Page 30 of Wayfinder (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #5)
I stilled, centering myself and drawing on the internal compass innate within all Wayfinders.
As familiar as I was with the Ardeese Valout space station, I would leave nothing to chance when it came to protecting my mate.
With a jolt of surprise, I realized there were not one but two-directional cores within me.
One was the familiar pull of the suns of Farlac, the magnetic center of the universe that all Wayfinders relied on.
But the other was something new and electrifying.
.. the woman at my side, my mate. Her energy burned like a blazing star.
Always my true, most precious direction. My home.
I needed to protect her, and while it shamed my warrior’s heart to run... that was the best course of action to ensure Pearl’s safety.
My arms enveloped Pearl, wrapping securely around her as we stood close together. I kept my voice low and intimate, as if I whispered secrets into her ear. Kerzak were known to have as keen a sense of hearing as the Vaktaire, so I kept my tone hushed.
“My heart. You must not look or act afraid, but we are being set up for ambush,” I whispered, nuzzling her ear.
Pearl stiffened in my arms, but she made no overt movement.
“What? Where? Who?” Her voice trembled slightly, but she did not move her beautiful blue eyes from where they gazed upon my face.
“There are seven—Kerzak and Aljani.” I let my lips play over her ear as I spoke. A covert glance at our enemies found them moving closer. It wouldn’t be long before they acted.
“What are we going to do?” Her voice held the slightest bit of worry, but not fear. She trusted me to protect her. My heart swelled.
“Trust me?”
“Always.”
I swept Pearl into my arms, holding her close against my chest as our lips crashed together.
The feel of her lips against mine, the silky sweep of her tongue, staggered me, taking my attention off the matter at hand for this moment of bliss.
With effort, I calmed my raging libido and jerked my mind to the matter at hand.
Never taking my lips from hers, I moved toward the back of a bustling merchant stall, hoping to create the illusion that we simply sought a moment of privacy.
I sensed a service tunnel at the rear of the stall, which led down to the level below.
With some strategic maneuvering, I could hopefully separate our pursuers and eliminate them one by one, giving us a chance to escape unscathed.
Pearl gave a soft, muffled protest as I pulled away from our kiss and set her back on her feet.
The service entrance loomed before us, a large metal door that let out a screech of protest as I forcefully jerked it open.
We stepped into the dark tunnel beyond, shadows creeping along the walls like ominous predators.
Although my eyes adjusted immediately to the dim lighting, Pearl struggled to navigate the uneven terrain.
Without hesitation, I scooped her effortlessly into my arms and took off into the darkness.
“Where are we?” She linked her arms around my neck, pulling her face near mine. It would be so easy to capture her lips again, but there would be time for that later. I would make sure of it.
“A service tunnel that leads to the level below.”
Far behind, I heard the faint sound of a door being wrenched open.
They found us sooner than I expected. The rumors regarding the keen sense of smell possessed by the Kerzak were true.
I hastened my steps, and we emerged onto level five within minutes.
I sat Pearl down gently before turning to close the door behind us, twisting and breaking the handle in an attempt to stall our pursuers.
Pearl turned, heading toward the Baron’s suite, but I caught her hand, stalling her steps.
“What?” She frowned at me. “The kitchen is just down there.”
“You won’t be safe there,” I told her sadly, stilling her excited gestures.
A faint shiver ran over her skin, and she stepped closer, sighing when I took her in my arms.
“Where will we go?”
I brushed her forehead with my lips and let my inner compass reign.
Contrary to popular belief, Wayfinders did not possess internal mapping systems. What we possessed was akin to a combination of magnetic and sonar direction. I didn’t possess the delineation of hallways and rooms in my mind; I felt space and direction, good and bad.
“This way.”
I took Pearl’s hand, leading us in the opposite direction of the Baron’s suite and stopping at the opening of the small lift used for deliveries to the upper floors.
“A dumbwaiter?” Pearl asked as I slid the door open.
“Earth certainly has some strange expressions.”
