Marked for Danger by Jennifer Leeland

Perhaps they thought the small community wouldn't help the escaping couple.
    They obviously didn't know much about this planet. They certainly weren't aware of the legend on Nariad that had forced Xandros to prove his mated status.
    "Surrender the messenger, Xandros Jasper."
    He shoved Carina back into the dark recesses of the hut. “She's my bounty. The price on Rina's head exceeds anything the Brotherhood has offered me."
    A laser pistol appeared in the priest's hand from inside the voluminous folds of his robe. “I offer you a chance to live."
    Xandros snorted. “Once you have your assassin back, I'll be dead anyway.” He shook his head. “No, my friend. Go back to the good father and tell him I plan to get my money's worth from this bounty."
    One of the priests edged around the back of the hut, and Xandros sent a quick warning glance to Carina. As if he'd spoken words, she nodded and kept her gaze on the back door. For a moment, he reveled in that connection, that ability to communicate, and then he focused on the weapon-wielding priest. “Come back when you have a better offer.” Hopefully, they'd be long gone.
    Suddenly, things shifted. The priest that had sneaked in the back grabbed Carina. His mate could defend herself, but Xandros couldn't control the rage. A red haze dropped over his eyes, and he attacked.
    In a blur, he dispatched the threat and flung the unconscious form at the leader of the invaders. The priests only had time to see their danger, but not enough time to react, before Xandros was among them. The two who flanked the leader didn't have a chance to draw a weapon before Xandros took one down from a downward chop to his throat and the other was doubled over from a blow to his gonads. The leader picked himself up off the ground where he'd fallen when his brethren had slammed into him. He aimed the laser pistol and had Xandros in his sites.
    One of the villagers kicked his arm, and the leader howled. Then Xandros picked the man up, seeing the priest through a red film. “Go back to your boss and tell him to go fuck himself."
    The priest choked and sputtered. “You're her marked mate."
    "Very good, asshole.” Xandros shook the priest like a rag doll, the rage still bubbling in his veins. “I'll kill anyone who touches her. Understand?"
    Xandros threw the man across the street, and the villagers moved out of the way, letting the man roll several feet. He lay there, stunned, for a few minutes. Then he slowly rose to his feet and glared at the group of villagers. “The Brotherhood will decimate you,” he spat.
    "Make sure you come back with your Primarian monkeys, priest,” Xandros taunted. “You'll all die."
    The man's dead eyes focused on Carina standing behind Xandros. “'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,'” he said in a low, vicious tone.
    Xandros started after the man, but he scrambled backward and sprinted out of the village.
    It was time to get these people to safety. “Atlana?” he called.
    She appeared as if she'd been standing there the entire time. Xandros nodded to the two dead priests and the unconscious one. “I've brought trouble to these people. The Brotherhood will bring Primarian soldiers. You know what that means."
    Atlana's green eyes focused on the only priest still living. “I have a contingency plan. I'll take care of this."
    "You have a hiding place, then?” Xandros scanned the forest and wondered where the hell they could hide.
    The Ardasian nodded. “I've prepared for the day the Brotherhood discovered the Nariadians.” She spoke to the village in their tongue. Immediately they rushed, packing and gathering their things to leave. No panic, no questions. It was amazing.
    "I'm sorry, Atlana.” He knew the Primarians would burn everything, destroying whatever history these people had.
    "You'd be surprised how resilient the Nariadians are, Xandros Jasper.” Her gaze held his. “You are not what I thought you'd be."
    "Why is that?” he said as he collected