Chapter 9

NINE

Zanner

Voices filtered through the hazy fog of my mind. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt glued shut. I rested on something soft, and I curled my fingers into a blanket draped over my body.

What the hell? Where was I?

The last thing I remembered was the vikil bomb and passing out next to 005. My last thought had been that I failed Taki.

The voices seemed to grow louder, and the one sounded familiar. Very familiar.

Taki?

Despite my eyeballs feeling like sandpaper, I peeled back my eyelids to take in my surroundings. At first, I saw nothing but a dark gleaming wall, but then my gaze strayed to a panel of buttons and levers, lit up from beneath by neon lights. A large window showed distant stars and the blackness of space.

And sitting in a chair, talking to a screen showing an older Radian male, was Taki. I blinked, still unable to believe what I was seeing. We were both alive, safe, and in the cruiser away from Xal. Was this some afterlife dream?

"His number is 032," Taki was saying. "First name Zanner. Sur name…" she bit her lip. "I'm unsure."

I tried to speak, but my mouth was so dry, that nothing came out but air.

"He didn't do the crime, sire. And if it wasn't for him, I would have died on that planet."

Beeps and mutters could be heard through the cruiser's speakers. "Huki Carruxic was involved in this case." He huffed irritably. "Huki has been exiled for abusing his new mate's offspring. He has no sway anymore. I'll make some calls."

"Thank you, sire." Taki pressed her hands to her chest, pretty eyes gazing up at her sire.

"As for Tauran," her sire sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I had no idea of his intentions."

"It's over now," she said softly. I remembered the Radian male who'd pointed the vapor gun at her head after he'd deployed the vikil bomb. Was that Tauran? Who was he?

"And this Zanner…"

"He's my mate, sire." She jutted out her chin in that defiant way I loved. "My vettes chose him, and I do too."

"I'd like to speak to him."

This was going to suck. I was groggy, in pain, and was dying for some water, but I hauled myself onto my hands and knees. At the sounds of my moans, Taki's head whirled to face me. "Zanner!" she cried and rushed to my side. I tried to push her away, but I was too weak and too nauseous to have pride. She shoved a water bottle in my hand, and I upended half of it in my mouth before pouring some on my head.

Everything hurt. I could feel the myriad cuts and bruises all over my body from my fight with 005. When I reached for a particularly nasty gash on my shoulder, I noticed it was already bandaged. Taki helped me hobble over to the cockpit, she smiled. "I tended your wounds while you were out."

Fuck, the effects of the vikil bomb were a nightmare. I sank down into the seat Taki had vacated, embarrassed that this was how I had to meet her sire. I lifted my head and forced my eyes to focus while my stomach protested. I gripped the chair's arms so I didn't tip over.

Taki's sire was bald, his head adorned instead with a jeweled band. I could only see his waist up, and he wore a coat with fraxis buttons the size of Taki's pendant. "I'm Rudy Valance," he said.

I nodded. "Zanner Hawkins."

His head tilted. "Human surname."

"My mother gave it to me."

"Your sire?"

I swallowed as the resentment burned in my gut. "Radian but absent."

A muscle in Rudy's cheek twitched. "Taki told me you saved her life."

I glanced back at her. She beamed at me. "Seems she saved my life too by dragging me onto this cruiser."

"I heard about the vikil bomb."

I scratched the scruff on my face. "I'm sorry I'm not at my best right now."

Rudy sighed and whispered something to someone off screen. When he was finished, his gaze flitted between Taki and me. "My daughter has asked me for a favor. I owe her after the mistake I made with her ex-behooval. I will speak to my contacts at the RCE and get your sentence commuted. Despite your humian status, you are Taki's bonded mate, and I will support her."

I hadn't expected that. I'd assumed he'd shoot me on sight while scrambling to find his daughter another accepted behooval. I swallowed. "I… thank you."

"Call me again when you're approaching the dock. I will be there to greet you."

Taki nodded. "Yes, sire."

With another level look at me, the screen blinked to black.

I leaned back in my chair, a little stunned, while Taki scurried away. She returned with some crackers that I munched on as my stomach settled.

"What happened back there? I just remember a Radian male with a gun pointed at you."

"That was Tauran."

"And he is…?"

"My ex-behooval."

I stared. "I'm sorry, what? Why would he want you dead?"

She explained what he'd said to her, that he didn't want her but wanted to benefit from his association with her sire. He'd had to prove he'd at least tried to save her but had always intended on leaving her dead on Xal.

"And how did you get away from him?"

"An Erushik attacked him. While that was happening, I grabbed you and tugged you inside."

"005?"

