If she’d been born on Chronos she would’ve been thrown into the wildlands as an infant, so that nature could reclaim its mistake. But I enjoy the colorless glow of her soft skin. And the juxtaposition of that royal pigment hair and the lack of pigment on her skin is attractive.
She walks in the opposite direction, towards the buffet.
I try to follow, but before I can reach her a Xylan male approaches and stops to speak with her. Yet another growl rumbles in my chest. What is this? Why do I churn with agitation? Why do I care who she speaks with? The male tries to guess her identity. His shoulders droop at her negative response.
She turns from him and continues on her way.
A few of my brothers are mated and all of them have chosen humans as Brides. I’m now highly familiar with this odd species and I’ve learned I enjoy humans. In fact, we are teased often by the other mining crews and staff as “human-lovers.” And it’s probably true, especially since I’m right now staring at this unknown human for far too long. I can’t even make out her exact features, but this doesn’t matter. All I want is to get closer and introduce myself.
Cannibal returns with plates of food.
“Who is that human female?” I question.
He glances across the room and examines her with disinterest. “I don’t know,” he shrugs. “I’ve never seen her before. And the mask doesn’t help matters. That’s odd, I thought I knew all the humans on Tarvos.”
I snort in agreement.
Cannibal deposits a plate for me at a nearby table and is gone.
Maxon reappears at my side. “Maybe she just arrived on Timbur?” he offers. “I can question her for you.”
I growl and bare my fangs in response.
My brother glances at me with surprise. “What the hells is wrong with you?”
“I don’t want you looking at her either,” I snarl.
“Why?”
I glance down at his green gloves.
“Uh oh. Is this going to result in another human joining our family?” he sighs. “We really are human-lovers, aren’t we? I’ll go warn Trunk and Scar to stay away.” And then he’s gone.
Before I can stride across the room and finally speak to this human a group of costumed females approach to block my path.
Now I’m getting angry. Why am I constantly thwarted in my attempt to simply speak to the human? Why is this so difficult?
“Are you Bayzon?” one of them boldly questions, without preamble. She pokes a finger at my chest. “I know you are. Now that I’ve discovered your name, you need to take off your mask.”
I look down and meet her gaze. “I’m not playing this game,” I growl. And I leave the damn mask on and try to step around and continue on my way. I have no desire to talk with them. These are a group of Xylan females who seem the most disgruntled over “the fever brothers’ obsession with humans.”
They surround me in a semi-circle, still blocking my path. “Cheater.”
One of them places a hand on her hip. “We know you can scent us as incompatible and that’s why you never test.”
“But it’s not fair,” another cries. “How do the fever brothers know for certain that they are right about compatibility?”
“And why do all of you end up with human mates?”
“You always cheat on everything in life, don’t you?” another female snarls.
A deep sigh escapes my lips. I find myself wishing that Iwasmated, just so this would end. No more scenting of unmated females or wearing special gloves. Having to decline testings. Normally, etiquette requires Xylan to agree to testings set up between houses and lines. But my parents are both dead and I have the rare ability to scent my mate prior to clasping, so I consider these rules null and void. This doesn’t mean that others won’t find this offensive.
But I have had enough. This ends now.
“Females,” I growl. “I have the utmost respect for all of you, but if you do not step aside and go your own way and stop this harassment, I will immediately report all of you to the peacekeepers and the mating commission for your constant campaign of abuse. I am not joking.”
Their eyes widen because I’ve never spoken this way to any of them before. And maybe Trunk is right, thisiswhy it continues. This is something I needed to do long ago.
