Chapter 33
33
V isiting a med bay always makes me anxious because of my history with them, but this time, my nerves have nothing to do with my past.
Fuck, I’m so nervous about telling Hadrell how I feel. I want to go find Rema and throttle her until she tells me what that word means, but she’d probably laugh more and still not tell me.
Hadrell is deep in conversation with the three seladin we rescued from the club. He pats one of the seladin’s arm and gives them a reassuring smile.
My heart leaps up into my throat at the sight of him. God, has he always been so attractive?
“Human! You’re okay.” A soft voice draws my attention to the other side of the med bay, where Bret’u is running a scanner over the purple ankite from the club.
“Yes, everything is fine. You’re safe now.” My anxieties about Hadrell give way to my relief at seeing the ankite here.
I step closer and they reach out to clasp my hands in theirs. “Your not mate partner said that. I didn’t believe them.”
My lips quirk at the strange way they referred to Hadrell, but I squeeze their hands back. “Hadrell wasn’t lying, but if I were in your situation, I wouldn’t have trusted them either.”
I don’t think it would help to tell this ankite that it isn’t a hypothetical, and that I freaked the fuck out when I woke up on Hadrell’s ship on the other side of the galaxy.
Who would’ve guessed that after a few weeks, I’d be falling head over heels for my terrifying space pirate kidnapper?
The ankite grins sharply. “They told me they killed Gelia, so that helped.”
We converse while Bret’u finishes up scanning them, and I learn their name is K'thi. They ended up at Sin Horizon after their ex sold them to Gelia to pay off his gambling debts. Apparently, K'thi’s first course of action, when they’re certain that this isn’t all an elaborate ruse, is to hire on to a merc crew and hunt the ex down so they can cut his cock off and feed it to him.
The conversation was so intense that when they ask how to get to the mess and don’t need me to escort them, it’s almost a relief for them to leave. I don’t blame K'thi at all for their anger and violent plans, but the specifics were making me queasy.
Bret’u is finishing up removing a tracker from one of the seladin when I approach the group.
“Paul!” Hadrell gives me a warm smile and pulls me against their side, inhaling deeply and pressing their lips to my hair. “Everyone, this is who I was telling you about. Paul, this is Fealis, he/him, Grelon, he/him, and Brilit, she/her,” they say, gesturing to each seladin in turn.
The seladin all stare at me, wide-eyed, and I squirm a little under their attention.
“Thank you, Paul,” Grelon says, his voice raspy. “Hadrell told us you were behind our rescue.”
“Oh, you don’t need to thank me.” I shake my head. “Anyone would’ve helped if they could.”
Fealis lets out a weary sigh. “No, they wouldn’t.”
“Are all humans as kind and brave as you, Paul? I’d like to meet more if that’s the case,” Brilit, the youngest-looking one of the trio, murmurs.
“Uh, no, humans are like every other species. Some are brave and kind, and some are real assholes,” I say with a weak laugh.
“I’ve met a few nice humans, but Paul is the most exceptional,” Hadrell says, looking down at me with so much affection it makes my breath hitch.
I clear my throat, trying to play my reaction off, and turn to Bret’u as ze uses a tweezer-like instrument to pull a chip from the base of Grelon’s neck.
A shudder runs down my spine. “I can’t believe they put trackers in you.”
Fealis chuckles, the sound dry and humorless. “How else would they make sure they didn’t lose track of their property? It’s honestly the least shocking thing we had to endure.”
Bret’u unceremoniously crushes the chip between zir fingers, and Grelon lets out a relieved sigh. Ze glances between me and Hadrell, then gestures for us to follow zir.
“Excuse us,” Hadrell says. “If you take the lift to the mid-deck, you can get something to eat from Rema. I promise she’s not anything like Gelia. ”
It’s an odd thing to append to the statement, but the seladin seemed to bristle when he said her name. Weird.
We follow Bret’u over to zir desk while the seladin head out of the med bay. There’s a weighted, awkward silence while Bret’u looks at Hadrell, then pointedly at me.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, perplexed. “If this is about my scratch or the antidote, I feel totally fine. Maybe I could use something to disinfect my cheek with.”
Bret’u nods. “Of course. I’ll still want to do a quick scan. While I’m doing that, is there anything else you’d like me to do?” Ze looks at Hadrell again when ze asks. “Something that I already have the tools out to take care of?”
Hadrell grimaces.
This is so fucking weird.
“You know that whole thing a while back about neutering me was a joke, right?” I laugh, trying to break the odd tension.
“Yes, I know,” Hadrell says, their lips quirking but not spreading into their usual smile.
I’m a second away from asking them if I’m dying, when Hadrell clears their throat and continues. “I need you to understand that when I had Bret’u do this, it was because I was worried about you.” They rub a hand across their face. “Worried, and I didn’t fully trust you. If I’d known the concept would upset you so much, I wouldn’t have…well, no, I probably still would’ve.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Hadrell?” I ask, face scrunching in confusion.
“We put a tracker in you,” Bret’u says. Hadrell lets out a huff of frustration and ze glares at them. “You were taking too long, and I want to get done here so I can go help my mate move her things into my quarters.”
Hadrell frowns and reaches out to clasp my hand, but I bat it away.
“What the hell? When did you put a tracker in me?” As soon as I ask, I remember all the boosters Bret’u gave me before going to Gryxyx. “Son of a bitch, why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been walking around with one in me this whole time? Of course. That’s how you and Yaz found me on the station. God, I’m clueless.” I glare at Hadrell, fuming.
