His words strike a chord in my heart, and a hollow ache burns in the center of my chest at the memory of House Caladan's betrayal and the assassination of our father. "I don't want to lose you, Rowan. I don't want to become Outcast. But I love her. I cannot deny what I feel in here." I place my hand to my chest.
"It is the fate bond making you feel this way."
"No," I reply quickly. "At first, I thought so too. But now that I know her, I cannot imagine ever taking another as my mate. I would desire her as mine even without the pull of the bond. Mother will understand. I believe the Council will too."
He gives me a sad look. "I hope you are right."
I stand from my chair.
"Where are you going?"
"To shower so my beloved does not find my scent unappealing."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Rowan rolls his eyes. "I've never seen you preen as much as you have ever since Liana came onboard. If you continue to buff your scales every day instead of once a week as most normal people do," he teases, "eventually you'll begin glowing in the dark...possibly even blind everyone the moment the sun hits your scales as you step off the transport when we reach Mosaura."
I laugh. "Jealousy is a terrible thing, brother."
He rolls his eyes again, but I can see the smile that tugs at his lips.
Chapter 25
Soran
After a quick shower, I head straight for Liana's quarters, hoping she'll still be there.
When she opens the door, she greets me with a stunning smile. Stretching up on her toes, she wraps her arms around my neck and leans forward to press her soft lips to mine.
When she pulls back, I lift my hand to touch my mouth, still tingling from the intimate contact. "What is this called?"
A smile lights her face. "It's a kiss."
"Kiss." I repeat the word to store it in my memory.
She tilts her head to the side. "Your people do not kiss?"
I shake my head. "No."
She gives me a hesitant look. "Do you...like it?"
"Very much."
A beautiful smile curves her mouth. Slowly, she leans in to press her lips again to my own. It feels amazing—this Terran kiss.
Her lips are warm and softer than the finest silkara, and I'm already addicted to the taste of her mouth. Completely lost in this delicious sensation, my every nerve ending is on fire as she seals her mouth over my own. Her tongue finds mine, curling around it, and my mind...stops...functioning.
Delicate fingers dip beneath the hem of my shirt to knead and caress my chest, sending small ripples of pleasure down my spine.
Desire courses through me like fire as I wrap my arms around her, lifting her off the ground. She wraps her legs around my hips. The feel of her body against mine calls forth the instinct to claim her as I press her back against the wall.
My stav lengthens and extends, hard and erect, seeking the heat of her center. She inhales sharply when I roll my hips against hers, and the scent of her arousal grows stronger.
Primal instincts surge through me, and I run my hands through her hair. Gripping the long strands between my fingers, I tip her head back, revealing the elegant column of her neck. Skimming the tip of my nose along her delicate skin, the scent of her need is strong—a heady and delectable mix.
She desires me as much as I desire her. I only need for her to say the words—to declare shav-rhokan—to say she chooses me.
As she moves her hips against mine, my entire body trembles with need. I long more than anything to claim her as my mate. "Choose me, Liana Garza of Terra. Choose me, and I will show you that I am worthy to be yours," my mind whispers to hers.
She recoils as if my touch were fire, pushing against my chest for me to back away.
Confused, I quickly lower her to her feet and step back to give her space.
Her eyes are wide with fear. Guilt and shame rush through me as I realize what I've done. "I'm sorry, Liana. I never meant to scare you."
She shakes her head softly. "You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just...after what happened with—” She stops just short of speaking Talel's wretched name.
Placing her hands on either side of my face, her sea-green eyes stare deep into mine. "I trust you; I know you would never hurt me, Soran."
Her gaze holds mine as I brush the hair back from her face before cupping her jaw. "You are my Ashaya. I would die before I would ever harm you. I swear it to the Creator."
"What is 'Ashaya'?" She stares up at me in confusion. "I don't know this word in your language, and my translator doesn't recognize it either."
Pulling her close, I gently rest my forehead to hers. "I have to tell you something."
A small line of worry creases her brow. "What is it?"
"I knew the moment I first saw you that you were mine. ‘Ashaya' means—”
A loud explosion splits the air, rocking the ship to one side, and I barely manage to catch her in my arms before she falls.
She gives me a panicked look. "We have to get to the bridge."
We race down the hallway, and as soon as the bridge doors open, I see Grex with Abby, one arm wrapped protectively around his mate.
Tr'lani stands beside Rowan as his hands fly across the controls. "It's an A'kai Cruiser. They've found us."
"How?" I snap.
Rowan's eyes remain glued to his monitor. "I don't know, but that hit knocked out our cloak, and I can't get it back online." He slams his fist down on the panel in frustration. "Talel is on that ship. He's demanding our surrender."
Tr'lani is visibly shaking. All the color drains from my Ashaya's face, but from the slight clench of her jaw and the determination that burns in her eyes, she is every bit like a Mosauran warrior as she jumps into her chair and studies the viewscreen.
Rowan barely avoids another hit from their canons.
"Can we outrun them?" she asks.
Glancing at the display, I curse under my breath. "No."
