16. Terra

SIXTEEN

TERRA

Oh god, I’d fucked up. Big time.

My hands were still shaky from the less-than-smooth flights to and from that dust-choked excuse for a hideout. Darrokar’s gaze felt like a physical blow, and honestly? I deserved every ounce of the accusation radiating off him.

Instinct screamed I should’ve laid everything bare from the start, trusted him, consequences be damned. But the others . I couldn't ignore the responsibility I had to them.

The steady rhythm of the underground river in the distance did nothing to slow the frantic hammering of my pulse. Darrokar remained a towering silhouette against the soft glow of heat crystals embedded in the walls. Every line of his body screamed tension, his golden eyes, those vertical slits, burning twin holes right through me.

Words were inadequate, clumsy shields against the raw emotion crackling between us.

“Why?” The weight of his question settled on my chest, heavy and suffocating. “You lied. About everything.”

“Not everything,” I managed, my voice low, strained. It sounded weak, even to my own ears. My hands betrayed my inner turmoil as my thumbs rubbed agitated circles against the worn fabric of my borrowed pants. “When we woke up … it was chaos. They’re mostly civilians, Darrokar. My job is to protect them. When we saw you, your warriors coming for us … I told Selene and Lexa to hide them. We couldn’t risk—” My voice hitched, the lie sticking in my throat like grit.

“Couldn’t risk what?” He loomed, his sheer size filling my vision, stealing the air from my lungs. “Risk trusting me?”

“Yes.” The word burst out, sharper than intended, the blunt admission tasting like ash.

His wings flared, the membranes shifting, and I saw the subtle flex of the claws at his sides. But I pushed on, the need to explain, however poorly, eclipsing my worry .

“Yes, I couldn’t risk trusting you yet . You don’t understand what it was like. We went to sleep on a ship, expecting … Earth. We woke up to this . Fucking sand lizards attacked us before some of us were even fully out of the cryo-pods. This whole damn planet has tried to kill us since we opened our eyes. How could I trust anything ?”

The crystalline light in the room did nothing to soften the harsh planes of his face, the molten fury still simmering in his gaze. That anger wasn’t foreign—some emotions transcended galaxies. But this was different. This wasn't directed at some faceless enemy; this was aimed squarely at me .

“That might hold if we were speaking of the first days,” he said finally, his voice dangerously soft, the quiet menace more cutting than any roar. “But you thought I would allow them … allow you … to suffer within my city? Despite every breath within me screaming to protect you?”

Guilt twisted in my gut, a sharp, sickening lurch. “That wasn’t my intention.”

“Then clarify it for me, luvae .” He stalked closer, until there was barely a breath between us, trapping me in the inferno of his gaze. “Tell me why you withheld the truth.”

The room felt smaller. I needed a moment, a breath, to gather the scattered pieces of my rationale. “I didn’t …” My breath hitched as I met his unwavering gaze, the raw hurt there a far sharper torment than any outward rage. “I do trust you. I wanted to trust you. But they were my responsibility.”

His expression didn’t soften, but something behind the gold flickered, a flicker of … understanding? “And now?”

“Now?” I blew out a frustrated breath, the sound ragged. “Now, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore.” I pressed two fingers hard against my temple, the gesture more forceful than necessary. “My head and my heart are a damn mess because of you.”

“You speak as if it is a curse,” he murmured, though the underlying tension in his voice hadn’t fully dissipated. His golden eyes narrowed, dissecting my defenses like a surgeon’s blade.

“Because it feels like one,” I admitted, the words leaving a bitter taste. “Because I’m terrified of trusting it. Of trusting you .”

His wings lifted slightly, the movement subtle but significant, eclipsing the faint light filtering from a high crevice, making him seem impossibly vast, impossibly other .

Because he is , that traitorous voice whispered in my mind, the one I'd ruthlessly silenced with every lie, every deflection, every self-deceptive argument that this connection couldn’t possibly be as profound as it felt.

