Page 25

Space station, anyone?

I tried hard not to stare at Don or think about inappropriate things as I watched him in his fighting class, but it was so hard.

He was incredibly sexy, even when he was simply standing there instructing people.

My eyes kept running over his broad shoulders and muscular chest, and my thoughts whipped back to how it felt to be curled up on his lap, safe.

Swallowing, I readjusted my semi in my tight jeans. I should have worn something else, but I loved dressing in my own clothes and in my own style. It made me feel… well, like me.

I wasn’t the only human who’d returned to Earthen fashion, as the drakcol called it. Seth had more hoodies, Caleb wore jeans and henleys, and Teddy would often wear jeans and a plain T-shirt.

Thinking of him, I glanced at Teddy, who was sitting next to me.

He hadn’t really talked to me much once he learned I was planning on going back to Earth.

I got it. We were friends, very close friends, and I’d chosen to leave him.

Teddy didn’t handle strong emotions well, and he would often turn apathetic when confronted with them.

Caleb wasn’t here to distract us today either, adding an extra strain, but Fyn was.

He’d mentioned to Seth before they started working out that Caleb had a pain flare because he’d tweaked something, so he was resting.

Without Caleb’s chatter, the silence between Teddy and I was palpable.

I wished Seth was sitting with us, but he was sparring with Mindy while Fyn sparred with someone I didn’t recognize.

Bimwoxcol was teaching Pierce and Camden how to fight.

She’d invited me and Teddy to join her, but we both passed.

Now if it had been Don, I might not have minded.

We’d spent almost every night cuddling for the last week or so before he sat with me until I fell asleep.

I hadn’t kissed him on the lips again, but I’d kissed his neck and chest quite frequently.

I liked it. Yesterday, I’d even licked his earlobe, tugging on his long earring, and made him groan.

His tapered ears were sensitive, which needed to be explored more.

That was something I planned to slowly investigate—one of many things.

Then once I’d placed his hands somewhere, Don would rub or pet me, usually my back, arms, or thighs. All of which I enjoyed.

I was steadily growing comfortable with him.

The nightmares were still a thing. He hadn’t magically cured me, though I was still hoping some good dicking down would put a major dent into my issues.

However, I tried not to have him use his inner fire to send me to sleep unless the nightmares were so bad I’d woken him up.

Don had offered to stay the night with me, but I’d refused.

I didn’t mind when he fell asleep next to the bed before me or after I had a particularly bad dream.

But I felt guilty having him on the floor because I couldn’t handle him on the bed.

Soon, though. I was sure I would be able to kiss him soon, and maybe after that, I could try to have him sleep next to me, then sex. I swallowed a groan. I wanted to fuck him so badly.

A slam went through the room and made me start.

Teddy grimaced. “That had to hurt.”

Kal stood over Don, then crouched. “You aren’t paying attention, Captain. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. You pulled your kick at the last moment.” Don grunted as he sat up.

My bad , I silently said, teasing him a little as I thought about licking and sucking on his earlobe. I hadn’t meant to distract him, but since I had, I’d use it to my advantage to play with him.

Don glanced in my direction and threw me a small smile before he faced off with Kal again.

When Don fought, I couldn’t help but watch.

But when he and Kal sparred, it was an entirely different matter.

They were good. Much better than anyone else.

Don was fast and strong, but Kal dodged and threw punches like he could read thoughts, and they both used their tails to their advantage, alerting me to how strong the prehensile appendages were. But it was more than that.

They were graceful, fluid, and seemed to move without tension or thought.

However, no matter what Don did, Kal beat him. It was mind boggling. Kal was shorter and slimmer, not to mention Don could read thoughts.

Begrudgingly, I had to admit Kal was a spectacular fighter.

I liked Don better, so that was something. A small, worthless something, but something.

So I didn’t distract Don again, I forced myself to look at Seth. He was a decent fighter, not as good as Mindy, but he was a quick and enthusiastic learner. Mindy would demonstrate something, then Seth would nod and try it.

