Hard Sands: Warlords of Atera Read online

  “I don’t get it.” She pulled her knees to her chest. “So, what, he wanted to marry me?”

  Nakan tilted his head to the side, gaze distant and expression musing. “If that is your word for the binding. He wished to claim you as his mate, but he could not do so. You are mine. My kode.”

  “Whoa,” she held up her hands. “Wait a minute. I only said that to get him away from me. I never said I’d actually mate you.”

  Nakan whirled to face her, anger and confusion crossing his face. “But… you are my kode. Your presence caused my blood to stir. This cannot be denied.”

  Kalinda rose and crossed to the other side of the room to lean against the wall, arms crossed. “Look, I don’t know how you people in alien lizard land do things, but where I come from, you need a woman’s permission to get it on. You know, romance, commitment. You haven’t even asked me out to dinner!”

  “You are hungry?” Nakan flashed her a confused frown. “I can send for a meal, if—”

  “No.” She threw up her hands. “Not what I meant. I just mean that… you know what? Never mind. Forget it.” She waved a dismissive hand at him, sighing in frustration. She had never gotten use to the TransComm Implant’s inability to translate a person’s words but not their meaning. Some phrases and expressions in one language were often lost in translation, which led to the confusion she found on Nakan’s face.

  His shoulders drooped and it was difficult read the expressions on his reptilian face, but it almost looked like he pouted.

  “I am uncertain why you are angry, my kode.” His lips tightened. “What can I do for you? How may I make your day more pleasant?”

  She hesitated, unsure how to proceed. He looked at her—so eager—almost like a puppy that waited for praise. It was so strange to her. Here he was, a big, strong alien warrior who commanded an entire territory, yet he asked how he could please her.

  Part of her was tempted to issue a bunch of extravagant requests. Fine food, jewelry, clothing, servants to feed her while fanning her with palm leaves. Did they have something like palm leaves on Atera? If he was intent on wooing her, she could milk the situation for all it was worth.

  She sighed and resigned herself to not having any of the fun stuff. She just wasn’t that kind of person. Or maybe she could be that materialistic person a little bit, but nothing good would come out of acting that way. “Right now, all I want is to be left alone. I need time to think.”

  Nakan lowered his gaze. “As you wish. I shall bathe in private.” He gestured to the room. “Everything I have is yours, my kode. Please make yourself comfortable.”

  He strode through a nearby door, the panel swinging wide to reveal the room’s interior. It remained slightly ajar and she peeked through the crack to watch him climb into a tub filled with what looked like a mud bath. He rubbed and scrubbed his scales until they shone beneath the dim lighting. She kept watch for a short time, fingers to her lips.

  Despite her reservations, she couldn’t help but acknowledge that Nakan was one fine looking creature. She would never have considered the possibility of being attracted to an alien lizard, but he was a true sight to behold. His muscles rippled beneath his gray scales, and dark eyes held a quiet resolve that spoke of hidden strength. He was strong and protective, but now they were alone together. He had shown her a softness and vulnerability that she hadn’t expected.

  She shook her head and turned from the door. She couldn’t let herself get caught up in those thoughts. He was, for all intents and purposes, her captor. The human women had all been told they were “guests,” but they felt like prisoners. They hadn’t been given a choice about their destination when leaving the Heart Sands—when they’d been separated from the other survivors of the crashed ship. Beyond that, Nakan seemed to think she was his personal property. He seemed to expect to claim her and make her his mate without even asking her how she felt. In truth, she didn’t know how she felt. She hadn’t had time to process everything that had happened. It was all too much for her to absorb and the situation left her head spinning.

  She stared out the windows, looking into the distance at the wide mountain range that spread as far as she could see. No glass panels stood in the frames, allowing a cool breeze to drift in and ward off the worst of the intense heat that had plagued her ever since the crash. The windows were narrow, nothing more than angled niches cut into the wall. They reminded Kalinda of old movies she’d seen with medieval castles and arrow slits to allow defenders to rain arrows down on the masses. She supposed the entire place had been built with defense in mind, especially considering the warlike nature of the aliens. She just hoped they weren’t in danger of being attacked. She’d endured enough peril for the day.

