Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“ P erhaps you should have stayed on board the Thiljo , Khanet.”

I growled at Scrun, my second-in-command. I didn’t know how to answer him. Skeall commanders rarely left the bridge, much less the entire warbird. For some unknown reason, I found it impossible to stay behind.

Ever since we’d spotted the small freighter as it entered our territory, I’d felt drawn to it. I ordered the ship to stay cloaked and stalk behind. I told the crew it was to see what they were doing, and if there was any nefarious intent.

After three cycles of them doing nothing but continuing on their path, I knew I was running out of time and excuses. The crew were eager to return to Sulphus, our home planet. Many had partners and young they were eager to see after a long patrol deployment.

My boots rang on the metal decking as we stepped into the meager hangar. The ship was clean, unlike some they’d run across, and obviously well maintained. I could give that to the small, strange female who stood in defiance of our laws—and us.

Other captains I’d confronted begged for their lives, lied about not knowing where they were or that they violated Denchui treaties. They argued, cried, and panicked at his warbird’s appearance.

How did this small human stand against them? Against me?

Pax’s voice droned through the communicator in my ear. “Continue forward until you reach a T junction. Turn right.”

I followed the AI’s directions as he led me to the bridge. The little ship hadn’t even raised shields against my scanners. What was she playing at?

The she in question came sliding into view from the left side of the junction and skid to a halt. Not far behind her rolled a good-sized ball. I assumed it was some sort of bot. Like she had on the view screen, she raised her hand and waved it back and forth.

“Hi guys! If I’d known you wanted to visit, I’d have made dinner or something.” She pulled on the end of her braid and then threw it over her shoulder.

She was clearly nervous, her weight shifting from foot to foot.

“What can I do for you?”

I turned to look at Scrun, who appeared just as confused as I felt. “What can you do for me?”

She nodded. “Surely you didn’t come all the way over here just to say hi. I mean, it’s great if you did, but I guess I thought you wanted something more than a bit of conversation.”

An odd rumble vibrated through the ship’s hull and the female stomped her foot hard on the floor. She mumbled, “Shut it” under her breath, low enough we were meant not to hear.

Her small, pink tongue darted out to lick her lips and I found myself trapped by the sight. Scrun cleared his throat and I startled like a youngling caught with his hand down his pants.

“There is a price for disregarding the treaties we’ve negotiated with the Denchui Alliance. I’ve come to collect.”

Her face fell. “Right, about that. I’m afraid I’m a bit short on credits at the moment. I don’t mind paying a toll to cross your territory. I’m happy to pay it, but I need to deliver my cargo and get paid before I can.” She rubbed her palms down the front of the one-piece garment she wore. “If you can wait, I promise I’ll pay in full on my return trip.”

“You intend to breach our borders again?” Scrun’s astonished outburst mirrored my own thoughts.

She tilted her head which sent her braid swinging behind her. Most humans kept their hair cropped close, and my fingers itched to fist that length and bend her to my will. I shifted as blood rushed to my groin.

“I was hoping we could make our own little treaty. A mutually beneficial agreement where I pay you for the privilege of crossing your territory every so often.”

The bot at her side unwound and all three of us drew our pi?r. The female jumped in front of what I could now see was some sort of creature, her palms held out to us in supplication.

“Don’t hurt him!”

Faced with three armed Skeall warriors, she was more concerned for this beast’s safety than her own? Foolish female.

I sheathed my pi?r and shocked myself when my words came. “We have no need for credits. What else are you willing to give to secure this safe passage?”

Scrun stiffened by my side, but he would never question me.

Her face brightened, her eyes darting around the space. She pointed to the one large crate. “We’re carrying fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, and meat. I could give you a percentage of our load.”

I stalked toward her, not understanding the pull she seemed to hold over me. “What if we do not need these items? What else have you to give?”

Her entire body deflated. “Nothing. I have nothing else to offer you.”

I was close enough to smell her sweet scent, like wind through the plains grasses on Sulphus. “You lie.”

Her head whipped up and the irritation building behind her eyes sent more of my blood flowing south.

“I am not a liar.”

I bent until my mouth was almost on her ear. Her posture stiffened and her small hands drew into fists, but she didn’t cower or retreat.

“You have yourself to offer.”

Her mouth gaped, her eyes wide as I straightened and towered over her. She was smaller than she seemed on the vid screen. I couldn’t call her fragile, as even then her anger steeled her spine, but she had no armor, nor weapons of any kind.

“You want … me?” She shook her head and barked out a laugh. “For what?”

Was she younger than I thought? Had she not reached maturity? The idea I’d propositioned a youngling turned my stomach. “You are grown, yes?”

“What?” She seemed dazed, and I realized neither of us were having the same conversation.

