Dante’s eyebrows crease and I don’t think the word has translated.
“He is a psychopath,” he says instead.Thatword translates for me. “He was about to lose his command when we came through the worm hole.”
“And he didn’t?”
“We needed all the power we could muster not to fall prey to those in this galaxy,” Dante says. “Dalox let him keep it. He appointed himself chief of security for the planet, and now we all play his games.”
“But he came to our assistance when we were taken by the cockroach aliens. He helped Dexx,” I say, confused.
“It is always at a price. One maybe Darax and Dexx were prepared to pay,” Dante says with a huff of smoke. “Or maybe Driok will demand payment at a later date.”
“Seems exhausting.”
“I doubt he ever sleeps.” Dante rolls around the door frame and into my quarters, his tail lashing behind him. “Although he will have a good headache after our recent encounter.”
“He will?”
Dante grins, and I see the chaos within him. It makes my heart beat a little faster.
“He always thinks he has an answer for everything, but not this time. This time he got a good dose of paraxio I’ve been saving especially for him.”
“Was that wise?”
“If it means I get a new scout ship, I’ll do what I need to do,” Dante says, carefully caging me against the bulkhead as the door to my quarters closes. “Because I have to leave to do business in the stars, and I want you with me.” He slides a clawed finger under my chin, tilting it up so he can press a kiss to my lips. “I don’t ever want to be without you, my little flame.”
“You want to take me intospace?”
All of my body is on fire, not just with his proximity and his spicy scent but with this new idea.
“I want to show you the stars, my mate,” Dante says. “I want to fly within them with you at my side.”
My stomach flips over. How can I admit to him how terrified I am of leaving the relative safety of this planet to go into the vacuum of space again?
It’s not like my experiences so far have been great.
He leans in once again, his stunning eyes studying my face, the scent of him filling my nostrils, his huge form in no way a threat.
“What is wrong, little mate?”
“I-It’s just every time I’ve been off world, it hasn’t been…fun.”
Dante blinks slowly as he takes in my words. And then he starts to purr. Purring has become his default with me. I rarelyhave a moment when this huge Sarkarnii warlord is not purring. Now he’s started, I’m pretty sure he can’t stop, even if he wanted to, and with Dante, I know he doesn’t want to.
Thing is, I don’t want him to stop either. I love his purr. It surrounds me, encompasses me, makes me feel entirely cocooned.
“I will make it fun. We will be visiting other planets, and you are already a seasoned traveller,” he says.
“That’s one way of describing being abducted.” I laugh.
“When we get our new scout ship, you will see how wonderful the stars are, my heartsfire,” Dante purrs. “I want to show you them all, show you what my crew do when they are not here, and show you the key to our salvation.”
ROSALIE
“We won’t be gone long,” I say to Della, who has a lip on her which I fear might turn into full blown sniffles. “And Dart is going to be here the whole time.” I nod over at Dante’s second in command who is leaning against a wall, his arms folded.
“Don’t want Dart, want you,” Della says.
“But Dart gives you snacks.” I lean in a little closer. “And he told me he’d help you climb the wall in the atrium,” I whisper.
