20. Violet

It began as an ethereal glow, one that rapidly intensified into a brilliant violet flare.

It wasn't just light; it was life, power, and raw emotion, all fused into a blinding spectacle.

For a fleeting moment, I felt as though I had been transported to another realm — a world painted in hues of purple, where every atom pulsated with uncontainable energy.

Amidst that dazzling luminosity, the silhouette of Kuana my rock, my anchor, my love — stood out.

He'd positioned himself between the oncoming tide of energy and me, his form tensing as he braced for the impact.

It felt as though time stretched, distorting seconds into long, drawn-out moments.

Through the searing brightness, I saw his figure contort, muscles straining as he grunted in pain.

Yet, even in that torturous instant, his resolve remained unyielding.

He'd promised to protect me, and even in the face of what seemed like insurmountable odds, Kuana was determined to keep that promise.

Searing heat enveloped us.

I clutched at Kuana's form, holding onto him as though he were the last tether to reality amidst this churning maelstrom.

My senses were overwhelmed, every fiber of my being awash in warmth and light.

I could feel his heartbeat against mine, erratic but strong, and it gave me hope.

Perhaps we'd make it out of this together.

And then, a sensation unlike any other took over.

It felt as though the very fabric of the universe was vibrating, the ground, the air, every atom around us resonating in harmony.

It was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

Amid the storm, there were fragments of memories — flashes of our time together, the promise of a future we'd dreamt of, and the unyielding love that had bound us together against all odds.

Each memory was framed in that brilliant violet hue, like still frames from a movie.

The farm we'd dreamt of owning, its fields ripe with crops, children laughing and chasing after one another.

The way Kuana's eyes sparkled every time he looked at me, the warmth of his embrace, the soft whispers of promises in the dark.

These visions seemed to anchor me, reminding me of what we were fighting for.

But as quickly as these memories came, they faded, replaced by the overwhelming reality of the present.

The facility, which had once stood as a monument to Ikhax's power and ambition, was no match for the unleashed fury of the plasma.

Walls began to melt, steel beams sagged, and the ground beneath us trembled violently.

The very foundation of the facility started to disintegrate, unable to withstand the pressure.

Everywhere I looked, structures were collapsing, the world around us bending and warping in unnatural ways.

The once formidable lair of Ikhax was being reduced to molten slag and rubble.

Through it all, Kuana's arms remained around me, his grip tight, unyielding.

Even as the floor beneath us began to give way, and the ceiling threatened to crash down upon us, he stood tall, a beacon of strength and determination.

Despite the chaos, there was a strange serenity that washed over me — a realization that, come what may, we were in this together.

And though the circumstances were dire, I took solace in the fact that Kuana was with me, our fates intertwined.

As the destruction reached its zenith, a final memory flashed before me — a night under the stars, with Kuana beside me, our fingers entwined as we dreamt of a life together.

And in that moment, I understood the true power of love.

It wasn't just about grand gestures or passionate declarations.

It was about standing by one another, through thick and thin, against all odds.

With a deafening roar, the entire facility gave one last shudder, the ground beneath us fracturing and splitting open.

Molten lava and plumes of smoke erupted from below, consuming everything in its path.

But even as the world around us came apart, Kuana's hold on me remained steadfast.

And then, with a blinding burst of light, the entire facility erupted, swallowed whole by the unstoppable might of the plasma bubble.

The world as we knew it was forever changed, reshaped by the immense power that had been unleashed.

* * *

Grogginess and confusionconsumed me initially, with everything feeling distant and surreal.

The weightlessness of being in Kuana's arms brought a sense of relief, even as fragmented memories of the explosion played like a disjointed movie in my mind.

Opening my eyes, I was met with the familiar stoic face of Kuana.

Even covered in soot and burns, his visage was my anchor, a reassurance that we'd made it through.

Looking over his shoulder, the sight that greeted me was haunting.

The twisted, smoldering remains of the research facility sprawled out, reminiscent of an apocalyptic landscape I'd once investigated.

It was eerily similar to the ruins that had started this journey for me, five long years ago.

But unlike then, I wasn't the detached investigator peering into a mystery.

I was a key player in the unfolding drama, bound by fate, love, and the unforeseen paths the universe had for us.

Kuana's steps were purposeful, each stride carrying us further away from the wreckage.

He seemed to know precisely where he was heading.

As we approached a clearing, a cluster of shuttles came into view.

Most bore the scars of the blast, with scorched metal and shattered hulls.

Yet, there it was: a single shuttle, seemingly untouched by the mayhem.

Gently, Kuana set me down in the co-pilot's chair of the shuttle.

