Chapter 7
Han
If she’d been on the fence about turning in Zeph before, that kiss sealed the deal. Damn, that was the hottest thing she’d ever experienced.
Was she really going to give up her early retirement for one kiss?
No, of course not! It was a combination of the kiss and the way he’d treated her over the last few days. He’d been nothing but kind, caring, and never once tried to take advantage of her. His dedication to his sister was a point in his favor also.
All that put together meant he didn’t deserve to be turned in.
This was only the second time in her career that she let someone go, and the first time she was actively helping them escape.
“If you’re sure he’s so special,” Nelsha said, “I’ll go talk to Kilso so you two can slip out.”
“I’ll owe you,” Han said, very aware of the strong smell of hibiscus and the warmth of Zeph’s face between her hands.
“We’re even for when you found Jisha at Filsin Station and talked her into coming home,” Nelsha said, then turned and strode away. She watched as Nelsha half disappeared from sight. She looked down at Zeph and rubbed her fingers over his face one last time.
“Ready?”
His eyes were a little out of focus. “Huh?”
More of the viscous fluid seeped from his cheeks. She pressed her palms in, and he let out a small moan.
“I’m touching something sexual,” she whispered. The realization that she was basically molesting the guy made her pull her hands away. “I’m sorry!”
“Felt good,” he said, purring.
No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t his usual purr. This sound was lower, slower, and more sensual.
Instead of wiping her hands on her pants or dipping them into the cleaning cleft in the table, she rubbed them together.
Just like when she rubbed it on her leg, it soaked into her skin quickly.
It also made the skin of her hands tingle a little.
That had happened before, but she thought it was because of the scab. Now she knew differently.
She tried very hard to keep from thinking about what the oil might feel like if rubbed on other parts of her anatomy!
“Sorry for molesting you,” she said, wiggling off his lap. “We need to go.”
“Yes, but also, no apologies," he said. He was coming out of his daze, and his rumble went back to the regular purring. “Please don’t ever be sorry about touching me.”
After she pulled her bag on her shoulder, he was quick to grab her hand the same way she’d been holding his earlier.
“We can talk about that later,” she said, delighted with his blanket permission. “First we get out of here, then we can, um, explore what’s going on between us.”
“I want, no, you’re right. Later,” he agreed even as he tightened his hold on her hand. He wasn’t hurting her, but it was clear he was scared she’d let go of him.
“This way,” she said, leading him the long way to the front door that would keep them out of sight longer. He followed, and soon they were out of the restaurant and heading back to the docks.
“We still need to buy food and medical supplies,” he said.
They’d probably be fine without the med box refills, but they would definitely run out of food soon. They could order them to be delivered to the ship, but that would take forever. Yormun Station was notoriously slow to deliver to the docks.
“Han?”
The familiar voice had her pulling up short. She turned to find a young Ugarian watching her with an excited expression.
“Hi, Tumoro,” she said, feeling a little cautious.
She didn’t know him very well. They had chatted a few times when she’d eaten at Nelsha’s place, but nothing more.
As the youngest son of the sixth matriarch, he was one of the lower-status males in his family.
That meant he was always at the restaurant at odd times.
Occasionally that would be the same time she was there.
“Are you on an assignment?” he asked, stepping closer. “Is there anything I can help with? I’ll do any task!”
The desperation came out in every word. She noticed his fur looked a little unkempt and he was thinner than the last time she’d seen him. She had a sinking feeling she knew what was going on.
“Did you get shunned?” she asked gently.
He hung his head in shame. “I was shunned by association.”
“What does that mean?” Zeph asked.
Han looked up at him. “If an Ugarian family has decided you’ve acted badly, you get shunned.
They basically cut you off, usually for a specific period of time.
When you’re shunned by association, they decide you’re guilty because you aided someone who did something the family didn’t approve of. Different name, same result.”
She looked back at Tumoro. “What’d you do?”
“I helped Zeeva marry into a family that none of the matriarchs approve of,” he said. “They’re worried that there aren’t enough males in the family to care for her properly. I’m not allowed to come back to the family until I bring her back. But she’s so happy I know that won’t happen.”
