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cargo area?”
    Halix looked uncomfortable, and Craig sighed. “We’re dealing with royalty here, folks. So long as he keeps his guests—and pets—in his area of the ship…”
    “Are there any that might be a danger?” Mra asked, looking concerned.
    “Not according to the boarding intel his people provided. If there are, believe me, we’ll deal appropriately with them. Oh, and by the way, you’re all invited to attend the prince’s evening entertainments whenever your duties allow. I understand they’re quite something. The prince apparently knows how to throw a party.”
    Mra’s green corn-silk hair folded primly about her throat. “I have heard of these Aquarian parties from my friends in the diplomatic service,” she murmured. “They are said to be very…licentious.”
    “Oh, goody,” Sirena said with relish. “I must be sure to attend.”
    She looked forward to meeting this Prince Azuran.

Chapter Six
    Slyde followed Sirena out of the command center. Despite her serene public demeanor, hostility had radiated in his direction during the meeting. The lady was still angry. Well, so was he. She turned to the left, into the passageway that led toward the gymnasium, and he followed her a little way, watching the roll of her gorgeous ass. He wanted to spank it, he wanted to caress it. He scowled. He wanted to kill any other male who touched it.
    “Sirena.”
    She turned, raising one arching brow, and waited for him to catch up with her.
    “The risk investigation I mentioned? I was trying to locate a scent.”
    Her expression changed, all attention.
    “I believe there’s something dangerous on board.”
    He looked around sharply as a pair of crew members came toward them and reached past her to key open the hatch beside them. A tiny escape pod bay, but it would do. Urging her inside, he shut the hatch behind them.
    “I caught the scent last evening when I was… patrolling.” The memory of why he’d been driven to stride the passageways roared up inside him, and he fought it back.
    Her eyes sharpened like faceted emeralds. “What do you think it is?”
    “A serpent,” he said. “I’ve smelled it before, in the desert on Serpentia.”
    “You’re certain? None of our guards have reported anything.”
    All Serpentians had acute olfactory senses, especially when the scent meant danger. On Serpentia, every child knew the acrid odor of vipers.
    “I’ve an unusually keen sense of smell,” he said, watching her warily. He did not want to tell her who he was—not yet. Since he’d come of age, females had thrown themselves at him. He didn’t think Sirena would give a space rock for who he was, but until he was sure, he meant to keep quiet. He wanted her to desire him for himself, not for what he could give her.
    “We must alert the other commanders and guards,” he said, moving to open his com-link.
    “Wait.” She grasped his arm. “Slyde, we can’t. If word gets out that there’s some kind of dangerous serpent on board this ship, there’ll be panic. We’re in the middle of deep, cold space—we cannot have hysterical passengers swarming the escape pods.”
    He scowled down at her. “What do you propose we do, find it ourselves?”
    Her eyes narrowed, his sarcasm hitting home. “Yes. We’ll divide the ship into quadrants. If we can’t locate it by tomorrow, we’ll bring in the guards.”
    She patted his arm in mock sympathy. “Don’t worry. If it’s here, I’m sure I’ll find it very soon. I know this ship like the back of my hand.”
    “If it’s here—I’ll find it first.”
    “You’re on. And whichever of us finds it first must destroy it. I’ll tolerate no danger to my ship.”
    He nodded. The search was serious business indeed. But she was competitive to a fault. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage. “Oh, and Sirena…when I find the serpent, I’ll expect to claim a prize of some sort.”
    “Name it.”
    He moved closer, crowding her against the closed control