Chapter 27 #2
She was a better version of herself here.
Happier, freer than she’d ever been. The people who had hurt her were long dead, their voices forever silenced.
She didn’t need to care about what anyone else thought of her.
She’d gone through hell on Earth, had survived a ship crash, survived the Tangle, and survived a deadly vrix queen.
Now she’d survived a beastie attack while a knotted cock tickled her cervix with feathery tendrils.
I’m a God damn badass.
“It’s okay,” Lacey replied with a smile, trying to keep herself from laughing at her own thoughts. “I don’t mind. It was just way more than I needed to know about Cole.”
“I understand,” Sophia chuckled. “I promise to keep the raunchy details about him to myself.”
“Much obliged. So, without getting too detailed…what did the two of you do last night?”
“Talked mainly. Got to know each other a little more. I love how driven and passionate he is, and how much he makes me laugh. He’s just so funny.
We, uh, didn’t have intercourse, but we did other things.
Anyway, sometime while I slept, he whittled me this adorable little larkhet.
I woke up in his arms this morning, and he was so shy when he gave it to me. ”
Lacey smiled as Sophia spoke. There was a soft, dreamy light in the woman’s dark brown eyes. Lacey had seen that same tenderness in Cole’s eyes when he looked at Sophia. If love at first sight was real, surely it existed between the two of them.
“You know, Cole used to be a raging asshole,” Lacey said.
Sophia’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean?”
“When we first woke up, he was angry and in denial, and very distrustful of Ketahn. But reality throat punched him real fast and knocked some sense into that thick head of his. He’s grown so much since then.
Really, I think out of all of us, he’s the most changed.
This whole experience might be the best thing to have happened to him.
Now, he’s doing the things he loves, has a community that cares about him and supports him, and he’s given so much back to it. He’s thriving here.”
“I’m so happy for him,” Sophia said with a smile.
But her smile faded quickly, giving way to a somber expression as she cast her gaze to the floor.
She drew her legs up against her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“I know you all haven’t been awake as long as I have, but you’ve made a home in Kaldarak.
You’ve made a family there. And I know when the kurghests are killed, you’ll head back home…
“Do you…” She met Lacey’s eyes. “Do you think Cole would ever consider staying here?”
Lacey’s heart went out to the woman. She could only imagine what Sophia was going through.
From waking up alone, thinking she was the only human left alive, to finally discovering years later that she wasn’t the sole survivor, and now to the realization that she’d soon be the only human in Tovuunshai again.
“You should talk to Cole about it,” Lacey said, offering her a gentle smile. “He’s the only one who can give you an answer.”
Groaning, Sophia covered her face with her hands.
“Do I sound pathetic?” She dropped her hands and once more crossed her legs.
“I know we just met, and it’s gotta sound crazy that I’m wanting to ask him to stay after a couple days, but I just feel this strong connection with him, and I… I don’t want to lose it.”
“You don’t sound pathetic at all. I think what you’re feeling is totally normal.
And even when we leave after this hunt is over, it doesn’t have to be goodbye for good.
Cole could always come back and visit, and you’d be more than welcome in Kaldarak.
I’d love to spend more time with you too.
” Scooting closer to Sophia, Lacey gave her a little nudge with her elbow. “You should check out Cole’s deck.”
Sophia laughed. “He told me about it.”
“It’s pretty awesome, and he has every right to be proud of it.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
They chatted some more, changing the subject from Cole to their time in the jungle. Sophia recounted all her clumsy early attempts at hunting while Lacey laughed and shared her own stories. She’d at least had help from Telok and the other vrix, while Sophia had been on her own for weeks.
Sophia also talked about the winddancers and how they’d become her family, especially Tas and Shir, who were like a brother and sister to her.
She explained the winddancer word Nedrayas—it meant community, family, and home all at once.
For the winddancers, all three were one in the same.
They would always be home as long as they were together.
She also mentioned a bit about her life on Earth and her family there. She’d had good, hardworking parents who, while sad, had been supportive of her and Damián’s decision to join the Homeworld Initiative, and a younger sister who’d been a nurse.
Not wanting to bring the mood down, Lacey didn’t share much about her own childhood. While it made her envious to hear about such loving parents and carefree, safe, and fun childhoods, she was always glad to hear that others hadn’t suffered as she had.
