Chapter 61
Alanna
Hattie was alive!
There was nothing better she could imagine hearing. She and Tuvo were coordinating something down on the surface with authorities there, but they were on their way back and would soon be safe upon the Stor with everyone else.
And true to his word, since the two had been found, Survii called her uncle and the secretary general of the UN and alerted them that he was ready to make the agreement official.
“You’re not going,” he said, again, staring into his mirror as he adjusted the tie he had chosen for this event.
It was a big moment in human history, he decided to face it like a human.
That included wearing a suit – but Survii couldn’t let it be just a suit.
The steel gray looked amazing on him, and the deep, purple accents – her wedding colors – made her smile to see.
He had found tie tutorials searching through the internet and had chosen one that, to her, looked like a flower.
Because Survii was a lot of things, but simple wasn’t one of them.
He had added a lapel pin that definitely wasn’t from Earth – gold with a rainbow gem that seemed to glow with its own inner light.
He was handsome. His body was showcased perfectly by the tailored suit. And he was scowling at her in the mirror as she got ready to go with him.
“Of course, I am,” she said, grabbing a pair of strappy heels that she thought looked really good with the floral pale pink and purple sundress she had chosen.
“It is dangerous,” he turned from the mirror, glaring at her. Then getting distracted when she lifted her leg to tie the shoes on. “Don’t take those off until I get back. I want to fuck you wearing them.”
Alanna grinned, hiking up her skirt a bit more. “Until we get back.”
“You’re not going.”
“You’re not stopping me.” She switched legs. Pulling her skirt higher again. Her diversion worked because Survii stuttered until she had that one tied and only then gathered himself.
He glared at her. “You know, I haven’t used all my toys on you.”
She paused in the act of pulling her hair back into twin poofs.
“I have a little dildo, about this big,” he held his fingers a couple inches apart. “Very innocuous looking thing. Thin. Easy to lose if you’re not careful. And its only purpose is to vibrate until you’re right on the edge of climax, and then stop, let you relax, then start all over again.”
She dropped her hands, staring at him.
His eyes narrowed. “I will tie you to my bed and shove it into your cunt and not let you come for marks if you try to follow me.”
She grinned, putting her hands to her hips. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, Survii.”
“You won’t think it’s so fun when you’re living through it. You’re. Not. Going.”
She turned her back to him, resuming gathering her hair. “I’m going.”
“Alanna-”
“You can punish me later, but I’m going.”
He glared at her, but it wasn’t anger or frustration burning in his eyes.
It was fear.
Fear for her. For what might be waiting for her down on Earth. Even though the trip was only to sign the treaty, it still meant that she would be, for however short a time, within the reach of PHAL and any other fanatic that hated the aliens’ presence.
Her hands dropped again, and she came to his side.
“Survii,” she started, running her hands up his chest. “It is going to be okay. I promise you.”
He caught her hands with his, pinning them in place. “It will be, because I’m not risking you. You’re staying here.”
“And how long do you intend that to last?”
He frowned.
“How long will you forbid me from Earth? Survii, the whole purpose of coming here was to open up our planet. So we could visit. So we wouldn’t be separated from our home.
Despite everything, Earth is still my home.
Just as much as Turv. And my family means so much to me.
I can’t wait to see the universe with you, but no matter how afield we roam, home will always be our destination, and I will do anything to keep it. Won’t you?”
“Alanna…” He started but failed to counter her argument. Closing his eyes, he shook his head.
“You know I’m right. I’m not scared, Survii.
You will be there. My domin. And my family will be there.
There are so many people on Earth, male and female alike, fighting for this.
Who will do anything to make this happen.
And I know how easy it is to lose faith in humanity, but it is just as easily restored. If you let it.”
“Domini do not have faith, Alanna.”
“You make your own fate. I know. So make it now. With me. Show them that you aren’t afraid. Show them that our peace, our future, and our love is more powerful than any gun or fire or prejudice that slinks in the dark corners of my world. Fight with me, Survii.”
He growled. Not in displeasure, but in excitement. The sound stroked along her skin like a sweet caress, and she smiled, already knowing she had won. There was no way the domini in him would be able to resist the call to fight.
