Page 51 of Alien's Heart
Well, when she said it like that. The last few months had been difficult. Worse than difficult. Frustrating. Impossible. Soul-crushing.
“Fine. Point proven,” Ruth grumbled. “I’ve been under a lot of stress.”
“Hmm,” Serene hummed. “Found a way to relieve some of that stress?”
“Don’t be gross.” Then, because Ruth was warm and cozy from some stress relief earlier that evening, “And yes. It’s not a big deal.”
Serene’s ears went back. Yeah, Ruth knew Serene’s opinion about Nox.
“It’s not a big deal,” she repeated.
“As long as you’re happy,” Serene finally said, like it was a concession.
A Corravian man shouted Serene’s name from a distance. Ruth recognized him from the bakery.
Serene waved to him, her tail swaying. She turned to Ruth and said, “I must go. You are not the only one with a date.”
“Really? With the baker?”
“Their names are Rege and Than.”
“Really?” Ruth dragged out the word, enjoying how Serene blushed. “Both of them?”
“They are a brace. Of course both of them.” Corravian biology required two sperm donors for pregnancy. The traditional family model of two males and one female reflected this. Men often formed partnerships, called a brace, before finding their third mate to complete their family. In this case, Rege and Than were widowers. Their mate passed away a few years back.
“Bit old for you, aren’t they?” There had to be a ten-year age gap. Ruth based her guess on nothing more than Rege and Than’s gray hair.
Serene’s ears went back. “You are not one to judge me on the males I am courting.”
Ruth held up a hand, palms out in submission. “You’re right. That was rude and out of line.”
“Accepted.”
“They make very good fritters.”
Serene grinned. “They do. They keep feeding me. It’s wonderful.”
“Have a good time tonight.”
“The same for you.” She pulled Ruth into a hug. “I am glad you came, and if that male ever makes you less than incandescently, radiantly, blindingly happy, then I will pull the spine from his worthless carcass and use it to make windchimes.”
“Noted.”
With another bone-crushing hug, Serene vanished into the crowd.
Ruth raised her eyes to the stars. Her entire childhood and her early adult life, she lived in cities and never saw the stars. When she first arrived on Corra, she’d been awed at the open landscape, the endless sky, and all the stars. Then those wonders faded into the background, barely worth noticing.
She noticed now. Being with Nox helped her to see the world with fresh eyes. She felt…giddy. It was weird. She wasn’t a tween getting flustered over a guy. She was a grown-ass adult…getting flustered over a guy. Big difference.
Ruth felt him before she saw him. A prickling sensation on the back of her neck coupled with waves of resentment.
“Your protector is not around? He must have seen reason and left,” Geral said, standing in front of her. He had a flushed pink tinge to his face, like he had too much to drink.
Ruth had to tilt her head back to stare him in the eyes. She didn’t appreciate the way Geral loomed over her, using his height and her seated position to intimidate her. It was a classic douchebag power move, and he didn’t do it well. “He’s just getting some drinks. You should leave before he gets back. He doesn’t like you very much. I believe he mentioned something about breaking bones.”
He sneered, lip curled like he smelled something rotten. “I know who that male is.”
“Everyone does. He’s my mail-order mate. It’s not a secret.”
