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“That sounds like it was a cushy number,” Jafar said. “Cleo was your partner?”
“She still is. And I’ll get back to the Apocalypse, eventually.”
“It could take a while,” Kaleb said. “After we’ve dealt this skirmish with, there’s talk of us going to Freeton. Apparently, there’s an uprising. Something about illegal weapons trading and slavery. I frickin’ hate anyone selling aliens.”
Hunter scowled. Freeton was in the next galaxy. If he got sent there, it would take him farther from Cleo.
“You and Cleo, did you go out on missions?” Jafar said. “Are humans good partners to fight alongside? They seem too small to do much damage.”
“That’s why they have us. Cleo is in charge of the ship, so we didn’t get out that often.”
Jafar slapped him on the back. “You were sleeping with the big boss?”
“It wasn’t like that,” Hunter growled out.
He chuckled. “Did you get ordered around in the bedroom?”
Hunter simply glared at him.
“I’ve never been with a human?” Kaleb said. “What’s it like? I heard they’re not so different to our females.”
It was incredible. The best damn sex of his life. “None of your damn business.”
“You’ll never get to find out what fucking a human is like,” Jafar said. He slapped Hunter on the shoulder again. “It’s good you’ve got someone waiting for you. It helps fill the lonely nights when you’re in a bunk alone. I’ve not got a honey waiting for me, but I have a great imagination.”
“Yeah, and we all hear that imagination slapping against your hand in the middle of the night,” Kaleb said.
Jafar roared out a laugh. “You gotta do what you gotta do to get through this.”
“I see the camp.” Hunter heaved out a relieved sigh as their temporary barracks came into view.
“I’m getting up front,” Kaleb said. “I want to be the first in the shower, before you lot mess it up with your filth and steal all the soap.” He jogged on ahead.
Hunter walked the last half mile to the barracks with Jafar, dumped his equipment, and then grabbed something to eat.
He couldn’t get Cleo out of his head. She was his for the briefest of times, and then she was gone. It wasn’t fair.
But he wasn’t planning on hosting a pity party for one. Cleo was where she needed to be. Hunter had to focus on that. She was safe, and surrounded by people who loved her, although not as much as he did.
He stretched out his sore muscles. Tomorrow they’d be out on more patrols, so he should rest, but he couldn’t settle. Even after a second meal, nothing seemed to calm him.
“I’m going to check out the river,” Hunter said to Jafar.
“Why do you want to go there? Not to swim? It’s polluted.” He was laid out on his bunk, one arm behind his head.
“I need to blow off some steam. I won’t be long.”
“Stick to the south side. There’s nothing going on over there, so it’s safe. And there’s supposed to be a waterfall out that way. Let me know if you find it, I want to take a look myself.”
“Will do.” Hunter checked out with the barracks captain so they knew where he was, then headed out.
The ground under his feet was rocky, and he carried a small torch to make sure he could see his way, but his Apexian eyesight ensured he didn’t fall into any holes.
The main fighting was about five miles from their barracks, but Hunter was still on the alert for any sneaky Gilab taking a peek when they shouldn’t be.
But there was no one else out that evening. The night was silent. Most of the other troops were already crashed out in their bunks, getting the rest he so badly needed. Hunter hadn’t slept well since he’d arrived, and it wasn’t just because Kaleb snored like an obese hippo.
He’d never settle into this life and accept it as his new future. He’d follow the orders and fight when needed, but the only fight he cared about was going on in his heart. He had to find a way to get back to Cleo.
