Page 15 of Solar Bound
For a moment, he seemed to consider lying. Then something shifted in his expression. "You understand fire. You respect its power, its patterns. Perhaps you can understand me as well."
He held out his hand, palm up, and before her eyes, a small flame appeared, hovering just above his skin without burning him. It danced and swirled, responding to the subtle movements of his fingers.
"I am of the Solarus Zone," he said quietly. "My people evolved in perpetual daylight, absorbing and channeling solar energy as naturally as you breathe."
Dani should have been terrified, or at least skeptical. Instead, she felt a rush of exhilaration. "You're from the ship that crashed yesterday. That wasn’t another hoax?"
Solar nodded. "I am one of three representatives sent to your planet on a diplomatic mission."
"Diplomatic," Dani repeated, raising an eyebrow. "And that mission involves watching fire dancers in sketchy bars?"
A hint of a smile touched his lips. "It involves finding compatible Earth females who might help demonstrate that cooperation between different species is possible."
"Compatible Earth females," Dani echoed, a warmth spreading through her that had nothing to do with the lingering heat of her performance. "And am I compatible?"
Solar's glow intensified slightly. "Your energy signature resonates with mine in ways I did not anticipate. It is why the flames responded to you so strongly." He extinguished the fire in his palm with a subtle closing of his fist. "They recognized something familiar."
Before Dani could respond, a waitress appeared with two drinks. "Mike said to give you these. Great show tonight, Dani! That finale was wild."
"Thanks, Jessie," Dani replied automatically, taking the drinks.
When they were alone again, she handed one to Solar. "So, what happens now? Do you abduct me to your spaceship for experiments?"
Solar looked genuinely offended. "I am a warrior of the Solarus Elite Guard, not a primitive specimen collector. If any association forms between us, it would be voluntary and mutual."
"Association," Dani repeated, taking a sip of her drink. The alcohol burned pleasantly down her throat. "Is that what they call it on your planet?"
Solar's confusion was evident. "Call what?"
Dani laughed, the tension breaking. "Never mind. Look, I need to change and collect my tips. Why don't you wait for me? We can go somewhere quieter to talk about this energy signature compatibility thing."
Solar nodded, his formal demeanor softening. "I would find that acceptable."
"Acceptable," she mimicked with a smile. "You really know how to make a girl feel special."
He nodded in agreement. “Yes.”
“And you’re modest, too,” she laughed.
She slipped into the back room, her heart racing as she quickly changed and removed her performance makeup. An alien. She was flirting with an actual alien who could manipulate fire. Even by Duskrock standards, this was bizarre.
Well, she was always attracted to the flame.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so alive. The way he'd watched her perform awakened something in her.
When she emerged, Solar was waiting precisely where she'd left him, standing with perfect stillness. His eyes tracked her movement, and that subtle glow beneath his skin seemed to brighten at her approach.
"Ready?" she asked, suddenly nervous.
"Yes," he answered simply. "Where shall we go?"
Dani considered for a moment. "My place is close. We can walk."
The desert night was cool, stars brilliant in the clear sky. They walked in silence for several blocks, Dani acutely aware of the heat radiating from Solar's body beside her. He moved with a grace that reminded her of flames dancing in still air.
"I do not like this darkness, but you make it tolerable. Your world has many stars," Solar observed as they walked. "On Zorveya, my zone sees only eternal day. The stars are known to most only through education, not experience. Very few of us venture into the twilight zone."
Dani tried to suppress a laugh.