"He tried to follow us. I kicked him away. I maybe have Tauran to thank for weakening him."

I let out a laugh that dissolved into coughing. I took another gulp of water as Taki leaned forward. "My sire will keep his promise. You and I can be together." Her eyes shone bright with happiness.

I still found it hard to believe her sire would in fact accept me. He likely was only telling her what she wanted to hear so she came home rather than ran away with me. As soon as we landed, I imagined I'd be cuffed and on the first shuttle back to Xal. No way would that wealthy Radian male allow his prized daughter to parade around with a humian on her arm. I nearly snorted at how ridiculous it was. As much as I wanted to steer this cruiser anywhere but Radix, I wouldn't do that to her. She was safest on her home planet, surrounded by her wealth. Anywhere else she'd be vulnerable.

So, I smiled back, ate my food, and prepared to spend my last moments with her in peace.

Days later as the ship docked, I did my best to quell my nerves. From the front window, I could see a contingent of important Radian males gathered. I recognized the robes of the council and the armor of the RCE. Looked like I was right. They were prepared to take me back to Xal.

Taki, however, was brimming with excitement. She clutched my hand as the cruiser jolted to a standstill. She looked ready to bolt to freedom with glee. How did I tell her that this wasn't going to go the way she expected?

"Taki," I said softly, tugging her toward me. "Hey."

She only gave me half her attention as she shifted on her feet and eyed the door eagerly. "Yeah?"

"Look at me."

Finally she swung her head, gorgeous eyes alight from within. I cupped her face and brushed my thumbs along her cheekbones. "No matter what happens out there, I have no regrets, okay?"

She cocked her head in confusion. "What?"

"Taki, I?—"

The door opened with a loud hiss, and she let out a delighted squeal before racing out of the cruiser. Her hand remained clutched in mine, and I savored the last moments of our touch.

"Sire!" she cried.

Rudy stood in front of two armed Traygers, a muscled species often used for private security. They were his personal staff as evidenced by the large V on their uniforms for Valance.

Behind him stood half a dozen armed RCE soldiers, and when they didn't immediately rush me and shove me to the ground, I frowned. My gait was slightly uneven as my thigh injury still hadn't healed. Taki gripped me tightly as she came to a bouncing stop in front of her sire. "I'm home," she beamed at him.

When he gathered her in his arms, my hand dropped from hers, and this was the moment I expected the Traygers or RCE to subdue me. They just needed us separate and then they'd pounce. I had hoped they wouldn't do it in front of Taki, but I was a humian who'd dared to touch an elite Radian female. Surely, I had to pay for this. I'd fight, but I wouldn't be a match for this many guards.

Suddenly, strong hands grabbed me, and I immediately began to struggle until I realized the hands belonged to Rudy. I went still as he drew me into an embrace. He stood about a foot shorter than me, so I stared above his head as he embraced me, and Taki who smiled at me.

"Welcome home, son," Rudy said.

I nearly swallowed my tongue.

As he pulled away, he took my hand and handed me a small tablet. On the screen was a picture of my face and credentials granting me Radix citizenship. My knees nearly buckled as I stared at the words, thinking I had to be delusional. Very few humians received citizenship to Radix. We lived here on borrowed time.

"Your mating to my Taki is acceptable. I looked into your crimes and there are…" he paused. "Discrepancies."

I glanced at the Traygers then at the RCE soldiers. "So, they're not… here to take me back?"

His ears twitched. "Is that what you think they are here for?"

"I was concerned, yes."

He smiled. "The RCE is here to ensure transfer. My guards are here to escort us home."

"Home?"

"Home!" Taki squealed as she grabbed my hand.

An RCE guard approached me and pulled out a small remote. He pressed a button, and with a solid clack, my ankle monitor dropped from my ankle. I had to deep breath through my nose so I didn't make a scene as victory coursed through my veins. I felt weightless .

I followed Taki with Rudy on our heels and the Trayger guards behind them. I didn't miss the disgusted looks from the RCE, but I also didn't give a flying fuck.

I had my mate, I had a home, and I no longer had to mine fraxis.

"Later," Rudy said in a low voice, "we will speak about the RCE. I'm concerned about your case, and I wonder if there are others that are similar."

There were. Plenty. "I look forward to that, sire."

He smiled while Taki tugged me toward the waiting hover car. "Aren't you glad you saved me now?" she said with a smile.

I pressed a kiss to her temple below her twitching ears. "I would have saved you even if it ended with me dead in the dirt on Xal. Every moment with you is worth my time."

"Good thing we have much more of it ahead." She spun on her heel, hopped into the hover car, and beckoned me to follow her.

I did. Like I always would.