Page 43

Composing herself, she walked to the keypad interface, her brows rising at seeing who stood outside.

She inhaled, her heart rate going wild, and then she touched the door, authorizing it to open.

It slid ajar to reveal Xander.

One shoulder on the jamb in a nonchalant lean.

Looking like sin poured into a tailored, dark jumpsuit.

His muscles sinewed, his presence magnificent, his sensuality undeniable.

His face, however, was worn, weary, and the fire in his eyes dimmed somewhat.

She was hit with emotion, wanting to reach for him and soothe his pain away.

The desire to surrender to him thrummed through her as they stared at each other for an extended moment.

His jaw ticked, her lips pursed.

When she couldn’t handle it anymore, she turned and walked in, not waiting to see whether he followed.

She sat at the small dining set and crossed her hands over her chest, nerves on edge.

He took his time, loping with those thick, sinewed long legs over the compact room, inspecting it.

He sat beside the couch on the edge of an armchair, studying her.

She refused to speak first.

So he did. ‘Miral reported back. We know more about the crats. They’re a persistent enemy of the Sable Group and are using the flotilla’s weak players to get back at Kainan and Co.’

‘I see. What’s the play?’

‘Miral is working on it.’

She caught the abject sadness in his eyes and sighed.

Her time away from him had made her realize she’d been too harsh on him. She had to make some amends.

‘Xander, I’m sorry I said what I did without thinking. It’s not that I wouldn’t take you home; it’s that I have a lot to consider before I do.’

His eyes narrowed on her. ‘Is that right?’

She nodded. ‘Forgive me?’

‘It bladed my soul, baby.’

‘I’m so sorry, honey.’

His eyes stayed on her, raking her, hands crossed over his chest.

His tongue peeked out between those sensual lips and her pussy clenched.

‘What do you want, Xander?’

His eyes narrowed, flamed, and his energy flared out at her.

She sighed. ‘Not fair.’

His lips twitched as he rose and crossed the room in two bounds.

She was already upright when he slammed into her, cupped her face, and crushed his lips to hers.

She was hungry for it, needy, mewling, and ready as he lashed her mouth.

Her hands went straight to his waistband, and he complied, tearing from her and beginning to strip.

She did too, moving to the couch as she dropped her clothing.

Her mind screamed for her to behave, and her body ignored the warnings, needing, yearning, and craving him.

As soon as she tossed her panties, his arms encircled her, twisted her so her spine was to his heaving chest.

He buried his face in her nape, scenting, growling, one hand running over her tits, pinching and caressing, driving her wild.

The other dipping below her waist, between her groin, parting her thighs and diving into her slit.

His thumb worked her clit, while he sank two fingers inside her, working her.

She reached behind for his scorching, diamond-hard member, pumping it hard as she moaned, in cadence with the harsh breath in her ear.

Moments later, he withdrew, turned her, and pushed her onto the divan.

She fell with her legs apart, and he stood over her, eyes flaming as he stared at her.

‘So freakin’ beautiful.’

He palmed his cock, which throbbed and pulsed, tipped with pale golden liquid.

She bent forward, unable to resist, and licked him. Then swirled her mouth over his jeweled head.

He groaned, pushing her shoulder back and away from him.

‘ Nada . I’ll blow, mi reina . If I come, I’m inside you.’

‘Then fokk me, baby,’ she begged.

He knelt by her thighs, canted her pelvis to him, wrapped her legs around his waist, and with a groan slid into her.

She welcomed him with a soft cry as he pumped, hard and fast.

Every thrust pushed her into the divan, as their mouths ground together, hands gliding over each other as their passion ratcheted.

Seconds later, Xander roared as he came, splashing her insides with scorching hot cum.

She convulsed as her bliss hit, moaning as her thighs trembled and shook through the waves of ecstasy that engulfed her.

He kept slicking in and out of her, mouth still on her in a passionate meld until they both shuddered into stillness.

His head moved as he buried himself in his favorite dip of her neck.

She pushed her face into his hair, stroking the tresses, their limbs still plastered together with sweat and need.

After a few moments, he lifted his head to stare at her.

‘How can you run from this, Savvine? What we have is beyond incredible.’

Her eyes locked with his, her chest heaving. Then she reached a hand to stroke away the lock of amethyst on his forehead. ‘Don’t you think I know that? I’m well aware.’

‘Then how can you walk away from it, from us?’

‘I’m not walking, Xander, I’m working through what it means for us.’

‘You’re worried about the claiming aspect of me?’

Her breath hitched, then she nodded.

He growled, shaking his head. ‘You assumed the claiming was one way. In our lycan thinking, we cannot be mated unless both partners claim, mark, and knot each other. You mistook my statement to think I was proposing an archaic one-sided union. Nada .’

He held one of her hands over his heart, even as his spectral wolf form rose into view above him. It was not snarling but thrumming at an aetheric vibrational level that sounded like rumbling thunder.

‘I cannot mate with you until you agree to my claim on you by claiming me back with your mark. Hear?’

‘What does that look like? Will I have to sink teeth into you?’

His chest rumbled at the horror in her face as his aetheric wolf shimmered away.