“And yet,” he said, his voice dropping, becoming a low thrum that vibrated through me, “you do.”

My breath hitched. His proximity was overwhelming, too close, yet utterly necessary, a grounding force in the swirling chaos of my emotions. I didn’t understand it, not completely. But I was beginning to understand us , and that realization was more terrifying than any alien predator.

“I …” The words caught, snagged by a sudden surge of panic, my pride a stubborn knot in my throat. I couldn’t articulate it, couldn’t give voice to the gaping void inside me that only his presence seemed to fill. But my body betrayed me, a subtle shift bringing me closer, erasing the inches between us until I could feel the radiating heat of his scales against my skin, his scent, that intoxicating mix of spice and something uniquely Darrokar, engulfing me.

“Tell me,” he commanded softly, the word a quiet insistence, not a roared demand. It was a steady anchor in the storm raging within me. “Do you love me?”

Every muscle locked tight.

The question, stripped bare of any artifice, hit with brutal force. My towering, formidable Warrior Lord, demanding nothing less than the unvarnished truth of my heart—a truth I’d barely dared to whisper to myself.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I breathed, the confession barely audible, trembling in the charged air. “I’ve been trained for a thousand things, Darrokar. But not this. Not you .”

“That is not an answer, luvae .” His voice deepened, becoming impossibly intimate, laced with a raw thread I couldn’t quite decipher—hope, perhaps, though he guarded it fiercely.

I could have lied. Deflected. Offered some carefully crafted response to sidestep the core of his question. But the desire to shield myself, to maintain that brittle control, had fractured.

The realization struck with sudden, undeniable force, the words tumbling out like a dam had broken. “I love you.” The admission was a raw whisper, choked with the unfamiliar burn of unshed tears prickling at the back of my eyes. It was a fragile offering, terrified and utterly sincere. “I’m so sorry. I?—”

His large, clawed hands cupped my face, the unexpected gentleness of his touch in contrast to his imposing strength. My words faltered, dying the moment his golden gaze locked onto mine, holding me captive. My chest rose and fell too quickly, my heart a frantic drum against the deafening silence stretching between us, but his touch remained steady, anchoring.

“You are my mate,” he breathed, the words a fierce whisper, quieter than I’d ever heard him, but undeniably powerful. His thumbs brushed over my cheeks, a subtle caress erasing the tears I hadn’t even realized were falling. “That means I have already forgiven you.”

“But I?—”

“You are mine, Terra,” he stated, his voice still soft, but edged with steel. “Always. There is nothing to forgive.”

And before I could argue, before I could even think to resist—as if resistance was a possibility I truly entertained—his lips claimed mine.

His kiss was firm, insistent, and imbued with a surprising tenderness. I met his urgency, my hands fisting in the rough fabric of his tunic, fighting the instinctive urge to drag him closer, to meld our bodies into one. The quiet intensity of the moment was overwhelming, a raw vulnerability that compelled me to pull away and to hold on tighter all at the same time.

His tongue slipped past my lips, a silent invitation that I accepted without hesitation. The taste of him was intoxicating, a heady mix of something uniquely his and the lingering heat of the Volcaryth suns. A shiver danced down my spine, and I pressed closer, the solid warmth of his body an anchor.

His hands moved from my face, one tracing the curve of my back, pressing me against him, the other cupping the nape of my neck, tilting my head to deepen the kiss. I felt the subtle scrape of his claws against my skin, a reminder of the untamed power he held, even in this tender embrace.

Fear should have been my first reaction, but all I felt was a surge of excitement, a thrill that chased away the lingering shadows of guilt and doubt.

A low growl rumbled in his chest, against my mouth, sending a delicious tremor through me, a silent challenge I had no desire to refuse. My heart hammered, a frantic rhythm echoing the possessive urgency of his kiss. My fingers tightened in his tunic, pulling him closer, unwilling to cede even a millimeter of space.

