Page 37

CHAPTER 37

S ylvia stared in shock at the figure appearing on the screen, her breath catching sharply.

The alien looking back at her was unlike anything she'd seen before: definitely male, imposing, his features reminiscent of something she’d glimpsed in movies. For a brief, bizarre moment, she thought of Chewbacca, but this being was far more intimidating, distinctly wolflike, with a long snout, sharp white teeth, and dense, glossy fur of rich, dark brown covering his face. His eyes, intelligent and dangerous, narrowed with suspicion. Atop his head, sharply pointed ears twitched once, emphasizing the predatory alertness radiating from him.

He wore a sleek, high-tech suit of dull grey, perfectly fitted to a muscular frame. The room behind him looked like the interior of a spaceship: cold, sterile, futuristic, complete with a high-backed chair in which he sat imperiously.

Initially, the alien blinked, obviously startled to see her. Surprise quickly melted into a chilling, hostile expression, eyes narrowing dangerously.

He began to speak, a harsh torrent of guttural sounds that filled Sylvia with unease. It was an alien language, completely unintelligible to her ears, yet the tone conveyed unmistakable anger. She caught one repeated word amidst the rapid speech:

"Kyhin."

Sylvia’s pulse quickened. Kyhin? Was that the masked alien’s name? If it was, it suited him.

Kyhin. It sounded powerful, dominant, and dangerous.

She wanted it to be his name.

She swallowed hard, knowing there wasn’t a chance in hell this creature would understand her. Still, desperation pushed her to try.

"Do you… speak English?" she stammered, her voice wavering.

Predictably, he showed no sign of comprehension, only deepening suspicion.

She tried again, pointing insistently toward the cockpit window and repeating, "Kyhin," indicating the masked alien was elsewhere. Then she motioned urgently toward the screen, trying to make a gesture that was universal, that he might understand.

Come. Rescue us.

“Come here. Here!"

Surely, she reasoned, this had to be an ally. Kyhin wouldn't have left communication lines open for an enemy, would he?

Yet, doubt crept in swiftly, cold and insidious.

What if this creature was an enemy?

The wolf-like alien leaned forward, baring his teeth slightly as he spoke again, each word clipped, fierce, and demanding. His claws tapped impatiently on an unseen surface, the clicking sound reverberating ominously.

Suddenly, Kyhin appeared, startling her—she hadn't heard a sound. He stood fully armored behind her, bringing with him the sharp scent of fresh snow, something burnt, and the unmistakable coppery tang of blood. Strangely, it smelled exactly like human blood. Sylvia briefly wondered how that was even possible, given how alien they were.

Kyhin's weapons were sheathed again, but he still radiated dark energy and menace. It crackled around him, potent and undeniable. Yet, instinctively, she sensed he posed no threat to her.

Instead, he moved protectively in front of her, facing the screen, and spoke in a low, cold tone to the wolf-like alien in the same alien language.

The figure on the screen visibly subdued, responding with a respectful nod—a universal sign of compliance.

Relief flooded Sylvia as she witnessed the interaction. The alien wasn't an enemy, after all. Whatever Kyhin had said had clearly established dominance.

The screen flickered off.

Kyhin turned slowly to face her, towering in his black-armored glory. His wings folded calmly behind him, weapons bristling from every angle, intimidating as ever. But now, Sylvia saw the cracks— literally cracks—in his armor.

His armor bore scorch marks and thin fractures, still smoking faintly from the energy blasts he'd endured. And his helm, which had always seemed impenetrable, mysterious, and menacing, now revealed noticeable damage at the edge along his jawline.

Still wrapped tightly in her furs, trembling slightly from both the cold and the sudden intensity of his presence, Sylvia felt a rush of heat surge through her body. Her heartbeat quickened, warmth pooling between her legs. Every nerve ending felt on fire as she looked up at him, breathlessly uttering one simple, powerful question:

"Kyhin?"