Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

W raith gripped the controls tightly as he piloted the ship away from Radlin, his jaw clenched, his muscles taut with tension. The familiar hum of the engines usually brought him comfort, but now the sound felt distant and hollow. His chest ached where Zalek had tried to slash him, but the metal threads woven into his shirt had protected him. He deserved much worse for letting her fall into Zalek's hands.

Images kept flashing through his mind - Willow strapped to that stretcher, her torn clothing, the blood on her skin. His chest constricted painfully. He'd almost been too late. If he hadn't gotten there when he did…

The memories he'd blocked for so long battered against his mind, threatening to break through, but he forced back the onslaught. Now was not the time to lose control. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. One task at a time. Get away from Radlin. Set the autopilot. Return to Willow.

But it didn't help. The smell of smoke lingered on his clothing, awakening memories of that other fire. Smoke. Screams. His mother's face, contorted in agony.

No. He couldn't let himself go there. Not now. Not when Willow needed him.

The ship's warning system beeped, alerting him to an incoming vessel, and adrenaline spiked through his body. He forced himself to focus, checking the readings. Just a routine cargo freighter, no threat. He adjusted course slightly to give it a wide berth, but his heart rate refused to slow.

She's all right , he kept telling himself. She's safe. I found her.

Thanks so Drax. As soon as he'd left the ship, he'd raced back to the Zethinae's office. He stormed in, not bothering to hide his fury behind his usual icy mask.

"Zalek. Where is he?"

Drax frowned at him, cautious but not intimidated by his rage.

"I'm not sure. I've heard rumors-"

"I need to know. Now. I don't care what it costs. He has my female."

Drax nodded abruptly and picked up a communication device, his face grim. Within minutes he had runners moving throughout the port.

While they waited, Wraith prowled the small office like a caged animal, his mind racing with possibilities, each worse than the last. The thought of Willow in Zalek's clutches, terrified and alone, sent agony searing through his chest. Drax watched him, but didn't attempt to calm him down.

He knew he was destroying his reputation as a cold, emotionless hunter, but he couldn't bring himself to care. All that mattered was finding Willow. The minutes stretched on endlessly as he waited for information. Reports started to come in, Drax sorting through the information before finally coming up with an answer.

"There's a warehouse on the southern edge of the port. Zalek's shown an interest in it recently although I don't know-"

But he was gone, running out the door before Drax had finished speaking. His heart pounded in his ears, terror driving him on.

Hold on, Willow , he thought fiercely. I'm coming .

His heart was still racing when he reached the warehouse district. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to tear through the area, ripping doors off hinges until he found Willow, but years of training and discipline kicked in, forcing him to slow his pace and think strategically.

He pulled out his scanner, sweeping it across the buildings. The busy front area teemed with activity, but he doubted Zalek would risk such exposure. He moved quickly towards the deserted structures at the outskirts, focused on the scanner.

As he rounded a corner, it picked up two heat signatures in a dilapidated building. He'd never felt such a terrifying mix of hope and dread before.

Focus , he commanded himself. This isn't just another hunt. It's everything .

He couldn't risk a direct approach, terrified that Zalek would simply kill her. Instead he crept towards a neighboring structure, his movements fluid and silent despite his inner turmoil. He scaled the wall with practiced ease, pulling himself onto the roof. From there, he had a clear view of his target – a weathered warehouse with boarded doors.

He moved silently across the rooftop until he reached the edge. There was a wide gap between the buildings but in any other situation, he would have cleared it without a second thought. This time he was terrified, not for himself, but for what would happen to her if he failed.

He shook his head, banishing the hesitation, then leapt across the gap. His feet hit the roof and he rolled to absorb the impact and muffle the sound of his landing. There was no sign that his presence had been detected and he crept cautiously towards a grimy skylight, peering down into the gloom below.

He spotted the corner of a stretcher and a familiar foot and his heart constricted. There she was. Then Zalek came into view, circling her, and everything disappeared except a single, consuming thought - I have to save her.

I did save her , he reminded himself, his hands clenching on the ship's controls. They were free of Radlin now. He should go to her.

Instead he remained paralyzed at the controls as the memories he'd been fighting so hard to avoid crashed down over him. The acrid smell of smoke filled his nostrils, and suddenly he wasn't on his ship anymore. He was a boy again, small and terrified, creeping through a burning building.

His mother's face swam before him, bruised and bloodied. Her purple eyes, so like his own, wide with fear.

"Run," she whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming. But he couldn't leave her, not with those men still there, their cruel laughter echoing through the flames.

His chest constricted, each breath a struggle. He could feel the heat of the fire on his skin, hear the crackle of burning wood. The memory of his helplessness threatened to overwhelm him.

A gentle touch on his arm jolted him back to the present. Willow stood beside him, her hair damp, her face scrubbed clean.

