“Well, that’s a fascinating story, Commander Bravik,” Danni said, frowning. “But just because you made a cultural misstep doesn’t mean I will. I’ve been studying other cultures for some time and I assure you, I can handle myself. In fact, I won’t bother you at all. I’ll stay away from you as much as possible and do my own research.”
“The hell you will!” Bravik had stabbed a finger at her. “That kind of attitude could get you killed! The only way you’re coming is if you agree to follow my lead. I don’t need a civilian running off half-cocked while I’m trying to establish diplomatic relations with these people!”
Danni didn’t know when she’d been so offended. But it wasn’t her way to get into shouting matches with people. Instead, she lifted her chin and replied in a voice so cold it might as well have had icicles dripping from it.
“I assure you, Commander Bravik, that I will follow protocol to the letter on this mission and since you are the leader, that means I will respect your wishes. As far as it is possible, you won’t even know I’m there.”
Then she had turned on her heel and marched away, thinking as she did so, what an extremely unpleasant male he was. What a shame she had to share her first mission with him!
Three
Can’t believe I have to share this mission with that little Earth female, Brav thought as he checked and double-checked his supplies. Soluu Four was quite a distance from the Mother Ship and he didn’t want to be caught off-guard if something went wrong and they lost communication. He could just imagine what would happen if they were somehow set adrift, just him and the curvy little Elite, all alone together with no one to turn to but each other…
Stop it! Gods, just stop it! Stop thinking about her!
But he hadn’t been able to from the first minute he’d seen her. When she’d come knocking on his door to introduce herself, the first thing he’d thought was that she was too damn gorgeous for her own good. With her thick, wavy chestnut hair and those big green eyes and that curvy, Elite figure she was a knock-out.
The second thing he’d thought was how damn good she smelled. Fresh and sweet and deliciously feminine with a slight hint of spice.
Not only that, she smelled single.
There weren’t a whole lot of single females Brav’s age aboard the Mother Ship. Most of the females in his age bracket were already mated and they carried the markings of their mate’s scent on their skin like a sign—Already taken—BACK OFF.
Not that Brav was about to try and make a move on this curvy little female—or any female for that matter, no matter what their age. He’d tried and failed to bond a female to him before—twice.
Both attempts had resulted in a painful failed bonding and broken hearts all around. Brav knew why, too—it was because he was a Hybrid—half Beast Kindred and half Blood Kindred. Hybrids had an extremely difficult time bonding a female to them—in fact, it was almost impossible.
After his second attempt, in his early thirties, Brav had decided to give it up entirely. He had joined the Kindred Elite Espionage Corps and trained to become a combination of a spy, a diplomat, and an assassin. It was difficult, dangerous work—work which absorbed him completely, enabling him to forget about the fact that he would never have a bonded mate or a family like most Kindred did.
But every once in a while something or—in this case—someone reminded him of his constant state of loneliness. Which was one reason he had been so rude to the little female, when she’d come knocking on his door.
Admit it, Brav, you were hoping to scare her off, a little voice in his head whispered. You know this mission isn’t dangerous—hell, it’s as softball as they come. You just didn’t want such a gorgeous, curvy little female with such an enticing scent messing with your head when you’re trying to work.
Well, that was pretty much true, Brav had to admit to himself. First contacts were always touchy—he hadn’t lied about that. But it was much easier to get through one when he was able to concentrate on what he had to do. Having the sexy Dr. Danielle Adams within seeing—and smelling—distance was going to put a serious crimp in his style.
Just have to get over it, Brav told himself sternly. Try to ignore her—pretend she’s not there.
He would do his best, but damn it, why couldn’t Commander Sylvan have picked some other doctor to come study the H’raken medical practices? Preferably another male that Brav could have gotten along with. Or a female who was joined to another male—she would have been completely off limits and he wouldn’t even have been tempted to try anything.