Page 12 of Dealing With Drak

Does that mean she’s hit on him too? My lip curls up, but I shake the rage away. It doesn’t matter if she has. Drak isn’t my boyfriend, and he isn’t my mate if the light-less center of his chest is any indication. Rem and Marrec’s soul seeds lit the hell up for their mates, and so far, none of the other Aprixicans have followed suit.

Probably a good thing because mating is way more intense than dating. Their people just decide to be together or wait for their seeds to glow, and that’s it. Getting to know someone casually isn’t a thing from what it sounds like. Either you’re friends, family, or you’re married.

I do not want to be fucking married. Right?

“If you want her, you’re going to have to try harder,” I grunt. “Megan’s set on Al’rik unless she’s said otherwise.”

Drak tips his head back to the sky, laughing hard. “I do not long for Meg-ham. I am glad that she wishes to mate with Al’rik.”

Well, good.

“Whatever,” I reply, waving him off. “We didn’t finish our plans last night.”

“I have not forgotten. Do you wish to finish them today?”

I wish we didn’t need to plan and that we were already leaving.

“Yes.”

4

Anna

The sun has gone down by the time Drak and I have a fully thought-out plan of what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it. He’s gone back to their main ship for the night to prepare the small transporter ship they have on board. It can travel just as far, but it’s more like a car than an apartment that flies. We’ll use it to move through the area faster and safely, but it won’t be a solid shelter.

It’s fine by me. Without Drak, I’d be traveling on foot for the whole search. Besides, with his built-in zombie repellent, a phenomenon that must just be pheromones or some kind of chemical reaction, we’ll be able to stay wherever we want when we need to sleep. I really don’t understand why zombies turn and walk as fast as they can away from wherever the Aprixians go, but I’m not going to question it. It’s a gift.

We’ll still have to look out for other humans, but Drak is able to smell and sense when other people are near. Not to mention, he’s pretty much indestructible, so I have to have faith that he won’t let anything happen to me.

At my core, I’m the kind of girl who knows I can survive on my own, but I like not having to. It’s a huge burden lifted off my shoulders to be able to relax at least some of the time. And even though he pesters me to no end, Drak lightens the load constantly. I don’t have to be as on edge when he’s around.

“What are you doing?” Megan asks, letting herself into my room. It’s my fault for leaving my door open. In a sorority house, that’s practically an invitation for guests.

“Packing,” I respond simply.

I can practically hear her rolling her eyes even though I don’t look up from my backpack. “I can see that,” she drawls. “What are you packing for?”

“I’m going away for a few weeks,” I answer boredly, rolling my spare socks.

“What?” she shrieks, causing me to wince. Her brown hair is braided on either side of her head, the strands jumping a little as she storms over to me.

“Volume control,” I scold, clicking my tongue at her.

“Um, fuck that,” she returns, putting herself in between me and my bed so that I have to stop what I’m doing. “You’re going away for a few weeks?” Megan parrots. “Where the hell are you going? Were you even going to say anything?”

“Yes,” I answer tightly.

She laughs humorlessly. “When? On your way out the door?”

“No.” Maybe. “At breakfast.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” she fumes, hands on her hips and nostrils flaring. “You’re actually crazy if you think we’re going to let you out of this house on your own?—”

“I’m not going alone,” I snap, maneuvering around her to get back to my bag.

Her anger quickly shifts into confusion. “What? You’re not going to Aprix without us, are you?”

Nose scrunching, I look at her. “Why the hell would I be going to Aprix?”

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