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I turn and eye the circle of women near the fire, laughing and talking and crying. Then, because I know Vivi, I keep looking. I swing my gaze beyond the fire and find her sitting on a rock at the edges of the group, alone. She has her knees hugged to her chest and her eyes are big as she listens to everyone and watches. More observing, I realize, and my chest swells with pride. She will be full of their secrets. I point at her. “My mate is the beauty right there.”
“She looks like she wants to hide,” Thrand comments.
I scowl at him and then glance at Vivi again. She does seem rather miserable, upon second glance. I remember what she said, about not knowing who she is. About her worries. It hurts me to see her like this, doubting herself and her ferocity. She is by far the most beautiful of females, tall and strong and clever. If only she realized this. I eye the males that live here on the beach. Thrand and Vordis are arguing with Chalath and Valmir about adding an arena to the village, while Kyth and Gren listen in.
Ashtar is looking at my female, though, and I nudge him out of irritation. “Quit staring at her. She is mine.”
“She reminds me of my shy flame and when I first resonated to her,” Ashtar says with a grin. “My Veronica was very meek and mild. It was adorable to see.”
Meek? Mild? My fierce warrior Vivi? Bah. He is clearly wrong. But his mate has accepted him, and mine has not. I consider this and gesture to Ashtar that I would like to speak to him in private. He nods and we walk away from the group, moving towards the roiling, unpleasant-looking mass of water that must be an ocean. I have never seen one before, and I will probably be more interested in it later, but right now my thoughts are of Vivi and resonance.
I rub my thrumming chest. When Ashtar and I are away from the others, I stop and glance back at my mate. “I am troubled and look for advice.”
“Go on.” The drakoni crosses his arms over his chest, his stance easy.
“My mate is strong-willed,” I say. “Even though her khui has decided I am the best one for her, she is not yet decided. I am trying to court her because resonance is not enough to drive her into my arms. She will not yet let me suck upon her ass and it is a very fine ass.” I eye him. “So I look to you for advice. You said your mate was like mine?”
The look he gives me is knowing. “So it was with my Veronica, yes. Resonance flustered her. It was very charming.”
“And she did not fall into your arms right away?”
He purses his lips, considering. “Well, no, she did. But she likes to pretend that she waited to fall in love with me.” His gaze moves over to the fire, to someone standing there, but I cannot tell who. All the human females—with the exception of Vivi—look the same to me. “Veronica was shy at first, but I am quite lovable and so it did not take long.”
I grunt. “My female is a warrior in spirit, even if she looks shy. She pushes me away. I do not know how to impress her if there are no gladiator battles.”
“Try wooing her,” Ashtar says. “Win her favor by showing her you care. Give her something. What do you think she wants?”
Looking over at Vivi, her shoulders are hunched. Someone is talking near her, but she looks uncomfortable and miserable. I remember all the times she clung to the back of the group, wanting no attention. “I think she would like a place to hide, if I am being honest.”
“Aha,” Ashtar says, snapping his fingers. “You could build her a home. Many of the males here built huts for their females. Humans like to have a dwelling to call their own, to have a private place where no one will bother them.”
It is a genius idea. I look around the beach, at the scatter of crude huts with animal hides stretched atop stone walls. Bah, I can easily make something like this. And I know instinctively that Vivi will like it. A private place to call her own where no one can bother her…except me, because I will surely be at her side and in her arms as she shrieks my name. “This is an excellent idea, my brother. I shall start on it now.”
“Start on it in the morning,” he says, clapping me on the back. “For tonight, we celebrate that our strange little tribe is growing.”
I scowl. “But I want to court her now. I want her to be impressed with me.”
“Then go talk to her instead of the gladiators.” Ashtar gives me a shove forward, indicating I should head to her side. “Get to know her. Listen to her needs and show her that you care about more than just her cunt.” He pauses, and then adds, “Or ass-sucking.”
“I care about more than just her cunt,” I tell him, wounded. “I care about all of her. It is all attached.”
He shakes his head at me. “Talk to her about something other than resonance, ssethri fool. Talk to her about something that shows you value her thoughts. Make conversation, flatter her, learn about her, and it will lead to the ass-sucking.” Ashtar pauses. “Though knowing my mate as I do, it is probably best if you start with kissing before you lead into the ass-sucking.”
“Kissing?” It is a word I have heard before, and it takes me a moment to place it. “The strange mouth-massages that Flor does with I’rec? And O’jek and Daisy do to each other?”
“That’s it. Humans love kissing. You can ask her to show you how…but make sure you don’t start with kissing or she will think you only want her cunt. Remember, talk about things that interest her first.”
Mmm. I consider this even as I cross the sands towards my mate.
ChapterSeventeen
VIVI
Ilisten to the endless chatter around the fire from a safe distance. When I start to feel overwhelmed—which doesn’t take much—I edge to the back of the group and just absorb what others are talking about. It’s not that I dislike anyone or don’t want to participate. It just feels like too much. Like someone’s going to ask something I’m not prepared to answer—like my name—and it’s better to hang back and let others handle all the conversing. It’s more comfortable that way.
Even so, I’m not surprised when Skarr approaches me, a frown on his face.
He drops onto the rocky seat next to me and eyes the fire, then eyes me again. I can see in his mind he’s calculating just how far I’m sitting from the others. I hug my legs and pretend to ignore his expression of annoyance, because I know I’m hanging back. It’s just…there’s so many strangers. I’m still getting used to our small group and now there are so many more to greet. For a shy person like me, it’s downright painful.
