Chapter 19: Association, Domination, Submission, Possession

After leaving Evelyn, Vykhor headed back to the control room of the Narak'Tharr. But, whether he liked it or not, his thoughts stubbornly stayed fixated on the words of the reptilian leader: "A human as beautiful and... unique as her could fetch a fortune on the black market."

Vykhor couldn’t deny the truth in that statement. Evelyn was beautiful. Although it hadn’t been the first thing he noticed about her, the reality of her beauty had suddenly hit him, especially in comparison to the less flattering image he had formed based on Kane’s descriptions. Evelyn, the one meant to "break" him, was nothing like he had expected. From their very first interaction, he had been struck by her intelligence, her ability to understand technologies that even the most skilled engineers of his own people would struggle to master. She was different, and now that he knew her past, he understood why.

The reptilian's words haunted him not just because they reflected the harsh truth of the merciless universe they lived in, but also because they echoed a feeling Vykhor had been unwilling to admit until now. Evelyn wasn’t just valuable for her skills; she was precious for her beauty too, a beauty that extended far beyond her physical appearance. Her delicate features and deep eyes had caught his attention from their first meeting, but that wasn’t all. She was beautiful in her demeanor, in her quick thinking, in the way she analyzed complex situations and made decisions despite her apparent fragility.

And now that they were alone on the Narak'Tharr, this truth was impossible to ignore. The fact that she was by his side, sharing this chaotic and dangerous mercenary life, made the situation increasingly alluring for Vykhor. The seed of this thought, which he had initially suppressed, was now growing in his mind. He wasn’t an ordinary man. He was Kael'tarien, a fallen prince and a feared mercenary. Evelyn, though she didn’t yet realize it, wasn’t just an ally or a partner. She could become something much more, and the idea of that possibility was becoming almost irresistible to him.

Evelyn had no idea of Vykhor’s true nature—his possessive, dominant side, how ruthless he could be in his desires just as he was in battle. But she would find out soon enough, that much was certain. He wanted her by his side, not just as an ally, but as something more intimate, something deeper. The thought of her sharing this tumultuous life with him pleased him far more than he’d originally thought.

Now, Vykhor had to decide how far he was willing to go to keep Evelyn close to him. He still prided himself on the self-control he had maintained during their time together in her cabin. The way her form-fitting suit clung to her body had stirred a fiery desire within him that he had kept dormant for too long. But that restrained desire was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

The tension escalated a week later. Vykhor hadn’t found any interesting missions, and the inactivity was starting to weigh on him. He was a fighter, and sitting idly on the Narak'Tharr was driving him crazy. Evelyn, on the other hand, had used the time to rest and immerse herself in learning. With Kryna’s help, she had begun studying several alien languages, including Kael'Tarien, Vykhor’s native language. Her hypermnesic mind absorbed the information at an incredible pace, and she took pleasure in exploring new facets of the universe that were still unknown to her.

That morning, she decided to test what she had learned, hoping to surprise Vykhor. After all, it was rare to see this stoic man react with anything other than his usual calm. She figured that mastering his native language might briefly throw him off balance.

Vykhor was already in the control room, bent over the consoles, focused on his usual tasks. As Evelyn entered, she felt a little nervous, but a smile tugged at her lips at the thought of the surprise she was about to give him.

Approaching him, she greeted him in a clear, confident voice, speaking in Kael'Tarien: "Kash'ran ma, Vykhor." (Roughly translated: Good morning, Vykhor.)

Vykhor froze instantly, his fingers suspended above the controls. He straightened up slowly and turned his head toward her, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. Evelyn had never seen such an expression on his face. He was usually so in control of his emotions, but here, she could see genuine shock etched on his features.

"You... speak Kael'Tarien?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief he didn’t bother to hide.

Evelyn nodded, delighted that she had managed to catch him off guard. "I’ve spent the week studying it with Kryna. I wanted to understand your language and show my commitment to working with you."

Vykhor was silent for a moment, clearly impressed. "You learned Kael'Tarien in a week..." he murmured, almost to himself. "That’s... incredible."

Evelyn blushed slightly, but her enthusiasm was evident in her voice. "There are still a few nuances I’m missing, but I’m ready to keep learning. And that’s not all." She took a deep breath before attempting what she thought was an innocent phrase meant to compliment Vykhor. In her mind, she intended to say something like, "I’m really impressed by your skills, Vykhor." But a poor choice of words, combined with her excitement, transformed her sentence into a burning, unexpected confession: "I love you passionately and want to be yours."

The silence that followed was deafening. Vykhor, usually stoic and impassive, seemed frozen in place. His sharp yellow eyes, always so piercing, widened slightly, revealing a rare flicker of surprise. For the first time since Evelyn had met him, he looked genuinely thrown off. Evelyn, realizing almost immediately the enormous mistake she had just made, felt her face flush with embarrassment. Panic was rising inside her.

