“As you can see, we are ready.” Oigr was in no mood to be rushed, but he still appreciated the youthful enthusiasm of the Indivi.
Nikki raised her brow as she looked pointedly at his cloak. “Are you sure you want to go around wearing that thing? It may end up drawing more attention to you.”
Oigr clutched the hem of his cloak stubbornly. “We tried going without it earlier, and that didn’t fare very well. I prefer not to have humans panicking at the sight of me or a female scream in terror again.”
Nikki winced. “Was it really that bad?”
“It was. Humans do not look upon me the same as they do the other males in our company.”
The look of sympathy in her gaze was almost unbearable but he endured it until it thankfully passed. “Well, okay. But at least try to drop the hood or something when you feel comfortable enough to do so.”
“If the situation merits it, I will do so gladly. The cloak is hot, and not very comfortable to wear indoors. It is of no matter, however; let us attend to your planned festivities.”
THE MALL WASN’T SO bad. Among the heavy mill of humans rushing about in their groups and laden with various shopping bags, Oigr found himself beginning to relax and enjoy the experience. The entire street that the building sat on, including the inside of the mall itself, was decorated festively in shades of orange and black.
As promised, Nikki began their trek at a place called the food court. Oigr not only got his coffee but in his lower right hand also held a small bag of pastries. He walked several steps behind the mated pair enjoying his food and beverage as he kept a wary eye out for any sign of trouble. He still considered the young couple his responsibility, and he doubted that would ever change. Medif had gone off on his own, not atypical for a Forad, but they checked the comms and verified that they operated sufficiently before he left. There would be no difficulty reuniting with him when he was finished exploring.
When the couple ducked into the painted construct labeled “Haunted House,” Oigr leaned against a railing and waited patiently. A Vrooduk could outwait even the most obstinate of prey. Even revolutions in space could not erase all the lessons he had hammered into him as a young hunter on Vrol.
He was intent on waiting without moving even a step from his spot when an enticing smell caught his attention. It lingered on his tongue as it rolled through his olfactory system, rich with the scent of spice and meat. His mouth watered and he cast a glance at the exit of the attraction. He doubted that Nazzek and Nikki would appear any time soon. He would have plenty of time to investigate the intoxicating smell and return once more to his post before they emerged from their celebratory incursion into horrors.
With one more glance toward the haunted house, he stepped away and walked among the shops, following the scent trail. He stopped abruptly in front of a small shop. The sign was cheerful, bearing the familiar representations of the festivities, but within were wonders of craftsmanship. There were some items that were obviously manufactured, and not of the best quality, but there were other items that seemed carefully made that spoke to his heart song. He trailed a hand over a thick candle as he passed by, finally plucking up one that had a calming scent and carrying it to the fore of the shop from where the aroma was thicker.
Two females sat behind a short counter; both appeared to be eating. He paid little notice to the female on the right because the one on the left held his full attention. The dark-haired female was clad in bright colors, her hair bound back with a beautiful cloth. In her hand was a utensil bearing thin noodles, far thinner and paler, noticeable even through the heavy red sauce, than anything produced on Vrol. The female stared at him with wide green eyes and sucked the noodles into her mouth, chewing and swallowing as she watched him with apprehension. The delicious smell of her food seemed to linger around her.
She had to be an enchantress as far as he was concerned; he could barely tear his gaze away, even for a moment.
From his right, the other female cleared her throat, drawing his attention. She smiled nervously.
“Hi there. Welcome to Spirits of Earth Metaphysical Shop. Is there something in particular you would like? Perhaps a reading from Deena here to foretell your future?”
He looked skeptically at the females. There were powerful females on Vrol, sorceresses who boasted such abilities, but he was never certain of the truth behind such claims. He’d seen much in the universe in his travels, but magic and divination seemed somehow unlikely. Still, he could not shake the pressing need he felt.
Feeling awkward, Oigr set the candle on the counter and dropped his head so that his hood would cover more of his features.
“The candle, if you please. How many credits do I owe you for this and a reading?”
The shop mistress’s demeanor changed to a cheerful one and she chattered and carefully wrapped and bagged his candle.
