I finish picking the vegetables we need for dinner that night and stand up, arching my back and rubbing at the base of my spine to relieve the tension there.

Twisting and bending to pick everything is no joke.

I'm glad we alternate tasks.

"I'm just going to go deliver this to kitchen and then I'll be back," I tell Nora.

"All right," she acknowledges, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Man, I'm never going to get used to this heat."

"Yeah," I agree, sighing.

The hats we wear protect us from the sun, but there really isn't anything to protect us from the heat. Hey, maybe if we can use the meteor glass to get the tech back online, we can rig some kind of climate control. A girl can hope. It would be heavenly to not sweat buckets every day.

I start walking towards the kitchen, my mind turning to Arawn as it always seems to do when I'm not fully occupied with a task. I'm glad we're going to talk when he gets back.

The sheer terror I felt when I thought he was going to be riding off into danger at Rosalind's call. Well. Let's just say it was a wakeup call of my own. I don't want to lose Arawn. The thought of him getting hurt, or not coming back at all...it really put our relationship into perspective.

I want to make it work. Want to figure out how we can be together so we both have what we need. I hope we can talk this through. That's my goal. I want him in my life for good.

I frown as I hear an odd sound while I walk. Is someone working on the wall again? I turn to look in that direction as I hear it once more. An odd staccato sound that—

My stomach drops as I turn fully towards the wall.

Shit.

I drop the basket and start running away from the sound, not wanting to be weighed down.

"Attack!" I shout as loudly as my lungs can handle. "Invaders! We're under attack!"

I hear the sound again and look over my shoulder just as one of those odd-looking gray-blue brutes that attacked the New Village climbs over the top. It opens its mouth to emit that odd, distinctive roar again, displaying razor-sharp teeth.

Shit!

I turn back around to yell again, but I don't have to. All of the Zmaj are already streaming out of the caves, weapons in hand as they run towards the wall.

"Stay back!" Melchior yells at me as he passes.

Yeah, that seems like a good plan. At least until I get my hands on my pole.

I don't know how many are out there, how many they've decided to attack our cave system with. If they've spent any time watching and preparing, they'll know there's a sizable Zmaj population here, which means won't be surprised to see them like they were at the New Village. It also means they may have come with a significantly larger number.

Shit shit shit.

Bailey and Astrid come out and run alongside me, Delilah trailing us.

"Going to get your weapons?" Delilah asks us.

"Yeah."

"Yup."

"That's my goal."

"Good," she says with a grim smile. "We need to be prepared to fight."

Glad we're all on the same page.

As I run to my cave and grab my pole, I make a note to myself. I need to keep it with me like Arawn does with his lochaber. I've gotten complacent here in the Tribe's cave system, too accustomed to the safety that I expect to find here.

I feel the back of my neck tingle as I turn to run back out of my cave, overwhelmed with the realization that the conditions here on Tajss might be getting worse. Worse for a while.

If invaders like these are the new normal...we're going to have to make some real adjustments. But that's something to figure out later. You know—when we're not in the middle of a full-blown attack.

I hustle out at that thought. When I make it back to the wall—which is doing its job, as it's slowing down the influx of the attackers, but is really geared more towards protecting us from the larger predators—the Zmaj are doing a heck of a job fighting back. Not surprising.

I've been privy to their fighting skills more than once, and I’m glad that they're on our side. But as good as they are, as I feared, the invaders came in a larger group this time. A much larger group.

"One of those things is going to get through," Delilah mutters next to me.

More than one if they keep coming like this.

"They won't get through us," I say grimly, tilting the pole down so the pointed end is aimed forward.

"Fuck," Nora mutters next to me, doing the same.

All the women slowly show up, and seeing us, take the same stance. Until there's a line of us just waiting, sharp ends lined up in preparation. We don't have to wait long.

The first one breaks through and rushes towards us, angling its tusks down. He doesn't make it far. Not with multiple poles spearing right into him at once. By the end, he's basically shish kebab.

"Here comes another one!"

I look up as I brace my foot on the body, yanking back with all of my strength to dislodge my weapon. Luckily, there are others ready and waiting to take care of the new guy.