"Oh no... what did I say?" she whispered, almost trembling with confusion. She knew something had gone wrong, but she couldn’t quite grasp what. The air in the room seemed to thicken, and she couldn’t help but stare at Vykhor, desperately trying to gauge what he would do next.

Vykhor remained motionless, but inside, a silent battle raged. He was Kael'tarien, hardened by war in a universe where controlling his emotions was vital for survival. Yet Evelyn’s words had sent a shockwave through him that he couldn’t contain. His primal instinct, the one he had repressed for so long, was resurfacing with a force he hadn’t anticipated.

She loved him. Or at least, that’s what she had said. Vykhor knew it was a misunderstanding, but it didn’t matter to his turbulent mind. The words had been spoken, and the seed of desire he had buried was now blossoming into an uncontrollable storm. She wanted to be his. Those words echoed in his mind like a temptation he knew he couldn’t resist forever.

He should have corrected the misunderstanding, restored the balance between them that they had carefully maintained aboard the Narak'Tharr. But instead, a darker part of him, a more primal side, saw an opportunity he couldn’t miss. The desire he had kept in check for so long now burned with an unrelenting intensity. The image of her body against his, her soft skin under his fingers, her submission, even if only for a moment, was intoxicating.

"Evelyn..." His voice was lower, rougher, almost animalistic. He stepped toward her, his gaze locking onto hers, more intense and dominant than ever before. Evelyn, still confused by the turn of events, couldn’t help but shiver under his gaze. Vykhor was already dominating her with his presence, and this time, he wasn’t going to let her slip away. He stopped just inches from her, feeling the palpable tension between them.

He slowly raised a hand and gently touched her, almost delicately, his rough palm brushing against her flushed cheek. Evelyn was too shocked to move, too unsettled to fully comprehend what was happening. But she could feel the power behind that simple gesture, a power that could either protect or possess her.

"You don’t know what you just said..." he whispered, his gaze never leaving hers, a burning intensity in his eyes. "But I’ll show you."

He leaned closer, their bodies almost touching, his warm breath brushing against Evelyn’s skin. The desire he had kept locked away for so long now surged through him with violent intensity. A part of him knew this was a mistake, that he shouldn’t give in to this temptation. But he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He wanted to possess her, to feel her submit to his power, even if only for a fleeting moment in this dangerous and unpredictable life they shared.

The self-control Vykhor had prided himself on was slowly breaking, eroded by the whirlwind of desire coursing through him. He knew that giving in to this temptation could change everything between them, that he was crossing a line that couldn’t be undone, but he let himself be carried away. His dominant instinct, deep and ancient, was taking over. He grabbed Evelyn’s wrists, his movements firm but measured. He had no intention of hurting her, only of asserting his control. He raised her arms above her head, holding her wrists in one strong hand, his grip solid, unyielding.

He gazed at her for a long moment, his sharp yellow eyes searching for every emotion that crossed her face. Evelyn was clearly troubled, that much was obvious. Her wide eyes were locked on him, gleaming with confusion. But there was something else. He could sense that small spark of emotion she couldn’t quite hide: desire. That subtle mix of fear and excitement stirred the predator within him.

With one hand, he slid his fingers into Evelyn’s silky hair, tugging gently but firmly, forcing her head to tilt back. Evelyn gasped in surprise, her breath catching in her throat.

“You told me you loved me, Evelyn,” Vykhor murmured, his voice a low rumble, his gaze fixed on the exposed curve of her throat. He pressed a light kiss on her skin, soft, almost like a whisper. “That you loved me passionately. Do you even know what passion means for the Kael’tariens, Evelyn?”

He kissed her again, this time longer, his lips hot against her soft skin. He could feel her pulse quickening, her heart racing furiously beneath his lips. She was trying to hide her turmoil, but her body betrayed her.

“You told me you wanted to be mine,” he continued, his tone darker, almost possessive. “I like that idea, Evelyn. But I don’t think you know what you’re really getting into.”

Evelyn opened her mouth, trying to say something, but no words came out. Her body refused to move, torn between the instinct to flee and the strange sensation that froze her in place. Was this situation really so unbearable?

Vykhor tightened his grip on her hair, his fingers weaving deeper into the strands. Then, with calculated gentleness, he bit down lightly on the hollow of her neck. Evelyn’s cry, a mix of surprise and pain, sparked a deep satisfaction in him.

“Vykhor,” she whimpered, her voice trembling.

“When I take, Evelyn, I take everything.” His voice was rougher, more primal. He released her hair, though not without a hint of reluctance. The temptation to keep her close, to fully dominate her, to possess her completely, was growing stronger within him. But he let his arms fall, stepping back reluctantly.

For now.