Page 11 of Rescued By the Luxirian

You’re leaving soon, I reminded myself, disappointment pricking in my belly. Once he contacted Patrol, I could be out of here as soon as tonight. No need to get attached.

Stepping back into the washroom, I gave him a half-smile. “I’ll just, uh, be in here.”

Smooth, Lyra.

He tilted his head back, the long column of his throat flashing, in his affirmative. I waved my hand over the door panel and it closed, shielding him from view, and I heard his heavy footsteps tread away.

Releasing a long breath, I immediately went to the mirror.

I nearly groaned at my reflection. My makeup was smeared. My hair looked like a bird’s nest. There was a rottingleafstuck to my neck and the beginnings of bruises along my arms from the harsh landing.

Gods.

Carefully, I placed his folded tunic on the counter before I had the insane urge to smell it. Then I turned to the shower pod.

I’ll feel much, much better after a shower, I decided.

Then I’d be able to think straight.

Chapter

Six

DROXAN

“What do you mean you won’t be able to get here for a week?” I growled at the coms, the static-filled screen sparking with the grainy image.

The human that greeted me—a Quadrant Patrol officer currently on duty fielding calls—looked frazzled. He let out a sharp breath.

In the universal tongue, he lowered his voice and told me, “Look, it’s been a nightmare. There’s still forty or more pods missing. It’s all over the news channels, in all Four Quadrants. The Uranian Federation already wants an investigation into the wreck and Starlight United is trying to wash their hands of it. Every last Patrol agent we have in the area is out looking for the missing pods. Your female? She’s unharmed, yes?”

At my nod, he let out another sharp breath.

“And judging from your record here, you have no criminal charges brought against you in any of the high courts. You are a wealthy, highly respected member of Luxiria’s society. Ullima is not a dangerous planet, though it does have its share of storms.”

Like he needed to remind me.

“What I’m trying to say is, she’s a low priority for us. But I’m glad you found her, I can cross her off our missing beings list. Lyra, you said her name was? Lyra Kye?”

He tapped on a com screen I couldn’t see on the video feed.

When he looked back at me, he said, with another world-weary sigh, “She’s unharmed, she has food and housing. You’ll be able to apply for a credit with Starlight United for any fees that taking care of her incurs?—”

A dangerous growl left my throat. “I don’t need a single credit to take care of her. I just…vrax.”

Need her gone before I get attached to her, I finished silently.

But what this human male was telling me…she’d be here a week. At the veryleast. If there were forty pods still missing, it could be longer. And everyminuteshe was here pretty much guaranteed that my Instinct would latch deeper and deeper onto her.

“What about bringing her to a transport colony?” I asked. “I have the fuel to reach?—”

“All transport colonies are being suspended temporarily. Like I said, it’s a nightmare. We don’t want any of the crash victims being picked up and trafficked out of the Quadrant. Especially with the Jetutians’ threats as of late. It was a direct order from the Uranian Federation itself.”

“She’s from Wero,” I argued. “It’s not out of the Quadrant.”

The human whistled out a breath. “Wero? No chance. The only colony that transports there is Neppon. Which, you guessed it, is shut down until the victims are located. You think you have it bad? Can you imagine the transport colonies right now?”

He shuddered.

---