Chapter 10
TEN
There was a sound in the solarium that Jessa did not recognize. It woke her from an absolutely obscene dream starring the Virilian king who occupied most of her thoughts. She got up, pulled on her robe and tiptoed toward the scratching, mewling noise. Henry did not make these sounds.
She peeked inside to see a bushel-sized basket with a lid. It appeared woven from shiny black fronds and moved a little as she drew near. The mewling sound was louder, leaving no doubt that something was alive inside.
Henry sat in one of his trees, head cocked with a solemn gaze toward the rustling basket. Jessa bit her bottom lip and approached cautiously. Beside it was a screen, glowing blue with words. She picked it up and read.
Since you enjoyed the Sanctuary so much, and have taken such good care of the gruti, I thought you may be willing to look after this young female hulpu, who was rescued some time ago from a trading post and was nursed back to health by my staff.
She is incompatible with several species in the Sanctuary, so she needs care until a new home can be found for her.
She can stay in your solarium when you leave your room.
She is safe with Henry. Neither will harm the other.
Hulpus come from a moon in a distant quadrant.
They are friendly and crave attention, so feel free to handle her as much as you like.
This species has medicinal bones, which certain species crush into a powder to cure diseases.
They are very rare and illegal to slaughter, and their trusting nature makes them susceptible to hunters.
If you do not wish to keep her, let Paeri know and she will return the creature to the care of Sanctuary staff. —V
After that was a description of the creature’s care requirements, and again, they were written by someone else. Jessa set the screen aside and eagerly lifted the lid off the basket. She looked inside.
A pair of huge, violet eyes peered up at her.
A soft, languid creature, about the size of a house cat and covered in dark blue fur, uncurled and stretched, then stood up and reached out with slender paws, each tipped with four long, sharp talons.
The hulpu dug the claws into the side of the basket and attempted to climb out, but the material was too slippery and it slid back down.
She looked up at Jessa with a forlorn expression and let out another long, mournful sound.
Jessa gingerly reached inside, wary of those claws, but as soon as the creature saw her hands, the claws retracted into soft paws. She let out a different sort of sound, like a pleased chirp.
Her fur was softer than silk. Small, rounded ears perked up and twitched toward her. Her paws curled around Jessa’s arms. When she pulled the creature against her chest, the soft little body relaxed and snuggled against her.
“Oh my,” she said on a sigh, running her fingers over that super-soft fur. “You are amazing.”
The lovely little hulpu blinked those big, liquid eyes and started a gentle humming noise.
The section on the screen that discussed the care of the creature had described the different noises of the animal, and what they meant.
This humming meant contentment. A screeching scream meant fear or aggression.
The chirp meant approval or a call for attention.
There were more calls indicating hunger, tiredness, etc. Apparently, these creatures were vocal.
Oh, Virak, she thought, hugging the little creature close.
“Thank you,” she whispered into the creature’s fur.
Henry hopped down from his perch to examine the newcomer.
He let out a light, twittering song. The hulpu gazed up at him and let out another sweet chirp.
Well, it looked like neither of them was interested in eating the other. There was a break.
The chime at the door startled Jessa. She got up to answer it, with the blue-furred creature snug in her arms.
It was Paeri standing there. “I came to see if you wanted to keep the hulpu in your room, but I see I do not need to ask that question.”
The hulpu snuggled into Jessa’s neck, winding its body over her shoulder and holding on with its paws, which had not once extended those claws. “I’m in love,” she murmured.
“It appears the feeling is mutual.” Paeri tilted her head, sending her iridescent tentacles curling around her. “She even hisses at me, sometimes. I’ve never seen her so instantly smitten.”
She met the attendant’s gaze. “Please tell Virak thank you for me.”
“I will.” Paeri came close and petted the creature, but held Jessa’s gaze. “I should not say this, but I believe the hulpu is not the only one smitten with you in the palace.”
“Virak is not smitten,” said Jessa immediately. “He is…complicated.” She would not share Virak’s secret, but she did wonder how much was known about it by the palace staff.
“Who isn’t?” Paeri shrugged her tiny shoulders. “I have been here for three revolutions of this planet, around two of its suns, and I can say for a fact that the king has never shown interest in a female like he does with you. The last one, he barely looked at.”
She shouldn’t be happy about that. She shouldn’t have an opinion one way or another, but the knowledge made her smile.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she was beginning to care for Virak.
As she peeled back layers, what she saw in him was vulnerability and isolation—two things she related to intensely.
It was dangerous to develop feelings for him.
She signed up for this to, essentially, get rich quick, but it was turning into something deeper and far more complicated than she could have imagined.
Jessa leaned into the hulpu’s soft fur. She shouldn’t get too attached to this creature, either.
That evening, she dressed for dinner in the designated clothes, choosing something a little more daring, just for the fun of it.
A jumpsuit with flowing legs and a deep neckline showed off her ample cleavage and shimmered all over in shades of deep green.
It was something she would never have worn in a million years on Earth. But she wasn’t on Earth.
She liked the way Virak’s eyes darkened with desire when she entered the room. She liked that his gaze stayed on her as she took her seat beside him. She liked him.
Talk at the table centered on the sandstorm and the growing concerns of what lay on the other side of the sealed tunnels.
Something was going on out there, but it was unsafe to seal off the city for any length of time.
The people needed fast escape access, but the sandstorm relentlessly pounded the surface, causing communications to remain down.
Despite the serious conversation, which Virak appeared to follow closely, he brimmed with tension.
His smoldering gaze returned to her, over and over.
By the time the others had left, and it was just her and Virak at the table, she was aroused and moist and even more impatient than ever for Virak to touch her.
“Paeri tells me you like the hulpu,” he said.
“She is wonderful.” Jessa smiled and lifted her shoulders at the thought of the little blue creature. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he purred. “Have you named her yet?”
“Not yet,” she said, biting her lower lip. She feared that naming the charming creature would make parting with her that much harder.
“She gets along with your gruti—Henry—it appears.”
Jessa didn’t like to think of either creature as hers. She couldn’t take them back to Earth with her, after all. “They appear to be peaceful roommates. The hulpu seems to do well with someone who can give her lots of attention.”
“I agree.”
“We agree about a lot.” She tilted her head toward him. “Does that concern you?”
“Very little concerns me.”
“Liar.”
He smiled, leaning closer. “Ah, but you can’t know that. Be careful of looking for something that isn’t there, Jessa.”
Her breath quickened. “I’m not ‘looking’ for anything.”
His smile widened. “Now who’s the liar?” Before she could reply, he reached out. She held her breath as he lifted a heavy lock of her hair between his fingers. “Just as soft as I imagined,” he murmured.
Jessa couldn’t believe he was touching her. Sort of. She said nothing, just held her breath until he let her hair slide through his fingers and fall back against her shoulder.
He stood slowly, his eyes never leaving her. “I will be training later,” he said in a husky rumble. “Will I see you?”
“Yes,” Jessa breathed.