Page 11 of Wayfinder

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“You and I have much to discuss, lovely human,” he crooned, a dark purple tongue sliding out to moisten thin lips.

Where was my damn knife?

I glanced to where my satchel lay on a table by the bed.

My mind began pondering scenarios to get to the blade when a low, threatening growl erupted from behind me.

The Framaddi’s eyes went wide, his mouth dropping open in shock—it was the only warning for what came next. The next thing I knew, Jutuk had extricated me from the blue bastard’s grasp and held the creature against the wall by the throat, the short legs kicking angrily.

“You do not touch Pearl.” The words came out raspy, throaty, and altogether too sexy for something meant to be a threat. Fresh from the shower, Jutuk had dressed in a pair of cream-colored drawstring pants, leaving his chest bare. His dark caramel hair was free of the braid, flowing in waves over his shoulders, reminding me of a lion’s mane. The muscles of his chest and arms flexed as he held the squirming Framaddi, the dark chevrons across his shoulders seeming to undulate like waves with the effort. My girly bits enjoyed the sight way too much.

“My apologies, warrior.” The Framaddi squeaked, clawing at the hand that held him. “I did not realize she was yours.”

I opened my mouth to assert that I belonged to no one, but the words faded as Jutuk flexed his hand, and the blue bastard crashed to the floor.

“Now you know she is under my protection.” Jutuk hissed the words more as a warning than a statement.

The Framaddi pressed his back against the wall, inching toward the door under Jutuk’s intense stare. Only once did his dark eyes shift in my direction, full of hate, before he rushed from the room.

Jutuk followed, closing the door with a swish of his hand and a loud grunt before turning his golden assessing gaze to me.

“I—I thought it was dinner,” I rasped as an excuse.

Another grunt as Jutuk transferred his attention to the discarded bottle on the floor. It might not be food, but after this, I could use a drink.

Without a word, Jutuk picked up the discarded libation, sniffing along the neck of the bottle and stopping at the cork.

“Poisoned,” he muttered, tossing the bottle in a nearby trash bin.

“Poisoned?” I gulped, feeling dizzy. “Was that blue bastard trying to kill me?”

“Perhaps not, but the poison would definitely have made you too sick to continue the competition.” Golden eyes shifted from the bottle to me. His gaze felt intense, not in a bad way, but in a manner that made me feel warm and protected.

Suddenly, I felt very glad to have this seven-foot-tall warrior at my side.

Chapter 4 – Jutuk

“Awake human chef Pearl and Vaktaire Warrior!”

The AI voice slammed into my brain like a fist.

I didn’t sleep well last night. Granted, I had slept on worse surfaces than the floor, but not for a while. The bed I used at my sister’s apartment was like sleeping on a cloud. I felt stiff, and my muscles grumbled painfully as I pulled into a sitting position.

“Awake human chef Pearl and....”

“Shut the fuck up!” Pearl wailed, throwing a pillow at the speaker near her head. The AI must be programmed to respond to her voice. It didn’t issue another peep.

I let my gaze travel over Pearl’s waking form. Her reddish-brown hair lay in a tangled halo around her shoulders, and she wore a rather adorable frown. Awake, she was strong and fierce, but I’d watched her last night—another reason I got little sleep—and in the embrace of slumber, there was a fragility about her that kicked my protective instincts into overdrive.

“What time is it?” Pearl mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

“Early.” I bit back a grin, watching her shift into an upright position, hands trying to smooth her errant tresses. “We have arrived on the moon.”

“How can you tell?” Bright blue eyes regarded me quizzically.

“We are no longer moving,” I told her. Humans were not used to space travel and did not notice the subtle shifts of movement inherent in a spaceship.

Pearl grunted, climbed to her feet, and stretched, which revealed her luscious body as the nightgown pulled taut. She was taller than her friend Emmy, with more pronounced curves, a body where one could lose himself in softness. My cock agreed with a twitch. I chided myself for the reaction and settled into protector mode, which meant keeping my emotions at bay. Something which proved harder by the minute.