Chapter 18

ZAHHN

My eyes open, and I immediately reach for Leona. But she's not there, and I'm in my own bed. On the fluxxing Rorrsa .

No. It couldn't have been a dream. It felt too real.

I toss the covers back and the scent of her arousal hits me. I glance down at my naked body. My naked body...

I'm not wearing sleeping shorts. Because I took them off and mated with Leona. But why am I not on the Jansonna ? Why am I not in my mate's quarters aboard the human worldship?

I take a few deep breaths and try to calm my racing thoughts. But I struggle to answer any of the questions that plague me. I don't remember how I reached the Jansonna —whether I hitched a ride on a shuttle or stole one. It's a mystery.

Our mating session must've been real. My legs remain sticky with my dried seed, which makes sense considering she fell asleep in my arms with our legs tangled together. I'm also certain her dried essence is covering my shafts and thighs.

I lean down and take a deep inhale. Yes, that's Leona's arousal I detect. There could be no mistaking it. I could pick out that scent anywhere.

I jump to my feet and peer out the viewscreen of my quarters. Relief fills me when I see the Jansonna . It's still there, traveling within the hyperspace bubble with the Darrvason fleet.

Leona must be on the human worldship. It makes sense. It's where we copulated and became mates. Yet my presence on the Rorrsa defies explanation. I don't remember returning to my quarters. Furthermore, I would have never returned to the Rorrsa without Leona. She's my mate and we should not be parted.

I start getting dressed, only to realize I'm still covered in my seed and my human female's arousal. I can't walk around the Rorrsa smelling like I just copulated. Not when it's not common knowledge that I've claimed a mate.

Plus, the group of thirty females who were part of the first wave all currently reside on the Haxxal with their respective mates, so it would raise questions if I walked the corridors of the Rorrsa in my present condition.

My growl of frustration echoes off the walls as I enter the bathroom. I shower, making sure to scrub myself down thoroughly. I lather my body in soap four separate times and rinse off, cursing the heightened senses of my people the entire time. Then I hurriedly dress and storm through the corridors of the Rorrsa , determined to obtain answers.

On my way to the docking bay, I board an elevator. All I can think about is returning to the Jansonna . Returning to Leona. Even if I must steal a shuttle in order to reunite with my mate.

To my displeasure, on the way to the docking bay, the elevator stops to admit a passenger. The chief engineer of the Rorrsa steps inside the elevator and gives me a nod of acknowledgement.

"Doctor Zahhn," he says in an overly polite tone. "I am glad to encounter you this morning. Perhaps you could enlighten me. Are the rumors true?"

I turn to Chief Kameer, annoyed that he's speaking to me. What rumors is he talking about? Surely he's not aware that I've just entered an unsanctioned mating union with a human female. No one knows yet. I haven't told anyone. Unless… panic fills me.

Unless Leona has revealed the news to her people. Perhaps she woke up alone and told her friends, and somehow the authorities on the worldship learned of the news. I fight back my growing alarm as I stare at Chief Kameer.

I tilt my head to the side, effecting an undisturbed but curious expression. It's the sort of look I give my less intelligent colleagues after they misdiagnose a patient or make an error in a medical study. "I'm afraid I haven't heard any rumors lately. Perhaps you could enlighten me , Chief Kameer."

He presses a button to stop the elevator just before it reaches the deck that leads to the docking bay. I suppress a growl and endeavor to maintain my carefree aura. But my curiosity indeed mounts. If he's stopping the elevator, whatever rumor he's heard must be one of importance to our people.

Chief Kameer draws in a deep breath, and his red eyes brim with astonishment. "I am shocked that you haven't heard the news. But perhaps you have but you aren't allowed to talk about it." He steps closer, which of course makes my annoyance flare, and I struggle to hide how uncomfortable I'm becoming. "Heartbonds," he blurts. "Heartbonds are possible between humans and Darrvasons."

"What are you talking about?" I can scarcely get the words out because all the air has whooshed out of my chest.

