Chapter 8

Ava didn't know what had happened. She was just about to push the 

engagement button on the alien ship when a large male hand came out 

of nowhere and clamped itself about her neck. Shocked, she stiffened 

in the seat as the man gripping her reached forward to disengage the 

engines. The next thing she knew, she was being carted off across the 

airstrip by a giant of a man, almost as large and as handsome as the alien 

commander. She struggled, but it hadn't taken her long to realize that 

the man was incredibly strong and as solid as any brick wall. 

He brought her inside one of the hangars, where she was forced to 

endure the curious stares of a bare-chested group of males who stopped 

what they were doing to observe them. But her captor snapped an 

order that immediately sent them scurrying back into work mode. 

Moving past them, the alien, apparently in charge, dragged her into an 

office area and thrust her into a metal chair. He turned back to the door 

and bellowed another order, which drew forth two more hulks of 

incredible proportion. They came into the room, secured the door, then 

made to stand on either side of her. Gulping at the overwhelming 

nature of her situation, Ava cringed in discouragement, realizing that 

this might have been her last chance to escape the planet. These men 

clearly meant business if it took three men to keep her seated in the 

chair. She was surprised they hadn't brought out some shackles to make 

sure she didn't try to flee even then. 

She focused on the man standing behind an oversized desk, who was 

speaking into a strange wrist device, in some weird alien dialect. When 

the conversation ended, the man snorted as if amused, then seated 

himself in a large chair behind the desk. Relaxing, he merely sat looking 

at her, rocking back and forth in the wheeled chair and tapping his 

fingers on the desktop. A slight smile curled his lips as he watched her, 

but he made no conversation. He seemed only to be waiting for 

something.Ava ducked her head, defeated and wishing she had stayed in her room 

after all. At least there she would have felt safe. And Mrovia would 

have given her something to eat. When the idea to escape had 

prompted her to escape the garden, she hadn't once considered her 

hunger pangs until now. Her stomach was growling so loud, she was 

certain everyone could hear. 

An estimated twenty minutes after her capture, she discovered what 

the men had been waiting for. When the door opened, her head lifted. 

Her jaw sagged at the unexpected sight of the alien commander. Bare-

chested, he wore tight black breeches, a pair of knee-high black boots, 

and a gold medallion about his neck. His long hair was loose, hanging 

freely about his broad shoulders. To her, he looked like some sort of 

super hero, what with his broad frame and muscular physique. Anyone 

with any sense could tell how he easily dwarfed the others in the room, 

by mere composition alone. 

That the atmosphere in the room changed as soon as he appeared cast 

Ava into a whirlwind of confused emotions as she gaped at him. 

Embarrassed that he should be the one to have been called in to punish 

her, she dropped her gaze. She remained stiffly planted in the seat, 

hands on her knees, as cold chills of apprehension washed over her. 

"I believe this belongs to you," she heard the man at the desk say, in 

English this time. Curious, she lifted her head to find him casually 

pointing in her direction. She felt the commander's eyes on her as he 

peered over at her and grew nervous at his silence. When he walked 

toward her, she dropped her gaze and closed her eyes, bracing herself 

for the worst. Instead, he surprised her by laying a gentle hand on her 

bent shoulders. 

"Come with me," he said kindly. Then, "Thank you, Jeiel, for your help."Looking up, Ava saw the man at the desk nodding, this time with a 

broader grin on his face. But whatever he was secretly amused by, she 

wasn't certain. She merely felt relieved the commander hadn't blasted 

her in front of the three men. Her self-esteem was so fragile just then, 

she didn't know if she could handle any more. 

He allowed her first through the door. But he made no effort to touch 

her, obviously trusting her not to run away from him. 

"This way," he directed, leading her from the hangar to the great beast 

standing just outside the hangar door. At sight of the magnificent, 

horse-like creature, Ava's jaw slackened as she peered up at it and 

stepped back. Frightened, she turned to the alien. 

"Surely you're not expecting me to get on that thing?" Despite her 

recent behavior, the nasty attitude toward the commander was still 

there. 

But he ignored her question. With the ease of any award-winning 

equestrian, he took the reins and deftly leaped into the saddle as if it 

was the most natural thing in the world. Awed by this, Ava took a step 

back, watching him in secret admiration. 

