by Ella Maven
Zuri reached out and squeezed my hand. “No, as long as it’s your decision.”
I took another bite and eyed Cravus, who had nearly cleared his plate already. His head was bent, and his shoulders were tensed. One thing I hadn’t told Cravus yet was that every time he appeared in my dreams, he told me that he knew who I was. He knew my name. And even though they were just dreams… they were so real, which made me believe if anyone could help me regain my memories, it was him. While I felt safe with Zuri, Cravus felt like home.
“Am I a burden to you?” I asked him.
His head shot up and he frowned. “Are you speaking to me?”
I nodded, and the blue of his eyes glowed fiercely. “Have I made you feel like you’re a burden?”
“No, but—”
“I’d like you to come with me, Bloom. I know your dreams might be just dreams to you, but to us Kaluma, it means something that I appear in them while you sleep. I want to take you to my home. There is another human female there with her Kaluma mate. I know I can take care of you there and keep you safe.”
Zuri hadn’t let go of my hand. She squeezed it again, and when I met her eyes, I expected to see disdain or censure, but all I got was a nod of understanding. “You choose what feels right,” she urged.
I felt horrible leaving Zuri, but the thought of Cravus walking out of this settlement without me sent my heart racing in a panic. “I have to go,” I whispered as tears pricked the back of my eyes. “I have to go with him. I feel like that’s what’s right. My dreams… They mean something. I know it.”
Zuri wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “I understand. And I’m glad you got to make your choice.”
“You can come with us—”
Zuri was already shaking her head with a smile. “I don’t think Cravus wants me to tagging along.”
My spine snapped straight in indignation. “He won’t mind.”
Cravus looked like he did, in fact, mind very much but he kept his mouth shut. Smart guy.
Zuri laughed. “He would mind, but even if he didn’t, I have made a name and purpose for myself on this planet, and here is where I will stay.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am. Just know that if you’re ever on Gorsich, you can always count on me for help. I’m known as Hack, so just ask around for me.”
I nodded. “Got it.”
“Does that offer extend to me?” Cravus asked her with a slight smirk.
Zuri sniffed haughtily and poked at her food. “I guess so. But only in reparation for shooting you.”
Cravus smiled at me, and I held back a giggle. “I accept those reparations.”
“Well, that was all I was offering,” she muttered without looking at him.
This time, a laugh burst out of me, startling Skags. Zuri, her head still bent, smiled to herself.
We took a day to get some rest and eat. While Zuri had plenty of food stores, Cravus used some of his czens to purchase more supplies from a few vendors to replenish what we used. Zuri explained more about how she made a living, and I was amazed at her resourcefulness. While she didn’t talk much about how she came to this galaxy, she found a way to stay alive and support herself.
Known as Hack among the refugees of the planet, she supplied translation implants, comm devices, weapons, and anything else needed among the exploited species trying to return home or stay alive. Wanted by the Rinian Council, she moved around a lot, and said she would have to move from her current settlement soon.
She was adamant she didn’t want to return home with us, that she served a purpose here and wanted to fulfill it, no matter how dangerous it was.
We decided to leave the settlement when it was dark, so we sat in Zuri’s tent enjoying one last meal while we waited for the sun to go down. Zuri was telling a story about how she’d been nearly hijacked by a squad of Gattrix when Cravus, who was picking through a pile of what looked like junk on one of her tables, let out a bark of surprise.
Expression fierce, he thrust his hand in Zuri’s face. Between his fingers, he held a discolored disk. “Where did you get this?”
Zuri blinked at him. “Uh, not sure. I get all kinds of scrap from the occupants of this settlement in exchange for food. That’s a pile I haven’t sorted through yet. Why?”
His chest heaved, and I instinctively pressed a palm to his chest in an effort to calm him. His eyes lost a little of their scary glow when my fingers brushed his scales. Still, his teeth were gritted when he spoke again. “This is…” he pointed to his mangled ear. “My comm to home. I thought I lost it when I was shot during the transport ambush.”
