Chapter 17

Tabbi Kat shows up in the early morning, staring at my naked ass as I pause near the ship’s doorway, sunlight slanting down between some clouds and making my pearly skin glow. I rub at my sleepy eyes with an arm.

“Civilized much?” she sneers, looking away, but I shrug one shoulder. It’s cool being naked sometimes. Who do I have to worry about out here? Tabbi and I are the only humans, and Abraxas won’t allow anyone or anything else near me. Who could ever get the jump on him? “Put some clothes on, Evelyn.”

“I’d rather not, Tabitha Katherine.” I cross my arms and lean my shoulder against the wall, smirking. “How did you sleep last night?”

“Your dickless boyfriend left me alone in a tiny pod swarming with insects. How the fuck do you think I slept?” She storms up to the edge of the ship and looks around, like she expects a handy ladder or a rope or something.

“Good to know. Glad to see you’re grateful to us for rescuing you yesterday.” I squat down and grin at her from my position inside the ship. “By the way, he isn’t dickless. He has two cocks, and endless stamina. But keep searching for something else to insult me with. I’m sure you’ll figure something out soon enough.”

Tabbi gapes at me before snapping her mouth closed in annoyance. Madonna crawls from her pocket, climbs her dress, and curls up on her shoulder, hissing at me.

“Aren’t you going to help me up?” she demands, just before Abraxas appears from the woods. He snags her with his tail before hopping up and she screams, the sound choking off as he tosses her carelessly into the nook area. She lands with a whump on my discarded fur bed, the possum scrambling into the top of her dress and nestling there.

“She knows you have two dicks now,” I tell him, and he grins at me, dumping an armful of sticks onto the floor to start a fire. “I had to tell her: she wouldn’t let it go.”

“I am yours to gloat about, my female. If I run into other Aspis at the vents, I will surely tell them about your silken, nectar-filled channel and its wild, frenzied contractions.”

My cheeks flush, but at least Tabbi can’t understand what he’s saying.

“What the hell is this?” Tabbi asks, pointing to the dead animal that my mate’s just dumped onto the floor between us. I’d answer her question, but frankly I have no idea what the creature is. Uh. It looks like a bird, but it has extra wings and extra eyes, and its legs have hooves on the end. So … a feathered goat-bird thing. Sure. Okay.

“Breakfast?” I offer with a shrug of my shoulders. I help Abraxas arrange the sticks for the fire, and he lights it up. When he moves over to his kill and begins to break it down, Tabbi turns away and hides herself in the corner. “What have you been eating this whole time?” I wonder, knowing for sure that I would’ve starved without Abraxas.

“Trevor and Taylor fed me. And then the orcs fed me. I’ve been starving for days.” She finally turns to look over her shoulder at the meat that Abraxas is stripping from the corpse. Tabbi swallows and wets her dry, cracked lips. Her hair is still surprisingly pink at the tips, but it’s stringy and greasy and she looks like hell.

I will give her credit for this: she didn’t eat Madonna. Bravo. I’m assuming Madonna has been finding her own food. She still looks properly plump. Err, I think. I don’t know much about possums.

“Let’s eat and then bathe,” I suggest, giving Abraxas a look. “I imagine that my sense of smell is nowhere near as good as yours, but damn, she stinks.”

“Her scent is repulsive,” he agrees without malice. Just a fact.

“Um, excuse me? Like you don’t smell horrible, too. You reek of dragon cum.”

That makes me laugh. She might be right, IDK, but I’ll tell you this: I do not smell anything like this bitch does.

“Did I tell you we have a toilet?” I say with a grin. Tabbi’s eyes bulge out of her head, and she follows me into the bathroom, breaking into happy tears when she sees it. I give her a pat on the shoulder. “Take your time, and feel free to use any of the leaves as toilet paper. Just don’t fuck up our drinking water.” I point at it and then retreat from the room, sitting on the ground with my back tucked into the circle of Abraxas’ body.

