“Yes, Aunt Zalora,” Kiahn growls, though he’s still staring daggers at his brother, and I’m starting to get the distinct feeling that Zann relishes in being able to provoke Kiahn likethis. Zalora seats herself again and I glance diagonally across the table at Lois who’s giving me a wide-eyed look that screams, ‘girl, what the fuck?’
Another crew worker in burgundy comes hurrying up to Vel, murmuring something low in her ear. Something about the chef and the kitchens - obviously something that Vel needs to see to, as she rises and hurries out the door with the server as we all continue to sit here in awkward silence.
Glancing at Kiahn beside me, I see his gaze still lingering on his brother, though much of the fire in his eyes has dissipated. And I kind of relate to being quick tempered when people don’t take me seriously. I once had a boyfriend who would tease me about how ‘girly’ I am. How I don’t know anything about sports or car maintenance. I snapped back at him once, and told him I could learn anything if I was inclined to. Even enlisted his best friend who was a mechanic to teach me a few things about the goings on under the hood of a car, just to prove a point. My boyfriend didn’t like that one bit. And his best friend ended up asking me out after we eventually broke up.Hehadn’t minded my ‘girly’ interests, but their friendship sure wasn’t the same after that.
For some reason, I find myself wanting to soothe the big Xaviann beside me after him getting all riled up at his brother’s teasing, so I gently place a hand on his leg beneath the table.
Kiahn jolts in his chair like I’d just jabbed him with a cattle-prod, and I try to temper down the giggle bubbling up at his wide-eyed expression.
‘Sorry,’ I mouth at him, drawing my hand back. I watch his throat bob as he swallows, and bite my lip to stop the smile from erupting on my face when his hand slowly creeps over to mine to guide it back onto his thigh where I had originally put it. His pretty green eyes connect with mine, and I’m not so sure whatit is he’s trying to silently communicate, but it makes my skin prickle with heat all over.
“So…” Lois, who’s been seated diagonally across me starts, “what’s with all the fascination with necks? Is it like a Victorian gentleman getting a glimpse at an ankle kinda deal or…?” she glances at each of the uncomfortable-looking Xavianns present at the table.
Well, apart from Zann, nothing seems to phase him it seems. “You were taught about the bonding bites?” he starts.
“This is not proper conversation for the dinner table,” Lady Zalora comments.
“I think the dinner table has got greater concerns tonight,” he replies, raising a brow at the knife still stuck in the tabletop in front of Kiahn. “Don’t you think, dear aunt?”
I gently squeeze Kiahn’s thigh - I’d meant for it to be a comfort, but I won’t lie and say I don’t enjoy the way it makes him shift and quietly clear his throat like that one single, tiny gesture is getting him all flustered.
Oblivious to our under-table PG13 shenanigans, Zalora rolls her eyes at Zann, but he doesn’t let her continue grumbling. “Well, since the males of my kind have a strong urge to bite the neck of their partners to bind them to them, having an uncovered neck is like…an invitation,”he explains, “It’s like wearing a sign that says you’d love a risky fuck.”
“Zannador!” Lady Zalora exclaims, slapping her palms on the tabletop.
Just then, Vel comes bustling in, followed by several members of staff, all carrying silver trays with our food hidden away under shiny cloches.
Talk about good timing.
“I think you’re gonna like this!” Vel says in a sing-song voice, taking her seat with a wide grin on her face. “I believe it’s a human delicacy back on Earth; Mackonchez!”
Mackonchez?
In unison, the servers lift each of our cloches to reveal a small portion of-
“Mac ‘n’ cheese?!” Jaya squeals.
On the plate in front of us is a steaming, gooey, cheesy pile of macaroni.
“How did you do this?” Lois asks. “Wheredid you get this? We haven’t had human food since we were taken.”
I lean over my plate, my stomach growling as I take in the aroma of familiar food, my hand slipping from Kiahn’s thigh.
“Our kitchens are equipped with the finest nutrition replicators, and staffed with one pretty ingenious chef, I must say,” Vel beams. “He had to substitute a lot of the ingredients but it looks exactly like the images I’ve seen of the dish.”
Substitute the ingredients? Oh no,I think, now looking at the food in front of me more warily as I pick up the eating utensil that looks like a spork made out of shiny silver.
“If your guy can pull this off and make more human food, then I might have to kiss him,” Lois says casually as she starts to dig into her meal.
Az’s silver spork clatters to his plate.
The macaroni is… interesting. The texture is not quite right, and the cheese sauce has an odd after-taste, but it’s close enough that once we get over the first or second bite, Jaya, Lois and I abandon all decorum and start shoveling the gooey goodness into our mouths. In all honesty, it only takes about four or five mouthfuls, but even though it’snot quite right- it’s absolute bliss.
“Well this is… certainly a change to the pre-approved menu for the journey,” Lady Zalora says, singling off one piece of macaroni with her silver spork and inspecting it like it might be a poison.
Vel nods her head before swallowing her mouthful. “I like it.”
“If it makes the humans happy, then we can accommodate any changes,” the Prince says beside me as he swaps my now empty plate for his, hardly-touched portion of mac ‘n’ cheese. I smile at him, about to voice my thanks, when I’m interrupted by Az.
