He whipped his head around, staring at her practically in horror as she laughed, still clinging on, her foot balancing her as she hung off his neck.
“You keep on trying to buying me things, you must be accepting affections.”
“Those are completely different things,” he growled.
She leaned up and kissed him again. Right on his nose. The fluttering pressure of her lips made his heart race and his belly tighten and his lips frown.
“Stop that,” he ordered.
She only laughed and kissed him again. This time on his temple.
“I said, stop that,” he growled, trying to sound threatening.
But she didn't fear him. None of his crew feared him. He’d completely lost his touch as the once terrifying Brute of Rik-Vane. She peppered kisses all over his face, avoiding only his lips, as he grumbled and protested yet made absolutely no effort to lean back or push her off. The tiny pressure of soft warmth dotting all over his face and head and even a bit on his neck were wonderful in the worst kind of way. He wanted to hate it, he ordered her to stop, but he didn't want it to end.
She was getting her revenge. He’d pestered her with spending his credz on her despite her protests, and now she was giving him affection despite his. None of which would be happening if she hadn’t messed with his wiring in the first place!
“Shall I add the filtration?” The green skinned, grinning male asked, looking smug and absolutely secure in his sale.
“Yes,” Vytln harrumphed as Haven adjusted herself. She stepped up, putting her foot on his hip, then used her grip on his shoulder to swing herself around so her other foot was on his other hip and she was balancing her hands on both shoulders. From there, she could continue her reign of terror by kissing all over his skull and horns.
The evirosuit needed the rest of the day to be completed, but the store owner promised to send it to their ship by the night marks, no later than the morning, and Vytln handed over his payment. By the time he was walking out, Haven still on his back, standing on his hips, riding him like a beast of burden, he wasn’t sure if he won or lost this particular fight.
“What’s that being?” Haven asked, pointing over his head. She was making no attempts to climb down, nor was he trying to shrug her off. He kind of liked her up there. Made it easier tokeep track of her and know that no one was going to snatch her from him.
He looked, following her finger as he restarted their hovercart – it had been parked outside the store, waiting for them to emerge, cover drawn over their purchases.
“That’s a smoke bar,” he said after glancing over briefly.
“Oh. What’s that being?” She pointed at something else.
He followed her finger as he started walking through the crowd. “That’s a weapon store. Actually-”
“No!” She cut him off before he could say that they should stop by and get something for her. He smirked and let the subject drop, but it wasn’t a bad idea really.
“What that being?”
“Thats-” His voice stopped.
He’d followed her finger and caught sight of the brothel she was pointing to. A favorite place of his crewmate Trove, and nearly as ubiquitous on space stations as envirosuit shops. Lonely people on starships weren’t above paying for physical pleasure, and there was always someone out there willing to take those credz. Selling through a brothel like any other store front just made sense.
Except his attention wasn’t caught by the brothel, but instead by the males going into it. Chatting, laughing. Horns shining in the light, eyes gleaming like embers. They were dressed in nice clothes, tailor fit and expensive. They had drinks in hand, laughter on their lips, and not a care in the world.
His brother and two of his cousins.
Cursing, he reached up and snagged Haven by the arm. She let out a short call of surprise as he swung her back around and deposited her on the cart. The stack of nutrition powder became her seat as he quickly navigated through the crowd, keeping his head down, putting as much space between his brother and himself as he could.
“Vytln?” Haven spoke softly, giving him a concerned look, no doubt sensing something was wrong.
And something was definitely wrong. It was no coincidence that in all the wide universe his brother just happened to be here. Especially not after just contacting Tanin.
Vytln was being hunted.
Chapter 14
Haven
The entire ship was tense. Haven wasn’t entirely sure why or what had changed. Vytln wasn’t talking, and the others were busy working. Even if they weren’t, Vytln had plopped her right back into her nest and was absolutely refusing to let her out.