“You’ve made a good decision. Deena is one of the best in all of Seattle. I’m sure she can reveal something quite interesting for you. She does a reading for me every week and she’s always on point. I always tell people: you never know what might be going on if you never bother to get a good reading done. That will be forty credits for the service and the candle.”
His nostrils flared again at the delicious perfume and his stomach protested hungrily, his pastries forgotten. He pressed his credit chip into the pad, his eyes focused on the female named Deena.
“Perhaps you can direct me to where you purchased your meal? It is both familiar and exotic. I don’t recall ever smelling anything so appetizing.”
A dull red color filled her cheeks and her eyes warmed.
“Actually, I made it. I brought more than plenty if you’d like to have a bite while I do your reading.”
He marveled at the cooking talent of the female, as usually males hunted and cooked the meals on Vrol, and smiled at the offer. Females never dined with unrelated males; such a gesture was a cornerstone of a fledgling courtship. “It would be an honor. I thank you for your kind offer.”
Her smile widened beautifully as she stood and adjusted her skirts.
“Just have a seat over there and make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”
She approached moments later with another heaping bowl, which she passed to him, and she sat down at the other side of the small, round table across from him. She looked up at him speculatively as she took another bite and wiped her hands on a small rag.
“Would you be more comfortable removing your hood before we start?”
He stilled, his fingers tightening around his utensil.
“I am not certain if that is a good idea. Humans react poorly to the sight of me.”
“Well, I can’t imagine why. If you’re another species, differences are to be expected.”
Spurred on by her words, he pushed his hood away from his face until it dropped down around his shoulders. To his horror, her mouth dropped open and her eating utensil clattered into her bowl from where it fell from her limp fingers. Embarrassed, he grabbed at his hood to pull it back up but her hand shot and halted his movement.
“No, no. Don’t do that. I’m sorry. It wasn’t you. You just reminded me of something I dreamed. A species on a red planet. The dream was rather frightening.”
He dropped his hood and leaned forward with interest.
“You dreamed of Vrol?”
“Sorry, I don’t really know anything about alien worlds. All I know is that it had endless sand, an oasis and a sky of gold, and a number of hunters riding a large beast.”
His lips parted with wonder. That was undoubtedly Vrol. This female who had never been to his planet or knew anything of other worlds had summed his planet up as if capturing a glimpse of it. Oigr absently drew the noodles up to his mouth and took a bite.
His eyes widened as the spicy and sweet flavors burst over his tongue. It was at once achingly familiar and entirely new. With relish, he took another bite and then another. He wasn’t so enthralled that he didn’t notice the sma
ll cards that the female took into her hands and began to shuffle. He watched with keen interest as he ate.
Chapter 4
DEENA TRIED NOT TO squirm in her seat. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so nervous doing something as simple as giving a reading. She’d given thousands since she was a teen learning from her nona. But with this alien watching her so carefully as he made appreciative noises over her cooking, she felt as flustered as a beginner with her first client.
After shuffling the deck once, she set the deck on the table between them.
“Please shuffle the deck.”
“Ah. Very well.”
He set his bowl down to the side, and one of his thick red hands stretched across the table and picked up the cards, the dull black fingernails reflecting only a subtle sheen in the lighting of the reading room. As in her dream, a second set of hands appeared from beneath his robes, and between his four hands he split the cards and passed the cards between them before setting the deck once more before her.
She sat still for a moment, amazed by his dexterity, before she took the deck back into her hands. He picked his bowl up and resumed eating as she thumbed the uppermost card at the top of the deck.
“We begin with a basic three-card spread,” she murmured. He grunted without commentary. Deena decided to interpret that as an agreement. Some clients preferred larger layouts, but Deena preferred intuitive draws that started from a three-card spread and worked from there.
“Before we begin, you should know that readings are tools. Nothing is carved in stone, but it gives you information relative to what is going on around you and what you may be facing as a consequence of any actions you take now.”
Again, that non-descript grunt, but he watched her hands avidly.
She laid out a two of swords.
