"Dammit, Tomak! Answer the friggin' phone!" she growled under her breath, hoping the nearby soldiers didn't hear her.
Practically smooshing the phone to her face, she waited impatiently for an answer, when there was a sudden commotion around the lot. Naomi's brow furrowed as she peeked her head out from under the truck.
People were running around like there was a mass shooting nearby. What the heck was going on?
Then the truck above her rumbled to life and she stiffened.
Crap! She quickly sausage rolled from under the truck, just in time to watch it pull away. On her belly now, she pushed herself up with her phone still clutched in her hand. Swiveling around, she looked in time to see the large spaceship hovering over the tall pine trees.
She felt frozen solid, her eyes widening to an impossible size as she heard a new sound come from the ship, one that oddly told her to run.
She could see a port on the side of the ship begin to warm to an electric blue, the nose of it, pointing directly at the facility. "Oh my god."
She had to move.
"Hey!" a voice carried over the sound of the engine.
With a gasp, Naomi whipped her head in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged soldier pointing his weapon at her, a confused frown deepening the lines on his forehead.
Blinking rapidly, she thought her choices over before simply running away, hearing the man race after her. Waving her arms rapidly at other men and women in army uniforms, she hollered, "Take cover!" before practically throwing herself into the brush.
Not soon after she did, a deafening explosion went off behind her, muting everything but a high-pitched ringing in her ears.
For what felt like forever, Naomi stayed put on the ground, her head cushioned on her forearm as she tried to breath. There had been a blast of wind after the explosion, whipping up particles that were currently not agreeing with her lungs.
Despite feeling her diaphragm clench and her lungs expel air, her coughs were muted to her own ears. And the thrumming pain in her side made her feel like she was dying.
Blinking through the dust cloud, she saw the reflection of her phone screen lighting up a few feet away from her, like someone was answering her call.
She had to get to it.
Forcing her arms and legs to cooperate, she fought to drag herself over the tree roots and undergrowth, managing to regain her hearing after several long seconds.
Managing to reunite with her phone, Naomi very quickly lifted it to her ear, her voice still shaken from what just happened. "Tomak? Tomak?"
"What now?!" Tomak's growling voice was like music to her ears.
"Oh thank god! Please tell me that's you in that spaceship!" she spoke breathlessly, staring up at the alien spacecraft that was circling back around.
"Who else would it be?" he growled aggravatedly through the speaker, which only made her smile wider.
It didn't matter if he was being rude about it, she was just thankful everything was fine, the danger now receding. "I'm surprised you even answered the phone," she poked the bear further. "Didn't your mom ever tell you not to be on the phone while you drive," she spoke derisively, though much too out of breath for it to come across as she would have liked.
Much to her annoyance, he simply ignored her question and began barking more of his surly orders. "Take off. We will meet you outside the forest. I should be able to fit your primitive transport in the cargo hold."
There was so much that he said that she would have gladly taken the chance to argue on. His attitude, mostly his stubborn pride, but the seriousness of the situation was too great and she hated to hear "I told you so' from the likes of him.
"Yeah about that," she grunted, pushing herself up onto her elbows, grimacing at the ache in her side. She definitely landed wrong.
Hearing her struggle, his voice tightened rather menacingly. "Where are you?"
It was a pointed question, she could tell he knew she wasn't where she should be, but she wasn't about to roll over for him. "Look, I'm not in the mood to hear your lecture. All that matters right now is that you have Rae."
Her eyes narrowed as soldiers righted themselves and began forming groups in the not-so-far distance. The one that had spotted her from before was being dispatched in her direction. Not good. Gotta move!
She crawled, keeping low, hoping to sneak by unnoticed. "Is she okay?!" she lowered her voice by a couple decibels.
Tomak hesitated for a split second, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the hint of her predicament, or if it had something to do with her question regarding Rae. That sent off an internal alarm. Did something happen to Rae?
Tomak answered before her mind built off that train of thought.
"Rae is injured, but should recover once I treat her. I cannot promise anything if we stay here though. Your human army may attempt violence."
She bit her tongue from saying anything about Rae's condition. Tomak was right though, the army was not going to take this lightly. For all she knew they could be calling in missile strikes, which meant her best friend and her crabby boyfriend could be sitting ducks.
"Just go Tomak. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, just take care of Rae."
He hesitated before agreeing. "I will return to her home. That is where she will be until you return."
That warmed her to know where Rae would be recovering. For being an intergalactic badass with a surly disposition, he sure was thoughtful. But she knew it was more for Rae's benefit than her own. Still, she responded with gratitude, "Thanks for not stealing her away from me just yet, crabs." She grinned hearing his incensed growl. He was not taking to the nickname at all.
"Hey!"
Her head shot up. She must have been spotted. "Gotta run," she quickly hung up, rushing to her feet.
Stumbling through the dense brush, she beelined it straight for the van, hoping she would get there in time.
Harrigan had heard of the destruction, but he would have never been able to visualize the real thing. Standing at the entrance of the gates, he couldn't take his eyes away from it.
"My god," he looked out amongst the wreckage, the lieutenant coming to greet him with a tired salute. He looked like he had seen better days.
"Lieutenant," he dipped his head in a curt nod, his eyes seamlessly traversing the fiery waste before them. "Status report."
The lieutenant waved at what was once the prized facility Price had been so proud of. "I don't know how else to say this, sir, but we had a run in with an ET," he sniffed, wiping his soot covered face tiredly. "Its aircraft came out of the hangar and blew the whole thing up. We didn't have enough time to go through regulatory evacuation protocols."
The lieutenant was nervous, probably afraid their failure to protocol would mean something as to their place in the U.S's armed forces, but having his own experiences, he knew and accepted that unforeseen circumstances could wreak havoc to any well trained unit. The Colonel's was no different.
"Any casualties?"
The lieutenant nodded grimly, "At least twenty were still in there when it all came down and we have a dozen more injured from being too close to the blast radius."
Harrigan blew out a breath, closing his eyes at the tragic news.
"But we managed to capture several lab rats, sir," a reference to the scientists. "There are still more that are in the process of being searched and detained."
"Where is the Colonel?" He needed to speak with him.
"Right this way, sir."
Following behind the lieutenant, Harrigan watched as soldiers worked together as a team to try and clear the rubble, hoping to find any survivors that may have been caught at the time of the explosion. The likelihood of there being survivors was low, but there had been survivors at 9/11 so there was a chance, a slim one, but still hope.
