Page 56 of Xara and the Xenobeast

For Xara. For the pups. For the home they had built together.

For himself.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Xara paced the length of the cave, pausing occasionally to peer through the narrow opening at the darkening sky. The air had grown heavy and charged, making her skin prickle with unease. The Xenobeast had been gone for hours, scouting the perimeter after destroying the drone.

The first fat raindrops struck the ground outside with audible thuds. Within minutes, the gentle patter transformed into a deafening roar as water cascaded down the mountainside. Lightning split the sky, illuminating the cave in stark white flashes.

One of the pups—the smallest one she’d nicknamed Wisp—scurried to her feet, trembling. She scooped him up, cradling him against her chest.

“It’s okay, little one,” she murmured. “Just a storm.”

But this was no ordinary storm. The wind howled like a living thing, a predator stalking the night. It found every crack and crevice in their shelter, whistling through the stone with eerie, mournful notes.

Another flash of lightning, and the remaining pups squealed in distress, their bioluminescent patches flaring bright with fear. They huddled together, eyes wide, tiny bodies vibrating with tension.

“He’ll be back soon,” she promised them, though uncertainty gnawed at her. What if something had happened to him? What if Vask had found him first?

She shook her head, refusing to entertain the thought. He was too clever, too strong to be caught unaware. Even in a storm like this.

As if summoned by her thoughts, a massive silhouette appeared at the cave entrance. The Xenobeast stepped inside, water streaming from his powerful form in rivulets. His silver skin gleamed in the dim light, and his sensory tendrils were pulled tight against his skull—a sign of discomfort she’d learned to recognize.

Relief flooded through her. “You’re back.”

He nodded once, shaking water from his body like a great cat. His eyes found hers, glowing softly in the darkness.

“Storm,” he said simply.

“I noticed.” She smiled, but it faded as another violent gust sent a spray of rain deep into the cave, soaking her. She gasped at the sudden chill, her thin clothing offering little protection.

The pups squeaked in protest as water dripped onto them from her hair. Wisp burrowed deeper against her, seeking warmth.

“Sorry, babies,” she murmured, setting them down in their nest—a hollow she’d lined with soft fibers and moss, safely away from the cave’s entrance.

Lightning struck somewhere nearby with a deafening crack. The cave trembled with the force of it, and a fresh torrent of water streamed down from a fissure in the ceiling, catching Xara squarely in its path.

She yelped as the cold water soaked through her clothes, plastering them to her skin. Her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.

The Xenobeast moved toward her with swift, fluid grace. He caught her arm, drawing her deeper into the cave, away from the worst of the storm’s reach. His touch was warm—almost hot—against her chilled skin.

“You’re cold,” he said, concern evident in his low voice.

“I’ll be fine.” But her body betrayed her, trembling visibly.

He guided her toward the fire pit he’d built in the center of their living space. The flames had dwindled to embers, but he quickly fed them with dried wood from their stockpile. The fire flared to life, casting golden light across the cave walls.

Xara stood before it gratefully, but her wet clothes clung to her like a second skin, negating any warmth the flames might have provided. Water dripped from her hair, running in cold trails down her spine.

She glanced at the Xenobeast, who had retreated to the shadows beyond the firelight. His eyes remained fixed on her, unreadable yet intense.

“I need to get out of these wet clothes,” she said, reaching for the hem of her sodden shirt.

He immediately turned away, giving her privacy. It wasn’t the first time she’d changed in his presence, but something about hisrigid posture, the careful way he averted his gaze, struck her as different tonight.

She peeled off her shirt, letting it fall to the stone floor with a wet slap. Her pants followed, leaving her in only her undergarments, which were also soaked through. After a moment’s hesitation, she removed those as well.

The fire’s heat caressed her bare skin, but it wasn’t enough. She was still trembling, her muscles tight with cold.

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