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I step into her, cradling her face in my hands, my thumb caressing her silken cheek. If I were to utter the words lingering on my tongue, it would make the task of returning her home that much more unbearable.
With a soft, reverent kiss swept across her parted mouth, I take a step back. A bittersweet fire burns within me as I join her in shedding my clothes. Fate is cruel, destinying me with a mate only to be forced to let her go.
Cora takes my hand, pulling me toward the water's edge, and we step in together. The sun's rays reflect off the surface in a glistening lightshow. We walk out farther until we are waist deep, and Cora turns around to face me. The water is cool and refreshing as it laps around us.
"Thank you for this day, Navik," she says softly, her eyes locked on mine. "For showing me this place, and for letting me see the male behind the marauder."
"Thank you, starfire," I reply, my voice thick with emotion, "for reminding me what it feels like to be alive."
Our lips meet in a leisurely embrace. I commit every nuance of the kiss to memory, from the tenderness of her lips to the way our tongues move in a slippery harmony. Time seems to stand still, yet with each passing second, I'm painfully aware of how precious and fleeting this moment truly is.
My starfire, I will never forget you.
I'm first to break the kiss, pulling her close to me as I wade us deeper into the water and closer to the falls. Cora wraps her arms and legs around me, her core hot against my belly. I want to sink my hardened shaft into her, pump her silken tunnel until she cries out my name. To knot her and fill her with my mating seed, but that pleasure can wait until the coming darkness. Right now, I will savor the precious time we have left together.
We drift in the refreshing water, our bodies entwined, the current pulling us closer to the frothy falls.
"Close your eyes and hold your breath," I tell her just before we pass under the falling water.
The force of the rushing water is strong, but I'm able to keep my footing and hold Cora close. We pass through the curtain of water and come out on the backside of the waterfall. Inside is a cave, its walls glistening with moisture.
Cora gasps in surprise, her face lighting up with wonder as she takes in the sight before us. The walls and floor of the pool are lined with bioluminescent rocks and flora, illuminating the cave and brightening the water in soft blue and green light.
"This place is amazing!" I let her go and she spins in a quick circle to admire everything at once.
I swim to the back of the cave and take a seat on the rocky ledge, the water lapping around my waist. "Zeva doesn't have many bioluminescent plants and animals. Not like Valose. I've read the Huren Jungle is all lit up after dark, as well as the Valosian people."
"Like the Berserker?"
"Yes. The Berserker was a Valosian warrior. His spirit mate was one of the human females held as a prize for the winners of the arena."
Cora visibly shivers. "The Berserker will take good care of her?"
"He will guard her with his life, the same as my sivot."
"I'm glad she'll be okay." Cora eyes drift off as in deep thought, then shakes her head. "I don't want to talk about the prison. Not while we should be enjoying this incredible place. You're so lucky to have this planet all to yourself."
With arms outstretched, I watch Cora spin around in the water, creating a wake with her cupped hands. Her lithe form slices through the water, her raven hair fanning out around her like a dark halo. The sight of her, so free and unguarded, fills me with warmth.
It's no longer just my sivot that wants to protect her and keep her safe from the dangers of the Universe. I'm shaken to my core by how much this tiny human has affected me. I could stay with her like this forever.
The moment hangs in the air, unspoken words of longing and desire linger in the stillness. And for the first time in my life, my gaze is not cast to the stars in search of my next adventure but on the female frolicking in the softly glowing waters of a planet I call home.
What will Zeva be like without her here? The solitude I once cherished no longer holds the same appeal.
Her delightful laughter echoes off the cave walls. I know the sound will haunt me once I return her to Earth. A cold emptiness tugs at me. My sivot stirs restlessly, but even my beastly half cannot argue with Cora's deepest desire of returning to her world.
"Come play with me, Navik." Cora playfully splashes water at me.
If only it were as simple as her changing her mind, calling Zeva her home, and accepting me as her mate. But I know it isn't to be.
I push off the ledge and join her in the pool. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I pull her close, playfully spinning her around in the water. Cora's laughter fills the cave, and I can't help but laugh along with her. Her soft gray eyes are bright with joy.
I forget the Universe outside our oasis and savor the warmth of her in my arms. I know soon enough I'll have to let her go, but for now, I'm content just to be with her in this moment.
A few days ago, I would have laughed at the male I have become. I would have called myself weak for allowing a female to rule my head and my heart. The laser blast through my chest hadn’t killed me, but the male I once was died in that exit corridor on Onis.
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