Chapter 9
I dream of the crash.And every ship that comes after me suffers the same fate, their silver bodies pile high and I can’t make them stop coming. I stand on the mountain and yell for them to leave me alone. That I’m happy here. Then the death and destruction ends.
When I wake, I’m not alone and as expected I’m curled up against him. My panties offer scant protection from the heat and hardness of his body. I lie motionless, torn between the sensible thing of pulling away and the delicious urge to stay where I am and see what happens.
What if this is my life now and Indiz has told be nothing but the truth?
Indiz’s hand splays over my belly and the tips of his claws brush against my skin. I suppress a shiver. He could rip me apart. He could’ve left me to be the beast’s dinner, but instead I’m here and safe and he wants to make me happy.
Could I be happy here with nothing to do all day?
Maybe not here…but there is an entire planet to explore.
“You are awake,” he says, the hard length of him presses against my butt.
He’s clearly one hundred percent awake.
“I’m thinking.” About what would’ve happened if I’d died and Sawle had survived. Or if we’d both survived. Would Indiz have helped? Or had he seen a female and decided that I was exactly what he needed, no matter my species?
Did it matter? If this is the rest of my life, can I make it work?
“About?”
“The crash. My dead crew mate. You saving me.”What it would be like to kiss you.I roll over to face him, which has the bonus of putting a little space between our bodies. But my blood is hot and squeezing my thighs together does nothing to stem the urge to do more than lie in bed with him.
Would it be gratitude sex or survival sex?
Does it matter?
“I’m sorry he didn’t make it.” He sounds sincere, and he holds my gaze and doesn’t look away. I’m getting used to his purple skin and dark eyes. Even his fangs no longer bother me.
“He should’ve been strapped in…” I sigh. “He flouted rules all the time. I try not to…” I bite my lip. I need to tell him I peeked in rooms. I can’t have the lie between us. “I got bored yesterday.”
“I won’t leave you again.” He carefully brushes a strand of hair off my face.
I want to believe him, but I did the one thing he asked me not to. “I stuck my head in some of the other rooms on this level. I needed to see what was in there. I swear I didn’t touch anything. I just looked. They’re all the same.” I lift my gaze. “What is this place?”
There’s no smile on his lips. He looks startled like I punched him in the nose. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why? There’s no one here.”
“That doesn’t mean there’s no one watching.” He throws back the fur and gets out of bed, then puts on his robe and belts it. He adds wood to the fire, keeping his back to me.
I sit up, pulling the fur with me to stay warm. “Are there ghosts? We’re not alone, are we?”
“I don’t know. Hopefully…but it’s hard to tell.”
“What is this place?”
“A city that’s rarely used.”
“And the people?”
“Are rarely people.” He stands and turns around to face me. “I can’t say more. Please don’t go searching for trouble.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s my fault. I should’ve stayed. You didn’t know.”
