by Ella Maven
“Yes, he did.” I laid Sax’s hand on his chest and replaced the cloth on his forehead with a fresh cool one from the qua bucket beside me. “Thank you for saving us. I really thought it was the end.” I dropped the old cloth, which was warm from Sax’s burning forehead, into the bucket to cool down. “How did you find us?”
Daz watched my movements, and when I was finished, he took a seat on a chair next to the pallet. He braced his elbows on his knees. “We have warriors who regularly scout the perimeter of our territory. One reported a large contingent of Kulks. We rode out to take a look and found you.” His violet eyes held mine. “Actually, we heard you first.”
“Heard me?”
“I heard what you said as you stood over my brother’s body and faced off against dozens of Kulks in full armor.” He swallowed and his gaze dropped to his hands as he rubbed a thumb over the markings on his wrists. His loks, the ones that matched those of his mate. His back heaved with a deep breath. Finally, his eyes lifted, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft. Reverent. “You human females are warriors.”
“Sax saved me more times than I can count.” I swiped at a wet strand of hair that had stuck to his nose.
“If you’re up to it, will you tell me how you met? Last I saw my brother, he was an Uldani prisoner.”
I fidgeted as I considered where to start. When I began speaking, I only intended to give an abridged version, but the more I told to Daz, who sat silently and attentively, only interjecting a few questions, I found myself spilling my guts. I explained the fear and the desperation, how his brother sacrificed himself again and again, all the pain he’d put himself through, and how bravely he’d driven that hovercar to our safety. How terrified I’d been when I realized the seriousness of his injury.
I swiped at my eyes. I’d spent the last half of the story silently crying. I dug into Sax’s pocket and pulled out the chip. “Sax destroyed the lab and saved this. Apparently, this has all the Uldani research on their Drixonian breeding problem, and private information about your, um, Frankie.”
Daz held out his hand and I dropped it into his palm. “I guess HIPPA laws aren’t a thing here,” I murmured.
“Hm?” Daz asked.
I waved a hand. “Nothing.”
He studied me for a moment. “Fatas chose well for my brother.”
I flushed, and it was on the tip of my tongue to deny or reject the compliment, but I held the words back. “Thank you,” I said. “I think the world of your brother, so that’s the nicest thing anyone could say about me.”
His mouth opened into a full-on smile then, and I sucked in a breath. If he would have looked like that when I’d first seen him, then I would have recognized the resemblance. His smile was beautiful, like Sax’s, although my mate definitely smiled more, if the lines on his face were any indication.
“My Frankie is eager to meet you. She was devastated when we didn’t come home with Sax.”
“I’m excited to meet her, too. Sax spoke highly of her.”
Just then two blue bodies barreled into the room, pushing and shoving at each other. “Rokas said wait!” said a Drixonian with a lower lip piercing.
“Yeah, well Rokas is off sticking a needle in a grumpy Gar.” This came from a smiling Drixonian with a mohawk, nipple rings like Sax, and thick gold rings on his fingers. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
“What are you two doing here?” Daz growled. He slapped Mohawk’s hand when he fiddled with a box of medis vials. “Don’t touch anything.”
Mohawk seemed unperturbed. “I want to see Sax.”
He strode toward the bed, and I saw the moment he realized I was there too. His steps faltered, and he came to a halt. He blinked at me, and then his mouth turned up into a rakish grin. “Hey! I’m Xavy. Happy to meet you. You were a little badass standing up to those Kulks.”
“Hi, I’m Val,” I said. “Sax mentioned you. He would talk about how he missed riding with you.”
Xavy let out a boom of laughter. “Ah, me too. Well, I’ve been personally looking after his bike. Cleaned it every day so it’d be ready for him when he got home.” He bent over Sax and ran his hand over his friend’s hair and down his neck to squeeze his shoulder. “Hey buddy, you have to get better. I have a new spirits recipe for you to try. I’ve been saving it, so no one else has had it yet. I’ll even name it after you.” He went down to his knees and shuffled forward until his chest was pressed against Sax’s side. He sobered as he took in Sax’s battered body, the heat of his skin, and the nasty-looking wound in his leg.
