Page 7 of Bound to the Bounty Hunter

Arkon considered this, then pointed northwest. “From what I remember seeing when I was landing, there’s a valley in that direction. Matches your description.”

We set off, moving as quietly as possible through the jungle. Suddenly, Arkon froze. His arm shot out, blocking my path. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but he pressed a finger to his lips, eyes narrowed.

He crouched, examining something on the forest floor. I peered over his shoulder and saw broken branches, crushed vegetation. A discarded ration pack lay half-hidden beneath a fern.

“We’re not alone,” Arkon growled, his voice so low I barely heard it.

My stomach clenched. “Consortium security?”

“Or rival bounty hunters. Either way, trouble.”

We moved more cautiously now, every sense on high alert. The jungle seemed to press in around us, full of hidden threats. A twig snapped somewhere to our left, and I jumped.

Arkon’s head whipped around, his body tensing. “Too big for local wildlife,” he whispered.

Before I could respond, voices drifted through the trees. The measured cadence of a patrol.

Arkon grabbed my arm, pulling me close. His eyes scanned our surroundings frantically before settling on a massive, gnarled tree. Without a word, he dragged me towards it.

As we neared, I saw the trunk was hollow. Arkon pushed me inside first, then squeezed in after me. The space was tight, barely large enough for the two of us.

I pushed harder into the rough bark, trying to make room. Arkon’s body curled around mine, solid and warm. His breathstirred the hair at the nape of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

The patrol drew closer. I covered my mouth with my hands, terrified they’d hear the pounding of my heart. Arkon’s arm tightened around my waist, steadying me.

“...waste of time,” a voice grumbled. “She’s long gone by now.”

“Orders are orders,” another replied. “Keep searching.”

Their footsteps faded, but we remained frozen in place. I was acutely aware of every point of contact between Arkon’s body and mine. The firm planes of his chest against my back, his powerful thighs bracketing my own.

I turned my head slightly, intending to ask if it was safe to move. My lips brushed against Arkon’s jaw. His grip on my waist tightened fractionally.

I knew I should move. But some traitorous part of me really, really didn’t want to.

ARKON

The danger passed, Samira and I emerged from our hiding spot. We continued our trek through the dense jungle, the humid air clinging to our skin. Samira’s steps were light, almost graceful, as she navigated the treacherous terrain. It was too tempting to watch her more than our surroundings.

“So, Arkon,” Samira said, breaking the silence. “What’s your story? How’d you end up as a bounty hunter?”

I stiffened. My past wasn’t something I enjoyed discussing. But her curious expression made me want to answer her with something, anything.

What exactly could I tell her?

Nothing came to mind. And then…”Well, there was this one time I was hired to track down a Xarlaxian diplomat’s prized pet. Turns out it was a sentient slime mold that had developed a taste for expensive liquor.”

Samira’s laughter rang out, bright and clear. “You’re joking.”

“I wish. I spent three days crawling through air ducts, following a trail of empty bottles and slime residue. Found the damn thing passed out in a maintenance closet, surrounded by empty Terran whiskey bottles.”

She grinned. “What happened next?”

“I scooped it into a containment unit and returned it to the diplomat. He was so grateful he paid me double. Though I think the slime mold was less than thrilled about going home.”

I felt something loosen in my chest. It was... nice, talking like this.

As we moved through the dense jungle, the absurdity of it all haunted me. Me, a hardened Vinduthi bounty hunter, moving side by side with the very woman I’d been sent to capture. Not only was I not delivering her to my employer, but I was helping her unravel the threads of a conspiracy that stretched across galaxies. The irony gnawed at me, yet somehow, the mission felt right.

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