Walking hastily down the clean white hallway, pushing his bucket of water and the mop with it, he met the eyes of one of the white lab-coated scientists and nodded politely to them.
Never stopping, they eyed him quickly in assessment, before returning a nod and briskly continuing on their way in the opposite direction.
Turning the corner he was met with another hallway identical to the last. How he hated this place. It was a miracle he even found the correct corridor.
Looking over his shoulder, the older man made sure he wasn't being followed before quickly ducking into the janitor's closet, bucket in tow. He shut the door behind him and took a much needed breath. Lifting his baseball cap, he wiped tiredly at the line of sweat on his brow. Even with air conditioning he was sweating like an ice coffee in 90-degree weather.
He was getting too old for this kind of work. And unfortunately, his break was not long.
Gathering his thoughts, he accessed his main line of communication to the outside world. It had taken much help from the team on the other end to help make sure the phone wasn't tracked and most importantly, that it wouldn't be detected.
Punching in the numbers, he held the phone to his ear and waited. It didn't take long.
"Access code."
"C7009, this is Gabriel Brown. I have limited time, put me through to the Colonel."
"...Copy that C7009, transferring now."
Out of habit, Gabriel looked over his shoulder as if someone, any any given moment were about to burst through the door and discover him.
He understood why he out of all the other soldiers were chosen for this role, he fit the janitor role rather well, and at the time he felt honored to be given this rare opportunity. Learning only later that this was an undercover op and went quite literally against national security did a little more than shock him, but the offer in return was too good to pass up. It would be a comfortable retirement that promised tropical beaches and five-star resorts as long as he didn't get caught. At the time, he figured nothing could go wrong as long as he played it safe, but playing it safe was impossible in this game.
That safety net he had created in his mind, went right down the drain when he got on site and caught a glimpse of just what he was getting into.
The statement 'locked tight,' was an understatement to what this governmental facility was. Being hired was a nightmare he did not want to relive. And now that he was made part of the full-time staff, he was more than a little jittery. He was terrified.
His heart seized, as he heard the sound of the line change. The command swiftly followed. "Status report."
"Colonel, sir, I have new intel regarding a top secret part of the building. It's not as easy as we were hoping. They have badges that correlate with a different keycode." That and it seemed like his check-ins were rather prompt which meant sneaking away from his given route for a few minutes was hell. Stiffly, he waited for a response.
The Colonel sighed deeply in the speaker. "Clarify that for me, Brown."
"It's not the same generic password each time, it changes per person depending on their identity card."
The other side of the line went quiet, as he seemed to contemplate this. "Then if we are to figure out what the hell is going on, then I suggest you follow the work pattern of one of the scientists. Memorize their routine, which halls they take, watch their code, befriend them if you must to get close enough to see it, and report back. If we're lucky we should be able to snag that keycard and use it to get in."
And by 'we' he knew that meant him. Good god, why did he agree to this again? The profit, he reminded himself begrudgingly.
"Report back once you know more."
"Yes, sir, " he monotoned. There was no backing out.
Rae groaned inwardly.
Tomak had made good on his promise and demonstrated plenty of wrestling techniques, which included some of the more advanced pins that seemed impossible to replicate. Of course, despite the difficulty, Rae was extremely grateful for his willingness to pass along what he knew, but she certainly wasn't the easiest student to teach. Frankly, she found that it was becoming exceedingly difficult to pay attention to his words as he explained each step to escape, especially when his body was the thing subduing her.
She was certain her self-control had never been so rigorously tested. At this very moment he was straddling her with his thighs, all while his hands pinned her arms above her head in the sand. How was she not to respond to this?! To him?!
She had been fighting it so much it had come to a point that she couldn't deny it any longer. She was very much attracted to Tomak, and she didn't feel bad about it anymore.
He trained everyday, sometimes for hours on end. It wasn't a surprise that he was as impressive as he was. And it wasn't just his body either. She had grown accustomed to his deep, growly voice, the sound of it always capturing her attention, and then there were those eyes. Not big, but very bright and full of intensity. Even with the mandibles, she admitted that he was very handsome. And if she was being completely honest with herself, she couldn't imagine him without them, they defined his face, framing it, and yes it was different, but if it wasn't, it wouldn't be Tomak.
If anything, the only issue she was not ready to admit yet were her growing feelings for him, attractions aside. He wasn't even human and yet, when he looked at her, her instinctive responses worked as if he was, and that scared her.
"... it again." The tail end of his comment pulled her from her stupor.
She blinked up at him in flustered confusion, "What?"
Now aware that she hadn't been paying attention, his eyes glowed playfully as he smirked.
And just as he did, Rae could feel her blood run a few degrees hotter, watching helplessly as he leaned over her, giving her a perfect view to his face.
