Allies (Warriors of Karal Book 5) Read Free Page B

around the handle, pulling it firmly towards her.
    “You can watch from here. And if there is one more thing you want to do for me, then tell my mother that I love her and I don’t blame her.”
    The guard let go of her suitcase and took a step back. “I will tell her as soon as I get back. I know it will make her happy.”
    “Thank you. I shouldn’t have let us part on bad terms.”
    Then she smiled at him, took one more look at the view around her, and walked towards the alien cruiser. And the being who held her fate in his hands.
     

Chapter Four – Niko
     
    The car pulled up, and his attention snapped to the humans who were getting out. His training kicked in; this to him was just another alien planet after all. Yes, Okil had visited here many times and they seemed happy enough to allow their females to travel to Karal to breed, but still, the first rule of survival was to stay alert for every danger.
    A female got out of the car first, quickly followed by a male who went to the back of the vehicle lifting something. He came into view, standing by the female, pausing for a moment. Niko was on his guard: was this some kind of ambush? He’d only expected the female to come to meet him. Niko watched carefully, without moving, without giving any sign that he was preparing for an attack.
    The two of them stood there for a second as the female tried to take the bag from the hand of the male. Niko wondered if she was trying to disarm him; there was an exchange of words. And then the male relinquished his hold on the bag, and she turned towards the space cruiser and began to walk towards him.
    Niko still hadn’t moved while he watched the whole exchange, watched as the human male hovered over her protectively. He sneered inwardly; as if these males would be capable of protecting a female against a Karalian warrior! They were so pale and frail, compared to his species. The lack of good quality food and air had taken its toll on them. From what he had understood from Darl, if the Karal had come here in a couple of centuries’ time, they would not have found the females suitable to breed with. The human race would be ruined.
    And this was the trade Okil had bartered. By saving the human race, the Karal would be saved too.
    His female drew closer, walking confidently towards him, although he could see a tremor pass through her body as she grew closer; she was scared. But this is what she wanted, he told himself. Yes, she might be scared, but she had entered the lottery, this was what she had signed up for. And it wasn’t as if he was some kind of beast: as long as she didn’t fight him he would treat her with respect.
    Although he needed something more than tolerance, he needed her cooperation if they were going to journey into deep space and survive.
    The light reflected on her face, and he could make out her features for the first time. Her hair was copper in colour and fell in waves around her face; her eyes were green, and they flashed as she stood before him, her chin tilted up in what he could only think of as defiance.
    “Hello, I’m Petra.” Her voice was calm, belying her obvious nervousness.
    “You are the lottery winner?” he asked and her green eyes flashed again.
    “No. Sorry to disappoint you but I didn’t enter the lottery.”
    He frowned, puzzled at her words. “I don’t understand. You are Petra Parker?”
    “Yes.” She nodded, her hair passing across her face as the breeze caught it and the scent of something citrus reached his nose. He longed to reach out and touch the silky strands and bury his face in her hair and inhale the scent deeply. He almost reeled backwards at the strength of those emotions, and he knew that his colours were skimming across his face.
    “I thought that we only took women who entered the lottery?” he asked, feeling in some way cheated.
    “They made an exception for me. Your leader did a deal with my mother. Leverage, I think that’s what you call it.”
    Niko