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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

X ara woke to a gentle pressure against the back of her neck. One of the pups had nestled into her hair, tiny paws kneading at her scalp like a contented cat. The other two were curled against her stomach, their fur warm and silky against her skin.

Her silent companion was gone again—hunting, probably. He never seemed to sleep more than a few hours, always alert, always watchful. After their shared moment in the night, she’d expected... well, she wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but waking alone wasn’t it.

She sighed and stretched carefully, mindful of the sleeping pups. Her leg still ached, but it felt even better today. The moss poultice he’d applied must have some remarkable antibacterial properties—something she’d love to study under proper lab conditions.

The thought made her chest tighten. Her lab. Her students. Her life. All of it seemed impossibly distant now, like a half-remembered dream.

Dot blinked awake and chirped at her.

“Good morning to you too,” she murmured, stroking her head.

She’d started thinking of Dot as female, though she had no idea if the pups even had conventional genders. Dot was certainly the most delicate of the three, with a curious, gentle nature that contrasted with her siblings’ more boisterous personalities.

She sat up, the movement dislodging the pup in her hair, who tumbled down with an indignant squeak. She caught it before it hit the bed, and stroked its feathery tendrils apologetically.

“Sorry, little one.”

The cave was silent except for the soft crackling of the fire and the pups’ occasional chirps. The remains of last night’s meal had been cleared away, the fire stoked, fresh water placed in the makeshift basin he’d fashioned from a piece of wreckage.

She frowned, taking in these details. How long had he been awake? How long had he slept with her before slipping away?

She gathered the pups and made her way to the basin, washing her face and hands in the cool water.

As she did, she found herself studying her surroundings more critically, remembering the evidence she’d discovered the previous day of artificial construction.

Now that she was aware of the possibility, she identified a few indications she’d missed before—a scorched area like the ones she’d seen deeper in the cave network.

The too smooth slab of stone he used to butcher his kills.

Now that she was looking beyond the rough-hewn surface, she could see that the space was meticulously organized.

Every item placed with precision, nothing out of alignment.

Even the way he moved reflected that same sense of order.

She’d noticed it before when he returned from hunting—the careful placement of each foot, the economy of movement, the way he cleaned his work space each time.

The discipline of a soldier, she realized, even though she suspected he wouldn’t see it that way.

The pups scattered across the cave floor, exploring and playing. Dot stayed close to her feet, while the other two wrestled and tumbled over each other.

Trouble was clearly the most aggressive, always nipping at his sibling, always wanting to be on top during their play fights.

The other was more strategic, less forceful but ultimately more successful in their contests.

Soldier, she thought with a smile as she watched them.

They were developing distinct personalities already.

A shadow fell across the cave entrance, and she looked up to see him standing there, silhouetted against the vines. He carried a brace of rabbit-sized creatures with iridescent scales instead of fur.

Her breath caught at the sight of him. In the soft light, his alien beauty was even more striking—the play of light across his silver skin, the ripple of muscles, the way his sensory tendrils seemed to reach toward her even as the rest of him remained perfectly still.

“Good morning,” she said softly.

He inclined his head slightly—acknowledgment, not greeting—and moved past her to the fire, where he began preparing the morning meal with the same methodical precision she’d observed in everything he did.

She watched him work, fascinated by the contrast between his massive strength and the delicate way he handled the food. His claws, capable of tearing through predators with ease, moved with surgeon-like precision as he filleted the meat.

The pups, sensing food, abandoned their play and crowded around his feet, chirping excitedly. He paused in his work to look down at them, and she could have sworn she saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward.

Dot tried to climb his leg like a tree, and one of his tendrils reached down and placed her gently on his shoulder.

“She likes you,” she said, approaching cautiously.

He glanced at her, then down at the pup, who was now nuzzling against his neck, her bioluminescent markings pulsing with contentment.

“Did I tell you that I’m calling her Dot?” she asked, testing the waters.

His eyes flickered to hers, unreadable but attentive.

Encouraged, she pointed to the aggressive pup, who was now trying to climb his other leg. “And you already know he’s trouble.”

The third pup—the clever one—had managed to snatch a small piece of meat while they were distracted and was now retreating to a corner to enjoy his prize.

“And that one,” she said with a laugh, “is Soldier. He’s always planning his next campaign.”

Something crossed his face too quickly for her to read, but he didn’t look away.

“So now we all have names, All of us but you. What do we call you?”

A frown darkened his brow and for a long moment she didn’t think he was going to answer her, but he finally spoke, his voice rough and low from disuse.

“Xenobeast.”

“Xenobeast?” This time she was the one to frown. “That’s not a name.”

He hesitated.

“Made,” he finally said, and her throat tightened.

