Kat blushed. “No. I wouldn’t have potentially killed someone but I was not a virgin.”
“Who was he?” His question came out harsh, edged with venom.
“It’s not what you think,” She stammered and had to look away embarrassed. “One of my patients, doomed to die from a genetic disorder. We became close and he knew what could be in me but it didn’t matter to him. He was going to die anyway. I held his hand also.”
“I’m sorry.”
His apology embarrassed her more.
“It’s in the past.” She leaned up and kissed his lips. “I like knowing I can’t hurt you. That you’re safe to touch, to kiss. I would say it’s my favorite thing about you but it’s not.” Kat said into his chest.
“What is your favorite thing about me? You have me curious.”
“Right now? My favorite thing is that you’re not disgusted by me.” Her courage grew. “You’re so…”
“Monstrous?”
“No. Thoughtful, you’re thoughtful. I like that the most.”
He kissed the top of her head and she felt the familiar intake of his breath, breathing her in. “You’re not sick, Kat, You need to listen to me. There is nothing inside you. And today I don’t want you to think of it again, ever again. Do you hear me? You’re not near death anymore. You’re an assistant to a monster hunter and what we do prevents death.”
“Okay.” Kat swallowed. “I’ll try.” She lied.
“I need to show you something.”
She let out a stale breath and got up when he moved to stand. She pulled on her clothes while he watched. Dommik took her hand in his and led her back to the menagerie. The half empty room that was encased in heavy layers of steel and reinforced glass cages. The androids were milling about keeping the creatures within healthy and hopefully happy.
He led her to the one room she hated the most. The roaches.
Always the bugs.
The door closed behind them, the bright light blinded her. They stood in front of her least favorite case. He let go of her hand and opened it up.
Kat jumped back as he pried the roaches off of a branch that she had fed them earlier. They critters scattered away from him, some up his arms, over the interior of the glass. She was on the other side of the room while Dommik picked the bugs off of himself and enclosed them again. Kat was gagging by the end.
“Why would you do that?” she coughed with disgust. Shaking herself as if they had crawled all over her instead. “Now I’m really going to be sick.”
A mangled and chewed on plant appeared in front of her face. “Take it,” Dommik demanded of her.
She gripped it with the edge of her two fingers and held it away. “Why?”
“That’s the plant that you think killed your parents. Nargeo.”
Kat flung it away from her in horror.
In shock.
“It’s harmless,” he said.
But she didn’t hear him.
The ship’s speakers went on and transmitted the one message that saved her from herself:
“Warning. Warning. Entering Trentian territory.”
Chapter Fifteen:
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