It’s difficult to hear these words, but I try to keep my expression neutral. Part of me was selfishly hoping that she would start to see a future with me on Mythos, but I know it’s wrong to wish for her to be torn away from the life she once knew.

And that’s when she says it. “Yet now that we’re nearly at the finish line, I almost dread going back.”

An idea sparks in my mind, and I lean forward, catching her gaze with my own. “Your spirit, your wisdom… it would be valued on Mythos. And with my position, I have vast resources at my disposal. You could enact real change, make a difference in the lives of countless individuals. If that’s what you wanted, of course.”

To my surprise, Mia bites her lip, considering my words. “You know… I think I’d like that,” she admits with a soft smile. “A chance to start over, to build something meaningful… It’s more than I ever could have hoped for back on Earth.”

But as quickly as her smile comes, the levity fades from Mia’s expression, replaced by a pensive shadow as she looks out toward the cold harsh environment we barely escaped from.

She draws her knees up to her chest, hugging them close. “I thought…” She trails off, her gaze downcast as a faint pink dusts her cheeks.

“What is it?” I ask, reaching out to lift her chin so I can meet her gaze.

“I thought we might not make it. I thought we’d never make it out of that cold. And one of my last thoughts before we found this cave…” Her voice trails off again, but then she looks up at me, her eyes filled with determination. “I want you to make me yours, Krakenos. In case we don’t get the chance again.”

My heart pounds as I lean in, my lips a breath away from hers. “Are you certain, Mia? This is more than just a physical act. It’s a bond, a mating of our souls. I want you to be sure.”

She nods, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

With a low growl, I capture her lips in a kiss, pouring all of my longing and desire into the embrace. Mia melts against me, her soft curves molding to the hard planes of my body. I trail my hands down her sides, relishing the shiver that runs through her at my touch.

Breaking the kiss, I gaze into her eyes, seeing my own hunger and need reflected back at me as I murmur, “Then let us waste no more time.”

Chapter 14

Mia

That brush with death in the icy wasteland? It shook something loose inside me.

I’m done fighting this. Whatever this is between us, it’s not going away. And honestly? I’m tired of pretending I want it to.

My heart’s pounding like I’ve just run a marathon. Krakenos’s gaze is fixed on me, dark and hungry. It should freak me out, but instead, it’s like a magnet drawing me in.

I shake my head.

No more second-guessing. No more what-ifs. I’m about to do something crazy, something that goes against every survival instinct I’ve relied on since I got here. But for once, I don’t care about the fallout. I just want to feel alive.

I swallow hard, then reach out to Krakenos, letting my fingers roam up his arm, feeling the subtle shift of muscle beneath the sleek, shining surface of his blue skin. I gently skim my fingertips down his chest, along the powerful contours of his pecs, and down to the ripple of his abs.

Then my gaze falls to the object of my fascination, the part of him that makes him so undeniably male and so uniquely otherworldly. Sheathed within those intricate, mysterious scales lies a cock that sends my imagination into overdrive. I want to see it, touch it, experience it all over again, but this time, more.

As if reading my mind, he gives a slight tilt of his head, his black eyes penetrating, a silent invitation.

I hesitate no longer. I reach out and gently stroke him, marveling at the feel of his unique anatomy. His length stirs, revealing itself before me like a mythical beast awakening.

And that’s when he takes charge. He touches me with those skilled hands, and within moments, the skimpy bikini I’ve been given for this godforsaken show is off and on the ground.

I’ve never been comfortable with my body, but the way Krakenos examines every curve and hollow with open fascination… It makes me feel beautiful. His fingers glide over my hips, my thighs, and up to the soft swell of my breasts. He pauses there, and my breath hitches as he gently pinches my nipples, rolling them between his fingers.

A moan slips from my lips before I can stop it, the needy sound echoing off the cave walls. He pushes me back onto the mossy ground and slowly kisses down my body, teasing me, tantalizing me.

It’s almost embarrassing how easy it is for him to get me to the edge, but I’m well past trying to be modest. “Krakenos, please. Please,” I beg.

He looks up at me then, his eyes shining in the firelight, before burying his face between my legs.

I’m not sure how much more of this I can take. Krakenos’s tongue works magic between my legs, and I’m teetering on the edge of ecstasy. I can’t control the sounds that spill from my lips—a mixture of his name, pleas, and incoherent moans.

And then, just when I think I can’t take any more, he sucks my clit and flicks it with his tongue. The world explodes around me in a blaze of pleasure. My body shakes uncontrollably as I cry out.

But he’s not done with me yet.

Krakenos moves up, his cock rubbing against my slick pussy. There’s no denying the nervous flutter in my stomach as this alien creature, this future king, prepares to claim me.

But despite my fears, a deeper, more primal urge takes over.

I want him.

I need him.

The tip of his shaft teases my entrance, and as he pushes forward, I feel a stretch that’s somehow both painful and pleasurable. It’s like my body has been waiting for this—waiting for him—molding itself around his size.

A low, rumbling purr escapes from deep within his throat as he pushes deeper inside me, his eyes closing in ecstasy. “Perfect, Mia,” he breathes, his voice a gravelly whisper.

But it’s when he’s fully embedded within me that the true magic happens. Krakenos’s cock stirs, the scales all along its length vibrating and throbbing with a life of its own. It’s like a living creature, an extension of his need, and it sends shivers throughout my body. I gasp at the sensation, feeling deliciously filled, stretched and surrounded by him, and yet I still crave even more.

He begins to move, his hips rocking slowly, as I bite back another moan. It’s like his cock knows exactly what I want, adapting to my body. Ridges and bumps form along his length, rubbing and caressing every inch of me, sending sparks through my veins.

My head falls back as I surrender to him, the vibrations and sensations he creates within me building with each powerful thrust.

With a snap of his hips, he pounds me deeper, the sound of flesh on flesh filling the cave. It’s a savage, animalistic rhythm—primal and urgent. I meet his powerful thrusts, my body moving instinctively, greedily seeking more.

His length throbs within me, every ridge and bump magnifying the sensations as his relentless pounding claims every inch of me, my pussy pulsing around him.

It’s then that a strange need overcomes me.

I want him to mark me.

I want him to fill me with his essence, to brand me as his own. It’s an animalistic urge, one that surprises me, but I can’t deny it. I want to be his.

And from the devilish glint in his eye, I’m pretty sure he can read my mind.

As if sensing my desire, Krakenos growls with a primal hunger. He begins to move with renewed fervor, his powerful body pistoning into mine, claiming me as his own.

I cry out, my nails digging into his muscular back. His hips snap frantically against mine, his balls slapping against my ass with each powerful push, and I cry out at the sensation.

“Yes, Krakenos,” I whisper. “Harder. I need you harder.”