Arkon

ARKON

I gently dressed Samira, my fingers trailing over her soft skin as I pulled on her clothes. The fabric clung to her curves, highlighting the beauty I’d just explored. My own body still thrummed with unanswered desire, but I pushed it aside. Her needs came first.

I drew her into my arms again, cradling her against my chest. She fit perfectly, as if made to nestle there. Her warmth seeped into me, easing an ache I hadn’t known existed.

Samira shifted, looking up at me with a frown. “You didn’t...”

I knew what she meant. A smirk tugged at my lips. “I didn’t need to.”

Her brow furrowed. “But that’s not fair. I want you to feel good too.”

I brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. “Samira, watching you fall apart was the greatest pleasure I could imagine. Nothing compares to seeing you shatter in my arms.”

A blush bloomed across her cheeks, spreading down her neck. She ducked her head, suddenly shy. It struck me then - I found it adorable. The realization jolted through me. I, , hardened bounty hunter, thought something was adorable .

I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the unfamiliar softness. “Get some sleep. We have a long day ahead.”

Samira nodded, already heavy-lidded. She curled closer, her breath evening out as she drifted off. I held her, marveling at how right it felt to have her in my arms.

The cavern’s crystals cast a soft glow over us, their light pulsing gently. It reminded me of a heartbeat, steady and reassuring. I breathed in Samira’s scent, committing it to memory. For the first time in years, I felt... content.

I couldn’t let my guard down completely. We were still in danger, still pursued. I needed to stay alert, to protect her. My fingers tightened slightly on her arm, possessive. I’d keep her safe, no matter the cost.

As Samira slept, I let my mind wander. How had this brilliant, beautiful human wormed her way past my defenses so quickly? I’d been alone for so long, focused solely on the job. Now, in the span of a few days, she’d become my entire world.

I knew it was dangerous. Attachment led to vulnerability, to mistakes. But looking down at her peaceful face, I couldn’t seem to care. Whatever came next, we’d face it together.

The crystals’ light flickered, casting dancing shadows on the cavern walls. I settled in for a long night of watchfulness, Samira safe in my arms.

Hours later, Samira still slept peacefully in my arms, her warm breath tickling my chest. I allowed myself to savor the feeling of her soft body against mine. But we couldn’t linger here forever.

“Samira,” I murmured, gently shaking her shoulder. “Time to wake up.”

A soft smile spread across her face as she began to wake, and my heart clenched. I wanted to keep her here. But that wasn’t possible. Not now.

“We need to move,” I said, more gruffly than I intended.

Samira nodded, stretching as she sat up. “Right. The outpost.”

I kept stealing glances at Samira, remembering the passion we’d shared just hours ago. The urge to pull her close, to taste her lips again, was nearly overwhelming.

“Ready?” I asked, shouldering our pack instead.

“As I’ll ever be,” Samira replied with a wry smile.

We set off into the depths of the cave system, leaving behind the relative safety of our crystal-lit sanctuary. The tunnels twisted and turned, branching off in multiple directions. I relied on my Vinduthi senses to guide us, listening for the faint sound of running water and feeling for slight changes in air currents.

“How do you know which way to go?” Samira asked, her hand gripping mine tightly in the darkness.

I squeezed her fingers reassuringly. “Vinduthi are natural hunters. We can pick up on things most species miss.”

“Handy,” she muttered. “Maybe like birds, migrating. Electro-magnetic fields, maybe?”

Her brain never turned off. It really was adorable.

As we delved deeper, the cave formations grew more bizarre. Twisted stalagmites rose from the ground like grasping fingers. In one chamber, we encountered a forest of stone columns, each as thin as a human’s arm but stretching from floor to ceiling.

“Incredible,” Samira breathed, reaching out to touch a delicate structure.

I caught her wrist, pulling her back. “Careful. We don’t know how stable they are.”

She nodded, but I noticed the spark of curiosity in her eyes. It was one of the things I found most captivating about her - that insatiable thirst for knowledge.

We pressed on, the silence broken only by the occasional drip of water or the scrabbling of some unseen creature. I remained vigilant, every sense straining for danger.

Suddenly, the narrow passage opened into a vast cavern. An underground river churned through its center, the water so clear I could see smooth, multicolored stones at the bottom.

“We’ll have to cross,” I said, eyeing the swift current warily.

Samira bit her lip. “I’m not the strongest swimmer.”

I turned to her, my hand against her cheek. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?”

She met my gaze steadily. “Yes.”

The simple word was all I needed to hear. I leaned in, unable to resist pressing a quick, fierce kiss to her lips. When I pulled back, Samira’s cheeks were flushed.

“Let’s go,” I growled, before I could lose myself in her again.

We waded into the frigid water. I kept a firm grip on Samira’s waist as we fought against the current. Halfway across, her foot slipped on a mossy rock. I caught her before she could fall, pulling her flush against my body. We stood there, chests heaving and the rush of the river drowning out everything else.

Samira’s hands gripped my shoulders, her eyes wide. I felt the urge to claim her mouth, to lose myself in her warmth. But this wasn’t the time or place. With effort, I set her back on her feet and we continued our crossing.

On the far bank, we paused to catch our breath. Samira wrung water from her hair, and the graceful movement of her hands mesmerized me. She caught me staring and raised an eyebrow.

“See something you like?” she teased.

I growled low in my throat. “You know I do.”

Her breath hitched, and electricity cracked between us. But then a distant rumble shook the cavern, reminding us of our precarious situation.

“We should keep moving,” Samira said, her voice husky.

I nodded, forcing myself to focus. We continued through the winding tunnels, the path gradually sloping upward. My nose twitched, catching the faint scent of fresh air.

“We’re close to the surface,” I said.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, we twisted through a narrow passage and saw daylight filtering through a narrow crevice. I went first, squeezing through the opening and then helping Samira.

We emerged into a landscape utterly transformed from the lush jungle we’d left behind. Jagged cracks split the earth, and entire hillsides had collapsed. The devastation was staggering.

“The earthquake must have been even worse than we thought,” Samira murmured, surveying the scene.

I nodded grimly. “It’ll make travel more difficult, but it might work to our advantage. Anyone else looking for the outpost will have a harder time as well.”

We picked our way carefully across the broken terrain. I remained on high alert, wary of unstable ground and potential threats.

After hours of grueling travel, we reached the crest of the final ridge.

The outpost lay before us, a sprawling complex of twisted metal and crumbling concrete. Entire sections had collapsed, and strange, oily smoke rose from several points. It was a far cry from the pristine research facility Samira had hoped for.

“Oh no,” Samira whispered, her face falling.

I squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. We’ve come too far to give up now.”