Page 42 of Argurma Warrior (The Argurma Chronicles #1)

K aylar stared at the stasis unit that held the only other Argurma on Earth. He needed to be leaving soon to begin his repairs, but he had been drawn to the lowest levels of the laboratory, as he had several times since his discovery, but this time with a need to see the male one last time. He did not know why he was compelled. It served no purpose. After his previous visits, he had concluded two things. One, that he could not safely transport the male in the stasis unit without unpowering it and risking the consequences of his arrival. And two, that the identity of the male was lost to him. There was nothing to indicate the explorer’s designation to report back to his clan from whom he had long been parted and that frustrated Kaylar. But that frustration was all he really felt now as his gaze roved over him.

The rage that he had felt previously had faded away to a sort of despondency that he had not anticipated. The more he looked at the male, the more realized that he could not go back to the way things were even if he wanted to. Even if Meg rejected him and turned him away from her, he would never be able to go back to his duties as if he had never witnessed the other side of this brutality. He could no longer be one to deliver captives to the council’s scientists, seeing the cruelty of such experiments up close. Those carried out by the humans were cruder and perhaps crueler in some ways than those of the Argurma, but for the first time, he processed the wrongness of all of this.

“He looks like he’s in pain,” a voice murmured unexpectedly from his side.

He had not believed himself so caught up in his own thoughts to not register the presence of another entering, but he looked over at Doctor Ryder with a grunt of agreement.

“He has not had adequate opportunity to fully heal from what your people have done,” he observed flatly, refusing to show any sign of vulnerability around the scientist.

She sighed and rubbed a hand along one side of her face. “I know. I’ve been studying his chart at length now that I’ve had more time on my hands than I had back then. They practically butchered him, opening him up for new grafts and implants every few weeks, and carried it out with no anesthesia because they were uncertain how his biology would react to it. I can’t believe that anyone sanctioned carrying all of this out. All because my superiors believed that they could harvest information to create a superior weapon from our own species under the guise of survival.” She shook her head. “Nothing of what they did to him would have been necessary for human survival. This was nothing short of monstrous.”

“Monsters are found in many species it seems,” he rumbled in agreement. “My own included, except not even our own people are excluded. What he contained within his biology is what we have done to ourselves.”

Doctor Ryder glanced up at him curiously. “Is that why you were here and captured Meg? For an experiment?”

“Initially,” he agreed. “I believed in doing so that I was also saving her. I was wrong. This is wrong.” His jaw clenched as an image swam in his mind of Meg stretched out on a containment or stasis unit, her human flesh blemished from experimentations, alive and yet not really living.

She nodded her head. “If it’s any consolation, this is something that I’m going to have to live with for the rest of my life. I had nightmares during stasis, imagining that I heard his cries of pain and my own body cut open for the implants and other cruel experimentations that were carried out on him.” From his peripheral vision he noted the way she wrapped her arms defensively around herself. “I’ve been having them since you’ve revived me as well.”

He sighed and looked fully over at her. “It is not. It does not please me to know that you are haunted by this but I understand it. We are all tormented by our shadows. Meg is different than you and I. She has hers from what she suffered, whereas our shadows are born from our actions. I know this torment well. It has long been a companion of mine before Meg.”

She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. “Is there anything that makes it stop?”

“No. I regret I have no comfort to offer you in this. Sometimes you are fortunate to find someone or something that can offer you comfort and refuge when they torment you, but they never go away. You will find a way to live with them—and yourself.”

He shook his head and stepped back away from the stasis unit, sending his final respect to the male. Glancing back to the scientist, he tipped his head curiously when she didn’t move from her spot in front of the stasis unit.

“Are you returning to the upper levels? I am preparing to leave to return to the ship. Meg may appreciate the company if you are so inclined.”

Doctor Ryder glanced over at him in surprise but quickly looked away and shook her head. “No, not yet. I guess I just wanted some time to say goodbye to the big guy here.” She bit her lip. “I don’t think my company is the sort she would like. I don’t get along well with other women—I tend to be a bit too cutthroat in my ambitions, but in this case I own up to the fact that it’s largely my own fault. After the things I said to her, I wouldn’t like me either.”

He rumbled in agreement. “I do not like you for these things, but I do understand your motivations and respect you for what you attempted to do for my brethren. Regardless, Meg possesses a more generous heart than I do. Even if she is sharp and unwelcoming at first, she will enjoy the distraction and appreciate the effort.”

Her throat worked and she dipped her head in a quick nod. “Thank you for that.”

He hesitated, not wishing that she interpreted the wrong idea. “You process that my words are not an invitation to mate? Meg and I have mated now and even if we were not, you and I are not mating compatible.”

A choked laugh escaped her, and her face reddened as she waved him off. “Trust me, it’s the furthest thing from my mind but thanks for the warning. Go ahead and get on to what you need to do, I’ll be up shortly to distract Meg for a bit.” The expressive muscles in her face tensed as she turned from him as she gave her full attention to the explorer. “I think we are all ready to get the hell of this island,” she mumbled to the sleeping male. “It is a shame that you will remain though.”

Kaylar watched as her hand touched the stasis unit and knew without a doubt that, in that moment, he had been forgotten. His eyes flicked back to the male sympathetically. There was no way to predict how long the male would sleep before the power finally gave out but it could not be helped. Perhaps he would send one of his kin back to retrieve him if he happened to meet up with any of them. He certainly would risk communication, especially since all of his direct links in his brain had fried with his virus. If he managed to do so, he would find a way to get word back to Doctor Ryder. He processed that she would appreciate receiving such news.

