I grinned and gripped the armrests of the chair. Anticipation unlike I’d ever known before coursed through my veins. Come on, woman. Push the fucking button. “No. There will be no changes allowed.”
“Goodbye, Eva.” Agent Davidson gave me a reassuring nod.
Warden Egara pushed the processing chair toward the wall, but this time I was excited to see the small room appear beside me. I welcomed the bite of the needle in my neck and the bright blue light that meant I was going back to Trion. I looked over and caught Warden Egara’s eye. “Thank you.”
She actually smiled. “Your transport will begin in three, two, one.”
* * *
“This concludes the meeting of the council. We will meet again next year. During that time, safe travels and peace in your region.”
I stood, the men before me did as well. Even though we’d spent a week together working through the agenda, councilors stood and chatted, milling about. All I wanted to do was get the fark out of Outpost Nine. It only held memories of Eva. I saw her everywhere I went. And, knowing that she was not a murderer but instead a healer, everyone stopped me to ask after her. I’d finally forced Goran to post a notice of Eva’s return to Earth so I did not have to repeat it again and again.
Warning squawks came from the guards’ communication units. Everyone froze in place, awaiting word of the danger.
“A transport, high councilor.” The lead guard approached me, then looked down at his unit. “Unscheduled.”
“Origin?” I asked. While the guards could defend against attackers on Trion, defending an outpost against transport attacks directly from other worlds was much more difficult.
“Earth.”
The man looked up at me and I knew his thoughts.
“Eva,” I murmured. “It has to be.”
“No matching has been recorded from that planet. I believe you are right.”
“How long?” I asked, already running to the lone transport pad on the outpost. It was close.
“Thirty seconds.” The guard ran beside me, the rest following behind.
I’d make it in ten. “Switch your weapons to stun. If it turns out to be my mate, I don’t want anyone to shoot her.”
The guard nodded and I glanced at the others.
“Stand back,” I boomed. “No one moves until we assess the transport.”
Hope swelled in my chest as I stopped inside the tent and watched the empty spot before me. Slowly, a body materialized and it was, indeed, Eva. Sprawled on the dark black transport pad she appeared to be asleep, she looked… fark, she looked like the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.
The two guards who had entered behind me stood down and put their weapons away. I knelt beside her and scooped her up into my arms. She wore the slip dress and nothing else. With her pressed against my chest, I could feel the rings in her nipples and the gems I’d put there before she’d returned to Earth.
The soft feel of her, the scent of her skin, the silky feel of her hair, fark, it was hard to believe she was in my arms. I’d thought I’d never see her again and yet… how had she been able to return?
I carried her back to the main tent, eager to share the good news. I wasn’t sure what to expect from those gathered, but instead of disdain or hostility on the faces of the councilors, they all looked pleased and perhaps even amazed at her return.
Stroking her hair back from her face, I talked to her, whispering in her ear and waiting for her to wake. It had taken hours the last time so I had to assume—
“Tark?” she murmured, shifting in my arms.
“Shh, gara, I’ve got you.”
Her eyes opened at the sound of my voice and she stared at me, her body stiffening. “Tark!” she repeated as she wrapped her arms around me and gripped me tightly.
Even though I could hear whispers all around us, my focus was solely on my mate.
“You came back,” I whispered into her ear.
She nodded against my chest.