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Jerred needed to be brought to his senses.
He waited until he was sure Jerred was gone, then pushed himself away from the shadow where he’d been standing and walked to the apartment door. He nodded, waiting for her to respond.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“Jerred, is that you?” she asked through the com panel.
“No, I’m a friend of Jerred’s. My name is Xander,” he said slowly, trying to keep his voice neutral and unthreatening. It was hard; her presence called to him. As an unmated man, he found it hard to be around women, especially those he couldn’t have. There was something about another man’s life mate that could drive a warrior slowly mad with lust. Their culture was wise to keep the women away from the unmated males. Otherwise, there would be a bloodbath; she couldn’t stay here.
“What do you want?” she asked, and he could hear the tension in her voice. Jerred must have warned her about the men on the station. At least he hadn’t completely lost his mind, Xander thought with a tinge of dark humor.
“I’ve come to talk to you,” he said. “You don’t have to let me in, but I do need a few minutes of your time. It’s about Jerred.”
“I’m listening,” she said. “But not for long. I’m not going to open the door.”
“All right,” he said, looking up and down the hallway. It really was a shame she wouldn’t let him in. Out here he was more likely to be seen. If Jerred found out, he would kill him. Still, a man had to die some time, and at least then the horrible burning, aching emptiness within him would be gone. Sometimes he thought death would be a mercy.
“Do you know that Saurellians can only mate permanently with someone called a life mate?” he asked through the door, feeling ridiculous.
“Yes,” she said, and he could have sworn her voice held a touch of hurt. Good. She cared about him.
“Well, you’ve probably heard that only Saurellian women can be life mates, then,” he said.
“Yes.”
Her tight, strained intonation spoke volumes. He sighed.
“Maybe you don’t realize that in the past year, several Saurellian men have found life mates who aren’t Saurellian.”
Silence. He took a deep breath and forged ahead. “I think you might be one of them.”
“Don’t play games with me,” she said. “This is cruel.”
“It’s the truth,” he replied slowly. “Jerred probably doesn’t believe it’s possible, and the odds are certainly against it. But he’s showing all of the signs of a man who’s found his mate.” I should know , he thought bitterly. I’ve watched enough of my friends and brothers find their loved ones on Saurellia.
He pushed the disloyal thought out of his head. The Goddess decreed which men would have mates and which would suffer alone. Still, the irrational part of his mind screamed out at him to break down the door and take her.
After all, if she could mate with Jerred, why not him? He pushed the thought back and took a deep breath.
“You need to go to the Temple,” he said shortly. “They’ll be able to tell you if you’re the one for him.
You need to know this, for both your sakes.”
“How do I go to the Temple?” she asked, softly. “And why should I believe you?”
“You should believe me because I care about Jerred,” he said. “Despite what you may think, we’ve been friends forever, and I’m afraid he might lose his only chance for happiness. Not to mention your only chance for happiness. The life mate bond goes both ways, you know, and it only ends with death.”
Silence. He shook his head, hoping she was still listening. She didn’t exactly have a reason to believe him, after all.
“All you need to do is get on the ’net and look up the local temple,” he said. “Call them. Talk to the priestess. They’ll help you make the arrangements you need to make.”
“What makes you think they’ll believe me?” she asked.
“Whether they believe you or not, they have a duty to check your story out,” he said. “Tell them about Jerred, and tell them that I came to talk to you as well. Make them understand that you need their help.”
“I’ll think about it,” she said slowly. “Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because I want Jerred to be happy,” he muttered through gritted teeth. Deep down inside, he knew it was true. That didn’t make it any easier, though.
“He loves you and I know it,” he said softly. “It’s written all over his face, in every step he takes. I’m just worried that he’ll let his own fears get in the way of his happiness. If it were me,” he paused to take a breath, swallowing deeply. “If it were me, he’d do the same.”
She fell silent, and he turned quickly and walked away. If only it were him. If only the Goddess was that kind.
* * * * *
Giselle found the number for the station’s Temple. She still wasn’t quite sure what to think of Xander’s strange visit. Was he playing some kind of sick game with her? She shuddered to think how humiliating it would be if he was… On the other hand, what if he was right? Even a chance to have Jerred as her own was worth any humiliation. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the call button.
Almost immediately a man’s face appeared on the screen. He smiled at her, and she realized there was something different about him. He didn’t have that tense, questing look she had come to associate with Saurellian males.
“Hello,” she said softly. “I need some information, I think.”
He smiled at her reassuringly. “Go on,” he said. “I’ll do my best to help you.”
“I think that Jerred, uh, the man I’ve been seeing, is my life mate. Does that make any sense to you?”
A look of surprise came over his face, but he quickly masked it.
“Well, there is a slight possibility that this is true,” he said. “But it’s very unlikely. I’m sorry, but I have to be honest with you about this. Many young women imagine they are life mates when they meet a handsome Saurellian soldier, but it’s rarely true. Why is it that you think he might be your life mate?”
She blushed, unsure of how to answer without sounding silly. Somehow, I think I’d just die without him, seemed juvenile at best.
“I’m not really sure,” she said finally. “I realize that it may just be wishful thinking, but I really do love him. And I think he loves me, too. I think we’re just both afraid to let ourselves say it because we know it can’t last.”
