5. Loelle

five

Loelle

The sounds and the smells of the Scrap District assault us as we step into the cramped street. Rough voices shout, alien languages and music spilling into the narrow, garbage-strewn road. I feel Finzar tense beside me, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike. His pale eyes dart between the different alien races. Not with wonder, but with cold calculation. His every movement, every glance, speaks of barely restrained violence he is prepared to unleash.

I tug him through the crowded street, my fingers entwined with his. His touch is firm. Possessive even, especially compared to when we were alone before. The brands that mar his blue skin tell a story of pain and endurance. He is not just the most lethal weapon of the Nexus. He's a victim too.

As we navigate the chaos, I notice his eyes narrowing at anyone who looks at me for too long. His lean muscular form radiates danger, causing even the toughest looking alien to give us a wide berth. It's both thrilling and terrifying to see this side of him outside the shelter of the Nexus.

"Are you all right?" he asks, his voice a low growl that sends shivers down my spine. There's genuine concern in his tone, but also a hint of something darker, as if he's ready to tear apart anyone who's caused me distress.

I nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat. "Just… remembering," I say quietly.

Finzar's jaw clenches, a shadow of fury passing over his face. "I'll make them pay," he snarls, his voice barely above a whisper.

His words fill me with a strange sense of security. This man, who's been the dark blade of the Nexus for years, is now ready to burn it all down for me. The thought is as exhilarating as it is terrifying.

We push through the crowd, weaving between aliens of all shapes and sizes. There are tall, lanky Ysarians with their rainbow-hued tentacles and bulky, four-armed Malaxians. Each time someone brushes too close to me, I feel Finzar's grip tighten, his body tensing as if ready for a fight.

As we walk, I notice a few groups eyeing us warily. They're keeping their distance, but I can tell they're on high alert. Finzar's presence is like a dark cloud, promising violence to anyone who dares approach.

"Is something wrong?" Finzar asks, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes scan the crowd, clearly looking for threats.

I shake my head, pushing down the feeling of being watched. "No, everything's fine. Just stay close, okay?"

Finzar nods, his expression grim. "I won't let anyone harm you," he says, and I believe him. The intensity in his eyes tells me he'd tear apart anyone who tried.

We finally reach the entrance to my hideout, an unassuming building sandwiched between two ramshackle taverns. The neon sign is half-buried in the rubble of a derelict building, the words Harmony's Hideaway barely visible. The only letters that work leading to the hideout's name: Harms Way… my crew's favorite joke.

I pull Finzar through the front door, which is barely hanging on its hinges, and lead him to the basement. The stairway is dark and narrow, the stone steps cracked and uneven. As we descend the crumbling stairs, I feel Finzar's presence close behind me, his breath warm on my neck. It sends a shiver down my spine, but I'm not sure if it's from fear or excitement.

"Home sweet home," I mutter, flicking on the lights. The basement comes to life, revealing a cluttered space filled with mismatched furniture and crates of contraband. "It's not much, but it's safe."

Finzar's eyes roam the room, his gaze sharp and calculating. He moves with predatory grace, running his fingers along the edge of a metal shelf.

"Three potential weapons here," he mutters, almost to himself. His eyes flick to the far corner. "Those crates should provide cover if needed."

He strides to the door, testing its strength with a firm push. "Decent enough, but we should reinforce it," he says, his tone matter-of-fact.

I watch, fascinated and a little unnerved, as he continues his assessment. He's not just looking at my hideout; he's fortifying it in his mind, preparing for any threats.

Finally, he turns back to me, his pale eyes intense. "It's perfect," he says softly, but his stance remains tense, ready for action. "We can work with this."

The adrenaline of our escape is finally wearing off, and I suddenly feel the full weight of exhaustion and pain. My legs buckle, but Finzar catches me before I fall. His grip is firm, almost painful.

"Loelle!" His voice is thick with concern, but there's an edge to it, like he's angry at the world for daring to hurt me. "You're hurt worse than you let on."

I try to brush it off, but he's already guiding me to a worn-out couch. His movements are efficient, almost clinical, but I can see the rage simmering beneath the surface. I direct him to a medickit, and he tends to my wounds. His touch is surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to the violence I know he's capable of.

"Loelle…" Finzar's fingers hover over the angry, blistered skin, and I see a murderous glint in his eyes. "This should never have happened to you," he says, his voice low and dangerous.

His jaw clenches, and I watch as a storm of emotions flashes across his face. Anger, guilt, and something that looks like long-buried pain.

"I've seen these brands countless times," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've even… administered them. But seeing them on you…" He trails off, his hands clenching into fists.

"Finzar," I say softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "It's okay. You didn't do this."

He shakes his head, his eyes distant. "No, but I've done worse. For years, I believed in the Nexus. I thought I was serving a higher purpose, bringing enlightenment through pain. Now I feel only disdain for them." His laugh is bitter, hollow. "What a fool I was. May the gods pity us."

