“She informed me of what’s going on when she hailed us.” Brassi’s tone turned gruff again, and fury flashed in his golden eyes. “You did warn me some of your people had no honor, and your captain is one of them. I won’t allow anyone to hurt you. Consider the Brar your sanctuary for as long as you need it.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to say that. Now, you need food and rest.” Brassi slid his arms under her and lifted.
“I can walk.”
He ignored her once more, carrying her out of their medical bay and back into the hallway.
Chapter Nine
Brassi took her to another level and got off the lift, walking past closed doors until one at the end of another straight hallway slid open. It was decent-sized crew quarters. There were two couch-like pieces of furniture, but they didn’t have backs or sides. Just long, plush-looking pads to sit on. A wall of storage took up one side, and there were two interior doors. He carried her to one of the couches and sat her down. Then he straightened and backed up a few feet.
“I have something to tell you, Vivian.”
She kept her gaze locked with his, waiting.
“We don’t have guest space. We must share these quarters. But you are safe with me; I promise. I’ll sleep on the floor, and you can have my bed.” He turned away, walking toward the far wall, and tapped a section of the storage area. It slid open to reveal some kind of machine. His body hid most of it, but soon a tempting smell hit her nose.
It was cooked meat.
She thought about what he’d said, about his ship not having guest quarters. That wasn’t unheard of on smaller vessels. Some of the patrol cruisers used for the fleet were like that. Two crew members were assigned to share small, private rooms, which contained bunk beds. Each one came with a toilet and sink, and a communal shower room was used by all.
“I understand. I’ll sleep on your couch, though.”
He turned, holding a plate and a mug-like glass with a handle. He approached and crouched down in front of her, handing her the plate first. She accepted it. It was filled with brown meat strips and nothing else.
“Noma. I hope you eat meat. If not, I’ll get you something else.”
“Real meat?” That was a surprise.
“Yes. They are animals from my world. Not smart, but they are abundant and tasty. Is that offensive to you?”
“No.”
“Try it.”
She carefully picked up a strip of meat. It was warm, as if it had just been cooked. The machine had to be some kind of food replicator. It smelled good, almost like beef, and she took a tentative bite.
Flavor exploded on her tongue. It was delicious, soft enough to bite and chew easily. She smiled at him.
He grinned back and lifted the mug-like glass. “This is nee. Water with nutrients, and flavored with fruits.”
She settled the plate on her lap, finished the meat strip she was eating, and accepted the drink. She took a tentative sniff. It smelled a bit like berries. Taking a little sip, she found it chilled, and incredibly tasty. Vivian took a bigger sip.
“I ordered Vassi to learn everything about your race, and he’ll come up with more things you’ll like to eat and drink. This is my favorite snack, and he’s seen other Earthlings eat it before on the stations we visit. We felt this was a safe choice.”
She was touched—and amused that he kept calling humans “Earthlings.” It didn’t matter though. He was a thoughtful man. “Thank you.”
“You say that often. There is no need to show appreciation.” He adjusted his body to sit on the floor, watching her. “What happened after we left?”
That killed her good mood fast. “I was arrested and put in the brig. Abby got me out of my cell, had me climb into the suit, and here I am. I deeply appreciate that you came for me, Brassi. You didn’t have to. I’m sure it was a pain to turn around and come back, not to mention dangerous.”
“No pain. It was a simple thing to order Yoniv to change course. We were only two hours from your ship when Abby hailed us.”
She realized that meant Abby had spent hours planning her escape—and Brassi had been waiting for quite a while for her to get sprung from her cell.
“Is the noma burning you? Too hot?” He leaned in, frowning.
“No. It’s perfect. I like it.”
“You’re doing this.” He bit his lower lip to demonstrate.
“I do that when I’m thinking about something too hard.”
“You’re safe here, Vivian. No one will hurt you. I give you my word.”
“It’s not that. I do feel safe.” It wasn’t a lie. She had far bigger things to worry about than her current situation—like her future. If Abby couldn’t clear things for her, she’d be wanted by United Earth as a criminal if Commander Alderson got his way. “You saved my life, Brassi.”
He growled, anger transforming his features. “Abby said your people were going to kill you. I don’t understand why. You did nothing wrong, and you hailed us to help them.”
“Commander Alderson was the one who arranged for the Ke’ters to come aboard the Gorison Traveler. He brought them onto our ship, and they attacked us. That whole mess is his fault, but he needs to blame someone else. Otherwise, his career is over. Abby learned that he was going to destroy all the evidence of what really happened and make it seem like everything was my fault.”
“The Ke’ters attack anyone they want to eat. And that would be any race not their own. They also never do what anyone else wants. Are your people that stupid?”
She nodded. “Some of them are. Commander Alderson must be pretty desperate right now. Not only did he let the Ke’ters onboard, but he also allowed four control centers to remain unmanned. Regulations state that they’re to have operators around the clock. That alone is reason enough to be fired.”
“Your people died, but he’s worried about keeping his job?”
She liked how Brassi cut through it to get to the point. “Yes.”
