Fl

by Waily

Fl2

4. 4

Chapter 1

Vanessa couldn't recall a time in her life when she'd been so unhappy about shopping. Gazing into the crowded trinket tent with shelves upon shelves of wondrous items found on planets throughout the Alliance, she couldn't muster any enthusiasm.

Growing up, she hadn't had the option to shop much. Browsing through a bin of hand-me-downs in the various foster homes she and her sister had grown up in was the closest she'd come to shopping as a youth. Then, after Julie, her older sister, had turned eighteen and moved them both out, shopping had been a luxury. Necessary items only.

"Let's go in," Daisy urged from her left.

Vanessa shot her a weak smile, knowing Daisy was only trying to make her feel better. Since stepping foot on Clecania almost a month ago, Vanessa had been itching to leave. Not because she'd been abducted from Earth, locked in a cell, and almost experimented on by the rogue aliens she and her friends liked to refer to as PRIC. But because she needed to get back to Julie.

Julie, the one who'd sacrificed and watched out for Vanessa her whole life. And the one she'd said unspeakable things to in the heat of the moment mere hours before her abduction. Vanessa swallowed. Julie, who might already be dead.

At Daisy's insistence, she stepped into the large tent. She'd been told that every four weeks, the main road bisecting the city of Tremanta became crowded with pop-up tents and stands. Some, like the one she was in, were simple fabric structures. Others were fantastical things somehow collapsible and constructed of glass or, in the case of the winged Clecanian a few tents down, bone and feathers. Talk about zero waste.

"Hey, Luka wants to check out what off-world animals that trader down the street brought this time," Alice yelled from the grassy, flat area they called a street. Since the Clecanians jetted around in floating cruisers, it made sense that the so-called roads were just cleared sections of land and not paved. Still, it was odd to behold towering, twirling skyscrapers glittering in the sunlight all around and then see

grass running between the buildings. As if nature was taking the city back.

Daisy bounced on the balls of her feet and darted her gaze toward Alice. "Let's go see the animals," she chirped. "Remember when we walked by? There was that weird cat thing. It was sooo cute."

"Cute?" Vanessa chuckled. "It was five feet long and had a detachable jaw. Not exactly a kitten."

"It was adorable, and you know it," Daisy argued, inching in the direction of the exit. "You coming, or are you gonna be okay on your own?"

Vanessa waved her away. "I'm fine—go."

Daisy all but skipped out of the tent and locked arms with Alice, her brown curls healthy and shining in the afternoon sun. Vanessa had glimpsed her reflection in a large, dusty, round mirror as they'd entered the shop and saw her hair was flat. Dull. Her complexion like chalk. Long, sleepless nights had done a number on her.

It wasn't like Daisy didn't want to go home too. She had family she missed and a life of her own, but unlike Vanessa, Daisy had set her mind to acclimating, and over the past

three and a half weeks, she'd succeeded. Vanessa envied her. She envied all her friends, really.

They'd been able to enjoy the astounding things Clecania had to offer without reservation. The wonderful food and technology. The beautiful clothes and incredible architecture. Every time happiness sparked in Vanessa, guilt immediately snuffed it out. Joy was not something she deserved, nor would it be until she got back home to Earth and made things right.

The hair on her neck prickled, and she spotted the shop owner staring at her from the corner of the shop. She was an older woman but gorgeous, with bright orange hair and fawn-colored eyes. Her deep navy skin was smooth and even, and the glittering markings curling over her body shone like veins of gold.

With a tight-lipped nod, Vanessa turned and ventured farther into the store. The air was heavy and the warm, woody smell of old books filled the tent, though there were no old books in sight.

The hair on her neck remained lifted, and she frowned, knowing the woman was still watching her. Normally, she'd

assume the owner was checking on her to make sure she didn't steal anything, but not on this planet. These aliens watched because they were curious.

Vanessa could understand their curiosity. It wasn't every day an advanced species in danger of becoming extinct discovered an entire planet of people descended from them. Humans, as it turned out, had ancestors in common with the Clecanians. So much so, the leaders of this world thought of them as Clecanians.

Thought of them as their own people, but wouldn't give them the freedom to go back to Earth. The familiar surge of helpless frustration rolled through her, and she clenched her jaw. On Earth, she had a bank account with three hundred sixty-two dollars, a crappy detached garage turned studio apartment, and a supermarket job she'd been about to be fired from. Her life was no prize, and she wished she didn't feel the anxiety-inducing need to return home, but she couldn't help it.

Deep in the back of the crammed tent, she paused at a long table piled high with random items. She didn't need to

ask whether it was the sale table. Even on an alien planet, she could spot a clearance area from a mile away.

A decorative purple box inlaid with ivory stone caught her eye. Dragging the box forward through a sea of oddly thick buttons she was sure weren't actually buttons, she lifted the lid. Inside, she found a stubby metallic cylinder with a narrow handle on the bottom. It reminded her of a squashed push-up popsicle. As a kid, whenever she could scrounge enough change together, she'd get one from the ice cream truck that chugged around the city during the summer.

She turned the cylinder, squinting and trying to figure out what it was. Awareness washed over her, prickling the skin at the back of her arms and skittering down her scalp. She knew someone was close behind before she turned.

Expecting to see the shop owner who'd been eyeing her, she was surprised to find a man instead. He was closer than she'd anticipated, though she couldn't understand how he'd snuck up on her. Vanessa had spent a good portion of her life learning to be aware of her surroundings, and the fact that this guy had somehow gotten within two feet of her before she'd noticed soured her mood further.

"Hello there. Shopping?" he asked in a deep, smooth voice.

Vanessa bit her tongue to hold back the sarcastic retort she had ready and waiting. Her "bad attitude" and "poor people skills" were a few of the many reasons she couldn't hold down a job for long. But why was it her fault that people asked dumb questions?

"Yes. Are you selling something, or do you just enjoy hovering and asking women questions you already know the answers to?" And, as it always did, her attitude had come out. Self-sabotage was what her sister called it. Julie claimed Vanessa used her defensiveness to ward off anyone and everyone.

For a moment, she fought with herself over whether to apologize, but the man grinned. Awareness of a different kind swept over her skin as she noticed the dimple popping in his right cheek and his even, white teeth. He was large, as were so many of the men here, and handsome. His disheveled black hair was tied up in one of those ridiculous man buns. In truth, she loved the way they looked, but in reality, every guy she'd met who had one had been

intolerable. A hipster or a conceited gym rat who spent more time taking pictures of himself than speaking.

Judging by his outfit, this guy landed somewhere in the middle. His loose brown tunic dipped low on his tanned chest and rode high on his arms, showing off his muscular figure and smooth, olive-toned skin.

The shirt was perfectly rumpled and worn enough to make it difficult to tell if he'd purchased it that way or had had it for a while. The dark brown pants the shirt was tucked into, and the black boots laced up to his knees, gave him the appearance of a dockworker or sailor from an old-timey movie.

Her eyes caught on a long, thin, reddish-brown line running down the length of his sculpted arm. There was an identical line on his other side. The marks seemed to begin on the sides of his neck, just under his ears, then traveled over the tops of his shoulders and disappeared beneath the loose collar of his shirt. They reappeared at his cuffed sleeves and extended down the length of his outer arms, all the way to his wrists. They were the only marks to be seen,

unlike the swirling, glittering marks of many Lignas Clecanians in the city.

His thick biceps flexed under her scrutiny, and her attention snapped back to his face. He stepped closer, and the scent of salty sea water wafted off him. Was he actually a sailor? She'd heard of some oceans on this planet, but she didn't know of any nearby.

"Apologies. I saw you staring at that object and wondered if you needed help." He grinned at her again, a rakish, lopsided grin that made the shriveled girly part of her swoon.

Vanessa glanced down to the shining push-up popsicle she still held. "I'm fine. Thanks."

He raised a dark brow. "Oh? Are you going to purchase it?"

She frowned at him. He had one of those charismatic personalities that was inherently charming. Even when he wasn't smiling, you could hear the grin in his voice. He radiated warmth and humor, as if everything he did was worth celebrating and laughing over. She'd bet he had a

magnificent laugh. Full and hearty to match that devilish smile.

He was far too good looking for her to deal with right now. Men like him, the ones with drool-worthy looks and panty- dropping charm, knew how they affected women, and the flirtatious grin in his voice told her he knew too. He was a textbook ladies' man, and she had no patience for guys like that. Not that she'd made time for any man of any kind in a while, always finding something or other wrong with them.

"I don't know whether I'll buy it, and I don't know why it matters to you one way or another." She laced her tone with a chill, trying to make it clear she was uninterested.

He tipped his head from side to side. In one smooth step, he crowded next to her. Between the shelf at her back, the table on her side, and his towering frame, she had only one route of escape, but she refused to run. This guy was interrupting her depression shopping, and if anyone should leave, it was him.

He lowered his voice, gazing down into her eyes with a simmering intensity that didn't quite line up with their

conversation so far. "Ah, well, I saw you inspecting it and thought I'd offer my services instead...if you're looking."

Services? She held the metal push pop to her chest, her fist wrapped around the stick on the bottom, like someone was going to steal it from her. She leaned her head and neck away, tipping as far back as she could with the bookcase at her spine as he leaned forward.

"You smell wonderful, by the way," he rumbled.

Vanessa had no words all of a sudden. Not a snide remark or defensive utterance to be found. This guy, with his dark, piercing eyes, was trouble. The kind of trouble naïve women fell for. Vanessa wasn't naïve, but even she was having a hard time deciding if she wanted him to move away.

He focused on the item in her hand. "This is an outdated model anyway. It'll get the job done, but my research on humans makes me think I could get it done better."

"Huh?" was all she could manage. What the hell was he talking about?

He tipped his head just a fraction, narrowing his eyes and searching her face. After a moment, the corner of his mouth lifted in a mischievous grin. He reached between them and

wrapped his fingers around her fist, then gripped the fat portion of the cylinder with his other hand. The place where their skin touched sizzled. The feel of his strong, rough palm around her hand had her taking a deeper inhale than normal.

He tightened his grip so the stick she was holding wouldn't rotate, and twisted the upper cylinder. Vanessa jumped when the item began to grow and bend in time with his twisting. She gazed at the newly revealed object, a long, fat cylinder that curved upward near the tip, and her brows drew together. Was it a backscratcher or something?

She peered up at the man, whose heated gaze was both hungry and amused. He lifted a heavy black brow and pressed a button on the underside of the object she hadn't noticed before. It began to pulse.

"Holy fuck!" Vibrator. It's a vibrator. It's an enormous metal vibrator. She pushed it away from her chest and would've dropped it if it weren't for his hand still wrapped around hers.

He let out a loud bark of laughter, and she stilled, glaring at him. What a presumptuous ass. Now his flirtatious tone

made so much more sense. She knew Clecanian men were forward—especially with humans—but this was something else.

He'd been trying to get her to choose to sleep with him over buying a sex toy. Well, that was none of his business. She hadn't known it was a vibrator. Even so, if she were actually shopping for one, she wouldn't want to be bombarded by some guy claiming he could "do it better."

It was clear from the humor glinting in his eyes that he realized she hadn't known what it was, but he leaned toward her anyway and rumbled, "So, are you thinking of buying it? I humbly offer myself as a suitable replacement if not."

Vanessa gaped at him. "You arrogant, presumptuous—"

"I feel you should judge whether I'm arrogant or confident based on research. I'd be happy to support my claims for hours if that's what it takes to convince you of my abilities."

Vanessa's insides heated, and she couldn't decide if it was from anger or something else. A flush broke out all over her skin and heat rose on her cheeks. Blushing? Was she fucking blushing?

His gaze roved over her cheeks, which she imagined were bright pink, and a lazy smile curled his lips. He took an exaggerated inhale of satisfaction. "Now that's a sight to behold."

Her stomach flipped. Think of something snarky to say. Quick, show him he wants no part of this. But nothing came to mind.

"Vanessa! You ready to go?" Alice's familiar voice called from the street.

"Coming!" she yelled back almost instantly, her voice a fraction more squeaky than normal. With a tug, she tried to pull her hand out from under his, but he held firm.

"Vanessa," he crooned, rolling the syllables over his tongue as though tasting them.

She wrenched her hand free, flustered and shaky in a way she couldn't ever remember feeling. "Yup, that's my name. Now you can forget it." She dashed away, hoping she didn't look as startled as she felt.

"Unlikely!" he called after her with a chuckle.

Once outside, she joined Alice, Luka, and Daisy, and they walked toward the exit of the market, where a line of

cruisers waited to take customers home.

"So, he didn't have that cat, but—" Daisy stopped when

she examined Vanessa's face. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Vanessa brushed the hair from her warm cheek and tried to shake off the lingering hot flash that man had caused. "Yeah, fine. It was just stuffy in the back of that tent is all."

Alice and Luka walked ahead, hand in hand. Luka, Alice's mate, chattered about one of the animals that'd been on display, and Alice beamed up at him as if he were the most interesting man in the world. Daisy continued to gaze at her sidelong.

"Really, I'm fine," Vanessa repeated, shaking out her shoulders. They loaded into a cruiser and took off, dropping Alice and Luka at their apartment before continuing on to the Pearl Temple, where she and Daisy currently lived.

Daisy chatted happily about the new things she'd seen at the market today while Vanessa attempted and failed to listen. Her mind kept latching onto dark eyes lined with thick, sooty lashes, and the smell of saltwater. When she finally said goodbye to Daisy and closed the door of her

house behind her, she let out an exhale that was embarrassingly close to a sigh.

Halfway through preparing a meager dinner she'd likely end up only eating half of, a chime sounded, alerting her to someone at the door. Probably Rita. She came over most nights.

Rita claimed it was because she hated being alone, but Vanessa knew the truth. She and Daisy took it in turns to check on Vanessa, make sure she was eating and not dissolving under the weight of a bout of depression.

When she opened the door, she found no one. Glancing down, she spotted a box. Anticipation curled in her belly as she lifted the wooden cube. A note, one printed on actual paper, was inside the box, covering the contents. She hadn't yet mastered reading Clecanian writing, so she rushed inside and retrieved the small magnifying glass-shaped object that translated written words into a programmed language. Her heart thundered in her chest as she stared at the words through the rectangular screen.

Breathtaking Vanessa,

From the research I've done, I expect this model will suit you much better. Think of me when you use it.

Your arrogant admirer

For a moment, her mind stuttered, wondering how he could've known where she lived. But then she remembered the heavily guarded Pearl Temple was where almost all the human women lived. All he'd have to do was give the package and her name to the guard at the gate, and they'd know exactly where to deliver it.

She peered into the interior of the box and found another metallic object. Liquid heat sluiced through her core, and she gulped. Why the hell was she so turned on right now? The idea of him searching for a sex toy for her and having it delivered while asking for nothing in return was one of the hottest things a man had ever done for her.

Well...he'd asked for almost nothing. Her eyes devoured the note again and latched on to the last sentence. Think of me when you use it.

An image of his delicious grin and sharp jawline popped into her head, and she eyed the object in the box for a long while before finally huffing out a breath and slamming the

lid closed. She stood and paced around her home. She had to get off this damn planet and back to Earth, where men were easy-to-decipher assholes.

She thought back to the trinket shop encounter. He didn't look Lignas, the race who populated Tremanta by a large percentage. It's likely he was from a different city and was just there for the day.

She let out a relieved breath and eyed the box. Yes, she could rest easy, knowing the chances of meeting him again were beyond slim...even if a small part of her wanted to.

Chapter 2

Three Weeks Later

"Are you sure about this?" Daisy raised a dark manicured

brow at the pile of clothing currently toppling off Vanessa's bed.

Huffing out a breath and rolling her eyes heavenward, Vanessa spun around. "Would you stop asking me that? I've told you a million times I am. This is the only way."

Alice, who reclined on the couch next to Daisy and wore a similarly skeptical expression, spoke in her sweet, calm voice. "But we know nothing about this guy."

"I know." Vanessa groaned while wrenching on a pink flowy blouse—only the millionth shirt she'd tried on in the past ten minutes. "But he's the only way for me to get off this planet and to the Lentri Port, where Luka's guy is waiting."

Over the past three weeks, Vanessa had worked tirelessly to come up with an escape plan, bothering every trustworthy person she could find. Luckily, Luka's brothers, Theo and Maxu, both knew plenty of seedy individuals willing to break a few laws. Theo had arranged transport to

Earth for Vanessa in exchange for a hefty fee, but there was still one enormous problem...the guy wouldn't come to Clecania.

The Alliance was on high alert, monitoring Clecania closely for any unusual travel off-world. They wanted to prevent Clecanians from taking it upon themselves to hop over to Earth and nab a human mate of their own. Earth was still considered a Class Four planet, and any contact made with her home world was highly illegal. If you weren't on a ship that already made trips in and out of Clecania regularly, you were put through the ringer and, more often than not, your travel request was denied.

The frustration Vanessa had felt at not being allowed to return to Earth had doubled and burned in her gut like battery acid upon learning about these new restrictions. She finally had transport to Earth. A guy who was apparently trustworthy by Theo's standards was waiting to bring her home, and she couldn't get off the damn planet.

Theo, Luka, and their friend, Rhaego, had been monitoring scheduled travel in and out of the port, hoping to

spot an opening with a captain willing to break the rules, but so far, they'd been unlucky. Until yesterday, that is.

A merchant ship was scheduled to leave in four days and, based on their submitted itinerary, was making a stop at Lentri Port. It was perfect. She could hop on the ship and in less than a week be on her way home. After ratcheting up her hopes, though, Luka had delivered the bad news. The ship's captain had registered for the marriage ceremony, and it was taking place tomorrow.

Vanessa studied her reflection, her mouth pulling down in a grimace. Pink was not her color. It clashed horribly with her pallid skin and enhanced the dark circles under her eyes. Grinding her teeth, she tore it off and rummaged through her pile of clothing. She wanted to pick something that looked nice for tomorrow, but all of her clothes felt suddenly unflattering.

"Luka said there are rumors that this captain trades illegally. What if those rumors are true?" Alice pushed, gently but with a firm edge to her voice. "What if he's a bad guy? What if he's an Insurgent?"

"Can't you just wait longer? We can figure something else out, I'm sure," Daisy added, leaning forward and speaking in the tone Vanessa assumed she'd normally reserved for her elementary school students. "What if he locks you up and doesn't even let you step foot on the port? What are you going to do if he expects sex from you? I mean, really, Vanessa? You're gonna lie to this guy. What do you think will happen if he finds out? Marriage is, like, sacred here." She shook her head. "No. You're not going. This is a bad idea."

Luka, who'd taken a call outside, walked through the door. His gaze immediately landed on Alice, and the tightness around his light blue eyes relaxed.

"Please tell Vanessa this is a bad idea," Alice urged Luka as he sat beside her, his large frame hanging off the edge of the couch.

Without missing a beat, he glanced at Vanessa and recited, "This is a bad idea."

Vanessa's lids slid closed, and she took a calming breath. "I know it's a bad idea, okay? I get it. But ignoring this opportunity is not an option. We've been waiting for weeks to find a way off the planet. This guy's a merchant. He goes

out all the time. They already cleared his trip! Who knows how much longer Theo's friend will wait for me anyway?"

"I still don't understand why you can't just ask him." Daisy crossed her arms over her chest.

Vanessa lifted a brow at her. "Because they won't let me on his ship as a companion. Right?" She gestured toward Luka, pleading for help with her eyes.

He took a deep breath and glanced at Alice and Daisy. "I don't see another way. She can't make it through the checkpoints and sneak onto the ship. Not with all the enhanced security. And she can't accompany him as a companion, even if he agreed to it. Her one year restriction isn't up yet. But as a wife, it'd be allowed."

One year restriction. Vanessa rolled her eyes. The Clecanians had a rule about taking in people from Class Four planets. You had to stay for one year in order to learn how the greater universe worked and become acclimated, then you were free to leave the planet if you wanted. Too bad Vanessa didn't have a year.

"Why can't she just ask him to have a fake marriage, then?" Alice pushed. "She could make a deal of some kind."

Luka smiled gently at her and ran his palm over her hand. "We checked him out. He registers for the ceremony as often as he can. And if she went to him, he might make a deal, but I'm almost certain he'd want her to commit to a real marriage."

Vanessa gestured toward Luka emphatically, as if he'd just proved her point. "Exactly! And I don't have time for that. Three months is too long. Hell, three weeks is too long. Lentri Port is their first stop. What do you think he'll do if I make that deal and then try to ditch him a few days later? No, it's better if he doesn't know."

"Then ask him to take you instead!" Daisy said, throwing her hands up. "Go find your sister, drag her onto the ship, and finish out your time with him."

Shoulders dropping with her deep sigh, Vanessa stared between Daisy and Alice. Her hard gaze softened as she reminded herself that her friends were being annoying about this because they cared. She changed her tone to one of reassurance. "I won't do that to Julie. We were taken without any say, and I refuse to do the same thing to her. I

can't promise anyone three months because if she decides to stay on Earth, I'm staying."

The shadow of a wince passed over both of their faces at the reminder that Vanessa might leave and never return. Daisy's lips thinned, and Alice gripped Luka's hand more tightly.

Vanessa walked over and knelt in front of them. "Look, I'm doing this whether you guys like it or not. So, instead of trying to talk me out of it, help me figure out how I can do it in the safest way possible."

Both Daisy and Alice appeared conflicted, but Luka cleared his throat. "I've called someone who may know a bit more about him. He's on his way."

Vanessa let out a pent-up breath of relief and flailed her hand at Luka while eyeing the other two women. "See? That's thinking. That's how you help. Thank you, Luka. I appreciate it."

"Fine." Daisy crossed her arms over her chest again and glanced up to the ceiling as though trying to brainstorm despite her better judgment. "First, you need to make sure

you know which guy he is at the ceremony. We know his name is Fejo. Have you seen a picture of him or anything?"

Vanessa re-folded a folded dress and muttered, "No. Not yet." It wasn't like she hadn't tried that. But she'd barely managed to figure out her food synthesizer. Trying to search a database for a person's image when you didn't even know how to spell your own name in an alien language was impossible.

A flicker of blue light across the ceiling told them they had visitors.

"I'll get it," Alice announced, rising and crossing to the door.

Although he allowed it, Luka fidgeted in his seat and lines appeared on his forehead. He wore that expression often whenever Alice did something the men in this culture believed they should be doing. When she cooked food for the group. When she cleaned afterward. When she rose to answer the door.

What would it be like to be waited on like that? Vanessa resigned herself to never knowing. Though a part of her craved the type of relationship Alice and Luka had, she

couldn't stay. She had to go back to Earth one way or another.

It was true she'd be attempting to marry this man, Fejo, but she was doing it purely to hitch a ride. If what Luka had said was true and Fejo really registered for the ceremony as often as he could, it meant he wanted a wife...badly. A sour taste lingered on her tongue. She'd have to make sure this guy didn't treat her too well. The guilt bubbling in her gut at tricking a man into marriage was already constant.

Vanessa steeled herself and attempted to regain the cold bitchiness she was so often known for. It would help keep her eye on the prize. She just hoped Fejo, whoever he was, wasn't too sweet.

Voices at the door caught her attention, and she peered over to find Rhaego—the seven-foot-tall, red, horned demon —crouching as he squeezed through the front door. Though initially terrifying, Rhaego was the most gentle, proper guy she'd met here. Well, that was the only side of him she'd seen anyway. The stories Luka had told about Rhaego on assignment, however...those painted him in a much darker light.

Rhaego moved out of the doorway, sweeping his light gray gaze around the room and bowing to each of the women in turn. Vanessa couldn't help but grin. He was such a contradiction. Not her type, though. Too sweet to handle her. A frown pulled her smile down. For years now, she'd wondered if any person existed who could handle her. In her heart, she knew the answer was no. Not because no decent men existed but because she was the problem.

To her surprise, another man filed into the house after Rhaego. Luka's brother, Izzo. Her focus immediately shifted to Daisy, and her heart pinched as the woman's smile dimmed.

Daisy and Izzo had hit it off right away, but the idiot had spoiled it. Instead of just enjoying the clear connection he and Daisy had, he'd angsted over the fact that he had no mating marks yet. His doubt had seeped into Daisy until she'd wondered whether he'd ever really liked her.

Mating marks, lost to the people of this planet for hundreds of years, were now coming back. So far only between Clecanians and humans, but Vanessa hoped eventually all Clecanians could find that happiness again.

But the excitement at knowing marks were possible had some Clecanians acting like fools. If Izzo couldn't see how wonderful Daisy was, with or without marks, then fuck him. And if he transferred that doubt onto Daisy and made her question her own worth? Double fuck him.

Vanessa bit her tongue in an attempt not to snap at Izzo to leave. Instead, she directed a lethal, scrutinizing glare at him. When he finally tore his gaze away from Daisy and caught her stare, she knew her nonverbal attack had landed.

"I was taking lunch with Izzo when Luka called," Rhaego said in a rumbling voice that seemed to boom despite his calm tone. During the few times she'd met Rhaego, she wondered if he worked hard to keep the level of his voice low and unthreatening. His tone always felt restrained.

Vanessa's gaze caught on Izzo, who was peering at Daisy again. "Yeah? And you decided to tag along for fun?" She snapped her mouth shut as soon as the sharp words fell out but kept her chin high, owning her question.

The pale skin of his cheeks pinkened, and he muttered, "You wanted to know about Fejo, right? I've heard a few

things about him over the years."

Vanessa gave an unimpressed grumble.

"What do you guys know about him? Do you have a

picture? Should she be worried about her safety?" Daisy shot off the questions but refused to meet Izzo's intense stare.

"I know he's had dealings with many unsavory characters," Izzo answered with a bit too much eagerness.

"That in itself means nothing," Rhaego argued, straightening his shoulders. "I myself have had to deal with many persons I do not care for, and I still consider myself honorable."

"The problem with Fejo is no one's quite sure where his loyalties lie," Luka spoke, his smooth voice drawing everyone's gaze. "He's from Huvuita originally, and the rumor is he worked for a prolific smuggler there for many years. Then, out of the blue, he petitioned for citizenship in Tremanta."

"I've heard of him doing terrible things while making runs. Landing on primitive planets outside of Alliance protection and stealing their livelihoods. Killing," Izzo added.

Rhaego shook his head and flashed a grin that transformed his respectable demeanor into something dark and scintillating. "Rumors only; otherwise, your beloved Queen would've jailed him. If she can't prove what he's done, there must be doubt."

"This is the problem." Luka stared hard at Vanessa. "We don't know who he is. No one does, apart from maybe his crew. You'll be going in blind."

She thought for a moment, running through the pros and cons. On the one hand, a potential pirate with a ship and a relaxed view of authority sounded more than perfect. On the other hand, she doubted a man like that would take kindly to being tricked. Dread made her insides hollow. She'd have to be careful, play the part for as long as it took to get to the port.

"Thank you all for the info," Vanessa said absently, still thinking through all the awful possibilities of what she was getting herself into.

Alice peered up at Rhaego. "What does he look like? Do you have a picture?"

Rhaego nodded. He retrieved his communicator, typed in a few commands, and handed it to her. Daisy stood and crossed to the group, curious enough to stand close to Izzo for a better view. Izzo's attention was laser focused on Daisy. He ran his gaze over her heart-shaped face and amber eyes. Daisy ignored him, but the stiffness in her body told Vanessa she was all too aware of his presence.

But she couldn't worry about their complicated relationship right now. She had problems of her own. Slowly, she walked toward the group, a knot in her throat tightening. She couldn't decide what she wanted Fejo to look like. Young or old. Handsome or ugly—though no one on this planet was completely unattractive. Would it feel easier to use a man who looked cruel? Another slice of guilt cut at her insides. Using anyone was wrong. This was wrong. But...

She didn't have a choice here. She'd tried to ask. Tried to bargain. Nothing had worked. Now it was time to scheme her way off this planet.

Alice held the communicator flat against her palm. A holographic image blinked on, then rotated in the space just

above the screen. Vanessa held her breath and peered at the slowly revolving head of the man she was about to lie to and use. Surprise forced goose bumps to pop all over her skin. She swallowed.

Chapter 3

Klinara swept her nails over the silky fabric covering her breasts and smiled. Fejo held in his frown. She was doing it to draw his eyes to her body and, despite his best efforts, it worked. That was how it'd been for as long as he could remember. She knew just how to tether him, to make him wonder if he was tethered at all. But not anymore.

"This pickup is quite large," she reminded him, eyeing the exposed skin of his chest as if admiring a piece of art she owned. "Have you ensured you'll have room?"

"Of course," Fejo answered, crossing his arms and leaning against the stone wall inlaid with shells and coral. The smell of salt and brine on the air lulled him and made his body tense at the same time. This had been his home...at least it'd been the only home he'd ever known before stepping foot on his ship.

Being back in Huvuita gave him mixed feelings. Visceral and immediate and confusing. He shared a bond with the Huvuitian Ganglu Sea that couldn't be broken. He knew all the currents and caves, having explored them extensively as a child. But being within the fortified compound that sat

on Klinara's small island made his skin crawl. If he were a male with less control, he'd dive into the turbulent water and swim away right now.

He had business to attend to before his trip, though, and Klinara rarely deigned to leave her manicured estate unless she had to.

"Good." She finally raised her black irises to his face. "I hope you don't mind the extra males accompanying you."

It wouldn't have mattered if he minded. Klinara wanted them to go, so they'd be going. As always, if he wanted to stay within her good graces and continue to acquire contracts, he had little say in the matter. He shot her his most charming grin. "If you want them there, then I don't mind. As long as you haven't lost your faith in me, that is."

She cocked her head at him, her smile vacant, giving away nothing. "Do I have any reason to?"

Years ago, he would've scoffed at the idea. Scoffed while trailing behind her like a lost hatchling. But now...

He bent, breathing through his mouth to avoid her peppery scent, and purred, "Never."

Flexing her wings, the faint iridescence of her white feathers shimmered in the direct sunlight. She shooed him away and smirked.

Fejo stepped back with a playful grin, ignoring the knot in his stomach that had formed at the proximity. He must've hidden his reaction well, though, because she settled. Her features grew confident and relaxed; she thought he still wanted her and would do what he was told.

"I've made sure all our deliveries and pickups are made on our way out. That way, we can head directly home after retrieving the package," he explained further.

A winged male from a darkened doorway emerged and placed a bright orange ubla into Klinara's hand. She sipped the beverage, not acknowledging the extra lengths Fejo had gone to to make sure her delivery arrived as fast as possible.

"Will you tell me what it is I'm picking up now?" Fejo tried, masking his eagerness by pretending to admire the gentle curve of her wing like he always used to do.

When she'd first explained he'd be traveling through restricted space on his next trip, he'd asked what he was

meant to pick up, but Klinara's willingness to explain the details of his jobs always depended on her mood. Yet this time, he got the feeling she was withholding information rather than toying with him in the way she liked. Which could mean a few things.

It could be she was losing trust in him. Perhaps the long time spent apart now that he was a citizen of Tremanta had something to do with it. She'd taken it as a great insult when her favorite pet had become a citizen of another city. He'd smoothed it over by reminding her that because he was now a merchant for Tremanta, he had access to a larger ship and longer routes. She'd liked that explanation but still treated him differently since that day.

Her reticence to describe his cargo in detail could also mean she herself didn't know, though she'd never admit to that. The buyers who came to her to order goods were often Clecanians of importance. Ones who wouldn't want their names tied to any illegal trading. An easy way to squash rumors of trading something like Bystergian crystal was to make sure no one on board knew they were moving Bystergian crystal.

Rather than answer him, she took another sip of her drink through pursed lips, then said, "I heard your ceremony is coming up a few days before you leave."

Ah. Was that why she was in such a mood? "If you had agreed to pick me, I wouldn't have to look elsewhere," Fejo prompted, lifting his brows and letting his gaze travel over her body. The swell of affection that had for so long plagued him every time he saw Klinara was absent. He had no idea when his desire for the female had finally sputtered out, but he thanked the Goddess it had.

For too long, she'd kept him loyal and blind. Only after she'd started sending him out on interplanetary pickups had his devotion to her dimmed. But it was better for her to assume he was still smitten. If she suspected he wasn't, Fejo knew she'd do everything in her power to reel him back in.

She'd promise love and devotion while twisted in the sheets of her bed, and just when he started to believe her, she'd push him away. Each time she'd done so, he'd fallen for it, and each time he'd been forced to learn the hard way

that it was all an act. She'd kept him hooked on her for decades in order to use him and to satisfy her own vanity.

He'd grown to hate her over the years and he knew he'd never fall for her tricks again, but turning down her advances, without it resulting in her temper exploding and scalding everyone in the vicinity, would be exhausting and complicated.

"I asked many times," he prompted when she said nothing. Her eyes drifted toward his shoulders, and he straightened his back. He knew what she was so unsubtly seeing—or rather, not seeing. Fejo had no wings, yet by some cruel trick of fate he'd been born into a multi-island city full of winged inhabitants. He'd been an outcast his whole life. Always left behind on annual flights to the community island. Even before he'd been taken in by Klinara's father, he'd felt trapped in his damn flightless body. Now he'd made his home on his ship, soaring above them all.

Old cuts ran deep, though, and Fejo found his shoulder blades flexing and bunching the way they used to when he'd been teased as a boy. He could recall floating on the

water and fantasizing that wings would sprout from his back one day.

"How many ceremonies have you been to now?" she prodded. Klinara understood just where to punch to leave a mark. She knew Fejo had only ever sought to feel wanted, and she also knew he'd never been—and would likely never be—picked as a husband. Not as long as he was working as her merchant. No female wanted her husband to work during their three-month marriage. Moreover, no female wanted to live on a ship in cramped quarters for months at a time while he worked. And yet he continued to submit himself, though he had a perfectly valid excuse to be exempt.

He let the knowledge that he'd at least have a good time in the testing room wash over him. It was enough.

Unable to stop himself, he flashed a flirtatious grin. "Too many to count. But the testing is always so delicious. It's just the thing I need before a cross-universe trip."

The look of jealousy that flitted over Klinara's face lifted his spirits and seeded dread in his gut in equal measure. She'd see his eagerness to be with other females as a

challenge and might try to lure him back into her bed. He didn't have the energy to sweet-talk his way out of it at the moment.

Weariness curled its way through his veins, and before she could decide on her next move, he spoke. "If that's all, I'll head out. I still need to prepare the ship and show your new males how things are run. Do they have any special skills I should be aware of?" Fejo glanced over at the males lurking in the corner. Both mauve-skinned and Tetran in appearance rather than Huvuitian like Klinara. She never liked her minions to be members of her own race—at least not any who lived in Huvuita. She'd learned that from her father.

"No," she said simply.

Fejo analyzed the two males again. They were large. Larger than most Tetrans, with deadly spiraling horns extending from their temples. And they were scarred. Since they hadn't made it a point to visit a medic and heal those scars, Fejo assumed she must've plucked them straight from their city, where imperfections were accepted and where taking the elixir was frowned upon.

Too many scars for them not to be excellent fighters. They most definitely had a skill, but he doubted it was a skill often required while manning a peaceful merchant ship.

He glanced back at her and caught her staring. She hadn't dismissed him yet and appeared to be deciding whether or not she wanted to. Her gaze wandered down his body, lingering. His stomach roiled. Would she ask him to stay? And could he think of a good enough excuse not to? Finally, she seemed to lose interest and swept him away with a long, regal wing.

"Be sure you make contact at every port this time. I want to be aware of your progress."

Fejo bowed, holding her gaze and masking his relief with a heated look.

Klinara's chin tipped up in approval of his flirtation before he turned and walked to the ladder reserved for guests who couldn't fly into the compound. Many houses on the thousands of islands dotting the Ganglu Sea had gates meant to be signs of welcome for other Clecanian races who were visiting.

But not Klinara's home. He'd never felt welcome here.

Chapter 4

A million to one. Were those the odds? Or maybe ten million to one.

No. This made perfect sense actually. Of course the mysterious merchant pirate would turn out to be the man from the market. It was just her luck.

She huffed in and out like an annoyed dragon while staring daggers at the wall of glass in the Viewing room. Weeks ago, she'd met an irritating, cocky teenager of a man and had forgotten all about him, and now she was going to have to pretend like she hadn't. Pretend like she'd been waiting for the opportunity to pounce and sign up for marriage.

Fejo. Fey-ho. She now knew his name. Not once had she spotted him walking around Tremanta in the weeks since they'd had their little interaction with the push-up popsicle sex toy.

"Are you sure I can't help ease your mind?" Zikas, her assigned mentor, murmured from behind her.

She peered at his warm smile and wide-set shoulders. The lines around his eyes were deeper than most of the other

Clecanians she'd met, and his short hair was peppered with gray.

It was odd to see someone who actually looked older, and she wondered why he chose not to maintain his looks with the elixir. Could it be he was so old that this is what he looked like, even with the elixir? Or was he one of the odd few who chose not to take it? If so, he and Rita were well matched because she wasn't interested in extending her life either. She often spouted hippie talk about the beauty of death and life whenever Vanessa urged her to reconsider.

For Vanessa, it'd been a no-brainer. She'd taken the elixir and had also gotten all her vaccinations—and a birth control implant for good measure. At least if she ended up having to sleep with Fejo, she knew she'd be protected against disease and pregnancy. He'd been so confident and flirty.

Her mouth curled downward. Fejo undoubtedly slept with tons of women. How many others had he bought vibrators for? Probably had a bulk supply on his ship.

Zikas was still peering at her with an open, eager expression. Vanessa swore that if the short man was not so damn nice and so damn smitten with her friend Rita, she'd

lose it right there. He'd asked her some variation of Can I help? nonstop since she'd arrived. She knew very well his concern was entirely her fault. Her mood was in the garbage right now, and pretty soon she'd have to act like a blushing bride.

Well, for now she could let her annoyance out at least. Unfortunately, Zikas was caught in the periphery of her irritable aura. "No. Thank you, though." She put on her best fake grin and hoped he didn't think she was upset with him.

Zikas gave her a funny look and nodded, tottering off to scrutinize her from across the room.

As she turned back to the one-way glass, Vanessa's focus caught on a human woman a few feet away. Tall and lithe with dark brown hair, she'd been one of the women trapped in that bunker with her, but Vanessa almost hadn't recognized her. Apart from the fact that she'd only met the woman for maybe ten minutes on their mad dash to escape the bunker, the woman also seemed to have whatever internal fire she'd had before extinguished.

She looked hollow. The same way Vanessa felt.

"Hey there, scaredy cat," Vanessa said, stepping toward the woman in a bid to distract herself. It might be nice to talk to someone more upset than she was for a change.

The woman's warm brown eyes locked on her and crinkled around the edges as though she hadn't noticed anyone else was in the room at all. "Hey...you."

Well, that was fair. They hadn't exactly had a lot of time to exchange info after getting away from their captors. Especially not since this girl and another had decided to take their chances in the forest instead of sticking with the group. Truth be told, Vanessa had assumed they'd died in those woods. Her respect for both this woman and the other one named Lily had risen exponentially when she'd learned they'd both survived.

"Vanessa," she provided for the other woman, smiling.

"Alex," the woman greeted in return. She ran her gaze over Vanessa in a quick assessment, and Vanessa couldn't help but feel self-conscious. She hadn't exactly been taking care of herself, and she knew it showed. After a few terrifying runs-ins with her bathroom mirror, she'd stopped looking at her reflection altogether.

The light in the room dimmed as Vanessa curbed the urge to fidget with her black blouse. Large, handsome Clecanian men shuffled out behind the one-way glass. Alex stared at the men through the glass, looking just as miserable as Vanessa felt.

"You understand what you're supposed to do, yes?" Zikas chirped from behind her.

Vanessa worked hard to make sure her voice was cheerful when she replied, "Yes, Zikas. You're a doll."

Dammit, she'd tried to be nice, but both Zikas and Alex gave her a funny look. Seeming to get over his confusion quickly, Zikas grinned and scurried away once more.

They stood together, silently watching carved-from- marble men walk and pause before them until, with a jolt, Alex spun toward her.

"Wait. You? You're getting married? Voluntarily?"

Was she that transparent? Probably. Anyone who'd spent more than a half hour with her could've figured out she had zero interest in the temporary marriages popular on this planet. Luckily, no one in this room had spent more than a half hour with her.

She was still working through a reasonable lie to give to Alex when something glittering caught her gaze.

Him.

Jewels strewn over the chains at his chest caught the light and drew every eye toward him like moths to a flame. Vanessa's jaw clenched despite herself. Time had dimmed the memory of how arrogant he'd acted, but now watching him smirk and pose in the glass brought it all back.

Fejo's left boot was a more opulent article of clothing than anything she'd ever owned. His embroidered plum coat enhanced the deep tan of his broad chest and gave him a seductive air. All class and money on the outside and hard muscle underneath. An alien Casanova if she ever saw one. And she was supposed to marry him.

She realized Alex still stared at her, waiting for an answer. What was her question again? Oh yeah. Was she, of all people, really going to get married? "Yeah, to that arrogant, cocky, overdressed meathead." Vanessa all but groaned, staring at Fejo as he puffed out his chest and twirled in place. For a few days anyway.

Alex snorted. "Sounds like you two are really in love."

Unable to tear her gaze away from her future husband, Vanessa watched as he sauntered down the hallway. He grinned into the glass as though he knew the women were all looking at him. Vanessa glanced around and frowned. They were all looking at him. Shit. This was going to be harder than she'd thought. What if someone else picked him? What happened if more than one woman chose a guy?

He was almost out of view when he leaned back so only his head was visible through the glass and gave one last butterfly-inducing grin. Vanessa's lady parts took notice, and she cursed them.

"Not available," Vanessa grunted while standing guard in front of the Testing room door. After giving Zikas Fejo's number, she'd prepared herself to fight off the ungodly amount of women who'd signed up to test him, and she'd decided that she absolutely, unequivocally, without question would not be entering the Testing room.

A pretty, short Clecanian woman with teal hair and a massive pair of tits pouted at her and eyed the door. Vanessa didn't have the patience for this right now. Even if

she had no intention of sleeping with this guy, she didn't want all these women to get any ideas about picking him as a husband. Easiest way to accomplish her goal: make sure none of the potential wives could get to him.

"But I test him every year," the woman whined in a voice that sounded a bit muffled, as if she were underwater. Weird.

"Then you already know how he performs," she grated through clenched teeth.

Vanessa was trying to be civil. Really, she was. But this was the fourth woman she'd had an argument with, and her bar for caring whether she came off badly was lowering by the second.

Just as the woman's mentor elbowed Zikas and asked him to intervene, Vanessa hissed, "Keep moving, he's spoken for!"

The woman glared at her but did eventually walk away.

Zikas stepped toward her, his brows scrunched and his eyes creased with concern. "May I ask what you're doing?"

She gathered her temper and smiled. "I would like to choose Fejo. But—" She gulped. "But I'm shy about...the

things that go on in there. I'd prefer he not fool around with anyone else before we, you know, get married."

Would Zikas buy that? It wasn't entirely untrue. If it got to the point where Vanessa had to sleep with Fejo, she'd be much more comfortable knowing he hadn't just pleasured a harem of women a few days before.

Zikas scrunched his mouth and studied her. "I can appreciate that," he finally said, nodding. "Jade, the first human wife I mentored, was also shy about the Testing."

Vanessa released a breath and gave him a relieved grin she didn't have to fake.

"But that being said," Zikas continued, causing Vanessa's breath to catch in her throat, "even Jade went into the Testing to greet the male. I'm afraid I can't condone you denying access to the other potential wives if you don't at least go in for a little while. Though Testing is often used to measure sexual proficiency, it isn't always. You can test for anything. Conversational ability. Massage. Quiz him on what products you may enjoy being stocked in your home. This is your opportunity to see if you are compatible."

Vanessa's vertebrae felt like they'd been welded together. I have to go in.

"He's blindfolded, so you shouldn't feel guilty if you ultimately don't pick him," Zikas urged while taking in her stiff posture.

Blindfolded? That could work. Slowly, she turned in place and faced the door. He was going to find out she'd picked him sooner or later, right? She rolled her shoulders.

What was she even worried about? He probably wouldn't remember her. No doubt he approached dozens of women a day, offering the same thing he'd offered her. Why would he remember the one woman who hadn't fawned over his charm?

Alright, be friendly but also distant. I want him to think I actually want to pick him, but I can't be too nice, then ditch him in a few days. That's just cruel. But I can't be too mean either, or he'll get suspicious. I just have to—

"Vaness—"

"Give me a second," she hissed a bit too aggressively. She turned toward Zikas. "Sorry. Nerves. You won't let anyone come in here, right?"

"No. I'll explain that he has a through-offer and unless they are serious, they should move on."

Vanessa nodded without understanding completely. "Okay. Okay!" She faced the door, her heart pounding against her ribs. "Okay."

She wiped her sweaty palms on her tight black pants and tried to get herself under control. What did she have to be nervous about anyway? He was the one who needed to prove something here. Before she could talk herself out of it, she opened the door and walked through.

Her pulse soared and a lead weight landed on her chest as the door closed behind her.

The room was dark and draped with heavy eggplant- colored fabrics that shimmered in the dim light. In the center of the otherwise bare room was a long, wide black couch. And there he was. Stark naked and reclined on the couch. The deep frown on his face immediately transformed into a wide, toothy grin when he noticed someone had entered.

"Finally!" he boomed, rising from the couch and giving her a full view of his body.

Vanessa turned away. Really, it wasn't right to look, was it? Well, it was what they expected. And it's not like he doesn't want me to look at his body.

The air in the room was warm and much too heavy, sultry even. It pressed against her as though trying to leech into her skin and drug her.

"Come over here, female." That smooth, rumbling voice she remembered from before made the skin on her nape tingle.

She glanced back, making sure her eyes remained focused on his face, and found Fejo turning his head until she could've sworn he was looking in her direction. Even with that weird black gunk over his eyes, it was like he knew exactly where she was.

His dark brows drew together when she didn't move, but then he grinned wide. "Do you prefer to look first?" He lifted his heavy, sculpted arms and spun in place.

Vanessa let out a weak, defeated sigh and admired him. She was only one human woman, after all, and he was... magnificent.

Broad swimmer's shoulders and defined rigid pecs to match. His stomach was flat and his abs bulged in a way that made her want to run a finger over the dips and valleys. He was halfway through his rotation, and she couldn't help but tilt her head in appreciation at his firm ass and long legs. All of his substantial muscle was covered in smooth, tanned skin. She'd bet if she touched him right now, he'd be nice and warm.

He took another step, and from between his thighs, she spotted something large and long. She muffled her gasp with her hand and averted her eyes again. Just because she could look didn't mean she should. It would totally fuck with her plan if she was constantly daydreaming about how hung her temporary husband was.

He must've heard her gasp, though, because he finished his turn quickly and quirked a brow at her. "What can I do for you, beauty?" He placed his hands on his hips proudly and waited, but she had no idea what to say. "Maybe I could..." He took a step forward and stopped, sniffing the air between them.

Shiiiiit. No. He couldn't be that good at smelling, could he? And he wouldn't remember what she smelled like. That was impossible.

His chin tipped down ever so slightly, and a devilish grin split his face. If his smile before had been open and charming, this one was all confidence and hunger.

He couldn't possibly know—

"Vanessa," he purred, voice gone low.

She shivered. Actually shivered, and her pussy clenched.

What the hell was she getting herself into?

He stalked toward her, and she backed away, heading in

the direction of the door. As if sensing this, he leapt, clearing a good six feet, and barred her exit. "I have thought about you a lot." He grinned in her direction, stepping toward her again.

"Uh. That's nice," she tried. He closed the distance until only a foot separated them. It was a good thing too, since from her peripheral vision she could see he was hard as a rock and likely to poke her if he got any closer.

"I suppose this means you've been thinking about me too."

Her cheeks heated, and she regained some of her composure while taking in his cocky expression. This was exactly what she'd been dreading. An I told you so attitude. But unfortunately, she couldn't deny it. She had thought about him. Mostly at night. Mostly when she dug out a carved box from a compartment in her room. But she'd die before she gave him the satisfaction of knowing that. "Yeah, a bit," she lied in a casual tone.

His head jerked back in surprise. Had he expected her to fall all over herself or something? "Well, please allow me to leave more of an impression this time." He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. On instinct, her gaze shot down to her stomach, where something was poking her, and her mouth went dry. Gorgeous, just like the rest of him. And...was that jewelry? Holy fuck, did he have a piercing?

She forgot to argue as he dragged her against his body, sandwiching his cock between them. Vanessa swallowed past the pleasurable buzz in her mind. He was warm.

Fejo's long fingers slithered up to grip her chin and tilt her face toward his. "I've been very curious about human

kissing, and I've done my research. Shall we start there?" No! Vanessa knew this needed to stop, but she couldn't

prevent her gaze from focusing on his even, white teeth and wicked, beautifully formed mouth.

Warmth and the smell of saltwater cocooned her, and she found her hands lifting. She rested them on his thick biceps, brushing the thin, dark brown tattoos that ran in straight lines down the outsides of his arms and along the sides of his torso.

He let out a throaty moan. "Careful touching my lines, or this'll be over before it starts."

Vanessa's hands leapt off his warm smooth skin and her brain seemed to snap back to reality. His lines? Those long tattoos were sensitive? The knowledge that she was being held by an actual alien and was about to let him practice the human art of kissing with her shook some sense loose. She needed to stall. Getting too wrapped up in his charm was a bad idea. Especially when her body had, without her consent, decided Fejo was exactly what the doctor had ordered.

She moved her hands to his unmarked chest and pushed back with just enough pressure to keep him in place while she thought of a good excuse.

His grin flicked away for an instant, but then his hand at her chin shot to her nape and squeezed. Heat and pleasure speared down her spine. When he used his grip on her to pull her mouth to his, only the faintest voice in the back of her mind shouted for her to stop him.

Even that voice sputtered out as his mouth met hers. His full lips moved against hers with slow, firm pressure while his palm curled possessively around her waist, his fingers digging into the flesh of her hip. Her knees went wobbly when he slid his hot tongue against the seam of her lips and coaxed his way inside, deepening the kiss.

Brain hazy, she gripped his forearm to stabilize herself, though he was holding her up. As soon as her fingers brushed the velvety, dark line traveling from his wrist to his elbow, he shuddered and gripped her tighter, slanting his head and all but melting her with the renewed intensity of his kiss.

Her core was growing more slick by the second, and the bulge pressed against her stomach caused jolts of electricity to race from her abdomen to her clit in time with the ebb and flow of his body against hers.

Light suddenly brightened the dim room, and Vanessa pulled away. Without releasing her, Fejo turned to see who'd entered, apparently forgetting he was still blindfolded.

That fucking pushy woman from before stood in the doorway.

Zikas lingered behind her, flustered and pink in the face. "I told you he has a through-offer and Vanessa had requested privacy. This is highly—"

"I don't have time to wait for them to finish." She directed a covetous glance at Fejo, letting her appreciation be known as she scanned his naked body. Vanessa had the oddest urge to shield him from view. Then, surprisingly, the woman shot a flirtatious look at Vanessa. "Besides, I like that this human is fiery. I figured I could just join you both."

"Gheelia?" Fejo asked with a grin.

Suddenly, Vanessa's flight instincts kicked in and she wriggled until Fejo finally faced her. His dark brows drew

together, and though she couldn't see his eyes, his expression was altogether inscrutable. At length, he let her go. She bolted for the door, having no interest in seeing what would happen now that the buxom alien beauty had arrived.

She peered at the woman, who was still eyeing her, and couldn't decide whether to be angry at the intrusion or flattered. Her cheeks heated, she averted her gaze, then sped out of the room.

She was halfway down the hall, a hall that led God knew where, before her brain registered the out-of-breath shouts from Zikas. Forcing her shaky legs to stop, she spun toward him, taking a few calming inhales as she waited for him to reach her.

"I apologize, Vanessa. Gheelia wouldn't take no for an answer." The pink in Zikas' cheeks had traveled to his forehead, and she saw spots of sweat beading on his brow.

Vanessa couldn't bring herself to be angry at the man. He'd obviously tried his hardest. "I get it. It's fine. I guess she'll get what she wanted." Vanessa waved her hand dismissively and forced her gaze to remain on Zikas instead

of trailing down the hall to see if Gheelia had been booted from Fejo's room or not.

She clenched her jaw. Why would she think he'd do that? It wasn't like he had any loyalty to her. In his mind, he was fighting to prove himself enough to get a wife. He wasn't tied to her yet, and he could do whatever he wanted with Gheelia. And in any case, she was planning on ditching him a few days after takeoff, so why should she care who he fooled around with? It shouldn't have mattered either way to Vanessa, but it did.

Her gaze shifted down the hall to where the woman had still not exited. Each second that passed ratcheted Vanessa's irritation. With a low cough, Zikas pulled her focus back to him.

His expression was nervous, and he rung his hands together before dropping them at his sides. "I suppose you will rescind your offer now?" The question rang with hope. Hope that she'd deny it.

She would deny it. She had to. Fejo was still her only option. And she needed to keep her distance from him anyway. He had this way of making her mind go blank and

her stomach somersault. It was a good thing she'd only have to keep him at bay for a few days once she boarded his ship. She sighed and straightened her spine. "No. I'd still like to pick him."

Excitement overrode the brief flash of surprise on Zikas' face and he clapped his hands together.

Chapter 5

A through-offer. Fejo replayed what he'd heard over and over in his mind.

That meant Vanessa had decided to marry him...without even testing him. She'd agreed to it and, if tradition had been followed, selected no other males to test. She might be waiting for him even now.

Fejo absently felt his way to the couch and dropped down. His lungs were too large for his chest all of a sudden, and he jumped when a soft palm landed on his shoulder.

Fuck, Gheelia. He'd completely forgotten she was in the room.

