Page 42 of Whispers of the Void

I swallow nervously as he carries me through his quarters and into the attached bathroom. It’s identical to mine, which I didn’t think about last night when I came to wake him from his nightmare but is strange now that I think about it. Wouldn’t he have bigger rooms than where he has his guests sleep?

He sets me on the counter beside his sink and reaches below for several little pots of salve. I watch as he deftly removes all the caps and then wets a rag with warm water. He wipes the blood away and frowns.

“Do all humans bleed so easily?”

“Yes. Do Zeahirians not?”

“It certainly takes more than a newly hatched Syplits bite to make us bleed.” He applies pressure to rag over the wound and lifts my foot to rest on his hip. “You’re so delicate.”

He absentmindedly caresses my leg with his other hand, causing goosebumps to erupt over my skin at the soft touch. He stops and looks up at me, his green eyes alight with curiosity.

“What are those?”

“Goosebumps.”

“Do they hurt?”

“No. Humans get them for several reasons, it’s basically a reaction to stimuli. Sometimes we get them when we’re cold. Other times they can happen when something feels good,” I answer softly.

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

A wicked expression flashes across his face as he begins to gently circle his fingertips around the back of my calf. “So that means this feels good? You like to be touched like this?” The circles move higher, behind my knee and to the back of my thigh.

Heat pools in my center as I nod. I’m about to let my thighs drop open because it’s been a really long time since my body has responded like this to anyone. I swear I hear a thrumming coming from his chest.

A knock on the door jolts us both out of the haze we’d fallen into.

“Come in.” Raiz’s voice is husky. At least I know it was mutual.

“Uzold told me that Neev got bitten by a syplits. I brought a healing balm that works well on her.” Hyva steps into the bathroom and immediately halts, his gaze on the way we’re positioned. His eyebrows rise when he looks at Raiz. “I’ll take over from here.”

Their eyes lock in a silent battle. It feels like the standoff lasts for hours when I know it’s been less than a minute. Their bodies seem to expand even as they stand facing each other preternaturally still. For the first time since Mydax lunged for me, I feel their predatory nature, and it makes me want to shrink into myself.

“Thank you,” I finally say to cut the tension.

It works, and they both look at me. Raiz gently lowers my leg and steps back, allowing Hyva to come examine the wound. He cleans it quickly and methodically.

“I formulated this in my office on the ship. It’s made with compounds specifically beneficial for healing your fragile human flesh.” He gives me a cheeky wink as he slathers some onto the cut. “It’ll work for contusions, too.”

I roll my eyes and hop off the counter. “I’m not fragile.”

“You are compared to us.”

Stars save me from these males. How they can be overprotective knowing they literally kidnapped me from my own bed in the middle of the night is beyond me.

“I’m going to go back to my room.”

“The reason I went down to the beach to find you is because we’re going to have to go out tonight. I think I found someone to guide us to the temple.”

“Oh, good. The sooner the better.” I don’t really mean that. The sooner I do the translation for them, the sooner I have to go home. I don’t know if I want to do that.

“I wanted to see if you’d like to join us this time. I know you’ve been bored staying alone lately.”

“Yes, I’d love that.” A shiver of excitement courses through me as I leave his quarters.

* * *

---