“What is the importance of the control centers?”
It wasn’t exactly classified information. Anyone could look that information up if they wanted to. “Control centers have access to most of the ship’s systems. A control station operator’s job is to watch over everything on the ship. They usually split up levels to watch, but all control centers can access any camera regardless. They’re also a safeguard in the event of something catastrophic happening. Like, say, if our ship was attacked.” She arched her eyebrow at him. “I took over Control One, put the ship on lockdown, and was able to shut down the engines even though I wasn’t on the bridge.”
“Your people fear attacks like that? Do they happen often?”
She shook her head. “No, but they could. We have some trouble with rebels from time to time. They haven’t targeted large fleet vessels, though. Security is too tight on most of them. But there’s a fear that maybe they’ll start using small ships to fire on us, get in a lucky shot, and take out the bridge. You can’t fly the Gorison Traveler from a control center, but you’ve got access to all the main systems in an emergency, to help keep the crew alive until another ship could arrive to give aid.”
“Why do you have rebels? Are they from other races who hate yours?”
“No. They’re actually United Earth residents.” She ate another strip of meat and put her drink on the floor, since there wasn’t a table. “UE has settled colonies on a lot of planets and opened tons of space stations. Some of the residents get upset over late supply shipments, or they feel they aren’t given enough resources to flourish. I understand and sympathize with their plight. It shouldn’t be that way. Then again, it makes no sense to me that they’ll complain about a late supply shuttle, and then blow it up in retaliation when it does arrive. Supplies are just delayed even longer then, until a replacement shuttle can be sent. That’s not helpful to anyone, including the people the rebels say they’re doing it for.”
“That’s hurting them.”
She nodded and fin
ished her food. “Thank you.”
He stood, taking her plate. “Stop saying that.”
She bit her lip. “I was raised to be polite. At least I’m not calling you ‘sir.’”
He came back to her and sat on the floor. “Sir?”
“It’s a form of respect for someone in charge. You’re captain of your ship. Protocol would dictate I only speak to you when you ask me a question, and to finish my answer with ‘sir’ at the end.”
He just studied her.
“Like this, sir. Thank you, sir. No problem, sir.”
“That sounds silly.”
She chuckled. “It’s a good thing I didn’t decide to become a fleet member. I took a civilian job, but the ‘sir’ was still required on a fleet ship when I was on duty or speaking to a high-ranking officer. The fleet isn’t exactly like Earth’s military, but it’s kind of modeled after it.”
“Fleet isn’t military?”
“Kind of…but not. United Earth is in charge of both, but it’s two different branches. I know how complicated that sounds. Fleet handles the colonies, stations, and aliens, if there’s a conflict. Military protects Earth, that solar system only, and the people living there.”
“I understand. We have something like that. Fighters who choose to defend only our people and planet, and some who battle by hiring their services out to good causes.”
“But you’re a trader, right? You fought those Ke’ters as if you were military.”
“Most Veslors are trained to fight. Some do it for pay. I prefer to trade to earn a living.”
“What do you trade? If I may ask.”
“You can ask me anything, Vivian. I mentioned the food-growing colonies. We mainly provide food and medicines to others. The planets in our system are good for growing things. Our people never go hungry, but it’s not the same for other races.” He smiled. “Our supply shuttles never run late. It’s a matter of great pride.”
“I’m sure my people could learn a lot from yours.”
He nodded. “You need rest, Vivian.”
She was tired. “I don’t want to take your bed.”
“I insist.”
She reluctantly nodded. “Thank you.”
He rose to his feet and offered his hand. His skin felt like velvet wrapped around strong bones. He pulled her to her feet and led her to the door on the left. It automatically slid open.
“Motion sensors?”
“Yes.”
The bedroom wasn’t large, and most of the space was taken up by a massive bed. The size of it shocked her a little. It had to be nine feet long, ten feet across. There was storage built into one of the walls.
“Be comfortable. The bathroom is next door. I’m sorry the rooms aren’t connected.”
She turned around, peering up at him. “I don’t have any spare clothes.”
He inched around her and touched a panel. A drawer slid out. “Search around. Use whatever you think will work. What is mine, we’ll share. We’ll be stopping at a colony in eleven days, and I’d be happy to buy you clothing that will fit there.”
“That’s too much, Brassi.”
He closed the drawer and approached her, stopping with barely a foot of space between them. His gaze was kind. “No, it’s not, Vivian. I would give you anything. I’ll be here when you wake.”
He left and the door closed, leaving her alone.
Vivian removed her shoes and socks, then stripped out of the oversized uniform. She kept on her sports bra and panties, climbing under the thick covers to find soft sheets waiting. The bed was huge and really comfortable, and she was exhausted. The little rest she’d gotten since the attack hadn’t been more than a few hours at a time.
Brassi called his brother. “She’s sleeping. Tell me true. Is she well?”
“I’ve gone over her scans. The female is fine. Elevated levels of stress showed but that’s normal.”
“Good.”
“I can’t tell you if she’s breeding compatible with our kind. I’d have to run more tests.”
