Chapter 22
Haven
The supply depot was clearly not a place meant for the general public. All utilitarian design, machines and people moving around, the smell of oil and dust heavy in the air. The only ones meant to see this place were workers.
Haven and the other girls, whispering to each other in English as they walked, putting their heads together to figure out what was happening.
They all had different pieces of the story.
Talking about what each person individually knew, and combining that with what was going on now, they managed to figure out that Vytln’s brother had been tracking them, Vytln was playing dead to his family, and now they were being forced to meet him.
Haven wasn’t sure how concerned she should be. On the one hand, they were surrounded completely by a group of large lvtl males that were all of the same caliber as Vytln – huge, blocky, imposing. A few of them had glowing scars visible on their bodies, but just as many did not.
They were big, they were tough looking, they were intimidating.
They certainly outnumbered them, by two if her count was right.
If she were by herself, she’d be immediately afraid for her life.
The species may have changed, but the vibes of someone you didn’t want to run into in a dark alley remained the same.
Their mocking, smirking creepy glances made it worse.
How they were looking at Haven and the other girls …
It should be terrifying.
But between them and the crowd of creepers was a solid ring of steel.
Vytln and the rest of his crew remained between Haven and the others. They couldn’t block all their eyes, but none of them could get close. And though they were fewer in number, the way they walked, the way they held themselves, was just… different.
Maybe it was the awareness.
All of the guys were managing to look in every direction at once.
The twin avanava males, shiny, deep blue scales gleaming darkly, white hair sparkling brightly, in the light, stood to either side, both of them tense and watching everything.
Rok, the huge male with four arms, a horn coming off his head, covered in a patchwork of teal and black scales, covered the rear, his footsteps heavy, his shadow covering them all.
Next to him, Trove walked with an easy, false calm that was belayed by the way he kept his hand tense, ready to snatch the pistol he always kept on his belt, while his tail remained straight and tense.
Ahead of them, Sway, the blue, feathery farasie male, watched everything that was coming, his crest high, his tail feathers spread.
Meanwhile, Tanin alone walked with true calm, hands in his pockets, eyes forward, stride easy.
Despite being nearly in the middle, he seemed to be the one setting the pace.
Next to him, fists clenched tight, snarling silently, Vytln looked ready to destroy everyone around him the second they sneezed.
There were seven in total, only seven separating the four girls from the ring of hostile lvtl males, yet it felt like an impenetrable iron barrier.
And with that barrier in place, it was easy to feel safe. To feel protected. Like watching a storm rage behind tempered glass. Or seeing wild beasts through the safety of a TV set. There was such a distinct since of separation, part of her didn’t even feel the threat.
The large group didn’t walk far. Just inside the office depot, off to the side, away from all the packing and shipping, were what she would dub administrative offices.
The kind of blank, boring meeting rooms such places always needed for when the depot was hosting people who might not be doing the packing but were still working. Higher ups, inspectors, etc.
The doors they came to were already standing open when they arrived.
The room itself half filled with more lvtls.
A long, rectangular table – a powered down console – took up the center, with basic but comfortable chairs lining it.
One entire side was filled with lvtls. Brown skin, fiery gazes, a few with glowing scars, a few without.
One male was missing an entire arm, and where it should be was only a glowing hole.
At the head of the table was a male who looked suspiciously similar to Vytln.
The same blocky features, but more rectangular than square.
He was thinner than Vytln, not as stocky in the shoulders or broad in the chest, but he didn’t have a single visible scar on him.
And instead of a jumpsuit, he was wearing a clean, well-tailored black suit.
Classy, elegant, expensive, and simple. Neatly pressed pants.
A black shirt tucked into them that had a high collar and long sleeves.
Then, over that, a simple coat jacket without a lapel.
He draped his body with proof of his power over these roughly dressed, intimidating males.
And at his side was the only female lvtl in the room.
She was thinner, less stocky than her male counterparts, though her chest was equally flat.
She was draped in black silk, her brown skin absolutely flawless.
She had no horns on her head, unlike the males, but she was wearing a diamond encrusted band across her head.
Her black claws were sharpened and shined to a deadly point, and she sat back with the ease of a female completely in control of herself.
The moment she caught sight of Haven and the other girls entering, she very clearly smothered a mocking chuckle as she posed. There was no other word for the way she sat back, deliberately crossing one of her legs over the other, showing them off through the long slit up the side.
Haven, still in her letterman jacket and stained clothes, couldn’t have been more different from her. All of the crew were not as well dressed or well adorned.
