Page 34 of A Monster's Light
“When I first arrived here, I was sure that all my friends had abandoned me. I recently found out that Dana has been looking for me since I got sick. Nova Vita blocked her calls, hoping I’d choose to join the Utopia Project out of desperation when I couldn’t pay my medical bills. Her dedication to finding me means so much. I’m glad she’s your mate, but if you break her heart, you will have an enemy for life.”
Was she threatening me? She was half my size! But she didn’t need to threaten me at all; I planned on cherishing Dana for the rest of my life. I told her so. I also told her that I was nervous to show Dana my nest. It wasn’t anything like the one I’d built on Kadri. What if it wasn’t enough?
“I’m pretty sure she chose not to participate in this year’s rut because she’d rather spend it with you, even though I told her it was dangerous to do so. I think you’ll be fine. We were closer when we were younger. We went to school together. She doesn’t need pretty gems and priceless treasures; she just wants someone who’d devote his life to her. Pretty gems won’t hurt though,” she said, grinning.
“I am willing to devote every last waking moment to her.”
“Then you will be fine.”
Then, she was waving goodbye as she ducked into the corridor leading to the women’s dormitory.
“Good luck and congratulations,” was the last thing I heard before I stepped out into the valley.
For the first time, I was glad that I’d been forced to rest. My body had filled out much of the muscles I’d lost, and my injuries had healed for the most part. I still had the scars, but they no longer affected my mobility and strength.
It wasn’t long before I found myself circling the settlement, my eyes scanning the ground as my ancestors had as they searched for the right females to spend their ruts with. It wasn’t just for the ruts, but for mates as well—the only difference was if they brought the female back to their nest or not.
In less civilized times, it was common for a male Kadrixan stricken with a mating bond to swoop in from the skies and carry the female away to his nest and keep her until she agreed to stay with him. Our aeries were made high up in the cliff, and like humans, female Kadrixans cannot fly.
Some males did this with females they coveted but had no bond with, hoping they’d both develop one. Back on Kadri, that ploy would be a costly one because if it didn’t work, the male forfeited his entire nest, which was usually everything of value he had saved throughout his life. Each nest could only be used for one female.
Here, with our simple nests and few worldly items, we had voted to outlaw forcing mate bonds. We could only bring a female to our nest if we had already formed a bond to them.
I circled the settlement again until a door opened. Dana stepped out, a rather confused look on her face. She held a devicein her hand as she looked up to the sky. The smile that spread on her face at the sight of me was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
She said one last thing into the device, then tucked it away in her clothes. Just in time, too, because I was already swooping down to meet her. She threw her arms up, reaching for me.
She was laughing as she jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs tightly around my hips.
“Gnnar! I was so confused when Julie told me to go outside and look up but wouldn’t tell me why. No wonder she was being so cryptic.” She buried her face into my neck. “I missed you.”
It was also good to be able to understand her again. “I missed you too, my mate.”
Chapter 19: Dana
“I missed you too, my mate.”
It took me several seconds for the words to finally make sense. At first, I thought I’d imagined it. Perhaps he meant something else, or the translator malfunctioned.
“What did you just call me?”
Gnnar pressed his lips into a thin line, and his arms tightened around me. “I was planning to bring you to my nest first. But I cannot deny the truth any longer. You are my mate, Dana. My Starlight. I do not wish to live a moment longer without you.”
Starlight? So that was what he had been calling me during our escape. I liked it.
There was a soft but drawn-out “Awwwww,” from behind us and I realized we had an audience. Before I could look, Gnnar’s wings wrapped around us, cocooning us and giving us a semblance of privacy, despite standing in the middle of the courtyard.
“Yes, Gnnar. I agree. I’ll be your mate,” I blurted out.
Was it too early? Was it crazy to devote the rest of my life to someone I’d only met last week? Yes. It was. What I should do is tell him that we should date for a while first before making sucha huge commitment. Mates were forever. But I’d spent my entire life doing what I should and never what I wanted. I needed a change, and that change was him.
Gnnar frowned. “You haven’t seen my nest yet.”
“I don’t need a nest to know that you’d do anything to protect me. I don’t need a nest to know that I can count on you when I need you the most. And I definitely don’t need a nest to know that you make me happy. But I also know that this nest is very important to you and your culture. So please Gnnar, show me your nest! Then, after, if it makes you happy, I’ll tell you I’ll be your mate again.”
“That would make me very happy.”
In an instant, Gnnar had his hand tangled in my hair and his lips devouring mine with a hunger so fierce that it turned my knees to jelly. I would’ve melted into a puddle if he hadn’t been supporting me.