“That’s what they made you to be?” she whispered, and he nodded abruptly, looking back down at his kill.

“No,” she said, surprising herself with the ferocity of her tone. “I refuse to accept that.”

His head jerked up, eyes fixing on hers.

“You’re not a weapon. You’re not a beast. You’re a person.”

His head jerked up, a sudden desperate hope in his eyes, but then his face shuttered as he shook his head.

“Xenobeast.”

She crossed her arms and glared at him, taking refuge in anger to avoid the ache in her heart.

“Well, I refuse to call you that so you can either give me your real name or I’ll make one up.”

He shook his head again and for a moment she thought he was rejecting her offer, but then he spoke, the words halting and hesitant.

“Don’t... know.”

The hurt in his eyes made her want to gather him into her arms and hug him tight. Instead, she held out her hands.

“Come here. Please.”

He hesitated, then set aside his kill and washed his hands before reaching for her. Her hands looked ridiculously small in his but she did her best to tighten them around him as she studied his face.

“I think perhaps, Ash,” she said at last, and the silver of his eyes gleamed brighter.

“Ash?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “I like it.”

She thought that he might object, but he remained silent. Then his hand lifted and the back of one claw stroked along her cheek, a surprisingly tender gesture.

“Xara,” he growled, as if testing the sound. “Ash.”

She smiled up at him, and his expression eased, the harsh lines of his face softening.

“Do you like it?”

Instead of answering, he lowered his head, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both fierce and possessive. Heat flooded her body, his hunger awakening her own. His claws threaded through her hair, sending prickles of desire down her spine.

“Oh,” she gasped as he deepened the kiss, and she clutched at his shoulders, anchoring herself to him. The powerful muscles shifted beneath her touch. He was all sharp angles and hard lines, the only softness the velvety tendrils that explored her with equal curiosity before he raised his head

His conflicted expression had returned but he didn’t immediately pull away. He bend his head, his forehead briefly touching hers before he finally stepped back and returned to his kill.

Despite the arousal still coursing through her body, she smiled as she went to rescue Trouble from the vines in which he entangled himself. She was making progress.

The rest of the day passed in a rhythm that was rapidly becoming familiar. He hunted and gathered while she tended the fire and the pups. She chatted cheerfully to him during their shared meals, telling him about her life on Earth, her research, her students.

He rarely responded, but she caught him watching her with those intense silver eyes, tracking her movements as she moved around their shared space.

She half-expected, half-hoped he would join her at bedtime, but he remained by the fire and he was still there when she finally fell asleep.

He was gone when she woke but she’d dreamed that he was holding her and his wild scent still surrounded her.

That day he returned early and began working in a small alcove at the back of their cave.

Trouble immediately tried to investigate the odd sounds coming from the alcove, but Ash gently brought him back to her and she did her best to keep the pups out of his way, although she was as curious as they were.

He didn’t pause for the mid-day meal, and finally finished his project half way through the afternoon. He stepped out of the alcove and beckoned to her, that intriguing almost smile on his face.

“What have you been up to?” she teased as she joined him, then gasped with pleasure.

He’d created a small opening in the rock, allowing a natural spring to bubble out of the opening and gather in a wide basin beneath it before flowing down to the floor and under the wall.

“Running water? That’s marvelous!” She gave him an excited hug and smiled up at him. “Can I try it out? I’d love a real bath.”

His eyes blazed silver and she felt the unmistakable evidence of his arousal against her stomach before he quickly stepped back.

“Do you want to join me?” she added, not entirely sure she was teasing, but he was already backing away.

She shrugged and turned back to the water, already stripping out of her shirt and, after a brief hesitation, her bra.

The alcove was not entirely shielded from the main cave and she was sure he was watching her but the pleasure of the cool, clean water overcame any lingering shyness.

A sudden indignant squeak made her whirl around to find a very wet and unhappy Trouble behind her.

She reached for him just as Ash stepped into the alcove and plucked him out of the water.

He shook him once and the pup gave a violent shiver.

He tucked the pup against his chest but his silver gaze was fixed on her bare breasts.

She probably should have covered herself, but instead she arched her back slightly.

His expression shuttered, and for a moment she thought he might retreat, but then he reached out one clawed hand to trace the curve of her breast. The touch was feather-light, but it sent a shiver through her entire body.

His eyes blazed at her reaction, and his hand lingered, circling her aching nipple with exquisite care.

She leaned into the touch, her eyes fluttering closed.

He gave her nipple a gentle pinch, the pleasure so intense it made her gasp, then he was gone, the sound of his steps fading as he retreated to the main cave.

Her cheeks flushed and her entire body hummed with need. It was going to be a very long evening.

It was indeed a long night, made even longer by the awareness that the male sitting so silently by the fire was also awake and suffering.