Never once had he despised Gheelia's presence, but at this moment, he couldn't even bring himself to give her a playful grin. Vanessa had requested privacy, and she'd barged in anyway. He shot to his feet. What if Gheelia had ruined his chances? What if Vanessa no longer desired to pick him?

Fejo recalled how skittish Vanessa had been at the market all those weeks ago and how skittish she'd been when Gheelia had come into the room.

"Hello, sweetness," Fejo crooned when Gheelia ran her palms over his back. He turned and gripped her wrist, a move that would keep her at a distance without offending her. Gheelia let out a brief squeal of delight, oblivious to the simmering urgency Fejo was suppressing. "You know I love our visits each year, but the human has made a through- offer for me, and I believe she is more comfortable with monogamy."

Gheelia grew rigid in his grasp.

He tried to soothe her, though all he wanted to do was leave the room without a backward glance. "If she is to be my wife, I don't want to do anything to upset her. You understand."

"But she was so rude. Surely you could make it up to her later." Fejo could hear the pout in Gheelia's voice. They'd always had fun together, but a small part of his pride that took the hits he dared not let himself feel reminded him she'd tested him every year and never once picked him. He tried to act like that was something to look forward to, but in reality, he was tired of being used and toyed with. Vanessa

wanted to pick him. And he wouldn't mess up that opportunity.

"Alas, sweetness, I still must decline."

With a sigh, she trailed a finger down Fejo's chest when he released her wrists. "Perhaps next year, then."

Fejo let out a relieved breath and grinned. "I'll count the days."

He wouldn't count the days, though. If what he'd heard about humans was true, then he'd have an even more important job to do than the run for Klinara. Many of the humans seemed to prefer long-lasting monogamous relationships. Maybe, if he treated Vanessa well enough and showed her just how satisfying he could be as a husband, she'd choose to remain with him. He could finally have someone. A companion. Someone who didn't look at him and only see what they could get.

Gheelia pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he listened to her soft footsteps as she left.

He angled his head in the direction she'd left and cursed the fact that he had to remain in the room until someone came in and cleared him. Whoever it was would either tell

him he hadn't been selected and was free to return home, or they'd deliver the good news. News he'd never thought he'd get.

But which would it be? For all he knew, Vanessa might've rescinded her offer.

His skin grew heated as he recalled the feel of her wrapped in his arms, her soft mouth underneath his. Since humans had arrived on this planet, the scientists of Tremanta had updated the human species Alliance file with as much as they could learn. Fejo had been doing extensive research on the off chance he ran into one and saw an opportunity. He'd paid particularly close attention to the sections on anatomy and courting.

After reading about the interesting mouth play the humans enjoyed, he'd assumed he'd love kissing, but kissing Vanessa, the female who'd haunted his thoughts since the day he'd met her in the black-market vendor's tent...his best dreams hadn't compared to actually feeling her with his own two hands.

Her sweet scent lingered on his body, and his birth lines rippled with the recalled sensation of her hands. Had she

been thinking about him as much as he'd thought about her? It puzzled him, considering she hadn't been open to his flirting at first. Maybe she just had an odd human way of showing interest. Perhaps she was shy.

Though the way she'd come alive underneath him hadn't seemed shy.

It didn't matter, though. She intrigued him and she wanted him, and he'd do everything in his power to learn what drove her actions.

His senses were on high alert, so when the swish of the door sounded, Fejo jumped to attention. He sniffed and identified the scent of the man who'd been here before when Gheelia arrived. Was he Vanessa's ceremony mentor?

That boded well. The mentors were usually the ones to announce if a male had been picked.

His breath caught in his throat. Why was this pishot male not speaking yet?

"Hello, Fejo. I'm here to inform you that Vanessa has selected you for—"

Fejo couldn't contain the bellow that broke from his chest.

His mind swam. He paced, about ready to jump out of his skin, barely noticing when the mentor tried to stop him to help take his blindfold off. Once it was removed, he peered at the short older male and recognized him vaguely.

He pushed Fejo's clothes into his hands. Fejo couldn't help but grin. He didn't mind being naked, but normally he wouldn't have needed to be reminded to get dressed.

"I'll meet you outside when you're ready. Vanessa is in the spa room preparing."

Fejo flung his clothing on and cursed the intricate clasps and ties of his fussy apparel. At first, he'd dressed this way to invoke a sense of gaudy, egotistical elitism to the traders he met with, finding it easier to work them over if they deemed him to be concerned only with money. But over time he'd come to like his collection of fine clothing— cherished it, even. It was something that was all his. Something that made him stand out to others and garnered respect from many species.

He grinned, thinking of the glittering jewels and shining fabrics he'd gift Vanessa with. If he recalled her features correctly, which he was certain he did, she'd look good in

just about anything. Long, silky, dark hair and creamy, pale skin. Her features were sharp yet delicate. High cheekbones, a pointed chin, and arching black brows. But her warm, hazel eyes and full lips softened the hard lines. And when she'd blushed...every nerve ending in his body had come alive that day in the market.

There was so much to do. So much to prepare for. He'd need to stock his cabin and make space for her, and he'd need to inform his crew. Fejo stopped. He'd also need to ensure she'd be safe on his ship.

He didn't trust all the males onboard the Ylare. Most had been pushed on him by Klinara, and though they followed his orders, it was only because he made sure to remind them of how heartless he could be on occasion. He'd need to be that person more consistently now. He couldn't let them think he was going soft. And he couldn't let them get any ideas about Vanessa.

He rubbed his temple, and tightness gripped his chest. How was he supposed to make Vanessa fall for him while also being the mercurial captain his crew had grown to be wary of?

He wiped away those worries, determination pumping through his veins. He'd figure it out somehow. He finally had a wife, and by the Goddess, he'd find a way to keep her.

Fejo bounced on the balls of his feet and grinned eagerly in the direction Zikas had disappeared. He'd waited over an hour for this, and she'd be coming around the corner any second. His wife. He schooled his expression, keeping his features charming and inviting, the way he'd learned females preferred him to be. Though he'd assumed Vanessa had been uninterested in him after their first encounter, he must've been mistaken. Why else would she have picked him and given him a through-offer?

This must've been how Theo had felt when he'd discovered the human Jade had picked him. He didn't know either Jade or Theo well, but he knew Theo had been just as unlikely to be chosen as Fejo was. But Jade had picked him anyway.

A thought struck, and his grin faded. Recently, he'd met with another human who'd become smitten with another male, and the one thing those two males had in common

was they were generally temperamental and sullen. Was that what humans preferred? Fejo wasn't like that. Not toward females he wasn't doing business with at least. Should he act that way with Vanessa to attract her?

Before he could decide on a course of action, Zikas appeared from around the corner, Vanessa trailing behind him. Her eyes were downcast and her brows scrunched as though full of indecision.

She was stunning in a coal-black dress. The material was gauzy and floated against her curves. The same ones he'd gripped only a few hours ago. Her straight black hair was swept over one shoulder as she peered down, and his fingers itched to see if it was as soft as it looked. But something about her appearance had his protective instincts surging. She was thinner than he'd remembered. And she had the drawn, haunted look of someone who slept only a little and worried a lot.

Well, he'd see to that. His wife would sleep well. He'd keep her just on the edge of orgasm until she was so exhausted that she'd drift right to sleep after screaming his

name. His back straightened, and he had to keep a devious smile from his face.

But human females were different from Clecanian females, weren't they? They could orgasm multiple times. An unlimited number apparently. If that was the case, he'd make her come over and over until she had no energy left to fret. Then he'd wake her with gifts and rich foods.

Her sweet scent washed over him as she neared, and he had to keep himself from sucking in a large inhale. He'd forgotten how good she smelled. Warm and syrupy. Like the sea plums that grew on the Ganglu coast after they'd been baked in the summer sun.

When she finally glanced his way, Fejo was so taken aback by the beauty of her large hazel eyes and the gentle curve of her lips that he shot her a wide smile. Then, like an idiot, he recalled how little the males who'd successfully seduced the human females smiled and forced his grin to fade and shift into a hard line.

The corner of her mouth curled downward, and she raised a brow at him.

Shit! Had he messed up already? He needed to pick a personality and go with it. The one time they'd met, he'd been flirtatious and a bit pushy. If that was what had drawn her in, maybe he should stop questioning himself and be that male again.

Mind made up, he stepped toward her before Zikas could properly introduce them and bowed. "Hello, wife. You look more breathtaking than the last time I saw you."

To his surprise, the ghost of a frown flitted across her lips at the compliment, but he held fast, not showing the slightest concern at her reaction. "Ready?" He offered his arm, and her gaze landed on it as if his elbow were on fire.

Alright, she's...shy? He pulled his arm back and instead gestured to the door.

"I..." she started. He saw the delicate muscles of her neck work to swallow and just prevented himself from licking his lips. "Are we going to your ship?"

Oh no. Had she thought differently? Surely Zikas had explained the conditions of being Fejo's wife. He couldn't take months off at the moment, and he had no home on the

planet anyway. Nowhere to take her even if he wanted to. His small cabin on the Ylare was all he had to offer.

"Yes. But I can assure you, you'll be very comfortable." He stepped toward her and lowered his voice. "I'll make sure of it." His nearness had the desired effect, and he reveled in the scent of arousal that spiked for an instant.

But she still seemed nervous. Her gaze darted around the room and the lovely pink hue tinting her cheeks spread to her forehead. "I just mean, if I'm going to live on a ship for a long time, I'd like to get some of my things. And I'd like to say bye to my friends."

Fejo's shoulders relaxed, and with a nod to Zikas, he guided her forward and through the door. "Absolutely, gorgeous! I can take you back to the Temple to retrieve your things, and then we can be off."

Although she tried to hide it, Fejo could see the grimace threatening to spring to the surface of Vanessa's face as he ushered her to the door and out into the night. What was he doing wrong?

"Congratulations to you both!" Zikas called from behind them.

Vanessa angled her neck and looked back at Zikas. Fejo could swear her small wave was almost panicked. But she let him guide her anyway.

When they reached the cruiser and the door slid open, Fejo waited for her to board, but she remained as stiff as stone, eyes wide and lips pinched. He stepped in front of her and crooked a finger under her chin to raise her gaze to his. "Is something wrong?"

The beautiful, dark lashes framing her eyes fluttered and, for an instant, she focused on his lips. "No. Not at all."

Lie? Fejo narrowed his eyes. Over his lifetime dealing with black-market traders and unscrupulous buyers, he'd learned to notice when someone was lying. But Vanessa was a human. A species he had very little knowledge of. It would take time for him to recognize whether she was lying. "You can tell me, gorgeous." He grinned.

Her brows furrowed at his grin, the one that females couldn't help but return most of the time. She lifted her hand and gently removed his from her chin, then gave him a demure smile. It didn't fit on her face. Where was the

female who'd called him cocky and arrogant and looked at him with a fiery intensity that was now branded in his mind?

Perhaps she was as nervous as he was. Trying to be something she wasn't.

"Sorry if I wasn't clear," Vanessa said. The words were polite enough, but the undercutting tone of sarcasm had a true grin spreading on his face. There she is. "I meant I'd like to go back to the Temple by myself and gather my belongings in private. When are you scheduled to actually leave?"

"Are you gathering a certain powered thing given to you by a charming stranger?" Fejo tried, yearning to bring out the fire he knew lurked somewhere in her.

Her eyes widened and her jaw clenched. He watched the beautiful pink hue deepen on her cheeks and felt his cock stir with appreciation. "No," she grated, trying her hardest to keep a pleasant smile in place.

Fejo tipped his head and placed his hands on his hips. "I suppose that makes sense, since you'll have a husband ready and waiting and...confident he'll be a much better replacement."

Vanessa's pointed chin dropped, and he could all but feel the sharp words ready to escape her beautiful, rosy lips. She inhaled before they could and closed her mouth again. "When are you scheduled to leave?"

"Three days."

"Do you think you could come pick me up in three days, then? It would be good for me to spend some time bonding with my friends before I leave for three months."

Fejo considered her request. Perhaps it was better if they parted ways for a few days. He could make sure his crew were briefed and his cabin was well stocked without worrying about entertaining her. In all honesty, it was a miracle she was even asking. As his wife, she didn't need his approval. Even if he wanted to deny her, he couldn't. But it seemed she didn't fully grasp that, and the sweet way she requested his permission did something dark and delicious to him. He wouldn't be correcting her anytime soon.

"I suppose you can," Fejo said with the air of someone who was allowing an extravagance.

She rushed past him with a smile and scrambled into the cruiser. "Thanks, I really appreciate it. So, you can take the

next one, right?"

This human was so confusing, but Fejo found he liked it.

"Hold on," he said, blocking the cruiser door before it could close. "Can I at least pleasure you before you leave?"

A high-pitched nervous laugh tore from Vanessa's throat and she clenched her fists at her sides while seated on the long bench of the cruiser interior. "I...no...no. I'm..." She let out another odd, manic sort of chuckle. "No. Thank you. That's moving a bit fast for me."

Fejo frowned. "How slow do married human couples usually move?"

"Slow. Very slow. Glacially slow." She nodded as though agreeing with herself, but her eyes were large and unblinking. It was clear this was another lie. Maybe humans weren't difficult to read after all.

Fejo climbed into the cruiser a little but let most of his body linger outside. "I can smell you need release, female."

Vanessa slammed her knees together, and the delicate pink blooming on her cheeks turned scarlet. "Good-for- nothing underwear," she hissed almost too quietly for Fejo to hear.

He chuckled and leaned as close to her as he could with his feet planted on the ground outside. "How about a kiss, then? To hold us both over until I pick you up."

Vanessa glanced around the cruiser cabin and her brows wrinkled. "Um...I guess."

Fejo gave her a heated look and waited. How much could he get away with? Would she come to him if he asked? Demanded, even? What would it be like to be with a female he didn't have to take direction from?

Somehow realizing what he was waiting for, the furrow of her dark brows sharpened into annoyance. Still, she scooted toward him and leaned forward with tightly shut eyes. Fejo smirked.

He pressed his mouth to hers, and before she could pull away, his palm landed on the junction of her neck and shoulder. Vanessa's eyes flashed open, and he used her momentary surprise to deepen the kiss. The pressure he put on her shoulder was light, but it kept her in place. For a few moments, her lips remained tight and unyielding, but when he ran his thumb along the curve of her collarbone, she let

out a small whimper and softened, opening up to him completely.

She tasted good too. Exactly like the Ganglu sea plums. He found himself pressing against her and forgetting his footing. He braced a knee on the cruiser floor and wrapped her soft hair around his fist. The scent of her cunt growing wet with arousal drugged him and caused him to growl out his pleasure.

A distant voice in his head warned him to stop, and he pulled away. Vanessa had been leaning against him so much that she tipped forward before catching herself on his chest. He didn't forget himself like this with females. He needed to be cognizant and present in order to know just how to please them to make sure they left satisfied. He'd never before lost himself like he did when he was touching Vanessa. It scared him.

He had to make her crave him. He needed her to not want anyone else. And the only way to do that was to keep his head on straight. This was the chance of a lifetime, and he refused to screw it up.

He grinned at the dazed, sultry look of her heavy lids and the deep red staining her swollen lips. He could do this. He could tempt her to stay with him.

Her gaze suddenly cleared, and she shot back into her seat, brushing the hair from her face and not meeting his gaze. Was this shyness a common flirting technique back on her planet? She was attracted to him, and he knew it. Knew it by the scent of her arousal spiking every time he touched her and from the small moans she'd made while kissing him.

"I'll see you in three days," he said, imbuing his tone with an unspoken promise. "Sleep well, wife."

The startled and slightly appalled look she leveled on him as the cruiser door slid closed had a wide grin splitting his face.

Chapter 6

Heart racing, Vanessa sat on her bed and picked at her nails. Three days had gone by in a flash. Sharp pain drew her attention to her thumb, where a small bead of blood was forming. Frowning, she sucked the blood from her cuticle, then sat on her hands to keep from making them look any worse.

Was she really going to do this? Any moment now, Fejo would arrive. In a matter of seconds or minutes or hours, she'd be on her way to an actual spaceship. What would it look like? Would she have to learn to float around gracefully, like they did on the space station? Would it be small and cramped and cold? Though she'd been brought to Clecania presumably on a spaceship, she'd been unconscious for all of it.

The last thing she could remember from Earth was walking home in the rain after a particularly dreadful night. Memories of her fight with Julie flickered to life, and her limbs clenched, her stomach turning. Bile rose past the lump in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut. Don't think about it! Don't think about it!

Shoving the memories down until they were buried was something Vanessa had gotten good at over the past month. She'd learned quickly that remembering that night consistently made her crumble under the weight of her

guilt. She couldn't afford to crumble right now. Focus on the present.

What would space be like? Was she even capable of flying through the vast emptiness and not losing her mind? Astronauts trained for decades to be able to go into space, didn't they? What if once they took off she had a complete breakdown and became a danger to everyone? She'd traveled through space without ever experiencing it. Now, she'd be experiencing it all.

Her arms tingled, and she removed her hands from under her thighs, shaking off the pins and needles. She took a moment to flex her shoulders as well. Why the hell hadn't she asked Luka about this? Why hadn't she asked anybody about this?

She'd spent the past three days with Luka, Rhaego, Daisy, and Alice, planning and re-planning her escape once she reached the Lentri Port. They talked about how she'd need

to act with Fejo. Both Rhaego and Luka had given her some tips on how to act to show interest without taking things further than they needed to go. In other words, ways to stall.

Vanessa now realized she'd been so preoccupied with figuring out how to meet up with Vitash at Lentri Port while keeping Fejo happy at an arm's length, she hadn't taken time to think about the fact she'd be on a real-life spaceship. In space.

She examined her outfit and second-guessed her choices once again. On top, she wore a thin long-sleeved white shirt made of an odd fuzzy material that was somehow incredibly warm and a black undershirt just in case she got overheated.

On the bottom she wore soft, loose black pants. The perfect material for comfortable traveling. The only pieces of clothing she didn't question were the three pairs of thick underwear she'd donned. The fact that Fejo could smell every time he turned her on put her at a distinct disadvantage. One she couldn't have right now. She needed

to hold the power, and she needed to be able to lie about not being in the mood.

Vanessa had learned two things during the ceremony. One, Fejo was not nearly as unbearable as she'd remembered. And two, he was not all talk. Considering he'd claimed to have never kissed before, he'd performed like a damn expert. Just as he'd told her weeks ago, his bravado wasn't cockiness, it was confidence. If he could kiss like that on his first try, she didn't even want to think about how capable he'd be in other ways. No. It'd be a very bad idea to sleep with him, and she was going to avoid it, if at all possible.

But damn. He was charming and handsome and so clearly ready to take her to bed. It was going to be a job in and of itself to keep her guard up, even if it was only for a few days. He had a way of sparking electricity across every nerve whenever he was close. If Fejo wanted a wife as badly as all the other men on this planet and put his mind to seducing her? Well, shit. This was going to be near impossible.

"Stay in the room." She thought about the advice Luka had given her. He'd explained many wives liked to acclimate to their new home for a few days before socializing with their husbands. Vanessa's plan was to stay in her room alone as much as possible using this excuse. If she did ever see Fejo, she'd be pleasant but distant, which Rhaego had explained indicated she was neither pleased nor displeased. They all hoped this attitude would make Fejo try harder, so when she asked to go down to Lentri Port with him, he'd agree in order to make her happy, even if he didn't want her to go.

Purple light flashed across the ceiling, telling her someone was at the door. She froze. Her gaze rocketed to her "suitcase," a waist-high, floating white cube that was programmed to follow her around like a puppy. The letters were in there. She knew they were, since she'd anxiously checked and rechecked multiple times. Despite telling her brain this, though, her fingers still twitched.

Maybe just one more time. She leapt over to the cube, placed her palm on the top panel to unlock the print- activated device, and dug through the contents. There,

tucked inside a silk bag Rita had sewn a secret pocket in, were the letters given to her by all the human women she'd been able to talk to in private.

She ran her fingers over the oddly thick paper the women had somehow gotten their hands on in the generally paperless temple. A few weren't written on paper at all but torn pieces of cloth. The purple flash from the ceiling made her breath stutter.

What Vanessa was doing was important. It was important for her, obviously. But also for these women and their families. She'd taken on something bigger than herself, and she hoped to whatever deities actually existed that she wouldn't fuck it up like she had every other important thing in her life.

Palms gone sweaty, she closed up the pouch and let out a shaky breath. Precious cargo.

When she took a few steps forward, the white cube inched toward her. She gazed around the beautiful house she'd been provided as she walked to the front door. Through the high-tech kitchen, large glass doors revealed the glittering water her floating house rested on.

Metli, a member of the Queen's council, had told her that at this time of year, the glowing bilom that lived in the Pearl Lake were preparing for their mating season. They would shed their scales and, in turn, those scales would fertilize the lake bed, producing glorious colors in the floating blooms.

A pang of sadness hit her. Despite her determination to get off this planet, she had to admit, she'd grown fond of this place. Clecania was magical. She had a beautiful home, friends, and endless opportunities. If Julie was still alive and decided she wanted to stay on Earth, Vanessa would have to find another dead-end job and another tiny, run-down apartment. But if she stayed here...

With a huff, she turned away from the window and walked to the door. No. She'd do the right thing for once in her life. Staying here would be the easy thing to do, but it wouldn't be right. She pulled the door open with a bit more force than necessary, and there stood Fejo.

His dark hair was characteristically mussed and his dazzling smile was plastered on wide enough to make the dimple in his cheek pop. Vanessa caught herself ogling the

warm, olive skin of his chest. Had he'd tanned since she'd last seen him?

"Ah, my exquisite wife!" he boomed with so much over- the-top enthusiasm, she couldn't keep her scowl at bay.

It wasn't that she didn't like compliments, but sometimes when Fejo was speaking to her, she felt as if his words were scripted. Like he routinely called everyone exquisite or lovely or gorgeous. His practiced schmoozing made her feel like nothing he said to her was authentic.

He caught her grimace before she could hide it. His wide, toothy smile relaxed and tipped up at the corner, making it a bit crooked but also more...real. "As happy to see me as ever, I see."

Vanessa cursed inwardly. He was reading her the same way she was reading him. "Sorry. I'm...just getting used to being called 'wife.'"

"Shall I call you something else?" He moved in close, and his scent hit her nose. "How about divine Vanessa, who haunts my dreams?"

Her eyes watered with the effort not to roll them. Fejo took in her expression and saw something that made his

smile brighten just a little more.

"Wife is fine," she said as she scooted past him. A loud

beep sounded from the suitcase, and they both looked down to find it was stuck inside the house, blocked in by Fejo's sturdy leather-pant-covered legs. What animal does leather come from around here? Vanessa thought, taking in the black, buttery-soft fabric. She'd never owned real leather. Too expensive.

He stepped aside and closed the door behind the suitcase robot, which rushed to her side. "Is that all you have?"

All the possessions I have on this world. "Yeah. It's not like the aliens who took me brought along my wardrobe."

With a smooth gesture forward from Fejo, they walked side by side. "Well, I've picked out many new items I hope you'll like. I have them all waiting on the ship, and anything you don't like we can replace at our first port stop."

Vanessa was trying to listen, and she distantly registered how generous it seemed he'd been for her, but it took almost all of her concentration to keep her gaze locked on the ground.

Daisy, Alice, and Rita had begged and pleaded to see her off today. Vanessa had somehow convinced them to stay home. She already felt an aching sadness creeping into her heart. After all the shit they'd been through together, they were her family. It would make everything so much harder if she had to say goodbye to them right now.

Even though they'd agreed to stay home, though, she'd bet the contents of the suitcase floating behind her that they were all currently staring at her on Rita's porch, the only place in any of their houses that would have a good view of the path to the exit. Don't look.

"—the bed..." Fejo continued to talk, and she could feel his full focus was on her, but she only caught bits of what he said. Something about breaking a bed?

"Uh-huh. Sounds great." They were directly next to Rita's house now. Don't look. She chewed on her bottom lip.

"Sounds great? I'm glad to hear it." Fejo stepped in front of her and pulled her in close, pressing her body into his with powerful hands at her back. Her gaze shot up to his face on instinct. "I thought you were going to need more convincing."

Don't l— Too late. Vanessa's peripheral vision had caught movement, and she'd turned her head before realizing it. There on the small floating patio hanging off the back of Rita's house stood Alice, Luka, Rita, and Daisy. Alice was wiping at her eyes, while Luka's desperate attention remained focused on the top of her head. He pulled her against his chest.

Rita, unfazed as always, smiled and blew her a kiss. Daisy had her head leaning against Rita's shoulder. Nether Rita nor Daisy were crying, but Daisy's gaze bore into her even from this distance. She'd been the most outspoken about this being a bad idea.

Vanessa's heart swelled until tears pricked her eyes.

"Oh, Vanessa." Fejo peered down into her watery eyes. He didn't loosen his hold, and she wanted to wrench out of his grip. She hated when people saw her cry. Especially men. Especially this man. "I knew humans were a bit more emotional, but look at how upset they are. You are truly an interesting species."

She wiped at her eyes and pulled out of his grasp, stumbling back a step when, to her surprise, he released her

instantly. Righting herself and keeping her gaze turned downward, she stepped past him and almost jogged across the floating glass platforms to the towering Pearl Temple gates on the shore.

"Are—" Fejo tried to speak, but Vanessa could hear someone getting ready to console her from a mile out and she didn't want it.

"Is that our ride?" She pointed to the solitary floating cruiser a few feet ahead and made for it without waiting for an answer.

His footfalls sounded behind her. "It is."

When she climbed into the cruiser and sat on the long bench, she half expected him to keep trying to talk to her, but he didn't. She was grateful. She'd have been more grateful if he wasn't staring so hard at her, though.

Thankfully, Fejo remained silent and assessing for the entire ride. It was wasted time, she knew. She should've asked questions like the guys had instructed. Showing interest, but keeping distant. Instead, she allowed herself to sulk, already missing her new Clecanian family.

When the cruiser finally pulled to a stop, she stepped out and turned in place. What the hell was she looking at? A giant black cable rose from the earth and disappeared into the clouds like some sleek giant's beanstalk. Small black cars zoomed up one side of the cable. And large cars, the size of semitrucks, slowly lifted up the other side.

"What is this? Is the ship somewhere around here?" Vanessa turned and looked behind Fejo, who was still watching her but this time with curiosity shining on his handsome face.

He ushered her ahead toward the never-ending cable. "We don't launch ships from the ground. They're built up in the Clecanian spaceport and remain space-locked. Only personal pods and a couple styles of small ship are permitted to land on Clecanian soil. And even those are quite rare."

Her neck craned so far back a strong wind might've knocked her over. She watched one large car traveling along the cable disappear into the cloud layer far above. Though the air outside was pleasantly warm, a chill rushed over her skin.

"So..." She glanced at Fejo, panic tightening her chest. "So, we're going to be riding into space in a small metal box."

"No, no." Fejo shook his head and continued to guide her forward, though she'd dug her heels into the dirt. "I'd say medium at least."

His joking tone irked. Especially now when every primal instinct she had told her to run. Humans didn't belong in space. This was insane. At least in a spaceship, she could hide in a corner and pretend like their bumpy takeoff was just airplane turbulence. But now there were multiple steps? She had to muster enough courage to board two separate transports in space?

She spun away from him and paced a few steps, relaxing at the calming sight of trees and mountains on the horizon. No eerie black beanstalks to a cold, dead vacuum in this direction.

"Vanessa, it's perfectly safe. I wouldn't bring you if it weren't."

She put her hands on her knees and took a few breaths in through her nose and out through her mouth to combat the

nausea in her gut. "Just give me a minute."

Without warning, Fejo snatched her hand from her knee

and spun her around in an expertly executed twirl. When he pulled her to a stop and drew her in, her vision wavered for a moment, not yet recognizing the world had stopped spinning. Anger flared and brought heat to her cheeks. All she'd asked for was a freaking minute of—

Her now-focused gaze caught on a large, glittering, blood- red gem strung on a gold chain. It sat on an unfolded piece of shining black fabric in his large palm, as though he'd been carrying it around in his pocket and had assessed this to be the best moment to show it to her.

Fejo swept aside the long, black hair that had fallen over her chest during her twirl, letting his fingertips glide along the fabric covering her top with just a little too much pressure. "I found this beauty at the bottom of the Furufet Sea when I was diving to retrieve lost cargo on Hedety."

He draped the chain over Vanessa's neck. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the gem now dangling between her breasts. It caught the light, flashing and glimmering. The

center glowed in the sun like it had imprisoned a small flame.

"We'd accidentally trapped a Nuglisian adolescent onboard, and his mother was quite unhappy. Took us a solid week to patch up the side of our ship and retrieve our goods after she tore a hole in the hull."

Finally snapping out of her stupor, Vanessa shook her head and moved to lift the necklace off. It was far too nice. She couldn't accept it, no matter how badly she wanted to.

"Ah-ah." Fejo stilled her hands and stepped in close.

His crisp, salty smell almost brought to life the mental image of him diving into a dark, churning ocean and finding the necklace. He slid his hands along the sides of her neck and lifted her hair so the chain sat against the heated skin at her nape. She sucked in a shaky inhale.

"It looks like it belongs on you. Though..." He pinched the chain loosely and let it slide between his fingers as he followed it down. The backs of his knuckles brushed against her covered breasts, leaving a scalding trail on her skin even through her shirt. His fingers came to a stop at the

jewel. "I did hope you'd be wearing less the first time I saw it on you."

Vanessa hated how breathless her voice sounded when she asked, "Then why did you give it to me now?"

He studied her face, and she noticed the slight flare of his nostrils. His brows furrowed, and he leaned in to sniff her again.

Fuck. Did he wonder why she didn't smell turned on? The three sets of underwear must've been doing their job because Vanessa was on fire, her sex clenching and wet and ready for this handsome, jewel-giving Lothario to fill her up.

"I've learned sometimes a good jolt is just what we need to get over our fear." He spoke calmly, but his brows remained furrowed, his expression puzzled.

His words finally settled over her and she felt the heat return to her cheeks, this time in embarrassment. She wasn't some child in need of distraction. She could take care of herself. If he'd just given her another minute, she'd have been fine. Instead of saying any of this to him, though, she lifted her chin and reveled in his confusion. Finally, his suave

moves weren't having the desired effect—or at least he thought they weren't.

"Something wrong?" Vanessa trilled as she made her way toward the large black cable. It hurt her ever-present pride to admit his little trick had worked. She'd gotten so distracted by the gift and by his delicious presence that her fear felt like a distant memory.

Fejo roved his gaze over her body as they walked, pausing at her pelvis. He met her gaze again. This time, his stare was assessing. Watchful. Was he figuring her out? Did he know why she was really here? And how the fuck did serious, astute Fejo look even sexier than charming Fejo?

Vanessa broke the eye contact and stared ahead dutifully, forcing herself not to inch closer to the floating suitcase behind her. She spotted a handful of people in line by a large black door and saw a cable car ease to a stop behind it. "That must be where we board." She pointed at the door and faced him.

He continued to scrutinize her for a moment longer before the grin returned to his defined lips. "Indeed, it is." He

strolled forward, turning back to make sure she was following.

They took their place in line, and Vanessa began to sweat. The guard was turning someone away. Loudly.

"You haven't been cleared," he repeated while holding up a small screen to the furious man at the head of the line.

"I was cleared three weeks ago!" the pale Lignas man argued, pushing out his chest.

Dropping the screen to his side, the guard scowled. "Well, you aren't anymore. Get out of the way, or I'll have you escorted."

Vanessa jumped when Fejo leaned down and whispered, "Don't worry. We're cleared."

She gave him a shaky nod and fiddled with the gorgeous jewel hanging from her neck. She dragged it back and forth over the chain, the resulting zip of metal on bumpy metal relaxing her.

The line moved quickly and, luckily, no one else was turned away. When they reached the front, Fejo greeted the guard at the door with a hearty slap on the shoulder. It

seemed they knew each other. She let out a relieved breath and wiped her forehead.

He gestured widely. "My wife, Vanessa."

The guard grinned at her, then at Fejo as if saying well done. He scanned Fejo's outstretched communicator, and Vanessa held her breath, letting it out again when his device beeped and the guard nodded. "Please surrender any Port Clecania–noncompliant weapons before stepping through the scanner," the guard recited as if he said it a hundred times a day.

Weapons? Vanessa didn't have any weapons, let alone noncompliant ones. Whatever that meant. "I don't have any," she said with a small shake of her head.

Satisfied, he nodded and glanced back at Fejo with raised brows.

To her surprise, Fejo spread his jacket and revealed a small collection of blades. "Only compliant weapons here." Icy fear lifted the hair on her neck. Did he carry those all

the time? And if so, why? Izzo had told her Fejo was dangerous. That he'd killed and done other terrible things.

She hadn't really believed him. It was difficult to imagine Fejo hurting anyone when he flashed that charming grin.

But what if he did have a dark side? Did he use those knives to protect himself? Or was he the one others needed protection from? How would he treat her if he found out she was using him for a ride?

Vanessa's mouth went dry.

"Then please just step through the scanner." The towering metal doors behind the guard opened. One of the metal cable cars bound for the spaceport waited for its passengers only a few feet away. A faint green iridescence shimmered in the space where the large metal doors had once been.

Vanessa eyed the shimmer. Was it like an X-ray? With a jolt, she remembered that although she had no weapons, she certainly had a stack of hidden letters in her bag. "What does the scanner scan for?" she asked while trying to mentally reassure herself that even if the guard spotted the letters on an X-ray, he'd have no reason to say anything about them. They were harmless.

"Weapons." Fejo shrugged and stepped through the green film wobbling in the doorway. "Or anything that may damage the port and risk the lives of thousands of travelers."

Then I'm good. Stop acting so worried, or he's gonna know something's up! Straightening her spine, she forced herself to walk through the doorway. No alarms blared to life, and the burly guard at the gate gave them a wave. Vanessa let out a breath.

They boarded the small metal box—definitely small, not medium—and the car rose. It didn't feel like they were moving fast, but the rapidly shrinking landscape visible through the large window told her differently.

Her breathing increased as she stared, transfixed, through the window. A flash of cold sweat made her shiver. When they were high enough that she could see the actual curvature of the planet, she let out a pitiful gurgling sound.

A broad chest suddenly cut off her view. "Careful, or you may break that chain." Fejo said, stepping forward and guiding her with his own movements until her back was to the window.

She followed his gaze and found that she was a white- knuckle gripping the gem he'd given her. She hadn't realized. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled absently. The sickening, curious urge to turn and peer out the window was strong, but she knew she shouldn't. It was all too overwhelming too soon. Why had she ever thought she could do this?

"Look at me, lovely," Fejo crooned.

She did. The corners of his eyes creased in a gentle smile. Did he also look worried? Heartless killers wouldn't be worried, would they? He stepped toward her and grasped her waist, then with far too little effort, hoisted her up and sat her on her floating suitcase.

Leaning in until she could feel the heat wafting off his body, he gave her a crooked smile. He ran his warm palms over her upper thighs and rumbled, "I could distract you if you'd like."

Between the adrenaline spiking in her system and the gall of this alien, she couldn't contain her burst of laughter. "Man, you don't give up, do you?"

He lifted a brow and twisted his mouth to the side, considering her rhetorical question. "You're my wife. Giving

up would be tantamount to sacrilege. Besides..." He ran his gaze slowly down her body. "Can you blame me?"

A low, rattling buzz sounded, and Vanessa couldn't keep her hands from shooting out and gripping Fejo's forearms. "What was that?" she squeaked.

"Unfortunately, our ride is about to end." He stepped back and helped her off her suitcase. "If you don't mind, I'd like to head straight to my ship so I can get you settled and introduce you to my crew before they rush to prepare everything for our departure."

"Fine with me." Vanessa stared hard at the door to the room, refusing to so much as peek into the open space that was surely glaring at her from the other side of the window.

Chapter 7

His wife had grown pale. The edge to her personality—that spark always lighting just under the surface and firing her temper—had been muted in the wake of her anxiety.

Fejo was sympathetic. Though he'd been raised on a planet where space travel was normal, he'd still become sick while on his first space transport car. The fact she—a being from a planet with only the barest knowledge of space travel—was holding it together was a testament to her strength.

He wished he could do more to relieve her distress, but she was oddly unwilling to let him comfort her. It was frustrating beyond belief. He just wanted to show her what a good husband he could be. Were all humans this disinterested in receiving pleasure?

He certainly hoped not because his body wouldn't let him forget how much he wanted Vanessa. He practically salivated every time he thought about kissing her.

The doors slid open, and his heart clenched as she sucked in a frightened inhale. Without thinking, his hand lifted to

touch her. He forced himself to lower it again. She appeared to want to deal with things on her own.

It was a quality he found he didn't appreciate. He couldn't pleasure her. He couldn't comfort her. He couldn't seem to find a compliment she enjoyed. What the hell was he good for? She'd even tried to give back his gift, for Goddess' sake!

Vanessa was the most tantalizing mystery, and he needed to solve her soon.

Eyes round and jaw clenched, her eyes darted around the small view of the port they currently had. He couldn't seem to look anywhere but at her. Her attention shot to him and she gave a jerky nod. "I'm ready."

He held back the compliment about her beauty being rivaled by her bravery and guided her forward.

Vanessa's gaze bounced around the moderately busy entry of the port, and he scanned the area as well, trying to see it through her eyes.

Daylight simulators were in effect at the moment. Which meant the ceiling looked no different from the Clecanian sky on a sunny day. There were other portions of the port with a

clear view into space, but he figured she wouldn't be pleased to see that quite yet. Not with how ardently she'd refused to look through the window of the transport car.

Essentially, this area of the Clecanian port was just a long, plain hallway. Travelers bustled to and fro, entering and exiting the multitude of doors lining either side of the hall.

A large Trilum female, wearing a bioshifting suit, slithered out of the arid Buterious section of the port. Vanessa's steps slowed, and she openly stared at the female passing by. Luckily, the Trilum female seemed not to notice.

Was he to correct his wife? It seemed wrong to lecture her on proper port etiquette when he himself was a poor model for behavior, but she needed to learn how to show respect to the species that may be more inclined to rip her pretty head from her body than forgive a slight.

With a gentle finger on her chin, he turned her head to face him. She grimaced at his action and pulled her chin away. "What?"

"When in doubt, avert your gaze. Many species, including that Trilum, see staring as an act of aggression or...

flirtation."

"Oh." Her gaze shot to the floor and that pretty pink

leaked into her cheeks. "I've never seen anything...uh, anyone like that. I mean, down on Clecania, most of you look so...well, you know, human."

They walked at a slow pace down the hall. Vanessa covertly glanced at all the beings entering and leaving their respective terraformed sections. "I think, rather, you look very Clecanian," he commented.

She peered at him sidelong. "I suppose that's true. Especially when it comes to you. I'd have a hard time telling you weren't human if you were down on Earth. Are you part Lignas?"

Lignas, the race who called Tremanta their home, were close enough to him in appearance that he could understand her confusion. He was a citizen of Tremanta, after all. But the issue of his race brought up a buried ache he didn't want to confront just yet. Still, the fact that she was asking him about himself, that she cared to, made him feel so odd. Almost uncomfortable.

Luckily, a school of chittering, yellow four-legged Ftur skittered by, distracting Vanessa. She eyed their small bioshifting suits. "Why are we the only ones not wearing suits like that?"

"This is the Clecanian port. It's typical for the artificial atmosphere of each port to mimic the planet it belongs to. We'll have to wear suits at the other ports we visit until we enter our designated terraform section. If they have one, that is." She shot him a confused glance, so he explained, "Each of these doors along the walls leads to a different artificial environment. Visitors will wear their suits to explore the port and do their business, but they often return to their sections to relax without suits. The sections also usually have vendors that sell food and drink native to the visiting species. Not everyone can eat Clecanian food, and vice versa. We'll be visiting some interesting ports on our trip. I think you'll like the Renchuth Port especially. It's one of the few that has an atmosphere similar to our own, so we don't have to wear suits in the main areas. But Clecanians get a small high from the chemical composition of the air there."

Fejo spotted their dock up ahead. One of his crew, Orenag, walked ahead of them, clearly headed in the same direction. Seeing the large male brought back the unease Fejo had been feeling all day. When he'd told his crew his good news days ago, he'd gauged each of their reactions. Orenag was one of the males who'd been a bit too enthused by the idea of Vanessa onboard.

"That's a lot to take in," Vanessa said, scratching her temple. She slid an odd look toward him again and her lips pursed. "So, what kind of business are you planning to do on the Renchuth Port?"

Fejo grinned, though inside his unease built. The question was innocent enough, but it was laced with an unspoken accusation. Someone had told her he was more than just a merchant. But who? And when? Before she'd agreed to marry him? Or after?

Had the rumors about his work been a source of intrigue for her? Or was she upset that she'd married a male who potentially broke the law? It would make him feel better to know which way she was leaning. For one thing, he'd play up his criminal act a bit more if she was attracted to that.

He decided to answer honestly, without disclosing the information she actually wanted to know. "I'm picking up some cargo from a Renth dealer."

Her gaze scanned his face, and she appeared unsatisfied. Fortunately, they'd just rounded the last corner and his glorious ship came into view. He gestured to it proudly and watched her expression widen into comical awe as she beheld his home.

Satisfaction curled in his belly. *

Was that his ship? Vanessa couldn't seem to process what she was seeing.

Sure, she'd seen spaceships on TV before, but this was different. Although it still had some elements she tied to sci- fi spaceships, it wasn't as angular and cold as she'd been expecting. In actuality, it looked like the head of a beast. As if an enormous sea monster had just surfaced and she was only seeing a glimpse, the rest hidden under water.

It was large and had curved edges rather than sharp corners. Two large globes stuck out near the front. They were spotted with what looked like hundreds of round

windows. The iridescent, shimmering black metal of the ship almost glowed electric blue in places as the light hit it. The ship's curved top was shallow and dotted with pointed protrusions that blinked and pulsed with murky turquoise light.

On the bottom of the ship there was a wide loading door open, and men were walking up and down a ramp, directing large floating pallets of items inside the ship. But it looked more like the ship itself was swallowing them whole.

A shiver ran down Vanessa's spine. It wasn't from fear this time, though. She was impressed. She caught Fejo's intense stare and realized he was gauging her reaction. Hot guy with a pleasure kink—check. A bit of a bad boy streak— check. Had his own fucking amazing space pirate ship— check, check, check. Damn, he was getting more extraordinary by the minute.

"Very cool," Vanessa croaked, hoping she could mask how ridiculously impressed she actually was.

"I assume cool means breathtaking, deadly, awe-inspiring work of functional art?" Fejo's lips twitched.

Vanessa pursed her lips. "I know how your translator works. You know that's not what cool means."

His mouth curled in response to her exasperated tone. "Let's go in, and I'll give you a tour. Show you some more cool things."

Ugh. He knew she was impressed. Why did that make her so annoyed? Because his already-inflated ego needed no more boosting perhaps?

She followed him toward the ship, and a familiar sourness invaded her thoughts. She was probably so irritated by how remarkable Fejo was because it reminded her how unremarkable she was.

And to top it all off, she couldn't even claim to be a good person. She was using this world's desperation to her own ends. Taking the one thing every straight guy on the planet wanted—a wife—and making him believe it was real.

Her shoulders curled over in disgrace as she approached a quiet ramp on the far side of the ship that no one was using. She'd let herself feel like shit for a few more seconds, just until she was on the ship, then she'd shut out these emotions again. It wouldn't help anyone for her to feel sorry

for herself, and she had to keep focused on why she was doing this in the first place.

She might not be a good person, but what she was doing was right.

Before stepping over the threshold of the place that would either be her salvation or doom, she steeled herself. So far, she hadn't remained the pleasant-yet-distant wife she'd planned to be. Unsurprising. She'd always been a terrible actress. Straightening her spine, she followed Fejo, vowing to keep a damn word filter in place if it killed her.

The hallway at the top of the ramp they were ascending was eerie and made of the same radiant black metal as the outside of the ship. The light illuminating the interior was bright but seemed to become swallowed by the metal, as though the walls themselves were alive.

Vanessa marveled as the hallway expanded and broke off into four separate corridors. The strange yet beautiful aura of the ship had her sentimental heart pining for her goth years. She paused at a portion of the wall that didn't quite fit and realized it had been scratched. But not randomly. The scratches created a beautiful picture of a tumultuous sea at

the base of misty mountains. The image only seemed to be visible when the light hit it just right, and it had her wondering if there were pieces of art like this hidden in plain sight all around the ship.

"Would you like a tour first? Or should I take you to our room?"

Her head snapped around. "Our room?" Shit, that hadn't been part of the plan. She'd been told repeatedly that married couples stayed in separate rooms. "I thought we were supposed to have our own rooms."

Fejo grinned. "Lucky for me, we are at full capacity on this trip. A few new crew members just joined our ranks and took the last spare room."

Damn. She'd been counting on having her own place to hide in for a few days. Now it seemed she'd have to maintain her act at all times.

"Captain," a large male with brilliant white wings and charcoal-gray skin called from down the hall. As he approached, his silver eyes scanned her. There was curiosity there, but nothing too intense. Not the way some people stared at her in the city.

"Ah, Uja!" Fejo greeted warmly. "Meet Vanessa. I'll be introducing her to the rest of the crew after we enter cruise speed."

"I'm honored to meet you, Vanessa. You've chosen a fine male in Fejo." Uja flared his wings behind him and gave a quick bow.

Vanessa tried for a polite smile. She'd only met one other winged Clecanian—one of the men who'd kept her locked up —and she wanted to be sure she didn't let that encounter color her opinion of Uja. "It's nice to meet you too."

"I'm showing her the common areas before we depart," Fejo explained.

"I'm afraid you may need to wait," Uja said with a meaningful glance at him. "You have a call coming in."

Vanessa saw the skin around Fejo's eyes tightened ever so slightly. "Can it wait?"

Uja shot a glance at Vanessa. "They've called three times already."

The stiffness in Fejo's stance increased. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute."

With a nod, Uja walked away, his large wings crowding the wide hallway.

Fejo guided her forward and with a tight smile said, "I'll take you to our room. The tour will have to wait until later. Clients can be quite demanding."

Was it a client? There was obviously more to it than that, unless they were a particularly picky customer. Vanessa hadn't yet seen much that could dim Fejo's charismatic personality.

He led her quickly through the ship, and she tried as hard as she could to note all the different rooms flashing by, but most of the doors were closed. It didn't help that the hallways were identical. Same shining black metal. Same dim, relaxing light. Same hard-yet-rubbery flooring. The only thing that seemed to be different were the glimpses of scratched artwork carved into the walls.

"Where did these come from?" Vanessa asked as she admired a floor-to-ceiling image of a beautiful horned woman, naked and gazing over her shoulder.

"Vrok likes to carve them. At first, I was against it, but it helps new crew members navigate the ship and, more

importantly, it helps his temper."

"Art therapy is supposed to be great."

Fejo shot her a curious look. "Do you enjoy creating art of

some kind?"

"Ha! No. I'm about as artistic as a boulder."

Fejo gestured to a door up ahead, one that was oddly blue

compared to the black metal surrounding it. "Well, I'm dying to learn what other hidden talents you possess."

"Instead of learning what my talents are, why don't you concentrate on driving the ship and getting us out of here alive," Vanessa quipped, but she found the sarcasm in her tone was more teasing than annoyed. Was he already growing on her?

The corner of his mouth raised, and he gazed at her as if she'd said something adorable. "There's not much flying that we do. The ship pretty much guides itself. Of course, if there's an emergency, there's a team to take over manually, but it's very rare. Do humans manually guide their own transportation?"

Vanessa hadn't given it much thought, but all the Clecanian transportation was automatic. The cruisers down

on the planet drove themselves, and even the platforms that guided them across the Pearl Lake seemed to have a mind of their own. She didn't know why, but she'd assumed something as advanced and dangerous as a spaceship needed a manual pilot.

The notion of how primitive she must seem to him in this moment struck her. That realization straightened her spine, and she flatly replied, "No. Not all transportation."

He made a small noise and shrugged, not questioning her answer, then he pressed his palm to the door and with a zip, it slid open. She stared at the interior for quite a while before stepping through.

Vanessa didn't know what she'd been expecting, but everything about the space screamed Fejo. The room must've been located in one of the large globe eyes she'd seen from the outside because hundreds of small, round windows dotted the ceiling and wall. It was almost like looking through the eye of an insect.

The teal light that emanated from the protrusions on the top of the exterior of the ship glowed through the windows and illuminated the cluttered space from above, making it

look like his own personal grotto full of treasures. There were rich fabrics and carved trinkets crammed into almost every corner of the room. Vibrant clothing and glittering jewelry were placed with care along the black walls, and a plush magenta couch sat underneath a loft housing one massive bed. The black rubber of the floor was almost out of sight, covered by layers of intricately woven rugs.

She took a few steps inside, and the smell of Fejo invaded her senses. The scent was light and crisp, but it was unmistakable. How much time did he spend in here? It looked like he had an entire home's worth of keepsakes stashed away.

She turned to peer at Fejo, whose smile had grown nervous. His gaze shot around the interior of his room, and he looked back at her, a question clear in his eyes. She couldn't help the warmth that seeped into her chest, so she gave a soft smile and said, "Very cool."

His posture straightened instantly, and his grin grew brilliant.

Cursing inwardly, she schooled her features. Distant and pleasant!

"Organize it however you'd like. If you want anything moved, I can do that. Or if you'd like to have some of my things, just say so. Your bed is up there. Although I'd love to share it, unless you tell me otherwise, I'll sleep below." He pointed to the large magenta couch that could easily fit two of her side by side but would only fit one of Fejo.

A part of her felt bad for making him sleep on the couch in his own room, but the other part reminded herself that if he were in her bed, she'd forget about her no-sex rule before twenty-four hours had passed.

"I have to go now. Will you be alright on your own?"

"I think so. Am I locked in this room?"

Fejo took a step back toward the door and shook his head.

"No, you can leave easily, but if you do, you won't be able to reenter until we load your print. I'm the only one with access, however. If anyone comes knocking, just ignore them." He was in the entrance to the room now, and before he left he ran his gaze down her body, heat returning to his dark eyes. Vanessa felt her insides warm and her nipples harden. How was he able to do that with just one look?

When the door finally slid closed behind him, Vanessa let out a relieved breath and took a few moments to scan the room one more time. She explored, looking in all the drawers and any compartments she could figure out how to work. Every crevice was crowded with things. None of it felt personal—it was all just stuff accumulated over time.

It was clear she wasn't going to learn much about him from being in this room. What had she expected to find anyway? A big whiteboard that said something like, I steal and kill for a living, so you shouldn't feel bad ditching me?

But of course, it wouldn't be that easy. She spotted a small glass figurine of an animal. A cross between a seahorse and a fish. A smile tugged at her lips and she ran a finger over the smooth glass of its neck. Why had he bought this? Were there animals like this from his home?

Her hand flew off the figurine as though she'd been burned.

Stop it! she chided. No getting soft and curious about Fejo. Vanessa forced herself to remember the knives strapped to his chest, which cooled the fluttering in her

belly. Maybe if she learned more about him and the terrible things he did, she'd get over this mini crush.

Three days. That was what the itinerary had said. Three days until Lentri Port. She could keep herself from liking him for that long, right? She rarely liked anyone, after all. It should be easy.

Chapter 8

Vanessa was there in his room. Surrounded by his things. And he was on his way to talk to fucking Klinara. "What does she want?" Fejo asked, a little too aggressively.

Uja eyed him. "She wants to know if you've met the males she assigned. There seemed to be more, but she wouldn't say."

Fejo knew what else. There was no way Klinara hadn't heard of his marriage. But how she would take it, he had no idea. It'd hurt her pride. She liked to think she had a special hold on him that no other female could match. For many years, that had been true. But distance had equaled clarity. In time, he'd seen her for what she was.

His stomps reverberated down the hallway even through the thick, shock-absorbent flooring, and when he finally reached his private, secured communication room, his skin was heated.

Uja's heavy steps continued down the hall and he shouted "Good luck" over his shoulder.

With a sharp inhale dangerously close to a growl, Fejo shook out his limbs and prepared to speak with Klinara. He

connected the call and waited. And waited. And waited. No answer. He let out a frustrated breath and called

again. She loved toying with people.

On the third call, she answered.

"Klinara, I heard you were looking for me." Fejo kept his

tone as light and charming as ever.

"Yes, I was. I wanted to know if everything was running

smoothly. How are my males getting along?" Her tone was bored, as if his call was an inconvenience.

"I haven't met them yet. I requested they arrive a week ago to learn the lay of the ship, but they didn't show until a few hours ago. I just boarded and was settling in."

She sucked in an inhale of recognition. "That's right! You have a wife now, don't you? What is she like? And why would she want to go on a cross-galaxy haul?"

Insecurity flared to life in Fejo's chest. He'd wondered the same thing. For three days now, he'd been telling himself that Vanessa must've felt the same connection he had. That she must've been as intrigued by him as he was by her. But the way she'd been acting didn't confirm those thoughts.

If anything, she was skittish around him and guarded. She'd been guarded before, but not like this. Before, she'd said whatever was on her mind. Now, it seemed, she chose her words carefully. At least until he got her riled up enough. Then a flash of her sharp wit would come out for a brief moment before she shielded herself again.

Why would she have picked him? He was becoming more and more confused by this. Klinara bringing it up only made his uncertainty grow. "I'm sure you remember how persuasive I could be, Klinara. Besides, she's human. They do things differently. They value their partners in a different way."

"Is that right?" Fejo could hear the displeasure in Klinara's voice. He shouldn't have been talking up Vanessa, but he couldn't help it.

