Chapter song: Prisoner of Pride by Jordan Léser

After only ten seconds in the square, I realized that I was probably way in over my head and would regret my decision to fight her. Although Ronan's blood had made me stronger than before, I was still nowhere near as fast as Jul-Linn. As she ran towards me with terrifying speed, I almost considered running away but I knew that would be a cowardice thing to do, so I braced myself.

Her foot connected with my face before I even saw it move, and the shocking pain that followed made me cry out against my will. The sudden impact sent me to the ground, where I could see Jul-Linn smiling down at me with an awful expression of joy. She backed away from me and I immediately pushed myself up, despite my survival instincts telling me not to. With the back of my hand, I quickly wiped away the blood which had begun trickling down my forehead.

She did not want to simply force me into submission, she wanted to seriously injure me, or worse, kill me.

Again, she came at me with a mirage of attacks, of which only half of them I was able to block. Although my body could sustain the punches and kicks she was repeatedly delivering to me, it was still humiliating to be thrown around like a ragdoll. After a particularly painful elbow to the face, I staggered slightly on my feet and tried to collect myself as stars danced before my eyes. My eyes remained locked on Jul-Linn, although I could feel Ronan's eyes on me, silently demanding my attention.

The crowd remained uncomfortably quiet as Jul-Linn continued relentlessly beating my body, unlike in the previous matches in which they cheered and clapped in her favor. It was because there was no pride in this or glory to be made from beating a Terran woman. She was no longer playing the role of a warrior, only a vindictive bitch.

My body severely ached from her powerful blows, but I continued on. Every time I pulled myself up from the ground, her smile would falter with dissatisfaction. As her frustration grew, her fighting technique became more erratic and less disciplined. She was still faster than me, but she was becoming sloppy and I was mostly able to dodge her blows at the last second. I was even able to get a few hits in myself, which only infuriated her even more. After kicking her in the thigh and giving her a dead leg, she limped backwards and growled at me with furious irritation.

My hands unknowingly twitched at my sides, yearning for something, anything to wrap their fingers around. What I first thought to be nerves was beginning to feel like so much more. I knew now that there was something growing inside of me. Every time I came in contact with her skin, it grew even stronger. It was an unfamiliar energy that made my muscles tingle, urging me to do something but I didn't know what. It felt instinctual, but it was unnatural - at least for me it was.

Even as blood leaked out of my nose and onto my beautiful suit, I couldn't help but smile. The disgruntled murmurings among the crowd and the raging, bewildered stare she was giving me made it obvious that no one expected me to last this long. Because how could a mere Terran civilian withstand one of the Kree's finest warriors? Of course, they didn't know my secret. Ronan's secret. But I had a feeling they knew I was more than just Terran now, and I intended for them to never forget it.

My confidence slowly returned, though I wasn't sure if that was because of the uneasy look Jul-Linn was giving me, or the tingling, hungry sensation I could feel spreading throughout my limbs. Instead of waiting for her to attack me again, I decided to take the offensive this time.

Judging by the shocked look on her face and the angry snarl that followed, Jul-Linn was not expecting such a brazen attempt on my part. I used almost every offensive move Nebula ever taught me, but Jul-Linn was able to block the majority of them. However, the few times I did manage to hit her was enough to bring her down to one knee, finally giving me the advantage.

I rushed forward in an effort to pin her in a chokehold, only to find myself suddenly overpowered. She twisted her body around mine and wrapped her arm around my neck, ironically using the same chokehold I was about to use on her. When I found myself unable to breathe, my eyes widened with panic and frantically scanned the crowd for Ronan, but I did not have to look for very long. He was standing directly in my line of sight, looking furious as always. As he watched us, he clenched and unclenched his hands at his sides, obviously trying to control the rage that visibly burned in his eyes.

Everything became muffled as my brain yearned for oxygen, but I could not find the will to submit to this woman, even if it meant passing out. The second my knees hit the floor, Ronan took a step forward and glared at me with noticeable frustration. I lifted my hands and grabbed onto Jul-Linn's bare arm, trying desperately to pull it away before I lost consciousness. Much to my relief, her grip instantly weakened around my neck and once again I was able to breathe. The tingling sensation I felt in my body became concentrated in my hands, almost making them feel like they were buzzing with electricity.

