“Do you need to take a break?”
Her eyes fixed on him, considering. Then she lifted her arms to him.If you carry me, we can see the rest.Örim froze. She wanted him to carry her. Their contact up until now had been fleeting, mostly accidental. He hadn’t carried her since he brought her lifeless body to the clinic. But he wanted to. He wanted to feel the softness of her against him. He wanted her in his arms when she wasn’t near death. It was probably wrong, but he couldn’t quell the desire.
“Are you sure?” he asked. Cassie bridged the gap between them, taking an unsteady step forward until she was holding onto his shoulders. Örim bent down to slot his arms under her legs, under her hips, until she was in his arms. Not dead weight. She clung around his shoulders, keeping herself upright. It was so very different than the last time. Örim fixated on her, the curve of her lips. The pale green of her eyes that almost matched his eyestones.
Am I too heavy?she asked.
“You’re tiny, Cassie. You should weigh more than you do. Even small humans are larger than you on average.”
She laughed.I never grew taller, even though I tried to stretch myself as a youngling.
Örim shifted her slightly as he carried her into the kitchen area. He showed her the cold box, which was empty but would eventually store food. “We’ll figure out a system for food once Eleri gives us the go-ahead.”
Cassie nodded. Örim worried about being able to help her prepare human-safe comestibles, but Eleri assured him there were workarounds. Finally, he showed her to the last room in their domicile. His office and bedroom, although he had little use for a bed.
For you?Cassie asked.
“Yes, these are my things. But this room is open to you as well. You can come in any time. You don’t need my permission. I don’t have anything to hide.”
She pointed at his seeding pool in the far corner.For swimming?
Örim clicked his mouth nodes with humor. “No, I’m afraid I can’t swim. It’s a seeding pool. I don’t eat, so my body restores itself with a seeding solution.”
Can I see?Cassie asked.
A strange sensation ran through his body. Seeding wasn’t a private thing, per se. It was often quite social, and done in groups back on Teös, but the idea of Cassie watching him without clothing on did something strange to his mating node. “If you’re curious, I’m sure we can arrange something.”
The awkwardness of her request was broken when she yawned widely.Tired.
“Do you want to use the bed in my room? Or should we set up a place for you to sleep out here?”
Your room?she asked.
“I don’t mind if you’re in there, only you might be disturbed by my work.”
Cassie was quiet while she considered. Then she pointed to the space Örim had intended for her to put together a comfortable sleeping space. He’d brought in a thick carpet and several blankets and pillows for her to organize at her leisure. It wasn’t precisely what a human would sleep on, but a human-grade mattress would take weeks to arrive, and he hadn’t had weeks to prepare for Cassie. Örim set her down on the ground to give her room to organize her sleeping space. He retreated to his workbench to try and give his mating node a moment to cool. Finally, back in control of his impulses, he returned to her.
“Cassie, do you need more pain medication?” When she didn’t respond, he found her asleep in a pile of pillows. Quietly,he covered her with a blanket before returning to his own room. He wanted to give her privacy to sleep, but he left his door ajar in case she needed anything in the night. He noticed a notification from Raptor had pinged onto the forum. Örim closed it. That was a door he wasn’t opening again.
CHAPTER 24
Cassie
“And why can’t I touch you, pretty bird? I’ve paid well for your services, haven’t I?” Prima Erum brought her webbed hand higher up Cassie’s thigh. Cassie pulled herself away.
“This service is not available.” She straightened her skirt and took a seat in her observing chair, clamping her fingertips against the panic button on the underside.
“Oh, why not? I won’t tell if you don’t. You passeri are all no fun.” Prima Erum reached for her first dose of iridescence. “I could even take you away from here if you pleased me. Wouldn’t you like that?” The prima advanced again, grabbing Cassie’s free hand and pinning it against the wall. “Let’s see what’s so special about Raúl’s little pets. I’m sure you have a cunt just like any human female.”
Cassie flinched. She would be punished. But she pressed the panic button anyway. The doors flew open, and the prima released Cassie’s arm.
“Do you intend to buy Cassowary’s license?”
“For a female like her? I wouldn’t pay your exorbitant prices, Raúl. Offer me something better.”
“You’ve overstayed your welcome, Prima.”
“Now, this is a misunderstanding. Tell him what really happened here, Cassowary.” The urtazi prima’s throat engorged in a warning.
