Jane
The hours droned on.After using components from the medpack, I’d sealed the cut on Tor’s ribs and bandaged the wound. I’d paced for a while, ate a snack from the kitchens, changed into a tank-top and sweatpants, checked the coordinates three times, programmed the computer to monitor the space around us, and disengaged the stealth shielding once far enough from the Mangox outpost to conserve power.
When nothing was left to do, I returned to monitor Tor’s condition. He slept like the dead, and it freaked me the fuck out. To try and ease the fear slithering through me like an insidious snake, I sat with my back to the wall and his head in my lap. I reasoned that I could keep him with me, if I just held onto him. It was delusional, but I didn’t care.
I must have nodded off at some point as I awoke to the sound of the computer beeping. “Destination in ten clicks.”
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched my arms overhead. It took me a minute to realize I wasn’t in the back of the ship. A soft mattress laid under me, a cool sheet over me. I jumped from the bed and ran toward the bridge. There, in the pilot’s chair, sat Tor. His hands rested on the ship’s yoke.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Tor?”
He rose at the sound of my voice and turned toward me. The bandage was gone from his side and all that remained of the injury was a faint white line against his bronze skin. “Fair meet, Jane.”
My eyes filled with tears as he spoke the formal Rhonar greeting. A wave of anger crashed over me, warring with my relief that he lived. I slapped my hands against his chest, once, twice, again and again. “You almost died.” Fear like I hadn’t experienced since that day when my sister was blown into space had been dogging my steps from the moment Tor fell. I hadn’t noticed it until now, but his near-death experience had eaten away at my resolve. No matter what my mind said, my heart knew the truth. I was falling in love with the commander. And I’d come so close to losing him. “Why weren’t you more careful?”
He stilled my strikes by capturing my hands against his chest. He held them there, my palms against his pecs. His double hearts beat beneath my touch. “I am sorry, my Truxoria.” His lips brushed my cheeks, kissing away the tears. “I never meant to cause you pain.”
“I wasn’t the one hurt.” I jerked back from his hold to narrow my eyes at him. “You were.”
A smirk tugged at his lips. “I was. But I had my new Terran hero to save me.”
“No.” I wagged a finger in his face. “I am not getting another nickname. You hear me?”
“Yes, my ljona.” His lips found my forehead, my temple, and my cheeks once more. “You are right.”
When his mouth found mine, his tongue plunged inside. The whirlwind of emotions shifted to instant heat at his touch. I wanted to yell at him more. I hated feeling afraid and preferred to express it with anger, but the building inferno inside me didn’t care what I wanted.
I moaned into his mouth.
“One click to destination.” The computer’s message broke us apart.
Panting, I stared into his eyes, not sure what I was seeking beyond the lust that swam through me. But his purple rimmed eyes glowed with silver. The emotions in that gaze were more than mere desire. I had the urge to wrap my legs around him and beg him to take me while simultaneously needing to run away as far and fast as I could. He must have seen something in my face as he snagged a hand in my hair and tilted my head back. He ran his clever tongue up the side of my neck, then kissed me once more before letting me go.
“Computer,” he said, reclaiming his spot in the pilot’s chair. “Inform the hosts of our arrival and prepare for landing.”
I wobbled on my feet before gaining my bearings. I plopped into the co-pilot’s chair and strapped in. The screen displayed a small golden planet with one sun. The land masses glistened as if alight from within. Patches of purple water were splattered across the surface. “It’s beautiful.”
Tor turned to me, a soft expression on that strong, chiseled face. “Yes, I agree.”
A flush warmed my neck. By the open admiration in his eyes, I knew he wasn’t talking about the planet.
“Greetings, visitors!” A feminine voice called as the screen shifted. An alien with enormous eyes, like an animated character, small nose, and bow shaped mouth appeared. Long golden hair flowed from her forehead and around pointed ears. Her skin was a pale-yellow shade like the petals of a tulip. “I am Calia, mate of Lorn. We’re happy to welcome you to Sense VII.”
“Thank you for your welcome. I am Torian, Commander of the Rhonar.” He bowed his head and rested his fist on his sternum. Then, he waved at me. “This is my partner, Captain Jane Kadaran of Earth.”
“Wonderful!” The alien named Calia gave a one-handed clap. “It is our honor to have you to our planet. Please direct your ship to the landing bay at the Prism Palace.” Her image winked out as a map replaced it on the screen with distinctive coordinates. “We’ll meet you there.”
Tor closed the com while I programmed the ship to the given directions. His brows winged up as his gaze followed my hands. “You weren’t lying when you said you’d learn how to fly the ship in a few hours.” He shot me a half-smile. “I still can’t believe how much you picked up. Took me forever to learn to pilot.”
“It’s my gift.” I waved it off as if it were of no consequence. But inside, I was dancing. I’d always been a sucker for compliments, but his praise was a whole other level of contentment.
“It’s more than that.” He handed me a holo-pad attached to the console. “But let’s prep for the meeting. You read about the Kinsians in the mission research.”
“Yes.” I nodded and swiped to the section on Kinsians. “They’re a species who are addicted to,” I cleared my throat, “sensual pleasure and knowledge of the universe. They possess vast records of galactic history and alien biology on their home world.” My eyes skipped over the paragraph describing their planet. “They’re born with white or gray pigment to their skin, but it alters when they mate to form complimentary colors or shades of the same hue.” I cocked my head to the side as I read. “That’s neat. One mate for life. Yada-yada. Where’s the stuff on Sense VII?”
“It’s further down.” He motioned to his holo-pad where he had it opened and read, “They created a colony on the small planet to serve ‘all those who seek knowledge’ as is their motto.”
“And it just so happens, the planet they chose houses some of the rarest materials in the universe.” I scoffed.
