Page 14 of Marked By the Bounty Hunter

I should have been terrified. Should have run as far as I could. Instead, I found myself pressing closer to Tyrix’s side, drawing strength from his presence.

“Ready?” Tyrix’s eyes gleamed in the dark.

I squeezed his hand. “Lead the way.”

TYRIX

The bitter tang of corroded metal filled my nostrils as we went further into the station’s interior. Each recycling vent we passed whispered with the sound of processed air, a constant susurration that set my senses on edge. The familiar scents of the public corridors - food, bodies, commerce - had given way to the sharper notes of industrial chemicals and decay.

Nalina moved ahead of me with practiced ease, her steps light and sure despite the uneven footing. I fought to keep my focus on our surroundings rather than the fluid grace of her movements.

A sudden burst of steam from a broken valve made her pause. She gestured for me to wait, listening intently to the station’s mechanical heartbeat. After a moment, she nodded and we pressed on.

I shifted sideways to navigate around a cluster of power conduits, my borrowed maintenance vest catching on a jagged edge. The cramped passage forced me to stay close behind her, filling my lungs with her scent.

It was intoxicating in a way I’d never thought of before. I had to focus to not lose sight of what I was doing.

Details emerged in the near-darkness: old tool marks on the walls, patched leaks crusted with mineral deposits, and more of those mysterious symbols we’d found in the hydroponics bay. The same precise, methodical script that suggested a scientist’s hand rather than random vandalism. They seemed fresher here, the edges sharper.

“Someone’s been through recently,” I murmured. “These marks are newer than the ones we found before.” I studied the pattern - how they seemed to indicate alternative routes, bypass points around security checkpoints. Almost like... breadcrumbs.

She traced the unfamiliar script with her fingers. “They’re appearing in more sections now. Leading somewhere.”

“Could be related to the research notes we found.”

“Or anything else in this place.” She shivered. “Come on. There’s an old environmental control room ahead. We can rest there for a bit.”

The control room proved to be little more than an alcove carved from the station’s bones, filled with ancient machinery that still hummed with residual power.

The sharp scent of coolant competed with the ever-present rust. Dusty displays cast a sickly green glow across Nalina’s features as she settled against a console.

“Maintenance gave me access codes last year,” she said, fingers moving across the controls with ease. “Said a friendly bartender was better than filing official requests when systems acted up. Kept her in free drinks for months.”

She winced, one hand pressing against her side.

“You’re hurt.” I moved closer, nostrils flaring at the metallic scent of blood.

“It’s nothing. Just caught myself on something back there.”

“Let me see.”

She started to argue, then sighed. “Fine. But make it quick.”

I kept my movements careful as I examined the shallow cut along her ribs. The wound already showed signs of healing, but it still worried me.

“Hold still.” I retrieved a small medkit from my belt, cleaning the cut with precise motions. My claws ghosted across her skin as I applied the sealant.

“That tickles,” she murmured.

I froze, suddenly aware of how close we stood, how perfectly she fit against me. Her pulse jumped beneath my fingers. The predator in me stirred, urging me to claim, to mark...

“My shift starts in two hours,” Nalina said hastily, stepping away. Her cheeks had darkened. “They’ll notice if I’m not there.”

“The bar’s the perfect cover,” I agreed, though everything in me rebelled against letting her walk back into danger. “You hear things others don’t.”

“If I learn anything important, I’ll mark Odra’s door - three lines, purple like your markings.” She winced as she shifted, the movement pulling at her side. “And you?”

“I’ll come to the bar. Landorian ale means we need to talk.” I moved closer, studying her injury. “That cut’s from the access panel, isn’t it? When you sabotaged the controls?”

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