Page 180 of Pets in Space 10

When Kari woke the next morning, she was alone. She shoved up to a sitting position and glanced around to see if she’d dreamed it all. Tent, blankets.

Very real, unfortunately. She sighed and stood carefully. The aches and pain she expected were absent.

Twisting left and right, her body hummed with vitality. She lifted her shirt and gaped at the smooth tan skin. Not a bruise in sight. Her hand went to her face as she flexed her jaw. Nothing. Huh. She vaguely remembered Luka forcing some drink on her during the night. What had been in it?

The tent flap opened and in stepped the man himself. His dark hair waved back from his face, green eyes landing on her. The light scruff lining his jaw added a rakish appeal to already handsome features.

He wore the same black outfit from the day before, his large frame no less imposing in the light of day. In fact, he didn’t appear impacted at all by a night of sleeping on the ground. She took a deep breath, let it out and reminded herself that he’d abducted her and wasn’t to be lusted over.

“How are you?”

“Better than I should be,” she retorted with a questioning hike of her eyebrow. Her stomach rumbled, ruining the effect she was going for.

A grin tugged at his lips. “Good. You might want to eat something. We need to head out.”

Guess he wasn’t going to explain the effects of the tea. A round purple fruit and a sealed grain bar were thrust in her face. Her stomach growled again. She hadn’t eaten since her trip to the bar last night. Accepting the offering, she tore open the grain bar and bit into it.

Standard prepackaged food but loaded with nutrients. After swallowing the first few bites while he stared, she asked, “Is now where you tell me the plan?”

“We’re going to get you off Orion.”

“I wholeheartedly agree with this. There’s only one sticking point.

” She finished the bar, licking the crumbs from her fingers and started on the fruit.

Rich, sweet pulp filled her mouth and she savored the unusual taste.

She pointed at herself. “If my teammates don’t hear from me shortly, they’re going to raise the alarm that I’m missing.

We were only supposed to be here for a twenty-four hour pass. ”

His brows lowered. “That’s a major problem, not a sticking point since my intent is to get you out of here without Gubu knowing.”

Swallowing the last bite of fruit, she shrugged and repeated her preference. “Drop me at the station. I’m not your problem.”

“The price on your head is currently 1,000,000 kronos dead or alive.”

Her eyes widened and her throat dried. “What?!”

“For whatever reason, Gubu has a hard on for you or what he thinks you can do for him. That’s a lot of credits to lay on the line. Do you now understand why it’s important you leave without anyone the wiser? Not even your teammates.”

She couldn’t wrap her mind around the bounty for her. That amount could be life changing to a lot of the inhabitants of Orion. Or elsewhere. She needed to contact her father. He’d know how to get her out of here with the least risk.

Her teammates needed to know what was going on as well. Filled with a sense of urgency, she asked, “Can I use your comm?”

He braced his hands on his hips and his expression darkened. “Did you not he—”

The flap of the tent suddenly parted and the gathos bounced in, tail high and bumping her head against Luka’s calves when she reached him.

Her presence was enough to distract Kari as relief replaced her concern for her current situation.

She dropped to her knees and crooned, “There you are, sweet thing. I was worried about you, pretty baby. Come to me.”

Zsusa looked at her from her crouched position between Luka’s legs, blinking wide purple eyes. When the animal made no effort to approach and turned her nose up, Kari glanced up at Luka. Had he turned his pet against her? “What’s wrong with her?”

A smug grin split his face and he folded his arms across his wide chest. “You called her a baby.”

“Where is she?” Zair snarled as he burst in. With a yowl, Zsusa scrambled up Luka’s right leg and leaped into his arms. Kari straightened and moved to stand next to him. Zair jabbed at finger at Zsusa. “She bit me!”

Luka wrapped a protective arm around his pet and shifted to hold her on his hip. Zsusa nuzzled his knuckles as he scratched her ears. “I’ve told you before not to bother her.”

Zair held his hand palm up. Kari could make out tiny teeth prints and a few drops of what she assumed to be blood. “I tried to give the menace a treat.”

