“I’ll kill you where you stand if you don’t get the farg out of my way,” Vic growled then bent over Tiny, rubbing her shoulder.“You okay, babe?”
“I am,” she said, sniffing.“If it wasn’t for Ulvus, though, I’d be dead.”
Nenn doubted that.He swallowed a smile.His symbiotes had spread to her as they’d done with Drafe and Vic.He’d thought her nanites played a role, but now he knew, humans were susceptible to the transfer without the Jakar’s intervention.
Vic pulled away, joining the argument between the los, udaps, and warriors.
Tiny leaned back.She smiled at Nenn, cupping his cheeks with her soft hands.“You’re gorgeous,” she whispered, trailing a fingertip from his earlobe, along his jawline, to his chin.
“You can see?”He brushed a curl aside.
“Yes, for now.Don’t know why or how…” She shrugged.“At least I get to look at you before I leave.”
He grimaced.Her departure was still an unknown.But he was damn sure he didn’t want her to go.He ran his thumb over her bruised cheek.“Who did this to you?”
“Oban,” she said, then showed Nenn her forearms.“These, too.The man was so angry—”
“I will kill him.”Nenn leaped to his feet, fury propelling him up.He took Tiny with him but tucked her against him.“Which Ivoyan?”
“It doesn’t matter.Use your device and fix me.”She held out her arms.
The urge to do this Oban some harm couldn’t compare to the compulsion to see to her needs.He succumbed and ran the med-dev over her, taking his time to ensure he caught every scratch and bruise.
“This is the blind human?”Marl Udap asked, snapping Nenn’s focus.
“She was,” Aehort said, parting the crowd.“Tinika Bryant, I must apologize on behalf of the Ivoyan Senate for your mistreatment.I expected the temptation to seek revenge would draw out the outlawed faction, Kandaya.I did not mean for you to be harmed.”He glanced at a moaning Ulvus then at Tiny.“You did well.”
Nenn glared at Aehort.“You purposely endangered her—”
“It was needed,” Aehort said, his tone level.“The final step to her healing required your symbiotes to act.Only placing her in harm’s way would do that.”
Nenn’s anger deflated.
“I will take care of Ulvus.”Aehort glanced at the great doors.“You and Tinika have much to discuss…on theAroagni.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
TinyclungtoNenn’shand, hesitating when he climbed onto one of those hover bikes.He arched a brow at her, forcing her to slide onto the seat behind him.When he shot off, she pressed her cheek to his back and wrapped her arms around his waist.The scenery whizzed past—not a chance would she miss every beautiful inch of it.
“Wait until I tell my parents,” she whispered.
Shielded by his body, she didn’t suffer from the chilly winds, but when he landed beside what she assumed was theAroagniand slipped off the bike, she shivered.He held out his hand.She stared at it, at the wide palm and strong fingers that knew her intimately.
Her cheeks burned.She slipped her hand into his and let him lead her onto the ship.He didn’t stop until they reached her room.When the door shut behind them, he settled her on the bed then paced.
For a minute or five, she ogled him, relishing his strong thighs, that tight ass that had filled her palms many a time, and those broad shoulders she’d held onto in the throes of ecstasy.“What’s wrong, Nenn?”
He faced her for a second then turned away.“What if you cannot go home?”
She stiffened.“What aren’t you telling me?”
He crossed to her and wrapped his arms around her, bringing his scent with him.“I do not know if the Ivoyans will send you to your Earth.”
She jerked back, breaking contact.“What do you mean?As in never?”Never hear Dad’s voice or have her mom’s lasagna again?“Where will I go?”She was lost, homeless, heading into a future without prospects.Overwhelming panic fuzzed her thoughts and drowned her hearing with a dull hum.
“You stay with me,” he said with decisiveness.
Sure, they were lovers, but that couldn’t mean anything permanent when it had only been a month.She loved the man, but still, she couldn’t expect him to feel the same.Not so soon.
