by Elin Wyn
She always did.
“That right there is why the dark-haired girl likes you,” a voice startled me.
A tiny old woman, her head barely level with my chest, appeared at my side.
I hadn’t heard her approach.
It was getting easier to sneak up on me, apparently.
“What?” I asked.
The woman’s skin wasn’t pale. She wasn’t too thin. I didn’t think she had been a hybrid.
“The way you talk to people, the way you help them,” the woman clarified, “that’s why she likes you.”
I laughed uneasily. I had no idea what to say.
“What are you planning on doing about it?” she asked, prodding my chest with her bony finger.
“What?” I couldn’t help but laugh, but forced myself to stop as soon as I saw the hard look of determination on her wrinkled face.
“You’ve got to do something about it,” she insisted. “Listen to me, young man. My late husband and I met right here in the city square. We met here every day for a month before he finally did something. If he had waited even one more day, I would’ve walked away.”
“Lucky for him he figured it out,” I smiled.
“Damn right!” she exclaimed. “Do you know what he did?”
“No, but I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.” I was fully prepared to humor this old woman.
And who knew? She might be able to point me in the right direction with Vidia.
“He took me to the crystal caverns,” she declared proudly. “It was the second-best night of my life.”
“Only the second?” I laughed.
“The wedding night blew it out of the water,” she cackled.
I laughed along heartily.
“Rouhr, I’m glad to see you’re making friends,” Vidia’s voice floated into my ears.
When I looked at her, she was smiling from ear to ear. “How are you today, Demi?”
“I’m just fine, my dear,” the old woman replied. “And I wouldn’t say I’m acting as a friend.”
“Oh?” Vidia’s eyebrows shot up. “What would you say you’re acting as?”
“A guide. A mentor, if you will,” Demi said with a flourish.
“Wow.” Vidia placed her hands on her hips. “Care to elaborate?”
“He has something to ask you.” Demi jerked her head in my direction.
Vidia looked to me expectantly.
“Vidia,” I said in an overly formal tone, deeply aware of our audience, “would you like to go to the crystal caverns with me?”
“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate.
“You’re welcome!” Demi called before hobbling away.
“What an unusual woman.”
I watched her disappear into the crowd.
“Demi is the best,” Vidia beamed. “Do you really want to go to the caverns?”
“Of course,” I assured her. “I just don’t know where they are. Or if you have time.”
“Lucky for you, I do.” Vidia took me by the hand and led me through the winding paths of the city inside the mountain.
The caverns were all the way in the back of the city, the entrance just a set of winding stairs that went down into pitch blackness. I went down first, constantly reaching back to help Vidia down as the light faded away.
We climbed down in the darkness for a few moments before a dull blue light appeared from below.
“What is that?” I asked.
“You’ll see!” I could sense her excitement even if I couldn’t see her face.
The dull light grew brighter and brighter until it lit up everything around us. Once we were on level ground, I could see where the light came from. The caverns were massive and covered in bioluminescent crystal formations.
Vidia glowed in the ethereal lights, brilliant, fragile, strong-willed.
Mine.
Before I could think twice, I took her hands in mine and pulled her closer to me, my fingers winding through her hair, pulling her body tight against me.
With a surprised squeak, she opened her mouth to mine, letting me taste her, drink her in.
I’d never have enough.
Especially since--
I broke away, silently cursing myself.
“My apologies,” I looked away, anywhere but in the depths of her fascinating eyes. “I don’t know what came over me. I’d arrest a soldier for behaving in such a--”
She leaned forward, her lips teasing at mine as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
“You should hush now,” she murmured as she nuzzled the scales of my neck. My mutinous hands tightened against her back.
“Did you really just tell a general to hush,” I asked between kisses. This was madness, but I couldn’t care, not when she was here, with me, no cares or worries to interrupt us.
“We have so few moments to be alone, so little time before...” she explained. “I don’t want to waste a single second of it pretending I care less than I do.”
The truth of her words sliced me like a knife, but I wouldn’t dishonor it, dishonor her, by pretending not to understand.
I kissed her harder, pressing myself against her.
She let out a soft gasp when she realized how aroused I was becoming.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt such intensity.
True desire.
“I feel the same,” I sighed against her mouth.
I wound one hand into her soft, thick hair again and brought her mouth to mine, leaving the other to caress her side, knead the lush curves of her hip. Our tongues danced together as we kissed, her sweet taste indescribable.
Addicting.
Her breasts pressed against my chest, her body folded against mine. “Rouhr,” she moaned against my lips, inflaming the deep primal instinct inside me.
I needed her. I had to have her now.
A rattling noise echoed down the staircase, followed by voices. More people were entering the caverns.
Of course they were. We were in a public place, and I was moments from ravaging her.
I’d promised to protect the civilians of this world, but right now, I’d be tempted to reconsider.