“We may wish to move to a new den,” he says, but not like he’s upset about it, just contemplative. “As I said, we will need a larger one for our child, so it is not a total inconvenience.”

“I want another den with a toilet,” I say, turning my head so that I can look up at him. I feel sorry for Zero, but wherever we move to, I’ll keep track of her so that I can turn her into Cop Guy—if he ever shows up. “Do you think that’ll be possible? There seem to be plenty of ships to choose from.”

“We will search as long as we need to in order to make you happy, my mate.” He pauses there, and I can sense so many other unsaid things that need to be discussed. I wish fervently that Tabbi Kat was not around to hear my side of the conversation.

“We need to talk about Moth Guy, don’t we?” I hedge, wishing I didn’t have to bring this up.

“I am already aware, sweet female.” Abraxas curls his tail around my legs, offering an absurdly comforting squeeze that feels like a hug. “I became aware when he demanded that I release you. A Vestalis would not waste his breath on a random female.”

I swallow hard and fiddle with a random stick, snapping it in half.

“How long will it take for him to die?” I ask, feeling so cold and cruel and heartless that my breath catches. But I never asked to be his mate. This is his fault. He tasted my blood. He condemned himself. His eyes are as soft and dark as the night sky, two deep pools of depth and comfort and intelligence. The thought of him passing away because of me, that’s a lot to take in.

“I am not sure, but I know that he will be frantic to find you.” Abraxas growls, and the sound takes over my entire body. The stripes on his horns pulse with violet fury. “It will be difficult for him to track us, but track us he will. Frequent travel may be necessary until he is dead.”

I cringe at that, but what am I supposed to do? Give myself up to be spirited away to who knows where? Not happening. I’m … I’m staying here with Abraxas. I’ve decided. I exhale and scrub at my face with both hands.

“We should talk—” I begin, but then Tabbi Kat reappears in the room, and I know it’ll have to wait. “Should we leave today then?” I ask, praying that we can at least leave after we bathe in those gorgeous hot springs. The thought of leaving makes me sad, but I’m not letting Moth Guy catch me. Something in his eyes tells me that once he has me, he will never let me go.

“What do you mean by ‘leave’?” Tabbi asks, walking over to stand beside the fire with her arms crossed.

“She has marked our den,” Abraxas grinds out, curling his lip at her. “It is thankful that we are leaving soon.”

I feel eyes—or a cursor anyway—at my back, craning my head to look at Zero’s screen. She is absolutely frantic with terror, and I can’t say that I blame her much, though I would prefer it if she didn’t insult me.

“You stupid bitch! You’re going to leave me here, aren’t you? You’re going to run to save your sorry ass.” A string of alien text appears, that same flowery writing from before. “By Moth Guy, I know you mean a Vestalis. Why would you run from a leader of the Noctuida? If anyone can help us, it is him. Or are you so drunk on Aspis cock that you can’t remember how desperately you wanted to escape this horrible planet?”

“I’ll do my best to get you out of here—but you could really use a lesson in etiquette. I’m the only person on this entire planet who can help you, and you are beyond fucking rude to me. Get your shit together, Zero.”

Her screen explodes with another rant—half in English, half in her own language—and I turn back to see Tabbi gaping at Zero’s rage.

“We’re running from someone that can help us?” she asks, peering at me with suspicion. “You don’t want to leave this place?” She’s absolutely incredulous, her gaze moving from me to Abraxas and back to me again. “Wow. He must really put out, huh?”

“I’ll still get you out of here,” I tell her, feeling on the inside like I’m being torn in half. I want to stay. I do. It’s just not an easy decision to make. I’m questioning it even now. Fuck. Why did I have to find my person on another planet? It isn’t fair. And Abraxas? He isn’t someone who could be taken back to Earth either, if that’s even a thing. Trevor and Taylor—those shitty twins that brought us here in the first place—they looked human when I met them. So it is an option for some.

But not the dragon alien behind me.

