Page 9 of Kazmyr: Molten for Her (Consumed by the Alien Heat #2)

Silvyr's projection brightened with triumph, his silver form expanding to fill the center of the chamber. "Excellent! Now that the relationship drama portion of our meeting has concluded, perhaps we can return to the actual mission planning?"

He materialized the signal enhancer between his flickering fingers, a filament thin as spider silk that glowed with its own internal light. The sight of it sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine, but I refused to show it.

"The integration is simple enough," Silvyr explained, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "The filament binds with your translator patch, using its existing connection to your biological functions. When activated, it amplifies the chemical signatures that mark you as unbonded."

Kazmyr's flared briefly at the word "unbonded," then settled back to their subdued pulse. He stood rigidly apart from us now, his massive frame radiating tension.

"Will it hurt?" I asked, hating the tremor in my voice but needing to know.

"Only a momentary discomfort during integration," Maya answered before Silvyr could, her scientist's precision reassuring. "I've reviewed the specifications. The technology is solid."

I nodded, squaring my shoulders. "Let's do it."

Silvyr's projection approached, the holographic filament glowing between his fingers. "I'll need to interface with your translator patch. Hold still, my drones will handle the physical integration."

A small, metallic sphere detached itself from somewhere near the ceiling, hovering toward me with surprising grace. The drone was no larger than my palm, its surface gleaming with the same silver tone as Silvyr's projection.

I swallowed hard as it approached my neck, fighting the instinct to back away. The Breather patch at my throat tingled as the drone interfaced with it, a strange pressure building beneath my skin.

"Integration commencing," Silvyr announced, his projection's hands moving through complex patterns as he guided the drone's work. "Try not to flinch, or we might accidentally turn you into a homing beacon for Gorgolian mating swarms instead."

"Is that supposed to be comforting?" I gritted out as the filament began to snake its way into my Breather system, a burning sensation spreading from my throat down to my chest.

"Merely maintaining a light atmosphere during a potentially stressful procedure," Silvyr replied, his tone entirely too cheerful. "Statistically speaking, humans respond better to invasive procedures when distracted by inappropriate humor."

The burning intensified, spreading through my veins like liquid fire. I gasped, my hands flying to my throat.

In an instant, Kazmyr was beside me, his massive hand supporting my back as my knees threatened to buckle. Heat radiated from his palm, not scorching now but soothing, counteracting the cold burn of the enhancer threading through my system.

"Breathe," he murmured, his voice a low rumble against my ear. "It will pass."

I leaned into his strength despite myself, grateful for the support even as I resented needing it. The pain crested, then began to recede, leaving a strange tingling sensation in its wake.

"Integration complete," Silvyr announced, his projection clapping hands that made no sound. "Congratulations! You are now equipped with state-of-the-art genetic signature amplification technology. Activation is controlled through this interface—"

A small holographic panel appeared before me, showing a simple on/off toggle.

"—which only you can access. Your unique biometric signature is required for activation."

The enhancer settled into my system, its presence fading to a faint awareness at the edge of my consciousness. I straightened, pulling away from Kazmyr's support though my legs still trembled slightly.

"When do we move?" I asked, looking between Maya and Vylit.

"The next trading convoy passes through the Nyx Corridor in twenty-eight hours," Vylit answered. "That's our window. The Voraxx will have scouts stationed along the route, watching for high-value merchandise."

Merchandise. The word made my skin crawl, but I kept my expression neutral. "Then we have twenty-eight hours to prepare."

The meeting concluded shortly after, Maya and Vylit returning to their ship to make final preparations. Silvyr's projection lingered briefly, his silver form flickering with barely contained excitement.

"Try not to have too dramatic a reconciliation," he advised, glancing between Kazmyr and me with something like mischief in his code-streaked eyes. "The mission requires you unbonded for maximum effect."

Before either of us could respond, his projection dissolved into streams of data that flowed back through the communication relay.

Silence fell in the chamber, heavy with all that remained unspoken between us. Kazmyr stood apart from me, his ember marks pulsing slowly, steadily, like a heartbeat finding its rhythm again. The anger was gone, but in its place was something that cut deeper… resignation. Acceptance. Fear.

I moved toward him, my fingers reaching out to trace one of the marks on his forearm. The scar flared brighter at my touch, heat flowing between us.

"I'm not trying to hurt you," I said quietly. "I just need to be my own person in this fight."

His golden eyes met mine, burning with an intensity that stole my breath.

"I will burn the galaxy to ash before I let them take you," he promised, his voice low and fierce. Not a command now, but a vow. "That is my choice in this."

The enhancer pulsed once beneath my skin, a reminder of what I'd agreed to become. Bait. Target. Sacrifice, perhaps. But on my terms, by my choice. And with a guardian of living fire ready to scorch the stars themselves if I called for him.