“How about a no-swim zone above the transparent area?”

Seraphina gave him a you’re pushing it look but said, “Doable. I’ll turn the external lighting from white to blue in that spot—that’s a sign to our people that we’re working there and they should steer clear.”

Tansy was softer and sweeter, and had giant garden shears in her hand when he found her in an internal garden that was apparently also a lab where she worked on plants genetically engineered to thrive under the simulated sunlight. She snapped those shears menacingly after telling him to “Take care of Kaia.”

He found himself grinning on the inside, imagining what implement Kaia would use to warn off any suitors Seraphina or Tansy might have. “I will,” he said. “Thank you for the help.”

It was all going well until he ran into Alden the Walrus—no way in hell was the man anything else—in a dark and silent corner of the station. When Alden’s face began to go a blotchy red, his hands bunching, Bo had had enough. “Stop,” he said very quietly. “Or I will be forced to dislocate your arm, break your femur, and crack three ribs.”

The extremely specific list had Alden freezing. When the changeling found his voice at last, he said, “How’re you going to do that, bug man?” He curled his lip.

Bowen smiled at Alden and it was what Lily called his “scary” smile.

Alden stumbled back a step.

Deciding to give the man an out so he wouldn’t feel compelled to follow through on his implied threat in order to save face, Bo said, “You should also know that Dex is still so angry he wants to take a sledgehammer to your bones.” He shrugged. “I’d stay out of sight and out of mind unless you want to screw with him.”

“Yeah, fine, whatever.” Alden’s voice came out a growl. “But you can’t hide behind Attie forever. Soon as she’s had her pup, you’re mine.” He thumped a fist into the open palm of his other hand. “Not that I’ll have to hurt you when Hugo comes back. He’ll crush you for touching his future mate.”

Bowen didn’t move until Alden’s footsteps had faded far into the distance; Alden was the last person he wanted to know about his plans. “Pup,” he murmured softly, ignoring the other part of Alden’s threat. “What sea creature has pups?” Seals were the only ones he could think of; seals were also playful.

Was Kaia a seal, round dark eyes and inquisitive face?

Intrigued by the idea, but conscious that many things could alter genetic lines, he reminded himself that not only was Dr. Kahananui Kaia’s cousin rather than sister, he had no idea of Dex’s animal. He also needed to know what beings Kaia’s parents had carried inside their skins before he could hazard a guess at her own.

Chewing on the mystery, he got on with what he needed to do; he was halfway through the physical prep when KJ poked his head into the doorway. He’d changed out of his scrubs into dark brown cargo pants and a short-sleeved white T-shirt.

“Hey, I’m off shift and don’t need to get to my lessons for like two hours,” the orderly said around the gum in his mouth. “Want some help?”

“Thanks, ’preciate it.” The sooner he cleared this space, the sooner he could get to work on the second part of his plan—and that, he’d be doing on his own. “What’re you studying?”

“Nursing, dude.” He cracked his gum, the fresh scent of peppermint in the air. “I get teaching from our healers, but I’m also enrolled in a remote university to make sure I cover all the bases.”

KJ whistled as he worked, his good nature so infectious that Bowen could see exactly why he’d gone into not one but two areas of medicine that meant constant patient contact. “You mated, KJ?” He nodded at the gold ring the BlackSea male wore on the ring finger of his left hand; it was rare to see that among changelings. They tended to rely on scent or other markers to tell if someone was single or not.

“Working on it—married three years now.” The orderly grinned, his muscular arms bulging as he lifted a large box and carried it to the far left wall. “She’s human, likes me to wear the ring.” Another grin. “Says it’s like her brand on me. I’m cool with that until our mating bond kicks in—’cause I know it will.”

Bowen frowned. “I didn’t realize there were any other humans on this station.”

“Lis is the only one.” He helped Bo move a particularly heavy box, his strength surprising for his size. “Solo round-the-world sailor. Had a wreck. I rescued her and she fell madly, passionately, forever in love with her heroic merman.” His smile was wicked, his eyes dancing. “At the moment, she’s holed up in our living unit working on a totally awesome yacht design. Once she needs to sail again, I’ll switch shifts to the city upside.”

The city upside.