"Wraith," she said softly, "It's all right. I'm safe."

He stared at her, the nightmarish images still swirling in his mind.

"I should have been stronger," he said, the words scraping against his raw throat. "I should have saved her."

Understanding dawned in Willow's eyes, followed by sorrow.

"I'm so sorry."

He swallowed hard, trying to regain control, and she put her arms around him, holding him protectively. After everything she'd been through, she was the one trying to comfort him.

"I love you," he blurted out, his voice rough. The words felt foreign on his tongue, but the truth of them settled into his bones.

She looked up at him, tears sparkling in her eyes as she gave him a radiant smile.

"I love you too," she whispered.

The simple declaration made him feel like his chest might burst open from the sheer enormity of the feeling. Unable to find the words, he reached for her instead. As soon as their lips met, need roared through him, as hot and powerful as the flames that had surrounded them. He dragged her onto his lap, his mouth devouring hers, his tongue plunging past her lips to tangle with hers. She returned the kiss eagerly, her fingers threading through his hair and sending shivers of desire through him.

"I need you," he growled.

"Yes."

His cock throbbed an urgent rhythm and he barely retained enough control to hit the door control, sealing them into the cockpit, before his mouth descended over hers again, his hands seeking the small perfect mounds of her breasts. She gasped, rocking eagerly against his cock in response. The heat of her, even through her clothes and his, drove him wild. He fumbled with the top of her gown, desperate to bare her to his hungry gaze.

He pushed it down impatiently, revealing her taut pink-tipped breasts - and the line of small white bandages. He froze, horrified that he had momentarily forgotten her injuries.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked immediately, and he shuddered.

"I'm sorry. I did not consider your condition."

"Condition?"

She followed his gaze and understanding dawned on her face. She took his hand and brought it back to her breast. His fingers flexed automatically, unable to resist that sweet temptation, and the stiff peak of her nipple pressed against his palm.

"I want you to touch me," she said quietly. "I need to know that I'm safe and loved and that we're together."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. Now are you going to stop worrying and make love to me properly or am I going to have to do all the work myself?"

She rocked teasingly against his rigid shaft again, and he pushed aside his doubts. He bent her back over his arm, taking a sweet, tempting little nipple in his mouth, licking and sucking as she wiggled impatiently against him. He gave her other breast the same attention, feasting on her until she was trembling with need.

He slipped one hand beneath her gown, his hand traveling up her thigh until he found the swollen bud of flesh that brought her pleasure, circling it until she cried out, her body quivering.

"Please, Wraith."

He continued to caress her with one hand as he freed his erection with the other, his frills already fluttering with anticipation.

He lifted her over him, the slick heat of her cunt teasing the head of his cock as she rocked against him. He groaned at the sensation, gripping her hips to still her. He'd been so obsessed with making sure she was ready for him he hadn't considered his own precarious state of control.

Gritting his teeth he slowly lowered her down over him, her body stretching to accommodate the wide head of his cock before finally taking him inside. Her wet heat enveloped him, the pressure and friction drawing a guttural groan from his throat as his frills caressed her.

"Oh, god, yes," she moaned, rising up to sink back down again, taking him deeper.

He nearly lost control right then, but he managed to restrain himself and let her ride him, impaling her body on his cock again and again, her head thrown back, her cheeks flushed with pleasure. His muscles trembled with the effort of remaining still, of watching her pleasure herself with his body.

He'd never seen anything as beautiful as she was at this moment. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted, her hair a wild cloud around her. His heart raced as emotion washed over him, more intense than any physical pleasure could be.

She cried out as her climax took her, her channel convulsing around his cock, and all hope of control vanished. He surrendered to the hunger, pulling her down over him as he thrust upwards into her, faster and faster until he shuddered, his release sweeping over him in long, shuddering waves, shaking him to the core, and leaving him panting and utterly sated.

She collapsed against him, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

She sounded as dazed and happy as he felt, and he tightened his grip as he gazed out at the vast expanse of stars. A sense of peace washed over him, unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. The warmth of her body against his, the gentle rhythm of her breathing - it all felt so right, so perfect.

The sudden chime of an incoming call broke through the tranquil moment. He winced as he recognized the source of the call, remembering his promise to Drax. He reluctantly reached for the communication panel, bracing himself for an immediate assignment.

To his surprise, the trader's gruff voice held a note of concern. "Did you find your mate?"

Mate. The word sent an unexpected thrill through his body. He tightened his hold on her, savoring the feeling.

"Yes," he said quietly. "I am in your debt."

Drax grunted, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Yes. But I think I will hold that debt in reserve until it is needed."

With that, the communication ended. He looked down at her, her eyes warm and loving, still stunned that she had changed his world so completely.

"What shall we do now, my love?" he asked softly.