her lip as he added another finger to slide deep. Her needy pussy clenched, gripping him as he fucked her with the long digits, pressing his thumb to her aching clit. His gaze locked to hers, she couldn’t look away. Her breath came in short pants and then a groan as he turned his hand and curled his fingers back to press against her g-spot.

“So sensitive,” he murmured, his expression tense and focused on her. “So tight… I’m going to enjoy making you mine. Stretching this sweet little pussy around my thick cock. Will you like that, little Jess… being taken and fucked by a warrior?”

Unable to speak, she nodded, a whimper falling from her lips as her hips began to move, rocking with his motions as her body tightened. Ripples of sensation fluttered through her, centering in her pussy. They grew stronger and tighter, her movements more needy until she was riding his hand, desperate to come.

“Laarn…” she begged. “Please. I need…”

His expression hardened, his eyes laser-focused on hers. “Come,” he ordered. “Now.”

It was as if her body had been waiting for his words, and rapture exploded through her, spiraling out from her core as she came around his fingers in a hot rush. The force of it sapped her strength, forcing her to cling to him more as she rode out the waves. He held her against his broad chest, stroking her through it. His thumb on her clit drew out the sensations until she shivered, lying limply against his chest and shoulder.

“You look wonderful when you come,” he murmured by her ear, “a sight I fully intend to enjoy again, soon, as you come all over my cock when I take you as mine.”

Pulling his hand from her, he lifted it to his lips and licked her essence from his fingers. The groan was purely masculine and full of hunger, a hunger that blazed in his eyes as he looked down at her.

“You’re mine, Jess. Remember that because I’ll be back.”