No, I just need to pull up my big girl panties and do what I can always count on myself to do - get through everything my weird life has thrown at me.
* * *
I enter the huge ballroom on Kiahn’s arm to more fanfare than I’d expected. A room this large almost packed with bodies -bodies of Xaviann proportions- is like a sensory overload.
Up until now, Kiahn, Zalora and Vel had done a good job ofkeeping us humans away from a lot of the other Xavianns. Even the palace staff that attended to our needs were reduced down to the same few every day.
The cavernous ballroom is decorated in duck-egg with accents of gold, and if it weren’t for the floating orbs of light dotted around the place, you’d be forgiven for thinking we were on set for a period drama.
I find myself squeezing Kiahn’s arm a little too tightly when all the faces are turned toward us, their smiles and glittering eyes directed right at me. A large, warm hand covers mine, and Kiahn leans down to murmur, “if you wish, we can make excuses after only a short while and leave.”
No, I can do this. It’s only a party. I’m just not used to being the center of attention is all.
Shaking my head and forcing a smile, I tell him that I’ll be fine.
Soon, Vel comes to link her arm in mine, attempting to tug me away so she can introduce me to others. But Kiahn’s grip on my other arm grows tighter as he throws his cousin a glare over my head.
“You gonna play tug of war with her?” Lois chuckles as she approaches, her arm linked through Jaya’s. They’re both wearing gorgeous silk dresses in deep jewel colors. Lois in an emerald green, and Jaya in ruby red, both of them wearing thick choker-like bands of leather around their necks to cover their throats. The dress Kiahn had gifted me to wear tonight is practically virginal white in comparison to every other attendee here tonight. And now that I see it, I can tell the contrast was deliberate to make me stand out. I’m not sure if that’s standard when having these kinds of parties for their brides, but I’m sure the intention was to make me feel special.
But instead, it makes me feel like I’m about to be a sacrificial offering.
In the end, Jaya, Lois, and Vel manage to wrestle me out of Kiahn’s grasp. Only after I’d assured him that I’d be fine without him, though. As soon as I leave his side, Kiahn is quickly swallowed up by well-wishers for his contract, and other males wanting to get in his ear about their own interests. I crane my neck trying to take in the opulence of the event as Vel ushers Lois, Jaya and I over to a particular group of Xavianns. I recognize some of them from the little welcome party of ‘Earthophiles’ that had greeted us when we’d arrived on this planet, and I’m soon knee-deep into a conversation where us human girls are explaining that yes, Earth women really are convinced to spend most of their money and energy on patriarchal beauty standards, and yes, it’s a form of control.
“But, I don’t understand,” one male Xaviann says, rubbing at his horn, “I have been a fan of your species for a long time, and have seen images of many of the color forms, body shapes and facial features of your females. You are all aesthetically pleasing, why would-”
“To control them, Keveen,” Vel interrupts, rolling her eyes. “It’s a trap.Keep up.”
While the discussion continues around me, I find my eyes drifting back across the ballroom toward Kiahn. He cuts such an impressive figure in here. Even in amongst all these Xavianns who are all much taller than us humans, his stature and the way he holds himself sets him apart. And the thing that thrills me the most, is that when I look over at him from across the room, he’s already staring right back at me. It’s like he hadn’t taken his eyes off me this whole time - even while important-looking Xaviann males are chatting away to him, trying to gain his favor.
“Niska, dear,” a voice breaks its way through the stupor I find myself in over the intense eye-fucking Kiahn is giving me from several feet away. Blinking, I see that Lady Zalora has joined the small group. “This is Gibbi,” she says, indicating to the beautifulXaviann female standing beside her. She is tall and lean, and her shining black horns are topped by bands of gold that match the earrings that run along her elfin ears. The dress she wears is simple, yet stylish in a deep teal color that sets off the blue of her eyes.
Gibbi’s smile is wide as she offers her hand. “Hello, Niska. It is wonderful to meet you.” For a second or two I seem to have forgotten what a handshake is until Gibbi’s eyes dip down to her own offered hand. “Am I doing it wrong? I wanted to learn how to properly greet a human. I was told this the correct way?”
Stumbling over myself with embarrassment, I grab her hand and shake it - perhaps too thoroughly. “Yes! Sorry, I wasn’t really-”
“Gibbi would like to ask a few questions about what Prince Kiahn likes,” Lady Zalora says, completely derailing my already jumbled mind.
“What?”
Zalora smiles but pointedly drops her gaze to where I’m still gripping Gibbi’s elegant hand. I promptly let go and glance between the two Xaviann females. “Gibbi’s family are very well connected within the capital, particularly in the sphere of artificial womb technology. If she and Kiahn can agree on a contract, then perhaps our principality’s lab can get some much-needed updates.”
I try not to gape at her, and then at Gibbi.
“I’ve always admired Prince Kiahn,” Gibbi leans down to tell me conversationally. “He has a good head on his shoulders, and I think he would be a gentle mate when it comes to the bench… is that true?”
Ok, well, now I actually am gaping. I open my mouth as if I’m about to answer her, but images of how feral and forceful Kiahn’s thrusts get with me when we’re both about to finish together.
“I would very much like the opportunity to be his next contract now that he’s finally started breeding,” Gibbi continues, her tone completely conversational and oblivious to how uncomfortable I am right now. “We can’t thank you enough for that, by the way. I used to think he’d never take a bride.” She glances over at Kiahn, but I can’t bring myself to look at him. When she looks back at me, it’s with a wide, beautiful smile. “I’ve always wanted to settle in this Principality,” she tells me, grinning wistfully. “The art and culture of the region is a real draw.” Then, she leans down and murmurs, “not to mention the eateries. The dishes here are to die for compared to some of the other Principalities, let me tell you.”
Gibbi has a certain twinkle in her eye as if we’re talking to each other like we’re old girlfriends gossiping over the best places to go on dates or get our hair done. But we’re not. She’s talking about being next in line to take my man.
My stomach lurches, and it must show on my face, because Gibbi shows me an expression of concern and she asks if I’m well.
“I’m fine,” I say, nodding and smiling because I’m absolutelynotfine.
From the corner of my eye I see a large Xaviann male approach our little group, and for a split second, I think it might behim- and I’m not sure if I want that right now.
It’s not Kiahn, however. It’s his brother, Az. I should have known he wouldn’t be able to keep away from Lois for long. He comes bearing two cut-crystal glasses filled with a deep purple liquid.
