Chapter 30 - Samantha
I don’t take my eyes off him. His face is calm now, almost peaceful, like he’s just sleeping. But I know he’ll never wake up again. My chest tightens, and the tears spill freely down my cheeks. I want to shake him, call his name, tell him this isn’t the time. Not now. Not like this.
Around me, the noise starts to fade. The fighting is over, but the chaos still lingers. I don’t see any of it. All that blood, all that horror. All those lives lost.
And I’d be one of them if Noviosk hadn’t saved me. He gave his life for mine.
“Sam, sweet girl, we need to go!” Ayden says, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I don’t move.
“Sam!” Vlad insists. “It’s not safe here.”
I close my eyes, nod slowly, then get to my feet, unsteady.
“Here’s Pherebos!” Ayden tells me, pointing to a man with a striking appearance and piercing violet eyes. “He’s going to get us out of here!”
I stare at him, caught off guard. His long white hair is streaked with red—blood, clearly not his, judging by the way he walks with ease and purpose. Two braids frame his face, revealing pointed ears. He’s not Human.
Pherebos gestures for us to move, leading the way through the ruined corridors. He’s wielding an impressive weapon—a sort of sword with two opposing blades, which he carries with an almost elegant confidence.
I follow without thinking, carried like the others by the urgency to flee.
We step out onto a long platform, bathed in artificial light, where dozens of ships are docked. The air smells of dust and heat.
“This way!” Pherebos calls, pointing to a dark vessel ready for takeoff.
“Jason and Xenon?” Ayden pants. “I saw them earlier.”
“They’ll meet us later!” Vlad answers. “The Confederation’s taking care of the mess. Our mission’s done, and your girl’s safe. We’ll all regroup on BN-22.”
“And Igor?” Ayden presses.
“That idiot caught some bug a few days ago. He’s been puking his guts out nonstop, so no way he was joining a rescue op. He’s been nice and quiet in the medbay!”
We climb the dim ramp, and the owner seals the door behind us.
“Welcome aboard the SIL!” Pherebos announces, powering up the engines.
Within seconds, we’re in space, speeding away from that horrific place that will haunt me forever. I can’t quite grasp everything that’s happened yet. Ayden’s here. And so am I. We made it out alive.
As for Noviosk… my emotions are a whirlwind. He was the kind of man I should despise. He caused Logan’s death. But he was also the Nov who gave his life to save mine. As incomprehensible as it sounds, both sides of him existed.
As the grim base of the Red Arena vanishes from the ship’s front screen, our host turns to me.
“Samantha, right?” Pherebos asks.
“Yes, but Sam’s better. And thank you all for coming.”
“Like we had a choice,” Vlad retorts. “Ayden would've never forgiven us if something had happened to you!”
“Really, Vlad?” Ayden groans. “You’re just gonna throw that out there without knowing where things stand with Sam?”
My handsome brunette playfully swats his friend’s shoulder.
“Oops, my bad! But don’t worry, bro, I’ve got your back. Sam, gorgeous, you need to know—Ayden’s been head over heels for you since the dawn of time. So if you could throw the guy a bone, his poor heart might finally catch a break…”
I chuckle, a little embarrassed but touched by Vlad’s clumsy honesty.
Everyone’s looking at me. Even Ayden—usually so confident—looks like he’s holding his breath.
“Well… if we’re putting it all out there, might as well go all in, right? I’m in love with Ayden too. But he already knows that… don’t you?” I say, locking eyes with the obsidian gaze of the man who’s haunted me for so long.
The fact that he came to get me out of that hellhole, the Red Arena, proves once again what kind of man he is.
Steady. Loyal. Strong. I can’t help but think of Noviosk.
If I’d said this in front of him, he would’ve heard the truth—that caring about someone isn’t weakness. On the contrary, love is strength.
Stunned silence falls. Vlad opens his mouth, shuts it, then throws his hands in the air.
“Hallelujah! Finally! My buddy took the leap with his blonde! About time! Okay, mission complete—let’s go home!”
Ayden stares at me, wide-eyed, like he can’t believe it.
“You… you mean it?”
I step toward him with a sly smile.
“You had doubts?”
“I hoped!” he says, breaking into a relieved laugh.
He wraps me in his arms and kisses me, deep and hungry.
“All right, that’s enough mushy stuff,” Pherebos chimes in. “I’ve got a ship to fly! And heads-up—the SIL’s a two-seater. Which means there are only two sleeping compartments. They’re spacious, though—can easily fit two. Don’t ask how I know.”
“So I’m your copilot, huh?” Vlad asks. “Why isn’t Ayden taking the shift? He’s been on vacation for days!”
“Vacation?” Ayden scoffs. “Right. Between death matches, a whipping session, and a suicidal escape attempt, I even had time to work on my tan. Thanks for the spa retreat, Vlad. Happy to swap roles anytime!”
“A whipping session? You never told me you were into bondage!” Vlad gasps. “I thought we shared everything!”
“Sam?” Pherebos cuts in smoothly. “Your outfit is stunning, but if you’d like to change, Ileana has a few things in the closet in the washroom, back of the ship.”
