Vikan paused in his digging for some of the clay they used for fire fuel to regard her.He was in a crouched position, his thigh muscles straining against his pants.His gray eyes were light, but his expression was serious.
“You may not have to make that decision,luxiva,” Vikan told her.
“What do you mean?”
He inhaled a sharp breath.“Vaxa’an knows I took you, if not that very night, then certainly the next morning.I am certain he knows that you were not willing, either.”
Taylor frowned.“Okay.But what does that matter?”
“He knows I would have taken you toLopixa.He would wait a little while before departing from the Golden City, but it is possible that he will already be there when we arrive.”
“To take me back?”
“Tev,” he said, jerking his head in a nod.But something in his tone made her stomach churn.
“And what about you?”
“I do not know,” he confessed.“It is possible he will have me punished for stealing you away.He might not.It is difficult to know what goes on in his mind.”
“Punished?” she whispered, eyes wide.“But…surely it’s not that serious.I mean, I’m your mate, right?”
Vikan let out a long breath through his nostrils before he rose to stand in front of her.His shoulders blocked the view of the ocean completely, he was so big.Slowly, he bent so he could connect their foreheads.
Immediately, her heartbeat calmed a little and she breathed him in slowly.
“We will find out,” he finally murmured.“Vaxa’an has been my warrior brother, a close friend, for a long while.I am his Ambassador, but he will consider my taking you a betrayal because he explicitly said that the human females were not to be touched.”
“Then what about Cecelia?What about Beks?”she asked, furrowing her brow as anger ignited in her belly.It was an unfair situation.“We were all saved by the Luxirians from the Pit and yet they were exposed to their mates early on.They chose to stay with them, but are Lihvan and Rixavox being punished for it?No.So why would you be?”
“Because Lihvan and Rixavox made it clear to Vaxa’an what their intentions were and they certainly did not steal them away,” Vikan said.“When I spoke to Vaxa’an about you…I told him I would not pursue you.”
Her brow furrowed.
“I do not know if he believed me, but I also know that I lost some of his trust based on my actions.And I must face him for that when I see him.”
“But that could be tomorrow,” she whispered, frowning.“You said we’re close toLopixa.”
“Tev.We are.Wewillarrive this next span.”
“So,” she said quietly, “this could be our last night together.”
The thought made her want to cry and Taylor didn’t remember the last time she’d cried.Perhaps when her grandmother had finally passed away, but that had been over four years ago.And she’d gone through ugly breakups, stressful and long days and nights as she tried to establish her business, and gut-wrenching loneliness since then.
No, wait.
She realized she’d cried just last night.When Vikan had told her about his vision of the little girl.Tears had run down her face then and perhaps she hadn’t even realized it in the moment.
It might not be a huge deal to anyone else, but Taylor knew that if she cried for someone, they were important to her.Damnimportant.And it told her a lot.It told her things that she’d been too afraid to think about too much.
“If tonight is our last night,” she whispered to him, feeling his sharp exhale against her cheek, “I want to make the most of it, Vikan.”
“Luxiva—”
“And I don’t care about soft furs or hot meals and relaxing,” she murmured.“Those things don’t matter to me.I just…I want you tonight.Because if I don’t, I feel like I’d regret it for the rest of my life, no matter what happens.Okay?”
Vikan studied her.She could feel the tension in him.She knew that when they had sex for the first time, he’d wanted it to be elsewhere, where he knew they’d be safe, where he could take care of her like how he wanted.
And it made her fall in love with him a little more.
