Wild Things (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance): Shifter Lovers Romance by Catherine Vale

ears.
    “What
in the heavens is that?”
    “Aliens.”
Gabriel jerked his chin at the window.
    They
were circling outside the stopped train, weaving back and forth, holding spears
and sticks topped with wicked looking knives. Circling, like they had before.
    “That’s
what they did when they attacked the train…” She leaned closer to the window.
    “No,
Senna! Don’t…” He grabbed for her but she was drawn toward the barbaric scene.
They were close enough for her to see the aliens clearly. It was mesmerizing,
in a horrific way. They’d moved so quickly before, savaging the wolves. She had
no idea what to expect, only told tales of silver-skinned lizards who would
spirit misbehaving children away in the middle of the night.
    “They’re
not silver-skinned. They have leather skin.”
    Gabriel
had her arm now, pulling her back. “If they see you, there’s no telling what
they’ll do. You might be better cargo to them than fuel. They’re highly
intelligent. We’ve caught some and they’ve learned to speak our language well
enough to understand us. If they realize you’re the Princess, you could be
taken hostage. To them, now, this is just another train. And they’re wearing
leather to protect themselves from the stinging sand. Believe me, under those
they have silver skin, and scales. Just as you’ve heard.”
    She
shivered in horror. “But…you won’t let that happen? You won’t let them take me
as a hostage?”
    “Not
if my life depended on it. But…” He was looking up at the ceiling, head tilted.
“Listen.”
    She
followed his gaze, scowling. “I don’t hear anything.”
    “Exactly.
The guards have left the roof of this car.”
    “But
I’m supposed to be guarded. I’m a Princess. Why would they leave me unguarded?”
    Before
he could answer there was a noise outside the door. Gabriel stepped in front of
her. With her hand on his shoulder, peering around him, they waited for the
door to open. But there was no click of the lock, no turning of the handle.
    “What
are they doing?”
    There
was a loud thunk, and then a metallic clank. A subtle vibration shook the car.
Beneath her hand she felt him tense.
    “They’ve
uncoupled this car from the rest of the train. That’s why your car is the
last.”
    “But…why?
What is the point?”
    He
looked at her over his shoulder. “Apparently the Ottway had no intention of
marrying you after all. You were part of a double-cross.”
    “A
double-cross? Against who?”
    “Your
father. The marriage is arranged, the Ottway’s Dominion and your father’s Realm
are joined. But he doesn’t want you anymore than you want him.” She scowled. Gabriel
smiled, even though it was rather grim. “Don’t look so disappointed.”
    “It’s
one thing to reject; it’s another to be rejected.”
    “A
princess…and a woman…through and through.”
    Her
frown deepened. “So I’m to be left to the aliens? Alone and defenseless?”
    “More
or less. Which is why this shifter that I stole the clothes from, had no
weapon. He wasn’t intended to defend you at all. In fact, he may have been made
to commit what would have been a gesture of obedience. To sacrifice himself for
the cause.”
    “That’s
horrible. So I’m supposed to be a sacrifice? To be left to the aliens to kill
me as a method of getting me out of the way?”
    Gabriel
shrugged. “Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes.”
    She
had a feeling there was more behind what he said the aliens would do, besides
just a quick death at the hands of the aliens. But she had no intention of
asking what that was.
    “Then
what do we do now?”
    “We
can’t stay in here, waiting for them to come through the door. We need to find
you a weapon, while they’re still doing whatever they’re doing with the fuel.”
    Gabriel
was suddenly in movement, practically diving for her travel bag. Before she
could say anything he’d pulled it out from beside the divan and dumped the
contents out on the