Page 6 of Bound to the Tiger Scout
“Then what troubles you?”
He briefly met my gaze before sighing. “Rampon has several recommendations for the security of your events.”
“I’m sure he does.” Sergeant Molwynog was determined that no further human violence would reach any of us for the remainder of this mission. “Will we be encased in electrified armor?”
Alam huffed a laugh. “No, but there will be both our own forces and human ones in place. I now know that they have creatures called bomb-sniffing dogs that can literally scent explosives.”
“Goddess,” I said in both horror and interest. To lighten the mood, I teased him with, “I wonder if we might train you to sniff out such things.”
He shot a glare at me and bared his teeth for a moment, but then he shook his head and grinned. “You ass. I know there’s a similar appearance, but I am not a dog, thank you.”
“Ah, yes. You’re a wolf.”
He groaned. “When they cease referring to us that way, it will be a truly good day.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. As much as I dislike when they say it as an insult, the tigers of Earth are rather formidable creatures. Some can grow as large as myself and they’re fierce and cunning. They’re one of many predatory creatures that humans admire for their base instincts.”
“So there’s a compliment in it?”
“Somewhere.”
Alam gave another slight laugh as the lift opened on the level containing our quarters. He patted my shoulder as hewalked away, and I was glad to know I might’ve improved his day somewhat with my nonsense. That his mate would join him before the end of the day would also help, I was sure.
As I walked toward my own quarters, I wished that someday I might have someone to come home to as well.
CHAPTER 4
SQUIRE
Iwanted to feel relieved to get out of the late summer heat, through the gawking crowds, away from the shouting reporters, and into the convention center for my interview, but all I felt was a continuing dread and worry.
I was wearing a wire.
An honest-to-shit wire was taped to my chest under my button-down shirt. I hoped everyone assumed I was sweating from the temperature outside and the fact that I’d had to wait in line for nearly twenty minutes. But I bet the dogs held back by cops knew I was nervous about something. Swear to god, they were eyeing me hard.
Taking slow, deep breaths, I wiped the sweat from my brow and tried to ignore the way the wire’s tape pulled at my skin when I moved. I couldn’t relax because Mama and Pastor Halbert were listening from inside the van he’d driven me here in. He might even be able to hear me breathing.
At least Halbert hadn’t been able to get one of those ear things that would’ve made it so I could hear him. After the virtual interview when he and Mama both had coached me through the answers with handwritten signs, I didn’t want to ever hear what either of them had to say again. I’d thoughtHalbert had been about to hit me more than once. I knew how to readenthusiasticandphenomenon, but they were both weird-looking words when you were trying to read them real fast.
Of course, that Halbert could hear me was still a problem. I’d hoped I could speak freely and finally tell someone what was really going on. These Norlons had ways of helping people improve their lives, like getting them jobs in their nanobot distribution centers. If they could send me far enough away, I’d take whatever they had. But how was I supposed to get that without Halbert hearing me do it?
“Squire Landry?”
I looked up when I heard someone call my name, half afraid it would be someone I knew. When they said it again, I realized they were a wolf kind of Norlon, a Yook, all gray and white fur.
“Uh, that’s me.” I raised my hand so they’d find me.
Smiling, they came over and waved me out of the line. “If you’ll come with me?”
I was maybe fifty people back from the body scanners in front of us all, and I could see the frowns as everyone probably wondered why I got to go first. I was wondering the same thing as I followed the Yook up to one of the scanners. A lizard-like Cero told me to get into the box-like thing and hold my arms up. I did and watched a big arm swing in front of me. He told me to step out a second later.
The Yook escorting me spoke quietly with the Cero in a foreign language before the Yook smiled at me. “Come with me, Squire.”
I wanted to say the Yook was female, but I couldn’t really tell for sure. Maybe their features were a little more delicate than some of the other Yook around, but that might not mean anything. Figuring out such things was kind of on my mind, though, since I was supposed to be there willing to have sex with the girl Norlons. What if I couldn’t figure out the gender of myinterviewer and they asked something like whether I thought they were attractive? I didn’t think they’d try to trick me, but what if they did?
The Yook led me through a maze of little three-sided walled areas with a couch, lamp, and coffee table where one human and one Norlon sat talking. I’d read that there wouldn’t be anything sexual happening today aside from sex being talked about, but it was a relief to see everyone had their clothes on. I heard a lot of excited chatter and some laughter, though there were a few humans who looked as nervous as I felt.
“Here we are then,” my escort said as they stopped. “Squire, this is Administrator Ghosha Progoni Rijal. Administrator, Squire Landry.”