"Get your hands off of me!" a strikingly familiar voice raised his attention.
He let out a breath at the sight of Naomi struggling to keep up as a soldier dragged her along with him. Never before had he been so relieved. He was glad she was safe, but seeing her trying to break the man's solid grip on her arm brought a tinge of anger seeping into his bloodstream.
Just as they were about to pass, the Admiral stepped towards them, taking the soldier by surprise.
Immediately stopping in his tracks, his eyes widened minutely upon meeting the gaze of his ranking officer.
"Soldier, release my granddaughter at once," he kept his tone in check, though the intensity in the order was not missed.
The man blinked multiple times in surprise. "She's your–?" At once he released her, unable to meet his superior's eyes. "Apologies Admiral, she was proceeding in a restricted area, sir."
Turning to Naomi, Harrigan watched her meet his gaze defiantly, a fierce look within those dark brown eyes, a perfect match to her father's. It both warmed and pained him. Meeting the soldier's gaze, he motioned to the kid, "I will take it from here."
"Y-yes, sir." Without the need to be told, he left her with him and went to follow the rest of his squad.
Now left with just Naomi, he allowed a small smile and gestured for her to follow him, which she did, thankfully without a fuss. He looked to the lieutenant then, "Proceed."
Nodding, the man led the way in between where the covered vehicles were parked and past several scientists that were huddled together, still in shock at what had transpired.
"Are you alright?" Harrigan glanced at his granddaughter, taking note of how she rubbed her arm, the one the soldier had been holding.
"I'm fine," the spitfire replied.
It angered him to know someone had been too forceful with her, but deciding not to push it, he asked a different question, thinking back to their short conversation over the phone. "Is your friend here with you?"
"Rae? No, she got away."
"Not that friend, though I am glad to hear she is safe, I was referring to the friend driving with you," he didn't miss the falter in her step, nor the hitch in her breathing.
"...He's fine. He got Rae out and they left together."
So this friend was a male, he noted. "Without you?" his eyes narrowed wondering just what kind of friends she had.
"...No," she replied rather quietly. "I was supposed to stay with the van, but I deviated from the original plan. I was trying to get back to it, when that soldier grabbed me."
"So they left you behind," he circled back to his original point.
"I would have been fine," her tone sharpened.
He frowned, trying to piece it together. Opening his mouth, he went to question her further when the lieutenant spoke up, patting the side of one of the trucks, "The Colonel is in here, sir."
Harrigan gave him a nod of thanks, then looked back down at Naomi, "We'll talk later. Lieutenant," he addressed the man beside him, "keep an eye on this one for me and call in a whirlybird. We gotta get this civilian home."
"Yes, sir."
Giving Naomi a pointed look to behave, he stepped up into the back of the covered vehicle, the thick cloth falling behind him as he entered. The area was lit with several lights, but in the center of it all was a cot with an older man being treated by two army medics. Sitting off to the side, watching stoically, was the Colonel.
Noticing his presence, Bill got up. "I'm glad to see you made it."
Harrigan nodded, his eyes wandering to the wounded soldier on the cot.
Sensing his question, Bill gestured to the soldier, "This is Gabriel Brown, he was stationed inside the facility undercover." Laying a hand on the man's shoulder, he addressed him gently, "Gabriel, there is someone to see you."
Coming around to his other side, Harrigan looked the man, Gabriel, over. He was older, about his age, if not older, but he was not in good shape. Aside from the nasal cannula providing oxygen to his lungs, his clothing was tattered and covered in soot. From the looks of it, he must have just barely gotten out of the building in time, but his leg had a nasty wound that was currently being treated with antibiotics.
Weakly opening his eyes at the sound of his name, Gabriel turned his head looking in the Admiral's direction. With widening eyes, he shakily lifted his arm to pull the oxygen mask down and salute him. "Admiral, sir," he let out a breath.
Patting his shoulder gently, Harrigan shook his head, "At ease soldier, there is no need for that here."
Immediately tears began to form in the older man's eyes, the stress from the last several days finally getting to him. "I tried sir, I tried so hard, but I couldn't get to her. She went further into the building."
Having an idea of who Gabriel was referring to, he was curious, "What did you see in there, Brown?"
Breaths coming out a little heavier, he wheezed, "She was tortured, sir. I found video footage of what happened."
"He managed to put some of it on a thumb drive," Bill spoke up, holding out the USB for Harrigan to take. It was exactly what they needed to incriminate Price and all who took part in his plans.
Looking at Bill, he frowned, "Has Price been found yet?"
He shook his head in a negative. "There is still so much rubble to go through, but we're hoping to at least find a body."
"I just hope he hasn't escaped," he voiced his worst fear.
"Admiral," Gabriel weakly tried to sit up.
"Easy soldier," Hariggan rounded on him, easing him back down on the cot. "You've done your part, leave the rest to us."
"But sir," he insisted, "there was something else."
Grunting as if he had heard it already, the Colonel sat back down, while Harrigan listened intently.
"The facility was under attack before our forces came," he coughed once, clearing his throat.
"Attacked by what?"
A few emotions passed through Gabriel's eyes. Confusion, worry, fear. "I don't know it...it..." his eyes moved back and forth as he tried to think of a way to explain it.
Harrigan placed his hand on his arm for support. "Take your time."
"It walked like a man, but," he gave him a troubled look, as if unsure his next words would be seen as credible.
"But?" he coaxed.
Fear of the unknown lashed across the man's face, a look he was not foreign to.
"It was no man." There was a slight tremor in his voice as he proceeded to explain that before the power had gone out, there were several security guards patrolling the halls, but as soon as the lights came back on, there was nothing but bodies.
Harrigan took a much needed breath. Standing tall, he stepped back from the bed, a surge of thoughts overwhelming him. It was the creature from his past, he was sure of it. But part of him wanted more, he wanted to be absolutely sure. "Describe it to me."
Gabriel began throwing out details, describing this being as dark, tall, wearing silver armor and a mask with evil glowing eyes.
A flashback of the meat locker came unbidden to his mind, Keyes especially, and the way he was so brutally disposed of. Taking a moment to steel himself, he looked directly in his eyes, and asked, "Did it have dreadlocks?"
He watched as Gabriel's pupils expanded upon recognition. And to confirm his suspicions, he whispered secretively. "You've seen it."
Harrigan didn't react, merely wanting confirmation. "And it attacked the facility?" he questioned again.
The older man bobbed his head, before adding, "It helped the girl, it was carrying her out of her cell."
