Kraving Dravka by Zoey Draven

Chapter Twenty-Six

The private entrance to the docking bay was, fortunately, not guarded.

The Port itself was a large, sprawling area that took up approximately three square miles of space on Everton. It was massive. And it was responsible for the majority of the jobs on Everton, like most colonies.

Valerie swallowed when she saw a towering building in the midst of it all. It read ‘Larchmont’ on the face, another reminder of Gabriel back at the brothel, a reminder of Celine.

A reminder of everything they had to lose if this failed.

Dravka squeezed her hand as the driverless car came to a stop in front of the gate. Beyond the black iron, Valerie could see a pleasure vessel, larger than she expected—much larger than the public transport she’d taken to Everton from Genesis for that matter—and she heard the dull whirring of the engines.

The pilot was already there. On their approach, the gate slid open but the car didn’t move since it was only programmed to journey to that specific marker of the address.

“Let’s go,” she told the three Keriv’i males crammed in the car.

Dravka buttoned for the door and it swung open silently. He stepped from the car, helping her down, and she was followed closely by Tavak and Ravu.

The air felt colder in the Port and she shivered. Thankfully, however, it was dark and she didn’t see anyone around, considering it was nearly eleven at night.

Valerie led them through the gate, her flat shoes clapping on the unmarked pavement. When they approached the vessel, the slim silver ramp lowered and a man descended it, coming to meet them. He was tall and handsome, with grey peppering his temples.

Blowing out a small breath, Valerie gave the man a small smile, nodding her head in greeting, as if this was a regular occurrence, as if this wasn’t strange in the slightest.

“Miss…Browen?” the man asked, his gaze darting to the three Keriv’i males that surrounded her.

“Valerie, please,” she told the male.

“Ben Vanner,” he said, introducing himself.

Valerie had to hand it to Ben. After his initial surprise at seeing the Keriv’is in her company, he didn’t blink. She wondered if Celine had warned him. But he’d have to be discreet, right? Working as a private pilot for the Larchmonts?

That realization made her shoulders loosen, though only slightly.

“Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice,” she told Ben, flashing him another smile, one she hoped didn’t waver with her nerves. “Did Celine tell you the destination?”

“Nimida,” he said, inclining his head. “I’ll have you there in about four hours.”

Four hours. The pleasure vessel must be fast then. That was how long it had taken her to reach Everton from Genesis. And Nimida was much farther away.

“That would be great,” she said.

“Come aboard,” the pilot said, stepping back into the vessel after he ascended the ramp again. “I have a few last checks to run but we will be on our way shortly.”

Valerie nodded, watching as he disappeared from view.

And sorrow descended over her when her gaze connected with Dravka’s. Because this was it…

Tavak and Ravu had already begun to climb the ramp.

Dravka saw whatever it was in her gaze and his own hardened.

“Veki.”

Tavak and Ravu paused when they heard the word and Valerie felt her bottom lip tremble.

Tears began to flow in her vision, the back of her nostrils stinging, a lump rising in her throat. She didn’t want to cry but how could she not? It all suddenly felt so real. Too real.

“I have to stay behind,” she told him. “She’ll find you otherwise.”

“We can come to a deal with the pilot. He won’t say a word,” Dravka said, his tone still unyielding. “No one will know where we’ve gone, except Celine Larchmont. And she has more reason to make us disappear than anyone. What are you so worried about?”

Valerie’s gaze slid to the dark sky behind him.

“Do you…do you not want to come? With us?” Dravka asked quietly. “With me?”

She sucked in a sharp breath, her gaze swinging back towards him. “I want nothing more than that!”

“Then tell me why,” he snapped, frustration and confusion eating at him.

Valerie’s hand reached up to the back of her shoulder. When she shrugged it, she could feel that little device wedged against the bone, pressing uncomfortably. A constant reminder.

“She put a tracker in me shortly after I arrived on Everton,” Valerie told him, not shying from his gaze. She sensed Tavak and Ravu coming back down the ramp and her eyes went to them. “That’s why I can’t go with you. She can find me. She will always find me. And if she does, that means she’ll find you.”

“She put a tracker in you,” Dravka repeated quietly, his eyes flashing with rage.

“Yes,” Valerie whispered. “In my shoulder.”

Tavak cursed, the sound low and guttural. Dravka’s nostrils flared.

“All this time…” he murmured, shaking his head. “This is why?”