"Come on," I mutter to myself. Adrenaline gives me the strength I need to yank it free finally.

"Eeew," I grimace at the squelching sound it makes.

It's definitely different killing something that isn't an animal. I know that these things are sentient, that they have a higher level of thinking. I've never seen a guster in a uniform.

"No time to be a princess about it, Fallon," Delilah barks. "Here's another one!"

She's right. There's no time to dwell on it. Not with a steady trickle of the things getting through the Zmaj warriors, despite their best efforts.

Soon, I'm not thinking of anything. Just stabbing. Stab. Pull free. Reposition. Stab again.

The scent of blood and gore is ripe even though we're in the back, where most of the bodies are not. The Zmaj are taking care of the vast majority out there.

Gritting my teeth, I'm pulling my pole out of yet another body when I hear a new commotion on the other side of the wall.

Less than a minute later, Errol and Arawn leap over the wall and land on our side. Arawn's eyes find me quickly, scanning me to make certain I'm all right. I do the same, relieved to see him back in one piece.

Now, to just keep it that way. The two of them turn swiftly, lochabers in hand. They cut the number getting through to us by almost a hundred percent. I watch, even more in awe of Arawn's prowess now that I've had to work with multiple other people to be a fraction as effective.

His lochaber swings tirelessly, his wings flaring to help him leap and attack invaders at the top of the wall, before they can even climb over, his tail whipping furiously behind him. The muscles of his arms and back bunch and ripple with his movements, the power in his body obvious.

I find myself staring at him more than I probably should be when I need to be keeping an eye out for those of our enemies that get through them. There are much longer breaks now between those that get through. But they do keep coming.

We get to a point where I start to wonder if there's a never-ending swarm of these guys and how long we can hold them off, when something big slams directly into the wall.

At first, I think one of the Zmaj just threw one of the smaller invaders. It's been happening. But then something whizzes by my ear and slams into the ground just feet away, the heat of fire unmistakable. It crushes one of the things about to attack, dropping it to the ground instantly. Huh. That was convenient.

"Meteor storm!" someone who I can't see yells out loud. "Get to cover!"

On the heels of that yell, I hear a shrill, alien scream. By the way I see the six-armed beings turn tail and run, I'm guessing that scream was their leader basically telling them the same.

In one bound, Arawn is next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist in a firm grip.

"Hold on!" he orders.

I clamp my arms around him and he leaps the distance to the nearest cave. All around us, Zmaj do the same with the other women, everyone trying to get to cover as quickly as possible. Most of us end up in one of the communal caves, still breathing hard, the heat of battle very real.

"Are you hurt?" Arawn asks, letting go of me to look me up and down.

I shake my head no.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" I ask, turning the question back on him.

"Only bruises and minor injuries," he reassures me.

When I look him over, I see he's telling the truth. There are a few places where I think the blood is his, but even I can tell the wounds are shallow.

"The meteor shower has ended the battle and given us a reprieve," Falkosh announces, projecting his voice over the multiple conversations happening around us. He waits until everyone quiets down and gives him their attention before continuing. "It would be prudent of us to convene and discuss strategies to prevent being taken unawares in the future." He pauses, looking around at us. "We should have done this as soon as we heard of the new threat. My apologies for not meeting on the matter before it came to us in such an undeniable manner."

What he's saying makes a lot of sense. We should all have a meeting about this.

Unfortunately, it becomes quite clear that he doesn't mean all of us as the Zmaj immediately separate themselves from the rest of us humans and sit down in the back.

Really?

I take a step closer, trying to hear the low-voiced conversation they start.

"Once the meteor shower is over, the first order of business will be to meet with Rosalind on the matter. We need to work together on this..."

I take another step closer, but my forward momentum is abruptly stopped with a strong hand on my arm.

"Let them work it out," Delilah orders, not unkindly. "We don't have nearly the same experience or knowledge of Tajss that they do. And I don't know about you, but I'm starving after all of that. We're better off using this time to get dinner going than basically just sitting and listening to them talk."

I don't know about that. And I have to say, retreating to the kitchen with the other women kind of offends my sensibilities. Not that Delilah isn't right, at least practically speaking.

