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I’d go full on beast mode. Every second she was around me now was another moment where she’d be in danger. Saleos could be anywhere and I knew he’d come for me, revenge his sole motivator, and her too, especially with whatever deal she made with him.
I’d never be able to forgive myself if I hurt her. She was a treasure, a worthy human who deserved a man who would treat her like a queen. I was simply a genetic experiment, an alien no less, who no longer had a place in this world, other than to stop Saleos. My fate was already set in stone.
Just thinking about her being in his presence once mor
e, or ever again made my adrenaline levels surge. That monster didn’t deserve to lay a single hand on her, not one finger. She was too good for him. She was too good for me.
In the morning, I would see to getting her out of Echelon 67. There were no more guards to contend with. Now, it was just me, Saleos, and Cosima. Just the three of us.
For days I had searched for Saleos without her, but he was smart. He had avoided me somehow. I hadn’t found a trace of his footsteps, of his scent other than what he’d left on her. I knew him though. He’d know that I’d realize he’d been around her. I couldn’t just react though and go after him, wherever he was. I had to think carefully before I decided to take him down.
I had to be careful not to underestimate his intelligence. What occurred in Echelon 67 proved that, beyond a doubt. He was clever, crafty, and consumed by his need for vengeance, but also jealous about the disparity between both of our lives. He’d always hated the freedoms I’d had. Always wanted them for himself. Been jealous of the fact that I’d lived most of my life outside the bars while he was locked behind them.
Our fight wouldn’t end until one of us was dead. Of that, I was sure.
Cosima stirred beside me, her gorgeous blue eyes blinking awake. She looked to see me, and I expected anger, at the very least displeasure with her punishment the night before, but there wasn’t a trace of that. Instead, she just looked up at me and smiled, her eyes warm.
“Morning,” she murmured sleepily. She yawned, and I tried not to smile when she squeaked just a little bit.
“Good morning, hellcat,” I answered.
Her brow furrowed for a long moment, and I saw a glimmer of awareness pass across her features. She’d remembered something.
“Axel, I have to tell you something,” she whispered.
I paused, raising my eyes to meet hers and waited. Whatever it was, it had taken her soft smile and caused it to falter. Instantly, my hackles rose, and I felt like I needed to protect her.
“I overheard something yesterday. A transmission intended for the people that used to reside here,” she murmured.
I didn’t answer for a long time.
“What did it say?” I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
“They’re going to bomb Echelon 67 tomorrow. They intend to kill you and Saleos for good and wipe this place off the face of the map,” she answered, her fear causing her to tremble beside me.
I drew in a sharp breath and I felt my claws sharpen against her skin. She gasped at the feeling, the sound exuding exquisite pain, sharp and beautiful and I had to close my eyes in order to focus on the danger, and not fucking her instead. I needed to calm myself before I hurtled out of control and endangered the two of us.
There was only one type of bomb that Saleos and I were weak to. It was a bomb with an additive that we were especially susceptible to, Nano swarms that specialized in neural shredding. Essentially, it would turn our entire neural systems into dust in less than a minute if we were exposed and destroy our capabilities to control our minds and bodies completely. Our deaths would still take time but be exceedingly painful. Any human in the vicinity would be killed instantly.
Trying to stay calm, I breathed a steady breath and shook my head. I had to remain in control.
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” I murmured quietly, trying to keep my worry in check. I had to get her out of here and I needed to do it now, before it was too late.
“I was… distracted,” she whispered, her eyes blinking, her expression one of innocence and brutal honesty. She smirked, just the tiniest bit as her eyes flicked back up to mine.
“Come. We must start moving right away. I have to get you as far from here as possible,” I said, while pushing off of the mattress. Her body heat left mine and I suddenly missed her touch. Instead of dwelling on that though, I extended my hand for her to grasp and she took it, at first hesitantly, but then more boldly.
“What are we going to do?” she asked quietly.
“We’re going to run,” I answered.
I lifted her to her feet and then quickly handed her the clothing she’d been wearing and then her boots. Quickly, she got dressed and in little time, I had snuffed out the fire and hid as much evidence of our presence as possible. Cosima watched me quietly, not saying a word.
I wondered if she was thinking of me, of our time together last night and I saw her hands drift towards her backside.
“Are you sore at all today, hellcat?” I asked her. She met my eyes for a quick second, before looking away with a shamed expression.
“Yes,” she finally whispered, and I smirked just a little bit.
