Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“May the Goddess shine her light upon your relationship,” he murmured.
Unable to wait any longer, Nate swung his bride-to-be, (because he fully intended to marry her too, as well as Bonding with her,) up into his arms.
“Oh!” Lan’ara gave a little gasp. “Nate, what are you doing?”
“Taking you to the suite,” he growled softly. “Just tell me where to go, baby. I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”
FORTY-NINE
DAVRIK
There was no time to think—Davrik dove off the bridge. He had to catch Sonya. And if he couldn’t, well then, he’d rather die with her than lose her again.
Pressing the button at the center of the harness which connected him to the ship, he played out all the extra line and prayed it would be enough. Putting his arms flat to his sides and keeping his legs straight, he streamlined his body as much as he could. He could see her below him, screaming as she fell, but would he be able to catch her before the line in his harness ran out?
Please Goddess, he prayed fiercely as he fell. Please let me catch her! And if I can’t, let me die with her. I don’t want to live without the female you set aside for me—Sonya is the other half of my soul! Please!
The Goddess made no answer but she must have heard him, because he was rapidly gaining on Sonya. And then—oh, praise The Mother of All Life—he had her in his arms!
Sonya was still screaming as he curled his arms around her tightly and braced for the inevitable jerk when the line went taut. Barely half a second later, it did—the force almost pulled her from his arms, but Davrik tightened his grip grimly and held on.
“Oh my God!” she gasped against his chest as they swayed together. “Oh God, what—”
“It’s all right—I’ve got you, baby girl,” Davrik told her. His voice was hoarse with emotion as he held her close. “Hold on to me,” he told her. “I have to press the button to bring us back up to the ship.”
Sonya wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. Keeping one arm around her, Davrik reached down and pressed the recall button on the harness around his waist.
For a moment, nothing happened. And then, slowly, they began to be pulled upwards towards the waiting ship which was still hovering far above them.
“I can’t believe it,” Sonya whispered in his ear. “You came for me…and you caught me! I thought I was going to die!”
“Never!” Davrik said fiercely. “You’re never dying again, baby girl! You’re mine now and I’m never letting you go.”
“Never dying again?” she asked, a look of confusion on her lovely face.
“Don’t worry about it,” Davrik told her. “Just hold on tight—we’re almost to the ship.”
As he spoke, they reached the broken metal bridge and he was able to clamber back onto the side that still held. It was a precarious business but he kept one arm looped securely around Sonya’s waist the whole time, making sure she was in no danger of falling.
At last they made their way back inside the ship and he was able to shut the door and seal both of them inside, away from the howling wind.
“All right, baby girl?” he asked Sonya, who was sitting on the floor shaking and panting. At fist he thought she was still in shock from nearly plummeting to her death, but then he realized something else was wrong. “What is it—what’s wrong?” he asked anxiously.
“Can…can we do something about the pain chip in my ankle?” she asked, her voice tight and her face twisted in agony. “It feels like my bones are on fire and it hurts so much!”
“Of course, baby,” Davrik said quickly. “But first I need to get us away from Yonnie Six before that fucking Sluggorn sends anyone after us. Can you hang on just a minute?”
“I…I’ll try.” She nodded shortly and he could see she was doing her best to bear the pain the chip was giving her.
“I’ll make it fast,” he promised. “Here. Let’s get you settled.”
He scooped her up off the floor and deposited her carefully on the large loveseat that his own Sonya had picked out while decorating the inside of the long-range shuttle. She’d said that it needed “a woman’s touch” and had proceeded to redo the whole thing, much to his bemusement, Davrik remembered. He couldn’t help thinking how he had come within a hairsbreadth of losing her again. Thank the Goddess that hadn’t happened!
With a final look over his shoulder, he ran to the cockpit and slipped into the pilot’s chair. Gripping the steering yoke tightly, he piloted the ship up and out of the atmosphere of Yonnie Six. He checked the scanners and saw to his relief that no one was following him. Sending another prayer of thanks to the Goddess, he set a course for the general direction of the Kindred Mother Ship. Later he would call them and ask if they could fold space to bring him and Sonya back more quickly.