“I won’t argue that,” Pearl quipped as I swept her up in my arms and placed her in the lift.
There was room for both of us to sit comfortably, but not much more.
“Where will this take us?” Pearl asked, curling her hands around my arm.
“It runs from the docking bay through the upper levels, but we’re only going down to level four.
” I didn’t mention my worry that whoever was behind the ambush might be waiting on the docking bay to abscond with Pearl.
While Jala and Praxxan took the security of the Ardeese Valout seriously and forbade the practice, transient slavers were an ever-present threat.
The bustling hub of level four was where most space station residents lived and worked. It was a constant hum of activity, with people rushing to and fro, creating constant bedlam on the busy streets. Normally, I avoided the chaos, but hopefully we could lose ourselves in the crowd.
As the lift door slid open, the breathtaking view of a solid glass atrium greeted us.
I heard Pearl’s soft gasp as her eyes moved over the lush garden housed within the glass walls and through to the endless expanse of blackness beyond and the countless stars twinkling in the distance.
This was the heart of the station, alive and pulsing with energy and purpose.
“Sometimes I forget we’re in the middle of space.” Her voice trembled with awe. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is.” I let my fingers trail along her cheek, unable to help myself from leaning closer and capturing her plump lips in a kiss.
A grumble of disdain hit my ears, and I pulled away, my gaze catching the disapproving glare of a Romvesian couple.
I’d wanted to keep our mating from the Baron, but it was too late now.
Rumors flew quickly around the space station.
I could only hope that we’d made our escape before word of it reached his ears.
Pearl thankfully seemed oblivious to the disapproval and pouted adorably as I broke our embrace and led her onto the crowded street.
Insulated by the crowd, I hailed my sister from my comm bracelet.
“Jutuk?” Her voice held a touch of surprise.
“Jala, we have an… issue,” I said, hoping it would be enough. Most of the passersby seemed too involved in their own lives to pay attention to my conversation. But I trusted no one on the station save my sister, her family, and my mate.
“Where are you?”
“Level four.”
“Can you get to the engineering level?”
Just as I hoped, Jala recognized the danger without my putting it into words.
“Yes.” Just as I recognized her strategic mind. The engineering level was off-limits to all but station personnel. I could hide Pearl amidst the machinery and capture our would-be ambushers without commotion.
“Be careful,” the worry in my sister’s voice trickled through the comm before going silent.
“The engineering level?” Pearl asked as I turned us down a side street. My senses suggested another service tunnel lay in the alley next to a popular tavern.
“Easier to hide and ambush our ambushers,” I teased.
The throng of people grew denser in this area, with businesses and restaurants vying for every inch of available space.
The smell of grilled meats and savory spices filled the air, along with shouts and laughter as crowds flocked to partake in the lively atmosphere.
Street performers dazzled with their variety of talents, adding to the vibrant ambiance.
Pearl watched our surroundings with utter delight.
I wished we had more time to explore. I loved seeing her this happy.
My eyes swept over the bustling crowd, constantly scanning for any sign of danger.
The amalgamation of different species made it difficult to distinguish one scent from another.
But then, amidst the sea of faces, I spied the unmistakable snow-white hair of a single Aljani.
They had obviously split up to search for us.
Good.
“Trust me?” I grinned at my mate.
“I thought we’d already settled that,” she shot back with a saucy smile.
I grasped Pearl’s hand firmly in mine, our fingers intertwining as we strode forward with purpose.
We moved closer and closer until I could count the beads of sweat forming on the Aljani’s brow as he searched the crowd.
His piercing blue eyes widened in surprise as we approached, causing him to fumble for the blade hanging at his side.
The glint of metal caught my eye, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through me.
I jerked Pearl off her feet, holding her against my side as I sprinted towards a nearby tavern, ducking into the narrow alleyway beside the building.
His heavy footsteps thudded close behind us, along with the sound of his voice shouting into a communication device, alerting his comrades of our location.
Aljani might be practically worthless in combat, but they were fast.