He shook his head more in disbelief than anything else. What? "It helped her?"
"I don't know," Gabriel coughed again, his voice beginning to fail him. "After seeing it let her go, I left, trying to get to her, to at least lead her to the nearest exit, but she was gone"
Harrigan took a second to absorb this. It hardly made sense to him. The alien rescued her. But then where was Naomi's friend? She had told him that he had been the one to get Rae out. Unless– No, that's a dangerous thought, he shook his head. But the longer he let the idea of it simmer, the more he wondered if it were actually possible. "Excuse me, I need to speak with my granddaughter."
"Admiral–!"
He delayed his departure, turning in time to witness the man on the cot, reaching out for him to stay. "Do you know?" he suddenly asked, "Is... is she alright?"
It registered that it was Rae he was asking about and very quickly Harrigan found himself beside him once more, hoping to relieve his fears.
"Did she make it?" Brown coughed harder, enough that blood began to drip from his nose. He needed more oxygen.
Putting the oxygen mask back in place, Harrigan assured him. "I have evidence to believe she did."
His answer brought the biggest smile to the older man's face. He must have been stressing over her well-being for quite some time, and that made sense being that he was the one stationed here prior to her arrival.
"You have done your country a great service and you will be compensated for everything you underwent in this op. Now, I'm ordering you to take it easy and rest. You've done everything you can; let us take it from here."
As if that was everything he needed to hear, Gabriel slumped back down on the firm cot with a grunt, his eyes fluttering closed.
Looking over to the Colonel in passing, he lowered his voice. "I must investigate this mystery further, but see to it that I'm alerted if more evidence is recovered."
He grunted in affirmation. "Welcome back to the war, Mike," he clapped his back in a friendly gesture, moving to exit the vehicle ahead of him.
"So now you believe me," he spoke in a pointed tone, referencing their previous conversation.
"Heh, after seeing that unidentified flying object up close, I have no choice but to. But what does this mean, Mike? Are we in threat of attack?"
Stepping out of the truck behind him, he shook his head, not having the answer, "That's what I need to find out. Are you in need of any further resources from me?"
The Colonel shook his head, "We'll manage, I don't need more paperwork once this has blown over."
"Well, know that you have them at your disposal."
Eyes shining appreciatively, the Colonel took his friend's hand in a firm shake, "Keep in touch, and watch your six."
Harrigan smiled right back. "I thought that was your job," he called after him.
Shaking his head as he walked away, the Colonel allowed a rare smile to ease over his usually stony face.
Harrigan watched him go. It wouldn't be the last time he saw Bill in the field like this, he was certain of that. The man had a reputation for not following current procedures. One of these days it would come back to bite him, just not today.
Going his own way, Harrigan walked down the side of the truck where he knew Naomi would be waiting. As calm as he appeared, there was still an inkling of fear thumping apprehensively in his chest.
He remembered the alien of his past like it was yesterday. The only console he had from the experience was that he killed it. But he knew then just and he understood it now, there were more and they would keep coming back. He just hadn't expected it to come so close to home. And the thought of Naomi being involved brought his anger and fear bubbling up again.
He ignored the questioning gaze of his lieutenant as he passed him and went straight for Naomi.
She must have read his serious gaze, because she stiffened, taking a step back. "What's going on? What's wrong?"
Before he opened his mouth to speak, he met eyes with the lieutenant. "Leave us," he jerked his head to the side.
The lieutenant got the idea and decided to follow up with the Colonel, leaving them alone.
Taking her gently by the shoulders he bent lower so they were face to face. "Naomi," his voice had come out more strained than he had intended.
"What? What is it?!" she demanded, never having seen this side of him before.
Grasping her shoulders more firmly, he looked directly in her dark chocolate eyes. "I was in a meeting with the Colonel, and I received some disturbing information. Now I need you to tell me the truth, you understand?"
Beginning to grow more concerned with his level of eye contact, she hadn't realized he was waiting for her to accept or deny his firm question. Giving him a solid nod, she watched as his older features softened to a degree.
"Your friend," he began, feeling her arms tense under his hands, "he isn't human, is he?"
She looked like she was about to lie, but somehow reading that he already knew, Naomi pursed her lips, her teeth clenching tight.
"Please tell me, Naomi."
She held strong, not once lowering her gaze, "No."
His heart pounded faster. "Did it hurt you?"
She shook her head in a negative, "No."
He swallowed, nodding in a thankful manner. "Good, good," he breathed. He knew it was a killer, Brown's report was clear enough for him to recognize that, but he was curious by Naomi's description of it being a friend. Meeting her eyes once again he asked that very question.
"So this alien of yours is..." his face twisted, unsure of the correct term, "... friendly?"
"He's... intense," she amended his words, "but he's only dangerous to those that pose a threat to him, or Rae."
Her last words intrigued him. "Why? What does the alien want with her?"
Naomi licked her lips, a sort of nervousness beginning to overcome her. "All I know is that he cares about her. He wants to protect her."
What? It made no sense to him. Nothing about what she said made sense. They were killers, every last one of them. The thought of them being more than that rubbed him in the wrong way. But as Harrigan looked back and forth between her eyes, he didn't find any deceit in her words.
Deciding to leave it be for now, he relaxed, giving in. Dropping his hands from her, he stepped back and gave her some space while he ran a hand down the back of his head, letting this new information settle.
So the alien was protective.
Overly so, his eyes scanned what was left of the facility. Perhaps his earlier theory was correct, perhaps it was in contact with Rae since the ski resort incident. But why did it stick around? Why didn't it leave? What did it want with that poor young girl? There were still so many questions left unanswered.
"Do you know where they're going?" As soon as he asked, he sensed a change in his granddaughter's demeanor.
Before she had been nervous, but cooperative, now he was looking at someone entirely different. Naomi's eyes sharpened almost dangerously so. "I won't let you hurt them." She may have been tired, but her voice was hard, unmoving, and he never felt prouder hearing the conviction in it.
But he didn't miss her usage of 'them.'
"Are you really friends with this alien?"
She narrowed her gaze further, "I don't see you judging Rae for what she can do, but you judge Tomak?"
Tomak. So it had a name. "Rae doesn't kill people. Your alien friend on the other hand, does."
"Soldiers kill people in war all the time," she shot back, "and they are given medals for their actions."
Her response had him taking a quick take of who was around them. "Lower your tone," he growled, knowing she was only trying to make a point, but others would not see it that way. "We are protecting our country from threats, it's different."
