Page 22 of The Delver (The Vrix #2)

Once again, he touched his foreleg to hers, brushing it soothingly up the side of her leg from calf to mid-thigh. The sensation of his rough hide against her skin sent a thrill through her.

He reached out and twined a finger around one of her curls, studying it. “I do not know vah-secto-mee , but I am glad it failed.” His eyes met hers. “Much, much glad.”

Urkot released her hair and turned, continuing along the passageway.

It took a moment for Callie to collect herself before she followed him. The light of the crystals in their hands pushed back the darkness ahead.

“Tell me of your brothers,” he said.

Was he seriously acting like nothing happened after that oh-so-casual intimate touch?

Callie was fast coming to the conclusion that Urkot was a big tease, and that it was very much on purpose.

“Shaun and Xavier were only two years apart in age and were closer to one another. There were six years between me and Xavier, and I felt like the little sister who was always underfoot and in the way. A nuisance. What boy wants his little sister following him around, especially when they’re out with their friends?

They still cared about me and were very protective even though we didn’t do much together.

“But we grew further apart as we got older. Shaun went to college, then got married, moved to Connecticut, and had kids, and Xavier joined the Marines and was deployed overseas. I spent my whole time in high school prepping for college to make sure my applications would look immaculate, and then I dove right into college myself. We all just kind of…lost touch.”

Which had made her choice to join the Initiative both easy and painful—easy because it felt like she had nothing keeping her tied to Earth, painful because of the relationships that could have been.

Callie released a slow exhalation and ran her fingers through her hair, sweeping it back. “What about you? Are you close to any of your siblings?”

She recalled how he’d been with the vrix children during the festival.

He’d been so natural with them. Coming from such a big family, he’d likely spent a lot of time with his siblings, had probably even helped care for and protect his younger brothers and sisters.

It was common in large families on Earth for older children to take on a lot of responsibilities when it came to their siblings.

He hummed thoughtfully. “I was, when we were young.”

“But not anymore?”

“I trust them, care about them. But we have not been close in much years.

In Takarahl, there are much delvers. We live understone, and delvers must dig new dens, new chambers, new tunnels.

There is always work, and it is always dangerous.

Some die. More are broken. So, delvers have much broods to make sure there are always more to work, to dig, to shape.

“Once I was old enough to work, I was no longer a broodling to them. I was a delver. And I had to do my work well, had to follow all rules, or others would be hurt. I had to be just a delver with my family.” He turned his head to look at her, and there was something in his eyes that Callie hadn’t seen before, a blend of sadness and… and yearning.

A yearning for family, for closeness and familiarity?

She knew that feeling well, with her own family having not been close. But it was heartbreaking to learn that, despite having such a large family, he hadn’t felt the love he’d deserved. That he and his siblings had likely been born not due to want, but duty. Due to a need to keep the ranks full.

“Only with Ketahn and the others, I am free of the weight,” he continued. “Only with them I am just…Urkot. Not delver or warrior. Urkot.”

Callie’s heart ached for him. “Is that why you didn’t stay in Takarahl?”

He stopped again, turning and holding up the crystal in his lower hand. It lit up an alcove on the side of the tunnel that extended behind the wall, forming a small chamber.

“My tribe, my family, is in Kaldarak.” Facing her, Urkot closed what little distance lay between them. He caught her jaw in his upper hands, cradling it, and ducked his head close until he was all she saw. His eyes held hers. “You are in Kaldarak, Callie.”

Her eyes widened, and her breath caught.

He’d stayed in Kaldarak not only for his friends, but for her? Had he…had he been waiting for her all this time? Waiting for her to show interest in him, to see his interest in her, to recognize that he wanted more than friendship?

Had she been so oblivious?

All too soon, Urkot withdrew from her and turned back toward the alcove. Callie found herself taking a step toward him, reaching for him, almost begging him to come back. But the words lodged in her throat, and her arm fell.

Raising his crystal higher, Urkot leaned into the nook and examined it. Then he beckoned her with curled fingers. “Come. We rest here.”

“Oh, finally,” she sighed in relief, moving to his side to look into the alcove. It was the size of a walk-in closet, wide enough for the two of them to fit inside without much room to spare.

She removed her backpack and once more rubbed her arms to ward off the chill in the air.

Urkot stepped inside, turned, and sat down, folding his forelegs in front of him. He took her bag, placed it beside him, then leaned forward, circling Callie’s hips with his hands. She let out a little squeak as he lifted her and drew her inside, settling her down on his lap.

He plucked the crystal from her hand and curled his lower arm around her waist, drawing her into the shelter of his body. “Rest, female.”

Callie didn’t hold back her low groan as she melted against him. Her muscles were sore, her body ached, and her skin was chilled, but Urkot radiated heat, chasing away the cold. So she shamelessly pressed herself against him, drawing her knees up and laying her head on his chest.

“You’re soooo waaaaarm,” she moaned.

He crooned, the sound vibrating into her as he shifted behind her. She felt him adjust the pouch around his waist, and then the light of the crystals went out.

Callie tensed as she was plunged into darkness.

Then both of Urkot’s upper arms were around her, his claws gently combing through her curls. “Calm. Shadows cannot hurt us, and I have you.”

Her anxiety faded with his words, and she relaxed against him. She was in Urkot’s arms. She was safe.

Callie focused on the feel of him, on his claws stroking her hair, his hearts beating against her ear, the heat of his body.

His warm, brandy and musk scent enveloped her, and she breathed it in deeply as her eyelids fluttered closed.

Exhaustion weighed upon her, and sleep tugged at her consciousness.

She rubbed her cheek against his chest, cuddling deeper into the security of his embrace.

“You’re Urkot to me too,” Callie whispered.

She drifted into slumber, but not before she felt his arms tighten around her.