“We will have to wait for this storm to pass,” Abraxas remarks, peering out the doorway of the ship. His mouth flattens into invisibility for a moment. “The rain that is coming, it is acidic, and I’m wary of seeing its effects on your tender skin.” His tail sweeps up and over me, the tip rubbing gently against my cheek. I’m simultaneously thrilled by his attention and ashamed at my own weakness as a human. “If not for that, we would leave today.”

“Do we have time to visit the hot springs?” I ask hopefully. Tabbi smells like my teenage brother before we had a family intervention about deodorant. Even Madonna smells better than her.

“Perhaps, if we hurry.” Abraxas flicks his tail in the direction of the meat and the fire. “Eat, and we shall see.”

His eyes track both the storm … and our fate.

It hasn’t started raining on our walk back from the hot springs, but it’s close. I can taste it on my tongue, this crackling burn, like the atmosphere has a bone to pick with any creature unfortunate enough to be caught out in the downpour.

“I suppose this planet isn’t totally useless,” Tabbi complains, squeezing her hair out as we walk. She didn’t once thank either Abraxas or myself for taking her there or for showing her how to use the purple flowers as soap. She barely commented, but she moaned loudly and unashamedly while bathing. Abraxas was not amused; he dislikes her as much as I do. “Reminds me of the time I went to Cougar Springs—it’s clothing optional—and like, everyone was taking out their phones and recording me. Idols are people, too, you know.” She touches her chest with splayed fingers, like this is an extremely noble cause that should have, like, fundraising and foundations or something.

She isn’t wrong. That’s exactly what happened. I remember Jane scrambling to clean up her client’s nudes online.

“Do all humans talk as much as this one?” Abraxas asks, flicking his tail in irritation.

“I talk more than she does,” I remind him, and he grins at me.

“Yes, but I like your words. This female is screechy and unpleasant, like a big-throated bird.” I’m not sure what type of animal he’s referring to exactly, but it’s still funny.

I snort, working on a braid as we walk. Everything seems fine, but then suddenly, it’s just not.

Abraxas’ head snaps up. His lips ripple and draw back from his teeth as he moves in a blur of shadow to get between me and … the little pink octopus thing. A whistle follows, and I peer around Abraxas’ bulk to see Cop Guy striding toward us.

My mouth drops open as the tiny creature attempts to land on my shoulder. Abraxas flicks his tail at it, sending it swirling away in a sea of bubbles and angry chirps.

“What is wrong with you?” Cop Guy hisses, holding his assault weapon on Abraxas. He’s not talking to any of us though; he’s talking to the mini octopus. His pet lands on his shoulder and he gives it a look before turning back to us. “Tell your mate to stand down; tell him I’m not here to hurt any of you.”

“Hey.” I put my hand on Abraxas’ shoulder as he crouches on all fours, his front half lowered to the ground, like he’s getting ready to strike. His tail swings behind him, spikes raised, venom dripping. I gently push Tabbi out of the way so she doesn’t get any of it on her skin. A private thrill hits me, knowing that only I am immune to his venom. “He’s here because I went looking for him, remember?”

My mate snarls and drops completely to the ground, belly to the earth, but he’s no less alert. He’s just waiting to see what happens.

“I must get these soft-skinned females into the den before the storm,” he growls, and Cop Guy finally lowers his weapon.

“Not keen to get stuck in sulphuric acid rain, eh?” He holds his gun at his side with one hand, reaching up to stroke his pet with his other hand. I narrow my eyes as I take note of his words. Commands. Questions. He’s careful not to commit to direct statements. I guess anyone would get good at word games if they so dramatically changed color every time they were caught in a lie. Sometimes during our pillow talk, Abraxas will tell me about other species. I know some shit about the Falopex now. Well, this Falopex in particular. Abraxas knows of him even if he doesn’t know him personally.

