Page 117 of Rebirth

Mina’s gaze darts to me again as we turn a corner, and I see when her throat moves. “This way,” she says.

I only realize then that I can sense something within her. Faint. Almost as if it isn’t there. Not as strong as He’rox’s or those Corrupted on the ground. She’s been tainted by the Gryken too.

I give her an encouraging nod as we continue on. The reality that humanity is changed more than we realize a heavy thought on my mind. Pushing the thought back, I extend my senses to the ground. Half-amazed I’m able to. Half-terrified by this new power.

My consciousness snags on the soldiers below as they prepare to fire. But even more alarming is the approaching threat Mina described.

As we come to a halt and step into the lift, my chest heaves with extended breaths.

“This is a bad idea,” He’rox suddenly says, dark eyes swallowing me whole. “You should have remained in the lab. There are tests I must perform and you need rest.”

I smile at him, gripping his arm with one hand. Against the contact, the ba’clan pulse, crawling along my skin as if ready to go to him. “I’ve never felt more alive.”

He’rox’s ears flick as his gaze studies my face. “I’ve only just gotten you back. I cannot lose you again.”

There’s a deep intensity to his words that makes me know, without a doubt, how genuine he’s being.

“I’ll be fine.” I lean closer to him, resting my forehead against his bicep as I breathe deep.

That sweet vanilla fills my nostrils and I have the sudden urge to crawl him like a pole. Pulling back, I swallow hard as I stare at him.

The ba’clan pulse against me again, as if urging me to continue.

“To be honest,” Mina breathes, cutting through the path my thoughts had taken, “neither of you should be outside the lab. You’ve both been through a lot. Your bodies need rest.” She pins me with her gaze. “Especially yours.” She takes a deep breath. “We all thought…”

“That I was gone.” I say it with a soft smile before I force myself to release my hold on He’rox. Memory of his thick cock sliding inside me almost makes my eyes roll over.

The longer I hold on to him, the more the urge to climb him grows deeper. As if I need to meld myself to him. As if I want every bit of him inside me.

As if I want to claim him.

The ba’clan pulse at that word and I swallow hard as that space between my thighs throbs in response.

This shouldn’t be happening, should it? I just woke up. We’re in the middle of a war. I should not be thinking about fucking him.

But the more his scent floods my nose, the more intense the feeling gets.

Turning my head slightly, I force myself to take shallow breaths.

“Sophie?” Mina asks and I shake my head.

“I’m okay. I–I’ll be fine.”

But I can’t deny there’s a pull toward He’rox. An urge, no, a need, to continue where we left off, the ba’clan whispering that I must bond further with him. That our connection will make us stronger, better able to face what is to come.

When the lift doors open, I force myself to focus as we rush out into chaos. The soldiers have their weapons trained on the eerily still Corrupted humans in the center of camp. But in the distance, the roar of engines grows louder as the unknown group approaches.

“Don’t shoot!” I shout, raising my hands. The soldiers hesitate, thrown by my sudden appearance and probably the fact that I’m alive. I must be a sight.

Unruly red hair blowing in the wind while covered completely by ba’clan so dark, they suck in the light of the sun.

The Vullan around us snap their gazes to me, their attention almost unnerving if my ba’clan didn’t pulse against me in support. I watch as spikes rise along their arms and fall, only to rise again, as if their ba’clan can’t decide whether I’m a threat or not.

“Lower your weapons!” They probably won’t listen to me. I hold no power here. I’m just a civilian. But before they can decide to ignore my order, black tentacles erupt from my back, slamming into their weapons and ripping them from their hands.

I expect the Vullan to move, to come at me, but not one of them even shift. As the soldiers stumble back in shock and fear, eyes wide and curses leaving their lips, I take another step forward, eyes on the Corrupted and their eyes on me.

I don’t know what I’m doing. Heck, I don’t know what I should do. But I know these people don’t deserve to die. Not when there’s a chance to save them.

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