And to be honest, the human in her couldn’t resist it either.
She was going down there. She refused to be run off her own planet.
She refused to let those who hated her and her mate think they had won anything.
Even just a sense of unease within her. She was a human and this was her planet and her love, and no amount of hatred and bigotry was going to stop her from living her life!
“Fine,” Survii gave in, his hands tightening over hers. “But I swear, if anything else happens, we are never coming back to this planet.”
Alanna laughed, stepping back. “We’ll be down there for five minutes. If something happens at this signing with how much security it’s going to have, I’ll say you have a point.”
She once again returned to doing her hair. But she had barely managed to do more than part it down the middle when Survii was there, embracing her from behind.
“I love you.”
She stilled. Surprised, not by the words, but by the depth of intention he put into them. Like this might be the last time he’d get to say them.
Or the first.
Oh.
Alanna tilted her head back, looking at him as she rested her hand over his.
“Survii…”
“I love you. So much. My mate. My weakness. My Alanna.”
“What… What brought this on?”
“I realized… I have never told you this. It’s something I should never cease reminding you of, and I never even said it once.”
She pulled away so she could turn and face him properly. He immediately took hold of her, bringing her back in close, this time with her hands resting against his chest.
“Survii, I know you love me.”
“Do you?”
She laughed. “Of course, I do! How could I ever doubt it?”
“Because you are human. Because mating bonds are not the same for your people as mine. Your people need time and words. I have not really given you either.”
“We need time and words because we need proof,” she stressed. “We need to know, to believe, with all of our hearts that you love us. And, for most, that’s accomplished with time and words, yes. But you forget the most important one: deeds.
“We prove our love by proving it. By the things we do and the way we act. Survii, you’ve proved you love me so many times over.”
“Protecting you is the most basic thing I can do.”
“Not that. I mean, not just that.” She stroked her hand over the soft fabric of his suit, ran her finger over the glowing, rainbow colored gem on his lapel. “I love the way you protect me. I love feeling safe with you. But that’s not how you prove you love me.”
“I can think of no other great feat I have accomplished.”
“No? You don’t remember walking out into the water, and standing with me as the waves splashed against our legs and the sunlight hit us just right?”
“You mean, in Greece?” He looked startled. “Alanna, that was hardly a feat worthy of consideration for proof of my love.”
“You don’t think so? Survii, no one else in my life, no one ever, has just stood there and felt the world with me.
No one has ever dissociated with me. No one lets me get lost safely like you do or brings me back without startling me like you do.
The best I can hope for is for people to just tolerate me when I zone out.
No one tries to enter that zone with me, to understand me, the way you do.
You don’t consider that a feat worthy of consideration? ”
“Such a little thing is hardly worthy of you, Alanna.”
“It’s not little though.” She beamed. “It’s proof that you love me. I could read your love for me in your aura a long time ago. I wouldn’t have mated or married you if I wasn’t completely sure that you loved me the way I love you.”
He stared. Blinking at her. And she realized that she hadn’t said it either.
And maybe she wasn’t the one who needed to hear it.
Running her hands up his chest, she took hold of his neck as she leaned up on her toes. “I love you, Survii. So much.”
“Alanna…”
“You’re the best mate a girl could ask for.
And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.
Exploring every world and getting lost in the beauty of those places.
I love you more than anything. And I’m sorry that I’ve forgotten to tell you until now.
I guess I was so lost in how much you loved me, I just overlooked the words.
That’s a poor excuse though. I’m human. I should have known better than to leave words unspoken. ”
“I love you too, Alanna,” he said, joy shining bright through his aura, like streaks of golden sunlight peeking out over the horizon as they orbited the silvery moon.
His aura wasn’t uneasy or unsettled anymore. It was still energetic and almost childlike in its innocence, but it was steady and stable now. He was at peace.
Warmth and otherworldly beauty filled his aura, her heart, as lifted her up and kissed her. Deep and hungry, like they had been separated for too long and he wanted to savor the reunion.
Alanna ran her fingers through his hair, smiling into the kiss. “But can we still play with the edging dildo when we get back?”