do any more physical exertion, I want to get you checked out by Silki.”
She left him grumbling about how a male couldn’t even die for a minute or two before being forced to see the doctor and went to find the little Tolleg.
Silki’s pointed ears perked up when Kara informed her of the circumstances and she frowned in apparent surprise.
“So you say he was dead but now he’s alive again? Yes he is, yes he is?”
“He says the Goddess sent him back,” Kara told her. “But I want you to check him out—okay?”
“Of course I will, of course I will! I have to see this—yes I do, yes I do!” Silki exclaimed. She came with Kara at once and gave Raak—who by then had gotten up and put on some trousers—a complete examination. Only when the little Tolleg doctor had pronounced him to be in perfect health, did Kara breathe a sigh of relief.
“See, baby girl?” Raak growled at her. “Told you I was fine. Now how about if we find some privacy for a little while?”
“Only if Doctor Silki says it’s okay,” Kara said cautiously. “And since I seem to be cured too,” she added, because she hadn’t had an essence attack in the past hour while the little Tolleg was examining Raak and her fangs seemed to be working properly again.
“It should be safe for the two of you to resume your love-making,” Silki said with a frankness that made Kara blush. “But I would like to be notified at once if either of you dies again. Yes I would, yes I would.”
“Nobody’s gonna die,” Raak growled. “But thank you for your help, Doc Silki,” he added, nodding graciously at her.
“Just Silki is fine, yes it is, yes it is,” she said, nodding her furry head. “I’ll leave the two of you alone. No—don’t bother. I’ll see myself out—yes I will, yes I will.”
“Now then, baby girl,” Raak said, turning to Kara as soon as they heard the cabin door thunk shut. “Where were we? Come here—I want you.”
“All right.” Kara stepped into his arms. “But slower this time—we need to be careful.”
“Baby, we can be as slow and careful as you want. We’ll take all night.” Raak grinned wolfishly. “Gonna bond you to me all over again.”
And he did. Because, thanks be to the Goddess, Kara thought as she kissed her new mate, he was no longer Unbondable.
Epilogue
“You ready for this?” Raak shot her a sidelong glance filled with concern. “Sure you don’t want us to come with you?”
“Not at first.” Kara took a deep breath. “Let me explain to my parents and my twin brother first—I’ll give you a call when I’m ready for you to come out—both of you.” She shot a quick glance at Silki, who had begged to come back with them and take a tour of the Mother Ship. Since the little Tolleg doctor had been so helpful, Kara hadn’t had the heart to refuse.
“We will wait here. Yes we will, yes we will,” Silki promised, nodding her head and swiveling her furry ears.
“Yup—right here.” Raak settled back into the pilot’s seat and nodded. “We’ll be waiting for your call, baby girl.”
“You’ll hear it in a minute,” Kara promised and then let herself out on the passenger side and went to meet her waiting family.
They were all there—her mom and dad and Kaleb—as well as Yipper, whom they seemed to have brought along with them to check her out.
“Kara! Oh, thank the Goddess you’re safe!”
Her mother, Sophia, was the first to reach her. Running forward, her sandals clattering on the floor of the Docking Bay, she grabbed Kara and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Oh, my little girl!” She was nearly crying. “We thought you were lost for good!”
“Mom, I’m not that little anymore, you know,” Kara pointed out, looking down at her much shorter mother. But she couldn’t resist the hug—it felt too good to see her mom again.
“Kare-kare!” Kaleb was next, pulling her into a rough embrace. “Gods, where did you go?” He gave her a reproachful look. “You said you were moving out—not leaving the Mother Ship entirely!”
“You’ve given us all a terrible fright.” Sylvan frowned, his face filled with loving concern.
“Your family was most worried—yes they were, yes they were,” Yipper told her, shaking his head so that his floppy ears flew.
“When Baird told us that one of the extra ships was missing and we heard about a disturbance on Tranq Prime, we figured out where you’d gone,”