Epilogue
Zane Sable sat in his Sable HQ office high above the streets, a million klicks away in the steel and glass corridors of Eden II.
Perched aloft the sprawling metropolis, the enormous room was suffused with the amber light of the setting suns streaming through the towering glazed windows.
The city below hummed with life: shuttles darting through sky lanes, the distant murmur of crowds, and the buzz of neon advertisements casting their reflections against the polished floors.
His eyes softened as a slight figure twirled across the open space, past his massive desk, the edges of its dark wood embedded with glowing circuitry.
His five-year-old daughter, a whirlwind of energy, danced with unrestrained joy. Her auburn curls caught the golden light like strands of fire.
Her laughter rang out, a sound so pure it seemed to challenge the luxurious efficiency of his office as her bare feet padded on the sleek floor. Her red dress swirled around her knees as she spun and giggled, clutching a small stuffed animal.
‘Daddy, look at me!’ she called out, her cry filled with glee.
‘I see you, firefly,’ he rasped, his deep rumble warm. ‘You’re dazzling.’
She snickered again, spinning faster, her curls bouncing with each turn. He smiled, his broad shoulders relaxing for a rare moment of peace amid his high-stakes responsibilities.
From the doorway, a figure appeared.
‘Illanna,’ he breathed, his heart leaping.
His red-haired woman, his wildfire volcano, stepped into the room with the quiet confidence that always seemed to captivate him.
Her emerald dress clung to her silhouette in all the right places, her fiery locks cascading over one shoulder. The glimmer in her eyes held the mischievous charm that had first drawn him to her.
‘She’s got your energy,’ she teased, nodding toward their daughter. ‘It’s going to be a challenge getting her to bed tonight.’
He chuckled, his muscled torso rumbling. ‘She gets that from you.’
She moved closer, her light floral scent wrapping around him.
He rose from his chair and went to her, tilting his head down as she pressed up on her toes, her hands brushing his chest as their lips met.
The kiss was soft but lingering, filled with a quiet promise of years shared and more to come.
When she pulled away, her smile deepened as she caught the groan he let out. ‘Later,’ she murmured, her voice just above a whisper. ‘If you’re lucky.’
His grin widened, and he shook his head as she turned to leave. Her hips swayed as she walked, and his gaze followed her until she disappeared down the hallway.
He sucked his teeth, his heart ad body thrumming for her.
‘Daddy!’ the little girl exclaimed, breaking his trance.
She stood still now, her tiny hands on her waist, a miniature version of her mother’s fiery demeanor. ‘Are you watching me or Mommy?’
He laughed, crouching and opening his arms as she ran toward him, her stuffed animal trailing behind.
‘Always you, firefly,’ he said, scooping her up and spinning her around as her giggles filled the room. ‘Now go off with Mommy for dinner.’
With his daughter in his embrace and the memory of his woman’s kiss lingering, the world’s concerns outside his office seemed to vanish for a fleeting moment.
He placed the girl on her feet, and she took off after her mother.
With a wistful sigh, he turned away and sat behind his desk.
Eyes slicing to the walls lined with sleek panels that pulsed with data streams cast a soft glow reflecting off his chiseled features.
His dark eyes narrowed as he scanned the logs from the battle of Orilia XIV, searching for anomalies.
His gaze landed on a term that stood out against the lines of code: Illu.
He leaned forward, tapping the interface to access more details. The word appeared several times, linking it to spikes in energy and peculiar atmospheric disturbances during the conflict.
‘Mirage,’ he called. ‘What’s this?’
The AI materialized before him, her holographic form shimmering like a ghost.
Her luminous eyes flicked over the data, and for a moment, the room was silent save for the whir of the fan above.
With a sigh, she spoke, her tone subdued. ‘It’s an extraterrestrial divergence that appeared integrated into the cyborg army. The same anomaly just manifested over Genovia.’
Zane straightened in his chair, his jaw tightening.
Genovia, a Rhesian-aligned independent colony on the fringes of Pegasi’s vast galaxy, was notorious for its chaotic politics and volatile trade routes.
‘ Whateverthefokk this is doesn’t sit well with me. Do I need to initiate a psionic jag, or are you au fait with what we are up against?’ he rasped.