“Are you an adult?” I needed to clarify the situation as quickly as possible.

Her brows scrunched. “Of course I am. Do you think a child would be way out here all alone?”

“How many orbit cycles do you have?” I could feel my heart beating in my throat.

“Twenty-four, not that it’s any of your business. How old are you?”

Relief rushed over me and once again I shifted my stance to adjust my rising erection. “Twenty-eight.”

“Great, now we know how many candles to put on each other’s birthday cake, how about you tell me what you mean by offering myself?”

***

He couldn’t mean what I thought he meant, could he? My mother’s voice rang clear in my mind. You aren’t pretty like your sister. You’ll have to rise to a prominent position or amass a fortune to secure a husband.

Thanks, mom.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Skitter rolled around my legs in agitation. The warrior standing over me slashed dark brows over those arresting blue eyes, and a muscle ticked at the corner of his strong jaw. I could see a bit of scruff there, as if he’d failed to shave for a day, but not a single hair graced his chest.

Yes, I looked.

Then I let my eyes drop and noticed the bulge in his pants. I squeaked and flew my eyes back to his, my cheeks flaming. I resisted the urge to slap my palms on them to try to cool down.

Skitter was now throwing his entire body against my legs and I bent down and transferred him to my head, where he draped himself like a strange cap, tucking his legs into his belly fur so they wouldn’t tangle in my hair.

The warrior in front of me tilted his head, and I could see the others behind him giving me similar confused looks.

Their faces telegraphed what they were thinking like they spoke out loud. She’s off her rocker.

It was at that moment when I decided to clear up any confusion lingering in our transactional conversation.

“You want to have sex with me?”

The Skeall in front of me winced, probably because my voice was as shrill as a fish wife.

The other moved forward and spoke to him in what must be their native language. Growling and guttural, it rubbed against me like a purring cat. My eyes flicked back and forth between the warriors. It wasn’t hard to make out that the one in front of me was their captain, and the other his second in command.

“How many others are aboard?”

The captain looked irritated that the second was questioning me, but he didn’t interfere.

“Me and Skitter are the only lifeforms.”

“How many bots?”

The deck beneath my feet rumbled again and I gritted my teeth to keep from stomping. I didn’t need her protest to know this was going to irritate the shit out of her. I sighed and lamented the fragile peace we’d managed in our short time together.

“The only bot is the ship’s AI system.”

The ground beneath our feet dropped several inches. She must have fired the thrusters enough to jolt us. “I would be remiss if I didn’t clarify—” I shouted at the ceiling “—that Arella is not a bot.”

The captain asked the next question. “She controls the ship?”

The deck rumbled in threat. “She is the ship.”

Another of their small party stepped forward, glanced at Skitter, who remained draped over my skull like a living Mohawk, and smiled at me before addressing his commander.

“I would like to meet the ship.”

He seemed friendly, and I didn’t want to make him look at me like the second was. That one looked like he wanted to roast me on a spit. “That would be up to her.”

“You allow this entity control?”

I laughed at the second in command, whipping one hand up to hold Skitter and the other holding my ribs. “Our relationship is more of a democracy than a dictatorship.”

Squabbling between the two broke out and it seemed to me like the nice one was arguing with the second in command about staying and meeting Arella. I wasn’t paying all that much attention because the heat in the captain’s eyes held me captive.

I couldn’t deny the pipe in his pants leg telling me he wanted me, but my brain still didn’t quite compute. I’d had lovers before, but no one I’d classify as handsome, much less the level of smoking hot beef standing in front of me.

I attracted the quiet, reserved guys who thought they had a better chance with me than the more classic beauties. At least among Garble’s crew, which aside from the odd one I met while on a job, were the only males I’d spent any time with.

A sharp growl from the captain silenced them both and sent a pulse through my clit.

“In exchange for safe passage through our territory,” The captain sighed as the second let out a growl of his own, “this time,” the nice one shifted his weight from foot to foot, “and allowing my engineer to meet your ship, I would spend time with you.”

I narrowed my eyes. Time. With me. “For how long?”

“Until we reach the far border.”

Nine days with Mr. I’d Climb You Like a Tree Given Half the Chance? Who wanted to spend time with me? I didn’t care if time was code for fuck. I was here for it. “Done!” I grinned and stuck my hand out.

The three of them stared at it until I dropped it again. Skeall must not do handshakes.

The second in command was apoplectic. I think he even turned a shade of purple under his gray skin. The captain spun on his heel and barked orders to the rest of the warriors who’d remained a respectful distance away.

They immediately turned and went toward their shuttle. The captain exchanged very terse words with his second in command, who then also turned and left.

