Diesel chuckled. "She's got you wrapped around her finger."
There was an edge to the human now that Kira was no longer there. The friendly camaraderie had vanished, leaving behind someone who was both shrewd and intelligent.
Diesel looked Graydon over. As if trying to decide how much time and effort Graydon was worth.
"You're not her usual sort," Diesel observed.
"That's because I'm unique."
Of course, Graydon wasn't her type. She never would have had the opportunity to run across someone like him until the day they met.
There was a stunned silence. Then Diesel roared with laughter. "I see it now. Your arrogance fits with her and Jin's."
Graydon only gave the human part of his attention, the rest focused on listening to Kira move through the forest.
"You're Tuann, aren't you?"
Graydon stared.
The human's lips quirked, as if pleased to finally get a response.
Only, Graydon caught the faint trace of tension around his mouth and the corners of his eyes that announced his discomfort.
To the human, it would feel like a weight was pressing on the top of his head. The urge to submit to that pressure continuing to build as danger whispered across his skin. A warning that he'd drawn the notice of a much bigger predator.
The Tuann called it the oho. A nonviolent way of suppressing someone whose willpower was weaker than yours.
Kira wielded it instinctively. That was probably why this man didn't flinch from Graydon's gaze. He'd had the chance to build up a tolerance.
There was also the fact that his mind and willpower were uncommonly strong.
Graydon reeled in his displeasure. He buried his emotions before suppressing the oho to levels that would be considered more polite among his kind.
The lines bracketing Diesel's lips eased. "Is Kira Tuann?"
If the man was smart, he'd be careful about what he said next.
Diesel made a face at Graydon's continued silence. "There's a lot of negative sentiment going around about your kind right now."
Graydon prowled closer.
The human tensed.
Graydon's gaze followed the human's hand as it strayed toward what he suspected was a weapon concealed in the arm of his chair.
"I wouldn't," Graydon purred, almost hoping the human would ignore his advice. He welcomed a chance to exercise some of this excess energy from his bones.
The only thing that had stopped him so far was the prospect of Kira's displeasure.
Diesel took his hand away from the weapon. "People say we might have won the war years earlier if the Tuann had taken action."
"It wasn't our job to fight your war for you."
That was the problem with humanity. They were always looking for someone else to bear the burden of their hubris.
"I like you. You'll be good for her." Diesel leaned forward, his voice lowering. "Strange, isn't it? That everyone wants to blame the Tuann for standing on the sidelines and watching when first contact with your race wasn’t announced until well into the latter years of the war. It's almost like someone is trying to influence public opinion, wouldn't you say?"
Oh ho. Kira’s friend was quite the observant one.
