Their Zandian Mate (Zandian Masters 9)

There are no more Zandian females—at least

none who are unmated—so the females Zander referred to are human. Former slaves, like me.

Oh hell. I tug my tunic down as if I can make it grow to cover my bare thighs.

Several Zandian warriors eye me from across the cracked plaza. I really should have changed my clothes before I came out. I suddenly realize how provocative my boots must look below bare legs.

On the training pod we females were protected by warriors like Lundric, who has a human mate. I was able to dress for pure comfort and ignore any interest my bare skin garnered. After what I’ve endured at the hands of the Ocretians, I preferred to keep myself apart.

I find Lily, but she’s talking with her mate. I sense warriors closing in on me from all sides.

Fuck.

Like a coward, I run.

I head straight for the makeshift med bay where I’ve been working all night. It’s a stupid place to go, but I haven’t been assigned a room yet, and I don’t know where else to hide.

As soon as I’m there, though, the memory of treating Tarren’s wounds comes rushing back.

The way my core heated standing so close to him. The way he gripped my buttocks when I stabbed his cheek with the needle.

I lean against the metal wall of the crashed ship which became my headquarters to steady my breath.

I’m not interested in the male. I’m not interested in any male.

Of course, it may not matter what I’m interested in.

King Zander wants the planet repopulated.

As soon as possible.

Tarren

“Looks like you’ve already picked out our mate.” My cousin Jax follows my gaze to the dark-haired beauty streaking across the plaza. It’s all I can do not to chase her down, toss her over my shoulder and carry her back to our quarters right now.

Without saying it aloud, Jax and I both know we’ll apply as a team with our other cousin, Ronan. We’re family and we stick together.

Jax has a bemused look on his face. He glances around the desolate wasteland of rubble, so different from the planet we left as children, just before the invasion. “She’s a good choice. With the boots she’s sexy as hell, but she looks sturdy enough for—”

He stops when my fist wraps in his tunic. “She’s more than a vecking breeder,” I growl.

Jax holds up his hands. “All right, all right. She’s way more. Looks smart. She’s the medic, right?”

“Riya.”

She looked at me earlier and blushed, just as she had when she treated my wounds last night. When I had my hand under that short tunic to cup her tight little ass. Veck. I’m hard just thinking about it. “Her name is Riya.” Her name sounds exotic and delicious, like she looks.

“We need to claim her,” I tell Jax, and scowl. I don’t even know why I’m saying this—I don’t want a female. But I’m sure as veck not letting this one slip through my fingers, either. “Before another warrior does.” My fists close at the thought of some other Zandian with Riya.

“I think she’s already yours, cousin.”

I want to throat-punch Jax for his characteristic light-hearted and positive outlook.

“No. You need to charm her. You and Ronan. She’ll be afraid of me.”

Jax eyes me, not missing that I’m holding something back. “What did you do to her?”

“What did I miss?” Ronan comes up in a hurry, panting as he jogs. “I was on guard duty onboard the palatial pod and just got relieved.”