Tempted by Celestial Bodies

Chapter 9

chapter nine

I jolted into myself and squinted against the glare of the bright lights from above. My hand lifted, blocking most of it as the tangled wires came into focus above me. Black, white, red, and blue—they hung heavy like a serpent in the way they had when I’d arrived. The sharp scent of antiseptic cleaner filled my head. My clothing stuck to me in odd ways from the sweat that had dried to my body.

This was real life.

The stuff that had come before…none of it had been real.

The sense of loss following the realization was painful. Too much .

I scrambled from my reposed position, yanking at the wires attached to my head and rolling to my feet. My chest rose and fell in fast breaths, overwhelmed, and I met Khor Drath’s gaze across the room.

He wasn’t sitting at his desk like I’d imagined, but standing at the counter beside it, rigid, his grip digging so hard into its surface it creaked.

I couldn’t catch my breath, like I was having some sort of panic attack. My fists clenched and relaxed over and over again, my thoughts disjointed because the world spun chaotically around me. Nothing made any sense.

“What is this?” My voice came out hoarse, like I’d been screaming for hours. I stared at the chair in front of me, at the little crescents my nails had made in the leather. Perhaps I had been. “What happened?”

I knew my questions didn’t make sense. Everything was becoming clearer the longer I stood here. It was all a dream . My reality solidified around me. I’d come here because I’d lost everything in that fucking sandstorm. Jordan had betrayed me, abandoned me, then took everything. Heinrick had told me to come.

Erotic dreams sold the best.

But those dreams had changed me—deconstructed, then rebuilt me. And they probably meant nothing to Khor Drath except that he’d been the star of the show. Just some stupid human’s wishful, sad , pathetic fantasies. I couldn’t meet his eyes and stared at the chair instead.

I swallowed, my chest burning in shame and loss. “Are you going to sell them when you’re in them all?” It probably wasn’t good for business.

“No.” Surprised by the harshness of his answer, I lifted my chin to gauge his expression. It was strange to hear his voice aloud after him being in my mind for so long. “Your dreams belong to me, mate .”

I sucked in a sharp breath. Was this true? Had what happened in my dreams have anything to do with the real world? “I don’t understand.”

He pushed off the counter and the whole surface groaned. “Like I told you, my species can dream walk with our mates. You pulled me in as soon as you fell asleep.” He stalked between the counter and the desk, then headed straight to me, eyes burning bright white.

I took an involuntary step back and shook my head. “What are you even saying?” None of what had happened in the dream could be true, could it?

When he stopped, the only thing separating us was the chair. I knew the moment I saw you that you were my mate.

The sound of him in my head was like slipping into a soothing, warm bath. My exhale came out shaky, and I realized I’d pressed my hands to my heart. “And you’ve been here for two hundred years?”

He nodded once, his cords falling over his shoulders.

Relief spread through me. None of it had been fake. But could I trust that?

“Pineapple pizza.” I’d never been more terrified to say two words in my entire life.

Nothing happened except a smile bloomed on his face. I can assure you this is quite real. He braced his hands on the chair and leaned forward. My body bent toward him of its own volition. From what I showed you to everything I said.

“You’re my mate?” My voice sounded ragged.

He nodded again.

“And you’ve been waiting for me?”

Another nod.

“And you want to be with me, and protect me, and live the rest of your life with me?”

With every fiber of my being.

My skin broke out into a cold sweat at how much I wanted that too. “Even when my lifespan is as short as heartbeat when compared to yours?”

I’ve lived too many lifetimes without you to give up one by your side in exchange for more loneliness.

My chest tightened in a painful way. I could hear, could feel , the sincerity in those words when he spoke in my mind.

This was everything I’d ever wanted, to share my life with someone worthy, to be in a partnership which meant something. And from his mind probe earlier, he knew it too.

I wanted this, wanted him , more than I’d wanted anything in my life.

“So why are you way over there and not touching me?”

His fingers dug into the leather of the chair. “You signed a contract. I’ve vowed not to touch you.”

My eyes scanned to his desk where he’d tossed the tablet, then deep into his glowing eyes. “That’s the only thing holding you back?”

One more nod.

“I verbally break the contract!” I shouted, the sound way too loud in this small space, but I wanted it on record. “You are no longer held by its terms!”

He leaped over the chair like something out of superhero movie, landing in front of me. Thunk . I launched myself at him, my legs wrapping around his waist. One of his strong arms tucked under my ass to hold my weight and the other cupped the back of my skull. Even with all my clothes on, the reality of him holding me was so much better than the dream had been. And that had been mind-blowing. I braced my hands on his shoulders, loving the feel of his smooth skin beneath my palms, mesmerized by the swirls of color.

I could stare at him all day, every day, and it floored me I’d get the chance to do just that.

His head lowered to mine and I met him halfway. We both groaned into the kiss. His lips were incredible, soft, and firm. And delicious. Better than the dream because I knew he cared. I knew this was real. I knew there would be more—as amazing as that truth was.

The kiss went on and on, both of us content to enjoy this moment and not take it any further. We would have a lifetime for everything else. I could feel him in my mind too, stroking, investigating, the sensation more right than intrusive.

You’ll be able to stroke my mind with practice as well.

I wanted that. I wanted to know him on every level like he was getting to know me, to explore the glimpses I’d seen during the first part of my dream.

That and more.

It was his promise, and I would hold him to it.

We broke the kiss, and I stared into his star-bright eyes. My arms flexed around his neck, keeping him close. “So how long is your tongue, really?”

A warm, baritone of a laugh rumbled from his chest into mine. “I will take you to our bedroom, my mate, and you will soon find out.”

I returned his grin. “Stellar plan, KD. Just stellar.”