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“Trying,” she says, her smile turning bashful.
“You’re doing great. How long was I unconscious? And what happened? I remember, um…” Blush creeps onto my cheeks. I remember the kiss, but I probably shouldn’t remind Z’Ree of that. “We were in the hammock and then… Not much. Did the ship malfunction?”
With a sigh, she reaches for a datapad and begins typing. I feel like an idiot for spewing so many questions at her at once. She’s fighting to overcome her mental block and relearning to speak. Of course she won’t be able to give me the rundown of whathappened on the spot. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt it all out at once. I’m just worried. Is everyone alright?”
Z’Ree nods, finishing her message before showing me the screen. I switch it to Cyrillic, my eyes quickly going over the text. Aside from Lyriana’s broken arm, which D’Aakh has already taken care of, nobody’s hurt. However, the relief from the crew being safe is drowned in the fear of the ship’s deteriorating state. Even worse is the knowledge that everyone is doing something while I lie here like I’m on vacation.
I try to sit up but Z’Ree gently presses against my shoulder again. “Rest,” she commands, even going so far as to narrow her eyes at me.
“I’d love to but how can I just lie here while everyone else is working to rescue us?”
She frowns and taps on the bandage on my forehead. I stop myself from wincing in pain, but just barely. “You’re hurt.”
“I don’t really feel that bad. I could—” I don’t get to finish my sentence. Z’Ree rolls her eyes and suddenly, the headache I felt looming in the back of my head attacks me at full force. “Ow, fuck,” I mutter, letting my head fall back on the pillow.
“Hurt,” Z’Ree repeats. She lowers her head, concentrating, and a few seconds later, the pain diminishes again.
Not wanting to look weak in front of her, I hold in the relieved sigh. “So, I’m not drugged. You’re using your powers to ease my pain.” That’s definitely a handy trick.
She eyes me with apprehension. “You…don’t want?” she whispers, withdrawing from me a little.
She’s afraid I’ll be angry with her for using her powers? It makes sense. Most likely, her masters only permitted her to use them when commanded. “Oh no, I do want it,” I say, making sure to keep my tone lighthearted. “It’s amazing. I just don’t like the idea of taking advantage of you, especially if it makes youtired or unwell. I bet you had to do this for your master all of the time before escaping.”
To my surprise, Z’Ree shakes her head. “Different frequency,” she says and grabs the datapad. Instead of typing a message, she brings up a database entry on Silithrae and highlights a few paragraphs.
My eyes widen in disbelief as I read. “You can…drug people? Make them feel high? That’s what makes you so valuable?” I snort. “Talk about advanced civilizations. It’s like on Earth, most people are chasing after drugs and sex.”
I wince, realizing what I’ve just implied. Z’Ree was probably assaulted in that way as well, and I’m stupidly reminding her of it. Just like I stupidly threw myself at her back in the storage room. “I’m sorry,” I apologize hastily. “I didn’t mean to—”
“No,” she interrupts me. “Never…that.” She swallows roughly, drinking some of the water as if speaking out loud physically hurts her throat. Perhaps it does.
As I watch her throat like the pervert I am, I notice she’s no longer wearing the collar. Someone removed it for her while I was unconscious and I feel a sudden surge of irrational jealousy. Did D’Aakh touch her? She’s mine! Well, not mine, but…Chert voz’mi!(Dammit!) I want her to be mine.
Brushing the disturbing thoughts aside, I study her, taking in her new appearance with more than a little awe.
Z’Ree must have showered off the dirt she was using to disguise her skin, which now sparkles as her crystals reflect the low light, making her look like an iridescent mirage. I remember how soft her skin had felt, despite the countless gems growing from it.
Her hair is a sight to behold. The individual strands, slightly thicker than human hair, glimmer as if they’re made of rows of tiny diamonds somehow glued together in a strand that still moves and flows like human hair. By their crystallineappearance they should probably be brittle and sharp, yet they still look soft and flexible.
I ache to run my fingers through Z’Ree’s rich mane. To caress her. To watch her eyes glaze over with pleasure from my touch.
Everything about Z’Ree is beautiful and I don’t just mean on the outside. She’s carrying herself a little differently to before. Still scared, but no longer paralyzed by fear. She’s been making an effort to speak, though I can see it’s difficult for her. Plus she’s looking at me like…like I’m looking at her. Watching my lips, following the curve of my throat every time I swallow. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she’s…what? Into me? I brush that ridiculous thought away. She’s probably just worried I’ll die and leave her at the mercy of strangers. Yes, that’s all this is.
“You’re beautiful,” I hear my stupid mouth say, the little devil in the back of my head laughing at me. “I mean…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uneasy. You do look amazing, but in a good way. Not in a creepy way. Not that you look creepy! I mean...I wasn’t saying this to be creepy.Bozhe moy!(My god!)” I smack myself, wincing at the pain flaring from my forehead. “I’ll shut up now.”
Z’Ree giggles, the gleeful sound warming my soul and awakening my stupid cock. “Thank you,” she says, graciously ignoring my blabbering. “You’re beautiful too.”
I smile at her, keeping my mouth shut as I don’t trust myself to not spray her with more verbal diarrhea should I open it.
Z’Ree sucks nervously on her lower lip before biting down on it, shifting in her seat and actively avoiding my look. I should be wondering why she is suddenly so nervous but all I can think about is that lip that she’s sucking on and how much I want her to suck on my lip. Or another part of my body. One that is inconveniently erect right now, tenting the flimsy blanket draped over me. There’s no hiding it. I can only hope Z’Ree doesn’t look in that di—
Oh no. She looked. She doesn’t look startled or disgusted, though. She swallows, her teeth digging into her poor lip so hard I’m worried she’ll draw blood.
I clear my throat. “Er…Sorry about that. It happens, when…when I wake up. It’s not…it’s nothing,” I mumble, praying she won’t see what a creep I am.
“It’s not nothing,” she whispers, giving me a look so sultry it has me sucking in a sharp breath. “Nikolai.”
I try to hold the groan back but fail miserably. How many times have I dreamed of Z’Ree saying my name? And now she finally has, in her unique, exotic accent, and I want more. I want her to say it again. I want her to moan it.