He scowled. “I didn’t ask that.”
“I’m not blind, brother. You’re attracted to the female. You risked our lives to help her.”
“Our king wants better trade with Earthlings.”
“That excuses the first time we helped…but you went back for her.”
“It was the right thing to do.”
Vassi paused before continuing. “You want the female.”
Brassi sighed, deciding there was no reason to lie. “I do.”
“She might not be able to bear your young. What then?”
Brassi considered it. “Everything about her draws me unlike any other female. Her scent. Her voice. I wish to touch her.”
“Perhaps it’s temporary.”
“Doubtful,” he admitted. “Both sides of me are lured by her.”
“You’re certain?”
“I feel calm when I’m near her.”
“What if she can’t breed your young?”
“It won’t matter.” He didn’t want to think about that. “I will be sad, but not enough to regret it if she is mine.”
“She’s so small and strange.”
Brassi snarled in warning.
“I’m not insulting your female, brother. I’m stating facts. It may not even be possible for you to copulate with her. You should discover if you’re compatible before you settle your heart on her. Imagine locking yourself to a female without that kind of connection. It would destroy both sides of you. I never want to be the one to have to put you down if you go feral.”
Brassi stared at the closed bedroom door. “She needs more time.”
“But that’s not how we are. Connections are made quickly. Find out now, or put her in the medical bay to distance yourself from her. She can be comfortable there until we reach someplace where she’d be safe to leave behind.”
“Some of her own people want to kill her, Vassi.”
“She’ll be the death of you if you lock on to the female and it’s not possible for you to copulate. I depend on you, brother. We all depend on you. We’re a bonded grouping. Your loss would devastate us all. Go to the female, explain, and discover if you’re compatible. All of our futures hang in the balance of everything you do.”
Brassi ended the call and paced his living space.
He was a Veslor. Vivian was not. Her people didn’t take mates. They made contracts.
He grimaced, disgusted by the concept. It sounded cold and impersonal. Would he be too much for the female? Too intense? What if she couldn’t handle him?
He growled low and rubbed his chest when he felt his inner beast clawing at him. “Easy, my other half. I want her, too. We agree on this.”
He stopped pacing, staring at the bedroom doors.
“We need to take the risk.”
He decided to eat before waking Vivian. She needed rest. He could give her at least a few hours.
Chapter Ten
A large, warm hand rubbed her back. Vivian groaned in pleasure, the massage feeling incredibly good.
Then she remembered where she was and gasped, sitting up.
She turned to find Brassi sitting on the edge of the bed. His upper half was bare, but he still wore black pants. He was a handsome alien beast man. There was no denying it. Her attention dropped to his muscular arms and chest.
He was a big, fit alien beast man, too.
“Hi.” She reached up and tried to finger-comb her hair. It was probably a mess. “Is it morning?”
He shook his head. “You’ve slept for four hours. I ate, trained with my brother, and then showered to give you more time. But now we must talk. There is an important choice you must make soon.”
She was intrigued. “Okay. What is it?”
“You’re aware I’m a Veslor. I’m greatly attracted to you, Vivian. Both sides of me are…”
She adjusted her position, angling toward him and keeping the blankets up to her chest, taking in what he’d said. “I don’t understa
nd. I mean, the attraction part I get. I’m attracted to you, too,” she said, deciding he deserved her honesty. “But what do you mean by both sides? Is this something to do with you being a shifter?”
He smiled. “You’re aware of that?”
“Somewhat. We were given some reports about Veslors, but not much information is available. The cultural department wanted to send a specialist out to the ninth quadrant to learn more about your people. Getting permission from United Earth takes time. From what some humans reported, you can change forms, but they never said into what.”
Then his smile faded, and his golden eyes flashed with an emotion she translated as worry. “I will show you. You need to see both sides of me to make a decision.”
Excitement filled her. “Really? It’s not a secret with your people? There’s a theory, that it might be something you don’t show other races.”
“Other races normally only see our animal side during battle.”
That unsettled her a bit. “Okay. Why?”
“You need to see to understand. I showed you my claws. That’s just a small part of my other half. It’s…assertive.”
She frowned.
“Aggression and rage are contained in one side of us. To fight, to defend, we let that side out. Our other side. Other half.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “Will you be putting me in danger to show me?”
He smiled. “No. I could never hurt you, Vivian. Both sides of me want to keep you safe.”
He’d saved her life, twice. Once by taking care of the Ke’ters and again when he’d picked her up in space. She nodded. “I trust you, Brassi.”
“Good.” He hesitated. “I need to let my more aggressive emotions rise to show you. They are not directed at you.” He slid off the bed and stood, reaching for the waist of his pants.
She watched in stunned fascination as he bent, slowly shoving them down. When he straightened, she forced her gaze to lock on to his face as he stood before her naked. It was tempting to peek lower but she didn’t have worry about fighting it for long.
Suddenly he bent again, a low snarl tearing from him.
The Gorison Traveler Incident (Veslor Mates #1) Page 11
