Haley roused from sleep grudgingly at first, but when she reached for Torel and only found an empty bed, she sat up fast and looked around in confusion. “Torel?”

He was always there when she woke, either asleep beside her, reading, or watching her with a look of wonder. She liked waking up like that. Liked it more than she cared to admit, in fact.

“I knew I shouldn’t have set the lights so bright. I did not want to wake you. You need more sleep.” Torel was standing near the bed, dressed in the same type of uniform she’d seen him in the first time they had met. The dark material was trimmed in red, and there were gold markings of some kind on his collar, as well as an insignia over his heart.

“You’re kinda overdressed for someone who isn’t allowed to be on duty,” she said.

Torel moved in close and bent down to kiss her forehead. “I’ve been called out for an emergency. I didn’t want to wake you, but I left a note for when you woke up.”

Sure enough, there was a data pad beside her pillow with a few words displayed on the screen.

“You should have woken me.” Emergency or not, she didn’t like the idea of him sneaking out of their bed. Even if it wasn’t really theirs and this wasn’t a permanent thing and she wasn’t falling for him…shit. Guilt and denial washed over her, dousing her anger in an icy wave. Falling for Torel meant betraying Jeff’s memory. She wouldn’t do that. She couldn’t.

Torel stood up and stepped back, his jaw set in a stubborn line she’d come to know too well. “It was my determination that you needed to sleep. I don’t have time to discuss this with you right now.” He turned on his heel and walked away.

“I hope you can save him.”

He didn’t look back, but as he passed through the door, she heard his answer. “So do I.”

The feel of the room changed the second she was alone. It was too quiet, too empty, and even the temperature felt cooler, like Torel had taken all the warmth with him when he left. She rose from the bed and pulled on the first thing she found, which happened to be one of Torel’s shirts. She breathed in his scent and immediately felt less alone. “Nope, no good.”

If just catching Torel’s scent was enough to affect her emotional state, she was in trouble. She stripped naked again and went to the closet to find something else to wear. She selected a pair of pants and a top from the items Torel had brought for her. They were made of a soft, thick, grey and red fabric that reminded her of well-worn flannel pajamas. Perfect.

Once she was dressed, she sat down in one of the chairs and stared out at Earth, trying to gather her thoughts. It wasn’t easy. The Scorching was still making it hard to think clearly. She started by reminding herself where she belonged. It wasn’t difficult to do when her planet was right in front of her, a blue and green jewel spinning in the dark expanse. “That’s home,” she reminded herself. “That’s where your job is, your home, your family. That’s where Jeff’s buried.”

Saying Jeff’s name brought another flood of guilt. He was supposed to be the love of her life. The one she would spend forever with. How could that be true if she was also supposed to be Torel’s mate? Hell, she didn’t even know if they were mates. Not really. The sex was epic, and she liked spending time with Torel, but that was hardly confirmation she was supposed to be with him for the rest of her life.

She was supposed to have spent the rest of her life with Jeff. He was her rock, the only one who encouraged her to do more than what was expected of her. “I miss you,” the words tumbled out before she could stop them, and so did the tears. “Dammit, if you hadn’t died, none of this would be happening! You were supposed to stay with me. We made a promise to each other, and now you’re gone, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with my life!” She closed her eyes and clenched her fists against the rage and pain that had been part of her life every day since she’d buried Jeff. Tears scalded her face, but they didn’t bring answers or peace.

When the emotional storm finally passed, she wiped her eyes, took several centering breaths, and went to the bathing room to find a cloth and cold water. If Torel saw her like this, he’d know something was wrong, and he was the last man in the world—or the galaxy – she wanted to talk to about her feelings. At least until she figured out what the hell her feelings were.

When she had repaired most of the damage, she wandered back to the main room, too restless to stay still and too tired to do much else. Pouring herself a glass of water, she headed back to her chair. “Computer, do you have anything on the Romaki Dragon Clans that is translated into English?”

“Nothing like that exists in my database. I can translate something for you, however.”

“I just want to know the basics. How long will it take?”

“Only a few minutes. Would you like me to begin?”

“Please.”

Since she had a little time, she sat in the chair Torel had used earlier and picked up one of the textbooks he’d brought back from his office. It was nothing but text, but she flipped through the pages anyway. Apart from a few symbols that marked the doors and panels on the ship, it was the first time she’d seen the Pyrosian language in written form. That got boring quickly, so she picked up one of his tablets and tapped the screen the same way she’d seen Torel do it. The tablet activated immediately, and she stared at the image on the screen. It was an anatomy diagram of a female. Most of the labels were in Pyrosian, but there were a few handwritten notes attached to the image, and some of them included words she recognized. Human. Female. Breeding. What the hell? She started reading, trying to make sense of what little she could make out. A few more flips and she found medical texts in English, along with more handwritten notes that were a mix of both languages. She still didn’t understand everything, but she grasped enough to know what she was looking at. This was fertility and genetic research. Lots of it, along with a stack of information and notes about how the genetic matching worked, and how it might be increased to allow for more human women to be matched to Pyrosian males.

