Tara woke up and stared at the white ceiling of the room. She felt lightheaded but otherwise better. Where was she? How did she . . . ?

She tried getting up, but her head spun. Her tongue was dry. Water. She needed water. She looked around and saw him. He came toward her . . . and her eyes widened. A flood of memories rushed through her mind, making her nauseous.

“Drink this, please,” he said, gently handing her a glass of water.

Did he just say please? She stared at him and saw something different in his intense, icy gaze. Was he sad? She had to be dreaming . . . She took a sip as she gathered her thoughts. He would be mad at her for trying to escape. Her hands began to tremble as she gripped the glass tighter.

He gently placed a hand on her trembling hands and said in a low voice, “It’s okay . . . Calm down, Tara.”

“How did I . . . ? That . . . that tree – no, that thing – caught me . . . and, and tried to kill me,” she said as tears streamed down her face.

“I got to you before that thing could kill you. Let’s not talk about it now, okay?” he said gently, gazing at her. 

She shuddered and closed her eyes.

He brought a tray of food before her. “Tara, you have to eat,” he said, trying to sound gentle. “You have gone through extensive surgical procedures in the past 36 hours. You will need all your strength to help you feel better.” She seemed so small, fragile . . . His chest constricted as his jaw clenched.

She nodded and took a morsel of food. She unconsciously tried to look for her hood, realizing she was naked under the covers and wore no hood. Her cheeks grew hot as she looked at her robes and tried covering part of her face with her long hair. He must have stripped her naked while she was unconscious. The realization made her blush like anything.

“There . . . ” He handed her the robes. “But first, eat. You can get dressed later,” he said gazing at her ever so intently – like she was a delicate flower. “It’s okay . . . You don’t need to cover your face . . . ”

“What?” she looked up, confused. “Please, can I have my cloak back?” she said quietly, staring at her hands as she blinked back tears.

“I don’t mind. You can be yourself around me, Tara . . . ”

“I’m not c - comfortable,” she said as he quietly gazed at her and she felt utterly naked and embarrassed to the core.

He handed her the hooded cloak and wondered why she felt so self-conscious and shy around him. Somehow, he liked the way her cheeks flushed red when he looked at her. Women of his tribe were bold and brazen and did not shy away from men – even when they were naked. Tara wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head.

“Tara . . . Please, you must eat,” he said gently after a while.

“Why did you take the pains to save me? I would have been better off dead,” she said bitterly, ever embarrassed about her face.

“What were you thinking, running off like that? There are simpler ways to end a life!” he said through clenched teeth. She was impossible. “You are my mate, Tara. I will follow you and protect you, and I cannot rest until I have claimed you.”

“How do you know I am your mate?” she asked him feebly as her body ached. She was skeptical.

“I saw the light in your soul, Tara. You are my life mate. There is no doubt about it. Maybe, because you are human, you will see the light in my soul sometime later. Then you will be sure . . . ”

Tara blinked and gazed at him incredulously. The man was not making much sense. She sipped some water and ate the bread. “And what if I don’t want to be with you?” she whispered.

“Then I’d try to win your heart . . . or die trying. A life without claiming you would have no meaning. It would be a punishment inflicted on me,” he explained, leaving out the fact that she would suffer too. She was human and wouldn’t understand him.

“Rydel, you are not giving me any choice. Human women get to choose who they want to be with.”

“Is there someone else who has already claimed you?” he said after a while, his fists clenched.

“Rydel, look at me!” Tara was suddenly irritated. “Do you think anybody would want a woman without a face? Nobody would even buy me as a slave now.” Her voice broke. “And you are a proud Klai warrior. You could never love a woman like me . . . ” she was suddenly very tired from all this talking. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed.

“Tara, I see you as you are . . . You are beautiful . . . ” he said, reaching out as he ran a finger across her cheek. “Your face can be reconstructed. I promise you will get your face back.” Rydel said with an intensity that somewhat impressed her.

