gaze made her feel uneasy. He
jerked his eyes to his brother. His head snapped an affirmative response before
the man spun around to stomp for the door he’d come through.
The transport was about the size of an Earth bus. Ral pulled
Ariel onto his lap as Zorn filled the seats. The doors closed and then they
were flying toward the planet. Ral held her tightly and belted them in. When
they hit the atmosphere the transporter shook—it was a rough ride. Ral chuckled
at her fear and he held her tighter, nuzzling her cheek with his, he whispered
into the wrong ear. He softly growled at her.
She didn’t remind him she couldn’t understand him—she knew
the gist of what he had said. He was assuring her it was safe. The transport
didn’t have windows so she didn’t get to see anything until it sat down with a
small bump. Ral unfastened them from the seat and took her hand to lead her
out.
She knew who Ral’s father and brothers were immediately.
Ral’s father looked so much like Ral that she didn’t need introduced to know
his identity. The four younger men who surrounded their father shared a strong
family resemblance. Ral kept hold of her hand until he reached out to his
father. Ral dropped Ariel’s hand to grip the older man in a bear hug.
Ariel didn’t move an inch as she watched Ral hug each of his
family members. The men looked really happy to have him back. One of Ral’s
brothers turned his attention to Ariel. He frowned and his eyes flew to Ral.
“What is she?”
Ral pulled back from his brother’s embrace. He turned,
smiling, and reached for Ariel. “This is Ariel. I am bound to her.”
The old man roared—Ral’s father looked furious. Ariel gasped
as she almost fell on her ass when she stumbled back to distance herself from
the man. Ral caught her around her waist and hauled her against his body. He
snarled at his father.
“What was that for?”
“You are not bound to that.” Ral’s father snarled back.
Ral’s mouth tightened into a grim line. “She’s from Earth.
She’s human. She was taken from her planet by the Anzons who stole our people.
I have bound to her. She is mine. Never roar at her again, Father.”
“She’s small and weak. Look at her skin. It is pale.”
Hyvin Berrr glared at Ariel as he spoke. If looks could kill
she knew she’d be taking her last breath. This man ruled Zorn according to Ral.
If the older man wanted her dead she had a sinking feeling she wouldn’t have
much time left to live.
“She is brave and beautiful. I do not care what you think. I
have bound her.” Ral snarled the words at his father. His body was tense and
his hold on Ariel was almost bruising. “She is mine and I will not let her be
taken from me.”
His father shot a vicious look at Ariel. “What kind of hold
does she have on you?” He turned his head to stare at a Zorn woman. “Take her
to medical. I want to know if she is doing something to my son to make him lose
his head.”
Ral growled. “No.”
Argernon got between father and brother. “Let her be
examined. You will be at her side, Ral. It will make Father see she has not
bewitched you with her other-world ways. You can also have her translator
evaluated to see if it can be tuned so others besides you can understand her.”
Ral was breathing hard and he was obviously still furious.
He jerked a nod at Argernon. His eyes shot to his father. “If you try to take
her from me I will take that ship in space and we will go to her world. You
will lose me forever.”
Ral grabbed Ariel’s hand and stormed away. She had to run to
keep up with his longer strides. Ariel got one glimpse of Hyvin Berrr’s furious
face before he was out of sight. They followed the Zorn woman toward medical.
Ariel eyed her surroundings. It was beautiful. The buildings
were mostly black and the sky had a red tint to it, reminding Ariel of a sunset
at home, only all of the sky was a light red. The dirt was a dark red and the
grass purple. She walked over a
jerked his eyes to his brother. His head snapped an affirmative response before
the man spun around to stomp for the door he’d come through.
The transport was about the size of an Earth bus. Ral pulled
Ariel onto his lap as Zorn filled the seats. The doors closed and then they
were flying toward the planet. Ral held her tightly and belted them in. When
they hit the atmosphere the transporter shook—it was a rough ride. Ral chuckled
at her fear and he held her tighter, nuzzling her cheek with his, he whispered
into the wrong ear. He softly growled at her.
She didn’t remind him she couldn’t understand him—she knew
the gist of what he had said. He was assuring her it was safe. The transport
didn’t have windows so she didn’t get to see anything until it sat down with a
small bump. Ral unfastened them from the seat and took her hand to lead her
out.
She knew who Ral’s father and brothers were immediately.
Ral’s father looked so much like Ral that she didn’t need introduced to know
his identity. The four younger men who surrounded their father shared a strong
family resemblance. Ral kept hold of her hand until he reached out to his
father. Ral dropped Ariel’s hand to grip the older man in a bear hug.
Ariel didn’t move an inch as she watched Ral hug each of his
family members. The men looked really happy to have him back. One of Ral’s
brothers turned his attention to Ariel. He frowned and his eyes flew to Ral.
“What is she?”
Ral pulled back from his brother’s embrace. He turned,
smiling, and reached for Ariel. “This is Ariel. I am bound to her.”
The old man roared—Ral’s father looked furious. Ariel gasped
as she almost fell on her ass when she stumbled back to distance herself from
the man. Ral caught her around her waist and hauled her against his body. He
snarled at his father.
“What was that for?”
“You are not bound to that.” Ral’s father snarled back.
Ral’s mouth tightened into a grim line. “She’s from Earth.
She’s human. She was taken from her planet by the Anzons who stole our people.
I have bound to her. She is mine. Never roar at her again, Father.”
“She’s small and weak. Look at her skin. It is pale.”
Hyvin Berrr glared at Ariel as he spoke. If looks could kill
she knew she’d be taking her last breath. This man ruled Zorn according to Ral.
If the older man wanted her dead she had a sinking feeling she wouldn’t have
much time left to live.
“She is brave and beautiful. I do not care what you think. I
have bound her.” Ral snarled the words at his father. His body was tense and
his hold on Ariel was almost bruising. “She is mine and I will not let her be
taken from me.”
His father shot a vicious look at Ariel. “What kind of hold
does she have on you?” He turned his head to stare at a Zorn woman. “Take her
to medical. I want to know if she is doing something to my son to make him lose
his head.”
Ral growled. “No.”
Argernon got between father and brother. “Let her be
examined. You will be at her side, Ral. It will make Father see she has not
bewitched you with her other-world ways. You can also have her translator
evaluated to see if it can be tuned so others besides you can understand her.”
Ral was breathing hard and he was obviously still furious.
He jerked a nod at Argernon. His eyes shot to his father. “If you try to take
her from me I will take that ship in space and we will go to her world. You
will lose me forever.”
Ral grabbed Ariel’s hand and stormed away. She had to run to
keep up with his longer strides. Ariel got one glimpse of Hyvin Berrr’s furious
face before he was out of sight. They followed the Zorn woman toward medical.
Ariel eyed her surroundings. It was beautiful. The buildings
were mostly black and the sky had a red tint to it, reminding Ariel of a sunset
at home, only all of the sky was a light red. The dirt was a dark red and the
grass purple. She walked over a
Similar Books
