“She is mine. I told you it would cost you your life, Gru.” Ral glared around the room. “Death to any man who tries to touch the woman I bound to.”

Ariel almost collapsed when she watched Ral snap Gru’s neck. He just twisted it and she heard the pop sound. Ral threw Gru’s body down. He reached down and grabbed up the next man. That man whimpered.

“Please, Ral—”

Ral broke his neck. He threw him aside. Ariel shut her eyes fighting a sob. She heard two more pops. Both of the remaining men had begged for their lives. Ral hadn’t hesitated to kill them.

“She’s mine,” he roared.

Ariel’s eyes flew open when a hand gripped her. A bloody Ral was panting as he jerked on her hand. She stumbled after him when he didn’t give her a choice. He dragged her from the room, around the dead bodies of the men he’d fought, and down the corridor. He didn’t stop until he reached the bathroom. He yanked her inside. Two men occupied the room. Ral snarled at both of them.

“Out. Baras, guard the door.”

One of the men nodded, glancing at Ariel. “Are you all right, Ral?”

“I had to kill four men stupid enough to try to take my bound woman.”

The man paled. “I will guard the door.”

“Appreciated,” Ral said softly.

He stared down at Ariel. She looked up at him fearfully. He frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You killed all four of them.”

He softly growled at her. “I don’t know how things are on your planet but you aren’t there anymore, Ariel. If I did not kill them then I would have to fight to keep you every day. Would you prefer I let them take you? Do you know what they would have done with you? They would have bred you until they passed you to other men. You are little. You would not survive long. They would hurt you. You are mine. You and I are in love. Do you understand?”

She nodded. “I’ve just…” She fought tears. “It scared me and I’m not used to violence. I realize you had no choice and I appreciate that you did that for me. I really do. I’m just in shock.”

He sighed as his hold on her arm loosened. “I will wash. Remove your clothes. We wash together.”

She stripped quickly. She kept glancing at the door. Ral chuckled. “Baras won’t let anyone enter. Most of my people fear me. I am stronger than all.”

“You fight really well.”

“I am a…” He hesitated. “I don’t know how to make you understand. On my planet some are stronger than others. I am from the strongest family. My father leads our planet.”

She was stunned. “Like a king?”

“I don’t know that word. My father is the strongest. He leads all of our people.”

“Shit. You’re like a prince.”

He shrugged. “I don’t understand that term but my people follow me here.

Sometimes some of them get stupid. They forget I fight the best. It is our way. The strongest lead the weaker. I am the strongest of my people here.”

“So why do they even fight you?”

“To win you from the Anzons…” He hesitated. “We do not like to injure each other but we are good at inflicting enough injury to make it look real. Sometimes we pretend broken bones. Sometimes the fight is real. Some fought for real for you. I always win the fight and award the prize to one of my people who deserve it. This time I kept the prize for myself.”

She was shocked again by the man who jerked her naked body into the shower stall and waved his hand against the wall. A waterfall of warm water fell from above the entire shower stall area like rain. It startled Ariel.

Ral chuckled. “The water cleans us. It will clean all. Just rub it on your skin.”

“There’s nothing to wash our hair with?”

He touched the rain. “It cleans your hair. There are chemicals in the water. Do not swallow it. It won’t harm you or your eyes since it gets in our eyes but it doesn’t taste good. If you swallow much it will come back up.”

“So that whole fight to win me from the Anzons wasn’t real?”

He hesitated. “We learned long ago when we were first captured how to show a fight to make it look good or they would withhold food to all to make us fight for real.

Some fight for real to try to win prizes they desire with much greed. I give away what I win to who I believe is the most deserving. Many fought for real today for you. They were being stupid and they wanted to win you from me so they could have you. They knew they were not in favor with me and I would not find them deserving of you so they fought.”

“That is why that man stopped you to ask you who I was being given to.”

He nodded. “Gru did not like it that I kept you but I have more than earned the right to withhold you for myself. He thought he was deserving enough for me to give you to him.”

“You’ve won other women?”

“Yes.”

Jealousy hit her. “You bred with them?”

He eyed her with narrowed lids. “No. I handed them over immediately to what man I had deemed deserving.” He reached to cup her face gently with his hand. He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “You are the only woman I have had taken to my bed since we were taken from our planet. That was six months ago.”

She was shocked again. “Why did you keep me? Why didn’t you keep any of those other women?”

He smiled. “I was attracted to you so strongly I felt it in my blood when I laid eyes upon you. I had to have you.”

She nodded. “I’m glad.”

“I am glad as well. Let’s go to our room. I feel the need for you in my blood and I don’t think it would be safe for me to have you here.”

Ral shut the door firmly. “Remove your clothes.”

She stripped quickly. She watched Ral remove his pants. He was aroused. He walked to the mattress to sit on his legs. He tapped his lap.

“Up or down. Your choice.”

Ariel smiled. “Do you always sit on your legs?”

“Your kind does not?”

“No. Stretch out flat on your back for me.”

He hesitated but then lay back. She dropped to her knees to climb across the mattress. Her hands massaged his chest as she straddled his lap. Desire burned in his eyes as he watched her silently. He didn’t protest. She leaned over him opening her mouth. She licked his chest. Instantly his body tensed. Growling, he arched his back to bring his body closer to her mouth.

She took that for a good sign. She licked his nipple and sucked it into her mouth.

He slid his hands into her hair with a groan. “Lord of the Moons,” he whispered.

Ariel smiled as she released his nipple. “Who is this guy?”

Ral chuckled. “The protector and watcher of my planet.”

“God.”

“Is that who protects your planet and watches over it?”

She hesitated. “Is your Lord of the Moons a breathing person or someone you believe in?”

“A belief.”

She nodded. “I have God.”

“Do that again with your mouth.”

She lowered her face to play with his nipple in her mouth. She brushed kisses across his chest to tease the other nipple. She drew back an inch to blow air on his wet skin. She grinned as his nipple puckered. Ral groaned.

“I need you.”

She gripped his thick erection in her hand. She was turned-on and wet. She stared into his eyes as she adjusted him under her hips. She moaned as she slid down, taking him into her body. He felt damn good as she lowered herself until he was buried deep inside her. Ral growled low.

“Ariel, that feels so amazing.”

“Wait.” She moved on him, riding him.

Ral gripped her hips, tossing back his head. He thrust upward into her as she drove down. They moved faster together as the pleasure grew.

“Touch me,” she gasped. “I’m so damn close.”

He released one of her hips so his hand was free to touch her clit, rubbing it between his finger and thumb. That was all it took and Ariel screamed out, coming hard. Ral snarled and threw back his head as his hot body jerked under her, pulsing deep in her. She collapsed on his chest.