Anzar stared at his handiwork. It looked like a desperate survival scene. The large lump of slaughtered kagra unmissable. Panicked footprints stained the ground around it. He had bloodied the rocks and torn his tunic. Just behind it was the slanted pod, its door gaping and steam rising from it. It served as an effective demonstration from MARC on his planned performance. The pod had just returned from delivering the last crates to the village. The sun was almost setting which meant their window of advantage was diminishing.

"They Vargosh have broken atmo," MARC said from his wrist band.

"What?" Anzar asked, glancing up at the sky. "Atmo?"

"The Vargosh have breached your world." MARC's explanation had Anzar's eyes flying to the Jasmine. His heart leaped as fear gripped him, almost paralyzing him. He had experienced it before but never at this strength. He couldn't lose her, not his Molly. "I have notified her. She should be leaving the ship...now."

There she was, running toward Anzar with her hair streaming behind her. Her steps faltered at the scene before her, and to his surprise, she blessed him with a delighted smile. Heat of another kind nestled in his chest. Pleasing her came with its own reward.

His males trailed out into the open, a few settling around the fire, others slipping into the surrounding forest. Soran was closer to the Vargosh's anticipated landing area. He would be the one to address the intruders.

"Ready?" she asked, slipping her hand into his.

Anzar tightened his hold, noting her smaller weapon hanging from a belt she had put on. A dagger hung on her hip, as well.

"It will displease me if you do anything to endanger your life, temaar," he said. His voice had dropped to a rasp, with the thought of her injured tormenting him.

"You too," she said and tugged on his hand. "Now hurry, we need to find our positions before they land."

Even though he could overtake her with his longer strides, he didn't. Anzar enjoyed the sight of her breasts and hips swaying. They reached the large rock outcropping and ducked behind it. His gaze rested on his Molly, admiring her flushed cheeks, her parted lips as she panted for breath, but it was the fear in her eyes that had him looping his arm around her waist and tugging her closer.

"I have you, Molly." Anzar's gaze rested on her upturned face, and the urge to kiss her seized him. He released a long sigh, resisting the compulsion. He needed to focus if he was to ensure she survived this. She rested her hands on his forearms for a gentle squeeze. Her tiny fingers had him promising himself that after he had vanquished the Vargosh, he would strip her bare to discover all her wonders.

"I'm worried about the Jasmine. If the Vargosh don't blow her up, that is." Her gaze darted over the ship.

Anzar understood her concern. It had been her home, her sanctuary for many years. "Mother will take care of it as she does all things," Anzar said, his tone was one of conviction. He was looking forward to seeing it happen. Perhaps Mother would grow the jungle around it, perhaps she would swallow the ship whole.

"But she's at the village!' Molly said, and he tightened his hold on her. She was a child with little faith.

"The tree is a manifestation of Mother, a way for us to communicate with her. Each village, even the underground ones have trees. But Mother is Elkarra and her life essence infuses all living things. When one of her Chosen dies, she mourns. Days of rain saturate her soil. I have lived through such an event."

"Anzar, are you saying your planet, your world is sentient?" Molly's mouth gaped, the deep-pink tempting him, drawing his undivided attention.

"Aren't all your worlds?" Anzar asked.

"Here they come," MARC said. "I've masked your life signs. They will focus on Soran and his males."

Anzar slid his hand down her waist to her weapon, tugging it free to offer it to her. She took it from him, giving him a nod of thanks. The dull vibration and the violent wind from the Vargosh ship whipped her hair, drawing his attention as it landed where MARC had predicted it would. It was massive and odd-shaped, though it didn't compare to the sheer size of the Jasmine. Parts of the exterior appeared mismatched, though Anzar couldn't say whether that was part of its construction or how the Vargosh ruined it.

"The doors are opening," MARC said in his version of a whisper. "All but two lizards are exiting."

Anzar nodded. The large ship obscured Soran and his males from his vision.

"Two is good. Where on the ship are they?" Molly flattened herself to the rock's face.

"One is in Medical, and one guards the cargo holds. Interesting." MARC hummed. "They have cargo, Molly. We cannot destroy their ship as planned."

"Shit! Please tell me they don't have children?" she asked, her eyes widening.

Anzar nodded, agreeing that their plan would need to alter.

"The holds are resistant to my scans," MARC said.

"MARC, if we open a door, and an alien monster tries to bite me...," Molly left the threaten unfinished, but Anzar grunted. With him there, nothing would harm her.

"Go now," MARC said.

They sprinted around the back end of the ship, avoiding the heat sweltering off its cooling engines and thrusters. Too close and they would incinerate. Slipping around the side, Soran came into view, speaking with wide gestures to the Vargosh. If Anzar hadn't accepted that his Molly was not of this world, seeing those strange creatures would have convinced him. Tall with long lithe bodies, their silver and blue skin shimmered in the pale-yellow sunlight. Their elongated mouths displayed pointy teeth, but the placement of their eyes made sneaking tricky. Eyes on either side of their heads meant their opponent had to approach from behind them.