But that was all behind her now. Lacey had a new life here. She had a beautiful home, amazing friends, and…a mate.
God, she still couldn’t believe it. Telok was her mate.
Absently, Lacey touched the mark on her shoulder.
And he was out there somewhere, likely hurt that she’d pushed him away, that she’d closed herself off to him.
She needed to find him.
“Does it hurt?” Sophia asked.
“Does what hurt?”
The woman pointed to Lacey’s shoulder. “I take it that’s from Telok?”
Flushing, Lacey covered it lightly with her hand and nodded. “It stings, but it’s not unbearable.”
“I’m still reeling from the fact that humans and vrix can mate.”
Lacey chuckled. “It doesn’t seem like it should be possible, but we’re definitely physically compatible.”
“Well, congratulations to you,” Sophia said with a grin.
“Thank you.”
“Do you think you’re up to joining everyone and getting something to eat?”
“I’m actually starving.”
Sophia laughed and pushed herself to her feet, holding her hand out to Lacey. “Then let’s go.”
Taking the woman’s hand, Lacey stood, her muscles screaming in protest. She braced herself for another sudden cum leak, but thankfully there was only some minor stickiness on her inner thighs.
The women left the den together. A cool, gentle breeze fluttered Lacey’s skirt and hair. The sun was setting, granting Lacey glimpses of the remaining reds, oranges, and purples in the sky as they bled into the dark blues and violets of night.
More time had passed than she’d realized, which made her feel even more awful.
“What is Kaldarak like?” Sophia asked as she stepped onto the rope bridge.
Lacey followed her, clutching the rails as the bridge swayed. She always hated crossing these things when it was dark. If you looked down, all you could see were the glows of plants far, far below in the otherwise total darkness.
“A lot like this place, only bigger,” Lacey said. “The thornskulls’ dens are more like the one Telok and I are staying in instead of nests hanging from branches, and they’re all built on platforms circling the trees.”
“Tas gave me a nest when he first brought me here, but that lasted a single night. I hated how trapped I felt up there, and I hated the entire process of being carried in and out. It was terrifying.”
Lacey snickered. “Yeah, Ivy told us all about her experience when she lived in one of those things with Ketahn.”
As they approached the gathering on the central platform, the music and voices grew louder. Sap fires blazed in bowls, lighting up the area and the many vrix dancing, conversing, and eating there.
With his white hide and hulking body, Garahk was easy to spot.
He sat with a bunch of winddancers, including broodlings, seemingly in the middle of telling a story.
Droztar was eating with a few winddancers, Koss, Okkor, and Elharat were in the middle of some sort of stick-tossing game with another group, and Ayali was at the center of the platform, dancing intimately with Ess and Zesh.
The thornskulls seemed delighted in their newfound friendship.
“I see Cole!” Sophia said, excitement in her voice as she pointed.
The blonde man was standing next to the winddancer musicians, striking a drum, his body swaying to the beat.
Lacey smiled and gently pushed Sophia in his direction. “Go on.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, go to your man! I’m going to look for Telok.”
Sophia grinned. “Thank you. It was so nice talking with you.”
“Same.”
The woman hurried through the crowd, winding her way toward Cole.
He turned his bobbing head, and when he spotted Sophia, he broke into a huge grin.
He stepped away from the drum and closed the distance between them.
Snaking an arm around her waist, Cole swept the woman into a dance before bringing his mouth down upon hers.
She melted into his embrace, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back.
Lacey watched, feeling only happiness for the two of them.
Now where was Telok?
She wandered through the crowd in search of him, offering greetings when she was spoken to, but she didn’t stop to converse. Thankfully, no one brought up what had occurred between her and Telok earlier. They only celebrated his might and skill for having taken on so many kurghests alone.
Lacey frowned as she scanned the outskirts of the platform.
Telok wasn’t here.
Not that she would’ve expected him to be here dancing or celebrating—Telok preferred to keep to himself and avoid larger crowds. But she’d thought he would’ve either kept watch closer to the den, silently guarding her as night fell, or waited here in case she decided to venture out.
Where is he?
Crestfallen and not feeling up to being around so many people, Lacey grabbed some food and took it back to the den, hoping Telok would return soon.
Hoping she hadn’t ruined everything between them.
Did I…fuck this up?