Page 77 of Tharn's Hunt
But the moment of calm is shattered when Rok suddenly stiffens near the cave entrance. His nostrils flare, and a low growl rumbles from his chest, the sound primal and threatening. Beside him, Justine immediately tenses.
Tharn reacts instantly, despite his condition. His head snaps up, his body going rigid beneath my touch. A growl builds in his chest, vibrating against my palm, and then he's surging to his feet with surprising strength, shoving me behind him.
"Hey!" I yelp as I stumble backward. "What the?—"
But Tharn isn't listening. He's focused entirely on the cave entrance, his massive body positioning itself between me and whatever threat Rok has sensed. His claws flex at his sides, the glow beneath his skin brightening again as adrenaline overrides his pain.
Great. Just what we need. Another crisis.
Rok and Tharn exchange growls, clearly communicating silently while Justine moves closer to them, her expression tense but determined. I'm left standing there, completely clueless, watching as they prepare for... something.
I hate this. I hate not knowing what's being said—or thought, or projected, or whatever. It's like being stuck in the middle of a conversation where everyone's speaking a language you don't understand, and you're just standing there hoping you don’t get punched in the face.
"What's happening?" I whisper, stepping forward despite Tharn's obvious attempt to keep me back. "Is it something dangerous? Another one of those shadow creature things?"
But they're not even looking at me. They're focused entirely on whatever's outside the cave, their bodies tense and ready for action.
That's when I remember what Justine told me earlier. About how pressing my forehead to Tharn's might help me hear him. Understand him.
It sounds insane. It probably is insane. But what choice do I have? I need to know what's happening, and the translator is still stubbornly stuck at 20% calibration, occasionally beeping but otherwise useless.
Before I can second-guess myself, I step forward, grab Tharn's arm to turn him toward me, rise on my tippy toes, and press my forehead directly to his.
The moment our skin connects, it's like touching raw electricity. Heat explodes through me, racing from the point of contact down my spine and settling low in my belly. The sensation is so intense, so unexpected, that I almost pull away.
But then I hear it. His voice. In my head.
"Jacqui."
It's faint and distorted, like he's speaking underwater, but it's unmistakably him. His mental voice is so darn deep, rich and resonant in a way that makes everything between my legs respond without my input.
I squeeze my eyes shut, focusing as hard as I can on that faint connection. "Tharn? Can you hear me?"
There's a sensation of surprise, almost like a jolt through our connection, and then his voice again, clearer this time.
"Yes. You... hear me now?"
"Yes!" I could cry with relief. "What's happening? What's out there?"
"Intruder," comes the immediate response, sharp with tension. "Not clan. Rival."
"Rival? Like... enemy clan?" I press, trying to understand. "Are they dangerous?"
I feel rather than hear his growl, a rumble of confirmation that makes the hairs on my arms stand up. "Yes. Will take you. Will take Justine. Will take...all females."
Oh. Great. Space alien territorial disputes. Just what we needed to make this day complete.
"What do we do?" I try to keep back my fear, try to hide it and be brave, but I’m sure he hears it anyway. "Hide? Fight?"
There's a pause, and then I feel his hands cup my face, his touch impossibly gentle despite the deadly claws at the tips of his fingers. The connection between us strengthens, his mental voice becoming clearer.
"I protect. Always protect you, Jacqui."
The conviction in his voice, the absolute certainty, almost bowls me over. He means it. With every fiber of his being, he means it.
When I open my eyes, I find his face inches from mine, those amber eyes burning with determination despite the pain I know still grips him. My heart does a strange flip in my chest, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
"Safe," he projects, the word rough but unmistakable. "I keep you safe."