"Yes, and I need to be getting back to her, so if there is nothing else..."

"Yes. There is. I need the delivery sooner than expected. I expect you to cut some of your stops."

Fejo's hands balled. "I've already paid my bribes. I can't cancel now. It'll damage the relationships I've built."

"They're paying double. You'll make any money you've lost back. Don't worry." The finality in her voice rang through the silence. "Besides," she added offhandedly, "this will give you more time on the ship with your new alien pet, won't it?"

And there it was. Fejo slid his eyes shut. Whether Klinara really needed the package sooner was beside the point. She wanted to punish him. Force him to damage the relationships he'd built with traders across the galaxy because he'd been lucky enough to be picked. And by a human, no less. Klinara was nothing if not petty.

"Fine," he said, keeping the growl out of his voice. He should lay on the charm again, keep her happy, but Fejo was tired of these games. "I'll cut a few stops."

Klinara gave a small hum of satisfaction. "Send your updated itinerary, and contact me at each stop to keep me informed of your progress."

He disconnected the call and shook off the visceral hatred he felt whenever he had to interact with Klinara.

He lifted the communicator again and programmed in another call. As he waited, he pictured Vanessa in his room.

Where would she be? Wandering around and admiring all of his things? Or perhaps sprawled on the couch? Her dark hair would make a lovely contrast to the rich color of the fabric. What if she was in the bed?

"Fejo."

With a start, he realized someone had been repeating his name. "Yes, my Queen. I'm sorry."

"You have news?"

"Klinara has requested I cut some on my port stops. She says her client pushed for it and is paying double. We'll be departing soon. Have you been able to get any more information about what we're picking up?"

"No. Only that her buyer is someone who holds a lot of influence."

Fejo ground his teeth. The Queen knew more. She could've told him how she'd discovered Klinara's buyer had influence, for example. But it was clear she wasn't going to reveal anything else. Did he not deserve to know after working for her all these years? Had he not proved his loyalty by now? He'd been masquerading as Klinara's

henchman for long enough. "We're still in agreement, right? After this, no more."

The Queen remained silent for a moment. "I'm afraid I cannot make that promise. We need more. The Insurgents are still out there. Just because we haven't heard from them does not mean they don't exist or that they're not plotting something. I've had odd reports from some trusted colleagues in different cities. Powerful people are growing impatient. I need to know if they are gathering weapons and preparing to take what they want."

Fejo felt his muscles swell with anger. He didn't know why he was surprised. It seemed everyone around him only wanted to use him to their own ends. He understood what he was doing was important, but when was he going to have a say in his own life? When would he be able to dictate who he worked with and where he went?

Although the Queen's intentions were good and she was not a cruel female, it was clear she saw him as a cog in the machine that was her plan.

Years ago, when he'd come to her and asked for citizenship, she'd allowed it without too many questions. At

the time he'd just wanted distance from Klinara and had suggested he start trading out of Tremanta in order to connect with more important clientele. He'd had no intention of betraying Klinara.

But as time had gone on, the Queen had continued to visit and ask him about his life. Somehow, she'd worked out what Klinara was up to and had come to him with an offer. Eligibility in the Tremantian marriage ceremonies without the requisite schooling, the funds to build the ship of his dreams, and freedom once Klinara and her entire smuggling enterprise had been abolished.

He'd brushed off her offer at first, but the idea that he may eventually be able to have a life of his own and possibly a wife stuck with him. Then, after one fateful day when Klinara had once again mocked him for his wingless body and uncertain ancestry, something in him had snapped. He'd gone to the Queen the next day. That had been five years ago, and though he'd entered every ceremony he could and had his glorious ship, he didn't see his promised freedom being granted anytime soon.

The Queen continued to speak on the other side of the line, and he listened to her directions in a subdued silence, never arguing, never asking for clarification. Then he hung up. He stepped toward the door but before leaving, pressed his palm against the smooth Askait metal of the ship. The energy of his home pulsed under his fingers. The familiar rumble was a balm to his soul. He slid his eyes closed.

He could make this work. He could get enough information on Klinara to expose her. It was clear this run was important. All he had to do was push harder. Learn more.

His confidence built, and he decided he could also convince Vanessa to extend their marriage. Then, after all was said and done, he'd hire his own crew and use his ship to make the runs he wanted. He could make Vanessa happy. Maybe they'd even have a child.

In order to accomplish any of these grand plans, he needed to focus. With renewed determination, he strode purposefully to his room.

Whatever had perturbed Fejo before he'd left for his call had vanished by the time he'd returned. With that thousand- watt smile back in place, he'd grabbed Vanessa and escorted her through the ship, heading for the bridge where his crew were apparently waiting to meet her.

"I need to tell you something before you meet the men," he said, peering down at her.

Oh no. What now? She was already nervous enough about meeting the crew, who might or might not be criminals. "Uh-huh. What's that?"

"I may act differently in front of them. I'm the boss, after all, and none of them are quite as delicious as you."

Vanessa didn't know how to respond to that. She'd figured he'd have to be a bit more professional, but wasn't he also the captain of a ship? Wasn't eccentric and boisterous part of the job description? He led her to a door at the very end of the hall, double wide and dotted with dull nubs.

When the door slid open, a large assortment of staring men stopped her in her tracks. The room they were in was

clearly the other globe of the ship, except this room was larger than Fejo's room and there were a lot more men in it.

She'd thought Fejo's stare was intense. Some of the men eyeing her now put Fejo to shame in the intensity department. One man in particular, who had a bald head and fiery orange skin, flashed a grin, and she had to stop herself from recoiling at the glimpse of razor-sharp teeth.

She spotted Uja standing in the far corner of the room, staring at the backs of all the men as if he expected them to riot any minute. Fejo stepped forward and cleared his throat in a way that sounded more like a short growl. To her surprise, some of the men who'd been staring at her quickly looked away. An unmistakable show of submission. Why the fuck did that turn her on?

She glanced to Fejo and found him standing straighter, his shoulders thrown back and his hands clasped behind him. He'd somehow made his body look larger and more imposing than normal. Or perhaps he always made himself look smaller in front of her.

He'd also unclasped his coat so it spread wide with his stance and displayed the multitude of blades hidden

beneath the fabric. Had he accumulated more since she'd last seen them?

As she gazed at the hard line of his mouth and his icy stare, she couldn't help but once again wonder how dangerous he was. And she couldn't stop the shiver of arousal that traveled through her body.

He turned to her for a moment, and his brows crinkled together. Then he faced his crew again and spoke. "This is my wife, Vanessa. She'll be with us for the duration of our run. She's human and unfamiliar with space travel. If she asks any of you a question, I expect you to answer her with respect and truthfulness. If she tells me any of you have been inappropriate, I'll throw you into the lock and shoot you out with the garbage."

Vanessa's breath caught in her chest, and she focused on the floor. The declaration from Fejo had been so unexpected and so violent yet said so matter-of-factly. She didn't know how to react. Was he serious? Would he really murder someone if she told him they'd been inappropriate with her? Or was it just a saying?

The hush that fell over the crowd made her wonder how serious the crew believed Fejo to be. Once again, unease fell around her like a dark cloud. She mentally calculated the credits she'd received from Alice and Luka to pay off Vitash and recited her Lentri Port directions in her head. Walk toward the large green tower. Turn left at the spare parts shop on the right...

"Now, are there any questions?" Fejo asked in a tone that was clearly rhetorical.

It didn't surprise her that nobody responded. She chanced a glance around the room once more and found that far fewer eyes were studying her. She took the opportunity to examine the bridge and noticed holographic screens lined every wall. Otherwise, the room was bare. There were no chairs or physical controls or anything. It was wide open. Did everyone just stand in here during the day?

When no one spoke, Fejo nodded approvingly. "Wife," he addressed her. "Do you have anything you'd like to say? Any instructions you'd like to give the crew?"

Instructions? What was she meant to tell them? She knew Clecanians had a deep respect for women, but thinking

she'd have any say with these men was laughable. Still, she didn't want to seem meek, so she cleared her throat and lied. "It's very nice to meet all of you. I hope to get to know you more on the trip."

A quiet murmur broke out, then stopped suddenly. She glanced at Fejo, whose lips were tight. Had she said the wrong thing? Was she not supposed to get to know the people she'd be living with for three months? Well, that was stupid. Just because they were men didn't mean she should never talk to them. Other than Fejo, they were the only people around.

Back at the Pearl Temple she was allowed to speak to the male guards. Was it different now that she was a wife?

Fejo leaned down and whispered to her, "Would you rather stay here when we depart or wait in the room?"

Vanessa didn't need to think about her answer. She'd much prefer hiding away under the covers as they took off into the great black vacuum that was space. "I'd like to go back to the room if it's all the same to you."

He nodded and placed a large palm on her lower back to guide her out.

Normally she hated when men did this as if it were normal, but he was her husband now and being herded seemed like the least of her worries. Also, she didn't hate his touch. His large hand spanned her lower back, and she found the heat seeping through her shirt not altogether unenjoyable. Still, her bitchy brain urged her to tell him off for guiding her like child.

They walked silently back to his room, and she wondered whether she was supposed to apologize for something. "I wasn't prepared to say anything," she started with a bit of defensiveness in her tone.

He watched her and grinned that gorgeous grin. "You did nothing wrong. I suppose it makes sense that you'd want to interact with people who aren't me during your time here. But the males on my ship aren't used to females from Clecania giving them attention. Especially wives."

"Why is that?"

"Most of the males on my ship are ineligible for marriage. They have their various dalliances on the different planets and ports we land on but no wives."

"And are they satisfied with that?" she questioned. It was really too bad the men on Clecania outnumbered the women by so many. She actually hoped things worked out with Earth and that all Clecanians could go find mates among humans if they wanted to. She just didn't have the time to wait for that eventuality.

"No," he said simply.

After reaching his room and entering the large yet crowded space, Fejo stopped and stared at her. He often stared, but his gaze held something else. An uncertainty she hadn't seen before. He said nothing, and she grew uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"So, what now?" she asked in a tight voice.

"I have to see us through customs and ensure we enter cruise speed. Normally, I wouldn't need to, but Clecania requires captain supervision while exiting port. I'll be back shortly. We can begin our marriage properly if you'd like." He inched closer as he spoke.

The luxurious deep burgundy of his coat complemented the black of his hair and his dark eyes. He really was a gorgeous man. He reached toward her and swept her hair

over her shoulder, a gesture he seemed to like to do often. Then he gripped the back of her neck and pulled her up for a tender kiss. She hadn't had time to raise her guard, so the sigh she released at the feel of his hot tongue against her lips was all the more embarrassing.

Heat pooled in her belly as he deepened the kiss and drew her in closer. She hated how much she loved his firm grip on her nape. Despite her reasonable brain screaming at her body not to respond, she felt herself grow wet. The small rumble that resonated in his chest pulled her out of her stupor, and she broke away.

His hungry gaze raced over her face, lingering at her lips, and he inhaled deeply. "Is something wrong, lovely?"

Quite the opposite. Too much was right. She had to keep her head on straight, and she couldn't seem to do that with Fejo in the room. She needed to get a handle on this—and quick. Weren't the wives supposed to be in charge of the relationship?

"Fejo," she said with resolve, "I have to take things at my own pace. I need to get to know you a bit more and settle in

before we do...things like that. So next time, keep your lips to yourself."

She'd hoped he'd look chagrined, but he only tilted his chin up and analyzed her once again. "There's something you should know about me," he said with a crooked grin. "Although I may not look particularly Clecanian, as you say, I am very Clecanian. Actually, my sense of smell is better than most Clecanians. So, I can tell that you want me." He leaned in so he met her eye level. "And I can tell you don't want me to know how much you want me."

Scorching heat rose to Vanessa's cheeks. The stupid underwear trick hadn't worked. He knew exactly what effect he had on her.

He scanned her likely beet-red face again and his grin widened. "I don't know why you're so skittish around me, little wife, but I plan on winning you over."

Vanessa's embarrassment slithering through her veins brought her temper to the surface. She managed not to blurt out the curses that sprung to her lips; unfortunately, that meant her glare and clenched jaw were unavoidable.

Fejo straightened and backed toward his door, his grin even more brilliant than a moment ago. "I can't wait to see that fire in you flare when I finally have you under me."

Just like that, her anger was replaced with shock and cursed arousal. Damn it.

Chapter 9

Their departure had taken longer than normal. Fejo was not pleased. He'd already been away from Vanessa for far longer than he'd wanted, and he could only hope she didn't see his absence as insulting.

In addition to arguing with a stubborn Clecanian port officer concerning their departure papers and submitting his new itinerary, he'd finally made a point to meet Klinara's males. They'd spoken only a little, and though it was clear they weren't here to become valued members of the Ylare crew, they'd agreed to do the jobs he'd assigned without much grumbling.

Fejo had decided to focus on the positives of their temporary placement on his ship. Tetrans were notoriously strong and inexhaustible. He could use that strength to his advantage in the cargo bay. It needed to be reorganized anyway.

Pace increasing as he neared his room, he hoped the towering plate of food and drink he carried as an offering of apology would help smooth things over with Vanessa. When he reached his quarters and walked inside, he could smell

her, but he didn't immediately spot her for a moment. Panic set in. Had she left? Was she wandering around the ship?

His sharp nose homed in on her scent near the large couch in the alcove underneath the sleeping loft, but he didn't see her there. His heart clenched as he finally spotted her wrapped in a blanket and curled in a dark corner, asleep.

Why was she lying there? Did she not sleep in a bed? He set the food down and rushed over to make sure she hadn't somehow hurt herself, although nothing in the room seemed out of place.

She let out a soft groan as he gathered her into his arms and pulled her onto the couch. Then, all at once, she awoke, hands flashing out and gripping the edge of the couch as if she were about to fall.

"Lovely, it's just me," he crooned, trying to catch her frantic gaze.

Her dilated pupils locked onto him and her breathing slowed. "Sorry," she panted. The color remained drained from her face as she tried to gather herself.

"What happened? Why were you in the corner?"

Her lips pursed in that pretty way they did whenever she was trying to hide emotion. He'd noticed it before when she'd been irritated or frightened or even when she'd been amused but hadn't wanted to show it.

"Well, I was settling into the room and I thought I might go to sleep, but then I guess we started to leave and I saw space through the window, and... I mean, it's ridiculous, but I just didn't want to see it anymore." She avoided looking at him, instead focusing on the ground.

Fejo cursed himself for not thinking of this sooner. Of course she didn't want to look out the windows. She hadn't wanted to look out of the window of the transport car either. Why hadn't he put two and two together?

Was he really so concerned with trying to get her underneath him that he'd forgotten to take care of her other needs? Maybe he wasn't fit to be a husband after all. He stood and crossed to the control panel on the wall, then programmed the window shutters to fall into place.

"You can look now," he said, but she didn't immediately turn. A knot he often got in the juncture of his shoulder and neck built in pressure.

When she finally stared at him a moment more, then turned to glance at the windows, the pressure lessened. "Was that an option this whole time?" Her tone was more exasperated than accusing, but he still felt ashamed he hadn't thought of it sooner.

She rose and awkwardly folded the blanket she'd had cocooned around her, as if embarrassed. The only one who should've been embarrassed was him. But there was no time to sulk. He'd make it up to her.

Donning a smile, he pulled a retractable table out of the wall and populated every spare inch with the food he'd brought for her.

She looked at it and gave him a soft grin. "Looks great," she commented, but she didn't move to sit.

He wondered if she'd been eating well. She'd lost weight since that day in the market. That was plain to see. But had it been intentional? Or was her appetite affected for some reason?

Perhaps she just hadn't found food she liked yet. He knew many species had a difficult time assimilating into new cultures and finding foods they preferred was a part of the

process, which couldn't be rushed. But she'd completed a preferences scan, and he'd made sure to study it so he'd have all the foods she might enjoy on board.

"Shall we eat?"

Vanessa nodded with a deep breath and crossed to the table. He extended two seats from the wall on either side of the table, then waited until she was seated and comfortable before sitting himself.

"Does any of this look familiar to you? Do you like any of these foods?"

She shot him a small smile. "I think you've brought me every food that exists. I'm sure I can find something I like."

Pleasure fluttered in his chest. "How about mott?" he asked, extending a metal cup toward her. "Your taste scan estimated you'd prefer it to the sweeter beverages."

Nodding, she accepted the cup. "Thank you." She filled her plate and picked around, taking small bites here and there, but remained silent.

Fejo wasn't used to this. He wanted to ask her questions about herself, about her life. Approximately how long it would take before she removed her clothes. But he didn't

know how to approach Vanessa. She was so different from any female he'd come across.

She didn't seem to want attention or gifts or compliments or act acts of service. She didn't appear to want him to do anything. He couldn't decide if he should be happy or worried about that. It was nice not to have any expectations. But it was also terrifying. What could he do if not the things he'd been trained to do?

"Tell me about your life on Earth," he tried while taking a bite of roasted, salty meat.

Her gaze was oddly nervous as it shot to him. Did he wear the same expression when people asked him about his past? "My life? Not much to tell."

"You said you wanted us to get to know each other," he tried, gauging her reaction.

The corner of her mouth lifted, and she took a miniscule bite of greens. "I did say that." She looked up at him through her dark lashes and nodded. "How about we start with you, though? Um, did you grow up in Tremanta?"

The first question, and he already felt uncomfortable. "No, I came to Tremanta six years ago. Before that, I lived in

Huvuita."

She took another sip of mott, then her brow lifted. "Did

you like it there?"

The knot in his shoulder throbbed. He took a sip of his

own mott, a much larger sip than she'd taken. "It had its charms, but I never felt at home there."

She propped her elbow on the table and studied him. "Do you feel at home in Tremanta?"

He forced a grin and gestured around. "I feel most at home here on my ship."

Her lips pursed, and he knew he wasn't saying the right thing. He didn't have much practice talking about himself. "And what do you do on this ship exactly? I was told you were a merchant. Do you work for someone?"

He tried not to let out a grunt of frustration. Yet another question he couldn't easily answer. He could give her the response he gave to most Tremantians, but it didn't feel right to keep up his lie with her. He glanced at her mostly full plate. "I can get you other food if you'd prefer."

She followed his gaze and shook her head. "That's okay. I'm good. Sorry, I don't eat much."

"Have you tried these?" he asked, holding up a pastry the scanner had estimated would be a favorite.

Vanessa looked at the pastry as if it had insulted her but seemed resigned to eat it anyway. The light brightening her eyes on her first taste had his chest puffing. She finished the rest of the pastry in two bites, then sucked on her fingers, making his cock stir in his pants.

She caught his pointed gaze on her mouth and quickly lowered her hands. Her cheeks turned pink once again. "That was very good. I don't think I've ever tasted anything like it before."

He'd bring her mountains of them at every opportunity. "Now tell me about your home."

"I'm from Denver. It's high up in the middle of the country and surrounded by mountains." She peeked up at him while reaching for another pastry. "It's a nice city. Lots of sunshine and outdoor activities." She trailed off and nibbled on her pastry.

"Did you like it there? Do you miss it?" Fejo didn't get the feeling she liked her home city much. She spoke about it the same way he spoke about Huvuita. Acknowledging the

pleasant bits, but always in a detached sort of way, as though describing a nice place to visit rather than somewhere he felt he belonged.

"I miss some things." Vanessa stiffened and gulped, her lips turning down like she'd just tasted something vile. She slowly set the pastry aside and gave it an inscrutable look. Schooling her features, she glanced back up at him. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, if that's okay? It's hard to think about Earth."

Fejo wanted to slap himself. Of course it was painful for her to talk about what she missed. They ate in silence, and Fejo wracked his brain. She didn't want to talk about herself, and he didn't want to talk about himself. Where did that leave them?

No brilliant ideas came to him, so instead, he continued to fill his belly with all the food she hadn't eaten. It ended up being most of the food on the table. Fejo had always had an extraordinarily substantial appetite.

She watched him quietly while sipping on her mott. How to turn this awkwardness around? When he'd cleared the

food from the table, he clapped his hands together. "How about a massage? You've had a stressful day."

Vanessa choked a bit on her mott before answering. "Ah, no, I don't—"

He cut her off before she could argue. "I can see how tight your shoulders are from here. What are you afraid of? I already know that my touch excites you. How about if I promise it'll only be a massage?"

"Yeah, I haven't heard that one before," she muttered.

He stood and removed his coat, stashing away his knives, then rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows. "But have you ever heard it from a Clecanian?"

She eyed his now-exposed forearms, and he smelled a hint of her arousal creeping through whatever barriers she was wearing. He still couldn't understand why she wanted to hide her natural scent from him, but he chalked it up to human modesty. "I don't know."

"You can keep your shirt on." After she still said nothing, he added, "This is what husbands do for their wives, lovely."

Her lips pursed, and she took a deep breath through her nose. "I suppose just for a few minutes."

Yes. Finally, he could show off some skill. Though he hadn't gone to the coveted husbandry schools in Tremanta, he'd studied in his own way and felt his talent in most areas were on par with any Tremantian male, if not better.

He extended a hand toward her, and she looked at it warily before taking it and letting him guide her up the curving stairs to the bed.

"Lie down." He gestured to the mattress.

She crossed her legs and perched on the edge of the mattress. "How about I just sit instead?"

"Whatever my gorgeous, particular wife wants."

"I'm not particular. I'm just—"

As soon as his hands landed on her shoulders, whatever

she'd been saying stuttered out and a soft moan replaced it. His shaft grew rigid and painful against his pants, but he

ignored it. The feel of her delicate shoulders under his palms was glorious, and he marveled at how badly she'd needed his touch. Deep knots and tight muscles could be found just about everywhere.

What'd caused her this much stress? He kicked himself mentally. She'd been taken from her home by the

Insurgents, locked in a cell, and then had been expected to merge into regular society like nothing had happened. Of course she was stressed.

Her soft moans continued to leak out of her as if she couldn't help them, and her body became limp and pliant in his hands. The mott she still held in her right hand tipped toward the bed, forgotten. He snatched it away, and she didn't seem to notice.

Fejo swept her hair aside and reveled in the sweet burst of her scent, then he began working on her neck. Her body kept leaning farther and farther over until he was sure she'd fallen asleep.

As gently as he could, he tucked her under the covers, then stood. He knew he should leave and go to his alcove underneath the loft, but he remained glued in place, just staring at her beautiful—yet somehow haunted—face.

Even in sleep, her brows crinkled and her lips pursed as though she were fighting off some imaginary threat with her sarcasm and wit. He wanted to fight those battles for her and see a true smile light her features. He finally tore his gaze away and shuffled to the lower level.

It would happen one day. He just had to keep trying. He plopped down onto his couch and crossed his arms behind his head, reminded himself that life was good. He had a ship. He had money. He had respect. And he had a wife.

Today was just the first day of their marriage. He'd never been married before, and they weren't even from the same planet. Awkwardness was to be expected. But that was okay. They'd learn how to open up to each other eventually. They had time.

Chapter 10

Vanessa woke with a start, bolting upright. Her gaze darted around as she waited for the fog of sleep to clear. Eventually she recognized where she was, although she couldn't remember falling asleep. She lifted the covers and was relieved to see she was still fully clothed in her outfit from the day before.

As quietly as she could, she snuck out of the bed and tiptoed to the ledge, then angled her body over the railing, trying to see the couch below. She couldn't quite make it out.

She pricked her ears but couldn't hear anything at all. Had he left? Was he working again? Memories of the previous night seeped into her mind. He'd massaged her. And she'd let him.

At the time, she'd convinced herself she had to let him do something so he wouldn't get suspicious, and a massage had seemed innocent enough. But in truth, she liked it when he touched her. Liked it far too much.

It'd been the best damn massage she'd ever received too. Not that she'd had very many in her life. The man knew how

to work those hands. They'd relaxed her right into the deepest sleep she'd had in a while.

No noises sounded from anywhere in the room, so she tiptoed to the lower level and peeked at the couch. Empty. Disappointment had her nibbling on her lip. As soon as she recognized the emotion, she pinched herself. No! Bad Vanessa!

Only a couple of days left. She couldn't let herself start to actually like Fejo. If she'd kept to a normal schedule and had fallen asleep at night, that meant she had two days until she disappeared from his life forever.

Last night he'd tried to get to know her like she'd asked. Fat lot of good that plan had been. Keeping his sexual advances at bay by asking for them to talk more had seemed like a good idea at the time, but the more she talked to Fejo, the more she softened toward him. And the guiltier she felt.

The urge to admit her plan clawed at her insides. He was a nice guy. He'd understand. They could part ways as friends with mutual respect.

But what if he didn't take it well? Just because she hadn't seen the cutthroat captain side of Fejo yet didn't mean it didn't exist. What if she told him and he decided to keep her here? Vanessa sank onto the couch and nibbled her thumbnail. No. She had to keep lying to him. She couldn't take any chances.

She jumped when the doors slid open.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Fejo boomed, his boisterous tone grating on her conflicted brain. "I've brought you food."

Although normally that sentence wouldn't interest her much, she spotted the same pastry she'd had the night before and, despite herself, her mouth watered. She joined him at the small table set into the left wall and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Fejo poured her a steaming cup of some forest-green beverage and set a heaping pile of pastries in front of her. She glanced up at him with a raised brow. "Are you trying to fatten me up?"

He took a sip of his own steaming beverage and grinned over the rim. "The more of those you eat, the more often I get to see you lick those delectable fingers."

She smothered a grin and shook her head at him before taking a tentative sip of the beverage. It wasn't bad, but it was interesting. She couldn't decide if she liked it quite yet. It was like a very strong chai mixed with...salt. The combination of sweet and salty evened out the flavor, but it would still take some getting used to. She liked it better paired with the pastry.

"So how do I wash up?" she asked after doing her best to not lick her fingers.

He nodded over his shoulder to a corner of the room that was oddly empty. He pressed a few buttons on a control panel next to him, and a toilet and shower enclosure slid out from the wall just before two walls extended from the floor to the ceiling, creating a small yet functional corner bathroom. "Would you like me to unpack for you while you shower?"

Her heartbeat picked up speed, but she somehow forced herself not to gasp "No" right away. "That's alright. I'd like to unpack later." She hadn't yet decided where the best place to hide her letters would be.

Fejo shrugged and stuffed three of the pastries into his mouth, one after the other. She didn't think she'd ever seen a person eat so much. He did have the bulk to burn it off, though.

"Would you like to get that tour of the ship today?" he asked after swallowing an impressive mouthful.

"That'd be great," she said, trying to sound upbeat. She should find some excuse to stay in the room alone instead, but nothing sprung to mind. Pleasant and distant.

He stared at her for a long moment as though he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut.

"What?" she asked while standing and crossing to the enclosed bathroom.

"I have a few chores to get done first, and I was going to offer to give you an orgasm or maybe a kiss before I left, but you don't seem to want my help in that department."

Since she was already facing away from him, she felt safe rolling her eyes. "You're right. I don't want your help with that."

"Yet," he added from right behind her. She jumped and spun, and he threw an arm around her waist. "You're

already bottled up so tightly. I'm confident you'll need to pop soon. And I'll be there when you do."

Unlikely. Not a chance. A number of other snarky remarks sprung to her lips, but she ground her teeth together to keep them from falling out of her mouth and instead forced a smile and said nothing.

He furrowed his brows and tipped his head, studying her. "You are a delightful mystery, Vanessa from Earth."

"Yeah, that's what all the boys back home say. I'm so mysterious, they can barely keep themselves from offering up orgasms whenever I'm around." She slammed her mouth closed with an inward groan and awaited his reaction.

He threw his head back and let out a wonderful rumbling laugh. Her irritation at his cocky personality lessened and a smile pulled at her lips. He was just so damn likeable. And she was having a harder and harder time reminding herself to be annoyed by him.

Before she had time to react, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, then crossed to the doorway. "Wash up. I'll be back soon."

Licking her lips, she squashed the lingering disappointment at the briefness of his kiss. Then she recalled her need to hide her letters, and her skin prickled with anxiety. Scanning the room, she tried to calm her mind. Where could she stow them that he wouldn't check? How much time did she have left anyway?

"When is our first stop by the way?" she blurted, making him pause inside the doorway. It was a natural question, right? She sounded natural asking it, didn't she? Vanessa tried to keep the anxiety and eagerness making her palms sweaty from showing in her expression.

"Tomorrow," he answered, leaning against the metal frame of the door and sliding his gaze over her as though pleased to have another moment to admire her.

What? That was too early, wasn't it? Or had they been in space for longer than she'd thought? What if they arrived too early and Vitash wasn't prepared? Panic tightened her throat. She rubbed her slick palms over the rumpled fabric of her pants. "Where are we stopping?"

Fejo peered at her face. His nostrils widened. Shit. Could he smell how much she was sweating? Did fear put out a

scent?

"Innaka Port." He lifted a brow and took a few steps

toward her. "Are you alright, lovely?"

Not the right port! Not the right port! Her head was

spinning, and with a start she realized she wasn't breathing. Sucking in a large breath, she pleaded with her mind to get over the shock faster. "Yes. Sorry. That drink made me feel a little weird. Hot."

She locked her knees to keep them from shaking and tried to control her breathing. What the hell was happening? The schedule had clearly said the Lentri Port was their first stop. She had to get it together. This was just a snag in the road, but if she fell apart, he'd figure out something was wrong.

What if they were merely making an extra stop on the way? Lentri Port might still be on the schedule, and even if she didn't show up on time, Vitash might wait a few days for her. All she had to do was calm herself down, act like a normal person for five fucking minutes, and get some answers out of Fejo.

His brows furrowed in worry and he took another step closer. "Should I take you to the doctor? Do you feel sick?"

"No, no. I'm fine. Just felt off for a minute. Sometimes it happens when I drink coffee too. Was there caffeine in that?" She crossed to the table and sat down again. Why was it so hard to act casual?

Fejo crossed to her, sitting down opposite her, taking her chin in his hand. He angled her face this way and that, inspecting her pupils the way a doctor might. Were they dilated?

An idea struck. "And, to be honest, going to an alien port makes me nervous. But I really want to push past it and see some of the cool things you mentioned. Is there any way for me to learn about all of our stops? It might help me feel better if I knew more about each place. I could decide which ones I want to visit and which I don't, you know?"

He gave her gave her chin a final squeeze and smiled gently. "I don't see why not." He rose and rummaged through an ornately carved cabinet on the far right wall. "I had to change our itinerary yesterday. One of the clients I'm working for needs their goods more urgently than they

originally planned. I'm sorry to say we had to cut a few stops. Including Renchuth Port. I apologize if that's one of the ones you were excited to see." He straightened, pulling a reading glass and small screen with him. He held up the glass. "Can you read our writing yet?"

She shook her head, trying to swallow and lubricate her dry throat. He typed something into the screen and handed both devices to her. Quickly setting the items on the table to conceal how shaky her hands were, she stared at the scrolling script.

He hunched over her back, placing one palm on the table, and pointed at a horizontal list with his finger. "This is a list of our stops. If you press on one, it'll give you more information about the port and what kind of things are offered there." He showed her what he meant by pressing a short name on the screen. Lines of text lit up.

She held the reading glass over the text, and the words transformed into English.

"I can't wait to hear which ones look the most interesting to you. I should be back in just a few hours." She heard him

say a few other things, but she was too focused on the list of stops to comprehend his words.

For long moments after the door zipped closed, she sat frozen, unseeing.

Their stop to Lentri Port had been cut.

Chapter 11

Vanessa didn't know how long she dissolved into a state of panic for. She paced and cried and sat on the couch with wide, unblinking eyes. Her brain was in a buzzing fog and her breakfast kept slithering up her throat, threatening to evacuate at any moment.

After a while, she finally calmed and her thoughts focused on the problem at hand. It stood to reason she still had a ride—just not in a place she could get to. But Vitash had a ship. So all she had to do was somehow get in contact with him and ask him to meet her somewhere else.

It couldn't possibly be as easy as it sounded, but Vanessa had to believe it was. She couldn't fall apart. This was just a bump in the road. She'd make it back to Julie in time. She had to.

Her gaze strayed to the door. How much time had passed? When would Fejo be back? She glanced at her suitcase, deactivated and sitting innocently in the corner. There was no telling how long it would be before she could meet up with Vitash. She had to hide those letters.

She rushed around, lifting furniture and peering into every cabinet, but there were so few places on this ship to hide anything. He had too much stuff occupying every spare inch. Would it be safer to keep them in the suitcase and unpack everything else? Would he check to see that it was empty? If he thought it was empty, would he keep the suitcase in here or stow it somewhere else on the ship?

There were too many unknowns to leave the letters where they were. She spotted a low bench with drawers in the loft by her bed and remembered where she used to hide her journal so Loretta, a childhood enemy from one of her foster homes, wouldn't find it. She removed one of the drawers and laid the letters flat on the space underneath where the drawer slid into place. It wasn't perfect, but it would work for now until she found some place better.

Vanessa rushed through using the bathroom, cleaning up and unpacking her things. Not knowing where exactly to put her belongings yet, she laid them out on the bed and made a mental note to ask Fejo where she could store them later. Then she raced to the screen, still lit with information about

their port stops, and took notes on a few that sounded interesting in case he asked.

When her breathing finally returned to normal and she found herself pacing with nothing to do, she decided to use a few of the beauty products she'd bought back on Clecania. She applied a soft, oily liquid to smooth her hair and make it shine. She began putting on makeup to give herself some color, but midway through her application, she frowned and vigorously wiped it off.

Her instinct to look a bit more human and less like someone who'd just seen a ghost battled with her logical mind. Fejo might see her effort as some lame attempt to flirt or something, and she couldn't have that.

She'd accomplished step one of her plan. They were away from Clecania. Step two was proving more difficult than she'd anticipated. What if it all fell apart? She needed a backup plan in case she couldn't get to Vitash.

Was there any conceivable way she could convince Fejo to take her to Earth if she had no other choice? She still knew so little about him. She didn't even know if he actually did illegal things. So far, all of his stops had been above

board. That didn't sound like the way a pirate did things, but she couldn't be sure.

Maybe she should learn as much as she could about Fejo and this ship while she tried to contact Vitash. Try to see if there were, in fact, illegal things happening on this ship— and if there were, figure out if he'd be willing to do one more illegal thing and take her home. How angry would he be? He hadn't done anything to make her think he was a bad guy. But he'd also been trying to get into her pants, so it made sense he'd be on his best behavior.

She sat down on the couch he used as a bed, not knowing what else to do but wait. The coat he'd been wearing yesterday lay across the arm of the couch. With a quick glance at the door, she lifted it and inspected the beautiful embroidery.

Holding it close to her eye, she suspected it wasn't embroidery like she was used to. It didn't seem to be sewn with thread at all. The delicate gold looked like actual thin metal that had been worked into a tiny intricate pattern and somehow attached to the jacket. How much had this cost?

She examined the inner lining of the jacket and found the satiny fabric had many hidden pockets and holsters, all empty. She brought the jacket close to her nose and took a deep inhale. The lingering smell of Fejo invaded her senses and made her scalp tingle with awareness. She heard the door slide open and immediately pretended to be inspecting the embroidery again.

She could feel her face heating, and she prayed her blush would go away. She wasn't doing anything untoward, just examining the jacket, nothing else to see.

Luckily, he must've not noticed her because he just stood in the doorway and asked, "Ready?"

Vanessa nodded, her stomach in knots, and joined him.

"Did you find any ports you'd like to visit?" he asked as he led her through the dark halls.

Vanessa listed off a few she'd memorized, along with her reasoning for each. Her answers sounded rote to her own ears, but Fejo didn't appear to notice anything odd. He just nodded as though taking mental notes.

"Also," she began, keeping her voice even and curious, "I was wondering if there was any way for me to contact my

friends back on Clecania. I'd love to tell them about the ship and the ports and everything."

Her breath caught in her chest as she waited for an answer. If she could contact Alice, maybe she had a chance of meeting Vitash somewhere else. After all, it wasn't suspicious of her to want to talk to her friends, right?

"Not on here. We're relatively cut off out here in space." He grinned down at her apologetically. "But once we get to port tomorrow you can. Most ports these days have communications systems in place to allow inter-world connections."

The knots tying Vanessa up loosened. All was not lost. A weight lifted off her shoulders, and her mind hummed the way it did after finishing a hard workout or riding a roller coaster.

They spent the next few hours exploring the ship. She noted a large cafeteria, where some men were sitting at long tables and eating. Upon entering, they all stared at her for just a moment before catching Fejo's eye and turning away again.

She both hated and loved the effect he had on the other men. She hated it because who was he to say who could and couldn't talk to her? But on the other hand, it was a show of dominance she couldn't help but find sexy.

Before he showed her the next room, he typed on a pad on the outside of the door. When they entered what looked like a recreation space full of couches and game tables and booze, they were greeted to the raucous sound of men complaining about the windows being shuttered. He promised to open them again when they left, and the crew calmed.

A shiver of pleasure spread through her. What a thoughtful gesture. He hadn't even asked. He'd just made sure it was done before she'd gone into the room.

On their tour of the next room, a sizable gym, he did the same thing. The men in this room didn't seem to mind as much. They were too busy doing various kinds of exercise. She spotted Uja doing an odd weight-lifting regimen with his wings. A few other guys ran on the ground, which moved under their feet as though a treadmill had been programmed into the rubber matting itself.

She continued to ask questions as they wandered through the ship, and he seemed all too happy to answer. He showed her how to navigate her way through the halls by using the pads to bring up a map. And he casually explained that though there were many large merchant ships out there, his was the best.

She scoffed at his smug tone but inwardly wondered if he wasn't exaggerating. The ship was incredible. The many large rooms were all decorated and comfortable yet functional, and the men on board appeared to be content and occupied. It didn't seem like such a terrible place to live.

An errant pain sliced through her chest, knowing no woman had ever chosen to be married and live here. If she were actually in the market for a real husband, she wouldn't mind living in the ship Fejo had so lovingly built.

When they ventured deep into the center of the ship, he showed her the med bay, but to her dismay, she didn't see one of those healing tubes. If she got back and found Julie still alive, her first order of business would be to try to get

her off-world and healed. If Vanessa could convince her to leave, that is. And if she was still alive.

They'd just stopped at a large room near the med bay, housing a full-size pool, and Vanessa's curiosity couldn't take it anymore. What kind of space freight truck had a fucking pool? He had to be making buckets full of money somehow.

"Do you do anything illegal on the ship?" she asked after working up the nerve for a few silent seconds.

He'd been staring at the water with such intensity that her question seemed to catch him off guard. He turned to her with raised brows but quickly masked his surprise with a grin. Not answering her right away, he just stared, searching her face and trying to decide something. Finally, he nodded. "Yes, we do."

Vanessa gulped. Having confirmation didn't make her feel as relieved as she'd thought it would. If all else failed, he might not mind making an illegal trip to Earth, but if that rumor was true, what other rumors might also be true?

"What kind of illegal things do you do?"

He shrugged, still staring at her as though curious to see her reactions. "A little of everything. Is there something specific you'd like to ask about?"

"Are you dangerous?" She didn't think he was, but she couldn't really read Fejo. She got the feeling he hid a whole other side of himself. What if that side was dangerous? What if that dangerous side was what all the crew saw when they looked at him?

His grin turned seductive, and he reached out to sweep her hair over her shoulder. His light touch skimmed her neck, and goose bumps raced over her body. "Not to you, lovely."

She followed him on the rest of the tour in a bit of a daze. What did that mean? Did it mean he wasn't dangerous to her simply because she was his wife? Or did that mean he wouldn't be dangerous around her because he liked her or because she was a woman? Would the statement still stand if he knew why she'd married him and what she was planning?

"Can I ask you a question now?" he asked as they strolled through yet another new area of the ship.

"Sure." Her anxiety spiked a fraction.

"Why did you choose me?"

She'd planned for this. Had already thought ahead,

wondering if he might ask at some point. She recited the answer she'd decided on. "You were the only one out of the group I'd ever met, and although you were a little presumptuous, I still liked that we'd at least spoken."

He took that in but didn't seem too thrilled with her answer.

"And why did you choose to get married at all? You don't seem to want anything that a husband normally provides."

"I...I was lonely." She stared at the ground and let a bit of truth slip into her lie. Vanessa was lonely. She'd been lonely for as long as she could remember. "I had my friends at the Temple, but they all have their own lives, and I just wasn't able to merge into Tremantian society as easily as they did. People tend to not like me very much." She looked up at him and shrugged, as if it didn't really bother her. In reality, she hated that she always pushed people away but didn't know how to stop.

"I understand," he said in a tight voice as he guided her to a door and punched something into the keypad.

"Really? You seem like..." How to say what she wanted to say without being offensive?

"I seem like I have a lot of friends." He emphasized the word, and she knew they were both thinking of Gheelia and all the other women who'd tried to enter his room during the testing.

"Yeah, friends, and also your crew and all the people you must meet while you're traveling." She looked around the dark room they'd entered and saw it must've been near the top of the ship because the shielded glass extended to the ceiling, curving around the whole exterior wall of the room. The view of space must be magnificent from here.

Heaps of pillows, mattress, and cushioned squishy areas of floor covered the room, and a faint calming floral scent perfumed the air. This room must be used as a sort of relaxation area. If she were one for meditating, this would be the room she'd choose. That was, if she didn't have a ridiculous fear of actually looking out the window.

Annoyance at herself invaded her mind. She had to learn to get over her fear. Once she did, she was sure the glittering sky would be her new favorite view.

"I'm always surrounded by people, that's true. But I know what it feels like to be lonely."

Vanessa peered up at him and saw a glimmer of true pain behind his eyes. It took her aback.

"I was raised in a place where there was no one like me. I didn't have a family, and most of the people in my city thought I was odd." The words seemed to be pulled from him, but it felt like he was really trying to get them out. He walked over to a sunken area of floor piled high with pillows and settled onto them, then gestured for her to join him.

"Were you an orphan?" she asked.

His jaw tensed and he looked away.

"It's okay—you don't have to tell me," she assured,

though she was burning with curiosity.

He let out a sigh and shrugged. "Can you be an orphan if

you never had parents?"

Vanessa stared at him, far too intrigued for her own good.

"What do you mean?"

"I was one of the few successful fetuses grown in an artificial womb in my city. Scientists have been trying to perfect the technology for centuries, and sometimes it works but a majority of the time it doesn't. The combination of DNA from whoever my donors were was special in that it was an experiment. The lab that grew me found an ancient cache of DNA samples from the old planet, and they'd been mixing them together for years, hoping different combinations of races would create a viable fetus. And it worked, but only once."

"They made you." What an odd way to be brought into the world. Her heart ached for Fejo. At least she'd had Julie growing up. He'd had no one.

"The races I was created from don't exist anymore. Either they never made it to the new planet or they landed somewhere else and went extinct. Any parents I may have had are long dead. I don't know what that makes me."

Vanessa wanted to comfort him. It was clear from the soft tone of his voice that he didn't enjoy talking about this. Didn't enjoy being vulnerable. The arrogant, charming pirate

she'd come to recognize didn't exist in this part of his history.

If she were braver, she'd share her story with him. Tell him how their father had disappeared upon hearing his girlfriend was pregnant. And then how their mother had gotten sick and died when they were young. It might make him feel better to commiserate over their shitty childhoods. But she couldn't bring herself to be vulnerable. It was something she'd struggled with her whole adult life. Being vulnerable was giving somebody a weapon to use against you.

"Thank you for telling me." She didn't know what else to say. She wanted to push for more, but if she wasn't reciprocating, it didn't seem fair.

"What do I get for sharing my sad story?" He leaned toward her, making his meaning clear, and gave her another wide, glowing smile. His dimple popped, and she bit her lip to keep from grinning back at him.

Nothing. That was what her answer should've been. You get nothing for having a conversation. Instead, she found herself asking, "What do you want?"

His grin widened, and he let out an exaggerated sigh. He looked her up and down, and she held her breath, knowing what was about to happen. But he surprised her. "I want you to sit here with me and let me open the windows."

Vanessa's smile faded and her palms grew sweaty. Her eyes shot to the windows, heartbeat picking up speed in time with her breathing. She'd only caught a glimpse yesterday before running to hide under the loft, but it'd been terrifying enough. It was like watching a movie with a deep-sea diver. There was just so much nothing around them. Her skin crawled.

"I know you're afraid, but I'll be here. I promise nothing will happen. The sooner you try this, the easier this trip will be. I can't always be around to close the windows for you, and the next port we're going to isn't quite as enclosed as the Clecanian port."

Looking back at him, she tried to control her breathing. With a dry gulp, she nodded. He moved in front of her so his broad back was facing the windows. She stared down at the floor and saw him pull a rectangular pad from his pocket. He must have access to the whole ship at all times. Interesting.

She watched closely as he pressed a little button that had four squares on it, then another she wasn't quick enough to see.

The changing light in the room told her the shades were being lifted, and she kept her eyes glued to the floor. Her lungs suddenly felt too small. He scooted closer to her and lifted her chin so she was looking directly in his eyes. Using his hands as blinders on either side of her face, he ensured she could only see him.

"Ethereal, glorious Vanessa," he said, smiling and staring at her mouth.

The compliment flicked at her irritation and she furrowed her brows at him. His grin widened.

"I'm going to remove my right hand, and I want you to just try to see from your peripheral vision."

Her nod was embarrassingly shaky. He lowered his hand, and blackness leached in from his right side. She couldn't make out much. Just dark sky...though it wasn't really sky.

Okay. This was okay. She could do this. No longer concerned with hiding her reaction, she inhaled deeply and let Fejo's soothing, crisp scent calm her further.

"Now I'm going to take off my left hand." He lowered his other hand, and she focused on his eyes, needing an anchor. They were dark, but they were beautiful and not nearly as brown as she'd thought. They were actually deep purple. Almost black, they were so deep but with an unexpected warmth.

The view through the window teased the edges of her vision. She needed to get over this. She'd have to look sometime—might as well be now. With another deep inhale, she gathered her courage. Her eyes shot to her lap when Fejo reached out and gripped her hands, giving her an encouraging squeeze. She didn't normally like people comforting her, but she could admit that in this moment, she needed somebody strong and capable and competent. Fejo was all those things and more.

She angled her body slightly and looked out the window. The first view was overwhelming. The deepest black she'd ever seen made her mind stutter, and she squeezed her eyes shut, giving her brain a moment to comprehend. When she opened her eyes again, she forced herself to look. Fejo moved away and scooted next to her. He pulled her arm

onto his upturned forearm, which was resting on his leg. Gently, he ran his fingers from her wrist to her elbow.

Her gaze remained focused on the incredible sight before her. It was just so...big. There were stars everywhere, bright and hard and unlike anything she'd ever seen before. No colorful nebula or glaring black holes broke up the view. Only darkness and millions of bright pinpoints of light. She hadn't been able to look at it before, and now she couldn't seem to blink.

"What do you think?" he questioned, still running his fingers over her arm in a way that was much more soothing than she'd have imagined.

She didn't know how to put into words the awe and terror she was feeling. All she could manage was, "They don't twinkle." She tore her gaze away and turned to him. "The stars. They don't twinkle."

He looked out into space too and shook his head. "There's no atmosphere to distort them. They only twinkle when you're looking at them through the atmosphere of a planet. Are you disappointed?"

She let out an odd laugh. Disappointed? "I feel...guilty."

His fingers stopped tracing her arm for a moment. "I wasn't expecting that answer. Why guilty?"

"I'm not important enough to be seeing this. I'm too scared to fully appreciate it. It's wasted on me, and I feel guilty that I don't love it more. Out of all the humans who could've been picked from Earth and fulfilled a lifelong dream of seeing space, they picked me." She focused on the stars again, her throat tight with a ridiculous spike of emotion.

He turned her chin to look at him. "You are important. You're smart. And you're honest. You're important to me."

A different kind of guilt swelled in her chest at the sincerity in his words. These were genuine compliments. Not like the overblown ones he tossed around so easily. Each real compliment he gave cut her a little deeper. She said nothing, just stared back out the window and let his statements lie. What could she say at this point?

She wanted to tell him the truth. But she also didn't want him to know what kind of person she really was. She didn't want him to stop looking at her the way he was looking at her now. Coward.

Her throat clogged with emotion, so she tugged her arm away and rose. "Can we go somewhere else now?" She gave him a weak, forced smile. "I think that's about as much of a glimpse into the universe as I can handle for one day."

He returned her smile and nodded. "Absolutely.

Chapter 12

Fejo tried to distract Vanessa from her worry as he guided her through the final corridor of his ship. Though his instincts screamed to lock her up in their room whenever he had to be apart from her, he forced himself to reassure her that she could explore the ship on her own when he was working. Mostly. He made certain to explain the cargo bay was unequivocally off limits. He didn't trust the two Tetran males, and he hadn't yet made them afraid of the consequences of breaking his rules.

"Would you like to eat in the room or the cafeteria?" he asked, praying to the Goddess that she'd choose the room. It grated against his nerves every time other males looked at her. Especially since he hadn't yet been able to claim her. He knew wives were supposed to be harder to please than females looking for temporary companionship, but learning how to impress Vanessa was turning out to be far more taxing than he'd imagined.

He'd despised revealing the details of his birth, but he'd been surprised at her reaction. She'd actually softened toward him. He could see it in her eyes.

There was so much more he hadn't revealed yet. Klinara, for one. Klinara's father, for another. Was that what it would take to win her over? Cutting himself open for her to see and revealing how weak and unworthy he'd been as a young male?

"The cafeteria," Vanessa said, brows furrowed.

He cursed inwardly, plastering on a fake smile.

The knot in his shoulder grew tight as he guided her to

the cafeteria, where half of his men would likely be eating. At this time of day, they would've just changed shifts. He mentally tried to place which men specifically would be there. His steps faltered as he realized the two Tetran males would be eating at this time.

As they always did when Vanessa entered a room, all eyes turned and landed on her. He smothered a smile when her back stiffened and her chin raised. She wouldn't be cowed by anyone.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked, leading her to a small table on the left side of the room that was less crowded than the long community tables in the middle. His gaze locked on the two Tetran males, who continued to

watch Vanessa, though most of the other men had turned away. He'd need to deal with that.

Fejo had learned early in his life that empty threats made for a weak leader. If he wanted any respect from these males, he'd have to show them he'd accept no disobedience or disrespect. His arm brushed against Vanessa's, sending a ripple of sensation through his birth line.

Tonight. He'd deal with them tonight once Vanessa was tucked away.

"I'm not sure. Whatever you think," she said absently, scanning the room. She kept her chin raised and her jaw set, but from the purse of her lips and the slight dilation of her pupils, he could tell she was ill at ease. He waited until she was seated, letting his hand linger on her shoulder for longer than necessary, then walked over to the specialty food synthesizer he'd had installed prior to her arrival. It was an expensive model, but since the kitchen had fallen into disrepair from lack of use, he hadn't seen another option.

Most males in Tremanta knew how to cook. He'd never learned. At least not well enough to cook for a wife. He

programmed the machine to make a few of the pastries she enjoyed, along with a variety of other foods he hadn't yet given her.

One downside of this synthesizer was it was slower than the rest. He kept glancing over his shoulder, the knots in his shoulder clenching and pulsing. With a jolt, he realized Capra, one of the two Tetran males, had risen from his seat and was staring in Vanessa's direction. She was dutifully staring at her hands.

Fejo shifted on his feet and ground his teeth together. Capra grinned toward Vanessa and leaned down to whisper something to Maladek, the larger of the two Tetrans. The weight of the blades strapped to Fejo's torso cooled the flaring anger building in him.

Capra was acting as if Fejo wasn't even in the room. Ogling his wife as if she were available to any male. He said something else to Maladek, but the male grimaced and shook his head, refocusing on his meal. Fejo's lines heated, scorching him as he watched Capra shrug and saunter toward Vanessa.

Sliding his eyes shut, Fejo turned to the food synthesizer and took a deep breath. He didn't want to have to do this in front of her. He didn't want to have to show her the kind of male he had to be. But the pishot Tetran was giving him little choice, challenging him for everyone to see. He grabbed the food that had been produced and left a platter to catch the rest.

A low murmur broke out from the tables nearby. He locked eyes with his friend Uja, who gave an almost inconspicuous shake of the head. Fejo ignored him. If he were a smarter male, he'd let it lie. These weren't normal crewmen. They'd been sent by Klinara. But as he saw Capra sit in his seat and begin speaking to Vanessa, he no longer cared. Especially since Vanessa, who was frowning, turned and caught his eye.

A surge of pleasure flew through his body, fanning the flames of the rage directed at Capra. She'd sought him out when she'd been uncomfortable. Had looked for him. Capra suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her attention back to him.

Fejo's insides turned to ice.

What was this fucker doing, touching her? Vanessa tugged her hand away and glared at the man across from her. He'd introduced himself as Capra, but the name didn't quite match his appearance. He was chilling, from his long, spiraling horns that shot up from his head and ended in sharp points to his scar-covered grayish-purple skin and yellow eyes. His grin set her hair on edge.

He wasn't quite as terrifying to look at as his friend a few tables over, who was larger, more heavily scarred and had blood-red eyes, but this man was being pushy. And she didn't like pushy.

She scanned the room for Fejo again, hoping he'd return and do his dominant-man stare-down thing, and found him sauntering over. Take your time, why don't you?

She was surprised this guy had even come over to her in the first place. Most of the men in the room wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Do you like the ship, little human?" the man said, eyeing her necklace and her breasts instead of her face.

"Yes. I like the solitude. Of some parts of the ship anyway." She tried to tug her hand away again. Fejo was only a few feet away now. Her relief turned to annoyance when she saw the smile on his face. Was he not going to do anything? Well, she could handle this herself, she supposed.

The man grinned up at Fejo as he arrived at the table but didn't rise from his seat across from her. Finally, he released her hand. "Hello, Captain. I was just speaking to your lovely wife."