As my fingers dug hungrily into her skin, waves of energy seemed to roll through my arms and down my spine. I glanced upwards in Ronan's direction and found his expression had relaxed, though his eyes still burned with ferocious intensity. His head slightly turned away at the sound of Hal-Dan's voice, but his eyes remained focused on me, watching intently.

"Submit, Terran," Hal-Dan ordered tiredly from his table.

"You should listen to him," Jul-Linn said in a strained voice as her grip continued to weaken.

"No," I growled irritably, suddenly feeling more energized than before.

I grabbed onto her left wrist and twirled my body in the opposite direction, successfully placing her in a standing arm bar. Every time she moved, I would raise her arm a little higher, forcing her to bend over more. She cursed and growled loudly in response, breathing erratically from pain. I looked around the crowd and saw many people staring with shock at Jul-Linn, while others looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and amazement.

"Are you ready to submit yet?" I asked loudly over her shoulder.

"Not to you, scum," she snarled furiously back at me.

I sighed frustratedly and glanced at Ronan, surprised to see him smirking at me with his chin held high. I looked into his eyes, silently asking him what I should do next, and saw the corners of his mouth curve upwards as if he knew what I was asking.

"Are you sure?" I asked, still looking at Ronan. I wasn't sure if my question was directed more towards him or Jul-Linn.

"Are you deaf? I will NEVER submit to a disgusting…" After a few seconds I blocked her voice out. I saw Ronan's head nod in my direction, telling me what to do.

"Enough of this," I heard Hal-Dan shout from the table, but all I could focus on was Ronan, who was now grinning so deviously it made me smile too. My ears tuned back into Jul-Linn's angry, hateful rant and I rolled my eyes in response.

"….unworthy primitive who –" And with a quick jerk of my hands, she was no longer speaking.

I heard her arm break before she began hollering in pain, and I quickly released her and walked over to Ronan. He glared contemptuously in Hal-Dan's direction before turning and casually walking into the crowd of soldiers, whom eagerly parted for us.

Even as Jul-Linn hollered with rage and pain on the floor, the crowd remained silent. As we walked towards the exit, I felt several people tap my shoulder as I had seen them do after previous matches. I assumed it was a sign of respect or admiration, but now I wasn't so sure. I just defeated one of their favorite soldiers; shouldn't they hate me right now? A minute later we were back in Ronan's ship heading home, sitting next to each other in content silence. I absently picked at the crusty blood on my lip and under my nose as I reflected on what just happened. My body felt truly amazing at the moment, which was confusing as hell considering I just got into a fight with a blue, Amazon woman.

"You never obey my orders," Ronan said, breaking the silence.

"That's not true," I replied. "Remember in the shower?" I asked in a playful tone. He looked over at me and openly eyed my figure up and down while his eyes grew heavy with thought.

"I do indeed remember. That is a moment not soon to be forgotten," he said with a smirk.

A few seconds later we arrived at the house and were immediately greeted by his guards, who promptly opened the double doors on the terrace. As we walked side by side down the hallway, I looked at Ronan's large hand and watched it slowly swing next to me. I brazenly reached for it and lightly grazed my fingers along his rough palm before sliding them between the gaps in his fingers. He immediately stopped walking and pulled his hand away from me, glaring with annoyance.

"Do not do that," he said in a rough voice.

"Why?" I asked as I placed my hands on my hips.

"It is inappropriate for a Kree of my ranking," he said, narrowing his eyes with irritation.

"You're ridiculous," I said under my breath as I began walking away. Within seconds I felt Ronan roughly grab my hand, interlacing his large fingers with my own, and I quickly stopped to face him.

"No, this is ridiculous," he sneered, lifting our interlocked hands up in front of my face.

"I like it," I replied honestly.

"Well, I do not," he grumbled as he lowered our hands back down.

"Then why are you still holding my hand?" I asked, genuinely curious. His eyes flickered with surprise as he glanced down at our hands, and immediately grimaced at the sight. A second later, he released his hold on my hand and continued walking ahead of me.

