by Zoey Draven
“Oh,” she murmured, blinking as she processed his words. “I just assumed, since she was, you know, naked and everything…”
“She took off her fur covering,” he said and yet another flush marred her cheeks. “I was trying to cover her when you came in.”
“Right,” she whispered, clearing her throat. She didn’t know what else to say so she settled on, “Well, thank you for explaining.”
Rixavox was studying her face. He was still leaned forward, so that he was only a foot away, and his eyes were level with her own.
“May I ask you a question?” he asked softly. She inhaled a sudden breath when she felt his fingers brush her left outer thigh. Even through the fur blanket she had huddled around her, the contact felt…jolting.
“Y-yes.”
“Are humans monogamous?”
“What?” she asked, eyebrows rising. Out of all the questions he could have asked, he’d asked this one?
“I am wondering about human males. I am wondering how different they are from Luxirian males. Do you mate for life with one partner? Or do you have several?”
Cecelia didn’t know how to take a question like that and why he wanted to know. “Well, it depends, I suppose,” she answered.
“How?”
Rixavox’s thumb brushed her outer thigh again and when the strand she’d tucked behind her ear fell over her cheek, he brushed it back with his other hand. He felt…everywhere. His touch, his scent, his voice…it both confused and thrilled her.
She licked her lips since they felt dry and his gaze tracked there. She was tempted to do it again, but wasn’t bold enough to try. All she knew was that she liked his eyes on her lips.
“It depends on religion or culture or preference,” she tried to explain. “My country is called the United States. That’s where I was born. And most, uh, humans in the U.S. are monogamous. Cheating on one’s partner is generally frowned upon. Many relationships break up if the other partner cheats. As for having one partner for life, that depends too. Some people marry one person and then get divorced. They might marry again afterwards. The dad of a friend of mine is on his fourth wife.”
His brow furrowed. “Divorced? I do not understand this word. My language implant is not translating correctly.”
It was strange explaining these things to someone, but Cecelia found she didn’t mind. “People get married for all kinds of reasons, but mostly it is because they love each other.”
“Like a mating bond?” he questioned, his voice low.
Cecelia didn’t know for sure but she could guess that they were at least similar concepts. “Yes. But when they decide that they don’t want to be together anymore, then they file for divorce and they go their separate ways. Sometimes divorce can get ugly.”
Rixavox made a sound in his throat. “Rebax?”
She might not understand the word, but the confusion on his face said it all. “Marriages can end,” she said. “And then you can remarry if you wish.”
“Nix.”
A short, surprising burst of laughter made its way up her throat. “It’s true.”
“Then it is not like a mating bond,” he said, leaning a little closer. The smile slowly slipped off her face and her gaze flickered to his lips this time as he spoke. “Luxirians mate for life. To one and to one only.”
“Oh,” she whispered, her heart fluttering in her chest.
“Fated mates,” he continued, “are the strongest bond of our race. The Fates, our deities and creators, choose them for us and bless the union.”
Something Kate told her pushed into her mind. “Is that the Instinct thing?”
“Rebax?” he murmured, going still. The tension in that fire pit felt like it was thickening by the minute and for some reason, Cecelia couldn’t take her eyes off him.
She felt breathless as she said, “Kate said something about an Instinct in Luxirians. It’s like a force that creates this…mating bond. I think that’s how she described it.”
Rixavox’s jaw ticked and he did that familiar head jerk. “Tev,” he murmured, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “It is a force. A strong force. One that is almost impossible to resist.”
She looked down at his fingers, which touched her thighs. Something about the way he said it dismayed her. “You have felt it then?”
That must mean he had a mate, didn’t it?
Rixavox took a moment to respond. His voice was guttural when he said, “Nix. I have heard rumors of the Instinct. Not many males have theirs awakened. There are many different variations of matehood on Luxiria. The fated bond is the most rare.”
Cecelia didn’t know why his words relieved her. She didn’t dwell on it too long and pushed the emotion from her mind. “You can choose to willingly bond with someone? Even without the Instinct? And the, uh, Fates?”
“Tev,” he said, inclining his head. “It is still a strong bond, even without the Instinct guiding the male.”
Curiously, she asked, “And have you ever decided to bond with someone?” It was only when she was met with silence that she realized her question might be a little too personal. “Sorry,” she murmured quickly, looking down at her lap again. “Sometimes I’m too nosy for my own good. Ignore me.”
“I have not,” he said, voice gruff. He leaned back slightly and Cecelia felt a little warmth go with him. “I never saw that path for myself.”
Why not? she ached to ask, the question on the tip of her tongue. He intrigued her. She wanted to know everything. Yet, she’d been too nosy already. Perhaps Luxirians liked their privacy, like most humans she knew. Perhaps one day, before she left back for Earth, she would be able to ask him.
Now, however, didn’t seem like the time.
His skin was a dark gray color, the only light source coming from the window. The darkness felt…nice. Quiet. She felt like she should whisper in case her voice broke whatever spell he’d put her under.
Instead, she cleared her throat, running a finger behind her ear. A nervous habit. “Um, what time is it? I didn’t expect it to be so dark.”
