Page 63 of Sol Survivor

Drafe rubbed his brow where a headache was forming.Foq.“Mm, and nothing else on the scans?”

Spinning the moon’s image on the screen, Caah tapped at the bottom of it.“Some heat signatures closer to the southern core.Investigating now.”

Drafe squeezed and released his forearm, a silent display of impatience.If the facility was not on Europa, then due to Caah’s diligence, they could determine the source was not from anything remotely close to Jupiter.This would also mean no need to retake Vic’s ice hauler, nor a reason for her to stay with Drafe.

He gritted his teeth as each precious second ticked by.The tension built in his shoulders, burning down his spine.

“The area is shielded.Adjusting frequency.”Caah’s brow knitted.“Some sort of structure is underground.”He flicked his fingers, and images appeared on the largest screen.“Whatever it is, it is quite extensive, descending a few levels and spreading out more than three lengths of theAroagnicombined.”

“Is it the facility we are looking for?”Drafe frowned.“Never mind.I will trace the trajectory to Europa.”He bolted with a called “thank you,” sprinting along the passages to the command center and its three-dimensional space model.

Aehort smiled when Drafe stormed in.“Yes, it is the correct location.”

Gripping the table to hide and channel his energy, Drafe took a moment to calm his erratic heartbeat.“Why do you not share your premonitions?Am I not trustworthy?”

Aehort met his gaze.“You know the answer to this.You need not ask questions.”

Drafe huffed.“Fine.”

“You would attempt to make my visions come true, endangering yourself in the process, and not opening yourself to new possibilities or experiences.”

Everything within Drafe stilled.“You knew about Vic.”An explosion of joy summoned a grin.“Which is why you insisted I break with protocol and visit Moonstar.”

Aehort ignored him.“If I factor in the orbital path of Europa and the average speed the pods traveled, I confirm the source as being the southern pole.”

What they needed to do settled in Drafe’s gut.The confirmation added peace to the decision to strike.He prayed to Osnir that no civilians were harmed, but he wouldn’t bemoan their deaths too much.After all, they knew what they were doing was wrong.Or were the gods the humans worshipped more lenient on such ethical matters?“Good, Aehort.Now what?”

“Vic warned about security.”Aehort pressed the blue button.“Caah Taed, monitor communication into and out of the facility.Listen for security protocol we might need to mimic.”Aehort flicked his elegant, elongated fingers at Drafe.“Return to your female.Inform her of this, and ask her how she would like to proceed.”

“Ask?”Drafe appreciated the respect Aehort showed Vic.

“It is polite.”Aehort rasped a chuckle.

Snatching the opportunity, Drafe pushed for a hint of his future.“I assume, in your visions, that she is beside me when we breach the facility?”

Aehort met his gaze, all humor gone.“Wake her.”

Drafe sighed and marched to his quarters, but when he slipped inside, his pace slowed, and his frustration evaporated.In the warm light, Vic lay on her back, her limbs outside the furs, exposing the curved lines of her body to his admiring gaze.

“And?”she whispered without opening her eyes.

He grunted.“I made no sound, female.”

She snorted.“You breathe like an antique robo-dog.”She sat up, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and gathered her hair on top of her head while she stretched.The act displayed the prettiest parts of her body.“What news?”

Drawing in a breath, he forced himself to focus on anything but the temptation of her.“We found the facility.”

She pushed off the bed to don her breeches, fresh from the wash closet.He bolted, approaching her from behind to cup her bare breasts before she hid them from him.Massaging and tweaking the tips, he nipped her neck, then soothed her skin with kisses.

“Caah is scanning the security protocols,” he mumbled as he nuzzled the hair behind her ear.

“Good.”She spun in his embrace and kissed him, claiming his mouth like he would conquer hers.Warrior met warrior, as they had done in the Moonstar.As she had done to fire his blood so.

When she broke away, he groaned, “Foq, Vic, I adore your kissing.”

She grinned at him.“I know.After you’ve fed me, I can show you what else kissing is good for.”

He frowned.“I do not have another tongue anywhere on my body.”

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