Page 18 of Lorran
“Hmm, well, I will verify the delivery. Hopefully, it is a pleasant surprise and not doom.” Lorran unfastened the harness and disappeared into the back of the ship.
“It is not doom,” Mylomon muttered.
While not overly large, the shuttle could comfortably accommodate two warriors, four if they did not mind being cozy. A partition separated the front from the sleeping berths. It was stocked with basic supplies, both armor and armory, and medical supplies.
Two stasis chambers waited at the far end.
That confirmed that the mission was primarily for recovery, not a rescue. The shuttle simply did not have enough space to accommodate a rescued crew, even the small crew aboard theSRV-P11.
Which is why the piece of luggage stood out. The color, a pale pink covered with a brighter pink one-legged avian creature, also helped.
Apprehension crawled up his spine. Luggage meant one thing. While he was thankful for a reason to avoid checking each storage unit, painstakingly counting every med kit, tool, bolt, and spare set of armor, he hoped to be wrong. If he had to compare every item in the shuttle to the manifest, so be it. He had a long flight and nothing but time.
A privacy screen had been drawn over one of the bunks. That seemed the best place to start.
A press of a button retracted the screen to reveal a sleeping Terran female.
The female was an unrestrained symphony of curves. Every aspect of her appeared soft, from the tumble of her spiraling curls to the plumpness in her hips and the long stretch of her thighs. Even in the shadowy recess of the bunk, her skin glowed a warm, rich brown.
Her form promised lush delights. He wanted to sink into her warmth and then sink in his fangs, marking her, claiming her.
Lorran adjusted his stance to accommodate his hardening cock. Who was she? One of the rescued females pulled from theJudgmentstasis chambers? No. That happened several cycles ago, and those females had been delivered to the appropriate authorities on Sangrin Station. They were no longer aboard theJudgment.
Unless this was a stowaway? Someone’s wayward mate? Did she climb aboard the wrong shuttle, expecting to take a trip to Sangrin for the holiday?
He reached out to pull down the collar of her shirt and check for a mate mark, fingers nearly brushing her hair, and hesitated.
No, a medic escorted her to the shuttle, delivered her like a package.
This was not Mylomon’s mate, whom Lorran did not know well but could recognize. This unmated female had to be for him. His match.
His.
Lorran had not realized it was possible to be elated and panic-stricken simultaneously. He lacked focus. He could not handle responsibility. He barely handled monitoring a child. How could he keep a mate safe?
This had to be a mistake.
He fumbled for his comm, “Um, sir, we have a problem.”
Chapter 4
Lorran
“What is that?” Mylomon stood back, as if the female were contagious.
“A human female. I know you are well acquainted with them.”
“I know it is a human female. Who is she? Why is she unconscious? What did you do? Why is she here?”
Lorran licked his lips, feeling greedy. He had suspicions. He had hope, that cruel and desperate thing.
“I do not know, sir. The female is not listed on the manifest, and the notification of the delivery does not specify. It is possible she is a stowaway.” He continued to answer Mylomon’s questions. “She is not unconscious. She is asleep. I found her in this state, and, again, I do not know.”
“From theJudgment? Impossible. Every person has a registered identity chip and is assigned permissions.”
The two males stood, observing the slumbering female. Her breath snuffled softly, and Lorran melted inside at the sound.
“Scan her chip,” Mylomon ordered.