  She glanced at the door, wondering if she should return to the quarters she shared with the other women. She didn’t want to resume her explorations. It felt too dangerous to roam the tunnels with Chaze out there waiting to find her alone again. Though, if nothing else, she would be more comfortable with the other humans than alone in the warlord’s private quarters.

  Kalinda pushed her attention out the windows once more, staring down, down, down to see what it would be like to try and climb her way to freedom, assuming she could squeeze through the narrow windows. Escaping through the windows was a fool’s dream, as a sheer drop unfolded beneath her. The rough surface of the mountainside appeared to offer plenty of handholds and footholds, but she’d never been very athletic. She’d never survive the climb down.

  While she stared at yet another failed escape route, a soft tickle teased her arm. She idly brushed at the caress, annoyed at the random strand of hair that annoyed her. The sensation continued, annoying her even further, and she finally stared at her bare bicep in search of the strand.

  Only to let out a piercing scream.

  Kalinda flung her arm, throwing off the insect-like creature that had crawled on her skin. In the brief flash, she’d cataloged the bug’s appearance. A mix between a scorpion and a spider, it had far too many legs and a long, dangerous tail. When she flung it away, it landed on the ground in a scramble of legs before scurrying under a piece of furniture.

  Not even hesitating a bit, she released another high-pitched scream and ran across the room to get away from the insect. Two guards flung the bedroom door open and rushed into the space, their weapons drawn. Both rushed at her, blades brandished, and she lifted her arms to cover her face.

  “My lady, get down!” one shouted and shoved her behind him, her back to the stone wall. He stood in front of her, defensively positioned while he scanned the room for signs of danger. “Where is the enemy? What has happened?”

  Kalinda yelped, pain searing her as the guard shoved her back. A hot, piercing agony shot through her side and she pushed away from the wall, hands going to her waist. In his haste, the warrior had shoved her into a stone niche that held a statue of one of Nakan’s ancestors holding a spear. The tip had pierced her and caused a pool of blood to well under her shirt.

  The door to the bathroom banged open and Nakan rushed into the room, claws and fangs bared. His gaze scanned the room, keen eyes missing nothing as he sought the source of the danger. “What is going on? An assassin?”

  Kalinda struggled to catch her breath, fear and pain stealing air from her lungs. Instead of speaking, she simply pointed at the table.

  Without hesitation, he strode to the table and flipped it over to reveal the hiding insect. The moment it was touched by light, it scurried away.

  Nakan watched it go, eyes narrowed. “A soqeat? That is all?”

  She took a deep breath and sought to steady herself. The guards lowered their weapons with deep chuckles.

  “They are harmless, my kode.” Nakan bent and scooped the insect into his hands before carrying it to the window. “They eat other insects and secrete a fluid we use to tan animal hides.”

  He set the insect on the window ledge and it quickly scurried outside until it disappeared from view.

  Kalinda release
d a relieved sigh, a hint of embarrassment replacing the fear now that she knew the soqeat was harmless. Even if it had been grotesque and frightening. She’d always been afraid of bugs, even ordinary Earth spiders from home. An alien spider monster, harmless or not, was too much for her human mind. She stepped away from the wall and winced as movement caused the wound to burn. She pressed the fabric of her shirt to the wound, fighting to staunch any bleeding.

  Nakan’s stare followed her arms to her hands and he grimaced when his eyes fell on her wound.

  “You fools!” he bellowed and rushed to her, throwing her guards aside as if they were toys. One of them slammed into the wall while the other tumbled to the floor. “You have injured my kode. I will have your heads for this!”