Nice, she chided herself. You are such a stunning conversationalist.
Rixavox looked out the window. “It gets darker earlier in the northern lands. It is…I think in your language, you would say early night.”
“Early evening,” she said, smiling a little.
He nodded, running a hand over one of his dark horns. “The moon will not be out yet. When it is, we will go to the Rillirax.”
“The pool?” she guessed. “We are starting tonight?”
“Tev, Privanax was clear in his instructions.”
“Will it…will it hurt? The cleansing process?”
Rixavox chuffed out a small laugh and Cecelia’s breath hitched at the sound. “No. It is a relaxing experience. It will make you feel…” he paused. “It is difficult to explain with words. You will understood soon.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous,” Cecelia admitted.
That calming purr started up in Rixavox’s chest again and he leaned forward. Her breathing went a little funny when he said softly, “There is nothing for you to be frightened of, luxiva.”
“It’s just, um, it seems too good to be true,” she whispered. “I went through many treatments back on Earth, none of them pleasant. They made me sick most of the time and I never wanted to go through it again. For a moment, I thought I’d never have to. I thought I’d been cured. For good. Then it came back.”
She didn’t know why she was telling him these things.
He stroked her hair again briefly and her eyelids fluttered. His touch felt so damn good. Impossibly good. Maybe she was starved for touch. It seemed like nobody had touched her in a very long time, much less a man she was strangely and intensely attracted to.
“Privanax is the best healer on Luxiria,” Rixavox told her. “If he believes that you will be cured of the hellixaxava, then you will be. Trust this. You have nothing to fear.”
His words were lik
e a balm and she found herself relaxing. Letting out a small sigh, she nodded and gave him a small smile.
“I have trained many Luxirian warriors during my rotations as a war general,” he said after a moment. “I have seen many great fighters, who are driven and motivated and mentally strong. I see that same strength in you. Here,” he said, lifting his thumbs to brush them next to both her eyes. “That strength will heal you more than any treatment could.”
Cecelia’s nose started to burn and her throat went tight. She was on the verge of tears but trying to hold them at bay. His words hit a sensitive spot within her, because many times she hadn’t felt strong. She’d felt sick and abandoned and helpless, most of the time.
But as he spoke, Cecelia realized that she wanted to be strong. She wanted to be what he saw. She’d beat cancer once. She could damn well do it again.
“Thank you,” she whispered, bringing her hand up to touch his, still lingering at her temple. The back of his hand felt smooth, yet roughened, and slightly cool.
An energy swirled in the pit of her stomach and she looked at him with tears shimmering in her eyes. But she felt happy. She felt like she could handle anything right at that moment. And as she looked at him, she was beginning to wonder if humans just might have Instincts of their own…
When that thought hit, that was when she knew.
Despite Kate’s warnings, despite Cecelia’s better judgment, she realized that she could get into trouble with someone like him.
And I would probably like it, she thought.
ELEVEN
True to his word, when Cecelia saw the silver moon begin to form in the dark, inky sky of the northern lands, Rixavox made her bundle up in two layers of furs and then led her out to the hovercraft they’d spent most of the day in.
His touch lingered on her waist after he guided her up and when he gestured for her to stand in front of him, at the controls, just like they’d done on the journey over, she did. She felt his strong, solid chest at her back and even through the warm layers of furs, she felt her nipples peak under her tunic.
“Do you need more warmth?” he asked softly, his breath caressing the outer shell of her ear. She swallowed when goosebumps spread over her arms and down the back of her neck.
I’ll take all the warmth you want to give me, her dirty mind whispered.
“Yes,” she replied immediately, slightly breathless, but then realized she’d said it out loud. Her cheeks flushed and she said, “I mean, no. No, I’m warm enough. Thank you.”
Now I feel a little too warm, she couldn’t help but think.
Rixavox was so close to her. She could feel the long, muscled length of his body behind her and it made her feel…feminine, protected. She’d never truly felt that way before. She’d had a few boyfriends, most of them before her diagnosis. But even then, she hadn’t felt anything more for them than friendly affection. They’d been nice boys, shy and kind. None had ever made her feel out of control or the aching kind of madness she’d read about in her romance novels late at night. Was a slightly bad boy all that much to ask? One that knew what he wanted and didn’t feel shy asking for it? Or taking it even? One that was as attracted to her as she was to him?
She let out a small sigh. The man of her fantasies probably didn’t exist. Regardless, Cecelia had never loved any of her boyfriends. In fact, she’d never experienced romantic love. Even familial love she’d struggled with.
“How far away do we have to travel?” Cecelia questioned, to avoid going down that path in her mind. She thought of her parents often, but right now, she didn’t wish to.
The hum of the hovercraft met her ears with familiarity as they hovered off the wide patio in front of Rixavox’s home. Or dwelling, as he’d called it. It was even darker outside now and she couldn’t make out much detail beyond the low stone wall that ran along the patio. She thought that she saw a looming, jagged mountain range in the distance. Unlike the Golden City, which had been terraced and layered into the mountain, Rixavox’s outpost seemed to be sprawled across the land, protected by the mountains behind the small city.