"The stench of your sweat is fouling the air. Join me for dinner when you are done washing the filth away. Do not keep me waiting long," he said in a commanding tone over his shoulder. I sniffed my armpits as I walked behind him, trying to find the stench he was talking about, but everything smelled normal to me.

"Fine," I muttered quietly, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

As soon as I entered my room I began stripping my spoiled clothes off and angrily threw them down on the floor. Ronan could be a real dick sometimes, and half the time I don't even think he's trying to be one. He really doesn't have a filter at all and only speaks the truth, no matter how brutal and cold it could be. I lathered myself in scented soaps and meticulously scrubbed my body until my skin was pink. By the time I stepped out of the shower, I felt cleaner than I ever had before in my life.

I tiredly walked over to my bed and sat down on the edge as exhaustion overcame me. My eyes began drifting closed as I sluggishly combed my hair, and I half-consciously pulled myself up onto the bed and lied down. My mind stubbornly fought against my body which seemed to be quickly shutting down. Within seconds I was asleep against my will.

Ronan

He did not have the patience to deal with this insolent woman. An hour should more than suffice to bathe, yet she still remained hidden in her room. As the minutes passed and his goblet became less heavy, his anger only grew. Her failure to follow a simple order infuriated him beyond belief. She should be punished for such blatant disrespect, he thought as he easily crushed the metal goblet in his hand. It was his last night with the Terran, and now it shall be tainted with her tears.

As he stood up, he glared angrily at her empty chair and felt his lips curl back in a snarl. By the time he reached her door he had already thought of several different forms of punishment, all of which would result in her pleading for mercy, or his cock, he had not yet decided. He stormed furiously into the room expecting to find her dawdling around like a stubborn child, only to find her nude and unconscious on the bed.

The sight of her naked body stirred him more than he cared to admit. In all his years of existence, his eyes had never witnessed such an exquisite woman. When she revealed her virginal status to him, it pleased him greatly, though he was regretful to have discovered it in such a way.

Her unrivaled beauty is what stopped him from killing her that first night aboard the Dark Aster. He reflected on that night quite often. The sound of her delicate, trembling voice was enough to capture his attention, and he was not disappointed when he first saw her. As a master of interrogation, he could easily detect her attraction towards him, even if it was only at a subconscious level. He was furious when she lied to him, but he was grateful to have a reason to put his hands on her, even if it meant torturing her. Her screams from that night still haunted him in his sleep, though he knew not why.

It was not often he encountered a brazen spirit such as hers, and he admired the fight in her. Hearing her beg for death after Xandar's destruction only encouraged him to keep her alive. He enjoyed a challenge, and Silvia was a spark in a sea of darkness. He could not allow a fire as bright as hers to be extinguished so quickly. When she escaped from the Dark Aster he truly was impressed. It was the same night he decided to keep her for his own use. The thought of her leaving against his will nearly drove him mad, but the chase thrilled him and fueled his desire to conquer her.

Then the meteoroid struck her fragile, Terran body, and he was forced to watch her lifeless form float in space before him. When he discovered her weak pulse, he was enticed by the thought of possessing her once again, so he made the decision to save her. It was far too impulsive for his taste, but time was of the essence. If he knew then what she would become to him, he would have left her for dead. He was certain of that.

He thrived on power and control, but with Silvia he had none. She infuriated him, yet he could not kill her, much to his irritation. Nor could he release her. The thought of another man's hands on her filled him with murderous rage. No, he would never let her go.

As he watched her sleep – as he had done so countless times before – he imagined snapping her neck and ending her short life. It would be a merciful death, free of pain and fear. Several times he had come close to doing so, but he always stopped at the last second. Damn her, he thought as his hands traced the curve of her hip.

Looking down at her voluptuous, vulnerable body was enough to make him forgo his plans of punishment. Perhaps it was for the best. In truth, he was growing rather tired of her tears. He much preferred seeing her smile, especially when it was directed towards him. It was a welcome sight in these dark times.

