Barbarian's Redemption (Ice Planet Barbarians, #12)

by Ruby Dixon

So I asked Cap-tan and Trakan to bring humans here, humans they find that have been taken from their home, like Shorshie and the others. Humans that will be sold to bad men. I want them brought here so they can be mates to the men in our tribe. So we can give them a good life and make kits with them. So we can be lonely no longer.

Is this supposed to make it sound slightly less bad?

I should tell her a great many things, but they all fly out of my head, thoughts scattering like startled dirt-beaks, because my khui begins to sing when she narrows her blue eyes at me and frowns, her hand over her own heart.

“My mate. I should have known,” he says in a low voice, his eyes bright. “Such a little fighter.”

“Yeah, well, there are ways to do it and ways not to do it. You and Raahosh must have been comparing notes or something.” Somewhere near the fire, it sounds like Raahosh snorts.

“I have questions for you.” “You assume I want to talk to your blue ass.” “Not my ass,” I correct her. “You can talk to my face.”

It does not matter that my intentions were good, only that I have done the same thing to them that so many others have done.

In my eyes, I was saving the humans. In their eyes, I am no better than those that stole them.

“Bek, I never had a home before I got here. I was never safe. You are my home. You are my safe. I’m with you forever.”

My mate considers the rows of huts and then points at one on the far end of the village, at the outskirts. She wants to be away from everyone. Somehow I knew that.