Page 53 of Aria's Ascension

Aria had two mates. She did not need a Vrasai. He should show her his sorrow by cutting out his own heart and presenting it to her with his last breath.

Heshoulddo that and, yet…

Her parting words before she left him alone in the darkness decided it for him.

She was going to search out the males that shared this prison of stone with him. All were deadly. He could not leave her alone to face them. He had only one choice.

I choose Vrasai.

He quickly slid the healing ring on his finger and gathered every stone his chain allowed him to reach, then piled them on top of the weapon she’d gifted him.

He must free himself first. Healing could wait. He did not need his eyes to track her. He would heal himself later. It was a gift he’d neither earned nor deserved, but one she bade him use, and so he would, if only to better protect her. But, not now. Now, he must find her and ensure she did not come to harm while he was selfishly tending to himself.

Hardening the skin of his back, he braced. The explosion made his ears ring and filled the air with a choking cloud of dust, but the shrapnel bounced off of him harmlessly.

With the broken chain held in one hand, he sprinted for the exit, only to skid to a stop when he picked up the scent of food under the dust.

Raising his chin, he pulled in more of the smell. He was sure, at first, that he was only imagining it. It would not be the first time his mind had tricked him into thinking he could smell something to fill the aching hole in his stomach. But, when he dropped to his knees and felt around, he found them. Five, no, six, pouches of food and water.

For a moment, he was angry, full of rage and bitter amusement thinking Zhrovni had left this pile just out of reach to torture him, only to fail, because he had not known they were there. But, when he raised the packages to his nose, he caughtherscent.

He could not have been more stunned if he’d woken to find himself free and back on his homeworld.

She left these? She… feeds me?

He had not thought he could feel more shame, but he was wrong. It was not the way for a female to feed a male, but he did not care about that. Unheard of or not, he would never reject a gift from her. No, that was not what had his lungs squeezing until he could scarcely draw breath.

It was that she would leave something as precious as food for a male who’d lost all honor that made him feel as though he’d been gutted. It told him exactly what kind of female she was and exactly what a rare and precious gift he’d lost.

She was without equal.

Forcing his heartache down, knowing he had no time to indulge his pain while she moved farther and farther away, he gathered the bounty she’d left him and pushed to his feet.

Once he picked up their scent trail, he followed at a distance. Not too far that he could not get to her should she need him, but just far enough to remain undetected.

When he overheard her mates urging her to return to their cave, he relaxed. They were wise. It would, indeed, be reckless to hunt for the killers down there while she smelled of blood and sex.

Now that he knew she wasn’t headed directly into danger, he allowed himself to eat. He hadn’t been willing to do so before, thinking he needed to be ready to fight at any moment, but they would’ve cleared their dwelling already.

He wanted to savor the gifts she’d given him, but hunger robbed him of that restraint. He devoured all the food and water in a matter of moments then immediately paid for his lack of self-control. His stomach cramped so violently, unused to having anything filling it, that he almost lost everything he’d just eaten. Bowing over, he grit his teeth and swallowed hard, but forced himself to keep moving, keeping his steps silent.

Focusing on her voice to distract himself from the pain in his stomach, he caught the various names she called her mates. It reminded him that she’d asked his name.

And I did not give it to her. By the stars, I am a fool.

He swore to tell her at first opportunity, then frowned. He could not remember…

His various masters usually called him Beast or Killer, but that was not the name by which he wished her to know him.

It was there, in the back of his mind, teasing him. He could almost taste the sound of it.

Thrasin.I am Thrasin.

There was more to it, but he could not find those sounds. Still, pleased with what he remembered, he vowed to share it with her… if he was allowed the chance. She would not choose another for him as she had her mates: Red, Firefly. Those she said with affection, warmth. He did not deserve that honor. But, just hearing her taste his true name was a blessing he would treasure.

All thought of names disappeared when they reached their cave, and the unmistakable sounds of mating immediately reached his ears.

Thrasin came to a halt as quickly as if he’d run into a wall.

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