Page 35 of Pursued By the Dragon Alien

He knew they couldn’t stay hidden away in his quarters forever. There were decisions to be made, plans to put into action. Lilas deserved to know the truth about her friends and about the Zaruxians who were rumored to be fighting back against their common enemy. Razion stretched his wings, rolling over onto his back as the last traces of warmth from their lovemaking lingered in his blood. Lilas lay beside him, staring at the ceiling with that sharp, calculating look that told him her mind was already moving somewhere else. Probably to the same place his was.

The rebellion.

If Hurik had spoken even a shred of truth, then the Axis wasn’t just losing minor skirmishes. They were losing control. And somehow, Terians and Zaruxians were at the center of it.

Except the Zaruxians Hurik mentioned weren’t just warriors. They wereshifting. Fully.

Razion had never seen another Zaruxian shift to dragon form. He’d barely believed it was possible.Hehad never unlocked that ability, though not for lack of trying. In hisyounger years, he had tried a few times and failed spectacularly, nearly tearing the muscles in his back when his wings flared out in pain but refused to do more.

He eventually quit trying. His family of raiders had told him that Zaruxians had fought the Axis in this form, so they knew it was possible. But even with dragon warriors, Zarux had fallen. So Razion wasn’t sure what good it would do, anyway.

But if it was true that there were Zaruxians out there who could shift, then the Axis had a real problem on their hands. And if Terians were by their side, fighting back just as fiercely, then it wasn’t just skirmishes they had to worry about.

It was an uprising. A real one.

Lilas exhaled beside him. The sheets were tangled around her, baring most of her smooth skin. The gold spots along her back beckoned him, but he kept his hands to himself and turned away.

“You good?” she asked over her shoulder.

Razion turned back toward her. The answer should have been simple. His body was sated, his ship was intact, and he was closer to finding his long-lost kin than he’d ever been before. But something shifted inside him, a restless energy that wouldn’t settle.

“I don’t know yet,” he said.

Lilas hummed, turning onto her side to face him. “Must be serious if the great Captain Razion doesn’t have an immediate answer.”

He smirked despite the weight in his chest. “Even I have to think sometimes.”

She studied him for a beat longer, like she could see something deeper he wasn’t quite ready to say aloud. Then, before she could press, his communicator buzzed.

“Captain,” Krask’s voice crackled through the speaker. “We need you on the command deck.”

“On my way.” Razion sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. Duty never waited. He sat up, stretching the stiffness from his wings before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.

Lilas propped herself up on one elbow. “Guess that’s my cue to get out of your bed,” she said with a smirk.

Razion glanced back at her, hands braced on his thighs. “You don’t have to.”

“I do,” she said gently, but firmly. “For now.”

He wished it wasn’t true, but it was. Lilas wasn’t the kind of female to be caged, even in comfort. That was fine. He would let her leave for now—because he knew she’d find her way back.

He dressed quickly, fastening his utility belt with sharp, efficient movements. Lilas rose from the bed, slipping back into her clothes, running fingers through her dark violet hair to tame it. She didn’t look at him when she said, “I’ll head to my quarters. Let me know if something comes up.”

Razion pulled on his boots, straightening. “Sounds like something has.”

She sent him a sidelong look but said nothing. That was fair. She likely had enough thoughts swirling in her head without adding his crew’s business on top of it. If it had something to do with her, he’d tell her. But for now, Razion pressed the door panel and the barrier slid open with a quiet hiss. He shot her one last look before stepping into the corridor. “Get some rest, Lilas.”

She snorted. “Bye, Captain.”

His lips twitched, but he forced himself to walk away. She would never be a female who liked being told what to do and he found he liked that about her.

When Razion reached the command deck, Krask was waiting, arms crossed. Vedd lounged beside him. His iridescent skin caught the glow of the monitors. Cozax stood near the star maps, tapping through navigation commands.

“What is it?” Razion asked.

Krask straightened. “Got a lead on someone who met one of our Zaruxian friends in the flesh.”

That got Razion’s attention. “Who?”

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