Page 64 of Alien's Eternal Mate

“My love for you will never die, even if this body does. I will love you forever, until the stars lose their shine.”

Her bottom lip quivered, and tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.

“Beloved!”

Arael threw herself at me, and this time I wrapped her up in my tightest embrace. Perhaps it would be the last time I would hold her, ever, before oblivion claimed me. If so, I wanted to savor every moment to the fullest.

“Chief Gro,” Pageus said from the other side of my door “Forgive me, but there is no time left.”

I disentangled myself from Arael. She wiped her tears as I finished dressing.

“Go and fight, beloved. Just make sure you come back to me.”

I smiled, trying not to break down on the inside.

I want to live! Oh, by all the stars, I want to live so badly! I want to live so I can be with her.

A stark contrast to the way I’d felt for most of my life. For so long, I hadn’t really cared if I lived or died. After all, death would just free me of a galaxy overrun by aliens more powerful and advanced than humanity.

Now, however, I had something to lose. And all of the things that made me feel so angry in my old life just didn’t seem to matter any longer.

“You’re finally becoming the man I always knew you could be.”

I winced at the sound of the familiar voice. I hadn’t heard it in so long. I looked up to see the young man in the IHC uniform looking at me, a smile on his face.

“I’m proud of you, son…”

“Is he back?”

I shook my head at the sound of Arael’s voice, squeezing my eyes shut. When I opened them again, the image of my long-departed father had vanished.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“The person you talk to sometimes, the one that only you can see. Is he back?”

My mouth fell open, and Arael laughed.

“I’m your lifemate. DId you think we could share our lives so fully without me knowing your every secret?”

I sighed.

“You don’t think I’m crazy?”

“No, visions are a blessing from the Precursor Artificers.”

“It’s Precursor or Artificers, not both, and I’m not sure it was a vision.”

“What else could it be? You are not touched by madness, beloved. I know this.”

She went to the mantle and retrieved my skybreaker harness and spear.

“Now, go and kill a despot, and be sure to wipe your feet when you return home.”

SIXTEEN

CARTER

Butterflies the size of Vakutan Cruisers flew around and smashed into each other inside my belly. My legs felt trembly and weak. It took everything I had not to turn tail and flee right then and there.

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