by Presley Hall
We could stay on this ship forever, for all I care.
I don’t care where we are, as long as we’re together.
As long as I never have to let this woman go.
25
Felicity
The journey back to Vox takes some time.
Luckily, Ren and I managed to disable the surveillance systems quickly enough that the solar council wasn’t able to detect it in time to send anyone to check on the alarm, which means we were able to escape Nuthora without being tracked or followed.
We got away cleanly, and that’s a massive relief for everyone on board.
Droth has been busy with making plans for what we’ll all do once we arrive on the Voxerans’ home planet, and the women are speculating eagerly about what Vox will be like—but more than anything else, everyone is just glad to finally be free of Nuthora.
Whatever happens next will be a fresh start for all of us.
Ren is still healing, slowly but surely. He was still in need of some recovery after getting out of the pod, and I quickly found out that he was weaker than he first let on when Elizabeth allowed him up.
Honestly, it probably wasn’t the smartest idea for us to have sex in the shower immediately after he woke up from the healing pod. I’m not sure anything could have stopped him from claiming me, though—not after that first rush of admitting our feelings to one another. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
I think we both needed it.
As his mate, though, I consider it my duty to make sure he gets plenty of rest and recovers well now. Ren is as stubborn as I am, which makes him difficult to confine for any length of time. He wants to be with the other warriors, helping Droth work out a plan for the lingering rebellion on Vox and coming up with strategies.
“I want to be useful,” he complains more than once, and I just eye him, smirking as I distract him in the ways I know he likes best.
“I’ve got plenty of uses for you,” is always my response, and it’s not hard to figure out just how to incentivize him to lie down and stay in bed.
Of course, I don’t want him to strain himself or have to expend too much of the energy that he needs for recovery… which means I spend a lot of our journey to Vox finding new and inventive ways to pleasure him and myself while keeping him on his back.
I can hardly complain. Our days on the ship are spent in a variety of ways, from me going down on him, to riding him, to teaching him the much more exciting meaning of the number sixty-nine—a position that Ren apparently has never encountered before and insists on doing more than once.
I love all of it.
We’re insatiable for each other, both for the pleasure we give each other and the moments afterward, when I snuggle into the strong circle of his arms and we talk quietly. It feels incredible to have finally admitted what this is, to accept what we are to each other and give myself over to the joy of loving and being loved by someone else.
I’ve never felt so adored, cherished, and accepted by anyone. I’ve never had any relationship like this on Earth, and I feel certain that I never could have. Ren and I were meant for one another, and everything that’s happened in my past no longer feels like a burden.
It feels like what had to happen in order for us to get here, to where we are now.
Now that we’re no longer fighting the bond, it seems so obvious that from the first moment we met, this was truly fated.
He hasn’t changed into a new person, and neither have I. He’s still gruff and stoic with everyone except me, and I can still be stubborn or struggle with self-doubt, but we bring out the best parts of one another.
With him, I’m more willing to trust and be open, and with me, he softens. I love seeing that side of him, the part of him that isn’t hard-edged and commanding. The part of him that he shares only with me.
I still don’t quite understand how the mate bond exists, how such a thing is possible, but at the end of the day, the how of it doesn’t really matter.
All I know is that in all the universe, there’s only one man who was made just for me.
And I’ve found him.
On the way back to Vox, a little over halfway, we have to make a stop for fuel.
Several of the Voxeran warriors and the human women decide to disembark and stretch their legs, since the trading planet we stop at is fairly safe and good for a little exploration and fresh air.
Ren is feeling well enough by then for us to go with them, and even though the greedy part of me wants to spend the afternoon in our cabin while no one else is around to hear how loudly he can make me moan, I know it will be good for both of us to get off the ship for a little while. There’s still a decent bit of traveling to do before we reach Vox, and we’ve already been on board for some time.
“Are you ready, my kira?” Ren murmurs to me as we walk toward the large doors that will lead us off the ship.
“To set foot on a planet that’s not Nuthora?” I ask jokingly. “Hell, yes. More than ready. Although I can’t wait until the planet I’m stepping onto is Vox.”
I lean up to press a kiss to his scarred cheek, and Ren makes a pleased little rumble in his chest.
We leave the ship and make our way through the dock, the salty air filling our nostrils from the nearby salt lake that this particular planet is known for—apparently, a variety of both seasonings and healing items are made from it and widely traded from the market stalls here.
I lean my head against Ren’s arm as we walk, enjoying the feeling of sun on my face again and a breeze in my hair. I almost wish we could stay here longer, and I briefly consider whether Elizabeth might recommend a nice, long healing swim in the lake for Ren’s recovery. I doubt Droth could be convinced to linger here just for that though.
“Have you ever been here before?” I ask, glancing up at my mate through my lashes.
