A WAR AMONGST THE STARS

CHAPTER NINE

An explosion of light surges out like a blasting wave. The room is lit with a bright white radiance. For a short moment, as all around is consumed, blinded by the glow, I heave a long, relaxed breath, my post-orgasmic body not just reveling in euphoric greatness after being pleasured so significantly, but relieved to know that she is back. My light has returned, radiating inside and out like the powerful, transcendent star that she is.

All is calm. All is still. All is—my eyes widen. "Zurhen? Zurhen! I shout.

His fingers that once filled me just moments ago have left but a vacant absence.

Panic consumes me. Immediately, I begin withdrawing my light so that I may find him in its absence. "Zurhen! Oh my god. Zurhen, are you okay? Zurhen! I'm so sorry. Please don't be dead. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. Zurhen! ZURHEN!" As soon as my light vanishes, fading back into me, there he remains with a wide, shocked gaze. I breathe a relieved sigh. "You're alive."

As he stares, frozen and speechless, a different type of panic begins to consume me. Having seen this look before, I know he wants nothing to do with me. He hates me. He hates what I am because he's afra—

"You talked," he whispers. "Do it again. Speak. Allow me to hear and understand your voice once more. Please," he asks of me.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I nod. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

"No. Quite the opposite. I feel—what did you do to me?"

"I—I don't know. I just—I didn't mean to explode but when you were—"

"That was from you coming?" he asks, seeming quite surprised.

"That's never happened before. I am so sorry."

"But you came this morning. You mean you have never come this strongly, or you've never exploded with light when you have?"

"Both. This morning was my first time."

A slick smirk tugs high at the corner of his lips. "Do not ever apologize to me for doing what you did. I will take whatever light you filled me with an infinite number of times just so that you may know pleasure like that once more. How—how are you speaking the universal language? Have you known it this whole time?"

"No, I just learned it."

"I do not understand. How is that possible?"

"I'm good at adapting to my surroundings." He shakes his head, chuckling. "Are you not afraid of me?" I ask, needing to know.

"Afraid of you? I am in complete awe of you." He doesn't fear me. I didn't hurt him. Zurhen doesn't hate what I am.

I smile, my tears that not of sadness but relief, joy.

"Why are you crying?" he wonders.

"Because—because you don't hate me."

His head tilts, his smile so sincere. "Hate you? I could never hate you." Zurhen reaches out, taking the side of my face in his broad, tender hold. His thumb... it caresses my cheek so sweetly, so dearly. "There are many questions that I wish to ask you, but the only question I wish to know more than any other is, what is your name?"

"Serena. My name is Serena."

"Serena," he whispers, his voice carrying out the last letter of my name with a long, soft echo. "A name I will forever speak and never forget. Hello, Serena."

"Hello, Zurhen."

His eyes spark. "You know my name," he says beneath a happy surprise. "Is it odd to feel as though I am meeting you for the first time?"