No one would ever hurt him again.

Maybe I should ask Don to teach me. Or I should keep him as my personal bodyguard. I chuckled at the thought of him in a black suit, earpiece, and sunglasses, calling me odd code names like Falcon or Eagle.

“Still crushing on Seth?” Teddy asked.

I started. No, actually, I’d been thinking of Don again. “He’s getting better.”

“Serlotminden wants to teach me.”

“Are you going to take him up on the offer?”

He shrugged with a grunt—his typical response.

Unable to help it, I looked at Don again. He and Kal were still sparring. His scales gleamed with the exertion and his muscles were pumped. I ripped my gaze away before I thought about inappropriate things like licking him.

“Are you going to go to the space station?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Teddy said, eyes going soft. “Serlotminden wants to show me around. Also, Brad, Camden, Roman, and Pierce want to walk around. I figured we could make it a Team Human thing.”

“I want to come.”

He grinned. “I figured you would. Seth and Caleb are coming too. They’re trying to convince Kal and Fyn that we don’t need a horde of guards or their presence.”

“Alone? We’re going to the station alone?” My knees pressed against my chest and I hugged them, balling up. What if someone took us? What if… My mind started to replay what exactly happened when humans were taken.

Teddy grabbed my hand, and I flinched, tensing from the press of his skin to mine. I tried to breathe through the initial panic, but it vibrated under my skin and sent my heart racing. I did better when I initiated physical contact, not that Teddy would know that.

“We’ll be fine,” he said, his voice ever calm. “It’s safe. Mindy wouldn’t let me go with everyone if it wasn’t.”

I nodded, but the wriggling fear didn’t abate. I pulled my hand out of his, and he glanced at me, forehead crinkling. I never pulled away first. Teddy wasn’t physically affectionate, but he knew I needed it. Or at least I had on Xome. Now… Well, I still needed it, but I didn’t want to need it.

“Are you alright?” Teddy asked, his gaze scouring my face.

Thankfully, Don sank down next to me, resting against the wall, and saved me from answering.

His long hair was trapped in a messy knot, but a few strands had escaped and stuck to his forehead.

I wanted to push them back behind his ears, then trail my fingertips over his piercings before teasing him.

Fuck, what the hell was wrong with me? I clearly needed more physical attention.

Don’s lips quirked.

“You did well,” I said.

Teddy agreed, “You’re so fast.”

“Thank you. Kalvoxrencol is better.”

“Does that bother you?” It sure as hell bothered me.

“Not at all. He has worked hard for his skill.”

Teddy leaned around me, resting his elbows on his knobby knees. He was still far too underweight from our time under Agk’s ownership, as well as being stranded on the icy planet. I was too thin as well, but I wasn’t actively trying to gain weight like Teddy was.

“Not to be mean, but how does he win?” Teddy asked. “You read minds.”

“I take no offense,” he replied. “Kalvoxrencol has an annoying habit of letting his mind go blank. He doesn’t think when he fights.

No plan, just instinct. He perfected this skill to beat me.

He’s talented enough that he can react to my attacks or attack me with little to no plan.

There’s also the fact it takes me a second to process what I’m hearing and form a response to it. ”

Kal was fucking annoying. I wanted to tie an anchor to his ankles and throw him off a cliff into a raging ocean.

See if he could fly then. The fucker would drown or crash into the jagged cliff on the way down.

I chuckled darkly, then frowned. But with how perfect he was, I’m sure the bastard would escape.

Don cast me a look, eyebrows drawing together, and I refused to back down.

Yes, he didn’t like me plotting his beloved younger brother’s demise, which was fair, but I was allowed to think what I wanted.

It wasn’t like I would actually hurt Kal.

It would make Seth, Don, and all of Kal’s brothers sad.

Besides, I wasn’t a murderer. As much as I disliked Kal, it wasn’t enough to hurt him.

