No Andarion said those words lightly. It meant that they would die back-to-back, fighting any and all attackers.

And it was one they’d both proven to each other repeatedly.

Nykyrian stepped away from him. “Just remember, Hauk, I know Andarion urges, and if any male, including you, lays a finger on my girl while she’s in your custody, I will cut you into pieces and feast on your entrails.”

Laughing, Hauk knew Nykyrian meant those words most of all.

CHAPTER 2

“Nyk,” Hauk breathed. “If you really loved me, drey, you’d take that blaster at your hip and shoot me right between the eyes. Right here. Right now. This instant.”

Nykyrian came as close to laughter as the somber warrior could.

As if on cue, Darice stormed off the shuttle and slung his pack to the ground in front of Hauk’s feet. At fourteen, he was as tall as most full-grown human males, but he only reached the middle of Hauk’s and Nykyrian’s chests. Even so, he was still just a boy with the very lean build and temperament that marked the young.

And as he moved to glare up at Hauk with his fists clenched at his sides, Hauk understood why some species chose to eat said young rather than raise them to adulthood.

It was so tempting.

Furious, the boy gestured toward the shuttle. “I’m not going anywhere with that —”

“Bite it,” Hauk growled before his nephew let loose a word that would have him disciplined.

Or worse, hunting on the ground for his teeth.

Darice hissed and exposed his long canines in protest.

“Oh my God, did he just fang you?” Thia gasped as she joined them in the landing bay. With an exaggerated gape, she blinked at her father. “Dad, he just fanged Uncle Hauk and Uncle Hauk didn’t kill him. Is the world coming to an end and I missed the e-mail?”

His features turning even darker, Darice snapped toward her with obvious intent.

Hauk caught his nephew’s arm in a gentle, yet firm grip. “Fang her, boy, and you will feel the pain of my displeasure to such an extent our ancestors will curse you for it.”

Darice jerked away from him. “You’re not my father. And that —” He gestured angrily toward the shuttle. “Is not my family. I will not dishonor our blood or ancestors, or dishonor my blood father’s memory by being in a shuttle or on a planet with him! You know our laws! How dare you bring him here!”

Hauk glanced past his nephew to see the look on Fain’s face as he heard those cruel words. The pain his brother felt nauseated him and increased his need to tan the backside of Darice’s buttocks until the boy limped.

For all eternity.

His features guarded, Fain stepped down from the shuttle’s ramp. “I’ve got Chayden coming in to do the drop. He’ll be here in five minutes.”

“A human?” Darice sneered as if that was the only thing worse than Fain.