"Their ship may be faster," she says, "but ours is much smaller, more easily maneuverable." Her eyes light up, and she points to the screen. "There! I'm taking us into that asteroid field."
In silent agreement, Rowan and I exchange a quick nod before I give Liana full control of the glider while Rowan, Grex, and I take the weapons controls.
"Go to the storage locker,” she calls out to Tr’lani. “We each need a blaster."
Tr'lani quickly disappears down the hallway. The engines groan in protest as the ship rolls to the side, and Liana punches the accelerator controls, racing into the dangerous asteroid field.
My stomach lurches each time the glider makes a sudden turn, but the answering explosions—so close that they shake the entire vessel—are far more threatening than the floating debris that surrounds us.
Another blast rocks the ship, and the engines spin down with a high-pitched whine, followed by a deafening silence. My pulse pounds in my ears as the dark metallic hull of the A'kai cruiser fills the viewscreen.
Liana brings her fists down on the display in frustration. "That last hit took out our engines and weapons. We're running on emergency power only." She spins to face me. "I need to get to the engine room.”
A shockwave ripples along the hull, and the sound of metal grating metal echoes loudly through the ship.
Ice fills my veins. "It's too late. They've already latched onto our airlock."
Rowan's wide eyes meet mine. "They mean to board us."
The scared whimper that escapes Abby makes my heart clench. Tears stream down her face as she trembles in Grex's arms.
Liana stands and takes Tr'lani's hand. She lifts a determined gaze to me and pulls the blaster from her hip. "We'll go down fighting if we must, but we won't be taken again."
Panic coils tight in my chest. I don't know how many A'kai there are, but I know that their cruisers carry too many for us to take on at once. I will die before I let them touch my Ashaya. I look to her and Rowan. "I'll set the ship to self-destruct
. We can use the escape pods to get clear of the blast."
My gaze travels over everyone in the room, and it is clear from their expressions that we are all in agreement.
Quickly, I punch in the codes, setting the glider to a silent countdown. The A'kai and their ship will be blown apart before they even realize what's happening.
My pulse pounds in my ears as we race from the bridge to the escape pods. Alarms blare throughout the vessel as the airlock is forced open, followed immediately by shouts and heavy bootsteps that echo loudly down the hallway.
"We go in twos," Rowan whispers, ushering Grex and Abby into the first pod and Tr'lani into the second.
He turns back to me. "Brother, I—”
There is no time, and I wrap my arms around him in a firm embrace. "May the Creator be with you." Pulling back, I grip his shoulders and meet his eyes evenly. "We will find each other again, in this life or the next."
His gaze holds mine as he repeats the warrior's vow. "In this life or the next."
He steps into the pod with Tr'lani, and the door seals behind him as they strap in. With one last look at my brother and Grex, I give them each a firm nod before pressing the release to eject them into space, sending a silent prayer to the Creator to protect and preserve them.
I spin toward Liana to find her staring at the second seat of our pod with a worried expression.
She points to the red blinking light above the harness. "What does that mean?"
Despair fills me. "It must have been damaged when we were hit." I clench my jaw and look over my shoulder to the empty hallway. Bootsteps thump heavily against the metal floors as the A'kai storm through the ship, searching for us.
There are no more escape pods. This is intended to be a four-person glider. The extra pod was a redundant system in case of failures like this one. At least one harness still functions. Liana will survive, and that's all that matters now. "You must hurry," I tell her, motioning toward the entry hatch.
She shakes her head. "What about you?"
"The harness is damaged. I must stay behind."
She grabs my forearm, trying to pull me into the pod, but I don't budge. "You can't expect me to just leave you here, Soran!"
I place my hands on her shoulders, staring deep into her luminous green eyes before pulling her close to my chest. "There's no choice, Liana." Running my hand through her silken hair, I close my eyes and gently nuzzle the top of her head, inhaling deeply of her delicate scent, knowing it is the last time I will ever hold her. "I won't let you die."
She holds tightly to me. When she lifts her gaze to mine, her eyes are bright with tears. “I—I can't leave you here. I won't!"
Glancing over her shoulder, I watch the other two escape pods drift farther out into space. They will live, and now...I'm determined that my Ashaya will too.
"Go," I tell her, ushering her through the door.
Turning back to me with a speed I did not know she possessed, she stretches up on her toes and wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her soft lips to mine. I gasp in surprise at the sudden and unexpected contact, but my body instinctively responds to her touch.
Pulling her close as I claim her mouth, seconds pass like an eternity, and I'm reluctant to let her go. But I know I must. At least I'll die with the memory of her kiss burned into my mind.
When she finally pulls away, she stares up at me. "I'm sorry, Soran. I hope you can forgive me."
My brow furrows. "For wha—”
I stop short as she raises the blaster to my chest. A deafening sound splits the air. Sharp pain rips through me, knocking the breath from my lungs, and I fall back against the wall. Paralyzed by the stun setting, I slide helplessly to the floor.
She shot me. I can't believe she shot me.
She hooks her arms up under my shoulders, grunting in frustration as she tries to drag me to the pod. I'm too heavy; it won't work.