"Do exactly as instructed, the whole thing, again," he emphasized the last part almost teasingly.
Nodding, she felt her cheeks heat lightly in her embarrassment. Biting her bottom lip in concentration she looked down past the rise of his pectorals and down to his left thigh. Moving her right calf, she crossed it over his left foot, trapping it. Then with determination, she bucked her body upward, which should have ended with him on his back, and her on top, reversing their position, but her buck only ended up with her jolting her body against his chest. Immediately Tomak started to laugh, much to her dislike.
"Hey, I tried, okay! I did exactly what you said, and it still didn't work!"
He aimed an amused look at her. "The technique is effective against human males, but I am significantly heavier," he pointed out plainly. She swore he was gloating.
"Then what would I have to do against you?" she tested, pushing against his shoulders blithely.
Pressing a tad more of his weight on her, she sucked in a surprised breath and stared up at him with wide eyes as he gave her that smile of his.
Although it went against all common sense, even if she was in a full-state of annoyance, all it took from Tomak was that perplexing alien smile and she could go from feeling outraged to a blushing mess. Just now she could feel its heat like a scorching flame just under the skin of her cheeks. It was humiliating!
"Nothing," he chuckled above her.
Oh god, what had they been talking about again? "What do you mean nothing?"
He lowered his head, speaking inches from her face, "There is nothing you could do to escape me."
She felt dazed by his proximity, and momentarily lost the ability to speak. Breathing through it, she was suddenly hit with a memory of something Tomak had said time and time again over the past couple months whenever he was letting off steam. Knowing there wasn't a better time to use it than now, she boldly met his eyes and smirked. "Well I think that's a load of c'jit."
Despite the slight nerves she had upon saying it, her usage of the alien word was pronounced better than she could have hoped, and judging by his shocked expression, she had said it well. Unable to remain serious any longer, she instantly burst into a fit of giggles.
Stiffly holding himself above her, Tomak playfully narrowed his eyes, "Ell-osede a'te kujhade ma zazin, s'yuit-de r'ka dtou, ell-osede' m-di kisei sain'ja de' jad'rin?"
Hearing him speak his language so fluidly oddly made him more attractive, but she didn't allow that to make her shy away. "Oh come on, Tomak," she laughed openly, "you know I don't know what you're saying. I haven't had that much exposure."
"But you recognize c'jit," he mocked, his gold eyes searing through her like a hot knife on butter.
"Well you– don't change the subject!" She looked at him pointedly in regards to his previous statement, "I know for a fact that's not true. There has to be something I could do."
"You are so confident."
Rae was about to agree, when she was distracted by the show he made, expanding the mass of his chest. He knew what he was doing much to her horror, and he smugly waited for her usually witty reply that was slow on coming.
The jerk thought he was so big and tough. And yes, yes he was, but something wild passed through her at the prospect of getting him to back down. And there was one thing she knew could level the playing field between them.
Breathing evenly, Rae held Tomak's gaze as her fists began to glow an orange color and almost immediately she felt his hands slide down from her wrists to her forearms, moving away from her little display.
Unlike the mixture of rage she saw from him last time she showed off her power, she was thankful that this time his eyes were only bright with excitement, as if a fire were lit in them.
"I knew you could control it," he practically purred, his eyes roving from her face to her hands.
Feeling a sense of insecurity at his statement, her glowing hands faded in color, returning to their natural complexion. "Not as much as I would like," she admitted softly. "I've never ventured far with it since it has such a high potential for destruction."
Tilting his head to look at her curiously, he disagreed, "How will you learn, if you do not try?"
The corner of her mouth lifted some. "Wise words coming from someone that can't naturally produce an inferno."
"Maybe not, but skill without training is nothing," his eyes flared back at her.
Her grin widened, shaking her head at him. She was actually pleasantly surprised by his wise proverb, though she wasn't about to admit it. "Did you read that from a list of inspirational quotes?" she quipped.
Holding completely still, Tomak trilled, staring at her darkly before releasing her to roll on his side.
No longer trapped under his scrutiny and able to breathe easier, Rae remained laying on her back, watching a passing cloud move slowly over them. The crashing waves always did take her back to her center. She breathed the salty air in more deeply, smiling contently as she did.
It was times like these when they were together, enjoying the silence and soaking in the peaceful aura that only the seaside had to give that brought her back to those precious fleeting moments with her father. She could only begin to wonder what her father would say and do had he been here with them.
A smile cracked her lips as she imagined all the questions he would pile on Tomak. And knowing his personality he probably would have given Tomak a hard time about how to treat a lady given all the times Tomak had put her in the sand, and all the pins too. It made her smile wider as she thought up what his reaction would be. He probably would have done his best to try and jokingly threaten Tomak with something along the lines of owning a gun and not being afraid to use it. Though that probably would have only tickled Tomak.