Now Tryk or Agk? Yeah, I would kill them given the chance. I wouldn’t even feel a shred of guilt.

Don’s tail coiled around my ankle, and I leaned closer to him, basking in the warmth of his arm and his fragrance. His usual soft scent was stronger with all the sweating he was doing; it was spicier too. I wanted to lick his fucking armpit and taste him.

He coughed, and I grinned, pushing my forehead against his bare arm. I might have said no to physical contact in public, but I liked Don’s tail touching me and I liked being able to snuggle with him when I wanted. It was comforting, and I deserved to feel better, right?

Mindy bounced up. “Flower, did you see me?”

“I did,” Teddy replied.

“Makes you want me, doesn’t it?”

Teddy rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

For whatever reason, that made Mindy grin. He held his hand out, and Teddy took it, slipping away.

“You’re going to the station?” Don asked in a low voice.

No one was close enough to hear, so I said, “I don’t know. Apparently, it will just be Team Human.”

He rested his hand palm up on his thigh in an invitation, probably in response to the sudden trickle of icy fear at his question.

I didn’t have to take it—Don wouldn’t care—but I needed his reassurance.

I slid my fingers in between his to interlace them.

The burning heat of his palm seared me and soothed the tension from my chest.

“I won’t allow anyone to harm you. If I thought the space station was in any way dangerous, we would not be stopping or I wouldn’t allow people to disembark. But you don’t have to go.”

“I want to.” I sighed. It was nice that Kal, Fyn, and Mindy wouldn’t be hovering.

I liked the idea of us humans hanging out and exploring together, and this was the first time I actually wanted to do something other than curl into a ball and never move, but what if someone grabbed me?

I couldn’t go back to that life. I refused to. I would rather die.

Don’s breath rushed over my ear. “You are safe, Little Warrior. I promise. No one will ever touch you without your permission again.”

I took a shuddering breath. “I believe you.”

“If it makes you feel better, I’ll be on the station. I have some work. I’ll be able to hear you from anywhere on board. If you were in danger, I would know.”

“You would come?”

“Yes.”

My fear rushed out, leaving me so weightless it was a wonder I didn’t start hovering. Don would keep me safe. I trusted it. I believed it.

I sagged against him, my gaze wandering absentmindedly as I ran my fingers over his palm.

No one paid any attention to us. I hadn’t told anyone about me and Don, not because I was embarrassed or ashamed.

I hadn’t because no one had asked, and it hadn’t come up naturally.

I did need to tell Seth and Teddy because they would read into what me and Don were—friends with benefits.

I blinked. Seth was gone. I hadn’t noticed him and Kal leaving. I shrugged. I would see him later. It wasn’t a big deal. Besides, I liked sitting here with Don.

Resting my chin on his arm, I asked, “Would you teach me to protect myself?”

“If you want.”

“I don’t know if I want to or not, but it might be nice to know how to fight, if only to kick someone’s ass.”

“Not Kalvoxrencol’s.”

I kissed Don’s sweaty arm, fighting the urge to lick him. “No, not your precious brother, not that I could beat him.”

“You could not, but yes, I’ll teach you if you desire.”

“Or,” I said, grinning at him, “you can protect me.”

Don stared at me, tail squeezing my ankle. He eventually said, “I wouldn’t mind that either.”

I nuzzled his arm. “I’d like that.”

He held my hand close to his chest, his heart vibrating beneath me. “As would I.”

I was in danger. I held Vince’s hand like it was my source of life. When he asked me to protect him, I wanted to offer to do so for the rest of my life. That wasn’t possible, because he was leaving and Vince didn’t want it.

If I wasn’t careful, Vince would steal my soul, and the mate bond would follow.

He nuzzled my arm, enjoying my scent as waves of contentment radiated off him. I should’ve pulled away to protect myself, but I didn’t. I wasn’t strong enough. Instead, I rubbed my forehead against his hair, scent marking him.