Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Chapter 213

Tempest had no idea how long she had been in this dream world with Dron.

It wasn’t as if she were complaining about it.

She was really starting to get used to it. The seclusion, the intimacy. The way it seemed as if they never ran out of things to talk about.

It was all so easy with Dron, especially without any outside interference.

It should worry her that they’d come and gone from the dream world several times already. She had no real hold on time or reality.

She could have been asleep for a few hours, for a few days. She didn’t know. All she knew was that every time she woke up back in the small hut that Tine let them use, her heat was still on her. She woke in pain and needy.

Dron was always right there to take the pain away.

Then they fell asleep connected and reemerged in the dream world where they could catch their breath and connect with each other intimately.

"Has anyone ever stayed in this place?" Tempest questioned as she reached down and played with the cool sand underneath them.

Dron furrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Stay connected, stay in this shared dream space?"

Dron shook his head. "I don’t believe so. Our bodies wouldn’t allow us to do that. As great as this place is, we need to be able to live in the real world."

Tempest lifted her head and let the warm sun bathe her face.

It wasn’t so hot. It felt like a perfect day on the beach. It calmed her in a way that she would never be able to calm herself in the real world.

"I think I would like to stay here. If it were possible."

Dron reached forward and grabbed hold of her face. He smiled gently. "Tempest, as much as I would love to spend all my time with you, there are people outside of here that need us. They are counting on us."

Tempest sighed and moved away from Dron just a little bit. "I know. Trust me, I know all about the duties that are waiting for us. I’m just being a little selfish. I get to have you all to myself here. I don’t have to share." She grinned.

Dron growled slightly and moved forward to nip at her lip. "I’m not sure you’d like that after too much longer."

"What are you trying to say? You think I’d get annoyed with you?"

"Absolutely, I’m quite moody." He rolled his eyes. "At least that’s what people tell me."

Tempest feigned a gasp and pressed her hand to her heart in a show. "No! Not you!" She shook her head, and the both of them giggled at their theatrics.

Dron wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. Tempest laid her head against his chest and just let the air wash over her as he slowly combed his fingers through her hair.

"I can’t promise you the problems we left behind won’t still be there when we wake up, but I can make you another promise." He stilled for a second.

"I’m listening."

"I promise you that when this is all over, we will go back to our land and live a life of peace. I won’t be forced to leave you anymore. There will be no more fighting. No more politics. It’ll just be you and me."

"That’s not true," Tempest whispered but didn’t turn to look at him.

"You doubt me, temptation?"

"I don’t doubt you, but I know that you will still have other responsibilities. You’re a soldier. You are going to be called back to fight."

"This will be my last tour," Dron said matter-of-factly. Decision already made.

Tempest whirled around at that.

"What? What do you mean? You’re getting out of the military? Can you even do that?"

"I can. I’ve put in my time. I won’t have the income provided by being in the military, but I don’t need it. I’ve never spent any of my credits on much. We have all we need and then some."

Tempest blinked at him a few times. She wanted to be over the moon excited about that. But there was still a bit of hesitation inside of her. "Will you be fulfilled in that? I mean, I know this has been your life. I feel like you’re changing everything you are to make me more comfortable. That’s not right."

"Me? You’re the one who had to leave your entire planet behind. The least I can do is make sure you are comfortable." Dron pressed a kiss to her forehead.

This man was everything that she could ever want, and he wasn’t even a real man, at least not in her mind. He was an alien.

Still, she couldn’t be more sure of her decision.

"About that..." Tempest started.

Dron turned himself slightly so that he was looking into her eyes, a serious look on his face. "About what? Do you not want me to retire from the military?"

He licked his lips, and Tempest could see the nervousness starting to build in his eyes. The wind around them picked up.

"No, I’m perfectly fine with that. If you think that is a good idea, I couldn’t be more grateful that you would do that for me. I’m talking about me giving up my home planet for you."

Dron nodded once but kept his eyes glued on Tempest.

"I think I finally made a decision on going back. If you’ll have me, I’d like to stay here with you. I’d like to live here on Ustea with you for...well, forever."

Dron blinked a few more times, and then the brightest smile she’d ever seen come from him erupted on his face.

"You mean it? You want to stay with me?"

"Yes."

Dron jumped up and pulled Tempest into a massive hug before he twirled around with her as if she were nothing more than a rag doll.

She laughed at his obvious glee.

"I can’t believe it. I mean, I hoped and prayed, bargained with the Moon Goddess, but there was always a doubt that you would still choose to try and get back home."

"No, there’s nothing there for me now. My life is here with you." Tempest raised her hand and placed it against his cheek.

Tempest didn’t know if this was the best idea. She didn’t know what she would have to endure if she stayed here with Dron.

She did know that no matter what happened after the battle, things would change for everyone.

What if Dron was taken away from her? Would she still want to stay here? What if she were in the same boat as Mexyn and they would have to spend the rest of their lives in Skoq? Tempest didn’t know if she could do that.

Still, she was willing to keep going toward the danger if there was even a chance that she would be able to spend the rest of her life with Dron.

Dron was still over the moon. Absolutely on cloud nine.

Tempest moved closer to him, hugging him tightly, trying to siphon some of the glee from him. She didn’t want to be so worried, but she couldn’t help herself.

One step at a time.

She kept saying that over and over in her mind. She had to get through what they were going through now in order to get to her happily ever after.

"I can’t wait to wake up again," Dron hummed softly against the top of her head.

Tempest pulled back and looked up at him.

"You don’t like being in here with me?"

"I love it, but I want to show you in the real world exactly how grateful I am that you’ve made that decision."

Tempest chuckled. "You can start here." She raised an eyebrow at him.

It was all Dron needed to hear. He picked her up again and this time gently laid Tempest down on the ground while he started kissing and touching every last spot on her body. She closed her eyes and just let Dron love on her. All of her life, she wanted someone to make her feel this way. To have someone who truly adored her.

She didn’t realize that she would have to give up all she knew back on Earth just to get that to be a reality.

The darkness behind her eyes got more intense, and she felt herself falling back into what she now described as the void. The space between dream worlds and reality.

She forced her eyes back open. She didn’t want to miss out on anything.

Especially when anything included Dron kissing down her body.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings just to make sure that they were still together. When she looked up, she saw something that wasn’t there before.

"Dron." She reached down and shook him slightly.

"No worries, I’m getting there," he replied without ever looking up at her.

She chuckled again and wiggled her body. "Dron, look." She shook him again.

He lifted his head, and his eyes focused on what Tempest was trying to show him.

In the distance, there was something that looked completely out of place. As if it were meant to be in a castle somewhere. There was a large royal throne, gilded and stone. On either side were two chairs.

"What is that?" Tempest asked.

"I don’t know. It’s not for me." Dron shrugged and went back to doing what he was doing to Tempest’s body.

She wanted to believe him. Wanted to believe the mirage that they had just seen had nothing to do with him.

Something inside of her was telling her that wasn’t the case.