Falon

Chapter 14

EDIE

People seem to pop in and out at random as I sit here, watching his skin slowly knit back together, leaving small silver scars across his arms and neck.

It was late when LeX came back in, and I was leaning over the edge of his bed, deep in thought as the machine worked on his fingers in front of me.

“You should rest while you can, Edie.”

“I’m alright, how’s he doing? I can’t figure out these screens no matter how hard I look at them.”

“His vitals are stable and he is healing which is all good news. If this keeps up, I should be able to take him off the ventilator in half a rising.”

“You know, I sat there and watched his skin bubble from the inside out. I just don’t understand what happened.”

“It was the back-feed; the extra energy that was trapped inside the system when he threw the switch on the warp drive. I have no idea how he handled what he did, given that it was so powerful it overheated two of the three thrusters, and it took the maintenance bots half a rising to restart them. How an organic body did not melt on the spot, I have no clue. All I can figure is that the Lord of Light was not done with him yet.”

“These machines of yours must be full of magic. I was sure he would lose his fingers, but slowly they’re mending them back together. I wonder if he’ll lose the abilities that saved us.”

“Those leads, or extensions, are part of his essence, what your kind calls DNA. If we can get the big things healed, all that other stuff will work itself out. However, his body will be forever marked by this, even though the scarring looks minimal. Edie, did you notice that the only place on his body without a burn is his mate collar?”

“I did and it’s kinda freaky. Is it like this for all the species in this part of the galaxy?”

“I cannot speak for all, but I will say I have seen it more often than not.”

“I wish I had them; it would sure make things a lot easier.”

“Not in your case, I do not think it would.

You feel that if you accept the bond, you are going against the very things you hated.

You had already made up your mind that he was, what did Rylie say …

oh yes, ‘a man-whore’. Even if you had mating marks, you would have still fought them.

Now the choice is yours, and you are scared.

My Rylie would also say that is ‘only human’.

So, let me help if I can. This male, a known criminal, put himself in direct danger to follow a woman who clearly did not want him.

Put himself on a ship knowing that if he was caught, he could clearly be put to death, then sacrificed his own well-being to save not only the woman he could no longer live without, but the people who would judge him the worst.

The question I ask … is his past worth ruining both of your futures?

I was living half a life until Rylie … and I had no idea how incomplete it was until I held her in my arms. Falon is facing that same battle, and if you think you are alone in this, simply look around at the mixed couples.

Each of us has experienced the same things you are, just in different ways.

Looking back will never build your future, but it can sure weigh you down. ”

I run my fingers over the bright markings running down the middle of his chest, disappearing under the covering over his waist. Every time my fingers touch his skin, they tingle and the symbols brighten.

“Falon will be out most of the darkness. You should sleep. I have a feeling that when he awakens, he will be disoriented and hurting but will still beg you to stay with him.”

“Thank you LeX, for all you’ve done for him and the advice.”

“I am just doing my job; he is the one we all owe our thanks to.”

“What will happen to him now?”

“EvO is going to speak to father, then we will see.” He nods his head before walking out the door.

Laying my head back down, I gently run my fingers over his long, blue ones.

I remember how he held me close, protecting me from the falling ceiling panels, and the look on his face when he kissed me goodbye on my forehead.

Those thoughts are the last thing I remember as I drift off to sleep.

A beep from one of the screens has me jerking up, and I sit back as the long arms that had been working on his burns fold back up into the ceiling.

In some places, his skin looks almost new, like they grew it and folded it over the worst of his burns.

The tube has been removed from his mouth, and he somehow appears clean.

I must have been sleeping harder than I realized to have missed all of this.

Standing up, I stretch, then head quickly into the bathroom.

Splashing water on my face, I stare up at the girl in the mirror.

She has dark bags under her eyes, her hair is sticking up everywhere, but she doesn’t look lost like before.

Making sure not to be gone long, I practically run back out, only to find EvO, Rafe, and ViN standing around Falon’s bed.

The captain turns toward me with the raise of an eyebrow.

“What’s the matter?”

“Forgive us, Edie. I was not made aware that you were here with him.”

“Where the hell else would I be?”

“Once again, I apologize. We only came because LeX thought that he would be awake, but it seems he is still sleeping.”

Rylie and LeX stroll in the door, and suddenly the place feels very crowded.

“LeX, I thought you said Falon should be awake?”

“He should be, EvO. His vitals are back to normal, and he is mostly healed. If you had told me this time last rising that he would be on the mend this quickly, I would not have believed it. I do believe it is mostly due to his enhancements. Once he is awake, I am going to ask him for permission to run further tests. The species that experimented on him as a youngling were able to modify and change things that are against all laws of physics as we know them.”

“You think he should have awakened already, LeX?”

“Yes, there is nothing I can see on the scans that would say differently.”

LeX leans over Falon and gently taps him on the cheek. “Falon, are you with us?” He looks over at EvO and the others, and I can see the worry on his face. No movement, not even a twitch. Now I’m concerned.

“I hate to do this, but I may need to be a little more forceful.” LeX walks to the end of the bed and pulls the cover up that is hiding Falon’s massive feet and takes a pen out of his pocket.

He hits something on the side, and the end turns a pale blue.

I see a small spark just as LeX touches the bottom of Falon’s foot, but he still doesn’t react.

“This is unexpected. I will have to run more intensive tests. It seems his body has healed, but his nerves are not telling his mind that.”

