Chapter 4

I led Seth Harris out of our quarters. He would not even look at me. My tail quaked, desperate to wrap around his leg or arm and hold him close. I had waited my entire life for this moment, and my mate couldn’t even stand the sight of me.

The Crystal had chosen Seth Harris. Out of everyone in the universe, he was my perfect match—my soulmate. The Crystal had chosen people outside of our species and on far-distant planets before, but, to my knowledge, never from an unsanctioned planet. I was skirting the laws by simply being here, yet how could I not?

When we entered the lift, my touchstone grew warm in my pocket, and I drew it out. Captain Talvax’s clear voice resonated in my ear, though my mate wouldn’t hear her words. “We are ready to depart.”

“We cannot leave yet. My Seth Harris has a dependant who is now my responsibility. I must retrieve her.”

“We have orders to fetch your mate and no one else.”

“If we leave, she could die. I cannot, in all honor, abandon her.”

“Report to Command at your earliest convenience, Prince.”

“Me and mine are on our way.” I disconnected, dropping the touchstone into my pocket.

“Is there a problem?” Seth Harris asked.

His voice slid down my spine and made me stifle a groan, stirring my cock. It was wonderfully deep, though hesitant. Still, I longed to hear him calling my name while I pleasured him. From his demeanor, I assumed he wouldn’t allow me to taste him anytime soon.

“We are going to retrieve Lucy.”

He hugged himself. “Alright.”

When the lift opened, I motioned for Seth Harris to proceed me. My tail curled, almost wrapping around his ankle, but I controlled the action. He and I hadn’t discussed permissions. Until that day, I would keep my tail and hands to myself, though it was difficult.

We stepped into Command, which was on deck one, right below the observation deck where our bounding ceremony had taken place. The curved walls were covered in screens with consoles below them. In the center of the room were three standing consoles with the three top-ranking officers. Finally, a cushioned stool for the captain sat before the consoles, facing the screen spanning the front of Command.

Captain Talvax rose. Her rich brown scales glimmered in the artificial light, and her bright orange hair was cut in the military fashion—short on the sides and longer on top. Her pale green eyes swept over us, remaining on Seth Harris as if she were evaluating him. I stepped forward, my tail edging near his boot. An instinct rose from the depths and urged me to draw Seth Harris behind me, shielding him from sight.

“Is there a problem, Talvax?” I asked.

“No, Prince.” She continued to stare at my mate.

Seth Harris’s mouth opened, and I ignored the look. “We need to retrieve my Seth Harris’s Lucy.”

Her head tilted to the side, which made the green stones in her ears glint. “What is a Lucy?”

“His cat.”

“What’s a cat?” Captain Talvax asked.

“She is a small black animal,” Seth Harris said, his voice rough. “Can we check on her, please?”

“It’ll be alright,” I whispered, tail brushing his arm instinctively. I immediately controlled the action, but he did not shift my way. Maybe it hadn’t bothered him? That would be nice. A small step. I asked Talvax, “Can we view his old dwelling?”

“Commander Monqilcolnen.” She gestured to the dark green man with long silver hair behind her, who was also my sole cousin.

“Understood.”

I turned toward the long screen at the front of Command, and Seth Harris followed suit. The one-room dwelling appeared. A black animal, a cat, sat next to the door, crying. Lucy reached up, stretching, then clawed at the door as her cries grew louder and more desperate.

“How long have I been gone?” he asked.

“Two days by your world’s rotation,” I said.

“Two days?” he shouted. “Two days?”

“Yes,” I said. Seth Harris scrubbed his short hair, making it stick up. My fingers twitched. The urge to smooth the perfect brown strands was almost overwhelming.

“We have to get her. Now. Please.”

His panicked voice and pinched expression tugged at my soul. At that moment, I would’ve done anything to ease his suffering. Anything he wanted was his.

I ordered, “Send our Lucy to me and mine’s quarters, Talvax.”

She gestured to Commander Monqilcolnen.

A light wrapped around the cat, and Lucy vanished from sight. Seth Harris gasped, stumbling forward.

