Cinta

CINTA

I watched Klaz’s broad back as he hunched over the communication console, his fingers dancing across the controls with surprising dexterity for their size. The harsh fluorescent lights of the abandoned research station cast deep shadows across his angular features, highlighting the curve of his horns and the swirling patterns on his gray skin.

“So,” I said, leaning against a nearby workstation, “are we going to talk about contacting the authorities, or are you just going to keep pretending I’m not here?”

Klaz’s shoulders tensed, but he didn’t turn around. “We’ve been over this, . It’s not safe.”

I crossed my arms, frustration bubbling up inside me. “Not safe for who? You? Me? Or the hundreds of passengers we left behind with those pirates?”

His fingers paused on the console, the only sound the low hum of machinery around us.

“All of the above,” he finally said, his voice low and gravelly.

I pushed off from the workstation. “Those people need help, Klaz. We can’t just abandon them.”

He turned then, his gaze boring into mine.

“I’m not abandoning anyone,” he said. “I’m contacting someone better equipped to handle the situation.”

“Someone better? Care to elaborate on that cryptic little nugget?”

Klaz’s jaw clenched, and he turned back to the console. “No.”

I threw my hands up in exasperation. “Seriously? We’re stuck on this ice ball together, and you’re still playing the strong, silent type? What are you hiding?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” he growled.

I stepped closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating off his body. “Everything about this situation concerns me, big guy. In case you’ve forgotten, I’m in this mess too.”

Klaz’s nostrils flared, then he took a deep breath, his massive chest expanding, and turned to face me fully.

“I understand your frustration,” he said, his voice softening slightly. “But there are things at play here that you don’t understand. Trust me when I say that contacting the authorities would only make things worse.”

I wanted to argue, to push for more information, but something in his eyes gave me pause. There was a vulnerability there, hidden beneath layers of stoicism and control.

“Fine,” I said, stepping back. “But I want to help. What can I do?”

Klaz’s expression shifted, surprise flickering across his features before he masked it. He gestured to a nearby panel. “The power coupling for the long-range transmitter is fried. If you can rewire it while I recalibrate the signal to the right channel, it would help.”

I nodded, grateful for something to focus on besides the maddening enigma of a man before me. As I set to work on the panel, I could feel Klaz’s eyes on me.

“Where did you learn to do that?” he asked as I expertly stripped a wire.

I smirked. “Let’s just say my education was... unconventional.”

Klaz grunted, a sound that might have been amusement. “I’m beginning to see that.”

We worked in companionable silence for a while, the familiar rhythm of problem-solving easing some of the tension between us. I found myself stealing glances at Klaz, admiring the way his muscles flexed as he worked, the determined set of his jaw.

“Hand me that therin capacitor,” Klaz said, breaking me out of my reverie.

I passed him the tool, our fingers brushing. A spark shot through me at the contact, and I saw Klaz’s eyes widen slightly.

Then Klaz cleared his throat and turned away, his focus returning to the console with almost painful intensity.

I bit back a sigh and returned to my own task. Whatever was happening between us, it was clear Klaz wasn’t ready to acknowledge it.

Suddenly, the lights around us flickered. A high-pitched whine filled the air, and the console in front of Klaz began to spark.

“What the—” I started, but Klaz was already moving.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the malfunctioning equipment. “Power surge,” he growled. “We need to get out of here. Now.”

I dug my heels in, resisting Klaz’s pull. “Wait! Our supplies—we can’t leave them behind. We’ll freeze to death out there just as surely as we’ll die in here!”

Klaz’s eyes darted between me and the sparking console, indecision warring on his face. The whine of overloading circuits grew louder, more insistent.

“I’ll get the supplies,” Klaz snarled. “You need to get outside. Now.”

“No way,” I shot back, grabbing his arm. “We go together or not at all.”

For a split second, I saw something flicker across Klaz’s face. Then his expression hardened, and before I could react, he scooped me up in his arms.

The world blurred around me as Klaz moved. I’d never seen anyone – human or alien – move so fast. My stomach lurched, and I barely had time to process what was happening before we reached the nearest airlock.

“Klaz, wait—” I started, but my words were cut short as he unceremoniously tossed me through the open airlock door.

I stumbled, nearly falling face-first onto the icy ground outside. The biting cold ripped at me, stealing the breath from my lungs. I spun around, my heart pounding, just in time to see Klaz slam the airlock shut.

“No!” I screamed, pounding on the door. But it was useless. He was gone, back inside the doomed station.

I stood there, shaking and in shock, my mind reeling from the sudden turn of events. The icy wind whipped around me, cutting through my thin clothing like knives. But the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the fear gripping my heart.

What if Klaz didn’t make it out? What if I’d just watched him sacrifice himself for me?

A low rumble shook the ground beneath my feet. I stumbled back, watching in horror as explosions began to tear through one edge of the station. Flames licked at the windows, and smoke billowed into the frigid air.

“Klaz!” I screamed, my words lost in the howling wind. “Klaz, get out of there!”

But there was no sign of him. The explosions grew more intense, each one sending a fresh wave of terror through me. I paced in front of the airlock, torn between the instinct to run for safety and the desperate need to see Klaz emerge unharmed.

Anger at myself bubbled up, hot and bitter. Why had I mentioned the supplies? We could have found a way to survive without them. Now Klaz might die because of my stupid suggestion.

The seconds stretched into an eternity. I hugged myself tightly, trying to conserve what little warmth I had left. My teeth chattered, and my feet started to go numb. But I couldn’t leave. I wouldn’t.