He broke the kiss, just long enough for his gaze to lock with mine. His pupils were dilated, the gold of his irises burning with an intensity that stole my breath. “You are mine, Terra,” he murmured, his voice a rough caress.

“Yes. Yours.” The words were out before I consciously formed them, a raw response that earned me a fierce, possessive smile, a flash of predatory satisfaction that sent a fresh wave of shivers down my spine. His wings shifted behind him, the leathery whisper of their movement filling the brief silence before he lowered his head to kiss me again.

My hands, freed from their grip on his tunic, traced the hard line of his chest, feeling the thick muscles beneath the fabric. He tensed subtly as my fingers brushed over a scar, deeper than the others, his claws at the small of my back twitching almost imperceptibly. I paused, my fingertips tracing the uneven edges of the faded mark. “What’s this from?” I murmured, pulling back slightly to meet his gaze.

He hesitated, his eyes flicking away for second before returning to mine. “A long time ago,” he began, his voice suddenly thick with the weight of buried memories. “When I was young. Foolish. I underestimated an opponent.” He shrugged, a dismissive gesture that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “A lesson learned in blood and pain.” His hand covered mine, pressing my palm firmly against his chest. “It does not matter now.”

Before I could question further, he swept me off my feet, my legs wrapping around his hips just below the curve of his wings as he stalked towards the sleeping platform. My clothing seemed to vanish in a flurry of frantic movement, impatient hands stripping away the barriers until it was skin against heated scale.

He laid me on the soft silks of the platform, his gaze never leaving mine as he loomed above me, a magnificent predator claiming his prize. His body was a breathtaking blend of muscle and sharp angles, the obsidian scales gleaming in the gentle light filtering through the crystalline formations, and a surge of lust pulsed through me.

This formidable creature, this alien warrior, was mine, and I devoured him with my eyes, tracing the powerful lines of his wings, the intricate patterns of his scales. His golden eyes burned into me, reflecting a raw, possessive intensity that mirrored my own desire.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered, the words barely audible, yet they seemed to echo in the stillness of the cavern. His wings flared at the simple declaration.

His lips curved into a slow, predatory smile that sent a shiver of anticipation down my spine. “So are you, luvae .” His voice was a low purr, a vibration against my skin that ignited a firestorm within me. He leaned down, his wings partially unfurling, enveloping us in a private cocoon of shadow and heat. “I want to hear you say it again,” he murmured against my lips, his breath warm and heavy.

My heart pounded against my ribs, my stomach flipping with a potent cocktail of anticipation and nervous excitement. I felt exposed, vulnerable, yet the familiar tremor of fear was absent, replaced by an overwhelming sense of rightness. “I love you, Darrokar.”

A growl rumbled in his chest, a sound of pure pleasure and possession as his lips claimed mine again, the kiss fierce, demanding, leaving no doubt of his claim. His mouth moved to the sensitive skin of my neck, his tongue tracing a tantalizing path, sending shivers cascading down my spine. The subtle scratch of his fangs against my flesh was a thrilling reminder of the predator lurking beneath the surface, and I shuddered, my nails digging into the solid muscle of his back, urging him closer.

“More,” I gasped, my voice a breathy plea, and it was enough .

He pulled back, his gaze burning into mine, his lips curled into a wickedly seductive smile. “Anything for you, luvae .”

My hips arched instinctively, my body begging for the contact only he could provide. A deep laugh vibrated through his chest as he shifted, his movements fluid and deliberate. In one swift motion, he rolled us over, pinning me beneath him, his weight a welcome pressure.

His cock, thick and pulsing with anticipation, pressed against my entrance, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips as he slowly, deliberately, pushed inside me. It was everything I remembered, every time before, only amplified, the molten heat of him filling me, stretching me in ways I hadn’t thought possible.

