He frowned, pressing the chunk of meat to her full lips.It pleased him to feed her, to provide for her.“I do not know what that means, female.Now eat.”
“I can feed myself,” she murmured.
“I know,” he said.“But it is my desire to take care of you.”
She held his gaze for a moment longer—he would give anything to have a look inside her mind, to determine exactly what she was thinking behind those green eyes—and then she slowly opened her lips.
Vaxa’an felt like he’d won in the Pit all over again as he placed the food on her small pink tongue.Satisfaction surged within him as he watched her chew.
“They are just travel rations,” he felt the need to say.“On Luxiria, the food is better.Fresher.This is nothing compared to what you will have.”
“You and I both know I will not be going to Luxiria, Vaxa,” she said.
Vaxa’an lips twitched.“We shall see about that, female.”He held out another bite for her and changed the subject.“Do you like it?”
“What kind of meat is this?” she asked instead of answering.
“It is…” he started, but then realized there was no translation in her language.“It istrixava.A mammal that lives on the plains of theRavrax’tor.It is not far from our home.We will go there soon.”
His female sighed and Vaxa’an smiled.She eyed his lips again and then looked away.“You are persistent.I’ll give you that.”
“As are you,luxiva.I believe we are well-matched.I like that you stand up to me.”
“I suppose, asPrime Leader, not many people do,” she noted.“It’s a novelty for you.”
“Novelty,” he repeated, drawing a blank.The Krevorags seemed to have missed a word in their upload, had probably missed thousands now that he thought about it.Even with the implant he had much to learn.“What does this word mean?”
“New,” she said.“Something different.Doesn’t that thing in your head tell you what it means?”
“There is no ‘thing’ in my head,” he said, stealing a bite for himself.He was starved.He hadn’t eaten since before his fight at the Pit last span, had opted to skip the last meal for his female’s company.Luxirians needed a lot of food throughout the day.They took pleasure in their meal times.“It was like…an upload, I believe you call it.A stream of code.We have a way of transferring this code to our brain, where it is processed just like everything else.”
She made a face he couldn’t understand.“Sounds like it hurts.”
“It is not pleasant,” he admitted.He tilted his head at her, “But it is very convenient.And sometimes, necessary.”
Kat caught his eyes and held and he didn’t break her gaze.He wondered if she too felt the pull, the call of something more between them.It couldn’t just be his Instinct that felt it.Life mates were completely compatible on all levels.If only he could convince her that he would make her happy, that she would never want for anything again, that he would give her offspring, a home, whatever she desired.
“How far are we from Earth?” she asked.
His lips pressed together.“I do not know.”
“How can you not know?”
“Because Earth is rumored to be in the Fourth Quadrant.No Luxirian has ever ventured there.”He paused, an idea emerging.Perhaps he could use this to his advantage.“We do not have the technology to travel there.Or else we would have already.I have never seen Earth.Nor will I in my lifetime.”
Kat’s face fell and it felt like a vice was gripping his heart, preparing to pop it as he had done with the Nusseer in the Pit.A lie.Luxirians could travel anywhere in the galaxy.At least, anywhere that was already known.But perhaps, this would deter her from trying to find a way home.Perhaps this would give him time to convince her to stay with him.He could show her his planet, his home.He could show her a new destiny, one that she had never even imagined, but one that she was meant for.
“What?” she asked, her voice suddenly small.
“Our ships run on a limited power cell,” he lied further.His Instinct struggled against the untruths and he clenched his jaw.“The energy it would take to travel to the Fourth Quadrant…it is not possible with our current vessels.”
“But—but we canfinda ship that has the power,” she cried out.“Those, those aliens that took me…can’t you use one of their ships?”
Vaxa’an swallowed.“It is possible,” he said slowly.“But unlikely.The Krevorags do not have trading ties with us.They like precious metals, crystals.They are motivated by greed.”
“Then pay them,” she pleaded, gazing up at him.“Please, Vaxa,” she whispered.“Pay them.You said you had money.If you do, then please do this for me.I belong on Earth, my home.I just want to go back.”
No, luxiva,he thought, dripping in guilt, hardly able to meet her gaze.You belong with me.
