“I don’t want to be an obligation or force you to take care of me.”She grimaced.“Besides, do you have a house on Ivoy?”
“No, I live in the Med-Tech barracks with other Qaldreth maeds.”
She’d be staying with him in cramped ‘dorm’ rooms.This wasn’t fair on him or her, but shehadtaken him up on his offer based on hope.
“Life’s not full of guarantees,” she said through the lump in her throat.A lesson she’d learned the hard way.
She’d gotten her eyesight but had lost her family in the process.Her heart twanged as the urge to cry scratched her throat.What she wanted to do was pace, yell, demand they fire up this ship and return her to some semblance of normality.But what if Nenn loved her?Dare she give up on a chance with him because fear had its icy grip on her gumption?
‘Stand,’ Ulvus had said.
She squared her shoulders and reached for Nenn.He embraced her, giving her his all.She rested her temple on his shoulder and hugged him back.
“They could very well say yes, especially after this Kandaya incident.Let’s not build the worst scenario in our minds.”She nestled into his embrace, burying her face in the curve of his neck.Hours could pass and she’d happily stay like this.
“Agreed.”His tone was too solemn for her liking.“I…lied to my udaps.”
“Oh?”she asked, rubbing her cheek over his shoulder.
He leaned back to meet her gaze.“And trapped you to me.”
That didn’t sound bad.She tried not to smile in the face of his seriousness.“Okay, for how long?”
He closed his beautiful red eyes then opened them to meet her gaze.“Forever.”
She barked a laugh.“Right.”
Shock contorted his features.“You do not believe me.”
She ran her thumbs over his red eyebrows, loving the chance to read his expressions.This handsome man had brought her to ecstasy too many times to count, had kept her company, showed her his culture, taught her to face her past and deal with it, not to mention rallied his men to rescue her.
If he wanted forever, she was all for it.Except, he was delusional to believe it even existed.“As a doctor, I know there’s no such thing.We have longer lifespans thanks to our medical technol—”
“With symbiotes, you will be known for an eternity.If we return to Qaldreth soil, my tribe’s symbiotes will record who you are.Generations to come will know your name and deeds.”
“The same symbiotes that healed me?”She hadn’t once considered they’d affect her as much as they had Vic.Maybe she should have, but being with Nenn was all that had mattered.Now, she had him to thank for her healing.And Aehort had known all along.“In your sperm?”
Nenn’s breath hitched, and his eyes darkened to a crimson when he ran his gaze over her.An all-too-familiar fluttering uncoiled heat in her core.If he kept looking at her like that, they’d have to postpone this conversation.
“All right, Nenn, start from the beginning.”
He clasped her elbows, his touch hot and so addictive.“In front of the Q.C.C., I claimed you are my vatia sahaar, my love mate.I had to convince them to save you…”
Ice coated her heart, and a crushing pain squeezed until she thought her ribs would crack.“An eternity with me is horrific to you?”She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but he didn’t budge.
Feathering his touch from her arms to her cheeks, he drew her closer.“It will be a torment for you if you do not love me.For I have sentenced you to a sad life.”
As fond as she was of him, she couldn’t endure an arranged marriage when he didn’t love her and never would.She froze, sucked in a shuddering gasp while willing her tears not to fall.“A sad life for you, too?”
He chuckled, his joy stark against the sorrow coating her soul in shadow.“Never, for I shall have you beside me.A Qaldreth can ask Osnir for nothing more than to have you as his female.”
She blinked at his sincerity.“You’re happy about this?”
“Yes.”He dipped his head to rest his temple against hers.“I am aware I should not be when I would rather die than bring you unhappiness.I do not want you to leave me, Tiny, and perhaps this selfishness is what drove me to claim you before my elders and fellow warriors.By claiming you as my vatia sahaar, the symbiotes will honor my decision.There will be no other female for me.”
Time slowed.Each second crawled past while she gaped at him.Pure delight warred with her shock.He loves me?Happiness bubbled inside her and filled her chest to snapping point.She cupped his face to peer into his eyes.“I love you, too, you idiot.”
His eyes bulged.“You do?”
She kissed him but didn’t shut him out.Losing herself in his glorious eyes would forever be a gift.He crushed her to him, his groan firing darts of need through her.“Tiny,mhi’ vatia.”
“Nenn, my love.”
He shuddered then crushed her against him.“I do adore you,” he whispered, his breath warm across her ear.
She threw back her head and laughed, happier than she’d ever been.“Strip.I want toseeevery inch of you.”
He smirked, his fingers digging into her hips.“As you command.”