Bo had known such a city must exist—Ryūjin would otherwise be too isolated, too difficult to service—but it was good to have confirmation. The security chief part of his mind automatically recalculated his situation but came to the same conclusion as before: Bowen couldn’t leave unless he managed to commandeer a submersible, then outmaneuver BlackSea’s security protocols.

He’d spotted a map at the back of Seraphina’s office and his brain had automatically taken a snapshot. Now that snapshot came to the fore, and he understood the map was of oceanic routes around Ryūjin. The sea was a big place. If a man was careful about how he stole a submersible and he figured out the frequency on which to listen to security transmissions, he could thread the needle.

Chapter 33

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. Nothing.

—Hugo Sorensen in a message to Alden Jones

BO SPENT MUCH of the afternoon being divested of the bugs.

He’d worried their removal would weaken him, but he felt the same. Obviously, the bugs had done their job and done it well.

The rest was up to him.

Hundreds of tiny pinpricks dotted his body where the bugs had hooked into his system, but Dr. Kahananui prescribed him a thin gel that sank into his skin and caused an immediate reduction of the redness. Another day and the pinpricks would be all but gone. Since Bo wasn’t a man who went around moisturizing himself, it felt distinctively odd to slather the gel all over his body, but he told himself it was topical medication and got on with it.

When he realized he couldn’t get to all the pricks on his back, he decided to use the opportunity to play with his siren. He hadn’t seen her since she left his bed, the hunger inside him a throb.

Using the comm function on the data panel to access the station’s list of public codes, he contacted the kitchen. It was postlunch and predinner, so hopefully, Kaia would be free. He kept it audio only until he got her on the line; he’d noted the location of the kitchen comm panel the first time he entered the room and knew no one else would see him if he turned on the visual.

* * *

• • •

“YES?” Kaia was not having a good day; she missed Bowen like he was a part of her she’d mislaid, and none of her rational arguments about how he’d inevitably break her already scarred heart seemed to be having any impact on the painful need deep within.

Even her exuberant other self was morose and sulking. Which was why she’d given all her kitchen staff the afternoon off and was personally making the vat of pasta sauce for tonight’s dinner. Her clanmates shouldn’t have to put up with her bad mood.

“What—” She cut off her impatient question when she saw the face of the man who’d called—and noticed his half-naked body.

Her thighs clenched, her nipples suddenly plump, hard points. “I’m sorry,” she said aloud. “I didn’t sign up for a porn show.” Or for this man who’d thrown her world into chaos.

“So you think I could be on a porn show?”

Kaia’s lips wanted to twitch. How could she have seen him as harsh and grim at the start? He was so wickedly playful, reaching the core of her nature. “For those with a hospital-patient fetish, maybe.”

“Ouch.” Making a downcast face, he said, “That’s kind of why I called.”

She folded her arms, refusing to soften . . . trying to keep her distance.

He held up a small jar of what she recognized as a healing gel created by Tansy. “I can’t reach my back.”

“Try using a shower scrubbing brush.” She switched off the screen on those sharp words and told herself to concentrate on her work; dinner wasn’t going to make itself. She had no time to go pet a man who was going to leave her, one way or another.

Oblivion or back to the surface, those were the only two choices open to the security chief of the Human Alliance.

Both were places Kaia couldn’t go, couldn’t follow.

It took her two short minutes to surrender to the compulsion to touch him, draw his scent into her lungs, take care of him. “Argh!” Leaving her ingredients spread out on the counter, she pulled off her apron before stalking out.

Hex was nowhere in sight; maybe her genius mouse had decided to avoid her temper, too.

* * *

• • •

“COME in,” Bo called out when someone knocked on his door.

It slid open. He’d been expecting Dr. Kahananui, come to take another scan or reading, but the scent that whispered across on the air was of an exotic tropical flower fused with a hint of coconut. A creamy white bloom sat tucked over Kaia’s right ear.

Bowen’s gut clenched.

Striding over, she grabbed the jar and said, “Stay still.”

He obeyed . . . but couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. At least until she slapped the gel onto his back hard enough to tell him she’d caught his response. His lack of a grin didn’t last long—Kaia might still be wearing the flower over her right ear, but she had her hands on him and after that first rough touch, she’d turned gentle, caressing the gel onto his skin, where it sank in without a trace.