Page 16

Chapter 16

Neon Valkyrie

T he Void Reaver’s corridors blur past as I half-drag, half-carry Cirdox’s burning form, his wings dragging limply behind us. Each labored breath sends fresh waves of heat radiating from his fever-bright tribal markings.

“Medical bay’s ready,” Zara calls out, her red fur bristling with barely contained worry as she races alongside us. “We should—”

“No time,” I snap, my enhanced vision cataloging Cirdox’s deteriorating vital signs. “The bond-sickness is progressing too fast. Normal medical intervention won’t help now.”

Grig’s voice crackles through the ship’s comm. “Multiple vessels entering sensor range. Eclipse signatures. They’re pursuing.”

“Just keep them off us,” I growl, stumbling as Cirdox’s legs give out completely. His wings spasm violently, nearly knocking me over as another wave of fever tears through him. “How long until they’re in weapons range?”

“Seven minutes,” Grig reports, his usual calm wavering slightly. “Maybe less if they’ve modified their engines like the last group.”

“Get us out of here,” Zara commands, her voice steady as she helps support Cirdox’s other side. Though his fever-hot skin makes her fur bristle, her movements remain precise and controlled. “Grig, maximum thrust, evasive pattern delta.”

“Executing now,” Grig responds, his pale blue fingers dancing across the controls with characteristic efficiency. The Void Reaver’s engines surge to life, their familiar rumble a reassuring counterpoint to the chaos we’re leaving behind.

We’re cutting it close—I can feel it in the way Cirdox’s markings pulse with dangerous irregularity, in how each breath seems to cost him more energy he can’t spare. But with Zara coordinating our escape and Grig at the helm, I know we’ll make it. They’ve gotten us out of worse situations before.

Time to stop running from what’s been inevitable since the moment I stepped onto this ship. Time to trust not just Cirdox but the crew I’ve come to think of as our family.

Cirdox’s wings drag limply behind us, leaving trails of shed membrane that make my heart clench. The bond-sickness burns through him like fire, turning his tribal markings into a frightening display of erratic pulses—some areas barely flickering while others blaze bright enough to cast crimson shadows across the polished metal surfaces. My upgrades catalog his deteriorating vital signs with merciless precision, each new reading worse than the last.

“Stay with me,” I beg, my voice rough with emotion I can’t quite suppress. “Please, just hold on.”

His eyes flutter open, crimson depths glazed with fever and pain. “Lyra,” he manages, the words barely audible. “I’m sorry...”

“Don’t you dare,” I choke out, tears burning my eyes. “Don’t you dare apologize. Don’t you dare leave me. I choose you, understand? I choose us. Just stay with me long enough to complete the bond. Please...”

His wings twitch weakly, trying to curl around us one last time. “Always knew... you’d be worth... waiting for...”

“Then keep waiting,” I beg, pressing my forehead to his. “Just a little longer. Stay with me, Cirdox. I love you, you stubborn, noble idiot. I love you, and I won’t let you die.”

We make it to his quarters just as another spike of fever hits. He sinks onto the bed, his wings spreading limply across the sheets as the bond-sickness burns through his defenses. His tribal markings pulse erratically, some barely flickering while others blaze bright enough to cast crimson shadows.

“Tell me how to complete the bond,” I say, my fingers trembling as I unfasten his armor. Each piece that falls away reveals more of his fever-hot bronze skin. “I won’t watch you die when I can save you.”

His crimson eyes lock onto mine, dark with need and something deeper. “Blood exchange,” he growls, voice rough with restraint. “I drink from you, then you from me. The mixing of our essences creates an unbreakable connection.”

I pause in removing his chest plate, my heart thundering. “Will it hurt?”

“Yes,” he admits, wings shifting restlessly. “But the pleasure...” His markings flare brighter. “It transcends physical sensation. Creates a bond deeper than flesh.”

My hands still over the last clasp. “I’m scared,” I whisper, the admission costing me. “Not of the pain. Of letting someone this close. Of losing control.”

He catches my trembling fingers, pressing them against his burning chest where his heartbeat races beneath my palm. “Then we’ll face that fear together. No more running, little hacker.”

The bond pulses between us, raw and demanding as I study his fevered form. His tribal markings blaze against bronze skin, their erratic rhythm betraying how close he is to collapse. My implants helpfully inform me his temperature is dangerously elevated, cellular degradation accelerating with each passing moment.

“Are you certain?” he asks, voice rough with need and fever. His wings shift restlessly, creating patterns of shadow that make my heart race. “Once we begin, there’s no going back. The bond will be permanent, unbreakable.”