Observing her carefully, Tomak took note of her smile and the way the corner of her eyes crinkled as she did. He enjoyed seeing it, especially when he was often the recipient of such looks between their bantering back and forth. Now though, he was content with just watching.
Eventually, she turned on her side, almost mirroring his own position before he asked, "What made you fear yourself to begin with?"
She lowered her eyes to the sand between them, almost closing them completely.
"Something happened," he deduced calmly, raising himself up a tad higher on his arm.
Batting her eyelids to keep away some of the tears, she sighed, "There was an incident involving a man, a soldier. He was one of those that hurt me, restrained me in my cell, he wasn't always cruel, but some days were worse than others. The test that day was to show how destructive my ability could be." She breathed deeply as if she were recalling it from yesterday. "I missed the intended target by a long shot," she explained, "and I…" she took a needed breath, feeling her throat constrict with the recurring memory. "I killed him," she spoke with a tight voice. "It's haunted me ever since."
She met Tomak's bright eyes and could see the bewilderment in his gaze as he failed to understand. "But he was your enemy. Does it not honor you to obtain revenge?"
Rae held his gaze strongly. "It has always been my belief that it doesn't matter who they are or what they do to me, that I never fight fire with fire," she clarified for him, "that I never become the thing that I hate."
She watched his hardened features soften as he listened, his intense yet beautiful eyes looking her over. He shook his head firmly, his dreads swinging with the movement. "You will never be one of them."
His unexpected comment had her heart fluttering in her chest. Pushing it down she looked at him again. "But what if they have kids to go home to?" she reasoned. "No child deserves to have their parents ripped away from them so soon. I should know." Her nostrils flared as a silent subtle warning, her eyes beginning to well up in remembrance. "The day it happened I had learned that the man I killed had two twin boys, three years old." She shut her eyes in guilt before continuing. "And because of me they will never get to know him," she looked at him briefly, then dropped her gaze away. "It's all my fault, because I couldn't control it."
A single tear hit the sand beneath her, and instantly she squeezed her eyes shut again. It hurt too much to say this to him, to admit her mistake, her weakness, but the warm, gentle touch of his hand as it held her arm.
"You put too much responsibility on yourself," he purred, the sound sending a pleasant chill through the length of her spine.
She couldn't respond as she would have liked, already sensing another tear rolling down her cheek. Then there was his hand. Her eyes snapped open instantly holding his own as his large knuckle gently traversed the curve of her cheek, drying it. She had to will herself not to cry more just because of his actions. God, why did he look at her with such fondness? Did he know what this did to her? Was he even aware he was doing it?
He then tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, somehow deepening his purr. "You are stronger than you think, Rae."
She struggled to breath, her stomach was fluttering and her heart felt like it was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings.
Pulling his hand back, he chuckled. "I do not doubt that with your power, you would be able to best a kiande amedha."
She hadn't heard that one before and she took that as her distraction from her frazzled nerves. "Kiande?" she repeated questionably, taking the opportunity to completely dry her eyes.
"Kiande amedha," he corrected. "Hard meat, very dangerous prey."
Hard meat? Did he eat it? She eyed him in curiosity. "What is that?"
"A black serpent, it grows in stages. Very deadly as a hive," he added seriously, as if having experienced it himself.
That interested her, since it sounded so foreign to anything that could be found on earth. She imagined a colony of bees and the way they worked together, then tried picturing a group of snakes with the same ability. "I've never heard of snakes working together in a hive environment. It sounds kind of freaky, actually."
"It is nothing like your serpents here," he growled deeply. "A kiande amedha requires a host for survival in the first stages of life, from there it adopts the characteristics of the host."
"Wait, a host is involved?" she scrunched her eyebrows up in distaste. "It sounds more like a parasite to me."
He shrugged a shoulder, not entirely disagreeing.
"So what does it use as its host?"
"Anything alive with minor necessities, humans, most other animals, even yautja."
Just the thought of it invading someone, made her shiver. She didn't even want to know how they did that. "Does the parasite hurt you or is it more of a symbiotic type relationship?"
He growled low, as he looked at her with a grave expression. "If not removed, it would kill you from the inside out."
Her eyes widened, "Ugh, that sounds awful. Have you ever had to have one of those removed?"
"No."
His short and simple answer had her smirking, "Why did I even ask?"
He looked at her then.
She smiled softly. "I just mean, it doesn't come as a surprise. I remember seeing all those trophies on your ship," half of the skulls she could hardly get out of her brain. Majority were absolutely massive. She had no doubts about Tomak and his abilities. He was obviously a capable hunter. "There are probably very few things in the universe out there that could put you in a precarious situation."