“You’re here.” It’s a flat statement from me. Also, super relieved that I decided to bring a change of clothes to the hot springs. After the fourth or fifth comment from Tabbi about my stretch marks, back fat, and breast size, I was done with being naked for the day. I’m wearing a lavender sundress with a long, flowing skirt, and a low-cut neckline. Abraxas told me he likes it, but that he prefers me in the nude. The thought makes me smile as I stroke my fingers down his arm. Cop Guy notices, following the motion curiously. He blinks those strange eyes of his, those triple pupils of his dilating slightly in both eyes. “Took you long enough.”

“Yes, well, an Aspis isn’t the easiest species to track, now is it?” Another question. This guy’s good. He takes a few steps closer to us, dressed in another outrageous cowboy hat (a black one this time), boots, and a belt. His body is, as before, pretty much on full display. God, I’d love to know what his dick looks like underneath his loincloth. Not because I’m interested. Abraxas is more than enough. But damn, I’m curious. Though, after seeing what the Tusk Guys are packing, maybe I’m better off not knowing.

“Who is this guy?” Tabbi whispers, looking from me to the half-naked cop. Her eyes rake his body and he notices, lifting up the edge of his hat and giving her an annoying wink. She bites her lip, twirling wet pink hair around a finger. It’s an effort for me not to roll my eyes. But then … I notice her expression underneath all the flirting. So very calculating.

Also … can she understand him without a translator? How? She can’t understand Abraxas any better than I could. Madonna joins us, peeking out of Tabbi’s pocket to stare at Hyt with big, round eyes like black marbles. He gives the creature a passing look and then shrugs, like he can’t be bothered trying to figure out what it is.

“This is …” I trail off, waiting for the Falopex guy to supply his name. He doesn’t. What a colossal prick. “Are you going to leave me hanging here? What’s your name, dude?”

Cop Guy throws his head back in laughter, bubbles escaping his mouth to dance up into the canopy. He drops his head back down and plays with the brim of his hat again.

“Ah, an oversight on my part.” He sweeps his hat off and gives me what I’m certain is a mocking bow in response. As he lifts his head, our eyes meet, and my stomach twists with nausea. I step closer to Abraxas and press my body against his, releasing … whatever that feeling is. I don’t want it. I don’t want to be Moth Guy’s mate, and I definitely don’t want anything to do with the inept police officer who took a million years to find me out here. “My name is Hyt.”

His body erupts in brilliant color, shifting him from blue to pink. I see him grit his teeth in frustration as his pet shifts to blue, and then flits around him in agitation.

“I see. So that’s a blatant lie. Fine. I don’t even care.” I wave my hand dismissively. “Hyt, it is.” He pronounces it like the word ‘height’, but I imagine it’s got a weird spelling. Or maybe it’s only spelled out in alien letters? Whatever. “Well, Officer Hyt, thank you for finally deigning to show up.” I look over at Tabbi Kat, and I realize that this is it. This is my moment to make a choice.

Abraxas seems to sense it, exhaling so deeply that tiny embers fall from his nostrils and dance across the forest floor. A half-dozen grasshopper aliens pop up out of the dirt and scurry off into the underbrush. I’m starting to seriously question their evolutionary choices.

Hyt is boiling mad. At me, at himself, I have no idea. But he yanks on his cowboy hat and scowls before taking a deep breath. When he exhales, a sea of bubbles escapes.

“Are you mated to the Aspis?” he asks me when it’s obvious that he already knows. He stays bright pink when he asks the question. “Are you aware of the Noctuidan law that forbids mated humans from being returned to their home planet?”

I just stare at him.

“How the actual fucking fuck would I be aware of that law?!” I’m yelling now, and I don’t give a shit. Great. Glad I decided to give up literally everything in my life—including my family—before I knew about this shit. What a blow. What a messed-up, fucked-up, shitty stupid law. No wonder those Tusk Guys were so frantic to rape me: then they wouldn’t have to let me go. “Do you know how stupid that law is?” I’m spitting mad now. Abraxas is watching in bemusement. So is Officer Hyt. Tabbi seems confused, but what’s unusual about that?

“I’m aware.” Still, Hyt remains pink which makes me question why he’d lie about something like this. “If you’re so upset by it, why don’t you use your plentiful good fortune, become the Imperial Princess, and change it? You’d have that power, you know.”

