Norsuk

Iwrenched my gaze away from Agatha with effort, focusing instead on turning the spit-roasted mine beast over the crackling flames. Her allure was becoming harder to resist with each passing moment, but I couldn"t afford to let myself get drawn in. Falling for a slave I intended to sell would be beyond foolish.

"Smells better than a can," Agatha remarked, her voice a soothing lilt in the darkness. "Do you eat these critters a lot?"

"Never seen one before," I grunted, feeding more busted furniture into the fire.

"Do you think it"s good to eat?"

"Better than starving." The orange glow cast hellish shadows across the cavernous mess chamber, hinting at the untold horrors these tunnels had witnessed.

Agatha"s gaze roamed the room, brow furrowed. "This place is huge. How many people worked down here?"

"Thousands, at least," I replied, the words bitter on my tongue. "Reazus Prime used to be the galaxy"s main source of korun ore. But that played out ages ago. After that, with all the tunnels, it became a prison for the worst scum in the universe."

She shivered, hugging herself. "Are there still prisoners locked up?"

"Legend has it that the miners disappeared without a trace. Authorities searched for years before giving up." I shrugged, turning the sizzling meat once more. "Eventually, the outlaws crawled out of hiding and claimed this rock as their own. A whole planet of criminals."

Satisfied with the beast"s doneness, I sliced off a chunk and skewered it on one of my knives, handing it to Agatha. Her eyes lit up, pink lips curving in a smile that made my chest constrict.

"Oh, awesome! Possum!" She blew on the steaming morsel before taking a hearty bite, humming in pleasure.

I had made her happy. The realization filled me with a warm glow that I quickly tamped down. Do not get attached, idiot!

But I couldn"t tear my eyes away from her mouth, now glistening with grease. My own lips tingled in response. The scent of burning meat jolted me back to the present. I hurriedly flipped our dinner, carving myself a portion.

"I"ve never had better possum," Agatha declared between bites. "Or whatever this is. Thank you."

"You need to stay healthy," I replied gruffly. "Keep meat on your bones." Slavers would pay a fortune for her lush, nubile body. The thought of other men leering at her, putting their filthy hands on her, made my blood boil. I quickly banished the unbidden surge of possessiveness.

We devoured the beast down to bare bones, then set about exploring our surroundings. "If this was the mess, there must be barracks," I mused, peering into branching tunnels. "And probably a way out."

Agatha followed close behind, her light tread and gentle breathing the only sounds in the oppressive hush. "How are your feet?" I asked, noting her slight limp.

"The sleeves help," she murmured, her cheeks flushing crimson in the lantern light. I fought the urge to scoop her up and carry her again, to feel her soft curves molding against me.

The barracks were much the same—rotting clothes and tools still hanging in place, cots surprisingly intact. "Can"t tell how long we"ve been down here," I said, frowning at my comm"s lack of signal. "No bearing before entering the mine. But we should get some rest, then search for boots for you."

"No, thanks!" Agatha shook her head vehemently and made a beeline for a bank of lockers. But the moment she wrenched one open, an angry buzzing erupted. A swarm of glowing, winged insects burst forth in a blinding cloud.

Yelping, Agatha flailed her arms and stumbled back. I lunged forward, catching her in my arms before she hit the ground. She blinked up at me, chest heaving.

"Okay," she panted, swallowing hard. "Maybe sleep first."

I set her down gently on the nearest cot, ignoring how perfectly she fit against me, how right it felt. The naked trust in her eyes was my undoing. "C"mon, lie down," I said hoarsely. "Get some rest."

Agatha bit her lip, gaze darting to the shadows. "I don"t want to go to sleep," she confessed in a small voice. "Last time I fell asleep, I woke up in a tube hurtling into a mine chasm. I can"t..."

"I won"t let anything happen to you." The words escaped before I could stop them, fierce and full of promise.

She peered at me searchingly, something painfully like hope dawning on her face. "Really?"

"You"re safe with me."

And just like that, her expression crumpled. "Oh."

I turned away, jaw clenched. She wasn"t safe—not from me, and the dark desires she stirred in my battered soul. Get a grip, man.

"At least I"m still in my sleep shirt." Agatha sighed, plucking at the flimsy fabric. I blinked. That explained the impractical attire.

Shrugging out of my jacket, I draped it over her petite form. She immediately nestled into it, a ghost of a smile playing about her lips. "Thanks," she murmured. "But won"t you be cold?"

"My people aren"t as susceptible."

"Sexy dinosaur people," she mumbled drowsily.

I stiffened. What?

Dropping onto the adjacent cot, I removed my knife-laden belt and boots, hyper-aware of her wide-eyed gaze tracking my every move. I wasn"t about to strip down further, no matter how much she seemed to want it. No matter how badly I ached to feel her silken skin against my own.

Do. Not. Get. Attached!

I lay down, willing my thundering heart to slow. Agatha did the same, reaching out to entwine our fingers. Her touch burned like a brand. "I can"t remember the last time someone watched over me," she whispered, giving my hand a squeeze. "It"s so nice. But don"t worry, I"m too anxious to sleep."

"You can relax," I assured her gruffly. "I"m right here."

She made a soft noise of assent. Not ten seconds later, her grip slackened and her head lolled to the side, a gentle snore escaping her parted lips.

I stared at her sleeping form, drinking in the rise and fall of her chest beneath my jacket, the dark fan of her lashes against flushed cheeks, the perfect bow of her mouth. Did she want me as badly as I wanted her?

I couldn"t risk finding out. Her safety, her value, depended on me keeping my distance.

What kind of besotted fool was I to even entertain such thoughts? To let this slip of a human female get under my skin after mere hours?

Tearing my gaze away, I glared at the shadows and settled in for a long, restless night.