Page 52 of Searching for Thanksgiving

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Containment cells; Deep under the Valdier Palace

“Devon.”

“Crystal, what are you doing here?”

Shock ricocheted through Devon when he heard Crystal’s soft voice call out to him. He rose from the bench he was sitting on and walked over to the translucent barrier holding him prisoner. Frustration burned through him when she reached out for him before drawing back and looking over her shoulder.

His gaze followed hers, and he saw Sacha and Hope standing near the doorway. Hope smiled and shyly waved at him. Emotion tightened his throat, and he returned his focus to Crystal.

“We are going to help get you out of here,” she said.

He shook his head. “Don’t. There is… It won’t matter.”

She stepped as close as she could without touching the barrier. “What do you mean it won’t matter? Of course, it will! You didn’t do anything wrong!”

He shook his head again. “There are things you don’t know about me, Crystal.”

“Like the fact that your dad was a crazy murderous psychopath who tried to start a war, turned symbiots into monsters, and tried to take over the universe?”

He looked at her in surprise before he grunted and turned away. He shoved his hands in his pocket and walked back to the bunk. Breathing deeply to calm his raging emotions, he turned and stared at her.

“How did you know?” he demanded in a low voice.

“I’m part of your counsel team. Devon… it doesn’t matter who your father was. It is who you are that is important. My dad has requested to represent you. It isn’t right that you aren’t even given a chance to defend yourself. He is presenting his case to Zoran Reykill and some lady they call a Priestess,” she said.

Confusion swept through him. “Your father… why would he want to represent me? Zoran… There is something you should know. My father… Raffvin… was Zoran’s uncle. He killed his own brother, their father, and tried to kill my cousins. He nearly succeeded. What he did to the symbiots—” Devon paused and took a deep, calming breath before continuing. “I am as good as dead, Crystal. My dragon has retreated until I can barely feel him. My symbiot—.” His throat worked up and down before he forced himself to continue. “My symbiot has been slated to be returned to the Hive… at least what is left of it after the Priestess has salvaged what she can. A Valdier warrior cannot live without his dragon, his symbiot, or his?—.”

He stopped, unable to finish his sentence. Turning away from her, he walked back to the bench and sank down. He threaded his hands through his hair and rested his elbows on his knees.

“Or his what?” she softly asked.

Devon closed his eyes. Was this to be his biggest punishment? Was he destined to confess to his mate that he was not worthy of being called one, much less being given the greatest gift a warrior could be given?

“Or his what, Devon? His… mate? A Valdier warrior can’t live without his dragon, his symbiot, or his mate?”

His head jerked up, and he glared at her. “Yes. Yes!” he hissed, rising to his feet and striding forward. “Does that help? Knowing that you are destined to be my mate and that I, my dragon, my…,” he stopped and shook his head before he continued in a raw voice, “…and my symbiot will never know what it feels like to hold you? To kiss you? To… That I’ll never be able to?—?”

“Yes, you will. We have a plan,” she said.

“A plan—? What kind of plan?” he repeated.

Crystal turned and motioned to the two little girls. Hope shifted into her dragon and flew toward the flashing control panel on the wall. She pressed several buttons. He jerked back in shock when the translucent shield disappeared.

“I’m absconding with you, your dragon… and soon your symbiot,” she cheekily replied.

“Absconding…? Crystal, there is no way we can escape from here,” he said, stepping from his prison cell to stop in front of her.

He needed her to see sense. Life with him would always be one-step away from catastrophe. They would always be looking over their shoulders, living in caves or worse, and never safe. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—do that to her. He reached out and grasped her arms. She needed to understand.

“Crystal, you have no idea of the danger you are in or the life you are asking me to give to you,” he muttered in a terse tone.

“Then let me show you.”

Before he could ask what she meant, she leaned into him, and captured his lips. She pulled free of his loosened grasp and slid her hands up his chest until she wound them around his neck. His lips parted under hers as she flicked her tongue along his bottom lip. She took advantage when his lips parted to deepen their kiss. A low purr was pulled from him, startling them both.

She pulled back and tilted her head, studying him for a second. His brain was still locked in a daze from her unexpected kiss. It was only when twin giggles echoed around them that he was reminded they weren’t alone.

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