Page 32 of Rainse
“Took a while,” she admitted. “It helps when you love one of them. And when you own the ship that got them here.”
“That’s yours?” I asked, glancing back toward the distant gleam of metal where the Tidebound rested at the end of the beach.
“Technically mine, yes.” Her voice softened. “Wasn’t really part of the plan, but life doesn’t usually wait for plans. You’ll see. Everything is different when you love an alien."
The path rose again, opening into a wide terrace lined with potted palms and driftwood benches. Beyond it, the ocean stretched endless and blue, beckoning to be explored. The whole scene shimmered with impossible calm, as if none of the chaos I’d lived through had ever happened.
“Your suite’s just up there,” Elise said, pointing to a bungalow shaded by bougainvillaea. “All the beach lodges are currently occupied, but this has the best view on the island, and it's close enough to the main lodge that you can grab food whenever you like. I’ve asked them to bring you something light — your stomach’s probably still recovering.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” I said quietly.
“I’ve had practice,” she replied. “I've been taking over more and more responsibilities here since I was kind of jobless and bored. We've had a few ladies sent here by the dating agency, with more arriving every few days. But you might be the first scientist. The others usually just wanted adventure.”
“Guess I got both,” I said.
She smiled and stepped aside to let me enter. The room smelled faintly of salt and lemon polish, the sheets crisp, the ceiling fan turning slow circles. For the first time in what felt like forever, I exhaled.
"Get some rest," Elise said. "There is only one more thing to discuss before I leave you in peace. Everyone on the island gets asked whether they want to do a DNA test and be added to the Hot Tatties database. Their algorithms constantly search for matches and we've had a few surprise hits recently. Cameron, one of the cooks, was matched with an Albyan two days ago and left the island yesterday to meet his match in orbit. Crazy fast."
"I suppose my encounter with an alien was even faster. He saved me from a shark attack."
Elise grinned. "I'm pretty sure the local sharks have learned by now that finmen are way stronger than them." Her smile wavered a little. "Do you want to submit a sample? Or do you want to have a think about it first?"
Part of me wanted to delay. Return to the Minerva, run from the situation, forget everything I had seen. But even now, I could feel that strange sensation in the centre of my chest, a gentle pull that told me exactly where on the island Rainse currently was. I was certain I could follow it and find him without getting lost. It didn't make sense. Didn't follow any scientific basis that I knew about. But as he'd said, their science was our fiction - for now. Until we developed further.
I took a deep breath. "I will take the test. But first, I have a phone call to make."
13
Rainse
Fionn’s voice was calm, which was somehow worse than if he’d shouted. “You hid a human mate on an island. You didn't tell anyone.”
“I didn’t hide her,” I said through gritted teeth. “I kept her safe.”
He folded his arms. “From what? Her human colleagues and proper medical care?”
Before I could answer, the holo projector on his desk flickered, and Pam’s image resolved mid-air — silver hair, immaculate suit, and the expression of a woman who’d long since stopped being impressed by excuses.
Pam’s holographic image flickered in the air above Fionn’s desk, crisp and businesslike — not angry, but the kind of polite that meant someone’s about to be scolded diplomatically.
"Rainse." It was more sigh than greeting. "Why did I ever agree to working with you finmen? I've never had this kind of trouble with other aliens. True, the Vikingar have no table manners and the Albyans have no sense of personal space, but you boys... Do you think I have nothing better to do than deal with yet another rule breaker?"
I tried to look guilty and demure. I wasn't sure I succeeded. I could feel my mate moving further away from me, and it took all my navy-trained self-discipline not to run out of the room and find her. Tell her just what I felt for her. That it wasn't just the bond that brought us together. That it was so much more. I would want her to be mine even without the bond. I had never been more certain about anything. I loved the way she looked at the world, with the mind of a scientist. I loved her laugh, that little giggle sound when she smiled. I loved her resilience, her strength. I loved her bravery, how she hadn't hesitated diving into a crowd of stinging creatures that had disabled me. I loved...her.
"Are you listening to me?" Pam asked sternly.
"Yes. No. Pam, I'm sorry, but there is nothing much to say. She is my mate. I know she is. She feels it as well. And once she’s done a DNA test and has been added to your database, the whole world will know it. Why do we have to wait? Why do you have to separate us when it is obvious that we are meant to be together?"
Fionn put a calming hand on my shoulder. "Rainse..."
"Who said anything about separating you?" Pam asked, one immaculately shaped eyebrow pulled up.
"I assumed... Cerban..."
"We have learned much from how we handled Cerban and Maelis. Hot Tatties is a dating agency, not the police. Yes, we work with the permission of the Intergalactic Authority, but as long as we keep them informed and don't allow random aliens to join the database, we pretty much have free rein on how we operate. Keeping Cerban and Maelis separate was... not the best decision. I see that now, with hindsight. But back then, it was done in order to protect Maelis and other women. Now that we have realised that Kelon was an isolated case, that the majority of finmen are honourable, kind males who would never think to hurt a female, we can change our policies somewhat."
"So you'll let us be together? Now?"