Zuri studied him closely. “Your comm?”
“It was installed in my earlobe before it was shot off.”
She blew out a whistle. “That’s an unlucky shot.”
He studied it, pressing on it delicately before spitting out a curse. “It’s damaged.” He sank down in his chair. “If I could get a hold of them, they’d arrange passage home for us.”
Zuri held out her hand. “If it’s possible to be salvaged, I’m the one to do it. Hand it over and I’ll see what I can do.”
Cravus
Zuri settled a pair of magnifying glasses on her nose, turned on a light, and bent over a desk with the disk in front of her. She fiddled for a while, muttering to herself in a low voice while I watched her every move, feeling like I was going to come out of my skin.
Bloom drifted closer, until she settled onto her knees at my feet with her chest pressed against my calf. She seemed to like that position, and every time she looked up at me with those green eyes, a part of my soul settled. I ran a hand over her hair, wondering how Bosa felt when he realized he’d found his linyx. I was still unsure Bloom was my mate, but I couldn’t deny her visuls or the way she made me feel. So much of how we chose our mates was instinct, and all of mine were acutely attuned to her.
She folded her hands on my knee and propped her chin on them. “Tell me about your home.”
I knew what she was doing—taking my mind off Zuri tinkering with the comm device. While I still planned to get home without it, getting direction from Gurla or Bosa would make my mission a lot easier.
“Home,” I blew out a breath and closed my eyes. I could almost smell the popular weed the warriors liked to smoke. I could feel the weight of the tools in my hands as I worked in my weapons workshop. And I could see my friends—brash Bosa, too serious Sherif, and Karina’s smile. My father, whose mind was failing him, yet still greeted me with a proud smile every day. The twins Grego and Uthor who I’d promised new weapons to when I returned.
“We are in a rebuilding period as our previous pardux nearly drove us to extinction. It’s a long story but he went a little mad and forced all the females into a harem with him.”
Zuri was listening, because I heard her let out a little growl.
“It was a dark time for us. But when he was defeated by one of our allies, his son took over—Sherif—who is a childhood friend of mine. He’s…” I could feel the smile on my face. “A good leader. Fair. He was always meant to rule. While the effects of our former pardux’s rule can still be felt, we’re trying to rebuild. We have crops and livestock and live in the trees. The stars shine bright through the leaves. I miss the smell of the stream near our settlement and the laughter of the females. I miss Gurla who always snuck me treats because I’m her favorite other than her two mates.”
Bloom let out a small hum, and I opened my eyes to see her smiling up at me. “That sounds nice. What’s the other human woman like?”
“Karina is tough. She puts up with Bosa’s mouth, which runs a lot.”
“You think she’d like me?”
I cupped Bloom’s cheek. “She will absolutely like you.”
Her skin warmed my palm, and I both felt and heard the intake of her breath as she stared up at me with an expression that was quickly shifting from contentment to something more urgent. More heated. Her pupils flared, and I caught a whiff of her scent, that warm spice I
’d first encountered when she’d been caged.
My cock pressed against the front of my pants, eager to play with the pretty human at my feet. And unless I was mistaken, she was aroused too.
She shifted on her knees, swallowing thickly just as her gaze dipped to my groin. Her eyes went wide, fear leaching into the lust, as she backed up slightly. I quickly bent over to cover the bulge. I reached for her and hated the way she flinched. “Bloom, it’s not… just ignore it.” What did I say to her? How did I make her see I wouldn’t hurt or force anything on her, most of all myself?
Her chest heaved, and I tried again, “Bloom—”
Suddenly a crackle rent the air, and Zuri let out a whoop of triumph. Fiddling with the knob of a machine in front of her, she beckoned me over. “The speaker on your comm is shot, but I hooked it up to this external one, and it should work…”
She tongued the corner of her lip as she concentrated. I strode over to her table, Bloom at my heels, to see she’d all but dissected my comm device.