His whole frame seemed to get bigger as he accepted her compliment. But when she met his gaze, she was taken back by his potent stare, something he would do when he was laser focused on something. Then it passed, his eyes softened a touch, glittering with mild amusement. "Only a little female from Earth," he chittered.
Surprised, Rae laughed softly, a shyness suddenly overcoming her. "Yeah, well," she looked away, "it was a one off."
He merely watched her.
"Anyway," she cleared her throat, sitting up. "Is it my turn to get some practice in restraining someone?" she nudged him, trying to change the subject..
Tomak huffed and gave an overly heavy rattling sigh prior to lying flat on his back with his eyes fixed on the sky. He looked more bored than anything else, as if she were a little sister forcing him to do something he so obviously hated. "You have me on my back, now what must you do?" he practically droned.
Rae giggled as she stood, circling around him. "I'd appreciate less sarcasm and more enthusiasm, Tomak." She ignored his blatant scowl.
Disregarding her flushed cheeks as she prepared herself for what she was about to do, Rae went ahead and straddled his chest, doing her best to try and somewhat hold down his thick arms. When she had him where she thought she needed him to be successful, she looked down at him for approval. Lowering his eyes down at himself then back up at her he chuffed, acting as if he were still annoyed by the whole thing, but when she met and held his gaze, she could tell that it was a lie.
Later in the afternoon it was that very same look that had her in a trance.
It wasn't hard to understand why it was happening more and more often, but Rae was growing concerned by the amount of times she was caught daydreaming during her afternoon shift. Naomi found it amusing more than anything else and always took the chance to tease her at every opportunity.
Pursing her lips, Naomi attempted to contain her bubbly laugh as she looked at her friend's aimless stare. "Is he that good looking?" she prodded.
Jarred from her reverie, she quickly turned to her friend. "What?"
"What?" she parroted back, still smirking at her.
Having missed what she had asked, Rae just shook her head and wiped the tray she had been holding, down, "Whatever."
"Mmhmm," Naomi hummed warmly. "You can deny it all you want, but I know you from the inside out girl, and you have got it bad."
"Got what?" she eyed her suspiciously.
"You know," she drew it out, "the love bug," she turned for her reaction.
Rae's heart felt like it had slammed to a halt in her chest. "That's ridiculous," she forced a laugh, forcing herself to keep working.
"There is no one to have 'the love bug' for," she emphasized it right back to her, ignoring her friend's eyeroll. "And even if there was, physical attraction is not real love. Sure it can make you feel things, but that's exactly what I got with Jake and look where that got me."
Turning to face her, Naomi leaned against the sink and wiped her hands on a nearby rag. "Well given the right nurturing, attraction can turn into real love," she informed sweetly.
Rae disregarded it, however. Taking the tray out to the bar table, she felt Naomi follow close behind. Knowing she couldn't get away from it, she placed the large tray down and began setting it with napkins and straws. "I don't know why we keep circling this topic, Naomi. There really is nothing going on."
She crossed her arms at her side, knowing otherwise. "So you keep saying, but ever since Jake hurt your heart, you've been so protective over it, it's like you put up a wall, not allowing entry to anyone, even good guys." She looked at her earnestly then with her dark eyes, "You can't keep doing that. Your heart is beautiful and the right guy will see that and cherish it. If this mystery guy is what you're looking for then don't push him away."
She sighed, closing her eyes, "Naomi-"
"Hey, you don't have to explain," she reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder soothingly, "just… don't lose this one."
Unable to address the statement directly without giving anything away, Rae allowed a small smile before walking through the restaurant to check with her customers and refill their drinks as needed.
As she went, she let her mind sink once more to that place of solitude where she often let her thoughts and concerns roam free. Naomi would never truly be able to understand her predicament. It was unbelievable as is. And the thought of love too. She knew she felt something for Tomak, something that went beyond attraction, but could that really be love? She hated these complex emotions, they did nothing but stir trouble in her heart. Why couldn't these things be simple and easy to put to rest?
When the bell rang at the front entrance, alerting them to new customers, she hadn't been paying much attention, her mind consumed with her conflicted feelings toward Tomak. She was just finishing topping a man's coffee off when she turned and spotted the last thing she wanted to see.
Her blood ran cold, her heart clenching as she watched Jake walk in holding hands with his fiance. Standing there she felt as noticeable as a beanstalk while she watched them walk down the furthest aisle to a two-seater table nearest to the large window.
Thankful she hadn't been noticed, she hurriedly made her way back to Noami, who had also taken note of her brother's presence. She gave Rae an apologetic look.
Emily, one of the other waitresses who always managed to have a cheery disposition with her customers, made her way over to the new couple. They couldn't hear what she said or what was said in return, but whatever it was, it had been unexpected.