“Ileana?” I ask.
“My partner. She stayed home with our Wingo.”
I nod in thanks, genuinely touched by his kindness.
“But her dress is perfect as it is!” Vlad protests, still stuck on the idea.
“You better keep your eyes off my girl,” Ayden growls, dark gaze sharp. “We’re out. Sam needs to get changed.”
He leads me toward the back of the ship, to a tiny washroom no bigger than the one at my place in Gekkar Creek. The space is small but clean, bathed in a soft light.
“Want me to give you a minute?” Ayden asks, his voice a little hoarse.
I meet his eyes, still shaken by everything we’ve been through.
“I just want to feel clean… and alive.”
He nods, understanding, then brushes my cheek with his fingers.
“You’re alive, Sam. And stronger than ever. We’re alive. Together. That’s all that matters.”
“Then show me,” I whisper, burying my doubts about Noviosk deep inside me.
Because it doesn’t matter what horrors we just survived. Or who didn’t make it. Right now, the only thing that matters is HIM—Ayden, who, after all these years of dancing around it, is finally ready to embrace this insane pull between us.
I run my fingers through his soft, tousled hair, loving the feel of it. My lips start exploring his chest—solid, warm, exposed just for me.
“Okay… I guess we’ll talk later,” he mutters, voice thick.
He lifts my chin, leans in, and devours my lips. But then he pauses.
“Shouldn’t we drop this dress first? It barely covers you, and yet it’s still hiding too much.”
I reach for the gauzy fabric, but he stops me.
“Is it too much if I ask you to keep it… just for me? You look like a goddess in it. But too many eyes have seen it already.”
I laugh softly and let the dress slide from my shoulders. It flutters down and pools at my feet like a fallen flower.
He freezes. His eyes blaze as they take in every inch of me. And it’s true—though we’ve been intimate before, it was in that dark hellhole. This is the first time we truly see each other.
His fingers trail over my skin with reverent slowness, as if afraid to break the spell.
“You’re even more stunning than in my dreams,” he murmurs, voice thick with emotion.
I’m relieved—he clearly likes what he sees, if the bulge in his pants is any indication.
“Your turn to strip and let me enjoy the view,” I tease.
Before I can blink, he stands fully revealed in front of me. My breath catches. Damn. Compared to Frank, he’s a mountain. But I already know—experience has shown his generous proportions are not a problem.
“Feel free to take a good look,” he smirks.
“Should I remind you you’ve been shirtless half the time? I already know the goods.”
I slide my hand into his and pull him close. The fallen dress is forgotten. So is the rest of the world. There’s only us… alive.
His lips wander across my skin, mine returning the favor with equal hunger and tenderness.
He slowly guides me into the shower and turns on the water.
“Let’s rinse off the Arena’s filth. I’m still covered in blood and haven’t showered in days. We’ve got three minutes!” he warns.
I nod, and we step under the steaming jet.
Ayden lathers me up thoroughly, and I return the favor. Suddenly, what felt like a rushed shower now feels… perfect.
By the time the water stops, we’re clean—but burning up for each other.
He locks his fiery eyes on mine. My toes curl. His strong shoulders tense under my hands as he lifts me, holding me against him. His tongue follows the water droplets across my chest, and I moan, writhing.
“Ayden!”
It bursts out of me—half command, half plea.
“Right now, sweetheart.”
And then he’s there. No hesitation. No distance. Just heat and the weight of him against me.
Slow at first, achingly slow. Every movement deliberate, like he’s savoring the moment, like we’ve both been waiting forever. His hands trace me with a certainty that steals my breath, mapping skin he already knows but still wants to rediscover.
His mouth finds mine, then wanders—cheek, jaw, the sensitive hollow of my throat.
Kisses fall there like sparks on dry tinder.
My pulse jumps. My body arches. His breath skims my ear, whispering promises dipped in honey.
A shared future. A life together. Words I want to wrap myself in, believe in, drown in.
The world outside blurs. The fear, the chaos, the danger we barely escaped—it’s gone. Burned away in the heat rolling off him. There’s only us. Only now.
I try to breathe deep, to slow the wild pounding in my chest. Useless. The rhythm between us takes over, pulling me under. My fingers curl into him, clinging, anchoring.
Heat builds. Spreads. Fills every nerve until I’m shaking, not from fear but from something far more dangerous. I’m lost in him, trembling, alive… and wanting more.
We catch our breath in silence. Then Ayden’s gaze turns serious. Did I say something wrong?
He leans against the wall, one hand resting above my head, the other gently cupping my cheek.
“Sam… I don’t want to live without you anymore. I know our lives are different—yours wild and free on Gakkaria, mine chasing missions across the galaxy. But I want to find a way to make this work. Together. If you want it too…”
How do I answer that?
“Ayden… I don’t want to be apart from you either. I… love you.”
My voice shakes slightly, but I don’t look away.
A shy smile spreads across his face. He leans in, his forehead touching mine.
“Then let’s try,” he whispers.
I nod, too choked up to speak. For him… I’m ready to change my whole life.