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At the thought of her being mine, truly mine, heat explodes in my chest. It’s a feeling she always gives me. Everything about her makes me joyful. As we get closer and closer to answers about the Bak’hura and creep closer to a full out rebellion, I worry about how she’ll feel being front and center next to me. She enjoys my company, the novelty of a new world and our sexual compatibility, but is it too much to ask of her to be my true, full partner in a war? Especially a war she has no skin in the game for?

I don’t know.

But the thought of letting her walk away rips my insides out.

As I come around the corner, I catch a glimpse of her in the water. Steam rises around her shoulders as she speaks to Vynia with a smile on her beautiful face. If I wanted to I could eavesdrop on them, but they look happy. So I hang back, just watching as they continue to chat quietly. Neev runs her fingertips over the top of the spring and tiny, bioluminescent organisms light up, creating streaks of the greenish blue in the dark pool.

“I’m here,”I say into Vynia’s mind.“I’ll stand back to give you privacy to dress.”

“Thank you.”

Despite our society’s liberal view of nudity, Vynia has always been more discreet than most. I’ve never asked her about it, but I assume it has to do with not wanting people to see her leg. But she has shown Neev, which makes me happy. She deserves to have a friend she can confide all things in. I’m her commanding officer and brother’s best friend, even if I’m also her close friend, it’s not the same.

CHAPTER28

NEEV

* * *

Just as Vynia excuses herself from the springs, I see Raiz approach. My eyes skim him from head to toe, making sure he’s all in one piece following his encounter with the ursax. Whatever the hell that is. Probably something terrifying that would give me nightmares for months.

He gives me his signature smirk as he pulls his shirt over his head and drops it on the ground beside the springs. His boots and pants go next until he’s standing in the cold air above me, totally nude and fucking irresistible.

Stars, I’ve never been this attracted to anyone before.I want to roll my eyes at myself for that thought. Every minute drives my need for more of him higher.

His smile widens, revealing all of his white teeth, not just the tips of his fangs. “I heard that.”

He steps down into the water, prowling toward me with devious intent. My nipples pebble beneath the surface of the water. The space between my thighs begins to throb. All from his proximity to me.

He slowly lowers his body into the water to his shoulders. Every move he makes toward me is precise, slow, and predatory. The part of my brain that recognizes he’s an apex predator lights up as he moves through the spring toward me silently.

“How are your thighs?” he finally asks once he reaches me.

“Better now that I’ve been soaking in here for a while.”

His hands land on my knees, pushing them apart as he settles his body between them. The ache between my thighs intensifies. His thumbs press into the sore muscle and begin moving in firm circles.

“Is this okay?”

“Stars, yes.” My head falls back in pleasure until I remember he’s injured. “What happened to your arm?”

“The ursax got me with his claw. I’m fine, the toxin is out, and Hyva sealed the wound.”

I lift my hand from the water and run my fingers alongside the wound. It doesn’t look good, but I trust Hyva did a good job. I lean forward and press my lips to the skin beside the wound.

“What are you doing?” He looks bemused, a small smile on his lips.

“Kissing it better.” My voice has taken on a husky tone I don’t recognize. Truthfully, I don’t recognize much of myself lately. The drive to always be near him physically is so strong I feel it in the marrow of my bones.

“Is that a strange human thing?”

“Yes.”

“Did you learn that from your books?” He leans down until his lips are only a whisper from mine.

“Mmhmm.” I cup his cheek.

“I like it,” he whispers against the shell of my ear. “Should I kiss your thighs better?”