TWENTY
Their time on the rah-vrax-tour was over before Kate was ready for it to be.
As the twin suns began their ascent in the sky, they left their little tent behind, which had been their entire world for the past three days. Kate was dressed only in Vaxa’s shirt, as he’d ripped her sheer dress in two that very first time. It seemed so long ago now. They’d both become well acquainted with one another’s bodies that it seemed odd to her that a few days ago, she had never felt him inside her, had never felt him spending his seed deep inside her body, or feeling his comforting, steady presence in her mind.
She would miss that tent, she realized, even though her body was completely exhausted and she felt like she was returning from a war. Kate sighed as their hovercraft rose above the pillars of the Fates, mentally giving them a soft goodbye.
“Blood bonds are renewed every rotation, luxiva,” Vaxa murmured in her ear. One of his hands was piloting the hovercraft. The other had snuck up her shirt and was softly stroking her belly. He was bare-chested, his golden arm band and metal piercings glinting in the morning light. His face was as familiar to her as her own now. His scent, his heat, his touch, his voice…everything was familiar to her.
“Every year?” she asked quietly, turning her gaze to the darkly beautiful landscape of Luxiria.
“Tev.”
He’d been strangely quiet all morning. When she’d started tidying up the tent, he’d simply told her to leave everything, that the tent would be retrieved later in the morning. Other than that, he’d seemed to be lost in thought.
It worried her. Was he just as melancholy as she was to say goodbye to this place? Was he thinking about all of his duties back at the mountain city?
Or was he having second thoughts about her?
The heavy presence in her mind told her little. She felt his nearness inside her, but other than brief flashes of what she thought was worry and dismay, she couldn’t glean anything else. It didn’t make her feel any better…especially since she’d made up her mind that she wanted to stay on Luxiria, with Vaxa, for longer than the lunar cycle. She didn’t know how long she would stay, but all she knew was that she wasn’t ready to leave yet.
She wasn’t ready to leave him.
It wasn’t long before the mountain came into view. It was early in the morning, so just like the first day she’d arrived, it was quiet with only a few Luxirians milling about in the marketplace, setting out their wares and arranging their stalls. A few cries of greeting floated up into the air, but Vaxa didn’t react. He maneuvered and then landed the hovercraft on their terrace and helped her out.
Bidan was nowhere to be seen when they made their way inside the house and Kate cast a glance at Vaxa under her lashes, nibbling on her bottom lip, wondering why he was being so damned weird and quiet.
He led her into their room and then into the bathroom, where he proceeded to strip them of their clothes, before carrying her into the pool. The water made a trickling sound as she looped her arms around his neck, relaxing a bit as their skin connected. He walked to the middle of the pool, where it was deepest and ran his hands over her body, washing her gently.
Her breath hitched when his fingertips trailed between her legs. And then, with a growl, he was there. With her legs hitched tightly around his hips, he lifted her briefly before entering her, sliding deep inside. Kate’s eyelids fluttered shut and she gave a helpless moan that echoed around the cavernous bathroom.
It felt different this time. She got the oddest notion that Vaxa was trying to prove something to her. There was a strange intensity in his gaze as he pumped his hips between her legs. It didn’t take either of them long to find completion and when they finished, Kate slumped into his arms.
Against his damp neck, she whispered, “Vaxa, what’s wrong?” She pulled back to look into his eyes and her hand came up to touch his cheek. “Please tell me what’s wrong. You seem distracted or worried about something.”
Vaxa let out a slow breath through his nostrils and he leaned forward to kiss her, capturing her lips in a fierce but gentle kiss.
“You’re worrying me,” she whispered, her brows furrowed, when it ended.
“I need to confess something to you.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, feeling her heart skip a beat. “What is it?”
“Come, I will show you,” he said, carrying her back to the edge of the bath, cutting their time short. He dried them both off in silence and she slipped on one of Vaxa’s fresh shirts when he handed it to her.
He led her back to the circular living room and then stopped in front of the floating crystal on the column. She looked from him to the crystal in confusion and then he reached forward to grab it, holding it out for her to see.
“I don’t understand,” she said, her gaze straying to the crystal. It was beautiful, almost completely symmetrical.
Vaxa met her eyes. “I lied to you on our vessel.”
“Okay,” she said, drawing out the word.
“Luxirians do possess the technology and means to travel to the Fourth Quadrant…to Earth.” Kate stared at him as he held up the crystal. “This is a Luxirian crystal. It has been in my family for a long time. It is the most perfect one ever discovered on Luxiria.” He swallowed, his shoulders pushing back a little. “And it would generate enough power to return you to your home, on one of our ships.”
Kate felt dizzy. She shook her head. “Why…why would you lie to me? Why would you say that?”
“You honestly do not know, female?” he asked, gaze hardening, slowly lowering the crystal. “You were so intent, so obsessed, on returning to your home. I would have said anything to make you stay.”
Indignation rose within her. “And can you blame me for that? I’d just been kidnapped by aliens, taken from my home against my will, and then taken by you. All I wanted was to return to a place that made sense to me, not to be shuttled around the universe like your war prize!”
Vaxa’s nostrils flared. “I wanted a chance, luxiva. I knew what you were to me, but you did not feel what I felt. I needed time.”
“Were you ever going to let me go?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Even if I’d wanted to leave after the month was over, would you have let me go? Tell me that. And don’t lie to me.”
Vaxa’s gaze flitted away and then he said, “I honestly do not know.”
“What does that mean?”
“I would like to believe that I would have been honorable and fulfilled our agreement. But, luxiva, I have realized that when it comes to you…I am not rational. I act on pure emotion and not reason.”
Kate’s heart was pounding in her throat and her cheeks felt hot. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Why are you telling me this now? What changed?”
Vaxa reached out to touch a lock of her hair, rubbing it between his fingertips. She held perfectly still, torn between wanting to lean into him and retreating to be alone, to sort through her thoughts.
With a carefully measured and even tone, he said, “Because when it comes to decisions I have made concerning you, they are not decisions that I am proud of.”
A thought occurred to her suddenly…and the pain she felt thinking it seared through her so unexpectedly that she reached out a hand to the wall to steady herself. “Do you…do you want me to go? Is that what this is about?”
His face transformed into the fiercest expression she’d ever seen. “Nix!” Relief made tears burn the backs of her eyes and she closed them, turning her face away. “Look at me, luxiva,” he ordered, his tone roughened.
When she did as he asked, he handed her the crystal. She took it numbly, her hand wrapping around it. It was smooth to the touch and oddly warm, like it possessed life of its own.
“I want you to have this,” he said, his gaze landing on it. It was a family heirloom, something that obviously held much meaning for him…and he was giving it to her. She swallowed, a small breath escaping her lips. “I want you to have it. I took your choice from you and I have felt much guilt over it. I have lied to you in an attempt to keep you here, with me, and it was a purely selfish decision. Our agreement is terminated, luxiva. I want you to decide for yourself what you want. I will not force you to be here any longer if you wish to go.”
Kate stared at him, feeling a tear drip down her cheek. His gaze drew together tightly at the sight of it and he lowered his gaze in shame.
His voice was gruff as he spoke, “I will leave you to give you time to decide. I will return later in the span and if you wish to leave,” his body went ramrod straight, like the thought was physically painful, “I will have a vessel outfitted immediately. My men will make sure you reach your home safely. You can leave tonight, if that is what you decide.”
And then, with one last lingering look, he was gone.