“Have you decided when you will return to Troxva?” Vaxa’an asked, confirming his thoughts. “I have already alerted Lihvan that he will need to return to the Golden City in your absence. The lunar celebration draws near.”
Kirov swallowed and reverted his eyes to the Com screen. The lunar celebration would take place in five spans. All across their planet, in the Golden City and in all six outposts, Luxirians would celebrate the full moon with feasting and music and dancing, as they did after every lunar cycle. And as Ambassador, it was his responsibility to oversee and appear at Troxva’s.
Five spans. It would take him a full span just to reach Troxva by hovercraft, so Kirov only had four spans to win his female, as promised.
Because he fully intended to take her with him to Troxva. Kirov could not even fathom being away from her. Even then, in the command center, his Instinct was prowling inside his chest and the buzzing in his mind returned full force. Not even working on reprogramming the Coms could distract him from that buzzing.
For the first time, doubt entered his mind.
What would happen if Kirovcouldn’twin her?
What if Cruxan found the stolen Luxirian crystal in his outpost—where it was rumored to be—and Lani returned back to Earth?
Kirov’s punched in an input code with a little too much force and the Com screen cracked, brittle under his fingertips.
Vrax!
Vaxa’an eyed the screen and then him. Kirov would repair the screen in the morning, but he had a feeling that any further work that night would prove fruitless.
He stood. To Vaxa’an, he said, “I will return to Troxva in four spans.”
“Three,” Vaxa’an said. “You will need a span to prepare for the celebration and any issues that arose at your outpost in your absence.”
Kirov blew out a breath. Three spans.
He hardly had any time left.
“Have you received word from Cruxan about the crystal? He should have arrived to his outpost by now,” Kirov said next, to distract himself from the rising panic he was beginning to feel. He began to shut down the Coms for the night.
“No,” his friend replied. “He has made inquiries but so far, nothing.”
Bright relief almost made his hand shake over the cracked screen.
Vaxa’an’s gaze went to the crack and he said, “Find a female tonight, Kirov. Slake your lust and your aggression. You are beginning to worry me again.”
Kirov almost laughed. There would be no other female for him from now on. No other female but hisluxiva. Just the thought of mating another made his stomach churn.
Because Vaxa’an was watching him closely, he jerked his head in a nod.
“I will try.”
* * *
Lainey was lyingawake in bed. For the past couple hours, she’d desperately tried to get to sleep, tossing and turning in the comfortable bed, counting sheep, replaying songs in her mind from memory that always used to soothe her.
Nothing worked.
Eventually, she got out of bed and walked over to one of the two windows in her bedroom. She debated going out into the living room, but she knew that Vixron would still be there. As he always was.
None of the windows in her room showed the impressive view of Luxiria as the ones in the living room did. Her bedroom was at the back of the house, but one of them showed a sliver of it if she craned her head just right. She went to that one, looking for a way to open it.
Lainey eventually found a small button on the side and when she pressed it, the glass silently slid into the wall on metal tracks, completely hidden from sight. When she pressed the button again, the glass reappeared.
She smiled. Cool.
Lainey left the window open, letting the cool breeze from the night air soothe her face. Her skin felt tight and hot and Lainey knew that she’d gotten sunburned from standing on the terrace too long that afternoon with Kirov.
Despite her stinging skin, just thinking about him made her stomach clench with desire. And frustration. And unease.
