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After the feds have my brother in custody, we’re surrounded by a fleet of other vessels that escort us back to patrolled territory. They interrogate me like I’m some sort of threat to Sol Federation security. I give them every piece of information I can, from my first memories to my last, including the badge I found on my brother’s ship.

Turns out, Cazir’s tech guy was interfering with the Abr cameradrones, which allowed journalists to hack them. He was the head of a secret department within the Ominous Artifacts’ main organization.

“Kursh has been picked up,” Tenac says, sitting down at the table between us. “The children will be processed and sent to the most appropriate families available. And the Nebulous child will be moved to protective custody with a new family.”

“The Nebulous child?” I scowl at his heartlessness. “His name is Caddok. If you don’t find a family that speaks his language, I want to at least work with them if I am not permitted to raise him. And don’t process the children like they’re items, or you’ll breed resentment.”

Tenac leans back in his seat. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Elix stands guard beside me. I don’t care that we missed the end of the Alien Bride Race. What I needed wasn’t there anyway. But it helped me realize who did have my back all along.

“Miss Landing,” Tenac continues. “You were still in violation of Article Eight, Section Three, housing and transporting illegal species through Sol Federation territory.”

“Children. Orphans ,” I defend. “What was I supposed to do? Your crews didn’t come and help us when we needed it.

“I grew up in a refugee camp like this one. Where, the fuck, were you when we were starving, needed medical care, and were raided by pirates and bounty hunters like my father?”

“There are no patrols that far out.”

“Exactly. So what does Article Eight, Section Thirteen say about the limitations of federal assistance? Are we supposed to just die while waiting for you to come rescue us? No. That section gives us the power to do what we can while waiting for help.”

“We have no recording of your calls.”

I hand over a copy of my backup chip. “Now you do. Trouble is, you don’t get them because there are no satellite relays that far out yet.”

“You could’ve just contacted us when you returned to —”

“I did!” I snap. “Your call center told me to talk to the Alien Welfare program. Well, guess what they said? They’re too busy. They didn’t have any available agents. So screw all of you! You left us no choice!”

“You could’ve kept trying,” he has the gall to say.

“Why?” Elix interrupts. “That’s wasted time. When life is on the line, we have to act fast not at a when- you -feel-like-it pace. The one thing that is most precious to us living creatures is time. You swore an oath to protect it, same as me. But until you up your game, we’re done here.”

Elix helps me up, shields me inside his body, and guides me out of the room. “You don’t have to take this.”

I’m grateful for his protection. But as we approach the gate of the interrogation facility, the officer at the door slaps something over my wrist.

“So you don’t run,” an officer says behind us. He’s a big brutish man, spreads his feet and crosses his arms like he knows it. “When we have the final word from command, we’ll contact you.”

“So I’m guilty until proven innocent?” I ask.

“No. That is so we can find you if any of your brother’s former contacts come looking, so we can find them and protect you.”

“I feel like bait.” I look up at Elix. “The system is still broken. Why do I have to keep paying for the sins of my family?”

Elix takes my hand and inspects the thick black chrome band around my wrist. He unsnaps it without hesitation and hands it back to the gaping officer. “I will contact you if there is trouble. My mate will not wear this.”

“Who are you to tell us what is going to happen?” the officer scoffs.

“You might be surprised to know my clearance is above yours,” Elix remarks. “I tolerated this out of respect for the federation we both serve. But my mate is pregnant. She will not wear a shackle that could harm the unborn. So you can eat a dick.”

As Elix pushes past the officer and outside the facility, I snort a laugh. “Eat a dick?”

“Aurelius is a bit twisted,” Elix remarks, amusement framing his gold eyes.

“Fine. Then they will track your ship!” the officer calls after us.

“Because you weren’t before?” Elix asks.

He opens his mouth, but I don’t hear whatever he says. The moment we’re in the hangar, Elix picks me up, cradles me in his arms, and carries me back to his ship. With the others resting in hotel rooms in the Pieris spaceport, we finally have the place to ourselves again.

Elix carries me up the ramp and to our nest, which has replaced the bed in his quarters.

“MONA, please take us to the civilian dock.”

He settles me into the blankets as we undock. Elix strips out of his armor and clothes, exposing radiant skin stretched over muscles that bulge as he crawls his way to me.

He kisses me deeply as he unbuckles my charred laser-tag armor and frees the Abr suit from my body. Every touch of his tongue is a tender, healing caress until I am on fire beneath him, and my skin looks new again.

I feel raw in the blankets as he spreads my legs and links kisses in a loving chain down my belly to my delicate flesh. Elix suckles my nub in admiration, sending scorching waves of need through my core. I slick in eager anticipation, throbbing and ready to receive him.

He slides a finger inside me, then two. Elix grunts in lust, withdraws his fingers from my pussy, licks them, and replaces them with his tongue, curling it inside of me, lapping up my wetness.

I try to steady myself in the blankets, but the high he gives me is climbing fast.

Elix licks my clit and then crawls up to me. “I don’t want to hurt you or our offspring, but I am a raging mess. I need to feel you. So please tell me if I am too hard on you.” Then he eases his engorged shaft into me.

“You are definitely hard,” I gasp as I tighten around him. “But don’t stop.”

“Are you sure?” Elix leans closer, grates my neck with his teeth, and then licks away the sting. “I can smell the change, taste it, too. You may have to kick me off when you’re tired.”

“Wh-what? Why?” I breathe as he penetrates me with more force.

Elix pants in my ear. “Because my kind go into hyperdrive when our mates are pregnant. It’s a protective measure. We keep you warm, stay close to keep you safe, and make sure you feel good so the offspring grow strong.”

He swells, stretching me and igniting a glorious euphoric sensation that I don’t want to end. “Anything you want, just tell me.”

Elix eases out of me and back in again. When he clutches me close and nestles his face into my neck, I know I’m right where I want to be.

Hours pass that he makes love to me again and again in our nest. Then Elix reclines behind me while we look out at the stars through his window. He braces me against his broad chest, his abs cushioning my back as he calmly thrusts into me.

It is a beautiful, gentle bonding that makes me love him so much more. I know with the way he handled the Nebulous child, he will make a good father. He is protective, tender, and strong.

Elix kisses my temple. “I swear that I will protect you to the darkest corners of the universe, slia ahmani .”