Page 30 of Possessed By the Leonid King

Sadness chased it. Home without his mother or his sister.

But you have Layla to show around—and Marcus. Maybe you haven’t appreciated him enough, Ru. “Layla, I’m sorry I’ve been busy when you wanted to see me.”

A strong air current shook the craft slightly, coming right across the nose as a sparkling green and blue sea came into view. Layla put her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide and sparkling. “Oh, Rupex! It’s breathtaking.”

She is rather breathtaking as well.

“We’ll talk when we land. Can I stay with you or do you need to concentrate on docking?” Layla asked, eyes thirstily drinking in the sights of his home world.

“Stay.”

Chapter Thirteen

Layla was practically liquifying, turning herself into a gel with her fevered bouncing and jiggling. “Can we get out? Do I need a helmet? I can breathe on this planet, right? Are there other people there, do you think?”

Rupex wished she wouldn’t do that. It was deliciously distracting, even functioning on only a few hours of sleep. “Layla, wait. There are docking procedures.”

Marcus came up, a portable computer tablet resting in the crook of his elbow. “Rupex, get her off now. If you wait much longer, we’re going to break quarantine restrictions that Leonid-One is imposing. She’s not a citizen.”

“No one checks this island.”

“Then today will be the day they start. Manes and whiskers, Rupex, are you going to risk them taking her to some holding facility?”

Layla squeaked and looked at him with wide frightened eyes.

Rupex growled and scowled at his medical officer. “Come, Layla. Do you have baggage?”

Layla’s mouth dropped open. “No. I guess I don’t. My gosh! That shithead Paul! My room at the Metro Rentals! My clothes, my shoes, all of my stuff! It was mostly junk, but I bet he’s sold it by now. My pictures! My—”

With a grunt, Rupex heaved the light human off her feet and up over his shoulder. “The man is human garbage. Justice will find him.”

“How?”

Rupex didn’t answer at first. “One day, his contract will be bought by someone worse.”

Someone like me. I will sell him to a Lynxian prison colony as a latrine attendant.

“That’s not—”

“I will buy you whatever you want. Find you whatever you need. You are the mother of my cubs. That makes you... that makes you my Queen. At least for now. I shall treat you like one.”

That shut her mouth.

Marcus sighed. “Leave the paperwork to me. I’ll see you back onboard tonight?”

Rupex swung around, a huffy Layla swinging over his shoulder and struggling around to get comfortable as she swung halfway down his back. “I thought we’d camp on the island. There is ample room, Marcus.”

“Maybe tomorrow. Why don’t you two go exploring today?”

Layla stopped struggling. Her sweet round rear was directly next to Rupex’s nose and he could smell a salty-juicy current in the air. She had the same thought he did.

Alone? On an island?

“That sounds fun.” Layla shoved herself upright and peered into his eyes.

Marcus hurried away, chuckling under his breath.

LAYLA WALKED HAND IN paw with him on deep, soft sand. The Comet Stalker rested on its belly in the deep, soft sand that covered what must have been a runway at one point.

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