Chapter 8

Yelzin was mortified.

Drinking to excess last night? Something that hadn't happened to him since he was a youth learning how to hunt. He was lucky he'd been able to retrieve Irina from the tree with how dizzy he'd felt.

He'd been so desperate to drown out the urge that he'd overdone it. How could he possibly have become so attached in so short a time? To an alien, no less, a tiny little creature with no defense mechanisms.

Somehow, even without mating with Irina last night, the sweet tenderness of her caresses had still grown that attachment. He was in for a bitter disappointment when she left, already knowing it would be worse than any other time.

Yelzin had learned more about her, about humans, and not all of it was pretty.

Horrific .

The word she'd used to describe her youth. The word that had echoed through his head as they talked last night, explaining the darkness he saw in her eyes, the pain that failed to recede even when she was smiling.

It lit a fire in him, making his bones burn with anger. Hurting another being was abhorrent, but doing so to a child? Unforgivable. Yelzin's mind wandered despite his best intentions, a nagging curiosity about how she'd been harmed though it was clear she had no eagerness to share more.

He couldn't imagine feeling anything but parental love for his own offspring, and had cherished every moment he was able to spend with each one of them.

Irina's soft voice—still husky with sleep—broke him from his thoughts.

"What are you going to show me today?"

She blinked her eyes slowly, smiling up at him. Her fingers ran through his fur, setting every nerve alight with electricity. He should get out of the nest, put some distance between them, but his body refused to obey his mind's orders.

"You will just have to wait and see. We will go this evening."

Irina yawned, pushing herself up and resting her cheek on his chest, eyes hooded as she watched him. Someone had woken up in an interesting mood, the lust clear as she played with the fur on his shoulders.

There was a pulsing energy within the hut, one that was increasingly difficult to ignore.

"What else did you have planned for today?" Irina asked.

Yelzin held her lightly, trying to focus on anything but the way she gazed up at him. The pain was still there, haunting her face, but she tried to cover it with cheekiness, mischief.

"I had… no other plans," Yelzin said, taking a big gulp of air, the hut suddenly too warm.

"I can think of some things we could do… you know, to pass the time."

Oh, she acted so innocent, but her cheeks flushed with need, the same need Yelzin felt coursing through him. He'd seen her face after she'd watched him hunt. The dilated pupils, eyes hooded with arousal.

A naughty little human who would make an excellent Strinee.

Still, he couldn't bear to see her undressed, see her in a state of bliss the way he had yesterday. The frenzy induced mating had been rapturous, but seeing her cry for him, writhe for him, without his blood running through her veins?

Utter torture. Utter ecstasy.

"I think it would be best if we didn't…" Yelzin said, though the words pained him.

The look on her face pained him too, lust transforming into a grimace in a heartbeat. His chest clenched as she slid away from him with a huff .

"I think your blood is still affecting me," she said, so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

Yelzin tried to resist a smile. The blood frenzy never lasted more than a few hours, not unless there were repeated acts of consumption. Whatever Irina was feeling was all her own, though he didn't tell her that.

Oh, that glimmer of hope was intoxicating, however unbidden it was.

He would show her his world, show her his life and maybe, just maybe, it would be enough.

The day had been pleasant enough, though Yelzin's spurning this morning had perturbed Irina. So he wasn't lying when he'd told her what had happened was wrong. She thought lust burned in his eyes, but it was just kindness, compassion.

Yelzin was just being polite.

That was fine.

Irina had an enjoyable time swimming in the pool and walking through the forest, examining all the beautiful plants, even the ones that had poisoned her a few days ago. They'd taken a long nap cuddled up in his nest, the rest better than any she'd ever gotten on Oblivion.

Any sense of reliance on another turned Irina's stomach, but it was impossible to deny the bubble of safety she felt in Yelzin's presence. No predators—human or otherwise—would harm her while he was around; she was certain of that.

As dusk drew near, Yelzin seemed to almost tremble with anticipation and she was admittedly curious to see what big surprise he'd planned for her.

When he'd asked her if she was ready, she'd foolishly agreed, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

She was not ready.

Irina clung to his back, arms wrapped around his furry neck as thin wings beat the air on either side of her. The cool night air. Irina was flying through the air, hanging on to a man bat for dear life, though Yelzin had assured he wouldn't drop her.

When the Strinee had said he had something to show her, she didn't realize that meant flying through the red sky until the sun fully set, three moons illuminating them with an otherworldly glow.

It was one of the most beautiful sights Irina had ever seen, and she tried to enjoy the flight—commit it to memory—even as her chest constricted with all the thoughts whirling through her mind.

