Chapter 32

Me, Urgg, and Wyn were sequestered at a table away from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. They both enjoyed writhing worm creatures while I ate some spicy stew.

“We’re coming up on Vx-93,” Urgg said before belching.

“Vx-93?” I asked, mouth on fire.

“Yep,” Urgg answered.

“And it”s called that, why?”

Wyn said, “From the person who discovered it, Vynlmq Xvmy.” I blinked at the name, not grasping how to pronounce it, but he continued before I had a chance to ask him to repeat it. “She was a scientist with the Sidlis. As the planet was uninhabited, they staked a claim with the Coalition, which granted them temporary ownership status, allowing them to build a colony.

“But the Vvmp government also staked a claim, as the discoverer was a vvmp. The temporary name is Vx-93 for the discoverer’s name and it’s the ninety-third uninhabited planet or moon the Coalition has claimed. The claim about the planet is still in dispute. It has been for cycles.”

“All boring shit no one cares about,” Urgg grunted. “More interestingly, there’s a tavern on the planet.”

“Tavern?”

Wyn said, tail flicking, “It’s the most famous one in the region.”

Urgg grinned. “We should go.”

“All three of us?” I asked.

“It’ll only be fun if you come too,” Wyn said.

Something gentle blossomed in my stomach. “Yeah, we should do that.”

I strolled from lunch with a spring in my step. Seeing another planet would be fun. Sure, the first one hadn’t been the best, yet it had been amazing to see. I pushed through the crowd, trying to ignore the mass of people pressing against me and their words buzzing in my ears, when I spotted someone familiar—Captain Talvax. She was supposed to be meeting with Kal this afternoon. Why was she here? Where was Kal?

I pushed through the crowd. “Captain.”

“Seth,” she said, gesturing to a less busy section. “Did you finish lunch with Urgg and Wyn?”

“I did. I thought Kal was meeting with you?”

“He did. Prince is with Pimtimzol, and I’m on my way to see Urgg.”

I cast a longing glance at the elevator. I was ready to retreat to my room for the afternoon, and then spend a quiet evening with Kal, but Talvax was a wealth of information. He was reluctant to share anything, and I’d promised to give him time, but I needed something to help bury my insecurities.

“When we had dinner together, you said Kal was entrusted to you.”

“That’s between you and Kalvoxrencol.”

“He won’t talk to me.”

Talvax crossed her arms. “I will not break his confidence.”

“I”m not asking you to. Point me in a direction. If he won’t let me in, then this is never going to work.”

Honestly, I’d begun to grasp what Analise meant when she’d said she didn”t want to date a ghost. Kal wasn’t like I was, hiding every part of his personality, but he wouldn’t let me in. However, at the same time, I balked about forcing myself in. Kal was entitled to his secrets, nor was he obligated to reveal them to me.

She fluffed her short pumpkin-orange hair. “His soul type bothers him.”

“I know that.”

“He sees it as a weakness, which it’s not.”

“I don’t understand why he cares.”

“Urgg doesn’t either. It’s hard to explain how much we believe in the Crystal and soul types. They have been the center of our existence for a very long time. They define us, but in more recent cycles, I’ve taken a modest belief. Soul types are glimpses meant to act as guides, nothing more. But many don’t agree with me. They see it as who we are and all we can be.”

“Why does he even care? So he’s creative? Great. I love his paintings.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.” When she didn’t say anything more, I asked, “Is that all I’m going to get?”

“Do you know how long it’s been since he painted?”

“No.”

“Over a cycle at least. He feels ashamed every time he does. Vyn stocks his quarters with art supplies, but he ignores them. Whenever he does give in to the desire, he lashes out.”

“Why?”

“I cannot answer that.”

“Fair enough.” I peered around, trying to see through the swell of people.

“What are you searching for?”

“A shop that sells art supplies.”

“Are you going to buy them for your mate?”

“Yeah.” He shouldn’t feel bad about something that brings him joy.

“That way,” she said, pointing.

“How goes your mating?” Pimtimzol asked, planting wrinkly brown seeds.

I sat on the ground next to him in a cargo bay, not the atrium for once. The nearby shipping crates were full of pots and soil.

“Better.” Thoughts of the many kisses we’d shared surged up, making a sudden need flood me. When my cock twitched, I repositioned and forced my thoughts to something else, like the conversations we’d been having. The glaringly absent one was my past. He needed to know. If he chose to be with me, as I hoped he would, my past could affect him.

