Page 16 of Songbird
“I’m afraid so.” Despite it being the goal, I felt aggravated by their presence. What happened with Izzy felt precious. I did not want to share it with prying eyes.
Izzy’s gaze flickered down our entwined bodies with a faint laugh. “Good timing.”
Her meaning was clear. She thought I’d drawn her into my arms, that I’d nuzzled her for our Berajbe audience.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Chapter -9 Izzy
The past three days had been more fun than I expected. Tarrick proved my constant companion to the point I’d bet there wasn’t a single soul on the space station that hadn’t heard of our mating by now. Dinner at Nebula proved as exceptional as expected. With exotic dishes and stunning views of the galaxy, I’d rank the atmosphere alone better than any Earth eatery I could recall. The next day, the market became our playground as Tarrick introduced me to universal delicacies and showered me with gifts and trinkets, his hand always finding mine in the chaotic crowds. We took long walks around the space station, intending to be seen. For me, the time became an adventure full of lush gardens, futuristic architecture, and different cultures.
Tarrick always held me close, always so protective and affectionate. I had to admit, I’d grown rather fond of the nuzzling. Granted, I knew our relationship was just for show. Still, it didn’t stop me from letting myself get lost in the moment and enjoying every second of being spoiled by Tarrick.
But tonight, it was back to work. I sat at my makeshift dressing table, the large mirror illuminated by an otherworldly light as I applied the final touches of make-up. It had taken some time for me to adjust to alien cosmetics. In the beginning, I often ended up looking more like Pennywise the Clown than a glamorous space traveler. But after some help from Aqsa and Jala, I developed a sure hand, learning just the lightest touch gave me a pretty, natural glow. The mascara alone was worthstaying in space for—one stroke of the wand and my lashes curled and thickened like magic, giving my eyes a mesmerizing allure.
I wore a red dress tonight—one produced from the fabric replicator from a sketch of the off-the-shoulder red dress Julia Roberts wore inPretty Woman. Tarrick liked me in red. He mentioned it while buying me a scarf made of several shades of red and so soft it felt like a cotton ball against my skin. I’d piled my hair up in a loose updo, letting several wavy strands flow around my neck and shoulders.
“It’s true, isn’t it?”
The voice made me jump, and I turned to find Aqsa watching me from the doorway. I knew exactly what she—and everybody else on the space station, for that matter—was talking about. Seriously, the CIA could learn a thing or two from the Berajbe.
“What’s true?” I played dumb, smiling at her before turning back to the mirror.
“The rumor that Tarrick of House Asad has mated with you?” Aqsa didn’t beat around the bush. She strode further into the room, coming to stand beside the dressing table and glaring down at me, arms folded across her chest.
I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. “Yes, it’s true.” The words were easier to say than I expected. I didn’t like lying, but claiming Tarrick as a mate didn’t feel like a lie. And I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that. “You look shocked,” I commented, noticing Aqsa’s eyes widen and her small black nose twitch.
“I am much shocked.” Her English had improved, but there were moments when one could tell it was a work in progress.
“I know Tarrick has a reputation as a playboy….” I began, but Aqsa cut me off with a wave of her hand.
“It is not that.” A faint smile curled her lips. “I have seen many males change when they find their fated mate.”
“What is it?” I twisted on the bench to face her fully.
Aqsa sighed heavily, her already dark eyes growing even darker. “When my family still searched for me, before Pearl and Jutuk freed me from Baron Oappo’s harem and gave me a job... my brother Aquias visited the slave auction on Xyxas Prime. Tarrick was there.”
I shuddered at the mere thought of Tarrick standing among the crowd at a slave auction, perhaps even having to pretend to enjoy it. I couldn’t bear to imagine him in such an inhumane place. But he was a spy. He had likely been forced to do things far more morally compromising in the name of gathering information.
“One of the slave traders offered Tarrick the gift of a human female,’ Aqsa continued, the disgust at the words showing plainly on her face. “Tarrick turned her down. My brother said Tarrick referred to humans as barely sentient, nasty creatures, and he did not want to lower himself to touch one.”
“Oh?” Tarrick’s touch lingered in my mind, the gentle pressure of his hand holding mine, the way he embraced me, and the nuzzling. Especially the nuzzling. Sometimes I wanted to kiss him so badly it made my lips itch, but what if Aqsa was right? What if Tarrick found humans repulsive? The thought was almost too painful to entertain. No. I refused to believe it, not when I saw the kindness and gentleness in him every time we interacted. Deep in my heart, I knew Tarrick couldn’t possibly hold such prejudice towards my kind. It had to be a ruse, just like his playboy persona… something I couldn’t mention to Aqsa.
“I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding.” I gave her a saucy grin and winked. “Trust me, Tarrick has no hang-ups about touching humans.”
“Perhaps.” Aqsa studied me for a minute, and I couldn’t decide if she’d bought my bravado or not. “Good singing tonight, Izzy. And please, be careful with Tarrick.”
“Thank you, I will.” I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, feeling the faint scratch of her claws along my palm as she wrapped her fingers around mine.
After Aqsa left, I gave myself one last glance in the mirror before grabbing my alien music box and heading to the stage. I sang three sets a night, eight songs in each set. For tonight, all three sets were comprised of love songs. For the first set, I’d chosenLove Storyby Taylor Swift, thenCrazy for Youby Madonna (my grandpa was always a secret Madonna fan), and a song of my own calledSteal My Heart, my very first top ten hit. After that came a medley of Celine Dion songs, includingMy Heart Will Go On Because You Loved Me, The Power of LoveandIt’s All Coming Back to Me Now, finishing up withI Will Always Love You—Dolly Parton’s version, not Whitney Houston, because you can’t beat Dolly.
The lights dimmed and a single spotlight illuminated the center of the stage. A hush fell over the buzzing crowd, anticipation throbbing in the air like a heartbeat. I made my way onto the stage, basking in the applause and whistles that arose from all directions. But amid it all, I focused solely on one patron.
Tarrick.
He sat alone at a table up front, his hands clapping together with thunderous force. He looked so handsome tonight, dressed in a dark suit with a deep purple cloak draped casually over his shoulders. The pride and affection on his face were unmistakable, causing my stomach to flip, but not with nerves. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that Tarrick simply played a role, putting on a show for the audience as much as I was.
I placed the small cube on a nearby table, its polished surface glinting in the spotlight. With a gentle tap of my finger, the music started, and I took my place under the bright lights. The restaurant was full as usual, and my heart fluttered with excitement. As the first notes of music filled the room, I closed my eyes and let my voice soar, each word carrying with it a piece of my soul. The melody swirled around me like a warm embrace, causing a smile to spread across my face. I let myself go, lost in the magic of music.
