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“Ah, and there it is,” he grunts and starts reaching to disconnect the comm.
“Not to sell!” I nearly shout. “I want her because… because she’s mine.”
Zell pauses and arches one of his brow ridges. “Fated?”
“No.” I scrunch up my nose. I lost faith in fate long ago, and besides, Vesen choose their mates, not fate. They claim them with a bite, tying them together for the rest of their lives. “The moment I saw her… I wanted her.”
Zell’s other ridge lifts to meet its twin. “Either you have become an even more experienced liar, or you actually believe the words you’re spitting at me.”
I want to growl at him. To snarl and snap that he knowsnothingabout me. Instead, I say, “There are two females. Both human. You know as well as I do, the longer they are in Kurrahstka’s care, the worse their chances will be of ever escaping his clutches.” I pause and narrow my eyes at him through the screen. “Speaking of which, howisyour sister, anyway?”
Like a switch, Adrazell’s markings flash from cool blues and greens to vibrant red, yellow, and orange. His green eyes turn black, and he bears a mouth full of sharp teeth at me.
“You do not so much aswhisperof her in my presence! I have not forgotten it wasyour faultshe landed inhissslap!”
It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. I remember things slightly differently, but … he is right that I did have a small hand in her ending up in quite an unpleasant situation.
“No harm came to her,” I mutter instead. “Don’t forget that it was I who made sure of that.”
“You left me on an abandoned moon so I didn’t come after you and slit your throat like you deserved!”
“Yes, well, clearly that turned out well enough in the end also.”
That was not the right thing to say, I realize when the undertone of Zell’s markings light up bright yellow instead of the deep green they usually are.
Rawr!The sound he makes comes through the speakers with enough force to make the glass doors behind me rattle.
Yup. Definitely not the right thing to say.
“Look, Zell, I can only apologize for that now. I can’t go back and do things over.” To be fair, even if I could, I doubt I would, but I’ve got enough sense to keepthatto myself at least. “Right now, two females are in trouble, and I need your help to save them.”
“Why me? Why not Rovos? You said he is dedicated to saving such creatures.”
Because if I get Rovos involved, he will take them away from me. He will takeher.Turn her against me. Make her believe I’m a monster. Which, I am. I can be.I have been.
“Rovos’s hands are full. He has a mate and a planet filled with humans he’s trying to save.” It’s not a lie, but it’s not the full truth either. I suspect Zell knows this, but I push on anyway. “I’m asking you because I trust you above all others.”—Not to steal my female from me.
Adrazell is a Gut’tlambo. Their species are only attracted to, and can mate with, whoever they share a soul bond with, something that is becoming more and more rare among them.
The colors across Zell’s skin have started to settle down, draining back to the muted greens and teals that announce he’s relaxed. He leans back in his chair again and runs a finger across his square chin while he thinks.
He doesn’t trust me. I’m not surprised, nor do I blame him. To be fair, he probably shouldn’t trust me. He should end the comm and forget I exist, since I have a nasty habit of getting him into trouble.
This time will be different,I tell myself.
“Where are you?” he finally asks.
I send him the coordinates to the station and let myself sag a bit with relief.
“If I’m not there in three rotations, I’m not coming. Do not comm me again.”
The screen goes black, except for the glowing white characters announcing my charge. I tap my credit stick to the payment pad and stride out of the comm-box, making my way back to the shuttle.
* * *
It’s beenrotations since I’ve had a proper shower, so along the way, I stop by the public cleansers. The shuttle has a portable, but it’s functional at best.
On my way out, I pause by the floor-length mirror next to the door.
