Victoria

That was… incredible.

I open my eyes, finally coming down from a mind-blowing orgasm that seemed to last forever and ever. For a brief moment there, it was like I was on another plane of existence.

It was just me and Nero. Our souls connected, our bodies as one. I no longer knew where he ended and where I began.

We were one.

Nero’s naked body is coated in sweat, his strong hands holding me up. My back is resting against the tiled wall, my legs wrapped around his waist.

I feel weightless when he holds me like this.

When I glance down I notice my skin is flushed red, and that I can barely see through all the steam in the room.

It’s way too hot in here. I don’t think steam baths were made to have sex in, but… here we are.

There’s a loud knock on the door.

“They’re gone,” Virgil Lucius says.

Ah. Right.

Our quest.

When I’m lost in the throes of passion, it can be easy to forget there’s still a world that needs saving out there.

“Coming,” Nero yells.

As juvenile as it is, I can’t suppress a grin.

Yeah, we’re coming alright.

We both take a cold shower, but the water can’t cool the fire inside of me. We put our clothes back on, trying to make ourselves as presentable as possible, but no matter what you can’t wipe that post-sex glow from our faces.

Nero gives me one final kiss before opening the door.

“There you are,” Virgil says. “The coast is clear, for now. I’d make haste if I were you. And whatever it is you’re planning: good luck.”

“Thank you, Virgil,” Nero says. “We owe you one.”

We make our way back to the Classis, narrowly avoiding some more guard patrols. I keep a tight hold of Nero’s hand the entire way back to the ship.

Romulus is waiting for us inside, his hands folded in his lap.

“Did you find the answers you were looking for?” he asks.

Nero sits down across him, and the smile on his face fades. His eyes flicker towards me, and a sense of dread fills me instantly.

Nero’s distant.

He’s putting up a wall.

“Yes… no… it’s all fucked,” he says. “You were right. Decimus’s blood runs through my veins. Magnus won’t stop hunting me until he’s taken my life.”

“That leaves us with one option,” Romulus says. “I went to the mansion, but there’s nothing left, Magnus burned it to cinders. All of the research, Octavius’s papers, have been moved to House Bruttius. The only way to stop Magnus is a full-frontal assault. We’ll have to take his life before he takes yours.”

“You are right,” Nero says coolly, “but that is a suicide mission. I will go alone.”

“Like hell you are,” Romulus says. “I am with you. Every step of the way.”

“So am I,” I chime in. “Where you go, I go!”

“No,” he says.

“What?”

“No. You will stay.”

I shake my head, resting my hand on my hips. “Have you met me, Nero? I am going with you, whether you like it or not.”

The alien warrior stands up and pushes his shoulders back. He towers over me, which I normally like, but this time his gaze is steely.

“You don’t have a choice, Victoria.”

Every word that leaves his lips is measured. Calculated. Like he’s been rehearsing them.

“You are not safe with me… or on this planet. This galaxy is not meant for you. You will leave on a shuttle, back through the portal, back to Earth. Tonight.”

Is he…

Is he breaking up with me?

“No,” I say, trying to keep my composure. “N-no.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

Nero turns his back to me.

My blood turns to solid ice. This is not happening.

It can’t be.

Nero’s my mate.

My fatum!

I didn’t travel all this way just to turn back now. To lose him. I can’t go on with my life after having met him, after losing my heart to him.

I’ll never be happy again.

“You’re making a mistake,” I say. “Stop it! Look at me! Damn it Nero, look at me!”

The alien warrior walks out the room without casting another glance at me. I try to follow him, but two Elban warriors block the way. They grab me by my shoulders and drag me through the hall, while I kick and scream, tears streaming down my face. My heart has been stabbed and every thump twists the knife.

* * *

Nero

I stare into nothingness.

I’ve made the right choice — so why does my heart bleed? I had no other option. The human female thinks she loves me, but she doesn’t know me.

I don’t deserve love.

The beast inside of me snarls. He wants out. He wants me to give into anger, into rage, into darkness. When Victoria sees the beast, she will know what a monster I am.

It is best she never does. I want her to remember the good times, instead of traumatizing her. Perhaps she’ll hate me for sending her away.

Good.

Let her hate me.

Let her forget all about me.

Romulus walks up behind me and places his hand on my shoulder.

“You did the right thing,” he says. “Elba is no place for a human.”

“I know.”

Silence fills the room, the moment stretching out, the pain in my heart spreading to every fiber of my being, a dull, throbbing ache that grows more intense with every beat of my heart until I can’t take another second of it.

“Let’s go right now,” I tell Romulus. “The sooner we meet our fate, the better.”