Terrans were far too emotional for his liking, but they certainly were endearing. Silvia's emotional confessions made him uncomfortable, yet he held a strange fascination for them. At times she appeared incapable of controlling herself as the fire of her passionate youth burned her from within. He could sense her relief when she voiced her absurd, spontaneous thoughts aloud, which she did quite often these days. This irritated him greatly, as did most of her qualities, but he admired her zealousness. At first he believed her unbridled attitude to be a curse, but now he was learning to use it to his advantage. Her willingness to express herself made her vulnerable, and he reveled in this newly-founded power.

Yet he was not content.

She poisoned his mind like a true harpy, and for this he resented her. He could not recall a time in his life when he had desired a woman as strongly as he did now. She was only meant to be a challenge to him, a meaningless pastime for entertainment, but now his thoughts were consumed of her. He despised himself, despised her, yet yearned for her.

Now that he possessed the infinity stone, he was nearly invincible. Even the almighty Thanos could not stop him now. The thought of his hideous, arrogant face caused him to grimace with disgust. Not a second later, he heard Silvia's heart unexpectedly flutter as if she had seen the repulsive image inside his mind. Looking at her soft, feminine face reminded him of the importance of power and his need to protect her. He took great pride in his possessions, and Silvia was without a doubt his favorite, despite the suffering she caused him.

His blood, enriched with the stone's energy, transferred a great amount of power into her small body. It was truly remarkable watching a tiny, delicate creature such as herself transform into a powerful woman. Her fight against that treacherous witch today proved she was more than capable of standing her ground. Alas, she was still unaware of her full potential and he intended on keeping her in the dark, where she belonged with him. Even if she reached her maximum strength, he was confident in his ability to overpower her – if that day ever came. He took immense pleasure in watching her break Jul-Linn's bones today, but if he was not careful, she would become too powerful for her own good – and his as well.

The glow of her pale skin in the moonlight reminded him of his time spent with the oracle of Indigarr, though Silvia was far more beautiful. He contemplated taking her right then as she slept. She would undoubtedly enjoy it, he thought as his fingers graced her inner thigh. The soft whimper that followed only confirmed his speculation, and his hand traveled further up her leg. He gently parted her thighs and was met with the lovely sight of her inner pink folds peering through her slit. Blood rushed to his groin as he smelled her glistening arousal, that sweet, intoxicating scent that was distinctive among Terran women. Silvia's fragrance was a natural aphrodisiac for him, driving him mad with lust. The thought of tasting her upon his lips made his cock ache with need, and without hesitation he pushed his face into her slick heat, claiming her with his mouth.

He rarely indulged in the female anatomy, not because the act displeased him, but rather, he found the women unworthy of such great pleasure. For the ones he did find worthy, many refused for reasons he had yet to understand. Now that he had tasted Silvia's cunt, he knew it would become a regular habit of his, even if she refused him. Aphrodite could not have tasted any better, he thought as his tongue eagerly licked her nectarous juices.

A soft, feminine moan passed her lips and he immediately retracted his head from between her thighs. He could tell from the rhythm of her heart that she was beginning to wake, so he patiently waited and stood over her, admiring the serene expression on her face. Her long, blonde eyelashes fluttered against her skin as she began lazily blinking, coming to her senses. When she saw him standing over her, she immediately gasped with shock and straightened herself up in the bed. He smirked down at the small woman, proud of the effect he had on her, and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed.

Yes, I will enjoy feeling her squirm against my face.

Silvia

My eyes, still heavy with sleep, stared at Ronan with suspicion as he seated himself only inches away from me. It was creepy as hell finding him standing over my bed, especially when only seconds before I woke up I had been dreaming of him. These days he was all I ever dreamed about, and most of the time the dreams left me aroused and frustrated. However, dreams usually didn't leave me feeling this insanely horny. When I felt the wetness between my legs, my face flushed with embarrassment and I immediately closed my thighs, trying to hide the evidence. Ronan's smirk deepened as he leered at me, obviously aware of what I was doing.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to sound confident but failing miserably. The hunger in his eyes was more than a little unnerving.

"I was watching you sleep," he answered as he slowly slipped his hand between my legs, making me forget about his creepy response. With a slight push of his hand, my legs easily parted for him, giving him access to my wetness.

He did not go straight for my center as I had hoped he would. Instead, his fingers gently grazed the skin outside my folds, tracing slow, tortuous circles in a teasing manner.

