Hi guys! Wow it's been a while since the last chapter, and I am glad that you continue to follow me although I am very busy during this time :) Hope you like it, but first I want to answer a couple of your recent reviews:

Alura9287: I would also like to learn something from them on defense or traps...after sex, of course

CheebieBeebie: I will not disappoint you;)

14. Last Moments

The darkness in the room was full, but I continued to advance toward his bed, hands stretched forward; I gently touched the furs that covered his body, guiding me towards his figure; I could hear him breathe deeply, and the idea that he was unaware of what was going on caused me a thrill of excitement. Slowly I climbed on the bed and slipped under the sheets, my naked body eager to touch his; finally my hands reached his back, stroking it gently

"Ne'veah..." I pronounced his name deeply and lustfully, stroking his side with my leg. The sound of his purr filled my ears, fueling my desire; he turned to me and I pressed my body against his, both hot as two furnaces; his hands began to explore each centimeter of my skin, while my hands sunk in his long dreadlocks and my mouth kissed his lower mandible. Ne'veah stood over me with his size, pressing his body against mine; I moaned with pleasure and circled his hips with my legs, as he rubbed his erection against me; I could feel the head of his cock pressing against my opening; and with a unique, single thrust he was inside me. I moaned with pleasure and arched my back, as I felt his tongue over my neck; I raised my head...and I cried.

It wasn't saliva, Neveah was bleeding profusely and his blood soiled my body; his chest was ripped open and guts' coming out from his body, part of his head was missing. I kicked and screamed with all my strength, but it was all in vain, until a knife cut his body into two, and a stream of blood spurted everywhere; a dark figure approached, I couldn't see his face but I knew it was a Bad blood; his blade was pointed at me, and with a single shot I saw my own guts out of my stomach...

I awoke with a start, breathing fast and the heart pounding in the chest. A dream, it was just a fucking dream. Slowly I sat down on the bed and I kept my head, trying to control the rhythm of my breath and wipe the tears on my face. It took me several minutes to calm down and, as soon as I was sure I could stand on my legs, I decided immediately to give me a wash, feeling sweaty and sticky. I lost at least half an hour locked in the bathroom, almost as if I were convinced that the freezing water could wash away my thoughts; but that dream didn't want to leave, continuing to torture my body with shivers of terror. I left the bathroom and searched Ne'veah, feeling the desperate need to see him safe and sound; timidly I opened the door of his room, but he wasn't there, and I didn't find him even in the kitchen for breakfast; I walked into the control room and I saw him on the huge command chair, making me breathe a sigh of relief. I went to meet him with the best of smiles, trying to dispel from the mind that horrible nightmare

"Hey, I thought I'd lost you..." I stopped when I saw him: he was sleeping; his head was tilted forward, the mandibles closed and motionless, arms relaxed along the body; I watched his chest heaving to the rhythm of his breath and I was fascinated to look at him. No matter how big, dangerous or alien he was, from my point of view he was adorable. I took courage and I leaned toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder; I was embarrassed to the touch but that contact made me feel a little better; I approached even more, an immediate desire to feel him close, while as usual my body began to overheat; I would have liked to kiss him...I was seriously considering the idea when I saw his mandibles moving slowly, and then click nervously; instinctively I drew back the hand, and he swung his head from side to side, perhaps still a bit groggy, before opening eyes and look at me

"Jessica..." his voice was a little hoarse and he kept shaking his head

"Good morning, I'm sorry I woke you up; why didn't you sleep in your room? Don't..." he put his hand on my shoulder, trying to push me away; I stared at him in alarm

"Jessica, please..." he purred for a moment before cutting it off "your scent is too strong..."

I snapped back as soon as he finished the sentence, visibly blushing; I had completely forgotten about this little problem; Ne'veah shook his head violently to recover and barely held back other purr; it took a few seconds before he could get up from the chair

"...Errr, sorry" I said, trying to apologize

"Never mind" he replied, though he still looked a little dazed "we have a problem"

"Huh?"

"Probably we will reach the planet with 7 hours in advance, we must try to make the most of the time we have left"

"And what we have left?" I asked, worried

"About 40 hours" less than two days, my last chance to enjoy these quiet moments with him; anguish began to devour me, and keep it under control became increasingly difficult. We began to work hard; we tried to perfect what we had missed the time before, assuming the best possible strategy: the invisibility was our essential protection, but this didn't guarantee total safety; perhaps we could take advantage of secondary roads to avoid attracting attention, but settle in their headquarters was another matter; in any case, even if I was helping him, my job was basically to follow his orders always and however, I had to act on my own just in case we were discovered and for this Ne'veah explained the functioning of the weapons. He helped me to wear each piece of armor that Elise had given me and taught me the gun operation and the blades on the arm; I didn't know if I would actually be able to use them, but I had no choice; the more time passed, the more I realized that I was embarking on a mission really crazy; and that damn dream did nothing but accentuate my fears.