She needed to get off this planet, and the clock was ticking. Even with the shield of the plasma storms, every minute she stayed brought the Strinee closer to danger.

Her own feelings didn't matter.

Just because Yelzin had showed her compassion didn't mean a thing. Clearly he had an instinct to care for others, was kind enough to save her before he even knew her.

No, no matter how much she wished to stay, wished to see if there was a real connection between her and Yelzin that went beyond the blood frenzy and mating urge, she wouldn't do it.

Putting him in danger would hurt more than losing him.

A shout broke her out of her thoughts.

"Look down, little one!"

Irina groaned, but peeked over his shoulder, still clinging to his neck as her stomach somersaulted at the long drop to the ground. But no, it wasn't just dark soil anymore, but some sort of design?

There was a beautiful spiral of pure white, contrasting with the dark soil, swirling outward until it faded into the surrounding ground. Irina's breath caught in her throat, the unadulterated beauty of the coil unlike anything she had ever seen.

Slowly, Yelzin descended, the night breeze tousling Irina's dark hair as he came in for a gentle landing. He crouched, letting her slide down his back until her feet touched the ground once more. They stood at the edge of the spiral, and Yelzin took her hand, leading her along the dark path towards its center.

Irina realized that the white of the spiral was actually smooth stones, almost glowing in the light of the moons, arranged neatly so that the dark and light arms were even .

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Yelzin asked as he led her down the spiral path, his ruby eyes observing her sidelong.

Irina smiled, though a lump in her throat forced her to swallow hard before answering.

"I did. More than I thought I would, honestly."

Yelzin barked a laugh, and they stopped, the arm of the spiral becoming too narrow to traverse together. He turned to her and took her face between his furry palms.

"What is this place?" Irina asked, gazing up at him.

"I built it. The stones are from a creek not far from here. This is the most recent one I have created."

Yelzin seemed almost bashful, not quite meeting her eye as he explained. Irina's heart warmed more than she expected, the idea of him spending hours toiling away to create this beautiful piece of artwork bringing a tear to her eye.

"What is wrong?" he asked, lightly brushing a clawed finger against her cheek.

"Nothing. I… this place is beautiful, Yelzin. Truly."

A grin pulled at his fanged mouth.

"I am so happy you enjoy it. I make a lot of things." He glanced away from her. "It is helpful to keep myself busy."

Irina sensed the hurt in his voice, the loneliness that tormented him, and was awestruck by the way he transformed it into pure beauty. She thought she had been doing something similar, turning her isolation into justice back on the space station, but her actions had only resulted in a prison sentence.

She tilted his face back towards her and pressed her mouth against his snout. The tip of his tongue brushed against her lips and she allowed him in, unable to resist, though she knew it would be the wiser choice. Tension coiled in her stomach as Yelzin kissed her, their tongues dancing as she pressed her palms against his chest.

The kiss was brief; Yelzin pulling back to gaze down at her once more, though Irina felt his chest heaving against her. She hated the way his winged arms circled around her waist, the sweet comfort making her decision even more difficult.

"When do you think the plasma storms will pass?" she asked, before she could lose her nerve.

Yelzin stiffened almost imperceptibly, his expression difficult to read.

"The storms?" he asked, all the laughter stricken from his voice.

"Yes, Yelzin. It would be best if I could let someone know where I am, that I crashed. I'll need to leave the planet… eventually. You said the storms have been blocking your channel for weeks."

The words were more difficult than she expected, a tight ball in her throat as she analyzed his reaction. Yelzin seemed to take it well, despite the clear infatuation he had. If he only knew the truth, she was certain he'd see things differently.

Irina hoped it wouldn't come to that .

"It has been a particularly volatile season. Normally the storms are done by now, but I am still not receiving transmissions."

Irina had noticed the eerie glow of plasma as she rode on Yelzin's back, drifts of scarlet and violet marring the night sky.

"I passed through one with my shuttlecraft… it's the reason I crashed." Say no more than necessary.

Yelzin nodded slowly, running a clawed hand through her hair as he gave her a look that melted her heart.

"Of course, little one. You must have many people looking for you. We will contact them once the storms clear."

There was no mistaking the drooping in his voice, so different from the chittering lilt she was used to.

It would be easier to let him down slowly, to plant the seeds now that she would not stay on Strine. At least that is what Irina told herself as she melted into his warm embrace. She pressed her cheek against his chest, his fur soft against her skin. Yelzin squeezed her once more, then broke the peace of the night.

"It grows late. We shall return to my home now."

His home, not just home.

Even though Irina wanted to prepare him, to push him away, the words hurt. But no, it could never be their home, not with what was to come .

Yelzin released her and crouched down, allowing Irina to cling to his neck before they took off into the night sky.