Even with all the advanced tech at their disposal, the only way to make the transfusion was to run a tube from Vyken’s access through intravenous needle access into Danya. Because of her depleted fluid volume, Kydel had to go deep, but with his onboard scanner, it only took one attempt.
Vyken wouldn’t let Kydel stop the transfusion until he had completely replenished Danya’s blood, almost two liters. Once the transfusion was finished, he stayed at Danya’s side, holding her hand and sipping large energy drink to replenish his fluid level. Finally, Kydel convinced him to go back to his quarters to shower and change because he was splattered with blood from head to foot. He didn’t want Vyken to shock her with his appearance after her grave injury.
He was back in ten minutes showered and dressed in clean clothes, with a set of fresh clothes for Danya. Kydel got him a second drink and left him sitting with Danya as her father arrived. She was out of danger, and Kydel assured James she would make a full recovery.
James knew as well as Vyken that Jacob Black shot Danya to get even for being evicted and removed from his position. He just didn’t count on Vyken getting to him before he could escape. After the fact, Vyken thought however grisly Jacob’s came too quickly.
Hurting Danya was the worst pain he could have inflicted on Vyken. It hurt him more than the bullets he took. It was the closest to tears he had been in all his eighty years. He life wouldn’t mean much if she died. But he couldn’t rest for a moment until she finally opened her eyes and whispered his name.
“Oh, Baby. You scared the hell out of me!” he murmured huskily and kissed the back of her hand.
“What happened?” she asked
“That motherfucker Jacob Black shot you right in front of me. Then he shot me, but that didn’t stop me from killing him,” Vyken growled.
“Are you, all right?” She frowned in concern, her eyes flicking over him, searching for signs of injury.
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “My nanites fixed the damage. You didn’t have enough of mine yet, so we gave you some more and some of my blood. You’re going to be fine in a couple days.”
Danya’s father came to the other side of the treatment lounger and stroked her forehead. “That vicious bastard deserved everything he got. He blamed me for revealing his sick master plan.”
“His only problem with her is that she became my mate,” Vyken said.
“He didn’t know about Maree or her might have gone after her as well,” James said.
“How are things going with her?” Danya asked. “I really like her, but she doesn’t say anything about you.”
“We’re taking it slow,” her father said.
Momentarily, Kydel came in to recheck Danya’s vitals. She was still weak from her ordeal, but the Medic pronounced her well enough to go back to hers and Vyken’s quarters, providing she stayed in bed for at least twenty-four hours---no hanky-panky.
Vyken wasn’t exactly up for it himself after giving a third of his blood to Danya. He had been hurt even worse than Danya during the war and lost close to half his blood and recovered. Now, he just felt tired for the first time in a long time. That didn’t stop him from carrying her in his arms back to their quarters wrapped in a sheet from sickbay. He didn’t want to bother helping her on with clothes just to take them off again when he put her on their bed. For once he didn’t even feel like breeding; he just wanted to feel the warmth of her skin against him.
Once he had her in their bed snuggled against him spoon fashion in his arms, she felt quickly asleep. Vyken couldn’t make himself fall asleep. As close as she had come to death that day he realized that every breath she took was precious. For at least that night, he didn’t want to want to miss a single one.
This was love. Vyken was thankful he had told her he loved before she was hurt before he was terrified that he was going to lose her forever. That one small word seemed so inadequate to describe the petrifying magnitude of his feelings for her. It was like nothing he had ever felt. He had loved and lost far too many brothers and sisters in arms over the years and his good friend Admiral Gregor. But that emotion paled compared to his love for Danya.
He couldn’t even speculate on a future without her. Vyken could only hope that the mass infusion of nanites that saved her life, would also extend her life for many years to come. Theoretically, it should, and he would give her more every time they mated or kissed.
Less than six months into what he expected to be a two-year mission, Vyken wished he could take Danya away from the chaos and violence on Earth. He knew he wouldn’t abandon his mission, and he knew Danya wouldn’t want that. It would never be any different if he didn’t help change it.
He certainly didn’t regret taking this mission, because it brought him to her. Vyken knew now, she was his soulmate, and he was hers. One day they would have the life together he’d hoped for in his wildest dreams.
Vyken Dark had been genetically engineered and born to kill enemies of the Federation. He had killed many, and he would kill more if necessary, but he now knew there was more to life than killing.
There was love, and her name was Danya. It might have been minutes or hours. Vyken pressed his lips to her hair, then closed his eyes and finally slept.