“Not far,” he replied, lifting an arm to point at the mountain she’d been eyeing. His bare bicep brushed her cheek and she resisted the urge to press her face into it like a horny weirdo. “We are going there. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” she whispered, trying to get her body under control.
His arms tightened around her as they suddenly vaulted up in the sky and Cecelia held her breath to avoid shrieking as wind whipped her hair in a million different directions. Up and up they went with Rixavox braced behind her, pressing her body into place. When he leveled the hovercraft out, she released her breath in a rush, feeling her heart thundering in her chest. She swore her knees shook a little.
She said, “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
“That is because you have not done it enough,” Rixavox said. She swore she heard a teasing note in there too. “You will like it soon. It is freeing, is it not?”
“Freeing,” she repeated softly, shaking her head. “You’re an adrenaline junkie, aren’t you?”
“I do not know what that is, but I like how you say the words,” he purred.
Cecelia’s mouth parted and she felt her clit throb a bit. She nibbled on her bottom lip, abusing it as a distraction. Whenever he purred like that, she got aroused. And if she was aroused, that meant he would know. She could only hope that the wind and the layers of fur blankets would keep him from scenting her.
“You’re just a big flirt, aren’t you?” she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.
“A big flirt?” he grunted out, his fingers moving over a lever on the far side of the control panel. “What is a flirt?”
“Never mind,” she murmured, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.
He paused and craned his neck down slightly. One of his horns brushed her temple when he said, “Now you must tell me. I will warn you…I am relentless when I want something.”
Cecelia squeezed her thighs together. Oh yes, she could easily picture him being relentless, indeed.
It felt good to smile. “A flirt is someone who teases others,” she tried to explain. She added, “Usually the opposite sex.”
He huffed next to her ear and she felt his chest vibrate with his purr. “For what purpose?”
“Um,” she started and then blushed. “Well, because you like them, I suppose.”
Cecelia felt his arms flex around her and he leaned even closer, until she could smell his tantalizing rain-on-concrete scent even flying however fast they were going. Cecelia couldn’t help but tilt her head back to see his reaction and she saw his blue eyes were on her, roaming her features.
“Tev, then,” he growled softly. “I am your flirt.”
Cecelia couldn’t help but smile at the way he said the words, even as her stomach erupted into butterflies. This was fun, she realized. It was fun just…flirting with him. It lightened her mood and took her mind off her nerves.
They didn’t speak much after that because shortly, Rixavox guided his hovercraft back down when they began to approach the mountain range. Even with the moon hanging overhead, it was difficult to make out specific details of this part of Luxiria. She supposed she’d have to wait until the morning. However, she could see that the mountains were silver. The moonlight glinted off the sheen, making her wonder if it was just a trick of the light.
“Is there something on the mountain?” she voiced out loud, squinting into the darkness.
“The frosts,” he replied, his palm coming to rest on her hip. “It covers most of the land, not just the facev. It is difficult to see now.”
No wonder it was so cold there, she thought.
It got quieter the lower they descended until Cecelia could only hear the gentle hum of whatever powered the hovercraft. The mountain range got nearer and nearer and she could only gape up at it when she saw how massive it truly was. They descended into the valley it made until they were all
around them, completely surrounded. And she had never felt so tiny and so in awe in her life.
The moon illuminated a pathway between the range and Rixavox followed it, winding around for seemingly miles, until he finally pulled the hovercraft down at the base of a smaller mountain. He powered it off and the silence was deafening. There wasn’t even the slightest trace of wind, which seemed odd to her.
Cecelia’s throat felt scratchy from the ride over and she swallowed thickly as Rixavox helped her off the hovercraft. She hissed in surprise when her feet touched the frozen floor of the land and her Luxirian snatched her up in arms quickly, reaching down to stroke his fingers over her sensitive soles, making sure she was alright.
“I apologize, luxiva,” he whispered to her softly, brushing his lips over her ear. “Forgive me. Forgive me. I did not think.”
“It’s okay,” she replied, wiggling her toes. “It just surprised me. I forgot I wasn’t wearing shoes.”
“I will order coverings for you when we return to Velraxa,” he promised. His arms were warm though and a part of Cecelia found she might prefer not having shoes, if it meant he carried her around like this.
Then she felt slightly guilty. Of course, he’d probably prefer not having to haul her all around his planet and watching out for her. He probably had more important things to do if he oversaw an outpost. Not to mention having to take her to these pools. Unlike her, he hadn’t slept that day and she wondered if he was tired.
“Thank you for doing this…for bringing me here,” she said softly, looking up at him. “I know it’s probably inconvenient for you and you have a million other things that you need to do. But I wanted to let you know that I do appreciate it.”
When she’d gone through chemo, she’d mostly dealt with it alone. Her mother had been long gone and her dad had been busy with his new pregnant wife. He’d contributed financially, but he hadn’t contributed in the way she’d wished him too…just being there. It had been a lot for anyone to deal with alone. She’d understood his absence in her own way. Cancer was…breaking. Most people just wanted to forget, her father included. Part of her couldn’t blame him for reacting the way he had. The other part would never be able to forgive him.