Warmth surrounded her. She tried to move, open her eyes, but her body refused to obey. Alluna whimpered. Strong arms tightened around her, the scent of fresh sunshine and wind enveloping her.
"Hush. I'm taking you home with me," an extremely deep voice said near her ear. She should have felt fear, but she didn't. Lips brushed over her forehead. "No one will ever hurt you again. I'll care for you."
She longed to see who spoke to her, but the comforting embrace of darkness pulled her deeper into oblivion.
She remained in a dreamless floating state until the distinct feel of the sun warming her face roused her. A gentle breeze caressed her face and soft grass tickled her arms and neck.
Alluna let out a soft moan as she struggled to open her eyes. The bright blue of the sky overhead was blinding. She blinked turning her head to the side as the breeze blew a lock of her dark hair across her cheek.
Alluna frowned. All around her were plants and flowers she'd never seen in her life. A few paces from her, a lake of deep turquoise water glittered like a jewel. Sitting up, Alluna swept her unruly tresses from her face feeling fear creep up her spine. Where was she? What happened? She didn't even think she was on her planet anymore.
Someone cleared their throat, making Alluna snap her head in the direction of the sound.
She gasped, looking up... and up-and up!
It was the largest human she'd ever seen in her life. His hair was like spun gold, falling in thick waves around bulky shoulders. Even though he was clothed completely in black, it did not hide the chiseled form of his chest, nor the bulging thighs encased in snug black pants. Her mouth dropped open when he placed one booted foot close to her ankle. The sheer size of his boot made her gape.
"Are you feeling better?"
His voice was black velvet over steel, deep, and so unlike anything she'd ever heard, it sent a shiver through her.
Alluna's gaze flew back to his face, and the beauty of it took her breath away...
and
terrified her.
It was her golden angel, only she didn't remember him being so...gigantic.
Dragon
. The memory of the dream she'd had flashed through her mind.
He knelt by her side, the blue of his eyes mesmerizing her. Caramel lashes dipped in gold swept down and he licked his enticing lips before smiling at her. Her gaze went from watching his pink tongue dart out to wet lush lips to the beguiling dimples that creased his cheeks when he grinned.
"Are you hungry?"
Alluna tore her eyes from the sight of his full mouth to watch his hand raise. Cupped within the long, thick fingers was an unfamiliar fruit, its skin a deep, almost glowing red with tiny flecks of gold.
Forbidden fruit.
Was this the demon wreaking havoc on her planet, sending the torrential rains and ruining the village crops? The villagers had though her responsible. They had tossed her...
Alluna gasped and looked back at the giant's face. They had tossed her into the dark pit in the Misty mountains. Mama had said that a fire-breathing demon lived there and preyed on young maidens.
But he looks like an angel.
Again, the vision of a golden dragon whispered through her thoughts.
The breeze blew his wild tresses out making her breath catch. He was too beautiful, too perfect.
Alluna slapped the fruit out of his hand and scrambled to her feet. Leaves and branches whipped at her legs and arms as she dashed into the strange forest.
"Wait," he called. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Alluna's feet flew over the ground, her breath hammering in and out of her parted lips. Snapping her head back, she peered over her shoulder to see if he followed.
The breath was knocked out of her lungs when she slammed into what felt like a rock wall. Alluna's teeth rattled as she fell back. Wincing in anticipation of slamming into the ground, she was suddenly jerked upright.
Alluna spread her fingers over a very hot, hard chest as she gaped into the angel's impossibly blue eyes.
"I've got you," he said softly.
Alluna stared wide-eyed up at him. His eyes swept over her face.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered.
Again, he licked his lips and stared at her mouth as if he wanted to devour it.
His head began to descend toward hers, and, panicking, Alluna lifted her foot and kicked his shin.
He yelped, releasing her to grab his ankle, and Alluna ran as fast as she could, her screams ringing out.
Nothing seemed familiar, not the sky or surroundings. She was definitely no longer on Arboria and though she'd longed to see her golden angel again, the reality scared her spitless. Mama was right. He was so beautiful he had to be a demon... and his size. When he'd held her, she barely came up to the middle of his chest.
His massive chest.
The male's arms were so bulky, she would need both hands to span them-not that she planned to touch him. A quiver ran through her body just thinking about it.
"Hey," he called. "Stop. Let's talk. Please?"
Would her woodland guardians protect her so far from her planet? Alluna began to pray.
Out of breath, she stopped when she reached a rocky wall. Her ragged breathing filled her ears as she peered about for signs of the golden angel.