“Keep me updated. Father has asked to speak to him.”

Everyone but LeX leaves the room, and I just stand there looking down at Falon. “Now that they’re gone, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Something is blocking him from awakening. I am going to run a brain frequency and nerve test … see if there was something I missed the first time.”

I step back out of the way and settle on the couch, watching as LeX is in total doctor mode.

He brings in machines and runs scan after scan.

All of them show green on the main console, but I have no way of really knowing what that means.

Several hours later, he steps back, shaking his head.

He turns, looking at me, and I can see the questions on his mind.

“You can’t find anything, can ya?”

“No, and I have run everything I have. He should be up and running around, not lying in this bed. It is almost like he has lost his link to this world. His physical body is here, but his spirit is not. I am going to recheck a few tests and then refer to a couple of medical journals to see if there is something I am missing. I hate to ask you to keep staying here with him.”

“It’s fine, I have nowhere I need to be. If anyone can figure this out, it’s you.”

LeX walks out of the room, and I can tell this is really bothering him.

I lean over the bed to brush a stray hair off Falon’s face, gripping his face gently in my hand.

“Where you at in there big guy? You know, I hate to admit it, but I would love to see one of those killer smiles of yours about now.” I run my fingers across the marking on his shoulder, and I swear I see his arm twitch.

Leaning down further, I lay my head on his chest, his heart beating strongly against my cheek.

His beautiful, full lips beckon me closer.

Without thinking, I simply react and I’m not disappointed.

The moment my lips meet his, they’re just as soft as I thought they would be.

I’m just pulling back when a set of strong arms drag me further onto the bed, and I suddenly find myself lying on top of a very alive male.

“Falon, Oh my God, you’re awake! Thank heavens. Just minutes ago, you were unresponsive. How do you feel? Let me up, I need to go get LeX.”

“I think I will keep you right here. Did you miss me, little morsel?”

“Maybe, but I’ll never admit it.”

“That is my female! If I had known my imminent death would have me waking with your lips pressed against mine, I would have had Destiny prepare to launch me out of the airlock sooner than she threatened.”

“You scared the hell out of me. You still haven’t told me how you’re feeling? Let me go you brute, you’re still healing.”

“Beautiful female, you will stay where you are. I would be lying if I said things are not a little fuzzy. My skin seems overly sensitive but having you in my arms helps.”

Instead of fighting him further, I lay my head on his chest, just taking the moment in.

My mind wonders if it was my kiss that pulled him back, but then I silently shake my head at such foolishness.

It’s not long before I feel Falon relax, and his light snoring makes me smile, but anytime I try to wiggle out of his massive arms, he wakes slightly.

So, after a while, I just decide to get comfortable.

I must have dozed off myself as whispering wake me.

LeX and Rylie are both standing over us. LeX is going over something on the holopad, but Rylie is smiling with bright sparkles in her eyes. “OMG, Lex, is this not the cutest thing ever?” I hear her say before I raise my head.

When she realizes I’m awake, she puts her small hand on my arm. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she whispers.

Keeping my voice low I sit up, “Help me slide out of here. I don’t want to hurt him.”

LeX turns and before I realize it, he has slid his hands between us and lifts me straight up by my belly and hips effortlessly, like I’m a rag doll, before setting me down.

The moment my body leaves his, Falon’s eyes open, and a growl leaves his lips.

Before I can reassure him, I’m still here, LeX is bending over him.

“Falon, do you know where you are?”

Things go to hell quickly. Falon swings his legs over the side of the bed and has LeX’s neck in a death grip. His eyes are a bright silver, and I swear I can see his body mass increasing. “How dare you touch what’s mine!” he roars.

Suddenly, I find my feet have somehow moved me between them. “Falon, get your hands off him right now! You owe LeX your life.” He looks at me, then at LeX, who is shockingly not fighting him, and abruptly lets him go, only to pull me up onto his lap.

LeX steps back, but not far enough in my mind, with a smirk on his face. “I see you are awake, Falon. Do you recall what happened?”

“Mostly, the ending is still a bit fuzzy; I did not expect to wake up, to be honest. I do apologize for attacking you. When I felt you lift Edie away from me, I just reacted.”

“No harm done, Falon. There for a bit, we were not sure you were going to come back to us, but I have a theory as to why you suddenly did.”

When LeX doesn’t instantly start talking, my snotty attitude makes an appearance.

“Well, will someone please enlighten me?”

“Edie, what were you doing right before Falon reawakened?”

“Ahh, shit, I feel like a kid being scolded by their parents. I kissed him.”

Rylie turns away, giggling, and it’s clear to see LeX is fighting a smile himself. “Were your lips wet?”

“Umm, probably.”

“Your essence called to him.”

“Are you saying Sleeping Beauty here just needed a kiss all along?”

“The proof is holding you on his lap, the bond that would not let you walk too far away, only needed to be fed and that kiss reassured his body that you were real and waiting for him.”

“You damn aliens are freaking amazing and slightly terrifying, but why the hell not? What girl doesn’t want to be the hero in her own fairy tale?

” I turn in Falon’s lap and look up at him, as I’m still talking to everyone.

“If you say it was my kiss, then damn straight it was … so if I have super kissing powers now, I’d better never catch your lips on another, you understand me, Ruk? !”

“Oh, little morsel, you have nothing to fear of that.”