Page 85 of Heart’s Prisoner

"Eti xi neesh," and I shall, he said.

Lana had crossed her arms, a hard set frown on her face. "Then how does destroying the whole base help exactly?"

"I will get to as many of the uninfected as I can once I set the bombs," he had said, placing each bomb next to the other on the table meant for dining, " but after, the base must be destroyed. "

"Let me guess. In case you missed one?" Lana said.

Xerus nodded. "It will be easier too. Instead of having to go through every part of this place just to find each of the infected and destroy them. This way it can be done quicker."

Lana couldn't argue with that. And the quicker it was done the sooner they could get off the planet.

Xerus' plan was to set bombs on every floor starting with the lowest. With twelve already gone he hadn't bothered so he started with eleven. He had found the headset that allowed them to communicate while he placed the bombs on each level so she could help alert him to any "danger" as he went about his task. For now he only focused on the bombs, getting them ready for when the time came to detonate. Then, as he promised, he would look for those uninfected and lead them away.

Currently, he was on the lower levels which were mostly empty. The saferoom she had been in on ten was the lowest one and everyone from there was gone. The only possible life-forms left were any last surviving creatures that had yet to be obliterated by Galger`s team.

"This is the last bomb here," Xerus said. "Eleven and ten are set. I'm coming back and will prepare the others for levels nine and eight." He took up his now empty bag and tied it around his neck.

"Alright. See you soon." Lana watched until he slipped out onto the emergency stairs then shut off her headset. She checked the feeds and found that most of the activity was on the upper levels per usual. Galger and his men had split up, some guarding their trove on level three, others back on level five for some reason, possibly looking for anything that made it in the destruction that they could salvage. Lana couldn't watch long, too sickened by the bodies still left all around. Many of them had burned but Lana still remembered and she shuddered thinking of her lost friend now nothing but ashes. She switched away when she saw nothing of value and flipped over to level one. Nothing was new. The people still huddled around, waiting, guards distributing food. The saferooms were still locked, although one did open briefly for scouts to go out and check the area. She watched them for a moment and was thankful when they returned quickly without incident.

She turned the feed off and placed her headset on the bar. Beside it, she picked up the scale Xerus had shed, now woven between bits of silver wire. She had thought to turn it into a necklace or bracelet but she had never been very good at arts and crafts. For now, it was just a red shard wrapped in a silvery cage. Before Xerus came through the door, she hid it in one of her pockets.

The door closed behind him and Xerus nodded toward her as he placed his bag on the ground. Smiling, Lana stood and greeted him.

"Nothing to report yet though there were a few sightings of stragglers, most everyone has kept to the upper levels," Lana said, wringing her hands as if somehow nervous.

Xerus grunted. "The rest of the bombs shouldn't take me long to assemble." He stepped around her to where he had left his tools and scraps of parts on the long table now pushed to the right wall in the main room. He went through the parts carefully. He picked up one particular device and showed her.

"This is the detonator. It is already paired with assembled bombs. The rest will follow suit." He gripped the narrow device firmly, the switch at the side meant to be pressed like a trigger. Xerus set it back down carefully. "When the time comes I will set it off. There will be about a three-second delay before the bombs go off."

Lana nodded, understanding. "I suppose we will be out of the base before they go off...if we can get to a ship."

Xerus' eyes flickered over to her. "I am not worried."

Lana wished she felt the same. But danger and fear still settled deep in her subconscious. As confident and assuring as Xerus was, anything could still go wrong.

"Will you go back out tonight?" Lana asked.

Xerus twisted to face her, his eyes glittering with something savage. "Nil," he said. He moved to stand close to her. "I will make the rest of the bombs. But first," his tail slipped around her back, bringing her against him, his clawed finger brushing the side of her face delicately, "Xi na Essha," I am hungry.

Lana suppressed a grin, her face heating. "I will fix you something," she said in a low voice, her eyes half-closed.

Xerus growled, showing off the tips of his fangs. His face came down and his tongue grazed the side of her neck. Lana shivered, her hands coming up to grip the sides of his arms. She craned her neck upward so that he was given better access, allowing his tongue to trail fire along the center of her throat up to her chin. A purr rumbled in his chest, vibrating against her.

Ever since their first night together Xerus had been much more needful in his wants. No longer suppressing his desire for her. And she never denied him even when she was sore. She wanted him too. In more ways than just physical. But she feared to voice those wants.

Even now that they were together she still feared the possibility of being tossed aside by his duty for his people and his right of passage to becoming a Predomis. And what that entailed. But now wasn't the time to think about that. At least that's what she told herself. She had him now and what was important was that they got out of Lazris alive.

Lana moaned as he nipped her skin and nuzzled her neck. "Was this morning not enough?" She laughed softly. Her body heated, remembering waking up curled against him in his newly made den. And of their early morning antics.

Xerus grumbled. "Nisa vil shas." It is never enough.

Lana breathed deep and gave in as she always did. She let him lead her down to the ground, too impatient now to make it to the den bed. The heat and power of him at her back was exquisite. She closed her eyes as he peeled off her shirt, feeling his warm hands graze her chest. As they undressed fully and he pressed himself behind her, sliding in deep, claiming her again, Lana's heart fluttered and dropped.

No, she couldn't think about what would happen afterward. Not yet.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Xerus successfully placed the next set of bombs, this time on all levels up to seven. A few incidents and mishaps had occurred along the way but Lana had been there at every step to warn him. A strange reptilian creature with quills on its back had found its way on level eight, spraying out thick, slimy layers of acid from its mouth. As it tried to target Xerus, who was able to dodge in time, the slime instead hit one of the bot-repairing machines with a set of pipes connected behind it, letting out a full layer of steam, making it hard for Lana to see in the room. Xerus took out the creature before it could do any more damage but the pipe was unfixable, belching out endless amounts of steam.

---