7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Faelin

I got through to Nala for a moment before she retreated again. I can’t blame her. Trust has to be earned. I’ve offered my help if she needs it, but I already know she won’t ask. Asking for help shows weakness and Nala has probably learned the hard way that showing weakness is to be avoided at all costs, especially with random strangers.

It’s odd how attached I’ve become to her over such a short period of time.

I had a simple plan—find a mate. Someone to share my life with. Someone who’d ease my loneliness.

I think that in the beginning, I just wanted what Tareq has, like a child who wants the same toy as their sibling. However, I no longer want to find just any mate. I want Nala.

There are a few select races across the galaxy who experience what they call “fated mate bonds”. When they meet their perfect match, they immediately become attracted to them, recognizing them as their fated mates. In truth, fate has nothing to do with it. It’s their bodies recognizing an exceptional potential partner. Genetic…something. I never really understood it, nor did I care to. Now, I’m left wondering. Could something like that be happening to me?

I’ve never met my parents. I only know they were hybrids themselves. The tests the UGC doctors ran on me when I joined the force revealed no less than eleven different species mixed in my DNA. A 3rd generation hybrid, at the very least, they told me. A rare feat, and not in a good way. But my new captain and squad didn’t care, so I didn’t let it bother me.

I don’t even remember all of the different species the scientists have identified in my DNA. Could it be that one of them was from a race that experienced fated mate bonds? Is that why I’m so attracted to Nala? Because whatever the reason, my body, my DNA, and the entire universe are telling me she’s perfect for me? Or am I just hopelessly enamored?

Does it even matter?

She’s asked for my cock. Begged me for it. What kind of mate would I be to refuse her?

I cover Nala’s incredible body with mine. Her skin gleaming with a sheen of sweat as she tightly wraps her long, muscular legs around my hips. She’s panting lightly, still winded from her previous orgasm and her grip on me is strong. I’m probably just imagining it but it feels almost as if Nala doesn’t want to let me go either.

“So eager,” I tease.

“Oh yes, I am. Please, Faelin!”

I love how Nala says my name. I loved it even more when she’d screamed it as she came undone. I’d love to hear her scream it again but I’m worried that in my current state of arousal I’ll explode the second I bury myself into her tight, delicious body.

Nala protests as my cock slides across her sensitive folds instead of burying it deep inside. I repeatedly rub the head of my cock over her clit, back and forth, working her mind into near delirium because I’m certain the actual coupling won’t last long.

I capture Nala’s mouth with mine, kissing her deeply and swallowing down all of her needy whimpers. Shifting my body to free my hand, I tease her nipple until she’s moaning out my name, begging incoherently. When I can’t take it any longer, I gently nudge my cockhead against her opening.

I’m big and she’s tight. So tight I worry about hurting her. Going ever so slowly, I press inside just an inch at a time, allowing Nala time to adjust.

“Damn this,” she growls, yanking my head back to meet her eyes. “Fuck me, Faelin. I’m not made of glass.”

Maddened by pure lust and desire, I oblige. I thrust forward, plunging deep inside her luscious warmth in one swift motion. Nala cries out, forcing our bodies closer together as she crosses her ankles behind my back. Her tight walls are squeezing me so hard I know I won’t last much longer. I need to make her come, now.

I reach between our joined bodies to toy with her clit between thrusts. Nala’s cries gain intensity and I’m pleased to hear her calling out my name between curses and calling out to her god.

I don’t worship any gods, but as Nala writhes underneath me, her inner walls squeezing like a vise, I wish I did just so I had someone to pray to. As it stands, I can only groan and desperately try to distract myself, to think of anything but Nala if I don’t want to blow my load too soon.

I can’t come up with anything. Nala’s all that exists in my mind. Her smile, her body. Her little blunt teeth digging into my shoulder as she comes violently, screaming out my name.

“Oh, fuck…” I’d sooner move a space station with my bare hands than stop the orgasm barrelling through me as Nala’s inner muscles clench my cock. “NALA!” I cry out her name like a prayer.

Who needs gods when I have her. She’s my goddess, my everything. My perfection.

“Wow, that was…” Nala giggles, unable to finish the sentence. “Something. It was definitely something.”

I hum in agreement, unable to form words. Slumped on top of Nala, I’m barely supporting my own weight so I don’t crush her completely. We’re both a sweaty mess now, yet neither of us cares.

Eventually, Nala begins wriggling her hips from side to side, not finding much relief due to my weight. I lift up, worried I’ve hurt her. “Are you okay? Should I move?”

“If you could move just a little bit, please,” she asks, somewhat hesitantly. She’s certainly not used to asking people for anything. “It’s a little hard on my hips like this. During the act, I don’t notice, but when you lie on top of me like this afterward…”

Yes, I can see how having her legs wrapped around my much wider hips must be uncomfortable. Nala is taller than Astra, the top of her head reaching up to my chin, but she’s still a lot smaller than me.

I roll, settling myself beside her on the bed. “Can I still hold you?”