“Rydel . . . How could you ever love me?” she asked softly, feeling a bit better after eating.

“I have to love my mate . . . There is nobody else for a Klai man once the life mate is found and the bond is struck between the two,” he said, gazing at her with an intensity that unnerved her. “Tara, I know what you think of us Klai men, but you will have to trust me. I would never hurt you. My life’s purpose is to protect you and provide for you.”

And this time, the gentleness of his voice made her see him in a different light. He seemed to tell the truth. She had done a stupid thing, escaping and he had saved her life. And he wasn’t mad at her either.

She could at least be grateful to him. She owed him her life. And he had proven himself to be very different from the kind of man she imagined him to be.

Tara seemed lost in thought. His words had triggered a memory from the past. “He was at war with the Klai and they killed him,” she said staring at her glass. “My father . . . I couldn’t forgive your kind for what they did to him . . . ”

Rydel quietly gazed at her. He finally knew why she despised his kind so much.

“Thank you . . . ” she whispered after a while and gazed up at him. “For saving my life . . . ” His handsome features looked worn out and he seemed really tired. A look of surprise crossed his face, and for the first time, he saw her smile as she took a bite.

“It’s my honor to make you smile, my beautiful Tara . . . ” he said, and once again, she wondered what made him act so different. He was a whole new person. Not the cold, selfish, Klai warrior she had known.

“And Tara, I’ll let you go if that’s what you want . . . ” he said with a heavy heart. He didn’t want to force her. He didn’t want her to see him as a monster. “But I want you to stay for a while. You are somehow related to the Svix, and I need to find answers.”

She nodded. So he was giving her a choice. That was a first. “I want to go to a peaceful place. A planet where I can settle and live quietly,” she whispered. And in that moment, she saw the silver glimmer of light flit across his icy blue depths.

She blinked, thinking that she must have imagined it, knowing what it meant. It was all too overwhelming. She was still weak, and the headache returned. “Rydel?” she asked him softly. “Can I sleep some more?”

“Of course,” he said in that low, deep voice of his.

“Will you stay with me?” She seemed so vulnerable.

“As long as you wish,” he said soberly as she closed her eyes and dozed off while he settled down in his chair and watched her sleep.

***

The next day, she mostly stayed in her chambers and rested, drifting in and out of sleep. Rydel brought food to her room and made sure she ate.

During the next few days, Tara felt more comfortable around Rydel. She was recovering fast and was glad to accompany him while he kept searching the database for the Svix. The change she had seen in him had encouraged her to spend more time in his company. She was drawn to him somehow, and at night, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. She would toss and turn unable to sleep, and if she did, she would dream of him . . . of his strong hands on her, exploring her body. His firm mouth on her own. She was attracted to him, but she wouldn’t admit it. She thought it was only a distraction, but it got worse. She was beginning to obsess over him. She felt restless and lonely when she was not around him. The oddest thing was that she felt safe when she was with him. Deep inside, she knew she was falling for him, and this fact unnerved her. It made her want to believe he was her true mate.

“What do you plan to do?” Tara asked him that night as she sipped dark wine. They had just finished dinner and she was sitting on the couch, watching him work. She had come to enjoy the flavor of the dark wine. It warmed her up and made her more confident around him.

“I had planned to head back to Scyok once I had the Svix,” Rydel explained as he tapped in commands on his tab.

He was standing near the wall opposite her, and she could see him at his full length. He was tall – really tall.

“The Scroll hasn’t revealed any new signs and I can’t risk taking you back home and exposing you to the Virus,” he explained without glancing at her.

“What exactly does the virus do?” she asked curiously.

“The virus progresses in five stages. It is detected in stage two when the first signs become apparent. The body becomes weak and the person becomes sick. Then the virus attacks the brain and delirium sets in during stage four. And slowly, the virus takes over the brain, driving you to insanity. Stage five is death.”

Tara shuddered.

