It wasn’t long before the mountain came into view.It was early in the morning, so just like the first day she’d arrived, it was quiet with only a few Luxirians milling about in the marketplace, setting out their wares and arranging their stalls.A few cries of greeting floated up into the air, but Vaxa didn’t react.He maneuvered and then landed the hovercraft on their terrace and helped her out.
Bidan was nowhere to be seen when they made their way inside the house and Kate cast a glance at Vaxa under her lashes, nibbling on her bottom lip, wondering why he was being so damned weird and quiet.
He led her into their room and then into the bathroom, where he proceeded to strip them of their clothes, before carrying her into the pool.The water made a trickling sound as she looped her arms around his neck, relaxing a bit as their skin connected.He walked to the middle of the pool, where it was deepest and ran his hands over her body, washing her gently.
Her breath hitched when his fingertips trailed between her legs.And then, with a growl, he was there.With her legs hitched tightly around his hips, he lifted her briefly before entering her, sliding deep inside.Kate’s eyelids fluttered shut and she gave a helpless moan that echoed around the cavernous bathroom.
It felt different this time.She got the oddest notion that Vaxa was trying to prove something to her.There was a strange intensity in his gaze as he pumped his hips between her legs.It didn’t take either of them long to find completion and when they finished, Kate slumped into his arms.
Against his damp neck, she whispered, “Vaxa, what’s wrong?”She pulled back to look into his eyes and her hand came up to touch his cheek.“Pleasetell me what’s wrong.You seem distracted or worried about something.”
Vaxa let out a slow breath through his nostrils and he leaned forward to kiss her, capturing her lips in a fierce but gentle kiss.
“You’re worrying me,” she whispered, her brows furrowed, when it ended.
“I need to confess something to you.”
“Okay,” she said slowly, feeling her heart skip a beat.“What is it?”
“Come, I will show you,” he said, carrying her back to the edge of the bath, cutting their time short.He dried them both off in silence and she slipped on one of Vaxa’s fresh shirts when he handed it to her.
He led her back to the circular living room and then stopped in front of the floating crystal on the column.She looked from him to the crystal in confusion and then he reached forward to grab it, holding it out for her to see.
“I don’t understand,” she said, her gaze straying to the crystal.It was beautiful, almost completely symmetrical.
Vaxa met her eyes.“I lied to you on our vessel.”
“Okay,” she said, drawing out the word.
“Luxirians do possess the technology and means to travel to the Fourth Quadrant…to Earth.”Kate stared at him as he held up the crystal.“This is a Luxirian crystal.It has been in my family for a long time.It is the most perfect one ever discovered on Luxiria.”He swallowed, his shoulders pushing back a little.“And it would generate enough power to return you to your home, on one of our ships.”
Kate felt dizzy.She shook her head.“Why…why would you lie to me?Why would you say that?”
“You honestly do not know, female?” he asked, gaze hardening, slowly lowering the crystal.“You were so intent, so obsessed, on returning to your home.I would have said anything to make you stay.”
Indignation rose within her.“And can youblameme for that?I’d just been kidnapped by aliens, taken from my home against my will, and then taken byyou.All I wanted was to return to a place that made sense to me, not to be shuttled around the universe like your war prize!”
Vaxa’s nostrils flared.“I wanted a chance,luxiva.I knew what you were to me, but you did not feel what I felt.I needed time.”
“Were youevergoing to let me go?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.“Even if I’d wanted to leave after the month was over, would you have let me go?Tell me that.And don’t lie to me.”
Vaxa’s gaze flitted away and then he said, “I honestly do not know.”
“What doesthatmean?”
“I would like to believe that I would have been honorable and fulfilled our agreement.But,luxiva, I have realized that when it comes to you…I am not rational.I act on pure emotion and not reason.”
Kate’s heart was pounding in her throat and her cheeks felt hot.She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.“Whyare you telling me this now?What changed?”
Vaxa reached out to touch a lock of her hair, rubbing it between his fingertips.She held perfectly still, torn between wanting to lean into him and retreating to be alone, to sort through her thoughts.
With a carefully measured and even tone, he said, “Because when it comes to decisions I have made concerning you, they are not decisions that I am proud of.”
A thought occurred to her suddenly…and the pain she felt thinking it seared through her so unexpectedly that she reached out a hand to the wall to steady herself.“Do you…do youwantme to go?Is that what this is about?”
His face transformed into the fiercest expression she’d ever seen.“Nix!”Relief made tears burn the backs of her eyes and she closed them, turning her face away.“Look at me,luxiva,” he ordered, his tone roughened.
When she did as he asked, he handed her the crystal.She took it numbly, her hand wrapping around it.It was smooth to the touch and oddly warm, like it possessed life of its own.