"How is it different?! He was protecting Rae from those freak scientists!" she pointed at what was left of Price's empire. "I get that you don't believe me," she cut into him with her eyes, "but he's not like the monsters they paint in movies. From the limited time I've spent with him, he genuinely seems like a good guy."
"You're talking about a creature as if it were human!"
She ground her teeth, turning away from him in her anger. "Look I know you think I've been brainwashed or something, but I wasn't. I just won't stand for any more harm to come to Rae. She feels safe around him, and if you take that away from her I don't know if she'll recover."
Harrigan went silent. Her defiance should have irked him, it should have provoked his anger, but it didn't.
He hadn't thought of Rae in this instance. Could she have developed a sort of bond with the alien? Was this not the same creature that had killed Danny and Jerry? The same one that had stalked and killed those soldiers in central america?
Perhaps he was wrong.
Seeing his granddaughter meet his stare and hold it, he felt something painfully tug at him from inside. All he could see was his son staring right back at him, defying his order to stand down. He recognized that his son, despite his orders, had fought to do what he felt was right, and now he was seeing Naomi do the exact same thing.
He let out a gruff sigh, deflating him further. "You are so much like your father." He smiled seeing her blink in surprise, simultaneously dampening her lit fuse as well. Gesturing for her to walk with him, he attempted to strike a bargain with her. "What if I promised not to harm the alien, would you tell me where they were then?"
Naomi crossed her arms, meeting his gaze defiantly, "And if I don't trust your intentions?"
He looked at her thoughtfully, wondering if he should tell her. After a moment of pondering, he acquiesced. "When we leave here, we'll have some time to talk, and I'll tell you a story I once told your father. Maybe then you might trust me."
She slowed her strides, looking up at him with a hidden expression. He didn't know what to make of it, she wasn't pleased, but there was a curiosity lurking under the surface. She made something very clear though, "If you think you're going to make up for all those years with one story, you've got another thing coming, old man."
Harrigan had been left unprepared for the label, but he couldn't deny that he had called himself that on occasion, though that didn't give his grandchild the right. "If you start calling me old, then I'll have to start using 'kid' on you," he chuckled, feeling her shoot him sideways glare.
"Admiral?"
The two of them fell into silence at the sound of a soldier jogging toward them. "The chopper is inbound and arriving shortly for you, sir."
"Excellent, then we'll–"
"Sir!" there was a holler from behind, the lieutenant had returned and he seemed to have an urgent message. "Sir, we found one of the scientists carrying vials of some sort. She claimed she was on our side. We currently have her detained away from the others for questioning."
Harrigan paused shortly. It would seem his job wasn't finished here afterall. If the vials had anything to do with Price's research, it could prove to be a valuable asset in the courts. He nodded, "I will be there shortly."
Turning to Naomi next, he suggested that she allow the other soldier to escort her, and get to the chopper. "I'll be right behind you," he promised. "This won't take very long."
She hesitated before complying, her head turning and glancing back in his direction as she was led away.
He watched her go before his lieutenant directed his attention back to the case at hand, sharing more details about the woman they had in custody.
"What is her name?"
"Amanda, was the name on her tag, sir."
That caught his attention. "Price's assistant."
The day was getting better and better by the minute.
Rae woke suddenly. Eyes snapping open with a gasp, she took in her surroundings. The room was dark, but she could make out the familiar drawers set against the wall, and the bathroom door directly ahead. This was her bedroom, but she couldn't remember how she got here. Overwhelmed with confusion, she quickly sat up only to regret it, as her abdomen flared up in rage.
She winced, hissing as the muscles in her stomach twitched with her unsteady movement.
So concerned by the sudden pain, she didn't see the large arm moving to wrap around her from behind. At the touch, she screamed, trying to fight free from the steel-like hold, only to turn and see it was Tomak right there in the bed with her.
She stilled instantly meeting his gold glowing eyes, the same ones that appeared in countless dreams she had, while at the labs. "Oh god," she covered her mouth with her hand, completely mortified by her reaction. Really, the only excuse she had was that part of her still believed she was trapped in that lab. But before she could even begin to explain herself to Tomak, he gently forced her to lay back down next to him, pulling her closer to his bare chest.
Was he encouraging her to cuddle with him? She almost couldn't believe it until her face was hidden in the valley of his pecs.
She began to shake in his hold, both surprised and touched by his comforting affection. Her eyes glazed over with love-filled tears as she stared up at him, pressing her cheek further against his broad chest.
It was almost too much. Much to her annoyance, hiccups began to wrack through her body as she cried against him, her arms winding tight around his thick torso.
She was thankful he didn't push her away or criticize her in her most vulnerable state. If anything, he encouraged her to let it out, comforting her with words such as, 'Easy' and 'You are safe.' And gradually, he brought her down to a place where her fears subsided and her fast beating heart began to slow.
When she had the strength to speak, she spoke softly against his chest, "I'm so sorry." His scent and steady breathing helping her slow her heart rate.
He purred, merely enjoying how close he was to her, "Do not apologize," he held her closer as if providing protection. The tusks of his mandibles caressed the top of her forehead and scalp, her eyes immediately fluttering shut at the sensation.
Taking a long inhale through her nose, Rae silently found comfort in his masculine cedar wood scent and his steady breathing, all of it working together in slowing her heart rate to where it should have been.
It was when she was fully calm that her mind caught back up to her. "What happened?" she whispered against him.
His hand, which she hadn't known was at her back, began doing small circling caresses, his eyes watching her carefully. "What do you remember?" he rumbled above her.
Taking a steadying breath, Rae carefully rolled onto her back, frowning deeply in remembrance. "I... um, I was transferring the energy into the ship..." she paused at her retelling of it. "Soldiers were suddenly surrounding me." She could remember their yells, warning her to stand-down. "...I was shot," she subconsciously felt her side under her shirt, only now noting the bandaging that was wrapped around her abdomen.
Upon hearing Tomak's baritone growl, she placed her hand on his arm, attempting to comfort him. "I don't think they wanted to hurt me," she honestly believed, "but when they saw me powering up the ship, I think some of them got scared."
Her ambiguous statement meant nothing to Tomak. Even if they hadn't originally approached her to do harm, they still had. And they paid for it with their lives. His darkened thoughts were disrupted at seeing her pull her shirt up to better see the bandaging.
"I took the liberty of removing the bullets from you," he purred, placing his hand over hers.
Looking back up from his large hand, she gave a small smile, "I guess we're even then."
