Page 98 of Silent Lucidity

He didn’t look at her, but his nostrils flared, and his widening smile displayed his fangs. “A few more minutes. Will you last?”

Abella’s gaze stopped on his mouth. She squeezed her thighs together; she knewexactlywhat that mouth could do. “I don’t know.”

He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. His tongue slipped out and glided over his lips. “You tempt me, female.”

Abella chuckled and leaned back in her seat, brushing her finger over his forearm; it was as much touching as she could trust herself with while he was driving. “After.”

His smile faded. “Yes. After.”

Her own smile fell at the sudden change in his demeanor and tone. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he broke the hovercar away from the flow of traffic and angled it down. They descended toward one of the smaller buildings. While much of the city looked alien in architecture and design, there was something familiar about this structure—beyond the patches of emerald grass and neatly trimmed shrubbery dominating the open space around it.

This building would’ve fit well in any city back on Earth.

Realization dawned on Abella when her eyes drifted to the building’s entrance. Wide, gently sloping steps led to the doors, and a large fountain was situated near the base of the steps. At least a dozen flagpoles stood around the fountain, flying flags representative of all the regions of Earth and the space colonies. The United Terran Republic flag was largest of all, positioned at the center.

“Is this…is this the human embassy?” Abella asked.

She saw Tenthil nod from the corner of her eye. Without speaking, he piloted the hovercar around the back of the embassy and down to a lower level, where they entered an open garage door to a parking area beneath the building. He directed the car into the first open space.

Tenthil reached a hand forward, disengaged the engine, and settled his palm back on the controls.

“I should not have taken this from you,” he said, his voice so low and rough that Abella almost couldn’t make out his words. “I should’ve given you the choice. A true choice.”

Abella stared at him, brows low. The pleasure she’d felt only moments before was replaced with an almost nauseating dread. “What are you saying, Tenthil?”

“You have a home. A family.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“And you arefree.”

Abella searched his face. His pupils dilated and receded, as though he were struggling to maintain control, and palpable tension radiated from him.

“So, what? You’re just going to drop me off here so we can go our separate ways?” Abella asked, glaring at him through tear-filled eyes as her hurt gave way to anger. She turned, opened the hovercar door, and climbed out, slamming the door behind her. She started walking; it didn’t matter which direction she was going, as long as it was away.

She’d only managed a few steps when a strong hand caught her arm. Tenthil spun her around to face him. When she turned her head away, he took hold of her chin and forced her to look at him.

“You have had your choices stolen from you for years,” he said, his pupils swallowing his eyes. “And I was one of the people who took those choices from you.”

“Shouldn’t it be clear the choice I made?” Abella jerked her chin away and smacked his arm, taking a step back. “After all this time with you sayingyou’re mine, I’m never letting you go, and now you’re just dropping me off? I chose you, Tenthil! You should have known that the moment I said I loved you!”

“And what have I ever known of love before you?” he demanded, moving forward to close the gap between them. “What choicedid I ever give you butme? I want you, Abella, Iloveyou, and that means I want you to choose the future that will make you the happiest. I wantyouto have whatyouwant, not what I want.”

Tears streamed down Abella’s cheeks, and her throat constricted. “I want you tokeepme, Tenthil.”

Tenthil’s eyes flared. The muscles of his jaw ticked, but he remained unmoving, remained silent. A million words roiled behind his gaze, but he seemed unable to get them out.

She raised her hands to cup his face. “I love my family, I miss them, but if I had to choose between you or them, I choose you, Tenthil.Youmake me the happiest, and I know we’ll only be happier once we take our chance to live.” She brushed her thumbs over his cheeks, gently tracing his raised scar tissue. “But I don’t have to choose one, I can have both. Come with me. To Earth. Meet my family…because you’re already part of it. But if you’d prefer to go back to your home, I will go with you, I’ll goanywherewith you,Tenthil, because my home iswithyou.”

He took gentle hold of her wrists and rubbed the pads of his index fingers over the backs of her hands. “My only home is with you, Abella. I’ve never known another. But can I follow you there? Will they have me?”

“There’s only one way to find out.Together. But no matter what,Iwill have you.Iwant you. Just don’t abandon me.”

“I didn’t kill half the Order to abandon you, female,” he said, voice ragged.

He slipped his arms around her, drew her body against his, and claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss. Abella slid her hands up his chest and clutched at his shirt, tilting her head to the side to allow him to deepen the kiss.

For a brief moment, she’d thought he had abandoned her, that he’d simply given her up despite all they’d gone through. That moment was all it had taken for her toknow; returning to Earth—to her family—alone would have destroyed her. Earth was not home without Tenthil. She loved Tenthil with every fiber of her being, and she belonged at his side. He was her mate, as she was his.

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