She seemed unconcerned by my grumpy tone as we headed toward my ship. She walked a bit a head of me. Occasionally glancing over her shoulder. "Maybe you should lead the way..." She seemed to want to say more. It was a straight shot on this road to the hanger but she had no way of knowing that. "Or maybe I should walk beside you again?"
I grunted in response and she fell into step beside me. Or rather I shortened my strides so she would not have to run to keep up. As much as her staring unnerved me I also liked it. Even if I did not understand the reasons behind it. She looked at me in a way no one else ever had. Like I was a wonder to behold. I had heard some say they felt that way about their mates. That every word, every look, every touch was a wonder. I had not understood it then but I had a small idea now. I did not have the heart to crush her spirit over such a thing. Not when she already seemed so uncertain.
It was a short stroll to the hanger from this section of the station. Even so it was enough. Even with the two of us heading in the same direction someone went to walk between the two of us. She reacted by jumping out of the way before quickly returning to my side. This time she grabbed onto my hand. She looked around us at the mass of people and I was shocked by what she figured out first. Given her size if we were separated it would be difficult for her to find me. That went in reverse as well. Stelnubis Hunters did not walk hand and hand. Not even with their mate.
I stopped myself from snapping out those words or jerking back my hand. My instinct to protect her overruled the teaching. This was to protect her. There were plenty of people out there who would be happy to get their hands on a female. While slave trading was outlawed that did not stop some.
The walk to the hanger was enlightening. With her hand in my much larger one, Ana allowed herself to look around. She possessed a inquisitive mind. Her eyes darted around taking in forms and colors. There were signs everywhere begging attention. They advertised the offerings of the pleasures here. It was filled to the brim with nightclubs, casinos, arenas, and more. Some of which were hidden away from the main paths, even if there were signs about the flesh trades.
The respectable venues were allowed to be along the main pathways. Brothels were not. This was not the type of place I wanted my mate hanging around for long. To my satisfaction Ana did not seem to care to visit any of them. While overtly curious she seemed to have every desire for us to reach my ship without delay. So much in fact that she walked faster than I would have thought comfortable for her.
As we approched the reinforced hanger doors she asked me if I came here often. It was the first question she had ever asked me.
"No," I said shaking my head. "It was just convenient, being halfway between my last hunt and Earth. These places tend to only get you in trouble and make you waste credits in stupid ways."
She laughed. "I would not know. We do not have such places on Trident. I have been told sometime they can be fun through. Under the right circumstances. Or at least entertaining."
"True," I said looking at her. I was pleased she was not a nightclub addict like some tended to be. I assumed Trident was the name of an island or maybe a station on Earth.
While I had many talents dancing could not be counted as one. Although I did enjoy music a good deal. Some kinds more than others. We did not have traditional dance though. I wondered if she did.
The hanger doors parted before us. It bustled with activity as was expected. People were always coming and going. There was cargo and goods being transported. Some choose to sleep in their vassals or just outside them. It was a way to save credits given the prices to stay in a hotel. Costs to stay within one on the station was down right extortion.
Once again she did not seem to have enough eyes to look at everything, but she certainly tried. Her expression filled with wonder and marvel. Now she focused on the various ships now. A good portion of which seemed to be put together by spare parts and not space safe. Likely the ships of gamblers who had lost everything else, or mercenaries down on their luck. If they had any luck to begin with. Others were okay. A few were high end, with clear state of the art tech. They were vassals of VIPs. Complete with reserved parking and a highly protected part of the hanger. The most protect part.
Her eyes were back to the patrons soon enough. Even as she moved herself closer to me. It seemed to be yet again as a precaution against being separated in the crowd. She was much more discreetly about looking at them. Her delighted expression disarming anyone who looked our way. I would have preferred her eyes stay on me, that her focus on me. Even so I felt no jealousy since she was clearly aware of me. If that was not enough she looked at everything with wonder but there was no desire. Nothing possessive about. Instead she reminded me of a youngling during the first hunt.
It only now dawn on me that she had never left her birth planet. That she likely lived in a part not travel to by off worlders. Plenty of off worlders went to Earth but they did not swam every itch. Like every planet there were areas where the natives were left to be as they always had been. Interstellar travel remained costly unless you owned your own vessel, which was a serious investment. Fytin had told me Ana had not been poor but she had no real wealth to speak of. It was common for most Humans according to my research. They made enough at their jobs to pay bills and buy some small things they wanted once in while.
It occurred to me that I could show her a great many worlds. More than she could imagine. I silently pledged to do so, which pleased me. She may have been strange to me but I liked that I could spend our lives putting that look of wonder on her face. I could and would see to it that she would feel this way again. It was my duty as her mate. My duty to provide for her in every way and I would.
Pointing the way as we moved closer I told her, "This is my vessel."
Her eyes widened. An action that surprised me given how naturally wide they already were. Her lips parted ever so slightly. To my shock this must have been what she looked like when truly surprised. The awe and wonder was clear as day. It made how she had looked at me seem almost tame. She was missing one important thing though. Her eyes had held a possessive edge when she had looked at me. I recognized it from the mated pairs back home. My own Mother had looked at my father with that edge. She did not look at my ship with the same edge.
The look she gave the ship filled me with pride. Realizing the small difference stroked at my ego.
"Oh wow! This is pretty badass!" she said. Her voice quiet given her words and expression. Her eyes looked around us to check for something. To my surprise she was checking to see if she had drawn attention from those around us. She had not. Well no more than a small female always attracted. She managed to walk even faster in her haste to get a closer look. Not that I minded. "It reminds me of a Tuksa. I have never seen one that color though."
"Tuksa? I have never heard of that species. Are they peaceful?" I asked with a frown. As a hunter I was well aware of most species. Although a lot of the peaceful ones slipped through the cracks since we normally did not hunt them.
She pressed her lips tight together clearly to suppress the laugh. She could not hide the smile though. "Do not feel bad," she finally said with a slight cough. "Tuksa are extremely elusive creatures. They are predators though. They tend to only be peaceful if they have a Bonded. As a general rule of thumb whenever you hear one you should hide. Since they are so few in number they can not be hunted."
That would explain it. Endangered species were highly kept secrets. They certainly never got added to hunter files. We worked to keep species from over population. It was never our goal to wipe out a native species.