Page 49 of Guardian's Soul

I stared at her open-mouthed. "One of these days, we're going to have to visit your home planet. Sounds like you humans are on to some serious frygging shit when it comes to interrogations."

Her facial expression was hilarious. She looked so torn between guilt and having been complimented. I grabbed her face and kissed her.

We agreed that we would give Possedion until morning. I liked the idea of sleep deprivation. It would also set him on edge when we didn't return for several hours.

It was easy to program one of the cleaning drones and the screen in Possedion's cell in case he managed to destroy the drone.

The lights were already dimming when we went to our quarters after a quick meal at the nutrition station, where Hannah lamented about the food quality.

"When this is over, I'll take you out for real food," I promised.

"You have real food?" Skeptically, she arched an eyebrow. "After eating this for weeks, I need a bit more description than justreal food."

I chuckled, understanding her hesitancy. "As in food being prepared by a person, not a machine. As in food that was harvested from plants and animals. Does that count?"

"It might," she allowed, swallowing.

"We have very tender meats and delicious vegetables," I lured.

"What else?" Her eyes were getting as big as saucers.

"You strike me as someone who might like sweets."

"God, I love sweets," she groaned, leaning back in her chair.

"We have breads and puddings," I continued, enjoying how her tongue darted out to lick her lips. "The Aarodoluupas make a fantastic, creamy treat. It's a sweet bread filled with?—"

Her groan went straight into my loins and reminded me of what we had done in this room previously.

"Filled with?" she prodded, reminding me that I had stopped midsentence to stare at her.

"Never mind." I got up and pulled her out of her chair, unable to resist the urge to kiss her.

Being able to do that, to touch her, kiss her whenever I wanted to, was still new to me and didn't cease to amaze me. I swore I would never do anything to make her revoke that privilege from me.

THARAAX

I was runningthrough the same forest again, but I wasn't alone this time, and I was neither worried nor heartbroken. A shadow followed me, laughing, calling out to me.

"Tharaax!"

I stopped and turned to look into Suahaana's beautiful face. She ran full speed at me, and I caught her easily. Wrapping my arms around her, I swung her in a circle.

"It's starting," she said excitedly, pointing at her arm.

"I know," I replied, holding up mine, where the same swirling Soulweb Glyphs had started appearing since last night. It had taken all my willpower not to run to her house to make sure she, too, was beginning to show our bond. The thought that it could be someone else never entered my mind. We had been destined for one another since we were kids. Tradition demanded that we wait until the Soulweb Glyphs were complete. After that, the temple would bless our union, and we would start our lives together in the house I was about to begin constructing today.

"What do you think?" I asked Suahaana, pointing at the dense forest around us. This place was a little away from the main hub ofour city, but Suahaana and I both liked to be alone, away from all the noise.

"It's perfect." She beamed.

My heart was filled with love for this female. I would never love another.

I woke with her name on my lips: Suahaana!

"Thrax?" Hannah shook me awake.

"You were calling her name again," she said when I opened my eyes, still caught in the fog of the dream. My heart hammered against my ribcage.Suahaana!I blinked and looked at Hannah. Two females, so different from one another, and yet, I loved them both.

---