His mandibles lifted as he stared at her, his head leaning against his supporting arm in a way that didn't necessarily scream sexy, but it was. "For now," he conceded.
His deep voice reminded her of drinking bourbon, how it would go down smooth, but would warm her insides as it descended. That was strikingly similar to the effect Tomak's proximity was having on her now, and it made her suddenly nervous. Dropping her gaze shyly from his playfully radiant gaze, she clasped her hands as a way to ground herself.
A moment of silence was held between them.
The feel of his claws playing with the hem of her shirt, had her looking back up at him, his expression turning into one of concern, as if whatever was on his mind disturbed him.
"What is it?" she asked, a small seed of doubt beginning to swirl in her belly.
His glowing eyes lifted from what he was doing to look at her with a questioning gaze. "Had you been inside the ship, you would have been better protected. Why risk yourself by being out in the open?"
Now she understood, and it was a valid question. Shrugging, she admitted, "I worried the energy would fry the controls, so I played it safe."
She was looking ahead then, not specifically at anything, her mind drifting off as she recalled the horrified looks of some of the soldiers. She accepted the fact that there would always be people that feared her for what she was. She just wished she could be numb to their bombarding expressions.
Hot tears welled up in her eyes. Why did this happen to her? Why did she care so much about what strangers thought of her? Why couldn't she be indifferent to it? Drown it out? Walk in stride?
It was her weakness, that was why, she realized. She could be taken down from the inside from just a look, just an utterance from one's mouth. They didn't have to throw a punch, or rain bullets down on her. Their judging eyes were sharper than any knife, their tongue able to burn hotter than fire.
And the darker side of herself voiced that she deserved that.
Damon's trusting face flashed in her head, making her snap her eyes shut, a pained breath evaporating the silence that had been slowly building up between them.
"Rae?" Tomak's voice drew her back in, but even though his overall presence was comforting, just the thought of disappointing him was devastating, and she couldn't take it.
Turning on her side away from him, she threw the covers back and forced her body to respond as she hastily swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Rae," his voice hardened, concern lining his tone.
Purposefully ignoring him, she clenched her teeth, grimacing as she fought to push herself into an upright position, despite what the muscles in her stomach were telling her.
"Rae, what are you doing?" she thought she heard a hint of a growl, his displeasure more than evident, but she didn't care. She had to get up, not wallow in her weakness.
Then she felt his unbreakable grip on her arm, putting her efforts to a stand-still. She felt like she was on the verge of breaking down though. "Tomak," she tugged uselessly for her arm back, "I need to get up."
"I would rather you sleep, gorgeous."
She would rather sleep too, but she couldn't, not when it felt like her weaknesses and failures were coalescing together. Not when this pressure in her chest was becoming more noticeable by the second. Not when Damon's face was all she could see when she closed her eyes.
She simply could not sleep.
"I can't," she swallowed thickly, not daring to even look at him, tears already forming in her eyes.
He didn't loosen up on his grip, in fact, she shriveled up at feeling him move closer, his intense heat pressing tightly against her back. "Why?" he insisted.
Being that he showed no signs of backing down or letting her go, she stifled her crying, and dropped her chin to her chest, her erratic gasps of breath telling him everything he needed to know.
His long arm crossed over her, his fingers cupping the left side of her face. He put no pressure behind his touch, but his words left no room for error. "Look at me," he commanded deeply.
The muscles in her throat were wound so tight, she felt she couldn't speak, her whole body stiffening as she shook her head.
"Why?" he demanded, wishing to hear her words.
She bit her lip softly before admitting in a quiet voice, "I hate being like this. And I don't want you to see this side of me, to see me be so... so–" she broke down again, unable to finish.
"Rae," he admonished gently. Mindful of her injuries, he turned her on her back and looked down at the flood of tears streaming down her ashened cheeks, something she was fervently trying to hide with her small hands.
He began to pull her hands away from her face then, leaning over her as he did so. Holding her against him, he purred, "Look at me, gorgeous."
She drew her bottom lip into her mouth, shaking her head again.
"Look at me," he urged again.
Despite his slight restraining, his voice was tender and low, compelling her to crack her eyes open. She was met with his handsome face, his soft glowing eyes locking onto hers, but unlike all the other times he looked at her, (the weighted stares she was used to receiving), she was taken aback by the amount of sympathy and care being reflected back at her.
She remembered a time when he was indifferent to her, uncaring, unseeing. But now, with him laying on his side, partially over her, his body language, his touch, facial expressions were all aimed toward comforting her. She realized that he could see her, the real her. Just witnessing this side of him made her want to cry harder, but she resisted, her lip trembling as a result.
Taking note of the movement, his thumb caught her bottom lip, drawing it away from her teeth. Brushing the pink fleshy tissue mindlessly, he began to speak. "Contrary to what my people believe, your emotions make you stronger. They make you more beautiful."
His eyes lifted from what he was doing to meet her gaze and her breath caught.
"Do not even attempt to hide from me," he growled roughly, and she blinked by its intensity. "I expect you to come to me from now on when you are like this. Understand?"
Batting the tears away, she quickly nodded, but the hand hovering near her face, grasped her chin, lifting her face to him.
"Words, gorgeous," his eyes flared above her.
Rae swallowed before whispering a small, "Okay."
Pleased with her reply, he relinquished his hold, moving instead to brush his hand down the side of her neck. "Now what is making you cry," he watched her carefully. "Does it have anything to do with that human male?"
She swallowed again. Damn it, why did he have to be so on point? She nodded, her chin wobbling at the thought of Damon and everything they went through. How much did he really want to know?
As if he heard her, his arm looped around her waist, pulling her further into him. "Tell me everything."
Breathing strongly through her nose, she stared up at the ceiling as she was brought back to the event of the labs. "We were tortured," she felt the muscles in his arm harden. "Price shot Damon and I stupidly gave him what he wanted to try and save his life." Grief overtook her, her eyes stinging with the threat of hot tears, "But even though the serum healed him, they pushed for results. They let that monster out on us." Her lips trembled at the memory of the black, eyeless beast.
Tomak adjusted them both so he was cradling her in his arms, supporting and reassuring her as she fearfully continued. She was grateful for his closeness, nuzzling into him as the first of many tears streamed down her face.
"I heard his screams," she whimpered, "It was killing him. I fought with everything I had to get through that wall but it was too late." She looked up at Tomak as the vision of it flashed in her mind. "I was so scared, Tomak. I froze. I just stared at it, its teeth, its tail. It was so big."