“Not to this planet, no.” He shakes his head. “I’ve seen a few places besides my home planet, but in my eyes, none compare. I’ve never had a strong desire to be anywhere but Vox. I love my planet, and I want to see it flourish.”
“You know, your dedication to your people is one of the first things that made me start to fall for you,” I tell him.
“Really?”
“Yup.” I chuckle. “It was the first time I realized that all of your hard-headedness was for a reason. It’s because you care so much about the people you’re dedicated to.”
“I do.” He nods, tilting his head down to look at me. “And very first among those people is you, my little Terran.”
A shiver runs down my spine when he calls me that in his deep, gravelly voice. I remember him saying those same words to me—little Terran—during our face-off in the woods after I volunteered to go on the mission. They seemed almost like an insult then, but now, they echo with possessiveness and adoration.
I slip my hand into his, enjoying the feel of his rough callouses against my palm as we take in more of the sights around us.
A tall, bug-eyed alien in a linen tunic eyes me as we walk down the street, his antennae twitching as he looks me up and down. Ren makes a sound deep in his throat that’s very much like a growl. I can practically feel him puff out his chest as he stares the alien down, his arm wrapping possessively around my waist to pull me closer.
I lean into his embrace, biting my lower lip to stifle my grin as I breathe in his scent.
He really is so protective of what he loves.
And I’m a lucky lady to be the object of that endless love.
26
Ren
Although the journey back to Vox is longer than I would like, the days on the ship are better than I could have imagined.
Before Felicity, I would have been itching to get back to my home planet, growing more and more restless with every passing day, throwing myself into the discipline of my work and planning for future missions and battle exercises.
But although I still feel that itch to make myself useful, I find a new pleasure in allowing the
hours to pass by without plans and plots and strategies, losing myself instead in the pleasure of Felicity’s soft, lush body, experiencing the taste and touch and scent of her over and over again.
She tells me about things I’ve never seen and likely never will, about the glittering city that she used to live in, full of bright lights and colorful signs, dancers in feathered costumes and acrobats flying through the air, men and women gyrating sensually on stage as patrons threw money at them. She describes the way that endless streams of humanity from everywhere else in her country came through that city—people from every walk of life, from those with so much wealth it was spilling from their pockets to those who had almost nothing but hoped they could find their fortunes in the gambling dens.
I hear the tinge of sadness in her voice when she talks about those people, because she was once one of them, and I always reassure her that it doesn’t matter now.
She has a new future, one with me. And although I know that the fears and self-doubt that plagued her before, that fed her addictions, may not have vanished entirely, I will always be here to help her battle those demons back when they try to resurface.
Because they can’t have her.
Felicity is mine.
Mine to love, mine to cherish, and mine to protect.
Forever.
Still, despite my newfound patience as a mated man, as we near Vox, my excitement grows steadily. On the day we’re set to arrive, I feel as if I might crawl out of my own skin with anticipation.
This is it, I think, watching as we near our old home. Prince Droth will return to Vox’s sands for the first time in over five years. This is our chance to rekindle the rebellion anew, to finally end Drokar’s reign.
I know there’s still more to be done, that we have plans to make and an entire population of people to urge back into action, but for the first time in my life, I’m not just looking ahead and focusing relentlessly on one single goal.
My life feels bigger than that now.
I have hopes that I never dared to imagine before, and the promise of a future that includes so much more than just fighting, more than just serving as a warrior. I’m not just battling for my prince any longer either, or our people. I’m fighting for my mate, and her people, and the future that I hope we’ll all have together. For the children already on their way, and the ones that I hope I might one day have with Felicity.
I never even considered such a thing before, but now I can see it in my mind’s eye with absolute clarity.
I left Vox on a mission to rescue my prince and the others, but I came back with so much more.
When we finally arrive on Vox, Droth lands the ship far outside the capital city where the palace and Drokar are located, across the desert and deep within the foothills on the outskirts of Vox’s mountains. We land the ship where it can be well hidden, careful to fly low and set it down as soon as possible.
On the journey, Droth reached out to the members of the rebellion still left, those who remained loyal to him all these years. And now, as we all disembark and walk toward the mouth of the nearest cave, that group of rebels strides out to meet us.
They’ve been hiding there, waiting for their prince, and my heart swells as I hold Felicity close to me and watch my prince approach his people for the first time in far too long.
Emotion is clear on his face as they come out to greet him, calling his name, and as he greets them in return. There’s joy written there, and hope, and relief to be home again—the same relief I feel. Even the short time that I was gone was too long, but it’s good to return in triumph, to have won this small battle so that hopefully in time, we can win our war.
The newly returned Voxeran warriors are all beaming too, and I can sense the palpable excitement and nervousness of the Terran women. They cluster around, whispering among one another, and the mated women stay close to their warriors, taking in this new planet with wide eyes.
I squeeze Felicity’s hand, pulling her closer as I bend down to kiss the top of her head.
