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“Keeping you safe isn’t a waste of time. It’s my mission.”

She cast him an exasperated look. It was an expression he’d gotten used to.

Rexx didn’t care if she got annoyed by him. He could smell when something was wrong with her. His senses had been enhanced, thanks to a few months of being a sadistic monster’s lab rat. And while all Apexians had heightened senses, his were more sensitive than anyone else’s.

As gross as Daisy found it, he could sniff out when she was sick. And their bond was intensified because they’d exchanged energy a few times. That was a binding force. You shared blood, you shared power, and you formed a connection that went bone deep and lasted for life. For him, anyway.

Everything in Rexx screamed to protect Daisy. And that included protecting her from himself.

He slid a health scanner from the pack he carried and activated it, discreetly scanning Daisy when she had her back turned to him. His brow wrinkled as he read the output. She was running a temperature.

“Hey, what are you doing with that?” She stalked over and tugged the scanner from his hand.

“You have a fever. I knew you were ill.”

“I’m not!” She tipped back her head and let out a long sigh.

“But you’re not feeling well?”

Daisy looked back at him and pursed her full lips. “Will you get off my back if I admit I’m tired?”

He shook his head. “That’s it. Lab work for a month. No missions off the ship.”

“No way. You’re out of your mind. And you’d die of boredom stuck on the Apocalypse for a whole month. You live for the escape.”

He may go stir crazy, but it wouldn’t be the first time. He’d manage a month inside, so long as she was safe.

Daisy glared at him then checked through the scan results. “You’re overreacting. It’s a small rise in temperature. It’s nothing. I’m having an off day, that’s all.” She placed the scanner back in the pack then leaned against a tree.

He had to convince her to take a proper break. They worked hard as part of the catch and retrieval crew on the ship. It was long hours, but rewarding when they helped preserve an endangered species. And it was rewarding for him because it made Daisy so happy.

“You don’t like to do the lab work?” he said.

She shrugged. “Sure. Not as much as Wren, though. She lives for the microscopes.”

“Not anymore. I’ve lost my sparring partner, thanks to her.”

Daisy chuckled. “You haven’t lost Striker. He just gets preoccupied when Wren’s around. And why not? Wren is awesome.”

Rexx grunted. He had no problem with anyone on-board the Apocalypse, but Striker was his go-to guy when he needed a partner in the training room. Now, Striker’s thoughts were only on Wren.

He slid Daisy a glance. He understood the obsession. When he wasn’t thinking about the next mission, he was working through strategies to keep Daisy protected. She was too trusting. It got her in trouble.

She nudged him with an elbow. “This was a partial success. After all, we located the zinibars. I never thought I’d see one in the flesh.”

“We were close.”

“They’re so beautiful. And those babies will be adored. They mate for life when they find a compatible partner.”

“I know.”

She nudged him again. “You ever thought about that?”

Only all the time when he was around her. “No.”

“You don’t have anyone special back home?”

“The Apocalypse is my home.”