Page 24 of Songbird (A Space Pearl’s Treat #1)

With more care than the bastard deserved, I navigated over the spastic, dying body of Kayzon.

My heart pounded in my chest, not feeling whole, until I swept Izzy up into my arms. She trembled, her slight frame feeling fragile against me and began to sob.

I stole a glance at Praxxan, who waved me on before turning to take care of the mess I’d made.

He knew my only focus was Izzy. The terror that gripped me when Kayzon held a knife to her throat lingered fresh in my mind, and I held her tighter, loving the way her arms slipped around my neck as she cuddled against me, wanting my comfort.

I love you.

Whether she’d spoken the words in a moment of stress or meant for all eternity, I held onto them with every fiber of my being as I carried my mate through the corridors.

The weight of her body in my arms was nothing compared to the weight of love I felt for her.

It radiated through me, giving me strength and determination to protect and cherish her forever.

I felt the curious, shocked stares of those we passed.

By now, most citizens would know of Kayzon’s treachery.

Nothing stayed quiet for long in this place.

By tomorrow, word would spread that my weak, paunchy playboy persona had all been an act.

My career as a spy was over. I didn’t care.

I didn’t care about anything but the tiny human female in my arms.

Though I knew it took only a few minutes, it seemed like eons before we finally reached my apartment.

The door slid shut behind me, the sound a welcome punctuation mark on the last few horrible minutes.

I sat Izzy gently on the bed, going to my knees in front of her.

Bright blue eyes shimmered, tears streaming down her cheeks in quick succession, while her reddened nose ran slightly.

Even in this state, she was the most beautiful thing in the universe.

I let my fingertips trail along her cheek in an attempt to wipe away some of the tears.

“It’s okay,” I promised the most important vow I would ever utter. “Kayzon is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again.”

Her head bobbed in a nod, golden hair waving about her face. Slowly, my fingers moving in the lightest touch, lest I accidentally cause her pain, I inspected her for injuries.

A deep red mark circumvented her throat from where the bastard threatened to cut her.

It made me want to go back and kill him again.

The Kerzak’s careless claws had shredded the flesh of her arm above the elbow.

There were more bruises on her arms and legs, as well as a blossoming mark on her cheek where someone hit her.

She’d been battered, but nothing—thank all the gods and goddesses—too severe.

Retrieving the small medi-kit from the bedside table, I sat about cleaning and bandaging her wounds.

Izzy sat still, her eyes following my every move, a wince or hiss of pain issuing when I dealt with the worst of her injuries.

“You came for me.” The words were so faintly spoken, I wondered if she meant to say them aloud.

“I will always come for you.” I glanced up from washing the blood from her skin to meet her gaze.

“I thought you left.” There was no recrimination in the way she said the words, yet I flinched.

I cupped her cheek, letting my thumb brush through the tracks of tears drying on her face. “A mistake I will never repeat.”

“Tarrick?” Her voice wobbled, eyes shining with hope, although a new wash of tears escaped her lashes.

“Shhh, my mate.” I cupped her face between my palms, letting my lips brush across her forehead.” I know we need to talk, but you are hurt. Let me tend to you."

Izzy drew in a deep breath, nodding jerkily.

I finished bandaging her arm and scooped her up, carrying her into the shower.

Izzy sighed heavily, the weight of her body against my chest a reminder of how precious she was to me.

The scent of the Kerzak lingered on her skin, a sickening reminder they’d dared to lay a hand on her.

I pulled her garments off, tossing them in a nearby waste can.

While the silky pants appeared unharmed, her tunic sported rips and bloodstains.

I would buy her new clothes, lots of them.

She would never again don the outfit that would remind her of this attack.

I just wished there was a way to remove the bruises and red marks from her skin.

My hands clenched into fists, imagining what Kayzon and his cronies must have done to cause such injuries.

Again, I wished I’d left Kayzon alive, if only for the opportunity to kill him again, slowly and tortuously.

I helped Izzy into the shower, the hot water cascading over her body and eliciting a contented sigh from her lips.

