Page 3 of On a Rogue Planet
A huge man, a fricking giant, stalked into view.
He was at least six foot eight, with shoulders as wide as a planet and legs like starship landing struts. His skin was mottled with dark stripes that made her think of the pelts of the hunting cats on Panthon Prime. His head was bald and when he lifted his face, she saw strong features and…stars, fangs.
And he was…sniffing?
The man behind her loosened his grip on her mouth. “Stay silent.” A near-soundless murmur against her ear.
The warmth of his breath made her shiver. His other hand rested near her hip, two fingers touching her hip bone. A touch that seared through her. She wasn’t sure if he was ordering her or asking her, but when she nodded, he moved his hand away.
Suddenly, the giant stiffened and let out a sound caught between a yell and a roar. Then he looked right at their hiding spot.
The man behind Mal went unearthly still. Her heart thundered in her chest. They were going to die.
Then the man brushed past her and launched himself at the giant. A lean, black bullet moving so fast he was a blur.
Mal gasped, helpless to do anything but watch the deadly fight in front of her.
The man hit the giant with the force of a falling meteor. He was tall, but not as tall as the giant, and far leaner. There was no way he could match the enormous beast-man. Heart lodged in her throat, she glanced around, trying to find an escape route.
An enraged roar from the giant made Mal jerk. The beast-man was going down, the man in black was in motion, somersaulting over the giant. He landed agilely back on his feet.
He straightened and Mal finally got a good look at him.
Holy Stars.He was probably six foot three with wide shoulders narrowing to lean hips, all encased in a space-black uniform. On one shoulder was a silver insignia of a mechanical cog. The circular silver implant set in his temple told her he was Centaxian.
But that face…he was gorgeous with sharp, lean features set off by short black hair and dark-bronze skin that gleamed in the sunlight.
All his focus was on the giant pulling himself to his feet, shaking his head. The Centaxian flexed his gloved hands but was otherwise still.
The giant lowered his head and charged. The Centaxian didn’t react.
“Move, damn you,” Mal muttered, clenching her hands together.
At the last second, the man sidestepped and the giant raced past. Then the Centaxian turned and the fight started for real.
He was methodical. Kicks and hits landed with precision and all of them hard and unforgiving. The giant staggered, never finding his balance and never once getting a direct hit on the man. Another enraged roar filled the air before the giant charged again.
This time in her direction.
Mal held her breath.Stars save her. The giant slammed into the hull of the starship, setting it rocking. Dust and shards of metal rained down on her, but she forced her quivering body to stay where it was. Even though she wanted to run.Really, reallywanted to run.
Dazed, the giant shook his head. If he looked up, he’d see her.
Beyond her attacker, the Centaxian leaped into the air, higher than any normal man should be able to. He slammed down on the giant’s back.
He looked directly at her and their gazes locked.
His eyes were concentric bands of emerald green and burnished gold. Like nothing she’d ever seen before. Long, dark lashes ringed those amazing eyes.
But his beautiful face was blank. Empty of everything. No emotion. Nothing.
Frighteningly emotionless.
He pressed a palm down on the giant’s neck and then the green in the Centaxian’s eyes lit up and turned neon. Like the lights on a cockpit console.
She felt a rush of power fill the air. The giant convulsed, his back arching, a groan of pain ripping from his throat.
The Centaxian landed back on his feet, bending his knees slightly to absorb the impact. He stared at the giant without any expression. The giant collapsed and didn’t move.
