“You’re all good. I would have preferred for you to heal naturally, given your human physiology isn’t used to cellular regenerative healing, but…” He shrugged. “It’s taken well so far. I don’t see any problems.”
Eric pursed his lips, reaching out to pick up his notes and flick through them. Despite the fact they were written in Latharian, he could make out about half of them. Languages had never been a problem for him, and there were a lot of diagrams, which helped him work out what Talent had done to save him.
“But, I’m not totally human anymore. Am I?” he asked, his gaze focusing in on the alterations the medic had made to his genetic code in order to kick start regeneration. Somehow. He still wasn’t sure of all the science. Not yet.
“Can I keep this?” he asked, waving the Flexi-plastic file at Tal.
The medic shrugged. “Knock yourself out.”
“Thanks,” Eric said absently as he continued reading.
“Come in, just clearing up from my last patient and then we can get started,” the healer said.
Eric looked up to find Zad hovering uncertainly in the doorway—if the Krynassis woman could ever be described as doing anything uncertainly. She always seemed utterly confident and sure of herself.
“I can come back later if you need more time,” she mentioned, flicking a glance at Eric as she took a step into the room.
Her gaze flicked down to the file in his hand and her expression tightened for just a fraction of a second before she blanked her face. But he caught it. He wasn’t usually so perceptive and was well aware that with most people he missed certain social cues, but with her he was hyper focused, aware of everything about her. Quickly he shoved the file behind his back. It was evidence of his weakness, that he’d been injured. Someone like her, from a species that was practically invulnerable… did he disgust her?
“No, no… we’re good,” the medic insisted.
Eric smiled and pushed off from where he was leaning. “I should be going,” he said, about to walk past her.
“You can stay,” she said gruffly, surprising him.
“Are you sure?” He looked down at her in surprise. “It’s a medical exam. You might want some privacy?”
She shook her head and looked past him, her skin blanching a little at the sight of the auto-bed. His brow creased a fraction. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she was nervous.
“No, it’s okay. Please?” she asked, the last word so softly he knew Tal, with his back turned, hadn’t heard it.
Shit. She was nervous. Like, really nervous.
He smiled. “No problem. I’ll be right over here.”
She nodded, her breathing short as Tal activated the auto-bed and waved her toward it.
“Just a quick scan so we have a baseline of all your vitals and levels on file. Makes it easier if you’re ever injured in the field,” he said.
“In the field?” Eric asked absently, his attention on the woman sauntering across the small room. She was even graceful as she perched on the edge of the bed and boosted herself onto it. “What do you mean in the field?”
She smiled tightly as she looked over at him. “Your boss asked me to join the Warborne.”
“Yeah?” His face split into a wide smile as pleasure rolled through him. If she stayed, he would get to see her more. Much more. “That’s awesome. The room next to mine is free.”
A small sound from Tal made him look up sharply, but the medic’s face was calm and neutral as he started the scan.
“I’m not sure I get to demand a room assignment,” she said, lying still. Even from here, Eric could tell she was nervous, though she looked completely calm and unruffled. He didn’t know how, or why, he just did. “I’m sure your boss will assign something suitable.”
“Yeah. Sure he will.”
And he would assign the room next to Eric’s even if he had to threaten to unravel the guy’s DNA or something. The other option was the one near Sparky’s room, and no way did he want her anywhere near that charming asshole of an ex-con.
He waited as Tal ran through the normal battery of tests, having to force himself to wait out of the way rather than step forward to study the screens and take a look at her genetic code. She was his first real alien—well, if they discounted Beauty who’d been posing as a Lathar—and she fascinated him just as much on a scientific level as she did on a primal male-female level. Not that he held out any hope that she would actually be interested in him. No, she was a fighter. She’d go for someone big and buff like T’Raal…
Shit. His mood took a nose dive.
Was that why she’d joined the Warborne? Because she found T’Raal attractive? He couldn’t compete with the huge, ripped as hell warrior on a physical level. The only thing he had going for him was his mind, but he didn’t think that would appeal to her. He’d always had problems with women being intimidated by his intelligence in the past. Folding his arms, he rolled his neck trying to ease the ache in his upper back.
The small movement drew her attention and she looked his way, what almost looked like panic on her face.
“It’s okay.” He smiled in reassurance. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
And he wouldn’t. She was stuck with him, for as long as she wanted. For whatever she wanted.
And he meant that in every sense of the word.
5
“Isn’t this place amazing?” Nat asked as she flopped down onto the bottom bunk of the small room. “You got your own room and everything.”
Zad nodded as she followed the human woman into what could only be described as a closet.
“Beats the T2 cells for sure,” she said as she stood in the middle of the small space. Compact had obviously been a guiding principle when the Sprite had been designed. At least the bunks had been designed for Latharian frames. Even if she stretched out, it was more than large enough for her.
She and Eric would both fit on there.
She ignored the wayward thought. Eric had been a little odd during her medical exam. He’d been reading something when she’d arrived. Given she’d interrupted a conversation between him and the medic, she assumed it was a medical file, which patients didn’t normally get to see. However, given what his sister had said, she wasn’t surprised. He probably understood all the big words the healers used as well. And didn’t that make her feel dumber than she already did? How would he react when he found out she’d had no higher-level education like him? Shards, she’d barely had any education at all. Her entire education had revolved around staying alive and not reminding her mother of her existence.
“Are all the rooms this small?” she asked, reaching out to hit the door closure button.
“Yeah. You might wanna leave the door latched back unless you’re really not claustrophobic,” Nat commented as the door slid into place with a soft hiss.
Instantly the small space seemed half the size and Zad shuddered. It reminded her uncomfortably of an escape pod—the coffin her mother had been fond of shoving her into when she was a child, threatening to jettison her.
Snapping a hand out, she hit the button again to open the panel. “Yeah, way too small.”