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He nods, frowning.
“Well.” He looks around the room and it seems as if he’s doing anything he can to avoid looking directly at me. He raises his hands, drops them back to his side, then shakes his head. “Welcome.”
I nod, frowning too. He hasn’t said enough for me to figure out how fluent he is in Zmaj. When he speaks it’s with a heavy accent and the words are just a little hard to understand. They sound thick when he says them.
“Thank you,” I say, shifting from one foot to the other. “Your home is very nice.”
That’s good. A nice ice breaker.
His eyes meet mine for only an instant but damn a thrill runs straight to my core. Those beautiful eyes, I could lose my soul in them. His brow furrows then he nods.
“Yes,” he nods then looks around the room himself. “Uhm. Thank you.”
He motions towards the sitting area and I take his cue, walking over to the seat and sitting down. He waits until I’m down before taking a seat opposite me on the couch like thing. He places his hands on his legs and stares at the floor in front of himself.
Great, this is awkward. I do my best to not squirm in the chair. I really hate awkward situations like this. What should I do? Say? Greta, my sister, would know. She would have him wrapped around her finger and be in charge of this entire damn village by now most likely. She was like that. So freaking smooth, friendly, and a natural leader. Everything that I never was.
I miss you Greta. So, so much.
Time ticks past and the more it does the more uncomfortable I get. It feels as if my brain is on fire. I should do something. But what that something is I have no idea. I keep looking around the spartan room. There isn’t anything that stands out as a conversation piece. Nothing holds my attention. I’m just here, existing, and wishing with all my heart I hadn’t volunteered.
Except, he is really good looking. I mean, like oh my god how can one guy be so hot looking. Okay, yes, I can admit it. I volunteered partly because I thought Mazabuta was sexy. None of which gives me a topic to start a conversation with this guy though. I don’t think an opening line of hey, you’re really hot is going to get me anywhere I want to go.
“Are you hungry?” he says, startling me out of my thoughts.
“Huh, I’m sorry, what?”
“Wrong word?” he asks, patting his belly. “Food?”
“Oh, no that was the right word. Yes, I could eat. That would be very nice, actually, thank you.”
He nods and I can’t help but read the way he’s acting as if he too is relieved to have found some common ground between us. I suppose it doesn’t get much more basic than eating. Well fucking, of course, is pretty fundamental, but let’s not go there.
Yet.I think to myself watching him walk to the kitchen. Damn that is a fine ass though.
I get up and follow him into the kitchen, hoping I can do something to help. Maybe it will give us something more to talk about.
2
BHOJA
Iopen the door to the stove and place more dried compost in then light the fire. All the time I work I am acutely aware of the human. The scent of her fills my nostrils and her nervous energy caresses my skin. What am I supposed to do with a human? Why did they bring her to me? It’s a responsibility I did not ask for, that much is certain. Once the flames take I close the door and stand up. When I step back I bump into her.
“Oh!” she yelps stumbling back.
I catch her arm to keep her from falling. An electrical spark jolts both of us as I touch her. Her soft, pink cheeks color a deeper shade of red. The smell of her is heady and my hand on her is alight with something I cannot understand.
“Sorry,” I murmur.
I did not mean to bump into her. I certainly do not intend her harm. Her chest rises and falls rapidly. I dart my eyes down and quickly away. I should not be so forward. I do not know the customs of these aliens. Her form is not dissimilar to an Urr’ki, though she is about half the size of any but the smallest of grown Urr’ki.
“It’s fine, my fault,” she says.
I think anyway. My Zmaj isn’t strong. I hate their language but the Shaman insists everyone become fluent in it. He says that knowing our enemy is the first key to beating them. Or he used to, before he decided the answer was to awaken the Paluga.
“No,” I say, placing my hand on my chest and shaking my head. “Mine. I should be aware more.”
She smiles and my breath catches in my throat causing me to grunt. Her smile transforms her face, which is pretty anyway, but when she smiles it is beatific. I don’t think I have seen anything more beautiful in all of my life.
