9
Ajari's POV
I was staring at the egg in the encasement wondering when it would hatch. I was too excited for the day it finally hatched. I couldn't wear anything on my back so I just had one of my evening wraps on that wrapped around my neck then across my breasts and loosely wrapped around my back. Since felt I should have worn something to cover my lower half, but since Orion walked naked before bed, I felt it didn't matter.
I could hear the doors sliding open and I looked over my shoulder and Orion gave a soft shrill as he moved up beside me. I could tell he was trying to look my back over and I just shook my head casually.
"It's okay. You put that stuff on me. It will be fine." I reminded him and just lightly caressed the back of my head.
"It doesn't make the fact any less painful to know I have hurt you." he said. I blinked at his words looking down at the ground thinking of how I could console him somehow. I then turned and looked up at him.
"Do you love me?" I asked. He looked at me almost confused.
"What is word?" he asked. I blinked rapidly, stunned that he didn't know this word. He had a human mother, surely, she has expressed the word to him before. But in yautja culture such words were expressed rather than just spoken. I looked up wondering how to explain this to him.
"It is an overwhelming feeling that grows inside you for someone. Here." I said lightly reaching up and pressing my bare palm against his chest, my fingers stretched and I just felt his dry, scaly flesh. "You can feel it differently for different things and people. Your mother feels it for you and your brother and father. Your father feels it for her and you and War even if she shows it differently. It's a need to protect and cherish someone. You'll do things you never thought possible when you are in love. You want nothing to happen to me or want anyone to ever take me from you. It's a strong feeling."
Orion was looking up in deep thought of my words as I spoke.
"Then yes… I do love you. I love you more than anything." he said in a matter of fact tone. I smiled, my stomach fluttering from happiness.
"Then that is why I forgive you and that you should let it go. The wounds will heal." I replied.
"And turn to scars." he replied and I smirked.
"Then let them be battle scars, that I will forever wear with pride." I said gently. "I will always trust you won't hurt me." He smiled softly.
"Then this is why we have much to discuss. Come." He began to lead me from the lab. I glanced back at the egg before following. I was curious of what he meant. It had something to do with his talk with the ancient. They seemed deep in conversation which is why I had walked further out to give them space.
"With the explosion of my brother's ship, a lot is happening." he said. I tensed now and looked him over with concern.
"He is coming after us?" I asked and he shook his head.
"No. A new enemy. Someone has put a bounty on my head." he said. My eyes widened as I jumped in front of him making him stop and look down at me.
"A bounty? Who, why?" I blurted. He shook his head slowly.
"I do not know." he said almost exhausted. I looked down shaking my head, numerous thoughts were flooding my head. "A yautja of a different class has set out the bounty, that is all the information I know." I shook my head.
"A different class?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yes, a breed who deems themselves better than the rest of us. They do not follow any honor codes and will kill anything they wish. There is an ongoing blood feud. Most of them are bad bloods and we kill them on sight." he explained walking around me. I just watched him or a moment before turning and following him.
"So you've had a run in with them, and now one of them has set a bounty out on you." I replied.
"No." he said calmly entering his room, guess it is our room now. So now I was very confused.
"So an unknown yautja has put a bounty out on you for no reason? Do we know if this is true?" I asked. He gave a low snarl in response.
"Jupiter would not lie." he said and I ran my fingers through my hair trying to make sense of it all. Orion moved over to his table and removed one of his blades and a large stone and began to run the stone over the blade sharpening it. He did this when he needed to think. I slowly moved beside him and he just kept his eyes on the blade.
"Could it be me?" I asked lightly and he snorted in reply.
"You have done nothing." he said. I nodded in agreement but shrugged.
"Maybe someone has found out what I am and is trying to take you out to get to me." I said and he glanced at me for a second.
"No one knows what you are." he said.
"Rogue does." I answered lowly causing his sharpening to pause. He looked up and around as if mildly annoyed but nodded.
"Yes. You are right. Maybe he told someone and now people are trying to see if it is true that you exist." he said placing his equipment back down on the table and turned from me, his locks whipping some in the air.
"Is that why we are staying here tonight? To have allies in case someone comes?" I asked. He shook his head.
"I stayed to replenish the ship. I am not worried about a bounty, I welcome the invitation to try and kill me." he said. "Because anyone who tries will fail." I smiled at his confidence and I believed him. He was strong and focused and fast when needed. He wouldn't lose.
"So what's our next course of action, returning to Yautja Prime 9?" I asked. He shook his head.
"No. We can't risk it." he said. "We will go to my home world and speak with my mother and father on this. I want to know what they know if they know anything." I nodded thinking that was the best course of action.
"Alright." I replied moving over to the bed and he shrilled and followed my actions.
"But we have one more thing to discuss that is quite crucial since we are a mated pair." he replied. I tilted my head and looked at him.
"What's the matter?" I asked softly and he now took my hands and pulled me up to sit on his thigh. His hands began to weave their way into my hair attempting to do another braid in my hair the saw his mother do.
"You are in your prime now… and I must ask if you love me?" he asked in a light tone and I looked at him, my eyes staring into his intensely.
"Of course." I replied lifting my hand to gently caress his cheek, my thumb lightly sliding over his right bottom mandible. He trilled softly lightly touching my shoulder and looking at my back.
"Even after I have hurt you?" he asked. I nodded without hesitation.
"Even after." I replied, and he closed his eyes some.
"Will you take the serum that could turn you into a hybrid of my and your blood?" he asked. I stared at him intently now.
"The serum your mother has taken?" I asked and he nodded.
"And the serum that also killed War's mate." he added, and I looked down at my feet as I felt his claws braiding my hair.
"There are only two ways it can go." I said. "It will either work or it will not." Orion nodded.
"If you do not want this… I will not force you to take it." he told lowly, his eyes looking down. I closed my eyes at his words feeling soft relief that I had a choice. But what good outcome would come from me not taking it? I would grow old and die and Orion would have to watch me. The bad outcome? I could die?
"But with what I am…vanguis… we do not know how this will change me now." I replied and he nodded. But when you are in love you take a risk. "But I would risk it all for you. So, yes I will take the serum." His eyes popped and he growled in happiness and leaned in and kissed me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt him purring deep in his throat. He then leaned back and showed the long braid he had made that rested below my breast. I chuckled and watched as he pinned a small blue tube to it and I smiled at how beautiful and intricate the braid was and I just nuzzled into him rubbing my head under his neck.
"I love you." I replied and he shrilled gently.
"I love you. And will let nothing happen to you, this I pledge." he replied.
Author's Notes
Hope everyone is enjoying the fic. We will be getting a blast from the past in the next few chapters. I will also be continuing Freelancer soon.
