Page 9 of Dragon Me Through Space

“I want a contract. One that states you can’t harm me and will protect me from others trying to harm me,” I said.

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes, but he simply nodded and said, “Okay.”

“And, I want to have free meals and board,” I added quickly.

The right side of his mouth lifted in a half-smirk. “Obviously.”

In my life I had made sure to listen to my gut and it was telling me that I could trust these Dragonkin. As nervous as trusting someone else made me, I felt like I was due for a break. Perhaps this was the universe’s apology for the shit hand I’d been dealt over the past decade.

“Fine. We’ve got a deal,” I said and held out my hand.

CHAPTER THREE

“Show me the item and then I show you the money,” I argued with the portly, angry male bugza sitting at the counter before me. He was almost completely bald, except for three long hairs that he had swept from the right side of his head across the top to the left side. It was incredibly comical, but I knew better than to insult someone’s hairstyle, especially on this planet. His insect-like segmented body was covered in a sheer shift that allowed all four of his arms to move freely as he worked on his inventions. Despite his grumpy personality, he was one of the best inventors I had ever met on any planet.

We had landed on Porantine just an hour earlier and I had immediately come to pick up the order I had placed over a year ago. Thankfully, the seller knew me and had held onto it until I returned.

“I wasn’t born yesterday,” the seller argued. He knew me well enough that he’d held onto my item, but also knew from life experience better than to trust someone at their word. The mandibles on his face twitched in irritation as he waited for me.

I sighed, took out my bag, and showed him the credits inside.

He nodded and started to pull out a bag.

Gage stepped inside and I held my hand up to the seller.

He lowered the bag and asked, “How can I help you, Dragonkin?”

“I’m just here with her,” Gage said, stopping behind me.

“I’m on personal business. Can you wait outside?” I asked him.

“No,” he said and folded his arms across his chest.

“Please,” I begged.

He sighed and turned around. “That’s as much as I’m moving.”

The seller gave me a glimpse of the machine inside the bag.

It looked perfect.

“It works?” I asked.

They nodded their confirmation.

I gave him the coins and took the device, still wrapped up. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Have a good day,” he called as he counted the coins, his mandibles curled and uncurled in excitement.

“What’s that?” Gage asked.

“Something important,” I said, and headed towards the center of town.

“Now where are you going?” he asked, walking next to me with a scary scowl on his handsome face that sent people scurrying out of our way. Having him at my side for the past few years would have made things so much easier. While I knew this “friendship” wouldn’t last long, I was going to savor having some scary guard dog privileges while I could.

“Home,” I said and stopped at the shadiest bar in town. I walked inside, ducking and dodging the beer bottles being thrown, and climbed the stairs in the back to the single metal door. “Scout,” I whispered, “unlock the door.”

Scout zipped out and slid into the door’s lock. Scout chirped and the door swung open.