8. ZOE

Eric and Peter had reserved one of the few single occupancy cabins for me, and I suppose I should have been grateful for it, but part of me despised this show of power over the others who bunked off in six- and ten-person cabins, sharing communal bathrooms.

"It's a perk that comes with being a leader." Peter winked.

Eric took it one step further. "I'm willing to share mine with you."

"I'm good." I sighed, vanishing into the cabin before either one became too much of a nuisance. I already guessed a competition between them for me because we were the leaders now, and whoever aligned himself with me would have even more power.

Too much, I thought, leaning against the closed door. It was all just too much.

My head spun from all the events beginning with the Cryon's invasion of Earth. Ever since then, my life had been spiraling. One thing happened after the next, leaving me to react or die.

The few stolen moments with Raasla had been a gift. For a little while, I had forgotten everything.

I could still feel his hands on me, his cock inside me.

I knew it had been a one-time thing, but fuck, it had been good, and God help me, I wouldn't say no if he offered again. And again. Part of me even yearned for it.

He was the most arrogant man I had ever met. The most infuriating one too. The type of man I had always stayed away from. The one whose company might promise fun and adventure but not a secure future.

I snorted at that. Secure future? I guessed that went out the window the moment the Cryons invaded Earth. Or was that just my horny self trying to talk me into going for another round?

I didn't know. I was tired. Exhausted. At the end of my rope.

The singular occupancy cabin wasn't large, about twenty by twenty feet, with a small side door leading into a small bathroom with a shower, sink combination, and a toilet.

The main room offered a bed on one side and a table and a chair on the other. I suspected I would find some hidden closet space like Raasla had shown me in his room, but I was too tired to hunt for it now. Same with trying to figure out what the large screen on the last wall was supposed to do.

I simply fell on the bed, put my arm over my eyes, and closed them.

I didn't think I even had time to drift off when a searing pain ran through my arm and hip. My eyes ripped open, and I frantically clawed at the uniform covering me to find the source. Expecting to see my skin on fire, the black lines crawling up and down were an even more horrifying sight. They looked exactly like the ones I watched appear over Raasla's arm and hip.

How had Raasla been able to move with that pain?

I lay bent into a pretzel on the bed, hyperventilating and wishing I was dead. I was sure having my arm doused in acid would have hurt less. Sweat ran down my body, yet I felt freezing cold inside.

Time lost all meaning to me. It could have been a few minutes or hours, that I lay moaning and writhing in the worst pain I had ever endured, until suddenly, the door to my room opened, and Raasla stormed in. "Zoe?"

The door hadn't even closed behind him when he was by my side on the bed. "Zoe, what's wrong?"

My molar hurt so bad from grinding my teeth, but that pain was nothing compared to the agony running through me. I barely managed to hold up my arm for him to see before I tugged it back underneath my other, favoring it like a broken wing.

"By the stars, Zoe." He pried my arm free and inspected it, holding his against it. The markings were exactly the same.

He pushed me to the side and sat down on my bed. I didn't have the energy to protest or object, but then I was in his arms, and he cradled me like a child, hushing into my ear.

"Easy, little one, easy. Just breathe in deep. In and out. Just like that." I tried to concentrate on his mouth as he exaggerated his breathing, focused on copying it. It did seem to help some.

His hand stroked my hair. "There, it's alright. It'll be alright. Just breathe."

He kissed me tenderly on my sweaty forehead and wiped loose strands of hair from my face while his other hand drew reassuring circles on my back.

It helped.

As excruciating as the pain still was, it felt lighter, not as all-consuming as it had been before.

"When did… yours… stop?" I panted.

He knew what I meant. "It only lasted a few parsecs. It was bad, though."

If he admitted it was bad, I knew I was in for one hellish ride and just leaned into him, breathing in and out, throwing glances at my arm here or there to make sure it wasn't on fire or melting to the bone.

The lines kept forming, getting thicker and longer and winding elaborately up and down my forearm, twin lines to his. I didn't need to look at my side. I was sure the lines there would be the same as his as well.

"Why? What does this mean?" I managed when the pain slowly subsided, leaving only an echo of it behind.

The lines were now thick black tattoos. I would have called them pretty had they not caused so much suffering and still worried me. Raasla didn't seem worse for the wear from it. Not like this was the alien version of measles or something. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if there would be more and if they would kill me.

