His Human Possession (Zandian Masters 8)

The females began to speak at once, throwing out their ideas for the theater performance, but Ronan reached out and touched Leti’s shoulder. “May I have a word with you?”

Oh hell.

Ronan was one of the three cousins she’d flirted with to anger Paal. She sure hoped he wasn’t hoping to get intimate with her now.

He led her out of the chamber and into the corridor. But the handsome young warrior appeared uncomfortable. He gripped his hands behind his back. The tips of his ears colored darker purple. “Paal begged me to give you a message if he didn’t return. If you wish to wait and hear it from him—”

“No,” she cut in, her heart suddenly galloping. “What did he say?”

Ronan cleared his throat. “He said to tell you his only regret in life was not mending things with you before he left. And he asked me to protect you and the unborn child at all costs.” Ronan bowed and backed away.

Tears smarted her eyes. “Thank you, Ronan. I’m glad you told me,” her voice choked.

She wanted to stay and help the other females, but her feet carried her away, running down the corridor to Paal’s chamber.

She opened the door and tumbled in, falling on the sleepdisk and breathing deep. Remembering his scent. His touch. The tremble-inducing things he’d done to her in that chamber.

Please come back, Paal.

I need you.

It was true. She could no longer pretend not caring about others was the safest way to go.

She cared. Hell, she loved Paal. And leaving him had been a mistake.

So he had to return safely.

Not just for the baby.

For her.

10

Paal threw himself out of the burning battleship and ripped open the door to Cambry’s ship. As soon as he saw she was alive and moving, he raced back to his craft. He needed to get the vecking bombs off the ship before they exploded in the flames.

If they had any hope of still taking down Fluut, they’d need the firepower.

“What are you doing?” Cambry screamed when he ducked back into the burning craft.

Another ship crashed into a hill just beyond them. “That’s Lily. Go get her,” he ordered. “I’ll meet you both there.”

Cambry pulled a laser gun from her waistbelt and nodded, taking off at run.

He ducked through the wreckage, holding his breath to keep from drawing in too much smoke.

In the belly of the craft lay the big weapons. The ones they’d hoped to bury Fluut with. He needed at least one of the bombs.

An explosion sounded nearby.

The weapons on Cambry’s ship. He didn’t have much time.

Eye

s smarting, lungs burning, he reached the armory and managed to pry loose a large torpedo bomb. Hefting it over his shoulder, he scrambled out.

Light and sound burst behind him, launching him into the air and throwing him several meters.

A high-pitched whine sounded in his ears.