As she stood under the stream, I quickly undressed, my pants joining her clothes in the waste bin.

Stepping underneath the warm spray, I fought against my own desires and focused on gentle touches and careful movements.

I cleansed her body, taking special care when handling her wounded skin.

Her hair was silky under my touch as I washed it, smiling at the small sounds of pleasure that escaped her lips.

When I was finally satisfied that I’d washed the memory of the Kerzak’s touch from her skin, I wrapped her in a fluffy towel, carried her to the bed, and settled her on my lap to attend her hair with a soft towel.

The warmth of the room and the closeness of our bodies made everything feel peaceful and intimate.

Izzy cuddled against me, her soft body melting into my own.

“Did you mean it? Do you love me?” I finally asked, my voice little more than a gruff whisper.

Izzy raised her head, meeting my gaze. Her blue eyes shimmered, and her lips twisted as though she couldn’t settle on an expression between elation and worry.

“Yes. I’m sorry. I know you might not feel the same way, but when I thought Kayzon might kill me.

.. I just couldn’t leave this world without you knowing how I feel about you.

I know our mating was supposed to be pretend. ...”

“Not for me,” I admitted, stroking my claws through her hair in lieu of a comb.

“What?” Izzy didn’t hide the shock in her tone.

“It was never pretend for me.” I kept one hand stroking through her hair while the other settled around her waist. My tail wound itself around her ankle as if it feared she might run at what came next.

A confession, and one I should have already offered.

“Stranac, like me, feel a tingle along our tails when we meet our true mate. I felt it the first moment I saw you singing on the stage at Space Pearls .”

Izzy did not seem upset. Instead, her blue eyes narrowed curiously. “Is that why your tail was always whipping around, acting crazy?”

I felt heat creep into my face as I nodded. Izzy only giggled—the most beautiful sound in the universe.

“While it is true that I agreed to claim you as my mate to protect you from Kayzon. Nothing that happened between us was pretend—not for me.” I completed my confession... and waited.

Thankfully, not for long. Izzy blew out a heavy sigh and leaned her head against my shoulder.

“For me, either. What I said to the conciliator was absolutely true. I felt an instant attraction for you, and the more time I spent with you, the more I fell in love with you. I was going to tell you today, after the conciliator left, but then Jala said you had another spy assignment, rescuing humans, and I thought… that seemed more important.”

I pressed my lips to hers for a fleeting moment. “There is nothing more important than you. You are my mate. I love you, Izzy.” I hooked a finger under her chin and brought her gaze to meet mine. “I was a fool to think of leaving you behind. I will never leave you again.”

“What about your job as a spy?” she argued, although her face blanched with happiness.

“I think that’s probably over.” I gave a wry chuckle, strangely at peace with the turn of events. “I pretty much shed my paunchy playboy persona today.”

“For me,” she whispered.

“I would do anything for you.” I kissed her softly and gently, like our very first kiss.

The stars shone through the port-side window, casting a soft glow on Izzy’s face as I laid her onto the bed, pulling the blanket over her.

I wanted to crawl in next to her, to pull her close, but my desires could wait.

She needed rest, and to heal. Yet, I couldn’t make myself leave her side.

I sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking her hair and trying to soothe her to sleep.

“Try to rest, my mate. I will be here when you wake.” I soothed her.

Izzy shook her head from side to side, as if attempting to resist the calming sensation of my fingers gliding softly through her silky strands of hair.

Her small hands clutched my forearm with unexpected strength, digging in as if anchoring herself to the waking world.

She tugged me closer, her grip firm yet pleading.

“Tarrick, I need you.”

I did not possess the will to deny her anything.

I lay down beside her, the soft sheets cool against my skin as I slipped my arms around her waist, drawing her closer until her warm body nestled snugly against mine.

My cock twitched at her nearness, and my tail whipped about wildly, a reflection of my over-the-top happiness.

I forced both appendages into a semblance of submission.

After her ordeal, my mate needed comfort and rest. My need for her could wait.

We would have time for that later. We would have the rest of our lives for that.