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Shae wraps her hands around my wrist and lowers my hand, pressing it to her chest. “What do you remember?”
My brain feels like it’s filled with stuffing, and it’s a struggle to think. To remember.
We were at Kurrahstka’s station. We were… running. No, we were being chased. I remember pain.
I suck in a breath. “I was shot.”Vittu! My eyes drop to my leg, and a pained moan is ripped from my throat at where the bedding falls flat too far up my leg.
“Hey, look at me!” Shae’s hand cups my chin, lifting my eyes to meet hers. “Don’t look at that. Look at me.”
“What happened?” I moan. I wiggle my toes, and I canfeel them.But when I look back, there is nothing there.
Shae forces my eyes to hers again. “You’re alive,” she says thickly. “You’re still here with me.” Then she wraps her arms around me and holds on to me like I might get up and run away. “You’re still here,” she says into my neck.
My arms feel weighted with lead, but I manage to wrap them around her, pulling her down on top of me. Sucking in her scent and savoring the weight of her crushing me.
“I’m so sorry,” she cries. “There was nothing we could do.”
“Shhh,” I hush, rubbing circles into her back, even as my own eyes prick with tears.
“I thought I was going to lose you,” she sobs. “I haven’t left your side this whole time. Watching to make sure nothing happened to you. We did everything we could, but…” She sniffles.
“It’s alright,” I whisper to her. And surprisingly, it is.
Gods, no wonder my Shae looks exhausted. How long has she been keeping vigil over me? Fighting death away from me like a she-lovos, a ferocious beast well known throughout the galaxies for how viciously their females protect their packs.
Gently, I smooth her hair away from her face and pull her back so I can see her. “It’s okay,” I repeat, stronger this time. “I’ve lost parts before and been just fine. This will be no different.”
Her smile is watery, and then her lips crash down on mine.
Ah, now my cock is pulsing in tune with the rest of me. I find I’m more than a little relieved that it still works.
Shae pulls back and frowns down at me, “You’ve got to be more careful from now on. You’re going to run out of lives. No more pushing your luck.”
“You’re not making sense,” I grumble as I try to bring her back down to my lips. “Do you want me to push your luck instead?”
I want her lips again, but instead, she giggles and lies down next to me, curling up with her head resting on my chest. I suppose this is alright. Turning my head, I draw the scent of her hair into my nose, and her weight feels good against me.
“On Earth, we have these animals called cats. They can be very small or very large. You kind of remind me of them. With your retractable claws and slitted pupils.” She reaches up and brushes a fingertip down my nose. “Your nose too, I think. Anyway, we have a saying that cats have nine lives because they are very dexterous and hard to kill.”
I snort, “Well, you might be right. I’ve certainly come close to death at least nine times in my life. I vow that I’ll be more careful from now on. For you.”
She snuggles into me and sighs, “Good. I like having you around.”
I turn my head and run my nose up the side of her face as my purr rumbles to life between us. “As do I.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
Shae
Istep out of the small shuttle and lift my face to the sky so I can savor the warmth of the blazing sun on my skin. A fine sheen of sweat prickles under my arms and across my forehead. The air around me smells hot with a tang that reminds me a little of sage.
It’s been forever since I’ve been outside long enough to really feel the sun beating down on me. First, because I was trapped in space. And then because I refused to leave Volethos’s side while he was in the hospital.
It’s been a long road to get to this point. At first Volethos was healing slowly, because of how depleted his body was from his poor diet and malnutrition. But once we got that in hand, and he started putting on weight—in the form of lean muscle, of course—then everything started falling into place. His leg healed at an astonishing rate. His strength increased. He already met with the prosthetist, and we’re just waiting for his new leg. Now we’re finally venturing outside.
A crash comes from the shuttle behind me, followed by Volethos’s creative swearing. A smile spreads across my face as I slowly open my eyes and turn back to watch my mate struggle with the crutches he insists on using until his prosthetic is ready.
I turn at the sound of footsteps coming up from behind me and nod at the large gray Vesen and his human mate.