He gripped the back of Sax’s neck and touched their foreheads together. “Miss you, brother.” His voice went hoarse. “I would have traded places with you. Thought about it a bunch of times, just showing up at the Uldani gates with nothing but a prayer to Fatas. If I thought it would have worked, I would have done it.”
Behind Xavy, Daz sat with his head bowed, and the other Drixonian stood over his shoulder, watching Xavy with a somber expression. I admired the way these strong males, full of testosterone and warrior instincts, were willing to lay themselves bare emotionally with no hesitation. Toxic masculinity didn’t exist on Corin. Along with HIPPA laws.
“Glad you found her, though,” Xavy was saying. “You should have seen her taking on those Kulks, defending you. You would have been proud.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks, and I angrily wiped them away. I was so, so sick of crying.
With a squeeze of his fingers, Xavy let Sax go and stood up. He ran his hand down his face with a heavy sigh before shooting me a soft smile. “Thanks for taking care of him when he was in that flecking hole.”
“He took care of me,” I said. After I thought about it for a moment, I said, “I guess we took care of each other.”
“It’s what mates do,” Daz’s deep voice added. He stood and clapped Xavy on the shoulder. “You got your wish to see Sax. Now Val should get some more rest. I’ll make sure Rokas doesn’t shut you out again.” He turned and handed the other Drixonian the chip. “Nero, Sax stole this from the lab. Val said it has all the information about the Uldani breeding program. Find out what you can from it.”
Nero took it like it was a rare gem, cradling it in his palm with awe. “I’m sure it’ll take me some time to decrypt it, but I’ll get on it right away.”
“Do that,” Daz said. “Val, you said you there were other females on your ship?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure what happened to them.” My heart ached at the thought. At least I’d had Sax to help me through this.
Daz made a frustrated growl in his throat. “Nero, hopefully there’s some way to see how many shipments of females have arrived. I don’t want to think about the Uldani holding a large number.”
“Will do, Daz,” Nero answered.
He turned to me as the other two Drixonians murmured their goodbyes and left the room. “I’m not sure how much longer I can keep Frankie and the other women away. They already feel protective of you, and they haven’t met you.”
I stifled a yawn behind my hand. I still wasn’t one hundred percent. “Maybe after I nap.”
His lips quirked up. “I’ll tell her. Sleep well, Val.”
“Thank you, Daz.” He turned to walk away, but my next words stopped him. “Sax spoke about you a lot. He respects you and wanted to make you proud. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to live up to the legend Sax made you out to be.”
Daz’s purple eyes met mine.
“But I see now,” I said. “I see how you fight and interact with your warriors, and how much you care about your brother, your mate, and the members of the Night Kings clavas.” Tears pricked my eyes, and I didn’t know why.
Daz swallowed thickly, and his chin jerked. “Thank you for saying that,” he said. “Sax is the greatest Drixonian I know. I’m glad I make him proud. He makes me proud every rotation.”
With another smile, he strode from the room.
I gulped down some qua and curled up next to Sax.
He didn’t move, but his features were no longer pinched with pain. Rokas had given him something for pain, and it must have been some pretty strong shit.
I rested my head on the pallet beside his, wrapped an arm around his heated chest, and closed my eyes. When I slept, I saw Sax’s eyes, and his grin. And even in my dreams, he called me his lioness.
Val
“She’s still sleeping, Tab. Quit being a creep,” whispered a female voice.
“But look how cozy they are. It’s so sweet,” said another woman, this voice a little higher. Younger. Maybe Tab?
I could hear them, but I didn’t move, still caught somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, warm from Sax’s body and too comfortable to move.
“If Sax doesn’t make it through this, I’m going to…” The first voice cut off on a frustrated growl. “I’m going to do something. I don’t know what yet.”
“Didn’t you say you think Daz is stronger since you two got your loks?” another voice said.
