Chapter 7

Iawoke with a snort, my nose full of the scent of medical-grade disinfectant. Instantly, I knew I was no longer on Earth and that had to mean?—

"Quincy!"

When he didn't answer, I tried to look around me under lights that were entirely too bright only to realize I was restrained. And had only one arm. Goddess, that was horrifying! I remembered what we'd done, how Quincy had tried to care for me, how I hadn't been able to stay conscious. But still, to see it gone…

"That's enough," a commanding voice said nearby as strong hands pushed my shoulders down. "Calm yourself, Sergeant, or I'll tranquilize you."

The lights dimmed, and I could see Doctor Revazi leaning over me. Believing his threat, I made myself still. I'd been unconscious long enough. "Where is Quincy?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know a Quincy," Revazi said. "Now be still and let me finish my examination."

"He's in the brig, sir."

I turned my head to see Munni standing nearby. "The brig? Why?"

"You said to take him."

I groaned. "With us. Take him with us."

"Yes, sir." He looked confused. "He's provided a great deal of information regarding what happened after we were separated, but we wanted to verify it all with you before?—"

"Everything he's told you is accurate." I flinched as Revazi prodded at the rounded nub of my missing arm. "And he's my mate."

Everyone paused to stare at me then. I let them look and said nothing more. That I was not tearing the room apart to reach Quincy said we had already begun our bond. Let them imagine what they would about that.

"I, uh, can have him released?" Munni said uncertainly.

I thought about that for a moment. Did I want Quincy to see me in yet another medical-related situation? Less blood, less pain, but still me incapacitated due to injury? Naked again instead of in my uniform and looking strong and capable. Broken and hurting this time.

But I had been vulnerable in front of him and still he had wanted me. His presence throughout our ordeals had been a balm on each volatile situation. I wanted him with me.

"Fetch him, please."

Munni nodded and left.

Revazi continued pressing various small devices to points on my shoulder. "Everything seems to be healing well despite your method of amputation. I'd say it will take at least two months to regrow without assistance."

"I'll take the bots."

"A week then."

Only if treatment wasn't available could I imagine a Cero would be willing to wait months for their new arm to regrow. My duties would be reduced as it was, but then perhaps, with a new mate, I might welcome less responsibilities for a time. I had, after all, been eager for a break before meeting Quincy.

"Did they recover my arm?" I asked Revazi.

"They did. It's already gone."

"I made the right choice." I'd thought I had, but the confirmation that it had burned to ash completely now helped me believe in my decision. If I hadn't amputated, if they hadn't found us, I would have died screaming and left Quincy alone. Goddess, what a horrible thought.

"Absolutely the right choice," Revazi said, "but you're still going to lie there and let me examine you."

I sighed and complied. He didn't truly need to do much more, and had me sitting up minutes later to fit me with a sleeve that would protect my tender flesh until new scales could grow in. That was when Quincy walked in beside Munni and another guard.

Quincy came to me immediately, all smiles despite still wearing clothes with my blood on them. He huffed a laugh and looked around when I reached for him and tucked him against my side. He was so small and delicate and…bleeding?

"Where are you injured?" I asked as I tried to be still for Revazi while also moving Quincy's clothing aside to better see his body.

He chuckled and held my hand to still me. "I'm fine. Probably got a few cuts from the broken glass and whatever during the crash."

"Doctor?" I said urgently.

Revazi sighed and gave me a very put-upon look. "Let me finish with you, and then I'll examine him, too."

Quincy tried to protest. "No, really I'm?—"

I would not hear of it. "He will examine you. I will not allow you to suffer."

Quincy snorted. "I'm not suffering now."

I did not want to disagree with him and so merely renewed my hold around his waist. Once Revazi was finished fitting the sleeve on me, I reluctantly let go of Quincy so he could be examined.

"A few minor cuts that are already healing," Revazi said pointedly, "and the missing leg, obviously. While I can't do anything for the latter, I can give you an injection of nanobots to help the?—"

"No, really, that's not necessary," Quincy interrupted. "I'm fine. Give them to Ram to help with his arm. He needs them more than me."

"There is enough for both of us," I told him. "You do not need to sacrifice for me."

"No, it's not that. I'm just…fine." He laughed a little. "Really, I'd much rather get clean."

"Mmm, yes." I did not enjoy the scent of our combined blood on him. I would much prefer to coat him in my seed so everyone would know he was mine. "If we are free to go, Doctor?"

"You are." He made a shooing motion and walked away.

"Sir," the other guard said, "I need an official signature to release the prisoner into your care."

"He is not a prisoner. His detention was an error." I snatched the tablet from him and set it on my leg so that I could choose the option to scan my fingerprint instead of signing my name. Losing my dominant hand was going to take some getting used to.