"You did not simply stare at it, you fought, Rae. I have seen this bite before," the claw of his thumb lightly traced the bandaging at her shoulder. "You fought a kainde amedha and won," he draped his arm over her once more, his eyes glowing in pride.
"But I didn't win," she refused to receive any praise, her eyes watering with her intense grief. "I couldn't save Damon. I was so depleted of energy, I couldn't even heal him." She shuddered against him, her face pressing hard against the pillow. "I couldn't heal him," she repeated tearfully.
Seeing the sadness and hatred for herself seeping out of her eyes, Tomak went against his own orders to keep her still and moved Rae, lifting her until she laid on top of him.
Leaning her head against his chest, she sobbed, her hand gripping his shoulder as she endured the emotions surging through her. "It's all my fault. I should have never gotten Damon involved. And because of me he's dead," she mewled against him helplessly.
"No," he held her face, forcing her eyes to meet his when she didn't do so willingly. "You honored that male with your victory. You honored him just as you have honored me."
Breathing shakily she shook her head and lifted her arms higher to wrap around his neck, "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there, Tomak," her face pressed harder against him, her tears wetting his front. "After I lost Damon, I just," she swallowed hard, "I lost hope. I... I wanted to die."
Not wanting to hear this, Tomak dragged his fingers through her hair, comforting both her and himself. "You are safe now," he held the back of her neck, keeping her face tucked firmly against him with no chance of escape. Truthfully, he didn't want her to see how angry her confession really made him.
"I hate feeling this way," she flattened her cheek against his collarbone. But going against what he wanted, she began to push herself up, grunting as her healing wounds screamed their existence.
"Rae," his heavy limbs stopped her, but she protested it.
"Tomak, please. I don't want to feel weak anymore," she looked up at him through watery eyes. "I have to move, I have to get up. Please," she begged him to let her go, "for my own sanity."
He was still for a moment, looking deeply within her eyes, likely seeing her desperation as she fought to get up without his assistance. Then his hands were suddenly around her waist, pausing her efforts.
She looked up at him then, hopeful. And that just about broke his resolve.
Without a word, Tomak shifted with her in his arms, slowly getting up off the bed. Knowing that Rae did not want to be carried, he used great care to gently place her on her own two feet. Seeing her grimace however, and unsteadily move, he draped one of her large fluffy blankets over her shoulders and encouraged her to lean on him as they walked through the living room.
Her grumble of annoyance at needing any help seemed to amuse him, and he made sure to inform her that she was acting more unruly than he had when she first helped him, which Rae scoffed at that.
"No one is as stubborn as you, Tomak." His rumbling chuckle was a soothing sound to the overall silent house.
But as they walked together in silence, Rae began to notice that something was off, it was a little too quiet.
She scanned the space with her eyes. Chase never left her alone when she usually came back from longer trips, so why hadn't he come out to greet her? Why hadn't she heard his soft meow? Her eyes jumped to every crevice of the room as she looked for him, finally asking, "Where's Chase?"
Sensing her unease, Tomak purred to calm her from jumping to unnecessary conclusions. "Your friend took him back to her abode," he soothed her fears, helping her reach the door.
She breathed out a happy sigh, "Had me worried for a second."
It was not long before the door was being opened, causing Rae to clutch the blanket tighter as a cool sea breeze drafted in.
Normally, Rae found it difficult to see anything in the dark, but thankfully for her sake there was a full moon out giving her eyes access to seeing everything from the beautiful lapping ocean, to the sandy beach, and even her missing railing– Wait.
"What happened out here?!" her eyes widened at the state of her deck. Scanning the length of it, she noticed that the whole railing hadn't fallen, only part, like someone literally broke the beam and tossed it.
She didn't mean to point fingers, but she had an idea of who could have done this, and the steady tightening of Tomak's fingers was not making his case any more innocent. "Did you do this?"
He went quiet, so quiet that she could have probably heard the sound of crickets if the ocean didn't drown out their song.
Hesitantly he answered. "...Yes."
Seeing something pass in his eyes, she turned towards him, pressing herself against front, and gently reaching out to lay her hand against his arm. "What led you to do this?"
The bicep crossed over her back, tightened as emotions began to fill his beautiful glowing eyes.
Rae had a feeling she knew the answer. "You were upset with my disappearance?"
"I... was angry," he growled, the vibrations of his voice rippling through his body.
She winced and bit her lip, ashamed of herself. "Because of me," she spoke in the smallest of voices, earning his attention.
"No." His growling response had her tilting her head. Holding her close, he rumbled softly, "I blamed myself thinking I had lost you forever."
To hear him say he actually worried, was a big confession from him, but to hear him blame himself was unacceptable. And Rae felt the need to comfort him as he had been doing for her.
Pressing her face into his hard abs, she wrapped her arms as best she could around him. "It wasn't your fault, okay? I made the choice to go after Damon. It had nothing to do with you." But he wasn't listening.
"I am an elite hunter," he drew out each word as if it were an oath. "I should have never lost your trail." The anger he held toward himself was too much for her to take.
Against her better judgment, Rae kissed his perfectly stacked abs, surprised to feel that he could harden them even more than they already were. Tilting her head all the way back to rest her chin on him, she looked up past his mandibles and straight to his eyes. "It's okay, I'm okay," she squeezed his arm in sympathy. "You gotta let it go, big guy."
To try and further remove him from his negative thinking, she tugged on his hand, urging him to move with her. "Come on, let's sit on the edge here," she suggested, but Tomak angled his face down at her, averse to the idea.
"You are still healing, gorgeous. I do not want you to fall."
His honest interest in her welfare sent tingles in her belly. There was something so alluring about him concerning himself with her safety, but she couldn't help but test the waters a bit. She looked up at him with an assured little smile, "Well I guess it's a good thing you're here with me so I don't."
He went quiet again, blinking down at her, only to let out a grumbling sigh, probably annoyed he couldn't refute her statement, at least not when she put such blatant trust in him.
Letting out a soft laugh, she slowly got down, scooting on her butt till both legs hung comfortably over the edge of the deck.
Tomak sat at her left, positioning himself so he was aimed toward her, one of leg hanging off, the other bent sideways.
Smiling to herself, she tried to ignore the warmth of his bent knee that was brushed up against her hip. His closeness was not missed by her and she wondered if he purposefully made sure to leave little to no room between them. Drawing in a long breath of fresh salty air, Rae dispelled those thoughts and decided to engage in a topic of conversation that would better distract her.
He said he lost her trail, so she wondered how it was that he picked it up again. "How did you find the labs anyway?" she peered up at him.
