“It loses its effectiveness over time.”
“So eventually, you have to.”
He nodded.
“How long do you have?”
It occurred to him where her thoughts were going. “I will not force you to do anything against your will, Jana. If you are uncomfortable, I will wait. I only wish for you to instigate your preferences.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” There seemed to be visible tension in her that seemed to fade with his words.
He was beginning to wonder what kind of men were in her world that she had to ask those kinds of questions.
10
Like the fancy couch in the other apartment, this bed cupped Jana and cradled her into the mattress like it had been molded for her.
Quick to respond, the bed was super comfortable. Phares had shown her some settings on the wall panel that would allow her to warm or cool the bed as she liked. A nice feature, considering that space living seemed to be cooler than she would have expected it. It felt like a fall day all the time, just that cool, crisp air.
Without the pollen or the wind to stir up allergies.
As tired as she was, sleep didn’t want to come.
She’d laid down and tumbled into a fitful rest immediately, but it only lasted a short while before she woke back up.
That was when she knew.
This wasn’t a coma or a fever dream. Because who sleeps in their own dreams?
She really was here. In this world. On this spaceship and promised to this purple-skinned alien with bones sticking out of his shoulder and an asshole father.
The Intergalactic Dating Agency lady, Re-lee had said she could go home if she didn’t like the match or something.
In the dark, she stared at the ceiling, observing the lines and marks. It wasn’t complete darkness, but there was a very low ambient light around the floor. She’d not noticed it when she arrived, but it seemed to be on now.
It was enough that when she turned to look at Phares—who had his back to her—she could make out details on his skin.
It was purple, of course, but there were so many variations in colors that blended to make the purple. Like scales of a sort. The pattern had bigger pieces on his back, but as it traveled up to his head, the pattern got smaller.
Before she thought about it, she reached up and ran her hand along the pattern, stroking the skin on his shoulder as it traveled up to the bones that emerged from his shoulder.
“Wings,” she whispered.
“You are correct,” Phares said.
She gasped. She didn’t think he was awake. “Sorry to wake you.”
“It seems neither of us are feeling very much like resting.”
“I suppose not. You had wings?”
He shifted, so he was on his back now, and she could see his face.
“We did. Many generations back. As I understand it, planet life they were very necessary for our survival. As we continued to expand outside of our planet, the need for them became less and less, and eventually, all we have left are these bones.”
“Your father—parental—had them in both shoulders.”
“My shoulder was clipped in an accident. The bones were removed when I was very young.”
