They both stood and studied the space. Xenia tightened her ponytail which had come loose during their fall, and his gaze snagged on the glorious red strands.
He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and rubbing the red silk between his fingers. He wanted to see it spread across his sheets, or better yet, his skin. “Let’s get out of here, baby.”
She stilled. “Baby?”
“It’s an endearment. You’re supposed to like it.”
She tilted her head, considering. “I do like it. No one’s ever called me anything but my name or title before.”
He gripped her hand. “Didn’t your parents have pet names for you?”
Her head lowered. “I didn’t have parents.”
“What?”
“I was abandoned. Security raised me.”
Abandoned. No family at all. Centaxians prided themselves on the achievements of their offspring. Who had been there to show Xenia she was valued? Loved?
“Well, I’ll call you all kinds of pet names. Baby, gorgeous, beautiful—” again he couldn’t stop himself and he nipped at her lips “—and I’ll do it while I’m sliding my cock inside you.”
She shivered.
“Come on.” He turned. “Let’s find a way out.”
They started searching the darkness. Axton wished for his now-lost ion light.
“Look.” She strode toward one wall.
Dim lights clicked on, illuminating jagged blades of all sizes lining the wall. Rahl weapons.
“They were storing stuff down here,” he said.
“I may hate the Rahl, but they make beautiful swords.” She stroked a finger along the hilt of a sword with an obsidian-black blade. “The craftsmanship is amazing.”
He was caught for a second watching her face. He wished she’d look at him like that. “There has to be a way out.”
She turned away from the weapons. “Keep looking.”
He headed in one direction and she went the opposite. At least with the lights on, he could see better. He found some other supplies haphazardly piled around. Then he spotted what looked like stairs heading up into the darkness. He took a step forward.
“Axton.” Xenia’s voice echoed through the space.
“What did you find?”
“Artifacts! They look like they might be from private Centaxian collections.” She held up something, and he saw the glint of gold.
Taken during the looting. His pulse spiked. “Any sign of the Codex?”
“No. Sorry.” She stepped closer to the boxes, then stopped. “Oh, no.”
Her voice had changed. “What?”
“Axton, stay back. I’ve stepped on a pressure sensor.”
A pressure sensor? A chill skated down his spine. For what? He headed in her direction.
“Stay back, dammit.” She slashed a hand through the air. “You are so stubborn. There could be more.”
