“Whatever I can do to help,” he says diplomatically. Avrell looks the least alien out of all the morts, if that’s possible. His double fangs are filed down to modest points, his wild, textured hair closely cropped. If I didn’t already know he was a doctor, I would have guessed lawyer. He’s dressed in the same charcoal gray minnasuits Theron and I are using for travel, but his posture reminds me of the lawyers I used to watch on TV, all business.
When I glance back at Theron, I notice his gaze is now on Avrell, but it’s not friendly. I roll my eyes. Of course he would be territorial.
It’s going to be a long four days.
Theron reconfigured the rooms, which are easily partitioned and moveable to accommodate a variety of passengers, so that each of us have our own. He wasn’t happy about our space fling being cut short due to Avrell’s presence, but I’m not going to flaunt our…whatever it is. I spent most of the first day of travel in mine trying not to remember how enjoyable our first trip was.
The next I spent avoiding Avrell.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s a cool enough mort, just intense, but in a different way that I’d imagine someone like Draven would be. There is a weight to his expression that can be intimidating. Plus, he spends most of the time on comms with Zoe, which never puts him in a good mood.
“I told you not to give them more than three doses of bionetics in a twenty-four-hour period,” I can hear him saying. “You run the risk of the infection becoming resistant.”
“All I hear is blah, blah, blah. Look, I get it. I’m not an idiot. But there are people close to death here, Doc. I had to do what I thought was right. If you get here and you can save these people your way, I’ll thank you, but until then, I’m going to keep doing me, whether you like it or not.”
The familiar sound of Zoe’s irritated voice makes me smile. I’ve enjoyed the trip, but I would be lying if I said I don’t miss home. Who would have thought I’d say that about the prison? Certainly not me.
I’m not sure what the future will hold for me. I thought once I found my mother I’d know for sure, but now there are more questions than ever. Without the constant urgency to find her, I feel lost, adrift. Once we cure The Rades, I’ll focus on that feeling, but for now there are people who need our help.
“Doing you may cost people their lives. For The Eternals’ sake, why can’t you listen to simple directions?” Avrell bites out.
I start down the hallway to mediate, but a hand grips my arm and draws me into a dark room. The light flicks on and Theron comes into view.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he says.
“It’s only been two days, Theron. Surely you can’t be that clingy.” I smile to soften my words.
“Clingy? I don’t know what this means. But I miss you.” His mouth goes to my neck and my eyes flutter closed. “If that’s what clingy means, then yes, I’m very clingy.”
“The definition of a fling is that you’re not supposed to be clingy. We’re supposed to be able to walk away.”
“And what if I don’t want to walk away?” he asks.
8
Theron
Willow chews on her bottom lip, seemingly thinking hard about my words, when we’re regretfully interrupted.
“Theron!”
I groan in frustration, abandoning the lovely sight of my mate’s plump pink lips, to follow the sound to Hadrian.
“What the rekk do you want?” I demand grumpily.
Avrell, who’s sitting in the co-captain’s chair, smirks at me. It’s the first sign of the real Avrell I’ve seen in a long time. He’s been so wound up tight since the humans arrived.
“As much as I want to tease you because you’re fussy as a mortling, I have more important things to discuss,” Hadrian says.
I plop down in my seat and arch a brow at him. “Like what?”
“Stella and Henry.”
“What about them?” Willow asks, coming to stand beside me. Her hand rests on the back of the chair, but I wish she’d put it on me instead.
“They’re still gone. Lyric and I are going to search for them.”
I frown. “Is Lyric in any condition to travel?”
“Yo, freak face,” Lyric pipes up, poking her nog into the view of the screen. “I can hear you. I’m right as rain, thank you very much.”
She has her full coloring back and no longer seems weakened by The Rades.
“Wait and I’ll go with you,” Willow offers. We still have two solars of travel.
My sub-bones threaten to pop. The very thought of Willow out there with the predators has me wanting to assume my battle stance and tear apart anything that dares look at her. I hope they don’t want to wait.