When she thought they would never get there, they crested a small rise with the pod appearing before her. Gasping in delight, she ran forward to press her palm to one of the four hidden panels. There was one on each side of the door to cater for such a scenario where the door was meters up. The door slid open and she jumped, caught the door's ledge, and hoisted herself up.

"What are you doing?" Anzar asked when she was in mid-lift. His question distracted her enough for her to lose her momentum.

She hung there, flashing him a glare. "Entering the pod, what does it look like?"

He looped his arms around her backside, and her breath caught at his intimate touch. Holy cow, she needed an orgasm soon. His hands stroked from her ass to her hips, and she hurried to swallow a moan. One moment she gripped the ledge, and the next, she flew upward. Breathless as she was, she could do nothing but gasp at the sudden change in her position. She caught herself on the door's ridges and ducked into the pod. Any more force and she would've flown right past the opening.

"Thank you. Are you coming?" She peeked at Anzar standing there peering up at her. It reminded her of their evening spent in the tree. All she wanted to do was drown in his good looks. He instructed his males to stay, then he launched himself, catching the door's edge to pull himself up and in with ease. He crowded her, so she shifted back. He pressed forward until she realized he was doing so with a purpose. She jerked and raised her gaze to his, curious as to his intentions. His hands gripped her hips, and he pinned her against the bulkhead.

"How are you, temaar?" he asked, bending to peer into her eyes. He trailed fire with his touch as he ran his hands into the curve of her waist, over her arms to bury his fingers in her hair. He stroked her temples with his thumbs before tilting her face up. Something intense darkened his eyes, and his nostrils flared.

"I'm fine, Anzar. I promise." His concern was sweet, and she found herself smiling again. "Why do you ask? Do you want your thank-you kisses now?"

He rumbled, dropping to a knee in an instant. "There is nothing as wonderful as your thank-you kisses," he growled, gripping her hips to keep her close.

"That you know of." Succumbing to the yearning, she ran her fingers through his locks, marveling at their silkiness.

"I concede," he nodded.

Molly cupped his cheeks and pressed a slow kiss to his lips.

"One," she said. She tugged on his bottom lip with hers and when his mouth parted, she tilted her head and pressed her open mouth to his. She knew she was stepping over the line, but she couldn't resist inhaling a little of his soul. That longing had grown since this morning.

He rumbled again, his fingers tightening on her hips to an almost painful degree.

"Two," she said before rubbing her cheek across his. "Thank you for today, Anzar."

"Welcome back, Molly. Break anything?" MARC said into the tense silence. She squeaked at his unexpected use of English.

Anzar crushed her to him, glancing around with anger trembling his tense body.

"You rust bucket! Change to Sunkhuni so Anzar can understand you. Bloody computer has no manners. It's okay, it's just MARC. He works the pod and my ship, and ruins my life."

"I do not." MARC did an impression of a grumble. At least he had said it in Sunkhuni.

"Where is this male?" Anzar reach back to grip the handle of his axe.

As much as she liked Anzar holding her against his carved physique, she could see this becoming a shit storm of epic proportions.

"Anzar, he's the pod. It just has a male voice. MARC change to a female's voice." She tugged and Anzar released her, but only to slip her hand into his.

"But..." MARC stuttered, sounding like a toaster with a sore throat.

Her stress levels spiked, and the luxury of the past few days of not being annoyed dawned on her. "I will unplug you, you irritating piece of shit."

"You can try," a female voice said with too much huskiness.

"Bloody hell! Are you planning on arousing every male close enough to hear you?" She thumped the console with her fist. "Go ahead, they have massive axes and swords. I've always wanted to carve you up. It would be entertaining to watch them hack at you looking for the female hiding inside the console."

"Point made," a normal female voice spoke.

Molly sighed, slumping her shoulders. "Better?" she asked Anzar.

"This is MARC?" His gaze flicked everywhere as if he searched for the source of the voice, and she didn't blame him. There were vast differences between their worlds.

"Yes, it's a non-organic object that manages the ship, the pod, and other functions." She tugged on her hand, and his release was slow, as if to do so pained him. What an absurd thought? Like he needed to touch her? Yes, he did touch her often, but she didn't think it was out of some sort of desperate desire. As a single female in his camp, it was his obligation to ensure she remained safe and cared for.

She opened the fridge and yanked out a health bar. Tearing the wrapping open with her teeth, she bit into the rich nutrient-packed goodness. It tasted nothing like calumsui, but she wasn't going to complain. Her stomach gurgled as if on cue but she couldn't say if it was because it was empty or upset with her choice of sustenance.

"What is this?" he asked, grabbing her hand to sniff at the bar. She offered him a bite and he sunk his teeth in. "The texture is odd, but the taste is acceptable. You did not eat breakfast, temaar?"

She sensed a lecture forthcoming and ended it before it started by removing a flask of water from the fridge. Giving him the remaining bar, she twisted the cap open. When she offered him the flask, he stared at it. Molly shrugged and drank deeply. It had a bitter and chemical flavor now that she had tasted Sunkhuni water.

"Status of Jasmine?" she asked MARC.

"She's good. Your spectacular, epic, and record-breaking crash didn't damage any of the cargo. The water tanks did not leak either, but you can forget about her sailing the black horizons again."

