Page 23 of Fangs, Frost, and Folios
Ben rolled his eyes and took a drink of water. “Sounds about right.”
“No, because she’s ready to menstruate.”
The water spurted out of his mouth and across the kitchen table, hitting Zain in the chest.
“Dude.” The man looked down. “Not cool.”
“I’d say within the week, judging by her hormone levels.”
“Tenzin, what the hell?” Ben did the math. Twelve was probably right. Oh God, was this happening on his watch? Was he going to have to talk to— No.Don’t be ridiculous, Ben.She’d probably already talked to B. She had to know the mechanics of… all that. “Why would you even say that?”
“Because it’s a biological reality?” Tenzin looked confused. “Biology will take care of itself, but we will need to prepare.”
“I suspect she already has… supplies for that kind of thing.” Ben looked at Zain. “Right?”
The other man shrugged. “You’re asking me?”
Dema. Dema would know.
Tenzin shook her head. “I’m not talking about menstruation supplies. Surely there are initiation rites she will need to perform. A ceremony of some kind?” Tenzin looked at Isadora. “What did you do when you started menses as a young woman to celebrate your burgeoning fertility?”
Zain dropped a pan in the sink. “And I’m out. I’ll finish this in the morning.”
“Oh my God.” Ben took a deep breath. “Tenzin, please don’t sayburgeoning fertility.”
Zain was already headed toward the door. “Isa, you need anything before I retire for the night?”
“Tenzin was going to make me some tea.”
“Why?” Ben whispered to himself. “I could have fallen in love with Chloe, right? I was in love with Chloe once.”
Isadora said, “When you were sixteen.”
“That’s a good idea.” Tenzin rapped her fingers on the table and rubbed Ben’s back. “We should call Chloe. She’s a contemporary woman and would have a better idea of the current cultural practices about fertility rites.”
Ben’s head shot up. “There will be no fertility rites!”
“What’s wrong with fertility?” Tenzin asked. “It’s creative power. Women have been honored through history for their goddess-like power of carrying life in the womb.”
Isadora said, “I believe he’s uncomfortable with the idea that his little sister is… fertile.”
He put his head on the table again. “You just keep saying it.”
“No one is suggesting she start havingbabies, Benjamin, but it’s an important moment in her life.”
“Agreed,” Isadora said. “And Benjamin, I’m disappointed in you. Half the population menstruates. There shouldn’t be any taboo about it.”
“I’m not saying it’s taboo.” He lifted his head. “If she has questions” —he died a little inside, but he pressed on— “I will answer them. I will go and buy her maxipads or tampons or… whatever she needs.”
“We used moss and rags when I was human,” Tenzin said. “Modern sanitary practices are such an improvement.”
“But we” —he motioned between him and Tenzin— “are not the people to be talking about fertility rites with my sister. I don’t think they do special ceremonies or anything, Tenzin. She’d probably be embarrassed.”
His mate was horrified. “What? There are no ceremonies?” She looked at Isadora. “Do girls not tell the men now? Are they secret rites?”
Isadora smiled a little. “We didn’t talk about any of that when I was a girl, even with our mothers or sisters. I was raised in a very strict Catholic home, and I learned from my nanny and the housekeeper.”
“You didn’t evenspeakabout it?” Tenzin looked at both of them with wide eyes. “I was celebrated with a roasted goat and a bonfire. My mother put flowers in my hair, and the women in the village danced. That’s when I received my first tattoo.”