“Yeah, but Sax’s injuries are severe,” said the first woman, who had to be the infamous Frankie. “I can’t imagine what they went through. Daz said she and Sax were stuck with the Uldani for days while the Uldani tried to get them to breed. I was only there for a few hours, and it was horrible.”
“You think she’s okay? Like, mentally? I can’t imagine the trauma of that.”
“Of course, she has fucking trauma.” This voice was strong and rough around the edges. “But she’s here now. And she’s safe, and we’ll be there for her. All of us. No matter what she needs.” The fire in this voice settled around my heart like a heated blanket.
“Absolutely Justine,” Frankie said.
“She’s real pretty,” Tab whispered, her voice a little closer.
I decided to give up the pretense of sleep. I blinked my eyes open to see an attractive woman with a figure to die for and purple hair. Her eyes widened when she noticed I was awake, and she clapped her hands as she called over her shoulder, “She’s awake, ladies. She’s awake!”
“Don’t crowd her and freak her out, Tab,” said a woman with a short black bob and lots of colorful tattoos. She gave me a nod and a stiff smile. “Hey there, Val. I’m Justine.”
At her side, a petite woman with very pale skin, brown hair and lots of freckles waved. “I’m Naomi.”
“And I’m Miranda,” said a woman with long braids, light brown skin, and a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Um—” I began.
A fifth woman pushed past the rest, her thick brown hair in waves nearly down to her butt. On her wrists were golden markings like mine, but hers matched Daz’s. Her big brown eyes went wide at the sight of me, and she launched herself at me, enveloping me in a tight hug. I went still. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been hugged like this. Even at my mom’s funeral, the hugs from those in attendance were cursory. Sympathetic. I’d had no one to console me like Frankie did.
Her breath was hot on my neck, and her hair smelled good. “I’m Frankie,” she said in my ear, her hand making soothing circles on my back. I must not have moved, or breathed, because she pulled back and shot me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that was probably overwhelming. I’m a hugger.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “It just surprised me. It’s been a long time…” These damn tears again! I blinked them away. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve seen a human. Feels like forever, and it’s probably only been a week or so.”
“I know the feeling,” Frankie tucked a knee on the pallet beside me, and it felt a little weird to be holding a get-together around Sax’s unconscious body. I wasn’t ready to leave him for any reason, so this was the way it had to be.
“When I first met Daz, he separated me from the other women. I lost my shit,” Frankie said. “I thought I’d never see them again.”
“He separated you?”
She waved a hand. “Long story. For another time.” She squeezed my hand. “Are you okay? We’re here for you. All of us.” Four female heads nodded in confirmation. “We don’t know exactly what you went through, but we’ll listen.”
“I told Daz everything,” I said. “I didn’t mean to, but I started talking, and it just all came out.”
“He told me a little bit,” Frankie said.
“I’ll tell you all of it. But I don’t know if I can go through it all again right now.”
Frankie shook her head. “No need. I’m sure you’re focused on Sax getting better.”
I reached for him instinctively, twining my fingers with his. I looked at these women, who all watched me with a mixture of understanding and support. Determination too. They were survivors, like me. I could confide in them. “I’m scared.” My admission of fear rasped in my throat. “I’m scared he won’t make it.”
“He will,” Frankie said, and the conviction in her voice sparked another ember of hope in my chest. “The last time I saw him, he was so sure that he was meant to stay at the Uldani fortress, and now I know why. He was meant to meet you.”
“You believe in their Fatas too?” I asked.
Frankie gave me a lopsided grin. “Sometimes, I think I do.”
“Is Fatas a bitch enough to take Sax from me? From his brother and his friends?”
“I don’t know about that.” Frankie gazed at Sax with care in her eyes. “But I know Sax is stubborn enough to stay alive.” She rubbed her thumb over my loks. “He’ll come back to you.”
I picked up her wrist. Her loks resembled a filigree pattern, while mine seemed almost floral.
“As I understand, they’re a bit like fingerprints,” she said. “Unique to each mated pair.”
I jerked my head up. “Really?”
