Page 28 of Bela's Bounty
“We do not have time to sleep,” I say, growing more confused at her strange use of words. Perhaps her translator is faulty? I can no longer detect the scent of sickness that was on her when I saw her at the auction house, but maybe it damaged her device?
“I don’t mean actual sleep,” she says, rubbing at a spot between her eyes. It’s something I’ve noticed Sone do when he’s frustrated with something. “It’s just a saying,sleepingwith someone is a nice way of sayinghaving sex.”
Sex.Fucking,my translator adds.Nodding in understanding, I step closer but still don’t touch her. I would very much like tosleepwith this female, but... “That's not why I’m here.”Not entirely, anyway.
This time it’s my human’s turn to cant her head to the side. “Why else would you be here?”
Why else, indeed.
I force myself to take a step back from her, putting some distance between us. “Rescue.”
“Rescue?” Her pulse leaps just above her collarbone, even as she narrows a look at me. “But why?”
“I—” The words I want to say get stuck in my throat, and I snap my mouth shut, swallowing with a faint click before trying again. “I—It’s… too much to say.”
My face heats with my frustration at not being able to communicate with her. It’s been revolutions since I’ve spoken as much as I have in such a short span. Before I left my home and met Sone, the only time I ever spoke with words was in extreme anger, and I can count on one hand the times that happened. My species choose to communicate telepathically the majority of the time, and, as such, words are rarely needed since feelings can be relayed so much more easily.
“I have a translator,” my female offers, and her fingers flutter to a spot behind her ear. “The aliens who took me gave each of us one.”
The way she brushes her fingers across the disk reveals the scarring left behind on the surrounding skin. Everything suddenly clicks into place. The sickness, how she was so close to death. My heart gives another lurch. If the madame hadn’t taken her, if I’d gotten to her first, would she have survived? I had nothing on my shuttle, except for maybe a med kit.
“You were…unwell,” I whisper, reaching out to her. When she shies away from my touch, I drop my hand and try not to let the hurt I feel show.
“Yeah, um, the aliens fucked mine up, and it almost—Wait, how did you know?” The delicately curved brows over her eyes knit together.
“I—saw you,” I begin, then clear my throat again. “At the auction.”
Kurver!Will she be angry I let the madame take her? Will she hate me that I didn’t fight harder for her?
“You were there? Are you serious?”
“I—uh—”
“Do you really mean to rescue us?”
Us?Of course, I was shown three human females.
I nod as I reach out to her again, only this time she doesn’t shrink back or try to stop me. This time she lets my fingers glide through her thick hair, soft as spun silk. She lets me tuck her hair behind her small, rounded ear with the translator behind it. I don’t realize a low growl has escaped from the back of my throat until she takes hold of my hand in hers.
“It’s alright. Hardly hurts anymore,” she tells me, gently pulling my hand away from the side of her head.
My growl continues, and without even realizing it, I’ve steppedinto her.Her chin tips up and up so she’s looking into my eyes while still holding my hand in hers. She thinks I’m angry she was hurt, when I’mkurvingfuriousbecause she was almost killed!
“Thosekurvinglarva-eaters,” I snarl, clenching my hands into tight fists.
“Really, it’s alright. I’m fine now,” she says, soothing me, when it should be the other way around. Then she does something that truly surprises me. She lifts her hands and settles them on my shoulders. “Are you alright? You’re shaking?”
My eyes dart from where her hands are on me to the troubled expression on her beautiful face. “I don’t like the thought of you hurting,”
“I appreciate that,” she says with a small smile. “It’s been a long time since someone cared about what I felt.”
Her words don’t sit right with me. Before I realize I’ve moved, my hands are cradling her face. Her perfect, beautiful face, and my thumb is gently stroking her soft skin. “I would care.”
Her expressionsoftens,and her hand slowly slides from my shoulder, down my arm until her small palm covers the back of my hand cupping her cheek. Her lips curl up, and her thumb begins to slide back and forth to the steady thrum of my heartbeat.
There is no meaning of time as we stand looking at one another. Learning each other through sight and touch.
I amkurvingthis all up,I think to myself. I’ve got her all but pinned to the wall instead of discussing the real reason I came here.
