PrimalHunger by Dawn Montgomery Page B

spun 45 degrees and shot. A
brutal, if familiar, voice yelled in pain. A body dropped to the ground. Kendra
rushed over, keeping an eye on the surrounding area. She looked down. “Fate!”
    “Chief!”
    The voice had Kendra and Azros spinning, weapons aimed at
the newcomer. Hands flew up and Kendra immediately recognized the pale
countenance of her communications expert. She huffed out a breath and holstered
her weapon. “Reeva. How did you two get here?”
    Reeva dropped to a knee at Mase’s side.
    Azros stepped in front of Kendra with a growl rumbling low
in his throat.
    “What is wrong with you?” She tried to move forward, but his
arm wrapped around her waist, snaking her against his side. His muscles
quivered under her touch.
    Reeva clapped a hand on Mase’s shoulder. She eyed Kendra
with interest. “It appears your Valorian has chosen a mate.”
    Kendra tried unsuccessfully to step away. “He’s not my anything. How are you, Mase?”
    He rose to his feet with a fist against his side. “I’ll
live.” He glared at Azros. “I didn’t expect such a warm welcome.”
    “It was either the stunner or ripping your throat out with
my bare hands.” Azros still held her tight against him.
    “I’d prefer the stunner, thanks.” Mase rubbed the back of
his neck.
    “Tell me you didn’t know it was him before you shot.” She
glanced up at Azros. “Put the damn stunner away.”
    He dragged a hand through his hair and shoved the stunner in
the thigh holster. “I don’t memorize most scents, Kendra. He seemed familiar,
but lately all familiar scents belong to those who are hazardous to my health.”
    “What was that throat comment all about?”
    He gazed down at her with the eyes of an unleashed tiger.
Power. Control. “I’m still hunting. The mating cycle isn’t over yet.”
    “Still hunting what?” Kendra clenched her jaw.
    His fingers traced the curve of her jaw. Warmth and comfort
sizzled along with a bite of lust in her nerve endings. His touch was magic.
“You.”
    “I don’t think so.” She tilted away from his fingers. “Let
me go, or I’m going to do something we’ll both regret.”
    “Chief, where is your comm?”
    Mase shook off the effects with the resilience she’d come to
expect from him. He rose to his feet. In this one instance she was thankful it
didn’t take long to recover from a stun.
    “Back in medlab. Why?”
    Reeva tugged the comm from her ear and tossed it. Kendra
snatched it out of the air. “Destiny’s Palace had been invaded.”

Chapter Five
     
    Kendra placed the comm line in her ear. The insistent buzz
of an emergency alarm echoed through the line. She recalled the message.
    “It didn’t make sense, Chief.” Reeva crossed her arms and
shrugged her shoulders. “To either one of us.”
    Mase glared at Azros, flesh tinged violet. She almost called
him down, but thought better of it. Being stunned hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.
He stalked away from them. A light growl rumbled from Azros. She pinched the
bridge of her nose and prayed for patience. “He is not a threat. I don’t fuck
my subordinates, and I sure as hell wouldn’t fuck with my security team. If you
don’t back the hell off, I’m going to shoot you, tie you up, and leave you
here.”
    Azros gripped her shoulders and leaned so close she could
see the golden tips of long black eyelashes. “I can only control my instincts
so far, Kendra. Stay away from men until this madness leaves me, or I don’t
know what could happen.” He kissed her. A melding of heat and possession. This
kiss was a statement. She bit his lip and he purred. Actually purred.
    A throat cleared and Kendra tried to jerk away. Azros held
her in the kiss for a moment more, staring down at her with challenge in his
eyes. Kendra could feel the heat of a blush coming up her neck to her cheeks.
Azros ended the kiss and smiled. She barely controlled the urge to knock that
smirk off his face. He made her weak, and that was dangerous.
    “The