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“Don’t get an attitude with me. I only forgot you once and you were just fine,” she heard the bony warrior say.

I know he’s not talking to me.Her brow furrowed as she peered into his quarters.

Despite being bent over, peeking under the bed, Aculus was still big as a tank and just as armored. The first time she saw the alien man, she’d just met Ash, a real-life demon, and had been through a gun fight with her own government. So, seeing a walking talking skeleton was just the icing on the psychedelic nightmare cake.

Nadzia covered her mouth to repress the laugh at her first impression. Granted she hadn’t known Aculus long but the bonehead was anything but scary, unless you were the enemy. It was sort of hard to be afraid of a hopeless flirt.

He’d yet to notice her standing there so she took the opportunity to study him. The Osivoire were an interesting race. His charcoal gray flight suit didn’t reveal much, but she assumed he was covered from head to toe in bony plates. A line of knotty ridges ran up his thick arms from his small finger to his elbow and then up to his shoulder. From what she could tell they were also on his legs. The same ridges ran from his hairless brow along his temples up and over his skull, almost reminding her of a spiky pompadour hairdo. It was hard to tell if the armor was a separate living thing, like the one her sister put on that ended up saving her life, if it was a part of Aculus, or both.

I suppose I could ask.She immediately snorted at the notion, knowing full well where a discussion about anatomy would lead with the lothario.

The bony warrior popped up. “Ah, greetings, ivory beauty,” he said, looking guilty.

He either called her Nadzia or that moniker. It would be flattering if it wasn’t coming from a cosmic playboy.

Her eyes narrowed on him. “You know, you could use my name.”

“But I like the way your little nose wrinkles up.” Aculus grinned and she wanted to smack him, but she’d only hurt her hand.

She sighed and rolled her eyes to the ceiling instead, then looked back at him. “Have you lost your mind completely, talking to yourself in here?”

“I might have. People who spend too much time in space get a kind of mental illness that can only be healed throughintimatecontact.I desperately need your help,” he countered with a straight face.

Who says shit like that?She repressed an incredulous snort.I don’t know why I’m surprised. I should’ve seen that one coming.

“I think you’re too far gone. We’ll probably have to put you down.” She smiled smugly back at him.

Her gaze was drawn to the floor by the bed, as a small furry paw reached out and batted Aculus’ bony foot.

“What are you hiding in here?” she asked.

“A nuisance that likes to shit in the corner and steal my bed,” he commented as he retrieved the furry creature. “I believe you call them kittens.”

Her eyes widened at the thing he called a kitten, noting the dark spots on its back.

“Aculus, that’s not a kitten! It’s a Florida panther. Where’d you find it?”

“Tarsus was starving in the marshes near your city. He was nearly eaten by a large reptile. Are you sure he’s not a domesticated kitten?” He held the little wildcat up and studied it.

She snorted when the feline batted him in the face.

“From those spots I’m pretty sure Tarsus is going to outgrow a house cat in no time. Jesus, he’s already half the size of one. Aren’t you?” She couldn’t resist scratching between the kitten’s ears. She’d never been this close to the endangered species that lived near her home.

“You seem to know so much. How do I get him to stop defecating in the corner?” Aculus asked while giving Tarsus the evil eye.

“If he was a regular cat, you’d litter train him. But I don’t know if wild cats can be trained like that.” She shrugged. “But look on the bright side, you now have someone to share your bed.”

She did her best to say that with a straight face, meanwhile she was doing a little happy dance inside.Zing!

“I really must be sick, Tarsus.” Aculus spoke directly to the kitten, who funny enough meowed hearing his name. “Both my current and future bed partners are mouthy and have claws.”

“You are sick.” She cocked one brow at the bony warrior. “And as cute as you are, Tarsus, I really need to say goodbye to Abby.” She gave Tarsus one more good scratch and was rewarded with a raspy mewl.

“I will join you. I should say farewell to your sister and Ashtoret.” Aculus set Tarsus on his bed. “Go ahead, I’ll find you napping here anyway when I return,” he instructed the overgrown kitten then followed her down the corridor.

She couldn’t help smile. It was actually kinda funny he’d rescued a panther not a house cat.

If anyone can take care of a full-grown panther it’d be him. He’s gonna need that bony armor.