Page 49 of Across the Crimson Sands

The claiming bite. The thought hit me like a bolt of lightning. It would give her the healing powers of a Vinduthi. But it would also bind us together forever. Could I do that to her? Would she want me to?

Arilee’s eyes rolled back, and she went limp in my arms. “No!” I roared, shaking her gently. “Stay with me, Arilee. Please.”

The nanoblade. It must have been Davor. He must have implanted it in Arilee’s arm when I was getting the bone conductor communicators. That sneaky bastard. But right now, I couldn’t focus on that. I needed to save Arilee.

I hesitated, my fangs aching to sink into her soft flesh. The claiming bite would save her, but at what cost?

She’d be bound to me forever, her choices taken away.

I laid Arilee gently on the floor and frantically searched the room. My enhanced Vinduthi senses picked up every detail - the acrid smell of fear and blood, the faint hum of the ship’s engines, the distant murmur of voices from beyond the sealed door.

My eyes darted around, looking for anything that could help. A med kit, a cauterizer, hell, even a clean cloth would be better than nothing. But Gorin’s twisted playroom offered little in the way of medical supplies, and the med kit in my shuttle was too far away.

I tore strips from my own shirt, wrapping them tightly around Arilee’s arm. It wasn’t enough. The blood continued to seep through, staining the makeshift bandage a deep crimson.

Time was running out. I could hear Arilee’s heartbeat growing fainter with each passing second. The claiming bite loomed in my mind, a tempting solution that carried its own set of consequences.

I looked down at Arilee’s pale face, her features relaxed in unconsciousness. She’d fought so hard for her freedom. Could I take that away from her, even to save her life?

My own words mocked me: “Arilee doesn’t belong to anyone but herself.”

But if I didn’t act soon, she wouldn’t belong to anyone at all. She’d be gone, leaving me alone with the weight of my failure and the ache of a love I’d never fully explored.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. There had to be another way. There had to be...

I lurched toward Gorin’s lifeless body, my heart pounding in my ears. Every second counted. Arilee’s labored breathing spurred me on as I frantically searched the Krelaxian’s pockets.

My fingers brushed against something smooth and cold. I pulled it out, relief washing over me as I recognized the force field pendant Arilee had used earlier. A plan formed in my mind, desperate and risky, but our only hope.

I turned the device over in my hands, studying its intricate circuitry. With careful precision, I modified its settings, recalibrating the energy output. The pendant hummed to life, emitting a soft blue glow.

“Hold on, Arilee,” I murmured, gently lifting her injured arm.

I wrapped the pendant around her wound, activating the force field. It conformed to her skin, pressing tightly against the gash like a second skin. The bleeding slowed, then stopped.

Arilee’s eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding her gaze. “Rokan? What...?”

“Shh, don’t try to move,” I said, cradling her head in my lap. “We need to get out of here.”

A commotion outside the room caught my attention. Footsteps approached, voices raised in alarm. We were out of time.

I scooped Arilee into my arms just as the door burst open, revealing two of Gorin’s guards. Their eyes widened at the scene before them.

“Hey! What’s going on here?” one shouted, reaching for his weapon.

I didn’t give them time to react. With Arilee secure in one arm, I charged forward to barrel past them. The guards stumbled, caught off guard by my sudden assault.

We raced down the corridor, alarms blaring around us. Arilee stirred in my grasp, her voice weak. “Rokan, put me down. I can walk.”

“Not a chance,” I growled, tightening my grip on her. “Save your strength.”

We rounded a corner, nearly running into another pack of guards. I skidded to a halt, frantically searching for an escape route. My eyes landed on a maintenance hatch, and my memory flashed up the map I’d seen in Davor’s compound.

“Hold on tight,” I warned Arilee, before kicking the hatch open and diving in.

We slid down a narrow chute, emerging in what appeared to be a waste disposal area. The stench was overwhelming, but it provided temporary cover from our pursuers.

“Where are we?” Arilee asked, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

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