Allies (Warriors of Karal Book 5) Read Online Free

frowned again and his colours flowed across his skin like a deep, churning ocean, his emotions in turmoil. “You are here against your will?”
    “In a way,” she said sharply. “I didn’t enter the lottery. And I don’t really want to be here. But that’s the deal that’s been done for the sake of my people. For them, and for my mother, I will fulfil the obligation.”
    “Fulfil the obligation?” This sounded as if she was going to be trouble. That she was going to come along with him to Karal because that’s what she was supposed to do, not because it was what she wanted. The thought of going into deep space with a female who was reluctant to be there filled him with distaste. The journey would have been bad enough with a female who wanted to be with him, but to be on board a ship with someone who held a grudge … that could be deadly.
    “Yes, but don’t worry, I know exactly what’s expected of me.” She kept her gaze low, not meeting his eyes.
    He wondered if she did. Yes, she knew she was here to breed, but she had no idea of what it was like to be with a man. Or did she? One of the terms of the lottery was that the females were virgins, untainted. But if she was here because of some deal, as a way to leverage the President of Earth, she might not be as pure as he had hoped.
    Was he supposed to ask her? And if she said no, should he refuse to take her as his mate?
    “Shall we go?” she asked, as he stood, deep in thought.
    He stepped aside, and she walked past him, dragging her bag behind her. At least she had not expected him to offer to carry it.
    Following her inside, he paused at the top of the ramp, ready to close it, noting that the car was still on the tarmac, and the one male still stood by the side of it, watching. Maybe he was her mate, and that was why he had been so overprotective, and had not wanted her to go.
    With his eyes still on the human, he pressed the button to close the ramp. It slid up, obscuring his view. But he had the distinct impression the human was not leaving.
    “Who is that man?” he asked.
    “My bodyguard,” she said simply.
    This confirmed Niko’s belief: he guarded her body because it belonged to him. Niko looked at her, taking in the curve of her breasts, and the roundness of her thighs. She was a perfect breeding specimen; no wonder she had been claimed by another. His desire for her was certain: it showed in the hardness, barely concealed by his pants. Niko was in the middle of his prime and he wanted to mate, but not with a female who had already been used.
    He would take it up with Darl as soon as they reached Karal.
    “Put that in here,” he said, indicating the hold where she could stow her belongings. Then he escorted her to the control deck. “You may sit here.”
    She did as he said, sitting in the seat next to his and doing up the seatbelt. He switched on the sensors, and sure enough they picked up the car; it had pulled further back out of the way. But it was no longer moving. They were waiting for the cruiser to launch. Maybe he should check her belongings in case there was a bomb or something else on board, maybe they had plans to disable the ship and take it was their own?
    “Are you ready?” he asked, watching her closely. She looked nervous, but not nearly nervous enough for someone planning on sabotaging his cruiser.
    She closed her eyes briefly, almost with a sense of resignation, and he relaxed a little. “Yes.”
    He pressed a button on the control panel and spoke to the radio tower, asking for permission to leave. As soon as it was granted, he flicked the switch off and then pressed another button to power up the engines. Taking hold of the control lever he moved it forward slightly, and the cruiser vibrated as the engines strained, trying to lift the cruiser up off the ground. Experience told Niko when to allow this to happen. Too soon and the engines would stall, too late and they would blast off too hard and damage the cruiser.
    He