Fejo shot her a heated look, then turned his easy grin back on Capra, who'd thrown his arm over the chair and leaned back as if he were planning to stay awhile. Vanessa frowned. Her gaze turned to the other people in the room, and she found them staring warily at Fejo.

Her brows drew together. She turned back to Fejo and saw he was as easygoing as ever. He set the plate of food down in front of her. Something wasn't right, though.

"Yes, I saw you were talking and also touching." His grin stayed in place, even widening a fraction, but Vanessa took a second look at his eyes and noticed they'd gone hard and dead. Ice slid down her spine. Something was very wrong.

Capra rose from his seat slowly, taking his time to look at Vanessa again. "Well, I didn't smell you on her, so—"

Capra never had the chance to finish his sentence. At lightning speed, Fejo shot toward him, gripped his horns, and slammed his head down into the table with an echoing bang. Using the corner of the table, he angled Capra's head to the side and used his body weight to crack off the tip of one of his horns.

Vanessa winced and covered her mouth, trying to push her chair away from the table.

Having his horn broken must not have hurt much, though, because Capra was still groaning and clutching at his head with one hand. He tried to raise himself off the table with the other. But then Fejo used the long, sharp tip of Capra's broken horn and stabbed it through the man's flattened palm on the table, impaling it.

Capra screamed then, body becoming alert all at once, his muscles bulging and his gaze wild and livid. He stared at his impaled hand. His fingers flinched and quivered as though he didn't know what to do.

Vanessa stared in horror at the scene before her. She couldn't take her eyes off Capra, but then Fejo drew out a long blade from under his coat and held it to the man's chin. "If you ever touch her like that again or ever show me that level of disrespect, I'll chop off your hand altogether."

Vanessa's stomach gurgled, and she started shaking. Scooting back from the table, she sprinted for the door.

She ran but had no idea where she was going. Her ears ached from trying to listen for steps behind her, but she heard none. With a hand clutching her stomach, she peered around, looking for evidence of anything familiar.

The man she'd just seen didn't match Fejo at all. He'd turned so fast and been so brutal. Capra hadn't done anything more than touch her hand, and Fejo had done... that. She now knew why the men looked at him the way they did. Why they averted their eyes whenever she was in the room. And now, more than ever, she realized what a stupid, stupid mess she'd gotten herself into.

Heart still racing, she skidded to a halt at a scratched piece of artwork she recognized. The space-viewing room was near here. With a shaky glance behind her, she hurried

down the hall. After trying three separate doors—one leading to a stocked closet, another that was locked—the third took her into the space-viewing room. She hurried to the corner, collapsing into a large pillow, and pulled her knees to her chest. Suddenly, the bleak view of space before her wasn't the most terrifying thing anymore.

Fejo's heart shriveled in his chest as he watched Vanessa sprint out of the cafeteria, terror and disgust clear on her pale face. He turned and spotted Velusi, one of the medics, standing and staring with a tight jaw. None of his crew looked surprised. They'd all known what would happen, and now the Tetrans would as well.

Maladek stared at Fejo, his large body rigid. He hadn't come to help his friend, and Fejo wondered if he was being smart or if he didn't care. With a roar, Capra removed the horn from his hand and held his bloody palm to his chest.

Fejo caught Velusi's eye. "Heal him in seven hours. Not a minute before."

The medic nodded, and he knew his orders would be followed.

Fejo slid his knife back into his coat and walked out of the cafeteria, sniffing the air. He picked up on which direction Vanessa had traveled, but his feet couldn't seem to follow. What was he supposed to say? This was how things were done in his life. This was how you taught others.

If he hadn't been ruthless with his crew, he'd have been killed or usurped a long time ago. His reputation wouldn't be nearly as formidable, and he would've stopped receiving jobs from Klinara.

But he hated it. He hated how everyone looked at him with fear and uneasiness.

One foot after another, he followed her scent, dragging his feet with the excuse that it would give her more time alone. He didn't know if he'd be able to come back from this. Not with how her face had looked. Her scent led him to the viewing room.

Why had she come here? Did she think he wouldn't look for her here? His heart sank a bit more. He argued with himself, yet he knew he'd done the right thing. Tetrans respected power and dominance. They fought almost daily.

And if he'd done nothing, Capra would've continued to disrespect him.

Even so, he knew he'd been harsher than necessary. He'd only meant to stab Capra through the hand with a knife, but when the male had pointed out the lack of his scent on Vanessa, he'd lost his last bit of control. The comment was a clear dig at his fitness as a husband and had hit a deeply buried nerve. So, he'd dishonored the male. Broken off a piece of his horn, which was something Tetrans prided themselves on. It would grow back, but it was a slap in the face.

He tied his hair up at the back of his neck and placed his hands on his hips, then stared at the door. He exhaled through his nose and entered. The sight of her huddled in a corner, her eyes wide and uncertain, had him stopping after only a few steps.

"I'm sorry," he said, hoping that was a good place to start.

She let out a small laugh. "Sorry for what exactly?"

Good point. He wasn't really sorry for hurting the male. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Her lips pursed, and she gripped her knees to her chest a little tighter, staring at him. "Do you do that a lot?"

He held in a sigh and stepped toward her. He took in the way her body stiffened further at his approach, and his jaw clenched. A few minutes ago, she'd sought him out when she'd been nervous. Now she tensed at his presence. He was such a pishot.

He didn't stop his approach, though. They needed to get past this—or rather, she needed to get past this. It was unlikely they'd make it through three months on this trip without her seeing him do things like that. Possibly worse things, though he'd try to shield her from it as best he could.

He knelt down in front of her. Her gaze was unblinking as she followed his movements. "He's a new crew member, and he needed to learn how things work here."

"What does that mean?" she asked a little breathlessly. "How things work here. Does that mean you hurt people every time they don't do what you ask?"

He just kept his hands from balling into fists as he spoke. "No, but if their offense is grave enough, then yes. You're

my wife. He touched you in front of an entire room full of my crew. And it was clear you didn't want him there. It was an insult for us both. I couldn't let it lie. If I did, there would be others who'd think they could get away with coming and doing the same thing. Maybe worse."

Her brows furrowed as she took in what he was saying, and he thought he saw a glimmer of understanding light her features, though her hazel eyes were still hard and unforgiving.

He forced her hands apart and gripped them in his own. "I don't claim to be a good person. There are certain things I have to do that I don't enjoy doing, but I can promise you I'll be a good husband. You're safe with me, and if that means I have to harm a few males who've threatened your safety, I will do it. Without question. Every time."

Her fingers twitched in his, and she studied his face. Almost too quietly to hear, she whispered, "What if I do something you don't like?"

He doubted she could ever do anything he'd dislike, but he gave her a small smile. "If you ever did do anything, it wouldn't matter. You're my wife, and I don't believe there's

anything you could do that would cause an insurrection. I'm hard on them because I have to be in order to keep this ship running smoothly. I would never hurt you, Vanessa. Never. No matter what you did."

He held his breath and waited. She wouldn't get past this. His chest grew painfully tight. It'd been too much of a shock. He should've waited and dealt with Capra later.

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. Finally, she nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" he asked, his mind buzzing. Was she forgiving him? That easily?

"I understand. I got scared, but I get what you're saying and I believe you."

Fejo was lost for words. Only a few moments ago, his wife had literally fled from him, and now she was calmly forgiving him? He was still staring at her, a bit dumbstruck, when she leaned up and kissed him. It was brief but enough to have his whole body singing with pleasure.

"I just need a few minutes alone, and then I'll meet you in the room," she said gently, pulling her hands away from his.

Alone? He didn't understand her. But he was learning that was a good thing. She wasn't like any other female he'd met. She wanted honesty. She respected it, and the few times he'd been truthful and vulnerable with her, she'd reacted in the most wonderful way. She continued to stare at him expectantly, and with a jolt, he nodded. "I'll see you in our room," he said, rising.

He felt awkward standing over her. She didn't speak, and he knew she wanted him to leave, but he didn't want to go. Yet he couldn't find any good excuse to stay, so he walked out the door and mindlessly maneuvered himself back toward their room. Once inside, he stilled.

He scanned the space, not knowing what to do. Vanessa had been so understanding. She deserved something. A show of affection. A gift. Something. He walked to a hammered metal cabinet he'd purchased at the Scaper Port and fished out a large arm bracelet that extended from shoulder to fingertip. The piece of jewelry was delicate, crafted from the same Askait metal as the ship and dotted with inky-black gems. It would look marvelous on her slender, pale arm.

He went to her bed, found her belongings lying neatly folded in the center, and took it upon himself to put them away for her. He straightened the covers, then laid the bracelet on her pillow. He spent another moment reveling in the intensity of her scent here. He could smell her all over his sheets. His own scent, still lingering in the bedding, mingled with hers in the most divine way.

He was about to tear himself away, but then he paused, leaning down to smell her sheets again. She was there, sweet and intoxicating as ever, but he thought he smelled other people...other women. Many other women. Ones he didn't recognize.

He'd picked up a few items in his time that smelled like other people, but they'd faded, and he'd recognized all of those. This was new. He walked around the room, isolating the area that smelled odd until he focused on the long, low bench placed against his windowed wall.

Fejo didn't store many items in there. Maybe she'd packed away some of her things and they smelled like the women from the Temple. He opened the drawers but

couldn't find the source. The knot in his shoulder tightened and his jaw grew rigid. Whatever he was smelling was here.

Hidden.

Chapter 13

Vanessa had made up her mind. She was going to tell Fejo everything. After his outburst in the cafeteria, she'd been terrified—and rightly so. She'd never seen anybody react with such cool, controlled aggression before, and she'd both witnessed and been in her own share of fights. What he'd done had been calculated and efficient. But when he'd come to see her, she'd realized how torn he was.

He hadn't felt guilty about hurting that man. That much had been clear from the hard set of his jaw when he'd talked about the horned guy. But that didn't mean he'd enjoyed it either. And when he'd explained the reasons for his actions and vowed never to hurt her, she'd heard the honesty in his words.

He was playing a part. One, she now realized, he didn't necessarily enjoy playing. He was the feared captain. The man everyone followed and respected because he'd built up his unforgiving alter ego.

Did that mean he wouldn't be angry when she explained why she'd married him? No. But she couldn't stomach lying to him anymore, and she truly believed he'd understand

where she was coming from when she explained herself. Maybe he'd even help her contact Vitash after the sting wore off.

There was something vulnerable about Fejo. Something damaged that she empathized with. At every turn, he'd tried to be truthful with her, and it was becoming harder and harder not to like him. She couldn't stand the idea of continuing to contribute to the harm that had forged him into what he now was.

Vanessa rose from her seat, glancing out the windows into deep space, and only felt a fleeting rush of fear in her gut. Fejo had done that. Underneath the bravado, he was caring and gentle. A good man.

Rising from her seat, she made her way to their room. Tomorrow they'd arrive at their first port stop, and at that time, she and Fejo would be on even footing. She stood outside their door and clutched the gem from the necklace he'd given her as trepidation set in. This was still a risk.

Trust was not something Vanessa gave easily, yet she found she wanted to trust Fejo. It'd only been a few days, but he'd worked himself under her skin. The longer she

stayed here, lying, the harder for him it would be when she ran away. Telling him was the right thing to do.

When she walked through the door of their room, she didn't immediately spot him.

She heard noise from her sleeping loft and called up to him. "Fejo?"

A tight "Up here" was all he said.

Fear coiled in her stomach. Walking up the stairs to the sleeping loft, she psyched herself up. She could do this. He might be mad at first, but she was sure he'd get over it eventually. Ninety percent sure. Maybe seventy-five percent. At least fifty. Yeah, she definitely had a fifty-fifty shot.

Halfway through climbing the last step, she spotted him. What she found had her head spinning and her palms sweating. He was seated on her bed, letters spread out before him, a translator glass clutched in his hand.

Fejo was staring a hole in the floor. An angry red flush colored his neck and face. She scanned his body and saw he'd removed his jacket but hadn't yet removed the knives strapped to his torso. Her hand shook as she placed it on the railing, heart fluttering in her chest like a rabbit.

"I can explain those," she said, her voice trembling.

She flinched as his fist clenched and he cracked the reading glass he was holding. That seemed to snap him out of it, though, because he opened his fist, letting the glass fall to the floor, and stood up, spinning toward her.

Her knees went wobbly, but he didn't advance, so she was able to keep herself upright. A muscle ticked in his jaw and his brows cut downward, shuttering his eyes and his icy stare. Some of his hair had come loose from the bun at his nape as though he'd been running his fingers through it.

"Then explain," he growled while glaring at her, knowing full well there was no better explanation than what he must've already worked out.

She mouthed at him, trying to find better words, but came up blank. Inching along the railing, she kept the bed between them. "I was coming to tell you right now. And..." A flare of indignation built her confidence. "And you shouldn't have been snooping through my things anyway."

He let out a humorless bark of laughter, put his hands on his hips, and spun, staring hard at the ceiling as though trying to rein in his temper. With slow, controlled steps, he

turned back to her. "What were you going to tell me?" he asked, his voice rough.

She peered down at the letters and then back at him. He knew what they said, and he was smart enough to put two and two together. He crossed his arms over his chest, and she noticed he somehow looked bigger again.

"I want to hear you say it," he barked when she didn't answer.

She swallowed. "Those are from the humans in Tremanta. They're letters to their families. I told them I'd...that I'd give them to their families when I..."

Before she could blink, he'd leapt and cleared the bed, landing in front of her. She backed up until her spine hit the railing and looked up at him. He crowded her, placing his hands on either side of her on the railing and boxing her in, then leaned down until they were a foot apart. "When you got back to Earth," he finished for her. "And how were you planning on doing that?"

"I...uh..." Vanessa couldn't think. All she saw was the anger flaring in his eyes. Her fears were confirmed. He was

looking at her like she was the worst person in the world. Her chest constricted.

She deserved his anger, but he wouldn't hurt her—would he? No. He wouldn't. When he inched closer, though, his shoulders bunching and muscles tensing in the silence, doubt crept in.

"You were using me? Hitching a ride and seeing if I'd take you there? Or were you planning on running away?" His cold stare cut into her and the heat coming off his body made goose bumps race over her arms. His lip curled as if he saw the answer written on her face. "Is that why you were so interested in our schedule earlier? Which stop is it? How long? A few weeks? Days?"

"The Lentri Port," she whispered.

His body stiffened, the muscles of his arms bulging as he gripped the railing. "Three days?" he shouted. "If I hadn't canceled that stop, you would've left me three days after marrying me?"

Her heart rammed against her ribcage, about to explode out of her chest. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? She angled her head over her shoulder and eyed the drop to the

bottom of the room. When she turned back to him, the flash of his knives caught her eye and, without thinking, she grabbed one and held it to his stomach. She immediately regretted it.

His features hardened, his body growing rigid and still. He tilted his head to look down at where she held the knife point under his rib cage. Slowly, he raised his gaze back to meet hers and the corner of his mouth lifted in a bitter grin. "How long have you been planning this for? Since that day in the market?" he asked, not even bothering to acknowledge the blade.

Vanessa's hand shook around the knife. He didn't think she'd do it. "Move back," she demanded in a voice that wasn't as strong as she'd hoped. With a bit of pressure, she pushed the point of the blade into his shirt, so he knew she was serious.

His hand flew to her wrist, and he twisted her arm until she had no choice but to drop the knife with a yelp. Then he trapped both of her hands under each of his and placed them back on either side of her body at the railing.

"How long?" he asked again.

"A...a week," Vanessa pushed out before the words stuck in her throat. She couldn't seem to think of anything else to say.

"And what now that your plan is ruined? Is that why you were coming to tell me the truth? Because you had no other choice? Were you going to ask me to help you abandon your husband?"

What could she say? He wasn't wrong, but those facts weren't the whole truth. His bitter words made her sound so heartless and selfish. Her throat clogged.

She focused on the blank, stony expression, so out of place on Fejo's face. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, and it was driving her crazy. The air was thick with tension while they stared at each other in heated silence.

After a few more moments passed, his body seemed to relax, his grip on her hands loosening, though he didn't let her go. He stood up a little straighter and raised a brow at her. "Ask, then," he demanded. His tone didn't hold as much bite as it had before. This time, it was challenging.

Ask what? She thought for a moment. Then she realized what he must've meant. "Fejo," she began, "would you

consider helping me? I really need to get back to my sister. She's—"

He held up a hand, interrupting her. He straightened to his full height and leveled her with a hard gaze. "What do I get?"

He looked her up and down, his eyes growing heated. Her heart beat faster and the last dregs of fear running through her veins were replaced with a sudden heat. She shouldn't be excited to make this kind of deal with him, but her body hadn't gotten that memo.

The relief of having Fejo look at her with something other than anger or hurt drove all reason away. She wanted to give him whatever he needed in this moment. Her hands itched to reach out, pull him close, and tell him how sorry she was. That she'd hated lying to him.

She echoed the words she'd spoken earlier in the space- viewing room when he'd been sweet and supportive and earnest. "What do you want?"

He frowned as though he was disappointed with her. It was odd to see Fejo frowning, but the expression made him no less gorgeous than before. He closed the distance

between them and crouched, running his hands over the backs of her thighs. Her breaths came in short pants and she gripped the railing. His gaze remained locked on her, then he lifted her until she was perched on the railing and clutching his neck to keep from falling backward.

Distantly, she registered his arm wrapped around her waist, but the adrenaline rushing through her veins spiked all her senses into overdrive. Both her fear and arousal doubled and fed off each other.

He inhaled deeply and let out a soft growl. "I want you to kiss me, Vanessa," he murmured, staring down at her.

Despite herself, she licked her lips and her eyes flew to his mouth. She could do this. She wanted to do this. Arching her back, she leaned up toward him as far as she could go, then wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled his lips down to meet hers.

He groaned and opened to her, tightening the arm around her waist and deepening the kiss. His hands roamed over her body boldly, in a way they hadn't before. Vanessa's breasts grew heavy, and she pressed into him to relieve the pressure.

The sheathed knives strapped to his torso were hard against her chest. So potentially dangerous, yet safe at the moment, holstered. Kind of like Fejo. She dug her fingers into his shoulder and ran her hand down his other arm.

With a ragged hiss, he pulled back, and she recalled the lines on the sides of his arms were sensitive. He studied her for only a second longer, then lifted and spun her around, setting her on her feet, her back to the bed.

"Take off your clothes," he ordered, leaning back against the railing, his eyes riveted to her body. Her fingers twitched.

This was more than just a kiss. How far was he going to take this? It occurred to her she should care, but she didn't. Since the testing, she'd been holding back from him, knowing it was wrong to sleep with him while lying to him. But now he knew.

She'd never undressed for someone like this. It'd always just happened in the heat of the moment. But something about Fejo watching with such intensity made heat curl in her belly. She moved to remove her necklace first but

stopped when he gave a small shake of his head. Instead, she clutched the hem of her shirt.

His eyes fixed on her breasts as she lifted her shirt away. He licked his lips, and a bolt of electricity shot to her clit. She shimmied off her maroon pants along with the three sets of underwear she'd been wearing and straightened, completely bare in front of him. His lids slid closed, and he inhaled deeply. A rumble of satisfaction sounded from his chest as if she were the best-smelling thing in the world.

He opened his eyes again and nodded behind her. "Lie back."

A gut reaction told her to argue. Vanessa didn't like being bossed around. She hated it, in fact. So why did she find herself falling back on the bed a millisecond after he stopped speaking?

From this height, she had a clear view of the hard outline of his shaft straining beneath the fabric of his pants. Flashing images of what he'd looked like without any clothes on ran through her mind, and her hands itched to undress him. He took a few steps closer. Fluttering erupted in her belly at the sight of him prowling toward her.

Bending over her, he took hold of her ankles and pulled her forward until her knees hung over the edge of the bed. His chest was rising and falling with great big inhales now.

"Spread your legs," he said, voice gone raspy. She inched her knees apart. "Wider," he growled. She spread her legs fully and felt heat crawling up her skin. How could she be so embarrassed and so turned on at the same time?

Probably because of the hunger in his eyes as his narrowed gaze slithered over every exposed inch of her body. Any self-doubt she might've had was snuffed out under Fejo's adoring scrutiny.

He crouched down on the floor and placed both of his palms on her waist, applying firm pressure and making it clear she couldn't rise. His focus on her core was unwavering. She almost felt as if he were heating her skin with just his eyes. Her pussy clenched, her nipples gone so hard they ached. She balled her hands at her sides, not knowing if he wanted her to touch him or not.

His hand drifted lower, and he ran a finger along her core. She squirmed and let out a moan at the sensation. She was throbbing now, and as he lowered his face to her entrance,

she wondered if he could see her pulsing with need. She fisted the covers, not caring about the low moans of anticipation she let out with each breath.

His fingers curled and tightened on her waist a moment before his mouth descended on her. She let out a gasp. With one smooth lick, he traced the seam of her sex with his hot tongue until he reached her clit, where he pressed a firm, wet kiss.

Vanessa threw her head back and let out a whimper but darted her gaze back down to him when the pressure didn't continue. She found him sitting back and staring at her with an inscrutable expression. He stood, angling his body over hers, and kissed her. A hard, open-mouthed kiss that made her toes curl. She could taste herself on his tongue. Her flavor mingled with his own warm, sweet taste, and she arched her back to get closer.

But then he stood.

She sat upright, head buzzing with confusion. "Where are you going?"

"Out," he threw over his shoulder as he swiped his coat from the railing and descended the steps. He turned to look

up at her from the floor below. She was still sitting on the bed, but she'd closed her legs and was fighting not to cover the rest of her exposed body.

The heat that scorched her cheeks spread down her chest and neck. "But I thought we—"

"You thought you could trade your body for a trip back to Earth," he finished, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "You thought I was the type of male to make such a deal. I don't like to be used, Vanessa," he growled while crossing to the exit. He typed something into the panel at the door. Before her brain could catch up with her ears, he was gone.

Realization set in, and Vanessa's flush turned into an angry fire burning under her skin. He'd embarrassed her on purpose. With a short hiss, she snatched her clothing from the ground and dressed. She was mortified and livid and fucking horny, and if Fejo thought he could get away with that, he had another thing coming.

She stormed to the door, ready to sprint after him screaming like a banshee if that was what it took, but the door remained closed. She pressed her palm to the hidden lock again. Nothing.

Fingers curling into fists at her sides, she aimed a deadly glare at the door. He. Didn't. Fucking. Dare.

Chapter 14

Tricked again. Fejo stomped through the ship, needing to get fresh air and not breathe in Vanessa's intoxicating scent any longer. When he'd read those letters, it'd been like a metal boot slamming into his ribs. Of course she hadn't married him because she'd liked him. She'd done it so she could get back to Earth. He'd been so stupid. The signs had been there in front of him, and he'd just ignored them.

He'd wanted to believe so badly that a female would choose him that he'd rendered himself blind. And the worst part? He understood why she'd done it. The pain and heartache in those letters from the other females were enough to show him exactly what Vanessa might be going through.

Humans weren't allowed to go back to Earth, but that didn't mean their previous lives no longer existed. Their loved ones had been left behind and were probably suffering just as much as the abducted humans were.

Fejo had never had anyone who'd miss him like that. Maybe that was why he hadn't suspected anything. She must've jumped at the chance to leave Clecania.

Stopping, he scanned his surroundings and found his feet had carried him to the pool. Ripping off his expensive, expertly crafted clothing, he let it crumple to the floor in a disrespectful heap. The clanging of his knives hitting tile echoed through the room. He waded into the cold, salty water and let his heavy body sink to the depths.

The hidden gills running below his ears emerged, and he sucked in his first inhale of water. The cool liquid burned as it entered his throat and cycled out through his gills. Yet the pain of transitioning from breathing air to filtering oxygen through water was familiar and comforting.

He recalled the first time his gills had appeared. The scientists at the lab where he'd been born had been upset he'd shown no physical characteristics of the ancient Clecanian race he'd been created from. And their lack of success at recreating a viable fetus from ancient DNA had made them detached and desperate. They'd tested him endlessly, always searching for answers to one question. Why him? Why had Fejo been born when so many others hadn't?

He'd been maybe six or seven when they'd first decided to test a theory. They'd taken him to the ocean and made him swim, encouraging him to dive under and hold his breath. He'd been so scared of the powerful waves, though, rarely dunking his head for more than a few seconds before begging to come back to shore.

Eventually, an elderly male named Gured had held him under the water. Fejo had clawed at the male, kicking as hard as he could through his fear. Just when he'd swallowed his first mouthful of water and been sure he'd die, he'd felt slicing pain on the side of his neck.

He recalled the feel of what he now knew was his throat flap flipping closed to keep the water from entering his lungs. But as a child, he hadn't understood. He'd kept trying to breathe normally, unintentionally opening the flap and gulping down more and more water until everything had gone black.

When he'd woken on the sand, spewing up salty ocean from his lungs, he'd seen Gured's broad grin. Fejo had known then and there he wanted to escape. The male hadn't cared that he'd almost died. He hadn't cared that a

small boy had been terrified and in pain. He'd just stared at Fejo's gills with a self-satisfied smile, no doubt seeing Fejo as nothing more than a mystery to be solved.

Over time, he'd learned to control his breathing. To let his throat close and allow the water to wash through his gills and send oxygen into his blood. Once he'd mastered it, he'd learned something very interesting. His winged overseers couldn't breathe underwater. They couldn't even enter the water for too long, or their wings would become saturated and heavy and they'd drown.

So, he'd started swimming deeper and deeper. Sitting out of reach on the ocean floor for hours and staring into the distance of the dark water. Until one day, he'd finally built up the courage and kept swimming until he'd reached one of the other hundred islands that made up the Clecanian city of Huvuita. He'd been eleven.

Now he sat on the bottom of his custom-made saltwater pool, feeling just as alone. Had Vanessa worked out her plan when they'd first met in the marketplace? She'd said she'd known she was going to marry him only a week before, but she could've been lying.

Fejo was tired of feeling like this. Like all he was good for was as an experiment or messenger or hired hand. All he'd wanted to do was make her happy and finally claim a bit of happiness for himself. As it turned out, he'd never had a chance at either.

He laid back and stared up through the rippling surface of the water. What was worse was he was weak. Despite her betrayal, despite the fact that she didn't actually care about him, he still wanted her. It'd taken everything he'd had to leave her beautiful, naked body.

She'd so sweetly followed his orders—had been aroused by them, even. If he'd wanted to, he was sure he could've had her right there. But he didn't want sex to be a transaction between them.

What was he supposed to do now? He was furious and embarrassed and hurt. But mostly furious. He'd been bandaging the cuts to his soul for far too long now. Always being patient. Always seeking affection and approval. But now, finally, something in him had shifted. This was the last straw. He couldn't do it anymore. He wouldn't pretend like what Vanessa had done didn't affect him.

Maybe it was time to truly become the male he'd been pretending to be for so long. This was the last time he'd feed the Queen information. This was the last illegal and dangerous run he'd make for Klinara. And when he got back —and rid himself of Vanessa—he wouldn't enter any more ceremonies. He was done being toyed with.

The line on his right arm bristled, and he knew someone had entered the room. The vibration of heavy steps traveled through the water and tickled his sensitive lines, telling him exactly where in the room the new person was standing.

He peered up through the water and saw bright white wings. Uja.

The male was his only friend on the ship. One of the few friends he had. The only one who knew everything. They'd met as children on the protected island compound Fejo had found himself in after running away.

Fejo shot to the surface and waded out of the water.

Uja took one look at his face and rumbled, "Having problems with your wife?"

Shaking out his wet hair, Fejo glanced toward the door.

"I locked it," Uja assured. "You shouldn't have done that to Capra today. He's raging."

He shrugged. Stabbing Capra through the hand seemed the least of his worries at the moment. "Do you think he'll retaliate?"

Uja shook his head. "I believe Maladek has him contained."

"You think he's a trustworthy male?" Fejo questioned, slipping on his clothes. They scraped against his oversensitive damp skin.

"No. I think he's smarter than Capra, and that means I don't trust him. He may be up to something. Or he may just have a better understanding of when to make noise and when to remain silent," he explained without emotion, staring hard at Fejo.

He grunted but didn't respond.

"What happened?" Uja questioned in a low tone.

Fejo's pride was still injured and heat flared on his neck,

but he needed to confide in someone. He honestly didn't know how to handle Vanessa, and all the suggestions his brain kept throwing at him were far too dark. He needed a

voice of sense in this instant. "She wants me to take her to Earth," he grated through tight lips while glaring at the ground.

Uja nodded with raised brows. "Ah."

Fejo paced around the pool. "Yes. Ah, indeed. I should've realized sooner."

"Are you going to take her back?"

"No!" Fejo barked, both livid at the idea of Vanessa getting her way after what she'd done and sick at the idea of never seeing her again—though he chalked up that response to a lingering loyalty to the female he'd thought was his wife. "I don't know," he breathed. "No. I can't. Not now." He peered back at Uja, who was silently following his pacing. Fejo threw up his arms. "I'm open to suggestions."

"It's not smart to travel to Earth. The entry to that galaxy is being monitored more heavily now that the Alliance has learned about humans. I don't know what Klinara is having us get, but whatever it is, it's big, and she's nervous about it. We don't want to be caught with whatever it is." Uja's jaw tightened. "Besides, if she thinks you aren't following her orders..."

Fejo stilled. She might go to the authorities. "Surely it's been too long?"

"You killed someone," Uja reminded him, his voice firm. "Her father. And if she wanted to, she could push for the maximum sentence. The only way to protect yourself is to expose her operation."

"She could still tell," Fejo muttered, recalling the night he'd snuck into Dawten's room and ended his life. At the time, he'd thought he was doing a noble thing. He hadn't found out till years later that he'd been manipulated.

Uja shrugged and scooped an errant blade off the ground. "She could. But if she were jailed and her ring of buyers were exposed, her word would carry much less weight. And didn't the Queen say she'd protect you at that point?"

Fejo snatched the blade from Uja and tucked it away. "She 'said,'" he retorted with a sneer. "I'm starting to believe nothing anyone says carries weight." He stomped to the door, but Uja stopped him.

"What are you going to do with the human?"

What was he going to do with her? Devious ideas ran through his mind, and a grin pulled at his mouth. "Whatever

I want."

After spending a few hours doing everything she could think to break down the door, Vanessa collapsed into a frustrated heap of exhaustion on the bed. She tucked her knees into her chest and tried to calm her mind.

She had no idea what Fejo was going to do next, but no matter what, she had to get off this ship and onto the port tomorrow. From there, she could call Alice, and they could help her figure things out. That was, if Fejo ever let her out of the room again. She spun when the door opened and Fejo sauntered in.

His hair was wet, and he carried a tray of food. He stopped and examined the room as if trying to spot inconsistencies. She'd thought about destroying everything to prove a point about keeping women locked up but held her temper in check.

He set the tray down without a word and motioned to it with a flippant wave of his hand. Then he disappeared into the bathroom. Her stomach rumbled. The earlier commotion in the cafeteria had ensured she hadn't eaten much today.

She made her way to the lower level and stared down at the tray. There were no pastries. He must really be upset with her.

She ate a few bites of the other food just to get something in her stomach. When it finally hit her system, a wave of exhaustion forced her to sink lower into her seat. It felt like the day had been never-ending, and for hours now, she'd been running on adrenaline and fumes.

Movement from the bathroom drew her attention, and all at once she was alert again. Fejo exited the enclosure, fully naked. For a moment, she couldn't look away. God, he was beautiful. Rigid muscles, smooth skin, and a large, velvety shaft hanging between his legs. There was something interesting about it, though. She canted her head to the side. It was pierced through the thick head, and there were shallow ridges forming symmetrical raised designs along the shaft. Vanessa was transfixed.

"Are you done eating?" he asked in a low rumble, walking right up to her. His cock twitched, and her brain started up again. She finally tore her gaze away and looked up at him in confusion. His gaze was heated and hungry.

"Yeah. Why?" she asked, embarrassment at her ogling heating her cheeks.

"Because it's time for bed," he said matter-of-factly. She didn't have time to respond before he hefted her over his shoulder in one smooth movement and made his way to the sleeping loft.

"Put me down," she gasped, gripping his back. Then the world spun. He'd flipped her off his shoulder, and she landed with a bounce on the mattress. She braced herself for whatever was coming next, but he only slid her over and laid down next to her. "What are you doing?" she asked, tensed to rise. His lids slid closed, and he crossed his arms behind his head, stretching out his long limbs. Vanessa forced her focus to remain on his face, though she could only imagine how devastating he looked sprawled out on the bed like this.

"Sleeping in my own bed." He let out a cross between a groan and a sigh, relaxing farther into the mattress.

She nodded to herself. That was fair. He'd been sleeping on the couch like a gentleman and giving her the bed. Now he wanted it back.

"Okay," she said under her breath, making her way to the edge of the mattress, content to sleep on the couch, but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, spooning her. Vanessa froze, not sure what to do with this new development. She wasn't a cuddler, and she certainly didn't want to cuddle with the man she was plotting to abandon.

She squirmed, trying to rise, but his arm was like a band across her waist. "Let me up. I'll sleep on the couch downstairs," she argued, pulling on his arm with all her strength.

He grunted. "No, you'll stay here, wife." He said the last word in a cutting tone.

Vanessa couldn't understand what was happening. Didn't he hate her? She'd abused the most sacred thing in his society. Something she was sure he'd always wanted. He should be locking her up, not holding her in a firm yet gentle embrace. "Why?" she asked.

"Because I've never slept with a female. And I enjoy smelling you." He shifted, pulling her tighter to him, and curled his hips against her ass.

Vanessa's body grew rigid and her scalp tingled. She suddenly became very aware of the hard bar of his cock against her butt and lower back. His hot breath ghosted over her neck and ear, and she held in a shiver, but she couldn't stop the arousal from building in her core.

He let out a satisfied rumble and nuzzled his nose into her hair, then the crook of her neck, squeezing her waist. "Mmm, yes. That smell."

Her cheeks heated and she ground her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut, mentally trying to cool her libido. The heat from his body seeped into her skin, and his smell—like the beach on a hot summer day—invaded her senses.

She hadn't relieved herself after he'd left her hot and bothered, and she was regretting it now. With no idea when he'd come back, she'd been too afraid he'd walk in and catch her pleasuring herself, so she'd just let her arousal slowly dissipate.

Big mistake. Next time he left, she'd have to take matters into her own hands. She squeezed her thighs together to relieve some of the pressure building.

His fingers tightened on the soft part of her belly and he ran his mouth along her neck. "Ask me to take care of you, and I will." His voice had gone low and rang with another challenge. He wasn't offering out of the goodness of his heart. He was trying to make her suffer now. She squeezed her legs together more tightly. No. She wouldn't break down and beg him.

"Are you going to take me back to Earth?" she asked instead, needing to remind herself of what she was working toward.

His other arm slithered under her head and wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her flush with his chest. "No."

She swallowed. "Are you going to let me call my friends?" "No."

He didn't elaborate, and Vanessa felt her eyes growing

wet. She held back her tears, her throat aching to let out a sob. And damn him, but when he pressed a kiss to her scalp, some of the tightness in her throat lessened.

She lay awake, trying to devise an escape plan for tomorrow, but every idea she had seemed impossible. He wouldn't let her call her friends, so she'd have to figure out

how on her own. Was that even possible? And any plan she did have relied heavily on one very important factor: Would Fejo even let her go to the port with him?

Her mind whirred with activity until her thoughts became messy and unfocused and her lids kept sliding shut. Fejo's deep breaths and warm, comforting arms wrapped around her lulled her to sleep.

Memories of her fight with Julie invaded her dreams. She awoke in the dead of night, the image of Julie's beautiful, devastated expression clear in her mind. Vanessa's insides roiled with guilt and desperation. A vise gripped her heart.

Fejo's forearm was draped over her shoulders. She listened, ensuring his breathing was deep and even. Satisfied he was asleep, she brought her hands up to grip his arm and pressed it closer to her collarbone, dipping her head so it rested in the crook of his elbow. Some of her tension faded, and after a while, she drifted to sleep again.

Chapter 15

Vanessa stashed the device containing all the credits Alice and Luka had given her in her pocket while Fejo was in the bathroom. She'd woken up alone in the bed that morning and had laid there feeling lower than low. She understood why Fejo was angry with her, but it changed nothing. If he wouldn't help her, she'd find another way.

The port they'd stopped at was called the Innaka Port. Apparently, it was one of the few in which they didn't need to wear bioshifting suits.

He'd returned to the room with breakfast and told her to get ready to leave. Vanessa was so relieved that he was going to take her along, but she was also a ball of nerves. Why was he taking her? Didn't he realize she'd try something? Or was he just that confident that he could keep an eye on her?

Though she wanted to ask more questions, she'd decided not to press her luck. He'd resolved to let her come, and she wasn't about to say the wrong thing and make him change his mind.

Vanessa watched him trail around the room, gathering fancy clothes and jewelry. With a tightness around his eyes and mouth, he slid thick, sparkling rings onto his long fingers. For about a year in seventh grade, she'd attended an all-girls school and had been forced to wear a drab uniform every day. A white button-down and navy skirt. Pants hadn't been allowed. Fejo looked about as happy dressing as she'd been putting on that uniform every morning. Her heart pinched.

She'd been looking for the right moment to talk to him again as they both got ready in silence, but he'd barely even made eye contact with her. She wanted to try to reason with him one last time before attempting to go off on her own. Attempting to survive on an intergalactic spaceport without knowing anything about anything was stupid. Really stupid. She knew it was stupid and she'd be more likely to die than get to Earth, but Fejo had unequivocally told her no.

What was she supposed to do? Spend three months on his ship spooning and being relentlessly aroused before

being popped right back on Clecania? She couldn't have that.

In any case, she might not end up seeing an opportunity for escape today, but if she did, she'd be prepared. Using a torn piece of fabric, she'd wrapped the letters she'd gathered against her torso.

Fejo emerged from the bathroom, his hair styled into a perfect rumpled mess, and she decided now was as good a time as any. "You didn't let me explain yesterday. About my sister."

He glanced up at her while straightening his bright green shirt. He lifted a heavy brow, jaw set and gaze unwavering. Every part of him was in place. Put together, yet somehow still relaxed and sexy in an effortless sort of way. His long- sleeved shirt clung to his biceps and was cut low, exposing his chest. He laid his coat over the chair. It was a black one today with silver metalwork curling down the sleeves. As he straightened his sleeves, feet planted apart in a defiant stance, he waited for her to continue.

Vanessa swallowed. "My sister...she's dying. I need to get back to her. I'm sorry about misleading you, but...I need to

get back to her." She thought she saw a glimmer of sympathy light his expression, but then it hardened again and became inscrutable.

"You stay near me while we're at the port," he said calmly, then walked over to the wall and placed his hand on a smooth portion. A drawer popped open, and he began removing knives, tucking them into matching green straps of fabric over the shirt.

He'd ignored her, and a familiar spike of embarrassment transformed to anger in her stomach. He hadn't even acknowledged what she'd said.

Vanessa had known enough disappointment in her life. After moving from foster home to foster home, she'd learned never to rely on anyone. People only disappointed you. Fejo was turning out to be no exception. "You mean like a good wife?" she snapped, helplessness and anger turning her words icy.

He stilled, staring at her again. "No, like a good little human who's never been on an intergalactic port and who will probably get herself into trouble if she doesn't stay close."

The cutting remark was made worse by how true it was.

Fejo took in her crossed arms and the defiant set of her jaw. He stopped straightening his clothes and leaned toward her, gaze hard. "Don't even think about trying anything either. The only reason I'm not locking you in this room again is because I don't want you tearing it apart. But believe me, if you don't behave, there are many other rooms with less-valuable things that I could keep you in next time."

He slid on his coat and walked to the door. She followed, shoulders back and chin held high. She was about to walk through the opening when he grabbed her bicep and held her back. She glared at his hand, then at him.

With a smirk, he lifted the necklace he'd given her off her head and placed it back in the room. "It's very valuable," he said, holding her gaze. "I wouldn't want it to get stolen."

Vanessa bit the inside of her cheek and walked out the door. She'd been cautiously hoping she might be able to pawn it as a last resort if needed.

Fejo lead the way through the eerily empty ship until they arrived at the ramp they'd used when they'd boarded on

Clecania. Two other men stood waiting for them at the exit. Uja and another guy, short and red-skinned with beautiful green eyes. Vanessa took a deep breath. The sudden realization that she was about to see a brand-new alien port skittered through her.

She caught Uja studying her with an odd detached expression, as though inspecting an insect under glass. His silver gaze was penetrating.

The shorter man spoke to Fejo as they approached. "Battino is waiting in the Midnight Buvwa Tavern."

Fejo looked at Uja but nodded back toward her, then walked ahead, speaking with the short man. Uja turned to her, and she realized Fejo must've nonverbally assigned her a guard. Fuck.

They began to move and Vanessa followed, Uja at her side. She tried to listen and take in as much as possible while also preparing herself for whatever this new port had to offer. It was completely possible something too alien for her human brain to handle would scare her into inaction and she'd end up right back on Fejo's ship.

They stepped through the door, and she had to pause. Fejo had told her this port was more open, but this was ridiculous. The ceiling was so clear it was almost invisible. Space, dark and foreboding, spread out above her. She took in a deep breath and forced herself to study the ground of the port instead.

Thousands of people of all different species milled about between tall green wooden buildings crammed into long hallways. The area they were currently in looked like a landing bay. Several ships were squeezed together, loading and unloading goods.

Her nose scrunched as the scent of the hot air hit her. It smelled faintly of sulfur mixed with sweet spices.

"You'll get used to the smell," Uja said.

Vanessa jumped, not realizing he'd stayed so close. She peered ahead and saw Fejo glancing at her from over his shoulder. When she caught his eye, he turned away and continued talking to the short man.

She nodded at Uja. "What are we picking up here?"

They stepped off the ramp leading to the port floor, and Uja's wings flared a little. She flinched again. Everything

that had happened the past two days had set her nerves on a razor's edge.

"Sorry," Uja said. "My wings get twitchy after a while. I haven't been able to fly for weeks now. We're picking up Martria crystal today. We use it in the manufacture of many electronics on Clecania. It's highly magnetic, so it works especially well in our cruisers."

Vanessa nodded. "So, all legal, then?" she asked, curious for an answer but not really expecting one.

Uja shrugged and kept gawking at her. She bristled under the scrutiny and had to stop herself from snapping at him. "The crystal itself isn't illegal, but it's usually obtained through the proper channels. The male we're meeting doesn't use those channels."

Vanessa peered up at him with raised brows, surprised he'd answered her. Fejo had been pretty honest with her about the illegal parts of his job, though he hadn't given any specifics, but she'd just figured he'd been trying to get into her pants. Uja didn't have any reason to reveal information to her, though. Especially information about illegal things she could potentially use against the whole crew.

"Is there a lot of illegal activity that goes on here...on this port?" she asked, testing her luck.

"Do you mean are there a lot of illegal trading ships that might be willing to take you to Earth?" Uja asked, expression as solid as stone.

Her palms grew hot and she almost tripped, not able to take her eyes off Uja. She glanced up toward Fejo, who was walking a few feet ahead and paying no attention to her. "Did he tell you that?"

"He did. He was quite upset about it."

Vanessa frowned at the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, like I said to him, it was for a good reason."

She watched a large group of purple people—seemingly made of jelly—inch by like gargantuan slugs, then remembered what Fejo had told her about staring and quickly looked away.

Her group took the right alleyway. It was densely lined with rickety green wooden buildings and smelled more strongly of sulfur. There were grates on the ground every

few feet, and the smell wafted up from them as they passed.

"I'm sure it was," Uja agreed easily. "Do you know who Fejo works for?" he asked after another moment of silence.

She glanced up at him. "I assumed he worked for himself."

"No." Uja shook his head thoughtfully. "Since he was a young boy, he's been working for a family from his home city. At first, he worked for a male named Dawten. Then, after that male died, Fejo worked for his daughter, Klinara."

"So?" she asked, not seeing the point. She spotted two women nearby, and part of their conversation floated toward her. One was talking about the price for refueling her ship. The woman was tall and covered in a bioshifting suit. Her limbs seemed to float through the air while she gestured as if she were moving through water. She spoke to another woman, short with deep black skin and flashing silver freckles.

"I first met Fejo there. I worked for Dawten too. I was there when he found Fejo as a boy."

Vanessa's attention was drawn back. "Found? I thought Fejo grew up with a bunch of scientists."

Uja's right wing extended and curled around her right shoulder, urging her closer to him and away from another large purple slug person. "He was raised by them for a while, but eventually he escaped and was found by Dawten. I don't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, though."

Vanessa gazed at Uja, riveted. Escaped? Fejo had mentioned being lonely as a child, but what had happened that he'd needed to escape? And why did this Dawten somehow seem worse?

"You see, Dawten saw Fejo's potential. He saw a boy desperate for acceptance. He took advantage of that. Then his daughter, Klinara, saw a young man mooning over her and took advantage of him as well. He's still under her control. Miserable, despite how he may appear. Yet only a couple of days ago, I saw him happy."

Vanessa's insides coiled, guilt wriggling like a worm in her belly.

Uja stared at her, letting his unspoken implication sink in.

"I didn't have a choice. My sister's dying, and she doesn't have much time left. I can't just leave her. If there were any other way, I would've done it."

"I don't disagree with you," Uja said, facing forward again. "But you were taken from Earth months ago and you were kept in stasis for who knows how long. Your sister may already be dead. You risk his life and all our lives by trying

to go back to Earth, not to mention the other damage you're causing."

Anger burned her guilt away. There was more to it than that. She had to go back whether Julie was dead or not, but she wasn't about to continue to try to explain herself to this asshole.

She stopped in place and turned to him, hands on her hips, straightening to her full height. Just tall enough to be level with his chest. "So, is that it? Accept my sister is dead and play good wifey to him because he had a hard childhood? I had a hard childhood too, and the only person who was there for me was my sister. I get that you're trying to protect him, but I have to look out for my family too."

"Actually, I was thinking it would be best if you left. There's a female two streets over who I know will travel to Class Four planets for the right price. She operates out of a bakery with a yellow door. Her name is Sulo."

Vanessa gaped at him. Should she have been insulted that he wanted her gone so badly he'd betray Fejo? Probably. "Why...why are you telling me this? I thought you and Fejo were friends?"

Uja straightened as though he'd been slapped. "We are friends. That's why I want you gone. You've been nothing but trouble, and I can see you won't be letting this go soon. Better you disappear and save everyone the headache."

Vanessa's heart pounded. "I have a ride. I just need to figure out how to call my friends on Clecania. They'll organize it all, and I'll just wait here until he comes to pick me up."

Uja curled his lip at her, displaying a sharp fang. His brows scrunched as if she'd said something stupid. "What do you think Fejo will do once he knows you're gone? Do you really think he'll just go back to the ship and leave without you? He'll tear this place apart and drag you back if

you're within sniffing distance. You don't have time to wait for your other ride to get here. Take my advice or don't, but don't be stupid about it. Don't hurt him more by attempting to run away and failing."

Though the delivery had sucked, Uja was right. She couldn't hide from Fejo here. "But how am I going to get away? I don't even know if I have enough money for Sulo."

Uja opened his mouth to speak, but Fejo appeared in front of them. "Everything alright here?" he asked, staring between them. Vanessa nodded stiffly.

He studied her for a moment longer. "Good—we're here." He motioned toward a squat red door that was arched at the top. The building itself looked like nothing special. Just cracked green wood and a dirty window with curtains blocking the view inside.

Uja gave her one more glance that held an unspoken plea, then crouched, wings folded like an accordion, to fit through the door. The red crewman followed.

Fejo stayed behind, stepping in front of her and blocking the entrance.

He slipped a hand around her back and pulled her in close. "What were you talking about?" he asked, a crease appearing on his brow.

Vanessa shrugged out of his hold. "Nothing."

She tried to push down her emotions and harden her heart, but it wasn't working. Normally she could trick herself into being as cold on the inside as she pretended to be on the outside, but the image of Fejo tearing apart the port looking for her after she left had her softening and aching for him. She couldn't seem to meet his unwavering gaze.

This wasn't personal. Uja had given her a way out. All she had to do was forget everything he'd told her about Fejo and turn off her emotions, and she'd be able to leave this all behind.

She pushed her way inside the tavern and coughed at the overwhelming smell of cinnamon. She couldn't decide if the slight smell of sulfur outside was worse or better than this heavy, heavy scent. She felt Fejo's body heat envelop her from behind and wasn't surprised when he used his hand on her lower back to guide her forward.

The other men were already up ahead, greeting a very rotund, pale yellow alien with four eyes and a set of wriggling antennae. Fejo tugged her down into a seat next to him and swished his hand in a gesture of greeting that the slick-skinned man mirrored. Vanessa did it too, trying to be polite, but the new yellow alien only blinked at her before returning his attention to Fejo.

Her mouth turned down, and she pursed her lips. Just because this guy refused to say hi to her the same way he had to Fejo and the other men didn't mean he had something against women. But it still sure as fuck felt that way. She glanced around the room to distract herself, since it was clear no one here wanted to talk to her anyway.

With large tankards on the tables and dark wood covering every inch of the floor, walls, and ceiling, it looked like a bar from the Middle Ages. Or it would have, if not for the herds of insects scrambling all over. Some of the shiny green- shelled bugs scurried in groups, carrying drinks and depositing them on tables for patrons. Others ran over the counters, leaving behind a gleaming clean finish. Vanessa shuddered. A restaurant run by bugs. What the fuck?

"This is my wife, Vanessa." Fejo introduced her with less fanfare than normal, and she withered a little.

Battino, the man with the antennae, gargled something at her she couldn't understand. All eyes remained on her as though expecting her to answer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," she said.

Fejo tipped his head. "Ah, she must not have your language uploaded, Battino. I'm sorry about that." He faced her again. "He asked whether you were pregnant."

Vanessa flinched and raised a brow toward Battino. "No. Are you?" she asked defensively.

Fejo slid his hand to her knee and squeezed in warning. He spoke to Battino. "No. She says she's not pregnant."

The insect man garbled something else. Fejo grinned and thanked him.

Vanessa let out a shriek when suddenly hundreds of large green insects crawled up the odd sloped sides of their round table and deposited drinks in front of each of them. She couldn't hold back her grimace, and Battino, with his twitching antennae and narrowed eyes, looked offended.

"Sorry. Can I go to the bathroom?" she asked, catching her breath. She didn't mean to offend anyone, but Jesus. Bugs crawling all around was something she didn't expect many humans could squash a reaction to. It was really Fejo's fault for not warning her. It wasn't like this was normal on Clecania either.

"Uja, show her where it is," Fejo shot to the winged man.

Uja nodded and rose from his seat. She followed him around the back corner of the room, where three doors stood. One door had a picture of an outrageously bulbous ant. The next had something that looked like a snake with four legs. And the third, a flying insect with six wings.

She eyed the pictures. "Am I supposed to fit with one of these?"

Uja didn't answer her. Instead, he scanned the hallway they were standing in and stepped to the side, revealing a door at the end of the building. "If you're going, go now."

She backed up a step and bit her nails. A small part of her revolted unexpectedly. She quelled the urge to walk away and sit down by Fejo. But Uja's words rang in her mind. They were true.

She knew she'd been in stasis for about three months. If Julie was still alive, she didn't have long. The doctor had told her six months, max. Regret tightened her chest. She didn't have a choice. Their last argument started up in her mind, and she shut it down. She couldn't deal with that right now. She couldn't remember how selfish and cruel she'd been. She just had to pull it together and get back to her.

Uja stared down the hallway. "You don't have long," he warned.

"Won't he know you let me go?" she asked, stalling. "Probably."

Hardening her heart, she bit her lip. "Okay, tell me

exactly where to go. I don't want to walk into any place I can't breathe."

Uja rattled off a few directions and described some symbols she should watch out for. "Talk to no one. Keep your eyes down. Don't smile. When you get to the bakery, ask for Sulo."

Vanessa echoed the directions in her head and, without a backward glance, walked down the hall and push open the door.

Fejo couldn't keep his gaze from drifting to the corner Vanessa had disappeared around. Battino was talking to him, trying to negotiate a higher price. Normally Fejo would get a thrill from talking the male down, but at the moment, he could barely keep his mind focused. She hadn't come back yet. It shouldn't take this long to go to the bathroom.

He'd brought her down to the port knowing full well she might try to escape. But he needed to see if she'd actually do it. Part of him didn't believe she would. It was too dangerous, and there were too many unknowns. Vanessa wasn't stupid. Even if what she'd said about her sister was true, she couldn't possibly think she'd be able to make it back on her own. Could she really be that desperate? And if she was, would that make him feel better or worse about her actions?

Still, his skin itched from sitting and having her out of his sight.

Finally, when he could no longer identify her wonderful scent, he grinned at Battino. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. Three thousand grunes and you have a deal."

The male blinked his four eyes, then practically vibrated with happiness. "I'll have the crystal brought to your ship at once," he said, holding out an arm, waiting for payment.

Fejo scanned his credits holder over the male's and input the proper payment, then waved his hand in the traditional farewell.

"Ashop," he addressed his crewman, who looked at up at him. "Would you mind directing Battino to our ship? I have something to take care of."

Ashop nodded and rose, quickly shielding his surprise. Normally, Fejo liked to oversee all the deliveries himself.

"Can't keep away from her, huh?" Battino chuckled in a wheeze while following Ashop and giving Fejo a knowing grin.

Fejo returned the grin. "I'm exhausted," he breathed out an exaggerated exhale. Battino chuckled again, and Fejo left. Keeping his pace casual and unhurried, he made his way to the back.

When he arrived, he saw Uja leaning against the wall, his wings spread along the bare wood. Relief overcame him for a moment until Uja caught his eye. His muscles grew rigid.