We decided to take a break and eat something to regain strength; and while I chewed my piece of meat, sitting at the kitchen table, I tried to mentally revise everything I had learned and drive away those horrible thoughts of death; but I couldn't get out of my head the image of Ne'veah cut in half...it took me a while to notice that he was watching me, I turned him a questioning look

"You should not be here" he said

"...I'm sorry, I know that I'm just a ball and chain" I said resentful; he looked at me surprised

"It wasn't what I meant; just..." he searched the right words "the closer we get our target, the more I realize that your constitution is too fragile for this mission; you done enough allowing me to have a chance to redeem my honor, you should stay safe, together with my clan or returning to Earth" I was happy that he seemed a little worried about me, but I sighed

"Ne'veah I've already said it: I'm here because I want to be here; I know that for you it may seems something stupid or totally illogical, and maybe I'm creating more problems than anything else, but it's okay for me, really" the silence returned to fill the room again; with the corner of my eye I watched Ne'veah eating in silence, his mandibles clicked slowly; surely he was still trying to figure out what I had in my head, when the truth was that I had completely lost my head for him...

"In my culture it's customary to return the favor with something of equal value, as you may have already noticed, but this time I have nothing to repay you adequately"

"I have everything I need..." I said, becoming as red as a tomato; I had to make a tremendous effort to say "you are here" I knew he was looking at me but I avoided looking in his eyes. Ne'veah didn't reply to that statement and continued to eat in silence until he got up from the table

"Let's get back to work" and I was happy to nod and be able to escape from that awkward moment. Ne'veah continued train me in the use of weapons, and in the meantime we repeated for the umpteenth time our strategy, including all details and possible mishaps. I did my best, trying to memorize everything as fast as possible, but the anguish inside me was unbearable; I was aware that every hour, every minute, every second that slipped away was a precious moment that would never come back. After training I was really exhausted, but I couldn't distinguish the physical from the mental fatigue, anxiety was likely to take my breath away. When it came time to go to sleep, I was not at all pleased, and as I walked alongside Ne'veah to my room sadness enveloped me: I was reaching the limit

"What...what will we do tomorrow?" I asked Ne'veah, interrupting an oppressive silence

"We have done everything we can, the best thing to do is to rest before the mission; I will teach you something else, but you mustn't get too tired"

I reached my room and greeted Ne'veah, turning toward the door; and observing the large metal surface, my breathing quickened; I never hated so much an object in my life, it took me just a few seconds to realize that enter into that fucking room was out of the question. The time was coming, I was risking my life, maybe we were about to die, maybe I would have lost Ne'veah forever...his body covered in blood...air, I needed air; I walked away from the door and turned to leave, but stopped when I saw that Ne'veah was still in the hallway and was staring at me; his expression unreadable. I looked into his eyes, continuing to breathe heavily

"I…can't go to sleep, I don't want, I am afraid" I confessed

His mandibles clicked, his expression impassive; I felt tears in my eyes; he was trying to understand my feelings, and I could stay at his side; but it wasn't enough, that wall between us was still there, my emotions couldn't reach him and I didn't know what to do...there was no time...and I couldn't do anything to save him...

"Your reaction is understandable; your inexperience doesn't allow you to be sure of..." I collapsed before he could finish the sentence: I covered my face with my hands and began to cry softly; I could unburden myself quietly in my room, and instead I remained in the corridor to tremble like a child; there were no words to describe how I felt, and my head was a whirl of confused thoughts; I was embarrassed, but I couldn't stop my tears.

I stood there, alone, for an indefinite time; and then the sound of his purr filled my ears. I felt the arms of Ne'veah around my body, and his hand gently pushed my head against him, caressing me gently. I removed my hands from my face and leaned my forehead on his chest; my body didn't stop shaking, the nightmare came back again and again. Ne'veah remained silent and continued to purr, but I was tired of this silence, this misunderstanding between us...Elise was right: words alone weren't enough...if you didn't know how to use them; I always told Ne'veah what I felt, but I never tried to explain it. I did as he had taught me: I closed my eyes and tried to ignore everything around me, concentrating just on the rhythm of my breathing and his purring; my body continued to tremble, but gradually I managed to control my sobs; I could get away from him, but I didn't, I didn't want to do it

"...Are you okay?" he asked

"No, it's frustrating, you know?" I replied; his mandibles clicked, I continued "it's the second time that I can touch you only because I'm crying; I wish I could do it every day, normally, but I'm afraid to bother you, because I don't want to impose my feelings, because you can't understand them, but..." I sighed "since I met you, I realized that to remain at your side makes me happy; I like talking to you, or if we do something together…I simply realized that I can't stay away from you, and for this I am terrified of losing you: if...if you died...I'd die with you, because nothing could give me the happiness that you give me..." I placed my palm on his chest "I don't know if my words can help you to understand, but this is what I feel when I say that...that I love you and that I would give my life for you: you are a part of me, and if you would go away I would live only half" I couldn't hold back some tears "and I feel this even if you don't want me here or you don't feel the same for me" I raised my head and looked at him "for what it's worth: I love you, Ne'veah" I lowered my head and I wiped the tears; I had exhausted my stock of courage. Ne'veah arms were still around my body, but he had stopped purring; his mandibles clicked frantically and I wondered if he was surprised, frightened or nervous; well, I couldn't really do anything now. I tried to get away, now ready to return to my room, but he held me back

"...a part of you, be with you" he repeated

"...Yes, but you are not forced to accept it if you don't want" I said shyly; Ne'veah gently grabbed my chin and I looked up, my eyes met his

"When I'm with you" he began to say "I never know what is right or what is wrong to do, and there are still many things that I don't understand" his purr filled my ears again "I just know that I want to repay you for what you did for me, and now, thanks to you, I know what to do"

"Don't worry about th..."

He kissed me.