Page 53 of Fractured Souls

She threw caution to the wind. She couldn’t lie to him. Not about this. “This is a difficult thing for me to talk about.”

“Oh?” Nythian listened patiently.

“I know your species needs us to survive. I know Kordolians and humans are reproductively compatible. I’m not, though. I can’t have children.”

The injuries she’d sustained in the Kordolian attack had damaged her reproductive organs. Even with stem cell therapy and organ printing, it was too difficult to repair.

She could hardly believe she’d just told him this terribly intimate and painful secret, but he just had a way of making her talk.

She didn’t understand it.

Nythian had gone quiet; too quiet.

Did this change everything? It didn’t matter. She’d rather know his reaction sooner than later, before she fell too deeply for him.

“I want you,” he said at last, squeezing her hands tightly. His fingers were rough and warm. His words chased away her pain. His eyes burned with an intensity that was completely alien. “I want you. That is all.”

Stars, this man…

He was going to ruin her completely.

He already had.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his, couldn’t release herself from his grasp.

But suddenly, he hesitated.

“Wait, Alexis. Sorry…” Nythian cursed softly and cocked his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. He uttered something in Kordolian, and she got the sense he was speaking with someone else.

But… how? Were Kordolians telepathic creatures? Or was it just their insanely advanced technology?

“We’ve been summoned,” he said, and the tone of his voice changed, becoming brisk and businesslike. “Let’s go. We will continue our training later.”

Alexis couldn’t help it; feeling giddy, she chuckled softly.

“You find this amusing?” Nythian raised an eyebrow.

“I was just thinking that this isn’t like any training I’ve ever had before.”

“You like it?” He grinned. Now he was just messing with her.

“Let’s go,” she huffed, pulling away from him. She walked to the corner, where she’d left a synth-fiber towel and a bottle of water on a small ledge. She slung the towel around her neck and took a long drink from the bottle. Surprisingly, it was made out of regular old glass.

Now it was Nythian’s turn to chuckle. “Straight down to business. I like that. I can’t wait to teach you how to shoot.”

“I already know how to shoot.”

“Not like this, you don’t.”

“Hmph.” She strode outside as the freaky door unraveled for Nythian. “We’ll see. Where are we going?”

“Command room. Boss wants to see us. I’m guessing there’s a problem.”

A flicker of fear rose up inside her, but she pushed it away. It was easier to do that now. “You don’t seem particularly worried.”

“Nah.” His gaze traveled slowly up and down, turning deliciously intense. Her body sang with need. Sooner or later, he was going to make her do a crazy thing or two. “Problems are what we do, Alexis. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it.”

Fourteen

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