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“Extremely.” She runs her finger along the edge of her bowl and then licks it. “It’s been forever since I’ve been keffed good and hard, and of course I’m jealous. You don’t get laid a lot in my line of work.” She sighs, gazing down at her food. “It can’t be my stellar personality.”
I snort and hit the buttons to serve my favorite dish. While the machine works, I glance over at the bounty hunter. “Were we loud, then?”
“Let’s just say poor Sophie’s going to need therapy if this goes on much longer.” She pauses. “And I could use some earplugs.”
“Therapy?”
Her voice raises in a mimicking sound again. “She’s keffing an alien? Voluntarily? That’s SO gross!” Bethiah shrugs. “I offered to show her a good time, no strings attached, but then she just ran out of the room. What can you do.”
I almost feel guilty. Almost. “She just needs time. This is a lot for a human to take in and she’s dealt with too much trauma in her life.” I take my bowl, glance around the empty mess hall, and then decide to sit with Bethiah after all. Sure, she’s a bit of an ass, but I’m getting used to her. I poke at my noodles with my utensils, stirring the sauces. “Do I need to talk to her?”
“Naaah. She’ll come around. Or she won’t. You can’t coddle the universe.” She lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug. “The strong ones survive.”
Harsh, but she’s got a point. I still make a mental note to go and talk to Sophie anyhow. She needs a friend and she also needs to understand that not all praxiians are bad and Nassakth in particular is wonderful and kind and generous and…I could be a little obsessed. I blush at my own thoughts and stir harder. “It’s hard for humans out here.”
“It’s hard for everyone. You think I became a bounty hunter because I’m a people person?” Bethiah gives me a skeptical look and then sticks her utensils into my bowl, fishing out a cube of protein. “I do it because it pays well.”
“Hey!” I smack her hand with my eating sticks. “Get your own. There’s a damn dispenser.”
“Yes, but yours is ready. Don’t worry, I don’t have parasites.” She grins at me as she chews. “So, where’s your big cat and his even bigger warrior?”
My face goes bright red. “Heard that, did you?”
“How could I not? You were screaming it at the top of your lungs last night.” Bethiah fishes another bit out of my bowl, and I push the whole thing toward her. It’s less appetizing when someone else is eating all the best parts. I go to get myself another bowl, thinking of my mate. His mane was delightfully mussed this morning when I woke him up with my mouth on his cock, and we made love before jumping into the shower—and then were immediately all over each other again. I sigh happily. I don’t know why we waited so long, but all the pent-up need seems to be bursting at the seams because we can’t keep our hands off each other. I’m refueling with some food before we head back in for another round of vigorous, enthusiastic, incredible lovemaking. “He went to the bridge to discuss payment plans for the return trip. Plus, there’s Sophie’s passage to discuss.”
“Mmm. I don’t think you have to worry about her.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, these guys had a little sister that was human, you know? I think Sophie must remind them of her, because when I saw them earlier, Adiron was showing her the basics of the nav boards. And they have room for a fourth on this ship. She can be their little pet.”
“She’s not a pet, Bethiah.”
“Well, whatever.” Bethiah picks at the bowl of noodles in front of her, and when I sit down with a new dish, she immediately eyeballs it. I scoot my current bowl closer to my chest, glaring at her. She just smirks. “Want to know a fun fact?”
Uh oh. “Probably not?”
“I checked the newly posted bounties a few hours ago.” She toys with her food absently. “Guess who’s posted one?”
My mouth goes dry and I stare down at my food bowl, suddenly no longer hungry. “Nassakth’s parents?”
“Yep. And the bounty’s twice as large.”
I groan, frustrated. “They didn’t get the hint? Why won’t they just leave him alone?”
“Because it’s not about what he wants. It’s about what they want.” She takes a big, slurping bite of food and chews, then pokes her sticks at me. “Don’t worry, though. You’re not going to be chased by bounty hunters all your lives. I flagged their profile as risky.”
“Risky?” I echo, curious.
“Risky as in ‘you probably won’t get paid for it.’ No one’s going to touch it with a ten foot shock-stick.” She grins at me. “And you know my kind are all about the credits.”
