Page 31 of The Death Striker's Partner
“Hmmm.” Hannah turns away from the Royals, as more arrive, to think over her reply. “There are a lot of different cultures on Earth. Historically There has been a lot of male dominance over who a woman could be with or marry, but not everywhere. There are cultures on Earth were we have Matriarchs and women are dominant in the culture, but it’s not common. In most modern cultures now though, there is equality between the sexes, or you know, just about. Wages are another thing, and some men need a good five knuckle reminder from time to time that just because they like a girl’s ass, they don’t get to grab it, but overall…both should give consent to any union.”
“Of course both give consent, but the mating behaviours males and females?” I press, worried I may have missed something important and be found lacking for this lack of knowledge of human mating habits. “Who romantically pursues the other for your species?”
“In modern societies, it can be either.” She shrugs at me. “But for a long time in a lot of places, I suppose men took the dominant role in that area. In both the pursuit of a wife and to protect their daughters from unwanted attention.” She snorts behind one hand. “Man, that sounded like something from a cheesy novel, didn’t it?” I have no idea what she is saying, but I am deeply worried. For humans their males are the dominant ones in courtship? They don’t put on displays and hoe the female will pursuethem? It felt natural to me to wait for Hannah to proposition me, if she was interested in something more than a platonic relationship, but was that strange to her? Was shehoping I would make such a move? Did she only do so because Ifailedto take the lead? Is that how she thought of me?
I wanted to ask her…but I was afraid of her answer. I do not want her to see me as a lacking male. Her culture is different to mine. I…will have to be more dominating with her, if that is what would please her.
Sweet ancestors, please don’t let me fail. I want her to claim me as her bond mate. I can’t lose her now. I’ll do anything. Even if I must take on a more feminine role and be direct about my intentions for her, I will.
Hannah is watching desperately for the Royals once more, but we both know she’s not looking for the wealthy Ucfeni monarchy. She looks for her sister. I lean over the table and try to search for any sight of the human as well. Beside Prince Vrujac his bond mate and our future Queen Sacxi. She holds one hand with her mate and the other strokes her swollen navel. She is Gravid and likely carries the egg of the crown prince that will follow after Vrujac. She has brown scales, indicative of hailing from Erya. She suits all the gold she wears, and has a golden veil shimmering around her cowl and shoulders. Two more smaller Royals slither onto the platform. One looks like a smaller version of Vrujac with the same markings, but he grins while everyone else looks very serious. Beside him and on Jajana’s right another Royal who holds himself like a hunter is a man with brown and caramel chequering on his hood and down his back.
Finally, the youngest Royal proudly slithers up to the platform and dwarfs his siblings. In both his girth, his muscular prowess, his piercing yellow gaze, and his length. Only the King and Jajana, due to her sex, is larger than this prince. “Izule.” Hannah gasps and she absently lifts her left hand to hold mine on her shoulder for support. I feel how tense she is as she looks for her sister. Izule is Billie’s sponsor. Now he is here, the chances of seeing her sister has increased. I know the secondHannah has spotted her sister because she jerks forward and I have to hold her steady so she doesn’t topple off her stool to scramble toward her. “Billie!”
Chapter 27
Billie!
Hannah
I was just starting to think I wouldnt see my sister after all, considering all the bright colours, the many moving bodies, and the loud music. This would be stimulus overload. No, she would shut down long before making it through the doorway. I settle back with a sad smile, resound to the fact that I’m not going to see Billie after all-
-when I see her!
They are high up, so she’s hard to make out at first, but she’s peering out from behind Izule. I smile, my eyes watering, so damn proud of my sister. Billie is here. She’s dressed in some sort of green skirt and chest wrap, no jewellery aside from her com-gem necklace and a strange looking green headdress. It looks like an elasticity wide fabric gold headband. Her hair is held back beneath it and it hugs her forehead and stops above her eyebrows. Green and black feathers pheasant looking feathers splay backward to make it look like she has feathers for hair. I can’t see her ears but the golden fabric is bulging in a very recognisable way.She’s wearing her ear defenders.Her glasses catch the light and she looks far from being comfortable, but her eyes are open. She’s also holding Izule’s right hand with both of hers.
