Obsidian - Miranda Bridges Page 0,25

off the lighting in the room, and even though it’s not pitch black, I still find it hard to see anything. However, my hearing is perfect, and it immediately picks up the rustling of clothing.

“Keep your clothes on, please.” My voice is quite shrill, and I clear my throat when he exhales. “Okay, well, at least your underwear.”

“I do not wear those stifling garments.”

The commander goes commando.

My face is hotter than the sun and could burst into flames at any moment. “Your pants, then. Keep those on, for crying out loud.”

“If I were not concerned with protecting your life, I would not comply with your request,” he says. “I prefer to sleep naked, and that is something you will have to grow comfortable with eventually.”

I find that very unlikely but hold my tongue.

He gets into the bed, and the mattress dips from his weight, almost causing me to roll in his direction. Once he’s settled, I have to concentrate on regulating my breathing. I don’t think Castien will do anything to me because of how he’s treated me so far, but I decide that I will let him fall asleep first. Just in case.

Not that I can do shit to stop him.

That thought, although truthful, doesn’t sit well in my stomach.

“Castien?”

“Yes, demoria?”

I frown at the unfamiliar term but dismiss it. He’s probably saying damsel in his language. He’s not very clever if that’s the case. “Good night.”

“You may rest easy knowing that I will look after you while you sleep.”

I adjust the pillow and force myself to close my eyes. “Uh, thanks. I hope you get some rest too.”

“Since you are in my bed, I will be more at ease than I have been my entire life.”

Unsure of what to say, I remain quiet. And I wait. And wait some more.

At no point does Castien try to grab or touch me, and my body begins to relax, one set of muscles at a time. The plush bedding assists with this, along with my full belly. Before I know it, I’m on the verge of passing out. So I listen for any sign that Castien is still awake, and hearing none, I get out of the bed.

After tiptoeing through the room, I locate his coat and rifle through the pockets until my fingers graze a knife’s handle. I slowly remove it from the pocket and then hold it to my chest. This small piece of metal may not protect me, since I lack the know-how to wield it effectively, but it still comforts me to have it. Very much so.

I crawl back into the bed while trying to stay as quiet as possible. Which is no easy task, but Castien doesn’t stir or say a word. I tuck the weapon underneath my pillow with my fingers tightly wrapped around the handle. And that’s how I fall asleep, with thoughts of tomorrow trying to steal my momentary peace.

Surely, whatever is to come cannot be as bad as my first day on an alien planet.

Castien

The darkness is no longer pleasantly quiet.

I wake Jade as gently as I can. Her eyes flutter open before they latch onto me, flooding with awareness. She wriggles in my arms, no doubt displeased by our proximity, but I hold a finger to my lips, and she immobilizes.

“Something is out there,” I murmur, casting a glance at the door. Barely audible footsteps echo down the hallway. They are undetectable to the likes of the female, but to me, they carry the same resonance as a subsonic drum. Loud and echoing. “Hide under the bed.”

I guide her onto the floor and grab my knives, then I move to stand by the door.

There are two sets of footsteps.

One is distant, but the other is close by.

A green light bleeds through the hinges of the door, and then the lock clicks. I wait until the door opens before I attack, my weapons at the ready, but there is nothing there. I peer into the hallway only to find a robot cleaning in the upper corner. Strange. Could its sensors have accidentally triggered the lock?

I shut the door and grind my teeth at the uncertainty washing over me. This emotion is unknown to me, but ever since I found my mate, it has recurred time and time again. I need to gain better control of this weakness if I’m to protect her.

The sound of Jade screaming and glass shattering to the floor halts my movements. At the sight of the cyborg lunging through