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With a sigh, Peter shifted his eyes away from the woman and continued gazing at the horizon while sipping on his Old Fashioned.
"Is this seat taken?" the blue-haired server asked, standing with her mojito next to his table.
There was an abundance of empty chairs scattered across the outdoor bar, so it was clear that her interest was in him and not the other vacant chair next to his table.
"Not at all, please, have a seat." He waved a hand at the chair. "I'm Peter."
She flashed him a friendly smile. "I'm Marina." She put her drink down on the table and offered him her hand.
Leaning over, he took her slender fingers in the tips of his and resisted the urge to lift her hand to his lips. Instead, he gave it a gentle shake and let go.
"It's such a beautiful day, don't you think?" Marina gracefully settled into the chair across from him.
"It is. That's why I'm sitting up here and enjoying the view." He deliberately shifted his gaze to the ocean so she wouldn't think it was a come-on line.
"That's what I thought as well." She affected a sigh. "And I also thought that it was a shame to drink alone on such a lovely day."
Was she flirting with him?
She sounded a little nervous, so maybe she was, and if so, she was doing it in surprisingly good English. Most of the humans from the former Kra-ell compound spoke Russian and Finnish, and very few spoke English at all, let alone so well.
"You're absolutely right." He smiled to put her at ease. "Your English is excellent, by the way."
"Thank you." She grinned. "I've been studying for several hours every day." She crossed her legs. "My shifts at Safe Haven left plenty of free time, so that's what I dedicated most of it to. When the offer to work on the ship came, I saw it as a great opportunity to practice my new skills." She leaned a little closer, her perfume tickling his nostrils. "The community members in Safe Haven are a little standoffish. We basically keep to ourselves, and they keep to themselves. Still, I'm very grateful to them for inviting us to join them. It's a very nice place to live." She chuckled. "The problem is that we don't get to meet new people, so it gets a little boring."
Peter was pretty sure that she was flirting with him, but he wasn't going to assume anything. If Marina was interested, she would have to do more than hint.
He leaned in a bit just to indicate that he wasn't averse to the idea. "Your people keep to themselves here as well. You are the first human I've seen on this deck."
She shrugged. "It's mostly a language barrier thing. They are all taking classes, but the older ones don't learn as quickly."
"That's a relief." He leaned back. "I was concerned that your people were afraid of us."
"Some are," she admitted. "But I think it's stupid. Your people liberated us. You gave us choices, and you are kind and polite to us. You are nothing like the Kra-ell. It's like night and day."
He was relieved.
"I'm glad that you feel that way. Are you enjoying the cruise so far?"
Marina's expression shifted slightly, and she let out a small sigh. "Honestly, it's mostly work, and as you know, we've been on this ship before, so it's not a novelty either, but the pay is good so I can't complain." She shrugged, her blue hair shimmering in the waning sunlight. "The weather is also much nicer this time around. Sailing through the Arctic wasn't much fun."
"Can I ask you something?"
She smiled. "Of course."
"Why the blue hair?"
4
MARINA
Marina leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on Peter. "It's my banner of freedom, my autonomy, my right to do with my body as I please and to paint my life any color I choose."
She'd been observing Peter since the voyage began, not only because he was handsome in a way that stirred something inside of her, but also because he looked lonely and sad. Even when sitting among friends and sharing laughs with them, his eyes had remained clouded and his expression defeated.
He was ripe for the taking, the perfect candidate to help her escape the drudgery of Safe Haven and her mind-numbingly boring job as a maid.
She had spent a lot of time observing the immortals in order to choose the right one, and approaching Peter had been a daring and calculated move.