“The Imperial …” I trail off because I know exactly what he’s talking about. “Anything for you, my Princess.” That’s what Moth Guy said. Right. The dying moth prince …

“She will become Imperial Princess over my lifeless corpse,” Abraxas snarls, shoving up to his feet and then standing so that he towers over us all—Officer Hyt included.

“I’m sure that can be arranged by the Vestalis army.” Hyt smiles with his sharp, little teeth. “I’ll take your friend here with me, and see if I can’t arrange transport back to Earth.” My heart clangs in my chest, and I snatch at the fabric of my dress, twisting my hand in it. Hyt notices and that pretty smile slides right off of his face.

“You’re not changing color,” I tell him, and his flurry of tentacle tails waft behind him like they’re being pushed by the sea. He smiles again.

“I’m lying to you,” he says, and then bam, he’s shifting to blue all over again. I feel like … like there’s a riddle in all of this somewhere. Knights and Knaves logic puzzle? Pinocchio paradox? Liar paradox? I feel like there’s more truth in that one sentence than anything else that he’s said thus far.

If … if he’s pink because he’s lying to me, and he turns blue when he says he’s lying, then … Gah. I can’t figure it out. My brain-place hurts. Doesn’t matter. Our relationship is casual and very, very temporary.

“Good to know,” I respond slowly, and his smile falls right off. He’s staring at me now with those strange triple irises of his. They’re disturbing, one of the more alien things I’ve seen while I’ve been here. For whatever reason, I don’t find them unpleasant. “So, because I had sex with … someone who isn’t human, I’m not allowed to go back to Earth?” I’m just clarifying here. If I had to go back in time and mate with Abraxas to save him, knowing all of that, I’d still do it. I don’t regret it.

“You’re no longer my problem,” Hyt says, tucking his gun into the holster on his back. He moves closer to me, his tails curling around his body, framing him in blue and white. They’re beautifully scaled, shimmery like a fish, and each has a single sucker on the tip. Just the one. He doesn’t dare touch me with them today, not with Abraxas dropping into a gargoyle crouch on my right. Hyt points to Tabbi. “Frankly, you were no longer my problem the moment I learned that a Vestalis prince had tasted your blood. But I would love to take this little lady with me.”

I cross my arms. I drive a hard bargain.

“Take her, dear God. Please. As quickly as you can. In fact, I’ll pay you to take her. You want some fresh meat? Nice, tanned hides? Piles of old computer garbage?”

I don’t expect Hyt to laugh, but he does. And it’s delightful. There are bubbles. He grins at me, tips his hat, and winks again.

“Those aren’t the only things I accept as payment.” It’s meant to be a joke, I think, but then Abraxas lets out a snort and flames catch on the earth, singeing more grasshopper things. Goddamn, those bugs are stupid.

“Have you found Jane yet?” I ask, knowing that I sound like a broken record and not caring. “One of the other girls that was with me?”

He scratches at the back of his neck, tails swaying in agitation. They really do look like they’re underwater, slave to unseen currents.

“Hate to break this to you, my friend, but your friend is currently in the clutches of a dangerous space pirate.” He drops his hand and then shrugs. “If it helps, he certainly isn’t going to eat her. Bet ya they mate though. The guy isn’t just a notorious space pirate, he’s a notorious space ho.” He sweeps a hand out across the air and a rush of water follows, droplets spattering on the forest floor. “Works his way from one end of the galaxy to the next.” Hyt chuckles, like this is the most hilarious story he’s ever told. “There’s nothing he wouldn’t do, no alien too big or small. If it’s sentient, and it likes to fuck, he’s DTF.”

I stare at him.

How … how is the translator picking up the acronym DTF—down to fuck—off of an alien’s words?!

I decide not to dig too deeply into that.

“Hard to catch though.” There’s a devious smirk on Hyt’s lips. “Anyway, your friend is as safe with him as anywhere else in the Noctuida. I’ll pick her up next. Don’t you worry your pretty head about it.”

