Page 11 of The Emerald Boa's Lover
“It’s not the only thing I’m a champion of.” Dalahan wiggled his scaly brow at me. I covered my mouth with my right hand. He wouldnotsee me smile. I wouldnotrelease a laugh. “In all seriousness, you can be alone if you want to, but it’s your day off. You can’t wander Orna without me, and I’d like to take you to see the city. We could go sightseeing? Get to know each other better?”
“Oh you mean like a date?” I rolled my right wrist away from my face.
“Yes.” He smiled.
“No.” I shot him down with a smirk and stormed over to the pulley system. He didn’t speak again and I didn’t look back over my shoulder. I didn’t drop the tension in my shoulders until I reached the upper nest and landed front first onto my bed. “I will be strong.” I told myself as I opened one of the many medical journals I’d been sent to study on Ucfeni anatomy and immunology. “I will not succumb.” I turned several pages in the book, resting on my front and my elbows as I found the page I was looking for.
Oh dear.
Dalahan was telling the truth. Ucfeni males really did have an internal sheath for their penis that became ‘vacant’ when they got an erection.I really could fuck him…My mind wandered, imagining throwing a leg over his bulk to straddle him as I thrust into— “No.” I mentally slapped myself and turned the page in my book. I am not used to being pent up and unable to go and pick someone up from a bar to fuck. I am not used to being this frustrated. I’ve had enough disappointing relationships with guys who want something different to what I want. I’m tired of being left alone at the end of it. Either because I just want a good time, and they want way more, or because I want a relationship, and they don’t even want to be exclusive.
One thing I knew for sure? Dalahan wasn’t looking at me like heonlywanted to fuck. He might be a giant Naga alien, but that look transcended species barriers. If he just wanted to have sex…friends with benefits…then I probably wouldn’t resist him so much. I admitted to myself as my mind and my eyes drifted away from the book. I’ve always had a healthy sexual appetite…but Dalahan strikes me as the possessive type. There are already too few boundaries, being that I live with him because of the sponsorship program. No. I’m just going to have to keep it in my pants and wait this thing out.
Still? It was reassuring that once I was free of Dalahan and I had my own place, that interspecies homosexual ‘relations’ was on the cards. I couldn’t believe it but the prospect of getting laid, even if in the future, reassured me to no end.
I bucked up and refocused on my studies. I had a particular patient tomorrow I wanted to be fully prepared for, since I wasn’t the last time we met.
Trigger warning- A patient who struggles to conceive and carry to term.
Flash back- yesterday.
I held the back of my neck and sighed. It had already been yet another long day, and it was only 2pm. I had half my shift left to go, and so many patients to see. I’d been assigned to a clinic in the lower public level of Orna. I’m a medical doctor, technically, but I quickly moved into the field of research. I’m an immunologist, yet I spend my days using iodine, ethanol, sutures and adhesive gauze. I’m a highly qualified first aider, really. I shouldn’t complain. It’s long hours but I haven’t had anything life-threatening yet. That’s why I never went into a surgical field or wanted to be a general practitioner.
I hate seeing people suffer. I became a doctor because I want to ease that suffering. I just expected to be doing that in a lab.Then again? When I was studying at university? I didn’t expect to be practicing on an alien planet either so…ah well.It was odd being in blue scrubs again, but they were Allico Inc issue and had the AI logo on the left of my chest. I technically work for them, so I can’t insist on breaking the dress code. Not in my first week out of cryo, anyway.
There was a natural lull in patients so I finished my sandwich. I tried to ignore the fact that Dalahan had A, made me lunch again, and B, put a soppy note about having a good day at work in my lunch box. I looked around, seeing from the appointment board by the door and the receptionist station, that I was one of three doctors on call today. I was the only human one in the clinic, as Dr. Yanzha and Dr. Ihi were both Ucfeni. They were polite and greeted me with the same manners I’d expect from fellow practitioners…who thought they were better than me. They were both experienced Doctors and had been treating Ucfeni patients for longer than I’ve been alive. Dr Ihi told me that herself.
The clinic itself had three tiers and being human, I was given the bottom tier. I didn’t like it, but I understood why I tended to get all the wounded patients who wouldn’t require invasive procedures or complex treatments. I’m not experienced yet with Ucfeni biology. The receptionist, Luha, was a darling. She took an instant liking to me, and I to her. Like an adorable banana, she had lovely yellow scales with bright yellow eyes and black slits for pupils. She wore nothing on her upper half, as Ucfeni didn’t have breasts so why would they? Her lower half shimmered with a pretty skirt that fastened with rounded smooth golden clasps at either side of her hips, and the red fabric itself hugged her waist, hips, and upper tail in what had to be seductive, from the way the male patients gave her the eye. She even wore a headpiece that had red feathers on it to match her skirt, and fabric bracelets and armlets. I think she was an attractive Ucfeni female, again from the reaction of the male patients.
I was human and gay, so I’d have to take their word for it.
“You have another patient on their way.” Luha slithered over towards me with more grace than I’d expect of anyone with a long tail. Her voice was soft and she flicked her pink tongue at me a moment before cupping my cheek without invitation. Ah yes,shewas rather hands-on too. “When did you last drink some water? I’ll get you some.” She didn’t wait for me to answer and mothered me anyway.
“I’m fine. I just ate my lunch.” I tried to reassure her as she came back over with a cup of water.
“Good. Now hydrate doctor.”
“Yes mam.” I knocked the water back and made her giggle. “You said I have another patient on the way?” I thought it was odd that she was warning me. Normally they arrived at the door, spoke to Luha, and she directed them to one of the three tiers accordingly. Then again, I’ve only worked here a few days. “Has this patient booked an appointment instead of being another walk-in patient?”
“Well?”
Oh dear. Her voice inclined at the end and she moved to wrap her tail around an Ucfeni style stool to sit on. “Alright, I’ll level with you. The next patient has been coming here for a while, but Dr. Ihi and Dr. Yanzha always give her areallytough time. I was hoping I could send Asma to you instead?”
“Alright.” I nodded and reached over to hold one of her hands. She seemed borderline tearful, and I’d never turn a patient away. “Do we have any patient records I can refer to before she arrives?”
“Oh, Asma doesn’t have any records.” Luha lowered her voice and leaned closer to me. “Asma…she…regularly get’s gravid in her…line of work.” Luha tried to be tactful, as did I. “She can’t afford to go to hospital so she comes to the clinic. But…poor thing.” Luha averted her eyes and took her hand from mine. “She is treated really badly because of herprofession,and she’s never carried successfully. Her eggs have either been…deformed and had to beremovedbefore they started to…to rot.” Luha sniffled and her yellow eyes watered as she cupped her mouth. “O-or she’s laid her eggs and they’ve been stillborn. I’m sorry. But the last time she was gravid her eggs had to be removed and Dr. Ihi told her to either get herself sterilised or stop…her line of work. She told her not to waste her time if shedecidedto get pregnant again.”
Well.
Now I’m fuming.
Chapter 10
Mother hen mode into fifth gear
Tigger warning. A patient who struggles to conceive and carry to term.
“It’s our place to provide medical care and advice, without judging our patients. It doesn’t matter what her profession is or how many times she’s become pregnant. What she’s been through is traumaticenoughwithout being treated like that.” Fuck,Iwanted to cry I was that angry. I could feel my jaw aching for how tense it was. I was sure as hell going to find out if the Ucfeni had their version of a medical board to report that bitch to for her misconduct later on. Right now, I had a patient that needed my full attention. “Yes Luha, send Asma tomeplease.”
