Chapter 15
Amina
It was hard to push her rage back, but nothing helped calm her anger more than having someone who needed her help. Myrum became her priority when he became still, eyes unfocused into the distance, seeing nothing but danger looming from the past.
Thankfully he responded to her this time like he had back on their ship. She didn’t mind being picked up, and at least that kept him from going after anyone.
Not that she was ready to forgive Gis yet, but getting Myrum someplace where he could recover was more important.
Thankfully Gis wasn’t jarred by Myrum's change in demeanor. He seemed relieved that Myrum and Amina were suddenly cooperating.
It only took a little encouragement from her to get Myrum to follow Gis. The Ossiso confidently led them through the sparsely populated station. It wasn’t long until he brought them though alarge, ornate door into what looked like a lounge area shaped in a half circle.
“This suite has eight rooms,” he said, pointing to the eight identical doors set in the semi-circular wall. “The rooms are identical, and each has individual bathing and elimination rooms. The room at the end is for you and Myrum.”
Huh, if the room were all the same, why was there a specific room assigned to them? The thought was fleeting as Gis continued to speak.
“I swear to you on my life that no harm will come to either of you or your people. I’m trusting you not to tell anyone about what happened.”
Amina was more than done with Gis and the Ossisos. She wanted to be alone with Myrum and help talk him down from the dark place his trauma was trying to send him.
“Yeah, I get it,” she said. “Go away.”
Gis looked a little taken aback by her dismissal but turned and left without another word.
Myrum was standing in the center of the communal area and staring into space. Ruby wiggled around in her hair a little but then resettled. Ignoring Ruby, Amina rubbed on Myrum’s cheeks. The rich smell of honey filled the air around them.
It made her want to lick him all over. The lust from earlier returned, but she pushed it away.
“Myrum,” she whispered. “We’re safe. The three of us aren’t in any danger. Do you think Ruby might be hungry? We should feed her, but I don’t know where her food is. I need your help, Myrum."
As she talked his body relaxed. “Amina?”
“Yup, that’s me,” she said, relieved that he was talking. This wasn’t anywhere near as bad as back on their ship. “Could you put me down?”
He set her on her feet. “Ruby?”
Amina reached up and extracted the disgruntled lizard from her hair. “Here she is.”
Before she could stop her, Ruby jumped out of her hands and grabbed hold of her jacket. Scuttling down to her pants leg, then to the floor, the lizard scrambled across the room and stood in front of one of the doors. The same one that Gis had said was theirs.
“I swear that lizard speaks Universal,” Amina said with a little laugh.
She stepped around Myrum to open the door and reveal his stuff neatly piled on a short decorative table at the foot of the bed. But that wasn’t all!
There were bowls of glowing rocks all over the place, creating a soft romantic rose light. The sheets on the bed were a shimmering bronze color and there were glittering bio-engineered flowers scattered all over it. Several canisters marked as exclusive drinks sat on a table next to the bed, with a platter of Ugarian sweets next to them.
“Oh, it’s so romantic," Amina sighed. This was the sweetest thing a potential lover had ever done for her. Now she knew what Myrum had asked Gis to do and why they had an assigned room.
Myrum stepped up behind her, pressing his front against her back.
With the door opened, Ruby scurried into the room and disappeared under the bed. Amina heard a crunch, more skittering, and then another crunch. There was a final crunch, and she emerged from under the bed with a satisfied look.
All the romance of the moment disappeared.
“No,” Amina moaned. “She was hunting bugs. There are bugs in here.”
“Not any longer,” Myrum said with an amused rumble.
