Page 38 of Escape from Nova Nine
The joy on his face matched his emotions as he reeled her in for a long, sensuous kiss. “I adore you.”
Her stomach growled, making her laugh.
He pulled back a little. “Sorry, I probably should have waited until after you ate, but you’re too smart, and I wanted to surprise you.”
Reaching up, she smoothed the loose lock of hair back behind his ear. “You did.” It was the truth. Family drama had kept her in crisis reaction mode instead of planning mode, where she preferred to be.
“Good. Let’s eat so we have time for a nap.” He smiled with wolfish interest. “And other forms of relaxation.”
“Oh, yes.” She gave him one last kiss before separating. “Lots of relaxation.”
* * *
Julke couldn’t remember a time when she’d been happier. Good food, good company, and a claimed who loved her as much as she loved him. Not to mention he was supernova hot, in and out of bed.
She set the two glasses of chilled tea she carried on the bedside shelf, taking advantage of the angle to admire the muscled curve of his hip and thigh. Unable to resist, she slid across the resilk sheet to snug herself against him, head on his shoulder and arm across his chest. Skin to skin contact stirred her talent. Her body might be sated, but she’d never tire of the subtle dance of their talents.
“Thank you.” He kissed her hair. “Do we have to announce our claims somewhere?”
She loved that he’d taken the time to research the text variations and chosen the best one for them. “Depends. Old style, we’d make a public scene in some crowded venue. My great grandmother pickpocketed her target in broad daylight and demanded a claim if he wanted the goods returned. He threatened to shoot her if she didn’t accept his claim.”
A wave of alarm crossed his emotional sea. “What’s the new style?”
She lifted herself briefly to kiss his jawline. “We tell a few friends. Everyone else will figure it out, eventually. Kind of like on Nova Nine, when we all knew which guards were hot-connecting with which staff or when relationships crashed.”
“I like new style.” His arm wrapped around her shoulders. “Nova Nine tanked on every level, but it brought me to you. I’d be dead without you.” He smiled. “I hardly ever get mistaken for one of thebeschaafdanymore. Until my ‘civilized’ new Dutch gets me in trouble with older classical Dutch speakers.”
“You rekindled my hope.” Closing her eyes, she breathed in the scent of him. “We’re good for each other. Like when you help anchor me when the bad dreams try to drag me into hellspace.” She’d tried working with the Volksstam therapists to help with post-trauma damage, but none of them knew what to do for her, and even less so for telepath-immune Zade. His empath talent held her tight, and she used hers to soothe his wounds.
Seeing the need, they’d organized a survivor’s group of the Volksstam returnees and the others who’d been granted asylum. Only other Nova Nine prisoners really understood. The members still talked, though not as regularly as they had the first few ten-days after the rescue.
And despite having only a private hypothesis, she was convinced that they’d all been helped by the griffins. She and Zade knew Sutrio was right about them being empathic. Not all the ex-prisoners believed that, but caring for their personal griffins gave them positive experiences to remember.
That reminded her of another matter. “Did you read this morning’s message from Sutrio?” She rolled up and reached for the tea glasses, holding one for him as he sat up.
“Yes.” He slid back to rest against the padded wall, his knees raised. “She doesn’t strike me as the type to ask for help unless she needs it.”
“I agree.” She gave him his glass, then faced him, sitting cross-legged. “Trouble is, I have to be here until the final judgment is ratified, which is at least another ten-day.” She blew out a frustrated sigh. “If I leave now, the Kraiiens will convince everyone I was lying, or part of a conspiracy, or something else twisty. To be honest, I don’t care as much about the reparations they owe me and my family as I do about leaving them free to sow their poisonous brand of discord and strife throughout the known galaxy. ‘Enhanced revenue opportunities for all,’ my ass.”
“I’ve avoided politics like griffins avoid baths, but I hear things. Kraiiens are worse than jackers when it comes to business deals. At least jackers will rob you up front.” A frown settled on his face. “Speaking of which, with Captain Fazhian still offering a high bounty for me, even if I had funds for a ship, I couldn’t visit Sutrio without a new identity and heavy security.”
“Plus, your security would need trade experience and makeovers at the nearest body parlor, or the CGC military would detain them for being ‘pirate clan piranhas.’” She reached out to pat his thigh. “You, they’d detain because you’re so plasma hot.”
A delighted grin lit up his face. “Thank you. Whatever delusion drug you’re putting in the tea, keep drinking it.”
“You’re welcome.” He was easy to please. She suspected he’d been deprived of compliments before they met, so she’d been trying to make up for it. “The Robyn family council approved Prughal’s full adoption this morning. They are now officially Prughal Robynmensen.”
“Good.” He sipped his tea. “They’re thriving here. They deserve a secure home.”
“They do.” She didn’t know the details, but Prughal’s aura had layers of tragedy that were far older than his Nova Nine experience. The Volksstam embraced non-binary people, but she suspected thebeschaafdparts of the CGC couldn’t say the same. “Benthe is priming them to consult for enviro systems and hydroponics. Their plant affinity is a very valuable talent. We Volksstamers depend on well-run ships to sustain life.”
“Everyone deserves the chance to do what they’re good at.” A thoughtful look crossed his face. “I knowfamiliestamsare sort of like businesses, but yet not. Can they… I don’t know the right words. Get bought out?”
“They can merge and blend the lineages. Or they can register an alliance. Smaller families with assets like rich trade routes or good minder talents can get protection from bigger families. If a family has more liabilities than assets, the debt holders can band together and can force a merger.” She frowned. “That’s a recent trend. Big, prosperous families are acting too much like civilized mega-corps that make money for money’s sake, rather than looking out for the people. Kraiiens are the worst, but they’re not alone.”
His thoughtful look deepened. “Should the rest of us from the CGC be looking for families to adopt us so we’re safe, too?”
She hadn’t considered it from that angle before, and she should have. “I don’t think I’m the right person to ask. Travelers like me don’t have our fingers on the pulse of current Volksstam society. But I’m not sure I’d ask Benthe, either. She’s trying hard to be a better family heart, but she still sees everything through the lens of politics.”