Instead of answering, I lean forward and press my lips to one glowing marking on his chest. The contact sends electricity through us both, making my neural interface misfire spectacularly. His skin burns against my mouth, tribal patterns pulsing brighter at my touch.

“I choose you,” I whisper against his heated flesh. “I choose us.”

His hands tangle in my hair as I trail kisses along the burning lines of his markings. Each touch draws a rumbling growl from deep in his chest, the sound more predatory than human. When I reach his throat, I pause, suddenly uncertain.

“Show me,” I breathe, looking up to meet his fever-bright gaze. “Show me how to complete the bond.”

With aching gentleness, he guides my mouth to his throat. “Here,” he growls, indicating a spot where his pulse thunders beneath bronze skin. “Bite hard enough to draw blood. The exchange must be mutual for the bond to take.”

I trail kisses along his throat, feeling his pulse race beneath my lips. “And you? Where will you mark me?”

His wings curl tighter around us, creating a sanctuary of shadow and shared breath. “The junction of neck and shoulder,” he murmurs, clawed fingers ghosting over the spot. “Where everyone will see that you’re mine.”

His wings quiver at my touch, tribal markings pulsing brighter. “The joining of wing and flesh,” he growls, voice rough with need. “Most sensitive. Most intimate.” His eyes find mine, burning with possession. “Where only a true mate would dare to touch.”

I trace the spot with my tongue, feeling how the thin membrane trembles beneath my touch. Here, where bronze skin transitions to wing, the flesh is delicate enough for my human teeth. His markings flare crimson as I scrape my teeth experimentally against the spot.

“Yes,” he hisses, wings mantling with barely contained need. “Make me yours, little hacker.”

I hesitate only a moment before sinking my teeth into his flesh. The taste of copper floods my mouth, electric and alien. His wings snap wide as he growls, the sound vibrating through my entire body. Power floods my system—raw, primal energy that makes my implants surge.

Before I can respond, his eyes lock with mine, burning with renewed intensity. “Where?” he growls, his voice rough with need. “Where do you want my claim, little hacker?”

I rise from the bed slowly, holding his fevered gaze as my fingers find the fasteners of my tactical suit. “Watch me,” I murmur, letting the material part to reveal inch after inch of skin. His wings mantle with barely contained need as I shed each layer, tribal markings pulsing brighter with every new expanse of flesh exposed.

When the last piece falls away, his crimson eyes burn with possessive heat as they trail over my body. A low growl rumbles in his chest, primal and appreciative. “Beautiful,” he breathes, wings curling forward as if to cage me. “My fierce little hacker.”

I guide his hand to the sensitive hollow where my inner thigh meets my hip, that private place where the skin is delicate and untouched. The dim light of his quarters casts intimate shadows across our joined forms, his bronze skin almost luminous against my paler flesh. His fingers trace slow, deliberate patterns there, each touch sending electricity through my neural implants and making the muscles beneath quiver with anticipation.

“Here,” I whisper, vulnerability and desire making my voice rough. The spot feels almost sacred—a place no one else has ever touched with such reverence, where the skin is soft and sensitive enough that even his gentlest caress makes my breath catch. “Mark me where only you will ever see.” A wicked smile curves my lips as his clawed fingers map that intimate territory, learning how each subtle variation in pressure makes me gasp or shiver.

The junction is a canvas of pale skin—where strength meets softness, where the firm muscle of my thigh yields to the more delicate curve of my hip. The perfect spot for his mark, hidden from the world but impossible for me to forget.

His answering laugh is more growl than humor, but I feel his strength returning as his fingers tighten possessively on my skin. “Clever mate,” he purrs, nuzzling the chosen spot. “Already learning to play with fire.”

His fangs pierce flesh with exquisite precision, sending waves of pleasure-pain racing through my nervous system. The bond flares between us, burning away any remaining barriers. I feel his fever receding, replaced by something hotter, more demanding.

His wings create a living canopy around us as we complete the exchange, sharing breath and blood and destiny. When he finally releases my thigh, his tongue gentle as it seals the wounds, I feel the bond settle into place—an unbreakable connection humming with shared power and promise.

“Mine,” he growls, his markings now pulsing with healthy vigor instead of desperate fever. “My fierce little hacker.”

“Yours,” I agree, trailing my fingers along his newly strengthened markings, marveling at how they pulse with vitality rather than fever now. Each touch sends electricity through my neural implants, the bond between us humming with shared desire. “And you’re mine, my beautiful pirate.”

My enhanced vision catalogs every detail of him—the powerful lines of his body, the way his muscles ripple beneath bronze skin that radiates health instead of sickness. But it’s his eyes that capture me, burning with possessive love that makes my heart race. The bond lets me feel his desire, his joy, his fierce protectiveness wrapping around me like his wings.