My breath still ragged, my blood pounded through my veins as I struggled to compose myself.
Vidia looked like she was having difficulties, as well. Her hair was tousled, and her lips were lush and swollen from kissing.
It would be obvious to anyone what we’d been doing.
She led me deeper into the caverns for a few moments while we cooled down, letting the shadows cover the signs of our adventure.
The massive crystals were a sight to behold, but not nearly as beautiful as Vidia.
After half an hour or so, we climbed back up the stairs and walked back to the main part of the city.
“It’s a damn shame those people showed up,” Vidia sighed as we reemerged into the bustle.
“We’ll have our time together.” I squeezed her hand. “I promise.”
16
Vidia
It simply wasn’t meant to be our night.
I could organize a city, plan a rescue mission, convince politicians to do damn near anything...but have a quiet date?
Apparently not.
After we left the crystal caverns, I invited Rouhr to share the room I’d rented for the night. It wasn’t the same inn as before.
This one, The Mountain Inn, was much smaller and more crowded.
I brought Rouhr up to the room with every intention of continuing what we’d started down in the caverns, but every kiss and gentle sigh shared between us was punctuated by a shout from someone else or a loud bang from the kitchen.
The walls were thin.
Very thin.
We could hear the sounds of people drinking and dining in the tavern below and the guests in the rooms on either side of us.
I let out a frustrated sigh and rested my forehead against Rouhr’s bare chest.
He’d deactivated his holo-disguise as soon as we’d closed the
door to the room.
“This isn’t what I had in mind,” I laughed.
“Me, either,” Rouhr admitted.
Someone bumped into the wall of our room hard enough to rattle the dresser pushed up against it.
That prompted another round of laughter between Rouhr and me.
“Let’s just try to sleep, then?” I suggested but wasn’t even sure that would work. I’d booked the room for a single person, so I’d been given a bed for a single person.
A single human.
“I can always go back to the ship and sleep there,” Rouhr offered.
“This is supposed to be your night away from the Aurora,” I insisted. “We’ll make this work.”
After some careful maneuvering, we found a comfortable position.
Rouhr lay on his back, taking up most of the mattress. I was wedged against his side, tucked under his arm. His chest was my pillow.
“You’re right. This is perfect,” he sighed, squeezing me closer to him.
We both slept soundly that night.
Waking up the next morning was one of the happiest moments of my life.
When I remembered I was curled against Rouhr’s side and not a pillow, my body filled with a giddy warmth. It wasn’t the electric zap that often accompanied the excitement of a new relationship.
Instead, it was a natural sense of belonging. I was exactly where I was supposed to be with the person I was supposed to be with.
Certain and sure.
I was too old for that breathless, almost chaotic rush of a thousand feelings that came with the sense of infinite possibility.
I felt young for being in the middle of my forties, happy to be smart enough to know that the chaotic rush didn’t always lead to happily ever after.
But this moment in time, I had to grasp with both hands.
Whatever else the day held for us, and whatever else the next several days, weeks, and months would grant us, I needed to acknowledge that I was happy waking up next to Rouhr.
I nudged Rouhr awake. I felt guilty for it. He never slept this much. I hated to disturb him, but there was simply too much we needed to get done today.
“Hmm,” he groaned.
His arms tightened around me.
“Time to get up.” I planted small kisses where my face was pressed against his chest.
“Skrell.” His body went slack.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever heard you curse,” I laughed. “You must really not want to get up.”
“I really don’t,” he admitted. “This is why I never sleep for very long. I don’t want to realize how much I love sleeping.”
“Your logic is flawed.” I wiggled out of his arms and stood up beside the bed. “Come on.” I grabbed his arm and tugged. It was like trying to move the mountain itself. “We have lives to save!”
“I’m getting up, I’m getting up!” he exclaimed.
He let himself slide over the sheets, reaching for one last kiss before I danced away.
We took turns washing up in the tiny bathing room. There was no way for two people to stand inside at once. Poor Rouhr had a difficult time maneuvering when it was just himself.
We rushed out of the inn before the innkeeper could ask if we’d enjoyed our stay. I wasn’t sure that even as a politician I’d be able to give an answer that wouldn’t leave me blushing all day.
The city square was nearly empty compared to yesterday. There was still a line of survivors waiting to see the doctors. Some were walking around the square, the gentle exercise a first step towards bringing their bodies back to normal.
“I met a man here yesterday before Demi and I started talking,” Rouhr commented. “He was looking for his wife, but I don’t see him here. I hope he found her.”
“I’m sure he did,” I said brightly. Things were finally going right for these people since the Xathi fell through the rift.
I liked to think that anything was possible.
The Aurora was bustling with activity when we arrived in preparation for the next cure strike.