Then, before she could react, she saw him squeeze his legs against the 

beast, leveraging himself, shortly before he leaned down to grab her by 

the scruff of her neck, much the same way Jeiel had done earlier. Lifting 

her with ease, he flung her belly-down across the animal's neck. Then 

he kicked it into a flying gallop across the airstrip, ignoring her grunt of 

pain. Too scared to do or say anything, she clutched at whatever part

of the beast she could, just to maintain her position. 

The thought had occurred to her to jump backward off the thundering 

beast, but the man's hand on her back kept her firmly in place. Although 

the pounding beneath her was bruising her belly as the thing barreledacross the strip to who-knows-where, she kept further comments and 

groaning to herself. 

A long while later, after they had traveled some distance past the 

airstrip, across the flatlands and down a grassy mountain path, along a 

thickly forested area, they finally arrived at a small glade. There, Ava

felt a hand on her arm as the commander lifted her off the animal and 

set her back on her feet. Disgruntled and sore, she stumbled away from 

him, intent on running farther into the wooded area behind her. But 

just as she turned to make a break for it, the rider swung himself out of 

the saddle and caught her arm before she could flee. Gripping it firmly, 

he then steered her across the glade, releasing her into the center of it. 

He crossed his arms, staring down at her as if waiting for her to dash 

away again. 

Upset by another thwarted escape attempt, she frowned up at him, 

wondering what he was thinking as she rubbed her sore belly. She 

wasn't really comfortable with the way he was looking at her just then. 

Her insides started churning, and she could feel an uncommon heat 

rising from her nether regions, all the way to her flaming cheeks, at his 

daring. 

For several long moments, he just stood staring at her. And she was 

surprised to see no condemnation or anger in his expression. She had 

really thought he'd be furious at what she had tried to do. 

"Well? Did you drag me all the way out here just to stare at me?" she 

snarled, unable to bear the silence and intensity of his gaze. "Don't you 

have anything to s--" 

But before she could finish, she found herself suddenly caught up 

against him as his lips came crashing down on hers. Shocked, for she 

had never had a man kiss her before, she began to struggle, barelyaware of the moan that accidentally sprang forth when his alien flesh 

touched hers. A moan of pure pleasure that shocked them both. 

Pummeling him with her fists, she attempted to free herself from his 

iron-like hold on her. But he was so strong, so solidly muscled, that it 

was an impossible feat. His height gave him an added advantage. He 

had practically lifted her off the ground, which made her struggling even 

more pointless. 

When he loosed her unexpectedly, she stumbled backwards, almost 

falling. Straightening, a look of fury crossed her face. She glared at him, 

aware that he was intently studying her reaction to his kiss. 

But she would have none of it. With frustrated tears in her eyes, her 

hand launched up to slap him as hard as she could. But she found it 

instantly caught by his as he snatched her tighter against him, obviously 

having anticipated her reaction. Only inches from his gorgeous face, she 

paled at being in such close proximity with the alien. He smelled so good 

she nearly melted under his overwhelming sex appeal.

"Tell me you didn't like that, and I will call you a liar," he said, a 

dangerous element to his tone. 

"Well, I...I...." 

"That's what I thought," he said, his voice now as calm as ocean waters. 

He set her away, and she watched as he calmly moved to hoist himself 

back onto his animal. She waited, feeling his eyes on her as she 

wondered whether or not he would extend a hand to help her up. 

Perhaps he expected her to find her own way back to the palace, as 

punishment for her earlier actions. 

"That's it?" she spat at him, fully recovered now. "You brought me all 

the way out here just for that?"A smile touched his finely-formed lips, but he refrained from answering. 

She didn't know what else to do. She felt foolish, just standing there 

ogling his well-muscled alien form. Only when she took an uncertain 

move toward him did he finally extend his hand to her. She put a shy 

hand in his and allowed him to pull her up behind him. At least this time 

she didn't have to lay across the animal's huge neck. That had been as 

uncomfortable as it was humiliating. 

She had no choice but to put her hands on him then. Hesitantly, she 

placed a hand to his broad back, secretly awed by the feel of those 

amazing muscles rippling beneath his cinnamon-colored skin. It excited 

her and made her tremble all at the same time. 

"Tighter," he growled. "I don't want to have to stop and pick you up." 

As he spoke, he kicked the huge furry beast into motion. As he had 

warned, she would have been bounced right off had she not instinctively 

thrown her arms about him, clutching him even tighter than she wanted 

to. Unable to help herself, she lay her cheek against him, practically 

snuggling with the insufferable lout. She wasn't certain, but she thought 

she sensed him laughing at her as the wind blew past her ears.