Page 37 of Dark Space
‘You don’t have a translator?’ Willow said, frowning.
‘A translator?’
He turned his frown to Vesper. ‘You couldn’t do it?’ he said. ‘I thought starlings could facilitate translation without any kind of techplant.’
Vesper gave a half-shrug, and a wide smile. ‘I am a selfish being at heart. I’ve been rather enjoying having her all to myself.’
I blinked. ‘Vesper,’ I said slowly, my hands curling into fists as anger began to burn in my stomach. ‘Willow better not be implying what I think he’s implying.’
Vesper rolled his eyes. ‘One moment.’
Vesper’s delicious scent rolled through the small room again, making me shiver. I pressed my thighs together under the blanket; it was like being a teenager again, high on pheromones, getting hot and bothered in a moment by something as innocuous asscent. I wasn’t used to feeling this way, so susceptible, so out of control. I was angry and turned on by him all at once, frustrated at his complete and utter selfishness and simultaneously holding myself back from begging to return to his arms.
I didn’t know what to think about it.
‘Say something, you big lump,’ Vesper said commandingly.
Tall, Dark, and Looming scowled fiercely, his lips twisting. ‘Something,’ he growled after a moment.
I laughed, shocked and delighted. His voice was deep and rough and lovely, and I wanted to hear more of it. ‘Oh,’ I breathed. ‘I understood that.Oh. Thank you,’ I went on, my words rushed. ‘Thank you. For the blankets and the pillows, and for … after the doctor …Thank you. And please thank the Prince as well. For the …’ I bit my lip.
‘For the beheading?’ Vesper said lazily.
I shot him a glare. ‘For theprotection.’
The Roth’s eyes lingered on my face. ‘I will tell him.’
‘Technically, it’s his fault you’re here in the first place.’ Vesper stretched, showing his taut biceps and strong forearms. ‘I wouldn’t be too profuse in thanks.’
Willow blinked. ‘The Roth took you? From Earth?’
I tried to sort through my feelings, but there were so many of them, and I was still so tired. Iknewthat what they’d done was horribly, awfully,entirelywrong. The Roth had taken me from my home without consent, and had offered me a choice between a cell and a forced marriage, which was possibly the most rubbish choice I’d ever been given, and they’d dressed it up asprotection.
It was entirely fucked, whichever way you looked at it.
But.
Neither of them had hurt me. They could have; they could have done a number of unspeakable things. But theyhadn’t. They’d kept me fed, kept me watered, saved me from the doctor. Then they’d brought me another doctor, from some other place – I didn’t know where Willow came from, but with his green-tinged cheeks, pointed ears, and pupil-less eyes, hedefinitelywasn’t Roth. When I was ill, they let Vesper cradle me in his arms, let him offer what comfort he could.
When I looked at them, I didn’t feel as though they’d taken anything away from me.
It felt as if they couldgiveme something.
I just didn’t knowwhatyet.
I sank back down onto my pillows, trembling. Sweat was beading on my forehead again; I must have smelled atrocious, though Willow gave no sign of being uncomfortable. I wanted a shower and would need to use the toilet, so I reconciled myself to the fact I’d have to ask Willow for the most intimate kind of help once I could gather the nerve. ‘He took me.’
Willow gave me a sip of water. He watched me drink with a tight expression, closing his eyes for a moment when I was done.
‘Willow?’
‘Yes?’
‘Will I die?’ I whispered.
He gave a kind smile. ‘Not anymore. Though your recovery may be slow, unless I can fetch more supplies from the ship’s medical lab.’
‘Slow is better than never,’ I sighed.