Loud voices cry out, and I know the A'kai are close. She's wasting time trying to save me. She'll die if she doesn't get far enough away before the ship explodes. Anger burns through me, but all I can manage is a low, rumbling growl in the back of my throat as she kneels beside me, pushing the full weight of her body against mine to roll me to the side just enough that she's able to pull my legs into the hatch.
"Don't you growl at me," she snaps. "You left me no choice." She moves to my back and grits her teeth, straining to push my upper half into the pod.
"Why”—she groans—“do you have to be”—she slams her body against my side—“so damn heavy."
I narrow my eyes. I swear to the Creator, if we live through this, we need to have a serious conversation about trust.
"Don't give me that look," she says. "I'm not leaving you behind, and that's that."
The A'kai voices grow louder, and my body trembles as I struggle to move.
She jumps in the pod and grabs my forearm, bracing her feet on the side wall. Her limbs shake as she struggles to pull me inside. After a moment, I finally tumble through the opening onto the floor. She scrambles out from under me and slams her hand on the hatch panel, sealing it shut just as two angry green faces appear in the window.
"Open this hatch! Now!" one of them cries out. "Lord Talel wants her alive!"
Haphazardly wrapping the harness straps around us both, Liana tucks her body close to mine and pulls the release.
With a loud rush of air, the pod violently ejects, spinning away from the ship.
Liana cries out as my body slams into hers, pinning her against the wall as we tumble away in the dark void of space. A blinding yellow-orange flash fills the viewscreen as the glider and the A'kai cruiser explode in a brilliant display of light.
Still paralyzed, I grit my teeth, waiting for the shock wave to hit us, unable to brace myself or Liana as it approaches. The wave crashes against the outer hull. The pod shudders turbulently, throwing us back against the metal bracing.
Liana's pained cry and the sudden silence that follows stops my heart as her body goes limp behind me.
Alarms blare through the speakers. My eyes dart to the computer readout. Our pod took heavy damage from the explosion; we won't last very long in space. I scan the screen as the nav control autopilot searches for the nearest habitable planet.
The computer locks on the closest rock, and I clench my jaw in frustration as information scrolls across the display. Freezing temperatures and conditions just barely suitable for habitation fill the screen. If we manage to somehow survive entering the atmosphere and landing, I don't know how long we can survive there. Terran physiology is not as resilient as V'loryns or Mosaurans—they are unable to regulate their body temperatures as effectively as most other species.
The hull groans loudly as rough turbulence shakes the pod. A wall of flame flares brightly outside the viewscreen as we begin our descent into the upper atmosphere. The computer flashes a warning of damage to structural integrity. Panic fills me as the interior begins to heat to near boiling temperatures. If we don't break through the atmosphere soon, we'll burn up before we even reach the planet's surface.
"Liana." I somehow manage to speak, but she doesn't answer. She remains completely still behind me, and I cannot move my paralyzed limbs to turn and check on her condition.
Staring transfixed at the viewscreen, the icy landscape races toward us. The hull scrapes the top of a snow-covered peak, and I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for impact.
The pod shakes violently as we crash through the trees, rushing to the valley below. A deafening boom explodes throughout the cabin. I pitch forward, slamming against the wall as we hit the ground, and my vision goes dark.
Chapter 26
Liana
My head is pounding as my mind slowly trickles back into awareness. With a low groan, I twist onto my side and open my eyes to total darkness. I freeze.
Oh God. Am I back in a cage?
Shakily, I extend my hand, and my fingers graze the solid, metal floor beneath me. Memories rush back like a tide to the s
hore as panic skitters up my spine.
"Soran?"
He answers with a low moan, and relief floods my system. He's alive. I blink several times, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness, but it's no use. I can't see anything. I reach up to trace my fingers over the harness, searching for the release. As soon as I find it, the restraints retract, and I fall forward.
Sharp pain stabs at my left side when I hit the floor. Each movement is agony as I drag myself across the cabin. Sweeping my hand out in front of me, I frantically push aside any fallen debris as I feel for Soran's body.
Another low groan fills the cabin.
"Soran?"
Extending my right arm toward the direction of the sound, my skin brushes across the smooth, warm scales of his forearm. I grip him tightly and move closer. Thankfully I don't feel any cuts or abrasions as I trace my fingers up to his shoulder and neck to touch his face. I run my hands over his skull and along the hard, bony V that spans the top of his head, skimming through his short dark hair to feel of his skull beneath. Finding no obvious injuries, I cup my palms to either side of his face, tilting it up to mine. I gently press my forehead to his.
"Soran?" Despite my attempt to keep my voice even, it quavers as his name leaves my lips. Closing my eyes, I send a silent prayer to whoever may be listening to please let him be all right.
He doesn't answer, but his warm breath fans across my face, and I take comfort in the knowledge that he's still breathing and alive. I skim my hands down his arms and neck, then down the hard planes of his chest and abdomen as I continue to check him for injuries.
A sudden puff of air blows through my hair, and I jerk my head up in surprise.
"Liana," he draws in a ragged breath, "are you all right?"
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