Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Samulin relaxed into the one embrace she shouldn’t want, her chaotic emotions making her feel like she might fly apart.
After an intense session like she’d had with Bralix on that milking machine, it was understandable that she’d have sub drop.
She’d had sub drop before, and it was definitely a contributing factor, but after the last few days she’d had, anyone in her position would need a hug, and the only available arms belonged to her abductor.
That he’d offered her something to wear, allowing her to feel at least a little less vulnerable… Perhaps she didn’t have to hide in her crate, alone with her loneliness and fear.
She was so tired of being strong.
Maybe it was the sub drop talking. Maybe exhaustion was making her reckless, but right that moment Bralix’s arms were strong, comforting and safe, and she just prayed he wouldn’t push her away again.
He murmured softly to her with his cheek resting on her head, his words incomprehensible to her, although she recognized a few Veine groones and his mangled version of her name among the gibberish, but the droning of his voice reverberated in his chest under her cheek.
Eventually his voice trailed off, and they were wrapped in a cocoon of silence.
She listened to the air moving in and out of his chest, the rhythm hypnotic and relaxing.
He still smelled fresh like a forest after it rained, but his scent had grown a little stronger, with an undertone of rich soil, probably because neither of them had had access to a shower in two days; it wasn’t unpleasant.
She could imagine what she smelled like after two days without a shower or deodorant.
She pressed her nose to his chest and inhaled his scent deep into her lungs, held it for a moment, then let it out in a long, slow sigh. She could feel herself melting into his embrace. “I’m so tired of being scared,” she whispered.
She could feel a twitch in his arms, but he didn’t say anything; probably a reaction to her breaking the silence. A moment later his hand slowly stroked her arm.
“I don’t have a mom. Dad never wanted anything to do with me. After last Friday I have no boyfriend, no job. Hell, after this, I probably have no apartment. I’ve barely started to pay back my student debt. God, no-one ever tells you that adulting is so hard.”
She laid her hand over her lower belly, and squeezed her eyes against the burn of tears. “I feel so alone. I’m so tired of resisting. I’m so tired of being strong.” She took a ragged breath. “I’m just tired.”
She sniffed noisily. “Just look at me; blubbering into a handsome alien’s chest, talking his ear off when he probably doesn’t even have any idea what I’m saying.”
He shifted against her. He lifted his head and pressed his lips to the top of her head in a long, chaste kiss, before he cuddled her closer.
Safe. Cherished. She could almost imagine she was in the arms of a man who loved her. She closed her eyes to savour the feeling. She didn’t care if it was true.
She could lie to herself for a few more minutes.
Bralix felt the moment Samulin went from relaxed to asleep in his arms. Even in relaxation, there was an underlying tension in her body while she was awake that bled away when she crossed over into sleep.
Bralix should put her back in her own bed—but he couldn’t. He needed her in his arms. He needed her to need him. He needed her to know that he…
It pained him that if he spoke, she couldn’t understand him. Learning a few commands like a mimic would never be enough; he needed her to know his thoughts and feelings and emotions.
He needed to—
Phegch.
Phyrax was right.
Bralix had never felt this way for a human before—or for any female of any other species.
And for the first time it was not enough for Bralix to know what others said or thought.
He needed Samulin to know what he thought.
He needed her to know she was not alone.
He needed her to know she didn’t have to be afraid.
She didn’t have to be strong. She didn’t have to be any of those things, because he wanted to be all of those things for her, and wanted her to know it. He needed her to understand.
He needed to be able to share his heart with her, and it wasn’t until that moment that Bralix realized that he was lonely too.
Samulin was never meant to be a pet.
She was meant to be his mate.
With that realization, the world opened in his mind. He could imagine sharing his life with another being. He could imagine one day applying for an egg from one of the emperor’s breeders, implanting it in Samulin, and raising young together.
But then Bralix remembered the sight of Emery crying when Phyrax implanted the translator symbiote in her brain without her consent. Her rejection of Phyrax because of it had nearly gutted his brother.
He had done enough to Samulin against her will.
He had already stolen her from her life and her home on earth.
Implanting a symbiote in her brain was the point of no return.
Up to this point, he could still return her to earth, and even if she told the human authorities about her abduction, it was likely she would be written off as yet another mentally ill human who’d hallucinated an alien abduction.
But if she were returned to earth with a symbiote in her brain, she would have physical evidence.
Yet he couldn’t bear it if he implanted a symbiote in her brain and she rejected him for it.
He hugged her a little tighter, kissed her once more on her head, then carefully stood and placed her back on the bed. He picked up the bed covering from the floor and covered her, then moved to stand by the door and tapped the comm on his wrist. “Phyrax,” he said softly. “Are you there?”
A moment later, the comm crackled. “Bralix, don’t even ask, brother.”
“Phyrax, you were right, and I need your help,” Bralix said softly. “Actually, I think I may need Emery’s help.”
“What do you need, Bralix,” Emery asked.
Bralix sighed. “Look, Phyrax, can I speak to the two of you for a minute? Face to face?”
Bralix heard a huff on the other end of the line. “Fine. I’ve unlocked the door; meet us in my quarters.”
“Thank you,” Bralix said. With a last glance over his shoulder at Samulin, he tapped on the control panel and the door swished open.
Phyrax and Emery were both sitting on Phyrax’s bed, Emery with the bed covering pulled op to cover her chest, even though she was clearly dressed. Phyrax was sitting at the foot of the bed on top of the covers, and pointed to his desk chair. “Sit.”
Bralix felt their eyes on him and the chair creaked under him as he sat down uncomfortably. When they just stared at him expectantly, he just blurted out the truth. “Phyrax, you were right.”
Phyrax appeared startled, but Emery gave a small smile. “And what are you going to do?” Phyrax asked.
Bralix hesitated, then addressed the only human in the room. “As a human, was the symbiote worth it?”
Emery glanced at Phyrax, “Of course,” she said, her expression going soft. “I was terrified, because the pain was excruciating, I didn’t know what was happening or why, and I had no choice in the matter, but if I had it to do over again, knowing the outcome, I would.”
“Because he claimed you as his mate,” Bralix nodded.
“No, because I love him,” Emery said.
Bralix rubbed at his heart, staring unseeing at the far bulkhead.
“Are you thinking of procuring a symbiote for her?” Phyrax asked. “Because I won’t help you if you’re planning on implanting one in that female against her will; believe me, brother, it is not worth it if she hates you.”
“I already have a symbiote,” Bralix said softly. “The breeders accidentally placed two symbiotes in your container.”
A light scuff from the doorway drew their attention, and Bralix saw Samulin standing in the open doorway with the bed covering wrapped around her.
She looked uncertain, watching Phyrax warily, and Bralix felt warmth in his chest when she inched toward him.
“Hey, Samulin,” he said softly. He held a hand out to her in invitation. “Come here, good girl.”
She moved to stand between his legs, then he guided her to perch precariously on his thigh, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. Bralix took a moment to savour the feel of her on his lap before Emery spoke.
“Samulin, are you okay?”
She didn’t answer immediately. “I’m scared and confused half the time, but yeah, I’m okay.”
Phyrax stood, and Bralix felt Samulin shrink into him. “Bralix,” he grunted and nodded in the direction of the door. “I think it’s time to leave the females alone to talk.”
Bralix hesitated, his arms tightening around Samulin involuntarily.
“Now, Bralix,” Phyrax snapped, then softened. “Let her asks questions. She can’t choose you, if you don’t let her go.”
With a last sigh he picked her up off his lap and set her on her feet so that he could stand. He gave her a last hug, then followed his brother out of Phyrax’s quarters.