His eyes flicked to her. "Naomi," was his simple answer.
Rae nodded. That made sense. She knew she had connections with certain members of the police force. She could have very well used their assistance to help her locate where they had taken her.
"Where is Naomi?" she half expected her to be here.
A grumbling sigh left Tomak as he recalled the past several hours spent with the exhausting female. "She insisted on taking me to you."
Her eyes widened, somewhat surprised. They drove. She looked at him then, a teasing smile playing over her lips, "I thought you said no one could squeeze you into a car again?"
He snapped his eyes to hers with a non-amused huff. No comment.
The thought of Tomak being forced to endure being in a human vehicle again, with Naomi as his companion was a riot. She found herself giggling at the thought of her best friend tiring Tomak with her countless questions and killer comebacks.
Tomak must have realized that she was laughing at him because he purposefully bumped her shoulder with his own, his eyes narrowed playfully. Of course this only made her laugh harder, her cheeks burning delightfully.
She couldn't have asked for better friends. Naomi was so loyal to make such a trip. She would have to thank her profusely when she saw her again.
But at that exact moment, her smile slowly ebbed away as her eyes widened in thought, "Wait, is she still back there? Did we leave her behind?!"
Placing his large hand on her lap to still her, Tomak calmed her. "She is safe. She will be meeting us here when she returns."
"How do you know that?"
She watched him as he tugged something out of his belt, holding it out for her to take.
"My phone," she honestly didn't think she would see it again. "I guess you guys planned it all out, huh?" she smooth her thumb thoughtfully over the flat screen.
Hearing him hum in agreement, Rae leaned her body against his arm, feeling his hum transition into a purr. "Thank you," she knew she didn't have to say it for him to know, but she felt obligated to.
Happy tears sprung to her eyes as she stared up at the night sky. Had it not been for Tomak and Naomi, she never would have been able to admire the moon ever again, or count all its craters as she was now.
Smiling fondly, she pulled the blanket further around her shoulders as she watched and listened to the sounds of the ocean waves. Before they always brought a sense of calmness, which did not paint the wild power of the waves. Now, she recognized what that feeling truly was.
Freedom.
But as her eyes strayed from the deep blue waters to the cool sands, she could not ignore the sight of Tomak's new ride.
Technically speaking, Tomak was free now too. He was no longer trapped on Earth and she wasn't sure how to feel about that.
"Something bothers you," his deep voice had her sitting straighter and her heart beating faster.
She cleared her throat. "I'm fine," she avoided his penetrating eyes. "I was just thinking."
"About?" He waited patiently for her response.
Not wanting him to read the truth from her, she purposefully didn't look in his direction, and instead kept her eyes lifted to the stars. "I was just surprised you brought me back here and didn't shoot off into space after that ordeal."
"I considered it." His voice was thoughtful, and it provoked her to actually look at him. To her surprise, his eyes were also focused on the sky, a longing burning like embers in his yellow eyes. He longed to be back up there, to be back home. She could feel it.
And of course he did, her eyes lowered down his front, taking note of every scar, and every piece of alien fabric, and armor. Why wouldn't he?
He was a warrior born to explore and conquer the universe, not stay here with her. She had told herself to stay away and not catch feelings for this very reason, because dammit, she knew he had to go back at some point. It was inevitable.
Sensing his watchful gaze, she lifted her head to look at him with hidden dread, but the soft look in his eyes extinguished her self pity, and his following actions killed it. A heat bloomed in her cheeks as she felt his knuckle trace the exposed skin of her arm. Shivering beneath his touch she was barely cognizant to register his words.
"But it occurred to me that you may have felt trapped. I would rather you awaken in a place that felt familiar and safe."
God. Was he trying to make her cry again?
For the past few days she was made to believe that safety was an illusion, a lie to make one ignorant to the truth around them. Being thrown back in her nightmare, Rae truly wondered, 'Would she ever feel safe?'
Tomak's mere presence was like a resounding 'yes' to that inquiry. She could feel safe. With him she felt safe.
But as her attention drifted back to the massive alien ship, she was once again reminded of how temporary that fix was. Very soon, she would just be alone again.
Suddenly she could feel his shadow casting over her, as he leaned his elbow on his thigh, giving her his full attention. "Gorgeous, do not lie to me. What is it that worries you?"
Swallowing, she supposed she couldn't avoid the topic any longer. It's not like she wanted to remind him of what he was in possession of. She would have rather he forgot about it for a little while longer, but she knew it was a childish way of thinking, so she succumbed. "Now you've got a ship to take you off world...," she quieted a bit before meeting his glowing eyes, "will you be leaving soon?"
His decorated locs swayed as he nodded his head, and instantly her heart seized in her chest.
"We will leave when you have recovered."
We.
He chuckled seeing her large rounded eyes. "Yes, gorgeous. We. Did you really believe I would leave you here?"
Yes, though she didn't dare say it outloud. How could she possibly think that he would want to take her with him? The last time they were together, it hadn't exactly worked out to either of their liking. He yelled at her and she ran. Besides, she was human and he was a yautja, there were so many reasons why it couldn't work between them. So how could she rationally think that he would want to take her with him?
Still seeing the doubt in her eyes, he placed his supporting arm down so that it laid at her back, bringing them that much closer. Brushing his mandibles affectionately over her crown, he got her to slowly bat her eyes at him.
"I will never let you go again," he growled in promise.
With him those gold flexed irises staring so intently at her as he made his declaration, had Rae's heart pound harder in her chest. But her doubts were still very much present, as if anxiety wished to announce its presence, a nervous pang lit deep in her gut.
"I don't know about that, Tomak. You don't even know the whole truth about me." Lowering her eyes, a lump began to form in her throat as she slowly began to voice one of her insecurities.
His eyes narrowed. "The truth?" Suddenly and to her shy embarrassment he twisted, crossing his other arm over her, supporting it on the other side of her, preventing her from evading his dominating posture. With his face now inches from hers, he looked at her freely. "The only truth I care about is my whole-souled desire to be near you, to never leave your side."
Left with nowhere to hide, she lowered her gaze, tucking her chin in. "Tomak–" she tried to refute what he was saying, scoot back away from him, but the clawed hand to her right caught her hip, holding her there. There was no escape from him.
His other hand then lifted to her face, lifting her chin back up. He was forcing her to look directly in his sharp eyes and speak her mind. Could he feel her heart beating at a faster pace? Did he understand what this was doing to her?
