He pats my shoulders and leans back. “Because mates accept risks for the good parts.” He waggles his brows suggestively. “I heard you torched up when you were carrying her to the cave, more than Holo’s ever seen. That you went engine to engine against a Skysprinter!”
“Yeah, but...”
“Stop thinking about the imperfections of your performance! This war isn’t about polished tactics! You hurting her was an accident. Survival is dirty, messy, and essential if we want to get freedom back for our mates and the other humans. You have to just store that pissed-off energy for later. Figure out which engines to turn off so you don’t hurt her. Practice that.”
“It’s not that easy to turn off years of battle burn in the skies.”
Diesel gives Rhee a sultry look. “You are limited only by your mind, my Brother. If you want to hold her, you will have to learn control. And trust me, that skill will advance the others too.”
He clicks his tongue. “And by the way she’s watching you, I think she’s willing to give you a second chance.”
I track his gaze to Kelta. She hides just inside a cave opening, one eye barely peeking out. I want to talk to her, but I have a job to do. And she’s safer down here with my brothers.
“Keep her safe.”
“Thruster…” Diesel reaches for me. “Brother.”
I glance back as I hustle away from the camp. “We’re not losing anyone else.”
Diesel>>Thruster: We cannot run from what we are. And we cannot crush guilt with our hands. Our Creators designed us to protect them. But thewhymatters.
I reply as I make my way to the nearest exit shaft.And what’s that?
Diesel>>Thruster: There is something humans create and share with one another that binds them more powerfully than any network. It exists when all other systems are down, even beyond decommissioning.
It’s no surprise where he’s going with the conversation. Diesel is different after meeting and mating with Rhee. They all are.
I can’t afford to lose my edge, fall for a female, and let emotional attachment make me vulnerable. But when I look at her, my walls quickly fill with cracks.