"Please," I breathed lustfully, watching his fingers once again avoid the place where I wanted them most.

"Please, what?" He purred darkly.

"Stop teasing me," I whispered, feeling more frustrated by the second.

"You did not follow my instructions, Silvia," he said, causing me to look up with confusion. "Dinner," he reminded me in an annoyed tone.

"But… I fell asleep. It was an accident," I whined, looking back between his hand and his face. His fingers stopped right above the crease of my slit, taunting me with their proximity. "Please, Ronan," I whimpered.

"I do not reward insolent behavior," he replied in a casual tone, making my mouth drop open in disbelief.

"Please, just tell me what to do," I said with mild desperation. He smirked at me as if my question pleased him.

"There is nothing you can do," he replied smugly, running his fingers along the apex of my thighs. I quickly caught on to his game.

"What do you want to do?" I asked slowly and hesitantly. His eyes wrinkled with satisfaction before looking into my face once again.

"First, promise me you will not refuse," he said, leaning in closer to my face. "And in return, I will make you writhe with pleasure," he whispered darkly into my ear.

"OK, yes, fine, I promise," I said, feeling light-headed with lust. His lips curved triumphantly before he stood up and began removing his armor.

When he pulled himself up onto the bed and positioned his body above mine, I was almost too happy for words. His mouth began sucking on my neck, slowly trailing down to my collar bone, then to my breasts. I expected him to come back up, but his head kept going lower and lower until suddenly I realized what he intended on doing. My hands grabbed his head as he began kissing below my belly button, trying to pull him away, but he continued trailing downwards.

"Wait, don't," I muttered nervously as he positioned his body between my legs, his mouth only inches away from my mound.

"You gave me your word," he growled impatiently, ignoring my plea.

He pushed my thighs up and out, throwing them over his shoulders so I could not move. His fingers began spreading my lips open, making me feel more vulnerable than ever, and his eyes darkened at the sight of my bright pink flesh and swollen clit. I reached down with my hands to try to cover myself and he immediately swatted my hands away with an impatient glare.

"Don't look at me, please. I – I'm not – " I said, trying to push his head away.

"Stop," he ordered, glaring up at me. His expression softened when we made eye contact.

"You have no reason to be ashamed of your body," he said seriously."You are beautiful, Silvia."

"You think… I'm beautiful?" I whispered, feeling as if I were going to cry with joy. Ronan's eyes narrowed with annoyance as he examined my face, and his fingers once again spread my lips apart.

"No more speaking," he grumbled irritably before looking back down. I watched as his eyes once again filled with desire as he peered at my exposed flesh. Before I could protest, his mouth eagerly lowered down to my folds, and I immediately became lost in pleasure.

It was heaven.

His warm, wet tongue quickly made me forget about my embarrassment, and I was squirming against his face in seconds. My hands gripped desperately at the bed sheets, pulling and twisting them in an effort to release sexual tension. The second I felt his tongue slide past my entrance, I moaned loudly and ran my hands along his smooth, bald head, pushing his face further into me. When I heard him softly groan against my flesh, I knew he was enjoying it as well. Less than a minute later, I came harder than I ever had before in my life. His hands dug into the back of my thighs, holding me still and pulling me closer as I climaxed. My legs quivered on his shoulders as his tongue lapped hungrily at my juices, pushing his mouth further into my folds, covering his face with them. I could feel and hear his heavy, lustful breathing as I attempted to push his head away, my body now shaking from overstimulation.

"Take me, now, please," I said in a trembling voice. He looked up at me from between my legs with heavy-lidded eyes and emitted a lustful growl, slightly revealing his white, bright teeth.

Within seconds he was inside of me, driving his thick length into me with powerful thrusts, causing the bed to shake. He took me on my back, on my side, from behind, and on my stomach, the last of which I particularly enjoyed. He was my own personal sex god, making me cum more times than I imagined possible, turning me into a screaming, sweaty mess. Large, blue hands which I once feared caressed my body and held me down, pinning me underneath his massive build, and I loved every second of it. I wished at that moment that he could be inside me all the time, but it wasn't the pleasure making me wish for such a thing, it was the intimacy. Sex was the only time we were so close, so honest with each other, bearing our true emotions and desires to one another without fear. When I heard him groan with pleasure, I knew he was about to cum. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, preventing him from pulling out when he was done.

