Warlord's Mercy - Cynthia Sax Page 0,25

act. “I won’t hurt you.”

“I’m stronger than I look.” She curled her free arm. Her biceps were lean, almost non-existent. “If you plan to leave me, to go back to your clone brothers, why do you care if you hurt me?”

Tolui grunted. He cared. Too much.

“I could die the moment I’m out of your sight.” She appeared not at all concerned about dying, stating that horrifying prospect in the same tone she utilized to describe fluffy white clouds. “I’ll take my chances with fucking you.”

“You won’t die.” His claws pricked at his skin. He wouldn’t allow that to happen.

“I could die.” Her ass swayed liked a beacon in front of him. “Once when I was exploring a part of the terrain I had never navigated, I fell into a deep pit. I twisted my ankle.” She turned to face him and held up one of her boot-covered feet. “And I had to climb out of the hole, using my fingertips.” She wiggled her fingers at him. “I crawled back to where I’d left my packs. There was enough nourishment and water in them to last me until I healed. Thank the stars. Or I would have perished there.”

He would have never met her, touched her, talked with her. “You won’t explore any more terrain.” He grabbed one of her hands and pulled her forward. “Not alone.”

“I’ll be alone.” She sighed, the sound tugging at his soul. “I’m always alone. You have hundreds of brothers, and I have—”

Wind whistled unnaturally above them. “Get down.” He shoved Lea forward. She tumbled onto the sand. He covered her with his form.

Talons grazed his lower back, leaving a stinging trail over his bare skin. Grimacing, he quickly flipped over, extended his claws, and jabbed them into the rock vulture’s stomach, impaling the creature on his sharp tips.

Blood dripped on his chest. The rock vulture screeched. Its beak opened and shut, revealing deadly teeth. Its hairless, featherless wings flapped.

Tolui dragged his claws downward, slicing the creature into two. Blood and guts splattered everywhere, coating his skin, getting into his mouth.

He spat, trying to rid himself of the disgusting taste, and he tossed the rock vulture aside.

“Tolui.” His gerel was making spitting sounds also.

He retracted his claws and rolled off her small form. “Are you hurt?” He scooped her into his arms, held her against his gore-coated chest. “Where are your injuries?”

“I’m not hurt.” She wiped the sand off her chin. “Because of you. You saved me.”

The attack had been a surprise. He hadn’t noticed the rock vulture, almost hadn’t responded in time. A shudder shook him. His little human could have been injured. She could have died.

He ran his hands over her body, looking for injuries. Too much of her was encased in tight brown leather. He peeled the garments off her fragile physique, revealing unbroken skin.

“I wasn’t paying attention.” She continued to chatter, her pitch higher than normal, her fear stabbing at him. “That could result in death on this planet.”

She deserved a better home. He’d conquer the system for her, for his brothers.

And he would keep her safe.

He glided his fingertips along her spine, over her ass, needing to touch her, seeking that reassurance. Because he had almost lost her.

She was so tiny. The rock vulture could have torn her apart.

“Did that creature hurt you?” Her hands drifted down his pecs, abs.

His muscles undulated under that light caress. “You won’t leave the tunnels without me.”

“That’s impossible.” She laughed at his order. “When we part—”

“I am your Warlord and you will follow my commands.” His voice bounced off the surrounding stone. His terror, his concern for his little human, flowed into frustration and anger.

If Lea was one of his clone brothers, she would have snapped to attention and apologized for her reaction. All of them now obeyed him without question, without pushback.

But she wasn’t one of his clone brothers. She was his gerel, and she was fearless despite her small size.

Her gaze lifted and met his, her expression not-at-all cowed. “Make me.”

He glowered at her. “What did you say?”

Her throat moved as she swallowed. Hard.

Her head dipped slightly. She was backing down.

Tolui was both relieved and disappointed. A dark part of him wanted the confrontation, needed it, craved it.

She tilted her chin upward.

A tremor flowed through him.

The battle wasn’t over. Not yet.

“Make me obey you.” Defiance shone from his gerel’s eyes, and it sparked a corresponding wildness in him, a need to quash her rebellion. At any cost. “A great leader earns respect. Earn