“I’m going to make sure Evie and Leena have everything they need.” I gave Rouhr’s hand a quick squeeze before making my way toward the labs.
I struggled to switch from my giddy-and-falling-in-love mindset into my work mindset.
“I can’t believe Rouhr won’t let us go,” a voice grumbled off to my right.
He sounded angry.
“Not using every man he’s got for these cure strikes is just foolish.”
“All because we asked to go home sooner,” another voice said bitterly.
This must’ve had something to do with what Evie told me yesterday. She mentioned that Rouhr had come down hard on a few of the crew members.
I slowed my pace to listen more.
“At least we’ll be going home,” the first one sighed.
I wanted to look to see who it was, but I didn’t want to draw attention to the fact that I was eavesdropping on a private conversation.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high,” the second cautioned. “The Aurora might not be stable enough to handle space travel. Rouhr’s warned us about it a hundred times.”
“I’ve been talking to Thribb,” the first said. “He says the Aurora will definitely fly again. But if she can’t handle space travel, we can potentially still be operational in our journey simply because we have the Gateway. We won’t need to be in space for long at all.”
“You think we’re going to take the Gateway with us?” the second asked.
“Of course! What would the humans need it for?” the first scoffed.
“Good point.”
I hadn’t given much thought to what would happen to the Gateway when this was all over.
I guess I hadn’t given much thought to anything. I hurried away from the conversation.
I’d heard enough.
An ache formed in my chest.
I knew Rouhr would leave one day. One day soon, if all went according to plan.
Rouhr had promised that he wouldn’t leave while the planet still needed his help. I knew he would keep his word. The fact that he’d punished those crew members proved that he was committed to saving this planet.
I wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Rouhr would make Ankau his permanent home.
We’d been friends for a while now. Only recently had something more than friendship developed between us.
It wasn’t enough to give up a decorated military career, a dedicated crew, and a war that was still raging on the other side of the universe.
It couldn’t be.
Being wrapped up in his arms, sharing our first kisses, and feeling that complete sense of belonging had muddled the reality of our situation.
Rouhr was going to leave, and it was going to hurt. A lot.
Even if I’d decided to ignore reality for the time we had together, I needed to start preparing myself for it now. If I kept myself in denial for the remainder of Rouhr’s time here, it would only make things worse.
Even when the planet was safe from the Xathi, I would still have work to do.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that even with our time limited, I needed to consciously grasp every moment I had with Rouhr.
Waking up next to him this morning was heaven.
And if we really had as little time as I thought, I would avail myself of those moments as much as I could, but without losing myself again.
The people that were relocated to Glymna would need permanent homes.
Doctors from all over would need to be taught how to spot the signs of hybridism, just in case someone had a relapse.
The cities and towns needed to be rebuilt.
Healing the damage done by the Xathi would be a long process, one that deserved my full attention.
I couldn’t risk letting heartbreak distract me from it.
I took a deep, shuddering breath and buried the pain and sadness deep down for me to deal with another time. I would continue to be Rouhr’s friend. He d
eserved that much.
I would do everything to enjoy this moment with Rouhr—regardless of how limited our time was or was not.
I had made up my mind.
Now the hard part was going to be in carrying it out and not retreating into myself.
17
Rouhr
As the strikes teams and I moved through the thick clouds of pink mist, I looked up at the sky. This time, no air unit lingered behind the others.
Good.
Perhaps Vidia finally realized that putting herself in harm's way wasn’t the best way to get things done.
It made me worried, knowing she was within potential range for an attack.
But a small part of me was disappointed that she wasn’t up in the sky, fighting with D’val to let her stay behind and help.
The Xathi queen obviously expected another attack on her camps. There were nearly thirty Xathi guarding this one, enough that I had to wonder how many soldiers she had left on the planet.
Were the hybrids such an important part of her strategy?
This camp was a few miles south of Duvest, a city the Xathi queen had shown interest in before.
Her minions had dealt a considerable amount of damage to the city in the initial attack, but it hadn’t fallen. Duvest was actually where we had first put the neuro-grenades into action, with positive results.
There’d been debate over using those same neuro-grenades, as well as our newly developed scent-grenades, in our cure strikes.
But after we saw the effect the sonic barrier had on the hybrids, it was decided we wouldn’t use any weapons that had the potential to harm the recovering humans affected by the cure.
Our attack on the Xathi guards was almost identical to our attack on the guards at the last camp. The snipers hung back and disabled the Xathi from afar. The heavy hitters rushed in, using the low visibility to their advantage.
I took great pleasure in waiting for the perfect moment to blow holes clean through the Xathi’s crystal exteriors. This time, no Xathi got the chance to knock me to the ground.
We supplemented the strike team members currently on probation with promising members of the ground teams.
If Karzin, Rokul, and the others kept up their insubordinate behavior, I knew exactly with whom I’d replace them.