Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) (45 page)

“I understand this, but do you understand we do not insist upon this to hurt you? Cobra is a good male. He will be gentle, and you see here there is nothing to fear.”

Frustrated by the speed at which he dismissed my qualms, I didn’t get to reply, as the male under question approached. “Fiercely, may I speak with you?”

“I must stay with my Rä’Na. She is not used to festival, and it would not do to leave her alone.”

“I will stay with her.” Singing Water came up beside her Rä’Vek. “We will speak of female things, while you speak of male things, yesss?”

Satisfied, but glancing to check I was fine with it, at my nod, Fiercely and Cobra stepped aside to talk.

Tongue-tied, I puffed out my cheeks and looked around.

Singing Water gave me a thorough inspection with her eyes. “I confess, I am astonished.”

Wary, I faced her. “About what?”

“They say you are ugly.” Her expression was open, tone matter-of-fact. “You are not, only different.”

“Uh, thanks?”

She laughed, a gentle sound. “That was rude, forgive me. Since your arrival, I have heard rumours, and was fearful. I almost did not come worrying over it, thinking you savage.”

My mouth slanted. “Underwhelming am I?”

Making a humming noise of agreement, her tongue flickered. “Truth, Venomous One shocked me. Many said he must feel shame to have matured for an offworlder.” Her chin dropped. “He does not hesitate to introduce you though.”

The underlying message was what?

He should be embarrassed because I was ugly, human?

Posture tight, I asked, “Why would he feel ashamed?”

“He is Venomous One,” she replied as if that explained. “I heard tales, that his might is surpassed only by his arrogance.” She shifted and changed subject, sensing she riled me. “I saw how my,” weight on the possessive, “Rä’Vek enjoyed meeting you. You will do well together.”

Startled by her frankness, I scrambled for a response. “I ... um....”

“Then it is true. You are not used to this custom?”

A slight shake of my head.

“This means?” She imitated my head shaking.

“Sorry, it means no. I’ve gotten so used to Venomous and Fiercely copying, I forget most Rä don’t understand my gestures.”

“They indulge you.” Disapproval edged her tone, but she smiled off the back of it. “I would help you too. Should you have need of a friend, call upon me.”

I gave her an unsure smile.
It’s nice of her to offer.
“Really?”

“Your males intend you to be the lesser mate of my Rä’Vek. It is proper.” She lowered her voice, manner conspiratorial. “The Rä’Na of my lesser mate is a terrible creature. She is mean. I would like it to be different between us.”

“So would I.” Thinking I might have an ally in her, I confessed, “I want to be a good life mate, but I’m completely out of my depth. I need a friend. Rök is so different to my birth world.” I swallowed, mortified. “I don’t even know how to cook them a decent meal.”

“This is something I can help with. I shall give you lessons.”

“
That would be great
.” Excitement made me bounce. I wasn’t used to people making such overtures, but I liked it. Her kindness went a long way to making me feel more comfortable with what my mates wanted to happen between me and Cobra. “Thank you so much.”

Looking animated, Venomous rushed up and caught my hand. He tugged. “Come.”

“Another time,” Singing Water promised as I gave her an apologetic wave.

She looked at my hand with incomprehension as the mass of people concealed her from sight.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Venomous grinned over his shoulder. “My favourite part of festival when I was a hatchling was story time. I thought you might like to hear one. You can tell it to our offspring. Teach me yours, and I will tell them too. This will show our offspring we accept both sides of its heritage.”

Stunned, I let him tow me along, weaving through the gathering.

He’s thinking so far ahead?

I’d barely gotten over the surprise I was pregnant.

We stopped in a quieter corner where two, semi circled rows of cushions were arranged on a furry rug.

“Gather, younglings. Gather.” A wrinkled Elder sat near a bowl of hot stones, his charcoal robes shrouding his shrunken limbs. A wooden cane was clasped between his crooked claws. “Let me tell you of things ancient past.”

Two dozen hatchlings, seated and giggling between themselves, hushed and scooted closer.

Venomous sat at the back on the edge of the rug.

He set me between his bent legs then wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling the crown of my head.

I curled my legs under, leaned back and sighed, glad to be with him, happy he was happy.

I glanced about for Fiercely.

It’d be perfect if he was with us, but the Elder began to speak diverting my attention.