‘All you’ll need to do, my love, is nip me on my neck, even my ear, while making love, and the lycan spirit in me will do the rest. Our shared imprint will appear on your nape and mine, as a sign we are knotted for life.’

‘So because I haven’t done this, we’re not joined.’

‘ Nada . Not yet. Not until you’re ready.’

She closed her eyes in relief before opening them again to gaze into his warm flames. ‘It means a lot to me for you to wait.’

‘ Bueno , but know this. Your musk, perfume, and scent only ratchet my power and need. If you can do this before we knot each other, I barely dare to hope how it will be once we have.’

She tensed, knowing what that meant, and he felt it.

He touched his lips to hers. ‘Still, I won’t rush you. I’ve waited this long, I can endure an eternity more. ’

She stroked his temple again. ‘Ever the romantic poet. You never cease to amaze me, Xander Roman.’

‘And you never cease to perplex and fokkin ’ stress me. How much time do you need to work things out?’

She took a breath. ‘I’d like to speak with my family first.’

He arched a brow. ‘About me?’

‘Maybe.’

When he frowned at her, she laughed. ‘ Naam .’

His eyes lit up. ‘That’s progress.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not a yes to the claiming yet, Xander, but it’s a confirmation that I want you. I’m just not sure how that’ll play out.’

He shrugged. ‘It’ll be what it’s meant to be.’

He dipped his head, and they shared another long kiss.

When they pulled apart, he gave her a lingering look. ‘Promise me, next time you have any concern, you’ll speak with me, not jump to conclusions.’

She nodded. ‘OK.’

They made love again, on her bed in her new quarters.

A synth bot came by hours later with a covered tray of food and drinks from the kitchens, courtesy of Xander.

They ate, in between stealing kisses and nuzzling each other.

He rose from her side at 2 AM, standard time. ‘I’m on night shift,’ he groaned.

‘You haven’t slept,’ she chided him.

He reached for her chin and cupped it. ‘You were more important than sleep, mi reina . You rest.’

She gazed at him as he moved around the room gathering his gear and dressing.

Too amped up, not ready for slumber, she wondered how she’d ever rest.

That’s when she remembered his sleek, twin-engine fiend of a dream machine.

He’d said she could take it for a ride anytime.

‘Xander?’

He turned at her husky call.

‘I think best when I’m out in space. I was wondering whether I could please take your racer out for a spin,’ she chanced, dragging a hand through her hair.

‘Now, mi cielo ?’

‘Best time for it, honey.’ Her lips curled in a wry smile. ‘You offered, Alexandr.’

‘I did, fokk .’

He studied her for a beat. ‘ Bueno , but stay well within the Sombra’s safety perimeter. Our enemies are still out there, waiting to pounce.’

‘I’ll be careful,’ she said.

He prowled to her bedside and gave her another melting kiss. ‘See you at breakfast.’

‘Mmm,’ she murmured.

‘Will you move back into my place after?’

She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Tis what I need to also think about.’

‘ Fokk thinking, you belong in my bed,’ he growled possessively before stroking her cheek, giving her his two-fingered salute, and strolling out of the room.

Half an hour later, she strode out of the quarters after a shower and a change into a flight suit.

She took the corridor at a clipped pace, nodding to the few passing crew members.

Her spine was straight, her chin high, her smile genuine, but fire licked at her ribs.

It was restlessness, the kind only deep space and speed could burn out of her.

She had questions she needed answered.

Was Xander the man for her? Would her family accept him?

If they didn’t, what did that mean for their relationship? Would she promise to stay with him despite the family’s disapproval? How would she feel about them choosing between her kin and Xander?

Where would they live? On the Sombra or the Eterna? Could she reside on the Sombra with its different societal and cultural differences?

She knew she was reaching and overthinking things, but she sensed Xander was not; he was going with pure emotion.

She favored logic, even though their connection was incredible and out of this world.

The cargo bay hissed open.

Dim lights cast long shadows over his gunship.

His prized baby, the última X, perched like a sleek predator on its loading rails.

She crossed the gantry to its access panel and placed her face at the interface.

It whirred, a security sweep glimmered over her face, and there was a slight pause.

Then it accepted her neural node authorization, which still worked.

She located the racer in the Corvette’s hold, already synced to her node imprint.

The deck doors unlatched with a hiss, as did the craft’s capsule.

Savvine slid into the cockpit, her breath catching his scent for the briefest moment.

Bergamot, musk, citrus, and spice.

She breathed in and sat at the pilot’s chair, her touch dancing across the controls with practiced ease.

The seat molded to her, the HUD blinked awake, and the launch sequence ran without a hitch. The engines rumbled to life under her touch, eager and hungry.

‘Savvine Bianchi,’ she whispered. ‘Time to get lost.’

The magnetic locks disengaged.

With a roar of plasma and fire, she launched the racer out of the Corvette’s hold and into the extensive rear bay.

She shimmered through the shield of the massive destroyer, her Xander-approved credentials holding.

The speedster bolted into the vast, endless dark, chasing peace, the stars, and blessed silence, seeking answers that might bring clarity to her searching heart.