My khui wants me to make babies with this guy.Thisguy, who thrives on rudeness.
"Ugh." I turn and walk away as fast as I can.
"Wait," he blurts out, and I can hear him jumping to his feet behind me. "Female, stop."
It figures he doesn't know my name. I didn't know his, right? I shouldn't be surprised. "You need to get your scorpions together," I tell him, and decide I'm going to just ignore this world-shattering event that has just happened. "I'll let Devi know there's a delay."
Dawn watches me with curiosity as I race past, power-walking through the busy encampment. I hustle my way over to the makeshift tables set off a short distance away from the main fire. I feel a few people staring with hot eyes, but I ignore them and search for Devi. Luckily, she's close to where I left her, and I all but fling myself to her side. "Hi!" I bark out. "About those scorpions?—"
"Wait up," Valmir calls out, his voice a low, sexy growl that has no right coming from someone as shitty as him.No.Right.
Devi looks over her shoulder at him and makes a startled noise in her throat. I turn and look, too, because how can I not?Valmir is holding the bucket of scorpions, but several have climbed out and are making their way over his arm. One is clinging to his bicep fur and he swats another away. It lands near Bianca's feet, and she lets out a little scream of surprise and jumps up.
He doesn't notice. He's just staring at me with blue, blue eyes and my body wants me to fling myself against him and start gyrating. Touch him all over. Strip him naked and put my hands on all the tasty bits?—
"No!" I yell out, pointing a finger at him. "Absolutely not! This is all your fault and we are not doing this."
"Female," he growls, taking another step toward me.
"I have a name, you twit!" I set down the basket of spices next to Devi's food station and give her a panicked look. She's eyeing my chest, and I suspect she can hear me resonating to the jerk. "I have to go."
I turn and race in the opposite direction, heading for the hut I share with Dawn. I just need a breather, I tell myself, determined not to panic. My thoughts are racing and scattered and I need a few deep breaths and?—
A hand grabs my arm.
I look down and recognize the downy fur that's covering the hand —big, big, strong, yummy, 'ono hand— as Valmir's. He's not giving up, is he? In my panic, I refuse to look at him. Instead, I search for something I can use as a distraction. Hannah walks past, her gaze on us, and she's got a bowl of freshly melted water. It's still slightly slushy with ice, but it's perfect for what I need.
I grab it from her arms and toss it in Valmir's face.
"Don't touch me without permission," I hiss at him. "Resonance does not give you a free pass!"
I storm all the way back to my hut, more rattled than angry.
Once I'm safely inside my home, I cross my arms over mychest, stunned. I'm still resonating, the purring in my chest continuing even though Valmir is no longer in sight. I flatten my hands over my heart and clamp my mouth shut, trying to muffle the sound, as if that will somehow make it go away. Panic flutters in me as strong as the khui's song. I've heard that others weren't thrilled about who they resonated with, but that people always come around. Didn't Dawn and I talk about how sorry we felt for poor Vivi after she got stuck with Skarr?
What am I going todo?
A khui and this new planet feels more like a death sentence than a new beginning. I'm supposed to fuck that guy? I'm supposed to make babies with him?
The worst part of it is that my brain is "hell no" and my body is "hell yes." Heat is practically radiating between my thighs, and if I press my legs together, I can feel just how wet I am. I'm revolted that my biology has decided Valmir is the perfect fit for me.
I pace the floor, back and forth, unable to relax. What does this mean for my future here? It feels like everything I thought I knew just got flung off the side of a cliff.
Dawn shows up a few minutes later, peeking into the hut. She steps inside quietly and watches as I frantically continue pacing. I'm not surprised she's here. If our positions were reversed, I'd be checking in, too. We've been each other's emotional support, navigating the new reality of living on this planet and our fractured memories, and so I'm not upset at her presence.
"You wanna talk about it?" she asks, voice quiet.
"Will talking make it go away?" I laugh, and the sound is shrill and panicked.
"I'm not going to tell you that it's going to be okay," Dawn continues, her tone soothing. "If you want to scream, Iunderstand. I know it's unfair. I'm your friend and I'm here to support you in any way possible."
Any way possible? "What if we kill him and hide the body?"
Dawn snorts, amused by my joke. "Something tells me we wouldn't be able to get away with it, given that half the tribe is casually strolling past our hut right now, trying to eavesdrop."
Of course they are. Without television for entertainment, gossip is at a premium. "I'm just saying," I yell louder, so anyone can overhear. "No one would judge me if he ended up in a hole! You've all met him!"
Outside, someone giggles and there's a crunch of gravel as they run away.
