Page 61 of Hooded

Which was when she struck. He didn’t even consider what she was, and she merrily cut him down in cold blood before handing herself over to me with an element of glee I don’t think I’ve ever encountered before.

Arrogance doesn’t always get the job done. But it was my encounter with her which ensured, when I got the chance, I created cells which were supposed to be escape proof.

Unless, of course, you accidentally capture a Gryn with the ability to influence tech. Then all your carefully crafted systems are basically useless.

I dial up the security footage as we follow the engine signature of the Varangy ship. Beebie snuffles around my feet as I watch Klynn raging in the cell.

How did I mistake him for another species? He’s magnificent and feral. And it’s his feral nature which stops him, initially, from escaping. I scroll on until I’m able to watch him pressing his fingers against the door, head bowed until it slides to one side as if I’ve operated it myself. He stands back, pleased with his work, and gives his wings a chirpy little shake which makes my heart skip, before he stalks out into the corridor.

I know what happened next. A deep, dirty voice in my ear and a pulsar in his face. A sob escapes me at the same time Beebie sinks his teeth into my leg.

I’m out of the pilot’s seat with a screech, tears dissipating instantly.

He chitters at me with annoyance and swarms over to the food rehydrator.

“Fuck me, Beebs, if you were hungry, you didn’t have to eat my leg,” I grumble, following him.

He’s already got his head shoved in the ration drawer, pulling out several packets. But when I get to him, the rations are not what he prefers.

They’re my favorite instead.

My stomach rumbles.

She must always be kept fed and safe, understand?

Did Beebie understand? Did I really understand what the nesting was all about? Did I understand Klynn enough?

My huge, feral mate, so much of who he is buried under maybe a nova-decade of self-flagellation in the dome. When we talk, he wants to dismiss who he was before he became a gladiator, but I believe it’s because he’s scared of letting go of the violence which drove him.

For all his bluster, all his growls, my sweet Klynn is scared of trusting anything and anyone. Maybe even me. After all, why did he leave me without a word?

My pilot’s console bleeps. I grab the rehydrated snack and run back to find out the current situation.

There are three ships on my port side. All are heavily armed and all look decidedly unfriendly. None of them have attempted to comm me, and all of them have their pulsar cannons locked on my engines.

Not only am I the galaxy’s worst bounty hunter, but I’m also, apparently, the galaxy’s easiest target.

“We’re fucked, Beebs,” I say as he shimmies up to my arms in order to steal some of the snack food from my fingers. “Question is, do we go out fighting or not?”

He snatches a slice of rehydrated food from my fingers and then disappears down through a flap into the interior of my console.

“Hey!” I exclaim at the blatant theft, until what he’s done slams into my brain.

“The cells.” I slap my hand on my forehead like the idiot I am.

I power down all my weaponry. While I might not be as swift as I once was, I’m pretty sure I break some sort of record in getting down to the cell area and setting up the additional one.

The cell designed to be hidden from all scanners and any prying eyes. The one thing I never thought I’d have to use but the seller suggested to me as an added extra.

Essentially, a safe room, one which might buy me some time if those surrounding me think the ship is abandoned.

Given Beebie has already done a great job of hiding himself, I set up the cell and get inside, activating my vid-screen so I can see what is going on outside the cell.

My ship shudders, and the slight change of pressure tells me an airlock has been activated. I’m slightly regretting snacking,given how much my stomach is churning. I’m a pregnant female on a ship which is about to be filled with god knows what, and all I have is a pulsar pistol and a cell I’ve been assured is undetectable.

As the sound of heavy boots rings out through the ship, I guess we’re about to find out just how much of a plan this actually is.

And if I’m going to ever be reunited with Klynn or become a sex slave on a planet like Trefa.

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