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“That was different.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not likely to get stolen and sold into sex slavery on that station. Although, apparently, you wouldn’t even be concerned if you were!”
She blinked once as his words registered. Then her entire face tightened as she crossed her arms, giving him a blazing look.
“Run that one by me again,” she said, her voice distressingly calm.
He heard the danger inherent in that tone, but something in Serval couldn’t stop himself from continuing.
“You taunted a visruthi male!”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“They crave females that defy them!”
“I fail to see how his desire is my problem,” she scoffed, tossing her hair. “I told him no. I told him I was mated. If he wasn’t getting the message, that’s on him.”
“You blew smoke in his face.”
“Which, in hindsight, was a bad idea. So, I won’t do it again. Yet, I fail to see how his reaction to my obvious rejection is my problem.”
Serval growled, turning from her to go to his drawers. He began yanking out a change of clothes.
“I’m going to the planet alone. You’re going to stay here.”
“Fine.”
He whipped his head, looking back at her. The casual agreement, the sharp sting of it, made his eyes narrow. Especially when she gave him that hard look. Still glaring, as if daring him to say something else.
He turned from her, walking into the privy to wash off. His wii, responding to his anger, had produced an excess amount of toxin and he wanted to get it off before he went down. He heard Sophie say something in her own tongue before she left the room, but he didn’t ask what she said.
Some part of him was aware that he was being irrational. She was right, of course. It wasn’t her fault if some random male desired her. He didn’t even particularly care if males looked at his female with desire. She was a beautiful female; she deserved their admiration.
But the fact that she would let one get so close to her, that she would seem so completely unconcerned about his proximity, made him angry.
And afraid.
Fo-Ray station was seedy and, potentially, dangerous. A careless person would very quickly find themselves robbed or stabbed or worse.
But this dwarf planet they were going to now? It was assured danger. No one went down there who didn’t have bad intentions. Sophie going there and acting with her attitude, casually and dismissively challenging powerful males, just assured that she’d be attacked.
And Serval didn’t think he’d be able to handle her being in danger like that.
What if he didn’t get to her quickly enough next time? What if she got hurt, even if he did? The idea of her on that planet, even hidden under a cloak, made his entire body tense with fear. He could not let her down there.
But he probably could have stated it better.
By the time he had finished dressing, he had calmed down and realized that he needed to apologize to her. She was right. Nothing that happened was her fault. He had been afraid and lashed out against her when she didn’t deserve it.
He wrapped a scarf around his face as he left. Something that went over his forehead and around his mouth. He could easily tug it up over his nose, leaving only his eyes visible on his face. It was the only way to cover his features without covering his olules, which were his greatest deterrent.
Because the planet wasn’t just dangerous for Sophie. He would have to be careful as well. The dark brown outfit he chose was one he often wore into dangerous scenarios. It covered him completely from his eyes down and had a hood he could use to also cover his olules if he wished. More importantly, it had body armor in his most vulnerable areas. Something light that moved as he did. It would resist most stabbings and weak gunfire. It wouldn’t do anything against laser or plasma fire, but such advanced weaponry was military grade only, so if it became a problem, he’d have a lot more to worry about than just the strength of his armor.
He didn’t have a similar outfit for Sophie. Just another reason he shouldn’t be bringing her along. Which he could have said instead of snapping at her, he knew.
As he was walking down the hall, the ship lurched slightly as they dropped out of the subspace swing. He immediately released his combot from his pocket to get any messages or updates that might have come in as he looked for Sophie.