If we stopped now, I would only think about tomorrow.

"Silvia, let go," he said as he attempted to pull away. I shook my head in response and wrapped my arms around his torso, holding myself tightly against him. I could feel his length softening inside me.

The steady, powerful beat of his heart soothed me as I pressed my ear against his chest.

"It is over, release me," he said more forcefully as he continued lying on top of me. Tears began forming in my eyes as I thought about him leaving tomorrow, abandoning me here with no return date in mind.

"I don't want you to leave," I said quietly, my voice cracking at the end. Ronan loudly exhaled and pulled himself off the bed, with me still holding onto him like some desperate monkey.

"I will remove you if I must," he said in an annoyed tone. In response, I tightened my limbs around his shoulders and hips, not wanting to let go.

"Look at me, Silvia," he ordered softly, and I slowly looked up from his chest. He frowned with displeasure when he saw the tears running down my face. His hands gently caressed the sides of my head while his thumbs ran across my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

"You are a ridiculous woman," he stated irritably, though his eyes did not show any anger. With a sigh he began walking to the bathroom and headed for the white stone tub, instantly making my heart race with fear.

"I am not going to hurt you," he said as one of his hands glided down my bare back. I relaxed slightly and watched him fill the tub with clear liquids, some of which smelled like amber and produced large, shimmering bubbles.

"Get in," he said, motioning to the tub with his hand. I hesitantly released my grip on him and lowered myself down to the floor, trying carefully not to step on his large feet.

As I slowly turned around and stepped into the deep, elegant tub, I saw movement in the corner of my eye and quickly turned my head in its direction, only to find Ronan standing by the cabinets. He glanced at me and began making his way back to me with his hands clenched at his sides.

Much to my surprise, he joined me in the tub and sat behind me, pulling me into him so my back was pressed against his chest. He positioned one leg on either side of me, making me feel like I was safely tucked inside a warm, blue cocoon. I sighed contentedly and leaned into him, relishing in our close proximity. He gathered my hair in one hand and laid it across my left shoulder, before his fingers began gently stroking the side of my exposed neck.

"Don't go tomorrow," I whispered, gently squeezing his thighs beneath the water. His legs felt like marble in my hands, impeccably hard yet smooth on the surface.

"I must," he replied softly as his thumb glided across the artery of my neck.

"Take me with you then," I said. The thought of staying here alone, surrounded by people who mistrusted and despised me, sounded miserable.

"I cannot," he said. I couldn't see his face but he sounded really unhappy at the moment, as if he were displeased by something.

A few minutes of silence passed before I spoke again.

"I'm yours, right?" I said, leaning my head back against his chest.

"Yes," he calmly answered. His hand had begun absently running along my left arm, causing goosebumps to form on the surface.

I nervously licked my lips as I thought about what I was going to ask next.

"So… does that make you mine?" I whispered.

Though his fingers momentarily paused against my skin, he did not answer me as I had hoped he would. After a brief awkward silence his fingers continued grazing my skin, soothing me and tormenting me at the same time.

"I might not be here when you get back," I said under my breath. Maybe if I provoke him he will be tempted to take me with him. "I'm sure I can catch a ride back to Earth."

"I can assure you that will not happen," he immediately replied, his hands never skipping a beat. I pouted unhappily and slouched against him, feeling defeated. Please, just take me with you.

"Can I ask you something?" I said as my fingers played with the bubbles.

"If you must," he muttered with irritation. I tilted my head slightly to look up at him from the side, but I still couldn't really see his face. He was too tall for me, even sitting down.

"Answer me honestly," I said, pausing for a few seconds, "Why do you want me to stay?"

"Some wants and desires cannot be explained," he said quietly, stroking my hair.

More minutes passed.

"Will you miss me?" I asked quietly. When he didn't answer me, I turned my head to look at him and immediately felt a sharp sting in my neck, making me gasp with surprise.

