"I do not believe this will be one of them." The signal from the unit had Luol looking back to the control panel to see it had finished and was about to open.
"Luol?" Nikhil looked to him.
"She will be awake shortly. Stay close to her, Nikhil. The first thing she will remember is being attacked by the Zaludians. She is going to need to see you to know she is safe."
Nikhil held his breath as the tube retreated and he got his first glimpse of his Mackenzie. Her hair was still a matted, bloody mess as were her coverings, and while there was still blood on her face, all the damage caused by the Zaludian's fist was gone.
"Thank you, Goddess," Nikhil whispered with a shuddering breath as he lowered himself onto his forearms, his forehead coming to rest on hers. "Thank you."
"Nikhil?"
Mackenzie's faint, hesitant voice had him pulling back just far enough to look down into her beautiful, brown eyes filled with confusion. "I'm here, Mackenzie. You are safe."
"Where..." Suddenly it all came back to her, the explosions, the Zaludians, the studded fist coming at her and the pain. She jerked in Nikhil's arms, crying out in fear, her feet trying to gain leverage as her gaze flew behind him searching for her attacker.
"They're gone, Mackenzie." Nikhil wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close knowing why she was afraid. "The Zaludians are gone. You are safe."
"They are?" she asked looking up at him, her gaze full of fear. "I am?"
"Yes."
"Vow it," she demanded, but when he hesitated her eyes widened. "I'm not safe... they’re still here!"
"No!" Nikhil denied, his arms tightening around her holding her still. "They aren't!"
"Then why won't you give me your vow?!!" she demanded.
"Why would you still believe it, believe me, after I have failed you so completely?" he questioned and felt Mackenzie go completely still.
"What?" she asked looking up at him.
"I failed you! I left you unprotected, and you were harmed! The Zaludians harmed you!"
"Nikhil..." she reached up framing his face with her hands. "How can you possibly think that?"
"Because it is truth!" he told her.
"No, it’s not!" she denied. "You left me in the middle of a military base surrounded by armed warriors. How is that unprotected?!!"
"Because I wasn't there and you were harmed! I broke my vow."
"Nikhil..." Mac's eyes shined up into his with unshed tears. She knew how seriously Nikhil took those vows he gave her. "You think I would blame you for an attack no one could have predicted?"
"Of course. You are the most precious thing in my life. I should never have left your side."
"And you are the most precious thing in mine," Mac told him, "and nothing is ever going to change that, especially not some stupid attack by the Zaludians. I will always believe in you, Nikhil, always trust in you and your vow. It's like your love for me, strong and unending. Give me your vow."
Nikhil felt his own eyes fill with his True Mate's words. He hadn't lost her. She was still his."
"Always," Mac whispered, and he realized he'd spoken out loud.
"I vow to you, Mackenzie. The Zaludians are gone, and they will never harm you or any of your people again."
"I know..." she pulled his head down and kissed his lips. "I know we are all..." Suddenly, she remembered she hadn't been the only one harmed and she jerked back in Nikhil's arms. "Oh my God! Jen!"
"What?" Nikhil frowned down at her. He and Mackenzie had lain in bed every night, and she told him about every male that had been treated. There had been no one named Jen.
"Jen! We have to get to Jen!" she pushed at Nikhil's shoulders trying to get him to let her up. "He threw her against the wall after she jumped on his back trying to protect me."
"She?!!" Nikhil's gaze flew from Mackenzie to Luol and saw he was just as shocked.
"Yes! She! Oh God, we have to get to her. She hit that wall so hard! She hasn't been treated by the repair unit yet!" Mac covered her mouth with a trembling hand. "Oh God, Nikhil! I have to get to her! She stopped that Zaludian from taking me!"
Nikhil stood, ripping his comm from his belt. His eyes remained fixed on Mackenzie as he contacted Treyvon. "General!"
"What is it, Nikhil? Has your Ashe recovered?"
"Yes, General, but she has just informed me that the humans have been concealing another female. That the female was seriously injured during the attack!"
"What?!!" Treyvon's shout echoed off the walls even through the comm.
"Are you still in the survivors’ area?" Nikhil demanded.