Wishing for her to accept and see the sincerity of his words, that what he was saying was not without merit, he growled, "How many times must I say it? You are mine, regardless of what you–"
"I have yautja blood in me!" she blurted it out, cutting him off completely. She couldn't hide the truth from him any longer, he had to know. He deserved to know.
Seemingly surprised by her words, he went quiet and Rae took this as a sign to keep going.
"Though I cannot understand it, that's what supposedly gave me my powers. It's the serum I was injected with in my youth." Reluctantly looking up at him, she just came straight out with it, "I understand if this means you want nothing to do with me."
If he had been upset about a simple mark on her back, she could only imagine what his reaction would be if one of his own people's blood was used as a cure for her. For that reason, she expected his rejection and was prepared to receive it, even if it risked her heart shattering into a million unfixable pieces.
Seeing the mixture of emotions on her face, Tomak's eyes softened before he lowered his face, gently nudging against the side of her own. "Rae, Ze'ev would be honored to know that part of him lives on in you. With anyone else, he may have been insulted, but you," he purred, pulling away to look at her deeply again. "You are worthy."
"So you knew that yautja?" her heart clenched, now feeling immensely worse.
She watched as his eyes went distant as if remembering. "Many knew him. He was a great warrior, teacher. I learned much from him."
Her heart dropped into her gut, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt so guilty knowing it was someone Tomak had been close to. Leaning up to wrap her arms around him as best she could, she cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered with her lips against him, "I'm so sorry."
Smoothing his hand down her arm and back up her spine to console her, he eventually pulled her away so he could better see her expressions, wanting to make it absolutely clear, "Gorgeous, listen to my words very carefully. There is nothing you could say or do that would drive me away from you."
She let out gasping cry, smiling despite tears streaming down her face. "Are you sure?" she wanted to hear him confirm it and to her delight he did.
"Gorgeous," he began, seemingly drawing it out. His other hand came up to cup the side of her face, his thumb swiping over her cheek adoringly as he thought of his next words.
But apparently he didn't need to, experiencing his full attention was like having dozens of butterflies taking flight in her stomach. "Say that again," she urged, overlapping the large clawed hand at her face.
Staring at her small hand now over his, his eyes suddenly darkened in understanding. Aware of what she was getting at, he chuckled deeply, "You mean, gorgeous," he purred the last word, immensely enjoying the way her smile brightened her face.
She nodded, loving his nickname for her. She swore he held magic within those honey pools because every time she peered deep in them she felt something inside of her cave. There was something about him that made her want to tear down her walls and expose her heart to him.
Releasing an approving rumble, Tomak did not waste time leaning over her to lightly bump his crest against her forehead in an expression of affection, his purr coming out stronger than ever before. "Gorgeous, my soul is drawn to yours. Nothing in this universe or the next will ever change that."
Her mouth parted, her heart stuttering nervously within her chest. Did he really just say that?
Unhindered by fear of abandonment, she took her chance to get closer to him. Holding onto his arm for support, Rae ignored her wounds and crawled into his lap, wrapping her legs the best she could around his torso, her arms rising to circle loosely around his neck.
His powerful arms held her there, ensuring that she wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.
It made the biggest smile emerge over her face, something she timidly tucked away into his chest.
It was absolutely unreal how giddy he could make her feel, simply by uttering his sentiments. It was like her heart was swelling so big with happiness, it would burst at any second. And before she knew it, she was whispering, "Where have you been all my life?"
At first, Rae didn't know if he had heard her because he hadn't been quick to answer, but it turned out he had. In fact, instead of speaking arrogantly, he matched her tone, making it appear like they were sharing secrets with each other. And maybe they were; secrets of the heart.
She closed her eyes at the sensation of his tusks fluttering over her scalp, then he whispered right back to her, "Searching for you."
Oh boy, she was in deep now. She honestly wondered if she was running a fever, he was burning her up both with his body heat and with his rather romantic phrases. It was like he was trying to dial up her core body heat, running her a few degrees hotter, and it was both amazing and embarrassing.
Her arms tightened around him, flattening her chest to his.
If she was going to die, this is where she wanted to be if she did, surrounded by this rugged alien man and his big strong arms, listening to his sweet words, and breathing in his dizzying masculine scent.
God, he smelled so good. He was setting off her olfactory sense like crazy. What was it that did that? Was it pheromones? Did Tomak have the ability to release pheromones?
"Have I ever told you how good you smell?" As if to emphasize her point, she buried her face into his shoulder, loving how his arms tightened around her, his bulky biceps pressing firmly against her back.
"You find my scent to be pleasing?" she felt his mandibles brush the shell of her ear and it sped up her pulse.
Fighting away the growing nerves, she nodded, purposefully drawing in another comforting whiff.
To her surprise, Tomak began to do the same. His mouth nuzzled the exposed region of her neck, huffing in her scent which made her squirm in protest.
"No, don't Tomak," she tried to pull away but his hold was unbreakable, this didn't stop her from trying though. "I know I reek, it's been too long since I've showered."
But to her embarrassment, her words only seemed to encourage him to take deeper breaths. She wanted to shrivel up like a flower and wilt from his hold. Why did he persist in doing this to her?
"Your natural scent may be more pronounced," he purred against her, "but I enjoy it this way. It is not masked by anything else. It is simply you."
She was still uncomfortable about it, but she let it go for now. She supposed that as long as it didn't bother him, it was okay, but at the first chance she got, she was taking that shower, maybe even a bath.
Resting her head against him for now, Rae could feel the persistent pull to fall asleep to the sound and vibrations of his rumbling purr that were slowly working through her. But as soon as her eyes drooped, she stiffened, resisting it.
He probably felt her tension because he looked down at her with a warmth she hadn't seen from him before. "Rest, gorgeous," he stroked her back, which didn't help in her efforts to stay awake, and really she wanted to. The risk of waking back up in that lab was too great.
"You promise you're not just a cruel dream that my mind has made up to cope?"
His upper tusks lifted in a smile as he purred, his hand smoothing down the side of her face, forcing her to look up at him. "I am very real, gorgeous."
Still sensing her unwillingness to rest, Tomak increased the intensity of his purr. "Sleep," he directed, his claws moving to caress her unharmed shoulder. "I will be here when you awaken."
Author's Note
As promised! There was actually going to be a lot more, but I decided to use what wasn't in this chapter for the next and keep the focus on Rae and Tomak's emotional state. Hope you liked the chapter! Thanks again for all the supportive reviews. ;)