Page 85 of All You Need is Alien Love
They help Zion to his feet, and Evan is immediately there, positioning himself under one arm and helping support the much larger man.
Evan turns to me with worried eyes. “I’m going with him, hermano. Will you be all right?”
I nod. “I’m fine. Go with him.”
He bites his bottom lip and frowns. “But where’s Kai?”
I jolt at the reminder that my boo is still conspicuously absent.
“I’m getting him back. Don’t you worry,” I tell Evan, and he nods, moving off with Zion.
Mal appears, looking disheveled but otherwise unharmed. “We’ve done a full sweep and the base is clear.” He looks around. “So where the hell is my brother?”
Ellie pulls out her holotablet device and frowns. “It looks like they’ve taken him to one of the landing vessels. We need to hurry.”
“Fear not,” Nirblob says. “Those vessels won’t be airborne anytime soon.”
Ellie gets a murderous Mama Bear look on her face. “Good. I’d say it’s about time we take down the final two bosses.”
Maddox materializes at her side and swoops in to give her a kiss on the cheek. “I trust you guys can handle this, my love? I need to head back to headquarters. Agent Catengi has called asking for my assistance. As you might imagine, things are a little bit chaotic back there right now.”
“We’ve got this, babe,” she tells him. “Our son will be home and safe very soon.”
Maddox nods and walks off with complete faith that his lifemate will deliver on her promise.
Now it’s just Ellie, Mal, Nirblob, and me.
“Let’s go do this,” Ellie says.
I pump my fist in the air. “Team ANAL ready to kick some ass from here to Uranus!”
Hang tight, boo. We’re coming!
CHAPTER TWENTY
Starblade sputtered adorably. “You… l-l-love me? What the hell are you saying?”
Vardox drew him into his arms, pleased to note that Starblade didn’t resist him for once. “But of course. I thought it was all rather obvious by now, my dear captain.”
Starblade looked like he was about to argue, but Vardox had him right where he wanted him. Holding the back of his precious captain’s head, Vardox pulled him in for a passionate victory kiss.
Vardox’s tentacles writhed with satisfaction, but the motion made his injured appendage throb with pain. He let out a hiss.
Starblade broke the kiss at the sound. His face was still flushed, but a determined glint had returned to his eyes. “Come with me and no talking back or mouthing off about Masnok battle prowess. We’re getting your wound treated right the fuck now.”
For the first time, Vardox gave in and allowed himself to be dragged over to the waiting medics. Witnessing this side of hismate was far too enjoyable to miss out on, and he was willing to play up the seriousness of his injury if it got him more of these deliciously stern lectures from his darling captain.
While the medic worked on Vardox’s injured tentacle and cleaned the smaller superficial cuts he’d received during the battle, Starblade alternated between hovering close to him and pacing back and forth a short distance away. The whole time, he never strayed farther than arm’s reach from Vardox.
A strange and unfamiliar warmth bubbled up in Vardox’s chest. He was finally beginning to hope that his one-sided feelings might actually be reciprocated.
“All done,” the medic announced, packing up her gear.
Starblade bit his lip, worry creasing his handsome brow. “He’ll be all right, won’t he?”
“Yes, but he needs plenty of rest. The tentacle will regrow the portion lost, but it can be a rather painful and uncomfortable process. He should take it easy for at least half a lunar cycle or so.”
Vardox got to his feet. “Thank you. ’Twas a mere flesh wound. I shall be right as acid rain in no time at all.”
