Fortunately, Maureen’s runes had really settled in nicely, adding strength to her limbs and speed to her reflexes. Vaxxa told her that those things were normal for just about everyone, but the really interesting part would be when she discovered if her body reacted to the runes with any unusual powers.
Some people had incredible skills imparted to them when they bonded fully with their pigments. Others wound up utterly normal. It was a total crapshoot, it seemed, and there was no way to know for sure how any newly inked person might turn out.
Whatever additional changes she might discover in time, the Infala tugging on her chest was a powerful and utterly new sensation for Maureen, though she’d been told such a thing was actually normal as you drew closer to your destined mate. Normal, but compelling all the same.
She looked all around, scanning the crowd as subtly as she could. Mistress Tormik was haggling with a vendor, affording her at least a moment of unfettered freedom to seek him out.
“Where are you?” she quietly muttered to herself, frustrated with the pull she felt and powerless to do anything about it.
“Pay attention!” Mistress Tormik snapped a moment later.
“What? Oh, sorry,” Maureen replied, realizing she had missed the outstretched arms of the vendor trying to load her up with yet another purchase.
Tormik’s eyes narrowed. “You seem distracted.”
“No, Mistress. It won’t happen again.”
The annoyed woman glared at her a long moment then turned in a huff. “Keep up.”
Maureen silently followed, weaving through the crowd as best she could. The pull on her Infalawasdistracting, actually, the tug of its pigment running deep in her body, making it hard to concentrate. Everywhere she turned, she looked for her blue-skinned lover, feeling his presence somewhere near, but not knowing where.
It was one of the difficulties of the Infala. A flaw, some might say, though others felt the seeking out of your mate was partly what made a bond even stronger. In any case, all she knew was he was in the area, and she had to find him.
The sensation grew stronger, then weaker, then stronger again, a push and pull acting almost like a bodily compass guiding the way. Of course, it was only the most general bits of steering. It was up to her to direct her attentions. And then, at last, toward the far end of the marketplace, she saw him.
It was Bodok. She knew before she even saw his face. The cobalt-blue skin stood out, though there were others of his kind in this city. But the man whose back was to her as he lowered a heavy load from his shoulders was him, she was certain.
She watched his muscles flex and ripple underneath his sweat-dampened shirt, his back and arms tensing as he lowered his burden, careful not to damage the parcel he had been charged with delivering. The vendor opened the wrapping and gave the goods a once-over. Satisfied, he nodded once and motioned for the prison laborer to be on his way. It was then that Bodok’s body tensed in a different way.
He had been focused on his work, and his Infala was hopelessly damaged, but suddenly there was something tickling his senses. His head cocked to the side slightly, as if he heard something through the din of the shopping masses.
Look at me, Maureen willed across the marketplace.Turn around and look.
Slowly, Bodok pivoted, his eyes sharp as he scanned the area, darting from face to face. His eyes locked on Maureen’s and a jolt of heat flared in her chest. He must have felt something as well because the look of surprise that flashed across his features seemed more than just a reaction at seeing her.
Maureen felt a twinge in her stomach. He was hurting. Yearning for her, she could tell at a glance, the intensity of his gaze melting into her with a comforting warmth unlike any she’d ever known. But they were not to speak.
Separated by only a few stalls, they were so close, yet still so far. Star-crossed lovers in a far more literal sense, striving for a way to be together. Maureen’s mind raced. There had to be some way to get closer to him.
“Mistress?” she said quietly.
“Do not speak,” Tormik said, not even turning her head to look up from the offworld trinkets she was perusing.
So, this was it. She was so engrossed in her shopping that Maureen might have a chance. It would be risky, and she’d have to be quick.
Worth it, she thought, stepping away quietly, moving between the stalls toward the delicious blue-skinned man.
Bodok was already in motion, closing the gap, quickly weaving between people like a nimble cat despite his size. Maureen was having a somewhat harder time of it, with all the packages loaded in her arms, but she wasverymotivated, pushing through the crowd with drive and determination.
The gap between them was closing quickly and Maureen’s heart beat hard and fast as her alien drew near. The Infala rune was positively humming with anticipation that spread through her entire body, giving her limbs an extra boost of energy that made it feel like she was walking on air.
Bodok was so close, only a few oblivious people stood in the way. One tried to sell him something, though he had no idea what. A single impatient shove with his meaty hand tossed the vendor aside. Maureen rushed into the gap his absence left and grabbed his hand as best she could, balancing the parcels precariously.
A jolt of thrumming sensation flashed up her arm, connecting with her Infala and making her momentarily weak in the knees. Her parcels tumbled to the ground but as his strong arms caught her she found she didn’t care. Not one bit. She looked up at his silver eyes, glistening with emotion and care.
“I thought I wouldn’t see you again,” Maureen said, a tear trickling down her cheek.
“I feared the same,” he replied, helping her upright. “You were not at the locations you had told me. I waited as long as I dared but you never came. I worried something had happened to you.”
