Page 43

Another planet, or by another name—a delay in disguise.

I kissed my way down Vince’s back as I stood. He’d been sleeping in my room for the past week since my brothers confronted me and since that mysterious conversation between Seth and Vince had taken place—the one Vince hadn’t thought about or told me about.

The only time he’d returned to his quarters was to get his stuff, putting his shiny pillows on my couch and his pink blankets on my bed and a large pillow he’d told me was meant for the floor near the wall.

His clothes now filled my closet, and his hygiene products were in my bathroom.

He’d effectively moved into my quarters, and I couldn’t have been more pleased about it.

Falling asleep and waking up next to him was a dream.

Rather unwillingly, I put on my uniform before leaving the room and Vince behind until lunch when he would meet me in the canteen.

Even having just left, my thoughts turned toward him and my senses stretched through the walls to him, needing to be connected to him.

As he was asleep, I didn’t feel much besides his general presence.

Disappointed, I moved to the lift while I recalled how his thoughts kept skittering around something. I respected his privacy, not digging for what I wanted to know, as much as it pained me.

With every day that we spent together, Vince was getting better at avoiding my inner fire, reminding me heavily of Kalvoxrencol. Out of all my brothers, he was the best at evading me; Vince was becoming his equal in shocking time.

The two of them, while they would both hate the comparison, were similar in the oddest ways.

When the door opened to the command floor, I pushed Vince from my thoughts as much as I could—he wouldn’t leave completely, not ever.

“Captain on deck,” Bimwoxcol said when I entered.

“Return,” I ordered right away. “Status.”

Bimwoxcol rambled off the same information as yesterday, not a surprise. If there had been something new, I would’ve been informed already. We were in Coalition space, not far from the Drakcol Empire. I didn’t expect any trouble, though I always remained vigilant.

I took my seat, grabbing my screen to look through the notes and reports that had come across my system. Both Hallonnixmin and Monqilcolnen had sent me notes that were almost identical. They wanted to know if I’d told my brothers yet and spoken with Vince. I ignored them, because I’d done neither.

All of my younger brothers had attacked me at various times to find out what was going on, and I’d rebuffed them. Zoltilvoxfyn and Serlotminden were more annoyed at my evasion; Kalvoxrencol was hurt, which tugged at my soul. I would have to tell them soon.

Though, interestingly enough, I worried about what Kalvoxrencol would do more than any of my other brothers.

He was viciously protective of us. If he thought Vince’s departure would injure me, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.

Not to mention, he wanted Vince to no longer present a threat in regard to Seth.

The door to Command opened, and I paid it no mind. If someone was late for their duty shift, Bimwoxcol would handle it. All crew schedules and problems fell to her unless it was severe enough for me to interfere.

“Captain,” Serlotminden said, which made me swallow a groan. Now they were ambushing me while I was on duty? That was too far. Though as I stood, I blinked. He wasn’t here about Vince and I.

“Serlotminden, what do you need?”

The image of a planet flitted through his thoughts as he asked, “Can I speak to you alone?”

I gestured to the door. My office was right down the hall. We stepped into the room, and I guessed, “You have a request.”

He grinned. “You always know what people want.”

Not always. Vince was hiding something, and I desperately wanted to know what. “You want something about a planet.”

“Yes. Inogga is near here, and it has beautiful hot springs. I want to take Bartholomew.” The image of Bartholomew naked in the pure blue water as they fucked raced through my little brother’s thoughts, making me wince.

“Sorry,” he said when he caught my expression.

Serlotminden tried to think about other things, but it always came back to Bartholomew and him smiling as they loved.

The absolute worst part of my gift, but it was hardly new.

“This is not a pleasure trip,” I said. Inogga was four days—one way—out of our way. While it was still in Coalition space, it was hardly on our route.

“I know, but the warm water might be nice for Caleb, and Bartholomew would love it.” When I stared at him, he grinned. “Vince would like it. He might even want to rent a private hot spring for the two of you.”

I frowned at his obvious ploy, but that didn’t stop his words from working. Thoughts of Vince resting against the rough rocks, blue water lapping around his narrow hips as he went on and on about the warmth and comfort. He would like it, whether we fucked or not.

It would be nice to simply hold him and talk about whatever he wished or to simply take him because it would bring him pleasure.

“I cannot go off route simply because you or maybe I wish to. This is a navy vessel, and I have to justify how and why I go where I do.” I might be the captain, but I didn’t own this ship—the Drakcol Empire did.

“You can’t find a reason?” he asked, eyes big as his tail flicked.

I fought a growl. My brothers knew I had a hard time saying no to them.

“Eight days travel and maybe a week there. It’s a small delay,” Speedy said.

My thoughts latched onto the word delay.

We were over halfway home, which meant me and Vince were closer than ever to separating.

If I could concoct a reason to take this trip, then it would stall our return, granting me more days with Vince, which I needed.

More time to find my voice to tell him what I wanted and hope that he returned it.

I dried my hair, then lay down next to Vince on the bed.

We hadn’t done much tonight. He’d spent time with Camden and Pierce—their support group, I believed Vince called it—before returning late.

