Among Galactic Ruins by Anna Hackett

raw-boned face, painted with very good makeup.
Lexa wasn’t sure if his blond hair was a wig or not, but it was
long and piled up on his head.
    “Hey, Pris.” Dathan dismounted and held out
a hand. “Don’t try and kiss me, or I’ll smack you.”
    Pris laughed—the sound deep and real—and
shook the treasure hunter’s hand. “Don’t worry, gorgeous. I know
you like the ladies.” Pris gave a theatrical sigh. “Such a
shame.”
    “Need some rooms, Pris. And help buying some
supplies.”
    “Anything for you…and the right amount of
e-creds.” The innkeeper’s gaze landed on Lexa and Damon. “What a
handsome, sand-covered couple.” Pris’ heavily-kohled eyes zeroed in
on Damon.
    Lexa expected Damon to stiffen, but he
stayed relaxed, eying their host.
    Pris’ gaze flicked between the two of them
and back to Damon. “I suppose you’re going to disappoint me, too,
and tell me you like the ladies.”
    “Yep.” Damon handed Lexa down to Pris.
    The innkeeper set her down with an easy
swing. After Damon dismounted, the two men looked at each other.
Their host stiffened. “Helix?”
    Lexa watched Damon morph from weary traveler
to high-alert security expert. She felt every muscle in his body go
tight.
    “It’s Damon. Damon Malik.”
    The man…woman—Lexa wasn’t sure what to call
him or her, but she guessed since the innkeeper was wearing a
skirt, she’d go with she—swallowed and nodded. “I was Lancer…in my
previous life.”
    Damon relaxed a fraction. “You did good
work.” Damon glanced at the inn. “Never knew what happened to
you.”
    “I got out.” Pris set her shoulders back,
pasting on a wide smile and shaking her skirts. “I decided to find
an out-of-the-way place where I could be my real self.” She smiled
at Lexa. “Well, at least you have good taste, even if you are an
exceedingly brave woman.”
    Brave? She looked at Damon but his face
didn’t give anything away.
    Pris flicked a finger at Lexa’s hair. “You
are a beautiful thing. I love your hair. Tell me it isn’t real and
you paid a small fortune in e-creds for it.”
    She shook her head, still trying to piece
together that little exchange. “Sorry.”
    “Ah, we should all be so blessed.” Pris
waved them in. “Come in, come in. I’ll find you some rooms.”
    Behind a cluttered table, she rummaged
around in a cabinet and handed something to Dathan and something to
Damon.
    “What the hell is this?” Damon held up a
slim piece of metal.
    “Oh, it’s a key.” Lexa touched it, studying
the clunky lines of it. “For an old-fashioned lock.
Fascinating.”
    Pris winked. “I’m an old-fashioned kind of
gal.”
    “And where’s mine?” Lexa asked.
    Pris laughed again. “My darling, when a man
looks at you the way Hel…Malik is, you have absolutely no need for
your own room.”
    Lexa glanced at Damon. He didn’t seem to be
looking at her any differently than he usually did. But then she
really looked at his eyes and she caught the flash of dark
intensity and potent heat. It hit her low, left her feeling
needy.
    Pris leaned down and whispered, very loudly,
“Honey, you grab that, ride it until you can’t ride no more, and
don’t let go.”
    Lexa choked on a laugh and saw Damon’s lips
twitch.
    Pris’ face sobered. “And he’s one of the
good guys, who always does the right thing, no matter how tough it
gets.” The innkeeper spun with theatrical flair and gave Damon one
more wistful look before sighing. “Come along. I’ll show you your
rooms.”
    They dropped Dathan off with a promise to
meet him that evening for dinner. Pris told them there would be a
community meal by the water with dinner and dancing, and they
wouldn’t want to miss it. The last part was added with a wink.
    Damon unlocked the door Pris had shown them.
It swung open and Lexa got the impression of a huge bed draped in
filmy white fabric.
    “Have fun, my darlings.” Pris waved, the
bracelets on her wrist tinkling. “And please, make sure