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“Thanks for the apology and the explanation. Now I understand. It’s over. I don’t want to hear it again. I want to go forward, not back.”

My chest clenches in gratitude. I don’t deserve this female.

I drop a kiss on her mouth. It’s a sweet, superficial kiss. If I allow myself to do anything more intimate, I fear I won’t be able to control myself.

We continue to shuffle, pretending to dance while we bask in each other’s embrace.

“Zoriss,” Pfall says from a foot away. “Laang and I decided one of us should come over and tell you the music has ended.”

I tip my head to listen. Sure enough, it’s quiet. We’re the only couple still locked in a clinch as everyone else heads to the banquet table.

“I figured if I didn’t interrupt, you might mount the female right here on the dancefloor.”

I tip my head as I contemplate. Although he thinks he just told a joke, in my mind it’s still an option.

“I knew your insistence that you didn’t want to dance with a female wouldn’t last long. Whoever you were pining over will fade from your mind in a few days.”

“You’re a lucky female,” he says to Lumina. “He was a captain in the Draalian army.”

“Really? How do I know you’re both not just lying to impress me?”

“If you get farther in the process you’ll see the metal armcuff around his bicep. If it has a ruby, it signifies he’s a captain.” He turns and calls over his shoulder, “Have fun.”

“Good to know,” she calls to his retreating back.

A smile lights her face. I imagine we’re both thinking of her hand on it in the cave’s firelight. “And here I thought it was there just to look sexy, Captain.”

“You think it’s sexy?”

“I think everything about you is sexy.”

“I love that you’re incapable of lying.” Our gazes lock together and we can’t hide our aroused smiles. “Tell me how you’re going to get me out of here. No. First, tell me how you got in here in the first place.”

Lumina

I tell him about Taylor. As I do, it dawns on me how generous she was to do this for me. If I was shamispah I would just use her ticket and agree to mate him under her name. She’d be out of luck and I’d be hitched.

But of course, I’m not that female.

“Taylor’s been to three of these events before. She said the place is heavily defended against people breaking in, but not at all protective of people leaving.

“All the males are here by choice. The last thing they would want to do is leave. The females who were lucky enough to make their way inside wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize their good standing.

They even allow the males to walk the females to their hovers.

You’re just going to hop inside, slip into the back, and wait until we’re out on the road to come sit in the front with me. ”

“Then what?”

“Yeah . . . after that I have no idea. We’re going to be on the run. Honestly, the farthest I got was to wonder if we’d wind up living in that cave at the bottom of the canyon for the rest of our lives.”

“That might have its appeal.” He cocks his browridge and gives me a sweltering look.

I grimace, though, remembering the hard stone floor, the freezing cold, and the nutrition bars. “Not really.”

“There are so many things I didn’t have the opportunity to tell you, Lumina. I have a brother.”

Very interesting, although I’m not sure why he needed to divulge that right this very moment.

“He’s my clutchmate. On my planet, clutchmates all have a psychic bond.

Some are stronger than others. Ours was very powerful.

I’m convinced he’s on Earth. I feel him.

I think he’s nearby. We don’t exactly talk through our link.

It’s more like we . . . feel each other.

I need to reunite with him. The connection between us is strong enough I believe we can find him. ”

“That would be wonderful for both of you. But I’m not certain how that will help us .”

“It sounds as if staying on Earth together won’t be an option.

The military females told me you not only have to pay all the fees, you have to get in line.

They said I’d be mated or sent back to Draal before that could happen.

I propose we find Zorn, then the three of us can go back to Draal together.

“I would quit the military and get a job. You might be able to become a vet, or a doctor since you’re well-versed in reptiles. We could have a life there. I would do everything in my power to make you happy, Lumina. I would be honored if you would even consider it.”

He’s looking at me so sincerely, he has to see the blood drain from my face. I feel my extremities go numb. At first, I’m shocked to hear his proposal. Two days ago, he hated me and I wasn’t too fond of him—at least outwardly. But I can’t kid myself. I’d love to be mated to him.

Then I consider what he just proposed. He wants me to leave Earth with him. I never considered things would get this far.

My palm is splayed on his chest. I feel his heart beating under his scales. Isn’t this what I wanted? To meet a Draalian? To fall in love? To have him looking at me the exact way Zoriss is looking at me right this minute?