A few seconds later, everything in my line of sight became blurry. My head spun as I turned to face Ronan and weakly grabbed his shoulders, now feeling as if I were going to pass out at any second. I clung desperately onto my fleeting consciousness and peered into his nearly unrecognizable face, before asking one last question.

"Why?"

And then everything faded to black.

Ronan

When he felt her body go limp in his arms, he breathed a sigh of relief. This was for the best. He could not bear another minute of her ridiculous comments and questions. Although she failed to change his mind, she instilled a fearsome amount of doubt within him. It would be a lie to say he had not considered taking her with him, but ultimately he knew it would be far too dangerous. He could not risk losing her.

Her comment about leaving while he was away irritated him tremendously, but he knew this would be impossible for her. Nebula would stay behind and watch her for him, as she swore to do. He smirked as he imagined Silvia's reaction to this news.

He gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he gently laid her to rest. He discarded the syringe he still held in his hand and returned to watch Silvia sleep one last time before he left. She will undoubtedly be furious with him when she awakens; however, he will already be thousands of miles away when that time came.

Yes, I will miss you.

He was never fond of farewells.

Silvia

Light. Annoying, blinding light. Why was it so bright in here? My hands lazily reached out to my sides and felt silky sheets beneath them, instantly alerting me that something was wrong. I should be in the bathtub, not in my bed. I slowly opened my eyelids and squinted at the overbearing sunlight which shone through my window. I abruptly sat up as I noted the position of the sun in the sky. It was already late afternoon.

Where was Ronan? No, no, no.

I hobbled off the bed and swayed to the side, feeling suddenly dizzy from exertion. The sensation of vertigo reminded me of the feeling I had in the tub last night. As my hands grazed a slight bump on my neck, I became livid. He drugged me. That son of a bitch drugged me! I hollered with rage as I began wobbling towards the door, stopping every few feet to catch myself from falling.

I couldn't imagine why he would do such a thing to me, especially on our last night together. Oh wait, he's a psychopath, that's why. After nearly five minutes I managed to make it to the stairs and immediately noticed Nebula sitting on one of the couches. Good, I haven't missed him yet. I sighed with relief and began carefully making my way down the wide stairs.

When Nebula noted my appearance she casually strutted towards me with an impatient look on her face. She quickly ascended the stairs and grabbed ahold of my arm, guiding me down the remainder of steps.

"You shouldn't be walking around, Terran," she said unhappily.

"Silvia," I corrected. "Where's Ronan?" I asked with a growl.

She smiled slightly at the irritation in my voice. "He left early this morning," she said as we approached the couches. All movement came to a halt as I processed her words.

"He left? He didn't even say bye," I gasped, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach.

Nebula cocked an eyebrow at me. "And this surprises you?" she said sarcastically.

"No… I guess it doesn't," I mumbled as she placed me on the couch. I sat there with my lips parted in shock and stared at the wall in front of me, wondering where he was at this moment and if he was thinking of me.

"You should eat," Nebula said from beside the dining table. I knew from her tone that it was more of a command and less of a suggestion. I nodded absently, not wanting to argue.

A minute later one of Ronan's servants came out and placed a plate of food in front of me. I grimaced at the sight, completely repulsed by the thought of eating. The couch seat shifted slightly as Nebula sat down beside me.

I could feel her staring at me, but I didn't care at the moment. "You will feel better if you eat," she said with mild annoyance.

"Why aren't you with Ronan?" I asked, turning my head to look at her.

She scowled and narrowed her eyes at me. "Why do you think?" she replied with accusation in her voice. Oh, great, I have a babysitter now. I reluctantly took a bite of my food and almost instantly felt my stomach relax.

"You're right… I feel better," I said after swallowing my food. Nebula rolled her eyes and stood up from the couch, stretching her limbs.

"There are a few errands we have to make today," she said as I heard her knuckles pop. "They shouldn't take long." I glanced up at her, looking curiously at her metal arm.

"What happened there?" I asked, pointing to the shiny limb. She immediately pursed her lips and glared at me, obviously not wanting to talk about it. "Sorry," I said guiltily before returning to my food.