I can’t help but stare in wonder at how perfectly he’s made for me, even in ways that mark him as gloriously alien. His arousal rises proud between us, thick and long, the head slightly flared and shaft adorned with intricate patterns that match his tribal markings. Like everything else about him, it’s a masterpiece of raw power and beauty that makes my breath catch.

“See something you like, little hacker?” he teases, though his voice roughens as my fingers trace those intimate patterns. The bond pulses between us, carrying echoes of shared pleasure that make us both gasp.

“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, leaning down to press reverent kisses along the glowing lines of his markings. “Every perfect, powerful inch of you drives me wild.” My lips trail lower, following the burning patterns that pulse beneath his bronze skin. His hands find my hair, fingers tangling in the strands as his breath catches.

“Look who’s talking,” he growls, though the words end in a gasp as my tongue traces one particularly sensitive marking. His wings quiver with barely contained need, creating patterns of shadow across my skin. “My fierce little hacker, who fights like a warrior and hacks like an artist.” His claws scrape gently against my scalp, making me shiver. “Everything about you calls to me. Your strength, your fire, the way you never back down from a challenge...”

“I want to taste you,” I murmur against his heated flesh, looking up to meet his intense gaze. “To know every part of you. To be yours, completely.” The last words come out rough with need, with the certainty of finally accepting what we both know is inevitable.

His eyes darken with desire, fangs glinting in the dim light. “Then taste me, little hacker,” he growls. “Make me yours, completely and forever.”

I trail kisses lower, my lips brushing against his skin as if it were sacred ground. When I reach his cock, I pause, looking up at him once more. His eyes are filled with a desire so intense it takes my breath away. I lean down, my tongue flicking out to taste the salty sweetness of his skin.

He groans, his hands tightening in my hair as I take him into my mouth. His cock is hard and hot, the ridges along its length sending shivers of pleasure through him as I move my tongue along its length. I take him deeper, my mouth working in tandem with my hand, driving him to the edge of madness.

His breath hitches as I swirl my tongue around the sensitive tip, tasting the salty sweetness of his precum. His grip on my hair tightens, guiding me gently but firmly, urging me to take him deeper. I comply, relaxing my throat to accommodate his length, feeling the ridges of his shaft pulsing against my tongue.

Cirdox’s hips lift slightly, meeting my movements, his body trembling with the effort to maintain control. His wings flare out, casting shadows that dance across the walls as his tribal markings pulse brighter with every flick of my tongue. The bond between us pulses with shared need, growing stronger with each passing moment.

I pull back slightly, taking a breath before plunging down again, taking him deeper than before. His groan is primal, a sound of raw need that makes my own desire flare hotter. I can feel his pleasure echoing through our bond, amplifying my own arousal. My free hand slides down my body, finding the slick heat between my thighs, circling my clit with steady pressure.

His eyes, glowing with an inner light, meet mine, and in them, I see the reflection of my own desire, mirrored and amplified. “Neon,” he growls, his voice rough with need. “You’re driving me mad.”

I hum around his cock, the vibration making him groan louder. His hips buck, seeking more friction, more contact. I give it to him, increasing the suction, the pace of my movements matching the desperate need coursing through both of us.

His hands leave my hair, moving to cup my face, his thumbs brushing against my cheekbones as he looks down at me with a mix of awe and raw lust. “I need you,” he rasps, his voice hoarse with desire. “All of you.”

I release him from my mouth, my hand still stroking his length as I look up at him. “Then take me,” I say, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart. “Make me yours, completely and forever.”

With a growl that vibrates through his entire body, Cirdox sits up, his hands gripping my shoulders as he pulls me into a searing kiss. Our tongues tangle, and I can feel the sharp points of his fangs against my lips, a reminder of the wild, untamed creature he is.

He breaks the kiss, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “Then let us begin,” he says, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine.

Cirdox guides me onto my back, his body looming over mine. He kisses his way down my neck, his fangs grazing my skin, sending jolts of electricity straight to my core. His hands roam over my body, exploring every curve and hollow with a reverence that makes my heart ache.

“You are mine, Neon,” he murmurs against my skin, his voice filled with a possessive pride that sends a thrill through me. “And I am yours.”

I feel the gentle touch of his claws as they trail down my body, leaving a path of fire in their wake. His wings curl around us, creating a cocoon of warmth and intimacy that blocks out the rest of the universe. I am hyperaware of every sensation, every brush of his skin against mine, every whispered word that escapes his lips.