Every action was a testament to his protective nature.

He scanned my face, as if searching for any sign of harm, any lingering trauma.

"Are you okay, Vi?" he asked, voice thick with concern.

Swallowing the dryness in my throat, I managed a nod. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks to you." And as if to reassure both him and myself, I added:

"We're going to be okay."

His lips brushed mine in a tender kiss, and for a moment, everything else faded.

The promise of a shared future hung in the air between us. "We're going to have that life, Violet. The farm, the kids, the peace," he whispered, voice thick with emotion. "I promise—"

Kuana's neck snapped toward something over my shoulder, his senses heightened, his fear palpable.

"Kuana, what is it?" I asked, eyes darting around the shuttle.

Then I heard it:

A subtle shuffle, a sound that was out of place in the sterile environment of the cockpit.

It was the kind of sound that sent shivers down my spine, the rustling of some unseen presence.

The fine hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I tried to make sense of what I was hearing.

There was nothing there, or at least, nothing visible.

Kuana's face tightened with concentration, eyes narrowing as he took in the surroundings.

I watched him as he moved closer to where the sound originated, his every movement exuding caution and tension.

He bent down to grasp at something there, something I couldn't see.

I squinted, attempting to discern any anomalies, but the shuttle's interior looked as solid and real as ever.

The lighting was consistent, the panels and switches unmoved.

It was all very… ordinary.

But as I observed Kuana, I saw his fingers close around something, an invisible entity that seemed to resist him.

His brow furrowed, muscles in his forearm flexing. "No more lies," he growled, voice echoing in the confined space. "Only the truth from now on."

As he squeezed, there was a momentary flicker, like static from an old television set.

The entire scene before me seemed to blur and refocus.

And then, as if emerging from the shadows, Ikhax's figure solidified.

He was suspended in the air, held by Kuana's iron grip around his throat.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.

We weren't inside a real shuttle at all!

This was another of Ikhax's manipulative tricks, a Fabrication, an illusion designed to lull us into a false sense of security.

Ikhax's face was a mask of surprise and desperation.

Clearly, he hadn't expected Kuana to detect his ruse so quickly.

Kuana's voice was ice cold. "Did you really think you could keep us here, playing with our minds, shaping our reality again?"

Ikhax struggled to breathe, his eyes darting around, looking for an escape.

I could feel the anger bubbling inside me.

Kuana's grip tightened further.

Ikhax's eyes widened, but his fingers twitched in a specific pattern.

As he choked the life out of him, the world around us dissolved completely.

* * *

The scenebefore me was eerily familiar.

Charred metal beams and shattered machinery were strewn everywhere, and the walls that had once housed Ikhax's maniacal ambitions were now blackened, skeletal remains.

I hesitated for a moment, taking in the real world and comparing it to the illusion Ikhax had trapped us in.

The differences, subtle as they were, became apparent.

The real world had a tactile feel that the fabricated world lacked.

Every burnt fragment, every scorched mark, told a story of survival and defiance.

Scattered amongst the debris were bodies of Ikhax's guards, lifeless, forever trapped in their final moments.

It was a grim testament to the power of the plasma that Kuana carried within him, a power that had, up until now, been a mixed blessing.

Ikhax wriggled in Kuana's grip, but it was clear that he was a mere shadow of his former self.

His skin was a patchwork of raw wounds, blistered and charred, and his once-confident eyes were now wide with fear.

Two of his arms had been blasted off and those that remained flailed pathetically.

It was a strange sight to behold, the puppet master reduced to a helpless victim in his own game.

Kuana's voice was cold, void of any emotion. "You've played with us long enough. You wanted my plasma so badly? Now you can have it."

Before I could react, Kuana unleashed a burst of the potent energy straight into Ikhax's face.

The blinding violet light seemed to consume everything, casting eerie shadows all around.

I shielded my eyes, the intensity of the blast too much for them to bear.

When I finally managed to open them, the scene before me was grotesque.

Ikhax's flesh was dripping away, his very essence melting before our eyes.

What took lifetimes to build, Kuana was erasing in mere seconds.

First, it was the skin, bubbling and vaporizing, then the underlying tissues, and finally, even Ikhax's bones succumbed to the force of Kuana's power.

The searing smell of burnt flesh filled the air, choking and oppressive.

The entire room was silent, save for the faint crackling of the residual plasma energy.

All that was left of Ikhax was a molten puddle on the floor, an unrecognizable heap of once-mighty evil.

As the last tendrils of smoke wafted away, Kuana stood tall, panting heavily.

The cost of unleashing such power was evident on his face, lines of fatigue etching into his features.

