Interstellar
22

Nova followed Leon to a clear spot away from the group, still near enough to clearly hear Cohen’s firm corrections as he moved between the pairs of sparring youth. Titan began to follow, but Orion’s palm pressed firmly against his chest kept him in place. Orion shook his head before giving his brother’s chest a few gentle slaps. “We both know what happens if you do that. Come on, I’ll let you land a few sympathy hits before I kick your ass.”

Titan always fell victim to his brother’s taunting, and it snapped him from his daze. He desperately wanted to fight for his mate, to demonstrate his willingness to protect her from any foe in her path. But Orion, in his subtle wisdom, reminded him that this was not his battle to win. It had to be her.

Nova felt Leon’s gaze on every inch of her skin. Just a couple days ago that look would have filled her with an insatiable hunger. She shifted into a defensive stance, watching his movements as he circled her slowly. He approached quickly, telegraphing each jab so she could easily block against it. She recognized he was holding back from the first weak impact, his knuckles barely skimming across her arm. He had no desire to hurt her, only a point to prove.

“I thought holding back was an insult?” Nova taunted the man before her, baiting him to come at her with his full strength. She wouldn’t continue this fight if he didn’t. He was quick to grab her arm and flip her onto her back, the impact knocking the air from her chest. He pressed a knee into her stomach as she raised her legs to kick him off unsuccessfully.

“Point,” he said while rising off of her, offering his hand to help her up. Nova was quick to her feet, that earlier defiance having returned with a vengeance. She cleared her mind and stared at him, her eyes that of a predator. A wild grin split his lips and he began circling her again.

Leon had successfully flipped Nova three times before she kicked his legs from underneath him. She pinned him to the ground, her hand firmly grasping the collar of his shirt. Her breathing was heavy from exertion as she hovered above him. Leon reacted quickly, wrapping his thighs around her waist and flipping them backward. She groaned when her back hit the ground again, his shirt slipping from her fingers as her arms fell to her sides. Leon planted his hands on either side of her head, maintaining his seat across her hips. His fingers grazed one of her cheeks and she felt his arousal firmly pressed against her.

“What I wouldn’t give to have you on top of me again,” his voice game out in a breathy whine. She leaned into his touch for a moment, his hand cupping her reddened cheek, before pushing up on her elbows and rolling on top of him. His hand tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck, gripping her tightly. He leaned up toward her, bringing his face dangerously close, before she rolled onto her back and lifted her knees against his chest, shoving him onto the ground.

Her eyes did not share his need when she looked down at him, but they were full of remorse. “Point.”

Leon’s body relaxed into the ground, his limbs spread out. He stared at the sky, defeated. “You look at me like I’m a lost pup. How did I fall so far from your grace?”

Nova sat on the ground a couple feet from him, crossing her legs before tucking her hands into her lap. “It wasn’t meant to be. But Leon, tell me, what would you have done if I’d refused this match.”

“It wasn’t about the match. I needed to see what you felt for me.”

“I gathered as much. But that doesn’t answer my question.”

“Yesterday, Titan and I went to the woods. I showed him the place where I had meant to claim you. We stayed there for hours, and each passing moment I fought the urge to rip out his throat and leave him rotting in the sacred place he destroyed. The entire time I prayed to Goddess to give me the strength to wait. And when she answered, she directed me back to you.”

“Leon-” Nova’s tone was understanding, but impatient.

“You have shown me your guilt and remorse. Your pity. But you hadn’t shown me your heart. If your soul had reached for mine, I would not have hesitated. If you had refused me, I would not have hesitated.”

She clenched her hands in her lap, “So what happens from here?” Her question hung in the air, going unanswered. Leon continued to search the sky for answers.

Once obvious that she would get no further answers, Nova stood and returned to the sparring group, leaving Leon to whatever it was that he was doing. Her eyes were drawn to her mate, a sad smile on her face as she watched him spar. Titan was shrieking about the injustice of not getting his sympathy hits in. Orion’s laughter was sharp and mocking, further fueling Titan’s rampage. Nova’s smile brightened as she realized what Orion was doing. The lithe young man caught a glimpse of Nova in his peripherals and sent her a sly wink before dropping to the ground and sweeping Titan’s legs at the knee. Orion jogged toward Nova as his brother screamed from the ground. He paused to catch his breath, resting his hands behind his head, “I always forget how hard it is to wear him out. He needs the outlet, though. Remember that when he tries to shut you out.” Orion was gone as quickly as he arrived, jogging back to resume his match. Nova felt an endearing warmth for Orion. She appreciated his gentle nudges and the nuggets of wisdom he’d freely given, all for their shared love of his brother. As she watched them continue to spar, she saw Orion slow his pace, forcing himself to block jabs instead of evading entirely. Instead of slipping out of a grapple, he allowed himself to be caught. Without his speed, Orion was no match for Titan’s brute strength, and he braced himself for impact as he was thrown over Titan’s shoulder.

“Sympathy hit number 1,” Orion groaned, rolling to his side. Titan barked a laugh and helped his brother to his feet.

Titan felt his mate’s gaze and turned toward her, an instant calm washing over him. “Raincheck on the rest of ’em.” He took long strides, approached the bronzed, earthly goddess before him, and greeted her with a deep kiss. “What did he want?”

Nova replayed the recent events in her mind, struggling to explain it. Leon had wanted her. He had wanted her skin to spark at his touch, her heart to skip a beat when he caressed her face, a moan to slip between her lips as he pinned her against his raging hard on. Titan rested his forehead against hers as he saw her mind churning, the easy comfort of his touch drawing the words from her. “He wanted to see if he still had any claim to me.”

“What did you say to convince him he doesn’t?”

“Nothing,” she said with a smile, “He could sense it.”