Rae and Naomi frowned as she left Jake's table and turned for the bar, where they were. It was far too quick of an exchange for her to have gotten their order already, and Rae was pretty sure she didn't see her pull out a pen.
Meeting her gaze, the waitress shrugged, "He's asking for you personally, Rachel."
She stiffened. How did he know she worked here?! Taken aback by the other girl's comment, Rae looked to Naomi for an answer to her silent question, but Naomi appeared to be as startled as she was.
"It wasn't me," she assured gently. "Maybe my mom said something," she added with a regretful whisper.
Looking back over to the far table with sharp eyes, Rae set her jaw.
Noami recognized the look immediately and caught her arm as she went to go. "Rae, don't, let me handle this." A look of apprehension filled her dark brown eyes as she begged her to stay, "He just wants to get a reaction from you."
That much was clear to see, but Rae refused to cower. A part of her wanted Jake to know she was doing just fine without him, that she wasn't afraid, and the best way to prove that was by acting like it. Determined, she met Naomi's eyes, "I know."
Taking her arm back, she brushed past her, steadying her breaths as she went and set her eyes on her target. However, her courage began to wane as she left the comfort of the bar table. The confidence she had just moments ago was easily forgotten, her heartbeat now telling a different story as she got closer to Jake's table.
Come on, Rae, she tried to enthuse. Tomak said you could take on a dangerous alien serpent, she reminded herself crossly. Jake is nothing in comparison. Just do it.
Finally taking the last couple steps toward his table, she dropped her gaze to her notepad and pulled out a pencil, beginning with her rehearsed line with a clear voice. "Hi my name is Rachel, I'm your waitress today. Do you want to start with drinks?" She attempted to use as much enthusiasm as she would any other customer to try and stay positive, but it was in vain.
"Hey Rae," Jake's voice took on a soft tone as he took notice of her, those soulful eyes that she had gotten lost in many times in the past, looking her over for the first time since the break-up. Fidgeting only slightly, Rae stood her ground and endured. It appeared that he had grown his hair out some, styling it to be an african-american textured hairstyle that faded down the sides. It looked good on him, and made her feel all the more self-conscious about herself. She attempted to not look nervous as she looked at him. "This is my fiance, Amari."
Even her name was beautiful. Swallowing down the hurt she felt building in her chest, Rae politely looked at the beautiful black woman with tight braided hair sitting across from her ex-boyfriend. Her eyes were sharp as they took her in.
"Nice to meet you," Rae nodded with a smile, which greatly contrasted the turns her stomach was making.
What she got in response was far from what she had expected, and she had expected a lot of different things.
"So you're the one," her eyes did a slow, humiliating assessment of her. Almost automatically her mind went to the coffee stain she had on her apron from earlier.
Remembering her manners, she lifted her hand, and tried smiling. "Y-Yeah, I'm Rachel," she repeated again.
She didn't move to take her hand, which felt like a slap. Her incredibly pretty voice was more than a little derisive, "I heard it the first time," she dismissed her entirely.
Stunned by her astounding rudeness, Rae lowered her hand, and genuinely hoped that that would be the end of it. She supposed that she could be perceived as a threat since she had been in a long-lasting relationship with Jake prior to her, but looking down at the diamond ring on her finger, Rae tried to make peace. "Congratulations," she gestured to the engagement ring.
The woman flicked her eyes back up to her.
Swallowing, Rae continued, "I-I'm sure you'll make Jake happy in ways I couldn't." There, she couldn't have said it any better.
Amari sat taller and smiled self-assuredly, "Oh, I know I will."
Rae's gut clamped at the tone, but she decided it was best not to react to the bait. Readjusting her pencil in her hand, she was about to ask them for their drinks, when Amari cut in.
"Is it true that you thought you were too good to have sex with him?"
The second she vocalized herself, Rae had to do a double take. "I…" she shook her head, hoping she heard wrong, "I-I-I'm sorry?" Why was she stuttering?
The fiance faced her once more, this time speaking a little louder, "You heard me."
"Hey," Jake suddenly spoke up, "it's fine," he tried to pacify her, but she was not having any of it.
"No, it's not!" she hissed, returning Rae's gaze venomously.
Nearby onlookers looked on curiously at the very odd exchange. Seemingly having heard enough, one got up to alert the manager.
Rae looked from Jake, who was rubbing his temple reading from the menu, apparently having given up, to his fiance. "Look, you obviously don't know the full story here, so I'm going to kindly ask that you lower your voice and drop this subject or I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"What did you say to me?" she hissed with narrowed eyes.
Rae couldn't help it as she looked dead in her eyes, "You heard me."
"Hey," Jake suddenly piped up, sitting straighter in his seat.
Rae turned her attention to her ex-boyfriend with disappointment. Was this some kind of joke? Was this really who he picked to marry over her?