When Uja remained silent, Fejo balled his fists. "Where is she?"

"It's better if you let her go," Uja argued, crossing his arms in front of him.

"Of all the people...I thought I could trust you." Fejo seethed. "Where did you send her?"

"This is better for you both. She wants to go home. She'd never have changed her mind. You don't need to be pining away. Miserable because yet another person is treating you as if you're disposable."

"Vanessa is not Klinara. She's not doing this for fun or for power," Fejo barked. He pushed past Uja, done trying to talk to his would-be friend, and removed his communicator from his pocket. A blue dot lit up three streets over.

Fejo grimaced. He knew exactly where Uja had sent her.

Chapter 16

Vanessa was panting, bobbing and weaving through the crowds and glancing up occasionally to make sure she was going the right way. Left at the roasted meat stand. Left at the roasted meat stand. Left at the roasted meat stand. She smelled the meat before she saw it and hurried forward. Turning left, she paused. The bakery should be somewhere on this street. In the distance, on the far corner of the block, she spotted a yellow door.

"Vanessa," a deep angry voice called from behind her.

She froze, turning, though she already knew exactly who'd spoken. There was Fejo at the end of the street, hands in his pockets, staring at her as if this was the most casual thing he'd ever done.

Vanessa bolted. Maybe if she got into the bakery and spoke to Sulo, she could hide. Maybe the woman would help her. Alien women supporting alien women and all that.

She reached the door and pounded on it, heart beating out of her chest and skin buzzing. A burly woman with an extended nose and pointed ears greeted her. Her bushy tail flicked behind her, and Vanessa couldn't help but think she

looked like a mutant squirrel. The furry brown woman surveyed Vanessa up and down and twitched her nose.

"I need some place to hide, and I need a ride to a Class Four planet," Vanessa blurted. There was no time for subtlety. She was surprised Fejo wasn't here already, knowing how fast he could move when he wanted to.

The woman looked at her again, studied her face and her heaving chest. "I can't understand you, girl."

Shit! Vanessa took in a breath and peered over her shoulder. Fejo was sauntering down the street toward her, his steps slow and deliberate. His icy gaze bore into her.

With a weak nod, she faced the woman. Charades it is. She pointed to herself, then to the woman, and swept her hand around like a plane, hoping she'd understand.

Sulo seemed in sync with her because she nodded and said, "Credits?"

Vanessa let out a relieved breath and reached into her pocket. Her stomach dropped. She patted down her pocket again, digging through the fabric and turning it inside out. Nothing.

She looked in the lining and saw a thick silver sticker that hadn't been there before. Lifting her head, realization dawned. Dread curling in her belly, she spun and found Fejo six feet away, grinning and holding up the credits Luka and Alice had given her between his middle and pointer fingers. He gave the black rectangle a small shake and canted his head.

He'd stolen it from her somehow. She thought back to the entrance of the tavern when he'd pulled her in close to ask about Uja. He'd straight-up picked her pocket! And she wouldn't be surprised if the little sticker he'd put in her jacket was actually a tracker.

Apparently realizing she didn't have any credits, Sulo silently stepped into her home and closed the door in Vanessa's face. She stared at the yellow wood for a moment, blinking.

She'd failed. She hadn't gotten away. After this, she doubted Fejo would ever let her out of the room again. Not until they got back to Clecania anyway. Frustration and anger shot through her veins like electricity. She turned

toward Fejo again, facing off and scowling. He slipped her credits back into his pocket and frowned right back at her.

She didn't know what possessed her, but at that moment, all she wanted to do was run. Whirling behind her, she bolted, skidding around the corner as fast as she could and, as luck would have it, ran straight into one of the purple slug people with a wet splat. It let out a high-pitched squeal, and she fell back, her face, arms, and body covered in a sticky pink substance. The purple slug retreated slightly, still making the high squealing sound and wiggling its arms around.

She started to get up but fell down, her legs going numb underneath her. Her heartbeat accelerated, thrashing against her ribs, and she tried again.

She couldn't breathe. Her legs...they weren't moving. She couldn't make them move. Now her arms were going numb as well.

The slug person scooted away at record speed until they were out of sight.

Vanessa lay on the ground, looking up into the depths of space, completely paralyzed, though she could somehow

still feel her body. Her skin was hot, and the cool stone of the cobbled port ground chilled her back.

Fejo stepped over her, blocking her view of the sky. He squatted down and tsked.

Hot tears she could no longer contain leaked from the corners of her eyes. She blinked, her lids the only part of her that seemed to work.

"I didn't think you'd actually do it," he whispered. She refused to look at him. "And on top of everything, you got yourself drugged."

A painful sob gurgled in her throat and she continued to gaze past him, focusing on the dark view of space. It was still terrifying, but somehow, in this moment, it was easier than looking Fejo in the eye. He sighed and walked away. Her tears started coming faster. Was he going to leave her here? He might, and she might deserve it.

But then, after what felt like an eternity, he was there in front of her again. Holding a bioshifting suit and cloth. He wiped the slime from her body and face, then stuffed her dead limbs into the suit, leaving the helmet off.

Then he hefted her over his shoulder. She swung back and forth as he carried her through the port, her face resting against his back, the cold metal embroidery of his jacket like ice on her cheek.

People stared as they walked by. Her embarrassment threatened to level her. They started moving uphill, and the familiar metal ramp of his ship came into view under his feet. He was taking her back and was going to lock her up like he'd said. She'd never get home. Would never be able to make things right. A rock the size of a fist was permanently lodged in her throat.

"What happened?" she heard a male voice ask.

"She ran into a Boshie," Fejo replied, and she thought she heard a grin in his voice.

She wanted to curl her fingers into fists or clench her teeth or anything, but her body wouldn't respond. The other male laughed and passed them by.

Fejo continued walking. She recognized the hallway but internally frowned. It wasn't the way to his room. Where were they going? He entered a small room she'd seen on their tour. The med bay.

"I need something for Boshie slime," Fejo said to someone—she assumed the doctor on staff.

She heard a bit of shuffling before a rasping voice answered, "How long has it been?"

"Fifteen minutes, about." Fejo grunted, gripping her thigh a little tighter.

"The slime should be inactive now, but it'll take about an hour to get feeling back. You know how to use it?"

Her skin burned as if she were lying under a desert sun, and intense emotions continued to ripple through her, building like a wave before crashing and dissipating. Fury at being caught. Despair over failing. Amusement...she didn't know why. They felt out of place, but they swelled inside her all the same. Was she having a breakdown, or was this a side effect of the slime?

It was as if she'd had too much to drink. Like all the emotions she kept inside, good and bad, were clamoring at the surface, waiting to explode out of her at the smallest impetus.

Embarrassment and defeat were at the forefront, and tears spilled from her eyes. A lifeless body. She watched as

the tears dripped onto the floor. She'd never felt so utterly useless before. There had always been a way out of trouble. But now...she'd lost hope.

"I do know. Thank you." Fejo turned, and she spotted the orange man with sharp teeth in the corner. He was the doctor? He gave her another pointy smile before Fejo exited, but his smile faded when he took in her face.

She slammed her eyes shut. She hated when people saw her cry. Now she was blubbering for anyone to see. Just a stupid human who didn't know the first thing about space, poisoned and crying.

Squinting, she peered around and recognized their route. Back to her prison they went. Vanessa slid her eyes closed again. Her breaths hurt as they pushed through her constricted throat. Fejo remained silent as he entered his room and flipped her over, propping her on the magenta couch.

"We need to get the rest of the slime off before the medicine can work."

She glanced at him from under her heavy lids and found him standing over her, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. He

took off his coat and walked out of view. When he returned, his boots and knives were gone. He rolled up his sleeves and knelt, then began removing her suit. When it was gone, he worked on her clothes.

He lifted her shirt and glowered at the wrapped fabric holding the letters to her waist. Carefully, he undid the knots. She stared at his face. His full lips were set in a hard line, his brows drawn in concentration.

"I should just burn these," he muttered while setting the letters aside and slipping off her pants and underwear.

Another choked sob stuck in her throat, and his gaze shot up to her. A muscle ticked in his jaw a moment before he let out a short exhale. Vanessa was fully naked now, and her skin heated further with humiliation.

He lifted her from the couch and carried her to the enclosed foam shower stall. With one brawny arm wrapped around her waist, he turned the unit on, rotating her this way and that to make sure the foam covered every inch of her body.

Her head fell back against his shoulder, and his body stiffened, his hands tightening where they held her. Though

she didn't hear him sigh, she felt his chest rise and fall against her back and wondered if even holding her this way brought him some kind of pleasure. She thought back to what Uja had revealed about Fejo's lonely childhood, and pain stabbed through her heart, doubling the tears still dribbling from her eyes.

When she was clean, Fejo carried her up to the loft and propped her against the wall at the head of the bed. The cold metal of the wall stung her naked back, but she couldn't move away. He produced a small green bottle from his pocket, then scooted toward her and tipped the contents into her mouth. The liquid burned as it ran down her throat.

Fejo released a long exhale, and for the first time, Vanessa saw how tired he was. He sat on the bed with his hands on his knees. His shoulders were slumped forward, weariness oozing from every pore. The hollow, queasy guilt that always filled her gut and made it impossible to eat or sleep or smile spread through the rest of her body as she took in Fejo's defeated expression.

"Should be able to speak soon," he said, removing his shirt, which had gotten wet in the foam shower.

Testing his claim, she swallowed and felt a bit of sensation come back to her lips, but it was awful. Like the worst case of pins and needles she'd ever experienced. She took in a shaky inhale and tried to move her mouth again. Fejo stared, bringing his knee up and turning his body toward her. She now felt as if she could speak but didn't know what else to say.

"Why did you do that?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She gulped, lubricating her throat. Her words slurred at first, so she tried again. "I told you—"

"Yeah, you told me, but I think there's more to it," he interrupted.

Her hands tingled with the hellish pins-and-needles sensation, and she winced. His focus shifted to her fingers as she twitched them. Meeting her gaze again, he scooted up to her, throwing her legs over his thigh, and took her arm, rubbing her fingers between his hands. The pain lessened as he massaged her, but the ache in her chest increased. He didn't have to do this, yet even after everything, he was still trying to ease her pain.

"How did you know about the money?" she whispered.

He peered up at her for a moment before refocusing on her palm. "I told you, I have a great sense of smell. I smelled the letters on you. Figured you'd try something. Took a guess."

Vanessa studied his face as he kneaded her wrist and forearm. She'd hurt him again. Though she didn't regret trying to escape, she hated the deep crease that now remained on his brow. It felt out of place on his normally smiling face.

She ached to see him smile again, fake or real. She'd take either at the moment. Anything but the sharp pain lingering behind his eyes. Maybe if he understood why she was so desperate, he wouldn't feel as betrayed.

He couldn't understand her willingness to use and abandon him because he was right—she hadn't told him the full story. But she couldn't bear to say it out loud. She hadn't even said it to herself.

Maybe it was her heightened emotions making her resolve weaken. Or maybe she just couldn't stand the thought of Fejo going through life thinking she didn't care. But as he rubbed the life back into her limbs, her heart

screamed to tell him what was happening. To tell him everything. He deserved the truth, even if it killed her to talk about.

She licked her lips and began in a croaky voice, "I told you about my sister." He peered up at her, lowering her arm to the bed and taking her other hand in his large palm. His mouth tightened as though he thought she was about to say the same thing she had before, so she spoke quickly. "Before I left...before I was taken...we had talked. That's when I found out she was sick."

Fejo remained quiet, staring at her with such intensity.

Vanessa's throat was tight, painful, but she pushed through. "She'd called me over to her house. I thought she was going to give me another lecture about getting a better job or going to school or dating. She was always doing that. Trying to make me better. She had her own problems, but she never talked about them. She only ever focused on my problems. It drove me crazy." Vanessa frowned, thinking about all the stupid, pointless fights they'd gotten in.

Fejo moved down to her legs, and now that the feeling had returned to her arm, she draped it over her breasts. She

was already vulnerable enough in this moment. She didn't need to be completely exposed.

She opened her mouth but closed it again. Her chest felt like a vise had been placed around it. "Our father left when I was just a baby. He was an addict, so Mom said. And then Mom got sick. They found a tumor in her brain. She couldn't take care of us, so we went into foster care." Vanessa chewed on the inside of her cheek, the needling in her body a distant memory. "She died a few years later. Julie—my sister—and I were sometimes placed together. Sometimes we weren't, but she was always there for me, even when I didn't want her to be. Turns out she has a tumor too."

Fejo's palms ran up her thighs in slow, even strokes, relieving the painful reawakening of her body. His gaze remained fixed on her. Vanessa bit her lip hard and peered down at his hands. She couldn't look at him and tell him the rest.

"Lovely," he said like a caress, lifting her chin and running his thumb over her lip, soothing it. "What happened?" he whispered.

She took in a shaky inhale. "Years ago, she met this guy. A real piece of work. He had a lot of money, but he drank and was abusive. She got out of the relationship, though not before getting pregnant. She has a little girl. Mia."

Vanessa shook her head. A small sob escaped her throat. She looked down and shook her head again. "When Julie told me she was sick, I said some things I shouldn't have said. I was just so upset. She's the only person I have in my life. The only one I've never pushed away, even though I've tried. She's always stayed. She's always been there for me, and I just couldn't imagine life without her."

She peered back up at Fejo, trying to keep her mouth from pulling downward with the emotion rising in her chest.

"She asked me if I'd take Mia when she died. She didn't want her going to her ex." Vanessa covered her face with her hands, her breaths coming in and out through sharp sobs now. "She begged me, Fejo. And I...I told her no. I told her...I told her she'd been selfish for getting pregnant. She knew how our mom died, and she still chose to take the risk and have a child."

Fejo slipped a warm palm under her cheek and cradled her face. She jerked her head away, undeserving of consoling after the way she'd treated Julie, but he was too strong for her. He pulled her against his chest, and she broke down.

"I didn't mean it," she breathed between sobs. "I didn't mean it. I would've gone back the next day and apologized. I would've taken Mia. I would have. I was just so scared of losing Julie. I was so mad at the universe for doing this again. I was so mad that out of the two of us, she got the tumor. It should've been me."

Vanessa continued to weep while clutching Fejo's shoulders and letting out all the shame and misery she'd been pressing down for so long. She felt like she was lost in space, floating out of control. She'd never been this vulnerable with anyone before. Naked and injured and crying and revealing just how terrible of a person she was.

He shouldn't have been holding her. He should've been disgusted, yet he was there, stroking her hair and squeezing her tight to his chest as if she weren't some useless cretin.

She couldn't fathom why, but she took advantage, gripping him as tightly as she could.

She continued to cry herself into exhaustion, mind going fuzzy. Distantly, she could hear herself repeating, "I have to go back. I have to get Mia."

Eventually, she drifted into a fevered sleep. She kept jolting awake in a cold sweat. But every time she woke, Fejo was there, holding her shivering body.

Fejo lay with a fitful burning Vanessa wrapped in his arms and couldn't get her story out of his head. This wasn't about him. She hadn't tricked him because she was cruel. She'd been using him, but he couldn't imagine a more noble reason.

He ached for her and the pain she was feeling, yet the way she'd let him see all of it both thrilled him and made this monstrous jealousy rise in his chest. What he wouldn't give for somebody to be that devoted to him. To cry and beg and steal and cheat just so they could get back to him.

Her fever from the Boshie slime was finally breaking now in the early hours of their self-imposed "morning." He

needed to get her clean sheets and a bit more medicine. Ensuring she was deep in sleep, he piled covers on her and left. After checking on their progress and ensuring all the crystals had been delivered, he gathered food and medicine and headed back to his room.

His way was blocked by Maladek, who appeared out of nowhere. The large male frowned at him, his red-eyed gaze hard and unrelenting. "Klinara is expecting a call before we leave port," he rumbled in a scratchy, rasping voice.

Fejo eyed the deep scar running down the male's cheek. He hadn't given Fejo any trouble yet. Not like Capra had, but it was clear who of the two males was the leader. "I'll call her," Fejo said simply, stepping around the male.

"She wants us to move up our schedule. Head straight for her pickup."

Fejo turned. "I've already altered my schedule enough. That's not going to happen."

"It's what she's asking for. I'd do it if you don't want trouble."

Fejo stepped up to the male, the fingers of his free hand itching to reach for a knife. "Is that a threat?" he growled.

Maladek shook his head, seeming unconcerned. "No. Not from me. I'm just passing on a message."

"Just passing on a message," he mocked. "But you'll follow through on her threat if you're ordered, won't you?" he questioned. These males were dangerous. Fejo should've never allowed them to come on board.

"Nothing personal. Just a job."

Fejo scowled at the male, then spun and stomped away. He took a detour, stopping at the communication room, and made sure it was secured before connecting to Klinara.

"Hello. Finally, you call." Klinara's smooth voice flitted through the connection. The sound grated on his skull.

"Hello, Klinara," he said, his voice tight.

"I hope your trip has been smooth. How's your wife?" she asked in a derisive tone. She'd heard, then. The news that Vanessa had tried to run away from him would surely bring her the greatest pleasure.

Fejo grunted.

"So touchy these days," she admonished. "Well, I need you to change course and go pick up my package immediately."

Fejo's balled fist tightened. He had pickups scheduled, and it would be a stain on his reputation to cancel this late. "We only have two more stops before we head there. Can it wait?"

"No, it cannot," she said, her words turning icy. "What's going on with you, Fejo? You sound cross with me. What can I do to make it better? Is your marriage not working out?" she crooned. "You could always come home to me. I've missed you."

Nausea roiled in his gut. Fejo couldn't stand the idea of going back to Klinara. So many nights he'd wasted trying to make her love him. But she was broken. Damaged by her father beyond repair, and there was an oily sickness inside her now. There was no room for love there. He didn't think she was capable.

This was the last time he'd need to deal with her, though, he reminded himself. All he had to do was play this right, and he'd finally be free. If the Queen kept her word, that is.

"I'm sorry, gorgeous," he said, masking his tone. "This marriage is giving me a bit of trouble. I don't mean to be short with you. Of course we'll change course tomorrow. Not

to fret." There was no use arguing. She'd get her way in the end. He knew it, and she knew it.

"Good. I'll let Capra and Maladek know." Smugness danced in her voice, her offer to bring him back home forgotten in the wake of her victory.

She disconnected without another word, and Fejo scanned the room for something to break. After a second's indecision, he decided not to call the Queen. He had no new information about what the package was, and he itched to get back to Vanessa.

The crippling bulk of his life at present weighed him down as he walked, but Vanessa was always at the forefront of his mind. Knots—multiple—had built in pressure all over his shoulders and neck, and he rubbed at them absently. What was he going to do with her?

As he strode the familiar path to his room, the world seemed dimmer. The flicker of hope he'd somehow always been able to keep lit in his chest had been snuffed. Uja had betrayed him. Vanessa was a glorious, loyal, fiery female who would never want him back, and soon he would cut ties with everyone else he'd ever known.

A few days ago, he might've seen that as a new start, full of possibilities. But now? Now a life without any ties, good or bad, seemed lonelier than ever.

Chapter 17

Even after he'd returned, changed the bedding, and forced another dose of medicine down her throat, Vanessa still tossed and turned for hours. Not knowing what else to do, he just held her, wiping her hair off her face and whispering calming assurances to her. Boshie slime was always a pain in the ass. He'd been touched by one once before, but the Boshie in question had been a young male and not as potent as the adult females of the species.

Normally, their slime had no effect, but if a Boshie was taken by surprise or frightened, the slime functioned as a paralytic. Vanessa had run straight into an unsuspecting full- grown female. No wonder she was having such a bad reaction. And she was human. He didn't know if the effects were worse for her kind, but he imagined, based on her soft groans, that they were.

Eventually, when he returned after a few minutes away to retrieve fresh food, he found her awake and sitting up. She still looked a bit bedraggled, her mussed hair stuck out at odd angles, and her skin was paler than normal. She peered down at him as he arrived, and her eyes widened slightly

before she glanced away. He saw some color returned to her cheeks and forehead.

"I brought you food," he tried, treading cautiously since he could practically feel the tension radiating off her stiff form.

She stood, glancing around and patting the enormous shirt he'd covered her up with in the middle of the night. "You didn't have to do that," she said under her breath.

The tone of her voice was so withdrawn and choked. He could see her teeth grinding from here.

Had he done something wrong? Was she angry about her failed escape? Or was this an additional effect of the Boshie's slime? She walked down to the lower level and tried to pass him, heading toward the bathroom, but he blocked her way. "Are you alright?" he asked, gripping her chin and bringing her gaze to meet his.

She tugged her face away, her cheeks growing an even brighter shade of red.

"Yes, I'm fine. You don't have to coddle me. I made a stupid mistake, and I got what I deserved."

Fejo's hand fell to his side.

He wanted to tell her how much her revelation had meant to him. He'd seen how painful it'd been to talk about, and he couldn't imagine how much guilt she must be feeling.

"Last night—" he began, but she interrupted him.

"I didn't mean to say those things last night. The slime was doing something to my head, and it just spilled out. Forget about it. I don't want your pity."

His brows drew together, and he studied her face. She still wouldn't meet his gaze, instead looking down at the ground with red cheeks, clenched fists, and a tight jaw.

"I don't pity you," he argued. Had it really just been the slime talking? He'd hoped she was opening up to him of her own accord, but apparently, he'd been wrong. His chest tightened with the knowledge.

"Pity, revulsion, whatever you want to call it, I don't want to hear it. I just want to wash off and never speak of it again." She tried to step around him again. He blocked her way once more.

"Vanessa, I don't think any of those things." He reached out to touch her shoulders, but she shook him off, stepping back, her eyes glassy.

"Well, you should think those things." She crossed her arms over her chest and worried her bottom lip. "I appreciate you being there for me last night, but all I want right now is to be alone. Can you please let me by?"

The weight on his chest grew heavier as he stared at her. He nodded, turning to walk out the door. What else could he say to her right now? She didn't want him around, yet all he wanted to do was to be around.

He knew she was embarrassed about what had happened the day before. How could she not be? She'd been exposed and vulnerable in more ways than one, and she'd revealed something to him that clearly caused her so much shame and heartache.

Still, a small, ridiculous part of him had wished she'd be different. That she wouldn't regret telling him her secrets. He stood outside of his room, not sure where he should go. With a deep sigh, he decided it might help his scattered mind to see to some work on the ship.

They'd set off from Innaka Port hours ago, so he first went down to the cargo bay to see how Maladek and Capra were getting along. Though Capra only scowled at him and

Maladek acted as if nothing at all were amiss, both males were making decent headway reorganizing the long-term cargo he kept on hand in case he needed to trade with something other than money. He'd need to find a new job for them soon.

After another two laps around his ship, he found all his normal tasks were taken care of. The crew were all working hard and didn't need him. What now?

He couldn't go back to the room. As much as he wanted to be near Vanessa, he worried he was already far too attached to her. Maybe it was better for her to push him away. His irrational side already bellowed at him to take her back to Earth, despite the risks involved in entering a restricted galaxy. It was clearly what she wanted, and her admissions the night before weighed on him. He had a particular soft spot for the child named Mia.

Both he and Vanessa knew what it felt like to grow up without family, though she'd had her sister. He wouldn't wish that loneliness on anyone, but especially not an innocent child. Yet he didn't see how he could manage a trip to Earth right now. Not with the extra security measures or

the current missions he was on for both Klinara and the Queen.

He passed the space-viewing room on the left and paused, taking a few steps back. Perhaps some quiet contemplation would help. As soon as he'd cleared the door, his veins pulsed with anger. Uja sat inside, stretching his wings in the empty space.

They locked eyes, and all the fury and frustration he'd felt since finding those letters raged through him. Before he had a moment to think better of it, Fejo pounced, pinning Uja to the ground and slamming his fist into the male's jaw.

Wings were an advantage Fejo had been cognizant of since childhood, so when Uja's wings flew at him from both sides, Fejo dodged, leaping to his feet and sliding out of the way.

Wiping a trail of blood from his nose, Uja spat and crouched into a fighting stance. "So, this is what you want to do? Over that female who's done nothing but lie to you?"

"It's more complicated than that," Fejo rumbled, circling the male. "This is about you betraying me. You had no right to send my wife off alone. She could've been hurt or

kidnapped. Who's to say Sulo would've even taken her back to Earth?"

Uja lashed out with a wing. Fejo dodged, but not before ripping a few feathers free for good measure. With a wince, Uja's throat clicked with his building growl. "She's not worth the misery. This mission is too important, and she's the worst kind of distraction. Besides, it's what she wanted." He batted his wings, sending a gust of air strong enough to force Fejo to stumble back, then struck with his left wing and sliced into Fejo's temple.

Fejo caught the wing, wrenching it toward him, then twisted down. Uja stumbled forward, and while he was righting himself, Fejo leapt, then rolled under his right wing, popping up behind Uja's spine. With his back to the male, he hooked an elbow under each wing close to the shoulder blades and dropped his body weight, so Uja was forced to fall to his knees.

Wings. Though they were powerful and deadly, they'd always been a disadvantage during ground combat, and with nowhere to fly on the ship, Uja's must've also been stiff from disuse.

The male let out a snarl as Fejo leaned forward, bending the wings backward. "I didn't want to see you go back to Klinara!" Uja yelled.

Fejo stilled. "Why would I ever go back to her?"

When Uja didn't answer, Fejo flexed his arms forward again, bending the wings at an unnatural angle. With a grunt of pain, Uja answered, "Because that's what you do. Whenever you ventured outside of Huvuita, you'd always crawl back. You lose sense when you're lonely. She knew it. She waited for it to happen. You were doing fine before that female got here, but now? You're moping around the ship. You have the same look you always had right before you sought Klinara out."

With a snarl, Fejo flung his arms away from Uja and paced forward, hands on hips. "That's not going to happen," he assured through deep breaths.

"Is it not?" Uja massaged his shoulders, stretching his wings while wincing.

He now knew why Uja had acted out. In his past, he'd done what his friend had described. Whenever he'd been spurned by the winged inhabitants of Huvuita or pushed too

far by Dawten, he'd always sought Klinara. She'd been kind at first, or so he'd thought, and he'd clung to the memory of that kindness for far too long.

Fejo turned to stare at Uja. He waited until the male held his gaze, then with an unspoken promise in his voice said, "It's not."

Uja studied him for a moment, surprised by his certainty. He rolled out his shoulder again, then his brows lifted. "Oh."

"What?" Fejo frowned.

"I thought you were just attached to her as a wife, but..." Uja let out a long sigh and shook his head. "I've seen that look in the mirror. You have deeper feelings for the human, don't you?"

Fejo's jaw tensed. Uja knew what it was like to want a female you couldn't have. He'd been carrying on a secret tryst with a Clecanian female from Mithrandir for years now. The relationship had been doomed from the start. Uja, as a criminal, was not eligible for marriage. And his female, Ziritha, was slated to become the next queen of Mithrandir. When that happened, she would not be allowed to be in a relationship either.

Fejo peered down at the floor, the truth too idiotic to acknowledge. He shouldn't care for Vanessa as much as he did in this amount of time, but...he couldn't help it. If anything, her unwavering loyalty to her friends and family only served to make him want her more. "So you see," he muttered, "even if I can't have Vanessa, I'd never go back to Klinara."

"Fejo, she won't be happy here. You know that," Uja urged, stepping close. "I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have sent her off, and if I'd known how you felt, I wouldn't have, but...I saw it on her face. She won't stop."

"Turns out, I love that about her." Fejo looked up with a miserable grin.

Uja's brows drew together, and he placed a heavy palm on Fejo's shoulder. "What are you going to do?"

Pain lanced through his chest. He knew what he was going to do. Deep down, he'd known since he'd first found those letters. "I'm going to take her back." He straightened and shrugged off Uja's palm. "But I need your help to do it."

Without any further argument, Uja nodded.

Though it was good to have his friend back on his side, Fejo still couldn't dampen the ache in his heart. Forcing out a weak excuse about seeing to the work he'd already seen to, Fejo left Uja and wandered toward the pool. Sitting in the deep, cool water always made him feel better. Maybe the pressing silence would squeeze out all the dark thoughts clamoring for attention in his mind.

He took care arranging his clothing on a nearby rack before sinking into the water. A harsh sting on the side of his head reminded him he had an open cut. A deep one, judging by the amount of blood flowing through the water. He couldn't seem to care at this moment. Besides, head wounds always bled a lot.

He'd go use the portable healer stowed in each of the rooms on the ship soon. For now, he closed his throat and let the water filter through his gills. The exhaustion of lying awake the entire night tending to Vanessa pressed on him.

His lids slipped shut, and he reclined onto the pool floor, happy to disappear into blissful sleep.

Chapter 18

Vanessa's stomach turned yet again as she stood under the foam shower. Fejo hadn't deserved that. He hadn't deserved it at all. He'd taken care of her, had held her through the night. She was pretty sure at one point he'd even changed the sheets so she wouldn't wake up in a puddle of her own sweat.

Vaguely, his soothing whispered words floated back to her, and she recalled how calm his voice had made her. And what had she done? The same thing she always fucking did.

As soon as she'd felt the least bit vulnerable, her embarrassment had morphed and she'd lashed out. But this time, she wasn't as easily able to push her behavior down and act like it was nothing.

Taking out her issues on Fejo wasn't right. Whether he was keeping her here rather than letting her go back to Earth was beside the point. He was a good man, and she'd done nothing but continually hurt him. She breathed out a deep sigh and finished cleaning up. The shower's built-in air blower forced the residual foam to drip off her. She then

used foam to clean her teeth and went searching for new clothing.

Settling on thick, tight black pants and a figure-hugging eggplant sweater, she waited for Fejo to return. She rehearsed her apology in her head, chiding herself every time her words became sarcastic or her tone grew acidic. She had to learn how to express her feelings without thinking she was stupid for doing it, without being embarrassed about having feelings in the first place. When what felt like an hour had rolled by and Fejo had not returned, she huffed out an annoyed breath.

It was her own fault. She'd told him to leave. Had practically kicked him out the door. Vanessa wouldn't be surprised if he found another room to bunk in and left her here to rot. The sudden idea that he might never come back —as irrational as it was—spurred her to rise and cross to the door, intent to fiddle with the entry pad again until it let her out.

But there was no need. The door slid open as soon as she neared it, and she realized he'd given her access.

Well, that made her feel even shittier. She sighed and peered up and down the hall, wondering where he might've gone. She checked the control room first, and when she didn't see him among the rows of chairs and desks that had appeared out of nowhere in the once-empty room, she moved on. The men hadn't seemed to notice her right away. They were all pointing at something on a screen and chatting with each other instead.

Next, she stopped in the cafeteria. The few men who were there did notice her but said nothing. It wasn't until she'd been searching for almost twenty minutes that she came upon the orange doctor with the sharp teeth and Uja.

He frowned at her again, but this time his frown was more resigned than critical, as if he'd learned all he could about the insect under the glass and now he just had to live with it as an unsightly decoration on his wall.

"Have you seen Fejo?" she asked.

The orange man, who she decided looked sort of like a shark, grinned at her again. "If I had to guess, he'd be in the pool. If you can't find him, that's usually where he is."

She gave a tentative grin back to the man, trying to see past his terrifying appearance. "Uh, thanks."

"I just left him a couple of minutes ago. If he's in there, he'll have just arrived. He usually locks the room before he swims," Uja added. He continued to frown, and her shoulders bunched.

"I'll just go wait outside, then," she shot back, stepping around them and turning right down the perpendicular hallway. With an inward curse, she immediately stopped. Sliding her eyes shut, she bit the inside of her cheek. Heat rising on her face, she turned, walking in the opposite direction—the correct direction. Uja was still standing in the hallway as she passed. Vanessa gave an awkward little wave and tried to laugh off her error.

Before she made it ten feet, she heard heavy steps behind her. "I can let you in if he's there," Uja grumbled.

"And why would you do that? I thought you hated me." She eyed him sidelong.

"Because he, for some reason, doesn't hate you, and I'm trying to be a better friend."

Vanessa nodded. Good enough for her.

They walked in silence the rest of the way. When they arrived at the door to the small storage-style locker room that led to the pool, Uja glanced at the control pad. "It's locked. Means he's in there." His brows furrowed. "He just arrived, but he set the lock to remain engaged for two hours. Did something happen between you two?" he shot at her, accusation ringing in his voice.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. Yes, something had happened. She barely had enough energy to try to work it out with Fejo, though, and sure as shit wasn't going to waste time explaining herself to Uja. "Huh, you know what? Something did happen, and I just remembered that it's absolutely none of your business," she quipped, giving him a false smile.

He grimaced at her and typed something into the keypad before turning on his heel and stomping away. The door slid open, and she walked through the seemingly bare navy-blue room. None of the hidden wall compartments where belongings were kept were lit purple to indicate they were in use. She supposed if he was here alone and had locked the room, he wouldn't need to hide his things away.

Before stepping out into the poolroom, she took a deep breath. Okay. Just remember to keep your cool and apologize like an adult. And be vulnerable. And tell him how much you appreciated his help. She breathed out another calming breath before entering the pool room.

Confusion gripped her as she scanned the empty space and the calm water. Nobody was here. Was there somewhere else he hadn't shown her on their tour that he could've been hiding? Maybe a sauna or something?

A shape in the water caught her eye, and her heart dropped into her stomach. No, no, no. She shuffled toward the edge of the pool, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. There was a man down there in the water. A very Fejo-shaped man with dark, flowing hair. The water right around his head was tinged pink.

Breaths coming in sharp gasps, she fumbled slipping off her shoes and, without thinking, dove into the pool. She was a terrible swimmer. Had quit her lessons halfway through when she'd been a kid. And with no one to care enough to force her to continue, she'd never learned to be a skilled swimmer.

She thrashed and kicked, trying to get to the bottom of the pool. The salty water stung her eyes, but his blurry figure was growing closer. Fuck, how deep is this? she thought as the pressure in her head built from diving too fast.

She finally reached him and tugged at his hand, but he didn't budge. Using his body weight to pull herself down to the bottom of the pool, she hooked her arms under his shoulders and pushed up against the pool floor as hard as she could, but his weight was just too heavy. How did this cinderblock of a man ever swim at all?

Her heartbeat thrashed in her chest and her throat was convulsing from lack of oxygen, but she kept pulling. That last of her air escaped her throat on an uncontrollable sob when she realized he was gone.

Suddenly, though, he moved. With a graceful swish, he flipped toward her, eyes wide and unworried. He wrapped an arm around her waist and shot to the surface with one solid kick of his legs. Her hair spread all around her face, and she coughed, sucking air into her deprived lungs.

She thrashed in the water, trying to stay above the surface with her soaked clothes weighing her down. Fejo kept his arm locked around her waist and paddled them both to the edge. She continued to sputter and cough, pushing her long hair, plastered to her face, out of her eyes. She was sure she must look an awful lot like the drowned girl from The Ring at that moment.

"Vanessa, what are you doing? Are you okay? You looked like you were drowning. Did you fall in?"

She finally swept her hair away from her face, heart still hammering in her chest at the thought of him dead and floating in the bottom of the pool. Despite all of her earlier lectures to herself, her temper burst out. "What were you doing?" she screamed. "I thought you were dead. I thought you'd hit your head and drowned. What the hell is going on?"

He blinked down at her, a deep line between his brows. Rather than appearing as abashed as he should've been, a slow, delicious smile curled his lips. "Were you trying to save me?" he asked, taking a step toward her.

She coughed again, feeling stupid. He was obviously alright, though she still could not for the life of her figure out how. "That was the plan! But apparently you just like to hang out at the bottom of pools and scare people to death."

"But...you don't seem to be a good swimmer." He tilted his head, taking another step.

All at once, the awareness that he was completely naked and wet hit her. She lost her words as her attention strayed down his body. She focused on his face again and swallowed. "Well...no. I'm not great, but I couldn't just leave you there," she muttered, her defensiveness melting away.

"You just about drowned trying to save me." His grin widened to a breathtaking, sparkling thing that warmed her belly.

Still, for some reason, old habits died hard, and she wanted to deny it, uncomfortable with him knowing quite how terrified she'd been when she'd thought she'd never see him again.

He dipped into the water, descending until he was just about at eye level with her, and pulled her close.

She stiffened, not ready to swim again quite yet. "How were you down there?" she pressed. For all she knew, he could've sunk to the bottom just a minute before she'd entered, but the surface of the pool had been so still. Surely if he'd just dropped down, there would've still been ripples in the water.

He pulled his wet hair to the side, revealing his strong, corded neck. Vanessa licked her lips. A rumble broke out in his chest in response, but he just smiled. "Watch," he said.

Before her eyes, slits appeared in the side of his throat. Flaps—no...gills, like a fish. "Oh my God." She reached toward them, almost touching but stopping herself short. "You have gills. How did I not know that? Are you a merman?"

The gills disappeared, smoothing themselves down until only unblemished skin remained. He chuckled. "I don't know what a merman is, but I can breathe underwater. My ancestors, the ones I told you about who don't exist anymore, lived in the water back on the old planet."

"Oh." That was all she could think to say. He'd been so human-like that she'd almost forgotten he was an alien. She

had to admit, though, out of all the alien traits she'd seen, this was a pretty cool one.

Something dripped into the water, and she peered down. Another red bead of blood fell from his hair and dispersed in the pool. Her gaze shot back up to him and she noticed a dark spot in his black hairline. Reaching out, she gripped his face, pulling him close. "What happened? Why have you not done anything about this?" She grumbled to herself as she took his hand and tugged him out of the water. "Free- bleeding into a saltwater pool like a straight-up psychopath."

He chuckled behind her, and his fingers curled against hers where they were gripping him.

Her clothes weighed more heavily on her out of the water, and she got the distinct impression she resembled a drowned cat. Her vanity would have to wait, though. "Put some clothes on so we can go to the med bay."

He followed her to the locker room—still naked, despite her order—and said, "We have a temporary healer right here."

She spun, searching to find the spot he was referring to, and her brain stuttered off. Rivulets of water trailed down his chiseled, glistening body. She forced her gaze to the ceiling. "Still naked," she said, rocking on her heels.

He handed the price-scanner-shaped healer to her. "You'll have to do it," he said with a grin lighting his voice.

She shooed him away. "Fine. Let's go sit down somewhere —and maybe put on some clothes."

He turned, strutting out of the room, and threw over his shoulder, "I'm quite comfortable, though."

Vanessa bit her lip as she eyed his firm, muscular ass. "I'm sure you are." She trailed after him, and when he was seated, she held out the device with raised brows.

He clicked a few buttons on the small screen and pulled his hair back from his temple, exposing the cut along his hairline. "Just run it along the cut, and it'll seal it. I can get the scar taken care of when we get back to Clecania."

Moving in close and standing between his spread knees, she squinted at the gash and ran the device slowly over the cut. To her surprise, a bubbling black liquid covered the wound and pulled his skin taut. When she reached the

bottom of his cheek, she chanced a glance to his eyes and found him smiling at her with a dreamy, sultry expression. She shook her head and refocused on his temple, smothering her smile.

"You peel it off now," he said, clearly expecting her to do that too, though he was more than capable.

She pursed her lips at him but raised her hands anyway. The corner of the black tar lifted easily and began to peel off his cut. His skin pulled tight as though she were peeling duct tape off him.

She caught his eye, only to see he was watching her without an ounce of pain to be seen on his face. "Is that okay?" she asked, her own expression stuck in a wince.

"Wonderful," he breathed on a sigh.

"I will never understand you," she mumbled, tugging at the rest of the black tar and peeling it away from a red scar. She tossed the piece of tar onto the bench next to him, pressed a hand to her wet shirt to get some liquid on her fingers, and wiped away the remnants of blood that clung to his skin. Her hand paused when a deep purr rumbled through his chest.

Slowly, she lifted her hand away and peered down at him. She knew what that purr meant. She'd learned about it at the Temple. It was something Clecanians did when they were happy—very happy. She'd never heard him make that sound before and couldn't understand why this, of all things, would cause him to have that reaction.

She wasn't worthy of it, and the sound reminded her why she'd come here in the first place. She tensed her jaw, determined to apologize the way she'd intended. "Fejo, I came here to tell you something," she started.

He gazed up at her. "What's that, lovely?"

The heat in his tone and the way he purred his pet name for her set a fire in her belly. She hadn't thought she'd ever hear him flirt with her again like this. His hands rode up the backs of her thighs, and her thoughts faded. She tried to bring them into focus by swatting at his hands half- heartedly. "Hey, stop that. I need to talk to you."

He chuckled again, a deep rumble that sent shivers down her spine. "What do you need to talk to me about?" He used his grip on the backs of her thighs to tug her against him. The heat of his body seeped through her cold, wet clothes,

and her nipples hardened. She clung to his shoulders, trying to push herself away. His head dipped, and he nuzzled her breasts through her wet shirt, hands sliding up to grope her ass at the same time.

She breathed out a moan, not realizing how much she'd missed the feel of his hands on her body and his scent surrounding her. Then her brain caught up, and she pushed away more forcefully.

"No, Fejo." She pointed at him, trying to keep him at bay with a single waggling finger. Her nipples chafed under the wet material of her sweater, but she had to get this out before she lost her courage—and before he blindly forgave her.

He was grinning a devilish grin, and he planted his arms on the back of the bench, reclining slightly and giving her a full view of his slick body and stiff, protruding erection. Her focus locked onto him there, and her breathing hitched. He was so damn beautiful. She slammed her eyes shut and spun in place, feeling it was better if she couldn't see him.

"I wanted to apologize for this morning," she started. He didn't say anything, so she continued with a deep breath.

"You didn't deserve that. The truth is, I wanted to tell you everything yesterday, but this morning I just...I didn't like knowing you'd seen that side of me." She sped through the rest. "And I got embarrassed and I took it out on you, and that's not fair, and I'm gonna work on it,"

Warm fingers brushed the hair away from her neck, and she jumped, spinning, only to find him standing a foot away and grinning down at her. "Do you regret confiding in me?" he asked, cupping her cheek with his large, warm palm.

She let out a low sigh, relaxing into his touch. He seemed to vibrate with pleasure, his purr rumbling in the empty room. "No. I mean, I don't like talking about it at all, but..." Her brows scrunched together. She didn't know exactly how to describe the way she felt. "I...I don't hate that you know. Does that make sense? If it were anyone else, I'd be out of control, but it somehow felt good to tell you. Like a weight was lifted."

He beamed at her, and she melted. When he wrapped his hand around her nape and pulled her up to his mouth, she didn't hesitate. She kissed him back, savoring the salty bite

of his lips as they moved against hers, powerful and demanding.

With two hands on her ass, he lifted her up to his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms behind his neck, holding on as his kiss rendered her body boneless. Before she'd realized they were moving, he'd brought her into a dark, unfamiliar room. She felt him kicking at something, then he dropped onto the floor, seating himself with her now straddling him.

She moaned into his mouth when she felt his rigid shaft rub over her belly. No more shame left to be had with Fejo, she scooted her hips forward until she could rock against his cock.

His hands flung the wet, clinging sweater over her head. The damp fabric seemed to suction itself around her arms, and they both chuckled as it remained stuck there. She tried to wriggle free but froze with a moan when his hot mouth descended on her breasts, teasing her with small nips of his teeth before soothing his bites with his scalding tongue.

The heat pooling in her core and warming her inner thighs made goose bumps break out over her skin. With shallow

pants, she rocked her clit against the bar of his cock, hating the barrier between them but not wanting to break away. His left hand shot to the bunched fabric of her stretchy pants and he bunched the material, urging her hips on by shoving his fist into the small of her back. His other hand gripped her side, his large thumb and fingers wrapping around her ribcage to keep her breasts lifted to his hungry mouth.

He kissed his way up her throat, then used his strong tongue to lick a path to her ear. She whimpered, and his hands flew up to tangle in her hair.

Vanessa's head swam. Nothing had ever felt this good. Tangled and wet and wrapped up with Fejo on a bed of what she'd now identified as warm towels. The pressure between her legs built, but he stilled her hips, pulling her pelvis away from his pulsing shaft with a tug to her pants.

He growled into the dip of her shoulder when she wriggled her hips and let out a frustrated moan. He used his other hand buried in her hair to keep her gaze on his dark, gorgeous eyes. "Ask me, lovely. Ask for what you want."

Vanessa's neurons seemed to misfire, half of her balking in the face of his challenge and wicked grin. The other half screamed for her to drop to her knees and beg if it'd make him happy.

Chapter 19

Fejo gazed at Vanessa's flushed cheeks and reddened lips. Her pupils dilated a fraction at his words, and his body felt like it was being caressed all over with velvet. His purr broke from his chest again. He wasn't surprised.

It didn't matter how she reacted to his request. No matter what she said, he'd be happy. He found he couldn't wait to hear her speak. To witness more of how her mind worked. He wanted to know her in every way. Know how she thought, how she reasoned, how she fucked.

The smell of salt from the water clung to her skin and mingled with her natural sweet, tart scent. An ache tightened his throat. Her smell reminded him of the beaches of Huvuita. Except now he felt the way he'd always wanted to feel while sitting on the shore alone, wishing he had someone to enjoy the summer day with.

She grinned down at him, and the throbbing of his cock increased. When she'd attempted to pull him from the bottom of the pool, his soul had come alive. Suddenly, his path had become clear to him: Vanessa.

Fejo's heart rammed against his ribcage when her smile turned devious. She ran her palm over his chest, then traced the sensitive birth line on his right side. "Do I really need to ask?" she purred, reaching down to stroke his cock with her other hand. Her eyes shot to his shaft when her fingers brushed against the specialty piercing running through the thick head. He couldn't wait to show her the update he'd installed in the gold flat-topped tip of the metal bar.

Her palm was like heaven on him, but he had to keep his head clear. He'd spent years learning to hold back his own needs, so why in the name of the Goddess was he a few pumps away from spilling into her hand?

She let out a delightful squeal as he flipped her onto the pile of towels he'd spread over the floor. Hooking his fingers under the waist of her pants, he pressed controlled, decisive kisses to her stomach, trailing downward while he slipped her pants and underwear off her hips. He then sat up, peeling the wet fabric off her legs, and tossed it to the side.

He about choked on his own tongue when she spread her knees for him and rested her arms over her head, a defiant

grin curling her lips. Sitting back on his haunches, he scrubbed a hand over his jaw, calming himself and breathing through clenched teeth to avoid inhaling her intoxicating scent. The folds of her sex glistened with her arousal. Her cunt was the prettiest shade of pink he'd ever seen and was a contrast to the tuft of dark hair on her mound.

She extended her leg, letting her delicate foot run down the length of the birth line on his outer thigh. Electricity shot straight to his cock, making it twitch and causing sparks to flare all over his body.

With a growl, he caught hold of her leg and tugged her toward him. Starting at the small bone just above her ankle, he pressed firm, wet kisses along the inside of her leg. The purr in his chest built. The higher up he went, the more intense the scent of her arousal grew, until he was licking the inside of her thigh just below her dripping cunt.

He peered up her body to see her lust-filled gaze riveted to his progress, her breaths coming in short pants. He kissed her inner thigh again, and she let out a strangled whimper. Her pink tongue shot out to wet her lips.

Fejo hovered over her sex, letting his hot breath tease her sensitive flesh before moving to her other thigh and working his way down her leg.

He chuckled against her skin as she threw her head back with a frustrated cry, then she laughed. "Oh, fuck you."

"That can be arranged. You know what to do," he whispered just above the small pleasure center at the apex of her sex. He blew a puff of cool air toward it and grinned back up at her. She worried her lip, her beautiful, dark brows drawn in concentration.

Then, with a defeated sigh, she grated, "Fine. You win."

"There's my good female." He backed up a fraction and raised a brow at her, forcing his body to remain immobile despite every cell urging him to take his prize before she'd actually followed through.

"I want...I want you to lick me." The words were barely more than a breathy exhalation, but Fejo didn't care. Satisfied, he descended on her, but she stopped him with a firm "Hold on" before he'd reached his target.

"What," he barked a bit too aggressively.

She half grinned and chewed on her lip. "I want to try something."

Fejo couldn't imagine what this mystery of a female would want to try, but he also couldn't imagine a single thing he'd say no to at the moment.

She scooted away, and he had to use a death grip on the towels beneath him to keep from pulling her back. "You're pretty tall, but I think we can make this work," she said, scanning him up and down. What did his height have to do with anything?

"Lie right here." She motioned to the soft area in which she'd been lying, and he eyed it suspiciously. She chuckled and crawled to him on her knees.

His stomach knotted at the lovely sight.

She drew herself up and ran her hand over his arm, making his birth line ripple with pleasure. "I promise you'll like it," she whispered, pressing a warm kiss to his ear. The tension in his shoulders melted away, and his purr rumbled through him. Laughing, she gently pushed him toward the spot she'd indicated.

He laid down, squashing the urge to simply pull her underneath him. But then she shuffled on her knees toward him and knelt near the top of his head.

A dark blush appearing on her cheeks, she crawled over him and settled her soft thighs on either side of his face, resting her palms on his stomach. His heart stopped.

Fejo stared up at the beautiful lips of her sex, his eyes surely as wide as saucers. "I do like this," he rasped, letting his purr vibrate through him as he wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her down to his mouth. She let out a cry and then a low moan.

He thought he heard her say, "Just you wait," but was too concerned with the feast above him to care. She angled forward, dropping her body so her soft lower stomach rested on his chest. He was about to test out all the methods he'd devised while researching human anatomy, when he felt her warm palm wrap around his shaft.

His grip on her hips tightened, and he lifted her lower body up. She squeaked and scrambled to plant her palms on the ground and support her upper body. Fejo peered down between the space of their separated bodies to her face.

Vanessa just grinned, then dipped her head to his cock and wrapped her lips around him. Fejo let out a hiss and lowered her pussy back to his tongue.

Her wet, velvety mouth encased him, her tongue swirling around the head of his cock, and Fejo thought his vision might go out. He buried his face in her inner thigh and tried to keep his body from quaking. No female had ever done this before.

Her breasts pressed into his lower abdomen, and she gave her hips a little shake. His eyes rolled back, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, crushing her to him as his mouth latched onto the small nub humans called a clit. She let out a cry that vibrated through this shaft, and his answering purr made her cunt grind and shiver against his tongue.

He swirled and flicked and lapped with his tongue, experimenting until he found the motion that made her moan and had her body stiffening. Then he repeated the same swirling movement, over and over, until she was trembling above him.

The pressure in his lower stomach built, his cock throbbing with the need for release. Her hand came down to cup his sac, while the other stroked the portion of his shaft that didn't fit in her mouth. The onslaught of her hands and mouth all caressing him together brought his orgasm thundering down around him.

He threw his head back, roaring into the dark room while she drank him in. His body continued to tremble after his mind had returned, but he didn't give himself any longer to recover before setting back to work on her delicious core. She moaned and squirmed in his firm hold, still gently running her hands up and down his shaft.

He swirled his tongue around her clit faster and felt her body tense above him; her thighs, cushioning his ears, began to shake. Triumphantly, he growled, knowing he'd mastered his female's unique anatomy. He ran his nails down her back and the soft skin of her ass, licking and purring against the swollen nub until her body convulsed above him.

On a long, breathless cry, she came, sucking in deep breaths and letting out strangled moans. Finally, her body

grew limp and relaxed against his front, her head on his thigh. He gently shifted her until she was lying on her back, her head by his knees, then crawled to her and collapsed onto his stomach at her side. His arm draped over her waist just below her breasts and he turned his head toward her flushed face.

She lay with her eyes closed, catching her breath, and he wondered if she'd push him away like many females did after being satisfied. She didn't. Instead, she grinned and let her head fall to the side until she faced him. "Told you you'd like it," she breathed.

Fejo laughed, a full-bellied genuine laugh, and his heart grew lighter. Vanessa smiled at him and moved his arm off her waist. He was about to argue, the spike of hurt knowing she'd now want space cutting through his throat. But rather than move away, she rolled to her side and plopped her body on top of his. "I'm hot," she murmured in lieu of an explanation.

He chuckled. "And how does lying on me help?"

While tracing her fingers over his shoulder, she shrugged. "Just does."

Fejo let out a sigh, lids sliding closed at the feel of her soft fingertips running down his spine. She paused at a spot on his shoulder blade and pressed down right into one of the knots throbbing in his back. He hissed, his shoulder bunching.

"Oh, man. This is a bad one."

Warmth suffused his body, his chest tightening and expanding all at once, as she straddled his back and began rubbing the heel of her palm over the sore spots in his muscles. No one had ever massaged him before.

"Sorry if I'm not good at this. I haven't really done it much." She kneaded a particularly painful spot near the base of his neck, and he felt the tension release and melt away.

He spoke through the tightness in his throat. "You are beyond wonderful."

She let out a gentle chuckle and leaned down to press a kiss to the juncture of his shoulder while continuing to work her hands over his back. His skin tingled all over, and Vanessa's sweet scent built in the air, drugging him. His purr rumbled in his chest more loudly than it ever had. He

stretched his arms in front of him, letting all the tension in his body sink into the floor.

Was this what true happiness felt like?

Vanessa pressed another kiss to the nape of his neck, then her hands stilled on his back, and she released a gasp against his skin. He twisted his head to look over his shoulder at her with one eye. She angled her body forward, running her hands along his biceps until she reached his forearms, then guided him to bend his elbows and pulled his forearms back toward him.

He thought she might've been trying to get to a difficult spot on his shoulder, when he glanced down at his hands now crossed in front of his face and saw bright blue markings winding their way along his fingers.

