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Aliens call after me left and right and I know I probably look like a complete spectacle, racing through the corridors of a space station with no actual clue where I’m going… barefoot, my ass hanging out of tiny booty shorts…

A few shout at me, but they’re in languages I can’t understand, so I don’t know if they’re encouragement, censure, or offers to help if I’m fleeing from someone or something.

I don’t know where I’m going.

I get turned around twice. But when I pause to beg for directions, a scream echoes through the corridors.

Racing toward the sound, I run directly into Lochdon. He catches me, pulling me back from the body on the floor.

Gasping for breath I ask, “What did you do?”

Lochodon looks down at me, blinking like he can’t understand why I’m here. “I told you to wait.”

“I’m not going to let you kill him and go to jail or whatever the equivalent is here.” I smack him on the chest with an open palm. “You’ve made me too many promises to abandon me like that.”

Smiling—as if he has any right to do so after he nearly gave me a heart attack—he says, “I’m not going to kill him. And I am certainly not going to abandon you.”

Lochdon kisses me and despite everything, I melt into him. Despite everything, I feel like it’s all going to be fine now, just as long as I’ve got a hold of him.

He lets me slide to the ground and says, “These are for you.”

He places two very long, very sharp fangs in my hand and I look from them down to where Terjen has sat up, still blinking in a dazed confusion. His mouth oozes blood and drool.

“You tore out his teeth?”

“He knew better than to interfere with you. Phantom’s punishment wasn’t good enough.” He looks at me with a calmness that feels surreal. “Losing his teeth was a mercy. I didn’t think you’d want the other pieces of him I could have rightfully taken instead.”

I can only imagine what they would be, but his teeth are probably the best option.

I nod and look down at the man. “It looks like you hit him pretty hard.”

“It’s the loss of his teeth. Pulling them out ruptured the venom sacs. It won’t kill him, but he won’t be coherent until they close up and the venom clears his nervous system.”

“You’re venomous?” I look up at his lips, brows pinching. “That wasn’t anywhere in my reading.”

“We don’t advertise it.” He taps a finger to his lips. “Two sets. The other ones would neutralize the venom. Would you like those as well?”

“No. Thank you.”

Drawing me close again, he says, “I should have known he’d do something like this. I should have stopped it before it ever happened.”

“He broke your clan rules… you weren’t supposed to expect that.”

“Still.” He kisses the top of my head as others start to arrive. “I need to be able to protect you, even if I’m not here.”

Reaching up, I place my hand on his chin and tip his face down to look at me. “You’re not always going to be able to protect me. And that’s okay. I know that when I am with you, I’m safe. And when I’m here alone, you know Phantom won’t let anything happen to me.”

The teeth are hard in my other hand and I wince. “Tearing someone’s teeth out is pretty brutal, maybe we talk before you do that again.”

“Hopefully I’ll never have to.”

Pushing up onto my toes, I pull his head down so that I can press my forehead to his.

There’s a kerfuffle and a trio of aliens arrive. Then comes the shouting.

I take a deep breath and I don’t let go of Lochdon’s arm.

Thankfully, Phantom and Bloche arrive next and they explain so that Lochdon doesn’t have to defend himself on his own. The station officials are cowed by Phantom—except an Opodean man who appears as if from nowhere and immediately takes over the scene, directing people with a flick of his tentacles.

We are told to leave. They’ll contact us if they have more questions.

Phantom’s is on the way and Lochdon waits for me to change. When I come back to him, he picks me up and carries me all the way back to the apartment he bought for us.

I let him because I want to hold tight to him too.