Ugh, Kira, get a grip, I scold myself internally.
This is Drasuk. A giant reptilian killing machine, or so he says, who nearly choked to death on his own arrogance not two hours ago.
I've yet to see him do anything but play cat and mouse with me or hug that giant caterpillar thing while it tried to fucking kill him.
I let out a snort of amusement. Now that some time has passed, it's pretty damn comical when I picture it and the look of horror on his face. I have to hold in the laugh that wants to explode out of me to avoid looking deranged.
Well, more deranged.
My reaction to him? Not nearly as funny.
Needing a distraction, anything to break the awkward tension and quell the unwelcome arousal simmering beneath the surface, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. As usual.
"So, uh, how good is your sense of smell?"
Drasuk's head snaps toward me, his forehead spines quivering in confusion before moving back to their normal position.
"My sense of smell?" he repeats, his voice laced with amusement.
"Yeah," I mumble, feeling the stupid heat creeping up my neck again. "Like, can you smell things from really far away?"
He stares at me for a long, uncomfortable beat of silence. My cheeks are burning under his scrutiny.
Is there something on my face?
Does a giant space lizard have telepathic abilities that I'm not aware of?
"Is there something wrong with your inquiry, human?" he finally asks, his voice devoid of its earlier amusement.
"What? No," I sputter defensively. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He twitches the spines along his back, which I've come to realize is his equivalent of a shrug. "It's an unusual question, wouldn't you say? Not a typical topic of conversation amongst humans, is it?"
My cheeks are flaming even hotter. "I was just trying to make conversation, okay?" I snap, my voice laced with irritation.
Drasuk blinks, his eyes studying me for a moment.
"Conversation, you say?" he rumbles, his voice tinged with something that sends a shiver down my spine. "An interestingchoice of words, considering the implications such a statement could have on my home planet."
My breath hitches.
Implications? What implications? My mind is conjuring up a series of horrifying images, each one more outlandish than the last.
"I-I didn't mean anything by it," I stammer, backtracking as fast as possible.
"As far as I can tell, most of your words don't have meaning."
A growl escapes my throat before I can stop it. I'm spinning on my heel and storming off through the undergrowth, the sound of rustling leaves masking the frustrated tears welling up in my eyes.
The nerve of him.
Here I am, stuck in the middle of nowhere with a giant, condescending reptile, and all he can do is mock me?
I would make far better time and would be far stealthier without him. His intermittent bellows and crashing steps probably let everything in the region know about us.
It's a miracle we haven't been attacked again.
And if we are, what's he going to do? Hug them to death?
