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Delaney found the info on her comm, thanked Angie again, and headed over to the NCH building to settle into her home-sweet-temporary-home.
Chapter 4
Delaney
Delaney closed her eyes, leaned back in the giant, Tallean-sized curved seat carved into the tub, and let the warm, lightly-scented water swirl around her. She’d really needed this. She hadn’t realized she’d been a giant ball of nerves, but she’d had an anxious few weeks as she planned her escape from Craig, and then of course the whole Ulrek thing.
Delaney, Angie, Jillian, and Ulia had installed themselves in an eight-person tub, simply because there weren’t any four-person tubs available. It was a wonder that a group of males hadn’t already joined them. Tallean men were not exactly subtle when it came to chasing after women, and the women were just as aggressive. They were probably left alone because two of the females were already mated, and the guys probably assumed their mates would be arriving soon.
That was the good thing about hanging out with Angie: every human knew her because she took the time to talk to and set up new colonists when they arrived at Reka 5, and every Tallean knew her because she was Ryek and Holden’s mate, and they’d been fundamental to the establishment and success of this colony. So, yeah—nobody messed with Angie unless they wanted to have a bad time.
Delaney opened her eyes and surveyed the bathhouse. There were naked bodies everywhere, and she had to remind herself that if everyone was naked, then no one was looking at her in particular. Her eyes landed on the door just as two Tallean males and a human man sauntered in.
She recognized the human immediately. It was the same guy who’d greeted her at the hangar. What was his name again? Gary? Gabe? It was strange to see him buck naked, considering if she’d taken the job, he’d be her co-worker. But then again, she’d seen Chara naked too, right here at the bathhouse, and she had been her boss at the greenhouse.
It took her a moment longer to recognize Ulrek. Delaney squinted through the steam.
He was wearing a disguise that made him look older. His hair was sprinkled with silver, and his cheek crease had that thinner texture that developed as Talleans aged. He even had that distinguished air that made him look wiser. The skin on his body looked older too, somehow, even though his body itself was still perfect.
He was a total silver fox.
He was also completely naked, aside from a gold-colored pendant on a chain that contrasted against his tan skin. It reminded her of Earth-style dog tags. The disguise was so believable that it fooled everyone around them.
Everyone except Delaney. She saw right through it the moment she laid eyes on him.
She sank farther into the water.
“Don’t look now, but we have fresh meat,” Ulia said, eyeing the trio hungrily. “The older one’s hot, but I prefer my males closer to my age. I can’t tell the age of humans so well, but that one looks delish.”
Ulia was always on the hunt for new men to test compatibility with. She was getting to the age when Tallean women started to worry they’d never findthe oneand be lonely forever. That usually inspired them to test compatibility with every male they found remotely attractive, hoping to form a bond.
“You’re going to scare them away if you keep staring at them like you want to eat them for dinner,” Angie said with a laugh.
Good. Please don’t come this way.
Angie caught her eye and said, “That’s Captain Uzzar of theNew Horizon.” She stressed his name.
Sure. Right. Because Ulrek wasn’t supposed to be here. Delaney rolled her eyes. He deserved to have the entire colony booing him and dragging him down into the dungeon…if they even had one…to serve multiple life sentences. He didn’t deserve to be walking around free in a public bath. But she knew better than to mess around with a decision Ryek, Holden, and the colony council had made. That was politics for you.
Despite being mostly submerged, Ulrek’s eyes still managed to land on her. He said something to the other two, and the three made their way over.
Fuck. She should really just out him right now, politics or not.
Angie grabbed her hand under the water like she’d heard Delaney’s thoughts. “Be nice,” she whispered.
“Fine.” She could be nice for a few minutes.
“Hello, ladies.” Gary/Gabe/whoever tipped an invisible cap.
“Gavin. Good to see you in town.” It was Jillian who spoke. As the mate to a merchant, she knew a lot of people.
Oops. Right, Gavin.
“You switched ships?” Angie looked genuinely surprised.
“That I did. Working with Trenton was great, but I wanted to branch out.”
Trenton as in TrentonWalker? The first human captain in all the outer planets? The man was a legend. Gavin had worked with him?
