Page 105

I suddenly imagine it – taking her to our Reaver and stealing her away.

The Bond draws me towards this plan – but the Bond doesn’t care about the long term. It just wants me to steal this woman away and ravish her again and again, until she bears my sons. After that, the Bond has no interest, and even less foresight.

This is where the wits of a man are still important. I know that when the war comes to the universe, I can’t go at it alone, even with my triad standing beside me. What is the point of fathering sons to defend an empire, if that empire no longer exists?

No, Ineedto be part of the Aurelian Empire if I want to build something greater than myself – if I want to leave a universe worthy for my sons to be born in.

“It is the only way, Natali. By giving ourselves up, we may gain a lighter sentence.”

She walks up to me, her eyes pleading. Her aura begs for me to consider her words.

“Please, Brennan – you have to trust me.”

I shake my head, sadness filling me. This is the only course of action I see that ends with us all together.

“Every second we wait puts you in greater danger, Natali,” I warn. “Aurelian Law Enforcement could be on their way now, and they’ll cut us all down to get to you.”

Natali puts her hand flat across my chest, right over my heart. Her touch is delicate and tender, and my body stirs instantly response.

“Brennan – I hardly know you, but Iwantto. Please – wecanfind a way, I know it. I can find us a way out of this. If…” She gulps, her face flushed. “If we’re Bonded, it changes everything…”

She looks up.

“Doesn’t it?”

I stand, immobile.

“Ineedto know that you believe in me, Brennan. Please – don’t turn yourselves in. Take me with you. Take me in your Reaver. Let’s leave this all behind.”

The Bond thrums to awakening inside my mind. I suddenly ache to do just that – to take her with me to our Reaver and escape this planet.

Yes, Aurelian Law Enforcement will instantly be in pursuit – hounding us at every turn – but what price is that for the treasure that isher?

Natali’s aura is reaching out to me. She feels as innocent and bright as fresh snow, slowly falling from a crisp, blue sky. Those flakes melting on my skin are everything.

She is my burden, and my curse.

“Natali – if we run, we run forever. If I turn us in, we can ask for clemency, at least. As you said – you ‘re Bonded to us. That changes everything. The Empirewillsee reason.”

I gulp.

“Theymust.”

Ask for clemency? No – I’ll have to beg for mercy. Mercy for me, and for Natali, and for my battle-brothers.

But I’ll do so gladly. For her, I will humiliate myself.

For her, I would sacrifice even my pride – the one thing that no Aurelian can be without.

It stings me to even think such a thing, but if it could cut decades off my sentence, or even centuries, it would be worth it. Anything would be worth it, to allow me to get back to Natali sooner.

“We’ll hope for a small sentence – maybe just a century.”

Natali yanks her hand from my heart, as if my skin scalds her. Her big, beautiful eyes glisten.

Oh, poor Natali. She doesn’t understand time yet. She doesn’t understand that the lifespan of Aurelians is measured in eras, not decades. Neither does she understand that – thanks to the power of the Bond – her lifespan has been massively increased as well.

One or two hundred years? That’s nothing compared to the time she’ll spend together with us once this is all over. Poor Natali is distraught because she’s still thinking within the confines of human mortality.