“Come.” I directed him back to the cabin, keeping him by my side. He helped me lie down before cuddling against me and putting his cold feet on top of mine. I fought a hiss at the icy feel of his toes. The socks had done nothing to ward off the chill from the ship’s metal floors. I rolled to my side, biting my lip against the pain that stabbed my side, and wrapped my arms around him to haul him close.
Bartholomew groaned and tucked his hands beneath the hem of my shirt. His fingers spread out over my back, making me swallow. The cold temperature of his skin wasn’t enough to dampen my desire for him, but I forced it aside.
We were friends.
For friends, though, I was having to remind myself of that fact very frequently, which wasn’t normal.
And there was Vince.
How Bartholomew spoke of him was different. He didn’t speak of much unless I forced him to, but he’d mentioned his resolve to get Vince back without prompting. Pain spiked in my chest. I didn’t want him to love someone else, which was ridiculous.
I nuzzled him; the spiky texture of his hair scraped against my scales, making me groan. Bartholomew released a long breath of air and tucked one of his legs between mine, slotting us together.
“Are you warm now?” I kept scent marking him, and with each nuzzle, I relaxed as my scent subtly mixed with his.
“Yes,” he said, breath tickling me.
“Good.”
His grip tightened on my back. “Did you get the distress signal working?”
“Not yet. But don’t worry, Dontilvynsan will find us,” I said. Bartholomew squeezed me, and I winced. “You’re hurting me.”
He started, immediately loosening his hold. I couldn’t make out his expression in the darkness of the cabin, but he sounded upset when he said, “I didn’t mean to. Are you alright?” His fingers slid to my injured side. I fought a whine as he connected with the bare skin. It was so sensitive. I was grateful that the scales were growing back.
Caleb, who was my younger brother’s mate and was now in a drakcol body, had several old injuries where the scales hadn’t regrown, and he had to be careful. Zoltilvoxfyn was always making sure his skin was covered or out of extreme weather as well as oiling it to keep it moisturized. We were not meant to be without scales, so any exposed skin required more care and was easily damaged.
“Mindy?” he asked, fingers tracing the injury and sending sparks of awareness through me that settled in my cock.
“I’m alright.” That was a blatant lie. I wasn’t alright, not even close. Bartholomew was changing something within me that I didn’t understand, and it scared me.
“That Dontil… person, are you sure he’ll come?”
“Dontilvynsan,” I corrected. “And he will always come for me.”
“I see.”
His voice was harsher than usual and his jaw clenched while his fingers gripped me. I didn’t understand why he would be upset. He’d never been mad in front of me before, even with my blunders. My brother coming was a good thing. I stroked his spine, feeling each and every knob.
“I will not leave you behind. I promise. We’re friends, and even if we weren’t, I wouldn’t leave you.”
He grunted in response, and I frowned, my hand stopping right above the small swell of his butt.
Bartholomew took a deep breath and rubbed his nose on my neck, and I swallowed. It had to be unintentional, but he was touching one of my scent glands. If he moved his hand upon my side, Bartholomew would touch another one. I liked it immensely. He should do it more often.
He said, drawing me out of my random thoughts, “Then I’ll have to go find Vince, or at least, figure how to get back to him.”
Fire grew in my stomach. Vince. I swallowed the anger. “I will take you.”
“Will you?”
“Xome is dangerous. You cannot go alone.”
Bartholomew chuckled, and the sound made my soul jump. “I might be safer without you. You attract a lot of attention.”
There was truth in that statement, but I refused to allow anyone else to take him. I needed to spend as much time as I had with him. “We will bring guards and Dontilvynsan with us to find your Vince.”
He grunted. “If he has to come.”
