couldn’t even sleep at night anymore.
“I need to talk to you about...” Kyro’s gaze moved to Athena. “...something.”
Athena’s eyebrows moved up a little before she mentioned about needing to do something in the “ki-shen.” With that said, and much to his relief, she moved out of the room.
“What is it? What makes you so...disturbed?” Xul’s brow furrowed a bit. “It is not like you, brother.”
“I have a problem.”
Xul’s eyebrows rose. “Sit.” He motioned to one of the seats. “Speak. I will help you if I can.”
Kyro sat, his eyes following Xul as he watched the large male do the same.
“I am having...feelings for a hu—...a being.” Kyro cleared his throat but he didn’t miss the way Xul’s eyes widened a bit before he composed himself.
“You come to me for relationship advice?” Amusement began to flood Xul’s eyes and Kyro sighed, settling more into the seat.
Maybe this hadn’t been the best of ideas.
“I just need you to tell me what to do. I can’t stop...thinking about her. I can hardly eat. Sleep is becoming hard. My mind is clouded. I am not as alert as I am used to being. It is as if there is a need I must fill.”
Kyro swallowed hard. He hadn’t meant to pour out all that to Xul. Heck, when he’d left his quarters that morning, he’d intended to be as discreet as possible about what exactly his problem was.
But his mouth and brain were not on the same side.
Xul blinked at him, the amusement draining from his gaze. “You are serious.”
He could feel himself glaring at Xul. “Yes. I am serious. And it isn’t in the least bit humorous.” Kyro adjusted himself on the seat. “This is...torture.”
There was silence for a few moments before Xul spoke.
“Who is the lucky female?”
“Do you really need to know?”
Amusement filled Xul’s gaze once more. “Hey, I’m just curious.” Kyro could feel him studying him. “In all my years working alongside you, brother, I would have never expected you to fall for another.”
Well, surprise, surprise to them both.
Just then, Xul’s human walked back into the room, a tray in hand with cool beverages on top. This human custom of serving beverages to guests would take some getting used to.
“Just...tell her how you feel?” Xul offered, as Athena set the beverages down.
Kyro found himself glancing from his captain to his captain’s mate. “Was that what you did? To make it stop. Did you tell her”—he pointed his gaze at Athena—"how you felt?”
A sudden laugh bubbled from Athena. “No, he didn’t. He insisted on ignoring what was happening between us,” she said, shaking her head. “Puny human this. Puny human that. I sure showed you.” She grinned before doing the strangest thing. She stuck her tongue out, the tiny pink organ pointing in Xul’s direction.
Was this some other form of human mouth-mating that he didn’t know of? It was not in the data.
“I did confess...” Xul’s voice notably softened as he pulled Athena into his arms. ...eventually.”
As he watched them, Athena raised her gaze to look at him, her eyes and smile kind. “Look, you’ll get over this lovesickness. Just follow your heart.” With that, she stood. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”
Kyro watched her go.
Lovesickness?
He’d never heard of such a thing before.
So, he was ill.
It must be some error in the brain. It would explain why it seemed that every single one of his mental processes had been hijacked by thoughts of Evren.
He’d seen enough of what had happened to his brothers to conclude that humans were indeed bewitching, but this “lovesickness” theory may be the answer he’d been looking for all along.
Not that his brothers seemed to mind.
They all seemed perfectly happy living with this malady...happier than they’d been before.
He couldn’t help but wonder if it would have been the same for him. Had he been able to follow in their footsteps, had he and Evren formed a bond together, would he be happier?
Would she be?
He would give anything to make her happy, but himself? He couldn’t give her himself.
He was destined to be alone.
“Just tell her,” Xul repeated. “Whoever she is. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Kyro turned his gaze on his captain.
Death. Torture. Servitude. Those were just a few of the worst things that could happen.
Xul had no idea.
The rest of his brothers had no idea.
No one knew his secret.
Everything would have been so less complicated if he wasn’t what he was. His life would have taken a completely different course and maybe, just maybe, he could have