"What's going on here?" her boss came striding over, and at that tense moment he looked better than any knight in shining armor she had ever seen. With his presence she instantly broke off her stare with the couple, a sense of relief washing over her that she wasn't alone.
Quickly, a nearby customer that had heard the whole thing, interjected, defending Rae.
Silently, she backed out of it, almost bumping into Naomi who gave her a quick hug, whispering that she would take over for Jake's table. Nodding, she went in the back and grabbed a pitcher of water to attend to her customers.
Eventually the manager came back to see her, apologizing about the ordeal. He gave her the option to take the rest of her shift off, but she felt like she couldn't. Doing so would be seen as a weakness on her part and she wasn't about to lose that game, so she politely declined.
She carried on as if nothing happened, and she was happily surprised by a customer's generous tip. She smiled appreciatively when she heard Amari's voice again.
"I can see why you dumped her."
She froze, only slightly turning in their direction. They were a good distance away, but she could hear them as if she was standing right next to them.
Snapped her eyes shut, she tried to hold herself at bay as she focused, listening for his response.
"Well, when we first met, there was something different about her than the other girls," he smiled in remembrance, "but that seemed to fade over time. It's like she got more closed off, and she's got… serious daddy issues," he added conspiringly. "I dunno, it just wasn't what I signed up for. After all those months, it felt like a waste of time. It had taken a lot longer than I expected to finally bury the hatchet, but I'm glad I did." He met his fiance's gaze warmly, taking her hand in his.
"Me too."
Rae struggled to breathe. Bury the hatchet, she felt her chest tighten. In what, my heart? Rae felt the first tear fall as she left out the back door, deciding that she would take the rest of the day off after all.
Hurriedly she fished her keys out and made a beeline for her car. When she was safely inside and alone, she let herself breakdown. It was the only relief she could find for her fractured heart.
Her fist collided with the leathery surface of the bag, its wobbling sway only a small victory, as she poured her anger and heartbreak into each punch.
Rae found herself fortunate to have not run into Tomak on her way inside. She was too high strung and not even remotely in the right frame of mind to trust what she would say around him. So when she made it inside, undetected. She quickly made her way down to the basement, thankful that it was dark and not in use.
The sting that followed her next hit was a good diversion, but not enough.
I can see why you dumped her, Amari's voice echoed in her head.
She circled the bag as if it were an opponent, her fist making contact with it a little harder.
All those months…felt like a waste of time.
Pain lit behind her eyelids when she forced them closed, unwilling to shed anymore tears. She grit her teeth as she tapped into her hidden strength, managing to deliver a forceful blow that slammed the bag into the back wall.
She's got a lot of daddy issues.
Her breathing increased, her eyes snapping open as she proceeded to bombard the old thing with a series of hits that almost rivaled Tomak's. Its integrity shuddered under her mournful wrath. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, like the regular current of hateful thoughts and emotions that continued to harass her. With one last hit, she dropped to her knees and choked on a sob.
She was more hurt by what Jake had said than his fiance. How could he? How could he have said those things? They had been together for so long, and he thought nothing of it? Trembling on the floor, she tried and failed to clear her mind to conjure up a possible answer.
That was when she heard the clicking. The sound trickling into a deep purr as it went on, and she knew who it belonged to. She felt his shadow pass over her, and as he came around to face her kneeled form, she immediately shut her eyes, lowering her head. She didn't want him to see her like this.
She heard him kneel in front of her, but she didn't dare move. "Are you hurt?" her breathing hitched as she felt his hand touch her face. He tenderly lifted her chin in his hand, getting a better look at her face that she tried so hard to hide.
Was she hurt? Oh how to explain. Unable to speak, she just shook her head, hoping he would just leave so he didn't have to look at her in such a pathetic state.
"Who did this?" he then growled, his hold on her chin tightening, though not painfully so.
Her lower lip trembled as more tears fell, and she shakily lifted her hand to the one that held her still. She opened her eyes then, which were immediately met with his bright ones. His eyes held a power she was weak to. At her touch, he slowly released her, but his eyes remained steadfast. Not deviating from his goal, he spoke softer for her sake, "Tell me who did this."
Rae sniffed, breathing shakily, then shook her head again, lowering it away from his searching gaze.
"Rae…" he admonished.
Taking her chance before he forced her to look at him again, she pushed forward, pressing herself against his front, and wrapped her arms around him as she tucked her face in the crook of his neck. "Please, just put your arms around me," she cried softly, finding some comfort from his radiating heat.
She had a moment to breathe in his calming cedar wood scent when she felt him shift, his arms embracing her securely, which made her heart swell. Then without warning, she felt him rise, his bulging arms bringing her up with him. She held tighter to him as he carried her upstairs and into the bedroom. Placing her on the bed, he coaxed her to look at him again as he kneeled before her, "What happened?"