"What changed?" I ask, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Finzar's eyes meet mine, and the intensity in them takes my breath away. "You," he says simply. "Seeing you resist, seeing your strength… it awakened something in me. Memories I'd long buried."

He takes a deep breath, and I can see the effort it takes for him to continue. "I was just a child, an orphan, when my uncle sold me to the Nexus. They promised salvation, purpose. Instead, they broke me, remade me into their weapon." His voice hardens. "But you… you reminded me of who I was before. Of the child who dreamed of the stars, not of inflicting pain."

His fingers trace the outline of my brand, featherlight. "The Nexus must fall," he says, his voice filled with grim determination. "Not just for what they did to you, but for all the lives they've destroyed. For the child I was, and for every other innocent they've twisted to their cause."

I feel a lump in my throat, overwhelmed by the raw emotion in his voice. "We'll bring them down," I promise. "Together."

Finzar nods, his eyes blazing with a fierce light. "Together," he agrees. "I've spent years as their blade. Now, I'll be the knife at their throat and I'll paint the desert red with their blood if that's what it takes."

His words should terrify me, but instead, they send a thrill through my body. I reach out, cupping his face in my hand. "Thank you," I whisper, the words feeling inadequate for the depth of my gratitude. "You could have left me in there, but you didn't. I'll never forget what you sacrificed for me."

Our eyes lock, and suddenly the air between us feels charged. My pulse races as his gaze rakes over my body, taking in every inch of me. A low growl rumbles in his chest, a primal sound of desire. Without thinking, I lean in, our lips meeting in a fiery kiss.

As his lips claim mine, his hands grip my waist, pulling me against him. The kiss is hungry, urgent. His fangs scrape my lower lip, drawing blood. I gasp at the sharp pain, but it only intensifies the fire coursing through my veins.

He lifts me easily, and I wrap my legs around his waist, the pain of my injuries a distant memory. I can feel the hard planes of his muscles beneath my fingers, and it only makes me want him more. He sets me on the counter, his hands roaming over my body as he devours me with his kisses.

His lips find the sensitive spot below my ear, and I moan, my body responding to his touch. He growls again; the sound vibrating against my skin. His teeth nip at my delicate flesh, and the slight pain only heightens the pleasure. As his lips explore my neck, his hands move lower, deftly undoing the ties of my robe.

The basement door crashes open with a resounding bang, startling Finzar and me apart.

"Loelle! Drix! You're back! You won't believe the haul we—" Leera's excited voice cuts off abruptly as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. Her iridescent antennae twitch erratically, and the sweet scent of her surprise pheromones fills the air, a clear sign of her shock.

The room freezes, the sudden silence deafening after the cacophony of their entrance. My crew stands there, a tableau of stunned faces, mouths agape. Their eyes dart between me, half-naked and covered in angry red wounds and bruises, and Finzar, his blue skin a stark contrast to the dingy surroundings. The scars that crisscross his body tell a story of their own. The horrors etched into my skin are only a fraction of what he has endured.

For a heartbeat, nobody moves. The only sound is the soft hum of the ancient air recycler struggling to keep up.

Then all hell breaks loose.

"Loelle!" Zax'r's bellow reverberates through the small space. Our Baelarian muscle towers over the others, his four eyes narrowing dangerously as they lock onto Finzar. Each of his four massive arms tenses, rippling with barely contained fury. "Get away from her, you Nexus scum!"

Before I can react, Zax'r charges forward, all four arms reaching for Finzar. His heavy footsteps shake the floor, sending empty bottles and discarded data pads clattering. Panic surges through me, and I try to leap to my feet, but the pain from my injuries slows me down.

Finzar, however, moves with lightning speed. In a blur of motion that my eyes can barely follow, he intercepts Zax'r mid-charge. Before anyone can blink, Finzar has the much larger Baelarian pinned against the wall, one hand wrapped around Zax'r's throat with terrifying strength.

"Touch her," Finzar growls, his voice dripping with menace, "and I'll tear you apart." The cold fury in his eyes makes it clear this is no idle threat.

The room falls silent once more, the air thick with tension and fear. I can hear Zax'r's labored breathing, see the shock in my crew's eyes. Kuran's cybernetic eye whirs frantically, no doubt assessing the threat level. Leera's antennae have flattened against her head, a sign of extreme distress.

I force myself to my feet, ignoring the pain that shoots through my body. Placing a hand on Finzar's arm, I feel the coiled strength beneath his skin, ready to unleash violence at a moment's notice. "It's okay," I murmur, trying to keep my voice calm and steady. "They're friends, Finzar. My crew."

For a moment, I'm not sure if he'll listen. Then, slowly, Finzar releases Zax'r, who slumps against the wall, gasping for air. But Finzar doesn't back away. His stance remains protective, positioning himself between me and the others.

"What in the desert hells is going on, Loelle?" Kuran demands, his voice a mix of confusion and anger. "You disappear after heading out on a job with Drix, and now you're back with… with him?" His cybernetic eye focuses on Finzar, scanning him up and down.

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of their stares. "It's a long story," I begin, my voice shaky. "But first I have terrible news… Drix is dead."

