As Aelon claimed – Toads are motivated by greed and cowardice. If you can appeal to both, you can achieve victory without firing a single blast.
Aelon considers Iunia’s words. He winces, and I know his answer before he can say it…
“Very well.”
Then, he turns to me. His eyes are clear. His aura changes. It becomes more protective, and less bloodthirsty. In fact, Aelon suddenly becomes so possessive and caring that he loses that passionless veneer of leadership that he’s always worn before a battle.
The towering Aurelian steps in closer, putting his huge hand on my shoulder.
“Tasha – could you still bear me if I gave up weapons of destruction to those loathsome Toads?”
I stare into his hazel eyes. Eyes that changed because of me. He’s kept his honor, but he’s lost his burning need for meaningless battle and costly revenge.
“I can. Aelon. I can.”
Hope surges in me as the huge alien looks down at me with tender eyes. Then, Vinicus steps forward, his face stony.
“Rig ‘em.”
We all turn to him.
Vinicus, the brute beast. I’d thought him simple-minded at first – but as soon as his aura entered my mind, I realized I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Rig ‘em,” he repeats. “Don’t just give them ten Orbs. The best way to beat a Toad is to blind him with his own greed. Give them all the Orbs – but hide explosives inside of them.”
Our eyes widen as we listen to this scheme.
“When they take the cargo inside their shield perimeter – into the heart of their mothership – we detonate it. Then, we rush in and pick off the stragglers.”
Vinicus. The brute. The soldier. The base warrior who always does what his leader says.
Now, he’s the leader.
I turn to the Captain of The Instigator.
“Aelon, do we have time?”
He nods. “Aye – but this is a risky plot. If the Toads don’t fall for it, whoever brings the Orbs to them will be slain. It’s going to be dangerous – insanely dangerous.”
His face hardens.
“I won’t lie to you, Tasha. My gut tells me they would fall for it – and my gut is rarely wrong. But I can’t put that risk on any of my men. I’ll make the delivery.”
“Captain, I…”
Aelon holds up his had to silence any dissent.
“I’ll make the delivery,” he repeats. “We’ll have a second Reaver with the shipment in it trailing us, just out of range of the Toad weapons. I’ll make the offer to the Toads, and then tell those slimy bastards that if they try anything, the second Reaver will Orb-Shift out – taking the Orbs with them. The Toads won’t risk losing their entire payload to kill one or two Aurelians.”
“Then, I’m coming with you,” I insist.
Aelon draws back as if I’m on fire.
“No! I won’t allow it!”
“Allow it? You’re Captain of The Instigator – not of me.”
“But you’re our Fated Mate!”
“Which is why I have to be there with you. You’re not going to take any risks if I am on board with you, Aelon – so I need to be there.” I step up and take Aelon’s huge hand. “This isn’t the end, Aelon. This is just the start. I want to build something with you. That’s why I came back.”
I can tell myself over and over that it was the guilt of letting the Aurelians potentially die which had brought me back – but now I know the truth. Deep down, deep inside my being – right down at the core – I want to be with these men.
I always knew, even if I told myself it was impossible, that they could change – and they did. Aelon lost the bloodlust and anger that drove him - the rage that made him so unsuitable as a father is gone.
The first day I met Captain Aelon, he would have already plunged headfirst into battle with the Toads. Now, he’s hesitating. He won’t let them get away, and he’ll do everything he can to make those slimy bastards pay, but he’ll only do it without risking us.
I was a fool to try to make Aelon sacrifice his honor. What kind of a man would let innocents die? I said I’d never let him be a father to my children because of his death wish, but likewise - I couldn’t have stayed with him if he’d made the choice I’d begged of him and run away – turning his back to the very people he’d dedicated his life to leading, serving and protecting.
I squeeze his arm, and tell him: “Aelon, I’m coming aboard with you. It will be fine, I promise. You know the Toads won’t risk losing the prize they came here for. You know this plan will work.”
Aelon takes a huge breath. If he refuses, he could lose me. If he allows me to come, however, he puts me in danger.
“Don’t make me make this choice.”
My eyes are wet, but I won’t cry. The seconds are ticking by and they can never be regained. We have to act quickly if we’re to survive.
“Aelon – you place more value on me than yourself. I feel it in your aura. You’ve been hiding your pain so long, but I can feel it.” I take a deep breath. “Please – you mean so much to me. Let me go with you, so I know you’re going to keep yourself safe.”
The first time I’d seen Aelon, I’d never thought I’d be saying something like this to him. This arrogant cocky man has so much more to offer than I’d seen at first. He’s gifted with so much more than just his confidence. Aelon’s deeper than that. I want him – and I want to see how deep his being goes.
For lingering moments, he just stares at me. Then, Aelon smiles bitterly.
“You’re not going to make my life simple, are you?”
“Never.”
His aura steels. Then, his cocky
