I bolted out the door and didn’t look back.
I leaned against the wall outside of the medbay. Serlotminden and Bartholomew had been there only a few moments ago, but once they’d realized I was staying, they darted off with a plan to walk their nightmare of a pet Pookie, though Teddy had lingered and interrogated me on whether I would be kind to Vince before he was satisfied enough to leave. I had no idea what the rest of the humans would think of the animal when they finally caught sight of her running on the walls. Seth was terrified of her. She resembled an Earthen spider and a mammal fused together, with a snout, floppy ears, and a curly tail. She was an odd thing, but harmless.
My eyes closed as I took a deep breath, strengthening my static shield. However, it didn’t help. Vince’s discomfort prodded me like a hot needle. It was nothing compared to the sheer terror that had stabbed me and had me racing out of Command without thought.
Something about this human wouldn’t leave me alone. I felt him all the way across the ship. I couldn’t even do that with my brothers. I would be able to locate them anywhere on my ship with my inner fire, certainly, but feel distinct emotions? No. Vince was different.
Vince rushed out of the medbay, but froze when he didn’t see Bartholomew or Serlotminden.
“I’m here,” I commented.
He started, then turned to me with a tense smile, not meeting my eye. “You heard all that, didn’t you?”
“Just what you thought about.”
A long gust of air rushed out of his lips, and he shoved a hand through his black hair. My soul throbbed at the sight of his palefingers playing with the silky strands. Vince said, drawing me out of my random thoughts, “Why are you even here?”
“You were afraid.”
“You felt that?” His eyebrows went up. “All the way from wherever you were?”
“Yes.”
“I have no idea how you get any work done,” he commented.
“Practice,” I teased, and Vince laughed, making me smile.
We started walking in the general direction to his quarters. He asked, “So you know?”
“Yes.”
I’d heard what he didn’t want me to—he’d contracted something from the people who’d assaulted him. A growl rumbled low in my throat. It was very good for those people that I would never set eyes on them, because if I did, I wouldn’t hesitate to shred them to pieces.
Vince crossed his arms, shoulders curling inward.
“There is no shame, Vince.”
“Like hell there isn’t.”
Hell was a human swear, but NAID pointlessly supplied: oath, fiery afterlife, punishment. I paused in my step to face him. “There is none.”
He scoffed.
“Prostitution is a valid job.”
Vince cocked his eyebrow. “Are you fucking serious?”
“I mean, there is no shame in sex work.” I shook my head. “No, I mean, there is no shame in what happened to you. You had no choice. You were abducted, then sold to a brothel to work in. You were hurt. There’s no reason for you to feel even the slightest amount of shame in regards to what happened to you. It wasn’t your fault. At all.”
“Are you serious? Work? Working?” Vince snarled. “I didn’t work there.”
“No,” I said quickly. “That isn’t… I didn’t mean—”
“Just shut up, Don.”
My mouth snapped shut. I wasn’t explaining my thoughts well. Besides, I couldn’t convince Vince that it didn’t matter, because he cared and he was perfectly right to do so. It wasn’t my place to question his feelings or tell him how he should or should not feel or react to what had happened.
“What are your plans for the day?” I asked, inexplicably curious. I wanted—no, needed to know what he did with his time.