Okay, fine. If I feel like the plan they come up with needs adjusting, I'll just voice my opinion after we hear it. Nobody will be able to keep my mouth shut.

So I go to the kitchen and help out, feeling my stomach grumble as I do. I guess I am hungry. We throw together something quick, easy, and filling. Nobody has the patience or energy for anything fancy. The smell of the food is enough to have the group of Zmaj trailing out from the strategy meeting to eat.

Arawn finds me and sits down next to me for the meal, everything that has been left unsaid still between us. Yes, we care about each other. Both of our actions say that pretty loud and clear. But we still need to talk.

"What are you doing after this?" I ask as I take another bite of the food.

"I am collecting more meteorite glass along with some of the others. It only makes sense to fill the rover with as much as we can before we send a messenger to inform Rosalind of the attack. Especially when she and her people will be borrowing the rover to deliver her chosen patrols to the New Village."

"I'm coming with you,” I say. “To collect the glass."

Arawn frowns. "You do not have to take part in this extra duty."

"I want to."

After everything that has happened...I want to be next to Arawn, just to reassure myself. He must see that I really need this, so he doesn't argue with me again. Simply nods.

We finish our meal and then head right out. Now that the meteor shower is over, there's actually plenty of glass to collect nearby. At least something good comes out of each of these things.

I do find myself more paranoid than usual as we gather the still warm glass though, looking over my shoulder at every noise, afraid it's an indication of another attack.

"Do not worry," Arawn murmurs from next to me when I do it for the third or fourth time. "I am keeping watch."

I nod, giving him a tense smile, but it does help me relax a bit. It also helps that the bodies of the invaders have already been carted off where they won't attract any unwanted wildlife. We're lucky we got off so lightly. There were some of us that sustained some minor injuries, but no casualties.

Not that we can get complacent, but I was so happy to hear that after the fight was over. I'm also happy we're not out in the open collecting glass for long. With a group of us all working together, we make quick work of packing the rover to capacity.

"I think that is all it can take," Bashir comments, patting the rover. "Time to drive it to the city."

We voice our goodbyes as he climbs in and starts his journey. With that done, there is nothing left to do but retire to our cave for the night. Our cave. My cave hasn't felt quite like home after I spent even those few nights with Arawn in his. I think it's more a function of him not being there than the actual space itself. I missed him. Badly.

Arawn doesn't say anything as we walk together in silent agreement. But once we're alone, I know we have to start. I rub my hands on my pants as I turn towards him. I am really not looking forward to this. So I delay it.

"Let me just help you clean up first..."

Going over to the water and cloths he keeps for washing up in one corner, I bring them both back and clean his injuries. They aren't bad, so it really doesn't take long as he stands there quietly, allowing me to do so.

Then I have no excuses left. I stand up, taking the supplies back. Then I turn around to face him again.

"So..." I start, crossing my arms in what I know is a defensive gesture. But I just can't help it.

How the hell do I say this?

"I'm afraid to have children," I blurt out.

All righty then. That's one way of doing it. At least I got it out.

Arawn frowns, taking a stool and dropping down on it.

"Why?" he asks simply.

"I don't know," I start, combing my hair off my face as I start to pace in front of him. "There are a lot of reasons."

"Such as?"

"Such as carrying a baby for that long and then having to push it out of my body. Which is no joke considering our size difference," I point out, gesturing between us. "I've heard how difficult that labor was for the other women."

He nods. "I see."

"And also the fact that it's so damn dangerous here, and only getting more so. These invaders don't seem like they're going to stop coming any time soon. Not with the galactic fighting rings apparently raking in the money. How can we really keep children safe?" That's a hard truth about the future. "And...and what if I'm not a good mother?" I shake my head. "It isn't like I've had the best parenting examples. What if I mess our kid up?"

I hunch my shoulders, feeling that doubt. All of what I said was true. But that last bit strikes at the core of me.

"Fallon," Arawn murmurs, his arms coming around me from behind. I don't even know when he left the stool. "I think you are strong, intelligent, brave, and caring—you would make an excellent mother. However." He turns me around gently, raising his hands to cup my face. "It is not a requirement. I would love you if we never formed another generation. I am yours. And, I believe, in my heart...you are mine."

