Page 49 of Black Mamba

Except then he abruptly turns away and retreats to the back of my ship like that’s not what he was doing at all. I peer back at the sky with another sigh and curse.

He’s a stalker, Elena.

But he’s not. He’s just… he’s just… protective? Of his land, of me? Of Levy and Greg too? Maybe. Either way, he’s trying to be helpful.

He’s just got stalking tendencies… Rubbing my arms, I then lift my hand to wipe off the sweat on my forehead. It’s been days and I’m still as hot as ever. I risked smelling him when I followed him to the water. Thankfully, I didn’t.

Still, I shouldn’t have gone with him.

Now all I want is a reason to do it again.

Pressing my hands to my head, I groan. I’m not battling Lukys’s pheromones as hard as I should be.

I leave the window and return to my book.

The next morning I wake to an unusual pounding that seems to come from far away and outside the ship. Except the pounding is also coming from every direction at once. I crawl out of bed and duck out and into the hallway.

The dome is covered in water.

As I near it, the hollow thrumming grows louder. I realize the sound is the water hitting the ship, the glass.

The light of dawn somehow bleeds through the dark clouds above, letting me know that despite the thick gloom, it’s daytime.

The water thrashes and slams the glass in sheets across the surface. Countless droplets collect into streams to travel down the rounded sides. The forest—everything—is obscured beyond it.

I take in the forceful majesty of the rain, curiosity and awe filling me, only slightly less unnerved than before. I’m surrounded… but not like I thought I’d be.

Hearing a loud thunderous noise break through the thrum, I freeze. Shortly afterward, there are several flashes of light and an extremely loud boom. I jolt, trying to see in the sky what could have caused such a sound when it happens all over again.

A figure appears at the window to my right and I nearly scream.

I squint despite immediately recognizing Lukys.

His face and body are blurry, the details of his form lost. His hair is plastered to the sides of his head, and his gaze is as dark as ever. Another rumbling sound fills my ears and a streak of light flashes behind him, brightening his contour along the ebony tones of his body.

He shouts something I can’t hear.

I shake my head. “Go to the hatch!” I shout back, pointing down the ship several times for emphasis.

What in the hell is he doing outside right now? He should be in his cave and by his firepit.

I picture it—his cave with the fire ablaze and the chill all but eradicated, me curled up on soft hides smelling of him. He’d throw fresh meat on the flames like he did the other evening and I would eat it with my fingers when it’s done.

I huff with annoyance and walk to the back of my ship.

At the hatch, I suddenly war with the idea of… opening it. Do I want to chance smelling his pheromones again? The water should dilute his smell.

The storm won’t hurt me if it doesn’t hurt him.

But how badly do I want to hear what he has to say? If he’s willing to appear in this weather to say it? I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Backing up until I’m midway down the hallway, I stop and command the AI to open the hatch.

The door’s groan and woosh is quickly taken over by the storm. The deluge appears with Lukys at the center of it, posed at the opening.

He shouts something that I barely hear.

“What?”

“Ar… u… ay…?”