“I have to prep the ship to return from blue space.” He gathered up his clothes and started to dress.
Kimmy still couldn’t believe how comfortable she was lying naked in a cold ship. It seemed like a good idea to put on some clothes as well, though.
Moving as fast as she could, she managed to get dressed at about the same time as he did. It helped that he stopped to watch her several times.
“Liking the show?” she asked.
“Enjoying the glimpse of my future.”
“Wow, you really know just what to say.”
He took her hand in his and led her to the cockpit. Kimmy glanced around the main cabin and saw that Payback had pulled the blanket he’d run off with up onto the bench and formed a small nest with it. She could just see his antennae sticking out.
This was her new family. She felt like she should be panicking at the sudden commitments, but all she felt was happiness. That was quickly overpowered by awe as Serac sat in the main chair and pulled her into his lap.
The windshield—or whatever it was called on a spaceship—was completely filled with swirls and eddies of blue. The background was pure cobalt, like her grandma’s favorite glasses. Streaks of indigo and crackling lightning-teal sped past them. It was beautiful and terrifying.
“Are you sure your ship can handle this?” she asked.
Serac laughed. “I wouldn’t have brought you aboard otherwise.”
He managed to key in controls by reaching around her, rotating the chair as he needed. Even with all the unknowns, being in his arms made her feel safe. She relaxed against his chest, letting the feeling fill her.
He took in a deep breath and let it out, pausing in what he was doing to hold her in his arms. “And I thought making love with you was the best thing I’d ever feel.”
She laughed, and when she lifted her face to his, he captured it in his hands and kissed her. She rose to kiss him back better, climbing up his lap so she could straddle him in the seat.
His hands went to her ass, crushing her against him. He wanted her so bad, she could feel it in every cell—and she wanted him just as much.
The controls started beeping again.
Kimmy laughed against his lips, delighted to feel his smile, inside and out. She could absolutely get used to this.
Serac picked her up and set her back across his lap, growling under his breath. He reached across her and struck a panel harder than seemed wise.
The blue around them shimmered, then paused. A moment later, it winked to black. Slowly, stars bled back into their view. She could barely see a pale orange planet in the distance.
“Is that where we’re going?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s get this mission done so we can celebrate.”
Serac chuckled. “Agreed.”
The planet was already growing closer. Her nerves were growing as well.
What would the people of Antares-3 be like? What would they think of her?
The name sounded familiar. She thought perhaps Len and Sabrina had mentioned it. Kimmy wished she had paid more attention. She had still been getting used to the whole “aliens are real” thing.
Sitting in Serac’s lap, she was glad to have had at least that part of meeting him squared away before everything that had passed between them.
What if this was what her life was going to be like? She could already tell that she wouldn’t want to be away from Serac, but she also had her pet parlor to run. How would they manage everything?
They probably should have talked about this before mating. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to regret anything. She knew they would work it out.
“Ask,” he said.
“Ask what?”
“The questions roiling inside you. Ask.”
She took a deep breath, then said, “How are we going to make this work? I have a business on Earth. You have a business in space.”
“You are my priority,” he said. “If our relations with Earth grow as I hope, my captain will need someone planetside to oversee his operations. He’ll lose me as his scout, but I believe he’ll keep me on in that capacity rather than lose me all together.”
“You would give up what you do for me?”
“It isn’t a sacrifice. It’s a gift.” He was quiet for a moment, but the longing within him spoke to her loud and clear. “I’ve been wandering the galaxy for so long that I barely remember what it’s like to have a homeworld. If you’re willing, I would love to make Earth my home.”
She smiled at him. “I would love that, too.”
13
Too many emotions were vying for control. Serac had bonded with Kimmy. She had accepted him into her life, her home, her heart. They were joined permanently. His isolation was over.
It was still hard to believe.
“Mate. Den. Home.” His zyln kept chanting the words in his mind, as if it was having as much trouble believing their good fortune as Serac himself.
“Tell me more of what your people expect from me,” he said. “Apparently, your stories didn’t get everything right. What do they think of werewolves?”
“For one thing, they don’t think werewolves are real,” she said. “But then, most people don’t think aliens are real, either.”
“If they did believe, what would they think?”
“Well, a lot of our stories say you can’t control when you change form and that you have to change on the full moon. And that silver can kill you.”
“If it’s formed into a strong enough weapon, I suppose it can. Is that why you mentioned silver after running at Dean with a broom?”
“Yeah.”
His stomach clenched as he remembered her rushing into battle with only that flimsy weapon. Taking on a Scorpiian with a stick.
“Our mate is fierce,” his zyln thought.
And perhaps a bit too impulsive. Serac didn’t wish her to change anything about herself, though. She followed her heart. Her heart was strong.
And it had led her to him.
“I still can’t believe you did that,” he said. “Attacked a Scorpiian with a broom.”
“Well, I thought he was a dog. A freaky fairy dog. Anyway, I’m so glad I did.”
“As am I. I know better than to ask you to never do something like that again. Instead, may I ask that I be allowed to train you so you can defend yourself?”
“I’d love that!”
Her enthusiasm warmed him. The moment they returned to Earth, he would begin her training.
His ship notified him that they were nearing Antares-3. He keyed in Hank’s code along with the initial communication to his contact, letting them know he was on approach.
Even expecting a shipment and with Hank’s code, they wouldn’t be expecting him and there was no fooling an Antarean about what he was.
“You’re nervous,” Kimmy said.
Serac nodded. “Centaurans weren’t well-received before the war. Now… I have no idea how they’ll react to me.”
She ran her fingers through his hair. His flesh pebbled as a wave of sensation swept over his entire body in response.
“It’ll be fine,” she said. “You have me. And I know how to talk to people.”
Reassurance and confidence flowed out from her into him and just like that, all nervousness went away. He had never felt so accepted before.