“We didn’t know each other back then. I wanted some assurance if you ran away or got separated from me. I needed to be able to find you for your safety.”
I cross my arms over my chest. Even though I can’t begrudge them for doing it in the first place, given how I tried to attack their crew and get to the escape pod, I sure as hell can be mad that they never brought it up. “You should’ve fucking told me. It’s been weeks since then. I thought you trusted me.”
“I do! Esh’et , Paul, I do trust you. We were so busy doing things that I honestly forgot about it. I’ve been a bit preoccupied,” Hadrell says with a sheepish half-smile.
“I apologize for inserting the tracker without your consent,” Bret’u says, zir craggy brow furrowing. “I can remove it now for you.”
I sigh, looking at Hadrell instead of zir as I reply. “No. Leave it in. It might be helpful in case I ever get in trouble and need a forgetful pirate to come and find me.”
“Hah, as if I could ever forget you.” Hadrell reaches a hand out to me and this time I take it.
“No more secrets,” I murmur, looking up at them as they pull me into their arms.
They nod, a gesture I noticed they’ve picked up after being around me for a while. “No more secrets. ”
“Captain, Yaz is back on the ship and says they’ve taken care of any pursuers. Shall we depart?” Val’s voice cuts through our moment over Hadrell’s comm.
“Yes.” Hadrell’s jaw ticks. “Just to be certain, have Tari do a quick scan of the area before we go.”
“Of course, Captain,” Val says cheerily.
Right. He doesn’t know if Yaz can be trusted. The aespian doesn’t strike me as someone who could pull off double-crossing Hadrell, but he was an assassin. I’m not one that usually puts a lot of stock in gut feelings, but mine is telling me that Yaz isn’t responsible for the attempt to disable the ship’s defenses. Why would he have seemed so pleased that Hadrell was seeking to “soul bond” with me if he was working against him?
Shit, that’s another thing I need to ask Hadrell about.
Nerves flood back in. Maybe I should wait. Is now really a good time for us to discuss things? They’re concerned about a potential saboteur on the ship and have multiple traumatized people on board to take care of.
“Once everything checks out, take us back toward Gryxyx,” Hadrell says, and Val replies with another affirmative.
“Oh, and please let the rest of the crew know that Paul and I have some important business to attend to in our quarters and shouldn’t be disturbed unless it’s an emergency. I trust you all can handle things without me.”
“Oh! That’s wonderful!” Val clears her throat. “I mean, yes, we can handle it. I’ll watch Leilit while you’re occupied. I hope your business goes well.”
Bret’u snorts but doesn’t comment on her well wishes.
I cock a brow at Hadrell as my heart races at their words. “Important business, huh? ”
“Yes. It’s standard practice to debrief after a job.” He glances down at my crotch and then drags his eyes back to my face.
A breathy laugh bubbles out of me at their terrible innuendo. “Alright, then.”
Hadrell extends their hand to me. “Let’s go, l’thran .”
I freeze. “What does that mean? My translator doesn’t know what to do with that word.” I attempt to sound casual, but my voice wavers.
Bret’u coughs and goes into his small office, leaving us alone.
“Ah, I didn’t realize.” Hadrell smiles softly. “I picked it up reading smutty stories where the characters are on Sela 1 and they use some antiquated words, so that must be why it doesn’t translate.”
I squirm with impatience. “Yes, but what does it mean?”
“Hmm…” They seem uncharacteristically nervous as they try to figure out a loose translation, shifting from side to side and swallowing hard. “It, uh, it means something close to ‘sweetheart’.” Their eyes lock with mine as my heart leaps in my chest. “Or ‘beloved.’”
“Oh.” I blink up at them, elation and surprise stealing my words away.
“I’ll stop using it if it makes you uncomfortable,” they say, a hint of worry threaded through their voice.
“Don’t you dare!” I protest.
Hadrell’s whorls of saelit raise on his brow and a heated smile curves his lips. “Alright, l’thran. ”
I surge up on my toes to kiss them, and they meet me halfway. I moan against their mouth as they palm my ass, pulling me closer and grinding my rapidly stiffening cock against their thigh.
“God, I want you so bad,” I gasp between kisses, wrapping my arms around their neck.
“You have me,” Hadrell rasps, sliding their hands down to grab under my ass and haul me into their arms.
I wrap my legs around their waist and they carry me over to the empty exam table, setting me on the edge and kissing me again, tongue slipping into my mouth to tangle with mine.
I fumble to find the fastener on their shirt, then tug it down, eagerly delving my hands inside to smooth across their bare chest and trace the glowing constellation tattoos decorating it.
A sharp, loud throat clearing makes me freeze. “Not in my med bay, for the love of the gods,” Bret’u sighs.
“Sorry,” Hadrell chuckles. “We’re leaving now.”
Bret’u grunts zir acknowledgement, and I pull back so I can get up and leave, but Hadrell scoops me up into their arms. I tighten my hold around their neck with a startled squeak.
“Relax. I know you’re needy, but I promise I’ll take care of you once we’re in private,” Hadrell murmurs in my ear.
Suddenly, I don’t care that Bret’u walked in on us five seconds from fucking or that Hadrell’s carrying me when I could easily walk. All that matters is the heat coursing through my body and the pounding of my heart as I anticipate what comes next.