The AI’s countenance flickered, her confidence giving way to something unreadable. ‘I’m not certain what it is. Might be a new enemy? Or an ancient one with a fresh face. I’m still processing. I need time.’
The tension in the room was palpable. Zane leaned back, gripping his seat arms. ‘An enemy, ay?’
Mirage’s holographic form shimmered, her expression wry but edged with concern.
‘Isn’t there always one?’
The morning air was cool and carried the aroma of blooming wildflowers.
Kisan sat in a carved wooden chair on the porch of his new home. One barefoot foot crossed over one knee.
A cup of kahawa nestled in his hand.
Head back, eyes canted to take in the view.
Orilia’s sky was alive with color, the rising sun streaking it in shades of gold, crimson, and deep violet. Wisps of clouds caught the light, glowing like they had been brushed with fire.
Below, the landscape stretched out in vibrant hues, a far cry from the barren wasteland it had been only months ago.
The lakes were full, their surfaces glinting and mirroring the surrounding greenery.
Birds skimmed across the water, their wings brushing the surface, sending ripples out in patterns that glistened in dawn’s radiance.
The Rider had found unexpected solace in the rhythms of a simple life.
He became a farmer.
A freakin’ good one, too, planting and harvesting grain he now sold and distributed widely.
Alongside Samira and her children, he tended to the land, harvesting the abundant produce that seemed to flourish overnight in the bio-kinetic-infused soil.
He got a kick from working outside, where the sun was warm on his back, and the scent of fresh crops filled the air as he worked.
Samira’s political acumen shone as she joined the newly formed alliance with the Principalities. Under her guidance and Kisan’s reputation, Thalassa became a beacon of resilience and renewal.
As the ravaged plains of Orilia XIV transformed into a vibrant landscape, the Rider and his woman focused on building a future.
Their home stood on the gentle slopes of Thalassa’s central hills, overlooking a crystal-clear lake that shimmered beneath the sun’s golden rays. The house blended Vaelorian architecture and Edenite ingenuity.
It harmonized with the environment, was constructed with sustainable materials, and infused with kinetic enhancements.
The structure seemed to breathe life, with climbing flora walls that changed color with the seasons. Inside, the house was warm and inviting. Smooth stone floors cooled the space, and expansive windows framed the verdant fields and distant forests.
One wing of the house was set aside for the primary suite. The kids’ bedrooms were in the center of the second floor, while Misandra got a two-bedroom apartment on the far end of the building.
A spiral staircase led to a private underground pool, a secret sanctuary where water reflected dancing light over the rock-lined cavern walls.
It became their haven for whispered conversations and shared dreams, and they luxuriated in the mineral-rich waters fed by the endless streams flowing across Thalassa.
He leaned back in his seat, breathed in, and closed his eyes.
‘Twas quiet in the house to his rear, though he sensed life stirring within.
Liora and Malik would wake soon, and their play and running through the home would no doubt fill the space like sunlight.
For now, it was just him and sweet, blessed silence.
Many minutes later, he tagged the whisper of bare feet on the floor.
‘ Kralji ,’ came Samira’s voice, soft and husky.
It sent a jolt through, straight to his cock.
Opening his eyes with slow laziness, he shifted his head to see the love of his life stepping through the doorway, her dark hair loose around her shoulders.
She wore a simple wrap tied at her midsection, her enticing body nude under the silk, her skin catching the sun’s first light.
Fokk , he adored her.
Her gaze found his, warm and searching, and she moved to him, an arm enfolding his waist.
He pulled her down onto his lap, and their mouths met.
She gave her a small moan as she savored his kahawa -coated lips.
Before she shifted her mouth to glide over his temple and jaw.
They sat in silence for a moment, watching the sun crest over the horizon, the warmth spreading across the reborn land.
‘So beautiful,’ his woman murmured, resting her head against his shoulder.
‘ Naam , you’re beautiful,’ he rasped.
She nudged his shoulder. ‘That’s not what I meant.’
He shot her a wicked grin.
She smiled, her fingers running over his chest as she stroked it. ‘I hope we can hold onto this second chance for an eternity.’
His jaw tightened as her words settled between them, and his gaze darkened.
