Page 29 of Draevan

Cora turned around, holding two wine glasses she’d just pulled from the cabinet, and gave him a bright smile.

“There you are,” she said warmly. “We were just talking about you, Draevan. Weren’t we, Meela? We were hoping that you would arrive home soon and join us for dinner. I hope you like seared unzilla with roasted vegetables. Heather from next door suggested it. The seared unzilla was replicated, of course, but I picked the vegetables from the rooftop garden, with Meela’s help, I might add. Please have a seat.”

Draevan didn’t know how to respond. For a moment, he just stood there, staring at his new mate. He hadn’t told her that he expected a hot meal on the table when he returned from work, but she’d taken matters into her own hands, preparing what looked like a scrumptious dinner.

He finally broke out of his trance and approached his mate. He took the wine glasses from her hands, set them on the counter, and wrapped her in his arms. He placed his lips at her ear. “I missed you,” he said, deciding to be honest. “You were all I could think about all day. And to come home and find you’ve been preparing for my return… well, it is a pleasant surprise. Thank you, my sweet mate. Everything looks and smells delicious.” He pulled back, ran his hands through her hair, and stared into her pretty blue eyes.

A slight blush colored her cheeks. She placed her hands on his chest, tracing her fingers just below the neckline of his shirt, almost as though she were purposefully teasing him. And perhaps she was. After the way he’d failed to come to her bedroom last night, he absolutely deserved it.

He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft, lingering kiss. Then he straightened, gave Cora what he hoped was an affectionate look, and retrieved the wine glasses from the counter and walked to the table.

After setting the glasses down, he peered at Meela with a smile. She was so enthralled by whatever pink gooey substance she was eating that she was almost oblivious to his presence. He bent down to place a quick kiss atop her head. She glanced up at him and grinned, revealing teeth covered in the pink goo.

“That’s yogurt, in case you were wondering. Another neighbor—Vonna—brought it over as a welcome present. Apparently, it’s homemade, and she assured me that it’s perfectly safe for Vaxxlian children to eat. Do you know Vonna? She told me she arrived here a month ago and that she’s helping to raise her mate’s twin boys.”

“Yes, I am acquainted with Vonna. Her mate, Brextt, is a fine warrior.” Draevan helped Cora into her seat, uncorked the wine, poured them each a generous serving, and finally took his own seat beside her. “I am pleased that the neighbors are being so welcoming. Everyone in Starzzia seems to look out for one another. It’s a large city, growing bigger every day, yet it has the feel of a small community.”

Cora uncovered the dishes, revealing the seared unzilla, roasted vegetables, and something white and paste-like that he didn’t recognize. “Mashed potatoes,” she said, following his gaze. “I found a selection of Earth foods in the food replicator’s index, and I thought mashed potatoes would go nicely with this meal.”

“I cannot wait to try it,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Thank you again for preparing this meal, my sweet mate.”

She nodded, her eyes glimmering with happiness. “You’re very welcome. Now, let’s eat.”

Chapter 14

Fatigue weighed Cora down as she exited the bathroom after taking a long, much-needed shower, but she’d had an excellent day, so she wasn’t about to complain about how tired she was. And when she thought about it, she’d seemed to have more energy and strength than usual as she’d gone about her day, so much extra vitality that she suspected the healing nanobots had something to do with it.

Not only had she managed to take care of Meela all day, keeping the baby safe, entertained, and happy, but she’d also unpacked most of her bags and moved a few things into the future music room. She’d gone on a scenic walk around Starzzia while pushing Meela in a stroller she’d found in a closet, and she’d met many of her neighbors. And to top it all off, she’d rustled up a spectacular dinner, if she did say so herself. Both Draevan and Meela had devoured it with blissful expressions, and to her delight, they’d even liked the mashed potatoes.

Joy spread through her, a giddiness that helped chase some of her fatigue away. This was her new life. While she had a lot of responsibilities, she also had a lot of freedoms she hadn’t been able to enjoy on Earth. Just being able to walk outside and not get shot by a rebel, or kidnapped by a stalker named M, was a miracle in itself.

And at last, she was part of a family.

She quickly donned a pair of pajamas, then cracked the door that adjoined Meela’s room to check on her. The baby’s soft, steady breathing reached her. Still fast asleep. Thank goodness. Cora hoped she slept through the night again. Draevan had mentioned that she sometimes awoke screaming, as though she were having a nightmare, and Cora sincerely prayed that wouldn’t happen very often anymore.

She carefully shut the door and turned toward her bed just as a knock sounded on the other door. Her heart skipped a beat.

Draevan.

It couldn’t be anyone else.

Did he want to spend the night with her?

Heat instantly pooled between her thighs, and she suddenly felt breathless. A bit shaky and nervous too, though not in a bad way. She’d simply been thrown off last night when he hadn’t come to her, and now that he was knocking, well… she thrilled at the idea of them spending the night together, touching, kissing, and more…

She smoothed her hands through her damp hair, then hurried to the door. She opened it to find her mate standing in the hallway wearing nothing but a pair of pants that were slung scandalously low on his hips. Her mouth went dry, and more heat flared in her core.

“My sweet mate,” he said in a deep, raspy tone.

He almost looked like he was in pain, but she quickly realized it was desire that was making him appear so tense. Her pulse skittered when she noticed the bulge growing larger in his low-slung pants.

“Draevan,” she whispered. Relief swept through her again. He’d come to her during the nighttime hours. Why he’d refrained from visiting her last night, she couldn’t be sure, but he was here now, and that was all that mattered.

She stepped back and motioned for him to enter her bedroom, a wordless gesture as she tried to reconcile her feelings for him. Just yesterday, she’d wondered if she might be falling in love with him already. Then last night, when he hadn’t come to her, she’d convinced herself that she’d imagined most of the tenderness he’d shown her and read too much into the compliments he’d given her.

Was it only his physical desire to mate with her that had prompted him to knock on her door? Or something more… something real?

More than once, she’d thought she could sense his thoughts and feelings, but her empathetic abilities seemed strongest when they were alone together, wrapped in one another’s arms.