Chapter 20

Fejo bolted upright, unable to tear his gaze away from the mating marks now covering his hands. Vanessa's sweet scent floated back to him, and cold dread set in, hollowing his belly and chest. A muscle already ticking in his jaw, he turned his attention to Vanessa. Her eyes were wide, her chin dropped. As still as if she'd been turned to stone, her gaze was riveted to his marks.

His words caught in his throat. This female was his mate. Had he always known on some level? But she wanted to leave, he remembered. If things had felt impossible before, they were worse now. Fejo had no idea what he was supposed to do. What lengths would he have to go to in order to keep her? And how long would it take before she stopped hating him for it?

Finally, her gaze drifted up to his. They locked eyes, hers wide with dilated pupils. The space between them now felt charged, magnetic. As if an invisible force was trying to pull him to her.

"Fejo, are you in here? We have a problem," Uja's voice boomed from somewhere outside.

Vanessa flinched at the sound, but her wide gaze never strayed from his.

"Fejo!" Uja called again.

With a start, Vanessa glanced down at herself and dragged a towel up to cover her naked body, then her gaze shot to the door.

She was getting scared off. He could see it on her face, in the way she was white-knuckle gripping the towel at her chest. "Not now!" he boomed, hoping Uja would go away.

His nose picked up on Uja's scent outside the door just before a heavy fist came down, rapping on the metal. "We need to make a stop. The guidance system has had an issue. We've located a nearby port with our backup, but they require captain-led entry."

Fejo barely registered what Uja was saying, his attention still engulfed with Vanessa and their new situation. Her utter stillness and pallid complexion gave her the appearance of a scared animal.

He should keep his mouth shut. Whatever he said right now wouldn't go over well. She was human, and from what he knew, they didn't have mating. Maybe it would be best to

give her some space and time to come to terms with what had just happened.

When he'd reprimanded Capra in the cafeteria, she'd run off to get space and had forgiven him with a level head. And after snapping at him this morning, all she'd seemed to need was time alone to get her feelings in order. Perhaps if he gave her space now, she'd be more open to talking about their future—it was undoubtedly their future. He dreaded the chaos that would ensure if she believed otherwise.

Her attention swiveled to him when he scooted toward her and took her head in his palms. "I'll meet you in our room after I've dealt with this," he whispered, hating the uncertain roughness leaking into his voice.

He kissed her, keeping it restrained despite the unfamiliar instincts gnawing at his insides to do more. His cock stirred with the need to press her down and claim her. When he pulled away, she gazed up into his eyes, her dark brows furrowed.

"We need to talk about this now," she whispered.

Uja hammered on the door again, and Fejo glared in his direction. "Soon," he assured.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he forced himself to let her go and cross to the door. The farther away he moved, the heavier his body felt. Queasiness stirred in his gut and his hackles rose in agitation. When he slipped through the doorway, he didn't look back, afraid his conflicted mind wouldn't be able to take it.

He didn't spare a glance toward Uja, just headed for his clothes, his skin crawling as the distance between him and his mate grew. His clothing felt like sandpaper on his skin as he slipped it on.

Uja cursed under his breath and grabbed Fejo's wrist. He flung his hand away with a snarl. Out of his control, his attention kept being pulled back to the hall where the towel room—and his naked mate—were.

"Are those—" Uja began, his eyes glued to Fejo's hands.

"I can't think about them right now," he said, though his mind was having a hard time thinking of anything else. Noticing that Uja's scent so close to Vanessa's was forcing his fingers to curl into a tight fist, Fejo tried to breathe through his mouth. "What's the issue?" Without waiting for

Uja to answer, he stomped determinedly out of the poolroom and made his way to the bridge.

"Fejo," Uja tried again, but Fejo lifted a hand to silence him. His mind was so torn. It raged against the urge to turn and walk back to Vanessa. His leg muscles burned with the effort to keep stepping forward.

Her scent lingered on his clothing, ratcheting his tension. What would happen to him if she refused the mating bond? "I need to focus on something else right now. I can't think about this anymore," he said, more to himself than Uja.

He could almost feel Uja's stare heating his back, but the male allowed the subject to drop. "Vulstrata Port needs your private clearance code before they assign us a landing bay." Uja stepped closer to him and whispered, "I may be overreacting, but the bug that took out our guidance system was unlike any I've seen. I wonder if it was perhaps planted in the last few days."

The urgency in Uja's voice was strong enough to tear Fejo from his thoughts. He eyed the male. "But why? They had to know we had a rudimentary backup in place."

Uja shook his head, his expression pinched and foreboding. "Why, indeed?"

Fejo flew down the hallway toward his room, somehow knowing Vanessa was there. It'd turned out that the bug in the system had corrupted the map files themselves and all they'd need to do at port was download updated versions.

While dealing with the bug that had all the other crewmen jittery and pale, his mind had been divided. Somehow, he'd felt Vanessa. He'd known exactly where she was and where she'd gone.

Like a tickle running across his back, he'd known when she'd left the poolroom. He'd known the direction she'd taken. And somehow, he'd known that she'd gotten lost on her way, wandering into an odd part of the ship three times before finally making it back to their room. Or maybe her wandering had been intentional. For all he knew, she could've been trying to hide from him.

The closer he got to their room, the more the sickness in his gut eased. Cold fear remained, though. It was a cruel

trick of the universe to make his mate yet another woman who didn't really want him.

Even if they'd had a tender moment at the pool earlier, Vanessa was tightly wound. Scared off by even the shallowest show of vulnerability. And the fucking Goddess had chosen this moment to reveal they were mates. Couldn't have given him more time to win her over. Had to do it right when he was starting to make headway. Right when she'd be the most easily scared off.

He hadn't even explained to her that he'd decided to take her back to her sister. Now he wondered if that was a good thing. He couldn't take her back now. At least not until he'd gotten solid reassurances that she'd leave Earth with him afterward.

He stopped in front of his quarters. His soul rebelled at his pause, seeming to reach out from his chest, urging him to move forward into the room his mate was occupying. Heat shot through his veins, and a poorly timed rush of blood surged to his cock. He'd never felt a need like this before. Wrapping himself in her scent was a necessity. As was

seeing her beautiful face. And feeding her. And sheathing himself inside her warm—

He shook his head. Get ahold of yourself!

These instincts were maddening, overpowering. How were people supposed to live like this? Still, the fear of rejection overpowered his new urges, and he remained glued in place, hands braced on either side of the door. He hung his head, mentally preparing for whatever turns the conversation might take, but then the metal slid aside and Vanessa hurried forward, almost walking into him before gasping and taking a step back.

She'd changed into a soft black dress that flowed around her upper thighs. He licked his lips and forced his focus to lift to her face. Her hair had dried into a wild mess and her eyes remained wide, her lips pursed.

"Where are you going?" he burst out, unable to stop himself. Though the mating bond told his body she was his, it wouldn't help his cause to let those possessive instincts show themselves.

Perhaps she was still in too much shock to care about his tone because she cleared her throat and breathed, "Uh, for

a walk."

His feet carried him forward without his consent, pressing

her deeper into the room. She mirrored his movements and shuffled backward as he approached. They stood with a heavy silence ringing between them. She peered at his hands, her eyes running over his new markings. His fingers twitched. "They're still there," he said, his voice rough.

She met his gaze again but didn't speak.

"Say something," he groaned. He wouldn't speak first. Not before he knew where her thoughts were leading her. He couldn't let her know all he wanted to do was pull her up against him, tie her to the bed, and never let her leave. Not if she was on the verge of planning another escape. He'd have to play this the right way. If that meant tamping down all the things he wanted to say and do and instead work tirelessly to put her at ease, he'd do it.

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then tried again. "This complicates things," she muttered.

Fejo's muscles grew rigid, and a spike of frustration made him want to punch the wall. He resisted, forcing himself to remain still.

She stared at the floor, her brows furrowing in concentration. He could see the wheels turning, and he wondered what she might be trying to logic out.

"I need to get back to Julie and Mia. That's never going to change," she said to the ground while running a hand through her hair. "I think if we—" She peered back up at him, and he couldn't hold himself back any longer.

His arms shot out to circle her waist and pull her in, crushing her to his chest and lifting her off her feet. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled, letting his mind go fuzzy with her scent. "I can't let you go, Vanessa," he growled into her skin. "I know you don't feel it, but you're mine now. I'm yours. I can't... I won't..."

His words caught in his chest when he felt her arms come up around his neck. "Fejo, let me down." Her voice was... gentle. As if she were trying to comfort him. To soften the blow?

He let out a deep exhale and lowered her down his body but didn't remove his hands from her waist.

She arched her back so she could look up into his eyes. "We're mated, right?" she asked. He nodded silently. "Julie

and Mia...they're my family. They're a part of me, and I can't just forget about them." His heart was hardening in his chest. She placed a hand on his cheek. "But I've heard about mating. They talked to us about it at the Temple in case we were recognized. I know how important it is, and I know there's something happening in you and if I leave, it'll hurt you. I don't know if that means you'll get sick or just be unhappy, but I won't do that to you."

She tilted her head to look deeper into his eyes. "You're a part of me too. I just meant things are more complicated now. We"—she emphasized the word, and his skin buzzed, his mind unable to comprehend what she was saying —"need to figure out how to make this work. Either I need to go to Earth alone and somehow find my way back, or you need to go there with me. I'm not leaving them." She placed her other hand on his cheek, leaning into him with a soft smile. "But I'm not leaving you either."

His heart skipped, then beat too fast, then stuttered out again. She was accepting the bond? Just like that? He didn't want to press his luck for fear she'd change her mind, but he couldn't help it. "Are you just doing this because you feel

obligated? Because of what might happen if I can't be near you?"

His hands tightened around her back while he waited for her response. She grinned. "No. I'm doing this because on some level I think I feel it too. I hardly know you, but somehow, it's never felt that way. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the first time we met." Her smile turned devious and a light blush colored her cheeks. "Also...I like the idea that you're a little obsessed with me now."

A deep purr reverberated in Fejo's chest. He had his mate in his arms, and she wanted to be there. The most captivating female he'd ever met was certain she wanted him. He could see it in her eyes and in the way she'd talked about their future. As if him being a part of her life was now indisputable. He lifted her against his chest again. "'Obsessed' is an understatement.

Chapter 21

After Fejo had practically bolted out of the small towel room, Vanessa had dressed with trembling hands and made her way back to their room, getting lost three times on the way.

What the fuck was she going to do? Fejo was her mate? Her actual mate? Some of the humans back on Clecania had found their mates and they seemed incredibly happy, but she'd never thought something like that could happen to her.

It didn't seem fair. Was Fejo going to be completely devoted to her for the rest of his life? Did that mean if she ever lost her temper or lashed out or showed what a disappointing person she was in some other way, that he'd just be forced to bear it? Was he now stuck with her with no other choice? What if she made him miserable?

It was too much pressure. There was no way she deserved to have that kind of unbreakable bond and, honestly, it was a lot to live up to.

Fejo recognizing her as his mate added a whole new level of complication to her life. She'd paced their room, her stomach in knots, waiting for him to return. She'd stay with

him. It wasn't right not to, but they had to get a few things straight. She'd still be going back to Earth, whether or not he approved. If that meant she had to escape and take care of her shit herself, then come back and hope he wasn't too pissed off, that was what she'd do.

Staying with Fejo was logical and the right thing to do, nothing more. At least, that was what she'd told herself over and over while waiting for him to return.

But now that he'd lifted her into his arms, his grip firm yet shaky, as if he were trying not to squeeze too tight, she knew there was more to her decision. She wanted Fejo. She wanted to know everything about him. He was strong and dependable and sexy, and though she tried to ignore it, a sharp pain lanced through her heart every time she thought about leaving him.

Alice had said once that although she didn't feel the mating bond the same way Luka did, she still felt something. Vanessa finally recognized the bone-deep draw that had resided in her body since first meeting Fejo. He was her mate, and a piece of her iced-over heart thawed at the

idea that he wanted her above all others, despite her baggage.

It seemed something had snapped in Fejo as well. His mouth traveled down her neck in a jagged, rough pattern so unlike his expertly placed kisses from before. Her lids slid closed, and she allowed herself to get lost in the sensation of his large body wrapped around hers. Before she knew it, they were in the loft and he was easing them down to the bed.

Vanessa could feel her pulse hammering in her veins. Her breath caught in her throat when Fejo stepped back and removed his shirt. "Wait," she croaked.

He paused in the midst of unclasping his pants and raised a brow at her. The simmering intensity in his heated gaze caused her throat to go dry. She swallowed.

"I need to know you heard me before." Vanessa scooted onto her elbows. "You didn't say much, and I just have to make sure you understand Julie and Mia are still my priority...well, one of my priorities."

Fejo's fingers tightened on the metal clasps of his pants until the tips turned white. His gaze narrowed on her. "Why

are you saying this now?"

"Whether you agree to take me back to Earth or not, I

want this—you," she mumbled as her cheeks heated. She had to peer away, down to the soft turquoise blanket underneath her. "I...I don't want you to think this is a trade or anything—because it's not," she rushed out, then sucked in a breath as she waited for his reply.

The corner of his mouth lifted. As if a large fire was heating the ice from his muscles, his body seemed to melt, his shoulders dropping and the crease between his brows smoothing.

Now with confident, fluid movements, Fejo slipped the rest of his clothing off and stood before her, hands on hips. "Oh, my lovely mate, you can't trade what's already mine."

"Yours?" Vanessa had intended for her tone to be admonishing, but to her horror, it was eager.

"Yes," Fejo said with a wicked grin. He lowered to the bed, and her gaze darted to his shaft, now hard and bobbing as he planted his knees on the mattress and straightened before her.

The memory of those odd artistic ridges on her tongue slammed back into her mind, and she licked her lips. He'd tasted good too. A mix of sweet and salty that'd had her lapping at him. Her core heated as the flash of metal from the head of his cock caught her eye.

"See?" he rumbled. His toothy, even smile widened and forced his dimple to pop. "You can't keep your eyes off me. I can scent your arousal soaking that underwear even now." He ran his knuckles up the side of her bare leg, raising goose bumps on her thigh. He groaned as he gazed at them. "I seem to be more in control of your body than you are."

Vanessa sat up, and Fejo dropped his knuckles on either side of her bent knees, looming over her. She straightened her arms behind her and leaned away to keep herself upright. The cocky lift of his brow as perused her body made her skin heat with irritation. It was definitely irritation.

"That doesn't mean anything," she found herself arguing without knowing why.

When his dark gaze returned to hers and his smile flickered into something challenging, she knew why. Anticipation had the heat between her thighs pulsing to life.

The sensitive skin of her breasts felt raw under the soft fabric of her dress, but she refused to remove it.

Something about this battle of wills between her and Fejo made her more turned on than she'd ever been with anyone else. As he raised his right hand and wrapped it around her waist, his thumb brushing just under her breast, she wondered if she loved this so much because she knew Fejo would win.

"Your body responds to me as if it's mine," he said in a conversational tone. While his palm continued to grip her ribcage, his other hand slid down the bed and slithered up her fingers, then circled her wrist. Fejo, now angled over her body on his knees, nuzzled his nose between her breasts, then inhaled against her belly. "And your cunt certainly wouldn't be this wet for anyone else."

Vanessa's head fell back on a soft moan that turned into a chuckle. "You're so damn arrogant."

He lifted his head until he was staring down at her and gently guided her gaze up to his with a hand on her nape. "Tell me I'm wrong, little mate."

Vanessa was about to do just that, though it was a complete lie, when the hand curling around her waist vanished and two large fingers traced the length of her sex through her underwear. His grin was back, and the hand at her nape made it clear she couldn't turn her head away.

"Tell me I'm wrong," he repeated while pushing her underwear to the side and dipping a thick finger into her core. Vanessa let out a whimper and arched her back, desperate to keep her mouth shut but aching to feel his body against hers. Fejo didn't appease her, instead keeping his body at an infuriating distance as he stroked inside her.

He added a second finger, stretching her as he ground the heel of his palm against her clit. When Vanessa's arms went weak and she choked out another moan, Fejo held her upright with the hand at her nape. He kept pumping inside her at a torturously slow rhythm while curling his fingers and reaching all the best places.

Hips rocking in time with his slow thrusts, the knot in her belly tightened. Her breaths deepened and she let herself go limp, trusting Fejo to support her upper body. She pulled his mouth down to hers and kissed him, but he didn't

respond. She let out a frustrated breath when his hand between her legs paused as well. The building tension of her oncoming orgasm lessened in the absence of his steady rhythm. Her hips continued to rock of their own accord.

She peered up at him and found his brow was raised and he gazed at her expectantly. Vanessa gasped, her mind blanking for a second. His eyes were black. Both the irises and the whites. She'd heard this could happen to newly mated Clecanians, but she'd only seen it once. With his dark wavy hair falling across his forehead and his scorching, roguish grin heating her from the inside, his black eyes made him look like a demon. Or maybe an incubus.

Her mind stuttered to life again when he gave another quick lift of his brows. "Well?"

It took her a moment to realize what he was asking for. When she did, she couldn't stop the smile curling her lips. "You're not wrong," she groaned while bringing his mouth down to hers again.

His mouth slanted over hers when their lips met this time, and he stoked the fire in her belly with firm swipes of his tongue. His fingers and palm moved again, pumping into

her faster. She whimpered into his mouth as her dying orgasm swiftly rebounded, building to a fever pitch in a few seconds.

She gripped his forearm with one hand and his shoulder with the other, her body becoming rigid as all her muscles tightened. Head falling back, Vanessa released a moan on each breath. Fejo bent his head, sucking her nipple into his mouth through the fabric of her dress.

Her orgasm tore through her, and her back arched with her cry. Her body pulsed as wave after wave rolled through her until the familiar satiated warmth relaxed her muscles and turned her cries into sighs.

He lowered her until she laid on the bed, taking in shaky breaths. The sound of metal had her lids popping open. She stared up at Fejo, who was crouching on his knees between her legs and holding a very sharp knife.

"Where did that come from?" she asked between deep breaths while scanning his naked body.

Her breaths froze in her lungs when he slipped the knife under her dress. "This is my bed, remember? I have them hidden all over."

A squeaky gasp escaped her throat when the tip of the blade sliced through her dress. She laid back, concentrating on what particular damage she must have for her nipples to be tightening right then. He slipped the knife up to her collar, splitting the dress in half, then gave a small flick of the blade against both of the straps, then through the thick underwear bands at her hips.

They separated as if made of tissue paper and fell to the mattress. When her clothing had been successfully rendered trash, he tossed the knife, catching it by the blade, then threw it, burying it into the wood paneling of a trunk on the left side of the bed.

Many emotions flooded Vanessa at once. Her walls clenched as heat poured through her pussy again. Her adrenaline spiked, and she began to laugh while staring at the knife, its blade half embedded in the wood. "Wow. You're good with those." She laughed in a muted incredulity.

He planted his hands on either side of her. Though he was grinning, his brows were furrowed at her odd behavior. He sniffed the air. "Did you like that, lovely?" he asked, face still screwed up in a comical mix of confused and pleased.

Vanessa let out another low laugh and shook her head at her own reactions. "Apparently."

Fejo purred, then reached for something on the ground. His communicator came into view as he sat back on his heels. He scooted forward until the glistening head of his shaft was resting on her low belly, his thighs spread wide between her legs. She widened her knees more to accommodate his large body.

"What are you doing?" she all but panted as he pressed buttons on the communicator.

"Do you remember when we first met?" He grinned, lowering the communicator to her bent right knee and rubbing her thigh with his other palm.

She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Yes."

"Well, this is what I meant when I said I was a better option for you." He pressed something on the communicator, and she followed his gaze down to the head of his shaft.

She inhaled a gasp as the metal barbell running through the tip of his cock changed. It wasn't a simple piercing at all. From the flat top of the metal, a spongy blue button inflated.

Her eyes fixed on that small blue bulge. What would it feel like inside her?

Her sex clenched at the possibilities. Suddenly the blue button was gone, and her gaze flew to his hand on the communicator.

Fejo chuckled at her intense stare and handed the communicator to her. When he gripped the base of his shaft and pressed against her entrance, the device in her clutched hand was forgotten. He grinned at her and his eyes flickered black. "I've thought about what your pretty cunt would look like every day since I first saw you."

The electricity that buzzed over her skin left her shaking with need. "Fejo, please..." she said, trying to press her body toward him and fill her aching core.

A rough purr traveled through him, and he pushed into her. Vanessa's free hand fisted the bedding and she let out a cry every time one of those odd raised ridges inched inside her. By the time he was fully seated, her breaths had become no more than quick pants. The purr still rumbling through him vibrated through his cock and the walls of her sex.

Fejo's fingers dug into her upper thighs and he held himself still inside her. His muscles flexed, and he released a rough groan when he pulled out and pushed into her again. Vanessa moaned and her body tensed with the beginnings of a building orgasm.

"The communicator, lovely," Fejo rasped in a hoarse voice. He pumped into her, and it took all of her concentration to comprehend what he was asking. She reached out to hand it to him, but he shook his head. "The blue square," he bit out.

She looked at the screen and saw there were a dozen different-colored shapes. She found the blue square and pressed. A growing sensation inside her made her let out a surprised cry and lift to her elbow.

Fejo rocked his hips, and the bulge that had emerged from the tip of the piercing rubbed against her G-spot. Her lids slid closed, and she froze in place.

"Press it again if you want it bigger," he grated. "Then give it to me."

She handed it back, and the movement made his cock shift and a spike of heat flood through her.

"Alright, little mate. Are you ready?" Fejo placed a hand on her upper chest and pressed her down into the mattress. His hand remained there, his fingers curled over her shoulder and his palm flat just underneath her throat. "After the ceremony, I studied your kind and had a few surprises installed."

Before she could ask what he meant, he'd pressed another button. A swell on his pelvic bone expanded, perfectly aligning with her clit. With a grin, he pressed yet another button and every inch of his cock began to pulse and vibrate along with the ridge pressing into her clit.

Vanessa cried out, her body shaking as a sudden violent orgasm built. She reached out and scratched down his arm with a strangled moan as she came.

Fejo let out a curse from above her. "That's right, lovely. Come for me."

She sucked in a large gulp of air and waited as the tremors of her climax calmed, but the feel of his thrumming shaft still pulsing inside her ensured she didn't come down completely. Vanessa was pinned, both by Fejo's large hand and the intense pleasure wracking her body. She forced her

gaze to Fejo and found him grinning wickedly down at her, sweat glistening on his chest and his breaths coming in heavy and deep.

Another orgasm was already building, and she reached above her, attempting to pull him down. She needed to feel him against her. Fejo obliged, tossing the communicator to the side. He crashed down on his elbows, bracing them on either side of her head. The delicious vibrating pressure on her clit increased and the knot in her belly tightened.

He swept his tongue into her mouth, kissing her and swallowing her moans. As he nipped her lower lip, he groaned, "Come for me again, gorgeous. It feels so good when you do."

Her body was slick as he pumped into her with shallow rocks of his hips, and the constant friction forced another orgasm out of her. This time, her vision spotted and she let out a cry. Fejo growled in approval and ran his tongue along her neck, pressing hot kisses to her throat. His pace didn't let up, and Vanessa whimpered. Her stomach felt hollow and her limbs were all but melted.

"It's too much," she pleaded, feeling like she might pass out from her heart thundering so hard in her chest.

Though his hips didn't stop, Fejo reached for the communicator and the bone-shaking vibration ceased. He paused his movements then but remained buried inside her. Vanessa tried to calm the shaky breaths rushing out of her, waiting for the trembling of her limbs to pass.

She could feel the wide grin of Fejo's mouth as he gently pressed his lips to the fluttering pulse on her neck and then to her jaw and ear. When she finally had control of her thoughts again, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Enjoying this?" she asked, a bit irritated he was able to render her a quivering puddle with so little effort. She mentally promised she'd learn how to do the same to him one day and torture him right back.

He chuckled and lifted his head so he could meet her gaze. "I don't know if I've ever enjoyed anything more in my life. And by the sounds of things, I imagine you must feel the same way." His grin turned arrogant.

Vanessa couldn't hide her smile. "You cocky, big- headed..." An idea struck her and she trailed off. Bringing

her fingers to his sides, she gently traced the brown lines running down either side of his torso. His whole body tensed before he let out a long moan. His lids slid shut and his forehead dipped to her shoulder while his body sank onto her. She could feel his shaft pulse inside her and grinned at the pleasure she was now giving.

When he started to move his hips again, her smile vanished and her eyes rolled back. Though he was no longer vibrating, the intense sensation from before had left her channel oversensitive, and the hot, slick length of his cock sliding in and out of her felt like heaven.

She continued to stroke his sides, and his breathing grew heavier, his thrusts faster and rougher. Pulling his head to the side, she focused on the spot just under his ear where his birth line began and licked. Fejo shuddered above her and let out a deep, resonant purr.

Vanessa wrapped her legs around his waist and whimpered as he pounded into her more quickly. His hand by her right ear came down to grip her hip, then slid under her body and palmed her ass.

"Vanessa," he growled against her neck, sending shivers across her scalp. She hadn't thought she could come again, her muscles too exhausted to clench the way they needed to, but something about Fejo's uninhibited moan against her neck and his possessive grip on her ass had the tension building.

She traced the paths of his marks down the sides of his firm, flexing ass, and he let out a ragged growl on each thrust, his movements becoming erratic. His hand speared into the hair at her skull, and he buried his face in her neck just below her ear, his body growing rigid.

He let out a strangled roar against her skin and stilled, shuddering as he came. Vanessa's own orgasm was still lingering on the fringes, but he'd already made her come enough tonight and she wasn't greedy.

Yet rather than pulling out of her, his body melted against hers and he gently rocked that expanded piercing inside. She was sure his movements weren't intentional because when she let out a small moan and slid her hands to his lower back, he chuckled and lifted his head to watch her. "One more time, lovely. Then you can rest."

Her laugh caught in her throat as her body responded to his demand before her stubborn mind had a chance to argue with his self-satisfied tone. She clutched his low back and felt liquid heat pool in her core. She loved the way his muscles and spine curved and flexed in time with his languid thrusts. He kissed her slow and deep, and this time when her orgasm hit, it was drawn out. Molten. Gentle. She sighed out a moan and relaxed against the mattress, her body going limp.

At length, Fejo rumbled, "That's my good female," then collapsed at her side so as not to crush her with his full weight.

Chapter 22

Vanessa's breathing finally evened out, and she turned to Fejo. His eyes had slid closed and, though his breathing was as heavy as hers, a contented smile curled on his face. His lids slowly rose, and he focused on her.

He didn't say anything, just pulled her against his chest and trailed his fingers over her back. They laid there like that for a long time, basking in the glowing bubble of contentment they both floated in. A small ping from the communicator on the ground echoed through the tranquil room.

Fejo let out a small groan but rolled, taking Vanessa with him, and retrieved the device.

"Problems?" she asked.

He sighed and tossed the communicator onto the bed beside him. "We'll be approaching Vulstrata Port in a few hours. We've already requested the items we need, so it should be a stop-and-go visit."

The nagging voice in Vanessa's head that kept reminding her of all the things she had to do rather than all the things she wanted to do emerged out of its temporary coma. This

was a port stop, and she didn't know when the next would be. She hated to have to bring it up in this perfect moment, but she had no choice.

"Is there a pilot down there who might be willing to travel to Earth? Or maybe I could call Alice and arrange for Vitash to come pick me up here?" she asked, not knowing what she wanted his answer to be. She didn't want to leave Fejo. Not yet. Not when they were just starting to be real with each other.

A small growl rumbled in Fejo's throat, and his arm around her shoulders tightened. He rolled onto his back, eyes closed. "No. You'll be staying here."

Determination tempered the relief sparking in her. "Fejo... we talked about this—"

"I'm taking you to Earth," he rumbled in a resigned tone.

Vanessa popped up onto her elbow and peered down at Fejo's gorgeous face. It was the best possible option. One she'd forced herself to not count on or hope for in order to guard herself from disappointment. "Really?"

He opened one eye and studied her before closing it again. She saw a flicker of a smile. "We were already on our

way there when our maps malfunctioned."

Her jaw dropped. At length, the weight of what he was

saying registered. He'd decided to take her back before any of this. Before she'd almost drowned in the pool. Before his marks had appeared. And before she'd agreed to stay with him. Warmth seeped into her chest and made her heart ache with happiness.

Something in Vanessa shifted. A part of her had broken away and was now irretrievably imbedded in Fejo. They belonged to each other, and Vanessa knew then and there that despite the ridiculousness of it, she was falling for him. Hard and fast.

A tight ball formed in her throat. Her instincts screamed at her to run. She pushed them down. Not this time. Instead, she leaned over, letting her eyes well, and pressed a long, lingering kiss to his lips. Fejo groaned underneath her and cupped her cheek. His eyes opened when she pulled away.

"Thank you," she whispered despite her clogged throat.

"You're my mate. You don't have to thank me," he whispered back, gently running his thumb over her cheek.

Vanessa grinned and sank her head onto his chest, stupidly happy at the small reminder they were mates. "Bad idea to tell me that. I don't hand out thank-yous often as it is." She grinned, trying to break up some of the heavy emotion flaring in her with humor. Fejo's chest rumbled with his chuckle. "Besides, you decided before we were mates."

"True," he sighed out. "I will accept both verbal and nonverbal thanks in that case."

Vanessa gave his side a small pinch, making sure not to touch his sensitive marks. She trailed her finger down the side of the brown mark and noticed his skin was different there. Bumpier almost, as if he had three times as many pores in those lines. "Why are these so sensitive?" she asked, voracious for information about him.

A small purr rattled through his chest as she continued to run her fingers over his body, tracing the dips and swells of his muscles. "They help me navigate in the water. They pick up vibrations, temperature shifts, things like that."

She recalled what both he and Uja had told her. "Did those scientists explain all that to you?"

The vibration of his purr stopped. "No." His hollow tone made her teeth clench.

Fejo was the only one of his kind. What must it have been like to have lines like these but not know what they were or why they felt so different from the rest of his body? Vanessa kept her head on Fejo's chest, knowing she always had an easier time talking about painful things when she wasn't being stared at. "Uja mentioned you ran away from them at some point."

The muscles under her cheek stiffened. "Oh, he did, did he?"

Vanessa licked her lips. "You don't have to tell me."

His chest expanded, and he let out a deep exhale. His fingers wrapped around her wrist, now resting on his chest. "Keep touching me, and I'll tell you."

She grinned and continued to brush her fingers over his skin. The tightness in his body lessened.

"The geneticists who made me were very interested in testing me. They wanted to learn everything they could about how my body worked, and they weren't exactly... gentle. When I was eleven, I overheard them talking about

the kind of testing they wanted to try once I hit puberty. I escaped the next day."

Vanessa's fingers paused and her jaw clenched. She could just imagine the testing those motherfuckers had been planning. He squirmed underneath her, and she moved her hand again. "What happened after?" Vanessa tried to keep the curiosity out of her voice, but Uja had implied Fejo's life after leaving the lab hadn't been much better.

"I'm from a city in the middle of the sea made up of thousands of islands. The people there are Huvuitian, like Uja. Many have private homes on islands and fly to the community islands when they need to. I swam away from the island I was born on, but I got lost. Eventually, I washed up on a private residence on the outskirts of Huvuita. The male who lived there found me and took me in."

Vanessa couldn't help herself. She raised her head and peered at Fejo. It was clear to her that he was revealing far less than he was saying. His voice was heavy with all those unsaid things.

He met her expectant gaze, his expression tight. "You don't need to hear the rest. It's not a happy story."

She reached up and ran her fingers through the hair at his temple. "I don't want to hear it, but I also do. Like you said, you're my mate now. I want to know everything about you. I also want to know who I need to add to my mental kill list."

A grin spread over Fejo's face. "Are you going to kill them for me, little mate?"

Her chin dropped onto his chest and she pursed her lips. "I will eviscerate them in my imagination."

Fejo's grin widened, then he sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Dawten. That was the name of the male who found me. He lived on that island in a large compound with many others who worked for him. They were in the smuggling business. At first, he was kind. He gave me food and a place to sleep. He treated me like family."

Fejo's brows drew together as he continued. "I started to work for him, hiding the most valuable of the stolen goods in small caves in the ocean around the islands. Places no one else could get to." His jaw worked, tensing and untensing. "There was a school of Hitha that started to track me in the water. They attacked a few times. I told Dawten I

didn't want to do it anymore, that I was too scared. That's when he changed."

"He forced you to keep going down there?" Vanessa all but hissed.

Her tone caught Fejo's attention, and he peered at her with a half grin, pleased by the venom in her voice.

"He did. I was confused at first. He'd made me believe I was family. I went from eating at his table with him and his daughter every night to eating alone in a small room on the other side of the compound. I realized later that when he'd found me, he'd only seen potential uses. His kindness stopped the day I refused to do what he wanted."

"What happened to him?" In her mind, she was slicing off a faceless man's wings at that moment.

Fejo gulped. "I killed him."

"Good."

He lifted a brow at her.

She rolled her eyes and in an admonishing voice said, "Oh

no. That's terrible. Killing is bad. Et cetera, et cetera." Her heart lifted at the light chuckle he let out. "What made you kill him rather than run away again?"

Just like that, Fejo's face fell, his dark eyes growing cold and his mouth pulling into a grimace. "His daughter, Klinara."

The woman Uja had told her about. The one who was apparently controlling her mate.

"She was always around in the compound, but I wasn't supposed to talk to her much. Even during dinner, she was always so quiet. But when Dawten would go on trips, she'd come find me. She'd bring me special foods I used to like and talk with me. After a while, she started to confide in me. Tell me about how horrible her father was to her. How he wouldn't let her leave to go to the city school and how he hurt her." Fejo let out a derisive snort. "I don't rightly know if any of it was true, but at the time, I believed her.

"We started seeing each other in secret. We'd have sex, and she'd talk about our future. How one day when her father was finally gone, we'd run his business and have a child and reveal our relationship to everyone. I don't know how it happened, but she somehow convinced me to kill him. And I did. She snuck me into his room one night, and I slit his throat."

Fejo shook his head, his whole body rigid and ringing with anger. "After he was dead, she told everyone he'd attacked her and she'd killed him. For a very long time, I thought she'd said it to protect me, but it was to keep me under her thumb. Her visits to my room stopped, as did her talk of a relationship. She took over her father's business. Whenever I got close to leaving for good, she'd use my lingering affection against me. When that didn't work, she'd threaten to tell authorities what I'd done. Her excuse was always that she couldn't live without me. I believed that for far too long."

"Why are you still working for her?" Vanessa's fingers balled into fists. Her body thrummed with white-hot rage.

His mate looked like she was about to burst into flames. Her eyes were narrowed and livid, and her pulse pounded through her so hard he could feel it thrumming against his skin. Though his past was hard to talk about, it wasn't as painful as it used to be. It was more embarrassing than anything. The way he'd so easily trusted everyone who'd shown him an ounce of kindness was humiliating when he

thought back on it. But any old wounds he had were rapidly scarring over at Vanessa's murderous expression.

He rolled to his side and propped his head on his hand. "Mentally eviscerating her for me, lovely?"

She pursed her lips and sat up, crossing her arms. "Is she still threatening you? Because you give me five minutes alone—"

Lifting himself up, he silenced her with a kiss. "No need. I'll be free of her soon enough."

He'd already decided to explain the current state of his life to Vanessa, and now seemed like as good a time as any. As he described his agreement with the Queen and the current job Klinara had him running, Vanessa's jaw slackened.

When he was done, her eyes grew unfocused, as if she was thinking hard on something. "Do you think the two men she hired had something to do with the maps being messed with?"

Fejo shrugged, eyeing the exposed parts of Vanessa he could see through the blanket she was covering herself with. "I'm not disregarding the idea, but I can't think of any

reason they'd want to. If they're working for her, their goal will be to ensure the package is delivered safely and quickly. Why would they stall us?"

Vanessa chewed her lip in thought, and he took the opportunity to tug the blanket from her hands.

"Hey!" A surprised smile came to life on her face as he dragged her against him. "We're talking about something serious."

He dipped his head into the curve of her neck and inhaled. Injecting his voice with a fake despair, he sighed. "Yes, and it's been harrowing. This makes me feel better." She giggled as he flipped her onto her back and pressed kisses along her collarbones.

"With acting like that, I don't know how you managed to remain a spy."

When he nipped at her breast, then gave her hard nipple a solid lick, she gasped and buried her hands in his hair. To his dismay, she used that grip to pull his head up.

"Shouldn't we be getting ready for the port?"

Fejo grinned. He could already smell her arousal building. He moved farther up her body and snaked a hand between

them until his fingers found her tight core. She let out a moan when he dipped a finger inside. "You won't take long.

Chapter 23

Vanessa tried to covertly shimmy to shift her underwear and find some relief. She was sore in the most wonderful way, but the tight underwear and skirt she'd hastily selected had been a bad choice. It kept rubbing against her oversensitive skin, making it difficult to think.

She trailed behind Fejo, who was deep in conversation with Uja. The winged man continued to throw odd looks back at her that she couldn't decipher. It was no secret he didn't care for her, but Vanessa couldn't give two shits. She was with Fejo now, and Uja would have to get used to her sooner or later.

They arrived at the bridge, where a large number of the crew waited. The room quieted as soon as Fejo entered, and Vanessa held back a proud smirk at her sexy pirate-captain mate. When he lifted his hand in greeting, a murmur broke out.

All the men in the room stared at the marks on his raised hand, then turned their eyes to her. Vanessa tipped up her chin and raised her brow in challenge. A sick dread curled in her stomach. Would they be underwhelmed to learn Fejo

had recognized her? To her surprise, no one seemed disappointed, only shocked and perhaps covetous.

She peered at Fejo and found him beaming at her, smug pride oozing off him as he presented her—his mate.

Her face flamed, and she felt herself collapsing inwardly. He was so damn happy she was his, so pleased, and for some reason, his arrogance at having her as a mate built up her confidence, even as it embarrassed the hell out of her.

Fejo lowered his hand, silently calling her over, and she rushed toward him, craving his soothing presence. When she was by his side, he turned to his crew but paused when she slipped her hand into his. He peered down at her with furrowed brows. A slow grin curled his lips, and he gave her hand a squeeze. Her heart clenched to know he hadn't expected even this small show of affection.

"As you can all see, Vanessa is my mate. Treat her as such while I'm gone." Fejo's voice was low and his lazy grin remained in place, but his deadly tone made his announcement seem to boom through the space. He silently eyed each of the men, his stare lingering on the two horned guys she now knew were probably spies for Klinara.

Though she'd argued—a lot—while getting ready a few minutes ago, Fejo had been unwilling to take her down to the port with him. Apparently, at this port bioshifting suits were required because of the extreme heat. Lurking thieves found it easiest to cut open those suits with special heated knives when stealing. After hearing this, Vanessa had thrown an all-out fit, arguing that the same could happen to him.

Her banshee impersonation had fallen on deaf ears since Fejo had only grinned as she'd grown more and more heated, seeming to find her concern adorable.

When he finished giving directions to the men, he gave her hand a small squeeze. "I'll be back soon."

Fejo made to pull away, but she held fast. "I still don't think it's a good idea. I mean, why do you even have a crew if you have to go run errands yourself? Aren't you the boss?"

His gorgeous smile lit up his face, and Vanessa pursed her lips. A few hours of good sex had him looking even more devastating than before. His skin held more color, his eyes

were bright and clear, and his confident aura had doubled in size.

"I need to make sure everything they're uploading is right. It'd be easy for someone to plant a virus. If that happened, we'd only make it a few systems before breaking down and being robbed." He leaned down, cupping her cheek, and pressed a kiss to her mouth, which she forced to remain unmoved.

Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest, and Fejo chuckled, giving her another swift kiss on the cheek before turning and pointing to one of the horned men—the angry one he'd stabbed only a few days ago. "Capra. Uja. With me now."

Capra looked at his friend Maladek. They exchanged a glance Vanessa didn't like one bit, and then, with a sneer, Maladek made his way out of the bridge.

Fejo made a show of walking backward to the exit, ogling her the whole way. Though she knew he was just being playful, her insides heated all the same. She rolled her eyes at him, then left, using the other door that led to the belly of the ship.

For the next hour or two or three—she couldn't keep track —she trailed around the ship, bored and worried at the same time. She couldn't decide whether she wanted to be alone or mingle with the rest of the crew. Both options had their downsides. When she was alone, all she could do was worry about Fejo. And when she was with people, she couldn't seem to relax, constantly eyeing each of them and wondering if any had purposely sabotaged the guidance system.

Also, though they didn't do anything untoward, their stares were unnerving. She supposed it was reasonable that they were curious about her, but a room full of large aliens gawking was not exactly her idea of a good time.

Eventually, she resigned herself to seeking out the cafeteria and food. She hadn't eaten in a while, and her Olympic-level bed sport with Fejo had left her starving. She stood in front of the food synthesizers, all so different from the one she'd learned to use back on Clecania. Feeling like an idiot for not even knowing how to make food, she kept glancing over her shoulder, torn between giving up and

leaving and forcing herself to stay and show the men onboard she wasn't some idiot.

She'd successfully managed to pour herself a cup of thick purple gel and had preceded to sniff it in the hopes of deciphering whether it was edible when she felt heat on her back, the hair on her nape rising. A tall shadow spread out in front of her, and she could make out two large curled horns pointing up near the ceiling. Holding in her groan, she slowly turned and faced Maladek.

"Do you need any help?" he rumbled in a coarse, gravelly voice that perfectly matched his rough exterior. She knew she shouldn't be too outwardly angry or suspicious of Maladek. She might give Fejo away if she was, but she couldn't help the anger from simmering in her gut and sending a furious tremor through her body.

He stared at her with an inscrutable expression, his blood- red irises unblinking.

"I'll manage," she said, barely containing the acid that wanted to lace her words.

He eyed her cup, curling his lip as the purple gel seemed to deflate and melt into a thick paste. Without a word, he

reached past her and typed a few things into the food synthesizer. When he stepped back, his eyes found her again, his stare unyielding. Vanessa's gaze shot to the synthesizer, and she realized he'd programmed it to make more of the pastries she liked. He must've seen Fejo making them by the boatload every other meal.

Her teeth ground together. She wouldn't say thank you. Not to this man who was likely working for the woman who enjoyed manipulating others as a pastime. She gave a curt nod instead and gathered the pastries onto a large tray. She turned in place, trying to find any evidence of a trash can for her now-bubbling goo but didn't see one.

Seeming to understand what she was looking for, Maladek held out his hand, silently offering to take the cup for her. His palm was large and rough. Pale lavender scars crisscrossed over his fingers, and his nails were black. At first, she'd assumed it was nail polish, but the color looked natural.

She handed him the cup and could've sworn it shrank two sizes between her holding it and him holding it. His long fingers wrapped around the perimeter, almost concealing it

from view. She was hoping he'd be off to find a trash can after taking the cup, but he didn't. He just held it and stared at her.

Her patience finally snapped. "Can I help you with something?" she asked, raising a brow at him.

He looked unabashed when he immediately responded, "How did you make his marks appear? What happened when they appeared? What were you doing?"

"It's none of your business," she replied, edging past him.

He side-stepped, blocking her way. Her fingers tightened on her tray. "No, it's not, but I'd like to know all the same." His jaw was set, his expression unapologetic and firm. She got the feeling he wasn't going to let her go anywhere until she answered him.

Well, fuck that. Even if she didn't have a grudge against the man, she wasn't about to talk to a stranger about how she and Fejo had just finished sixty-nining in a linen closet when his marks had suddenly appeared. Not only was it private, it was odd timing. Not exactly the romantic story you gushed about to strangers. Must give better blowjobs than I thought. She chuckled to herself.

"Did it happen while you were fucking?" Both his curt tone and the vulgar yet matter-of-fact question had her flinching. Her skin flushed with embarrassment. If people thought Vanessa was blunt, this guy was straight-up rude. No filter whatsoever.

She tried to walk past him again, and he blocked her. "I can see from the red on your cheeks that I'm right. Just give me an answer, human."

Vanessa let out what some might call a growl and glared at him. "Yes, if you must know. But if you're looking for some hack to make marks come out, I've gotta break it to you—I know a few other women who've been recognized, and it didn't happen during sex. So, if you're thinking about finding some poor woman to force into bed with you, it won't work. Also, you should know, human women don't like to be cornered and bullied into answering questions about their personal lives like this. Now back the fuck off."

Maladek's eyes widened, his body stiffening as she let her bitch flag fly. She took advantage of his shock, tossing one of her pastries into the air and jumping around his large body while he was preoccupied with catching it. She

glanced over her shoulder at him as she sped away and saw he'd crushed the pastry in his fist.

She heard a joyful hoot sound from a table nearby and halted. Spinning toward the sound, she found the shark doctor grinning and displaying rows of pointy teeth. He was glancing between her and an angry Maladek, as were the rest of the men in the room.

Deciding it might not be the best idea to piss off a possible bad guy then walk back to her room alone, Vanessa lifted her chin and strode over to the table where the doctor and his friends were seated. All eyes widened at her approach. "Mind if I join

Chapter 24

The air outside was hot enough to melt the flesh off his bones, but Fejo felt as if he were walking on air. His body and all his muscles were pleasantly sore, his mind was light, and his worries seemed to register but not weigh him down in the way they normally did. The sick feeling that brewed in his gut the farther away from Vanessa he moved wasn't even enough to sour his mood. It only reminded him he was mated.

He recognized there was still a threat he needed to be cognizant of. There were still things he had to do before he could truly enjoy the rest of his life with Vanessa, but his mind couldn't remain focused on the negative for too long.

So much of his life had been spent trying to force people to see his worth, but Vanessa seemed to see it on her own. She was fierce and fearless and tender, though he doubted she ever let anyone see that side of her. Heat coursed up his nape. Anyone except him, that is.

There was still an old, injured part of him that whispered it was too good to be true and she must just be using him until he took her to Earth, but he forced himself to push that

voice down. If Vanessa was anything, she was loyal, and he believed he now had her loyalty.

As Fejo, Uja, and Capra walked to their destination, their bioshifting suits swished back and forth with their long strides. He forced his mind to focus on what was important right now—getting his guidance system working so he could take his ship back to Earth and then on to Klinara's pickup point. He could only hope it wasn't too far away.

Now that they were at a port, he had the ability to contact both Klinara and the Queen, but he chose not to. He didn't feel either female would take kindly to the fact that he was making an unscheduled stop to a highly restricted planet. He had enough to worry about when it came to keeping Vanessa safe and keeping his crew from deciding to sneak onto Earth to find a human of their own. How he'd prevent them from doing just that now that they'd seen his marks was a problem he still didn't have a solution for.

And he couldn't blame them. He'd never felt so right in his life. It was as if his soul had always been just slightly askew and it had finally righted itself. The envious glares he'd received when he'd announced he'd recognized

Vanessa had been as sad as they'd been dangerous. He'd felt the tension building on Clecania the last time he'd visited.

What once had been a sad—but necessary—way of life was becoming more and more hated by the day. And though she hid it, he could tell the Queen was growing desperate to keep peace. Desperation was a dangerous thing, and he feared Clecania was on the brink of something brutal. Something that would drag Earth down with it.

Now, more than ever, Fejo needed to gain control of his ship. He could keep Vanessa safe there. Keep whatever malignancy was growing on Clecania at bay.

As they meandered through the streets of the Vulstrata Port, he continued to spot Capra's eyes flashing toward him, and his fingers clenched more tightly around the artificial blade in his lined pocket—the atmosphere too hot to carry his normal metal blades.

Fejo didn't want to have to kill the male. He didn't particularly enjoy killing anyone, but he wouldn't hesitate if he needed to. Still, although he didn't trust Capra, it was far

too easy to die on this port, and the more males he had with him, the better.

The fiery planet of Vulstrata was on the outer limits of the Intergalactic Alliance, and their port was often overrun with dodgers—citizens of unaffiliated planets who somehow managed to fly unregistered spacecrafts around the galaxy.

The ones who stole and murdered as a way of life were called dregs. Now those, those were the ones to worry about here. Capra was merely an annoyance in comparison.

Dregs had no protection, no allies, and often grew up in brutal conditions, knowing only survival. Disdain for the Alliance ran deep through certain dreg groups, especially the ones who'd at one time been Alliance members before being outlawed for one reason or another, and they took every opportunity they could to punish the citizens of Alliance planets.

He'd lost a few good males to dregs. One had even come close to killing him on a run three years ago, slicing his inner thigh and almost causing him to bleed out. If that happened on this planet, he'd burn before he had the chance to patch his suit.

Uja stomped next to him, looking just as on edge as Fejo felt, if not more. He'd had to stuff his massive wings into one of the small bioshifting suits that accommodated winged races. It was an uncomfortable fit. His wings scrunched together on his back, unable to flair and protect him. Uja always hated visiting ports where he had to wear a suit. Fejo couldn't blame him. It would be like taping his gills shut and throwing him into the water.

They approached the data center, and Fejo spoke to the bright orange female lounging in one of the information booths. Flames licked off her skin and her yellow irises swirled into a vortex of red. The Vulstrata were dazzling but untouchable, though when he'd been younger and exploring the many wonderful female species of the universe, he'd wracked his brain for creative solutions.

Now the mere idea of touching anyone else turned his stomach. Not when he had Vanessa. The memory of her writhing under him played through his mind, and he was suddenly glad for the thick fabric of his bioshifting suit.

"We need our navigation charts updated on the Ylare, and I'd like to purchase a portable copy." He wanted to make

sure that if someone tried to attack their maps again, he wouldn't have to waste time stopping at a port to get their guidance system back on track.

The female shifted in her seat and spoke into a hollow lava tube running behind her, relaying Fejo's requests. Her skin flickered with electric blue and red as she moved, the heavy oxygen in the port feeding the flames on her skin. He paid her and turned to his crew, noticing Capra was staring around, his eyes darting from the slow-moving lava fields that young Vulstrata were playing in to the blackened rock sculptures adorning the entrances to the cave system restaurants.

Capra's mouth was tight, but his eyes were round, his awe visible even through his shielded expression. Fejo thought through what he knew about Tetrans. Capra's race was solitary and had cultures steeped in tradition. They lived in cave systems in the snowy mountains of the northwest continent. Fejo often made stops in Emlades, their capital city. Mostly for pickups, as the Tetrans were known for their exceptional mines.

Most of the precious stones in Clecania were mined from the caves surrounding Emlades. The horned, rugged race could dig through solid rock and had an eye for finding treasure.

Now that Fejo thought about it, he couldn't remember seeing more than a handful of Tetrans outside of Emlades in his life. The ones he had seen had only been traveling before heading back to their home. What must Klinara have offered these males to get them to come on a mission like this?

Capra wiggled his head from side to side once again, clearly uncomfortable with the padded covering he'd had to wear over his horns before slipping on a bioshifting suit. The top of his suit shot up toward the sky, encasing his horns and making the top of his head look six times bigger than it was. The right side of the top of the suit was deflated, since his horns were no longer an equal length. It would've been comical if Fejo wasn't so wary of the male.

Scurrying from the left had Fejo's attention snapping forward in a moment. Four small, wispy Dooglies were racing from shadow to shadow, hiding and readying to

attack. Fejo had only a moment to decide what he wanted to do.

With a grunt, he lunged forward, gripping Capra's suit at his chest and wrenching him out of the way just as a small, fiery blade appeared where the male's ankle had been seconds before. Fejo launched his knife at the small creature readying to pounce, and it sliced through the air, lodging in the Doogly's throat. The others hissed and bounded away, keeping to the edges of the building where they could hide in shadow.

Capra, who'd been lifting his fist to fight off Fejo, stilled as he looked down to where the dead Doogly lay. His gaze swiveled to Fejo's and his brows furrowed.

Uja muttered to himself, cursing under his breath, his wings twitching behind him.

Fejo held Capra's stare. "Remember this," he growled, releasing the male with a small shove.

Uja spoke to the female at the booth and gathered the copy of their navigation charts before looking over the information that had been downloaded to the Ylare to make

sure there was nothing hidden in the data. Fejo kept his back to the group, now on the lookout for another attack.

When Uja was done, they made their way back to the Ylare more cautiously than they had before.

Fejo could've let Capra die. Maybe things would've been easier that way, but he doubted it. Though he didn't trust the male, he recognized he'd made a harsh assumption that the male was loyal to Klinara. For all he knew, Capra might have been in the same type of situation as Fejo had been.

Klinara was a mistress of manipulation, and if she'd ever had a heart, it'd been stamped out decades ago. That was the excuse he'd made for her bad behavior for far too long, but a terrible past could only garner a person so much leniency before it was clear they didn't want to be better.

Capra remained silent, and Fejo noticed the male's swiped glances toward him had turned confused and thoughtful. There was a chance Capra's soul had not been fully blackened yet. Now Fejo just had to hope that saving the male didn't end up coming back to hurt him later.

After boarding the Ylare and making sure the entry doors were sealed, Capra all but tore off his bioshifting suit.

"When are we leaving?" Uja asked, still wearing his suit.

Fejo paused for a moment before realizing what Uja was really asking. The Vulstrata Port had a section with an atmosphere they could be in without a suit. They also were one of the few ports with an air dome. Massive vents and jets propelled streams of air through a large, open area, allowing those with wings to ride the currents and stretch their wings.

Uja eyed Capra, torn between racing to the dome to take flight and remaining on the Ylare to keep a watchful eye on the two Tetrans. Capra glared back at them both before stomping away.

"Go." Fejo waved, already following Capra. He could sense Vanessa was near the front of the ship, and an invisible force tugged him toward her. "Be back in an hour," he called over his shoulder.

Not in our room. That was all he could think as he dashed through the halls of his ship. If his instincts were to be believed, she was near the cafeteria. Though his stomach turned, he forced himself to stop off at the bridge before

finding her. He needed to ensure their course was set and their departure scheduled.

