It’s getting harder and harder for me to fight the urges I have when I’m around Margo. I shouldn’t have kissed her but then she looked at me with such fear in her eyes, all I could do was find a way to comfort her. I need to focus but all I can think about is having her tight cunt wrapped around my cock. I want to explore every inch of her body, kiss her, taste her, and then if I must, die with a smile on my face.

It never bothered me before, but death really seems a harsh punishment for wanting a woman. Margo’s not just any woman, though. She is my mate, delivered to me straight from the stars. I have no question that this is true. Our desire for each other will just continue to grow until it becomes unbearable. The need to become one an unseen force working within us.

I feel the tremble of the ship beneath my feet as the Argali lumber closer. They’re large enough to shake the ground for miles. Just one of the many things that are volatile and overly aggressive on this planet. From far away they look harmless enough but as soon as they scent a battle in the air they turn into feral beasts. How the Salthu ever tamed them enough to control them so they could ride them into battle is something that truly eludes me.

“We need to take the beasts down first,” I say to Branyx and Kjallak, who are standing with me at the hatch. “Kjallak, take your bow and find a secure location on top of the ship. Branyx, you and I will meet them head on.” With a nod, Kjallak heads to the rear hatch. There’s a blast of cold air and then he’s gone.

“Enough waiting,” Branyx says, “Time to erase this scourge from Attala.” His impatience shows as he adjusts the armor on his forearms. For a long time now we have asked for permission from the prime minister to seek out the Salthu, find where they live, and study how they work. What motivates them beyond the occasional desire for bloodlust and looting. We are always denied. So we find ourselves continually on the defensive when it comes to them. Fighting battle by battle instead of taking the offensive and getting the upper hand for once.

My heart beats strongly in my chest, not because of nerves but because of the excitement that comes before battle. Looking at Branyx, I nod once before turning the lock and pushing open the door. Within the next few seconds the Salthu will know that this is one ship that they won’t be claiming as their own.

I sense her before I see her.

I turn and instantly react when I see her here instead of tucked safely away in her quarters.

“I thought I told you to stay safe.”

She rolls her eyes at me and then crosses her arms over her chest. “I will stay safe. I’m going to secure the hatch once you leave.”

“I don’t want you anywhere near the hatch. An arrow could fly through and strike you down.”

“No, Lodyn, it won’t.” She stands in front of me, so fierce and defiant. She’s strong, my mate, and she wants me to realize it. She wants me to acknowledge that she could be a benefit to us, that she could help. But the thought of losing her before I have even had her is too much for me to bear. “And we don’t have time to argue about it.”

“She is right, Lodyn.” Branyx says, impatiently moving from foot to foot, starting to hop in place as a way to warm up his body for the fight.

“Fine,” I say, my words coming out in a growl. “Close the door behind us and then find a safe place to hide.”

She nods her agreement but it isn’t enough for me. “Say it, Margo.”

“Yes, I will find a safe place.”

Finally satisfied, I’m ready to make our move.

Branyx opens the door and we’re instantly moving at breakneck speed toward our lifelong enemy. I hear the soft buzz on the air, recognizing the sound of an arrow let loose of its bow. I’m moving toward the closest Argali when it stumbles, an arrow settling deep in its flesh on the side of its neck. I fly through the snow, ready to strike and bring it down before it has a chance to use its fangs or enormous muscular legs to its advantage.

Branyx shouts as his sword clashes with the first Salthu’s battle ax. He blocks the first blow with this sword and then quick as lightning swings again before his opponent can bring the ax up to deflect the next blow. Branyx severs his head in one fell swoop, moving on to the next before his grotesque head hits the ground.

He moves on to the next while I reach the Argali, the claws on my fingers extended enough that they’ll cut through its skin. I dart through its legs using my claws to slice at its legs, hoping to bring it down fast. They’re vulnerable in a small patch of flesh where their legs connect to the torso. Finding this sweet spot causes severe injury to their hearts, death inevitable.

Everything around me moves in slow motion and somehow through the noise of battle I can still hear the pounding of my heart. Or maybe it’s the Argali’s heart because in the next moment three more arrows land in its chest, adding to the dozens already impaled in its body, and it falls forward. A slimy black pool of blood slowly stains the snow around it.

The second Argali moves closer to the ship and the image of Margo flashes through my mind. Small, fragile beautiful Margo. Fierce for a human but vulnerable on this planet. A mere snack for the vile creature. The thought of any harm coming to her makes my blood boil and my pulse quicken throughout my body.