“You did this,” I murmur, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. “You made all this possible.”
She grips my hand tightly in return, looking up at me with her luminous brown eyes, and a smile spreads across her face.
“We both did,” she says softly, looking out across the gathered Terrans and Voxerans, and the rebels who came out to meet us. “We did it together.”
27
Felicity
A lot has changed since I woke up in a cryo-pod on the crashed ship all those months ago. We’ve gone from defending the ship from scavengers, to living in the Voxerans’ small village, to camping in the woods, and now hiding out in a cave.
None of those things have been what I would call living in the lap of luxury, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Settling in on Vox has been easier than I’d hoped. We were already used to roughing it, and all of the other human women and I have been welcomed by the Voxeran rebels here.
Ren has helped with that considerably, probably remembering his own distrust when he found us with the warriors on Nuthora.
He brings up potential concerns before they can even be aired, alleviating any worry that the others might have about strangers among them. He talks about Elizabeth’s contributions to the medical care of the Voxerans and my help with the mission to disable the surveillance systems, lauding the strength and bravery of all the women.
It makes my heart warm to hear him talk like that. He was once so unsure of us, and now he’s one of our biggest champions, clearing the air before any suspicions or concerns can take root in the Voxerans’ minds.
The plan, I’m told, is to stay here in the cave for a little while until Droth, Ren, and the other warriors can finish formulating a strategy for how best to dethrone Drokar. I hear the other women joking often about how we traded a village in the woods for a cave by the mountains—a lateral move if there ever was one—but it’s all good-natured joking, and underneath it all is the same thing that I feel.
Hope.
Because even if we’re in a cave right now, still cooking our meals over a fire, sleeping on the ground and doing laundry in a nearby mountain stream, this whole planet represents something that Nuthora never was and never really could have been.
A home.
A future.
A new start for all of us, and for the half-Voxeran, half-human children on the way.
The other women feel the same way I do about that. They tell me as much, as we set up our new camp. All of them, mated and unmated, feel more invested in the future of the Voxerans here than in their old lives back on Earth. They all had something to escape on our home planet, something that left them feeling hollow and unfulfilled, but here, we’ve all found a new purpose. A new place to put down roots.
All of us feel that this is where we belong, that this community has become ours. A place where we’ve been accepted just as we are, no matter how different we might be from the people that we now live with.
The cave we’re staying in with the other rebels from Vox is massive, with a large open area right near the mouth of the cave, and several smaller sections that branch off toward the back. None of us have much in the way of gear or belongings, so people have been sort of claiming small sections of the cave as their sleeping spots, laying down a few furs or leathers and resting their packs against the wall.
Ren comes up behind me as I finish sorting through the pack we now share. He nuzzles my hair, breathing me in and making a faint growling noise deep in his throat.
God, I love him so much. A happy grin tugs at my lips as I lean back into his caress.
I love how he melts for me, this fierce, scarred beast of a man, like a lion that’s been tamed. But only for me.
“Will you come with me?” he asks, taking my hand and threading his fingers through mine. “I want to show you more of my planet. More of where I live.”
“I’d go anywhere with you,” I tell him with a smile, and I me
an it. Not just in this moment, but forever.
Wherever our lives take us, I want Ren at my side.
The markings that swirl over his pearlescent blue skin pulse with a soft glow, a sign of his emotions. He squeezes my fingers, bringing our joined hands to his lips and kissing my knuckles. Then he leads me out of the cave.
He takes me up to the foothills near the cave’s entrance, showing me the landscape of Vox from a higher vantage, where we can see more of the planet. We’re still too far out to be spotted from the city, but I can see so much of what surrounds us.
I bite my lower lip as I take in the vast and sprawling desert before me.
It’s breathtaking, like something an artist would dream up. Like something otherworldly—which I guess is exactly what it is.
The land is dotted with sand formations and dunes that look almost unnatural in places, like they belong in a science-fiction movie. There are more mountains in the far-off distance and small pockets of green and blue here and there, verdant spots of life where the presence of water has formed an oasis.
It’s gorgeous.
When I finally turn my gaze back to Ren, I can see worry on his face, as if he’s afraid I won’t like it.
“What do you think?” he asks, a slight strain to his voice. It makes my heart swell in my chest, knowing how much he wants me to be happy here, how he wants me to feel at home on this planet the same way he does.
“I love it,” I tell him softly. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” He dips his head a little, his gaze intent on mine. “You don’t have to—”
“I wouldn’t lie about that, I promise.” I turn to face him more fully, trailing my fingers down his cheek. “It’s wonderful. Not very different from where I came from on Earth, honestly,” I add with a small laugh. “I lived near a desert then too. A coincidence, probably—but also fate, I think. My old life and my new life can knit together here without any of the bad parts of my past. I know this is where I was always meant to be. Here, with you.”