“Just water is fine.”
Vyken got up and went to the water dispenser and filled two recyclable glasses with cold water then brought them back to the table placing one in front of Danya and one at his place at the table. He noticed the bruises on her arms from where the thug’s fingers had pressed into her flesh. It made him angry.Mine!
He felt like ripping that worthless piece of humanity apart with his bare hands. Even more, he wished to lick the marks on her arm so his nanites could repair the damage that caused the bruises.
“If you don’t mind,” Danya said, “I will save the other one for later. If I eat them both, I might not keep them down.”
“If that’s what you want. We have an ample supply of food for many years to come. You can have more anytime you wish,” he told her. “We have space for three hundred people on this ship. I want you and your father to stay here with us. You’ll be safe here.”
“And convenient for you…” Danya quirked an eyebrow as she looked at him speculatively.
“And for you to know me better, Danya. You and your father will be safe here,” he said. “We are here to recruit people to rebuild a civilized society and suppress the gangs of thugs that prey on females and males not skilled in fighting.”
“You want me, but then what?” she asked boldly meeting his gaze.
“You are mine,” he said with complete certainty. “It’s genetic. You are my female.”
“How do you know that?”
“Pheromones,” he said simply.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“It’s something your body releases to attract your mate. I sensed yours and reacted to them,” he explained. Even then he could smell her arousal, but she seemed to be fighting it.
“What if I don’t want to mate with you?”
“You do. Your body is telling us both that you do,” he said softly.
Danya’s face grew hot, and her cheeks turned pink. Her nipples were hard, and her pussy contracted as she sat looking at him. “Well, don’t hold your breath. I don’t just bang every guy that saves my life and my father’s.”
Vyken took that as a ‘no,’ but he could wait. It would take time to gather the people to set up the Enclave in the old cyborg facility. The female would not be part of it; she would understand eventually. Bonding with her would take time.
“And I don’t wish to ‘bang’ just any female.” He gave her a faint smile and took a sip of water. “You are the only female I want. I would agree to bond with you before breeding.”
“You’re pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?” she teased, and her eyes sparkled with humor.
Vyken was only sure that she would be his mate and that she wanted him. He just didn’t know how long she would resist her desire for him.
“If you have finished eating, we can go to the storeroom and get you fresh clothing,” he said, rising from his seat.
“Yeah, okay.” She got up, and they left the mess hall together. He led her down the hall to a lift and they took it down four levels to the cargo bay. It was located adjacent to the storeroom and the landing bay.
Vyken had already scanned Danya, so he knew what size clothing to get for her. She wore a common size to women in the fleet, so he found her a couple pairs of pants, shirts, a jacket, and boots. Since they were there, Vyken asked Kydel to scan James Hill so he could bring clothing up to his quarters on deck three. When he came back to the counter where Danya waited, he had a plastic crate containing all the items.
“I will show you to your quarters where you can shower and change and rest if you wish. Your father will be in the cabin next to yours, the medic will guide him down when he is recovered.”
Vyken carried the crate with the clothes and boots. He and his men were going back to the city once they got the new people settled. The women and children would go to the cyborg facility which was redubbed the Civil Restoration Enclave. He guided Danya up to Level Two which was where the enlisted crew cabins were located. They stopped at the one where James would sleep and left off the clothing for him then Vyken showed her to the one next to it.
He had Danya stand in front of the door and signaled the AI to scan and recognize her to open the door automatically when she came to stand in front of it. The door opened, and the lights came on inside. It was small but looked like a luxury cabin to Danya.
“I have to return to duty,” Vyken said. “If you need anything call for Star, our AI, and state what you need. I will show you how to work the shower and the entertainment screen. Kydel will bring your father to his room and let you know he’s here. I will come see you when I return if you are not sleeping.”
“Thank you, Vyken. Be careful out there,” Danya said with a warm smile.
