Mama and the Alien Warrior (Treasured By The Alien #1) - Honey Phillips Page 0,13

daughter. “Do you want Hrebec to carry you, Lucie?”

The child looked up at him gravely, then raised her arms in a trusting gesture that caused an unexpected ache in his chest. He reached down and carefully picked her up, her slight body almost unbelievably fragile.

“You’s all bumpy,” she said, running a curious finger across his lamella.

“Yes, I am,” he agreed.

She tucked her head into his neck and closed her eyes. Her golden hair, soft and fragrant, brushed along his jaw. He tore his eyes away from her small figure and found Abigail watching him, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Let us depart,” he said before turning to lead the way.

Chapter Seven

Abby hurried to follow Hrebec, determined not to let him out of her sight for a second. Despite her overall lack of faith in the male gender, she found herself inexplicably trusting the big alien. That did not mean, however, that she’d let him get more than an inch away from her while he carried Lucie. The sight of her daughter’s small blonde head, snuggled into that massive green chest, tugged at her heart. She had no problems raising Lucie as a single mother, but she couldn’t help wondering sometimes if her daughter was missing out.

Lucie hadn’t started asking questions about her daddy yet, but Abby knew it was only a matter of time. Since her father was a worthless drug dealer, currently serving an extended prison sentence, she wasn’t eager to have that conversation. Especially since she blamed him for her sister’s addiction, as well as her pointless death.

Pushing the unwelcome memories aside, she concentrated on Hrebec. His heavily muscled back was just as spectacular as his front. When he’d whipped off his shirt, she’d felt a sudden, unexpected urge to touch all of those big, hard muscles. Without his shirt, she could see he had an intriguing raised texture covering his skin in a pattern of small dots. What would that feel like against her own skin, she wondered, and immediately tried to dismiss the thought.

His tight uniform pants showcased strong, muscular legs and a very impressive ass, but his tail fascinated her the most. It emerged just above the low waistband of his pants, wider at the base, then narrowing gradually until it wasn’t more than two fingers wide at the tip. It too had a raised texture, and she had a sudden and very dirty thought.

As if aware of her thoughts, his tail rose and flicked in her direction, brushing against her wrist before dropping back behind him. From the sudden tension in his shoulders, she suspected Hrebec was aware of the movement.

The corridor emerged into a larger open space stacked with containers. On one side, two of Hrebec’s men stacked three white boxes that bore a disturbing resemblance to coffins.

Without thinking, she grabbed his arm. “What are those?”

Hrebec paused to let her come up beside him. “Some of the Vedeckians decided to object to our boarding.”

“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “What about the rest of them?”

“They are already in the brig on board the Defiance.”

“There was one—Kwaret—who wasn’t as bad as the others. Do you know if he is alive?”

“You care for this male?” He frowned and his tail swished.

“No, of course not. But he did try to help us.” The forbidding face showed no signs of relenting. “He was the one who made it possible for me to feed Tiana. And he may know where she came from.”

“I will question him.”

His words didn’t reassure her at all.

“Listen, if it weren’t for him, there’s a good chance that Tiana would be dead, and possibly the rest of our children. Just keep that in mind.”

“Very well,” he said reluctantly.

They stopped in front of a closed hatch. Through a glass porthole, she could see a tube with another hatch at the end.

“Do you have any experience with zero gravity?” he asked.

“Do I look like an astronaut?” At his puzzled look, she sighed and shook her head. “No.”

“Will you permit me to assist you?”

Not at all sure it was a good idea, she nodded slowly. “Yes.”

“I am honored. Hold on to the infant.”

He opened the door and, with a deft move, lifted her against his chest on the opposite side from Lucie. He was so big and warm that she felt safe and protected in his arms. A subtle citrus scent surrounded her and she suddenly wished she wasn’t wearing her sweater so that she could get closer to him. He pushed through the hatch and her head spun