Page 20 of Shadowed By the Alien
“Fly, little bird.”
The orgasm building inside me will destroy me. I’m sure of it.
When his hands grip my upper arms, holding me steady, supporting me, I realize power isn’t about control, it’s about trusting those around me.
Like jumping off the edge of a cliff, I let go… and fly.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RENIKK
Words cannot describe the bliss of mating my sholani. Her passion, her gentle touch, her open heart… all make me think about the male I am, and how I can be better, do better, for her.
I came to Earth on assignment, to keep her safe from those who tried to kidnap her in the past. Many attempts, most of which remain unknown to her on her father’s orders. I’ve hidden enough from her. No longer.
“Do you know why I was assigned to guard you, Raven?” I ask as we walk to her home in the early morning hours.
“My father doesn’t trust me,” she says rather casually.
“He doesn’t trust those would harm you. He is a parent concerned about his youngling. I cannot fault him this.”
“Good point, but still, he treats me as if I’m a child because I’m blind. And a woman. I’m more than my gender and inability to see. I wish he understood that, like you do.”
“As Earth’s chief negotiator, he has much pull with the Galactic Alliance, and yet he does not trust his own people with your safety.”
“You’re talking about when someone tried to kidnap me when I was twenty. And then again four years ago.”
“There were more than two attempts, sholani.”
She says nothing, which causes the tips of my horns to twist. I do not like scaring her like this, but she deserves the full truth.
“I will not abandon you or leave you prone. I am your sholan. Do you know what that means?”
“Like a boyfriend.”
“Much more. The gods fated us for one another. You are the one I’ve waited for my entire life. The one who will give my life true meaning. The sun is brighter, the sound of the wind rustling through trees crisper, and the scent of grass richer than before. I see my own destiny with a clarity I’ve never had, all because of you.” I stop and run my hands down her arms. Her face shines when I touch her and I can’t imagine not having her in my life. “You, Raven, are mine… if you will have me.”
“Are you sure about me, Ren?”
I hold her face in my hands. “I love you, Raven. You are the one for me. The only one, but I will not force you. I know humans do not share our beliefs. If you are not ready to accept me as your sholan, I ask that you do not reject me outright. That you give me time to prove myself.”
“That’s the weird part,” she whispers. “I don’t need time.” She places my hand over her heart. “Something’s shifted in me, because of you. At first, I thought it was lust, but it’s more. This ache to always be with you, to talk to you, to simply be with you.”
Pure joy moves through me. “Then why do I sense you are uncertain of me, of us?”
“Because you, my dear shadow, are taking a round-about path to my house. Something is bothering you. The question is what?”
“Your father…” I exhale a deep breath. “When he discovers I’ve been with you, or even that you know of my existence, he will have me assigned elsewhere. That will not deter me, as I will disobey any orders, defy any person who tries to keep me from you. But your father has the means to hide you from me. While I would never give up looking for you, my sholani, he’d essentially make you a prisoner just to keep you safe from me. I will not do that to you.”
“He can’t think you’d hurt me or he never would have hired you.”
“I pose a different type of threat, not to you, but to him. This is what has kept me all these months from telling you I’m your sholan.”
“Then we don’t tell him,” Raven says adamantly. “And we only talk to one another when no one’s around to see us.”
“For how long?” I shake my head. “This is no way to live, as if I’m ashamed of my mate. I can no longer hide in the shadows, especially now that I’ve claimed you.”
“Just for a little while, until I figure out how to tell my dad in a way that he doesn’t do anything rash. He’s a negotiator. Staying calm in a crisis is one of his strengths. If I approach him correctly, we can figure this out.”