“There are great forces at work in the universe, but who can tell me, which of the forces guides and cherishes the Rä?”

“I know,” a thickset hatchling announced with a flamboyant wave. “It is Grandfather! I know because my father told me I am his special one. My anima showed two moontides after I hatched! I am a warrior!” It screwed up its face as purplish colour stuttered over its still soft scales. “When I die, I will sit at his side.”

“Die a death in glorious battle, or in defence of honour and truth, yesss, Dark like Moon Shadows, you will sit at Grandfather’s side.” The a’Rä looked amongst the group, squinting. “What happens to those of us who choose the path of beauty and peace?”

A hand shot up a hair faster than those around it.

“Proud as Shining Sun?”

A runty hatchling fingered its quills shyly. “We go to Grandmother, Elder Stalking East.”

“That is right. Grandmother is as wise as she is beautiful.” Stalking East took a sip of his drinking bowl then leaned closer. “Who knows the story of how we came to be?”

The hatchlings looked at each other.

“My life giver is a scholar,” Proud as Shining Sun said, diffident. “She says at the beginning of time a giant comet of fire and ice travelled the universe. Shards fell off to land on many planets then life took root. Rök was one of them.” The hatchling paused, slender brow scales furrowing. “But my father says that is science nonsense, and Grandfather made us.”

Smiling at the latter theory, the old a’Rä settled back. “The Great Serpent S’q’ama’ta created Rök then wandered its sands alone. Cut off from the cosmic pantheon, he grew lonely. But S’q’ama’ta was a powerful god! He became female and hatched offspring.”

“Zython!” Proud as Shining Sun chimed. “Who hatched male.”

“Yesss. S’q’ama’ta saw this was good. He held great affection for his offspring. Though he loved his parent, Zython was young and bold. He hungered for glory. He left his home world to travel the stars. Wise and understanding the restlessness of youth, S’q’ama’ta blessed his son and let him go to seek his destiny. Aeons and aeons passed. Great God S’q’ama’ta grew lonely once more, and as his son would not return, he again drew into himself. Grandfather became Grandmother, and lay an egg that hatched under a rare moonless night.”

“The Raging One,” Proud as Shining Sun whispered, knees drawing up, shivering. “The Dark Goddess that screams in the wind. Zaconda.”

“
Do not speak her name
,” Stalking East snapped striking the ground with his cane.

At the ear-splitting crack, I jumped along with the hatchlings.

Venomous chuckled as he tucked me closer to his front.

Laughing quietly with him, at myself, my hands cupped his knees.

Fiercely dropped down beside us crunching on the rind of a fruit.

He offered me a bite, but I declined.

I watched him use his sharp fangs to tear at its tough flesh, and knew my teeth weren’t up to the challenge.

“Never speak her name,” Stalking East warned in a calmer, but no less sombre manner. “It will call her dark spirit upon you and your kindred.” Eying them cagily, his shoulders curled forward, rugose face grave. “The goddess grew jealous of her warrior brother for S’q’ama’ta ever awaited his return.”

“Jealousy is bad,” Dark like Moon Shadows declared.

“As is pride.” Stalking East stared at the hatchling until it hunkered lower than its hatchmates. “Zython returned to Rök, and he was not alone.”

“He brought his life mate,” Proud as Shining Sun sang. “She, Born of Starlight.

“Yesss, Zython travelled far into the cold, empty black. There he found warmth, beauty and light. He brought home to Rök his Light of the Stars.”

I gasped and jerked my head to look at Venomous, finally understanding what my name meant to him, why he’d chosen it.

His lips curved as his gaze locked with mine.

Clasping his hand and entwining our fingers, I turned to listen to the rest of the story.

Stalking East was staring at me, a funny glint in his dark eyes. “They bonded as one, and she gave her back for him to cover. From Zython’s blessed seed came Rä.” The a’Rä focused on his small, bright charges. “He made us in his father’s image as a sign of respect. And so, we do not become our true selves until we find the beat of our hearts.” His tone grew heavy with foreboding. “But the Dark Goddess was envious of her brother’s fortunes. The evil bled from her egg pouch. Compelled to protect the offspring of his son, S’q’ama’ta cast her out into the great nothing. Her blood spilled forth in a devouring stain, and offworlders came to be. Not made to honour S’q’ama’ta’s image, but in the darkness of her own.”

