Page 18 of Offering Herself to Darkness

“And I want to help you save her,” Xarex said firmly. “We should go to the planet where the Healing Flower grows and get it for her.”

She nibbled her lush lower lip again.

“And…you really think you could help me? Feel enough so that we could make a proper, uh, sacrifice?”

“I do.” He nodded. “Just now when you were crying I felt emotional distress myself. I wanted to help you but I didn’t know how—that was quite painful. I do not know if that counts as an emotion, but I felt it just the same.”

Her big brown eyes softened.

“Yes, that counts. You were feeling compassion—and empathy.”

“I just wanted to make you feel better.” Xarex stroked her cheek as he looked into her lovely face. Why did being close to her make his heartbeat so erratic?

“You did make me feel better,” she whispered, giving him a smile. It was small, but genuine, he thought—it reached all the way up to her eyes this time. “You gave me hope.”

“Let’s call Commander Sylvan and ask him for the details,” Xarex suggested. “We can go tomorrow if you want. The Mother Ship can fold space for us so we can get there quickly.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Xarex!” Her eyes were shining now but this time from happiness instead of tears.

Xarex felt his heart swell once more but this time the emotion that came with the sensation was pleasant. He had done it—he had managed to comfort his new bride and make her emotional pain go away! He felt a sense of satisfaction and relief as he held her in his arms. He was so glad that he’d admitted to her that he was feeling.

“Thank you!” She kissed him on the cheek. Then she looked at him seriously. “And I promise I won’t try to trap you or make you stay with me longer than you want to. As soon as we get the Flower of Healing for Anna, you’ll be free to go. I know how men feel about raising other people’s children.”

Xarex felt a sense of confusion then—did she mean that she wanted him to go once this mission was over? But the next minute Nora kissed him again—this time on the lips—and his thoughts became hazy.

“Whatever you want, Ellana,” he murmured.

“Ellana? Who’s that?” she asked, frowning up at him.

“Forgive me.” Xarex felt a sharp stab of shame. “It is a word which means ‘hidden joy.’ It was used sometimes on my home world by warriors who were secretly feeling,” he admitted.

“Hidden joy,” she said musingly. “I guess that makes sense if you were living someplace where they would kill you for feeling any kind of happiness.” She shook her head. “How did you keep from getting caught?”

“I wasn’t feeling nearly as much then as I am now,” Xarex told her. He stroked her cheek again, loving the sensation of her soft skin against his fingertips. “I’m feeling so much for you right now, Nora. Things I never felt before I met you. I hope that’s all right.”

Her cheeks went pink and he felt her skin get warm in his hand as she blushed.

“It’s all right. I’m just surprised you can feel so much for me after I basically tried to blackmail you into marrying me in the first place.”

“I don’t care about where we began—we’re here now,” he pointed out. “But before we do anything else, let’s call Commander Sylvan and ask for permission to visit the planet where the Healing Flower grows.”

“All right.” She nodded and nuzzled her cheek against his hand. “Let’s do that.”

Xarex nodded but for a moment, he could only look into her eyes and marvel at how gorgeous she was.

She’s so beautiful and she’s all mine, he couldn’t help thinking.

Only until you find the cure for her daughter, whispered a little voice in his head. Then all the joy you feel will turn to pain because your time with her will be over.

But at the moment, Xarex felt like the pain would be worth the joy he was feeling. Besides, it was in the future—for now, he wished to live in the present.

Leaning down, he kissed Nora again and murmured,

“Ellana…”

9

NORA

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