“Oh, Tumoro! I’m so sorry,” she said, feeling bad for the young Ugarian. Helping his sister marry meant he was suffering. Ugarians didn’t own anything individually. Everything was communal, so when he was shunned Tumoro didn’t even have a spare set of clothes.
Zeph sounded a worried rumble. “Can your sister's new family take you in?”
Han shook her head. “There’s strict taboos about bringing siblings into a family. Even if they adopted him as a son, his sister would be one of his matriarchs and that’s not considered acceptable.”
He sounded so sad that Han was about to offer him way too much wealth to run some simple errands when Zeph spoke up.
“Do you want to come with us?” Zeph asked. “I can’t pay you, but I can make sure you’re safe and fed.”
Han had already come to like and lust after Zeph. It was at that moment that she fell in love with him.
Zeph
He wasn’t sure what prompted him to make the rash offer to the Ugarian, but when Han looked up at him with a joyous expression, he knew it was the right thing to have done.
“I accept the job!” Tumoro said, his ears standing straight up for the first time since they’d met.
“I can’t pay you,” he reminded Tumoro.
He stood tall. “I accept food and shelter as payment. I’ll work very hard and never take more than my share. Maybe someday you can accept me as family.”
“You probably won't need a family,” Han said. “I’m sure your sister will get you into her new lineage. Or your family will declare the shunning over.”
Tumoro deflated a little. “Doubtful.”
Han reached out to touch Tumoro’s arm. “I’m sorry. It’s a bad situation, but you’ve got us now.”
Tumoro’s eyes jumped from her to Zeph. “Yes! I can do anything.”
She told him the shops she wanted him to pick up their orders from to bring back to the ship. “You should rent a cart to carry everything for you. Have them charge it to our dock number.”
“I can carry all of it; we don’t have to pay extra for a cart,” he objected.
Han sighed but didn’t argue. Zeph could understand the youth’s eagerness to show his value to them.
Despite never having anyone close to him before meeting Han, he couldn’t imagine life without her.
Even if she never kissed or touched him again, he’d always long to be close to her.
Losing her would make his life colorless. Pointless.
If what Tumoro was feeling was even half that, it’s amazing the young Ugarian could still function.
“At least we don’t need you to pick up anything delicate,” Han said with an indulgent smile. “I’ll put the order in for med supplies first, then you can pick up the food pack from Filso’s shop.”
“I bet I can get a good deal from Filso,” Tumoro said, his body practically vibrating with eagerness. “What slip is your ship in?”
The moment Han told him, he was off, practically running.
As he rushed away, Zeph eyed Tumoro’s thin frame. He was the same height as most of the male Ugarians, but only half the width.
He looked down at Han. “We should triple the food order.”
Han nodded. “Good idea. I’ll cover the food bill. This is my fault, so feeding Tumoro should be my responsibility. He wouldn’t have approached us if he didn’t know me.” She let go of his hand to dig around in her bag. She pulled out a small information square and started tapping on it.
He did a quick calculation in his head. If the food bill was tripled, he wouldn’t be able to cover the cost of landing at the port on Misorm. It was horrible for him to need to rely on someone else, but this was his new life.
“Are you sure you have the wealth for that?” he asked as she finished tapping on her square and looked up.
She was quick to tuck her information square away and grab his hand in hers. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. I’m not rich or anything, but I’ve got some credits saved up.”
He felt as grateful and indebted to her as Tumoro probably felt toward them. “I swear I’ll take care of you. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I know you won’t,” she agreed. “We need to get back to the ship. It’s not safe for you out here.”
Still holding hands, they headed for the dock.
“Have I told you I plan to breed and raise jinjoos?”
“What’s a jinjoo?” he asked.
She spent the rest of the walk telling him all about jinjoos with so much passion, he couldn’t wait to interact with one. It wasn’t until they got to the ramp of the ship that he realized something terrifying.
The ship had no rooms to allow for privacy. By inviting Tumoro to join them, he’d effectively suspended any intimacy between himself and Han.
“I’m an idiot,” he muttered. “And this is going to be the longest trip I’ve ever been on.”