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He did his best not to let his gaze drop below her face. He was unsuccessful. Those thighs called to him. “Who are these Australians?” He didn’t really care; he just needed time to consider the best approach.
But she was not having it. “Not important. Answer my question.” A muscle ticked in her jaw as she awaited his answer.
He slid into the uncomfortable chair at her bedside, putting his head slightly lower than hers. A small concession of power. He laid his hand, palm up, on the slab next to her thigh.
Her gaze darted to his hand, then back to his face. She licked her lips and accepted his offering of comfort, her hand slipping into his. “Just tell me, Nox,” she said, her voice soft.
Direct and to the point it was. “A mate is a friend, yes. But so much more than that. A mate bond is a connection of both the heart and the soul.” He skated a thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand, willing her to understand the importance of what he was telling her. “While it is not uncommon among some races in this galaxy to find a mate, an instant bond is quite rare.” He wasn’t explaining this well at all. Trapped in her unflinching gaze, his forehead prickled, the cool air circulating through the room doing nothing to ease the flush of heat burning him up. The conditioner must be broken.
She was quiet, her lips pursed. The gown crinkled as she shifted on the medi-bed. “So, fated mates are a thing here? Huh.”
His brows rose. “You know of mates?”
“They’re just romanticized stories where I’m from. Fiction.” Her fingers tightened on his. “So, let me get this straight. You all really have mates? Like, you meet someone and know that person is the one you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with?”
“Exactly so.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “And you believe I’m this to you? That I’m your person, and we’re mates, fated to meet and fall in love?”
“I do.” The connection between them sang a heart wrenchingly beautiful song that soothed him to his very soul. He hated that she didn’t seem to feel it. Perhaps this was punishment for his wrongs, past and present. “You are my mate.”
A flush of pink crept up her neck. “I don’t know what to say.” She scratched an arm, one bare foot tapping a beat against the other. “I, um. I need some time to process.” She slid her hand from his and wrapped her arms around her waist.
The loss of her soft touch hurt. “Of course. Take all the time you need,” he said, inclining his head, not letting the pain show as the mate bond gripped his heart and squeezed. “There is fresh clothing on the counter behind you.” And then he got the hells out of there.
An empty glass sat on the polished bar in front of him, the last of the ice settling with a clink. Almost by magic, the empty disappeared and a fresh pour appeared.
He blinked and reached for his fresh glass, determined to numb the throb of an incomplete mate bond.
A skinny hand clapped over his drink. “Lennox,” Parvani said, her cat-like ears twitching at the noise of a bar filled with chatty patrons. “You should think about eating something rather than drinking your dinner.” Feriq’s sister tapped her short nails, painted blood red, against the side of the glass.
He wrapped his fingers around his drink and dragged it towards him, keeping eye contact with her. “Not hungry.”
Her vertical pupils contracted before returning to normal and, with a put-upon sigh, she released her hold, slouching opposite him against the bar top. Her artfully ripped shirt slipped down her shoulder to bare a crisp black-and-white tattoo of a snarling sand cat ready to pounce. “Fine. But don’t come crying to me when you wake up tomorrow with a blinding headache. And don’t whine to Sona, either. I’ll tell her to ignore you because you brought it on yourself.”
“Way to beat a man when he’s down, Vani,” he said, taking a sip of his drink, no longer noticing the harsh alcoholic burn. “And to think I offered you a ride off this rock.”
“You only did that to suck up to my brother, so don’t pretend to be all noble about it.” She flicked the tip of her tail at him. “And quit this moping. It’s not cute.”
“I’m not moping,” he said sulkily, setting his glass down hard in a puddle of condensation, splashing a couple drops on her.
She bared her sharp teeth at him, her muscles tensing.
“Parvani,” Feriq said as he glided towards them. “Leave the man be. Can’t you see he’s struggling with that mate bond of his? Poor thing’s probably never felt so many pesky emotions before.”
Nox curled his lip at the Felida.
Parvani spun away in a huff, her long hair whipping Nox across the face.
“Always nice talking to you, Vani,” he called as she stalked off towards the back room. “Can’t wait to spend more time with you on my ship. With no escape other than the air lock.” He was smart enough to say that last once she was out of earshot.
Feriq snorted and deftly plucked the drink from Nox’s hand. “Enough of this. It’s making you cranky.” He dumped it and poured two beers.
“You joining me?” he asked, pulling the golden pint closer.
“This one’s for her.” He jerked his chin towards the front door. “Lis, darling, over here,” he said, raising his voice and beckoning her over with an elegant wave of his hand.
Nox spun on the stool. His mate paused near the entrance, a slow smile spreading over her face as she took in the bar’s tacky neon decor, undergarments hanging from the ceiling like offerings to the bar gods. Her head snapped up when Feriq called her name and headed in their direction, her smile brightening.
