Page 46 of Possessed By the Leonid King

“Roundfish?”

“I think they are a cousin to the flounder on Sapien planets. I understand flounder are a rare species, however. Roundfish are plentiful here, but only in terrestrial waters.”

Layla stopped braiding her long, damp hair.

Food in abundance. Healthy places to live and love.

I love him, I think. This sweet, sincere man.

“Layla?”

“If I... If I wanted to stay with you and have cubs with you—”

“Yes?” Rupex stood up and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Would you still pay me enough credits to buy a house someplace? Someplace closer to your flight path. Someplace like... Leo Falls?”

“Layla, if you were to stay with me, I wouldn’t charge you. You could have any land on this island that my family owns, free. You’d be in the family, wouldn’t you?” His voice held a wistful note that made her chest ache.

“I can’t abandon Dax, Elio, and Wendy, not if I have a chance to save them. I have to have a place where they can rest.” And get better. Be free.

Layla pictured her friends pale, sickly, and thin, worse than the other residents of the impoverished cities. She knew it wasn’t necessarily true. The labs could pay good money, and they probably had plenty of food.

Maybe they’d sold their contracts to other places by now. Maybe they were all together, on some sunny farm growing carrots or milking goats.

Maybe they forgot me. Or they didn’t want me after I couldn’t keep us together.

“Layla? Layla, you are far away even though you’re in the same room. You don’t... You are under no obligation to stay, you know.”

Layla let herself lean back into his strong, furry arms. “I love this place. Love... love so many things about this ‘new life.’ Especially the people in it,” she murmured, studying the whorls and curls in his fur, hoping he understood the words she didn’t say. “It was one of the best feelings in my life when you said I could stay with you. But I want that safe place on solid ground to come back to. I want a home where I can bring the other family I had. The family I should have kept together. At first, I thought any safe place on Sapien-Three would be enough.” She looked up at him and found another new thing she loved—the way his eyes crossed like a curious kitten’s when he looked down at her from this angle. “Then you brought me here.”

“There’s nothing here! This is a fishing shack at best. There are no stores, no medical centers, no entertainment...”

Layla shook her head and squirmed until she was facing him, still wrapped in his arms. “We’re in terrestrial waters. We can travel to Leonid-One’s nearest city. We can travel with you—I mean, if they could work as crew. The Comest Stalker is a floating city.”

He snorted. “Hardly.”

Layla stepped back and fixed him with a hard, unblinking gaze. “There are books, food, clothing, and medical supplies on this ship. That’s more than you could say about my room on Sapien-Three most days. Oh, I might have two out of four, but not always the same two, and not on all the days.”

Rupex was silent for a long moment, stroking one paw absently down her hair, smoothing and combing it with the very tips of his claws. When he spoke, his voice was far away, even though he was holding her close.

“A few years ago, it would have been unheard of for a Leonid to consider a human part of his pride. Friends or business associates—possibly. Partners? No. It just wasn’t done. Now, well—much has changed, but some things... Any human who becomes part of a Leonid family would by extension become part of a pride. Pride rules. Pride laws. Pride discipline.”

Ru’s claws flowed through her hair now, the most effective combing out Layla had experienced in days.

Layla rested her hand on the back of his much larger paw, stilling him on her shoulder.

He can bend—but not that far. A half-Leonid child he could overlook. Me, he could overlook, just for the sake of his big heart... and maybe my little pussy.

“I get it.” She swallowed and tried to look like it didn’t matter. “You don’t have to explain.” My family can’t be his family. It’s too much of an affront to his culture. I don’t even know if Wendy, Elio, and Dax would want to live this life.

“Then... You are willing to take the risk?” Ru’s voice was less distant. A flicker of interest shone in the depths of his golden eyes.

“Risk?” Wait. What did I miss? “What risk?”

“Leonids and other Felids—Tigerites, Cheetahs, Servalis, Leopardines, and the rest...they might always view us as outcasts. Your friends would be far from most other humans. They would be outcasts, too, and they would have to let me lead them. There is no challenging the King of a pride, or the captain of a starcraft.”

“You mean, you’re willing to give it a try?”

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