Page 30 of Hunted By the Dragon Alien

“I remember,” Takkian said. A faint smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. “And I still choose you.”

Sevas’ face heated. She pulled the blanket higher, partly to hide her face and partly to soak in the grounding weight. “You might change your mind when you see how much I like rocks.”

Takkian reached for her hand under the blanket, his fingers closing around hers. “I have nothing against rocks…when they’re not being thrown at my head, that is.”

She laughed. “Same here. Did you know I took down Gimloria with a slingshot?”

“Those things with the rubber…?” He circled a finger, trying to explain what he meant.

“Yes, those.” She sniffed, remembering that awful fight. “Someone in the crowd threw one at me—among other things—and I used it.”

He smiled and his eyes drifted closed. “I’ll add resourceful to the list of traits I admire about you.”

Sevas chewed her lip and wondered if Takkian reallywouldstill care for her when all this was over. She was stubborn and short-tempered, and shedidlike rocks more than most people. But maybe there was hope for them. For a future where they could justlive. The silence that filled the small stateroom wasn’t heavy—it was comforting. For the first time in what felt like forever, Sevas felt a flicker of peace. She squeezed Takkian’s hand gently, their fingers interlaced under the blanket, and let herself relax.

The rhythmic sound of their breathing synced as Sevas’ eyelids grew heavier. The ship’s gentle hum, the dim light, and the weight of the blanket combined to lull her body into a state of calm.

Takkian’s voice broke through the quiet, low and edged with something thoughtful. “What about you, Sevas? What do you want?”

She blinked, her mind sluggish as it wrapped around his question. “I want to live without being under someone else’s control,” she admitted after a moment. “I want to decide my own future.”

“You deserve those things,” he said simply. “I want them, too.”

Sevas sighed. “Easier for you to get, I think. You’re a powerful dragon warrior with a knack for terrifying everyone in your path. Me? I’m just a stubborn female Terian with a hammer.”

Takkian’s fingers tightened briefly around hers. “You’re not ‘just’ anything, Sevas. You’re more resilient than anyone I’ve ever known. Surviving doesn’t define you—it’s something you’ve conquered. It’s time you start living.”

Her throat tightened at his words as warmth spread through her chest.Living. It felt like a foreign concept, something out of reach for so long. “Living, huh?” she murmured, her voice catching slightly. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I think you do. And you’re going to be great at it.”

He talked about it as if it was already happening. As his words settled over her like the gravity blanket, grounding and real, she let the warmth of his presence wrap around her like a shield. For the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to think that maybe—just maybe—freedom wasn’t just about escaping. It was about finding peace. A purpose. And someone to share it with.

As sleep pulled her under, she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear, “I can’t wait.”

Takkian shifted closer, resting his forehead lightly against hers. “Me either,” he murmured in a sleep-slurred voice. “Rest now, Sevas. We will have work to do.”

Sevas smiled faintly, her eyes still closed. The warmth of his breath was soft against her skin. She was tired. Even thoughshe would have liked to do more than sleep, it was a necessity. The gentle weight of the blanket and the quiet promise in his words worked together to lull her into a peaceful drowsiness. For once, she let herself believe in the quiet. For once, she let herself believe she could dream.

FIFTEEN

Takkian

Takkian stirred awake, feeling the weight of the blanket draped over him and the knot of the old blanket at his waist. He wanted to shed it when he’d gotten into this bed, but knew it wasnotthe time to be fully and completely naked with her. That extra layer between them was a necessary reminder to keep his hands—and cock—to himself. He shifted and arranged himself as best he could. The comforting warmth of Sevas pressed against his side pulled him back from the edge of sleep. He remembered the night before—the escape, the chaos, the kiss that he would never forget.

He shifted slightly, careful not to wake her. Her face was peaceful in sleep. Those dark red eyes closed against the low light. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she nestled closer. There was a serenity about her that warmed him, but the memories of the arena nagged at the back of his mind. They couldn’t afford to linger in comfort for long. Not yet.

After a moment, he slipped out from under the blanket and pushed off into weightlessness to avoid disturbing her. The shiphummed softly around them, a reassuring sound that reminded him they were still safe—at least for now. He moved quietly to the door and eased out into the corridor. After making use of the washroom at the end of the hallway, where he took some extra time in the sonic cleaning tube that eradicated every trace of dirt and grime from his body, he made his way to the main cabin. There, he found Bruil and the scent of something warm in the air.

The older Zaruxian sat in one of the main cabin seats with a bowl in hand. He methodically munched on what appeared to be those protein pellets Ulo had replicated earlier. Bruil glanced up, raising an eyebrow at Takkian’s entrance. “Good to see you awake,” he said between bites. “You look like you could use something to eat. You turned into a dragon. That has consequences.”

Takkian rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. “I will, Bruil.” Hewashungry, but he floated to the seat next to him and clipped in. “What’s our status?”

Bruil shrugged, taking another bite. “We’re holding steady. I need to navigate around the planet, though. Don’t want Axis scouts finding out where we are.”

“Good call.” Takkian glanced at the young Dokkol who resembled a craggy, floating boulder wedged in the corner of the cabin. “Has he woken up at all?”

“No,” Bruil replied. “Hasn’t budged from that spot. Little guy was exhausted.”

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