Page 9 of The Death Striker's Partner
I was promised that Billie and her needs would be supported when we arrived here. Somehow, that message wasn’t passed on. From the moment we arrived at the drop point, the escorts kept trying to rush us quickly into the palace. Billie is gripping my hand and struggling, and I’m torn between being calm for her, and losing my shit with this moron.
“Mam, it’s important that you don’t-”
“Are you hard of hearing?” Charlie’s joins the fight, but I wish he wouldn’t. His voice is too loud and Billie cradles my hand to her chest with a flinch. “Or just stupid? Use your fucking eyes will you? Now piss off, before I make you.”
“Charlie you’re being too loud.” I intentionally keep my voice down as I speak to him. “He’s being protective of you bumblebee, that’s all.” I try to reassure Billie.
“I-I know.” She stammers. “I’m fine.” I frown, because I know she’s trying so hard to be brave. I saw fire when the Allico escort put his hand on my shoulder to try and move me along.
“I swear to God if you don’t take your hands off her, I’ll remove it.” Hisses through his teeth to keep his voice down, but his intent clear.
“Sir, calm down. We are guests here and the last thing we can afford is to cause a scene. We are nearly at the pairing room. Can you tell your friend to get over it and move along please?”
“Get over it?” Oh sweet Lord. I’m so furious that if I could breath fire, I would be snarling like a dragon right now. “You have no clue what you’re talking about. Get over it? You have noideahow hard this is for her, and you’re making it worse. If you’d have left us alone we would have beeninthe damn room already.”
“Designations?” Oh that’s rich. He want’s our names to report us to his superiors. Good. I’ll get his name and hand his ass to Alaric. Billie is their super genius and she’s been treated so badly. If we were on Earth I would be taking her home right now.
“Ha-”
“I-I’m fine.” Billie whimpers and squeezes my hand she’s cradling to her chest. “N-nearly there, right?”
“Yes Billie it’s just in front of us.” That’s my sister. She’s so brave. Braver than me. And in this moment, far less murderous. “For the record, I’m going to lose myshitwith Alaric later over this.”
“On yeah. We know your boss, and Billie here is a super-asset. Bitch.” Charlie adds and I smirk. It’s nice to have back up. I’m not used to that. I’m used to swatting off idiots who target my sister for being ‘different’, and never had a wingman before.He marks Billie’s other side as weslowlywalk her forward. I softly sing to her to keep her calm. It’s not something she normally needs, but I can tell from how tightly she’s holding my hand and how her lips are trembling, her eyes closed and her steps shaky, that she’s on the edge of shutting down. Anything I can do to help her, I’m going to do.
We reach the door and it opens I am amazed at what I see. The same yellow stone that the palace is made out of covers the interior, but it’s smoother in here. Less weathered. It’s cooler here too, thank God, the air smells of sweet spices. In the very centre is a long red carpet with railings either side. It reminds me of the luxurious red carpet celebrities and movie stars would strut down, but it’s far wider. What I see on either side of the glorious red carpet is what makes my jaw drop.
Ucfeni are gathered on either side of the fabric railings like adoring fans at a premier. I can’t help but stare at the sea of glossy scales of every colour and pattern imaginable. Their eyes are just as varied in colour and those slitted pupils are fixating on the nervous humans walking along the middle of the vast hall. Some seem to be mildly interested, glancing over, but more intrigued by their social circle. Others are glamouring with the same awe at the sight of us, as we are at the sight of them. As I walk Billie forward several lean over and flick their tongues out towards us. I gulp and worry that we smell like tasty human snacks to them. I was feeling less safe by the minute.
Oddly, some came over to flick their forked tongues from their scaly lips, only to balk and cup their hands to their face and slither away. I raise a dark brow, curious as to what that alien’s problem is, only for a few more to do the same. Do I smell bad? As soon as I woke up from cryo I went to orientation and collected Billie. We were all bundled up into transport vehicles and brought to Thelia. No time for a shower.
One Ucfeni leans so far over the fabric railing I subconsciously tense and lean closer to Billie. She’s pretty, for a giant snake lady. Her scales are sky blue and her are eyes yellow. Her neck, torso, underbelly and palms are creamy white. She has a yellow wrap around skirt on and a headdress of yellow feathers arranged in tufts that remind me of pigtails. The Ucfeni speaks, confirming she’s female from her girlish voice.
“Awww look at the little youngling. She smells nice enough. I’m very good with young. I have two clutches of my own.” I blink with confusion. I’m pretty sure she’s not referring to having two purses, but have no idea what a clutch is otherwise. “Oh, but your scent…” She wrinkles her lovely face and cups the ridge above her mouth. “…I could take her, but not you.”
“We come together, sorry.” I apologise and happily walk us onward.
“She’s so cute!” I catch the cooing of another Ucfeni and look across my withdrawn sister to see Charlie having the same issue. Another female Ucfeni with yellow and orange scales was trying to lean over Charlie to get to Billie. She nods her head to indicate Billie beside me.“Is she your daughter?”
“No, she’s my friend.” Charlie answers, and I am more than happy for us to keep walking. This is not what we signed up for. I get that we have to have sponsors, but why do they seem to be targeting Billie like this?
“What’s your friend’s name? Is she a juvenile? She’s so tinyyyyyy.”
“No, she’s fully grown. Her name is Billie.Myname is Charlie. What’s your name?”
“Thank you.” Charlie blocks the Ucfeni and I walk us forward.If we have to have an alien sponsor, then we need to find someone who is far less in our face. Someone gentle,and understands that we’re a duo. I’m not leaving Billie with a strange Alien.
“And I’m back.” Charlie returns to Billie’s other side, and I’m grateful for the added barrier between my trembling sister and the sea of snake people. “She said she didn’t like my smell and turned me down like I’d asked her out or something. Weird huh?”
“Maybe you stink?” I tease and chuckle when he sniffs himself.
“Maybe I do? I mean, they were pretty adamant we weren’t allowed to freshen up much more than using a toilet before we left the discharge center. I would imagine weallsmell pretty stale from being still for so long.”
“And then you went for that mad run down the amphitheatre to talk to Alaric. You must smell of sweaty human.” I snorted a with a grin. He’s right. We’re going to be fast friends. He get’s my sense of humour.
“Then my lady, allow mymuskto be a repellent if and when required. I’d offer to rub up against you-”
“Don’t.” Billie blurts out and huddles closer to me. I’m about to reassure her Charlie wasn’t being literal, as she probably feared, when another Ucfeni leaned across Charlie’s path.