"Kid yourself not, silly girl," she admonished herself. "He's no angel."
"Actually, he's an Alpha Angel."
Alluna screamed when a devil appeared. His hair was the color of fresh blood, thick shaggy spikes growing out in every direction like the corona of a sun. It spilled over his wide shoulders, striking against the intense black of his clothing, much like the golden angel's. Green eyes sparkled with mischief over a pointy nose that arrowed over a lopsided grin.
For some unknown reason her hand itched to slap that grin off his pretty face.
The red-haired devil chuckled as if reading her thoughts.
"You are such an asshole."
With a gasp, Alluna whirled to come face to face with a silver-haired male. His eyes were the palest blue she'd ever seen and he looked extremely angry with the devil.
Again the devil chuckled, making Alluna grit her teeth and lash out. She sent her fist back, but instead of connecting with the annoying creature, she punched her golden angel in his nose.
"Son-of-a-bitch," he wailed clamping his hand over a bloody nose.
Alluna stared, horrified at the amount of guilt she felt and unsure why. She should feel fear at the giant's retaliation. Surely he was big enough to snap her in two with one meaty fist, except he looked at her with the eyes of a kicked puppy.
"You hit me. Why did you hit me?"
The red-haired devil next to him grimaced. "Dude, I think she broke your nose."
"Shut up," the golden angel snapped at him. "This is all your fault."
"Me? What the fuck," the devil snorted with a raised brow.
"He told us to wait," the flaxen-haired angel interjected.
Alluna backed away from the trio and bumped into something.
She turned slowly, letting her eyes trail up another black-clad body. Long, silky hair, like liquid satin the color of the blackest night stirred in the breeze, a few strands flowing over a thick throat. Skin, white as snow, soft dewy pink lips, and eyes that glowed like electric blue fire, Alluna found herself gazing into the face of a...god.
***
Zak gripped Alluna at the same time Devon grabbed her. The girl had taken one look at his commander and fainted dead away.
"Aw, Hell, Devon," Zak grumbled looking at his commander.
Devon bit the corner of his lip and released Alluna into Zak's arms. "I-I'm sorry. I forget..." his hand came up to his face and Zak immediately felt guilty at Devon's distress. "I forget about how I look."
Zak opened his mouth, but Remi interrupted what he was going to say, "What's wrong with the way you look? The most beautiful humanoid ever created." Remi crossed his arms over his chest and grinned, "Second to me, of course."
Seth rolled his eyes as Zak shook his head and hefted Alluna into his arms.
"This was all wrong," Zak murmured looking at the girl in his arms.
"What are you going to do now?" Devon asked.
For an instant, his eyes glowed a little brighter and Zak had the urge to sneeze. He shook his head and looked questioningly at Devon when his commander gave him a lopsided grin. Devon tapped his nose and Zak realized Devon must've worked his magic on his broken nose.
He wiggled it feeling no pain. "Thanks." Hefting The Arborian witch tighter in his arms he gazed back down at her. "I'm taking her to my quarters. It's what I should've done in the first place."
"Maybe we should've taken her to the holo-room and projected an image of her home planet," Remi suggested.
"No." Zak turned away, focusing on his rooms. "I've got control of this."
The image of lush green foliage blurred away to the soothing cream, gold and black of his quarters. His feet padded softly on the gleaming black marble floors as he passed the frosted glass partition sectioning off his sitting area from his sleeping chamber. With the utmost care, he laid the girl on his round pedestal bed. With a sigh, he crawled in next to her.
She would be afraid of him when she awakened, but he would show her there was nothing to fear. He would never hurt her. He only wanted to protect her, care for her. She needed to learn to trust him.
***
Alluna found herself on a battlefield. Thousands of warriors battled with swords and axes, blood and gore spraying everywhere. Overheard the sky roiled with black-grey clouds that flickered with slashes of lightening. The wind whipped Alluna's hair across her face as she felt her heart about to pound its way out of her chest. She peered anxiously through the throng of writhing bodies intent on hacking each other to pieces.
"Alluna, come away from here, I beg of you," a woman screamed behind her.
A hand gripped her arm, trying to steer her away from all the fighting, but she couldn't move. Her eyes were riveted to him... the golden angel.
He fought with two swords thirty paces away, his hair whipping about wildly in the wind. Blood ran down his back, scored with lash marks. Alluna gasped in terror when a warrior smashed one of his swords from his hand. Another approached to engage him as well.
