Fervor: A Dark Sci-Fi Menage Romance by Stella Rising

Author:Stella Rising [Rising, Stella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stormy Night Publications
Published: 2020-02-12T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Nell

Rune takes his leave when Kozsa arrives, rushing off to get back into the fight. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell: he was using X22. When we embraced I felt his heart thumping, his elevated body temperature, the micro-tremors in his touch—all telltale signs. I’m not judging—he likely had to fight through throngs of Akanians to get here, and he did it for me.

Kozsa, charging like a bull, pulls me into a bear hug so tight I can barely breathe.

“You’re okay,” he says between kisses. “Thank the stars.”

I’m okay? He looks like he fought the entire battle himself: his armor’s cracked and scorched, there are dozens of scratches and cuts along his body, and one nasty-looking bandage on his shoulder.

Seeing my reaction, he laughs. “I’ll be fine, Nell. I’ve had a lot closer calls.”

I shake my head, hating to imagine them.

“Look, I need to go help Rune, then conference with Commander Berck. A lot’s happened. Let me show you and your mother to a secure area.”

Taking one last look at the ruined command center, I reach for his hand.

“Yes, please.”

* * *

Kozsa leads us to a vacant double room in the wing used to house Homefront officers. Though lacking any sort of decor, it does have two proper beds, a stocked kitchen, and a private bathroom. Compared to the way I’ve lived the last year, it’s practically a palace. I could sleep on the soft mattress for days; I could almost cry at how good it feels as I sit down.

“Call if you need anything,” Kozsa says, tossing me a com device. “Anything at all.”

“Thanks,” I reply, grinning.

“Thank you, Captain Aerv,” Mom adds.

“Tell me everything,” I say to her the second Kozsa shuts the door behind him.

“Where should I start?”

I haven’t fully gotten over the fact that this is real, that she’s here—that we’re both here, and not Akan’s prisoners. Maybe I never believed this day would ever come. When he couldn’t provide proof Mom was still alive, of course I considered the idea she was dead. He wouldn’t have told me; I had no choice about believing him. But here she is, and not just alive; she just foiled one of his plans from within a prison. I hope he knows that, I really do.

“Dad,” I say. “Have you heard from him?”

“No, but that’s the idea—he’s in hiding. If he’s stuck to the low-salt diet the doctor gave him, he’ll be fine. He’s well-hidden. Plus, if Akan had him...”

“We would have heard, that’s true,” I finish.

Now I can’t help it—I start to cry.

“Nelly Belly, are you okay?”

Nodding, I wipe my eyes.

Years of stress and anxiety pour out. Anger and despair, regret and shame—I purge them all. I’m going to have a family again—and when this war is over, there will be peace. No more stimulant, no more fighting—I can get back to my medical research. Spend time with my parents—and Kozsa and Rune.

“I can’t remember... the last time... I was this happy,” I say.

Mom sits down next to me and hugs me.

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