Zsusa emitted a deep rumbling purr and twisted upside down on Luka’s arm until she hung limp in his hold. She batted the air with her front paws and looked so unconcerned it was hard to believe she’d ever harm someone. Rip their throat out indeed. Not this sweet kitty.

Zair clenched his fist and shook it in the air. Unable to control her mirth, Kari snickered. Luka’s lips didn’t move, but the glance he aimed at her glowed with humor. To Zair, Luka said, “What did you want her to do for the treat?”

“N-n-nothing,” Zair sputtered. He lost his aggressive stance and shot his brother an awkward grin. “I tried to give her the treat when I noticed her prowling outside Ahain’s tent and she bit me.”

***

At his brother’s words, Luka stilled and lost the glimmer of humor he’d shared with Kari. “Zair, I swear if you sent her to steal for you—”

“I didn’t,” his brother burst out with a guilty twitch. “She ignored me after I tried to guide her back to you. The treat was so I could get close enough to pick her up.”

Lies. Zair lied to him. It was in the way he suddenly avoided Luka’s gaze and more importantly there was no need for him to bring Zsusa back to Luka.

She was familiar with Ahain’s nomads and while she didn’t get close enough for anyone to touch her, they often tossed scraps her way which she eagerly gobbled up.

She always returned to him on her own when ready or at his call.

“Treat! Treat! I deserve treat.” Zsusa cried out, squirming until he let her jump to the ground.

“No more treats. You’ll get fat.”

She rolled her eyes and stretched out on her side between his booted feet and yawned. “Brother stupid. I smart.”

He bit off his laugh at her declaration.

There were many days when he agreed with her.

More than likely Zair had tried to entice Zsusa to do something he wanted and snapped at her when she refused.

That was what usually led to her biting, something she’d outgrown doing by her first birthday.

Only Zair continued to bring out that juvenile side of her.

Outside the tent, shouts rang out. Forgetting the continued friction between Zsusa and Zair, Luka hurried to the flap of the tent and parted the material.

“Raiders coming!” someone yelled, running through the encampment. “Raiders!”

Ahain ran up, panting. Water dripped from his hair and down the sides of his flushed face.

The collar around his shirt had a darkened ring and damp spots covered the chest area.

He must have come straight from bathing.

“You need to leave, friend. They seek the woman. With the bounty on her head, I can’t guarantee one of my own won’t succumb. ”

“Fuck!” Luka spun on his heel and bumped into Kari who’d followed him out.

Zair came out as well and Zsusa trotted through the opening next, her head going left and right, observing the hectic activity in the camp. She promptly sat on her haunches and yawned.

“What’s going on?” Kari asked.

The morning sun sent a shaft of light over her face and his breath caught.

He’d known she was a looker last night in the dim interior of the bar when he’d planned his approach.

After the rescue, the bruises on her face had distracted him.

The healing tea had done its job restoring her features to their natural glory. And what a face.

“Our sentry spotted raiders heading this way on sand bikes and they’re looking for you,” Ahain answered, swiping his wet hair back from his face. He looked toward Luka. “Whatever shit you’re in, I can’t help.”

Understandable and Luka wasn’t offended. “Your hospitality has been appreciated.”

Ahain pursed his lips then exhaled roughly. “Look, I’ve got two bikes you can take and head out. Leave them when you’re done, we have trackers on then and will recover later.”

“Two?!” Zair pushed his way next to them.

Irritation flashed across Ahain’s face. “There was no mention of you. Only of the woman. They believe she’s traveling alone and looking for a way off planet.”

Good intel. Luka clasped Ahain’s shoulders. “Thank you, my friend. We’ll take you up on the loan of the bikes. Zair, stay here and find out what you can.”

“You’re leaving me here?” His brother’s eyes widened before he glared at Kari. “Because of her?”

Zsusa darted forward, nipped Zair’s ankle and ran back to Luka. Luka held up a hand and planted it on Zair’s chest when he lunged for Zsusa. “I need you to find out what they know when they get here and report to me. I’m going to figure out a way to get her back to her people.”

“You are?” Kari gasped.

“I am,” he said with more confidence than he felt.