Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A cool breeze washed over Mina, and at first, she thought she was back on the mountain. Then the faintly antiseptic smell of her surroundings penetrated. She was still in the same room.

She sat up, surprised to find that she felt completely normal, and realized that she was now dressed in a simple white gown.

"We have been considering your situation." It was the colder voice, La'tok'at'bron. "We agree that we cannot return you to your planet."

Thank goodness. Her body sagged with relief.

"But you cannot remain here without a mate."

Her pulse immediately increased. "What do you mean? Did something happen to Mikel?"

"He had not proven himself worthy." La'tok'at'bron sounded faintly disapproving.

"Of course he has. He has saved me time and time again. From the cold, from sickness, from the spider. He would have saved me from the fall if you hadn't snatched me away."

"He has not acknowledged the bond between you."

"He just needs time," she said quickly. "He was hurt badly before."

"We knew that. We just… hoped that he would be able to overcome the past."

"He can! I think he already has, but he isn't quite ready to acknowledge it."

La'tok'at'bron ignored her protest. "We will find you a new location and a more appropriate mate. It's for your own good."

The words and the cool, dismissive tone were all too familiar, but this time, she wasn't giving up without a fight. She wasn't leaving. She wasn't abandoning Mikel.

"It's nothing of the kind." She jumped off the lab bed, storming around the small room. "He's good for me. I love him, and he loves me."

Certainty flooded her as she spoke. So he hadn't found the words yet. Everything he did showed how much he cared for her.

"You will get over?—"

"I will not get over him! I'm not leaving and you can't make me." They could, of course, but she would fight them every inch of the way.

"I see." A pregnant silence. "Then we will give him one more chance. You may watch if you wish."

The panel on the screen flashed, and Mikel appeared. He was heading for the door of the white building, Draco perched on his shoulder. His face was drawn and stern, his body tense, but his determination was obvious. Her heart welled with love.

"What is he doing?"

"He's looking for you. We will see if he can find you."

As Mikel approached the building, the door panel slid silently aside. He assumed it was an automatic switch, but it gave him the uneasy sensation of being watched. Draco seemed to share his unease, huddling closer to his neck.

Inside, he found a long, white corridor lined with doors. He proceeded down the hall, methodically checking every room despite his growing panic. He found several supply rooms. A lab fitted with equipment that would have made his mouth water under other circumstances. A small but fully functional medical lab. A short corridor led to the other block, opening into a spacious hangar.

The newest model RAV-X4 spaceship waited on the landing pad. He had flown similar ships during his time in the military, but he dismissed it without a second glance. It was of no use to him now.

More supply rooms, then a luxuriously equipped bed and bath suite. He had been through the entire building and there was no sign of his mate. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe.

"Where are you, Mee-na?" he whispered despairingly.

Draco had been perched silently on his shoulder the entire time, but at Myk-El's words, he suddenly squawked and took off. He sighed but went after the avian. If— when —he found Mee-na, she would be devastated if anything had happened to Draco.

As would I , he admitted to himself.

He followed Draco back into one of the supply rooms. He had only given it a cursory examination before, just enough to establish that Mee-na wasn't there, but the avian led him to the back corner, squawking excitedly.

At first glance it appeared to consist of nothing more than a blank wall, but when he looked closer, he found the faintest outline of a door panel. Trying not to get his hopes up, he searched until he found the control.

The door slid aside.

Darkness loomed on the other side, so thick and black that it seemed to reach into the supply room. He shuddered and stepped back, but Draco hopped over to the entrance and squawked again.

"Please don't tell me you expect me to go in there," he muttered. "Unless… Is Mee-na in there?"

Draco fluttered up to his shoulder.

He took a deep breath and crossed to the threshold. He could only see a short distance into the darkness, but it appeared to be another corridor. Putting a hand on the wall to guide his steps, he forced himself inside. He would do whatever it took to reach his mate.

The first few steps weren't as bad as he feared. The dim glow of the doorway behind him helped keep his panic away. But the corridor soon sloped downwards in a series of zigzags and the comforting light disappeared.

Total blackness surrounded him, and his heart thudded painfully against his ribs. To make matters worse, the air temperature slowly increased until it was as warm and thick as it had been in his cell. Memories of that time kept flashing over him and his footsteps faltered.

He leaned against the wall, trying to control the panic, and Draco chirped softly, reminding him that he was not alone. Reminding him that his mate was worth any struggle. He pictured her face in his mind, and the fear receded a little. He took a deep breath and resumed the trip.

The corridor seemed to descend for miles. Time lost all meaning, although twice he had to fight back another panic attack. Each time, the thought of Mee-na kept him going.

When the faint, dim glow appeared below him, he thought he was hallucinating at first, so desperate for light that he had conjured it up in his imagination. But it continued to increase as he grew nearer and he ran the last few steps, bursting into a well-lit corridor with a sigh of relief.

He didn't stop to wonder why the door was open.

The corridor appeared identical to the one above. He was about to start searching when Draco lifted off of his shoulder and flew to the last door on the right. A desperate hope filled his chest as he followed.

The door opened, and then Mee-na was there, flying into his arms as Draco circled them, squawking happily.

She was laughing and crying at the same time, clinging to him as he kissed her over and over.

"I thought I lost you," he said between kisses. "If it hadn't been for Draco, I might not have found you."

"He's such a good boy." She freed one hand so she could stroke the avian's back until he was chirping happily, then looked back up at him. "I thought I lost you too. They told me they were going to send me away."

Who told her? But that could wait. He had something more important to say first.

"I love you, Mee-na. I should have told you before, but I was afraid. And then you disappeared and I knew what fear was really like."

Her eyes were damp but her smile was brilliant. "I should have told you sooner. I knew it the moment you appeared in the cave. My angel."

"I think I did too, but I denied it for so long. I was a fool, little one."

"No, you weren't." She drew his head down for another kiss, one that spiraled rapidly into passion.

He picked her up and carried her to the bed in the center of the small room, but as he set her down, she suddenly drew back.

"Wait. We're not alone," she whispered.

"What do you mean? And who told you they were going to send you away?"

"We did." The disembodied voice seemed to come from the walls.

He stepped in front of Mee-na, his claws flexing. "You aren't going to separate us."

"Of course not. You passed the test."

"What test?" He didn't relax his pose.

"You faced your fear and declared a mate bond. Most satisfactory."

"That's Va'rik'at'char," Mee-na whispered. "He's the one who took me away from you when the cliff collapsed."

Despite the desperate uncertainty of the past few hours, a small part of him was grateful for that at least. He thought he'd reached her in time, but he wasn't entirely sure, and she had escaped injury.

"Thank you," he said aloud. "Do you have any more tests?"

"No, no. The tests are complete, aren't they, La'tok'at'bron?"

"I would prefer more data, but I suppose we have enough."

"Enough for what?" he asked impatiently.

"To reveal the situation." There was a quick pause. "Ah, your fellow subjects have arrived. If you will proceed to the end of the corridor, you will find a lift to carry you back to the surface."

"You could have shown me that before," he muttered.

"You had a journey to complete," La'tok'at'bron said briskly. "Once you are all assembled, we will join you."

The relief of returning to the surface prevented him from demanding any immediate answers. He lifted Mee-na into his arms and sped off towards the lift, Draco flying ahead of them.

"I can walk, you know."

"I know, but I would rather have you here in my arms."

She gave him her sweet, seductive smile. "There's nowhere else I would rather be."

"Good." He hugged her closer as they stepped into the lift.