"Admiral Tornn is currently experiencing the mating fever with his mate, a human female named Ellie that he first claimed about fourteen days ago. He came down with a fever, and it's reported that Ellie already has a few ancestral markings on her arms. I know someone who heard Doctor Groaa talking about it." Chief Kameer pauses, and his eyes gleam bright with excitement. "It's said that Doctor Groaa was called to Admiral Tornn's quarters after his mate appeared to have a rash on her arms. But, as you might imagine, it was no rash. It was the ancestral markings starting to form, the beginning of a heartbond."

For a moment, I'm so shocked that I cannot form words. I can barely take my next breath. If what he's saying is true, it changes everything. I give my head a shake and try to preserve an outward appearance of calm, though it isn't easy. "Where did you learn this information?" I can't call it a rumor , because I fluxxing know it's true. Just last night, I could hear Leona's thoughts. My ancestral markings also kept tingling in her presence. It can't be a coincidence.

Chief Kameer presses his lips together. "I can't reveal my source, though I promise he's a reliable male. But he obtained the information while eavesdropping on Doctor Groaa and one of his colleagues."

"Eavesdropping? Do you realize it would be very easy for me to learn the name of your source and have him detained for spreading rumors?"

The chief engineer's gaze suddenly turns so cold that it takes me aback. I'm not used to being glared at, especially with a look of violence. I'm used to my colleagues deferring to me and cozying up to my greatness. Yes, that might sound conceited, but it is the truth. Though I abhor attention, I am accustomed to being fawned over.

"And do you realize it would be very easy for me to fake your death in the elevator?" He displays a tight smile that doesn't reach his eyes. Then he gestures to the control panel. "All it would take is an accident . Faulty wiring. A random power surge."

A mirthful laugh erupts from my throat. I can't help it. Despite my initial annoyance, being threatened by the chief engineer of the Rorrsa is refreshing. The truth is, it's been ages since anyone has dared to challenge me.

"Is laughter your usual response to a death threat?" Chief Kameer asks.

My laughter finally fades, though I cannot wipe the smile from my face. I make the shape of a circle with my thumbs and pointer fingers, showing the chief that I mean no harm and take no offense to his threats. Finally, I allow my hands to fall to my sides and I lean back against the wall. "I don't say this to many people, Chief Kameer, but I think I might like you. Your arrogance perhaps matches my own, and I appreciate that you aren't licking my boots like half the males I encounter on this ship."

The tension appears to drain from the chief's body, and he also makes a circle with his fingers, then leans back against the opposite wall. "Awards and accomplishments don't impress me. Only character and work ethic will sway me. You might've saved our people from various ailments over the years, Doctor, but I have kept the Rorrsa —the oldest ship in our fleet—functioning at optimal levels. Oh, have I mentioned that I recently fixed a fatal mistake in the hyperdrive bubble's formation protocol? We would've all been incinerated during the next jump to hyperdrive had I not caught and fixed the error."

We exchange a genuinely cordial look, and despite my need to reach the Jansonna as soon as possible, I find myself relaxing in Chief Kameer's presence. He's shared a significant rumor with me, one that confirms my suspicions about the possibility of heartbonds with humans.

Another thought occurs to me. Perhaps the chief could help me discover how I reached the Jansonna and returned without any memory of the travel. Surely he has access to the travel records between ships in the fleet. "Chief Kameer, I am not privy to any of the happenings on the Haxxal as of late. I've been solely focused on my emerging treatment for forlonggsa , a study that I'm conducting on the Rorrsa , and I must admit there are many messages awaiting me from my colleagues on the Haxxal that I simply haven't read yet. It's possible news of this development is included in those messages. I would be happy to share any information with you, though I must humble myself by asking for a favor at the same time." My tone is pompous as ever, but it seems I've found an almost-friend in Chief Kameer, because a thoughtful look comes over him, and he eventually smirks.

"Dare I dream? Have the Star Gods smiled upon me? Is the greatly esteemed and highly decorated Doctor Zahhn, legend among Darrvason males, asking me for a favor?"

I hold back a growl. "Even if I cannot find the information you're seeking in my unread messages, I am certain I'll be able to find out the details. All I must do is contact Doctor Groaa or another of my colleagues on the Haxxal . I will tell you what I learn in exchange for your kind assistance, Chief Kameer."

"It's a deal, Doctor Zahhn." He presses a button and the elevator resumes moving.