Page 60 of Shielded in the Shadows

I trailed my hand over the silks beneath us. “How about ‘Executive Officer in Charge of Cabin Refurbishment and Nest Construction’?”

“Any and all,” he repeated. “With gratitude in my hearts.”

I closed my eyes and listened to his twin heartbeats. “When you touched me, I felt a little electric current,” I murmured. “Where is that from?”

“My biological makeup includes genetic material from a Dekaran eel.” When I twitched in surprise, he chuckled. “It’s just a trace, but it allows me to be able to manipulate circuitry and electrical fields.”

“Like door controls and bioscanners.”

“Exactly.” Deliberately, he trailed his fingertip down my spine, and a tingling sensation made me quiver. “I didn’t realize it also came into play during mating. It must have been instinctual with you.” His body tensed. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, the opposite.” I flicked his nipple piercing. He jumped and rumbled. “I would tell you if you hurt me in a way I didn’t like.”

He exhaled. “Good.”

Some time later, as I was dozing while he kept watch, he spoke. “I take it Felina told you Byx’s scans of the Nivilus came up clean?”

“Yes.” My voice was rough with sleep, so I cleared my throat. “I thought as much, but it’s a relief to know for sure.”

“And you’re certain you haven’t been tagged?”

“Correct. I have the medpod set to scan automatically every time I use it.” I hesitated, then added, “And I have Delta-grade nanobots in my bloodstream. If anything got implanted, they would swarm and deactivate it, like the tracker the Atolani darted me with at Final Chance.”

“I see.” His caresses of my back didn’t miss a beat. “I wondered how you could be so sure. Thank you for taking me into your confidence.”

I thought of all the other information I was keeping from him.

Now that he was to be the Nivilus’s first mate, I would need to grant him access to all ship’s systems. Despite our mating, that still felt hard to do because my instinct to control and protect my livelihood, environment, and ability to escape a dangerous situation was so strong.

Still, sharing control of my ship was much, much easier than sharing information that could be used against me.

Jarrix had told me everything about himself without hesitation when I’d asked, from his genetic engineering to his life aboard the Fleeting Fancy. I hadn’t asked for much detail about his career with the GAIS because I respected his need to keep classified information secret, and because that life was behind him now—even if only just. I also felt reasonably certain he’d tell me about anything that became relevant to this new life we were starting to build.

He’d listened to my confession of my financial woes and responded considerately and without pity or demanding an explanation, and just now he’d taken the news of my nanobots in stride. If I told him about Calla, he’d likely not only understand my need to pay for those coordinates, but would move entire planets to help find her.

My instincts, as well as what I knew about Fortusian true mate bonds, told me this male would never turn against me, but sometimes betrayal happened without there being a choice. He could be made to give up information. Calla’s secrets weren’t mine to share. Her safety wasn’t mine to gamble with. If she’d deserted the Alliance Defense for whatever reason, she’d be subject to prosecution and imprisonment. I’d heard many rumors about the Defense’s penal colonies, including those built to house soldiers who’d violated their oaths or broken laws, and absolutely none of those whispers were of anything good.

If and when we made it out of danger, reached Iosa, and found Calla, I’d tell Jarrix who she was.

Until then, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him why I had so few credits to my name or where we’d be going once we no longer had bounty hunters haunting our steps.

Maybe sensing I wasn’t going to share anything more, Jarrix spoke again. “We can sleep here tonight,” he murmured. “Or we can return to the Nivilus. Or Byx has offered us his guest suite, which is heavily guarded. He believes he’ll have information for us on the bounty by the morning, or midday at the latest. What is your preference?”

I wanted to stay in Jarrix’s comfortable, beautiful nest, but despite being closed for our use, the arboretum wasn’t a secure location. Though I’d dozed a bit, I wouldn’t be able to really sleep. The same would go for Byx’s guest suite. Jarrix trusted him, and I supposed I did too to a certain extent, but I wanted to be back aboard my ship…with my first mate, who was my true mate. Two things I’d never planned or intended to have, and now did.

Something warm seeped out between us. I inhaled sharply.

“My knot is easing,” He caressed my hair carefully, obviously trying not to undo the intricate braids Felina had created. “We’ll be able to move soon.”

I was unprepared for the mix of relief and disappointment his words caused. And following that, anticipation of what being knotted might feel like next time. Would it feel just as good? Or even better?

My hands tightened on Jarrix’s arm. He hunched forward, tightening all those glorious abdominal and chest muscles, and was able to press a kiss to the top of my head.

“Was your courtship outing everything you dreamed of?” At least my voice was steady even if my breathing was not.

“No.” He held me tighter as the trickle between my thighs became a flood. His knot was noticeably deflating now, the extreme fullness and ongoing pleasure giving way to a dull ache. “This was infinitely better than I could have imagined.”

When his knot suddenly slipped free, I cried out at the strange sensation and he groaned.