My mind wanders back to ABR. Lately, I’ve been regretting my entrance. I don’t know how our people will accept a human. I just admire their females more than those of my own kind for their resilience, courage, and the curves of their hips. Even thin girls have more than most Amphiran females.
My heart pounds harder in my chest at the thought of finally being so close to them. I run a hand over my chest, trying to calm the muscle inside. But it’s of no use.
I am a wreck with need.
Aura, you need rel…
Don’t listen to my wandering thoughts, Allele. That’s a bad place to go.
I hear everything. You produce beta waves when you think about picking a mate. Why?
Because I am dangerous even to my own people.And I’m burning up with hunger for this one thing I fear my father, or the council of elders, will find a way to destroy. My Storm is growing and becoming more difficult to control. He hovers like he doesn’t trust me. And I’m certain he’s scheming a way to figure out what I’m up to and stop it.
I turn a hand over and coalesce an aural globe of electricity in my palm.
If I may, Aura.Allele is always calm. Even when we are in battle, her voice is a smooth river of information. She has taught me many things about our predecessors, war, and, mostly, the true nature of our Storms.There is always risk. Even with essential elements like water, too much can kill. Do not blame yourself for your Storm.
“Cool party trick.” Blaize teases. “Practicing for the chicks?”
“You have been watching too many human holovids,” I remark. But I’m glad he thinks they’ll find it interesting. “ABRdoesn’t allow displays unless we bring the females onto our ships.”
He gives me a funny look, like he’s perplexed by my change in attitude. I’m secretly terrified I’ve doomed some human female to an awful death.
What if I kill her when we mate? I don’t know how my Storm could possibly be safe for a human. I think I’ve made a mistake.
Why did you sign up?Allele asks.
Because I want a human mate like my friend Elix found in his heat last month.My Storm wants a human. It gets excited when I see them on screens or in person.
Then trust it,she replies.
I try to, but I wasn’t raised believing my Storm was always right. I’ve had to rely on the help of Vybron, Allele, and my regular Rogue crew, Blaize and Fieri, to learn to wield it.
I fear a Nova if I do not find a mate soon. I need a direction to focus my energy.
My insides are wrapped up tightly in the growing electric heat until I feel nearly sick. But I tuck it away, hide it beneath the purpose of protecting the fleet of our brethren as we patrol the outskirts of the 327 vessel colony.
My father would never get his hands sodirty.
I’m glad I’m not like him or the other kings of their vessels.
Blaize works over the screens of Allele’s navigation and sensors the old-fashioned way while his Storm sends only faint wisps of green light over the screens.
I envy his control. Mine has a tendency to lash out in violet arcs. My people are safest when I am not with them. When the chaos inside breaks through my control, I am glad Blaize and Allele have my back. Fieri would, too, if he was on this patrol with us.
“Is everything on this ship archaic?” Eluni crosses her arms and leans against the swooping archway of the cockpit door. “Your ship looks like some sort of primordial fossil.”
Blaize shakes his head. “Whyher, Aura? How can Allele think she’s compatible when she’s…”
Allele doesn’t say anything. I’ve asked her before how she chooses the soldiers she permits, but she never explains beyond what she already has. “She’s just the munitions tech we got assigned since Fieri got pulled for the precious metals transport. We only have to listen to her for three more days,” I offer. “Then you’re onvacationwith me and Fieri.”
“I can’t believe you’re lying to the king,” Blaize mutters under his breath.
I grunt in irritation. “That controlling, elitist Ionhead can kiss my purple ass.”
“Hate him that much?” Blaize grimaces like he regrets asking. He knows I do.
“He’s circumventing the laws regarding the health and safety of our people to maintain a manufactured hierarchy like all the other motherships’ rulers. When we were on Amphir, we didn’t have kings. We had an elected speaker for the elected representatives. After the initial battles with the Nebulous Empire, we adopted a commanding figure for each vessel. The military came to govern us toensure survival,but a few refused to let go of their positions. We need to team up and work together so we don’t become like the Nebs.”