Just as despair began to overwhelm me, the airlock burst open. Klaz exploded out of the opening, carrying a makeshift pack fashioned from a blanket. Relief flooded through me, so intense it made me dizzy.

Without thinking, I threw myself at him. My frozen lips met his, and I poured all my fear and relief into that desperate kiss. For a moment, Klaz seemed stunned. Then his arms wrapped around me, pulling me tight against his chest.

We stood like that for several heartbeats, clinging to each other as the station continued to burn behind us. I breathed in his scent, reveling in the solid warmth of him. He was alive. We both were.

Finally, Klaz pulled back slightly. His gaze searched my face, an unreadable emotion flickering in their depths. Then, without a word, he reached into the makeshift pack and pulled out a heavy coat.

Klaz gently wrapped the heavy coat around my shoulders. The warmth enveloped me, but the worry gnawing at my insides didn’t leave.

“What about you?” I asked, scanning his barely-covered torso. “You’ll freeze out here.”

He shook his head. “Vinduthi are more resistant to cold than humans. I’ll be fine.”

I frowned, not buying it for a second. My eyes landed on the other coats he’d managed to grab. An idea sparked.

“Hey, big guy. Tear the arms off that largest coat, would you?”

Klaz shrugged, but complied without question. The fabric ripped easily in his strong hands.

“Now put on the vest part,” I instructed. He slipped it on, the material stretching tight across his broad chest. “Good. Now pull the sleeves up over your wrists.”

He did as I asked, looking more amused than annoyed. “Creative thinking,” he said, flexing his fingers inside the makeshift arm warmers.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s something,” I replied, allowing myself a small smile. “Can’t have my bodyguard turning into a popsicle, can I?”

Klaz’s lips twitched. “Your bodyguard?”

“Well, someone’s got to keep me out of trouble,” I quipped, ignoring the flutter in my stomach at his almost-smile.

I turned my attention to our meager supplies, spreading them out on the blanket. “Let’s see what we’ve got to work with.”

There wasn’t much – some ration bars, a few hydration packs, a basic medkit, and what looked like some kind of multi-tool. Better than nothing, but not exactly reassuring given our current situation.

“We should get moving,” Klaz said, his eyes scanning the horizon. “The station’s compromised. We can’t stay here.”

I nodded, bundling everything up in the emergency blanket to make a crude pack. “Any idea which way we should go?”

Klaz was quiet, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Before the systems went haywire, I caught a glimpse of a map on one of the screens. There’s a town to the east. It looked pretty big.”

“East it is, then,” I said, shouldering the pack. “Lead the way, oh wise navigator.”

As we set off across the icy landscape, I kept my eyes on Klaz. The wind whipped his long hair around his face, and his makeshift vest did little to hide his impressive physique. I wondered what it would be like to run my hands over those sculpted muscles, to trace the patterns of his markings with my fingertips...

No.

Now was not the time for fantasizing about the grumpy alien who’d saved my life. We had bigger problems to worry about.

“So,” I said, breaking the silence, “while we’re trudging through this winter wonderland, want to tell me more about these mysterious contacts of yours? The ones who are supposedly better equipped to handle our pirate problem than the actual authorities?”

Klaz’s jaw tightened. “It’s complicated.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I got that part. Care to uncomplicate it for me?”

He sighed, a puff of vapor visible in the frigid air. “There are... factions within the Alliance. It’s hard to know who to trust, or who might be easily bought off by the pirates. The group I’m reaching out to operates outside normal channels, but they have resources and influence that could help the passengers without drawing unwanted attention.”

I mulled this over. “So, what you’re saying is, you’re part of some sort of alien black ops team?”

Klaz shot me a sharp look. “I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to,” I replied with a grin. “I’m good at reading between the lines. It’s kind of my thing.”

He grunted, neither confirming nor denying my assumption. We walked in silence for a while, the crunch of snow beneath our feet the only sound.

“Your turn,” Klaz said abruptly.

I blinked. “My turn for what?”

“To share. You know more about me now. Tell me something about yourself.”

I hesitated, caught off guard by his request. My instinct was to deflect, to spin some charming tale that would entertain without revealing anything real. But something in Klaz’s steady gaze made me reconsider.

“I grew up on the streets of Loriesta IV,” I said finally. “Learned pretty quick that charm and quick fingers were the best way to keep from starving.”

Klaz nodded, encouraging me to continue.

“Got caught picking the pocket of this Mondian dowager when I was eighteen. Instead of turning me in, she decided to take me under her wing. Spent the next decade learning how to navigate high society, refining my... skills.”

“And now?” Klaz asked.

I shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. “Now I use those skills to make a living. Nothing too illegal, usually. Just separating the rich and foolish from some of their excess wealth.”

Klaz was quiet for a long moment. I braced myself for judgment, for the disapproval I was sure would come.

“You’re resourceful,” he said finally. “Adaptable. Those are valuable traits.”

I stared at him, surprised by his response. “You’re not going to lecture me about the error of my ways?”

He shook his head. “We all do what we must to survive. I’m in no position to judge.”

The wind picked up, howling around us. I huddled closer to Klaz, seeking warmth and shelter from the biting cold. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side.

“We should find shelter soon,” he said, his breath warm against my ear. “The temperature’s dropping.”

Right. The thought was terrifying. So how could his simple proximity make my heart beat faster? “How much farther to this town of yours?”

Klaz scanned the horizon. “Hard to say. A few more hours, at least.”

I bit back a groan. My feet were already aching, and the cold was seeping into my bones despite the heavy coat.

“We’ll make it,” Klaz said, as if sensing my thoughts. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I looked up at him, struck by the intensity in his eyes. I forgot about the cold, about the danger we were in.

All I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss him again.