Page 65 of Bound

“As I’ll ever be,” I respond. “As long as I’m with you.”

It’s the one thing I know for sure in all of this. The one thing I cling to.

I belong to Rych, and I want to be his until my dying breath, which I’m determined will be many, many years from now.

RYCH

My Chrissie is doing her best to appear strong, but something within me is being pulled so vrexing hard, I know it’s her hidden pain. Maxym told us all about the thoughtbond, a psychic connection with a fated mate, like the one Blayn developed with his female.

I don’t know who I am, or how the thoughtbond manifests itself, but I want this to be it.

I want to give her part of myself, the part which can keep her alive, keep her with me. Vrex! I’d give all of me for her to survive.

The Voltes pilots the air transport over Tatatunga as Chrissie lies in my arms. She opens her eyes occasionally, but most of the time, she appears to be sleeping. I try to tune into her thoughts, but I don’t seem to be able to.

Maybe that’s not how the thoughtbond works. I curse inwardly at my loss of memory. Sylas could at least recall something, even if it was false. My memory is simply the facility, where I was shunted around by bots, and then the dome via the amphitheater.

“You think too loudly,” Chrissie says, not opening her eyes.

“I do?” My heart leaps.

“You’re growling under your breath.”

“I growl for you, my sweeteregri, because I am going to destroy those who did this to you.”

“After they’ve put it right, I hope?” She looks up at me, eyes dancing.

“And then they die.”

I’ve never felt more feral, more willing to do the deed. My mate is all, she is everything. No one can harm her, not unless they want to feel my blade and my wings be the last things they ever see.

“We’re here,” Axel announces, dropping the air transport into a clearing in the Pax district, not too far from the dome. The building doesn’t cast a physical shadow here, but it might as well.

My feathers prickle at the thought the Drahon were so close. Pax is a mixture of derelict buildings and trading storage units. It’s a maze I don’t want to get into.

With a finger on my lips at Chrissie, I pull my sword and stick it at the back of his neck.

“Where’s here?” I snarl.

“Gytha told you, I told you—I can be trusted!” Axel whines.

“I’ll be the judge of your loyalty, not the vrexing resistance,” I respond. “Tell me where the base is.”

“It’s half a tick from here, down the road. It looks like a meat processing plant.” Axel says with a huff. “You gain access via a shack on the left side.”

“Another underground base, vrex!” I mutter.

“If you wait, Gytha will send reinforcements, and we can all go in together,” Axel says confidently. “The Drahon won’t put up much of a fight. They’re terrible fighters. They prefer to use their credits and influence.”

“What sort of influence do they have?” Chrissie asks, interested.

“They were around in the galaxy for a long time before they fell out of favor and the Galactic Council confined them to their planet. They know things,” Axel says.

“And what do they have on you?” I growl in his ear. “Because I’ve already disposed of one Voltes, and I can easily deal with you in the same way.”

“Nothing! I told you, I’m loyal to the cause,” he retorts.

If nothing else, this Voltes is prepared to stand up to me. It should give him honor, if I could trust him at all.

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