I do not respond. Instead I pace.
“My female and some of the others wish to see your female,” Darax says.
“No one is to see her,” I snarl.
“Some of the Sarkarnii females also want to see her.”
“No one,” I snap.
“Old friend,” Darax says quietly.
I let my eyes move from my mate to him.
“Friend?”
“We’ve been through enough together,” Darax says. “And after all, this is an entirely new galaxy.”
“It is.” My eyes slide back to my mate.
“The humans say it is good to speak with one of their kind even if they are healing and far away,” Darax says. “They are insistent.”
“Fine.” I sigh, all the weight of the ages piling in on me. “Let them come. What harm can it do, which hasn’t already been done?”
One by one, the human females file in and surround the pod. One of them slips her hand inside, taking hold of the limp hand of my Gillian. The two Sarkarnii females join them. They hum an old song quietly as they join the humans.
Darax’s hand is on my shoulder.
“Why don’t you sit for a while?” he asks. “You should rest too.”
“A disruptor bolt won’t kill me,” I rasp.
“But you haven’t shifted since it happened,” Darax replies. “You will not heal.”
“What about your brother?”
“He’s healed. I allowed him to shift, and he has been placed back in custody,” Darax says, not taking his eyes from his mate who is stood next to the pod, one hand on the covering. “He did not resist. But then he’s an insane nevver for attempting to take a disruptor blast for you.”
“Why? Wouldn’t you?”
“Not a chance.” Darax huffs out some smoke. “I’d fire back though, providing you still had a head.”
“Good to hear I can still rely on my warriors sometimes,” I say.
“Sometimes,” Darax replies. “Dante has the female in his quadrant. He has a method for containing her until you candecide what should be done with her, given she injured your mate.”
“She should go back to the second continent.” Smoke fills the air around me as I sigh. “We need to return anyway in order to pick up the rest of the females who wish to join us.”
“That’s all?” Darax looks at me. “She goes free?”
“I doubt she will ever be free.” I run my hand over my face. “Neither will your brother. But then I do not wish to hold her forever. She has a life to live, even if it is not the one she wants.”
“Won’t she be a threat?”
“If it is the case, as the other females have said, that most of them want to be part of our community, then I doubt she will be a threat. She will have them to contend with, it is their choice.”
Something is different about the room. Something which makes me walk to the pod. The females part to let me through. I slide my hand into where I can touch my Gillian, the feel of her soft skin against mine the only touch I ever want.
Her fingers curl up in my grip.