“You’ll never have peace, now that the engagement is over,” Valerie continued softly. “I have no power over her anymore, which means I can’t protect you. And once she finds you gone…”

She didn’t even want to think about Madame Allegria’s rage. Her rage once she found out that her engagement to Gabriel Larchmont was over. Her rage once she found out that Celine Larchmont had a Blue Light drive full of information that could have her imprisoned, that would bring her life and wealth crumbling down, burying her…

Dravka’s jaw set. Maybe now he finally understood why—

“I told you,” Dravka murmured, “that if you don’t get on that vessel, I won’t either. And I meant it.”

Her breath hitched in disbelief. Her brows furrowed. “Dravka—”

“So I’m going to ask you something,” Dravka continued, cutting off her words.

Valerie frowned, her eyes going to Tavak and Ravu in confusion. “What?”

“Will you be brave for me, mellkia?” Dravka asked, his eyes pained. “For us?”

“What?” she whispered, staring at Dravka.

“You love me, Val,” he continued. “And I love you. Deeply. Always. I want us to start a new life. Together. On Dumera. Like we always talked about, pax?”

Her heartbeat tripled.

“Yes, I remember,” she said, her eyes going glassy again.

“You want that?”

She swallowed, her throat tight. Her voice was ragged when she said, “More than anything.”

She began to cry, fat tears dripping down her cheeks, her breaths coming quick.

His nostrils flared again and his back straightened. He came to her, wiping the tears away. Gently, he said, “Then tell me one thing, mellkia…”

“Yes?”

“Where is it in your shoulder exactly?”

Ravu cursed this time. Blood started to rush in Valerie’s ears.

“And will you be brave for us?” Dravka went on, his own voice dropping, his tone strained. “This will hurt you, even with a sedative. And I wish to the demavs that I could take the pain for you, but I can’t. I do, however, have very steady hands.”

He…

He wanted to cut the tracker out of her?

Valerie’s eyes darted back and forth between his own. Trying to think. Trying to read him.

That was when she felt it.

Hope.

Fucking hope.

For the first time…

That…they might actually have a chance at this. That she might actually get to be with Dravka, to live beside him, for the rest of their lives.

Valerie had looked into the surgery that would remove the tracker once. Not that she’d ever be able to afford it, given that Madame Allegria had never paid her a single credit…but she’d still looked. She’d still hoped that maybe one day, she would be rid of it. She’d hoped that one day she’d leave and never worry again about her aunt finding her.

Back then, she knew it was foolish. She had no credits. Even then, she had nowhere to go, not that she’d ever leave Dravka behind.

She froze with understanding.

So why had she expected him to leave her behind?

“Dravka,” she whispered, realizing that she’d asked him an impossible and selfish thing.

Well, now she had somewhere to go. She had a vessel, fueled and ready. She had credits.

She had Dravka.

And the price to have all of it?

Some pain, fleeting and temporary.

He would never leave her behind.

That left only one option…a risk they would have to take.

“Do it,” she whispered, nodding, reaching forward to take his hand. “If you think you can, then get it out of me. Make sure she never finds us again.”

Relief—and dark determination—flashed over his face.

In the next moment, he was kissing her, a desperate, wild thing that made her want to smile and laugh.

For their future?

She could handle anything.

“You have to do it quickly,” Tavak cut in, making the both of them pull away from their kiss. The other male looked pensive, focused. “If the tracker sends its transmission for too long, she might be able to determine our course.”

Valerie sobered, her fingers digging into Dravka’s shoulders.

“We also can’t afford to wait here,” Ravu argued, exchanging a look with his brother. “We should leave Everton now. Get the tracker out within an hour of our flight. That should be fast enough.”

Valerie blew out a breath. Her gaze returned to Dravka’s.

He gave her a small nod.

“Are you ready?” he rasped.

“Yes,” she said, her voice firm, though her hands shook. It wasn’t from the fear of pain, however. It was the excitement and possibility, and the adrenaline of finally leaving Everton. With him.

Nothing else mattered.

She wanted to scream her happiness, her relief, up to the sky and let it echo around Everton.

But they didn’t have time for that.

“My brave female,” Dravka murmured down to her, clasping her hand in his own. “I’ll take care of this. I’ll take care of you. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

And because she believed him, trusted him more than anyone…Valerie had never heard sweeter words in her entire life.