Chapter 20

Ashley

I couldn't get enough of Axon. He was perfect. The way he touched me, the way he looked at me, the way he respected my boundaries, and especially the way he kissed me. It was all absolute perfection.

Our make-out session went on for a long time. He ran his hand through my hair as he deepened the kiss and I held onto his shoulders as if I were holding on for the ride of my life. His tongue danced with mine and the cave echoed with our constant moans. Eventually, we had to pull back to catch our breath and that's when I caught Axon smiling at me with the dopiest grin I'd ever seen in my life.

"You look happy," I commented.

"I am happy," he grinned.

My stomach made a loud growling sound, which caught his attention. Axon covered my belly with his hand and the gesture reminded me of all the times Tarak has covered Gabby's growing belly with his hand. What would it be like to have a baby with Axon? A perfect little blue baby, half human and half sirret.

The elders said that Gabby would have her baby any day now. It'd only been five months, but that's the average amount of time a sirret gestates for. I couldn't wait to see what her and Tarak's baby would look like. We've been told they'd probably have tiny horn nubs, dark blue skin since Gabby's skin is darker than Tarak's, a little tail, and I'm predicting a full head of curly hair.

If it were Axon and I, I'd bet they'd be a pale blue, with Axon's white hair, and my freckles. I wonder if they'd be full-figured like me or thin like Axon.

He finally pulled his hand away and said, "I'll get breakfast started.

He walked to the cook fire and I immediately missed his warmth. His warm hands on my body.

I was still imagining what our baby would look like as I watched him cook. What our life would be like together. I imagine it would be similar to what we've been doing here. Him cooking for me, then us exploring the forest together. We'd have a life filled with lots of adventure and cuddling, that was for sure, and what an amazing life that would be. I wanted that. I wanted it so much I ached for it.

I decided I didn't want to be apart from Axon any longer, and I joined him by the fire. He turned as he heard me approaching and I held out my hand for him. He grinned and put my hand in his. We intertwined our fingers and Axon kissed the top of my hand as if it were a precious metal.

"I love your hands," he admitted.

"I've noticed," I chuckled.

"They're perfect, just like you."

"Axon?" I needed to know the truth. I needed to ask him probably the most important question of my life.

"Yeah?" He quirked an eyebrow up at me.

"Do you think we'll lumines?"

His expression grew serious as he pondered my question. "I think it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean? You don't want a luminescence mate?"

"No, I want a luminescence mate. I've wanted one in particular for a long time."

Oh, was he…was he referring to me?

"Then why do you say it doesn't matter?" I needed to make sense of this.

"Because whether we lumines or not, I know who I'll be spending the rest of my life with. I know who my kira-si is."

We , could he be referring to him and I?

"Who might that be?" I wanted to be sure. "Is it Beatrice?"

"It's not Beatrice," Axon smiled, as if he knew exactly what game I was playing.

"Is it Anusha?"

"It's not Anusha."

"Is it someone from the other dekes?"

"It's not someone from the other dekes," he shook his head.

"Who is it then?" I nervously held my breath as I waited for his answer. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long.

Axon cupped my face in his hands as he stared down at me with the warm intensity of staring directly into a bright fire.

"It's you Ashley. It's always been you."

A parade of butterflies burst through my stomach as I took in his words.

"I want to be with you too," I breathed.

"Well, want no longer. Be with me." He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed his back.

"Okay, I'll be with you. Luminescence or not, you are mine and I am yours."

Axon's breath hitched and a tear streamed down his face. I reached up and wiped it away as he nestled his cheek against my palm.

"Together forever, okay?" he confirmed through watery words.

"Forever," I agreed.

He pulled me into his chest and I rested my head on his heart.

"Don't ever let me go, Axon."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

We stayed that way for a long time, until the meat started to burn, and even then Axon held onto me with one hand and continued cooking with the other. He was as obsessed with holding me as I was obsessed with being held. We were perfect for each other. There was no denying that.