to find a pool of hidden gems.
I quietly take in my surroundings while Bravik steps out of the palace and into an awaiting shuttle. The vehicle lifts into the cool air, and as Bravik drives us to our destination, I continue my assessment of his strange, beautiful planet. I can see why he’s proud of it and didn’t want to stay bound to the AoS for the rest of his life. Glittering crystals decorate the imposing buildings, and the light that bleeds from the sky and into the caverns winks against them. Plunging waterfalls stream down from wide cliffs, and the water shines neon red in the light, almost like it’s floodlit with bioluminescent particles. The color reminds me of Bravik’s eyes, passionate and incinerating.
It feels like only a short time later when we arrive, but in actual fact, the moon has risen and sheds silver ribbons of light through the cavern. Bravik flies under one of the waterfalls and pulls up outside a dwelling carved into a beautiful nest of trees. The exterior isn’t made of stone or brick like the ones back in my colony. Instead the structure is a dark wood as if it’s just an extension of the woodland around it; whoever built the house did so around the trees in honor of them, instead of cutting them down and destroying their natural beauty.
I count five floors in total, including a wraparound balcony, and every single one of the walls is made of crystal-clear glass. If we weren’t surrounded by acres of secluded land, I’d almost be reluctant to live somewhere so open. And yet as I drink in the place, I can’t help but be equal parts curious and excited.
The vehicle’s doors swing open, and I step out with Bravik.
“This is a pretty cool place,” I say, turning to him. “You’re clearly someone very important on this planet.”
Which was made obvious by the nonchalant way he communicated with Hellisa. A tinge of jealousy stabs me in the chest again at the thought of her. The more I reflect on their encounter, the more I’m certain they’ve shared some history. She kept looking at him like he was her long-lost lover. I have to remind myself it doesn’t matter now even if he was.
I’m Bravik’s mate. No one else.
As if sensing my unease, Bravik takes my hand in his. “I was once the highest-ranking officer in Her Majesty’s army. Now I’m mated to the highest-ranking female in the galaxy, or at least you are that to me.” He brushes his lips against mine. “That’s all I care about.”
I grin and kiss him again, whispering, “Well, now you’re an officer in my army. I think you should show me some respect.”
“And how do I do that?” he asks, sliding the pad of his thumb over the swell of my breast.
I bite my lower lip and stifle a moan when he gently tweaks a nipple. “First, you need to salute me.”
With a smirk, he glances down at his cock, which is clearly straining against his pants. “With my cock or my hand?”
My cheeks heat despite my best efforts.
He chuckles, the sound like music to my ears. “If you conclude this role-play by saying that I must allow you to sleep without me first sliding my cock into your beautifully tempting cunt, you’ll be sorely disappointed by my reaction. Males do not do that here on Erebos. Here, we claim, mate, breed, and then rest so we may do it all over again.”
I nod, unable to find the words to end this sexual banter. As much as I love it, I’m not very good at it.
With a gentle tug on our joined hands he leads me inside the house and the lights activate one by one. Sconces decorate the dark wooden walls, and a chandelier hangs low from the vaulted ceiling, the flames a gentle sky blue. The furniture is grand and ornate, a similar dark wood as the trees outside, but the furnishings in comparison are soft—from animal skins and expensive rugs to glass bookshelves stocked with books, this room is everything I’ve only ever dreamed about.
The Terran Colony had nothing like this. The G.C. was always so clinical about our houses. Everything had to look the same, and any personal touches we added would be removed during our weekly inspections. My living space was just like everyone else’s: an L-shaped leather sofa, a plastic coffee table, an artificial floor plant, a floor lamp, and then a single