Like she used to hold mine.
His muscular arm covers her protectively and his tail coils to make a circle around her feet.
“He is very protective of her.” Tumva comments. “See how he put’s himself between her and his family, and the rest of the hall? The way he surrounds her with his tail? It’s classic protective behaviour.”
“…” I’m not sure how to feel about that. I’m trying to take in everything I can about Billie’s body language. She’s tense and she’s clinging to Izule’s hand, but she’s looking around his arm to take in the hall. If she wasn’t comfortable with him, or in the moment, she wouldnt be stood there and taking in the sea of colours below. Any apprehension I felt about if Billie was in good hands, or not, was robbed from me. Billie’s lips moved and Izule half turned his head to give her his attention. He didn’t look her in the eye. He seemed to know not to. I saw his lips moving, and they did so softly. She nodded and pressed her left cheek to his bicep and smiled up at him….
My heart jumped into my throat and it took a moment for me to smile.
I haveneverseen Billie cuddle up to anyone other than me before, and that wasn’t a regular occurrence. Not simply for the affection of it. But right now, up on that platform above a bustling, noisy, colourful hall of massive snake aliens…Billie seemed happy. Again, not totally comfortable, but she was happy to be there. She was smiling and looking up at the sandy coloured Royal and his wide cowl with spikes on the edges, and her cheek was pressed to his arm.
When Izule turned his head a bit more to slowly rest his chin on her head, and shedidn’tflinch, I surrendered. My sister doesn’t need me to rescue her. She doesn’t need me to protect her. When she told me on the call that Izule was taking care of her now, she meant it gladly. My sister is happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for her. She doesn’t need me for that happinessanymore. I am happy for her, even if it makes me feel a little bit lonely knowing the chances of her coming back to me once her sponsorship is over just went up in smoke. Then again? I was planning to make a go of it with Tumva so…this may be the best for us both. To both have our own adventures with new people. Still? I’m going to miss my little bumblebee. I watch as she presses a shy kiss against his arm and Izule’s throat scales darken so deeply I can make it out from here.Oh? My bumblebee and a Royal Prince huh? You always have been an all or nothing kind of girl B. As long as Izule is good to you, I’ll be happy for you. But if he isn’t, i’m going to taser him and cut his scales off.“Hannah.”
My chin is turned against my will and Tumva is licking my face. It is weird as hell, and I’m squirming my ass off and squinting, because he’s aiming for my eyes.
“Tumva what the hell are you doing?!”
“Taking your tears. Did I upset you? I’m sorry.” He’s fussing and I can hear the worry in his voice.
“Cut it out!” I fling my hands up and connect with his cheeks. I push him backward and rub my face on my sleeve. I blink at look at him like he’s lost his damn mind, to see he looks close to tears himself.
“Did I do it wrong? I know you don’t normally want comfort, but you were crying so I had to take your tears. You’re supposed to feel better, by being groomed. I…did it wrong didn’t I?” I have no idea what he’s talking about, but he seems really sad. “It was my first time and I did it wrong.” He closed his fathomless black eyes and his cheeks weigh a bit heavier in my palms.
“First time what?” I’m still lost. This madness has distracted me from Billie.
“Taking your tears so you feel better.”
“Is that what you were doing when you started to lizard lick my damn face?” I gawked and snorted a laugh when I finally realised what had happened. “So, just so I’m clear, is it a cultural thing for Ucfeni to lick the tears away from people they care about?”
“Yes. O-only people we care deeply for. You wouldn’t take the tears of a stranger or a friend.” He still looked dejected and lifted his face away from my hands. Aww, he was trying to do something tender and I freaked out. I mean, understandably as I had no idea why he was trying to lick my eyeballs, and the urge to snigger was great, but I contained it behind a smile.
Billie didn’t need me anymore, but this guy sure as hell does. For a terrifying Death Striker, he has a massive case of low self esteem. Billie doesnt need me, but Tumva does. And if i’m being totally honest? I need him too.