  He reached for one guard, claws bared and extended toward the guard’s throat. Her eyes went wide, and she grabbed his wrist, pulling against him with her puny strength.

  “Stop it. I’m fine.” She tugged. “I promise I’m fine.” Another tug and then she lifted the hem of her shirt to check the wound. The statue’s spear was dull—merely decorative—and it hadn’t penetrated her deeply. The wound was little more than a scratch though she wouldn’t say no to a bandage to help slow the bleeding.

  Nakan ceased his attempts to injure the guard, his attention now swinging to her wound. He knelt at her side while he carefully touched her flesh.

  “Fetch a healer!” he barked at the guards and shot them both a dark glare. They made quick bows and murmured their assent before hurrying from the room. Nakan ignored them, his attention wholly on Kalinda and her wound.

  “It’s fine. I swear. I just need a bandage.” She didn’t want anyone making a big deal over the small wound, especially after she’d already stirred up enough trouble with the insect. She certainly didn’t want the guards getting in trouble. They’d only been attempting to protect her.

  “Sit.” Nakan guided her to the sofa. He forced her to sit and lean against its back. “I will attend to you, my kode. All will be well.”

  His hands went to the hem of her shirt, lifting slightly, and his purpose smacked her in the face. He intended to strip her. Yeah, not happening. She slapped his hands away, anxious to get his roving hands elsewhere.

  “Hold up! I’m not putting on a show here, buster.”

  Chapter Six

  Nakan hesitated and held his hands up in surrender. He did not understand her reaction. He only sought to tend her wound.

  “Please, my kode.”

  “Stop calling me that,” she snapped and tugged her tunic down to cover her abdomen once again. “I don’t need your help and I’m sure as hell not going to take off my shirt in front of you.”

  Nakan frowned, eyes narrowed, and tipped his head to the side. He did not understand her unwillingness to disrobe so he could see to her injury. Ateran females wore far less clothing than the humans—many going nude as males often did—except when ritual clothing was necessary. Others wore light fabric when venturing outdoors, but only to protect their scales from the coarse sands carried by the punishing winds. When indoors and not performing their duties, there was little cause to cover one’s body.

  The human’s obsession with constantly remaining clothed made little sense. They covered themselves daily but also wore far more than they should when bathed in the heat of the twin Ateran suns. Though he would admit there was something provocative about Kalinda’s covered form. Her beautiful graceful curves tempted him, but that desire was doubled by the way fabric clung to her body. The clothing teased him with hints of what lay beneath. The allusions of concealed flesh stirred his blood and stiffened his length hidden within his mating pouch.

  Though now was not the time for such urges or thoughts. Not while his kode needed medical attention. He could fantasize about her naked body another time. Perhaps even see her unclothed himself if the goddess blessed him.

  “I only seek to tend you.” He struggled to adopt a reassuring tone though he was not one to negotiate and cajole. He was a warlord. He issued orders and made demands. But, he reminded himself, she was his kode. Without understanding the cause of her upset, he could do nothing but offer to tend her as a caring mate should.

  Kalinda crossed her arms over her large breasts and focused on the far wall of the space. “I’m fine.”

  Nakan’s frown deepened. “No, you are not.” He reached for her shirt once more. “You still bleed.”

  “I said no!” She slapped his hands away again. Did she seek to injure him? She could not. Her human strength was nothing compared to the warriors he sparred with during training.

  He pulled back and shook his head. He wished he understood his kode better. That they were not so alien to each other. “Kalinda, you are my kode. It is my duty to tend to your needs. Particularly when you have been wounded.”

  He did not add that guilt drove him as well. She had been injured while under his protection. He was to blame for her pain even if it had not been intentional.

  “I don’t care about your duty.” Her glare intensified. “Just get me some bandages and I’ll handle it myself.”

  “This is ridiculous.” He growled low and reached for her tunic. “I am your mate. Tending you is my duty, and my right.”