“It’s as if my people have been cursed by this plague. And the chief is pinning his hopes on me . . . ” Rydel said quietly as he poured himself a drink and took a long swig. “If I fail, it will be the end of my race.”

“Rydel, if there is any way I can help. I . . . I owe you my life,” she said softly, her hands in her lap. She picked at her nails. She didn’t miss the look of sheer sadness that flitted across his eyes.

He looked at her, his piercing gaze blazing. “You owe me nothing.” He drained his glass and went back to work.

“I could help you find that thing. What was it?” she asked, puzzled.

“The Svix,” he said.

“Yes, the Sa-weeks,” she said, frowning. It didn’t roll off the tongue so well. “What does it look like? I can search the database for it,” she said, smiling. It warmed his heart just to see her beautiful smile.

She had stopped covering her head with a hood and she left her face uncovered too. She wasn’t shy about it anymore, and he liked that. Tara blushed furiously when she realized he was gazing at her strangely – the way he looked at her as if she was the most beautiful and delicate creature he had ever laid eyes upon. It stirred something deep within her: desire, intense and molten. It moved deep within her, burning her blood.

She blinked, feeling awkward. “I . . .  um . . . If you want me to, that is . . . I could look for it.” She didn’t know what to say. He could be so damned sexy.

Why did she ever think of him as a monster? She couldn’t imagine that a man who had only learned to take and never give was capable of such compassion.

“I don’t know . . . ”His voice was hoarse. “I don’t know what it looks like. But there might be a way . . . ” he said as he walked over to the couch and picked up the bag. Rydel took out the blue stone and carefully brought it to her. “I want you to hold it and tell me what you see,” he said as he carefully placed the stone in her hands.

A few seconds passed, and then the stone glowed a bright blue. So did the symbol on her wrist. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped. Then she quickly handed the stone back to him.

“Tara, what happened?” Rydel had a look of concern in his eyes. She was trembling. He wrapped his strong arms around her and gave her a few seconds to calm down.

“I saw something . . . ” she whispered.

“What? What was it?” he asked. This had to be the answer he was looking for.

“Can you give me a pen and paper, please?”

Rydel let go of her and grabbed a sheet from the heap on the chair and a pen from the table. Tara took them and started drawing. She drew a infinity-like symbol with wiry tendrils coming out of it on all sides.

“It was silvery white in color,” she whispered.

“What is it?” Rydel frowned at the sketch.

“I think it’s the Svix,” she said softly.

Rydel took her in his arms and planted a kiss on her lips. She gasped, trying to push him away, but then, as his arms tightened around hers, she yielded. He moved his mouth over hers.

They pulled apart. She was breathless. “Thank you,” he said, gazing deep into her eyes. “Gyree, give me all the info on this drawing. Anything that resembles this form. Find out what it is, and give me the details,” Rydel instructed as he scanned the image on his tab.

Yes, Commander. It might take a while.

“No worries,” he said, kissing Tara again.

Tara had been thinking of him every single moment of the day. She loved the way he kissed her. The night before, she had dreamt he was making love to her . . . The thought made her giddy, and she giggled.

“What?” he asked her.

“Nothing . . . ” she said, biting her lower lip.

“Really . . . ?” he said, raising a dark brow.

“It was just a dream . . . ” she said lazily.

“And what were you dreaming about?” he asked, gazing deep into her warm brown eyes.

The wine was making her bold. “I saw you . . . ” she whispered, leaning in close to him. “I saw you making love to me.”

He could see she was slightly drunk, but he loved the way she was being honest with him . . . 

“Now, that’s interesting,” he said as a smile curled the corner of his lips. He ran his fingers lazily through the soft brown hair that fell around her shoulders in waves. He liked the color, and the way light set off the gold highlights in her hair.

Tara leaned forward, her face close to his as she gazed into the piercing blue depths of his eyes. “Kiss me, Rydel . . . ” she whispered. She wanted him, needed him . . . 

