Page 28 of Soren

He chuckles in response. "You could say that. She and I share a very special bond. It goes beyond just mount and rider. We...share everything."

I furrow my brow. "Everything? Like, you can read minds and stuff?"

Soren shakes his head. "No. Not like that. But we have been together for so long, our souls resonate with one another. I can tell how she's feeling, even if we're apart. As she can with me."

I don't miss the prideful gleam in his eye. He looks upon his mount the way a father may look upon his child. My hand shoots to my stomach at the thought. If he looked even half as enamored with our child...

He was going to make an excellent father.

"I've raised her since she was a week old, you know. We've seen a lot together. If it weren't for Cali here, I'd have been dead in battle ages ago." Soren lovingly pets her fur, then gestures to me. "Come on, don't be shy."

I hesitate. "She's not going to, um...do that head butt thing with me, right? That's fine for you, but I'd rather not be launched across the stable."

"She knows you are special to me." That's his only answer, but it's enough. The warm feeling of hope and happiness spreads through my heart and chest before moving down to my belly.

He would never hurt me. And neither would Cali.

So I take a deep breath, raise my hand, and step toward the creature with wide eyes. Cali makes a low snorting sound, then nudges her snout against my hand. A long, pink tongue shoots out and leaves my wrist covered in saliva. I pull back, laughing.

"That tickles!"

"That means she likes you," Soren says proudly. "Believe it or not, she's not this friendly with everyone. She won't go near my comrades."

Something about that sends a surge of pride through myself as well. I remember back when I first got here, when Soren threw me on Cali's back before I could even talk to him. I remember how smooth the ride was, and how warm Soren was at my back.

"What an incredible creature," I say, awestruck.

"I like to think so."

I look up when I hear voices outside the door. They're the first other people I've seen in weeks! Another huge, looming golden alien stalks through the stable without so much as a glance at us, but that's not what I'm interested in. One of the other women from Earth is with him!

In my excitement, I call out and wave to her, rushing forward to say hi. As amazing as this alien planet is, it's such a relief to see another human!

I don't make it very far, however, before a strong arm wraps around my middle and yanks me back toward the stall. "Hey!" I cry out, looking up at him to demand an answer. "What was that about?"

Soren's hard gaze follows the other man. His grip tightens. I slap his hand on my stomach. "This is silly. I just want to say hello. Let me go!"

Apparently that's the wrong answer. He whirls me around to face him, a menacing growl rumbling up from his chest. I see for the first time what looks like displeasure in his eyes. What did I do?

"Hey!" I yell again, but he wraps his free hand around my mouth, too. What the hell?!

I hear voices behind me, but they fade away with the long, lumbering footsteps of another mount. When the door creaks open and they are out of earshot, Soren releases me.

My hands drop to my sides and clench into fists. Heat burns my cheeks, and not the good kind. "What was --"

I don't get a chance to finish my sentence. He hauls me into the stall and closes the door behind us.

Cali stands beside us, a silent witness to the fiasco unfolding before me. There's no one to call for help. No one close enough to hear.

"Put your hands on the gate." Soren's voice is deeper and scarier than I've ever heard it.

"What? I'm not going to --"

One hand lands on the middle of my back. The other around my waist. He pushes me down roughly until my hands brace against the wooden gate. My heart stutters in my chest, but it's not entirely from fear. There's something about the way he manhandles me, the commanding tone in his voice, that speaks to the primal urges deep inside.

I'm not actually getting turned on by this, am I?

"We can do this the easy way," his hand runs down the small of my back until it rests across my ass. "Or the hard way." At his words, his other hand wraps around to gently rest around my throat.

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