“We’ll stay on the run until we find your brother. Then we’ll go home for me to say goodbye to my mother. Then we’ll take the transport to Draal.” I can’t believe I said that. My heart is breaking.

Now I can better imagine how hard this was for Zoriss. For him to leave his planet and everything he holds dear when it wasn’t even his choice. No wonder he was so full of rage when his memories returned.

“You don’t have to make the decision right this minute. I’m happy you’re even considering it, Lumina. I could never find my way to Zorn without you. I don’t know your customs, your money, or even how to drive a human hover. I’m grateful you’re willing to help.

“After we find Zorn, maybe you’ll find me shamispah again. Or you’ll decide you don’t want to leave everything you know, everyone you love. I won’t hold you to your offer. But I would appreciate it if you stayed with me until I find my brother.”

“You’re a good male, Zoriss. I’d be happy to help.”

We dance for another hour or more. At one point he slips to his room and returns bulkier.

“Gain some weight?” I ask.

“I was cold every second in that cave. I’m taking all the clothes they loaned me. Layers!”

“Be prepared. A good motto.”

Once I’m dancing in his arms again, you’d never know both of us were in the hospital mere hours ago, or that we could both use some sleep. What you’d know if you bothered to look at us, is that whatever happened in the cave in the canyon is almost forgotten.

Whatever hurt feelings and misunderstandings occurred are no longer on the top of our minds. What is in our thoughts is the connection we forged and the attraction we’re experiencing right this moment.

A few women have drifted out in ones and twos, but now a large contingent is leaving. Several aliens are walking them to their hovers.

“Perfect timing, Zoriss. Want to walk me to my hover?”

“There’s nothing I’d like more.” He offers me his arm, I hang onto it, and off we go.

Although I feel like a bank robber, we raise no suspicions. We’re just an Earth female and a Draalian male who met at a mixer and want to steal a kiss in the cool night air. As paranoid as I am, no one is watching or counting male heads. Zoriss slips into my van.

“Do you mind hiding in the back until we’re well beyond the gates?”

“Okay,” he slides into the cargo area as we’d discussed, and I get in line to wait for the gate to open.

I panic as I see two dormitory guards check every vehicle. They have their laser flashlights out and are opening doors and having everyone step out.

“Crap! Zoriss. They must have changed their protocol since Taylor was here! They’re checking everyone!

” My hands start vibrating in fear. We were so close to escaping.

Now they’re going to apprehend him, maybe confine him to his room.

They’ll not only confirm every terrible belief he ever had about humans, but they’ll separate us and never give us a chance to be together.

“Don’t worry,” he says. Perhaps he doesn’t understand how serious this is. Otherwise, how could he sound so confident?

I hear him rummaging in the back. It’s a well-stocked vet van I use when I do rural house calls to doctor big animals. It’s an open cargo area with cabinets along the walls. There’s nowhere to hide.

“Zoriss! What can we do?” my voice sounds high and frantic.

I’m petrified and already mourning his loss. We’ve just found each other and worked out our misunderstandings. It’s not fair. “I don’t want to lose you!”

“Don’t worry, Lumina. I’m a Draalian, remember?”

My brain is frozen. I have no idea what he’s talking about.

I hear him come up front and feel something brush by me, but I see nothing.

“I’ve lost my mind, Zoriss. I think there’s a ghost in here and I don’t believe in ghosts.”

“Calm down, Lumina. I’m right here.”

His warm palm wraps around my forearm, but I don’t see him.

“You’ve wanted a Draalian male for years. Have you forgotten we can camouflage?”

“Dear God,” I say as I slap my palm on my chest and command my heartbeat to slow. “I totally forgot.” I heave a huge sigh and glance to my right. He is absolutely invisible.

“That is amazing.”

“Wait until I get you alone tonight, Lumina. I want to hear you say that in bed.”

“Are you gloating? You are so shamispah .”

“Perhaps you got the meaning wrong. It doesn’t mean fabulous.”

“I know that!”

“Or wonderful.”

“You’re actually joking with me when I just almost had a heart attack?”

“You think it means sexy, right?” Even though I can’t see him I imagine his browridge lifting seductively.

“Despicable.” I double down.

I count my breaths as the two guards inspect the van. I count four while breathing in and four breathing out. My heart is still racing out of control, but luckily, they don’t have a clue. After less than a minute, they wave us through the gate.