My head drew back on my neck, and I double blinked at the fanaticism brimming in his reedy voice.

The legend had taken a dramatic turn that left a sour taste in my mouth.

Venomous tensed.

Fiercely stopped munching his fruit to glower at the a’Rä.

“So offworlders are evil,” Dark like Moon Shadows reasoned. “If they were born of dark blood then it flows within them.”

A dozen little eyes set in solemn faces focused on me.

“What do you believe?” Venomous asked cocking his head at the hatchling who had asked the question.

Eager to please, yet unsure of what was right, Dark like Moon Shadows peered up at the warrior. “I do not know what to think, Honourable Rä’Vek.”

“Perhaps if you know the rest of the story, you will,” Fiercely said his mouth tight. He tossed the last of the fruit to a passing Zýt that gobbled it without a hitch in its lithe, tangential prowl. “Finish, Elder.”

Stalking East sniffed. “Great God S’q’ama’ta was enraged by his daughter and her betrayal.”

When the Elder spoke no more, Fiercely hissed.

He drummed the floor with all four palms to draw the attention of the hatchlings. “The Great Serpent also came to know there are two paths in life one may tread, yet reach the same end.” He crooked his finger to beckon them. “Life can spring from the dark of night as much as it can from the light of day. What you must remember, younglings, is you cannot have light without darkness, nor male without female.”

I stared, marvelling at the instant rapport he’d gained with the young ones, glimpsing hidden dimensions to the warrior who claimed me as his.

“Zython mated an offworlder,” Proud as Shining Sun mused after they whispered amongst themselves.

Dark like Moon Shadows frowned. “That was before the Dark Goddess tainted the great nothing with her evil.” The hatchling paused. Its four hands fiddled with loose threads on its cushion. “But there cannot be light without darkness.”

Proud as Shining Sun bared tiny fangs. “So if we are light, we can mate dark ones and all will be well.”

Dark like Moon Shadows peeked at me in wonder. “You are She, Lumen of the Stars.”

“I am.” Moving away from Venomous, closer to them, I gave a closed mouthed smile. It was discomfiting they were just taught by one of their respected Elders I was created from an evil blood stain.
Is that what other Rä think of me?
“Good greetings.”

The stout hatchling bounded onto its clawed feet, ran to me, then threw itself into my arms knocking us flat.

Air pressing from my lungs, I wheezed.

It was small, but mighty.

“
I do not think you are evil
,” it yelled in my face grinning as it thrust its lower hands in my hair then brought fistfuls closer to its brille to study.

Its upper hands pinched my ‘protruding’ nose, yanked on my ear then tugged on my tongue as I unwisely opened my mouth to yelp.

Fiercely plucked the one tonne ‘hatchling’ off me.

He sent it and the others scurrying, shrieking giggles as he chased them on all fours, pretending to be a beast.

Setting me to rights, Venomous glared at the old a’Rä. “There is no honour in poisoning young minds. Casting them into doubt because of your own fears.”

Stalking East huddled into himself, but angled us a brittle look. “I teach them
the way
, Warrior.”

Standing us up, Venomous loomed over him. His tone was cutting. “Teach it as it is meant to be taught,
without bias
.”

“Come, nest mate.” Fiercely returned dusting himself off of loose sand, and clasped Venomous’ shoulder. He forced him to move. “Show our Rä’Na what we do for fun.”

We approached a cluster of Rä chatting and laughing, pointing to something in the middle of their group.

Venomous and Fiercely kept me between them.

Unable to see past the bodies, I peered at the eager faces then wanted to share in the merriment.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Venturesome,” Fiercely replied hefting me up so I could see. “A game of skill and cunning. He, Stronger than Mountain Rock is good.” He pointed at the Rä’Vek in a sleeveless hardsuit. “Spy the Waxing Moons has been Venturesome champion eight solars running though.”

The Rä knelt on bolsters facing each other, and next to them were ornamented, lacquered boxes.

Stronger than Mountain Rock placed a metal card etched with glyphs on a short stack. “I summon a mated razorbeast with poison dew claws.”

“
Oooh
,” the crowd murmured leaning forward.

“Brutal,” Venomous muttered.

Spy the Waxing Moons rubbed its cranial ridges then smiled, sly. “I block with my elder creature, and counter attack with an enchanted sand flurry cloaking a Viranid swarm.”