Page 148 of Decadence

“So it’s safe enough to withdraw?”

“No. We will provide the same level of security. Humans just won’t know about it. Apparently, we have become what my mate calls Public Enemy Number One.” He flashed his fangs in an almost-smile. Sienna couldn’t imagine him ever actually smiling. “Foolish humans.”

“Security?” Eva hissed.

“I’ll explain everything later,” Sienna said hastily, giving Eva’s shoulder a squeeze. Relax. She really didn’t want to have this talk in front of Kail of all people. “Why don’t you take advantage of the sanitation facilities and get yourself freshened up? Then I’ll go and rustle something up for you, and then we’ll catch a ship home.”

“Um, okay. If you say that’s the plan, then I’ll go with it. Just pinch me now and then to remind me that I’m not dreaming.”

Kail inclined his head. “I will wait outside—but do not take overly long. A small delegation of humans has arrived from Earth to greet you. The General’s and Ashrael’s mates are amongst them. They have been pestering us to allow them to meet you ever since they learned of your existence.” He snorted softly. “Like you, they can be quite adamant.”

“Mates?” Eva was aghast.

“As I said, I’ll explain everything.” Sienna breezily waved a hand in Kail’s direction. “We won’t be too long.”

The big warrior snorted for a second time and quietly showed himself out, disappearing behind closing doors into the silence and darkness beyond.

Like a freaking wraith.

Leaving Eva staring at Sienna like she’d just seen a ghost. “Clearly, I don’t know shit about anything anymore.”

“Kordolians,” Sienna said dryly. “They tend to have that effect on people. You get used to the feeling… and after a while, you’ll start to realize that they really aren’t all that bad.”

“Oh, Sienna. You’re already in so freaking deep, aren’t you?”

If only you knew. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”

“But you know,” Eva said slowly, shaking her head sharply as if trying to snap herself out of a trance, “I can kind of see how it could happen. There’s just something darkly fascinating about them, isn’t there? Alien space-elves with technology that makes them almost as powerful as gods.”

“Sounds like something you would write about,” Sienna said dryly.

A spark lit up Eva’s brown eyes. Her lips curved into a tentative smile. That’s better. “You know what? Maybe I will.”

Chapter Thirty

Ikriss left Sienna on Silence in the company of her friend, who, much to his relief, had responded very well to Zharek’s nanoparticle treatment.

He remembered the feeling of satisfaction that came over him when he told Sienna the good news. For the first time since he’d encountered her, she’d seemed completely at peace.

Her clan and her business and her home were very important to her. Ikriss understood that now. She was firmly grounded on Earth, and he had no intention of tearing her away from all that. Secretly, he was touched to witness such loyalty from his mate toward her companions—and toward him.

Nobody had ever stepped forward to defend him like that—even if it was only against foolish human misinformation.

He rarely ever needed defending.

Ikriss smiled to himself as he went back to the now-empty medical bay, walking past empty treatment rooms and silent glowing blue stasis tanks.

Sienna’s humanness made her vulnerable and delicate, but it also made her courageous and strong and protective.

She was everything he could have ever hoped for in a mate. He almost didn’t deserve her.

Slowly, deliberately, he made his footfalls louder, giving the medic a chance to detect his presence. He supposed he should show Zharek at least this much courtesy. The medic could be irritatingly arrogant at times, and he sometimes behaved as if he were a god, but he had helped them immensely over the past few rotations.

He had healed Sienna and her friend.

And he had saved Ikriss’s life.

“Go away. I’m busy.” Zharek’s annoyed voice rang out from behind a row of holo-monitors.

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