More crackling filled the tent, and then a distinct voice filtered through the scratching noise. “Cra—us?”
The sound of my garbled name in Gurla’s voice made my legs weak. “It’s me. There was an ambush. I was shot and have recovered and missed the shuttle. How can I get transport home?”
For a moment, there was nothing but a staticky silence. I clenched my fists. “Can she hear me?” I asked Zuri.
“I think so,” she murmured, fiddling again with the knob just as Gurla’s voice came back. “Thank… so worried… didn’t hear from you…” A male’s voice boomed in the background, unmistakably Bosa’s, and it was a little hysterical. Gurla said something indecipherable, seemingly to him and then spoke again louder. “…compromised. Whatever you do… go to Council. I repeat… go to Council. Wait for… passage.”
The ambush made me concerned about moles in the council, but if Gurla confirmed they were still the safe option, I trusted her. “Go to the council?”
Her next few words were garbled before they became clearer again. “…Council. Be safe… home.”
The comm device sent out a spark, nearly singing Zuri’s arm, before falling completely silent. “Yerk!” I shouted, pounding my fist on the table.
Zuri worked with the comm more, but finally threw her hands in the air and tossed her glasses on the table. “I’m sorry. It’s done. Beyond all hope. Maybe I could fix this with a ton more supplies and about five days.”
I shook my head. “No, we don’t have that kind of time. We need to get moving now. Gurla said to go to the Rinian Council, so that’s where we’ll go.”
Zuri didn’t look convinced. “You think they can help?”
“We work for them. I was hired by them for this job, and it nearly killed me. The least they can do is get me home,” I grumbled.
“What about her?” she jerked her chin toward Bloom.
“They had rescued her from traffickers, so they’ll be happy she’s alive.” I didn’t want to say the next words, but they might be a good option. “Do you want to stay with Zuri until I can come get you?”
She shook her head immediately. “No, I’ll come with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive, Cravus. What if you need help? Who will save you?”
I opened my mouth to tell her I would save myself, but then I realized she’d already kept me alive twice. Maybe I did need her as much as she needed me. I nodded. “Okay then. Sun is down, so it’s time to go. We have a journey ahead of us.”
Six
Bloom
Zuri leaned against the inside of her tent, just out of view, as Cravus slung our pack of supplies over his shoulder along with his weapon. With Zuri’s help, I’d fashioned a shoulder sling for Skags. Cravus warned the terrain we needed to cover wasn’t suitable for his small paws. She’d also given me better clothes—clean pants, a shirt, and a jacket as well as boots with thick soles.
“I appreciate all you did for us,” Cravus said to her.
She smiled. “Does that include shooting you?”
He shrugged. “Your instinct was to protect, and I can’t fault you for that. If you ever run into another Kaluma and need help, just mention my name.” He turned and then paused before glancing back at her. “When we first came into your tent, you mentioned that you forgot we could blank. How did you know?”
“I met one of you before.”
Cravus straightened immediately and drew closer to her. “You have? Bosa?”
She shook her head, and her expression went a little guarded. “Don’t know his name. Big guy like you. Older, I think. He looked liked he’d been through a lot.” She waved her hand in front of her face. “Old scars, new wounds, that kind of thing.”
His breathing sped up, and his fists clenched rhythmically. “How long ago was this? Did you speak to him? Where was he?”
Zuri shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”
“We haven’t traveled from our planet for many cycles, so that must be…” he grimaced. “Maybe not. Maybe it was a Kaluma from another settlement.” Shaking his head, he sent her a strained smile. “Never mind. Thank you again and stay safe.”
“You too.” Her long arms wrapped me in a hug, and I felt a soft kiss pressed to the top of my head. “If he does you dirty, remember, ask around for Hack. I’m only found if I want to be, and I’ll always want to be found by you.”