He moved slowly at first, his hips grinding against mine in a wild rhythm. I urged him deeper, wanting to lose myself completely within him. He obliged with a low growl, his cock throbbing inside me, each pulse sending shockwaves of pleasure through my core. The sensation was almost too intense, the raw heat of him, the satisfying stretch, the profound sense of being utterly consumed. I arched my back, pressing my breasts against his scaled chest, and he groaned, the sharp tips of his fangs grazing my neck.

“Darrokar,” I gasped, my voice a ragged whisper, but he offered no verbal response, only a deeper growl as his hips began to move faster, driving into me with a dark, relentless intensity that left me breathless and trembling beneath him.

His pace quickened, each thrust hitting that elusive sweet spot deep within me, blurring my vision, silencing the frantic chatter of my mind. I clung to him, my nails digging into the unyielding strength of his scales as I met his every movement, my hips rising to take him even deeper, craving the exquisite friction.

The air thickened with the sound of our ragged breathing, the slick slap of skin against scale, and the low, guttural sounds of pleasure that escaped his lips with each powerful thrust.

I felt the coil of pleasure building within me, tightening, intensifying with each pass of his cock, until it was a living thing, humming with unbearable tension just beneath my skin. His lips found mine again, the kiss fierce, possessive, a primal claiming that left no room for doubt. I met his urgency with equal fervor, my body moving in perfect sync with his, meeting every thrust with a desperate hunger that bordered on madness.

The coil inside me snapped, and a cry tore from my throat, swallowed by the intensity of his kiss. My inner muscles clenched around him, milking his cock as wave after wave of mind-shattering pleasure crashed over me, pulling me under. He groaned, his hips stuttering, his movements becoming ragged as he followed me over the precipice, his seed pulsing into me in hot, rhythmic bursts. We clung to each other, our bodies slick with sweat, trembling with the aftershocks of our shared climax, the heat of our skin melded together, our hearts hammering in unison.

The silence that followed was profound, grounding. I lay nestled against him, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek a reassuring anchor—breathing, alive, real . My fingers traced the warmth of his scaled abdomen absently, the soft glow from the crystal formations painting us in flickering firelight.

Darrokar’s arm lay possessively across my waist, his long tail draped loosely over the edge of the platform. His warmth enveloped me, and for a fleeting, precious moment, the restless storm in my mind finally quieted.

“I’ve spent my whole life trying to do everything on my own,” I said quietly, the words a soft crack in the stillness. His claws, tracing lazy patterns on my arm, paused briefly.

“You do not have to anymore.” His voice was low, molten with a certainty that resonated deep within me, stealing my breath.

“I’m scared,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his chest, unsure if I wanted him to acknowledge the vulnerability or pretend he hadn’t heard. Admitting fear was a luxury I rarely afforded myself—not openly, not even internally. But there, cocooned in his warmth, the words spilled out, unchecked. “Scared of what I’ll become if I let this … let us … take me. I’m afraid of losing control.”

His wing shifted then, wrapping around me like a shield, and his lips brushed against my temple, the lingering warmth sending a wave of sensation rippling through me. The cavern air smelled of heat, of sweat, of him—so distinctly Drakarn, so undeniably Darrokar.

“You will not lose yourself,” he murmured, his voice fierce yet achingly gentle, as if I were as fragile as I was flawed. “If you are afraid, then I will carry that fear as my own, just as I will carry any burden that challenges you. Your strength is your own, Terra, but it belongs to me now as well. ”

Something wrenched in my chest then, not the sharp sting of shame or the friction of anger, but a quiet shift, a slow surrender. A gradual loosening of tension I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying.

I didn’t respond, the sudden weight of his words a heavy lump in my throat. But I felt his hand tighten against my back, his warmth a tangible reassurance that he wasn’t going anywhere, and the frantic rhythm of my pulse began to slow. Quietly, perhaps with more desperation than I intended, I pressed my fingers against his warm abdomen and closed my eyes.

This place, this life, wasn’t the plan. But I’d take the alien beside me over any plan I’d ever imagined.

And I’d thank fate every night I slept in his arms.