Rae sighed, knowing it was useless to resist him. Her voice was raw from crying, but she managed. "I saw him. I saw Jake."
Tomak listened stoically as she tearfully explained who Jake was to her and related what happened at the café. His eyes were the only warning to his growing anger.
"He said our relationship was a waste of time and that he was glad he buried the hatchet," her soft crying hitched, which spurred her to hide her face against his shoulder, once more.
She could feel his chest pulsate with a rumbling growl, telling her he was displeased. She then felt his clawed hand begin to caress her back, the added sensation only soothing her more. "That male is undeserving of your tears and of you," he spoke against her ear.
Rae shakily took a breath, never pulling away from the safety of his chest as she listened to his sweet words. "I don't deserve you, Tomak," she managed to whisper, tightening her arms around his neck.
He purred in response, his large arms holding her close to experience the vibrations.
Sniffling, she managed, "And I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable."
Tomak looked down at her. Even when she was at the height of her inner turmoil she still was concerned about his comfort.
Turning with her in his arms, he positioned them so they were both on the mattress. There he let her release the remainder of her tears, allowing her to relax at her own pace.
"Do you want me to kill him?" he suddenly asked.
Even in a moment like this, Tomak somehow got her to laugh. Looking up at him she shook her head, "No, please don't."
"You would beg for his life?" he peered down at her.
"No I… I beg for you to stay here with me," she hugged her arms tighter around his torso, pressing her face more firmly to his bare chest. She didn't want him to leave, and certainly not to risk exposing himself for her sake.
She felt his chest rise and fall as he breathed evenly, absorbing her reply. He nodded deeply, "Then I will stay."
Rae smiled through the tears as her anxiety and sadness slowly faded, leaving her completely tuckered out. The last thing she remembered was Tomak's gentle touch, and the sensation of a blanket covering her, when she finally succumbed.
—
Standing in the miniscule bathtub, Tomak took deep breaths as he leaned his head against the shower wall ducking his head low under the showerhead. Keeping his eyes closed, he allowed the cool water to pour onto his head, streaming through his long spines and further down his bare back.
It didn't matter how cold the water was, he needed it colder.
Just the way she laid there, all soft, and comfortable, her long curly hair spread out over his pillow. There was no doubt he would be able to smell her sweet scent on it later.
He never would have imagined how difficult it would be to resist reacting to such a tempting sight. He could vividly remember his reluctance to turn away from her sleeping form as she slept in his bed.
Her bed, he reminded himself with a huff.
Though it did not matter, it was his for now, and he placed her in it. What had he been thinking? He should have known such actions would entice his basic desires. And now here he stood trying to hold back from returning to her.
He could understand such feelings for a yautja female, but to look at another species with the same intent, especially her species, was dishonorable. At least, that's how he should have felt.
A steady displeased growl filled the bathroom.
His control was getting worse with each passing day. He could feel it as clearly as he felt his lungs expanding with every breath. This was much more than a simple attraction. At least that he could resist, but this however, was something else, something primal.
His eyes snapped open at the realization of it. The mating season.
Paya, was that coming upon him already?
Normally at that delicate point in time, he would either leave with Guan to hunt or hunt solo. The lust for blood was always strong enough to overpower his mating urges. But he did not have that privilege here, not when there was little game that could actually challenge him, and a pretty little female that submitted so easily to his touch.
He pictured her brown eyes and teasing smile. Not just pretty, gorgeous. He let out a ragged breath at the unwanted thought.
Rae is not just any female, he reminded himself. She wasn't an outlet, she wasn't prey, she wasn't a mate. He thought back to her previous conversations with him. She was a friend, and yet that too didn't settle right. He wasn't sure what to categorize her as, but she was with him and he preferred it that way.
He had some time before the mating season would hit him hard, he could sense that, but it wasn't very much. He considered warning the little temptation, but shook his head with a snarl. He was an honorable male, with much self-control, he could hold back. And when the mating season passes, it will be as if nothing happened.
Rae typically went on small trips to acquire food and the means to get the food. Perhaps if he were to convince her to stay away longer—
"No," he snarled savagely, his clawed hands raking down the shower wall. He would not stand for her to be out there any longer than needed. He preferred her here, where he could watch her and keep her safe.
By the gods, just picturing her face when she had on countless occasions humbled herself and praised his own abilities instead, had not only surprised him, but he respected her more for it. She was wise for one so young and she was not overly arrogant as most female yautja were. And strangely, he found that arousing.
She expressed emotions so openly, even looking for consolation from himself, trusting her well-being in his arms, it wasn't like anything he ever experienced before. It should have been seen as a weakness on her part, but it made him want her more.