The computer announced it had translated her information on the Romaki, but instead of reading that, she continued, enlisting the computers’ help to translate Torel’s research. She expected it to refuse, or claim the work was classified, but instead the ship’s computer merely complied with each request, providing printed copies of everything she asked for.

The more she read, the more she questioned everything Torel had told her. Were she and the other women being tricked somehow, convinced they were destined to love someone from another planet just to ensure the Pyrosian race survived? She hadn’t been able to focus since meeting Torel--was that part of it, too? Was this the reason she was betraying her vows to Jeff and falling for someone she barely knew?

It made a terrible kind of sense.

Torel watched the bio-monitor and prayed to the Gods for a sign. A blip. A flutter. Any indication that Keth was responding to treatment. He had tried everything he knew and few more things that he’d invented on the fly, but so far, none of it had worked.

“I don’t understand,” Ista, his second in command, murmured as she stared at the readouts. They had moved Keth to one of the small private rooms so none of the other patients would know how serious things were. “There’s no reason he shouldn’t be awake. We’ve run every test twice, and there’s nothing on any of the scans.”

“My first mentor used to say that medicine can only do so much, the rest is up to the patient. If he wants to come back, he will.”

Ista nodded. “If he doesn’t…”

She didn’t finish her sentence. It wasn’t necessary. They both knew what would happen if he didn’t recover. Eva was awake and already in the thrall of the Scorching. They were almost out of time to save them both. The bond was just too strong. His own bond was so powerful that even now, he couldn’t go for more than a few seconds without thinking about Haley. If he focused, he could sense her presence. She was awake and unhappy, but there was nothing he could do about that right now. He had to focus on the problem in front of him, which was damned difficult when all he wanted was to think about her. Be with her. Hold her. He groaned. “By the flames, that’s it! I am an akinu for not thinking of it sooner.”

“Sir?” Ista gave him a confused look.

“Get his mate in here. Now.”

To her credit, Ista didn’t hesitate. She dashed back to the main room and seconds later she was issuing orders to the others.

Torel stayed where he was, still watching the monitors. “Don’t give up your life spark, yet. Your mate needs you, Keth. Without you, she will suffer and likely die.”

It only took a few minutes for Eva to arrive. She was on her feet, though Ista was beside her, helping her along. A medi-droid hovered nearby to monitor her bio-signs.

The moment Eva saw Keth, she gasped, crossed the room to his side, and then gripped his hand in hers. “He’s the one that saved me? This is Keth? My…” she stumbled over her next word. “…mate?”

“He is. And now, we need you to save him,” Torel said.

Eva looked up, frowning. “What can I do?”

“You’re already doing it. Hold his hand. Tell him you’re here. Talk to him.”

“How’s that going to save him?”

“You’re his mate. The one he has waited his entire life to find. If there’s anything that will keep him here, it’s you.” Every word he uttered made him regret how he’d handled things with Haley. He’d lied to himself, and to her, about their bond. She was his mate, and he had done everything he could to deny it. Instead of welcoming her, he’d pretended his life hadn’t altered trajectory the moment she’d initiated the Spark.

Eva tentatively stroked Keth’s cheek. “Hello, Keth. I’m Eva. You need to wake up, now. I’m alone on this ship, and I’m scared.”

The monitor registered a fluctuation. It was tiny, but by the Flames of the First Ones, it was there! “He heard you. Keep talking to him.”

Eva leaned over Keth, her blonde hair falling around her face as she lowered her head until she was next to his ear. Torel didn’t hear what she said, but there was a flurry of activity on the monitors.

Both he and Ista watched in silent amazement as Eva singlehandedly did what they hadn’t been able to do. Breath by breath, moment by moment, Keth was waking up.

“What made you think to bring her to be with our patient?” Ista asked.

“Haley.”

His second in command nodded in understanding. “Kastor and I have been together for so long, I forgot how consuming the bond can be in the beginning. Speaking of your mate, I think you should return to her. The emergency has passed. I’m officially taking you off-duty again.”

He grinned. “You’re enjoying your time in charge a little too much. Be careful, or when we get home, I’ll recommend you for a command of your own.”

Ista’s eyes widened. “You would?”

“I would. You’ve more than proven yourself ready.”

She beamed with pride as she pointed to the door. “Thank you. Now, go. You’ve been away from Haley too long as it is. She will be missing you.”

“She understands why I had to leave. I’m just glad I’ll be returning with good news.” He wasn’t about to admit to Ista that his mate hadn’t been happy when he’d left. And judging by what he sensed from her at this moment, things hadn’t improved while he was gone.

Despite Ista’s instructions, he didn’t rush back to his quarters. He needed a few moments to think about matters. Part of him wanted to continue believing that once the Scorching passed, he’d be able to return to his old life as if nothing had changed, even though he was coming to accept that wasn’t going to happen. If he couldn’t have his old life, what did he want?

The answer came too quickly. He wanted Haley. Not as a sexual partner he’d see once or twice a year, but part of his life. By the time he reached his door, he still hadn’t come up with how to tell Haley he’d changed his mind. He went in any way. They were two, rational adult beings. They’d find a way to make this work.