But there was also relief, a weight lifted off his shoulders.

The bane of our existence, the puppeteer of our pains, was finally gone.

"It's over, Vi," Kuana whispered, his voice hoarse.

I stepped closer, feeling a mixture of revulsion and admiration.

The sight of Ikhax's remains was horrific, but I couldn't deny the cathartic release I felt.

Our tormentor was no more, and a new chapter could finally begin.

Gently, I wrapped my arms around Kuana, feeling his heart race against my chest.

Together, we stood amidst the ruins, the lingering traces of a battle fought and won.

It was a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and the boundless depths of love.

As Kuana's powerful arms cradled me, I felt a sense of safety that had eluded me for what felt like an eternity.

The lingering trauma of Ikhax's illusions, the fear that reality was just another layer of deceit, had left me drained and uncertain.

But as Kuana carried me out of the burnt remnants of the facility (for the second time), the night sky above seemed brighter than I remembered, full of promise and endless possibilities.

"How about we try that again?" Kuana suggested playfully, as he gently placed me inside the shuttle.

The shuttle was sleek and modern, its controls twinkling softly in the dim light.

The hum of its engines was a reassuring lullaby, promising to take us away from the nightmarish past.

I glanced over my shoulder, back at the spot where Ikhax had once stood, in all his fabricated glory.

The memory was still fresh, his maniacal laughter, his twisted games. I needed assurance. "Is… Is he really gone?"

Kuana paused for a moment, his face pensive. "Yes," he whispered, his voice resolute. "He's gone. From now on, everything we see, feel, and experience… it's all real. No more illusions, no more games. It's just us and the vast expanse of the galaxy."

He looked deep into my eyes, the violet of his gaze mirroring the shimmering nebulae outside. "You know, Vi," he started hesitantly, "with my powers, we could rule this galaxy. We could unite the disparate worlds, end wars, and bring forth an age of enlightenment. Our names would be etched in the annals of history, our descendants ruling for millennia to come. Or…"

He trailed off, searching my face for any sign of preference.

I held my breath, waiting.

"Or," he continued with a soft sigh, "we could leave all this behind. Find a quiet corner of the universe to call our own, and live out our days in peace. Perhaps on Vespera."

The two options hung in the air between us, like tantalizing fruit from two very different trees.

Power and domination, or peace and solitude.

In truth, the decision wasn't difficult for me.

After everything we had been through, the allure of power seemed insignificant compared to the chance of a simple, peaceful life.

A place where our love could blossom away from the prying eyes of the universe, where we could build a home and a future free from the shadows of our past.

"Vespera," I whispered, the name rolling off my tongue like a sweet caress.

Kuana's face broke into a radiant smile, relief evident in his features. "I'm glad you said that," he murmured, pulling me into a tight embrace.

The warmth of his body against mine, the steady beat of his heart, was all the confirmation I needed.

He released me and moved to the shuttle's controls.

With deft fingers, he plotted our course, and the engines roared to life with renewed vigor.

As the shuttle lifted off the ground, the familiar pull of acceleration pressed us back into our seats.

The planet below became a distant memory, a dark chapter in our shared history that we were leaving far behind.

Gazing out of the shuttle window, I saw the endless expanse of space stretch out before us.

Stars twinkled like diamonds on a velvet canvas, and distant galaxies swirled in mesmerizing patterns.

And somewhere out there was Vespera, our sanctuary, our future.

As we sailed through the cosmos, bound for our new beginning, I felt a profound sense of contentment.

For the first time in a long while, the future was ours to shape, free from the constraints of the past.

And as the distance between us and the horrors of Ikhax grew, so too did our hopes for the days ahead.

A genuine future full of love.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the FATED MATES OF brEEDER PRISON series. If you did, you'll love my next series CLAIMED BY THE ALIEN brEEDER. Here's the blurb:

To save her from the Shadow he must claim her for himself.

Every M'Rora is born a twin - one good and righteous, the other evil and twisted - and they're both on the hunt for the fated mate they share.

Vai is the only creature strong enough to fight his malevolent twin. If he fails, she will be dragged into the Shadow Realm and passed from one breeder to the next. There's only one way to save her. The evil twin will not breed with his mate if she has already been claimed, so Vai must do it first.

But Vai is kind and can only take what is willingly given. Emma is attracted to her possessive alien warrior but refuses to sleep with him. After all, the M'Rora mate for life and it's not a commitment she's ready to make… even if a worse fate awaits her.

Will she listen to her inner voice that longs to be claimed by the powerful alien or will she ignore it and realize her mistake too late?