“Kjallak! Bring it down!” As if he needs me to tell him but it’s moving too close to the ship. It could easily damage it more with its body mass. I don’t know what their intent is with the ship. Most likely they’ll try to take it and claim it as their own so they can sell the parts on the black market. Which means they’ll also get my Margo.

The whizz of his arrows is constant now but the Salthu have spotted him. There isn’t much time before he’ll be forced to defend himself and then we’ll lose the height advantage. “Branyx!” I shout, searching for my brother amidst the chaos around us. Suddenly I’m hit from behind and go flying forward in the snow.

As soon as the weight of the Salthu’s body lifts, I’m able to flip onto my back, striking him through the chest with my knife just before he brings his ax down on me. They might be massive in size but they are slow and not as battle savvy. They telegraph their movements making it easy to dispose of them quickly.

Springing back to my feet, I see Kjallak as he launches himself off of the ship, effectively knocking down three Salthu that have Branyx surrounded. The final Argali is moving steadily toward the ship. Confident that Kjallak and Branyx can handle the rest of the Salthu, I take off after the Argali.

The bodies of the dead savages lie still and lifeless with Kjllak’s arrows piercing their skin. I barely spare a glance at them as I make my way to the last huge obstacle standing in the way of victory. Allowing my fear for Margo’s safety to distract me, not wanting them to take the ship, I don’t notice the arrow flying my way until it’s too late.

The arrow slams into my shoulder and the next thing I know I’m on my back in the snow. I scream up at the sky, cursing myself for forgetting about the fighter on top of the Argali. I was so focused on bringing it down that I should have paid attention to how many fighters were left.

Mere seconds have passed and I’m rolling onto my stomach so I can crawl out of the way of a second arrow. Branyx and Kjallak are occupied with their own fighters, these last two are up to me. I manage to crawl on my stomach so I’m close enough to the beast so the fighter on top can’t reach me with his arrow.

With my left hand I grab onto the arrow, the point closest to my skin, and pull hard straight away from my body. The arrow comes out clean which means the wound will heal completely within the next few minutes. My right arm won’t be of much use until it does, though. I’m as fierce as any of the warriors in the guard but I don’t know if I have the ability to take down an Argali with only one hand. Then there’s the fighter on top of the creature…that will be another thing for me to deal with when I bring the beast down.

Looking up at the creature that towers over me, I notice huge chains draped over its back. Instantly their intentions are clear to me. They plan on attaching the ship to the chains and pull it back with them.

There’s no fucking way that’s happening.

I chance a glance over my shoulder to see how Branyx and Kjallak are doing. They’re both still fighting but there are only three fighters left. The rest have been taken care of. The next thing I hear is the telltale whizz of another arrow.

“Incoming!” I shout at my men. It’s just enough for Kjallak to step back as the arrow flies past his chest, nicking the front of his armor.

I need to get to the last one.

Still favoring my right arm, I pull myself up. My breath is loud in my ears, blowing puffs of white clouds in front of my face. The clang of battle axes and swords echoes off of the mountains behind us.

Just before I make my move, there’s a loud sound that comes from the ship. It sounds like the engine is starting up, whirring slowly at first and then picking up speed.

I look over and see the exterior guns on the ship moving. Then there’s a thump, thump, thump as the weapons fire into the Argali and the last Salthu warrior sitting on top. The guns smoke as the orange flashes of light move almost faster than my eyes. Round after round fire from the ship until we are the only things left moving.

Then, the weapon powers down, the whirring slowing to small clicks until the guns stop spinning. The sounds reverberate off of the mountains and echo around us. What should be a field as quiet as death, pulses with the aftermath of the ship’s steel cannons.

Branyx and Kjallak come up behind me, staring at the smoking Argali lying dead on the ground.

“That was loud enough to bring the entire clan down on us,” Branyx growls. “That human is going to get us all killed yet.”

“Watch your tongue Branyx,” I say, “She was trying to help us. By this point the entire clan knows we’re here anyway.”

“Ah, princess,” Kjallak says with a smile.

“She doesn’t like the pet name you have created for her, Kjallak.”

“I know, Lodyn. That’s what makes it so entertaining.” I look over at my brother and a small smile passes between us. Adrenaline is still coursing through my veins. And now we need to get ready for the second wave of the Salthu’s attack.

The clever beasts are never far away and they’re always in our business.

But now they want something of my mate’s and to me that is the same as threatening her directly.

For the first time in my life, there is only one thing that will be able to calm the steady pounding of the blood through my veins after this fierce of a battle.

Picturing her now, I’m sure she’s sitting at the controls of the exterior cannons with a smile on her beautiful face.

It figures my mate would be as stubborn as me.