Page 23 of Homecoming

He smiled. “The yacht is in the harbour. If it isn’t too awkward, we can take the launch, and I will return you here in the morning.”

“Promise?”

“The bands have been listening. It’s in the short-term contract.”

“What happens if you don’t bring me back?”

“I get repeatedly zapped until you judge that the contract has been completed.”

“Oh. Nice.”

“And since the bands run on body heat, the zapping lasts as long as I remain warm.”

“Where is Sohar?”

“Still out at sea. He is bound to spend about one week a decade in that form.”

“They say here that sighting him is once in a lifetime.”

Loken smiled. “The oceans are vast, and the ship travels across them with equanimity.”

“So, you travel from place to place?”

“Nowhere is home yet.”

She nodded and looked at the flashing blue light. She swallowed. “I think I am going to take a rain cheque.”

“Are you sure? I may not be this way again.”

She found the off on her controls. “I am sure. I am not into impulse decisions. They get me into trouble.”

He nodded. “I can respect that. Are you going to stay out here tonight?”

“No. It has been a very long day. I am going to head off to my hotel.”

He asked, “Would you like an escort?”

“No. I am capable of protecting myself from gropers.”

He sighed. “One more kiss?”

She leaned in and met his lips with hers. Her tongue tasted him, and she shivered as the flavour of him did something to her. Something dark and primal was rising, but she backed up before things got too intense.

His eyes were brilliant green, and she watched him blink away his serpentine pupils. “Whoa. What are you?”

“You have to take me to bed to find out.” He grinned.

She blinked. “Well, as that isn’t happening tonight, I guess I will never know.”

He blinked. “We are not leaving in the next few days.”

“Well, I have a job to do, so I am staying on Wonder. Enjoy wandering the seas.” She smiled brilliantly and got to her feet. “Good night.”

Loken got up, and she could feel him staring at her as she walked toward the shadowy alleys that led back to the hotel.

She was near the door when she heard the rush of feet and a burning pain in her head. The ground rushed up, and she felt the burn in her cheekbone. There was a second strike, but she was surrounded by water. She turned on her hip and saw Sara bearing down on her with a chunk of bamboo. “Die, bitch!”

Another strike and then another. Aeryn took them until Sara was standing and panting. A heavy and rhythmic thudding came toward her, and Aeryn stared as she saw a dinosaur in the village. She wrapped him in water and held him. “Sara, get the fuck out of here and admit to attacking me to the peacekeepers, or I will let him go.”

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