I waved at his retreating back. “Don’t you need to get your toothbrushes?” My eyes scanned them from head to toe. “A change of clothes? Clean underwear?”

They looked at each other before the captain shook his head. “No.”

We stared at each other until it became too awkward for me. “So, what do you want to do?”

The engineer was practically vibrating with excitement, but he didn’t speak.

“Perhaps you can introduce my engineer to your ship?”

I grinned at him. “Sure thing. Arella, this is … sorry, what’s your name?”

He waited for his captain’s nod before answering me.

“Xekil.”

“Right. Arella, this is Xekil. He’s the—”

“I heard.”

Her voice held a distinct note of displeasure. Xekil stared at the ceiling, his eyes wide. When he looked back at me, I shrugged. “She’ll get used to you.”

I hoped.

***

The small female shifted from foot to foot, her head weaving to keep the creature secure on its perch. The sight was absurd and almost made me laugh. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

She was utterly ridiculous and fascinated me.

I’d never felt a pull like this to another being. It was a sexual need, yes, but there was something more. Something that went beyond the physical. I wanted to know her. I wanted to hear her story, find out what a human was doing on the outer edges of space. Why she’d dared risk the wrath of the Skeall to cross our border.

Scrun thought I’d gone mad. He suggested a trip to a pleasure planet to get this compulsion out of my system, but I knew none of the females available would compare to the one still fidgeting in front of me.

“So… would you like a tour?”

Xekil practically vibrated with excitement. “Yes!”

“Right then.”

She cut her eyes at me and I wasn’t sure if she was seeking permission so I nodded. She cocked her head and studied me like a scientist with a new specimen.

Her curiosity heated my blood.

I thanked the stars when Xekil swept an arm to indicate she should lead and took up position next to her. I needed to get myself under control before the bulge in my leathers became unbearable.

Conversation flowed between them. I had nothing to fear from Xekil’s closeness to her, but still my irritation grew.

The ship’s voice brought me out of musings about how hard it would be to replace my chief engineer should an accident befall him onboard.

“Perhaps I should finish the tour, since you are doing such a piss-poor job of it. Plus, I believe the Skeall captain is contemplating murder and it would bother Skitter if you died.”

She snorted. “I’m glad it would bother him if I were gone.” She glanced back at me. “Probably a good idea if you take over.”

She disentangled the creature from her head and placed it on the deck. “Skitter, go with the engineer and make sure Arella behaves.”

The creature let out a series of high-pitched squeaks and rolled dutifully after Xekil.

Once they disappeared around a bend, she turned and narrowed her eyes at me.

“What do you really want?”

Despite her angry tone, I sensed an undercurrent of fear.

“Like you, I do not lie. I want to spend time with you.”

Her tiny hands clenched into fists. “For what purpose?”

Her stance, her tone, her defensiveness—realization slapped me like a pu?d.

“Who hurt you?”

Her eyes flared before they narrowed again.

“I don’t see how that’s relevant.” She crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back.

I took a deep breath and counted to four as I let it out. It would be difficult to win her trust, but deep in my bones I knew it would be worth it. Patience was what I needed now. I would learn all her secrets. And whoever made her so defensive would pay my blade in blood.

But that was for another time.

“Can’t I be curious about the only human I’ve ever met?”

She dropped her arms to her side, and I crowed a silent victory.

“I’m surprised you know about humans. The Skeall are notoriously secluded.”

“I would say private. We are not ignorant of Denchui happenings. We simply don’t care to participate in them.”

The corner of her lips tipped up in a small smile. “If I answer your questions about humans, will you answer mine about Skeall?”

“If I can.” It was a hedge, and we both knew it.

She nodded in understanding. “All right, then.”

She turned and walked away, leaving me to follow. I’d followed this woman more than I’d followed anyone since I stood at my mother’s knee.

I preferred to be in front. Leading my crew, setting the example. Most Skeall captains preferred to be behind the first line of defense. And the second. There were few of us that rose to the level of captain, and our culture believed that those with experience should remain protected.

Scrun was assigned my second in command to try to curb my impulse to lead in body as well as mind.

He’d so far been unsuccessful.

I didn’t have a death wish, I just couldn’t sit on the sidelines while my crew risked their lives. It smacked of cowardice. I preferred the ways of our ancestors, but in that as in many other cultural things, I was an outlier.

She led me into a well-lit sitting area. Several comfortable chairs were arranged around a view port that spanned the room. A large blue monstrosity swallowed her, its cushions wrapping around her as she tucked one leg underneath her body and let the other swing.

I unbuckled my pi?r and laid it close to the more modest, less stuffed, gray version I chose and faced her.

“The other called you Khanet. Is that your name?”

I nodded.

“My name is Danyx. What would you like to know?”

Everything.