Chapter 17

Zara

Only a couple days ago I swore I wasn’t leaving the village borders ever again. Yet here I am about to not only step foot outside of them, but to enter a ship belonging to aliens I’ve never met before today. The Tavikhi know and trust them, but that doesn’t mean a person can’t betray that trust on a dime. I should know.

My stomach is all tied up in knots as Kyler and I walk past the two Tavikhi warriors guarding the main entrance. Six of the Bohnari people returned with Alik and Zydon. Each male resembled their leader in coloring and size, but their horns were all slightly different and each had their own distinct facial features in the same way Tavikhi vary from one another.

“Is all well, keeshla ?” Kyler asks the farther we get from the safety of the village. Which is ridiculous, because it’s not as though I can’t still see it.

“I’m just a little nervous, I guess.”

Kyler comes to a halt and brings me with him. He palms my cheek. “We do not have to go if you are uncomfortable. Nothing says we cannot turn around and walk back into the village.”

“No.” I release a heavy sigh. “If their healer can fix my arm so I’m back to normal again, then I want to do it. It’s only been four days, and I’m already over this shit.”

His gaze bores into me. “If you are sure.”

Yes. No. Not really.

I take his hand. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Together we continue traipsing through the trees where small animals scurry away from the sound of our footsteps, and out the other side. I finally get an up close and personal look at the Bohnari ship. It’s a matte black so dark and flat it doesn’t even reflect the light from the sun. In fact, it’s almost as though it absorbs it. What it lacks in color it makes up for in sleek, sharp lines.

At our approach, there’s a slight hissing sound, and a ramp lowers at the back of the ship. Either we were expected—which is the most likely scenario since Alik was here a short time ago—or they have surveillance equipment that spotted us which activated it. I’m not sure which one I prefer. As though sensing my trepidation, Kyler squeezes my hand in reassurance.

We head toward the metal slope, but before we reach it, a shadow along the surface grows until a pair of black boots appear followed by legs encased in black pants, then a torso in a matching shirt that molds to the owner’s body, until finally the person is fully exposed. Unlike Alik’s grin which was purely flirtatious, this guy’s is sincerely welcoming. His eyes light up with excitement.

“Kyler, my friend. How wonderful to see you again.” The Bohnari jogs down the ramp toward us.

“Vornak.” There’s an echoing pleasure in my mate’s tone. “Welcome back.”

The two males clasp forearms, and the Bohnari pounds Kyler on the shoulder before his gaze travels over his mating marks. If anything, his grin widens, and then he glances over at me and down to where my mate still holds my hand.

“Vornak, this is Zara. My keeshla .”

The male bows and crosses his fist over his chest. “It is an honor to meet the mate of this fine, worthy male. Congratulations to both of you. It would appear as though the gods and goddesses are smiling down on both the Tavikhi and Bohnari. I, too, have found a mate after all this time. There is hope for our people yet.”

“By Deeka’s flame, that is wonderful news,” Kyler says and I sense his genuine happiness.

“Come, I will introduce you. She awaits in the med room.”

The tension that had been wound up inside me loosens. Vornak seems friendly enough, and I don’t get any weird vibes from Kyler about him. He truly likes this guy. Plus, he can’t be that bad if he has a wife. Right? We climb the incline that bounces a little with each step, and the metal clinks under my shoes. The interior is far less dark than it appeared from the outside.

It smells like metal and fuel. We traverse several hallways behind Vornak until he comes to a stop in front of a door. He places his palm on the biometric reader, and it slides open bringing with it a brightly lit room. Kyler and I step inside. We both come to an abrupt halt.

“Holy fucking shit. You’re human.”

The woman laughs and hops down off the counter to land with a metallic thunk. She approaches with an outstretched hand. “Hi there. I’m Johnna, Vornak’s mate.”

I shake it in numbed shock. Of all the things I could have expected today, meeting another human wasn’t anywhere on the list. Then her uncommon name hits me. “Wait. Did you say Johnna?”

She cocks her head and wrinkles her forehead. “Yeah.”

“Do you know a woman named Eloise?”

Johnna’s eyes widen. “She was my bunkmate on the terraforming ship we both worked on. Why?”

“She’s here . On Tavikh.” I turn and lightly smack Kyler’s chest. “This is Eloise’s friend that she’s told us about. Oh my god, she’s going to shit kittens.”

The other woman stumbles back a couple steps and Vornak rushes forward to catch her in his arms. She glances up at him with a hand on his chest and tears in her eyes. “She’s alive. All this time, I’ve prayed Eloise made it somewhere safe and she did.”

“Yes, she did, my heart’s fire.” He kisses her on the forehead, and she leans into him with eyes closed and a tear slides down her cheek.

The sight of it chokes me up a little.Kyler’s tail wraps around my waist and he takes my hand again, threading his fingers through mine. Several seconds pass before Johnna draws back from Vornak and faces me. “Will you take me to her when you guys are finished?”

“Of course. She’s going to be so happy to see you.” Eloise has talked about her friend often and how badly she wished she knew she was okay.

