by Luna Voss
“What’s that up ahead?” says Borrik suddenly.
My head snaps up. “What? Where?”
“Over there in the distance,” says Borrik, pointing. “Behind that big tree.”
I squint, and through the snow I can just barely see what looks like a small, white, furry animal.
“I think that’s her!” I shout, filled instantly with hope. “Bella!” I put my hands to my mouth and scream as loudly as I can at the animal in the distance: “Bellllaaaa!”
We ride over to the big tree, and I feel the biggest smile spreading across my face as I see Bella there in the snow, cowering with her ears pinned back, her lips flaring as she emits a low growl.
Wait. Why is Bella cowering?
I turn just in time to see a gigantic, white, cat-like thing pounce through the air at my little dog, claws extended, fangs flashing.
No sooner have I had time to react when Borrik launches himself off the back of our tusk-ox and throws himself at the creature. He dives onto its back, wrapping his arms and legs around it and dragging it to the ground. It hisses, clawing at him, and I see deep, bloody scratches appear on his arm. Borrik wrestles with the animal, struggling to pin its gigantic paws to the ground, and then he delivers an enormous headbutt to its chin that seems to stun it.
Moving faster than I would have thought possible for someone so big, the Kyrzon springs up and reaches for his sword to finish the creature off. But the cat-thing is even quicker, leaping to its feet and advancing on Borrik, its face screwed up in a terrifying snarl.
I watched, terrified. I have no idea what to do. I won’t be any use trying to help Borrik fight this monster. I can barely even get down from the tusk-ox without the Kyrzon’s help.
Borrik manages to get his sword out of his belt just as the creature pounces on him. I scream as the two huge bodies meet, and then both of them drop to the ground, lying still in the fluffy snow.
“Borrik!” I shout, clambering out of the saddle and jumping to the ground with a soft crunch. Neither the Kyrzon nor the white-furred creature move. The animal appears to be on top of him, and I approach warily, unsure what to expect.
“Help me get this thing off of me, will you?” I hear Borrik’s gruff voice come from underneath the animal, muffled by it’s fur.
Relief washes over me, and I run over to him, helping in what small way I can to lift the giant cat off of his body. As I do so, I see that Borrik’s sword is embedded deep in its chest.
“Damn whitefang,” he grunts. “Almost got your dog.”
As though on cue, Bella runs over to me, prancing through the deep snow with her tail wagging. I pick her up in my arms, squeezing her, and she wriggles around in excitement, trying to lick me all over my face.
“It’s good to see you, too!” I say happily, nuzzling her as we embrace. “I missed you, you know that?”
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” asks Borrik, grinning.
“Of course!” I say, carrying Bella over to him. “Bella, this is Borrik. He’s a friend. He just saved your life.”
Borrik holds out his hand, and Bella sniffs it warily. A moment later, she’s all smiles and affection, trying to wiggle out of my arms so that Borrik can hold her.
“Such a little flirt,” I say under my breath, rolling my eyes.
Chapter Nineteen
“Come on, girl, it’s time to go home,” I say wistfully to Bella as we join the group of Clan Borrik soldiers heading for the auction house in New Byzantium. We’ll be riding home with them in a couple of minutes. Bella follows along on the leash, as enthusiastic as ever.
One of the soldiers points to a carriage being drawn by a pair of tusk-oxen. “Chief Borrik says you ride in there,” he grunts.
I nod and help lift Bella up into the carriage. We sit there together, waiting for the procession to leave. I stroke her fur absentmindedly, my thoughts distracted. All I can think about is Borrik.
I haven’t seen much of him in the day since we got back from rescuing Bella. As soon as we returned to Clan Borrik Territory, he retreated into his chamber, leaving one of his men to show me to the room I would be sleeping in. Even with Bella around, that night felt lonely. I kept wishing that I had Borrik to cuddle with. The memory of my night with him in the cabin was just so recent and wonderful and intense.
But truth be told, it’s probably for the best that he’s been keeping his distance. Otherwise, this experience would be much more difficult emotionally than it already is. I don’t know how I could bear to look into his eyes and say goodbye to him, given what we’ve been through together.