He pauses at my hips, his crimson eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that steals my breath. “You are mine, Neon,” he growls, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine. “And I am yours. Forever.”

His hands grip my thighs, spreading them wide as he lowers his head. The first touch of his tongue against my core sends a jolt of electricity through me, making me gasp. He takes his time, exploring every fold, every sensitive spot with a reverence that leaves me trembling. His tongue flicks out, tasting and teasing, driving me to the brink of madness.

I tangle my fingers in his hair, guiding him closer, needing more. He responds with a growl, his fangs grazing my inner thighs as he delves deeper. The sensation of his rough tongue against my clit sends waves of pleasure coursing through me, building with each expert stroke.

“Cirdox,” I moan, my hips bucking against his mouth as he brings me closer to the edge. His hands grip my ass, holding me in place as he feasts on me, his growls of pleasure vibrating through my core.

He slides a finger inside me, then another, stretching me, preparing me for what’s to come. The combination of his tongue on my clit and his fingers moving inside me is overwhelming, pushing me closer to the brink with each thrust.

“Come for me, little hacker,” he commands, his voice a low growl against my flesh. “Let me taste your pleasure.”

His words send me spiraling over the edge. My orgasm rips through me, a wave of ecstasy that leaves me gasping and shaking. He laps at my core, drinking in my release, his growls of satisfaction sending aftershocks of pleasure through my body.

As the waves of my orgasm subside, he looks up at me, his eyes glowing with desire and something deeper, something primal. “You are mine, Neon,” he says, his voice a possessive growl. “And now, we become one.”

He moves up my body, his wings mantling around us as he positions himself at my entrance. I can feel the broad head of his cock nudging against me, and I spread my legs wider, inviting him in. With a slow, deliberate thrust, he enters me, stretching me, filling me completely.

The sensation is overwhelming, a mix of pleasure and a sweet, burning ache that borders on pain. I gasp, my fingers digging into the firm muscles of his back as he begins to move inside me. Each stroke sends waves of pleasure coursing through my veins, the bond between us pulsing with our combined rhythms.

His wings unfurl, casting a shadow over us as they beat slowly, rhythmically, in time with our lovemaking. The air around us crackles with energy, the bond between us drawing on the raw power of the Void Reaver itself. I can feel the ship’s engines resonating within me, their power amplifying the sensations coursing through my body.

“You feel so good, Neon,” Cirdox growls, his voice laced with awe and raw, unbridled lust. “So perfect.”

I wrap my legs around his hips, pulling him deeper, wanting to feel every inch of him inside me. Our bodies move together as one, our pace quickening, our breaths mingling in harsh, desperate pants. The pleasure builds, a spiraling tempest that threatens to consume us both.

Cirdox’s fangs extend once more, gleaming in the dim light. With a thrust that borders on savage, he strikes again, his fangs sinking into the juncture where my neck meets my shoulder. The pain is sharp, but it only serves to heighten the pleasure, sending me spiraling over the edge.

I cry out, my inner walls clenching around him as my orgasm rips through me. The bond between us flares, a brilliant conflagration that sears our souls together. Cirdox follows me over the precipice, his release triggering my own, a feedback loop of ecstasy that leaves us both trembling and gasping for air.

As the aftershocks subside, Cirdox withdraws his fangs, licking the wounds closed once more. He collapses on top of me, his body slick with sweat, his wings enveloping us in a private cocoon. I can feel the bond between us, a glowing beacon in the darkness, unbreakable and eternal.

“You are my bond-mate, Neon,” Cirdox murmurs, his voice filled with a reverence that brings tears to my eyes. “My heart, my soul, my everything.”

The data I stole still pulses through my neural implants, a constant reminder of the Brotherhood hunting us, the Syndicate’s bounty on our heads, and the countless other threats lurking in the void. As Cirdox’s wings tighten around me, his warmth seeping into my bones, Zara’s voice comes softly through the ship’s comm system.

“Captain. Eclipse pursuit vessels have broken off—radiation’s too thick for their tracking systems. We’re safe for now.”

Cirdox rumbles an acknowledgment, the sound vibrating pleasantly against my cheek. His wings shift, creating a cocoon of shadow and shared warmth that blocks out everything beyond this moment. The bond hums between us, strong and sure, as steady as the Void Reaver’s engines thrumming beneath us.

“Sleep, little hacker,” he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. “I’ll keep watch.”

I drift off to the sound of his heartbeat, strong and regular now that the bond-sickness has been cured, and the quiet assurance of Zara coordinating our escape through the nebula’s protective embrace. For the first time since I can remember, I feel truly, completely safe.