Rosalie
Dante has been quiet, for him, since he came back from meeting with one of the other warlords. He played with the children for a while, then he crawled on his belly to me, making them laugh wildly, before he kissed me and whispered in my ear he had to speak to some of his crew.
With all the kids safely ensconced doing their lessons in their own quarters, with a couple of warriors in attendance, I returned to my quarters to find my comm device blowing up with the group chat.
Scarlett
Dante isn’t just a pretty face
Kerra
Darax is struggling not to laugh a lot
Maggie
I don’t get it…Driok did what?
Scarlett
He tried to play Dante at his own game. Dexx also finds it highly amusing
Maggie
And what face does he make when he finds something funny? Is it any different to his usual resting warlord one?
Scarlett
Fuck you, Maggie
Lydia
Does this mean we don’t have to go to Driok’s sector next?
Kerra
You don’t have to go anywhere you don’t want to, hun.
Scarlett
Yes you do. Unless Dalox says otherwise.
You can come to Dante’s sector if you want, Lydia
Kerra
Is that even allowed?
Scarlett
Dexx says yes, but he wouldn’t go. Dante has a reputation…
I consider for a moment whether to disabuse them of Dante’s reputation. But I am both bemused and concerned he hasn’t mentioned what my friends are discussing.
There is a chime at the door, which is most likely Dante, and I leave my comm to answer the door.
He leans against the door frame, his scales glittering, but his eyes have a sadness to them which pierce my soul.
“What’s this about Driok?”
Dante sighs, but he doesn’t enter. He taps the side of his head.
“Driok always believes everyone is hiding things from him.”
“He’s paranoid?”
Dante’s eyebrows crease and I don’t think the word has translated.
“He is a psychopath,” he says instead. That word translates for me. “He was about to lose his command when we came through the worm hole.”
“And he didn’t?”
“We needed all the power we could muster not to fall prey to those in this galaxy,” Dante says. “Dalox let him keep it. He appointed himself chief of security for the planet, and now we all play his games.”
“But he came to our assistance when we were taken by the cockroach aliens. He helped Dexx,” I say, confused.
“It is always at a price. One maybe Darax and Dexx were prepared to pay,” Dante says with a huff of smoke. “Or maybe Driok will demand payment at a later date.”
“Seems exhausting.”
“I doubt he ever sleeps.” Dante rolls around the door frame and into my quarters, his tail lashing behind him. “Although he will have a good headache after our recent encounter.”
“He will?”
Dante grins, and I see the chaos within him. It makes my heart beat a little faster.
“He always thinks he has an answer for everything, but not this time. This time he got a good dose of paraxio I’ve been saving especially for him.”
“Was that wise?”
“If it means I get a new scout ship, I’ll do what I need to do,” Dante says, carefully caging me against the bulkhead as the door to my quarters closes.
“Because I have to leave to do business in the stars, and I want you with me.” He slides a clawed finger under my chin, tilting it up so he can press a kiss to my lips.
“I don’t ever want to be without you, my little flame. ”
“You want to take me into space?”
All of my body is on fire, not just with his proximity and his spicy scent but with this new idea.
“I want to show you the stars, my mate,” Dante says. “I want to fly within them with you at my side.”
My stomach flips over. How can I admit to him how terrified I am of leaving the relative safety of this planet to go into the vacuum of space again?
It’s not like my experiences so far have been great.
He leans in once again, his stunning eyes studying my face, the scent of him filling my nostrils, his huge form in no way a threat.
“What is wrong, little mate?”
“I-It’s just every time I’ve been off world, it hasn’t been…fun.”
Dante blinks slowly as he takes in my words. And then he starts to purr. Purring has become his default with me. I rarely have a moment when this huge Sarkarnii warlord is not purring. Now he’s started, I’m pretty sure he can’t stop, even if he wanted to, and with Dante, I know he doesn’t want to.
Thing is, I don’t want him to stop either. I love his purr. It surrounds me, encompasses me, makes me feel entirely cocooned.
“I will make it fun. We will be visiting other planets, and you are already a seasoned traveller,” he says.
“That’s one way of describing being abducted.” I laugh.
“When we get our new scout ship, you will see how wonderful the stars are, my heartsfire,” Dante purrs. “I want to show you them all, show you what my crew do when they are not here, and show you the key to our salvation.”