“I have two dwellings,” he started.
“What, one wasn’t enough?” she joked, trying to lighten the mood.Her throat felt tight and she took it out on the stone bowl, once she’d picked up her crystal.
“Out of necessity,” he replied, cocking his head at her in a way she found…sexy.“The Prime Leader made me an Ambassador to our people.I oversee an outpost calledKroratax.My primary dwelling is located there.My other is in the Golden City, our capitol.I journey there often, for council meetings and other political affairs.”
Beks was impressed.And goddamn, if the way he talked about meetings and political affairs didn’t make him sexier, she didn’t know what would.She’d always had a thing for a man in uniform.
She swallowed thickly and teased, “You sound important then.”
Lihvan’s chest puffed out a little at her compliment and she bit back a smile.Even though he seemed proud of her recognition, the way he ran his hand over his horn told her that she’d perhaps also embarrassed him a little…or made him uncomfortable.
That thought only made her smile a little wider and her heart kicked up in pace.Damn, he was cute.
“There are other Ambassadors,” he said thickly, humble as could be.
She shivered and huddled a little closer to him when a high gust of wind rattled down the cave.“Tell me aboutKrorataxthen,” she sounded out slowly, although she was sure she’d butchered the pronunciation.
“Krorataxis…” he trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words, but finally settled on, “beautiful.More so than the Golden City.The air is crisper, the heat is not so intense, and we live in the shadow of afacev…a mountain.There are many…I think you call them trees.But Luxirian trees, with white moss.Luxirians journey toKrorataxfor our hot springs.They are said to heal all ailments and promote fertility.”
Beks felt a flush creeping up her neck and she immediately thought, I’d like to try out those hot springs with you, you sexy beast, you.
Clearing her throat, she said, “It sounds lovely.”
“I was birthed there,” he added next, in a quiet voice.
She tilted her head to look at him.“You were born there?”
He jerked his head.“Tev,Krorataxwas my mother’s favorite place in all of Luxiria.”
Something shifted in the air and Beks felt his pain as sharply as if it were her own.It descended into the alcove, bitter and full.Deep down, she sensed that he had not meant to say it, to reveal that small part of himself, to reveal his pain.
Inhaling, she reached out to touch his arm, “Lihvan…”
He shot to his feet, avoiding her gaze.“That is large enough for boiling,” he said, gesturing to the black stone in front of her.When she looked at it, she was surprised by how deep she’d managed to carve it in such a small amount of time.He plucked it off the ground and retrieved a fresh crystal.“Come, I will show you how to boil the crystals and strain out the metals.”
Beks could respect that he didn’t want to talk about it, even though a part of herachedat the sadness in his voice.
She shuffled next to him, observing quietly as he talked her through the different steps with infinite patience.Every now and again, she’d glance at him sideways, memorizing his strange, yet beautiful, features.She wanted to know everything that made him who he was, the good, the bad, the ugly.
Because one thing was very clear to her: this crush wasn’t going away anytime soon.And while that scared the shit out of her…true to Beks’ form, she was going to run with it and see where it led.
TEN
Lihvan cursed himself when he introduced his mother’s memory.He kept her tucked away in his mind, in a safe place, where he could visit her and remember her in peace.Now, she was floating around on this hellish planet, when all Lihvan had wanted was to keep her safe.Raw emotions were building up in his chest, like they always did when he remembered his family.Whenever his grief had reared its head before, he’d retreated to work out his frustration and sadness and anger in private.
Now there was nowhere to run.
Lihvan looked at Beks, at her golden hair, and watched as she mimicked what he’d shown her with a furrowed brow.She’d insisted on trying, even though a part of Lihvan ached to provide everything for her.He was learning, however, that she was an independent soul and the other part of him liked that she didn’t shy away from working hard.
Beks tapped the crystal at its weakest point with another one, loosening the strong membrane around it, before setting it inside the notched stone.The fire worked its magic and the membrane began to dissolve with the heat, leaving behind a filmy metallic liquid.Once it boiled down, she used the clean piece of Lihvan’s tunic to strain out the metals.
“Good,” Lihvan said, jerking his head down.
Beks looked at him with a small smile, tucking a golden strand behind her ear.Her cheeks turned an enticing pink and Lihvan’s Instinct prowled inside of him.His hands twitched, wanting to reach out and hold her close.He wanted to kiss her on her pink lips, like he’d seen Vaxa’an and Kate do, a human gesture that looked like a mating of the mouths.The thought set his blood on fire and his cock throbbed at the image in his mind.
“You learn quickly,” he said, trying to shake off the arousal that coursed through him like Luxirian brew.His voice sounded so thick that he was surprised his female understood him.
“You are a patient teacher,” she replied, looking up at him underneath her thick lashes.Another punch of lust hit him hard in the belly and he breathed deeply, trying to regain control, but then regretted it.Her scent was all over the alcove.He couldn’t draw in a breath without her filling his nostrils.It made his muscles bunch and strengthen as his body and his Instinct prepared to mate her.