“Has he decided to stay?”

“No.”

Pimtimzol smoothed the dirt before shifting to an empty pot.

“He’s not done deciding. He’s going to choose me,” I lied. Seth very well might not. We were over halfway home; I didn’t have much time left.

Hope burned within me, painful yet comforting at the same time. Hope meant Seth was here with me and the chance of him staying remained. If this painful hope disappeared, it would be replaced by the agony of his absence, which I could not endure.

When I stepped into me and mine’s quarters, I faltered. Seth was sprawled on the couch, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, but the painting supplies were. The very sight of them made my muscles tense, and light began to pool beneath my scales. I wanted to flee, yet Seth was here and he made me want to step forward.

Seth sat up and held out his arms. I needed no more invitation than that.

I pressed against him, and Seth snuggled me close. “Hey, Babe.”

I nuzzled the top of his head, scent marking him, and his hair tickled my nose. “What’s this?” I asked, glancing at the easel.

“I assume you don’t mean the hug.”

“No.”

His fingers dug into my back. “I want to help.”

“This is not helpful,” I told him roughly.

“Oh.” Seth slid away, settling back onto the couch.

Immediately, I missed the contact. Unable to take the distance, I crawled on top of him before nestling against his chest.

Seth kissed the top of my head. “Sorry.”

“No, I need to apologize. Painting is a sensitive topic.”

“I get it.” He shook his head. “No, actually I don’t, but I’m not trying to push you. I like your paintings, and I think you like to do it.”

I stared down at his lovely face, tracing the curve of his cheek, the line of his jaw, and the arch of his brow. “I want to paint you,” I declared, even as my stomach soured with guilt.

“M-me?”

“Yes, you. Only you.” He was the center of my universe. The one thing that mattered above all else. Seth was all I saw and the only thing I wanted.

“O-okay.”

I trailed a finger down his neck. “Naked?”

The color of his face deepened, as I knew it would, making me chortle.

He frowned, but Seth pressed a kiss to my lips. “Jerk.”

The words pest, mean, bully, and pull floated through my mind, making my head tilt, but I let it go. One day, I would paint him naked, capturing his perfection. It would take time before he would allow me to, I imagined. I hadn’t even seen him naked yet. I stifled a groan. That would be a sight to behold.

“Shirtless, then?” I proposed. Seth would refuse, but I wanted to bring more color to his cheeks.

A slight smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. “Sure.”

My mouth fell open, and my cock started to come to life. “What?”

“I will pose shirtless.”

“Really?” The metal teeth securing his jacket clacked softly as I pulled the tag down. When it opened, I slid my fingers down his simple blue shirt, not one I’d bought him, playing with the hem.

“If you’ll paint right now, I’ll take my shirt off.”

“Can I take it off of you?”

“Sure.”

I drew Seth up with me. Slowly, I peeled his jacket off, dropping it to the floor. His brown eyes never left me as I hooked my fingers around the hem of his shirt and tugged it up. My knuckles dragged against his skin, sending bolts of electricity up my arms. Awareness grew in my body, and heat flooded my limbs from the simple touch.

As I lifted the shirt up, Seth raised his arms, so the fabric smoothly slipped off. The shirt fell to the ground in a puddle, and my breath turned harsh. His skin was paler on his chest than on his arms or face, though there were a few darker circles. Moles or freckles was the term, but I couldn’t differentiate between them. His muscles had some definition and his stomach swelled. Hair scattered over his pectorals and near his dark brown nipples. I really wanted to touch one, to lave my tongue over the nub, but I resisted.

“You’re lovely,” I told him, fighting against my growing cock. I wanted to bury myself inside of him until we both trembled from pleasure.

He placed my hand on his chest. Seth did not release me so my fingers couldn’t wander as I would have liked, but I loved touching his smooth skin.

After a few moments, Seth pushed me away. “Where do you want me?”

Beneath me, I thought.

I pointed to the center of the couch, unable to speak. With jerky movements, I set everything up. The selection of colors and brushes was limited, but that didn’t matter. I would forever treasure what Seth was doing. I would also cherish this show of trust. If Seth could trust me, I should trust him.

As I began to put paint on the palette, one color stuck out to me—a deep red color the same shade as Seth’s soul. His perfect warrior soul. For once, it didn’t hurt that he had one and I did not. Right now, being able to paint him half-naked seemed like a blessing.

Putting all of the shades of red as well as black and white on the palette, I planned on painting my warrior husband in the same color as his soul.