The words hang in the air like a physical presence, and I watch as shock and grief wash over my crew's faces. Leera's hand flies to her mouth, her green skin paling to an ashen hue.

"How?" she whispers, her voice barely audible.

"Dune Marauders ambushed us," I explain, the words feeling like shards of glass in my throat. "They blasted Drix and chased me into Crimson Ridge. I crashed, and the Nexus found me."

As I speak, I feel Finzar's hand on the small of my back, a gesture of support that doesn't go unnoticed by the others. Part of me knows I should be horrified by Finzar's behavior. But another part—a part I'm not entirely comfortable acknowledging—is thrilled by his possessiveness.

"But Finzar," I continue, gesturing to him with our joined hands, "he saved me. He risked everything to get me out. Without him, I'd be dead or worse."

The silence that follows is deafening. My crew's eyes dart between Finzar and me, a myriad of emotions playing across their faces—concern, confusion, suspicion.

The silence stretches on, heavy with unspoken questions and lingering suspicion. Finally, Leera breaks the tension, her antennae twitching nervously.

"You both look exhausted," she says softly. "And starved. Let me prepare some food while you explain… everything."

I nod gratefully, feeling the gnawing hunger in my belly. As Leera busies herself in our makeshift kitchen, the rest of us gather around the battered table in the center of the room. Finzar sits close to me, his body angled protectively. The others maintain a wary distance, their eyes never leaving him for long.

As we wait for the food, I explain about the Solstice ritual. Finzar interjects occasionally, filling in details I don't know.

"The Nexus believe they can bring back the sun gods," I say, watching my crew's reactions carefully. "They think it will return the rain to Aridium and elevate their power."

Kuran scoffs, his cybernetic eye whirring as he processes the information. "Sounds like religious nonsense to me. There's no such thing as sun gods."

Finzar's eyes narrow dangerously. "Do not be so quick to dismiss what you don't understand," he growls. "There is a darkness in Crimson Ridge, a power that defies explanation. I've seen things…" He trails off, a shadow passing over his face.

"What kind of things?" Zax'r asks, his four arms crossed defensively over his chest.

Finzar is quiet for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Rituals that bend reality. Sacrifices that feed something… ancient. Whether or not you call them gods, there are forces at work in the Ridge that should not be trifled with."

A chill runs down my spine at his words. The certainty in his voice is unsettling. The crew exchange uneasy glances.

Leera returns with plates of steaming food—a hodgepodge of whatever supplies we had on hand. As we eat, the discussion continues. My crew peppers us with questions, their wariness slowly giving way to curiosity and concern.

"So what's the plan?" Kuran asks finally, pushing his empty plate away. "We can't just let the Nexus summon these… whatever they are."

I exchange a look with Finzar. "We're going to stop them," I say firmly. "We're going to bring down the Nexus and end this once and for all."

There's silence as my words sink in. Then, to my surprise, Zax'r nods. "I'm in," he rumbles.

One by one, the others agree. They're still wary of Finzar, still processing everything they've learned. But they trust me, and for now, that's enough.

Kuran's cybernetic eye whirs as he processes the information. "Zax'r and I will work on a plan," he says, determination clear in his voice. "We'll have something by morning."

Zax'r nods, his four arms flexing. "We've pulled off crazier heists. This is just… a different kind of job."

Leera steps forward, her antennae twitching with purpose. "I'll start reaching out to my contacts in the underground," she says. "If the Nexus is moving, someone's bound to have heard something. I might be able to get us some insider information by dawn."

I nod, grateful for her quick thinking. Leera's network of informants has saved our skins more times than I can count.

"Good idea," I say, trying to keep the exhaustion from my voice. "We should all get some rest while we can. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

My eyes meet Finzar's, and a jolt of electricity runs through me. He must sense it too, because his gaze intensifies, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I'll show Finzar where he can sleep," I add, keeping my tone casual despite the racing of my heart.

As we walk toward my quarters, I'm acutely aware of Finzar's presence behind me. The others might suspect something, but I don't care. Right now, all I can think about is the man following me and the uncertain future ahead of us.

We reach the door to my room, and I pause, my hand on the handle. I turn to face Finzar, my voice low. "It's not much, but it's private. We can talk more freely here."

Finzar nods, his eyes never leaving mine. As we step inside and the door clicks shut, the pretense falls away. Talking is the last thing on my mind.

My small room is dim, lit only by the soft glow of bioluminescent plants. As I look at Finzar in this intimate space, a flood of emotions washes over me.

This might be our only night together. Our last night, if things go wrong tomorrow. If this is all we have, I'm going to make it count.

Finzar steps closer, his presence filling my small room.

"Loelle," he murmurs, my name a caress on his lips.

As we drift toward each other, the outside world fades away. The looming threat of the Nexus, the uncertainty of tomorrow, it all falls away.

We have until dawn to lose ourselves in each other, and I intend to savor every moment with him. Finzar. He's not sun scum now. Now he's my sun, and I'm ready to burn for him.