Page 15 of Aria's Ascension

He definitely looked like a fighter. There was a scowl on his face, and his entire body was covered in scars, big and small, old and new, telling the tale of a life full of pain and violence.

Almost of their own accord, her eyes zeroed in on his groin and her brows slowly crawled up her forehead. If his body wasn’t impressive enough, his dick certainly was. Deliciously thick with ridges along the top where a human man’s cockhead would be, it looked like it had been designed for a woman’s pleasure.

Scrolling past his picture to the information below before Kix caught her flash of arousal, Aria read about him. He was from a planet calledThrarion. Next to the planet’s name was his acquisition date.

“That can’t be right,” she muttered to herself. “It says he’s been here for damn near eighteen years. He looks like he’s in his mid-thirties. That’s most of his life.”

Swiping farther down, she found the usual: nutritional needs, tournament statistics—he won, a lot—skills, strengths, weaknesses… mating habits. But, what caught her eye was the section titled ‘Enhancements.’ She’d only seen that on a couple of other files, and none as long as his.

They’d done something to his DNA, something more than just extending his life span.

His people were apparently capable of rapid mutation and regression. They could change some aspects of their physical appearance, and even their internal systems to a lesser degree, to adapt to what was apparently a volatile environment on his homeworld.

Zhrovni had magnified that natural ability a hundredfold.

With the help of bio-nanorobotics to serve as an energy source for the transformation, he could now shift from his humanoid form to that of the hrykaask and back again, in addition to thickening his skin so it basically became armor and a slew of other defensive and offensive adaptations.

“No wonder he wins so often. He can change to counter anything his opponents might throw at him,” Aria breathed. “He’s on the list. We need to find him and wake him up.”

“My song… ”

Kix’s tone perfectly conveyed his misgivings in those two simple words, but she shook her head, cutting him off, and turned so she could meet his uneasy stare.

“You were busy fighting in the canyon, so maybe you didn’t notice the way he didn’t kill anyone, even when doing so would’ve been easier and would’ve prevented the majority of the wounds he suffered.”

Kix narrowed his dark eyes, searching her face before he said softly, “I feel it, as well. The knowing. The sense that I should remember him more than I do. Yet,” His gaze flicked to the tablet in her hands, “his file speaks of a dangerous male, one that should be treated with caution.”

“I know what it says, Firefly. But, I also know what I feel. I was right about you and Red wasn’t I? Trust me.”

He sighed deeply but eventually nodded. Bending, he cradled her face and gazed at her seriously. “Be cautious, my song.”

Smirking, she nipped his lower lip, making him hiss and his eyes flash with hunger, then declared, “Always.”

That earned her a snort and a dubious look.

“Worry not, bright one. If any should threaten harm to our mate, we shall just maim them, or kill them if necessary” Tirox declared, giving Kix a friendly slap on the back that made him grunt and stumble slightly.

Aria and Kix both turned to give him incredulous looks.

Kix deadpanned, “Perhapsyouwere too busy fighting. Did you not see the size of the hrykaask? Or read his file just now? As Aria says, we are good, yet I do not know that we arethatgood.”

Tirox’s smile went from its usual cheerfulness to something dark and threatening as he answered, “I did. I also saw the soft scales on his belly, the break in his wing, that he favored his right hind leg, and the way he could not see his attackers coming at him.”

Her eyes went wide as she regarded Tirox in both surprise and appreciation. He was so gentle with her, so loving and sweet. But that very clearly only extended to her.

“Damn, babe. And here I thought you had your hands full with almost a dozen gladiators down in that canyon.”

Tirox snorted, “You thought I would let you face that beast unprotected without first gauging the danger he presented? I am not so foolish as that, my tiny goddess.”

Aria stared up at him in disbelief, her brow arched and her eyes narrowed. “Letme?”

He returned her look with a sharp one of his own and leaned down until they were almost nose to nose, pinning her with his golden eyes, their swirling halted completely for the first time.

“Yes. Let you. Would you allow me to run off to face a beast the size of a mountain without first assuring yourself I would not die in the battle?”

She pursed her lips, seeing his point but still not appreciating that he thought she needed his permission for anything, before finally answering, “No. Of course not.”

Tirox shook his head and gazed at her softly. “I would never ask or want you to be anything but what and who you are. Nor would I seek to make you feel less than capable. You are fierce and deadly, my heart, and I adore your strength. But, you aremymate, and I willnotlose you. Not to anyone for any reason, even your pride.”

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