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“My pleasure, Elara,” the tiny figure replied. “Coming right up.”
Elara held out her percomm unit. I gently pushed her hand back, extending my own before she could argue. The hologram swiped the proffered credits from it. Then the miniature Monion winked out, leaving us alone.
“Firgratas?” I asked. I’d never heard of them.
“They’re like a traditional Monion cake,” she said. “I’ve developed quite a taste for Monion food since I started working just around the corner from here.”
The center of the table opened and our drinks and cakes rose from the aperture.
“You think it’s Jocelyn, don’t you?” Elara asked.
“Yes,” I confirmed. I didn’t know if there was the same camaraderie among humans as there was between the Vinduthi. I didn’t want to offend her with my hypothesis. But I had a bad feeling about Jocelyn.
“She does seem like the most likely suspect,” she said.
“I’ll have my guys do a bit more digging,” I told her. “She is definitely at the top of the list right now. Especially if what those Darguns said is true.”
“Let’s hope your boys come up with some clues. I’m going to kill her when I get my hands on her. I know it really isn’t mine, but it breaks my heart to see the store trashed like that.”
The heat of words made the heat rise in my loins. This small feisty woman got under my skin.
Personally, I wanted to kill Jocelyn for busting up our makeout session. I still had the taste of Elara on my lips, and it made me crave more.
“I’ll hold her down while you do it,” I said with passion.
She smiled at me. “Thank you,” she said. “For your protection, and your help here.” She licked her lips.
“I’m just sorry this happened,” I said.
I considered sending some heavies to go after Jocelyn, but the combination of having a distinct lack of proof, and the fact that she was a frail human stayed my hand. It would feel too much like bullying.Humans were pathetic, I thought bitterly.
Then I glanced up at Elara. Well, most humans.
ELARA
The search at my shop turned up no clues as to who did it. I’m sure the same thought was on everyone’s minds though—that being Jocelyn. For the first time, I was suddenly okay with the idea of a human being chased down and brought before justice.
But it seemed Draven wasn’t going to have it. At least, not without proof. For a criminal, he seemed honorable, and I couldn’t exactly get mad at that. After all, our reasons for suspecting her were flimsy at best. She had only seen the flower and commented on it being pretty. That hardly proved she tried to steal it.
Having Draven by my side helped, though. He kept a watchful eye on me, so I could be reassured nothing would happen while he was around. On top of that, he was nice to look at.
A part of me felt strange to be distracted by his handsomeness amidst everything happening. Maybe his friendliness and warmth helped to keep me sane. My hand gripped firmly in his as we walked through the promenade.
A weird feeling brewed inside me. I was glad my shop wasn’t too destroyed, yet I wished something turned up, a clue to follow, a nudge in the right direction. Whoever did this covered their tracks well.
I felt oddly annoyed that my private time with Draven was cut short. His intimacy with me removed my stresses one by one, and I was eager to see how far we could take things. I brushed it aside for now, knowing we had more pressing issues. I took a sip of beer as we reached the casino.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice gentle but firm.
“I’m upset about my shop, but I’m fine. I’ve grown so used to being on edge that I’m numb to it,” I replied flatly.
“I know what you mean,” said Draven in a reassuring tone. “As miserable as that might sound, at least it means you’ve got a grip on holding your composure.”
“Still though, I can’t let my guard down.” My words came out sharper than intended.
“You never can on Thodos. Elara, I’m sorry about all this.” His apology sounded sincere.
I sighed. “Don’t worry, I’m not some damsel in distress. I appreciate your help.”
