Page 33 of Slavic

“Forthe most part, yes.Wemay offer an item, manual labor, or even knowledge to obtain what is needed.Thoseof us born in theVoidhave learned to adapt.Thieveryis not honorable, but when your brothers are starving, you learn to reevaluate your morals.Justto make this clear from the start,Iwill take, kill, or maim anything to take care of my own and not lose an ounce of sleep over it.”

Damn, he’s intense, “What’stheVoid?”

Hegrabs ahold of my chair and pulls it, crate and all closer to the bed, so that he can sit down.Ican see the fatigue written all over his drawn features.Iwonder whenIstarted paying that much attention?

“TheVoidis hidden behind theVeilthat separates the outer parts of theDarverianUniversefrom the inner, more populated planets.It’salso full of pirates such as ourselves; criminals, bounty hunters, and the unfortunate.”

“So, it’s a place to hide?”

“TheVeilhides all, and it is a natural barrier that cannot be seen through if you are on the other side, and almost impossible to breach from either.Ourship, theZenith, does not have thrusters powerful enough to break through it.Ifwe tried anyway, theVeil’smagnetic field would tear the ship apart.Nowthere are ships that can power through it, but the few that can do not even know this part of space exists.”

“I’massuming the bug ships are powerful enough?”

“Unfortunately, true.Theonly favorable thing is they prefer to keep to the outer sector.Theonly time they tend to leaveEbritisis during their mating season.”

“Oh, lucky me, huh?Iwas merely in the right place at the right time.”

“Female, your words, and the way they are spoken delight me.Ido not understand them half the time, but your tone makes it easier to comprehend your sarcasm.Iknow you are not where you want to be at this exact moment in time, but the forces that control our lives have a way of bringing two souls together when needed the most, and the gods knewIneeded you.”

“Littlebit of a romantic in those multiple hearts of yours, huh?”

“Iwant no confusion or misunderstandings between us, soIbeg you to ask all the questions you want so that your decisions going forward are made with a clear and knowledgeable mind.”

“Slavic, you likely have some questions for me too.”

“Icare not how you come to be here.Thoughthe journey seems far from memorable, a nightmare even by the look of your wounds,Iwould gladly take your pain away.Thefact that you are sitting before me, glowing like a bright star in the sky and openly talking to me without fear on your face, is enough for now.Therewill be a point in the future when the memories are no longer painful, and you will discuss them willingly.ThenIwill know all, but until that time comes, allIwant and need is you.”

“That’sthe second time you’ve said you need me.WhymeSlavic, and wouldn’t you have been happier with one of your own?”

“Wereyou happy with one of your kind?”

“Well, not for the lack of trying.Yousee, my world and yours are slightly different.”

“Howis it so in the things that really matter?Youwere born to loving parental units who strived to provide and care for you.Theyeven gave you a playmate in the form of a sibling.Asyou grew, you were taught what you were going to need to succeed in life as an adult.Thenyou matured and started noticing the opposite sex.Theurge to mate and procreate made you seek out others that appealed to you either in sight or personality.Mypeople are the same,Ruby.Ourbodies simply have a way of helping us notice when another is more compatible.”

Ireach up, running my fingers over the dark collar around his neck and watch him shiver all over.Quicklyhe grabs my hand, pushing it against his scarred face. “Haveyou had a mate beforeSlavic, can this happen more than once?Couldthe mate bond be wrong about me?”

Hisbright eyes seek me out andIknow the answers before he says them. “Noone has ever been before you, nor haveIever wanted another the way my blood sings for you myStarshine.Youare a light that will never fade, a smell that will merge with my own.ThevoiceIwill always ache to hear and the bodyIwish to lose myself within.TheGodofRukgrants few blessings in this harsh world, even to those who walk the righteous path, but somehow, he found me worthy of you.”

Forthe second time in my life,I’vebeen rendered speechless.

Chapter Twenty-One

SLAVIC

Shesits before me,her small body swallowed up by the immenseness of the loungerIplaced her in earlier.Gazingat me with those huge brown eyes,Iwonder what she makes of my honesty.Shehas not taken her small hand off my face as of yet and hopefully that means she doesn’t see me as disfigured and disgusting.Aflash behind us catches her attention, and she looks away.

“Howdid you and your brothers become who you are now?Ifthat question is too personal you don’t have to answer.Kallenwas trying to fill me in on a few things earlier, but it just made for more questions in my mind.”

“Doyou mind ifIlay down?Thatis a long one to answer, andIam fatigued this rising.”

Ofall the questions she could have asked, it would be this one.Butif she is going to tie herself to me, then she needs to know what she is getting into.

“Wecan do this another time if you’re tiredSlavic.Itisn’t likeI’mgoing anywhere.”

“Wenever know what the next rising might bring.Afterall,Inever saw you coming.”

“True.”

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