But when he entered the room, he found the controls raised but no males milling about. No one running pre- checks on their system. No one on comms speaking with port authorities. No one lounging and secretly playing games when they thought he wasn't looking. His body hardened, and he mentally tallied his hidden blades.

Bolting out of the room, his long strides ate up the ground under him until he burst through the door of the cafeteria, heart pounding in his ears. Deep laughter floated toward him, and he spotted a clustered group of males. Light, tinkling laughter reached his ears. On instinct, his hand flew to one of his concealed blades.

He slowly stalked forward, trying to take in the scene and understand what was going on before acting. In a corner, away from everyone else, sat Maladek.

"Why is no one manning the bridge?" he barked, sending an echo into the space.

The males all jerked upright and turned to stare at him. A few noticed the knife in his hand and parted. He spotted

Vanessa seated at the long table, her brows raised. She grinned at him when she saw him.

Fejo remained still as a statue. Jealousy sparked fire in his bones and made him rigid and hollow. While he'd been seeing to his duties, these other males had had the privilege of sitting with Vanessa, talking and making her laugh. He noticed an empty tray placed in front of her and wondered if they'd even helped her get food, a job that should've been reserved for her mate. It was as if someone was drilling into his skull.

"Come here," she called. "I was just telling them about Earth."

He stalked over, glaring at the males as he did. He was just about to order them to leave and to do their damn jobs when Vanessa placed a soft palm on his forearm and tried to tug him down to sit next to her. He slammed his knife into the smooth surface of the table, embedding the tip of the blade up to the hilt and sending a clear message to everyone. If she wanted to talk to the crew, he wouldn't send them away, but he'd make sure they knew their place.

"Hey," Vanessa called from next to him, though it sounded as if she were far off. He turned to her, and she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. He froze, stuck halfway between flinging her over his shoulder and carrying her out of the room and showing off the easy affection she offered to all the males who'd abandoned their duties just to speak to her. She pulled away, slipping her hand into his under the table. "Take care of everything you needed to?" she asked, eyeing the knife.

He nodded, then turned to his crew. "We'll be leaving in an hour," he grated.

Molu, the Ylare doctor who was always genial and rarely let Fejo's moods affect him, continued to grin. "Vanessa was just telling us about human relationships. Did you know they often enjoy gifting dead plants to their partners?" Molu shook his head as if he'd never heard such a ridiculous thing.

Fejo hadn't heard that either, but he couldn't find the humor at the moment. Did Vanessa want him to give her dead plants? He racked his brain trying to figure out whether he had enough time to sneak back out onto the

port. But there were very few plants to speak of in the scorching atmosphere.

"Flowers. I told you they're flowers. And yeah, they die, but you put them in water and display them, and they look beautiful. It's the thought that counts."

Another male Fejo had rarely spoken to, Manx, chimed in. "So, if you think of doing it but don't, a human will be attracted to you?" The male smiled, his gaze darting between Fejo and Vanessa. He slowly lowered himself back into his seat as though unsure if he were still welcome at the table but taking a chance. "How would they know if we'd thought of it?"

"No, you have to actually do it. I just mean sometimes, trying to put in effort is more important than what you actually end up doing." Vanessa squeezed his hand under the table, her fingers twining between his as though sensing he was uncomfortable. "Honestly, though, I don't think any of you will have trouble in that department. Clecanian men are the most eager-to-please guys I've ever met. Some folks on Earth only want dead plants every once in a while, and there are people who still won't get off their asses to get a

bouquet at the grocery store. And the ones who do are snatched up fast." She snapped her fingers together to emphasize her point.

"Would live plants work? What about the jewelry I've collected in case I marry? Should I gather plants instead?" Manx pressed, his eyes wide and serious. Some of the males crowding around inched in closer, taking mental notes.

Vanessa shot a soft grin toward Fejo, and his heart skipped. "We also love other presents. Did you see the beautiful necklace Fejo gave me?" His chest bowed, and some of his tension melted away. "But, again," she cautioned, "everyone is different. Keep that in mind. Some humans couldn't care less about getting presents. They only care about spending quality time with their partner. Some like to be shown physical affection. You just have to get to know the person you're interested in and see what they like. Mostly, they just need to know you care and think about what might make them happy, even when you're not together."

Fejo buried his snort in a cough. If that was true, he should reveal the inner workings of his mind. Vanessa might

just combust if she knew how often he thought about her and what he might do to make her happy. She raised a brow and smirked at him, then took a sip of her drink, emptying the cup.

Before he had a chance to offer to retrieve another, she stood. "Can I get you anything?" she asked nonchalantly.

Fejo pulled a face. Get me something? That was his job. The rest of the males wore equally confused expressions.

When no one responded, she glanced around, her brows furrowing. "Okay... Does anyone else want anything while I'm up?"

Fejo shot to his feet and snatched the cup out of her hand. She flinched at the sudden movement. "What were you having?" he grunted, not wanting to appear like he wasn't caring for his mate. He pressed a hand to her shoulder and forced her to lower back onto the bench.

Her face scrunched as though she wasn't too happy, but when she was back in her seat, she shrugged and pointed Molu. "I don't know. He picked it. It was good."

Molu straightened, his sharp grin widening before growing uncomfortable under Fejo's glare. "I gave her stadly from

my home."

Fejo wanted to crush the cup in his hand at the pride he

heard in Molu's voice. Changing his mind, he hooked a hand around Vanessa's bicep and gently pulled her back up to her feet. She let out an irritated huff, rolling her eyes, but remained silent otherwise. "We'll take this back to our room. Everybody, get to work. Make sure we're ready to depart in one hour."

Some of the males groaned, but their complaints were quickly silenced at the glower he directed toward them. Filing out of the cafeteria, they muttered to each other. In the corner of the room, Maladek remained, staring hard at the two of them.

Fejo lifted a hand, pointing to the exit. "Out," he growled, his warning clear.

Maladek's frown deepened, his gaze lingering on the marks covering Fejo's pointed finger. A breath passed before he downed the drink he was holding, set the empty container back on the table, and rose, walking out of the room without a backward glance.

Now that the space was empty, Vanessa spoke. "What is your problem?" she asked, cocking her hip to the side. "You left me here. You told me these guys could talk to me, and now I finally get to know them and you throw a tantrum." Her beautiful pink lips pursed. "Some of them are actually pretty nice." She swiped the cup from his hand and crossed to the food synthesizer, expertly programming in something though he hadn't shown her how to. It irked to know one of his crew must've taught her.

"I know..." he started, when she lifted a brow at him. He cleared his throat, trying to control his temper. "I know. I just didn't realize how seeing you surrounded by other males, laughing, would affect me," he said simply. It was the truth, after all. He hadn't grasped that seeing her bond with his crew would've sent his brain into overdrive.

"Well, you should find a way to be okay with it because it's not like I can never talk to any men again. Most of your planet is men. And if you plan on living on this ship with me, with these guys, you're gonna need to learn to live with me having male friends." She spun back toward the synthesizer and typed something else in.

Fejo forced his shoulders to relax, rolling them out. His current approach was getting him nowhere, so he changed tactics. He crossed to her and slid his hands around her waist, leaning down to inhale her scent. "I know," he rumbled against her skin. "I think we just need a few more months alone in our bed, and then maybe I'll be willing to let you out."

Vanessa chuckled, sending warmth over his scalp. He let his hands roam over the front of her body. She sucked in a small breath when he palmed her breast, squeezing roughly as he pulled her back against his front. "Fejo, not in here. Anyone could walk in," she somehow shouted in a whisper.

The scent of her arousal hit his nose and kick-started his brain. He realized that although he wanted to make her come in every room of his ship, he didn't want the other males smelling her like this or accidentally walking in and seeing her body.

Silently, he wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her along behind him.

"My food," she squeaked as he dragged her out of the room and down the hall.

"I'll bring you mountains of it later." He shot her a wide grin. Electricity zinged through his body at the flush that colored her cheeks.

Nothing felt more urgent in this moment than getting her alone and safe in his room. He'd never experienced jealousy quite like this before, and it was hard to pinpoint exactly what had made him so upset. He wondered if his black mood was perhaps not because she was smiling and laughing with the crew but because they seemed to know things about her he didn't. It wasn't right. He should know his mate better than anyone else.

He pulled her into his room and noticed her breathing had increased, the scent of her arousal deepening. She was enjoying the way he took control, and the knowledge sent blood rushing to his cock. When the door slid closed behind them, she sat down her cup and intertwined her hands behind his neck, but he gripped her wrists and stilled her.

He would not be outdone by anyone else. "Is it true you like gifts, lovely?" he asked, walking backward and pulling her along with him.

A small grin flashed over her face. She shook her head. "It was just an example. You don't have to give me anything." Her focus locked on his lips, and the soft fabric of his trousers chafed against his rigid shaft.

"I want to give you things." He produced a metal box from a low cabinet under the stairs and handed it to her. "They aren't dead flowers, but you said you also liked jewelry."

She eyed the box, then grinned up at him. "Really, I don't need anything. I can feel how much you care. You're always doing nice things for me. I don't want you to think you have to give me a bunch of gifts to keep me happy." Her gaze grew distant, her brows furrowing. "As a matter of fact, I should probably clarify that with the guys too. I didn't explain very well, did I?" She shrugged and focused on him again. "Later," she whispered. She set the box aside and ran her hands up his chest, sliding his coat open at his shoulders and trying to slip it down his arms.

Fejo was at a loss. She'd said humans liked presents, and he had them to give in spades. It still confused him that the

only thing she seemed to want from him was his company. Stories about his life. To laugh and smile with him.

Though, at this moment, it was clear she wanted something else, and he was all too happy to oblige. He held her hands still, pushing her a step away, and removed the knives hidden in his clothing. Watching her undress him was a dream, but he couldn't risk her accidentally hurting herself.

Vanessa's hungry gaze roved over him as he piled the blades onto a small table, not bothering to store them properly at the moment. Heat coiled in his groin at the sweet scent of arousal leaking from between her legs.

All of his concealed weapons gone, he smirked and raised his hands, lifting a brow at her. Any other female might get annoyed that he wasn't rushing to satisfy her, but Vanessa grinned, realizing what he wanted. She sauntered toward him. His chest expanded, throat going dry, when her hands strayed to the fastenings at his pants and she licked her lips.

While she was grappling with the metal clasps pulled tight over his straining shaft, he helped her, slipping off his shirt.

Her fingers stilled for a moment, and her gaze ran appreciatively over his chest. She was slipping his pants down his hips when he stopped her. He retrieved the communicator from his pocket, intending to show her a few new things that he could do, but she lowered his hand, taking the communicator from him. Metal clinked on metal as she tossed the communicator onto the pile of knives.

She pressed her body into him, and his stomach somersaulted, his cock now throbbing underneath the loose fabric of his pants. She lifted to her tiptoes, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, the other sliding down to grip her ass. Gentle kisses feathered over his bobbing throat and sent heat licking over his skin. "I want to feel you this time. Just you."

His purr exploded in his chest at her words, and he held her more tightly. Her words made his chest ache and his stomach tighten. No tricks? No presents? Just him?

He'd made sure all of his enhancements were perfectly cultivated to her anatomy. That everything he did was something she'd enjoy. Yet here she was, wanting to strip him bare.

She didn't care about his ship or his belongings or his clothes. None of the flashiness he liked to shroud himself with mattered to her. She wanted him plain, unadorned, without gifts or enhancements. But those were the very things he clung to. When all of his smoke and mirrors were peeled away, would the male who remained be enough? Fejo wasn't certain. But Vanessa seemed to be.

His purr rumbled violently through his chest, and he gripped her chin, bringing her mouth up to his. She tugged him forward, and he followed, letting her guide him to the couch. She slid his pants down his legs, then put a soft palm on his abs, pressing him back.

He sank onto the couch and watched her, rapt. With a beautiful grin, she began undressing. Her small, rounded breasts and dusky nipples came into view, and his cock twitched. His fingers itched to reach out and wrench her onto his lap, but he forced them to his sides and fisted the firm material of the couch instead.

She pulled down the short, embroidered skirt he'd hastily thrown at her this morning. He hadn't made a big deal of it, but he'd picked out an entire closet of outfits for her,

brooding over each item and whether she'd like them. When she'd offhandedly remarked about how "cute" the skirt was, pride had surged through him.

Completely bare, she sank to her knees before him and dragged off his boots, taking care not to tug too hard. His breaths were ragged now, his pulse pounding in his ears.

She slipped his pants off his ankles, then ran her hands up the sides of his legs, brushing his lines with her fingers the way he loved. As she leaned forward, her breasts rubbed against his inner thighs and he let out a strangled groan, realizing where her hands were headed. Her wicked grin rose to him, and he had to close his eyes to keep from coming right there.

His mate—kneeling between his legs, her dark hair falling over one shoulder and her hand gripping his shaft—was a sight he could've never imagined. Never in his life had he had to exert this much control over his body. But being with Vanessa was different.

He choked on his own tongue, eyes flashing open, when her warm, wet mouth covered the head of his cock. His mind was so gone, he seemed to forget how to breathe air

and had inadvertently flipped his throat closed, his gills raising. A flush crept up his neck as he righted himself, letting his head fall back so he could remember how to breathe again. The view of her mouth on him was too much to take.

She chuckled, the sound rumbling through his cock and making his body jerk. "What are these?" she whispered against his skin, her warm breath brushing over the tip of his shaft now wet from her mouth. He shuddered and pre- cum beaded from the thick head. With one delicate finger, she traced the raised implants on his shaft. "Are they natural?"

Fejo had to swallow before he could choke out a response, his mind fuzzy. "No," was all he breathed out.

She grinned up at him and gave the underside of his shaft a long lick, making him let out a hiss. "I gotta say, you have one beautiful dick." She smiled as his body vibrated with his purr.

He couldn't take much more of this. The appreciative, greedy way she stroked every inch of him was the most

maddening thing he'd ever experienced. He reached for her. "Come here, lovely," he rumbled.

She obliged, crawling on top of him and settling on his lap. The wetness dampening her thighs and her core slicked onto his shaft, making him hot and slippery. He sat up straighter, snaking his arms around her waist, then lifted her slightly before lowering her onto his aching cock. She clawed at his shoulders, letting out a low moan as she slid all the way down until he was fully seated inside her.

He ran his hands up and down the sides of her body reverently and took her hard nipple into his mouth, teasing her with his teeth. Her moan trembled out of her and her hips rocked against him. His muscles burned from holding himself still, but he remained in place.

The feeling of sliding in and out of her tight, hot cunt without using any of his enhancements was incredible. Raw and natural and somehow more carnal. Her hands flew over his shoulders and chest as her hips picked up speed. Her breathing matching his, and her heartbeat pulsing through her in time with his own. This was how it was supposed to be. Intimate. Connected. Erotic.

Vanessa's fingers stabbed into his hair and she pulled his mouth away from her breasts so she could crane her neck forward and kiss him. Fejo held her upper body tight against him as he explored her mouth with his tongue.

Sweat slicked down both of their bodies, making her glide across him. The moans she was releasing on each breath faded and became choked. Her body was tensing, and she was holding her breath, tying herself into a knot the way she did before falling apart with her orgasm.

It was as if his senses hadn't truly worked until now. Before Vanessa, he hadn't known he'd been living a muted existence. Now he wanted to feel everything, hear everything. Pulling away from her mouth, he lifted his arm around her waist and hooked his hand over her shoulder, pulling her forward until her mewled pants of pleasure were loud at his ear. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding his head close, and pressed her cheek to his.

She let out a cry as he rocked his hips up into her, matching her rhythm.

"Into my ear, female," he growled.

It took her a second, but then she pressed her mouth against his ear, nipping at his lobe and sending electric pulses through his body, straight to his cock.

Her body stilled, tensing against him, and he kept rocking into her. Her nails curled into his skin, one hand on his scalp, the other scratching down his back. He felt her channel squeezing him as she came. The sensation had been duller when he'd had the vibration on, but now he felt every inch of her core gripping his cock. She cried out, yelling his name straight into his ear, and his whole body went up in flame.

Her body twitched and trembled as her orgasm rolled through her, but he couldn't hold back anymore. With a lurch, he flipped them so she was on her back, then took control, pumping into her with firm, even thrusts.

Fejo moved the way he wanted, the way that felt best for him, and somehow, he knew that was what she wanted too. She wrapped her legs around his waist, choking out a strangled "Yes" and clutching his back. Her heels dug into his ass, urging him on, and he selfishly continued. Sweat poured off him, coating her with his scent.

Mine.

She wrenched him down and captured his mouth with hers. Diving his tongue between her lips, he explored her without holding back. He moaned, muscles growing rigid and balls tightening. He pushed her away, shoving her shoulder into the mattress so he could look at her face.

Her cheeks were flushed. Her hair haloed around her beautiful, pale, oval face, lips rosy from his kiss. Dark lashes fluttering open, she looked up at him with drawn brows in a brilliant expression of pleasure.

He groaned, his thrusts rough and erratic now. "You're so fucking beautiful," Fejo said while sucking in deep breaths, his muscles burning. A dazzling smile aimed at him transformed her features, and it was his undoing. He roared to the sky, slamming into her twice more before stilling and bathing her insides with his seed.

She let out a low sigh and stroked up and down his spine as his cock twitched and emptied inside her. He lowered, bracing himself so he didn't crush her with his weight; then, realizing it would be a long while before he'd want to slip out of her, he gripped her hips and shoulders and turned

their bodies until she was sprawled on top of him, his shaft still buried.

Instead of walking away to clean herself up or retire to a separate room as most females did, Vanessa sighed and melted against his chest, her head tucking perfectly into the space under his chin.

There was no shutting off his purr. His soul was content. Their scents mingled together and the curves of her body perfectly settled into the dips and valleys of his. Her strong heartbeat thrummed against his chest, matching his own, and lulled him.

He didn't know when it happened, but at some point, he drifted to sleep. When he woke, it took him a moment to realize where he was. Still on the couch. Rather than going to sleep in the comfortable bed by herself, Vanessa had retrieved a blanket and returned, curling into his side and covering them both. She'd flung her arm over his waist, holding him tightly, and her body twitched as though she were dreaming. His heart felt too big for his chest, his throat clogged.

"Dazzling, glorious Vanessa," he breathed against her hair as she slept, grinning while imagining her lips pursed in annoyance at his excessive compliment. "I love you, and I'm never letting you go.

Chapter 25

Vanessa lounged on a stack of fluffy pillows in the space- viewing room. When they were flying at lightspeed, there wasn't much to see outside. Everything moved by in a blur. But they'd slowed in order to evade a particularly intelligent checkpoint, and a nearby galaxy was visible. It shone and spiraled outside the window, seeming far closer than it really was.

Fejo had brought her here and pointed it out to her yesterday, right before he'd locked the doors, bent her over a tall stack of pillows, and plowed into her. Her stomach did a flip at the memory, tugging on her clit. She sighed and took a small sip of mott to cool her disappointment that Fejo had to work all day today.

The last week had passed in a blur. Fejo had explained that since Earth was being heavily monitored, they'd need to slow down while passing checkpoints in order to properly cloak their ship. He was confident he could get past the technology scanning different parts of the known galaxy, but Vanessa felt he was acting more confident than he actually was.

It was still incredible to her that galaxies could be crossed in a matter of days, even while moving at a slower speed. Apparently, though, when they reached the Milky Way, they'd need to slow to what they considered a crawl.

Vanessa's mind remained torn. She couldn't help but treasure every moment spent with Fejo. Even the time spent away from him felt right. Though he'd warned her about the crew and their seedy pasts, most had treated her with nothing but respect.

When Fejo was working, Vanessa would spend her time bonding with off-duty crew members. Though Fejo kept himself at bay from his crew, assuming they only listened to him because he'd instilled fear, she found that most respected him more than he knew. Even cared for him as a captain.

Though he hadn't boasted about it or even mentioned it to her, it hadn't gone unnoticed that Fejo had saved Capra when they'd been down on the Vulstrata Port. While showing her a few different controls on the bridge, Manx had regaled her with the story he'd heard from Uja, describing the events with a flair she was sure Uja hadn't had when he'd

told the men what had happened. There was an unspoken understanding that though Fejo could be harsh, he protected each and every one of his crew the best he could.

And to her bafflement, they seemed to like her too, and she found she liked most of them. The predatory-looking Molu, in particular, had turned out to be hilarious and so, so sweet.

Vrok, the enormous black-and-red dragon man who basically looked like he was about to spit fire at whoever strolled by, had warmed to her as well, allowing her to recline against the wall and watch as he carved delicate, beautiful drawings into the metal of the ship with a sharp claw.

Uja had even thawed. She counted it as a personal victory when she'd critiqued Fejo's opulent clothing, remarking on how difficult it must be to walk with that much jewelry on, and Uja had let out a quick chuckle before appearing angry with himself and rushing away.

Life seemed to be on track. She had a mate who doted on her. Friends both on the ship and back on Clecania. And she even had a solid plan in place. She and Molu had talked, and

he was confident that even if Julie was in the late stages of her cancer, he could save her. Their current plan was to put her into an induced coma and place her in one of the emergency cryo-tubes that would halt the cancer in place until they could get a proper Clecanian medical tube and give her the elixir.

She'd spoken to Fejo about a plan as well and had reached an unfortunate solution. Vanessa was going to go down to Earth, and if Julie was still alive, she'd give her two tough options. One, Julie and Mia could come live on the ship with her and explore the universe as a healthy mother and daughter. Or they could travel on the ship for a short while, just until she could get Julie healed, then Vanessa would bring them both back to Earth and leave without them. There were no other choices. Vanessa wouldn't allow Julie to die on Earth, and staying there with her was no longer an option now she and Fejo were mated. Fejo couldn't live on Earth, and he also couldn't live happily without her. Not if the mating bond had anything to say about it.

Though she wanted to let the happiness pushing in from all sides overtake her, a part of her was still knotted with dread. What would happen if she got to Earth only to find Julie dead and Mia someplace horrible? What if she was with her father?

If Julie was dead, she'd have to kidnap Mia and bring her into space. It wasn't the best choice. Especially since Mia might grow to resent her as she got older. How would Vanessa ever explain to her niece that she'd abandoned her sister just when she'd needed her most? How would she look at Mia every day and not see Julie staring back at her? Was she even ready to be a parent, if that was what it came to? Was Fejo? He hadn't asked for any of this, but they were mated now. She'd almost brought up her worries so many times this week, but that black, oozing dread had held her back.

What if he resented Mia because she wasn't his kid? Vanessa had her birth control implant in now, but what if he pressured her into having a child with him before she was really ready? Before she'd properly learned how to be a

good guardian to Mia? All of these thoughts rang false, but she couldn't keep them from invading her mind.

Most of her time spent with Fejo were shining moments of utter happiness, yet her dark worries were like shadows lingering on the sidelines. They threatened to overtake her at any moment, and she only kept them away through sheer, stubborn denial.

Though she hadn't spoken the words out loud, it was clear to her that she loved Fejo. He was everything she wasn't. Confident and bright. Quick to laugh and tease and forgive. He made her better merely by being around her. And though she'd never imagined she could be a good influence, she found that she, perhaps, made him better as well.

She tried to show him every day how wonderful he was. How worthy he was. And in the moments when his chest bowed and his spine straightened, she felt he heard her.

She couldn't imagine anybody like Fejo would ever love her back, but her barriers were breaking. The way he looked at her...it could only be described as love. He gazed at her as if his bones were going to break if he didn't touch her.

Like he'd crash his own ship if she said she didn't like the color of the walls.

In the dark, when they laid together at night, they exchanged stories about their lives, both the happy parts and the heartbreaking ones. With dreamy grins, he described the ocean from his home city and how he rode the tides and scoured the seabed for treasures. And she told him about her life. The many foster homes she'd lived in, her mother...Julie. He'd chuckled and stroked her back when she'd told him about her secret diaries and how she'd hidden them in her dresser after Loretta had stolen one and read it to the rest of the house, revealing her crush on a boy at school named Jeremy.

She found herself thinking more and more about what she wanted her life to look like. What she could bring to the equation. Fejo was so capable. Intelligent and cunning in a way even he didn't recognize. He'd come from absolutely nothing and had built himself up so much. She was constantly in awe of him.

Yesterday, she'd had a marvelous idea after speaking to Vrok. She'd come across him carving yet another piece of

art along a vent and had spoken to him about her plan. Figuring Vrok was likely off work by now, she rose and

gathered the supplies she'd pilfered from Fejo's large wooden desk. He'd explained he'd be busy all day, which was perfect. It'd give Vrok enough time to work his magic before she met up with Fejo for dinner and what she assumed would be a romantic evening.

They were only a week away from Earth now, and though her anxiety pummeled her with worries of all the different things that could go wrong, she didn't want to hold herself back anymore. It was time to tell Fejo how she felt.

She'd agreed to meet Vrok in the cafeteria, assuming that Fejo wouldn't think anything of it if his matehood Spidey senses picked up on her location. She was halfway there when a blaring beep boomed through the comm systems.

Vanessa's body tensed and she dropped, squatting as if that would help. Dread slid down her spine, curdling in her stomach. Fejo was working on the bridge today, ensuring they flew under the radar past a particularly difficult checkpoint. Had they failed? Was this alarm telling the ship the authorities were on their way?

She took stock of where she was and mentally mapped the quickest way to the bridge, but the blaring suddenly stopped. An odd screeching, like a thousand records scratching at once, emanated from the sound system. Falling to her knees, she clamped her hands over her ears, her brain pulsing. She crouched against the wall and waited for the awful noise to stop, but it didn't.

After a few minutes passed and nothing changed, she rose unsteadily, still covering her ears, and took tentative steps down the hall. The bridge was only a few minutes away. If she could make it there, she could figure out what was going on.

What would happen to Fejo if they were caught? What would happen to the rest of the crew? Bile rose in her throat. This was all her fault. She'd put them in this situation.

Somebody brushed past her, hitting her hard on the side, and she crumpled into the wall before righting herself and forcing her hands back over her ears. She peered toward the person and saw it was Manx, the young guy who'd been

helping her learn about the different galaxies in the Intergalactic Alliance.

"Manx!" she called, but he didn't stop. Her chest tightened. Something was wrong. He wasn't running or even walking quickly, yet he didn't acknowledge her. "Manx!" she shouted again as he grew farther away.

She jogged, trying to catch up with him, and called his name from right behind him, but he didn't slow. She dashed in front of him. Was the noise somehow louder for him than it was for her? When she skidded to a halt in front of him, she stiffened. His gaze was aimed forward, but his gray eyes were glassy and unfocused. An odd, vacant smile curled his lips.

It was as if he was hypnotized by something. Lowering her hands, her head pounded with the screeching sound coming from the sound system, but she powered through. She continued walking backward, since he hadn't stopped. She pushed on his chest and managed to make him take a step back. But he only pushed forward again. She shoved with all her strength. Manx wobbled, then continued

forward. Her efforts were in vain. He pushed past her as if she were no more than a spider web.

Frantic gaze bouncing up and down the hall, she saw another man walking in the same direction as Manx. She recognized him as a quiet guy who worked near the engine room. She often came across him reading, and he was skittish, always raising his virtual text and blocking her out whenever she tried to say hi.

The same vacant look shone on his face.

Fejo, she thought, her mind scrambling. She followed the two men, realizing they were headed in the same direction. What the fuck is going on? Her brain worked to figure out

what could possibly be happening, and she settled on the screeching sound.

She recalled a conversation she'd had with Lily, a human woman who was mated to Verakko. Lily had said something about sway, a type of mind control a few species on Clecania, including Verakko, had and how it didn't affect humans the same way it did everyone else.

Could this be similar? A sound that could only affect the Clecanians on board? If that were the case, she was fucked.

But who would do it? Everyone on the ship was Clecanian. Was it coming from somewhere nearby?

She followed the two men to the bridge at the end of the hall. Through the open doors, she could just make out how crowded it was. Creeping forward, she crouched low and peeked inside. Her head throbbed in time with the screeching sound, and she clutched her stomach as a wave of nausea hit her.

All the males she'd come to know were gathered, standing vacant and still in the center of the room. She scanned the space, searching for Fejo, her heart pounding in her throat, and spotted Maladek and Capra fiddling with controls at the two main stations.

Rage rippled over her skin so hot she was surprised the crew nearest to her weren't singed. Those pieces of fucking trash. And after Fejo... Her heart dropped into her stomach when she spotted Fejo standing among the crowd, the same vacant smile and distant expression on his face. She choked on a sob, trapping it in her throat.

Taking in the scene, she noticed Capra's hand bobbing up and down as he counted the people in the room. Now that

he was turned to the side, she could just make out a yellow substance in his ears. He'd plugged them. She glanced at Maladek and saw he'd done the same. Those bastards had planned this, but why? What were they doing?

Her head was pounding, the sound burying into the soft parts of her brain like a worm. It was becoming hard to think. She watched as man after man filed into the bridge and stood silently. She had to stop this. Had to break them out of this somehow. But how?

Taking one last glance at Fejo, her heart ached. "I'll be back," she whispered.

Slipping her shoes off and holding them in her hand, she silently padded away. Maybe she could disable the sound system. Fists and jaw clenching and unclenching, she deflated. She didn't know where the sound system was controlled from. Probably the bridge.

Movement at the very end of the hall drew her attention. Uja walked, his wings tucked and his gaze unfocused. If anyone could help, he could, but she had to snap him out of it.

A few days ago, Fejo had given her access to all areas of the ship. He'd said he wanted to fuck her in every room by the time they got back to Clecania. At the time, it'd been a sexy joke between them. A game of hide-and-seek, testing out his new mating senses. Could he find her wherever she was, no matter where on the ship? Their steamy sessions in the pool, the space-viewing room, and even the highly secured communication room had proven he could. But now maybe she could use that knowledge to her advantage.

The communication room was only a few doors down, close enough to the bridge for Fejo to come and go as needed and—most importantly—soundproof. Sprinting down the hall, she skidded into the cafeteria and grabbed a tray, hoping she was quick enough to get back to Uja before he entered the bridge and Maladek and Capra saw him. She doubled up on her trays for good measure, then bolted back, keeping a watchful eye out.

Uja's slow steps worked in her favor, but every step was still one farther away from the communications room. Marching up behind him, she raised her trays and

whispered, "You'll thank me for this later," then brought them up across the side of his skull as hard as she could.

With a grunt, he crumpled to the ground. She set her trays flat on the ground and hooked her hands under his wings and armpits, her gaze flashing in the bridge's direction every few seconds. It took all of her strength, but she managed to pull him onto one tray. Once he was on, she dragged his dead weight down the hall. The tray helped his large frame slide across the rubber floor, but he was still heavy.

His massive wings, muscle-laden six-foot frame, and limp body had her straining every muscle she had—and some she didn't know she had. Sweat poured off her, clinging to her skin and making her clothing damp. Her lungs burned with the effort to keep going. Fear was the only thing pushing her along. The screeching sounds pounded into her brain like nails on a chalkboard. At any moment, Capra or Maladek might emerge from the bridge and she'd be found out.

When she finally reached the communications room door, she pressed her palm to the metal and prayed she still had

access. It zoomed open, and she heaved Uja across the threshold. But he was too big. She had to rush outside into the hall to force his legs to bend awkwardly and fit into the small room. His right leg wouldn't stay put, though, and kept falling into the hall, preventing the door from closing.

"I'm gonna go make sure no one's gotten stuck anywhere," she heard a raspy voice call down the hallway. Though she hadn't heard him speak often, she was sure it was Maladek.

She dove into the room, grabbing Uja's leg and hefting it until it pointed to the sky. A terrifying moment passed before the door slid shut. When it finally closed, metal gears whirring and locking the door in place, she collapsed, dropping Uja's leg so it propped against the wall, and heaved in deep breaths.

The horrible sound didn't penetrate through the walls. The deafening silence of the room had her ears buzzing. And she let out a thankful breath.

Her relief was short-lived, though, as she wondered whether the two Tetrans could get into this room. They'd somehow managed to take over the sound system, after all.

If they could do that, who was to say they hadn't gained access to this room too? Heartbeats passed as she waited, sprawled awkwardly over Uja's leg. There was only faint ringing in her ears.

Fejo had ensured this room was completely cut off from the rest of the ship, only accessible to him and Uja and used while they were at port, which was when they could contact other planets. A groan from behind her told her Uja was waking, and she bolted to attention, spider-crawling back into the corner. A cold flush broke out over her skin, her pulse thrashing inside her body.

Uja hissed in a breath as his hand raised to grip his head, where she'd left a sizable lump. He blinked a few times. "What the fuck?" he croaked, rolling to his side, his wings twitching along with his pain. He blinked a few more times as if trying to clear his vision, and his gaze landed on her.

She let out a long, relieved breath when she saw his eyes were clear.

His brows furrowed, and he looked around the room, then peered back at her. "Explain," he barked. His own shout

made him wince, and he slammed his eyes shut before rising unsteadily to his feet.

She followed suit, raising her hands defensively in front of her. "Something's going on," she whispered out of instinct. The logical part of her brain told her no one could hear her through the door, but her fear kept her voice low while quickly explaining the situation.

Uja's eyes widened as he took in what she was saying, his right hand still clutching the side of his head.

"I had to knock you out. I'm so sorry," she added, wincing in apology. "I didn't know what else to do."

Uja swayed on his feet and placed a palm on the wall to steady himself. "Were they smiling? Like they were in a trance?" he asked tentatively, as if he didn't really want to know the answer.

"Yes," she breathed in relief, hoping he knew what this was and how to fix it.

"Fuck." He ran both his hands through his hair and grimaced when he got to the wound he'd forgotten about. He paced back and forth in the small space and continued to curse. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"What?" she cried.

His gaze was wild, bouncing all around the room. She'd never seen him so unnerved, and her breaths started to come in quick gasps. She'd left Fejo behind. What if something happened to him? She had to get back.

"There's only one species I know of who does this," Uja explained, his voice low and tight with what she could only assume was fear. "The Sieliji. They're dregs who send out false distress signals to ships passing by, and the noise can hypnotize. That's how they draw ships down to their planet. They make them crash, then scavenge for survivors and parts. Their species was excommunicated from the Alliance centuries ago because they refused to stop luring ships to their planet and robbing them."

Vanessa took a step forward. "Why the fuck would Capra and Maladek be working with them?"

"I have no idea." Uja shook his head. "But whatever it is, it can't be good." His gaze flashed to the door, and he looked back at her. "You said they were gathering people on the bridge?"

Vanessa nodded, her heart aching in her chest.

"They're going to notice if I don't show up." Uja scrubbed a hand over his jaw, still staring at the door. "They'll definitely notice if you don't show up." He glanced at her.

Vanessa's mind raced. "We need a plan."

Uja stared at the wall as though looking through it. "Okay. If we're careful, I think we can make it to the loading bay. The escape pods should still be working. There's no way they could've hacked into those."

"Escape pods?" Vanessa scowled.

"If I were them," Uja continued to mutter to himself, "I'd check rooms first." He waved a hand in the air, his brows raising. "But what if more people are missing? If it's just us, we don't have much time. But if others didn't hear the sound—"

"I'm not getting on any escape pod." She stepped in front of Uja, blocking his view.

He stilled in the middle of running a hand through his hair and shot her a confused look. "Of course you are."

"No. I'm not," she argued, crossing her arms over her chest and mirroring his stance. "Not without Fejo. And not

without all those other men, for that matter. I'm not just going to abandon them, and I can't believe you want to."

Uja took a step back at her cutting tone, fury flaring in his narrowed gaze. "I'm doing this for Fejo. If he knew what was going on and that I hadn't done everything I could to keep his mate safe, he'd flay me." Uja's gaze softened as he took in her hard expression. Taking a step toward her, he urged, "This is what he would want."

"Well, I don't care." She shook her head, cold determination setting in and clearing away her fear. "I'm not just Fejo's mate. I'm me. And I won't run away and let the man I love be tortured or killed or whatever the hell they're going to do to him. You can leave if you want, but if you're staying, you might as well get onboard fast."

A muscle in Uja's jaw twitched like he was trying to decide whether to speak. He studied her. "Vanessa...think of your sister."

A large breath exploded from her chest as though she'd been punched in the gut. Tears rushing to her eyes before her mind had even registered the low blow he'd delivered.

Indecision tore at her insides for only a moment. She lifted her glare to Uja. "This isn't a choice. I'm not picking my family over Fejo and I'm not picking Fejo over my family." Vanessa's fingers curled into fists, and she did what she did best, buried her emotions so they wouldn't overtake her. "I'll save them both.

Chapter 26

Vanessa kept her posture loose and her gaze vacant, but she couldn't keep the beads of sweat from trailing down her back. She could only hope that Capra and Maladek were too occupied with whatever they were doing to notice.

After Uja had finally realized he wasn't getting her to go anywhere, he'd waited in the communications room while she'd snuck to the cafeteria and returned, stuffing his ears with soft pieces of bread. They'd made sure to crack open the door and see that he was unaffected before making their way to the bridge.

Their plan was mediocre at best, but they hadn't had the luxury of time to think of something better. All they could do now was wait for an opportunity to strike. Maladek and Capra were large and strong, and there was no way in hell Vanessa could take either of them down on her own. But maybe if the element of surprise were on their side and if Uja was as good of a fighter as he made himself out to be... they had a chance, however small.

Vanessa focused on keeping her breathing even and calm as the open bridge doorway grew closer and closer.

Uja glanced over at her and hissed, "You look like you're about to pass out."

"That's because I am about to pass out," she hissed back, knowing he couldn't hear her past the bread in his ears. She took another calming breath and thought of Fejo, realizing that if she didn't pull this off, he was as good as dead.

She thought about his whispered words and his soft touches and her breathing slowed, calmness washing over her. She pictured him standing there on the bridge and told herself that every step she took was one step closer to him.

Thudding steps vibrated from behind them before she heard Maladek's deep voice rasp, "Ah, there you are." Rather than stopping or giving them any further notice, he stomped past and shouted into the crowded room, his voice brash with urgency. "You're taking us down too fast!"

Vanessa kept her gaze unfocused as they slowly followed, crossing the threshold of the room now. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Capra wave Maladek off. How can they hear each other with their ears plugged up?

"Just let me fly," Capra said. "The controls all say our speed is fine. Did you find the stragglers?"

Maladek hovered behind Capra, eyeing the controls himself. "Yeah. A few males were in the lower engine. As soon as I got them into the hall and they heard the song, they went under. I found the human and Uja just outside. They must've been off somewhere together when it started."

Capra let out a lecherous chuckle. "I wonder if our captain knows his mate likes to spend time alone with his second-in- command?"

A small silence ensued, then Maladek spoke again. "They're here now." Was that regret she heard tightening Maladek's voice? And was his voice louder? As if he were looking in her direction, even now?

She followed Uja until he stopped and took her place out of sight behind him while trying to keep her breathing deep and calm. Slow footsteps pounded toward her, and she forced herself not to gulp down the knot in her throat. If Maladek studied her too closely, he'd see through her for sure.

"Are they all here now?" Capra shouted, halting Maladek's approach. "She said everyone has to be here. They all have

to hear it, or we can't land."

"The last two are coming down the hall now. This damn

noise makes them fucking slow," he grunted in answer. "Good, because I'm ready to get off this ship. As soon as

we make the drop, we'll head back. I've already planned out my hunt on the mountain. No more of this fucking ship. Agreeing to take this job was such a mistake. You and I don't belong in space." Capra let out a harsh chuckle. "At least she said we could take what we wanted after this was done. I think I'll take that human."

"She's mated," Maladek growled.

Vanessa felt some relief at his admonishing tone, but it was wiped away when Capra rumbled back, "Would you rather her stay there? What do you think they'll do with her? She can't work, and they already have too many females. She'll be thrown out with the waste or drowned. Besides, I'll treat her well."

Vanessa's blood turned to ice in her veins. Fuck that, she thought, her jaw grinding.

"It's his own fault," Capra continued. "If he'd just stayed on schedule, we wouldn't have had to divert them at all."

Her eyes burned with unshed tears. Was this because of her? Because he'd decided to go to Earth first before picking up Klinara's shipment?

Maladek let out a grunt as though he neither agreed nor disagreed, then changed the subject, announcing, "Entering the atmosphere now."

Both Maladek and Capra were blocked from her view by Uja's large wings, so she took a moment to steal a glance at Fejo. Her breakfast roiled in her gut when she noticed a deep gash on his cheek that hadn't been there before. They'd hurt him. Capra, most likely. Had taken a swing at him when Maladek was out of the room and Fejo couldn't defend himself.

Blood oozed down the side of his cheek and collected in the emerald-green collar of his coat. To her horror, she spotted another oozing wound on his abdomen. Had that fucker stabbed him? She forced her gaze forward, just preventing her fingers from balling into fists.

The ship vibrated and rocked to the side, causing some of the entranced men to tip over like dominoes. They remained where they fell with that same stupid look on their face. The

man in front of her, next to Uja, tipped toward Vanessa, and she had no choice but to let him fall onto her, crushing her to the ground. A spike of pain lanced up her back as her spine crashed into the hard floor. She just kept her skull from bouncing off the ground.

"Careful," Maladek bellowed. "The Sieliji want them healthy. They're only letting Klinara use their world for this pickup if we provide workers. Uninjured ones."

She saw Uja's wings flutter as if he were holding back from peering at her. He hadn't tipped over like the others. She inched one foot toward his ankle and rested it there to let him know she was okay. His shoulders relaxed a fraction.

A few minutes went by where Maladek and Capra bickered, but there were no clear openings to attack. For one, Vanessa was on the floor, pinned under a heavy man. And second, there were at least fifteen guys standing between Uja and the primary control station. By the time he plowed through the men to reach Maladek and Capra, they would've been alerted and ready.

"Stash the human somewhere," Capra commanded. "It's easier if they never knew she was here. Besides, Klinara

might want to meet the female who stole her favorite pet away."

She heard a snort before Maladek spoke. "Klinara pushed Fejo away all on her own." His voice continued to grow louder, and Vanessa realized he was moving toward her.

Her body tensed with the effort to remain still, her eyes burning in an attempt to stay unfocused. Suddenly, Maladek was crouching above her. Fear skittered over her skin and wormed its way through her stomach. Had her pupils dilated and given her away?

He let out a weary sigh and dragged the man who'd toppled her over off her, then hooked her under the armpits, hefting her to her feet. Stooping, he tipped her over his shoulder.

She let her body remain limp, swaying back and forth as he carried her out of the room. Maladek held her in place with a firm hand around the back of her knees. Once they were alone in the hallway, she scanned every inch of him she could see, trying to find anything she could use as a weapon. Nothing.

Her chest constricted, as did her throat. She was so fucking helpless. Maybe she could find something to knock him out with wherever he was taking her. Dread coated her throat in acid. What if biding her time never paid out?

They rounded a corner, and the slide of a door sounded. Carefully, Maladek crouched again and pulled her off his shoulder, setting her on her feet. Should she crumple to the ground or remain upright? Her brain was still racing when she realized the horrible screeching noise had gone quiet.

"You can stop acting now, female," Maladek growled.

Every part of her froze in place, her mouth going dry. Slowly, she let her vision focus and lifted her gaze to Maladek. He stood just before her, towering above her with his hands on his hips and his eyes narrowed. A small black cord was embedded in the waxy substance, plugging his ears, and extended toward his mouth. It must've been an earpiece or something, and the reason he could speak with Capra.

He dug into the other ear and popped out the wax so he could speak with her as well.

"How—" she began. Another tremor rocked the ship, and she stumbled to the side before catching herself.

Maladek curled his lip, cursing about Capra under his breath. His gaze focused on her again. "You're not a very good actress," he said. "Still good enough to fool Capra, though." He shrugged.

"Why are you doing this?" she breathed, her anger coming back to her and giving her strength.

His jaw slammed shut, his brows cutting a crease into his forehead. He turned on his heel and Vanessa gasped, "Wait. You don't have to do this. Just get control of the ship back, and we can leave. I'm sure Fejo would forgive you."

Facing away from her, Maladek's form stiffened. Vanessa scanned the room but couldn't spot any weapon that would take down a man like this.

"This is just a job," he rumbled. "If Fejo hadn't diverted us and forced Klinara's hand, we wouldn't have had to do this at all."

"I asked him to do it," she cried. "I pushed him to help my family. You're going to punish a whole ship full of good men

because of me? Because I wanted to help a dying woman and a little girl?"

Maladek's shoulders hitched higher, tension radiating off him at her words.

"Oh, you didn't know that, did you? You thought he was just making a detour for fun?" she taunted. She stepped toward him and saw his hands fidgeting, the pad of his thumb running back and forth over the tips of his fingers. "You know what will happen to him if we're separated. If he lives, he'll get more and more sick." She stomped her foot. "I thought mates were sacred to you people!" White-hot anger laced her voice, and she took a breath to calm herself. She should've been trying to catch this fly with honey, not vinegar, but she couldn't control her temper.

Without a word, Maladek took two steps toward the door.

"Then let me stay with him wherever you're abandoning us!" she screamed, just as he stuffed the waxy plug back into his ear and walked out of the room. "At least do that!"

But he was gone, stooping so his horns could clear the tall doorway.

Vanessa spun around the room, not knowing exactly what she was looking for. It was a bedroom like Fejo's, except this one was smaller and had two sleeping lofts rather than one. Scrambling to find anything at all that might help her, she opened every compartment she could. In her hand, she gripped a dull butterknife and stared down at it. It was a useless weapon, and she had the sudden urge to throw it against the wall, but she didn't.

The ship shook and jolted more frequently, and she assumed they were about to land. She rammed the dull knife into the edge of the solid metal door. Unsurprisingly, it wouldn't budge.

She slammed her fists, shouting herself hoarse. Frustrated tears escaped down her cheeks and her heart squeezed in her chest. The ship shuddered and then settled, everything going quiet. She held her breath, gaze focused on the black metal of the door. Long minutes passed, and she wanted to shriek with frustration.

She pressed her ear to the cool metal, and it suddenly slid open. She lurched forward into the hallway and fell into the solid frame of Maladek. She righted herself and, in a clumsy

panic, raised her arm, trying to jab him with the knife. With a grunt, he caught her wrist, easily twisting until she dropped the useless piece of metal.

He gripped her around the bicep and hauled her forward through the ship.

Her pulse pounded in her throat, her chest tight and aching. "Where are we going?" she asked. He didn't answer. Vanessa continued to volley question after question, but Maladek remained silent, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

They were headed toward the ramp that led out of the ship, and hope gurgled in her stomach. It was stupid to hope to be left on a planet where she'd most certainly die. But as idiotic as it was, being separated from Fejo was worse. Love had messed with her survival instincts. Was it somehow the mating bond rearing its head inside her? Did their odd connection cause her to be more afraid of never seeing Fejo again than of death? Or did she just love him that much?

A briny scent hit her nose as they neared the open door at the back of the ship. The ocean? The smell was similar to Fejo's fresh, salty scent, but it had a sickly sweet undertone, like seaweed rotting on the sand.

The second alien planet Vanessa had ever seen came into view, and she shivered despite the thick, muggy air. Muted pastel blues, grays, and greens stretched as far as the eye could see. Patches of pale tan sand, interspersed with wet puddles of murky water, covered a large stretch of land. The water reflected the sluggish green-blue sky and blended with the gloomy seafoam color of the ocean, making it hard to see where the land ended and the sea began. The sky was bright, but there was no sun to be seen.

What was most terrifying, though, were the piles of metal and enormous, curving bone that formed triangular buildings in the near distance. Vanessa squinted and her breath caught. They were old spaceships. She could make out large portions of vessels that'd been dismantled and manufactured to create buildings. In the center of these shipwrecked piles was one that stood higher than the others. A sort of castle made of broken metal and curved white bones.

Her gaze darted around, searching for any creature large enough to have bones that big, but she saw none. Cold sweat beaded on her skin.

Uja had said these people were scavengers, but she'd never imagined this. There were hundreds of mangled ships half buried in the sand as if they'd been left where they crashed. How many people must've died in those crashes?

Her attention shot to a group of people a few feet in front of them. The crew were all gathered, still unmoving. Six aliens she'd never seen stood before the group of hypnotized men. One scaly green reptilian alien spoke to a grinning Capra. He was wrapped in layers of clothing, as if he was walking through Antarctica and not a humid beach.

The other five aliens looked almost identical and fit in so well with the eerie scenery, she assumed they were the Sieliji. Each of the five were the same pale green color as the ocean.

Their skin was slick and hairless, and shimmering scales ran over their bare shoulders, arms, and legs. Bulbous, shining, black eyes bulged from their heads like orbs and rippling fins framed the sides of their face, neck, and arms. Each fin was scalloped and had sharp, pointed tips. They didn't wear much. Just wispy, silver fabric stretching from under their armpits to their knees.

"Don't bother trying to pretend. I already told Capra you're unaffected."

Maladek dragged her along toward the group, and she spotted Fejo, placed slightly farther away from the others. Two of the Sieliji were singing loudly. The sound was even worse in person, and she squinted against the stabbing ache in her head. This must be how they were controlling the crew now that there wasn't a sound system to use. One of the Sieliji moved, and she followed their progress as they crossed to Uja.

Her throat constricted. The alien tugged at a thick brown cuff and shackled it to Uja's ankle. She followed the trail of the chain and, to her horror, saw it was attached to a massive boulder. They were ensuring he couldn't fly away. And he'd let them. Was he still faking? She prayed he was.

Even chained, if they spotted an opening, she felt Uja could easily take out some of the Sieliji. There were only five, after all, and they looked frail. Though their features were the things of nightmares—much like what she imagined a horror-movie version of a mermaid would be— they were small and sickly looking.

As Vanessa and Maladek neared, Capra caught sight of them, and his mouth turned down. "What are you doing?" he asked, his gaze hard and accusatory.

"She was still on the ship," Maladek said without elaborating. Vanessa realized he'd conceded to her request and had openly defied Capra. Though Capra looked furious, he couldn't argue now. He'd hidden her existence before. Now that the Sieliji had seen her, they'd expect her to remain with the rest of the crew.

When they reached the group, she wrenched free of Maladek's hold and dashed to Fejo. She shook him by the shoulders, calling his name, but he continued to stare forward. She pressed her hands over his ears, a sob bubbling up in her throat, and shook him more forcefully, but it was no good. The sound still seemed to penetrate.

A powerful arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her back. "Control yourself, female. There's no waking him up." It was Capra's slightly higher-pitched, rasping voice. She struggled in his grip, but he dragged her away easily. Maladek appeared next to Fejo, and she stared at the horned man, pleading with her eyes.

"I have orders to contact Klinara so she can ensure business is completed to your satisfaction," the lizard man hissed out in a slimy voice that slithered over her skin. He was speaking to one of the Sieliji who'd stepped forward from the group.

As the Sieliji in charge spoke, their voice was the same screeching, nails-on-a-chalkboard sound as the singing except more clipped. "I will speak to her."

The lizard man produced a communicator from his pocket, typing something in and waiting. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Uja inch forward. He stilled when the reptilian alien held up the communicator toward the group.

A woman's voice echoed through the space. "Flimoi, it's so nice to see you again."

Vanessa hadn't known what to expect. A snarling voice of a gremlin, perhaps? But the light, feminine voice of Klinara surprised her, not at all matching the raging beast she'd built the woman up as in her mind. Fire surged through Vanessa's body, and she struggled against the hard, muscled arm at her waist.

The woman now speaking was the one who'd controlled Fejo, manipulating him since he'd been a boy, and now she was going to leave him to die on this fucking planet.

Flimoi, the Sieliji in charge, spoke. "We have housed your delivery, and in exchange, you've brought us healthy workers. Our business is done until next time."

"Splendid," Klinara said, her voice ringing with satisfaction. "Just one thing," she added, making Flimoi's bulbous eyes narrow and their thin slash of a mouth open, exposing widely spaced, pointed teeth. "I need for the human female to be placed back on our ship. She was never meant to be part of our trade."

The lizard man angled the screen of the communicator toward Vanessa, and she realized Klinara was viewing the scene. Vanessa's angry gaze shot to Maladek. She clawed at Capra's arm, but he just shifted his position, slamming his other arm over her torso and pinning her hands to her side.

The Sieliji leader followed the lizard man's gaze, clearly unaware which of the assembled crew was a human female. Flimoi studied Vanessa, looking her up and down with those dark, glassy eyes. Vanessa didn't have the build of a strong

worker and was obviously unaffected by their song. The fins on the side of their face fluttered as they surveyed her, then flattened against their skull.

Vanessa held her breath. She didn't want to stay on this barren, harsh planet, but she feared whatever Klinara had planned for her was likely worse. She glanced at Maladek again and found his mouth turned down in a scowl, his eyes darting around the crowd.

The horned man had a heart. He'd been conflicted. She could hear it every time he'd spoken. He was an asshole, but if she could somehow reason with him... Her shoulders threatened to slump. Even if she convinced him, he was only one man. What could he do?

Her best bet now was to somehow escape once on the ship and find help. She could bide her time and come back to rescue Fejo. The Sieliji wanted workers. They had no reason to kill anyone. Her gaze flashed to Uja, and she gulped. Unless they thought there was a threat.

"Very well," Flimoi said, apparently deciding Vanessa would be more trouble than she was worth.

Vanessa's teeth ground together, and Uja's chest stopped rising and falling, his body stiffening imperceptibly. Don't do anything yet, she urged internally. At this moment, it would be him versus three strong men and five Sieliji. And he was chained to a rock. The odds weren't in their favor.

"Wonderful," Klinara all but cheered from her side of the call. "Oh, and please tell Captain Fejo I said hello."

Heat rose on the back of Vanessa's neck, and she aimed a deadly glare at the black communicator. Klinara was playing with him even now. When he came out of whatever trance he was in, she wanted him to know it was her who'd put him here and it was her who had his mate. Any sympathy Vanessa might've had for the woman and the hardships she'd faced vanished.

