Page 37 of Possessed By the Leonid King

“Well, the credits in my account don’t hurt, either. At least Paul-the-slave-trading-scumbag can’t access those.” She and Rupex had set up a new account for her and closed her other one after transferring the balance—not that there’d been much to transfer.

“Mhm.” Marcus pushed up her sleeve and swabbed alcohol on it. “Would you like to know something?”

“Sure.” She shrugged, closing her eyes and waiting for the sharp, steel prick.

“He hasn’t been sad since you came aboard. I’m serious, in case you think I’m just being polite. I haven’t heard him talk this much in months or seen him smile in years. He has hope because of you.”

“Yeah, because I’m going to help jumpstart his family.”

“Perhaps. I think it’s more than that—and I’ve known him far longer than you have. There. That didn’t hurt a bit, did it?”

Layla looked down at her arm. “Not a bit.”

Her brain was another story. “I think I’ll go take a nap in my quarters.”

LAYLA WOKE UP WITH a gasp. Something huge, hairy, and hulking was standing beside her bed in the pitch black room.

“Layla?”

Her lungs reinflated. “Rupex! You scared the shit out of me!”

“I’m sorry. It’s almost morning. I’m sorry I took so long dealing with all the paperwork for the crew. We lost a pawful of Knights and Queens, including the one who was to be Marcus’ second officer, two repair technicians, and the Cook.” Rupex sat on the edge of the mattress, causing it to sink with his weight. “I came to apologize for abandoning you to Marcus and his medical jargon, and here I am, waking you up before dawn and boring you with staffing problems. None of that matters for six weeks anyway. That’s how long all non-urgent ships are grounded.”

“Six weeks in paradise with you sounds amazing,” Layla yawned, sleepiness leaving her words unguarded.

Rupex chuckled softly and eased down next to her, wrapping his long, heavy arm across her waist to pull her close. “Go back to sleep for a few more hours.”

“Hm? I’m up now. No late night—well, early morning—mattress tango?”

“Maybe later,” he laughed, nuzzling her hair and sighing into it. “Is it all right if I stay here?”

She swallowed. “Perfectly fine.”

LAYLA WAS WOKEN BY an excited shout in the hall. “Marsh ducks! Ru! An entire flock of marsh ducks just landed. Maybe a hundred!”

Ru stopped curling his soft, furry body around hers, sitting up with a snort. Layla gasped as his lashing tail swished across her arm.

“Ow!”

“Sorry.” Rupex patted the air behind him, as if he was somehow petting her, and bolted to the door. “Are they in the water?” he called as he ran to open the door of her compartment.

“Some, but most headed inland. They’ll be looking to make nests near the marshy areas in the woods.” Marcus was bouncing on the balls of his long, arched paws.

“There’s a small freshwater inlet that curves around the west side. Should we wait?”

“With that many? I’d say losing four won’t harm the species.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Layla demanded, blinking herself awake.

“Marsh ducks! Hunting for them.”

“What, with guns?”

Rupex and Marcus gave her pitying stares. “No.”

“Oh. Oh! Well... Can I come?”

“You’ll scare them away,” Marcus protested.

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