She nodded, her eyes bright. “And when Daz told me you and Sax had bonded with loks… Well, we could barely believe it. Or at least, the Drixonians couldn’t. Apparently mated pairs like this—cora-eternals—were extremely rare back when their females lived. Like once-in-five-hundred-years rare.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, so the fact that Daz and Sax both have cora-eternals… It’s a little crazy.”
“Do they know why this happened?”
She shook her head. “There are a few elders left. Daz has been trying to get a hold of one elder he knows, but he’s a lonas… er, not affiliated with a clavas, so he’s hard to get a hold of.”
I nodded, unsure what to say.
“Frankie—” Miranda began.
“So, Rokas told us you were a nurse?” She ignored her friend, who looked like she was trying to draw Frankie out of the room. Maybe they thought they were overwhelming me, but the company was nice. I’d felt so much crushing loneliness lately, and I found it a little ironic that I had to come to an alien planet to get some damn friends in my life.
“Yeah, I worked in an ER in Dayton,” I said.
“Well, Rokas is looking forward to having someone to help him.” Frankie’s eyes widened. “I mean if you want to! You don’t have to, like, work to earn your keep here or anything.”
I laughed, and the sound surprised me. It surprised the other women too, but the effect was immediate. They all relaxed, and Tab plopped on a chair nearby, playing with the ends of her hair as she jiggled her sandaled foot.
“I would be happy to help Rokas,” I said. “I like him, and I love being a nurse. I’m fascinated by their medis here and would love to learn more about how they heal.”
“That’s awesome!” Frankie said. “I was a waitress back in Jersey. My skills are only used here when some of the guys drink too much of Xavy’s spirits and need poured into their beds. I’ve broken up a fight or two though.” She polished her knuckles on her shirt.
“I was a lawyer,” Miranda said. “And seeing as judge and jury is pretty much Daz, I’m out of a job.”
“Graphic designer here,” Justine said. “You need a logo? I’m your gal.”
The girls giggled, and I grinned.
“I was in college. Undecided with a minor in frat parties.
And frat boys.” Tab winked.
“Why am I not surprised?” Miranda rolled her eyes and tossed Tab a playful smirk.
“What’d you do, Naomi?” Frankie asked. “I don’t think you ever told us.”
“Construction,” she said softly.
Miranda turned her head so fast, her braids smacked Justine in the face, who sputtered. “What?”
Naomi shrugged with a smile. “I could fit into small spaces. I’m stronger than I look, I guess.”
“You?” Frankie said. “You. Tiny, petite Naomi with a big rack worked with a bunch of rough dudes?”
“My big brother owned the company,” she said. “No one messed with me, because they knew he’d swing a hammer at their temples.” Her smile faded, then her eyes glistened, and she sniffed. “Shit, I miss him.”
Tab hopped to her feet and wrapped her arms around Naomi. “I’m sorry, babe. We know how you feel.”
“I wish one of us was a psychologist.” Frankie pouted. “We all need freaking therapy.”
“Do any of you know why we were taken?” I asked. “We aren’t from the same areas, right?”
Frankie shook her head. “We’re from all over. And what’s interesting is most of us don’t have too many ties from home. Miranda is the only one with a large family. It’s like we were … chosen.”
“But how?” I asked.
Frankie shuddered. “I’ve wondered this so many times. What if there’s some creepy human database floating around the galaxies and we were ordered up like Big Macs?”
We lobbed some ideas back and forth, but we didn’t get anywhere and succeeded only in scaring ourselves. When I yawned—again, it was like my body was trying to make up for lost time—Miranda put her foot down and hustled the women out of the room.
“Just let Rokas know if you need us!” Frankie said, dragging her feet even as Miranda tugged her out of the room.
“Thank you,” I said with a smile and a wave. “I will. It was awesome meeting you ladies.”
“We’ll hang out soon!” Tab stuck her head back in. “And wait until you try Xavy’s spirits. That shit is like tequila without the hangover.” She yelped as Miranda pulled on her arm.