Page 32 of Einar (The Brigands of Ruk #2)
Chapter Thirty-Two
ROWAN
Stepping back from Einar , I drop my arms from around him and lean around his body to look at the screen only to see that Ruby and Slavic are back inside the ship taking off those space suit looking things. The door leading outside is closing behind them and they appear to be talking to one another.
“ Einar ! We missed the whole thing!”
He peers over his shoulder before snapping forward again and letting out a rusty, rumbling chuckle.
“ Rowan , they are going to disrobe once more. It seems as though we caught them at the most inopportune time again”
His chuckle turns into a full-on belly laugh as he watches me spin around so fast, I wobble a bit. Large hands lift to steady me, if need be, but I regain my balance without needing any assistance. Unsure what to do with myself, I stand there awkwardly, looking anywhere but the hulking form beside me.
A low chime from the watch like thing on Einar’s wrist catches us both by surprise. He presses a button on it and then speaks. “ Yes , Bikar . What is it that you need now?”
“ You wound me with that beleaguered tone, brother! For your information, I do not need anything. I am merely following our oldest brother’s instructions by letting you know we are headed to Deapra , and he is not to be disturbed for the next several risings. From what I saw on the viewers, he is on his way to his quarters to defile his mate.”
I have to stifle a snicker at the pained look on Einar’s face as he listens to his overly cheerful brother relay Slavic’s orders. Ruby and I have never been shy about the ‘kiss and tell’ during a cuss and discuss session, but it doesn’t look like these boys share much about their love lives.
“ According to the star chart, it will take us at least several risings to get there, even using the hyperdrive. We are on the complete opposite side of the Void from Deapra .”
“ Thank you for the information, Bikar . It is appreciated. Now , go away and do not bother me again unless it is important.” Einar growls.
“ Shet , you mated males are no fun!”
Bikar cuts the comm after his last quip, so he doesn’t hear the snarl Einar lets loose in reply. Rubbing a hand across the base of his horns, he sends a tentative smile my way.
“ It appears as though Slavic and Ruby are… retiring for the rest of the rising. Is there anything you need or would like to do for the rest of the time?”
He sounds so painfully hopeful that I might want to spend some free time with him that I can’t brush him off like I was planning to. Before I can think of a reply, my stomach gurgles. Clutching my midsection, I try to think back to the last time I ate something, and for the life of me can’t remember when that was. I’m sure the IV Einar had me hooked up to had some sort of nutrients in it, but it can’t replace real food.
“ Would you like to accompany me to the dining chamber? I will be happy to show you the way and assist you with the replicator.”
Einar looks almost bashful as he essentially asks me out on a date.
“ I don’t remember the last time I ate something, so I would very much appreciate that.”
A beaming smile shapes his homely face into something almost endearing.
Joy floods me as Rowan tentatively agrees to let me escort her to the dining hall. An idea forms and I smile eagerly at her. Eating will not take very long, and I desperately want to spend more time with her.
“ Give me a tic to fetch something from my room. I will return shortly.”
Rowan shoots me a perplexed look but nods her head as I jog to my room and grab my pop-up chair. She eyes it with a questioning expression, but I just smile at her, gesturing her to proceed me out the door.
“ Shall we?”
She gives me a hesitant smile and walks toward the door, pausing for me to exit the med bay and turn down the hallway, leading her to the dining chamber. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Rowan’s head cranes left and right as she examines her new surroundings. Surprisingly enough, I do not see any of my brothers out and about.
Entering the dining chamber, I am pleased to see that none of them are in here either. It is not that I do not love them or want to spend time with them, I just wish to pass some uninterrupted time with my mate. We have not had any of that since she woke. Either her sister, one of my brothers, or some sort of calamity has kept me from actively wooing her. Not to mention she has not been fully conscious, let alone in possession of all her mental faculties.
