Page 78

“She’s convinced she’s strictly human.”

“I’d be shocked if she wasn’t. From the science of it, she is only human. There are no genetic abnormalities.” He goes back to looking through the book.

“Could there be two identical species? Maybe living in another galaxy or something.”

“The universe is vast, so anything is possible.” He stops skimming the book and looks back at me. “But it’s not probable.”

“I’ve never heard of a human with purple eyes.”

“Because you’ve met so many?” He sets aside the book and stretches out on the couch, one long arm slung over the back and his ale resting on his knees. “I know you want answers. I get it. I do, too, but there’s a high likelihood that there are things about their species they keep to themselves. Look at us, for example, and the secrets we hold so tight to our chests.”

He’s right, but I hate it. Not knowing. Feeling helpless to help her. It guts me.

How bad will it be if she willingly joins the bond with me? Will I be able to function with the uncertainty if we don’t figure out how to stop her attacks? At least she seems to be responding well to the treatments we’re giving her.

I steer our conversation away from Neev and toward preparations for the upcoming mission. Hyva pulls out his tablet and goes through the list of what he’ll have in the medical pack he’ll carry. I reached out to my contact about securing five kyril for the journey now that the time we have is shortened.

I keep working long after Hyva leaves for the evening. Even though he checked on Neev one last time and assured me she was okay, I move myself into the bedroom to be close to her. Hyva pulled the cold pack off her, so I can watch her facial expressions as she sleeps. If she shows any sign of distress, I’m going in.

Now that she’s given me her consent, I’ll be using my abilities with her extensively. I love when she speaks to me in her mind. The way her nose crinkles when she fights her smile as she does so.

I’m gone for her.

Wholly and happily.

If I wasn’t honor bound to my house, I’d simply leave Zeahiri behind and spend my life solving the mysteries behind my mate’s background.

Stripping off all my clothes, I slip into bed beside her and wrap my arm around her soft body. I pull her until she’s flush against me and spend the next few hours silently counting her heartbeats. Sleep is not on my mind tonight; I have to stay focused on her and ensure she’s okay. My mood isn’t stable enough for sleep, regardless.

If I were to close my eyes and rest, I know I’d end up covered in my brother’s blood watching as the life drained from his eyes. It’s the last thing I need right now. Reliving the most horrific moment of my life, despite it giving me the fire to keep fighting for a future where we aren’t killing our own family, would only cause me to spiral. I can’t risk it. Not with so much on the line.

Not when I have her.

So I lay here, keeping watch over her and hoping the heat of my body and presence of her mate at her back eases her pain. She might not be cognizant of what we are to each other yet, but her body most certainly is. It’s attuned to me in a way I’m not even sure she realizes herself yet.

* * *

Hours pass before she rolls over in my arms. Her hauntingly beautiful violet eyes meet mine, and she smiles. She slides her arms around my back and presses her face to my chest. Love fills my chest so quickly I feel like I could explode.

I didn’t ever think I’d find my mate. For the longest time I assumed I’d be sent into an arranged partnership with a daughter from another one of the noble houses. There are those who are lucky enough to find their mates, but with each passing year, it becomes harder and harder. I have a theory that the Bak’hura could be playing a part in that. Eliminating half your population can’t be good for reproduction.

The reproduction issues we’ve been facing for generations have to be connected somehow. We can reproduce outside of mate bonds, but it’s never as successful. The rates of live births drop from fifty percent for mated pairs to eight percent for arranged. And that’s with all the medical interventions we have at our disposal.

Neev stretches against me, quickly pulling my attention back to her. I run my hand up and down her back as our bodies press together. Even though I’d love to roll her over and slide inside her tight, heavenly body, I tell myself to relax. She doesn’t need anything from me except comfort and safety right now.

“How is your head?” I ask quietly.

“Better. That cold wrap felt amazing.”

“Good. Did you have any dreams?”

“No, thankfully. Just dreamless, deep sleep.”

I release a heavy breath, relieved to know she didn’t have any troubles. My hands stroke up and down the length of her back, slipping under her shirt to the warm, soft skin beneath. Despite my desire to spend the day deep inside her, I don’t do anything to take the morning into sexual territory.

We have to go back down to the surface today, but before then, she needs to try the lenses Hyva and Cuna made for her.

“Do you think you’ll be okay to move around today?” I ask gently. I don’t want to push her if she needs rest, no matter how important it is to get going.