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I touch my breastbone, and then I begin to thrum anew, my purring matching Vektal’s. “I’m yours forever, aren’t I?”

“Forever,” he says, thrusting deep once more. He pumps into me over and over, until I’m crying out with my release. It’s swift and rough, just like how he’s taking me, and Vektal’s own release is but moments behind. This time, when his seed spurts into me, I don’t feel the heat of it. My body temperature’s warmer now, like his. I’m not sure how it’s possible, because a fever can damage humans, but I suspect the khui is busy inside me, rewriting all kinds of genetic things to make sure that I have a long, healthy life on this new planet.

Vektal lifts me off the rock and pulls me into his arms, and he can’t stop kissing me. I laugh and kiss him back, and then we fall into the snow together, our pants down.

I huff, exhausted but still humming from within. I stare up at the night sky, checking for more spaceships, but all is quiet.

For better or for worse, we’re here. I’m thinking it’s for better. In fact, I know it’s for better because the man next to me pulls me against him and begins to lick and nibble at my earlobes. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to have to do that again,” I tell him breathlessly. “My khui doesn’t seem to be calming down much.”

“I’m told it’s most intense during the first few days of resonance. After that, we should be able to walk normally,” he teases.

Well, thank God for that. “And then what comes next?”

“Home. Our den together.” He touches my stomach. “Our kit.” His fingers caress my flat stomach. “Hopefully the first of many human and sa-khui matings.”

That . . . sounds pretty good to me. I push him onto his back, noticing that even my busted wrist doesn’t hurt much anymore—the khui at work, maybe? I smile down at my mate. “Just as long as you don’t go resonating for anyone else.”

He shakes his head somberly. “One resonance mate. We mate for life.”

I like the sound of that, too.