Chilling Effect_A Novel by Valerie Valdes

Author:Valerie Valdes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Action & Adventure
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2019-09-17T20:41:43+00:00

Eva never knew what to do with herself after sex. Clean up, maybe. Sneak back to her bunk. Grab something to eat. Whatever would get her away from the other person quickly, so she wouldn’t have to engage in any awkward small talk.

Because before, she’d only ever knocked gravboots with strangers and fellow crewmates—on other ships, of course. So either she wasn’t likely to see them again and she didn’t feel like pretending otherwise, or she’d definitely have to see them again and didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. People had needs, like eating or peeing. Simple.

It was all fun and games until someone got serious. She had never wanted to be that someone, and she didn’t want anyone else getting the wrong idea.

This, though. It crossed all kinds of lines, then looped back around and crossed them again. Not to mention she had lied to herself about her feelings for so long that now she didn’t know what to do about them. She was like a dog chasing its own tail; catching it wasn’t a victory, it was biting herself in the ass.

Pink was right. This was a mistake. What was she thinking?

Vakar stirred under her, smelling content, like cinnamon or nutmeg or some other kind of spice that made her think of winter holidays. But it was laced with anxiety, concern, even a hint of fear and guilt.

Eva thought about what he’d said about lying, and wondered.

“I should go,” she said, sitting up.

“Should you?” he asked.

She hesitated, then nodded. “I need to . . . you know.”

“What?”

Clean up. Eat. Cry? Punch things? Damn it, Eva, say something. “I need to figure out a cover story to get on that ship.” Fucking brilliant.

“Of course.” Now he smelled disappointed. “I will not keep you.”

Eva lay back down. “It’s really not fair that I can smell every damn thing you’re feeling, is it.”

“I am accustomed to that inequity.” He ran the back of a claw along her arm. “Though until now, I had not realized you had the requisite translator nanites.”

“Yeah, well. You probably figured out I didn’t get them for shits and giggles.”

“They are not inexpensive.”

“That’s what Pink said when she found out.” Eva chuckled. “If I’d known someone was going to blackmail me for an assload of credits . . . Actually, I probably would have gotten them anyway. And a bunch of other stuff. Blown my whole savings so at least I’d have something to show for it.”

“What is an ‘assload’?”

She told him, and he sat up so fast he knocked his head on a pipe.

“You cannot be serious,” he said, rubbing his injury.

“Serious as a heart attack.” She pulled on her underwear, which wouldn’t stay up due to apparent battle damage. She gave up and tossed them, reaching for her pants instead.

“Maybe I should thank Glorious for putting that hit out,” she said bitterly. “Gave me a reason to fight instead of rolling over and showing my belly for the rest of my life, however short it will be either way.

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