  “Your right?” She jerked. “Your right? You think you have a right to take off my clothes?”

  “That is not what I—”

  “Yeah, I don’t want to hear it.” Kalinda rose and crossed the room, wincing with each jarring step while she pressed a hand to her wound.

  “You are being foolish, my kode.” Nakan rose and crossed to her, but his mate dodged him and bolted, putting a table between them.

  “And you’re being an ass.”

  He reached across the table and she slapped his hand away once more. Nakan grumbled but was undeterred and attempted to capture her. Part of him knew his actions only acted to anger her further, but another was frustrated by her confusing behavior. Worry that her injury was worse than imagined refused to release him.

  He darted around the small table and attempted to subdue her though she continued to fight him. Their struggles soon dissolved until they nearly wrestled, he to gain control and her to flee. At that point they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

  Nakan glanced over his shoulder and spied Aarom with the compound’s healer at his side. Aarom crossed his arms and stared at Nakan and Kalinda with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

  “I know you are young and inexperienced,” Aarom spoke to Nakan. “But in my time, this was not how an honorable warrior treated his kode.”

  Frustration suffused Nakan and he released Kalinda before taking a large step back and lowering his eyes. Shame soon enveloped him—over the way he had acted toward his kode and also that his behavior had been witnessed by his paladin. He struggled to find the words to explain what Aarom witnessed, but there was no explanation.

  “Imagine what your young will think,” Aarom continued with a smirk. “Seeing their sire chase their mother in such a way.”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Kalinda threw up her hands. “Who said anything about children?”

  Aarom and the healer exchanged a look while Nakan winced. They had not yet mated and now Aarom gave his kode another weapon to use against their mating.

  His paladin frowned at Kalinda. “You are Nakan’s kode. What else would we expect except for a full nest of young?”

  “Now, just a darn minute.” Kalinda waved her hand in his direction. “I am not his codey, or whatever. And I’m not having his babies. We said all that because it was the only way to get Chaze to leave me alone. Now we can end the ruse and go back to being sane people. We’ll forget all this mating talk.”

  Aarom stared at Kalinda and Nakan recognized the shock that filled his paladin’s gaze. The gaze soon landed on Nakan, but he merely lowered his head and slumped his shoulders. He had tried to be patient with his kode and her confusion about how an Ateran mating worked since she was from a distant world. But now she h
ad denied him—rejected him—in front of his paladin! While Aarom would remain silent, the healer would surely spread the tale through the entire mountain. The territory! Every Ateran warrior in the Hard Sands would soon know of Nakan’s shame. That his kode had denied him.

  There could be no greater shame.

  “Perhaps,” the healer was wary, voice low, “I should leave this.” He placed a small jar on the nearest table and took slow, careful steps toward the door. “Clearly this is a bad time, Warlord. I will not disturb you further.”

  Aarom also retreated, his gaze intent as he studied Nakan. His expression was a mix of embarrassment and sympathy. “Some discussions are best completed in privacy.”

  That soon left him alone with his kode.

  And with his shame.

  Nakan kept his stare lowered, unable to meet Kalinda’s gaze any longer. He padded to the low table that held the jar of Healing Sands and cradled the vessel in one hand. He pried the lid off with one claw and then held the jar toward Kalinda. “The Healing Sands,” he murmured. “If you will not allow me to tend you, you must at least apply them to your wound. Then I shall leave you in peace.”

  He was at a loss for what else to do. He tried to be the best mate, but he was failing. Perhaps he was not worthy of being Kalinda’s mate. Perhaps she would reject him. He would be destined to become a lonely old male with the Right of Ka’Kode his only option to find a mate.

  It might be what he deserved, especially since he failed to protect her. First, he allowed Chaze to accost her in the tunnels and then allowed her to be injured within his quarters. A true warrior would not have failed his kode in such a way.

  Nakan hoped Kalinda would see past his inadequacies and find room for him in her heart after all.

  Chapter Seven