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“Everyone is different.” Garin shrugged a shoulder and turned away to look off in the direction they were headed before Sazahk read his expression. “You’re not missing much.”
Actually, if Sazahk’s current feelings were anything to go by, he’d been missing a lot. Now that he had this desire, the thought of living without it, or worse, the thought of not satisfying it, devastated him.
But that was all the more reason not to give in. Sazahk didn’t like how out of control it all felt, how arbitrary, how forced on him. He didn’t need Garin and this idea that he did was a dangerous delusion. He needed his implant and his freedom. That was what he needed, and once they got back to the compound and their old lives, he’d remember that.
And if after a few days at the compound, he didn’t remember it, then he would deal with that then. Sazahk needed Dom to help with the research, and Dom needed Garin to protect him. So, there was time for both Sazahk and Garin’s sexual and romantic urges to return to normal. And if they didn’t—Sazahk reined in the hopeful thought before it finished. They would.
In the meantime, seeing as his obsession still raged uncontrollably, he’d explore less fraught, but no less satisfying, aspects of Garin’s past. “Will you tell me what classes you took at the military academy you attended?”
Garin turned a shocked look at him, then gave a delighted laugh. “Sure, Sazahk. I’ll tell you anything you want to know about me.”
“I see your welcoming committee has already gathered.”
Sazahk accepted the binoculars from Garin and peered through them at the four other members of Squad M standing at the open gate to the compound. His heart lifted and brown and yellow spiraled up his forearm as he handed the binoculars back to Garin. “I’ve missed them.”
“And I think they’ve missed you.” Garin eyed the colors on Sazahk’s hands as he tucked the binoculars away. “We’re still an hour out, at least.”
“Not if we walk faster.” Sazahk picked up his pace, the ache from days of travel fading at the promise of friends and rest in the comfort of a real lab.
“Just be careful!” Garin hurried after him. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Any woods in this area were obliterated a long time ago.”
“You know what I mean.”
They reached the compound in under half an hour.
Bar’in and Tar descended on Sazahk the moment he stepped through the gate.
“Well, you still look alive.” Bar’in put a hand on his hip, then grabbed the tip of Sazahk’s braid and examined it. “You even look pretty put together, considering how long you’ve been roughing it.” Bar’in looked at Garin and jerked his chin at Sazahk’s hair. “Your doing?”
“I helped re-braid it a few nights ago,” Gain confirmed, and Sazahk frowned at his tone. It wasn’t as warm, as genuine, as Garin, as Sazahk had grown used to. It was professional and detached.
“Not bad.” Bar’in nodded and dropped Sazahk’s braid as Tar took Sazahk’s bag from him.
Sazahk grabbed the straps but overcame the urge to yank it back once sweet relief flooded into his sore arms. “Be careful with it.”
Tar nodded and patted Sazahk’s back. Then he leaned in and inhaled the top of Sazahk’s head. “You smell well.”
Sazahk’s mouth fell open.
Fal’ran joined them with a grin. “That would be the biggest news you’ve missed.”
Sazahk grabbed Tar’s face and hooked a finger over his tusk to pull him down to eye level. “You can smell?”
Tar grinned, the largest smile Sazahk had ever seen on his huge face. He inhaled pointedly, his nostrils flaring. “Yes.”
“Did Dom do this?” Sazahk traced his forefinger along a thin scar cutting across the bridge of Tar’s nose. “Did he use the method I suggested? Did he record it? Is he here?”
Sazahk looked around, surprised that Dom was nowhere to be seen. On instinct, suddenly concerned, Sazahk turned to Garin. The man stood apart from their little group, stoic and aloof, with only a small crease between his dark eyebrows to indicate any unease.
Irritation flared in Sazahk’s chest. Why hadn’t Dom shown up to welcome Garin? To check at least that he was alright? Sazahk had arrived to a bevy of friends, but Garin had arrived to no one, and Sazahk hated that.
He released Tar’s face with a scowl. “Where’s Dominic?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer to that.” Patrick stepped up with an apologetic grimace.
“What do you mean?” Garin’s voice sharpened and Sazahk’s concern notched up. “You assured me you could protect him.”
