Page 69

I melt under the authority in his voice and suddenly turn into a quivering mess.

"Yes," I gasp as he straightens up, gripping my ankles as he surges forward with one final devastating thrust that sends me flying over the edge. My orgasm roars through me, my body arching off the ground as I paint my chest and stomach with thick ropes of come.

Our phoenix energies explode together, so perfectly synchronized it feels like we're sharing the same heartbeat, the same breath. I can feel every pulse, every hot pump of his release filling me up as I spasm around him, milking his cock for every last drop.

He wraps his arms around me as he collapses against me, pulling me close as we ride out the final aftershocks together. He presses his forehead to mine and stares deeply into my eyes. I stare back, not wanting to miss a moment of him. Then, we both start to laugh, softly and gently.

Tension floods out of my body, not just from the orgasm but from everything I've had knotted up inside of me for so long. Sweet fucking relief.

"Think they're gonna come back?" I ask. "We kinda occupied their tent."

"Does it matter?" Airos says, and he pulls one of the furs over us. "We're Shalkek, remember?"

I touch his face, then his neck, and his collarbone. There are scars along the top of his chest.

"You and I—" I start to say.

"—Will be fine," he says. "We have time. So let's take it."

Time.

Yeah… We don't need to have it all figured out right now. All of this is brand new for me, and I can't expect to know who I'm going to be from this point forward. Our scars won't heal overnight. Maybe not ever. We both came here carrying our own baggage, and that doesn't just disappear because we've found each other. But at least I'm not figuring it out alone anymore.

I push my face into the warmth of his neck. His scent is already so damn comforting. And as I close my eyes, he rests his palm against my pregnant stomach, and I feel myself fading into sleep. One where I'm not stuck in front of the TV in my brain,watching the highlight reel of my worst memories replay as nightmares.

Finally, real sleep.

21

AIROS

Alow rumbling vibrates through the ground beneath us, pulling me from sleep. My eyes snap open, and beside me Jackson is up and alert, his instincts much quicker than mine.

"What the hell is—" he starts, but cuts himself off as the sound grows louder.

The dim light of early dawn filters through the smoke hole at the tent's center, and then something passes overhead, plunging the tent into darkness. The rumbling builds into a thudding, drum-like pulse that makes the sand on a nearby chest jump and dance.

"A flyer," I say.

"Shit."

Jackson pulls his clothing on while I quickly slip into my robes. The shadow moves on, but the sound lingers as the flyer circles overhead. It's searching for something. Or someone.

I hear the nomads shouting in confusion outside the tent as the thumping grows more intense. Whoever it is, they're preparing to land.

I throw the tent flap open, and Jackson and I hurry outside. The encampment is stirring to life as people emerge from their tents to see what's happening. Above us, hovering over the oasis, is the transport vessel we'd chased from Sylla's ship. Its power churns the water below as it descends towards the sand.

“That's the buzzer!” Jackson exclaims.

“We're in for a fight," I tell him, grabbing his arm. "Get ready. We might be able to ground it."

“Get back!” Jackson shouts at the villagers as we run towards the vessel. "Stay away!"

Niah appears and rushes to intercept us. "What is this?" she shouts over the noise.

"Get everyone away from it!" Jackson tells her. "They're only here for us."

We leave the cover of the tents and advance on the vessel as it pivots, bringing its port side around. On the deck, the cabin doorswings open. Jackson and I drop into ready stances, calling up our phoenix powers to shape the sand into weapons. But then, a familiar face emerges from the doorway.