"The male will not live long after we disconnect," Flimoi said flippantly. Vanessa froze, as did Maladek, his body growing rigid. "It's best to kill captains. We learned long ago that a strong leader, even enslaved, can still rally inspiration in their people. We don't want our workers distracted by such things," Flimoi explained, as though this were obvious.

Vanessa finally found her voice and shrieked, "No!" Her heart thrashed in her chest, her stomach dropping out from under her. There was silence on the line, and she prayed Klinara still had a shred of decency left. If she'd ever cared for Fejo, even a little, she'd stop this.

Flimoi eyed the communicator, obviously wondering what Klinara would do as well.

The woman finally spoke. "Very well. Do what you must."

Vanessa shrieked again; obscenities directed at Klinara flew out of her mouth until Capra clamped a firm hand over her lips. Her throat burned, voice raw, as she screamed and thrashed against Capra's hold.

Her ears started buzzing and she couldn't perceive the rest of the conversation. Her watery gaze landed on Fejo and Maladek, whose body was stiff and whose eyes had gone wide.

When Capra's hand loosened a fraction, she tipped her chin up, then bit down on his finger hard. He yelped, pulling his hand away, and she took the opportunity to ram her head back into Capra's face, hearing a satisfying crunch.

Pain exploded from the back of her skull and stars danced in front of her.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision and spun to Capra, who was bent over, holding his nose. Darting forward, she ripped the cord out of his ear, then stumbled toward Fejo. Her head pounded, her vision dotting in and out, but she managed to reach Maladek. A wave of dizziness made her pitch to the side, but Maladek caught her. She could hear Capra cursing, the sound drawing closer. He'd reach her in moments.

She held the cord to her mouth, fisting Maladek's shirt. Voice low and strangled through her tears, she held his gaze, pleading with everything in her, and whispered, "Drown him. You do it. Drown him."

With the force of a sledgehammer, Capra's fist collided with her temple, and everything went black.

Chapter 27

The sky was a bright, electric blue, the air filled with the sweet scent of sea plums. Fejo reclined on his elbows in the warm, velvety sand, watching Vanessa dip in and out of the water. Her wet, naked body glittered and shone in the sunlight, and she lifted a large spiraling shell, grinning toward him at the treasure she'd found.

They'd stopped off on this planet after rescuing her sister and niece from Earth. His mind stilled. Her sister. He tried to recall what her sister looked like. What Mia looked like. But for some reason, he couldn't remember.

His focus pulled back to Vanessa, and his confusion fled. She emerged from the water, the waves lapping at her thighs, her dark hair wet over her shoulder. His ravenous gaze trailed over her body, her figure fuller from weeks of indulgent eating between bouts of lovemaking. She waved him over with a gentle smile.

His heart pinched in his chest. Unable to say no to any request, he rose to join her. Warm, soft sand stuck to his body as it had for the past few days, leaving their skin exfoliated and soft. He took in her smiling face, her skin a

little pink from the bright sun beating down on her. She dropped the shell, reaching her arms out to him, and with a deep purr, he slipped his hands over her slick body.

The smell of sea plums increased, and he tried to recall where this planet was. He couldn't remember ever being here before. How had he found it? He pulled away with furrowed brows and peered around him. It was so picturesque, so untouched. There were no people or buildings in the distance. No signs of life at all. Just lush greenery, bright white sand, and turquoise water. How had they gotten here?

No sooner had he had the thought than he caught sight of his ship out of the corners of his eyes. Had it been there a moment ago?

"Fejo," Vanessa breathed, pulling his attention back to her. She sank into the water, tugging him down with her until they were sitting on the soft, wet sand of the ocean floor. She crawled over his lap and kissed him. Her skin was warm from the sun, and the cold water flowed between them, refreshing their overheated bodies.

"My glorious Vanessa," he crooned, pushing her hair over her shoulder. She grinned at him.

Something crawled over his brain like an insect. He frowned. She hated when he called her things like that. As if a program had glitched, her face changed, her lips pursing the way he'd expected them to.

Fejo blinked. Something was wrong.

With a soft hand on his shoulder, she pushed him back, forcing him to recline, but there was only water. He tried to remain upright, but her grip was too strong. Far too strong. He couldn't fight back. His head dipped under the water, his body freezing in place. He couldn't move his arms or legs, couldn't struggle. Suddenly his throat flap wouldn't work, and his gills refused to open.

Flashbacks of the first time he'd breathed underwater came back to him, and the beautiful image of Vanessa morphed into the white-winged male from his childhood who'd held him down under the water. The male's wings flared out, blotting out the bright sun, and the water turned a dark murky gray. He struggled, but it was no use. He was too weak.

His lungs burned from lack of oxygen, his throat bobbing helplessly. He coughed through the water and was sure this time the scientist would kill him.

Vanessa's image popped into his mind again, though, and cool determination washed over him. In a flash, his throat flap closed; his gills sliced through the sides of his neck. He sucked in water, filtering out the air. His spotty vision snapped back into focus.

The water above him rippled, but he could just make out a horned male. His large hands were on Fejo's shoulders, holding him down. Maladek.

Was he trying to drown him? Fejo rarely revealed what race of Clecanian he was. His crew knew, but most didn't. Had Klinara told her two Tetran spies? Did Maladek know he couldn't drown?

Confusion rammed against his skull, keeping him frozen in place. A screeching sound floated to his ears from far away, and he felt a tug on his brain. A flash of the lush island popped into his head, but he forced it out.

Where was he? Where was Vanessa?

Maladek's raspy voice filtered through the water in barely a whisper. "Pretend."

Pretend? To die?

Fejo didn't know what was going on, but he noticed that though Maladek was holding him under, that was all he was doing. His large hands weren't around his throat and his blurry expression was tight, not cruel.

He continued to study Maladek through the rippling water, and the male turned his head, as if talking to someone. Fejo saw something plugging up the male's ear, and memories roared back to him. He'd been working on the bridge, ensuring the Ylare stayed under the radar, when a horrible noise had echoed through the sound system and everything had gone fuzzy. There was only one race he knew of who could do that.

Fejo didn't know why, but something in him told him to trust Maladek, so he flailed, pretending to drown. He struggled for a few moments longer, then blew out a large bubble, imitating the last breath that escaped the lungs before water flowed in. He let his body go still.

Maladek gave a barely noticeable nod, his hands unclenching from Fejo's shirt. The water had made his jacket and clothing heavy, and he let his body sink until he felt ground beneath his back. The water wasn't deep, only a couple of feet. Something sharp sliced his hand as he felt through the coarse sand underneath him. A knife, but not one of his, judging by the smooth, pointed handle. Had Maladek dropped it for him?

His lateral lines picked up on the vibrations of footsteps as they grew more distant. His eyes darted to the side, and he could just make out Maladek standing above him, facing away toward whoever else was there. The male placed his hands behind his back as though stretching and held up six fingers. The number of enemies, maybe?

Six Sieliji? Was he right? Had they crashed on the Sieliji planet? They hadn't been near it, though. Every captain with half a brain gave the Sieliji a wide berth. No, if they'd crashed, most would be dead or injured.

Vanessa.

How long had he been under? Where was Vanessa? His body surged, his senses trying to pick up on her location,

and relief washed over him. He could sense her. She was here somewhere, but not close.

His body tensed to fight. Six Sieliji. Only six? He recalled the substance blocking Maladek's ears and knew it was a setup. If they'd crashed, the Sieliji would've greeted them with a fight and far more armed soldiers.

He heard the group speaking again over the sound of the screeching song. They might be distracted. Using the knife, he very slowly cut off pieces of his shirt. It might not work, but he had nothing better, no other way to block out the sound. Vanessa was getting farther away by the moment. He'd need to kill them quickly and hoped Maladek would help.

Sieliji weren't hard to kill on their own, but if more came, they'd be overrun. Ensuring all eyes were turned away from him, he stuffed the wet pieces of fabric into his ears one at a time.

Like a shot, he burst out of the water, bellowing to drown out any lingering sound that might ripple through his makeshift earplugs. Fejo charged, and all eyes of those who weren't entranced shot to him. There were only five Sieliji.

Those who were not singing screeched, their eyes bugging out and going wide.

A male Cae who'd been standing on the sidelines came into view. Why was he here? Two other bellows joined Fejo's, and the scene came alive with activity. Maladek charged forward, slicing the throat of the Sieliji closest to him. Uja spread his powerful wings, bolting into the fray and using the clawed tips of his wings to slice the throats of the two Sieliji still singing.

The last two ran, and when Uja tried to jump after them, he was wrenched back, his leg shackled to a boulder. Taking aim, Fejo hurled his knife. It flew through the air, blade over hilt, and sliced through the back of one Sieliji's neck, cutting bone, tendon, and cartilage. They dropped, their white translucent blood pooling in sand. The other Sieliji continued to run.

The Cae, cowardly as he was, also bolted, and Fejo glanced around. His crew, who'd all been entranced, murmured and muttered to themselves, clutching their heads and looking around in confusion now that the Sieliji song was gone.

A loud engine rumbled, and Fejo spun. He watched in horror as his ship came to life. He sprinted, something inside knowing exactly where Vanessa was. His chest pounded, his pulse buzzing in his ears. He shouted and roared, his muscles threatening to tear as he dashed through the sand, running faster than he ever had before, but still not fast enough.

He slid to a stop, staring up at the belly of his ship as it lifted off the sand.

Fury lashed through every tendon in his body. He roared up at the ship, matching the volume of the booming engines, his throat going raw. Helplessly, he watched as the ship carrying his mate flew farther and farther away. His fingers curled.

Fejo wanted blood. He wanted to rip apart the first creature he could reach, and part of him was upset there weren't more Sieliji to fight. He spun and found Maladek on the ground near Uja, ramming a metal key into the male's shackle.

Fejo bellowed to Uja and pointed in the direction the Cae had run. The brown metal on Uja's ankle clanked open, and

with an evil grin, Uja's gaze narrowed. He shot into the sky, screeching with a horrible pulsing call, and zoomed away.

Fejo stalked back to the group, his gaze following the bright white of Uja's wings into the distance until he heard another pulsing shriek. A Huvuitian finding its prey. White flashed in a spiral downward as Uja dove for the ground.

Screeches rang out from the Sieliji castle, and Fejo's gut tightened as dozens of soldiers streamed out, sprinting toward them. They'd never make it. Not once the Sieliji started singing. Fejo shouted to his males and pointed in the direction Uja had flown. They all raced forward. The Cae must have a ship around here somewhere.

Maladek remained in place, and Fejo cursed, sprinting toward the male. "Let's go!" he barked.

Maladek's eyes were focused on the advancing Sieliji, and he wrapped Uja's chain around his fist, pulling the enormous boulder to him with a strength Fejo hadn't realized he had. Maladek's jaw tightened, his body thrumming with aggression.

"Go," he growled. "I'll keep them off you."

"I'm not going to leave you here," Fejo barked again.

"I brought you here. I brought your mate here. I let this happen. Let me do this."

Fejo studied his expression and wanted to argue, but he saw it was pointless. Maladek's gaze was hard, resigned. He wouldn't be moved. Fejo reached out and gripped his shoulder, then, without another word, spun and bolted in the direction of his crew.

He looked back to find Maladek swinging the chain and the boulder around him, his muscles straining with the effort. He charged toward the oncoming soldiers and spun the boulder into them. They crumpled beneath the stone, their bodies collapsing to the ground and blood oozing out of them. Maladek leveled wave after wave of screeching Sieliji, but there were too many.

Suddenly, powerful hands gripped Fejo under the shoulders and propelled him into the air. Uja.

From this height, he could see the Cae ship in the distance. He looked back one last time and saw the boulder break off the chain, Maladek's weapon failing. As a mountain of shrieking Sieliji blocked Maladek from view, Fejo silently thanked the male.

Chapter 28

Stabbing pain assaulted Vanessa, spearing into the back of her skull and making her stomach roil. She leaned over the bed and heaved as her brain pulsed. Moving made everything worse, so she remained huddled over the edge of the bed for several minutes, waiting for the stabbing ache to lessen. When it did, she could finally recall things.

She scanned her surroundings, realizing she was on the Ylare, in a bedroom that wasn't Fejo's. Movement to her left drew her gaze, and she stared in horror, her jaw dropping open at three rounded windows along the wall. Space. She was in space. Not on the watery planet. The fact that she wasn't in Fejo's room could only mean one thing. He wasn't here.

This new realization forced the contents of her stomach to crawl up her throat. She vomited onto the floor, bile fighting with the sobs bubbling up in her chest. She'd failed him. This was all her fault. She failed Fejo and Julie and Mia and Manx and Molu and Uja and everyone. They were all dead or worse—because of her. She had to go back.

Mind a blur of fear and desperation, she crawled out of the bed and stumbled to the door. It didn't open. She pounded on the metal until her hands felt like knives were being jabbed into her palms with each hit. Vanessa continued screaming and clawing at the door for what could've been minutes or hours.

Eventually, she stopped. With a defeated sob, she placed her palms flat on the cold metal and slid to the ground, silent cries shaking her shoulders. She wept until her tear ducts stung, her body refusing to produce any more moisture.

She stared unblinkingly. Eyes open but not really seeing. Cold fury set up residence in her hollow, aching chest. Somebody would have to come and see to her sooner or later, and when they did, she'd rip them apart.

Her body was not her own anymore. A monster who only wanted revenge had taken its place. She'd been standing by the doorway for hours, gripping a solid, three-foot metal rod, the edge bloody from her torn-up hands. She'd disassembled every piece of furniture in this place, slicing

her skin open as she did. This long, jagged-edged piece of metal from the sleeping loft railing had been the best weapon she could find.

Memories of being abducted and confined to a cell back on Clecania kept rushing back to her and made the fire in her veins burn more brightly. If the asshole flying this ship was like the assholes who'd locked her up originally, all she'd have to do was wait for him to come check on her.

Though they should, her feet no longer hurt. She couldn't feel the open cuts on her hands. Anger had turned her hard. Or maybe the adrenaline was causing her not to feel pain. She stood with the rod raised by her shoulder, ready to swing it like a baseball bat as soon as somebody opened the door. From this position, her biceps should've been burning, but they weren't.

After what felt like an eternity passed, she heard metal locks sliding out of place. Time seemed to slow, seconds ticking by as if they were minutes. Her grip on her weapon tightened. She saw a tray first, piled with food, and swung. The rod made contact right in the center of Capra's face. The tray crashed to the ground, and Capra went flying back

against the wall of the hallway before crumpling. Blood streamed out of his nose, and he groaned.

Keeping the rod with her, she raced through the ship. On many occasions, Fejo had told her about the escape pods and how they worked. Though he hadn't let her visit the loading bay, always wanting to keep her away from Maladek and Capra, he'd described every button and symbol she'd have to press to ensure the pod would take her to the closest habitable port.

Her throat closed. Was Fejo still alive? She bit down on her lip until she tasted iron. The pain helped to keep her from falling apart entirely. She refused to believe he was dead. Not until she saw it with her own eyes. She found the door to the loading bay and pressed a palm to the control panel, leaving a smear of blood on the metal.

Her mind seized on the last thing she'd said to Maladek, and she realized she didn't know what he'd done. Was he on the ship? Was he driving this thing while Capra brought her food?

The door to the loading bay slid open, and she gripped the rod with sticky palms, now afraid Maladek might be

lurking behind any corner. The large, open space was lined with secured metal boxes, like smaller versions of shipping containers. And in the middle of the room was the largest container of all. It still smelled a little—the briny, sour scent of that planet wafted off it.

She tore her gaze away and spotted the escape pods right where Fejo had described. Vanessa trailed over to them, her shoulders slumping. A large metal container had broken free from the wall and had fallen directly in front of the pod doors. Her hand dropped to the side, her weapon clanking on the ground. Never in a million years would she be able to move the container and get into an escape pod.

Anger surged through her again, and her gaze swiveled around the cavernous room. Hooks and machinery were bolted down here and there, but she had no idea where to begin to look. With a furious cry, she lifted the rod and just stopped herself from slamming it down into the side of the fallen container. Clenching her fists and jaw until her arms were shaking, she tried to contain the scream clawing at her chest and let it out inside her head instead. She dug the palms of her hands into her closed eyes.

Breathing hard, her gaze landed back on the large container in the center of the room.

All of this for whatever was in there. All those men's lives —Julie's life and Mia's—apparently less valuable than whatever was in that damn box. There was a door with a control panel next to it on the long side of the box, and she saw it was slightly ajar. Capra hadn't even bothered to lock it.

She walked inside the black interior of the container, propping the door open and trying to give her eyes time to adjust. Blinding lights flickered overhead, motion activated. She stared around. Stacked five high and four across were long rectangular boxes, with a narrow space to walk in between each column. Flickering lights blinked on each of the boxes.

Vanessa blinked and walked forward, her sticky bloody weapon dragging on the floor behind her. She reached one of the boxes at shoulder height and saw there was a clear glass section on top. She peered in and her heart stopped. Placing a palm on the glass, she let out a clipped wail and lowered her forehead to rest beside her palm.

Women. This was a container full of what she assumed were human women. The pretty blonde inside the box she was touching had her eyes closed. She looked so peaceful. Just sleeping. Not yet aware that she'd been ripped from everything she knew.

PRIC hadn't been defeated. The Insurgents had been so quiet for so long that most had assumed they'd disbanded. Maybe they had. But it was clear someone new was taking over. She looked at a screen placed in the center of the long side of the coffin-sized box and saw a picture of the sleeping woman in the same position, eyes closed. Next to her picture was writing.

She recognized a few of the letters from the classes she'd taken to learn to read Clecanian writing. Though she couldn't read well yet, the format of the writing was familiar, the letters arranged in a way she saw often. It was a name.

Was it the blonde's name? She looked back to the glass portion, showing the woman's face, and saw a bloody handprint where her hand had once been. Movement sounded from outside. Wheezing breath and staggered steps. On instinct, she lifted the metal rod, and the pipe

clanged against one of the boxes. She froze. The wheezing noises from outside stopped.

He'd heard her.

She took quiet, measured steps toward the door. Her ears strained, and she listened for any hint of movement. Before she even realized he'd gotten closer, Capra flashed into the doorway. She swung the rod at him again, but this time he caught it in one large palm and ripped it out of her hands, pulling her forward and making her sprawl on ground. Still trying to get breath back into her lungs, she flipped and crawled backward, glaring up at him.

His face was bloody, his nose bashed in and bent at an odd angle. Blood rush down his chin, and she could already see bruises forming over his face. He snarled at her, lunging. His meaty fist gripped the fabric of her shirt and he lifted her up as if she were a rag doll, his knuckles slamming into her chin as the fabric rose up her stomach.

"I should've known you'd cause trouble." He lifted a spray nozzle to her face.

Memories of a similar spray from her last night on Earth came back to her. Knowing what was about to happen, she

rushed out, "Where's Fejo?"

Before he pressed down on the nozzle, he grimaced and

let out a humorless chuckle. "Dead." *

When Vanessa woke, her arm and shoulder ached. Stabbing pain flashed from her neck down to her wrist. She peered toward where the pain emanated. Her right wrist was cuffed to a chain, which connected to the stairs of a sleeping loft in one of the many rooms on the ship. This one was different from the one she'd torn apart earlier.

How long had she been out? She had no idea, but she assumed it'd been a while because there was a gnawing hunger in her stomach, and three trays of water and food were haphazardly placed next to her, one of which smelled off. Had Capra brought her food but not bothered to wake her up to make sure she ate it?

With her free hand, she rubbed her shoulder, then massaged the rest of her arm until the pins and needles went away. She sucked in a hiss of pain when she moved her wrist and found it was raw.

The pain seemed to jar something loose inside her, and she pictured Fejo. Her eyes swelled with tears and her chin wobbled. Capra had said he was dead.

All the fight spurring Vanessa on seeped out of her. She'd never see her sister or niece again. Fejo was gone. And she could just imagine where this ship was heading. Capra was taking her back to Clecania, but she sincerely doubted he'd drop her at the Pearl Temple. No.

Especially now that she'd seen what their package contained. There was no way Klinara would let her go free after witnessing that.

She stared at the food, hunger pains sliced through her insides, but she felt too nauseated to eat. Reaching to each of the three cups, she sipped the water and waited to see if her body rejected it before picking up a stale piece of bread.

The only reason she was on the ship at all was because Klinara apparently wanted to meet her. Wanted to meet the woman Fejo valued more than her. And if anything Fejo had told her about Klinara was true, she imagined the woman would want to torture her in one way or another.

Vanessa couldn't bring herself to care. All the hope that'd kept her going leaked away and left her numb. Nothing mattered. She was just some inconsequential, incapable human. The knowledge that she'd doomed those men to a horrible fate because of her stupid, selfish plans made bile coat her throat.

She scraped her nail over the hard piece of bread in her hand and curled into a ball on the ground. She remained huddled there, clutching the bread until the door slid open and Capra stalked in.

Her gaze slid to him, but she remained curled on the ground. She stared in silence, and he stared back, looking like he wanted to pummel her.

"What are you going to do with those women?" she murmured, not really expecting him to answer.

His mouth lifted in an ugly, cruel smirk, but his face was still so swollen and bruised that the gesture made him wince. Vanessa laughed at him. He scowled. "I didn't know you were stupid. What do you think she's gonna do with the humans?"

Vanessa shut her mouth, turning her gaze away. She could only imagine what they were going to do. "And what about me?" she questioned, not looking at him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him shrug. "No idea. I was ready to take you back to my hometown. I would've treated you well. I didn't realize what a little savage you were. Klinara wants you now, though."

"Probably needs a bridge partner." Vanessa scoffed without humor, every part of her carved out and bitter.

"Are you done eating?" he growled.

She focused on the crumbly piece of bread. "No."

"That's too bad. I don't have time to watch you and worry

about what you're going to hit me with next."

"I didn't realize you were smart enough to fly a

spaceship," she muttered.

He snarled at her, advancing and reaching into his back

pocket. He drew out the spray, and she didn't fight or move when he pushed it into her face.

Maybe sleep would be better. Every waking moment cut her down a little bit more. Reminded her of everything she'd

lost and everything she'd caused others to lose. Having the choice taken away felt like a relief.

She counted three new trays in front of her. Three days? Or three meals in one day?

Vanessa didn't know how long they'd traveled for. If they'd made any port stops. If they were traveling at hyper- speed or at a slow speed to stay under the radar. She wasn't even positive where they were going, though she assumed it was Clecania.

All of her waking hours felt the same. They were riddled with a pain worse than she'd ever known before. One she constantly smothered under a mask of numb indifference. She focused all her efforts on not thinking about Fejo.

Eventually Capra would come in. She'd insult him, goading him into making her sleep again. The blissful blackness was the only thing to look forward to.

Before he'd sprayed her last time, he'd told her they were getting close. The next time she woke, they'd be near home.

Chapter 29

Tugging on her sore wrist had her gasping awake in a moment. She found Capra crouching over her, removing the cuff keeping her in place.

He pointed toward the bathroom. "Go clean up," he commanded.

She frowned and remained unmoved. Why should she? For whose benefit? 'Cause she sure as shit didn't care.

"You do it, or I will." Capra raised a brow at her.

"Then you do it. I don't care anymore," she said, bringing her wrist to her chest.

He let out a deep sigh and hefted her up, dragging her to the foam shower. He turned it on and threw her in. Her head banged against the wall and she yelped, clutching her skull. As the stars disappeared from her vision, she slid to the bottom of the shower, letting the warm, frothy foam rain down on her fully clothed body.

Capra walked out of the bathroom, then came back carrying fresh clothes. Colorful embroidered ones that she hadn't purchased for herself. Fejo. She hid her face as tears

streamed down her cheeks and melted into the fizzing cleansing foam.

When she could keep her throat from bobbing and her chin from trembling, she focused on Capra again. His face was still mangled, purple bruising marked the whole middle, and his nose hadn't set quite right. Fejo had told her Tetrans didn't believe in using the healers for every little thing, but she was still surprised he hadn't healed it at all. He threw the clothes into the sink, grunting at her to change.

The dirty foam slid off her body and clothes and settled on the floor of the shower. She'd only been in the bathroom a few times on this trip, her chain barely long enough to reach the toilet. She eyed the clean clothes in the sink.

Part of her wanted to make this as hard for him as possible. Force him to dress her limp frame like a toddler throwing a tantrum. But she also realized she was a grown woman and being naked with an angry dude who'd expressed interest in "keeping" her before was a stupid idea.

She stood, allowing the rest of the foam to slide off, and waved him out before undressing and letting the foam clean

the rest of her body. She dressed and used some of the foam to clean her teeth.

Her hair was the least of her concerns, and she left it alone, knowing full well it would dry into a gnarled mess. The mirror reflected her ghostly appearance, and she almost winced at herself. Dark circles under her eyes were stark on her pale skin, and her lips were dry and chapped. Her eyes were bloodshot and the bit of white that was visible was dull. She looked more like a zombie than a person who'd been sleeping for days on end.

Changing into the large cerulean shirt and form-fitting pants, she exited the bathroom. Capra was behind her in an instant, binding her wrists behind her back. "Afraid I'll get the jump on you again?" she quipped.

"Let's go," Capra grunted, walking out of the room.

Vanessa couldn't gather much excitement about finally leaving the stuffy space. It wasn't like she had anywhere to go or anyone to go to. In fact, it was likely she'd never see anyone she cared about again.

She dragged her feet down the hall, shuffling behind Capra. He led her to the belly of the ship and into the

loading bay. Her steps faltered when she heard noise coming from the room.

Groups of men and women were lifting the boxes of unconscious women and carrying them through a large, open doorway. Normally, the wide doorway would've led to the outside of the ship and space. But it appeared another ship had docked with them because through the opening she saw a light gray metal hallway.

"So, this is Fejo's mate. I really can't understand what's so special about her," a female voice called from behind her. All of Vanessa's muscles tensed, and she slowly spun. A

pale gray woman with shocking silver hair and black irises emerged from the corner of the room where she'd been reclining.

She was beautiful, her bright white wings and silky silver hair glimmering even in the dim light of the ship. But the sneer on her face turned her features ugly, and though the woman's face was elegant and soft, Vanessa found her gaze was deadened and empty. She wondered if the only way Klinara could feel anything was by causing pain.

"Oh, Capra. I still can't believe this little thing did that to your face. She's barely more than bones."

Vanessa's glare remained hot and heavy on Klinara, and she muttered, "It was an improvement."

Capra flinched and snarled at Vanessa while Klinara let out a chuckle. "You're quick. I'll give you that," she acknowledged, her gaze running up and down Vanessa.

"And you're..." Vanessa started, mirroring Klinara's assessing gaze but with open disgust clear in her expression. "Less impressive than I thought you'd be," she finished, shrugging. "How were you able to manipulate Fejo for so long? Were you just the only woman available?" She shot Klinara a false pout, then winced apologetically. The only spark of joy Vanessa had felt in the last week lit in her chest as her insult registered and fury twisted Klinara's mouth into a grimace.

"You don't know anything about our relationship," Klinara whispered, donning a fake confident expression again, but Vanessa could still see her jab had landed on its mark. "If I snapped, Fejo would come running back to me." She lifted a smug brow.

Vanessa swallowed, her fingers itching to carve lines down the woman's face. "You mean if he wasn't dead. Right? If you hadn't led him to his death?"

Klinara flinched. Good. If there was any way to make this woman feel guilty, Vanessa wanted to exploit it.

Another winged male stepped up and peered between them. "We're loading the last one now," he announced.

The corner of Klinara's mouth lifted, but she didn't look away from Vanessa. "Good. You've double-checked the names of all the recipients?" She shot a questioning glance toward the man.

Vanessa watched as they carried the last unconscious human through the loading doors. The doors slid shut. About ten armed men waited in the loading bay. It was a shame Klinara traveled with so much backup. Vanessa would've really enjoyed at least attempting to kick the shit out of her. With this many guards, though, she wouldn't even get close.

"Is that what those names were on their boxes?" Vanessa snorted in derision. "You're shipping out women like livestock. Tell me, did you have the assholes bid?" She curled her lip at the woman. "Was this all about money?"

Klinara laughed. "Money? Nobody does anything for money. You do things for power. I trade favors, and I've accumulated a lot of favors. I know the perfect person to trade you to." She lifted a brow. "He's had a hard time finding willing females since his tastes are so...diverse."

Vanessa shook her head and raised her chin. "What happened to you?" she asked with furrowed brows. "How did you become like this? Fejo told me about your father. Is he why you grew up to be so evil?"

Klinara's lips thinned, turning white. She blinked at Vanessa. "You don't know anything," she hissed, her eyes darting around the room.

"You're right. I don't know a lot, but Fejo never said your dad was into abduction and trafficking, yet it seems you are. You turned out worse than him."

Her wings flared behind her and she took three threatening steps toward Vanessa before stopping herself. "Quiet, human, or you won't make it off this ship."

"You think I care?" Vanessa cackled, advancing on Klinara. She must've looked as crazy as she felt because Klinara took an instinctive step back. "You can do what you want to

me, but at least I know I was loved. At least I know I'm capable of love."

Klinara's wing flashed out and struck Vanessa across the face.

Fiery pain flared on her cheek and warm liquid dribbled down her jaw. She turned back to Klinara and grinned. "Did I touch a nerve there?"

Klinara's wide eyes shot to Capra. "Get her out of here."

Vanessa laughed as he gripped her nape and forced her away.

"Are they all loaded up into their separate pods?" she heard Klinara call into her communicator. "Naol!" she yelled again when no one answered.

Capra paused, turning to Klinara when the line remained silent. "Everything okay?" he asked.

Klinara huffed out a breath and motioned for the armed men in the room to gather. "Just more imbeciles who can't do their jobs. I'll find them," she grated, heading in their direction toward the loading doors. Capra pressed the control panel, and the metal loading doors eased apart.

When they did, shouts echoed through the room. Everyone froze.

As the doors slid open, she saw movement in the hallway of the other ship. Inch by inch, a figure was revealed, wearing black pants and an ornately embroidered emerald- green coat.

Vanessa couldn't breathe. She blinked, not trusting her eyes. Fejo's dark, penetrating stare landed on her. Two bloodstained knives were clenched in his fists. He flung one, angling his entire body and putting all of his weight behind the throw. The hand on her neck tightened moments before the blade sunk up to the hilt in the center of Capra's forehead. The horned man's grip on her nape squeezed, then fell away entirely as he crumpled to the ground.

"Hello, lovely." Fejo flung an arm around her waist and dragged her into the hallway of the other ship before she had time to blink. He pressed a swift kiss to her forehead and pushed her into a corner before saying, "Be right back," and vanishing into the loading bay.

A sob burst out of Vanessa's throat, and she sank to her knees, staring blindly ahead of her. Pounding footsteps

echoed from down the hall, then Uja came into view, followed by the rest of the crew. The sounds of flashing knives and slamming fists echoed from the loading bay as the crew filed in, fighting off Klinara's guards.

Molu appeared from around the corner and grinned at her with his razor-sharp teeth. "Let me help you with that," he said with a smile, kneeling down and forcing her upper body forward so he could fiddle with the cuffs on her wrists. He produced a small oval from his pocket and, after a few beeps, the cuffs clicked open.

Then he was gone, dashing into the fray.

Vanessa's mind finally returned to her, and she stood, peering around the corner. Fejo threw an elbow into the face of a guard rushing toward him. The winged man fell. As if Fejo could feel her gaze on him, he turned and flashed her a heart-stopping grin.

Vanessa choked out a sob of happiness, tears bursting out of her from nowhere. Fejo was there in an instant, pulling her back out of sight around the corner and dragging her against his chest. His fresh salty scent invaded her senses,

and she faintly recognized the sounds of the continuing battle occurring in the other room.

Fejo cupped her cheek, bringing her mouth to his. Her lips shook as she kissed him, her eyes squinting shut and her brows drawing together. He was here. He was alive.

Vanessa threw herself onto him, and he wobbled backward, chuckling against her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're not dead," she cried.

"No, love. I'll never leave you." He tipped her chin up between his thumb and curled knuckle, his gaze roving over her face as if hungry for the sight of her. His lips turned down as he inspected the cut on her cheek. "But I have to take care of a few things. Stay here."

She tried to get her voice to work, to argue, but he was gone before she had the chance. She peered back into the loading bay and saw the fight was winding down. Only a few armed guards still stood, but their sullen expressions and blood-drained faces made it clear they knew they were out- manned. Her gaze caught on a flash of white in the corner, and she saw a wide-eyed Klinara.

Vanessa stiffened as Klinara's gaze took in the scene, her focus shifting around the room as if looking for an escape. In a last-ditch effort, the woman jumped, attempting to fly out of the room.

Like a shot, Vanessa darted into the loading bay and tugged at the knife embedded in Capra's forehead. On the third heave, it scraped free. With a deep inhale, she burst up and just managed to hook Klinara around the ankle as she dipped to clear the loading bay doorway. Vanessa threw herself flat on the ground, using all of her body weight to wrench Klinara out of the air. The woman landed facedown on the floor with a screech.

Scrambling off her back, Vanessa climbed onto Klinara's wings, ripping her head up by the hair at her scalp and holding the knife to her throat.

"Vanessa, stop," Fejo's voice boomed through the room. He stepped in front of her, and she glanced up at him.

"Fejo, please help me," Klinara cried, reaching toward him with one hand.

Vanessa tightened the knife against her throat. "Don't talk to him," she barked.

"Lovely," Fejo called as he squatted in front of her, his hands out and his eyes glued to her. "Don't kill her. Let her go."

Vanessa's eyes darted between Fejo and the back of Klinara's head; the woman's wings flapped uselessly under Vanessa's knees. "Why?" she argued. "She killed you! I mean...she tried. Are you really telling me you want her to live? Was she right? Does she still have some weird control over you?" Her gaze shot back to Fejo when she heard him chuckling.

"No." He shook his head. "I need her alive so I can hand her over to the Queen. Then we're free, you and I."

Realizing this wouldn't end well for her either way, Klinara began to struggle.

Fejo held Vanessa's stare, and she mentally calmed herself, knowing he was right. She slid the knife away from Klinara's throat. "This is for my mate," she hissed into the woman's ear. Using the grip she had on the back of Klinara's head, she smashed her face into the ground. Klinara let out a grunt and passed out.

Manx and the shy guy who always hung out near the engine room rushed over immediately, binding Klinara's wings and hands behind her back.

Vanessa bolted toward Fejo, jumping into his outstretch arms. "I thought you were dead. What happened?"

"Maladek. He pretended to kill me. I wonder where he got that idea..."

Vanessa grinned against the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry. It was my fault." Happy, relieved tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

"Molu," Fejo called, gripping her chin and turning her face so he could examine her cheek. "Vanessa needs help." His jaw was tight, his gaze fiery as he stared at the gash on the Vanessa's face. Suddenly she remembered the almost identical cut on his cheek and the stab wound she'd seen when he'd been hypnotized on the bridge what felt like an eternity ago.

She squirmed until he let her down and touched him all over, checking for any lingering injuries. "Are you okay?" she breathed, ripping his tucked shirt from his pants and

examining his abdomen. She saw nothing. He must've already been healed.

His purr vibrated through his chest and tickled her palms. "I have enough to put Klinara away forever. I'll have my freedom, and I have you back. My vicious, gorgeous, glorious Vanessa."

She pursed her lips at his compliment, the corner of her mouth quirking up.

He chuckled again, his dimple popping with his wide grin. "I love you so much, Vanessa."

Vanessa smiled and twined her arms around his neck. "And I love you, my devastating, brave, perfect Fejo." She pulled him down, and he took her mouth in a deep, breath- stealing kiss.

Epilogue

Fejo squeezed Vanessa's hand, and his gaze caught on the blue markings curling over her fingers. The last three weeks had passed in a blur, but a highlight had been the surprise Vanessa had planned for him. Last week he'd burst through the door of their room, ready to bury his face between his beautiful mate's thighs, but her coy, mischievous grin had made him pause in his tracks.

When she'd lifted her slightly swollen hands, his mind had blanked. Curling blue markings almost identical to his own, but thinner, ran over both her hands.

"I had Vrok tattoo them with a bottle of ink. Do you like them?" she'd asked, a slight vulnerability making her voice soft.

He'd raised his gaze to meet hers. Did he like them?

When his voice had remained buried under the immense pressure in his chest, she'd pursed her lips. "You'd better say you like them, 'cause tattoo technology doesn't exist on this ship, and Vrok had to do this with a needle and it hurt like a motherfucker."

The grin that had split his face had made his cheeks ache. He'd taken a step toward her and placed her hands in his, twining their fingers together and beaming at the matching marks. "I have pounds of jewelry hidden throughout the ship that I'd planned to give to you. But you've outdone me with an old bottle of dewasque ink." He'd brushed a thumb over her cheek, and she'd leaned into his touch, forcing his chest to throb. "I now know what you meant when you said, It's the thought that counts."

Since then, Fejo had found it difficult not to run his finger along her markings every chance he could. Touching her helped to calm him when he remembered the feeling of almost losing her, which happened often.

But his beautiful mate was back in his arms now, and he'd never felt more grateful in his life. Once they'd stolen the Cae's ship and sped away from Sielijia, Fejo had tapped into the Ylare using a special hack he'd planted long ago in case his precious ship was ever stolen.

Catching up had been simple after that. The Cae ship had the most advanced cloaking technology money could buy. His mood had darkened when he'd realized the tech had

been installed to make trips to steal humans from Earth easier.

Luckily, when they'd found the Ylare, they'd also seen Klinara's ship. They'd cut their way into her hull from below using a suctioning method he'd stolen from dreg pirates who'd robbed him in his early days.

As his crew had snuck through Klinara's ship, cutting down guards when needed and incapacitating others when they could, his mind and soul had registered Vanessa nearby. He'd been ready to jump out of his skin, the joy at knowing she was alive and close more potent than any drug.

On their way to the Ylare, Uja had explained everything that had occurred after the Sieliji song played through his ship. His chest had burned and his throat had grown tight when he'd learned Vanessa had been unwilling to leave him behind, risking everything just to make sure he was safe.

At first, he'd been furious with Uja. His friend should've knocked her out, carried her to a pod, and sent her on her way. But then his lips had curled. His mate was stubborn. There was no arguing with her when she got something in her head. And in the end, her actions had saved them all.

Fejo finally recognized what it looked like to be loved without conditions. He'd already known he would've gladly laid down his life to keep Vanessa safe, and the knowledge that she would do the same was as humbling as it was beautiful.

He peered over at Vanessa, who was staring out through the window of the space-viewing room and gripping his hand. Her eyes were round, and she chewed on her bottom lip. Leaning close, he crooned, "You look nervous, lovely. Shall I give you an orgasm to calm you down?"

He knew the exact moment his words registered in her preoccupied mind because her eyes narrowed and then her mouth curled into a grin. She slid her gaze to him and playfully slapped his leg. "Give it a rest."

He wouldn't give it a rest, though. He didn't like to see his mate nervous, and surprising her out of her anxious thoughts was something that worked to lighten her mood every time. These days, she'd usually grin and take him up on his offers, which pleased him to no end, but today was different. He hadn't seen her this nervous since they'd arrived back on Clecania.

After clearing Klinara's ship and the stolen Cae ship, they'd towed both down to the Clecanian port, where the Queen had waited to greet them. In her hubris, Klinara had kept records of who each human was being sent to, which meant Fejo had been not only able to deliver Klinara and her crew to the Queen but also the names of each buyer. The stoic Queen of Tremanta's eyes had bugged in an odd display of emotion when Fejo handed over Klinara and the names of countless more illegal traffickers, a dozen human women.

The news of the discovery was kept quiet, and a week later, agents from the Galaxy Supervision Federation had appeared, kicking down doors and arresting the unwitting Insurgent members, some of whom were respected officials in their cities. Klinara had even tried to lessen her sentence, providing information on other high-ranking officials she knew of who belonged to PRIC.

It was devastating to learn that though the Insurgents had been silent, their numbers had reportedly only grown. Dissatisfied Clecanians had heard about the organization

and sought them out, displeased with the handling of the humans on the planet so far.

As Fejo had been promised, the Queen had had no choice but to wipe his slate clean, allowing him his freedom and his ship. The Ylare was finally his, and he now knew he had more honorable males under his care than he'd realized. As soon as the minor damage to the ship had been repaired, he and the crew he'd chosen to keep had boarded for a very important run.

It'd taken less time than before to reach Vanessa's home planet. There were no stops needed, and they'd only had to slow to evade the Alliance checkpoints, which they'd barely managed to do. Thanks to his eager crew working double duty, avoiding detection had been ultimately doable, though it had kept them on the edge of their seats for days. In one short week, the crew were gazing at the beautiful green- and-blue planet that held the key to their salvation.

Where the males looked at Earth greedily, Vanessa only looked on with fear.

"She'll forgive you." Fejo forced Vanessa's gaze to meet his with a firm hand on her jaw. "Wherever she is." He held

her gaze and let his words settle. Her small, dark brows furrowed, and he ran the pad of his thumb over her forehead to smooth it.

With a small smile and a nod, she buried her head into the crook of his neck, cuddling close, and whispered, "I hope so."

Vanessa wrung her hands together and paced in the dim room connecting to the med bay. Her gaze landed on a figure fast asleep in a heavily cushioned cot. Julie. Though frail and clinging to life with the same stubbornness that existed in Vanessa, Julie was still alive.

So many things should've gone wrong on their trip down to Earth. They could've been caught by the police, either Earth police or otherwise. But they hadn't been.

Vanessa had been sure they find Julie's house empty and would be forced to search all over Denver to figure out what had happened to her and where Mia had been placed. But when they'd landed their cloaked jumper on the lawn of Julie's home on a chilly winter night, they'd found both Julie and Mia fast asleep inside.

Neither of them had so much as stirred, as Fejo had ensured they'd remained unconscious with a shot of sleep spray and gently loaded them onto the jumper they'd bought to make the trip down to Earth a little easier.

As incredible as it seemed, it'd all been too easy. Vanessa had set foot on Earth, found and gathered her family, mailed the letters from all the humans back home, and re-boarded the Ylare all in less than an hour. She hadn't even needed to sneak off to get stamps at the grocery store. Being the careful, organized person she was, Julie had had ample envelopes and stamps tucked away in her small desk.

Everything had gone so perfectly.

So why couldn't Vanessa get rid of the sick churning in her stomach?

She took a few more steps toward Julie and wrapped her arms around her own waist. The light from above illuminated her sister, and Vanessa had to press a hand over her mouth.

Seeming to hang off her bones, her skin was pale, her cheeks gaunt. She'd lost so much weight in such a short

time. Julie looked like a ghost, nowhere near the strong force of nature Vanessa remembered.

"Are you ready?" Fejo whispered from behind her, making her jump.

Her gaze flashed to him for a moment before zooming back to Julie. Molu was behind him, waiting for her to give the go-ahead. "As ready as I'll ever be," she whispered back.

Molu moved to Julie's bedside and injected her with something to counteract the effects of the sleep spray. She was about to talk to her sister for the first time since their fight, and suddenly she had no memory of what she was supposed to say.

Molu turned to her and smiled, his grin a little dimmer and less pointy than usual. "It'll take a few minutes, but she should wake up soon. Given the condition she's in, I don't think we should wait too long before putting her into cryo- sleep."

Vanessa nodded and wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. The smell of crisp, salty water enveloped her a

moment before Fejo's arms encircled her shoulders. "Do you want me to stay?"

She peered toward the small, lumpy couch in the room where Mia was fast asleep under a pile of blankets. "No, I think it's better if it's just the three of us. She's going to be confused when she wakes up."

He pressed a soft kiss to her hair and gave her a squeeze before leaving.

She took a few more steps forward, but Julie remained still. A few minutes before she wakes up. Vanessa had so little time to organize her racing thoughts.

Emotion lodged in her throat like a tennis ball, and she glanced away at the wall. Her eyes caught on colored pictures she'd found on the refrigerator and taped to the bare metal wall to help Julie feel more at home. All drawn by Mia. Me and Mommy. Our house. Another that looked like a cross between an overweight unicorn and a cow.

There was even one that said Auntie Nessa. Vanessa licked her lips and bit the inside of her cheek to keep the whimper that built in her throat down. All the guilt and shame she'd been carrying around rattled throughout her

body with a renewed violence now that she was finally faced with the two people she'd let down.

What would Julie say? Would she forgive her? Would she demand to go back to Earth? How could Vanessa let her go back, knowing there was something out there that could heal her?

"Nessa?" A weak voice floated to her, and she spun. Julie's eyelids were half open, her head propped to the side. She stared with a vacant smile, as though seeing a ghost and fully accepting her mind was playing tricks on her.

Vanessa grabbed a chair from against the wall and set it by Julie's bedside.

A tear leaked from the corner of Julie's eye and trailed over her cheek. "Vanessa, is that you? Where have you been?" She heaved in a deep breath. Her eyes fluttered as if she were about to fall asleep again. "Oh. I'm dreaming again," she murmured to herself.

Vanessa reached out and gripped Julie's hand. "No, Jules, you're not dreaming. I'm here. I came back."

Julie's eyes flashed open, and she struggled to rise, her brows—what was left of them—furrowing. "Is that really

you? Where have you been? I've been so worried." Her gaze shifted and swiveled around the room. Julie's chin dropped, and she tried to sit up straighter. "Where are we? Where's Mia?"

Vanessa patted her hand, her own tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's okay. It's okay. She's right here. She's safe. I promise." Vanessa shifted, giving Julie a clear view of Mia asleep on the couch behind her, and Julie calmed a fraction. Her focus returned to Vanessa, and she held her stare, her eyes scanning Vanessa's face like she couldn't believe she was seeing her.

"Julie, I..." Her throat clogged, and she shut her mouth, waiting for the lump to stop swelling before speaking again. "Julie, I'm so sorry," Vanessa choked out, her voice thick. "About that night, I...I didn't mean anything I said. Of course I'll watch after Mia. Of course." She squeezed Julie's hand lightly.

A slow smile spread over Julie's face and her other hand came to rest on Vanessa's. "I know. I know you will. I always knew you would. I'm sorry for springing it on you like that. I realize it was a shock. When you disappeared, I knew

something had to be wrong. I was sure you'd come over the next day and apologize. What happened? I looked everywhere. The police said you were just...gone."

Guilt had her breaths coming in short gasps, but Julie's easy forgiveness was forcing her tears to come faster. "I'll explain everything, I promise. But right now, I need you to trust me, and I need you to keep an open mind." She turned her gaze serious, staring at Julie hard.

Julie's browse knit. "Something's different about you, Nessa. Tell me what happened," she urged again.

"I... After our fight..." Vanessa pursed her lips. How the hell was she supposed to tell her sister she'd been abducted by aliens and they were both currently on an alien ship? "I was abducted by aliens." Vanessa pushed the words out through a wince.

Julie laughed. "Shut up. Really, what happened?" Vanessa remained silent.

Slowly, Julie's face fell. Her brows knit. "Stop it," she

chided at Vanessa's serious expression.

"It's true," Vanessa urged. "And Julie..." she breathed.

"They have the ability to heal you."

Julie's eyes turned glassy and flashed toward Mia again. She jerked her hand away. "That's a shitty thing to say, Vanessa."

She tried to speak through tears as her sister struggled to sit up. "It's true, Jules. It's true. I can prove it." She inhaled a deep breath and produced a knife from her pocket.

"Nessa, stop it!" Julie's hands flashed out and she tried to wrestle the knife away, but she was too weak.

Vanessa held the knife to her palm, cutting into the soft flesh. She bit back a whimper at the stomach-turning sensation of sharp metal slicing into her palm. Julie gasped, her eyes flashing between Vanessa and Mia, clearly struggling with whether she needed to protect her child from her own sister.

Vanessa replaced the knife in her pocket and took out the small portable healer.

"What the fuck, Vanessa?" Julie whispered, her gaze flashing back toward Mia again.

"Just look, okay? I knew you wouldn't believe me no matter what I said, so I had to prove it. I can heal you, and we can all be together," she quickly rushed out.

Julie's eyes were widening by the second and her gaze flashed around as if she were starting to realize more and more how off the room looked. What kind of hospital had black metal walls and light that emanated from the ceiling itself rather than a light fixture?

Vanessa held the healer to her hand, lifting her palm so Julie could see, and turned it on. Julie's gaze locked onto the wound, her jaw going slack when black bubbling liquid coated her bloody cut. She tossed the healer away and peeled the black substance away until all that was left was a small red scar and some blood.

Julie stared at the scar, mouthing something Vanessa couldn't hear.

"You see?" she said, holding her hand out. "I'm not lying, and I'm not crazy. I was taken right after we got into our fight. I would've never left you like that. But I wonder if it isn't a miracle that I was taken. On this planet, they have a way to heal you."

Julie's watery gaze finally lifted. Her face was even paler, and her chest was rising and falling in shallow pats.

"But you'd have to leave Earth and go with me. It's your choice, Jules. I'll respect whatever you pick and I'll take Mia with me if that's what you want, but I can't go back to Earth."

Julie's gaze shot between the thin red scar and Vanessa's eyes. She continued to do that for many drawn-out moments before finally sinking back against her pillows. Once more, her gaze traveled to Mia, who'd twisted herself into a ball of fluffy purple comforter. Julie's wide-eyed expression softened as she looked at her daughter. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she swallowed. "It's true? I could stay with her?"

Vanessa let out a relieved breath and gripped Julie's hand again. Her shoulders relaxed when Julie didn't pull her hand away. "Yes. I promise. The doctor said we'll have to put you into something like an induced coma until we get somewhere where they have everything they need to heal you, but I promise, I won't let anything happen to you or Mia."

She spent the next few hours explaining everything that had happened to her since being taken from Earth while

Julie sat with her still-unconscious daughter curled on her lap, stroking her hair. Julie took most of what Vanessa said well but clutched Mia to her chest when she learned they were currently on a spaceship floating above Earth.

Convincing Julie to come with her was blessedly easy. Julie was an amazing mother, and if there was even the slightest chance she could be alive and well for her daughter, she'd take it.

After Vanessa knocked her out with sleeping spray again —something they both agreed would be better, considering Molu with his sharp teeth and orange skin might be too much of a shock—Vanessa watched as Julie was put into a cryo-sleep chamber.

Fejo came in and helped carry Mia's things to their room while Vanessa carried Mia. She smiled at him when she walked inside and saw he'd set up a bed for her underneath the sleeping loft where his couch had been.

She tucked Mia in, trying to figure out how she was going to explain all of this to a seven-year-old. Fejo eyed the little girl warily as if he'd never seen one before and thought she

might wake up shrieking. Then, as he set down Mia's backpack, he stared, his mouth curling in amusement.

Vanessa glanced at the sparkly bag and chuckled. Bright purple with a lime-green alien in a sparkly UFO on the front. "Yeah. I forgot to mention Mia's been obsessed with aliens since she was five."

Fejo's grin widened.

"Who's Mia torturing today?" Vanessa said as she towel- dried her wet hair.

Fejo grinned wickedly. "Vrok. She begged him to let her color again."

Vanessa giggled. Over the last week Mia had had no problem whatsoever adjusting to life on a spaceship. In the mornings, she would visit her mom, still sleeping peacefully in her pod, and chat about all the cool aliens she'd talked to that day.

Being the clever little girl she was, Mia had also realized fairly early on that the enormous, scary aliens were putty in her hands. She especially loved days when Vanessa allowed Vrok to watch her. The last time Vrok had babysat for a few

hours, Vanessa had found them both in the hallway, Vrok seated on the ground with bent knees and wide, worried eyes. Mia had stood on the tip of his knee, holding on to to one horn for balance, while she'd used paint to "color in" all the drawings he'd spent hours creating. Vrok had kept his hands spread underneath her as if she were a glass figurine on the edge of the table.

Vanessa had apologized to Vrok profusely, and the next time Mia had seen him and begged to go paint with him again, Vanessa had told her no. Vrok, the gargantuan black- and-red horned alien who liked to be on his own to draw, had quickly muttered that he didn't mind and seemed to darken a shade as he'd pulled Mia along with him toward a new carving he'd drawn for her.

But the person Mia loved more than anyone else was undoubtedly Fejo. She loved to place dress-up with his fancy coats, and he'd even managed to get her into the pool without the six or seven hundred floaties she normally required. The fact that he could breathe underwater seemed to lessen her fear of swimming.

Vanessa and Fejo had finally gotten some time alone today, though, and had visited a different room in the pool area. She let out a contented sigh as she watched Fejo dry himself off and run his gaze over her naked body. His eyes shot up to hers, and he grinned, not at all embarrassed about being caught.

In a few days, they'd be close enough to Clecania to smuggle Julie to the surface and heal her.

Vanessa stepped closer and slipped her arms around Fejo's neck, sighing at the feel of his warm chest pressing into hers. "We did it," she breathed.

His grin softened, and he swept her hair over her shoulder before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "We did."

Her chest expanded, love filling her with a sense of completeness. "Thank you," she said, filling her voice with all the gratitude she could muster.

He pulled one of her hands to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to her palm. "Vanessa..." he started.

She smiled and interrupted him. "I know, I know. I'm your mate and I don't have to thank you, right?"

He pulled a face of mock surprise. "Actually, I was going to say you're welcome. Clearly, you couldn't have done it without my expertise. I'm expecting to be thanked thoroughly for the rest of our lives. Both verbally and nonverbally."

Vanessa pursed her lips to keep her laugh inside. "You are so cocky," she whispered. She let out a deep sigh, beaming at him. "And I love you so damn much."

He sucked in a deep breath as though basking in her words for a moment, and his purr rumbled in his chest. "I know."