Her smile is bright and completely sincere. “I’d be sad if you didn’t.”

“Me too.” I pull Nala into me, wrapping my arms around her body protectively. She fits perfectly. “You’re so amazing,” I sigh, enamored by this beautiful piece of perfection lying beside me. “Can we meet again?”

Nala stiffens, and I want to punch myself. I’ve pushed too far.

“I…uh…” Nala makes a feeble attempt to wriggle out of my arms, but I don’t let her go yet. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she says. There’s a moment of hesitation before Nala’s body stops resisting and sinks welcomingly back into my embrace, relaxing as if it wants to see me again even if her mind says otherwise.

“I will not force you to do anything, Nala. I enjoy your company and simply wish to spend more time with you, but I won’t do anything you don’t want. You know that, right?”

“I do. It’s just…everything is complicated. Can we talk about this later?” She grabs my cock, which is already half-erect. A few strokes of Nala’s nimble hand later and I’m as hard as if I hadn’t just had sex just a few minutes ago. “Will you let me repay the favor now?” she asks, her sultry smile back in place.

I know she’s pulling away, changing the topic to avoid promising me anything. I’m probably not the first customer who spoke of having a relationship with her after good sex. I get that she doesn’t trust me yet, but I’m a patient male. Mostly. Alright, I’m not a patient male at all, but I will be if it means getting closer to my Nala. And if sucking me off will make her feel more in control, who am I to refuse?

The morning comes too soon and I find myself waking to an empty bed. The fact that Nala is gone doesn’t surprise me. The fact that Tareq’s money is also gone, also doesn’t surprise me.

Face palming myself and cursing over being so incredibly stupid, I roar in frustration. I don’t blame Nala for stealing the money. Of course she stole it, especially after I left it just lying there like the idiot I am.

I vividly remember living the kind of life she does now. Back in the slums, I would have stolen the money, too. Hell, I wouldn’t have just stolen the money, I would have slit my mark’s throat after stealing his watch, his comms and his shoes, too. Good shoes are worth a fortune to people who have nothing. I guess I should be happy Nala isn’t a violent person at heart.

As I locate my clothes, my brain struggles to figure out what to do next. If Nala had asked, I would have given her all of my money. However, this wasn’t my money and I don’t have enough to repay Tareq for what I lost. Will he be mad at me?

The longer I think about it, the more worried I am. Things are different now that we aren’t an official UGC squad anymore. We are no longer bound by a common employer, orders, or a tight chain of command. We’re just a bunch of people with common history who chose to remain together even though we no longer have to.

If I fuck up too much, will they kick me off the ship? Get rid of the hybrid with a criminal past? I’d like to think they would never do that, but I can’t be sure. This was a huge fuck up.

I need to get the money back.

I don’t believe Nala stole it to buy herself a new dress or a new can of edible paint. She must desperately need money and if that’s the case, I can’t just take it from her. We’ll have to figure out a compromise. Whether or not she likes it, she will have to ask for my help.

With my mind settled, I head back to the Supernova.

The crew is gathered on the bridge and most are grinning at me when I arrive.

“Have fun?” Lyriana asks, punching my shoulder teasingly. “You’ve been gone all night.”

I shove her away from me, my tone equally teasing. “Miss me?”

“Always, you big red brute. Did you find any good pussy on this backwater station?”

I roll my eyes at her shenanigans. “Nothing that would interest you.” Lyri likes both males and females and she would no doubt love to spend a night with a human, but there’s no way I’m sharing Nala with her. “So, what’s new? How much longer are we staying here?” How long do I have to woo Nala and convince her to join me aboard the ship?

Captain Zarkan stands from the console he’s been working at, watching us all with a broad smile. He’s older than the rest of us and I know that in a way, he considers us to be his children. He’s the one who ended up saving me when I got in trouble back on Yoka 5.

The authorities had sentenced me to a decade of forced labor, strip-mining an asteroid in the middle of nowhere. Technically, it was a death sentence. No one survived there for longer than a couple of years. Most less than that. Zarkan managed to get my sentence reduced and had me transferred to a UGC holding facility. He visited whenever he could, helping me to get my life in order. To find a purpose.

When they released me, I immediately applied for the UGC forces and quickly worked my way to the very top, becoming a Voidstalker, then eventually I was accepted into Zarkan’s squad. Until I met Nala, I’d considered that to be the best day of my life.

“Our transmitter has been altered,” Zarkan says, “so now we’re the official owners of the Supernova.” His words are met with a round of cheerful applause. “Now, we just need to purchase supplies and redesign the rooms to make them more comfortable. There’s another matter, though.” Zarkan’s voice grows more serious, his slitted eyes narrowing. “Cai?”

The computer responds almost immediately. “D’Aakh and I have been going over the logs of previous flights. My previous captains have always wiped them clean, but there are ways to restore wiped memory banks. D’Aakh’s exceptional skills allowed us to recover a portion of the data.”

D’Aakh’s two antennae twitch in a sign of embarrassment, but he quickly shakes it off. “The data is fragmented,” he explains, “and it will take time to go through it all, but we discovered that at least one of the previous slave groups was delivered to this station.”

