Page 20 of Fated for the Alien Fighter

One second they were a dark shade of gold, with flecks of silver that caught the low light. The moment he steadied her and their hands connected, they morphed.

It was like someone had lit them up. Dark cracks began to form, like cooling magma. Lava-like veins appeared between them, like Taryn had fire flowing inside him, waiting to burst out.

The cracks went all the way up to his elbow, slowly vanishing into his golden skin.

All thoughts of mind reading flew from Leah’s brain.

A powerful jolt passed from Taryn to Leah. Or maybe from Leah to Taryn. She suddenly couldn’t make sense of where he ended and she began.

It was a totally alien sensation, but...it felt right.

She didn’t know about this energy business, but it was undeniable she feltsomething. Powerful and enticing. It was drawing her closer, pulling her soul straight toward him.

Soulmate.

Taryn’s elongated, fiery fingers unwrapped from around her wrist.

Leah instantly missed the feeling.

His hands looked dangerous and menacing, but they’d felt warm and tempting. His touch had sent warm tingles up and down her spine.

She wanted more.

She shouldn’t, but nobody had told her body that, apparently.

Taryn snapped his fingers. In an instant, his arms returned back to normal. A small sigh escaped Leah before she could stop herself. She already missed seeing them.

He really was bloody gorgeous, with or without the fiery hands. Tall–seven feet, she was sure of it–and muscular, in that lean way that real fighters were after years of training. He had sharp cheekbones and a jaw that could cut. His eyes were larger than a human’s, with silver instead of white. His pupils were black and elongated, like a slit, and instead of eyebrows, he had dotted symbols on his brow ridge.

The tips of his ears were elongated, too. His hair was dark and long, just begging Leah to run her fingers through it.

And the horns.

God, he had two long horns on top of his head, that bent at the tip. They were an almost black shade of burgundy.

Leah wanted to feel them. They looked shiny and sleek and–

“My apologies,” Taryn said, his raspy, decadent voice sounding clearer. More serious. Like he’d snapped out of a reverie.

His elongated pupils still roamed over her hungrily, but he didn’t look dazed. Not anymore.

Leah bit the inside of her cheek.

Great. Perfect.Peachy.

She couldn’t be attracted to him. He couldn’t be attracted to her.

Freaking perfect.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he went on when the silence between them stretched. “Quillons’ arms Ignite when we feel strong emotions.”

“You…Ignite.” Leah gulped. “So that’s why they told us not to touch you.”

“And why we don’t gesticulate as much as humans. Best not to tempt fate.”

“Do your eyes do something special?”

“Our pupils change.” Taryn tilted his head to the side, studying her. “Why?”

---