Page 42 of Ava Greasemonkey

Vox stepped even closer, sticking his face down low near the front of her outfit and inhaling deeply. Ava’s back was pushed flush against the metal wall.

“It is no wonder you smell the way you do.”

Ava’s heart beat fast, both from fear and feeling aroused. She couldn’t make sense of the conflicting emotions. After what she just heard though, him coming this close was not welcome right now.

A slip of fear ran down her back.Get back, get back.

Vox frowned, but halted nonetheless.

Ava pushed him back, roughly. He moved easily, giving her space, an uncertain frown on his face. She spoke as she pushed him. “I don’t know what to think of all of this. I . . . you said your females can mate with anyone. Isn’t that the same . . . ?”

Vox shook his head. “No. The females are, but our males can only mate with other Vorbax. Before . . .” He let the thought hang and silence moved in. Ava shifted her feet in the silence.

“Vox?” Ava questioned when he didn’t say anything.

He looked up into her eyes and began shining. Ava felt a touch on her mind, but it prompted anger instead of cowing her like it did before.No more.

“Please stop. I don’t like when you do . . . when you reach into me whenever you want. I . . . don’t know how to stop you. It doesn’t feel good. Just talk with me and stop.”

Vox exhaled deeply and returned to his normal color. “It enriches our talks when I can feel more internally. I wish to understand you. All of you. Your words are not enough.”

“I can’t feel you the same way. It is too one-sided.” Ava put her hands out in a stopping motion just short of pushing on his chest again.

Vox frowned, considering. “Very well. Our females never seem to mind the intrusion.”

“Can they participate, though?”

Vox tilted his head. “I can see the imbalance. I apologize. It is not something we have had to think twice about before.”

Ava nodded, looking down, mollified by his apology.

When Vox still did not move away, she looked up into his eyes. They looked soft and vulnerable, not scary at all. She sighed. She didn’t feel threatened by him. Not anymore.

“I don’t know what I’m feeling anyway, Vox . . . I think I just need to sleep. In the med bay . . . I don’t even know what to think about what happened there. I think we are almost to Torga, right? What are you planning on doing?”

His eyes narrowed. “With the mission? Proceed as normal. With you? I do not know.”

Ava swallowed, pushing his statement aside.I don’t know what I want either.“What about the rest of the crew?”

“They will be kept alive in case we need them. If all goes well, we will release the ship to them once we have our females. We do not need the ship beyond safe passage back. Contrary to recent events, we do not enjoy unnecessary bloodshed.”

He looked closer at her. “You do look tired. No one will force you to do anything you do not want. Erox communicated there isa block on your fertility, Ava. You need not worry about any kits being forced on you.”

Ava breathed out in a rush. “How do you know there is a block?”

“That would require more tests to figure out, but regardless, as you are no one can make you bear young.” He caught her eye as she looked away. “No Vorbax male has ever forced a female. It would be a despicable thing. You are safe with us. We are not Tuxa.” He paused, meeting her gaze. “I promise.”

She nodded, relief flowing through her. He looked at her with sincerity. She believed him.

With one more close look at her, Vox lifted himself off the wall and walked her into the crewmate’s room she had rested in earlier. He left just as quickly, saying he would be back in a few moments.

Ava sat gratefully in the bed, happy to be alone, and put her head in her hands. The patchwork blanket she brought from the engine hall was sitting on the edge of the bed. She grabbed it, fluffed it out, and wrapped herself tightly in it. She didn’t know when Vox would be back but put it out of her mind.

The simple act of being alone with the blanket she had snuggled underneath for so many years comforted her enough that she finally began crying in earnest.

Yes, something was happening. Yes, she might no longer be a servant. Yes, Wert was dead. Yes, it was too much at once.What am I doing here?

Tears gave way to giant, shuddering sobs. She hadn’t cried this hard since her first few nights here on the Phor transport ship when everything was so new and different. She had never been away from her mother and other Humans before and the translator in her head back then . . . she remembered it aching so badly while she got used to it.

---