Ariock leaned against the polished meteorite wall in the antechamber of his suite and leafed through a tiny little photo album.

Actually, it was a normal-sized album for humans. He just had to be extra careful with turning the plastic sleeves with his large fingers.

Mostly, he saw kids he did not recognize. Vy was in a good number of the photos, but she was a kid herself in some of them, and that little girl with long red hair was a stranger to him. The stout woman in many of the photos was obviously her mother. She looked good-natured and kind.

He got to the end and paged through the photo album one more time. There were a couple of group photos that included Thomas and Cherise, younger and more innocent than the friends he knew now.

Cherise had given him this gift idea. Ariock had surreptitiously gone to the Academy and asked for the human teacher, and had accidentally interrupted one of her classes.

He had just wanted to get a better sense of what would please Vy. Rainbows and vacations were nice, but fleeting. The prosthetic leg was as much a gift from Thomas as from Ariock. Surely there was something unique and valuable that Ariock alone could give her?

Cherise had gone to a chalkboard and sketched a cutaway view of a large house. She had pointed to the attic and said, “There should be a bunch of photo albums in a cabinet there. I think Vy might love to see pictures of our mom.”

Ariock did not need to physically show up in a place in order to take things. So he had ghosted to Earth, to the Hollander house attic. Then he had placed a sliver of himself there—a hair—just enough to wrap his awareness around this photo album and bring it back with his consciousness.

He wished he could reunite Vy with her family, without the consequence of reminding the Torth Empire that they would make good hostages. This album was the next best thing, he supposed. Maybe it would bridge some of the distance that had opened up between Vy and himself? They could go over each photo together. Ariock would ask who these people were.

It was worth a try.

He tucked the album in his hand, hiding it completely. Then he left his suite and crossed the hall. He gently knocked on Vy’s door.

“Vy?” he said.

No answer.

Maybe she was having a late night hang out with friends. That wouldn’t surprise him. Vy was spending less and less time in the war palace.

Dejected, Ariock headed for his own suite. He had just won a third metropolis on Nuss, and he really wished he could share that happy news with someone who cared. Someone who remembered how powerless he used to be.

He spread his awareness out of habit, just to gain a rough idea of where the chambermaids were. He didn’t like to be surprised by walking into his bedroom only to find strangers changing his bedsheets.

And—if he was honest with himself—he also wanted confirmation that Vy was not actually in her room, avoiding him on purpose.

The whole neighborhood was filled with a powerful, indistinct thrum.

Evenjos. She tended to wash out all life sparks in the immediate vicinity.

Ah well. Ariock figured Evenjos must be visiting the war palace in order to hold some kind of meeting with Garrett or Jinishta. She was working a lot more closely with them, serving as a military medic. Ariock no longer needed to worry about her attempts to seduce him. She had finally quit that behavior, and what a huge relief that was.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

He opened the door of his bedroom, prepared for another lonely night. He would try to see Vy tomorrow. Or the day after. He would figure out some casual way to surprise her with the gift of her family photo album.

A scent of fragrant oils filled the room.

Ariock paused.

Glowing spheres illuminated every marble surface, reflecting colors in a cozy way. Someone must have spent hours arranging this extravagant display.

Vy lounged on the gigantic bed, amidst plush blankets.

A semi-transparent black negligee stretched across her full breasts and emphasized the curves of her body. She was nude underneath. At least, nudity was strongly implied.

Something clunked on the floor. Ariock realized that he’d dropped the photo album.

Vy offered a shy, sweet smile. “Sorry if I surprised you.” She leaned up on one elbow. “I just missed hanging out with you. I’m tired of this … distance … that’s happening between us.”

The love and relief that washed through Ariock were more powerful than a million aliens praising his name.

He picked up the photo album, closed the bedroom door, and went to her.

Vy did not scoot away to make room, the way she normally would. She seemed to approve of every move he made, even when he came close enough to tower over her. Even when he carefully sat, which made the mattress compress. She slid closer.

“I’ve been afraid for far too long,” Vy said. “I don’t want that to stop me anymore.”

She trailed her hand across his huge forearm, past the iron spike, and up his bicep. She had to sit on her knees in order to reach that far up. This close, their size difference was obvious and disconcerting.

Ariock did not dare touch her. She might be in a sexy mood, but she had been in sexy moods before. Any second now, she was likely to remember her fears and change her mind.

“Uh.” He presented her with the photo album. “I wanted to give this to you.”

Vy seemed slightly annoyed, as if Ariock had distracted her from an important task. “What is it?” She cuddled next to him and took the album.

“Your family photos,” Ariock announced.

He watched Vy’s face as she turned pages. He could hardly wait to see her delight. When Vy was delighted, her whole face became almost too beautiful for him to handle.

Vy absorbed the sight of each photo with a fixed smile of fondness. But her smile did not change from page to page. She spent the same amount of time gazing at her foster siblings as she did gazing at her mom.

Maybe the losses were too painful?

She was probably just pretending to like this gift.

Ariock wished he could take it back. Why had he thought that an album full of her past happiness was a good idea? He was an idiot. Cherise might not have any clue what Vy wanted. He should have—

“Oh, it’s amazing!” Vy threw her arms around his broad neck. “I love that you got this for me.”

Her reaction seemed genuine. Ariock laughed, relieved that he must have misread her smile as forced.

Vy climbed onto his lap. The photo album seemed forgotten. She smelled freshly perfumed with cinnamon and spice, as if she had added aromatic oils to her skin.

She kissed him hungrily on the mouth, in a way she never had kissed him before.

“My sweetheart,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I made you wait so long.”

Ariock tried to gently push her off. Vy wasn’t acting quite like herself. He wanted to know why she had decided to discard all of her well-warranted anxiety. Was she forcing herself to get sexual, for some reason?

And he wanted—needed—for her to slow down.

His awareness kept snapping out, snagging ornamental spheres. One part of him strained against clothing that was too tight, demanding access to Vy.

Her fiery kisses were delicate to him. Each cute kiss sent a ripple of electricity through him, until he worried that he might cause an earthquake.

“Can we slow down?” he managed to say.

Vy straddled him. “I want you.”

Ariock began to protest, but Vy was a lot more determined than usual. She ripped open his jacket and ran her hands beneath his shirt, touching skin. She knelt on his lap, pressuring him to lie back, full length, on the huge bed.

That was a common sense position. It seemed Vy had premeditated this encounter.

She crawled onto his chest. She kissed him again and again, all the while undressing him, her blue eyes demure and hungry at the same time.

Ariock used every ounce of his willpower to restrain himself from moving aggressively. A gentleman rather than a giant. He touched her, encompassing her waist with his hands. His awareness expanded. He tried to stay calm, but every part of him yearned for the pliant woman on top of him, who was clearly eager for his touch.

If Vy was ready…. Well. How could he not be?