“She’s fine,” I said, struggling to keep my arms at my sides. “She’s in our quarters.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Seth Harris stared at me, gripping the hem of his shirt. After several moments of silence, he inclined his head, which made my brow crinkle. Why was he conceding to my position or dominance? We were mates.

“Can I get some of my stuff, or at least Lucy’s?” he asked, voice barely audible.

I hesitated. We weren’t supposed to take more than Seth Harris, but I didn’t want to deny him anything. Drakcol cared for our mates. Their needs took precedence over all else. I would do anything to make him happy.

“Anything you need,” I replied.

The slightest smile tugged on his lips, and the sight made my soul soar as if I was flying through the clouds. It did not take much, apparently, to delight me.

Seth Harris pointed to several things, most belonging to the animal who now lived in my—our quarters. When he was finished, we headed back to our quarters.

He pushed past me and rubbed his fingers together, calling in a high-pitched voice, “Lucy.”

A quiet chirp sounded moments before a furry black animal peeked around the couch. She crept forward, low to the ground. When she came within reach, he snagged her.

I approached, head tilted to the side. She was a strange thing with a flat face, but she resembled a timtak—a winged creature we sometimes kept as pets.

When I got closer, Lucy hissed, a noise I didn’t know she was capable of, and scrambled out of Seth Harris’s arms. He groaned, and a metallic scent tinged the air, making my nose wrinkle. I moved toward him, but Seth Harris ignored me and continued calling for Lucy.

Red liquid striped his hand. Blood. It was blood. Drakcol blood was green, but humans must have red blood. My soul oddly pounded at the sight. I didn’t like it. At all. I seized his damaged hand, and Seth Harris gaped at me. I barely paid attention to his expression, focused on the gashes.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” he said, his voice higher pitched than I’d heard before.

Instinct tugged at me, powerful and strong. Unable to stop, I licked one of the cuts. An iron taste clung to my tongue, but not unpleasantly so. It was different from the tang of drakcol blood. Though, the longer I licked him, the more I wondered how the rest of him tasted. Was he sweet or bitter? It hardly mattered, for I would love it, but I wanted to find out.

His breath turned shallow, and he trembled within my grasp. I meticulously cleaned one cut before shifting to the other. As I began to lick the scratch near his smallest finger, Seth Harris tried to draw away. I looked up. His eyes were wide and his breath harsh. I lifted his hand to my mouth again and licked his finger from base to tip before sucking on the digit.

A rush of color surged to his cheeks, then spread to the whole of his face. I didn’t know humans changed their color. Would he exhibit other colors besides red? What did it mean? Did other parts of him change color? I had no idea, but I liked it.

He yanked back, and I struggled to release him.

“I-I-I.” He swallowed, and I watched the bob of his throat intently. Seth Harris continued, “I don’t need whatever that was.”

I wanted to finish what I’d started, but logic had begun to break through the instincts thrumming inside of me. Permissions, I told myself, taking a deep inhale of his citrus scent.

“Why did our Lucy injure you?” I asked. “Is she wild?”

“N-no. She’s scared. Give us some space.”

A stabbing sensation prodded my chest, but I hid my pain, moving back. Seth Harris called for Lucy again. She crept out from under the couch. She took one glance in my direction and hissed, spitting at me. I gave the two of them even more space. He scooped her up and whispered to her.

Not looking at me, he asked, “Where is my room?”

I wanted to point to my bedroom because I didn’t like the idea of my mate living, let alone sleeping, separately from me. Despite my feelings, I gestured to the room beside mine. “Monqilcolnen placed all of your and Lucy’s things in that room.”

“Which is mine? Mine alone, right?” he asked, tensing.

“Yes, my Seth Harris.”

He started towards his door. At the last moment, he said, “It’s Seth. Harris is my last name.”

The word “last” had been translated by NAID, but I didn’t grasp the context. My expression must have conveyed my confusion because he continued, “It’s my… family name. Call me Seth.”

“I can do that, Seth. My mate.”

He paled before scurrying into his room.

I watched the closed door, futilely listening for any sound. This would be a long and yet short trip. I had six months. Six months to woo him and prove we belonged together.

“My Seth,” I whispered. “Please give me a chance.”