I kissed his chest; just a peck at first. Then higher, finding warm skin above his collar. I rose on my tiptoes and traced soft kisses along his neck, then his jawline, tasting salt and sandalwood. I wrapped my arms around his back, slipping them under his shirt and drawing my fingernails down his spine.
I felt him flex his hips, something familiar growing beneath his beltline.
“Kira.” His voice had gone rough, lower than before. “We have an hour before we exit slipspace. I’m not sure we have time for this.”
“We have time,” I whispered, rising onto my toes to nibble the lobe of his ear.
A soft, involuntary moan slipped from him, his breath hitching as his hands tightened at my waist.
“I’m carrying more stress than I ever have in my life,” I murmured, pressing closer, letting him feel exactly what he was doing to me. One hand slid from his back, trailing slowly down his arm, tracing muscleand heat. “You’ve lived with life-and-death decisions for so long. I was hoping you could help me… clear my head. Just a little.”
My fingers reached his hand, lacing with his, grounding us both. I felt his hesitation ripple through the tether. Love, care. Control.
He lifted a brow as I guided his hand back to my waist, then lower, letting him feel my pulse racing beneath his palm.
“Just something small,” I said softly, meeting his eyes. “Enough to take the edge off.”
I nudged his hand into place and held his gaze as he nodded, pupils darkening. The tether flared with lust and understanding. Consent. Affection. A steady, unwavering devotion that made my chest ache.
“Anything for you, my love,” he murmured, leaning in.
His fingers slid between my legs, slow and sure, as his mouth captured mine. The contact stole my breath completely. Heat coiled low in my body as my muscles tensed, my knees threatening to give out. I clutched at his shirt, desperate for balance, for him.
His free arm wrapped around me instantly, strong and supportive, fingers tracing the small of my back before gripping my hip to keep me upright. He didn’t rush. He didn’t take more than I offered. He simply stayed right there, steady and relentless, until sensation built and built—
Until anxiety, fear, and uncertainty melted together into something molten and bright.
A loud, broken moan tore from my throat as the pressure finally crested. My body shuddered, and the release hit like a breaking wave, hot and overwhelming, followed immediately by a wash of calm so deep it left me trembling. Through the tether came Vaelix’s quiet satisfaction, his relief at feeling my tension dissolve.
I sagged into his chest, breath coming slow and unsteady.
He gently guided me back to my feet and kissed me deeply, unhurriedly, grounding me in my body.
“Better?” he asked, his voice rumbling against my ear.
“Much,” I breathed, still catching myself.
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Good. I need you sharp out there.”
I grinned against his chest. “Trust me. I feel incredible. Like I could take on the whole damn galaxy.”
He smiled, warm and knowing. “This feeling won’t last forever. But remember it when things get hard. What you’re doing matters. And this—” he tapped my forehead lightly “—is your plan.”
I nodded, steady now.
“I believe in you,” he said quietly. “We all do.”
As his words settled, trust surged through the tether. A collective presence. Support. Faith.
“They know?” I asked softly.
“Of course,” he replied. “The tether allows individual experiences to be shared with the group. We share everything, Kira. That’s why our bond is so strong.”
The idea should have embarrassed me. Instead, it felt right. Honest. Like there was nothing I needed to hide from any of them.
A shrill whistle cut through the ship’s comm system. Yellow alert lights flared, then cycled to red.
We both looked up, then back at each other.