Haley was dressed and sitting by the window, her face screwed into a stormy scowl. The moment she heard him enter, she threw down the tablet she’d been reading and stood. “You want to explain to me what all this is?” She gestured to the table, which was strewn with his research and a stack of fresh printouts.

“It’s my research, and uh, whatever you’ve had the computer print for you. What’s wrong, otama? I sensed your unhappiness while I was gone, but I thought it was because I’d left you without an explanation.”

“I’ve got news for you, Tor. I’m more than unhappy, I’m angry! I got bored and started looking through your research. Do you know what I found?”

“I would assume you found my notes and textbooks, all of which are written in Pyrosian.” He had no idea why she was so angry, but something was seriously wrong. He wanted to fix this quickly so they could talk about what he’d realized while they were apart. “Why are you so angry?”

“Are you kidding me? Your research is all about how to turn human women into nothing more than brood mares for your breeding project.” She waved a printout in front of her. “You even call them breeders!”

“I did no such thing,” he retorted defensively.

“It says so right here.” She raised the printout higher and then screamed. The paper burst into flames.

He was at her side in a second, but by then the paper was reduced to ash. Her hand, however, was still covered in flames.

“Make it stop. Make it stop!” She flailed her arm helplessly.

“You are the only one who can do that. Calm your mind.” Apparently, his mate could control fire after all. This fact would only add to his argument that she belonged with him, on Pyros.

“Calm my—are you fucking kidding me? I’m on fire!”

“And you will be until you calm yourself. Close your eyes and visualize the flames growing smaller and then vanishing. If it helps, close your fist as you do it, as if you were extinguishing them that way.”

She stilled and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, the flames were gone.

“Well done.”

“I better not be,” she snapped and opened her eyes. She drew her hand in close and examined it carefully.

“Your flames will never harm you. That’s part of the magic.”

She lowered her hand and glowered at him. “You did this to me! First, it was sparks and sex and now it’s mates, magical freaking flames and breeding plans! I’m not doing this. Not any of it. In fact, once I get back to Earth, I’m going to tell everyone what you’re really up to. I saw your notes. You’re trying to find ways to turn more human women into baby factories so you can save your race, and to hell with what we human women want!”

“You’ve misunderstood. Sit down and we’ll talk about this.”

She shook her head wildly. “No. No more talking. I want to see my friend, and then we are getting out of here.”

“You can’t leave. We’re mated. I learned today that if we’re separated, it will be hard on both of us. I don’t want you to leave, Haley.” He reached for her, but she moved away. He could sense her emotions more clearly now, and they were a seething tangle of fear, anger, and…guilt? He didn’t understand. What was she feeling guilty about?

“Right. And you only just realized this? Yesterday it was fine for us to hook up and then move on, but now, suddenly, we can’t? That’s awfully convenient.”

His legendary control shattered, and his next words came out as a shout. “No, it’s not! I didn’t want this any more than you did. Remember?”

“How can I trust anything you’ve said after what I’ve read? I was going to honour Jeff’s memory and stay single. I wasn’t ever going to let my heart get crushed again. Then you come along and the next thing I know we’re…we’re…” she threw her hands in the air. “I don’t even know what the hell we are.”

“We’re true mates. A divine match. I didn’t understand what that meant at first, but I just saw Eva bring her mate back from the brink of death simply by speaking to him. We were meant to be together forever, not living on opposite sides of the galaxy.”

“I’m not going to let you take me away from my home and my friends.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “Your friends are mated to a Pyrosian and a Romaki. If you go back to Earth, then you’ll be going alone.”

“Not once I tell them the truth.”

“You don’t know what the truth is. If you’d just sit down and let me explain, we could get this sorted out.”

“I know what I read.”

“You read a translation of complex medical jargon and abbreviated notations done by a computer that is not programmed for that kind of task. Now, sit down and let me explain.”

She folded her arms over her chest and glared. “Don’t you dare bark orders at me right now. Sexy play time is over.”

“It’s only over until the next time the Scorching hits. We've not finished the cycle, yet.”

“Oh, yes we are.” She threw out an arm and pointed to the door. “We’re very finished. And since I don’t have anywhere to go right now, I’m asking you to leave. I’ll let you know when I’ve spoken to Aria and I’m ready to leave the ship.”

“You’re not leaving. If you leave, we’ll both suffer,” he was so frustrated he almost snarled the words.

She waved her hands in the air in front of her, highly agitated. “I don’t know if I believe that. I can’t talk to you right now. Just go!”

The last thing he wanted was to leave Haley alone. He needed to fix this. To explain. To make her understand how wrong she was. He just didn’t know how. Not yet. “Alright, I’ll go for now, but I will be back when you are calmer.”

She pressed her lips together in a tight line and frowned. “Hmph. Free piece of advice for future reference. Nine times out of ten, telling a human woman to calm down will have the exact opposite effect.”

“I wasn’t…” He didn’t bother finishing his sentence. There was no point.