"It was a nice prison, though," Quincy said with a grin. "Very clean."

I tried not to growl as I handed the tablet back to the guard. It was no one's fault that they had placed my mate in the brig. They had had very little information at the time, and I'd only been conscious enough to demand he go with us. I still wanted to punch something, though.

No, what I really wanted to do was leave. "Where are my pants?"

"I brought you some things," Munni said and handed over a stack of clothes.

It was a partial uniform, just boots, pants, and a long vest, but it was a welcome relief after inflexible pants I'd borrowed from Quincy. I shook out my black pants and tried getting a foot into them.

Suddenly, Quincy was there and taking the pants from me. He stooped down and held them open so that I could step into them properly. As he stood and pulled them up, it took effort not to react to the slide of soft material and the gleam in his eyes. He was smirking at me as he slid the pants over my ass and let them snap at my waist.

I reached for him, but Quincy dropped to his knees to help me get on my boots. Glad he was in such wicked spirits after everything we had been through, I happily let him assist me.

"Well, that's cool," he said when the boots sealed themselves shut along the inside seam from my ankle to my knee. "Are these materials fire resistant?"

He said it casually enough, but I felt his unease anyway. "They are. Even our off-duty clothes are."

Quincy nodded and held up the black tactical vest with its assortment of pockets and clips. I turned around and helped him position it on me, taking care to fit it around the sleeve. Before I could turn again, Quincy pressed up close behind me, his cock firm against the back of my thigh. He made a show of smoothing out the wrinkles in my vest before he moved away.

I whipped around, caught him to me, and kissed him passionately. That he could tease, laugh, flirt… My mate was a spectacular individual. I let him feel how my cock was trying to slide free of its pouch against his belly and flicked my tongue into his mouth. Quincy moaned wantonly.

"Ah-ah!" Revazi hollered. "Not in my infirmary!"

I lifted my head and realized, yes, this was the wrong place for such a demonstration. Turning Quincy around, I hustled him toward the door and into the corridor while calculating the fastest route to my quarters. But as I considered that, I realized that now was the time to explain everything to him. We were no longer being chased or attacked. We were safe and there was no reason not to discuss what was happening between us. I could only assume that keeping such information from him for too much longer would be disastrous to any long-term relationship.

Taking Quincy's hand, I slowed my pace, and considered my words as I led him toward a lift.

"So," he said, "is your arm going to grow back like a tiny little arm that gets bigger, or?—"

I recoiled from such an image. "No, absolutely not. It will extend as it rebuilds bone and muscle, forming the entire arm before hand and fingers. No tiny arm."

He chuckled, sounding relieved. "Thank god. That was creeping me out." He pointed, not touching but close. "And this covering that looks like scales is protecting you?"

"You saw what I looked like after the bullet wound healed—no scales, just bare flesh. It will be tender and only once the fingers finish forming will scales begin to regrow. This sleeve will expand as necessary and act as a layer of scales during the week-long process."

"A week?" he asked in amazement. "Holy shit."

I couldn't help glancing down at his artificial leg as he walked with me out of the lift onto the military quarters deck. "I wish the nanobots could help you."

He squeezed my hand. "Yeah, me, too. I'd like to take this thing off, actually, since I've been wearing it way too damn long, but I don't mind it anymore. Me and Stumpy have an understanding nowadays."

"Stumpy?"

"My leg. The stump."

Before I could assure him that I wanted to acquaint myself with his partial leg stump, doors began opening along the corridor. My fellow Ceros, those who were on a different shift and should be sleeping now, were poking their heads out, smelling the air. No doubt the scent of blood had awoken them.

"All is well," I assured them in Norlish. "Return to your beds."

Slowly, they did, though their lingering curiosity was clear.

"Was I talking too loud?" Quincy whispered.

"No, they probably smelled the blood on you."

He frowned up at me. "Just because I walked by?"

"Ceros have a very strong sense of smell."

"Apparently."

We walked to the end of the corridor and turned the corner, now entering the area where officers like myself were housed. The rooms were larger here, though having a mate meant I could request even more space for both of us. It was something to?—

"Rampon," Quincy said seriously, "tell me the truth. If I'd left you where you were in that warehouse, would your people have sniffed you out and rescued you?"

I stopped outside my door and decided to be honest with him. "Yes. They were probably quite close by the time you found me."

He huffed a laugh and rubbed at his eyes for a moment. "Why the hell did you come with me then?"

"I wanted to be with you."

Looking up at me, Quincy's eyes did something that made my heart thump a little harder and arousal simmer through me. His soft smile had me pressing my hand to the panel beside the door, opening it for us. It was time for me to tell him how I truly felt.