“Humans like to shake hands,” he says. “But I hate wearing gloves.”
“It is a strange custom, problematic for my species as well, with our electric discharge. I despise Valence missions because I am stuck in a damned insulated body condom the whole time.”
Sa’Tai takes off his glove and shows me his palm that crawls like spiny black worms. “We have barbed threads that grip things as we crawl around our planet. I cannot let go easily. And humans often find the touch painful. But I want to touch a female, so I must wear these. I hate that I cannot feel the world.”
I show him the disc on my back. “So I don’t nova. It makes me feel cold inside. I miss my Storm’s strength. It is still inside but sleeping.”
Sa’Tai grimaces, exposing many long, slender teeth in light gray. He cants toward me and lowers his voice. “My kind do not know I am here. I have saved so I can take my female to Anurra, the free, civilized world just beyond the Sol galaxy. I will give her a good life.”
He looks out at the lunar shield and the flecks of the green arena that become visible as we approach. “If anyone will take me, that is. I am not often chosen on my planet to do public things. My kind views my sturdier frame as unattractive.”
“Such is the case for mostHellions, correct?”
He cocks his head. “You know of us?”
“In a manner. Well, that’s not as bad as beingdisownedby your people,” I mutter. “They do not want me to mate outside our species or show my Storm. But my Storm wants a human, and I cannot contain it forever.”
Sa’Tai loosens up. “My Seeker wants a human too. Why is that?”
I shrug. “My ship would tell me it is to diversify the gene pool. There is something humans have that our Storms see as beneficial to our species’ future.”
“Your ship?”
“She has a Storm. Sort of like AI but alive.”
“Your ship is alive, too?” Sa’Tai blinks at me. “Ours are alive, but they do not speak. They just want care and communicate it with hums of different pitches. They are like huge angry space beetles.”
Someone shouts at the other end as a door slides open.
“You ready?” I ask him. He grumbles like he isn’t, and I find my sense of humor again. “Come on.” I lightly pat his shoulder. “One look into those eyes will lay her out flat.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I waggle my eyebrows. “I have a little experience. Ladies love glowing eyes. It’s inhuman without being creepy. Besides, they like to know they’re wanted. Let the monster out. You can’t hurt her with this many drones and all the security watching.”
Elix’s advice comes to mind. “Act like the mate you want to be.”
He sighs. “Thanks.”
I smile, but it’s all just a ruse to cover my own insecurity. That’s always how it’s been. If I can make a joke or deflect the conversation, I won’t get asked the tough questions I don’t have answers to. And no one will have to see me get emotional.
“I guess we’re all kind of dangerous to them in one way or another.” Sa’Tai wades into the cluster of others jumping from the transport. “Aren’t you coming?”
My heart beats faster the closer we get to the race arena. The energy inside me is a furious crackling chaos, zapping erratically at my skin husk as it begs to be freed. “In a second. My Storm is getting too excited.”
Sa’Tai nods as he gets funneled toward the open door. “You’re not the only one!”
Males scramble over each other, eager to exit. A Klaphos and a Jorbiun get in a shoving match, trying to be the first out. Guards try to calm them and get knocked around.
“Alright, enough! Both of you, just go!” I shove them out together and chuckle as they scramble for balance as they fall.
“You could’ve just killed them!” a human guard snaps.
“Those two?” I gesture. “Fuck no. Have you never been in a spaceport bar fight? Or fought alongside them against the Nebulous Empire?”
He glares at me.
I grab a beam in the doorway and look down. “See?”
