Hunted By the Alien Pirate by Celia Kyle Page 0,8

chair and once again stares me dead in the eye.

“So, who’s your girl, Monty? You never told me her name.”

I have nothing to lose by telling him. This man is of my race and my crew, more a brother to me than a friend. I’m just about to open my mouth when the comm device on his hip crackles to life.

“Grantian, I need you to secure the tactical gear for the Perseus mission. We’re about an hour from approach. Find Montier and bring him with you.”

“Lucky for you, I’m staring right at him. We’re on it,” he responds.

“Saved by the boss,” I tell him.

“If you think I’m letting you off that easy, you’re dreaming,” he says with a wicked grin. “You can tell me on our way down to the hold.”

Chapter Five

Fiona

Checking the nav screen, I note that we’re about an hour away from approach to Perseus. My stomach, normally a calm sea, is undulating with waves as if stirred by a storm.

Although I’ve been involved in missions before, it’s never been in such a direct manner. I’ve usually stayed behind the scenes with my face in a datapad. I know once I get into the building, I’ll easily be able to hack into their systems, but that’s only provided we’re not met with armed resistance.

I hope that’s the case, but it seems like whatever luck we were initially graced with is beginning to run out. Gods, don’t let today be the day it disappears entirely.

Solair’s voice interrupts my thoughts of dread. “Fiona, you should head down to the hold and gear up. Due to your size, it’ll take some time for Grantian and Montier to outfit you properly. We must ensure one of our most valuable assets is protected, yes?”

“Sure thing,” I answer, hearing the unsteadiness wavering in my voice and hoping he doesn’t.

The captain’s kind eyes regard me for a moment before he speaks again.

“All will be well, Fiona,” he says.

I nod and leave the bridge, allowing his words to fill both my head and my heart.

All will be well.

I will it to be so.

As I’m making my way through the Queen’s twisting corridors, I hear voices echoing ahead of me. My body reacts before my brain does, recognizing immediately that one of the voices belongs to Montier. Heat immediately rushes to my cheeks and between my legs and when I realize it’s him, speaking with another Kilgari male some few feet ahead. My feet increase their speed, as if they wish to match the now-hammering pace of my heart.

It takes me no time to catch up with him. I’d heard Solair’s order for him and Grantian to report to the gear hold to prepare for the Perseus mission, so it’s no shock to find them together, but I wish Montier was alone so we could finish our conversation from earlier. I’ve been dying to talk to him ever since, my mind wandering every other minute back to the color of his eyes and the easy smile he seems to give to only me.

Deciphering the data I’d stolen from the IHC servers on Cadrinda was of the utmost importance, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time. I’d basically served myself up on a platter in that swimsuit, just waiting for him to kiss me. I’m nearly certain he’s my fated mate, but if that’s the case…why must fate sometimes seem so cruel, interrupting us at a time like that?

I greet them both with a wave but give a wide, open grin to Montier alone. Grantian is cordial in his returned hello, merely standing off to the side as he waits for Montier to pick his jaw up off the floor, where it’d fallen upon my approach.

“Fancy meeting the two of you here,” I say, despite my knowledge to the contrary. “Solair sent me down to gear up. He mentioned something about it taking longer to outfit me since I’m so compact. Does that sound about right?”

Montier simply stares at me, his eyes raking down my body. He begins at my face, pausing there as if he’s trying to memorize every one of my features, and then gradually trails his eyes down my torso, stopping at the swell of my ample breasts before lingering on my hips and the apex of my thighs. Once finished, his golden gaze flicks back up to settle on my mouth.

Still, he says nothing until Grantian elbows him sharply in the side. The object of my affections jumps nearly a foot as