Nebula disappeared up the stairs and I sat quietly on the couch, eating my food. As the minutes passed by I slowly returned to normal, but my mind was still occupied with angry, bitter thoughts. I still couldn't believe what Ronan did to me last night. After everything we've been through, I hoped we could at least have an enjoyable last night together. Well, most of it was more than enjoyable. I smiled at the memory, and then immediately frowned when I remembered he was gone.

A frightening, loud explosion jostled me in my seat, instantly spiking my adrenaline. The walls trembled around me. The water in my glass rippled as another thud resonated throughout the house. I stood up, trying to find the cause of the sound, and saw Ronan's servants running from a door only a few yards from me. Soldiers followed behind them.

Hal-Dan's men.

I watched with horror as the soldiers pierced the servants with their spears, forcing the long blades all the way through their torsos. Horrible screams followed. The first noises I ever heard from them, would now haunt me forever. Their shrill, breathy shrieks hurt my ears, making me wince. Ribbons of thick, black blood coated the walls, defiling Ronan's home. I had never seen so much blood.

Another explosion from above. Smoke filled the room.

One of the soldiers was coming for me. I ran for the stairs, stumbling over pieces of broken stone. I could hear feminine shouting over the chaos. Nebula. What was she saying? Run? I am running, but where do I go? The terrace? Yes, I will go to the terrace. She ran towards me, throwing something over my shoulder. There was painful grunt behind me. She saved me. Blasts of energy surrounded me, hitting the walls, sending debris everywhere. Nebula was fighting someone behind me. Soldiers were everywhere. I ran forward.

The terrace, get to the terrace.

There was fighting out here as well. Dozens of bloody men lay on the ground, staining the once-beautiful stone a bright, red color. Ronan's guards fought valiantly against the Imperial forces, even though they were far outnumbered. My hands violently shook as I ran through the pandemonium, ducking and weaving as bullets and knives flew around me. Once again I heard Nebula shouting for me, ordering me to do something. The ship. Go to the ship. I sprinted towards the ship, jumping over several large bodies that littered the ground. I was close, I can make it.

There was a loud blast to my left, and then pain. Burning, debilitating pain. I was on the ground, I couldn't hear a thing. My ankle, what was wrong with my ankle? There was something poking through the Achilles tendon. A spike. No, don't touch it. Leave it. Get to the ship.

Nebula was already there, shouting at me, but I couldn't make out what she saying. Her lips. Read her lips. Run? I am trying. I looked to my left, only a few of Ronan's guards remained, some of them were in the process of dying. Hal-Dan's men ran in our direction, pointing their guns at the ship. I ran harder, screaming from the pain in my ankle. I grabbed a gun off the ground, pointed it towards the soldiers and fired in a panic. I limped desperately towards Nebula and watched with dismay as the soldiers began firing at her, trying to destroy the ship. She glanced in my direction, and within seconds the ship was hovering above the ground. No, don't leave me. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

There was nowhere for me to go but down. I jumped off the ledge, stumbling down the rough stone incline and headed for the valley below. I could hear shouting behind me, yelling for me to stop, but I would not. Balls of electricity flew past me in the air, barely missing me. I looked over my shoulder, there were dozens of them. I was too slow. My damn ankle would be the cause of my death.

Something hit me in my back, forcing me facedown into the ground. Dirt and rocks covered my face as I lay on the ground paralyzed, breathing frantically with fear. My entire body ached and I couldn't move a single inch. The gravel crunched beneath their feet as the soldiers slowly approached me. While the others stopped a few feet away from me, another continued walking until I was sure they were going to step on me.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Silvia."

Mac-Varr?

There was a blunt pain in the back of my head, instantly knocking me unconscious.

Author's note: Hey guys! So sorry this update took so long! The past few weeks of my life have been hectic to say the least.

Thank you sooo much for the reviews. I love them and cherish them. They definitely keep me focused and motivate me to write faster!

If you haven't already noticed the note I added to the first chapter, I am going to be turning this into a cross over fic at some point. I hate to give away which story I'll be adding this to... but it involves another team of superheroes and a mischievous man who loves the color green ;) There will be three parts to the story and the POV will differ as the story becomes more complex.

I would love to hear what you think about this chapter, because it was a little different than the rest.

Any guesses about Silvia's power? ;)