Chapter 9 #6
“Yes, and it can become a blizzard without any warning. This planet is harsh and unpredictable. The tornado was only one example. Verrian is nothing like what it first appears. We must always remember it isn’t Earth or Triaxe, regardless of how similar it can seem.
We need to make sure we have all we need from town.
I’m glad you’ve already had your party. It would have been a shame for the weather to have interfered with your enjoyment.
We should go into town tomorrow and stock up.
We could be stuck here for weeks, or it could clear up and not snow again for weeks. One never knows.”
"Are we missing something?" Ancelin asked, worry creasing her brow. "I just hope Kellie and the baby will be okay."
"Just a few essentials." Krevan strode toward his office with purpose. "I need to check in with Derrick about Kellie. We've already gone through emergency protocols if they can't reach the clinic. I've prepared him for worst-case scenarios, though she's not due anytime soon."
“True, but better to be prepared. That was good of you to go over what to do with Derrick. How long can the snow last?”
"On Verrian, you don't get seasons—you get mood swings," he said, eyeing the delicate material of her sleeve between his thumb and forefinger.
"Yesterday's heat becomes tomorrow's ice storm without warning.
The blizzards can lock us in for weeks, and Triaxens don't handle it well.
Our bodies slow down, our tempers flare up.
" He frowned. "When the cold finally breaks, it doesn't ease away—it surrenders completely.
One morning you're huddled under thermal blankets, by afternoon you're stripping layers.
And those tornados, you saw one. Just another Verrian surprise.
" His eyes met hers. "You'll freeze in what you have on.”
“This is all I have right now.” Ancelin gestured to what she was wearing. “I have a thicker one coming in my shipment, but it’s not going to arrive for some time. I was told it was warm season still and never imagined it could change this quickly. I was sure my good coat would be here in time.”
Once Krevan had finalized their shopping list, he headed back outside to finish reinforcing the greenhouse.
Ancelin settled at the table and quickly drafted out her own list—she might as well have everything she'd need if they got snowed in for days.
She'd want something to occupy her time beyond the passionate activities that left her deliciously tender afterward.
She smiled at the memory of their recent intimacy, a pleasant warmth spreading through her at the thought of being trapped together for days, surrendering to his touch again and again.
Outside, Krevan was securing another layer of plastican over the cracked windows.
Ancelin slipped into the greenhouse to watch him.
He’d already ordered replacement panes, he’d said, but they wouldn’t arrive for weeks.
He lingered in the cold until dusk, lights flickering around him—probably tinkering with the generators, too.
When night fell, Ancelin found a switch that powered the floodlights and flipped it on.
The world beyond the glass turned into a frozen dreamscape: knee-deep snow still drifting in massive flakes, every branch bowed under its weight.
Panic raced through her. Without Krevan, she’d be dead—or worse—by now.
How reckless she’d been to come here alone, to this wild, uncharted world.
She was foolish, underprepared, maybe even longing to die—her friends had accused her of such a thing.
But now she wanted to live more than anything.
She searched the shadowy tree line for her beloved Triaxen.
“Ancelin,” Krevan called from the kitchen sink.
“I’m done outside. You should turn in early.
I’ll wake you at sunrise so we can head into town and back before the storm tightens its grip.
I’m checking SatView for predictions—this is going to be worse and colder than last winter.
” He looked at her with that handsome frown of his, then turned off the floodlights, took her hand, and started up the stairs.
She caught his arm and made him hesitate. “Are you coming to bed now?” she asked.
"Not yet. I need to settle first," Krevan said, rolling his shoulders as he clenched his hands. The tendons in his neck stood out like cables. Ancelin tilted her head back to meet his gaze, his frame dwarfing hers, yet she felt only security in his presence.
"You need sleep, and I need…rest.” His massive fingers traced her hairline with unexpected delicacy. Behind his smile lurked something untamed. "Too much exposure to my venom creates... dependencies," he added, lips curving into a secretive half-smile.
"What kind of dependencies?" Ancelin pressed.
Krevan winced, fingertips circling his temples.
"Are you in pain?" she asked.
