“E-Elix?” No sound comes out but a rasp of air.
He hangs his head, nods once, and finishes cleaning up the room with a sigh.
For several breaths, I just let it sink in that he’s been my guard this whole time, and I didn’t notice or even think about it.
He seemed human, looked human. Sure, he’s bigger than most in height and muscle mass, but he has no tail or wings or strange exterior texture like scales or scutes, nothing to clue me in.
Other than his eyes.
But I never expected it to be Elix. We always and only ever saw one another in passing.
He finally sits on a stool beside me, clasps his hands together, and avoids my gaze by reading the screens in the room. “I overheard the Ginarigons talking about you in the next ABR transport after you’d boarded. So I got myself assigned as your private security detail based on a Life Debt.”
“You don’t owe me one.” It comes out only as a whisper. My whole body aches, but I still try to sit up. In my clumsy attempt, my left hand slips and I smash it into the bed’s medical table.
I grimace and slump back, frustrated to tears that my body is so helpless. “Ow.”
“I owe you more.” He lifts my hand, eyes the fresh scrape on my knuckle, licks his thumb, then runs his thumb over the red mark. My skin heats, then cools beneath his touch. I watch the redness disappear, staring at it in shock.
“This is why my people died off.” He rests my hand on the table again. “They did not come to kill us. Not the Novarks or the Denarso. Not even the Nebulous. They came to drain us. I was just banished before my home planet’s final battle. But this is why I became a medic on the outer rim. I hide in plain sight, conceal myself as a human. I am private security, yes. I am good because I can do what most can’t.
“You should be dead. You’re not because I am not your average guard.”
I rotate my hand and weakly take his in mine, grateful to have someone fight for me but broken by what he’s been through.
“The serum will not heal from near death if we cannot taste our patient,” he adds.
“Taste?”
“I need to sample DNA to modify the serum from the ooligilli gland in the back of my throat. I cannot tell you how I modify it. That is as much instinct as breathing.”
His fingers are warm, strong, and far larger than mine. Yet he is gentle when he cups my hand.
“But why?” I can’t fathom why anyone would sacrifice so much for me. “Are you just after treasure?”
Elix leans closer. He scans me, pain in his eyes. Then he reaches across my body, rests his arm beside my head, and grazes my cheek with a thumb, looking atmelike I’m some sort of golden challis.
I don’t believe it.
My instinct is to reject the notion he’s the one who wants me, if only because he doesn’t deserve to be dragged down by my life. I expected to be targeted by the likes of a Ginarigon: brutish, pissy, not picky about mates, a pain in the ass with an imperfect moral background like me—not gorgeous, ripped,sweet, Elix.
“When did you feel this?” I ask.
His mouth squirms like he can’t find the words. He looks away.
“Elix.” I try my best to squeeze his hand and bring his gaze back to mine. “How long?”How long have I ignored this and left you feeling like this was one-sided?
My body feels like garbage, but now my heart aches, too.
“When you stayed behind to make sure I escaped the spaceport.” He rubs his face with a hand.
“That’s well over a decade ago —”
Elix covers his mouth and nods. “I didn’t understand the tearing feeling inside me then. I was too young. But every time I’ve seen you since and lost you, I felt it again.”
He guides my fingers to his lips, then supports my hand with both of his and rests his mouth against my skin. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t control it this time.”
I soak in the softness of his kiss and how delicate the moment feels despite knowing he’d bashed into Ginarigons and other monsters just to free us not long ago.
