Chapter 13
Ontarii stared down the barrel of the laser pistol and barely kept a leash on his anger. How dare the human female pull a weapon on him? Now? After they’d kissed so passionately he thought they might have become one sometime later in the night.
“I’m not Hareema,” he said, unable to hide his disappointment and rage.
She stared at him, her beautiful eyes filled with distrust. “Prove it.”
The major wished he knew how to do so. He considered her words. She was right; they had been separated. It had only been for a few moments, but if he knew his enemy at all, he knew that was more than enough time for a Hareema agent to get the drop on its prey.
And if he'd been out of her sight, then she'd been out of his.
"I could ask you the same," he said. "Prove that you're human."
The female rolled her eyes. "If I were the Hareema, why would I bother confronting you? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait for an opportunity to ambush you and take you by surprise?"
Ontarii nodded. "Of course. But who knows what ulterior motives an infiltrator could have. Maybe you need to get information out of me. Maybe you hope to memorize my mannerisms so that you can convincingly take my place on the flagship."
His eyes burned into her. "Or maybe you just want to fuck with me."
The captain's face tightened at the thought of fucking with her. That’s exactly what he wanted to do before she’d put her weapon in his face.
"I passed your human test once already."
"Then you could pass it again."
His bioelectricity. This was the means to prove his condition. "The Hareema cannot imitate a Zantharian's bioelectric ability. Our scientists postulate that we've evolved in order to combat our ancient enemy. Let me test you, and prove myself at the same time."
Ontarii extended a hand in her direction, powering up his energy reserves. Captain Brooklyn skittered backwards, her weapon raised high and her finger growing taut on the trigger mechanism.
"Don't even think about it," she said, her pitch rising to indicate panic.
"Captain, listen to reason," he said, lowering his voice and trying to project a logical calm. "Look at my body."
She laughed, a noiseless thing closer to a hiccup and holding no mirth. "Oh, believe me, I have been. As I said before, this isn't the time or the place for that."
Confused, he shook his head. "I merely meant for you to look at the bioelectric charge held in my skin. I don't know what you're talking about."
"Is that part of your sick plan?" she asked, her eyes wild. "Distract me with your masculine wiles as you dismantle my crew and try to take over my ship?"
She was accusing him of seduction under false pretenses, of not feeling a genuine attraction to her.That's ridiculous.
"You’re being irrational." He was quickly losing his ability to keep his composure.
"Don't mock me. Two hours ago, we didn't even know your race existed."
Her breathing was rapid, her chest jerking up and down. Ontarii's anger met with a sudden concern for her. His yellow skin mottled, patches of blue and red appearing here and there. The thought crossed his mind that he'd never felt so emotionally confused.
"Maybe you were never a Zantharian to begin with. Just think about it: I've been going on your word all this time, and it’s cost me my entire crew."
She was right. She had no context by which to judge his actions, since he was literally the first non-terrestrial life form she'd ever encountered. Still, the fact that she distrusted him completely grated on his nerves.
"Calm down." His anger rose with painful efficiency. He took the tone of command, falling back into it as naturally as combing his tendrils back in the morning. "I realize that you're upset, but it's time to pull yourself together. I'm on your side. I'm not the enemy."
"And I say again: Prove it." He could tell she didn't appreciate his tone. Captain Brooklyn wasn't one to back down from an adversary. If anything, it only served to make her burn hotter.
It was a trait he would have admired, if it wasn't currently directed at him.