I hate that I’m leaving. I hate it. I just don’t feel like I have a choice. My whole life is in New Byzantium. In Human Territory. My parents are there, my friends, my job, everything.
Well, maybe not my job. Not if I can’t get my hover-cart back.
But in any case, I’m a human, and he’s an alien chief. We live completely different lives. Even if right now, it feels like staying here in Kyrzon Territory with Borrik would make me happier than anything else in the world, I can’t give into that emotion. I have to stay rational, and make what is obviously the proper decision: to go home and live with other members of my species.
Even if it hurts.
And so even though it feels like my heart is breaking, I stay on the carriage with Bella, waiting for it to take me away from the man I’m pretty sure I’ve fallen in love with.
I hear a shout from the front of the group, and then the carriage starts to move. That’s it. We’re heading off to Human Territory.
“Say goodbye to Clan Borrik,” I say to Bella, struggling to keep my voice from cracking. “We’re going home now, girl.”
She nuzzles me affectionately, almost as though to comfort me. Such a sweet little thing. I’m so glad I didn’t lose her. I put my arm around her, watching the castle disappear into the distance.
Suddenly, I hear the sound of hooves. Coming from the castle. I see a figure approaching, galloping on the back of a tusk-ox. I squint, and as the figure gets closer, I can see that it is Chief Borrik. I stare at him, confused. What is he doing?
“Stop the carriage,” he calls out, and the carriage I’m riding in slows to a halt. I watch as the chief dismounts from his tusk-ox and marches over to me, his face determined.
“Borrik?” I call out to him. “What is it?”
“I don’t want you to go back to Human Territory,” he tells me fiercely.
“What? Why?”
“Because I love you,” says Borrik. “Because if you leave me now, my life will never be the same. I can’t lose you. I may not have bought you in one of the auctions, but I want you to be mine. Tessa, I want you to be my mate.”
My head reels at his words. For a moment, my thoughts are a blur. All the different possibilities, concerns, and reasons we shouldn’t be together flash through my mind.
And then one powerful, overriding thing shines through the whole, confusing mess: this is the man that I love. And if I leave him now, my life will never be the same, either.
“You sure waited until the last minute to tell me that,” I say, getting up from the carriage to stand in front of him.
The Kyrzon doesn’t move. “If you wish to return to Human Territory, of course I will allow it. But if—”
“Of course I want to stay with you, silly,” I tell him, my face breaking into a gigantic smile. I get up on my tiptoes to kiss him, and he picks me up off the ground, swinging me around joyfully before pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss.
“I love you, Borrik,” I whisper to him as the kiss breaks. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, Tessa,” he whispers back. “You’re the best Christmas present I’ve ever had.”
Next to us, Bella lets out a happy little bark, wagging her tail and jumping up on Borrik’s leg.
“Yes, you too, Bella,” he laughs, reaching down to pat her on the head. He turns back to me and shoots me a playful grin. “Careful with this one. If she gets an
y cuter, you’re going to have some competition.”
“I’m not worried,” I say, winking. “I can always just feed her to a whitefang.”
Bella shoots me what I swear is a what-the-hell look.
“Just kidding,” I giggle, picking up my dog and giving her a squeeze.
Author’s Note
Dear reader,
I hope you enjoyed my little holiday story!
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered if you’re looking for more sexy aliens. You can dive into the Kyrzon Breeding Auction series right now with Sold to the Babymaker, the first book. Happy reading! ;)
If you’re all caught up on the Kyrzon books, fear not! I have more steamy galactic adventures planned for the near future. Join my mailing list to make sure you don’t miss a new release.
And finally:
Whoever you are, wherever you are, and however you celebrate, I hope that you’re able to spend the holidays warm and comfortable with the people you love.
I appreciate each and every one of you.
Until our next adventure,
Luna Voss, December 2019
P.S. If you liked the book, please consider leaving a review!Just a few sentences makes all the difference.
Also by Luna Voss
Kyrzon Breeding Auctions
Sold to the Babymaker (Cleo and Drokal)
Claimed by the Babymaker (Lily and Ragga)
Property of the Babymaker (Julia and Gurrak)
Copyright © 2019 by Luna Voss
All rights reserved.
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