He glanced down at me but said nothing.
Patty was still waiting for us with an exasperated look on her face. The shark was crying again.
“Can we figure out what to do with him?” Patty asked.
She didn’t comment on or acknowledge the new armor at all! He deserved recognition for pure badassery! But without looking at him. The staring was making me feel stabby. Patty just stared at us expectantly.
“There is a panel to the left of the cargo doors. Place him into one and pull the panel. He cannot open it from the inside,” the Orixas answered.
Patty sighed in relief and pulled the shark up by his shirt and dragged him through the door.
I turned to the Orixas.
“I’m Jack,” I said and extended my hand towards him to shake. “What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you the Big Bad or Terrible Terror,” I asked with a smile.
He glanced at my hand but didn’t take it.
Instead, he bowed slightly at the waist and met my eyes.
“You may call me General At’ens.”
Chapter 5
The General had been at the Captain’s console for an hour, pressing buttons, muttering about outdated ships, and cursing the sharks with some very colorful language.
His scent was driving me insane.
I had never been so sexually frustrated and confused in my life.
I mean, he didn’t even have ears! His nostrils were two pronged holes in his face that opened and closed with each breath. I should not want to bump uglies with him.
But I did. I really, really did!
I wanted to scream and demand he bend me over the console.
I did not.
I just stared at him like a stalker and growled under my breath.
He continued to push buttons, oblivious.
He probably didn’t even find me appealing. If he was strange to me, I imagine I looked strange to him. Probably more so, what with my tan skin’s lack of light show capabilities. His ridges, from his head down to his spine, pulsed in rapid light patterns when he was agitated. Like now.
It was mesmerizing.
“Problems, General?” I asked. My voice came out way huskier than I wanted.
He looked up from the console. “I have sent a message to my ship. I changed our course to my ship’s last known coordinates. We are further away than I expected, and this ship’s transition drive is inadequate for the jump. We will have to travel two sectors before we can make the jump to my ship. It will take many days,” he said, anger and frustration coloring his words. His lights strobed faster and his tails shifted on the floor behind him.
I shrugged and stood from the little chair I’d been sitting on while I creeped on him, and stretched my arms over my head. Time to make a retreat before I crawled into his lap.
“Nothing we can do about that. Might as well eat something and sleep. I’m exhausted. I’m gonna go find a bed,” I said, and started walking across the flight deck towards the sleeping quarters. I kept my steps slow and deliberate, so it didn’t look like I was tucking my tail and running.
I paused and looked back at him when I remembered none of the girls knew he was out. They’d freak if they woke up and he was looming here, putting on his threat display. Probably try to shoot him.
“Uh, General At’ens?” I said, thinking quickly, “Maybe you sleep in a room and wait until I can tell the other women you’re helping us before you come out? I’ll bring you some food. It would avoid the panicked screaming.”
His lights dimmed and stopped pulsing. I hoped I hadn’t offended him. I opened my mouth to apologize, but he raised his hand and stopped me.
