Mixed emotions stampeded through my chest. Relief? Worry? Anger? Possessiveness? I didn’t know exactly, but they were overwhelming.
I pressed against Serlotminden and breathed him in as I tried to calm down. Whatever happened would happen. I couldn’t control Serlotminden returning to his boyfriend after this, and I’d be able to get Vince, then we would get the fuck out of here, as long as someone took us to Earth. What if we couldn’t return home? How in the hell were Vince and I going to survive? The universe was a mean place, and I didn’t know much of it.
“I will protect you,” he said. “No need to be tense. We’ll be fine.”
Sure, but what would happen when he left? He’d take me off this icy rock and probably help me retrieve Vince, but what then? He wouldn’t put his life on hold for me or take me back to Earth, if that was even a possibility. So what did the future hold?
“You should work on the lights,” I finally said.
“You’re right. After this, we’ll get some sun.”
I grunted in acknowledgement. If he needed sun, then he was going to get sun. Nothing, not my worry, not my fear, not my anger, not anything, would keep me from taking care of Serlotminden.
Chapter 17
Playing… I think.
I sat on the bay door, like usual, and Serlotminden walked the perimeter around the shuttle, scoping the area out. The day was warmer than I was used to, so maybe the planet was moving out of winter? Though that might spell the end of the empty nests, which would suck, majorly. I pushed the thought away, refusing to panic about it.
Mindy held out his hands, grinning. His white hair hung around his muscular frame like snow, and his purple scales shone in the direct sunlight. He was fucking gorgeous, but I didn’t feel any inclination to move from my semi-warm place.
“Teddy,” he whined, and I sighed.
I was going to have to move, wasn’t I? His eyes grew larger as his tail wiggled, hand out, waiting.
With a groan, I forged through the snow toward him, but before I even got close, he crouched, growling. My pulse kicked up, and I paused, fear trickling down my spine like icy fingers. “Mindy?”
He rushed in my direction, and I didn’t move, locked in place as my thoughts clouded in numbing panic. He crashed into me at full speed and knocked me into the snow. His arms came around me, keeping me from hitting the ground too hard. Serlotminden snarled against my throat, and I flinched. This was it. He was going to eat me. He’d had enough of nutrition squares and decided human was tastier.
“Teddy,” he said, cocking his head. “Why didn’t you run?”
“Why would I run?”
“So I can chase you.”
The fear eked away. “You’replayingwith me.”
“Of course. What did you think I was doing?”
Killing me. I wasn’t going to say that, though; it might hurt his feelings. I shrugged.
Serlotminden rolled off me with a wince, and I helped him to his feet, moving to his shirt to check his wound, but he stopped me. “This time, my Teddy, run.” He backed away from me before I had a chance to stop him.
“Are you sure this isn’t going to hurt you?” I called after him. It seemed like it had, so why did he want to play again?
He didn’t answer, crouching, and released a low warning sound. His tail thrashed and his wings spread, making my pulse pick up. My joints locked. I knew he was playing, but his aggressive act was triggering my flight or fight response, or rather my freeze response.
“Run,” Mindy yelled. “Play with me.”
It’s play. It’s play. It’s play, I repeated over and over again. Mindy wouldn’t actually hurt me. I forced myself forward and took off. My muscles burned almost instantly, and my lungs struggled to get enough oxygen. I hadn’t exercised that much, and I was in desperate need of more food and water. Still, I forged on.
I heard growling behind me, and I lurched to the side. Serlotminden slid past me with a startled yelp. I laughed, heart pounding. “Close, but not close enough,” I teased and took off in the direction of the shuttle.
Mindy snarled, and his feet crunched on the snow behind me. I pushed my screaming legs to move even faster. Running on snow was harder than I thought. Trying to escape him, I turned around as quickly as possible and ran in a different direction. Mindy easily corrected, following me.
Suddenly, a weight collided with my back and my face was pressed into the cold snow. I kicked and thrashed to get free, but he was too damn heavy. Rough hands forced me to turn over, and Mindy hovered above me, releasing low growls. My stomach dropped and a wave of want rushed through me.
Shit. This had been a bad idea.
