My throat closes up, and a small whimper erupts from my throat.

“My flower, are you hurt?” Kanuz’s gaze scans me from head to toe, his expression turning thunderous. “You are bleeding.” I wince as he gently runs a fingertip across a gash in my forehead.

It doesn’t hurt, though, which is either a sign I’m truly fucked… or that it’s not that bad. I take a deep breath and force my breathing to slow before touching it myself. Gingerly, I explore the small cut and bump, before exhaling a huge sigh of relief.

“It’s nothing,” I tell him. “One of the rocks must have caught me before you threw yourself over me like a massive alien blanket.”

“My hide is more well-equipped than your fragile skin.” His voice is pitiful, and I blink up at him. “It is my fault you are injured. I should have found a way out of the jungle by now. We should be in Edrobaz, sipping their delicious cold drinks and pleasuring each other. Instead, you are bleeding and dirty.”

“It’s really not a big deal. I’m not concussed. Besides, we can’t sit here and worry about what we should have done. You need to put on our big boy alien pants so we can get the hell out of here. We don’t have time to look back. I’d like one of those drinks, when we get there.”

“Big boy alien pants are the only pants I have.” He stares down at me mournfully, and I wipe away the blood and grit smeared on my face.

I snort a laugh, and a small smile tugs up one corner of his mouth. Like this, with his oversized body pressed up against mine, I’m all too aware of him. It’s more intimate than some kisses I’ve had back on Earth. My body goes hot all over, and something changes in Kanuz, too, like he’s in tune with me.

Shit. He’s probably doing his weird arousal sniff again.

But I mean, if I’m going to be buried alive, maybe death during a dicking down wouldn’t be the worst way to go. I shake my head a little. Maybe I am concussed, because that’s not a great idea.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, his arms caging me in. My breathing quickens, and I nearly tell him.

“How a hot bath and some soap sound like heaven when we get out of here,” I lie. “Nothing better than some pampering post-near-death experience.”

Another cloud of dust explodes overhead, and he pushes me into his chest, cradling me.

“I would pamper you, my Gen. I would pamper every inch of your body, until you cannot even think of this anymore, until all you can think of is me.”

I gotta be honest, it’s sounding better and better the more he talks about it.

“You make a lot of promises, my dude.” I try to keep my voice light, try not to let on how scared and worried I am. “You could really get a girl’s hopes up high.”

“I heard no complaints about my kiss,” he says. His voice is strained, rock and grit continuing to shake free of the ceiling overhead.

“Mmm…” I say, shrugging against his chest, my small smile hidden against his skin.

“What is this mmm?” he asks, and this time, there’s consternation in the question.

I bite my cheeks.

“What do you mean by mmm? What does this mmm mean?” He glances down at me, eyes narrowed. “You did not melt against me to make this mmm sound. You did not fill my nose with the scent of your cunt just to tell me it was mmm. You were wet for me,” he accuses. “Do not pretend otherwise.”

“Mmm,” I hum agreeably, and he tilts his head, inspecting me as though I’m a greater mystery than this damn temple.

Finally, the temple finishes vibrating. I exhale. We’re not going to be buried alive.

Yet.

A few more rocks tumble down, the last-minute drama queens. Kanuz eyes them warily before standing. The look he gives them promises death, which would be hard to do, even for the muscle-bound alien prince of Sueva, considering they’re rocks.

“I will not hear this mmm from you,” Kanuz says to where I sit on the ground, stretching my neck out.

“Mmm,” I repeat, trying not to laugh.

“You are teasing me,” he says. “You think to tease me about my prowess in mating?” There’s no humor to the question, his tail slashing the air behind him. “I will show you, my little human flower, and then you will not make this mmm noise again.”

A tiny shiver of anticipation goes through me, silencing the spark of humor. Kanuz continues to stare at me, rolling his shoulders. When he winces, I stand up, ignoring the pain jolting through me.

“You’re hurt.”

“Better me than you,” he says. “And I am fine. Now, let us discover the surprises this room holds. That is, if you can concentrate while you think about having sex with me.”

“Excuse me,” I exclaim, putting my hands on my hips. “The only one thinking about sex is you, Prince!”

His fangs flash as his smile deepens, his tail slapping the ground. “You are a pretty little liar.”

“Argh!” I throw my hands up in frustration, taking stock of the latest room in this stupid labyrinth temple. I gotta get out of here. I’m stuck in this year’s production of Alien Indiana Boner and the Temple of Gloom, because the alien who married me can’t think past his magic stick.

The room’s filled with rock dust, and I wave my hand in front of my face, trying to clear it. I reach for the tank knotted to my belt loop… and come up with a handful of smashed fish.

“Gross,” I mutter.

“I am sorry,” Kanuz says. “I did not imagine the ceiling would give in and crush our meal.”

“Can’t say I blame you on that one,” I say, wrinkling my nose and tossing the fishy fabric far away.

There’s water in this room too, a huge dark pool, and the sealed off entrance to the last trap. I squint, in the dim light cast by the line of fire embedded in the wall, trying to see if there’s another touchscreen anywhere.

Nope. The walls are all rough stone, no carvings, no symbols, nothing.

Just the dark, rippling expanse of water stretching before us.

I purse my lips.

“I have a feeling we’re going to have to go in there,” I tell Kanuz.

He grunts in agreement, his movements stiff.

I can’t say I love the idea of getting in it. The pool isn’t nearly as inviting as the last one, and that one was about as inviting as a shark-infested riptide.

I mean, some people might be into that kind of thing, but I’m not.

Shit. I wish I hadn’t thought of sharks.

“There isn’t anything… living in here, right?” I peer at the pool. “Besides dinner? Or is it lunch?” I don’t have a clue what time it is.

“There may be fish.” He lingers on the last word, drawing it out in a way that tells me he’s worried about whateverthefuck might be lurking in there, too.

I take a hasty step away from the pool.

Well, at least I can’t be scared and horny.

Right now, that is.

“Your scent has changed.” Kanuz drapes an arm across my shoulders, pulling me into him. “Do not be afraid, Gen. I am here.”

“Yeah, but what the fuck is in there?” Knowing this temple, it could be a prehistoric snake. A megalodon. A nightmare.

“Are you afraid of swimming? Of water?” He puffs his chest out, side-eying me. “I can swim well enough for the both of us, my princess.”

“No,” I say, and I’m not. “I’m actually a fantastic swimmer, thank you very much, Captain Condescending.”

“I am a prince, not a captain,” he retorts.

And just like that, I’m smiling again. Still less than thrilled about getting in the stupid ass dark water, but his little misunderstandings are… endearing.

“It’s just something humans say,” I explain, then stop short. The water ripples. Bubbles burst at the surface.

Big bubbles.

“That could be from the shaking, right? Like…something in there is loose. Right?”

“Perhaps,” Kanuz answers. He cocks his head, watching the water, and I relax against him slightly. “It is more likely there is something in there,” he adds.