Coral

The Habosu takes as step towards us, his foul odor hitting me like a slap in the face. Instantly, I'm doubled up, retching, knowing all I have left is bile. I'm completely incapacitated. Even if I'm going to end up as a "bedwarmer," right now I really don't care.

"What have you done to the female?" The Habosu has fear in his voice. "Why is she ill?"

"You should know, you got the Bogarok to take her. Did you not check what they did in the taking?" Emilie spits back.

"No, the Bogarok were under strict instructions," the Habosu says firmly. "This is your doing, Lepke, and you are going to pay for damaging my cargo."

I barely manage to spring out of his way as he goes for Emilie, who shoots between his legs, spins around, and boots him in the arse. The enormous blubbery creature goes flying, and if I wasn't feeling so bad, I'd be amazed at the strength the slight Lepke has.

"Quick!" Emilie holds out her hand to me. "Quick!"

I dredge up the little energy I have left and take hold of the furry paw as I'm jerked upright. The Habosu rises too with a roar, but Emilie is dragging me through the hole in the hull and a door snaps shut behind us.

The craft is tiny, two seats in a cramped cockpit which seems to be mostly glass. The rest of the ship, such as it is, is a mass of wiring and spare parts in various dull metal hues, very different to the Habosu ship.

"Sit!" Emilie calls out, leaping into one of the seats. "Strap yourself in, this is going to be interesting."

I drop into the spare seat and fiddle with the straps. My vision is blurring. I look at my fingers in a vain attempt to do up the straps and notice my nails are turning blue at the cuticle. Emilie shoves on what looks like a cross between a joystick, a gear stick, and a jeweled wand, and the ship lurches to one side. I manage to clip the strap across myself and shut my eyes.

I feel every lurch, every sickening drop. I'm absolutely sure I will never see Drasus again, and my heart pounds in my chest.

I want to see him, so very much. I want to be with him, be in his arms, suck down his spicy, smoky scent, and hear him rumble out my name.

I love him with all my heart, and I've lost him.

There is the most almighty blast, and I open my eyes. Lights are flashing everywhere within the cockpit, all over the glass in reds and blues.

"We've been hit. He's used a psi-cannon. I don't have any option—we're going to crash back into the Kirakos," Emilie says, teeth showing through her furry lips. "I'll go stealth mode, it's the only thing still working, which at least means he'll have a hard time finding us."

"I don't want to crash anywhere, let alone the Kirakos." I brace myself as the craft spins left and a large, too large astral body comes into view.

I never speculated on what I thought the Kirakos looked like from the "outside," but I wasn't expecting it to look rather like Mars, a dusty, orange-red surface, devoid of life. And it's coming up at us very fast.

"Emilie!" I grit my teeth.

"Firing retros. This might hurt a bit."

I'm jerked back in my seat with a tremendous g-force. Every atom strains against the seat. The pain is immense. I see out of the corner of my eye Emilie heaving on the controls, just as consciousness gives up on me.

"Human?"

I groan at the sound of the voice.

"My name is Coral," I croak out.

My chest is so, so tight, I can't get a breath, and my eyes feel like they want to pop out of my head.

"Coral, you're having a reaction to the Bogarok sting. I need you to hold still, okay?"

"I've been poisoned?" I can't think clearly, and I couldn't move, even if I wanted to.

There's a brief prick on my upper arm and some of the eye pain diminishes. I can see clearly again. I'm no longer in the cockpit seat, but I'm under it. The tiny ship has two levels and, by the looks of it, the bottom level is where Emilie lives.

"That should help, Coral," Emilie says. "I think we had a reasonable landing, but I need to check my ship, and I need you to rest."

"Wait." I attempt to grab at Emilie's clothing and miss. "The sting…I'm…I'm a healer on my planet. I need to know more about it, about what you've given me."

"What I've given you should reduce your symptoms, but Bogarok venom is potent and can do some damage even to a robust species. I've never met a human, so I don't know how it might affect you."

"There's anti-venom, isn't there?"

"For some species. It's unlikely there is one for yours," Emilie says with a sad smile. "Humans are rare out here."

"What are the long-term effects?"

"Other than death?"

"Other than death."

"Organ failure, blindness, loss of limb, infertility, and there are more, but species dependent." Emilie puts her hand over mine. "Rest. It's the key. Rest and we'll deal with everything once I get back."

Oh, yeah, like I can rest now. Poison sounds like poison wherever you are in the galaxy. My mind churns as I watch Emilie pull on a suit and fix a helmet over her furry head.

"Rest!" Emilie says, pressing a button on one wall. "I'll be back shortly."

There's a sucking sound and a rush of stale air.

Organ failure, blindness, loss of limb, infertility.

It seems the last hits me the hardest. Drasus wanted a child with me and now, that might not be possible. Even if I do find him.

Even if the Sarkarnii haven't already been caught.

And if they are in the hands of the Habosu or the Bogarok, then I can't go back to him. Because I can't let them use me to control my Drasus.

If he thinks I'm gone, maybe he'll move on. Maybe he'll fight back, get the others away from whatever the Habosu have planned. Drasus can do anything if he isn't looking for me.

The chilling thought settles on me like snow drifting. I have to hide from the male I love, in order to save him.

And we can't be together, now or even in the future.

A draft hits me as Emilie comes back into the ship.

"No damage." She grins. "Once the Habosu has gotten bored and left, we can go find the Sarkarnii." I get a big grin. "And find you some more treatment."

"About that." I wince as pain fires through my joints. "I don't think it's going to be possible. I think you're going to have to take me back inside the Kirakos instead."