The minute Danni thought that, she dropped her eyes and looked away. No. No way in hell. This was crazy—she had never found bad boys or assholes appealing. She had friends who seemed to fall into relationship after relationship with abusive bastards but she had never been one of them. Not that Commander Bravik was abusive exactly—well, verbally she supposed he was, but—
Why are you just sitting here? Get up and get out of the ship! Get away from him! shouted the little voice in her head. Leave before you do or say something stupid—something you can’t take back!
Danni started to get out of the seat…and was promptly yanked back by the seat harness she’d forgotten was still holding her in. Feeling like a complete idiot, she started fumbling with the straps but her fingers had all turned to thumbs and she couldn’t get a single buckle unfastened. Oh God, what was wrong with her?
“Here, little girl—let me,” Bravik rumbled.
He got up and bent over her again, working with the buckles to release her. This time, though she tried, Danni couldn’t stop her impulse to lean forward and sniff the side of his neck. She tried not to but her body was already in motion without her permission. It was like the big Kindred was a magnet and she was nothing but an iron filing.
If Bravik noticed her sniffing him, he didn’t comment on it. He just finished unbuckling her and then stood back up.
“After you, Dr. Adams,” he rumbled, making a sweeping motion with one huge hand.
Her face hot, Danni rose on shaky legs and brushed past him with as much dignity as she could muster.
She had no idea what was happening between her and the big Kindred or if anything was actually happening at all—she only knew she needed to get away from him before she said or did something else that was either stupid or completely inappropriate.
Seven
She was smelling me—I know she was. Why in the Seven Hells was she doing that? Brav thought as Danni stalked past him and exited the ship.
Maybe you’re making your Bonding Scent for her, whispered the annoying little voice in his head.
But there was no way—no way in all the Seven Hells, Brav told himself firmly. He barely even knew the female—he’d only met her twice. Also, she was a pain in his ass and she clearly didn’t like him.
Because you acted like an asshole, whispered the little voice. Of course she doesn’t like you!
The point was, Brav thought, there was no way his body was making his Bonding Scent for her. That was just crazy.
Irritated with himself for even entertaining such a foolish thought, he turned and left the shuttle. He needed to get hold of himself before he met the H’raken leader face-to-face. It wouldn’t do to conduct a first-contact looking or acting anything less than perfectly calm and peaceful.
Well, good luck with that! whispered the little voice when he saw Danni waiting for him at the side of the shuttle. Every time you’re around that little female you act like an idiot.
It’ll be fine, Brav told himself. Everything is going to be FUCKING FINE.
He had no idea how completely wrong he was.
Eight
Danni waited for the big Kindred near the side of the shuttle, taking in the view as she did so. They appeared to have landed in a sunny, peaceful valley surrounded by large, beautiful mountains. There was an orchard of some kind to their left—the tall trees had silvery gray bark and their leaves were a muted silver-green.
The fruit peeping from beneath the leaves was a tantalizing pale pinkish-orange, a little like a peach but shaped in a soft circle. You could almost use some of the bigger ones as a bracelet, Danni thought. The scent of it was tangy and slightly sweet—she wished she could taste some.
There was a light breeze rustling the leaves but no houses that she could see. Where were the people? Where was Kozen, the leader of the H’raken Collective? Wasn’t he supposed to come meet them?
At that moment, Commander Bravik came to stand beside her.
“Here—you forgot this.” He thrust her carry-all cube at her and Danni took it quickly.
“Thank you.” She didn’t dare look at him for fear that they might lock eyes again. Being out here in the soft breeze had cleared her thoughts and calmed her heart, but just being next to the big Kindred again was enough to make it start drumming against her ribs again.
“I was looking for Kozen, but I don’t see him,” she said, trying to make normal conversation which was surprisingly hard after their weird encounter in the ship. “In fact, I don’t see anyone.”
“There.” Bravik pointed to a shadowy spot in the distance, not far from the mountains.
Danni squinted.
“You must have better eyes than me—I can’t see a thing.”