Frowning, Tareq wraps his arm around Astra’s shoulders and pulls her into his chest. “I thought slavery was banned on the Farpoint Gateway? It’s not a part of the UGC but the local laws forbid owning other sentient beings, do they not?”

“They do,” Zarkan agrees. “However, as we all know well, the criminal underground thrives in all locations.”

“So, are we going in to kill these assholes or what?” Omni demands, stretching out his wings.

“Yeah, I’m in,” I agree immediately, thinking of Nala. What if the slavers target her? Or perhaps they already have? The thought makes my insides twist. She wasn’t wearing a slave collar and acted like an independent female, but…what if it was just pretense? “Do we know who these slavers are and where their base of operations is?”

With a somber frown, D’Aakh replies, “Unfortunately, no. The data is encrypted and the slaver network uses pseudonyms for everyone involved. This one is nicknamed the ‘Leashmaster’.” D’Aakh rolls his eyes. “Fucking original, right? We have some fractured intel, but nothing that would help us identify him, especially since we don’t have access to the UGC database anymore.”

Silence greets his words. I don’t think any of us regret the decision to disobey orders in order to save Astra’s life, but being outlaws certainly hasn’t made our lives easier.

I think about Pakri, the UGC officer who came aboard to take the captured slavers into custody. He claimed we still have friends back at the force. “What if we shared the intel with the UGC?” I suggest.

“Why would they want to help us?” Omni snorts.

“They wouldn’t,” Tareq says, giving me a thoughtful look. “But they might take it as us helping them. We’re all on the same side when it comes to slavers. They must know a trafficking ring operates here at the Farpoint Gateway. If we combine our intel with theirs…”

“We could get rid of this Leashmaster,” I finish, snarling through gritted teeth.

Captain nods his agreement. “Good thinking. Does anyone have any trustworthy contacts at the local UGC embassy?”

“I do. Well, I hope I do,” I amend with a chuckle. “Give me the data. I’ll contact the officer who was here earlier to collect the prisoners. He seemed friendly and keen to offer his support, should we need it. Unofficial help, of course.”

“Of course,” Zarkan nods, sighing. The situation must be difficult for him, more so than for the rest of us. He’s spent his entire life in the UGC forces and now, he’s officially an outlaw. He’s not one to share his feelings with anyone, though, keeping a tight grip on that aloof expression he’s known for as he says, “Alright, I think that’s all for now.”

I almost let slip a relieved sigh. The meeting is over and no one asked about the missing money. I still have time to retrieve it before anyone notices.

“Actually,” D’Aakh starts, my breath hitching momentarily. “I’d like to request permission to run some further diagnostics on Cai.”

This time I don’t manage to hold in my obvious relief. Still no questions about the money. Luckily, no one notices.

“Has my performance been outside of the required parameters?” the computer asks. I wonder if I’m the only one to notice a hint of worry in its tone.

D’Aakh rubs the end of his antenna before answering, “Yes and no. You’re exhibiting some unusual behavioral patterns. I'd like to explore them, that’s all.”

“Is it dangerous?” Zarkan asks.

At the same time, Cai says, “Do you wish me to power down? I’m not detecting any malfunctions but of course, if I’m malfunctioning, my malfunction detector might be malfunctioning as well.”

“Gods,” Lyriana snorts, doing her best not to start laughing out loud. “This computer is whacked. I love it. But seriously, D’Aakh, is it going to snap and murder us all?”

“No. Its prime directives remain to protect and obey the crew, which is us. This is just about satisfying my scientific curiosity.”

Zarkan grunts. “Fine, fiddle with the computer if it makes you happy. Just make sure not to break it. Cai?”

“I will provide D’Aakh with all of the assistance he needs to conduct his examinations,” Cai replies. “If that’s what you were about to order?”

“These computers are getting too smart,” Zarkan grunts. “Yes, that’s what I was about to order you to do. But if we encounter any abnormalities, we’re going to shut you down.”

“Of course, Captain,” Cai replies without a second’s hesitation. “I would never endanger the crew or the ship.”

The Captain nods. “It’s settled then. Dismissed.”

The meeting concludes with no one mentioning Tareq’s stash box, not even him. Watching him with Astra, I understand his mind being elsewhere. “I wanted to take you for a tour of the station,” he tells his mate, “but if there are slavers around, I won’t risk it. I guess we’ll just have to stay in our room.”

“What a shame,” she pouts, faking sadness. “We’re doomed to christen our new bed over and over. And over and over. Lead the way, my poor tiger.”

Growling, Tareq throws her over his shoulder and rushes out of the bridge, Astra’s squeals and giggles following them down the hallway.

“Those two,” Lyriana snickers, her eyes rolling.

I grunt in agreement, even though I’m a little envious of my friend and his mate.

Soon, I promise myself. Soon I’ll have Nala by my side and we’ll be the ones annoying the rest of the crew with our loud and passionate lovemaking.