Page 25 of Guardian's Destiny

"Okay, that sounds a bit more challenging, more like I had expected," I was nearly relieved. "Then what?"

"Well fly as close as we dare to Moddekdum's house and start your… steakout."

I didn't bother correcting him. If my impression of him was right, he was only goading me anyway, pretending to use the incorrect word again.

"How long will it take to get to Ohrur?"

"Four days," he explained.

Right, there we went with the time thing again. But at least it gave me something to go by.

"In the meantime, why don't we work on some training?" I suggested. God knew I needed it after my days at the space station.

"Are you trying to uncover the Space Guardians' secret combat techniques?" He challenged with a grin.

"Sure," I stroked his ego. "Any information I can glean to take back to my evil overlord."

His grin deepened and damn if it didn't weaken my traitorous knees. He truly was, by far, the best-looking man I had ever seen. His silvery skin only enhanced his features and made him more attractive in his exoticness.

And you just suggested sparring with him, Storm? I chastised myself.Nice going. Really nice.

Ah, shut up, it won't be that bad,I tried.

I was wrong.

It was that bad.

Worse even.

Shit!

Vraax in his uniform was formidable, but without his shirt, with those tattoos all over him? Fuck, he was hot as hell and I was about to drool all over him.

"Let's see what you've got," he teased when we entered the sparring area, which was another thing that nearly took my breath away. The Pandraxians utilized some cool high-tech gadgets, but this ship raised it to another level. Many different exercise machines took over half of the room, and the rest was empty space. And… was that a robot sitting in the corner? It looked like it. The prospect of sparring with that enticed me.

"Ready to show me what you've got, human?" Vraax's deep voice rumbled, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Warily, I circled Vraax, my bare feet silent on the metallic ground. No padding here, I noticed, which was just fine with me. His silver skin gleamed under the harsh lights, and his muscles rippled as he mirrored my movements. My heart raced, but not just from exertion. I smirked, clenching my jaw. "Don't underestimate me, big guy."

Without warning, I lunged forward, aiming a quick jab at his midsection. Vraax blocked it easily, but I followed up with a sweeping kick that caught him off guard. Enough to make him slightly stumble, surprise flashed in his black eyes.

"Impressive," he murmured, regaining his balance. "But not enough."

In a blur of motion, Vraax closed the distance between us. His hand grazed my arm, right on top of my mating mark, and a jolt of electricity shot through me. I gasped, momentarily distracted by the surge of arousal.

Focus, Storm, I chided myself. You're a marine, dammit.

I ducked under Vraax's next swing, using my smaller size to my advantage. As I spun away, my fingers brushed against his hip, where I knew his mark lay hidden. A low growl escaped him, and I couldn't help but feel a thrill of satisfaction.

"Two can play at that game," I taunted, falling back into a defensive stance.

Vraax's eyes narrowed. "So I see. But remember, I'm still stronger."

He proved his point by suddenly charging forward, lifting me off my feet with ease. I found myself pinned against the wall, my body flush against his. The contact sent waves of heat coursing through me, and I could feel Vraax's rapid heartbeat echoing my own. And something hard pressed between us. That better be a blaster.

"Yield?" he demanded, his face inches from mine.

I swallowed hard, torn between my competitive nature and the overwhelming desire to close that final gap between us. "Never," I whispered, even as my body betrayed me by arching into his touch.

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