I’d practiced the harpsichord. I was struggling to gain any proficiency with the instrument and I kept breaking the delicate strings, but it would take time. More than that, I was determined.

Now we were going to bed. I had another early duty tomorrow.

I’d spent a good portion of the day—once I’d reviewed the most urgent reports—searching for a reason to go to Inogga.

The only one I found was that some sidlis researchers were requesting samples of the water and some of the plants.

It was an academy level mission, which we would normally send some cadets to do, but I could justify traveling there, especially if Doctor Muznim wrote something about Caleb benefiting from the healing water.

Everyone catered to the humans because they spoke to the Crystal. If Seth merely said he wanted to travel there, the Ranks and the Cohort would order me to go. Though I doubted he wanted to. He wanted to go home to his unborn kit.

Vince kissed my chest, and I turned my thoughts to him. I gave him a smile, cupping the back of his head. He didn’t have any interest that I could hear in fucking, and I was tired, but I relished the feel of him next to me.

“What's going on, Sweetheart?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been distant all day.” A spike of worry shot through him. Is he mad at me ? he wondered, and I kissed his forehead, instinct surging to the forefront. Drakcol cared for our mates, and I’d left mine worried.

“Serlotminden made a request, and I’ve been thinking about whether I can do it or not.”

Vince looked up at me, a cute wrinkle marring his forehead. I kissed him, unable to stop myself. He returned it with gentle pressure, and his fingers skated over my side, making my tail thrash. If he didn’t stop, I would become aroused, and I didn’t want to pressure him for anything.

Lying back, I continued, “He wants to visit a planet four days out of our way that has lovely hot springs.”

“He wants to fuck Teddy with pretty surroundings,” Vince surmised.

“Yes, and I have to justify going with my superiors.”

“Will you get in trouble?”

“Possibly, unless I can find a reason or ask Seth to lie and say he wants to go.”

Sleep began to tug on Vince. “Then don’t do it. You’re more important.”

I smiled at his assertion. The problem was I wanted to go. “Would you like to see Inogga?”

He shrugged. “It might be fun.”

“Then I will find a way.”

Vince sat up, frowning, and I had no idea why. Annoyance flared in his thoughts, and I tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t let me. “What do you want?”

“What?”

“Donny, you always do what I want. You’re doing what your brothers want. What do you want?”

You , I thought, but didn’t, couldn’t, say.

“Be selfish,” he said when I didn’t respond. “Be completely selfish. I have been, many times with you, so don’t filter what you want. Just tell me.” Vince lifted my hand to his face, and I knew what he wanted. He wanted to feel my honesty, and I was terrified. I didn’t want to scare him away.

“Trust me,” Vince whispered, kissing my palm. “Just trust me, Sweetheart.”

I made the connection, shaking. “I want to go. I want to bathe in the hot springs with you.” The image of me kissing his pale back as the water lapped around his firm butt rose from the depths.

“What else?”

I swallowed, fear building.

Vince kissed me. “Trust me. Please.”

“You,” I forced out. “I want you.”

He blinked. “You have me.”

“I don’t want you to go back to Earth. I want you to stay with me. Forever.” I forced down the words about him already being my mate because I didn’t want to scare him.

His thoughts were frozen for several moments before he thought over my words. Vince released a long breath before sliding onto my chest and kissing me. “Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for being selfish with me. I need to hear what you want, Don, and I think you need to say it even more.”

“And?”

“I can’t decide this now,” Vince replied. “I’ve been wavering because I care about you, more than I ever thought possible. I want to stay with you and Seth and Teddy and everyone else, but this is a choice I have to make for me.”

My eyes dropped, and I pulled my hand away, though not quick enough. Vince kissed my neck, rubbing his cheek on the side near my scent glands, but it didn’t soothe me as usual.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. My apologies,” I said.

He grabbed my cheeks, his grip a tad harder than he usually used on me.

Vince growled, and my cock twitched. He said, “Don’t.

I want to know, and you’re allowed to feel and want what you do.

I’m just not going to lie to you. I can’t say yes right now, but that doesn’t mean I’m mad or want you to keep it to yourself.

“I care about you, and I want you to talk to me. Please don’t stop or pull away.

I need to know this isn’t all about me or what I want.

” Vince turned my face so he could kiss my cheek.

“You are very important to me, and you are the main reason I want to stay. But I’m still scared and I hate remembering what happened. I need to think about it.”

I could feel his sincerity like sunlight warming my scales. Vince wasn’t upset. If anything, he was happy, flattered even, that I wanted him. Though shock underlay everything. It was like he couldn’t believe how much I craved him, which was ridiculous. He was perfect for me.

Trailing my fingers over his back, I said, “Thank you.”

“No, thank you.”

Unable to help myself, I said, “I’m yours, Vince.”

He paused. “What do you mean by that?”

Was he questioning whether I claimed him as my mate or not? Perhaps one of my brothers had already spoken to him, even though I hadn’t told them anything. “You asked me to be yours as long as you’re here, and I am,” I replied. It wasn’t the whole truth, but I didn’t want to overwhelm him.

“And I’m yours.”

My soul pounded. Stars above, I wished with every fragment of my being that was true.