As if she’d ever hook up with a guy sporting extra body parts. She knew some of the orphans were okay with it, but she found herself averse with no clear reason why.
Perhaps she should try and look past her prejudice to see the man and not the tail. Would the appendage between his legs be as expected or shocking? He claimed it was big. How big? He’d probably show her if she asked.
She shook her head to dispel the thought.
“Are you done sulking?” Ishtara’s voice broke through her mental pacing.
“No, as a matter of fact, I’m not. How could you?” she said, whirling to face Ishtara.
“Not tell you possibility the planet was inhabited by non-humans?” Ishtara shrugged. “You would have said no.”
That actually wasn’t what she’d been about to ask. “Is that why you took his side instead of mine?”
“I do not understand your irritation. Our quest was to find compatible companions for you and the other orphans.”
“Human ones!”
“Which, as you’ve discovered, is harder than you thought.”
“They exist,” she said, her lower lip jutting.
“Yes, and he is the one with their location. Meaning you need to stop whining about the deal you’ve struck and make the most of it.”
“I am not whining. I don’t like being forced.”
“Then we leave. I will prep the ship.” Ishtara moved from the doorway.
It took her a moment to yell, “Don’t.”
Her friend hadn’t gone far. Ish peered around the jamb. “Yessss?”
The petulance shone in Clarabelle’s reply as she said, “I’ll give him his eight bloody days.”
“Was that so difficult?” Ishtara asked.
“It’s—" The ship jolted. Clarabelle’s eyes widened. “What’s happening?”
“The Spa’Rtk’un don’t allow surface vehicles to sit for long. They’re parking us in one of their underground hangars.”
Trapping them.
Since Ishtara didn’t seem worried, Clarabelle feigned nonchalance as well.
“Do you know where we’ll be staying?” she asked.
“I’ll be remaining aboard the ship, monitoring the repairs Thyos has offered to have made.”
“You make it sound as if I won’t be.”
“Your bargain is to spend your time with him.”
“Alone?”
Clarabelle probably deserved the snorted, “Is that fear I smell?”
She threw back her shoulders. “If he thinks I’m going to spread my legs for him…” She had a knife that would solve that problem.
She packed a rucksack of clothes, a few weapons, and a scanner to check all food and drink for narcotics. Last thing she needed was to be roofied and wake up with morning-after regret. As for booze, she’d steer clear of it.
The ship jolted a few more times before it stilled. When it appeared to be done moving, she took a deep breath and made her way to the exit chamber. There was hissing as air pressurized and then clanking as the door unsealed, opening to reveal the inside of a building. The ramp slid down, and as she exited the ship, she found herself in a more modern space than expected.
When Ishtara said underground, she’d assumed it would be a cave with rock and dirt walls. Instead, much like the Zonians’ advanced caverns, it looked as if she were in some kind of concrete bunker with crisp lines and smooth floors, all of it a pale, clean gray. The vast space acted as a hangar for ships. There were two aside from their vessel, each several times their size. But no little orange guys fixing them.
How advanced were Thyos and his people? Unlike the primitive forest outside, this space appeared quite up to date and high tech.
There appeared to be no one around, and she craned with curiosity, counting doorways and noticing a lack of windows. Would she be given a cell without a view for her stay? Would he insist they share a room? A bed…
Her fingers fisted around the hilt of a dagger.
“Ready to kill me already?” His voice startled her.
The knife went flying hilt over tip. He casually leaned to the side, and it sailed harmlessly past.
He arched a brow. “Nervous?”
Yes, damn him. “Just checking your reflexes.”
“Is this my warning that you plan to test me? Very well but expect to be tested in return.”
Meaning what? Would he throw knives at her, too?
She took note of his attire, having paid it little heed before given her distraction with his tail. He wore a billowy shirt, open at the neck and tucked into a kilt that ended just past his knees. On his feet were sandals, not boots, the laces of them winding around his calves. His limbs, excluding the tail, appeared human if you ignored the fact they were a shiny bronze. Other than the tail, eyes, and skin color, was there anything else weird about him? She should have done a quick computer search to find out, especially since she knew his race.
Spa’Rtk’un. For some reason the word reminded her of Spartans back home. Dumb given they looked nothing alike, and yet the comparison stuck as they exited an elevator—where he appeared amused at her decision to remain silent—and emerged into a city of stone.
The people had her blinking in surprise. There were bronzed folks, gold and copper, too, their bared skin gleaming and visible given many chose to wear solid-looking breastplates, metal armguards, and short leather kilts. Men and women alike held shields and a variety of swords and appeared to be practicing battle moves. “You let girls fight?”
“There is no letting,” he retorted as he led her deeper into a village that might appear primitive, and yet that was only a façade. She’d seen the technology they wielded. “Unlike other races, the Spa’Rtk’un, and indeed all the tribes descended from our goddess Karma, know men and women are equal on the field of battle.”
“You’re going to claim equality of the sexes when you’re Mr. Macho with me?” she queried.
“I don’t understand.”
She pursed her lips to think of a way to explain it. “You’re very aggressive in your pursuit of me.”
“Some would call it ardent.”
“You’re trying to tell me what to do.”
“But not forcing you to do anything.”
He had an answer for everything, but it was the feel of his hand on her arm, his warm, slightly calloused fingers on her skin, that flustered. She needed distraction. “Why all the weapons? Are you at war?”
“Just protecting ourselves.”
“Speaking of protecting…” She glanced overhead at the sky that was so blue it almost white in places. “How come we never saw this city when we scanned the planet?”
“Because we know how to cloak our presence. No need for our enemies to so easily discern our location.”
“Do you have a lot of enemies?”
“Not anymore.” He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat.
She glanced away. “Where are we going?”
“To tackle the most arduous task first.”
“Gonna have to be more specific, big guy. You’ve suggested plenty of things that I’m not looking forward to and plan to avoid.”
He cast her an amused glance. “I can assure you anything you’ve thought of will be more pleasant than what comes next.”