“Thank you,” I squeezed her back, cherishing her words. “You always have a home with us.”
“Good to know.” Gently shoving me away, she ruffled my hair and sniffed. I caught the slight shine to her eyes before she blinked it away. “See you soon, if it’s meant to be.”
I nodded, hoping it was meant to be. I didn’t want to think that this was the last time I’d see Zuri. As we walked out into the darkness, I glanced over my shoulder at her tent until it was just a small glowing dot on the horizon. After that, I focused on the journey to our destination.
The longer we walked, the darker it seemed to get, which didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me logically, but it was the truth. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face or where I was placing my feet. Cravus, with his supernatural blue eyes, was able to see better in the dark than I could. Eventually, he picked me up and carried me as we traversed the terrain.
I must have dozed off in his arms because the next time I opened my eyes, a visible strip of sunlight glowed above the horizon. Skags yawned in his sling and stretched out his paws, nosing into the air. I was sure he was hungry. I was, and certainly Cravus had to be. Wasn’t he tired?
I peered up at his face, but he didn’t look fatigued or worn down. He strode on ahead fresh as when we started out.
“Cravus?” I murmured, my voice scratchy from sleep. When he glanced down at me, his features softened immediately, eyes crinkling into a soft smile, and I felt warmth flood my blood at his expression. Had anyone in my life every looked at me like this? I couldn’t imagine I’d ever forget that.
“Sleep well?” He asked.
Surprisingly enough, it had been good sleep. “Yes, but don’t you need to rest?”
“I don’t, but we should eat.” He placed me on my feet, and I stretched out my legs before continuing to walk at his side. We munched on some dried meat Zuri had provided for us and sipped on some water.
I picked my way over the wet, rocky land of the valley. Large mountains rose on either side of us, and the stream to our left babbled softly. “Where are we?” I asked.
“In the Gorsich hills. We follow this stream, which eventually widens into a river and leads us right to Haliya, the capital of Gorsich the Rinian Council resides.”
“Do you know this area well?”
His gaze constantly scanned the area around us. “I studied the planet as much as I could, focusing on the land surrounding Haliya, so I know I’m on the right track, but I’m unsure of all the dangers associated with this land. We always have to worry about an ambush like the one that originally d
isrupted our transport.”
Nervous bumps rose on my arms, and I rubbed the skin there. “I see.”
“We also have to worry about the natural predators of this area. The cudgels—those winged creatures from the ambush—have clans around here and while they wouldn’t try to eat me, you’d be a delicacy. As well as upris, who would kill us for sport, and while I could fight a few off, if a whole family tried to take us on, I would fail.”
He said all of this so matter of fact, with no fear or tremble in his voice. Meanwhile, I wanted to curl into a ball. “Um, okay, I think I heard enough.”
He blinked at me; brow furrowed in confusion. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” I said quickly with a wave of my hands. “You were being thorough. That’s great. I’m just… not excited to hear about all the things that could kill me and clean their teeth with my bones.”
“Upris have hooked beaks instead of teeth.”
I took a deep breath in through my nose, so I didn’t snap at him. “That’s nice for them.”
“They are night hunters, so we should be able to relax now that the sun is up.”
I laughed a little hysterically. “Relax. Yes, sure. I’m super chill.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. “Do you trust me to protect you?”
That sobered me for a moment. I did trust him. He was extremely capable and hell, he could turn invisible. “Yes.”
He smiled. “Then let me do the worrying for the two of us.”
“You’re worried?” He didn’t seem like it at all.
His gaze dropped to me. “I’m in a constant state of awareness about our mortality.”
When he put it that way … I nodded. “That’s fair.”
His hand brushed mine, and before I knew it, he’d laced our fingers together, bringing them up between us so I would have felt like a child if it wasn’t for the heated look he gave me. “Just enjoy the view. We’re coming up to a mopew soon.”
“A mopew?”