CHAPTER 9
ALETTA
The view of Irith’s Moons was not exactly what Aletta had imagined. She had in mind something like the station from Deep Space Nine, or perhaps the International Space Station.
But, as she peered at the viewscreen in her room—Gark’s room—showing the station, she realized she had been very wrong.
It looked like two wheels stacked on top of each other, with a central tower connecting the two. They spun lazily, what seemed like a swarm of insects buzzing around the ends of the towers, until they got closer and she saw they were ships.
It was hard to tell how big it was at first, but when she zoomed in using the viewscreen—something she’d been excited to figure out how to do—she realized there was no way she would be able to search the station for Dylan on her own.
That’s assuming that Dylan wasonthe station, which was just a guess. And Aletta had had plenty of time in the last few days to speculate on Dylan’s fate. Now that they’d finally docked at Irith’s Moons, all she wanted to do was get off this ship and do something to find her sister.
She paced between the door and the bed.
Should she leave the ship? She knew Gark wanted her to stay here, where it was safe. But was anywhere safe?
She strode to the door and lifted her hand to swipe over the panel when it chimed, announcing someone on the other side. She opened the door to see Gark, dressed for once in something other than a ship suit.
“You look…” she scanned him from his neatly slicked hair, a black leather bomber jacket, a tight black tee, dark gray cargo pants, and black combat boots. She swallowed. He looked hot. Very hot. “You look different.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ll be back soon. I need to know you’re safe. Will you promise me you’ll stay here?”
She leaned against the doorframe. “You mean I can leave if I want to?”
He looked down the corridor, shaking his head slightly before turning back to her, purple eyes serious. “You’re not a prisoner, Aletta.” He sighed. “You… I just need to know you’re safe.”
He’d said that before. That he needed to know she was safe. From anyone else, it might sound patronizing, as if she weren’t capable of looking after herself, but from him, it was genuine.
Plus, she had no idea of the dangers the station posed. For all she knew, she couldn’t even breathe the air.
“And when you get back, we’ll find Dylan.” She cocked a hand on one hip.
He nodded. “I’ll do everything I can to find her. I promise.”
“All right. I’ll wait.”
He nodded and turned to leave.
“Gark?”
He turned. “Yes, Iriska?”
“Be safe.”
He smiled, the formerly serious look changing in an instant to a slightly cocky grin. “Of course.” He turned again, paused,then strode the few steps back to her. “Lady’s tits, you’ll be the death of me.”
He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. She gasped, and he took advantage, sliding his tongue into her mouth as she clung to him. Then he settled her back on her feet and rested his forehead against hers.
“We have much to talk about.”
Chest heaving, he turned away and strode down the hall, this time without turning back.
Aletta lifted a shaking hand to her lips. Well, he obviously didn’t regret their kiss.
She turned back into her cabin and sat back down on the edge of the bed, kicking at a discarded shirt on the floor.
“Ugh.”