Molly slipped into the ship drawing a scowl from him. He had wanted to enter first, to ensure there was no harm ahead of her. He trailed her, the entrance too narrow to overtake her. She meandered along the pathways not made of her rock. The walls gleamed as if wet. A strong stench of decay saturated his nose, so he switched to breathing through his mouth. It didn't seem to bother Molly who had slipped into what looked like a larger pod. Against the back wall was an alcove hidden by familiar-looking crates. Colored lights flickered on the shelf to the front of the room. On it was a flat section with an imprint of a three-fingered hand. She paused in front of it, slipped off her wristband and lay it on top of the shelf. The lights flickered in response.

"Mm, I have access to parts of their ship but I can't bypass their encoding to access the piloting or the self-destruct. This isn't good, Molly." MARC said. "I am picking up that only one male has access to piloting, and he is outside the ship."

"No, I don't care about the piloting, MARC. Only the self-destruct matters." Molly drew in a deep breath as she squared her shoulders. "Try again."

"You doubt my skills?" MARC sighed. "There's good news, though. The lizard guarding the cargo is heading this way. Get me his hand."

Molly winced but pinched her lips before nodding.

"Chieftain, I suggest you hide." MARC's warning wasn't lost on Anzar. He tapped Molly's shoulder and gestured to the alcove. He pressed his back against the wall but hesitated to touch it. She stood in front of him, her back to him, and they crowded the small space, waiting. Her body warmed the front of him, calling to him. Her breasts molded by her tunic, rose and fell, mesmerizing him. She held her weapon to her chest, as if ready to kill. He didn't like that his female had to defend her life, but she was a stranger to his land. She knew not that the males were the defenders, so he needed to adapt his thinking. This was the last time he would allow it, though.

Muffled steps entered the pod, the top of the Lizard's head visible above the crates. Anzar slipped an arm around Molly, splaying his hand over her stomach to pull her flush against him as he raised his weapon. Before she could fire, or the lizard could discover them, Anzar took the shot. The male fell to the floor.

"MARC?" he asked for confirmation.

"On the verge of death," MARC said. "That's good. We can still use his hand."

Anzar nodded but didn't release Molly despite her attempts to step away from him. He placed his weapon on top of the crate and gripped her shoulder. Burying his face in her neck, he inhaled her scent, confident that it would drown out the Vargosh stench. It did. She shivered as he feathered his nose up to her ear. Nipping at it, he was careful not to hurt her. Her mouth parted on a gasp with her head dropping back to rest on his shoulder.

"Is now the time?" MARC asked.

"Quiet," Molly mumbled, tucking her weapon away. She wrapped her arm along Anzar's and laced her fingers through his hand splayed across her stomach. Tilting her head to the side, she met his gaze. "This isn't part of the plan, Anzar."

He didn't reply but pressed his mouth to hers to savor the sweetness of her lips. Crushing her to him, he raised his free hand to cup a breast, massaging its softness through her tunic. She moaned into his mouth, the sound of it sparking bursts of joy intermittent with burning need. His arousal throbbed in eagerness.

"I killed the lizard in Medical. A slight change of his meds and he's dead too," MARC said. "Proud of myself. I could do with a little gratitude."

Anzar ignored him but smiled when the non-organic's words made her giggle, ruining his kiss. He pulled away, admiring the heated look in her eyes.

"You're helping yourself to kisses then parts of my anatomy, Anzar. That's a huge thank you when you don't have anything to thank me for," she said, the smile still curling her lips even as her cheeks pinkened.

"I have much to discuss with you, Molly," he said, envisioning claiming her tonight. Just the thought of it hastened his heart and shuddered his breathing.

"Oh?" she asked, arching a brow, before hurrying to the fallen male, to tug his hand to the shelf. She held it there as lights flickered.

"I'm in and in time too. He just died. I have been broadcasting a message in your voice, Molly," MARC said. "The captives are expecting you to open their cells. Quit playing with Anzar, and finish this mission."

"How fair's Soran?" Anzar asked, forcing his hands away from her tempting body by reaching for his weapon.

"Scanning. All but one Vargosh has died." MARC's voice trailed them as he lit the way to the cargo hold.

She paused outside the first door. "Still no idea what's behind door number one?"

Anzar studied the door, not seeing a marking on it.

"None," MARC said. "My broadcast message might be why the lizard ventured to the aviator room. But that's a moot point now." He opened the door with Anzar and Molly raising their weapons. Nothing charged them. Molly leaned forward to peer inside.

"Empty," she said and stepped in front of the next door. "Door number two." It opened and another stench hit him of unwashed bodies. "Hello?" Molly peered into the room.

Anzar didn't like her doing that. Anything could yank her inside.

"Hello?" a soft voice responded.

Anzar leaned over Molly's shoulder, and his heart stilled. A female—looking more Human the longer he studied her—hid two smaller versions of her behind her legs. She had black-matted hair, but her brown eyes looked like Molly's.