Page 6 of Trove’s Purpose

“Chee,” she replied immediately.

“Chee. And what are you doing here, Chee?”

“I am a representative of my employer. He sent me here with a job offer for the crew of the Humble Delivery Service.”

“I see. And how did he find us?”

“He didn’t tell me. He only told me where you would be and that I should give you this offer of employment. That you’d need it.”

“What is the name of your employee?”

“Hyde.”

Trove’s eyes darted quickly to Tanin then back to his target – he wouldn’t look away for too long until they were certain she wasn’t a threat. But he wanted to see if Tanin recognized the name. If it was someone they might know or trust.

No one should know they were out here. They hadn’t even known they were going to be out here. The swing that brought them here had been decided by Alred, their ship AI, completely without their input or aid and under extreme conditions.

And they’d been here for many tendays already. Had it taken that long to track them down? Even if it had, how were they able to be found at all? And why? What job could possibly be worth following them all the way here?

But Tanin showed no sign that he knew the name Hyde. He didn’t react at all. Just grunted once in understanding before saying-

“Take off your helmet.”

Once again, she didn’t hesitate. She still moved with that deliberate slowness as she tilted her head forward so she could reach up and back. She pressed the button on the seal, separating the helmet from her suit. Then, she grabbed it with both hands and lifted it up.

A wave of gleaming, golden red hair, frizzy and wavy and wild, came cascading out. It fell down her back, fluffing up after being confined within the helmet. She lifted her head, looking at them through stormy, gray-blue eyes, clear and harsh and framed by more golden red lashes. A cute, slightly upturned nose sat over a pair of plush, pink lips. Her rounded, lovely face was framed perfectly by her voluminous hair. Her cheeks were stained red, though he didn’t know if it was from heat or nerves or whatever else made human females turn that shade. But she met their gaze evenly and bravely as she set the helmet down on her lap.

Oh.

That was really the only thing Trove could think as his pistol lowered. All other thoughts, rational or otherwise, completely fled at the sight of her.

Instead, it was replaced with a horrible new understanding. A deep knowing, a primitive enlightenment that went beyond simple instinct. His eyes knew what his brain immediately tried and failed to reject, overwhelmed by the sudden rushing of blood through his body. His heart thumped loudly, almost painfully against his ribs as it raced.

His mate.

His. His mate.

No.

This couldn’t be!

No!

But she was. He knew it. As immediately and certainly as he knew the heat of the sun. The pull of gravity. The agony of fire licking at his skin.

He needed her. He wanted her. He hated her.

He hated this.

Why…

She wasn’t looking at him, and that hurt something deep in his chest. How could she look at anything else? How was she not just as obsessed with him now as he was with her?

Human. She was human.

That was what felt so familiar to him before. A seductive body, a short female, someone whose very walk swayed her hips in the most sensual way. She could only be a human.

Trove wasn’t even pointing his weapon at her anymore. It was one he’d crafted himself while he was here. It was extremely basic, hurtling projectiles like he was some barbarian tossing rocks. But it hurtled them very fast and deadly all the same. It was more than sufficient as a weapon, but it was doing nothing aimed at the ground as it was.