Page 56 of The Alien Warrior's Vow

The keening wail stopped.

His pain subsided.

He embraced the truth because, deep in his heras, he had known it was the truth all along.

“Neh.” His mother reached out to him, her voice rising. “Lans, stay with me.”

“I want to, mother, but I can’t.”

“Why not?” His father asked gruffly. “Because this female asked you to? Because of a tribas who will only bury you and move on when you’re gone? Because of a new threat you most likely won’t be able to win against? You return only to face troubles, pain and sadness.”

“Yes. But within that pain,” he glanced behind him and sought out Eema’s gaze, “there is light.”

Redness crept across her face.

The flush made him smile.

Indeed, this was his Eema.

His.

“Come on.” She held her hand out to him.

Lans did not hesitate to take it.

The moment he clasped her hand, a bright light flashed before his eyes.

Lans shot up with a gasp, his chest heaving as he sucked in buckets of air. His fingers dug into a thin cot and he glanced around, noticing how dark his surroundings were.

Eema sat beside him, her eyelashes fluttering like one rousing from deep sleep. The moment she saw him, she scrambled to his side. “Lans?”

“He’s awake!” Clavas thrust a fist skyward in victory.

“It worked!” Eema threw her arms around his neck and tumbled onto the cot with him, embracing him tightly. Lans hesitantly placed a hand on her back.

She smelled like Eema.

Like home.

He grunted, eyes widening when he saw the Healer striding into the room.

Eema backed away, a huge grin on her face.

The Healer nodded at him. “I am glad you decided to join us.”

“I am glad we succeeded in our rescue mission.” Lans dipped his head. “It is an honor.”

The Healer smirked in Eema’s direction. “Neh. The honor is mine. Had you not woken up, I fear I would have faced the wrath of a thousand suns.” He laughed softly. “You have a very hot-tempered mate, Lans.”

“Oh, we’re not mates,” Eema said.

The Healer just smiled as he left. “Something tells me that will change very soon. But not too soon. Lans needs rest.”

Eema’s cheeks flushed again.

How stunning.

He took her hand. “You saved me.”