He gazed at her for one long moment, and in that moment, she saw the pain – his longing for her. He cupped her cheek with one hand, his thumb lightly brushing the scars on her ivory skin. He bent his head and claimed her mouth. His lips moved relentlessly over hers, languidly demanding more. She moaned as her lips parted, letting his tongue slide into her mouth, grazing against hers in slow rhythmic strokes. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hand stroked her back, fingers entangled in her long hair. Desire, hot and dark, pooled deep inside her belly as he deepened the kiss.

They pulled apart and he undid her robe, sliding it over her shoulders. It slid to her waist, exposing her small perky breasts. She was beautiful . . . Her ivory white skin glowed in the dim light. He took off his shirt and she gasped, gazing at his well-built body. Reaching out, she gently ran her fingers over the taut sinew of his chest.

The sharp intake of his breath made her look up at him. His eyes were a blazing icy blue, the molten fire burning within. And without warning, he pushed her back on the couch, claiming her mouth once more. His hands kneaded her breasts as he deepened the kiss. She tasted sweet and salty, and her scent was intoxicating . . . 

He pulled back, his eyes a darkened hue of blue, as he quickly removed her robes and her panties. The scent of her arousal was enough to drive him mad. He wanted to claim her right there and then.

He stopped and looked deep into her eyes . . . “Do you trust me, Tara?”

She nodded and he saw right through her soul. Getting off the couch, he took off his pants and stood before her as she admired the impressive length of his arousal. Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips. He leaned over her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. She closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his hard, naked body against her own.

He nuzzled her neck and kissed gently below her ear, and then slowly trailed kisses down her neck. Reaching her breasts, he took one nipple in his mouth and sucked. Her nipple hardened and she gasped, arching her back as his hand moved down her belly toward the triangle between her legs. She had shaved, like the women of his tribe did, and he liked that.

Slowly, he slipped a finger inside her as his thumb worked her clit, teasing and relentless. She moaned, very much aware of his hard erection near her thighs.

“You are so ready . . . Ready for me.” His voice was hoarse as he pulled his finger out and licked it, tasting her nectar. The taste of her was sweet, tangy, and salty. Her scent reminded him of wildflowers and the ocean on some planet he visited years ago.

He kissed her other nipple then, sucking it, nibbling it while his other hand cupped her breast, his thumb working her nipple. She squirmed beneath him, sensitized all over. She had never been touched by a man like this before.

Rydel trailed kisses down her belly till he reached her clit. He sucked gently, languidly working his tongue over it. Her body jolted and bucked as she moaned.

“Oh, Rydel . . . Please,” she pleaded, but he was relentless. She was about to explode. Just at that very moment, he plunged his tongue inside her. Her soft folds parted like petals as she fell apart, her orgasm rippling through her. Still, his tongue rolled inside her in rhythmic thrusts as she came again and again.

Suddenly, he pulled back and gazed at her. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes had a dazed look. “Look at me . . . ” he said in that low, deep voice – now laced with desire.

She looked up into the deep blue depths of his eyes. The molten fire burning there almost seared her soul. And then, he plunged into her, eliciting a moan of pleasure from her that was so endearing. She opened up for him, her muscles clenching around him. His shaft fit perfectly inside her, stretching her, filling her to the brim.

He tilted his head, bending over to claim her mouth once more. This time, he was ruthless, his mouth claiming hers with a burning passion she had not known before, his tongue ravaging her mouth as it grazed hers, urgent and demanding. He was claiming her with a fierce longing – a need that was born of years of loneliness that he did not know had existed until he met her.

He started moving then, slowly at first, thrusting inside her, massaging her in and out as she moved her hips to match his rhythm. Then, he moved faster and faster, his every thrust making her scream in ecstasy. She was building again, and when she thought she wouldn’t be able to take it anymore, she went over the edge, screaming out his name, her orgasm jolting her hard. Her muscles clenched him again and again. A while later, he stilled as he came, pouring his alien seed inside her.