He turned the dial to the water until it turned frigid. He didn't care if he was cold-blooded, this madness in him needed to cease. He was not a youngblood desperately seeking release, he was a full-blooded elite, a skilled warrior.
He could control himself. He had to for her sake.
—
Rae was hardly cognitive when she heard the bathroom door open. Some part of her told her to keep her eyes closed and just try to sleep, but another part was curious as to what correlated with the sound.
Groggily, she cracked her eyes open and looked about the room while she layed on her side. There appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary at first until she caught movement near her set of drawers. That was when she saw him.
Tomak stood in a very naked state by the base of the bed, appearing to evidently towel himself off. Her eyes widened a fraction, thankful he hadn't noticed her yet. When he turned, she instantly closed her eyes and focused on keeping her breathing deep and even. But even with her eyes closed and her vision filled with darkness, she couldn't stop replaying the images of his wide muscular back tapering down to his waist and just as impressive backside that flexed with the subtle movements he made.
It was wrong to have seen it, and especially without his knowledge. And worse, here she was lying in his bed pretending she was asleep while he dressed. Could he hear her heart hammering in her chest? Was it as loud for him as it was for her?
She heard him move again, faintly aware that it was closer to her and held still, listening. She couldn't dare open her eyes now, knowing she would get caught, but she desperately wanted to know what he was doing.
That's when the bed creaked with an added weight on her left side that hadn't been there before. She didn't have time to tense before a deep voice followed. "You can pretend all you want, but I know you are not asleep, gorgeous."
Her heart ceased in her chest and she sat up with a jolt. She quickly looked to her side and found Tomak sitting on the edge in nothing but a loincloth. She turned her face down, embarrassed and ashamed. "I-I-I'm sorry."
She could see him tilt his head in her peripheral.
"I woke to a sound and saw you as you came out of the bathroom," she admitted regretfully. "I-I didn't mean to see you like that. I'm s-sorry."
She didn't like Tomak's lack of response. It would have calmed her nerves if he at least said something, but he was quiet as he stared at her.
She took his silence as aggravation and shifted away from him. "I'll go," she spoke softly as she prepared to get out of the bed. His large hand landing on her shoulder made her hesitate though.
"You will stay here and rest," he ordered, pointing down at the mattress with his other claw to help drill his message more firmly in her head.
She frowned, "But where will you go?"
He stared at her for a moment longer before turning for the door. He looked over his shoulder only briefly as he left. And before she could argue otherwise, he closed the door.
Rae sat there in the darkness of the room with a pattering heart. She felt like a fool. What would Tomak think of her now? He didn't reply at all to her apology. I'm such an idiot, she groaned.
Lying back on the bed, she stared blankly at the ceiling. She could feel that deep-seated desire for Tomak to notice her filling her chest, and it was wrong.
Attraction was one thing. She could be attracted to anyone, but to crave for him to be close, feel his arms wrap securely around her, and even to need him to express his desire for her, was something completely different.
She didn't even know if yautja anatomy was even compatible with a human's. Besides, putting herself into that kind of relationship meant more than just feelings, it would involve committing herself to him completely. Would Tomak even want that? Was he even slightly interested in her?
He called me gorgeous, her heart began to beat a little faster at the realization of it.
Maybe he did feel something, but even if that were true, Tomak was untouchable. He wasn't from here and he would eventually and inevitably go home. That was the truth of it. It was only a question of when. She couldn't leave earth anyway, it was her home, the only place that was familiar to her, the place she was with her father last.
For argument's sake, even if Tomak did care enough for her, what kind of life would she have out there? There would be too many unknowns. And she was pretty sure yautja weren't the most welcoming species.
Not that it would ever happen.
I won't let that happen, she resolved. She didn't want to hurt Tomak with her useless heart, not when he meant so much to her.
Slipping her phone out of her pocket, she lifted it to her face and made a very difficult decision. The bright screen lit the room as she went through her limited contacts. She kept scrolling until she found the name she was looking for. With a deep breath she dialed the number and pressed the phone firmly to her ear. As she listened to it ring, she clenched her teeth, tightening her jaw.
She needed to get Tomak out of her head and her heart.
Translation:
"Ell-osede a'te kujhade ma zazin, s'yuit-de r'ka dtou, ell-osede' m-di kisei sain'ja de' jad'rin?" - "You are the destroyer of my discipline, foolish little fire, do you not comprehend what warrior you mess with?"
Author's Note
I'm sorry for the long wait. I was being extremely critical about this chapter, trying to buff it out again and again. I think I got it where I like it, it all depends on what you all think. I'm loving the feedback! You all are so incredibly kind and very encouraging so I hope I'm able to deliver the story the way I see it in my head. I would like to say there is more coming "soon" but you know how it is with me. Maybe I'll surprise you.