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I slowed, stunned when Leah announced that she wanted to join Nullar at Trisess. She had never attended any of the meetings about returning to Earth, but I had been so preoccupied with Gunnox, that it hadn't crossed my mind Leah would be one of the women staying on Valose. Nullar must be the reason why.
“I’m sure if there’s room on the bubble craft, Zaku won’t mind you going.”
“Oh, good.” Leah visibly sagged. “It’s been days since he left.”
I watched intently as Leah absently rubbed a circle over her sternum. “So you and Nullar, huh?”
“Yeah,” she grinned at me. “Explains why I was instantly attracted to him when we first landed.”
“You haven’t sealed the deal.” I eyed her, curiously. “Would it be too personal to ask why?”
“Same reason as you, I suspect. On the fence whether to stay here or take a chance on returning home.”
“With the ship cloaked, Ruze said the risk of getting caught by the Yulineon patrollers is low.”
“Yet still remains. Layla told me about the Yulineon, Vala she befriended when she was held captive by the Nuttaki. He said even in cloaked vessels, it was risky to land on Earth. The Yulineons have some sort of atmospheric distortion detector or some such thing that can detect large objects entering the atmosphere.”
I swallowed the bile that percolated to pool in the back of my throat. “We need to tell the women with hopes of going home.”
“She has.”
“Well, she didn’t tell me!” I turned a hard frown on Leah.
“Don’t shoot the messenger. Layla knows you and Gunnox are spirit mates.”
“So, she just assumed I was staying on Valose and didn’t think I should be included in a piece of information that important?”
“No. It’s probably because you weren’t available to tell given that you’ve been preoccupied with Gunnox ever since we got here,” Leah tsked. “I mean, every morning at breakfast, we all look to see if the two of you have matching shawras yet.”
I opened my mouth to protest and then snapped it shut. The days since our arrival zipped through my mind like a slideshow locked in overdrive. The memories that whizzed by were brimming with Gunnox by my side. We had done everything together from mundane chores to our nocturnal safari. It was a wonder he had found time to learn to fly without me knowing it. His presence was always within reach, a loyal companion in all things.
“I hadn’t realized.”
I had uttered to myself rather than to Leah but she responded, “I think it’s the constant tug that blinds us to our actions. Nullar is never far from my mind and always present in my heart.”
I hadn’t noticed we had stopped walking altogether and stood facing each other on the path until Zaku, Hexxus, and Wynnter excused themselves and walked between us, their arms laden with bags of tech parts that clinked and hummed with latent energy.
“Hey, Zaku,” Leah jogged after them. “Is there room for one more?”
“If you don’t mind it being a bit crowded,” he called back to Leah.
“I’ll sit on Sarah’s lap if I have to,” she joked and turned back to me. “Come on, woman. Get a move on. Our males are waiting.”
I shook myself from where I stood frozen, a surge of warmth flooding my being as I ran to catch up. Gunnox was like a missing piece of me I hadn’t known I’d been searching for, filling a void I never knew existed. His quiet strength had become my solace, his steadfast loyalty my anchor. A bestie who I craved carnal knowledge of.
I impatiently paced outside the craft, desperate to reach Trisess as quickly as possible. Finally, the last bag was loaded and secured. The bubble craft was packed tight, leaving just enough room for Zaku to stand behind the command console and us to sit in the very front. The hatch closed without a sound, sealing us within its translucent walls.
“Did I tell you Gunnox took me out the other night in one of these?” I grinned so wide my cheeks hurt. “He learned to fly so I could see some of the animals in the jungle.”
“Sounds romantic,” Leah wagged her eyebrows at me.
I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck. My cheeks flush with heat, not from embarrassment but from the lingering sensation of Gunnox's intimate touch, his mouth having left a trail of fire between my thighs.
“Your blush speaks volumes, you little slut,” Leah playfully nudged me with her elbow and winked. “Don’t worry, your nocturnal rendezvous is safe with me.”
As the craft lifted off, the ground fell away, and my stomach knotted with both nerves and exhilaration, giving way to the vast openness of Valose's silver skies. The dome closed beneath us as we flew south.
We glided effortlessly over the slumbering Huren jungle, a vast expanse of untamed beauty that stretched out beneath us like a mesmerizing tapestry woven with intricate details. The thick canopy shimmered with silver leaves catching the rays of the twin suns, bright blue blooms peeked through the lush foliage, and hints of white moss clung to prehistoric-looking trees.
