Page 34 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

Slowly, reality seeped in. Lilas became aware of the softness of the bed beneath her, the steady rise and fall of Razion’s chest as he caught his breath, the unfamiliar feeling of being utterly and completely satisfied.

Razion rolled onto his side, taking her with him, careful to keep their bodies connected. His wings folded back, no longer needed to shield them from the world. His silver-gray eyes held hers, and in their depths, Lilas saw something she hadn’t expected—a vulnerability that mirrored her own.

“Lilas.” His voice was a soft rumble. His hand came up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. “This changes things.”

She knew what he meant. It wasn’t just the physical act they had just shared. It was the raw emotion, the undeniable bondthat had formed between them. She had given him a part of herself that she had never given to anyone else, and he had done the same.

“I know,” she whispered, her fingers tracing the contours of his chest. “I’m not afraid.”

A small, genuine smile curved his lips. “You should be.” A teasing note crept into his tone. “I’m not an easy male to be with.”

Lilas chuckled, leaning in to press a kiss to his jaw. “Aw, not fair. Since I’m so sweet-natured.”

Razion’s arms tightened around her, pulling her closer. The warmth of his body gave her a sense of peace she hadn’t realized she was missing. For the first time in her life, she felt truly safe, truly cherished. “You are perfect.”

They lay together in silence. The bond between them grew stronger with each passing moment. Lilas knew that they had entered uncharted territory, that the path ahead would be fraught with challenges and dangers. But she also knew that she wouldn’t have to face them alone.

After a while, Lilas disentangled herself from Razion’s embrace and sat up. The cool air of the cabin hit her skin and made her acutely aware of her nakedness. Razion propped himself up on one elbow, watching her with a hooded gaze.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

She turned to look at him, a smile playing on her lips. “Nowhere,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure this wasn’t a dream.”

Razion’s slow, lazy smile sent heat curling low in her belly. A shiver moved through her body. “I assure you,” he murmured, his voice thick with satisfaction, “this is very real.” He reached out, his fingers tracing a featherlight path down the gold spots on her spine. “I like these, by the way. I was so curious to seewhat they felt like.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to them. “What they tasted like.”

Lilas exhaled sharply, something fragile and warm blooming inside her. “Now you know.” She had spent cycles feeling like she didn’t belong, like she was always grasping for something just out of reach. But here, with Razion’s touch, she felt something she hadn’t dared to claim before—she felt trulywanted. Just as she was.

Lilas sank back down beside Razion. Her fingers absently traced the intricate patterns of golden scales along his chest. The steady rise and fall of his breathing. The warmth radiating from his skin—it was grounding in a way she hadn’t expected. She had spent her entire life fighting, surviving, wary of every touch, every offer of safety. And yet, here she was, curled against a space pirate, wrapped in his arms like she belonged there.

Razion shifted, tilting her chin up with a single finger. His storm-gray eyes reflected something unreadable, something intense. “You’re thinking too much.”

“Get used to it.” She huffed a soft laugh. “I don’t know how to do anything else.”

His thumb brushed across her lower lip, his expression darkening with something utterly possessive. “Then let me distract you.”

His mouth claimed hers again, slow but insistent, and Lilas melted into him, letting herself forget—for now—that the galaxy still waited outside this stolen moment.

THIRTEEN

Razion

The aftermath of their lovemaking—twice—left Razion feeling both sated and restless. He watched Lilas as she sat on the edge of the bed, her dark violet hair tumbling over her shoulders, the soft curves of her body bathed in the dim glow of the cabin’s lights. She was a vision—all bronze skin and brilliant eyes, with a strength in her that made him want to be worthy of her. He wasn’t sure he was, yet.

The raw power of their connection shook him to his core. He had known passion before, but never like this. Never with someone who challenged him at every turn, who tempted him to be more than just a rogue captain with a vendetta against the Axis.

He reached out, tracing the line of those gold spots on her spine with his fingertips. She shivered at his touch, a small smile playing on her lips as she turned to face him.

“You’re insatiable,” she teased, though there was a warmth in her voice that told him she didn’t mind.

Razion chuckled, leaning in to press a kiss to her shoulder. “Only when it comes to you.”

She arched a brow at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just me?”

He growled playfully, pulling her back down onto the bed with him. “Only you,” he confirmed, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “You’ve bewitched me, Lilas of Teria.”

She laughed. The sound filled the cabin with a lightness he hadn’t realized he’d been craving. “I think you’ve got it the wrong way around, Captain.”

Their playful banter turned into another round of passionate lovemaking. Each touch, each kiss, deepened the bond between them. But as they lay in each other’s arms afterward, the weight of their situation began to press in on him once more.

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