CalltheMoon by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

spurred the Masuo into covering her, and when the suit had returned to full size, she sat up and folded the blanket back.
    “Can you feel Piquaro in the planet?”
    The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the ground underneath them shivered. It wasn’t a large motion, but it was definitely proof that something was going on.
    She grinned, “Did you feel that? That was Piquaro renewing his bond with the soil and rock.”
    “Are you still communicating with him?”
    She shook her head. “He has left me completely.”
    Viiko fidgeted and looked as if he had more questions but didn’t know how to ask them.
    “Once I have had some more food, I will run a diagnostic on the energy levels of Piq. From that point, I will try to make contact again if you like.”
    He smiled and nodded. “Please.”
    He helped her to her feet and kept an arm around her waist while they walked to the dining table.
    Viiko prepared some tea and got Naka a ration bar. She slowly worked through the ration, drinking water and waiting for the tea. “Well, I hope Piquaro is happy.”
    Viiko brought the tea tray over. “Why?”
    “Because I am not moving him anywhere anytime soon.” She snickered.
    She watched her companion bring out a tray of food and watched wistfully as he ate something that was a lot more tempting than the prefab bar she was gnawing on.
    “Why am I on ration bars and you get stuff that actually looks like food?”
    He laughed. “Because Dhemons have been out in the Alliance for generation and the Resicor just entered the intergalactic arena. The Alliance is scrambling to learn about your species, and every time they get a bit of solid information, a weakness of your species surfaces.”
    “Weakness?”
    “You have delicate digestions. You have special dietary requirements that have to be planned for. Your people do not travel well in space, but you thrive on any world you land on. That is a strength.”
    She inclined her head in acknowledgement of the compliment and bit another chunk off her ration bar.
    They sat in companionable silence as they drank their tea, and finally, Viiko asked something that had obviously been bothering him. “Did you know that you were going to have to walk onto the moon without protection?”
    She contemplated how to answer him and opted for most of the truth. “Yes. Piquaro mentioned that it had to be direct contact to transfer his consciousness. I thought it might be necessary, but then, I also know one talent that I have that the original thief probably did not.”
    “What was that?”
    She grinned, “My dear, Viiko, I can go untested amounts of time while not breathing. Piquaro was given full possession of my body. I did not fight him in any way. With my mind silent and my body quiet, he simply rode along until he was home.”
    Understanding came into his eyes. “The thief must have fought him.”
    “Fought and lost.”
    She rested with her elbows on the table and her teacup between her palms. “I am exhausted.”
    “Technically, you have died twice in the last few days. No wonder you are tired.” He shook his head.
    A bright giggle started low in her belly and spilled out into the room. She howled with laughter until tears made it down her cheeks.
    Viiko got to his feet and removed her teacup from her hands, placing it firmly on the table.
    Without another word, he lifted her to her feet and covered her laughing mouth with his. Her laughter changed direction, and she curled her arms around his neck, holding herself against him as her blood rose and heart pounded.
    If she had gotten this kind of greeting the other times, she might have made an effort to stop breathing more often.

Chapter Ten
    The ground quaked beneath their feet, and for a moment, Naka wasn’t sure if it was just her or the actual ground of Piq that had a sudden shift. When Viiko raised his head and asked, “What was that?” she had her answer.
    Sighing at the end of something that she had been looking