Like the male at the head, the lvtl female exuded money and wealth and power.
They looked like blue-collar workers.
A ragtag delivery company coming in together, dressed in their work clothes.
All the guys in jumpsuits. Garnet was in stained shorts.
Goldie had a cute romper that was not at all intimidating.
Grace, in her simple, elegant gold and silver dress was probably the closest match to the lvtls, but she was staying back and staying quiet.
“J’tll!” The male at the head beamed, getting to his feet, holding out his arms like he was expecting a hug. “There you are.”
Haven didn’t recognize the name, but it was very obvious who he was talking to.
Vytln didn’t respond or approach. He remained at Tanin’s side. Haven, at his back, couldn’t see his expression, but she could see all the tension in his muscles, in the bright glow of his scars.
The male’s arms dropped, but his smile didn’t. “You lied to me, Captain Tanin. You said you’d never heard of my brother before.”
“I said, I didn’t know a male by that name,” Tanin replied evenly. “And I do not. This is Vytln.”
“Vytln?” He laughed. “It’s a good thing father’s dead, J’tll, or he’d be furious you discarded our grandfather’s name so easily.”
Still no response from Vytln. Though, it was clear this guy didn’t expect one. He gestured to the empty side of the table.
“Please, sit,” he said, still smiling so brightly. “I’ve brought food from home. I’m sure you’re hungry for a taste of it after so long. J’tll.”
No one moved. They all remained right where they were until Tanin half turned his head and gestured with his chin.
Silent permission. That was all that was needed and they filed in to take their seats.
All but the twins, Sorbet and Tebros, who remained standing at their backs.
Guarding them the way six lvtl males were doing for the others on the opposite side.
Tanin sat to the right of this unknown male, calmly holding out the chair for Garnet to sit as well.
Beside her, Vytln sat. Haven happily took the seat next to him.
Then, Goldie and Trove, Sway and Grace, and Rok all the way at the end, the chair groaning under his weight as he looked around, his expression blank.
The only one remaining standing was this new lvtl male who smiled, like he’d won something, and gestured to the others.
“Bring out the food. This is a happy occasion! My dear, older brother is finally back amongst us. We need to celebrate. Isn’t that right, Yl’ln?”
His brother. This must be Kldyn, Haven realized. And if that was Kldyn, and that female was Yl’ln, then…
She looked at the beautiful, darkly smirking lvtl female with new eyes. Because if that was Vytln’s brother, and that was his mate…
Then that was the female that had once been in her place, in Vytln’s trap.
Who had played brothers against each other, then picked her favorite one, only to then help destroy the other.
Now, she sat there, clearly enjoying her life, smug and victorious as one of the lvtl males approached and put a plate of food down before her.
She made a face, like the literally burning offering was subpar, but she was still being served like a queen.
Haven hated her.
Her own bowl of flaming something was placed in front of her.
Even if she was dumb enough to eat something an obvious enemy placed in front of her, she wouldn’t be able to consume literal fire.
And judging by the spoonful – the black stuff was liquid, apparently – that Yl’ln lifted to her lips, it was meant to be eaten while still on fire.
Aside from Grace, who poked at the food with a carefully controlled look of curiosity – until Sway put his hand over hers and moved it away – no one on their side attempted to eat.
Kldyn, grinning, took a seat. He didn’t eat either, but he didn’t look away from Vytln, who was glaring right back at him. His glare molten.
“You look good, J’tll,” Kldyn said, grinning. “Doesn’t he, Yl’ln?”
The smug lady lowered her hand and gave Vytln what was very clearly an appreciative look. “He looks very good.”
Haven’s eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger. Yes, she hated her. Everything from her bejeweled headband over her bald, ugly head to that tight, sexy dress on her stupid body.
Driven by anger towards her, by the sudden need to throw her flaming soup in her face, Haven jumped back to her feet, catching the eye of everyone in the room.
Including Smug McBitchface.
But she didn’t throw soup at her. Despite how much she wanted to. They couldn’t do anything to each other. There were still peacekeepers crawling all over this station.
Fine, instead…
Keeping her gaze, Haven put a hand on Vytln’s shoulder. She pulled and, obligingly, he leaned back, giving her room to perch right there on his lap, her arm around his neck. Glaring right back at the annoying lvtl lady who looked first surprised, then annoyed.
Then, Vytln put a hand to her back, pulling her against him. All the while, he continued glaring at Kldyn, not even glancing at Yl’ln.
But Kldyn certainly noticed her.