Alien Knight Blind Date Disaster

Dagan, the Caldorian king. He just didn’t know it yet.
Isabella walked to the side of her bed, lifted one of Falden’s heavy arms and handcuffed him to the brass headboard. Not exactly perfect, but at least he wouldn’t disappear on her. Satisfied, she climbed onto the opposite side of the bed and used a blanket to cover them both.
She’d done what he asked. He was here, not in a hospital. He didn’t appear to be dying. And she was beyond exhausted.
“Don’t die while I’m asleep, okay?”
He didn’t answer, but then she hadn’t expected him to. She should have gone to sleep instantly. Instead her mind raced with questions. What kind of guy ordered her food without asking, then took a bullet for her? Ordered whiskey, which she hated, then choked when he drank it? Bragged about his expensive clothing, his watch, his car, and didn’t know how to drive? And what was an L warrior? What was a nymen? Was that something to do with the way his body glowed? Were all aliens luminescent? Was that why his skin was glowing? Did all Caldorians’ skin glow like that? Was it just because of the paste? Would he still be glowing when it wore off? And how long would that take?
She looked at her hands and forearms. The paste was gone. Completely absorbed. Her skin didn’t glow. She didn’t feel any side effects. Warm. Not as tired. But that was about it. No cool glowing. Nothing special. So why had Falden told her not to get any on her skin?
She wanted to glow. How freaking cool was that?
“So disappointing.”
And that sword? Furon? Storm Caller? The sword glowed, too. And deflected bullets. Did it really call storms? Like he was one of the comic book’s X-Men? If he did something to the weather with that sword, would his eyes turn white like Storm’s did in the movies?
And how had he known her real name? He knew she didn’t really wear glasses. If he knew she was lying, why had he agreed to meet her?
Questions. So many questions.
Eventually she slept and dreamed of glowing swirls and hot kisses. Of him.
And bullets. Screaming.
Blood.

Chapter Six
Falden woke to Isabella whimpering like she was hurt. Or afraid.
The slight sound pulled him fully conscious within seconds, every warrior’s instinct he had on high alert.
There was no intruder, no threat. Only the small, warm female curled against him like there was no better place for her to be. And the thin metal band she’d used to secure his hand to the bed? A human police handcuff.
He should have been angry. Annoyed at the very least. Instead, amusement nearly forced his lips into a long-forgotten smile.
The thin metal was no more than string to his Lumerian strength. After a full night of rest plus maju water, he was at full power. The device around his wrist would snap if he so much as twisted a bit.
With her warm body pressed to his, her head on his shoulder and her hand resting over his heart, he had no desire to move. None. Beneath her fingers he saw a bright blue glow. The marking over his heart was lit with opalescent fire. Every muscle tensed.
Eyes widening, he fought the urge to snap the puny handcuff and wrap Isabella in his arms as every protective, primal instinct he had rushed to the fore. Fierce, powerful need slammed through him. While he’d been unconscious, Isabella had lit his markings. Claimed him, whether she knew it or not. She hadn’t just used the maju paste on his wound; she’d gone exploring. Removed most of his human clothing and rubbed paste over damn near every inch of his skin. Lit him up like a firecracker. He was ancient; he had a lot of markings.
He blew out a slow, metered breath, careful not to wake her while he considered his options. He was a Lumerian Knight. A warrior without equal. A king’s assassin. Spy. A survivor from a planet destroyed long ago. Leader of his people. Hunter and hunted.
He’d known when he’d accepted the responsibility of hiding and protecting a Lumerian queen and her unborn twins, Sevron and Torrin, that any chance he had of ever finding a woman to share his life, his burdens would be impossible. They’d barely escaped with their lives, and as he’d watched Lumeria burn, his dreams of ever being claimed by a worthy female had turned to ash.
Looking at the handcuff once more, he made a decision. If the puny metal restraint made Isabella feel safe, he would accommodate her. For now. Perhaps if she felt more in control, she would be willing to speak the truth to him. He very much wanted to know her truth. Her taste. Everything. He wanted to know everything.
Still asleep, Isabella snuggled closer. Edged her feminine leg possessively over his much larger one.
His gaze softened. This female was dangerous in more ways than one. For two thousand years he’d thought of nothing but his duty. Made sacrifices and hard decisions that no man or woman should ever have to make in order to keep his people safe. Never, in all that time, had he wavered. Yet, looking down at the small human woman who fit perfectly against him, who claimed him even in sleep, he was torn.
He wanted Isabella Serrano as he’d never wanted anything before. Yearned to make her his. Yet, how could he trust her? One look around her shell corporation/hideout told him that she was dangerous and getting more and more involved in the intergalactic black market. She was also somehow connected to Sevron. He needed her to tell him the truth. He needed her trust. All of it.
The first light of dawn glowed around the edges of black-out panels hanging over the main room windows as Isabella drifted in the zone between sleeping and wakefulness. At some point during the night, she must have rolled off her couch and landed on the coffee table, she thought grumpily,