Page 35 of Across the Crimson Sands

“Rokan. About time. Where’s the girl?”

I tightened my jaw. “There’s been a complication.”

Davor’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of complication?”

“I...” The words caught in my throat. I ran a hand through my hair, wincing as I brushed against a tender spot. “It’s taking longer than expected.”

“Longer? You’re one of our best. This should have been a simple retrieval.”

I nodded, averting my gaze. Davor leaned closer to the screen, a slight raise of one eyebrow the only change in his expression. For him, it was like shouting. Should have known I couldn’t keep anything from the old man.

“You look like shit. What happened?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. I’ve known you too long, Rokan. What’s going on?”

I clenched my jaw, conflicting emotions warring within me. “I can’t do it, Davor. I can’t complete the job.”

Silence stretched between us. When Davor spoke again, his eyes were flat, dangerous. “That’s not an option. You know that.”

“I have to. You don’t understand-”

“Then make me understand,” Davor growled.

The weight of Davor’s gaze bore into me through the percomm screen. My chest tightened as I struggled to find the words. How could I explain something I barely understood myself?

“She’s mine,” I blurted out, the words falling like heavy stones.

Davor’s eyes widened, his jaw slackening. “What?”

I exhaled slowly, my fingers curling into fists. “Arilee. The human. She’s... she’s my mate.”

The admission still shocked me. I’d known it deep down, but saying it aloud made it real. Inescapable.

“That’s unexpected,” Davor said, his voice measured. “Are you certain?”

I nodded, my throat dry. “I’ve never felt anything like this before. It’s like she’s crawled under my skin, into my very bones.”

The movement of the city roared below me, but I barely noticed. My mind filled with images of Arilee - her defiant blue eyes, the curve of her lips, the softness of her skin against mine.

“I thought I was broken,” I continued, the words spilling out. “After the war, I felt... nothing. For years. But now...”

Davor’s expression softened slightly. “Now you feel everything.”

“Yes.” The intensity of it was overwhelming. Desire, protectiveness, fear - emotions I’d long since buried clawed their way to the surface.

“I can’t give her back to Gorin,” I declared. “I won’t.”

Davor was silent for a long moment, lips pressed together in thought. Finally, he sighed. “If she truly is your mate... I’ll see what I can do.”

Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. The reality of the situation crashed back down.

“I’ll buy her from Gorin,” I said. “Make it all legal. Whatever it takes.”

Davor nodded slowly. “I’ll start the contact. But you know Gorin is going to milk this for all its worth, Rokan. It’s not going to be easy.”

A wry smile tugged at my lips. “Nothing about Arilee is easy.”

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