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Breccan’s responding growl fills the room and I mimic Avrell’s sigh. I think sometimes he likes to hear his own superiority.
“Just scan her!” His strange tapered ears flatten against his skull and his eyeteeth extend past his lips like some kind of emo vampire. A hot one, though I’d never admit it.
Avrell waves the scanner over my body as it beeps and transmits information to the screen. I can’t read their odd language, but I do recognize a readout of my body and the corresponding components. Not that I know what any of it means. I glance at Breccan as he steps closer to my side, a deep rumble still emanating from his chest.
“Relax. Why are you being so protective, Commander? I’m just scanning her, as ordered.” He sends Breccan a knowing look, who glances away, finally going quiet.
“Since this is my body we’re talking about, will you tell me what’s going on and why you’re checking me? I thought you said the toxica was safe.” It certainly didn’t feel safe being paralyzed. More like frightening. I thought cryosleep was terrifying, but being so vulnerable in this strange place full of intimidating males isn’t exactly my idea of a reprieve. Especially not with Breccan, who has made me so conflicted in such a short period of time.
Avrell finishes scanning and swipes through the screen at the bedside. “The toxica is safe. Paralysis during first-time copulation is usually the worst it’ll ever be. It’ll lessen as your body grows accustomed to the toxica. The recovery time will shorten and your faculties will return much more quickly while your body’s ability to retain our seed will increase with each exposure.” He smiles at me. “I’m checking to see if—”
There’s a quick knock at the door and then another alien appears, though this one looks much younger than Breccan and Avrell. His face is unlined and his hair looks as untamed as his smile. It reminds me of those sharply angled Goth haircuts teenagers used to sport when I was younger. It works on his face, which is cut with dramatic cheekbones and a slashing brow. His pointed ears twitch when his eyes land on me and his eyes crinkle as he breaks into a wide, youthful smile.
“Hadrian. You should be in the command center attending to your duties,” Breccan says sharply. He moves closer to me as Hadrian advances, nonplussed by Breccan’s admonishment.
“Draven took over for a while so I could do a perimeter check. During my rounds, I saw the light on here and decided to check to make sure no help was needed.” He speaks at double speed and fidgets in place as though he has the energy of a toddler. “Is she breeding yet, Av? Can you tell?”
Despite everything, his exuberance makes me want to smile because it’s so uncalculated. He reminds me of me when I was younger. Innocent. Untainted by the miseries and pressures of life.
“Hadrian!” Avrell says sharply, but I lift a heavy arm to touch Avrell’s hand.
“It’s all right,” I say, but Breccan is practically vibrating next to me. Avrell wisely moves out of my reach. My hand drops back to the bed. Breccan bristles but settles down. “Well,” I say to Avrell. “You may as well answer him. That’s why we’re all here, isn’t it?”
Breccan, if at all possible, crowds closer. He tries to take my hand but I evade him. The last thing I want is to be close to him right now.
Avrell swipes at the screen, makes notes and checks readings. I have no idea how they’re able to tell if I’m pregnant after just one time, let alone so quickly, but they must be able to. He turns to Breccan. “I’m sorry, Commander. Not this time.”
I expect Breccan to react badly, but he seems…pleased by this news. It’s evident he enjoyed sleeping with me. Probably more than I realize.
Which could work for my plan of escape. I’ll woo him with my tricks in bed, let him think I’m being compliant, and then disappear from right beneath his should-be-ugly-but-isn’t nose.
“Can I speak to you in private?” Avrell asks Breccan, who nods and follows him out of the examination room.
“Rekk, you’re beautiful,” Hadrian blurts. “For an alien, I mean.”
He’s disarmingly charming and his blunt comments make me like him more than I should. “You don’t look too bad yourself—for an alien,” I respond, and then smile to let him know I didn’t take any offense. “So you work in the command center? Is that far from here?” Despite how much I like him, it occurs to me Hadrian’s youthful ignorance can also be an advantage. The layout is confusing to me and learning what I can about the place will be helpful.
“It’s on the south side of the facility.”
“What do you do there?”
Hadrian sits on the bed next to me, but his foot taps against the ground. “I’m in training to become the next commander. I’ll take Breccan’s place when he ages out.” He turns to me, his face growing serious. “If he makes it that far. It’s been a long time since a mort aged out. Most of our people die from worse things than old age.”