I stare up at him, at the painful sincerity in his eyes as I blink away the tears that have gathered in mine.

Not only has he not taken offense, he's saying everything I needed to hear but didn't even know to hope for. I don't know how to respond with words, my throat closing with emotion. So I don't use them.

Reaching up to slide my fingers into his hair, I tug Arawn down to me, laying a kiss on him. A kiss that says everything I'm feeling. Everything I want.

Arawn doesn't disappoint. Sliding his hands down my back, he grips my butt and lifts me up to make kissing me easier. His lips are soft and hungry under mine.

I missed this so much, missed this connection even as I ran away from it.

He doesn't wait to take me down to the soft pallet. He pulls at my clothes, just as I tug at his, both of our hands getting tangled as we try to continue touching the entire time. But neither of us stops.

Eventually, we're naked, skin against skin.

Arawn leaves my lips, kissing his way down my neck, stopping and lingering on my breasts. I sigh as he kisses and licks every inch of them, his broad shoulders blocking out everything but him.

Then he moves lower. Pushing my legs apart, he settles my thighs on his shoulders, and then takes a moment just to look at me.

"Arawn..." I whisper, feeling my entire body blush at that intent look.

"You are so beautiful, Fallon," he says, looking up at me. "Perfect."

I don't know about that, but when his mouth is so close to the promised land, I'm not going to start arguing.

I bite back a moan as his hot mouth settles over me, his tongue sliding through my already wet folds.

I want him. Badly. But it feels like I always do. Even when I thought I didn't like him, I wanted him. And matters have only gotten worse the more time we spend together.

I arch up into his mouth, wanting to be even closer to the pleasure. I don't know how it's possible he never did this before me. It never felt awkward or clunky in any way. And he's a fast learner.

He doesn't mess around this time, his tongue finding my clit and working at it without surcease, the flick of his tongue divine. Closer...I feel the orgasm building, the tension winding tighter.

"Arawn!" I cry, as it hits me sooner than I expected.

I buck against his mouth, but he just holds me in place and licks me through it.

When I go limp, he flips me over to my stomach. Lifting one my legs up and out to the side, he layers himself over me and slowly slides inside.

I groan at the stretch, at the feeling of being utterly surrounded by his large body. I'm never going to get used to his size.

He moves my hair aside and kisses the back of my neck, my shoulders, every part of me he can reach as he starts to thrust slowly. I push back against him, loving the feeling of being so utterly full.

Of him.

"Fallon," he sighs, his face coming down to rest against the side of mine. He rubs it against mine, his breath hot as it fans over my cheek.

"Hmm."

It's slow and steady.

Until the very end.

Arawn pushes into me harder, sliding in even deeper.

And then he locks into place as his entire body shudders over mine, his cock pulsing inside me as he comes.

"My turn."

I push back, and he lets me topple him onto his back. I climb on top of him, taking in his flushed face and glittering eyes, his hair mussed. I reach down to grab his second cock. Never a thought I'd thought I'd have, but there you go. Arawn was nothing I ever expected to have in my life. Why would this part of him be any different?

Gripping the thick length in my hand, I run my thumb over the ridges along its length. I know they're the reason it feels that extra bit better when he's inside me. I bite my lip as I angle it up, adjusting the tip so it nudges into my entrance. Arawn's hands come up to grip my hips, his eyes scanning my body. And locking on where he is so close to going inside.

"Fallon, please," he groans, arching up and sliding in a half an inch.

I hum in response. That's exactly what I want too. So I don't make either of us wait any longer. I lower myself slowly, gasping as the angle hits another part of me inside.

Arawn grits his teeth, his fingertips digging into my hips when he's all the way in.

I take a moment, feeling like I'm full up to my throat. Wiggling to adjust, I pause as the ridge at the very base of him hits me...just...right. Leaning forward to brace my hands against his shoulders, I grind against him a little, closing my eyes. I could almost...a small orgasm hits me, making me clench my thighs around Arawn's hips.

