Chapter 43
Sylvie was quiet as their ship skimmed over the waves. X said he had a surprise for her as they headed somewhere remote. Thoughts bombarded her as hard emotions beat against her insides and left her queasy.
Her ship was gone. Her last link with Earth, vanished. The enemy had been beaten back, but she knew that the Hareema wouldn't stop. They were supposed to be on Earth as well. How could she warn her people now?
She peeked over at the man beside her as he effortlessly piloted the small transport. He'd taken charge after their brush with death, his commands and authority being restored and saving them both. He was worried about his brother, who was still missing, though he tried hard to hide it. The Hareema could have had him killed to make sure he didn't spoil their plot, but X held out hope that Drake was still alive, somewhere.
He turned to her and smiled, his eyes full of an emotion that she hesitated to assign. It looked a lot like love or adoration. Even thinking the word gave her pause and left her breathless with hope. He needed her, but did he love her?
She was a national hero on Zanthar after everything that had happened. All of her perceived sins had been forgiven by the masses, and she was now free to date their Supreme Regent. So they were speeding off to an undisclosed location to finally spend some time alone. It was a miracle that he was still alive.She glanced over at him and fully took him in.
He was handsome beyond words. He was smart, strong, compassionate, and kind. And he wanted her. It was evident in his words, in his touch, and most importantly, in his color.
He was still a deep black, like an isolated cave where sunlight never shined. That meant the mating frenzy was still upon him. If she didn't mate with him, or if he wasn't able to release his seed, then he would die. It was a thought she wasn’t willing to hold on to.
Sylvie was determined to save his life, but she was afraid of the commitment that it would entail. If he could release his seed, then she might become impregnated with an alien child. Even if she didn't get pregnant, she knew that he would be even more possessive if he was able to fully mate with her. He would never let her return to Earth, either way.
But was returning to Earth really what she wanted? She could stay here, help X find his brother, help him fight against their common enemy. It was tempting, but she couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she decided she'd had enough of living on an alien planet far away from home?
If she didn't let him mate her, if she didn't let him try, then he would die. Despite her worries about her own future, she knew that she couldn't let that happen. No matter what, she wouldn't be responsible for his death.
Unless you already are. If you mate him and he can't release his seed, then he's dead and it's your fault.
Sylvie swallowed, a frown creeping over her face.
“Stop it,” he said, taking her hand and pulling it into his lap. “I know what you're thinking. It's not your fault.”
“But if you can't--”
“No,” he said, interrupting her. “I said none of that talk on this trip. We're going to have a good time together, and we're not going to worry about tomorrow. Do you understand?”
Sylvie nodded.
He gave her a soft smile. “Good, beautiful woman.”
X piloted the ship to a narrow plot of land in the middle of a blue-green sea. The island was large according to Zantharian measurement, but Sylvie knew that it was maybe a mile wide. She saw a structure made of wood sitting on a small hill, which was surrounded by plants. They were the first plants she'd seen growing above water.
“Here we go.” X helped her out of the hatch and onto dry land. They were on a rocky outcropping, the red rocks reminding Sylvie of her first sight on the planet, right after she'd crashed.
“This place is sacred to my people,” he said, pulling her closer to the water. “I've arranged to have it cleared for the day so we can be alone, but it usually attracts many visitors. You're about to see why.”
X led her to the ocean's edge, and Sylvie gasped. All around them floated huge jellies, some several meters wide. They were iridescent green, with long tendrils that looked as soft as satin.
“They're magnificent,” she breathed, bending down to get a closer look.
“These are Noruma's jellies, also known as giant jellies. Scientists have theorized that they are related to Zantharians, that we might both share a common ancestor.”
“I've never seen anything more beautiful.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”
“It gets better,” he said, taking her hand, and stepping off the rock onto the back of one of the jellies.
“What are you doing?” she said, tugging back on his arm.
“It's okay,” he said. “They like giving rides. They're tame.”
Sylvie gingerly stepped onto the back of the jelly with him. It started to float away from the island at a sedate speed. She held him tightly, then chuckled, unable to help herself.
“This is wonderful.”
