Page 131 of Border Control

Nevare knew. He knew she would shore me up, be the support I needed to be a good Base for him.

Tears sting my eyes, and her fingers brush my cheek.‘We’ve got this, Dom. I’ll help.’

We take a step forward. Another. Nevare twists, screams, lashes out, but none of his attacks connect. We press our palms against his chest and I send calm, strength,lovethrough the mind-sync. Law-rah adds hers, wrapping us in gold.

Nevare screams again. “I did it, I did it to stop the sound, the sound! The screaming wouldn’t stop, and then the fire… Dom, I couldn’t?—”

His knees buckle, and we catch him, both of us collapsing to the gravel with Nevare in our arms. I hold my Apexes tight, rocking with them. “Shh,” I murmur. “Shh.”

“I can’t go on like this,” Nevare whispers. “It hurts. Everything hurts. Please… end it.”

My hand trembles as I lift it, fingers grazing Nevare’s throat.

I know what I’ve been conditioned to do. A Base has to execute their Apex if they lose control of their powers.

Law-rah’s hand stays mine. “Don’t. It’s okay, Nevare. We’ll work it out. Together.”

I lower my fist. Clutch my Apex tighter. “We can do this, Nevare. Whatever happens, we’re together.” I look up at Law-rah. “All of us.”

The landscape shimmers again. Nevare melts away with a sigh, and I cast out my mind, looking for him.

Law-rah grabs me with her mental arms, yanking me into the purple connection between us. As she does so, clarity comes to me: we’re on Oloria. Another Apex is subjecting me to the Base loyalty test, where I have to kill my Apex in order to demonstrate I can do what I need to do if he goes nova.

But we didn’t. I cling onto Law-rah, hearts bursting with warmth. We didn’t hurt the simulated Nevare; in fact, Law-rah’s presence in the bond helped us. Helped me save him.

When I open my eyes, we’re in Law-rah’s secret room. It lies in ruins, broken walls, wide beams soaring above with emptiness beyond.

But this doesn’t feel like despair. It feels… like home.

Law-rah stands in the middle, a radiant smile on her face. ‘My mental landscape had an upgrade. Do you recognize it? It’s the Roadhouse. I’m going to have my offices here, and you’re going to build it. And then serve me coffee every day, on your knees.’

My soaring hearts pang. I smile for her and feed her my strength.‘You’re brilliant. I hope you know that. You've worked so hard, too hard for someone like me.’

‘Classic Dom, building me up while also undervaluing yourself.’She strokes my hair back from my temple, cupping my cheek.‘Congratulate me when we get out of this. I'm thinking a celebratory sixty-nine, followed by sleeping for a week.’

‘Sixty-nine?’

An image of Law-rah sitting on my face and reaching down to my crotch, her hands tied by my tentacles and her throat so full of my cock she gags as she comes.

‘I love sixty-nine,’I choke out. ‘My new favorite number.’

‘Right? It’s a date.’

Law-rah presses a kiss to my sweaty forehead.‘You did so well.’

‘Thank you, my love.’

She stills, and I curse myself.‘Drok na, I didn't mean to… I'm sorry.’

Because when the Prif orders my death anyway, I don't want Law-rah to feel any worse than she might already.

I look up at her as fire wraps around my throat. I claw at my neck but there’s nothing there.

Still, I know.

In the real world, I’m being euthanized.

THIRTY-THREE