One thing was for certain. He was ready to leave the entire planet far behind him, and most certainly the island itself. Between the unnerving amount of water, the oppressive amount of moisture in the air, and then later having the constant concern for his mate due to one danger or another threatening her, he had been done with it within zecs after arriving. But he was not accomplishing that any quicker by standing there. Leaving the scientist with her thoughts, Kaylar left the lab, returning quickly to the lobby floor. The wisest course would have been to head directly out to the ship, but he refused to leave without informing Meg of his intention and enjoying the exchange of affections before he departed.

A purr rumbled through him as he made his way to the kitchen, his vibrissae twitching around his shoulders with anticipation. Now that they were mated, he never tired of being in her company and breathing in her changed scent that bore a hint of his own pheromones entwined with hers. It was even more tantalizing when she was cooking and the aromas mixed with her own sweet scent, spurring on his hunger until he wanted to run his tongue over every inch of her body. That made following her into the food preparation unit particularly dangerous toward his intention to depart early. Especially when he was fully aware of her plans to make a feast to celebrate their last night on the island. He could easily become so enthralled with the mingled scents that he would dismiss any thought of departing in favor of worshiping her.

There would be plenty of time for that later. For now, he would have to keep himself focused. Fortunately, if his calculations were correct, it meant that she would not have yet begun and he would be able enjoy sharing affections with Meg before hurrying on with his duty.

Peering into the kitchen, Kaylar’s purr grew louder and he smiled at the sight of his mate standing on a stool as she reached for a container over her head. Her rounded bottom swung back and forth to the rhythm of music only she could hear playing on repeat in her head. She turned on the stool, preparing to step down but stumbled with surprise as she caught sight of him. As Meg fell back a bit into the metal racks with a curse, he rushed toward her, fearful that he had caused some damage to her.

“Fuck, Kaylar,” she groused as she rubbed her arm, “you really need to learn to announce your presence and stop walking so quietly. You’re going to end up scaring me to death.”

“My apologies, anastha,” he rumbled as he stepped forward and wrapped his hands around her hips to help steady her in place as she hopped down from the stool. “I did not intend to frighten you. I merely meant to share affections before I return to the ship.”

Leaning into him, Meg grinned and slid her fingers up into his vibrissae to play with the churning lengths with her fingers. “I do like your affections.” Her smile slipped a little. “You will be safe, right? For some reason I just have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is about to go wrong now that we are so close to escaping.”

Kaylar leaned down, brushing his mandibles over her hair.

“I will take supplementary precautions between the laboratory and ship,” he assured her. “Additionally, there is little enough to do that I will finish and return to the laboratory long before sunset. There is no reason to fear. I will not give E302 any opportunity to attack. I will be here to deter it if it renews its attacks, and then I shall spend the rest of the night satisfying you so that you are not weighed by worries. Afterward, come morning, we will depart this place and begin our new life together far from here.”

She swallowed and nodded her head, giving him a determined smile. “Yeah, that sounds really good. Just promise that you’ll be back fast. I’m not going to be able to rest easy today until I know that you’ve returned but I’ll hold down the fort.”

“I will return at highest speed,” he assured her as he gathered Meg close to him. “All will be well. Just stay inside and alert me if you become aware of any change in your situation. Do not hesitate to communicate with me… for any reason.”

Nodding rapidly, Meg leaned further into his embrace. “I got this.”

“You do.” He paused, unsure of how to broach the subject. “Doctor Ryder will be keeping you company this evening.”

As he predicted, she groaned in protest, but her lips twisted faintly as he clicked at her questioningly.

“Okay, I will work to be on my best behavior and not feed her to E302,” she agreed with a long-suffering sigh. “But I think that this deserves a kiss to prepare me for imminent battle and keep me satisfied enough until your return.”

Kaylar chuffed and ducked down to caress her lips with his. His vibrissae immediately responded by dragging along her head, neck and collar as his mouth and his tongues tangled with hers. Meg’s fingers dug into his arms, clearly communicating her desire to not release him. Kaylar gave her every bit as good as he received. He didn’t merely want to satisfy her for the moment, he wanted to brand himself on her mind and soul. Though he did not speak of it, this kiss would live within him every moment they were separated, if not for the rest of his existence. He could barely bear to separate from her now as their mouths collided in wet, hungry collisions. He did not withdraw at all until their requirements for air forced him to.

Stepping back, he forced a small distance between them before he forgot his purpose but he lifted his hand to trail his fingers along her flushed cheeks.

“Keep that with you until I return. Moreover, let your thoughts be occupied with what I shall do to you once we are alone upon my return,” he rasped. “And do not forget your promised meal. I shall take great pleasure in watching you enjoy your human feast—before I enjoy mine.” He gave her a hot, pointed look that made her squirm and pressed another brief kiss against her neck where he registered the race of her pulse adding to his sensory experience.

Moaning softly, he released her and removed himself entirely from touching distance. She stared back at him, her entire body retaining the pink hue that flooded her cheeks as she observed him. Tipping his head toward her, he strode from the laboratory, his entire focus restored and rejuvenated with her embrace. One of the many shadows of his mind hissed out a warning that everything was proceeding too easily but he ignored it. It hardly seemed easy when trapped on an island with two creatures that would happily tear them apart at a single misstep. He had proceeded cautiously day after day to avoid drawing E302’s attention and bringing chaos down upon them. It had not seemed easy at the time but some part of him now bristled warily.

He would work as quickly as possible and return to her, just to be certain. He would take no chance of losing her. Not now—not ever.