With a growl, he flips us so I'm on the bottom again. And then he thrusts into me hard and fast, bracing my legs along his chest, a hand gripping each one. His eyes are shut tight, his jaw clenched as he thrusts. Like he needs it. Needs it right then.

That, coupled with the ridges hitting me with each thrust, push me over again. I cry out, my hands reaching out to grip Arawn's sides as I clench down on him. With a grunt of effort, he slings all the way in and follows me over, his body trembling above me. I take a deep breath as the orgasm slowly washes away once more.

Am I dead? What a way to go.

Arawn drops down next to me, pulling me into his side. Like he can't stand not to have as much contact as possible even after reconnecting.

"I want to mate you," he says abruptly.

"Huh?" I ask, opening my eyes, still enjoying the afterglow. "I think that might be what we just did," I remark, chuckling.

He turns my head towards his, so he can meet my eyes.

"No, Fallon," he says seriously. "I want an official mating. Including the ceremony. I want all of it."

"Oh." I stare at him, processing what he's saying. And then feeling the butterflies in my stomach, that warm rise of...happiness. "The people against the tradition will be really pissed at you."

He smiles, sliding my hair behind my ear.

"They will live. How do you feel? That is all that matters." He cups the side of my face. "Do you want to be my mate?"

I feel my lips curve into a smile of their own at the question. And then into a full-blown grin. I can't seem to control it at all. The burst of joy inside me is uncontainable.

"Yes," I say simply.

The flash of elation across his face warms me even more as he leans down and kisses me deeply.

Claiming me.

And I claim him right back.

"Good," he says, his lips brushing mine. "Then it is settled."

"I guess it is," I agree.

I snuggle into him when he lies back down, happy and drowsy. This is so much more than I expected. It's so much better. It takes me a while to fall asleep, the excitement of everything keeping me up in the best way possible. Eventually, I do drift off, feeling like everything in life is perfect.

I should know better than to think that now.

I should have been able to predict our wakeup call would be anything but.

"Arawn! Fallon! Wake up! We're being attacked!"

My eyes snap open at the voice, there and gone. It was one of the women, maybe Nora. But that doesn't matter.

Arawn is already on his feet, reaching for his clothes and his lochaber. I follow suit, slipping into my clothes before reaching for my weapon.

He's already out of the cave well before me, his long legs and quicker reflexes giving him a good edge. When I get outside, I see that the Zmaj are on the other side of the wall. When I slow down and peer around them, I see the group of those alien invaders rushing towards us once more.

The people on watch did their job well. I know the new guard positions were one of the things the Zmaj spoke about at the strategy meeting. Tidbits of what was discussed had floated around while we all ate.

"That's...a lot of them," Nora murmurs next to me.

I nod, feeling grim. It really is.

"Yeah. This is going to be—"

Before I can finish, a meteorite plummets through the air and hits the quickly narrowing space between the invaders and the Zmaj, sending sand spraying through the air.

Shit!

Again!?

"Meteorite shower!" I shout along with the others who saw it, to warn everyone still rushing out.

We turn and run just as the invaders are forced to retreat as well.

The Zmaj wait to make sure they do and then come back behind the wall and rush into the caves with us.

"Can you believe the meteorites fell again?" Nora whispers once we're under cover.

I shake my head. This is the second time it's happened when we were being attacked, stopping the impending battle. Only even earlier, before we could even begin the fight.

"Maybe Bashir is right," I quip. "Maybe Tajss is supernatural. Maybe it's protecting us."

At least, I try to joke about it, but it doesn't come off very funny.

Nora nods. "Maybe," she agrees seriously.

I feel a shiver of something. Maybe unease. What if the planet is...aware somehow?

Arawn reaches my side, sliding an arm around me and hugging me close. I lean against him for comfort, looking around at everyone. At the grim faces the Zmaj wear. The lingering traces of fear and shock among the women.

The atmosphere is heavy with the knowledge that the invaders aren't going anywhere. They're only growing more aggressive. With luck, the second shower in such a short period of time will convince them to leave for now. But we can't rely on meteor showers forever.

They've just bought us time to adjust and plan for what's coming.