I would love to kick this guy in the nuts. But … he might not have nuts. That’s a distinct possibility.I do feel marginally better about Jane though. Still, this guy is only Plan B. I’m going to keep searching for her myself.

“Excuse me,” Tabbi screeches, and both Hyt and I cringe as Madonna shrieks with her owner out of some misplaced sense of loyalty. Abraxas grumbles and uses his wing-hands to cover the ear holes beneath his horns. “Do you have any idea who I am?” She storms up to Hyt and he rears back, his pet fluttering into the air, chirping wildly. “I am an Earth princess.” She slams her palm against her chest for emphasis, and this time, I can’t help myself: I roll my eyes.

Hyt notices, and lets out a small chuckle, hooking his thumbs under his belt on either side. My eyes are drawn to the deep ‘V’ curves on his hips. Shit. I force myself not to notice his perfect body. Abraxas is my soulmate, and I wouldn’t trade him in even if I could. Hard not to see reality when it’s right in front of one’s face though. The cop is a hottie, okay? It’s just an objective fact.

“Darlin’, do you think I care nine flicks about that nonsense? You’re going home whether you like it or not.” Hyt turns to me and tips his hat with a long sigh. Our eyes meet again, and I can’t help but admit that I find him attractive. His body, in particular, is hard to ignore, out on display as it is. I look over at Abraxas, and he tilts his head at me. I step closer to him, pressing my shoulder into his side, and Hyt gives me a pointed look. “You and me, we might be seeing each other around if you’re going to be living here. Come to the market sometime and we’ll have a platonic little lunch.” He leans in, resting his purple tongue against the corner of his mouth and winking at me. He tips his hat. “I’ll keep the beasties away so you can shop and explore all the wonders that Jungryuk’s unofficial capital has to offer.”

“You will leave,” Abraxas growls out. “Now.”

“Ah, and so I will—happily. Farewell, Imperial Princess.” Officer Hyt turns and snaps his fingers, gesturing at Tabbi Kat to keep up. She stumbles over to him and grabs onto his arm, causing the scales across his entire body to ruffle in agitation. All down his naked spine, the ones on his face, his tails. Those tentacles flail wildly as his pet swirls in agitation around the pair of them. “There, there, sweetheart. You’re safe now.” He pats her head, but despite his clear distaste, he doesn’t dislodge her.

That bothers me.

I watch them walk away, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Thanks for the goodbye, Tabbi Kat!” I shout out, cursing under my breath. “What a useless brat.” I whirl on Abraxas to find him watching me and not the others. He seems sympathetic, holding out a big hand and cupping my entire head in his palm. He refreshed himself in a vent while we were out today; he’s enormous again. Not full-size. But bigger than he was this morning.

Mating should be … interesting.

“Poor female,” he breathes out, brushing his thumb along the seam of my mouth. “You are sad.”

I shove my arm across my eyes to push back tears that I refuse to shed.

“I’m okay,” I whisper, but that’s not true. I’m devastated. All I can think about right now is my family.

My father … when I didn’t come home that day—when Jane went missing alongside me—he’d have panicked. I can see him now, storming into the police station and ranting and raving until someone filed a missing person report. My mom would do what she does best, organizing the community around her. I might not be a soup kitchen philanthropist, but my mother is. She volunteers for no less than five organizations, and works a good forty hours a week doing pro bono work. My eldest sister—she’s a lawyer, which is why I promise that those jokes about the mayor’s lawyer weren’t solely based on his profession—would be calling all her persnickety friends from law school for help. My little brother, Nate, would be on social media spreading the word while our other two sisters made flyers and went door-to-door. My parents would mortgage their house to hire a private investigator to look for me.

“You are devastated, my sweet, small thing.” Abraxas looks up at the sky and grumbles in distaste, scooping me up in his tail and gracefully falling to all fours. He bounds back to the ship, hopping inside just before the downpour starts.

Too bad.

I was hoping I could pretend the tears were just raindrops.