"This weather—it drains me while setting my nerves on fire." He brushed a feather-light kiss against her downturned lips. "The venom merely strengthens our connection. Nothing dangerous."
"So, I'm hooked on you. I'd already guessed as much." She dismissed the concern with a flick of her wrist.
"There's more to it than simple addiction."
"Tell me."
"Separation after intimacy might trigger... cravings. Emotional surges. Intense yearning."
"Can I overdose on you?" Ancelin whispered.
"Not exactly an overdose." His eyes glinted with something between amusement and warning.
"But I've witnessed the aftermath of separation after intense mating.
The female partner experiences... intense emotional responses.
When my father traveled, my mother would crumble at just hearing his name.
I remember her wearing paths in the floor, weeping without obvious cause—a mystery to my younger self that I now fully comprehend.
" His fingers pressed into her arms with gentle insistence, his eyes never leaving hers.
"We share something transcendent—physical, yes, but much more. My parents have this same connection.”
“I see,” was all Ancelin said, and she continued to follow him to their room. Ancelin took a quick shower. Krevan sat on the bed and waited for her. She dressed in her warm pajamas and padded over to the bed. “I haven’t worn the nightgown you gave me yet.”
"You will, and when you do, we'll celebrate properly." Krevan's fingers worked the small buttons of her pajama top with surprising gentleness for hands so large. His lips brushed hers. "Every moment with you feels like a gift."
"Promise me you won't venture out in this weather while I'm asleep," Ancelin said, pulling the covers up to her chin.
"And I expect coffee waiting when you drag me out of bed at some ungodly hour tomorrow.
" She nestled deeper into the warmth. "I suppose we'll be trudging through darkness and ice before dawn breaks.
You and your war against sleeping in." She turned away, exposing her cheek, which he kissed before slipping from the room.
Sleep claimed her quickly, merciful in its dreamscape—no nightmares tonight. Instead, Krevan appeared, protector and lover, those extraordinary eyes of his—forest green ringed with quicksilver—watching over her.
"Ancelin." His voice cut through her slumber. "We need to move. The snow's getting worse. If we reach Coti before sunrise, we'll beat the worst of it. Krammer's opening early—storm preparations. Half the town's already there stocking up." His hand squeezed her arm. "Are you hearing me, Ancelin?"
“I hear you, Krevan. I just went to bed a few minutes ago. At least it seems so,” Ancelin complained and sat up in the bed. She felt like a zombie. “Did you sleep at all?”
“Not yet. I’ll sleep later. My head hurts anyway. We’ll have a lot of time to sleep when the blizzard hits. Come on and get dressed. Dress in layers, and I have blankets in the vehicle. Your coffee is ready, and I want to leave now,” Krevan demanded in a surprisingly brusque voice.
“Okay, bossy man. I’m getting up and ready. When will the blizzard hit?”
"The storm will hit within twelve hours. It's already sweeping across the eastern part of Verrian. I need power cells, animal feed, and supplies. I'll wait downstairs, but if you take too long, I'm coming back up," Krevan said, his voice tight.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Ancelin muttered as she pulled on her pants.
“I didn’t go to bed.” The door clicked shut behind him.
She layered her clothes as instructed and hurried. His mood wasn't one she wanted to test this morning. When she clomped down the stairs in her boots, Krevan stood rigid by the kitchen island, a muscle twitching in his jaw. A travel mug of coffee waited on the counter.
"Ready. Good," Krevan nodded curtly. Ancelin said nothing, recognizing the tension radiating from him.
She followed him to the garage where he gestured toward a massive vehicle they hadn't used before.
He helped her up with one hand, then was somehow already behind the wheel before she'd even fastened her seatbelt.
The engine roared to life as they backed out.
"This can handle the deep snow," he said, eyes fixed on the path ahead. "We need to be quick—there and back."
The snow pummeled the windshield in thick white sheets, forcing Krevan to creep along the road. "Can you even see out there?"
"Dark I can handle. This—" he gestured at the swirling whiteness,"—is another matter."
"Will we make it to town?"
"Yes." His knuckles relaxed slightly on the steering wheel. "The vehicle has a guidance system."
Ancelin studied his tense profile. "Are you angry with me?”