The image of the dark cloud rising from the cyborgs returned to him—its voice, the name it had called itself, the Illu .
The memory hung over him like a storm cumulonimbus, distant but insistent.
He hadn’t told her everything. Not yet.
Samira lifted her head, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. ‘What is it, handsome?’
‘Nothing important,’ he rasped.
Her brow arched. ‘You’re a terrible liar.’
He sighed, pulling away to lean into his chair. ‘I’m thinking about what’s next. For us. For Orilia.’
Her hand reached out, stroking his cheek and the stubble of his beard. ‘Or for the strange face cloud that called itself the Illu ?’
He exhaled, pursing his lips. ‘Whatever that thing was, it’s not finished. It’s either coming back or ravaging some other part of the galaxy. I expect The Riders will call me back one day to fight it. I sense it.’
Samira’s hand slid down his arm to take his hand, her grip steady and grounding. ‘Then we’ll take each next day as it comes, without fear of what we do not know or can control. However, if you go to fight some far-off war and get even a scratch, I’ll slice off your beautiful balls.’
He chortled. ‘Is that right?’
‘Tis. Then I’ll feed them to the wolverine sharks hiding in the underground seas of Thalassa.’
He cocked a brow. ‘You’re fokkin ’ with me.’
‘Am I? Those wolf sharks are ferocious.’
‘So am I, woman,’ he growled.
His lips met hers in a slow, deliberate kiss, the kind that told of an unyielding love.
Her arms encircled his neck, pulling him closer as the world around them faded, leaving only the warmth of each other.
Samira’s eyes shone when they pulled apart, mouth soft and inviting.
Kisan reached out, his fingers brushing Samira’s cheek as he spoke. His rumble was hoarse, charged with emotion.
‘Samira, did you ever realize how patient and thoughtful you are? You’re everything I didn’t even know I needed.’
He paused, his vivid eyes searching hers. ‘Turns out even a tough Rider needs someone—to listen, laugh with, and breathe along with.’
Her breath hitched, but she didn’t speak.
Kisan leaned in, words tumbling over each other as if he had waited too long to share, his intensity almost overwhelming. ‘As an old Earth song says, you’ve done for me what the wind does for the birds—lifting them, keeping them safe across the sky. Each day, you lift me, high, woman, fokk , you transform me.’
He exhaled, shaking his head as if frustrated by the limits of language to capture his feelings. ‘Do you now get how much you mean to me?’
Samira’s eyes glistened, and she reached up to touch his hand. ‘I know now,’ she whispered.
The moment stretched between them as Kisan bent his head to hers and took her mouth; all the unsaid words he had waited to utter were now spoken.
‘ Sante ,’ he growled against her lips.
She stroked his hair, temple, and jawline. ‘You never have to thank me for loving you. It comes so naturally to me, Rider.’
‘Is that right?’ he rasped, waggling a suggestive brow, and quirked his mouth. ‘Show me.’
She shook her head.
‘Not now, later, my kralji , even though those sensual eyes of yours are making me wet,’ she whispered.
‘Why?’ he pushed.
‘We made love all night, and I’m sore, plus it’s time to wake the kids. There’s work to be done.’
Kisan chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. He was so lost in her that his heart imploded. ‘Always have a plan, woman?’
She smiled, her hand slipping into his as she pulled him up from his chair and turned toward the doorway. ‘I always do. This one, unlike your wild one, includes breakfast.’
He stopped, his strength bringing them to a stop, pulling her into his embrace. ‘A minute or two, kaissa . Let me hold you before the world wakes.’
He dipped his mouth to capture hers, speaking against the softness of her skin. ‘Can’t help myself. It’s the feeling I get when I always hold you. Just a few more moments to adore you.’
She gave in with a sigh. ‘If it’s an instant, it’s deserving it because you’re worth my eternity.’
THE END OF ONE BEAUTIFUL STARLIT STORY …
AND THE BEGINNING OF MANY MORE.
I’m planning a new series featuring the one and only broody, sexy as fokk , unholy Sarabaite punisher, Sax Sable.
Plus, an entirely new storyline featuring an even more impressive set of intergalactic badasses … and a new series more focused on the strong, sassy women of Pegasi.