Page 79 of Lost in Barbarian Space

He glanced around, wondering if it was coming from the containment box. He frowned. No. It was coming from the other direction.

He stepped closer, and spotted an orange glow in another box.

“There’s another explosive,” he bellowed. “Everyone down!”

People dived for cover. In a split second, he realized Agent Brandall was right beside the box. Right in the line of fire.

Colm sprinted toward her, using every ounce of his nanami-enhanced speed. He saw her turn, her eyes widening. He scooped her up, and took three running steps before the explosive detonated.

The explosion lifted him off his feet. Colm curled his body around hers to shield it. He turned slightly, so he was the one that slammed into the hard ground, Honor on top of him.

Colm’s head slammed into the rocks. He blinked, trying to stay conscious. All he could think of was that it felt so right to have Honor Brandall pressed against him.

“Colm.” Her worried face appeared above his. She tapped his cheek. “Stay with me, warrior.”

He tried, but black splotches crossed his vision, and he lost consciousness.

Colm awoke. For a second, he thought he was back on the narrow bunk in the med bay, on the Institute ship.

Then he released a breath. He was in his own bed, and Kavon was sitting in a chair beside him.

“Kavon?”

Relief flashed over his friend’s face. “Finally. I thought you’d miss the feast. It’s starting soon. That hard head of yours has really taken some knocks lately.”

“I only remember the last one.” Colm expected to feel pain, but he felt nothing. In fact, he felt great. He remembered hitting his head after the explosion, and probed the back of his skull. There was no lump.

“Medscope,” Kavon said simply.

“Everyone’s okay?”

Kavon nodded. “Fine. And the pink-haired nightmare was brought in to clean up the area. Hard to believe such a young…unique girl is an expert with explosives.”

Colm sank back against his pillows. “And Honor? She’s okay?”

Kavon stilled. “Honor is fine.”

Honor. Honor. His Honor. Colm frowned, a faint ache in his head.

Then, it was like his mind crashed open. He groaned and pressed a hand to his chest. As the memories flooded his brain, his nanami buzzed inside him.

“Honor,” he breathed. “My mate.”

Kavon leaned forward. “You remember?”

Colm leaped out of the bed and searched for his trousers. “Yes!” He needed to get to her. “You didn’t tell me.” He spun. “You were just going to let my mate leave?” He made a strangled, enraged sound.

“She made me promise not to.”

Colm froze. “She doesn’t want me.” Mating was always the female’s final decision.

Kavon snorted. “Hardly. She loves you so much she wanted you to be free to explore life, without the issue of the nanami sickness hanging over you.”

Colm reached over and grabbed a glass from his nightstand. He threw it, and it smashed against the stone wall. “How could she believe it wouldn’t include her?”

“She spoke with Aurina, Colm. I get the impression her previous relationships have not made her believe a man could love her as she is.”

Colm made another angry sound.