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He grunts and palms my credit, not offering any change. I guess I bought an expensive one. Ah well. Maybe the scent will remind me of her. I lift it to my nose, sniffing…and choke on the cloying herbal scent of it. Okay, maybe it won't remind me of her. That is definitely not a human-influenced scent.
I step out of the store with my purchase, and immediately, a shadow steps in front of me. "Fancy running into you again, human."
The voice is menacing, with a hint of a rumble in it that sounds like a purr. Terrified, I stare up into the face of the praxiian that hit my sled.
Chapter Two
The alien grins down at me, all terrifying fangs. "Aren't you just the sweetest little bite of meat."
I shrink back when he reaches out to touch a loose lock of my hair with a clawed hand. Terror flares through me, and I'm reminded of terrible days in the past, when I was first kidnapped from Earth and sold into slavery. There were so many reaching hands back then, and I thought I'd forgotten all of them. But when he reaches for me, the memories come flooding back and I break into a cold sweat, a choked sound of fear escaping me.
He gives me a scrutinizing look, rubbing my hair, and I feel like a pinned bug.
"Hey," calls a familiar voice. A moment later, a warm arm loops around my shoulders. "Get your own piece, praxiian. This human's mine."
It's the mesakkah woman from the store. My crush.
"Funny," the praxiian says, not backing down. "She doesn't smell like you."
"It's called showering, you keffing idiot. Look into it." And she leans in and gives my cold cheek a nuzzle. "Is this fool bothering you, Ali?"
Ali. She knows my name. It's like everything inside me slides into place. I feel calmer with her arm around me, her warmth and her scent enveloping me. I love the press of her nose against my skin, and even her breath is pleasant.
I burrow into her embrace, letting my body language speak for itself.
"Thought so," the woman says confidently. "Maybe you leave my sweet human alone and go find someone else to harass, Pendar."
He bares his teeth in a horrifying show, his tail swishing back and forth as he points at me. "She's a keffing shit driver, Haina."
"You would be, too, if you were having to learn how to drive another civilization's sleds. Give her a break." She presses another kiss to my temple, her arm tightening around my shoulders. "Come on, Ali. It's my turn to buy lunch. I'm sure when we come back out our friend Pendar will be gone. Right, Pendar? I'd hate for Ali to have to file another report with the custodians. You know they hate it when vendors mess with the locals."
"You're a vendor, too, Haina. I could just as easily complain about your interfering."
"Nice try," she says, and kisses my cheek again. "Ready, love?"
Somehow, I manage to nod. I take the hand draped over my shoulder and hold it as we walk toward the only cantina in Port, acting as if this is normal.
"Don't say anything just yet," Haina murmurs in my ear, and then nuzzles it again. "Praxiians have good hearing and we want to make sure he buys what we're selling."
If he buys it? Heck, I've bought it, too. There's nothing I want more than for her to nuzzle my cheek again. I slide my other arm around her waist and we walk slowly toward the cantina, my head spinning from the closeness of her.
She's just being friendly, I remind myself. Don't read too much into this. She's just helping a colonist in need avoid a big pushy jerk.
We head inside the cantina and Haina—I've already memorized her name—pulls a seat out for me at a table in the corner, and then heads for the bar. She speaks quietly to the bartender and then returns to my side, sliding into the seat next to mine. "I hope you like the local brew and avaashi," she tells me, leaning in. "I didn't know what to order and the bartender pushes his nasty fried leaves on everyone. If you want something else, let me know and I can get it."
I nod, feeling self-conscious now that it's just the two of us. My hair is probably a mess and she likely thinks I'm an idiot.
Haina leans in closer at the table. "Do you ever plan on talking to me or are you just going to stare with those big eyes of yours?"
"Sorry," I say meekly, my face heating. "I-I'm—not good. With people, that is. Shy." The words jerk out of me as if pulled. "Sorry."
Haina grins at me, and I can see one of her front teeth is slightly twisted, giving her an impish look. It's so cute, but everything about her just makes me happy. "Well, that explains a lot."
"Explains…?" I ask, trying to carry a conversation if she wants to have one. It's the least I can do.
"Why you always show up when I'm here on my route, and yet you never say anything to me. I even take my time stocking in the hopes you'll open up and say something, but you never have. I thought maybe you didn't like aliens."
Oh.
