Page 63 of Tempting Fate

Imani (Vadias)

I can’t wait!

If Kira came here and liked it, if she went on to visit some of the others and told them… Maybe one day a bunch of us might live in Vadias Town. We could build some semblance of a community together. Even Ellie—unless she actually got together with her boss, which might mean she ended up staying on Draim Station long term. More likely, she’d finally seduce him, then lose her job and end up here.

I blew out a long breath. I didn’t want that for her.

Two months ago, security had been the most important thing for all of us. Now, I dared to believe we could have more than that; we could be happy too. Except I was stuck here, not back in town building my new life.

Airida stirred and gave a troubled groan, throwing the blanket from his torso.

I dropped my comm on the chair. “You slept a while. How are you feeling?”

“The usual,” he murmured, voice softened with sleep. He curled one elegant hand around himself. “After this and a mug of tea, I am sure I will feel much improved.”

I fetched a towel and placed it on his chest, trying to ignore the heat radiating off him. “Move the blanket, then.”

I tried to take my mind elsewhere as I tended to him, but now he was relaxed and calm, all I could think about was the way he responded every time I gave him an order—or spoke to him like that.

When he’d started spiralling, I hadn’t known what else to do, and it felt pretty shitty to treat him like a wayward child.

But giving him orders had worked.

Dammit.

Unwanted heat pulsed between my legs. Why did he have to be gorgeous, easy to talk to, and have the kind of attitude I was weak for?

His dick bucked in my hand.

I took a deep breath and worked him quickly. He needed more sleep. I needed air. And I needed to find Daiytak and ask her how long kalidi would go on for.

Anything more than a few days and I was going to lose the plot.

Stepping into the open air didn’t help, not even when I took deep lungfuls of it. I needed out of the village. But as I made my way over to the speeder corral, movement from the far path caught my attention.

Two people ran past me as Orukem limped into the village. Her clothes were filthy and torn, and her eyes glittered with anger.

What the hell had happened?

We all bustled round her, but once she was sat by the fire, she waved us away. “I’m fine. I just need food and a shower.” Then she added in a low grumble, “And some pain relief.”

“You don’t look okay,” Daiytak said. “What happened? We found your speeder.”

“Damn j’tzavi bitch.” Orukem took the offered bowl of food with a tight smile. “She knocked me out with her”—she waggled her fingers by her temple—“and I woke in her damn ulth shed with the worst headache. Do you know how bad those cattle smell?”

What had Daiytak called the j’tzavi who lived in the mountains? A mind-husker? What did that even mean? On second thoughts, maybe I didn’t want to know.

Among the mutters of outrage and disbelief, Daiytak said, “You’ve been gone three days.”

Orukem’s mouth tightened. “Damn. I assumed I went there yesterday. I must have been knocked out for longer than I thought.”

“What happened to your comm?”

“It got fried.”

Daiytak shook her head. “Why did she do it? You’re one of the only people she doesn’t scream at.”

“Not any more.” Orukem gave a deep sigh, rubbing her forehead as if she could chase the headache or the memories away. “No, something had her spooked. She was muttering something about shadows and trespassers, then out of nowhere she went all ———”