Stolen (Tribes #2) - Milana Jacks Page 0,28

them. Thank God. Climbing off, I suppress a groan. My entire body hurts from being pressed against him for what feels like an hour. My collarbone hurts from bouncing on top of his hard back. Riding him any longer would shatter my bones.

The creature sits back on his hind legs, which fold like a frog’s, and as I watch, under his skin, muscles shrink, bones move, and suddenly, Nar stands before me nude. He wipes his bloody mouth and spits flesh out.

Bile rises in my throat. There’s no stopping it. Turning, I bend and vomit once, gagging until the reflux subsides.

I rest my palms on my knees. “You’re a predator.”

“I am. And you are Aoa.” He grabs my wrist and turns my hand palm up. He unsnaps a golden bead from his hair and puts it in my palm. “There ya go, Aoa.”

“It’s Michelle.”

“Not around here. Leave that girl back where you came from. Aoa will take care of you here.”

“The goddess?”

“Of thunder and pain.”

I scrub my face, unsure what to make of him or his goddess. “What happens now?”

“Good question.” He chuckles and turns away, his hand flying through the air the same way Feli’s had done on the platform. He seems absorbed in the activity, frowning, pursing his lips, so I know he’s working on something I can’t see. I look around. We’re in the middle of a thick forest, and with no sign of anyone, I think we made it somewhere safe. Bugs are buzzing all around us. I hear running water nearby. “Are we near a river?” I ask.

“Yes.”

“Do you think I can wash up?”

“No.”

“Okay, so I should shut up and leave you to it.”

“Yes.”

Minutes later, I’m getting antsy. I move away from him, skulking behind the trees, looking out for the males who chased us or anything else that might spring out of nowhere and eat us. Or me, to be precise, since I doubt anything on this planet can eat this male.

The forest is eerily quiet now. Even the bugs have gone silent. “You’re the ultimate predator of this planet. Is that right?”

“Yes. Where are you going?”

“Oh, I was…looking to make sure nobody caught up. What are you doing?”

“I’m reconfiguring the portal.”

“The what?”

“The portal.”

Holy shit, they have portals. A seemingly primitive alien race, practically Vikings in space, have portals and miraculous healing properties.

Nar steps to the side and reveals a spatial opening. On the other side is a dark gap. Fear of being placed inside another hole grips me and makes my feet move. I spin and start running, but he’s on me in a second, snatching me around the waist. I scream when he leaps into the void.

Chapter Thirteen

Michelle

I’m kicking and screaming when Nar throws me onto something soft. It’s a bed, and I scoot as far back from him as possible, then fall off, hitting the floor. Gasping for air, I stay down, looking around, blinking rapidly, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the darkness.

I hear him moving around, his boots sloshing on the floor. Tiny lights ignite on the wall next to me, and I crawl away from them, but stay behind the bed as if it offers me a barrier. He’s on the other side, his footsteps seeming farther away. When he stops, I hold my breath, heart thudding in my ears.

“What is this place?” I ask.

“My chambers. You can come out from behind the bed.”

I peek over the mattress to see him leaning against the wall near a thick black curtain with gold and purple designs. The quilted work is beautiful. The walls are all painted yellow, blue, purple, and gold, and the tiny lights imbedded in the walls make me feel like an ant inside an artist’s vase.

I glance at Nar, and when he doesn’t make a move, not even to cross his arms over his chest, I crawl around the bed, then slowly stand so as not to provoke him into pouncing.

He smirks. “Female, if you think I’m gonna hurt you, you couldn’t be more wrong. But if you keep crawling around my room, I’m definitely going to mount you. Let’s take that leash and collar off so I’m not that tempted.”

“Good idea.”

“I’m fucking full of good ideas of late.” He points behind me. “The weapons are through there. Use a knife with a red handle.”

I turn but see nothing. “Where?”

“Right in front of you.”

“I only see the wall, Nar.”

I glance back at him to see he’s got this heated look. “My name has never