Page 49 of Xeda

He understood now what was happening to him. And it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Few vrisha had to worry about going into a heat cycle when unmated. They were usually able to keep it contained until they found a mate or queen to satisfy. But every so often, if it had been too long, or something triggered the need, an unmated vrisha would go into heat. And the side-effects could be concerning at best and alarming at worst. It was such a rare occurrence, few usually had to worry about it happening on a mission.

But now he did have to worry. If he didn't find someone to give him release, soon it would be all he could think about and nothing else would matter.

He closed his eyes and saw Ophilia. He shouldn't be thinking of her. It was impossible that another who was not vrisha could do this to him, and yet he couldn't explain it any other way. She infected him, took over his senses. He let this happen.

It was too late to try to quell the heat. So, he would have to endure it. Somehow, some way.

No longer trying to contain it, he let his cock slide from it sheath, hard and slick with need. He growled in pain and frustration. Embarrassed, he gripped his shaft, slowly massaging. Vrisha shouldn't have to do this themselves. It should be with their mate. But he was alone, and what could he do?

Ophilia is right outside, said a devious little voice in his head.Call her into the shower and have her reenact your dream. Wouldn't that be nice?

He groaned as he thought of it, his tail twisting behind him, his legs shaking. Yes, he could do that. Or he could go to her if she didn't care to do it in the shower. They could try the pool again or his own bed. There were many places he would take her. Really, anywhere was fine with him. He'd take her on the damn balcony for all he cared, as long as he could just make this need go away.

He bared his teeth, ready to either call out to her or find her, when another intruding voice broke his thoughts.

Disgusting.

He growled again, his heart sinking. What was he thinking?

It didn't matter. He shouldn't act on it, that's all. He would keep himself from betraying his kind. And he and Ophilia could remain...where they were now.

He rubbed his shaft and hissed with pleasure. An image of Ophilia's mouth on him took over the rest of his thoughts and, by the fucking elders, he was done fighting. Thoughts meant nothing, nothing at all. And no one had to know. He let his mind go, let the images of her swarm him, then closed his eyes, letting his hand move, imagining it was her.

It didn't take long for him to feel his release, to feel the heat pump from him onto his hand. He let out a slow hiss of breath and knew such relief was short-lived. He had to make it through, he had to endure.

He stood in the shower for longer than he meant to, trying still to understand what she was doing to him. And wondering if this was what Vrexus had gone through. And, if it was, then it was now all starting to make sense.

A slow dread started slithering up his insides. This was the power they held. No matter what Ophilia did to him, she held this power as well. And the struggle to keep himself sane, to keep himself from being consumed, was a battle, he realized, he might not be able to win.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

Ophilia

She stood by the open door between their two rooms, looking into Xeda's. The groundmat was laid out with all the food she had ordered, and the room was dimmed with only the small flames and the reflection of light from the pool. It was a lovely scene, and she hoped Xeda would appreciate it, if only a little.

Even with the first game over, she couldn't shake her uneasiness. Xeda had made it, true, but next time...he would be a target not just for Kaxek but them all. She tried to push down the anxiety in her chest, telling herself he was strong enough, he would make it. He had to.

After she had left Sal and the others, all she could think about was what she would do if he died. She could openly admit to herself that she hardly thought of her own fate now. It felt miniscule in comparison. She wanted Xeda to live, not just for herself anymore. She understood that now. She wanted him to live because she wanted to know they still existed in the same space. Even if that space was millions of miles away. Her heart wrenched at the thought of after. If he won, he would likely leave and go on to some other world far away, always running. Maybe he would find a secluded planet and live his life in solitude. Maybe he'd get caught again and sent back home. Who knew. She wouldn't see him again, she was sure, whatever his fate might be. And she had to be fine with that.

She knew she would have to let him go. She had to put aside her feelings and see the logic, that he would either die or he would disappear. But at least if he lived, she'd know somewhere he was out there, and maybe they'd even be looking up at the same stars.

She wished she could be stronger, wished she didn't feel anything, because it compromised her. She had to be happy with winning and that was all. Set aside her feelings and know they could mean nothing.

She'd keep her focus on the games, what they needed to prepare for next, what training he could use. Now that so few fighters were left, they would likely try to extend the games in some way for entertainment purposes. Just a few days tops, as they prepared the final arena.

A knock came at their door, and she went over and opened it. A warden smiled at her.

"Afternoon," she said with a little bow. She handed Ophilia a small ISpad. It turned on in her hand. "The next game will be in three days’ time. Until then, you will find the itinerary on this pad for your convenience. There will be a set of scheduled duel combat fights. You will also now have access to your fighter's credit pool. The more he participates, the more prizes may be earned. There will also be midgame celebrations and events. You will find those also on the calendar. Thank you and have a lovely rest of your day."

As they walked away, Ophilia shut the door. She slipped over to the groundmat and took a seat. As she waited for Xeda, she looked through the ISpad, a counterfeit one by what she could see, as the company that made them was owned by Grayhart. She popped through his credit pool first, and her eyes widened.

Well, at least there was one positive in all this. He'd gained several sponsors, and his credits had shot up in only a mere few hours.

Excited, she went to the shop and saw what they could afford, which was much more than before. She looked over at her room, then smiled. She had a few things in mind that she thought Xeda would greatly enjoy.

When she was finished browsing and picking out the few things from the shop, she heard a soft clicking behind her and saw Xeda standing at the doorway, watching her, his fingers tapping the side of the wall.

She tried to ignore the fluttering in her chest as she set aside the ISpad. "Hey," she greeted, giving him a small smile. When he didn't say anything, she eyed the food before her, then glanced back at him. "Hungry?"

---