"So, a shower's possible?" Excitement shot through her, and she bounced on her toes, flashing Anzar a wide smile.

"Yes, the power banks have been on lockdown. I will have the water heated for when we arrive."

She did a dance, swinging her hips and spinning on the spot. "You can get us there? No damage to the pod's reserve power?"

"I can fire them up whenever you are ready. The combined weight of your thirteen suitors will not tax the pod."

Her shoulders slumped in relief; that had been a concern. And she wouldn't touch MARC's emphasis on suitor with a barge pole.

"Why are you being nice to me?" She stilled and glared at the console. "Y'know, don't answer. I'd rather just enjoy this moment. Anzar, get your males inside. We're going to the ship."

"What?" He shot her a worried glance.

"Trust me, big guy. Please."

He crowded her and tucked a curl behind her ear as he blinked at her. His grip on her chin was gentle when he tilted it to meet his gaze. What he searched for or saw on her face, she couldn't say. He nodded and lunged to the door, leaning out to call his males in.

One by one they pulled themselves into the pod. As the space grew smaller, the air more oppressive, she hurried to slip into her pilot's chair. Death by thirteen warriors squashing her was possible. Damn, what a way to go.

Once all were in, MARC closed the pod's door, and the males grumbled their disapproval. MARC powered up the pod, and they shot forward, the motion barely felt. Only the passing scenery on the pod's visors indicated their movement.

"I would suggest we educate the males in Galactic English, Molly. If they encounter a Vargosh, they might need to communicate."

"Good idea." She spun the chair, startled to find Anzar standing behind her with his gaze resting on her. "MARC suggested you receive the Vargosh and my language, just in case."

He scowled, shaking his head as if she was being silly. "How is this possible, temaar? We do not have time to learn two new languages."

"It is only one. It's a strange feeling here." She touched her forehead.

"I trust you, Molly," he said, his fingers squeezing her shoulder then lingering there. He winced, so she assumed MARC had hit him with it.

She rose to kneel on the chair, using his chest for balance as she cupped his cheek. "I'm sorry, Anzar. MARC didn't let me warn you. It can be painful."

"I'm speaking your tongue now?" Hearing the strange words from his mouth, his eyes widened then lowered into a heated look. "It pleases me that you share this with me, temaar."

She swallowed past the sudden lump forming in her throat. Hot damn, he was wonderful to behold. If she had worn socks, they would have melted in her boots. She tore her gaze from his as various males moaned, clutching at their foreheads.

"You idiotic asswipe! At least warn them first!"

MARC hummed an unknown tune as if he wasn't assaulting warriors with virtual weapons. "I am told that without warning is preferable. Like ripping off duct tape."

"Whatever! You have no idea what pain feels like, do you now?" Thirteen sets of eyes watched her lambaste her console and heat exploded across her cheeks. Shit, they could understand her ranting.

"The pain has gone, Molly," Tazo said, attempting to reassure her. It was sweet of him to try. "We are grateful for your concern. To whom do you speak?"

"The female voice is the non-organic object that runs this pod and my ship. It is not a real female, just the voice of one."

"Thank you for explaining," Duro said, glancing around him. They all stood as still as possible, their nervousness making her smile. The pod touched down, and the door opened. The males jumped out without any encouragement from her. Their eagerness to escape her 'sky egg' made her chuckle.

"Your shower is ready. I have also activated the sensor beacons I placed in the asteroid belt. I'll receive notifications of anything larger than this pod traveling out there."

"Thanks, MARC." She jumped out of the chair and turned, slamming into Anzar. Her fingers flew out to grab his impressive biceps while his hands gripped her hips. "Anzar, my turn to show you how I bathe."

"I've seen you bathe, temaar." His voice dropped an octave.

A ball of fiery need exploded in her belly, and she bit her lip against a moan.

"Your hormones are fluctuating, Molly. Should I power up medical?" MARC's voice echoed in the pod and through her comm band.

"No, just the shower, thanks." She glanced away, hiding her inflamed cheeks. "Is the raptor damaged?"

"Nope, all operational. It seems spinning the ship to slam against its side focused the damage to the thrusters—"

"Which we'd already lost." Molly grumbled. That was as much of a compliment as she was ever going to get from MARC. "Ready?" she asked Anzar, meeting his intense gaze.

He cupped her cheeks, and lowered his head to press his parted lips to hers. The unexpectedness of this gesture snatched her breath. "Thank you for this experience, temaar."

She shivered, praying his tunic hid her pebbled nipples, but she was unable to look away. Despite managing a small nod, she lost her voice when he brushed the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip.

"Your heart is palpitating, and your blood pressure spiked. I have activated medical."

She giggled. Desire and hysteria swirled in her stomach, like lava and ash. Under the circumstances going crazy was a given.

"Just the shower, MARC."

"But—"

"Hush, MARC. Let's go, big guy." She tugged, and Anzar released her, allowing her to pass. When she reached the door to jump out, he halted her by grabbing her elbow with a gentle touch. He jumped down and turned, expecting her to drop into his arms. She almost giggled again. Was this male for real? "Not another word about my hormones, MARC, or so help me..."