"It means you and I are bound now. You are my soulbond, and I am yours."

Is he kidding me? I wondered, staring up into his face. His very handsome face.

"What?"

"I only discovered it a little while ago, but it seems my ancestors formed soulbonds with their mates. The appearance of soulweb glyphs guided fated couples to one another."

"What?" I repeated myself. Did he mean he and I were married now?

A rush of what felt like warm oil moved through my veins and heated my tummy before it fluttered delightfully again. As gruff as he could be at times and for as little time as I had known him, the idea appealed to me on a deep, instinctual level.

I held my jubilation back, though, because as much as he was comforting me, he felt stiffer now. As if he didn't quite like the idea.

Too bad 'cause you're mine now. That thought came out of nowhere, but its intensity filled me with a whirlwind of emotions. Alongside my undeniable attraction to him, there was also a deep sense of possessiveness and longing that stirred within me.

I wanted him to look at me again the way he had before we had sex. The way he had looked at the silly woman in the mess hall.

"I understand that this notion might not be pleasing to you and probably confusing. It is new to me too," he said at length.

"I'm not sure yet…" So many things confused me about it. I held my arm up to his. Yep, exactly the same. Mirrored tattoos that… wait. I held my arm differently. Now the lines connected, making a circle. Not a perfect circle, but they connected.

"Why did you come here?" I asked, meaning why had he entered my cabin when he did.

He understood. His eyes took on a faraway look, and his jaw tightened. "It was as if you were calling me. Somehow, I knew you needed me."

Oh fuck. This whole soulweb thing was taking on a new dimension.

"You knew I needed you?" I repeated.

He nodded. "It was like a drive, an urge. I had to come see you."

"Wow." I wasn't sure what disturbed me more the fact that my subconscience mind seemed to have had decided that I needed him or the fact that we were now somehow connected.

He grunted his agreement, not looking pleased about it at all.

"So now what?"

"I will take you to Astrionis as promised, and from there, I will go to find out what this is." He indicated our tattoos.

"You will leave me there?" I checked, not liking the idea.

"You will be safe there."

"What if I have a… tummy ache or something? Will you come flying all the way back?"

It was meant as a joke, but my stomach somersaulted when he stared thoughtfully at me. "This is not your fight."

"And that's where you're wrong." I flared, pointing at the lines. "I didn't ask for this. I have as much right to find out what it means as you."

This time, his grunt reverberated all through his chest. He didn't like the idea of me going with him, and that… hurt.

"I'm sorry that whoever or whatever has fated you and me. I'm sure you would have preferred somebody other than me…" I broke off because yes, saying those words did hurt. Not like getting the damn soulweb things tattooed into my skin, but painful nevertheless. It wasn't just my pride either. It hurt my heart in ways that should have only been possible when a husband of twenty years or more told you he was leaving you because he met someone else. Totally illogical. But there it was.

His fingers brushed under my chin and lifted it gently. "Is that what has you so upset? You think I don't want you?"

I nodded miserably, letting go of the last hold of my pride and hating that my eyes moistened.

"Fuck," he exhaled hotly. "You're gonna make me say this, aren't you?" He looked decidedly put out, and I shrank a little further into myself.

He closed his eyes like someone might who was about to deliver the worst news to another person. I braced myself, balling my hands into fists. This would not hurt, it would not. I'm not that desperate that I fell for an alien after having the greatest sex of my life. This will not hurt!

"I wanted you the instant I entered the fucking cells and saw you. I got wounded." He rolled his shoulder to indicate where I had sealed his skin. "Because I was distracted by you."

He didn't look happy confiding this to me, but my heart let out a little stutter of hope.

"When we fucked, it was the most intense moment of my life. But it wasn't just the physical aspect of it. I felt connected to you."

My breathing shallowed, and my heart beat a little faster.

"Is that enough?"

I shook my head.

"Of course not. I didn't think you were one for simply sticking a knife in. You have to twist it as well."

The image he invoked made me grind my teeth harder to keep the more than inappropriate chuckle at bay that was rising in my throat. I pulled my lips in when they began to curl upward and bit on them for good measure.

"Don't look so pleased," he grunted, but a small smile curved his lips as well.