“No more than I am.”

“Alik said you can heal my mate,” Kyler says to Vornak, bringing us back to the main reason we’re here.

He nods. “Of course. Come.”

I glance up at Kyler before he releases me, and I walk forward to where the Bohnari healer has moved next to a machine that looks like a giant egg lying sideways with a glass top. He presses a button and the glass lifts with a faint hydraulic sound.

“You will need to remove the sling and splint before entering the med pod. If you lie on your back inside, the scanners will assess the damage to your arm. Once it is finished, you may feel some heat and minor tingling as it knits the bone or bones back together.”

I swallow and glance at Kyler. I’ve never been claustrophobic, but the thought of being stuck in that thing that reminds me a bit too much of a coffin makes me want to hurl. Already my palm is clammy and my heart thumps madly.

“Hey,” Johnna says and I turn my head toward her. “I know we’re strangers and there’s no reason to trust me, but I promise this thing works magic. When I crash landed on Bohna, I almost died. Vornak saved me. You’ll barely feel a thing.”

I shift my gaze to Kyler.

“I will be by your side the entire time you are in there if you want to remain,” he says. “If not, we will return to the village. It is whatever you are most comfortable with doing.”

For twenty-seven years every decision of my life had been made for me. What time I went to bed. What I ate. What I wore. Who my friends were even though none of them were real friends. It wasn’t until I learned the truth about what happened to Amelia did I start to rebel and make my own decisions. Most of them were pretty shitty ones that led to nothing but trouble, including the entire reason I’m on Tavikh in the first place.

Although, aside from getting kidnapped, life here hasn’t been that bad. It brought me a husband—a mate—after all. The fact that Kyler isn’t pressuring me one way or another, but is leaving the choice to proceed or not up to me means more than he’ll ever know.

I swallow. “Let’s do this.”

Vornak nods. “I will let your mate remove your splint and help you into the pod.”

Kyler approaches and the Bohnari healer returns to Johnna’s side. I stare up at my mate as he helps me out of my sling.

“Thank you for being here.”

He carefully unwinds the sinew keeping the twigs and branches strapped around my arm. “There is no place else I would rather be. You are my keeshla . The other half of my soul. Where you go, I go.”

Son of a bitch. He’s going to make me cry. I sniff back the tears and swing my leg up into the coffin egg. Kyler takes my hand and I use him for balance and to push myself back until my entire body is inside. I don’t take my eyes off him as I lay back and rest my head in the gel cushion. Our eyes stay locked together even when Vornak lowers the lid and encloses me inside. The sharp sound of a lock engaging makes me flinch. I watch every breath my man takes and match my breathing to his. He’s far calmer than I am.

Like Vornak said, a blue line I can only assume is the scanner runs over my body from head to toe. I hear a few beeps now and then, but otherwise it’s completely quiet. Eerily so. It’s like I’m inside a type of sensory deprivation tank. There’s another beep and then the warmth seeps into my arm. Sure enough a tingling sensation follows right on its heels. It almost tickles and I try not to shift or move in any way. It would be just my luck that the machine knits my bones together all wonky.

I don’t know how long I lie here, but finally my arm cools, and the tingling stops. The same blue light from before runs over me, and a single beep sounds. Then the lock disengages and with a pneumatic hiss, it slowly flips open. Kyler places a hand behind my back and helps me sit up. I swing my legs over the side and let them dangle.

Vornak comes over and gestures to my arm lying in my lap. “May I?”

I nod and he picks it up. Gently, he prods it, and I wait for the pain, but there’s nothing. Not even a twinge.

“Wiggle your fingers for me, please.”

I do what he asks and even twist my forearm side to side without prompting. Nothing. Well, hot damn. “It feels great. Not a single ache or anything. It’s like it was never broken.”

“Push against my hand,” Vornak prompts and holds up his arm.

I move to do what he says, but Kyler gives me his palm instead. I blink and glance at the Bohnari healer. who smirks and steps back. I lay my hand on my mate’s and gently push. When nothing happens, I press harder, bracing for the stabbing pain, but there’s nothing except the pressure of my palm against his. I relax my muscles and thread my fingers through his with a smile.

“Good as new.”

“I am glad, keeshla .”

Kyler helps me hop down and we turn toward Vornak and Johnna. “Thank you for everything.”

“It’s my pleasure,” he says. “If there is nothing more I may help you with, my heart’s fire is anxious to be reunited with her friend.”

“Absolutely.” We all head toward the med room exit. “I can’t wait to see Eloise’s face when she sees you.”

Kyler and I leave the Bohnari ship and make our way back to the village with Johnna and Vornak. The past two days don’t feel real. How many people can say they not only met a new alien species, but also had a broken bone fixed by some high-tech machine in something like fifteen minutes? Even better? I had a hot make-out session with my man who gave me one of the best orgasms I’ve ever had. God knows how much better it’ll be when we actually have sex.

Five days ago, I thought I was going to die. I glance over at Kyler and then up to the sky.

Thanks, Lia. You were right. He came .