“ Falon acquired what he assures me are the proper nutrients for humans and loaded it into our replicator after we left Navale . I am unsure if the taste or texture will be what you are accustomed to, but I am hopeful. No one has told me if the other females have objected to the food we have given them.”
Rowan’s head snaps around, her face full of surprise.
“ Other females? You mean there are other human women on this ship besides Ruby and I ?”
Unsure if this has upset her or not, my response is uncertain.
“ Yes , Falon and Murgul rescued three more human females while Slavic , Ruarc , and I were saving you, Ruby , and Kallen . They have been in Falon’s room for the most part even though Bikar also gave up his bed to accommodate them. The three of them have not wanted to be separated from one another, so they have stayed where we initially put them, even though they have the option of a second chamber. I healed them the best I could before installing their translators. In fact, I need to stop back by and follow up with them to ensure their wounds are healing properly. Since it is late in the rotation, I plan on doing that shortly after the fast-breaking meal on the next rising. You are more than welcome to go with me if you are interested in meeting them.”
Indecision flits across her face as she contemplates what I relayed to her.
“ You do not have to answer me now, and you are more than welcome to think about it. I know you may not be quite ready to socialize, and that is nothing to worry about.”
“ I’ll think about it. Thank you for letting me know and giving me the option. Right now, what I’m most interested in is food.”
Rumbling out a low laugh, I pull a chair out for her to sit down while noting that there will have to be some adjustments made now that there are humans on board. All of our furniture is Ruk sized, and not ideal for a species so much smaller.
“ What would you like to have for your meal?”
“ Honestly , I have no idea. The last several years all of my meals were picked out for me. Robert had me on a strict diet so I kept the figure he preferred me to have.”
Her quiet reply fills me with rage. However , I cannot let her see that. She is not yet to the point where she would believe I am angry for her, not at her. Fighting to keep my tone level, I wait for her to scramble up into the chair before moving over to the replicator.
“ Come now, there must be something you enjoyed…?”
She scrunches her precious little face up in contemplation.
“ Hmmm . Can you see if it has something similar to steak with potatoes and some sort of green vegetable? Steak is meat from a species of animal on earth called a cow, and potatoes are a tuber vegetable.”
Scrolling through the replicator under the human nutrients, I am surprised to find that this steak is listed, but the potatoes are not. Thinking about her explanation, I enter the sequence for the steak as well as two vegetables from my home planet. One is a tuber that grows under the soil, while the other is a leafy plant found in most dwelling gardens. A few nano-tics later, the replicator dings, announcing it has finished creating our meal. Hitting another button, I select a sweet, fizzy drink that is popular on many stations, and is favored by most females of multiple species.
Grabbing both plates, I amble back to the table, setting her plate of food down in front of her along with her beverage, before moving around the table across from her. It is unlikely she will want me to sit next to her, let alone put her in my lap where she belongs so that I may feed her, as is customary for some Rukuhk pairs. Her delighted cry makes satisfaction permeate me, as my chest swells with pride.
Finally , I have done something right that pleases her instead of causing her distress.
“ Einar , this is delicious! The texture is a bit off, but the flavor is perfect, even if the not-potatoes are blue, and the leafy green veggie is actually orange.”
“ I am glad what I selected is to your liking.”
Both of us fall silent as we eat. Watching my mate relish each bite, sometimes emitting a small moan, becomes tortuous because my mind contemplates if she would make similar sounds were I to pleasure her. Discreetly , I adjust myself, trying to ease my pivy into a more comfortable position within my trousers. Just because I am patient and understanding, does not mean I am not a male with base desires.
Her slim arm reaches for the cup next to her plate and I wait in anticipation. After a tentative sip, her exclamation of delight over the beverage makes me grin.
“ I don’t know what this fizzy pink stuff is, but it’s wonderful!”
Beaming over at her, I take it as yet another win when my ugly countenance does not make her wince or shrink back in fear, but what truly gives me hope is the fact that she offers me a tiny grin in return.