The Alien's Revenge - Ella Maven Page 0,52
for me, I needed to kill off some steam and that meant getting a little blitzed and dancing with my girls while we sang a cappella mashups of our favorite songs. Well, the non-preggers humans could drink. The knocked-up ones got to bust a gut laughing at our antics.
My signature was “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé because I knew the entire dance. I added my own choreography flair too, and just managed to stay on my feet when Naomi—who went the wrong direction on her Uh-Ohs—crashed into me.
She wrapped her arms around me, big brown eyes glassy from the spirits and a smile so wide, she lit up the dark. “Missed you. So much. You’re back, and now we’re all whole again.”
I tugged her hair. “I’m back.”
“Don’t leave me again,” she said.
My response was on the tip of my tongue, to say, Of course not. But then I remembered Drak and our conversations. I glanced up, searching for him, but not finding him in the seat where I’d left him. The sun of his aura gave off an intense glare, spitting out angry flares every now and then.
So, I didn’t answer, only squeezed her tightly as the spirits churned in my stomach. By the time I’d forced myself to sober up a bit after downing a whole bunch of qua and shoving a leftover sandwich in my mouth, I went in search of Drak, finally finding him sitting at the edge of the cliff, staring out over the moonlight rippling off the surface of the freshas, which was what they called their ocean. Drixonians weren’t seafaring. Apparently, the sea had its own hierarchy of alien life, and the Drixonians weren’t a part of it. I was fine with that. Boats weren’t my thing anyway.
I plunked down next to him cross-legged. He sat with his knees cocked, wrists braced on his knees.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I should have been paying—”
“No,” he grunted. “Your happiness … laughter…” his eyes closed briefly. “It was good for you.”
“But you’re not happy.”
He turned to me and cocked his head. “Do I need to be?”
I frowned. “What do you mean? Of course, you should be happy.”
“I don’t remember...” He sighed. “Even before…was I happy?”
“Before you were cast out?”
He nodded.
I thought for a minute. “Do you know what it feels like to be happy? Can you remember ever being happy?”
“When I was … chit … with mother.”
I smiled. “Okay, and how would you describe when you’re happy?”
“Content…” he said. “Not … defense. No fighting.”
“Is there another time you remember being happy?”
“With you,” he answered quickly. “On my roof. In the hot spring.” His lips turned up and his aura calmed as a serene smile stretched across his face. “Happy.”
“I was happy there too,” I said wistfully.
“But happier … here.” He watched me waiting for my answer.
“Drak, this isn’t fair,” I whispered. “I was happy alone with you, but I’m happy here too.”
“They need you. Here.”
“But you need me, too.”
His eyes closed, and his head dropped. “I’m trying,” he rasped. “So much … noise. Talking.”
“We could live on our own for a while and visit—”
“Not safe … out of walls … for you.”
I felt the anger rise inside. “Then what do you expect me to say, Drak? What do you want from me? Do you want me to order you to stay or to go? I won’t do that. I won’t tell you what to do.” I pounded my fists on the ground in frustration. “I didn’t even want a mate! I didn’t choose these loks.” I shoved my wrists in his face as his nostrils flared in warning. “But now we’re stuck together and—”
He was on me in a split second, forcing me to my back as he braced himself over me, caging me in with hands braced on either side of my head. His lips curled back. “You. Are. My. Mate,” he snarled, the rasp to his voice twisting his words into a threat. “The loks do not matter. To Me. What matters is who you are. Who I am. With you.”
His eyes swirled in a tornado of black and purple. As I breathed, my chest brushed again his, and my nipples pebbled through my thin shirt. “Drak,” I murmured.
“We will stay,” he growled. “Do not question what I need. I need you.” His hips, slotted between my thighs, ground down, and I gasped at the feel of him hot and hard at my core. “I’m Drixonian warrior, mate. My place is with you. Inside you.”