“You had a difficult decision to make at one point, something that was pivotal in your life which, at that moment, could have gone in one of two very different directions.”
In her mind’s eye, she caught a flash of color and swore she heard a baby cry. Disconcerted, she pulled another card and laid it upon that one.
Six of swords.
“That decision forced you to make a difficult choice, but you made it without regret, I see. You accepted it and transitioned into your new way of life, leaving everything behind you.”
Ace of cups. She smiled at that.
“In the end, this decision was one that had a beneficial impact in your life and has been satisfying. It gave you new bonds of love and built relationships.”
She set another card to the side. Now that she had an idea of where he was coming from, she would look at who he was now and what his current struggles were.
King of cups. Deena raised an eyebrow.
“I see that you are the emotionally stable and supportive one. You carry the weight of everyone else on you but don’t mind shouldering it. Instead, it is part of your nature to be the giver and to be steady and reliable, a wise decision-maker who balances pragmatism with emotional consequences.”
On that card she placed the next one she drew. Reversed knight of pentacles.
“Self-discipline and keeping to your tasks have pretty much defined your life, though. That’s not a bad thing, but even as things change around you, you find it difficult to change. You are stuck in that same mode you’ve always been in.”
Two of wands reversed.
“You do feel a bit caught off-guard. You really haven’t planned for the moment of change. You need a new focus, to set new goals and maybe even begin a new chapter in your life.”
Finally, she flipped a card and set it in the third row, designating things that may come on his current trajectory. He had set his empty bowl aside and she now had his full attention. There was a certain weariness to his expression that hadn’t been there before, and he passed a hand over his eyes. Sometimes readings were like that, and she encouraged people to connect to the reading. As far as she was concerned, clients were allowed to get emotional as the reading opened things up before them. It gave them the opportunity to deal with things they may have been avoiding.
As a good friend had once said, it was good at calling people on their shit.
The Lovers. This was always an awkward card to read and required more care with her intuition as it could be taken so many different ways. Deena closed her eyes and reached for her talent. Two bodies tangled together, the sated sighs and affectionate murmurs. She yanked herself back out, a flush climbing to her cheeks. She let her intuition flow between her lips in an unchecked rush.
“You will meet someone who aligns with you, whose being harmonizes with your own. Two strains of the same song. They will bring love and the opportunity to form a new relationship.”
She hurried to lay the next card upon it.
The Tower.
“It will come with a sudden, brutal upheaval in your life and likely theirs as well. Everything will be cast asunder into chaos, but it serves a purpose. Even in the worst of difficulties, look toward the purpose that moves things. It often comes with an awakening at the end.”
Seven of cups.
“You will have opportunities presented before you during this time. Choices that will have to be made. Beware of illusions and seek to see past the surface of what is offered to you.”
She swept the cards collectively up into her hand and offered him a small smile. He returned the smile and bowed his head formally.
“My thanks, seeress. I will keep your words in my mind and heart.”
He stood slowly, his massive frame rising from the chair. The alien towered over her and looked down upon her thoughtfully, as if making some sort of momentous decision. He inclined his head respectfully once more as he closed his yellow eyes.
“Deena of Earth, I would like to invite you to join me for a meal and entertainment upon an evening of your convenience.”
Her mouth dropped open and she felt a flurry of excitement before she tamped it down. For all she knew, he could be offering to repay her for sharing her lunch. If customs differed so much from place to place on Earth, she had no doubt this would also be the case when it came to other planets. No sense in getting ahead of herself.
He seemed nice, and enjoying a meal seemed harmless enough. She was never one for large, muscular men, but this male—who was even larger and more muscular than any man she’d ever seen—did something for her. Maybe it was because, despite his large size, he moved with a certain grace and his cat-like eyes were warm and kind. He exuded the sort of patience that immediately set her at ease and attracted her at the same time.
“I would be delighted. I’m available tonight, or any night, really.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she winced at just how desperate that must have sounded, though it wasn’t inaccurate. She didn’t have much of a social life. Maybe she should revise her stubborn insistence of not joining any covens. She considered that for about two seconds before she remembered the constant drama that always seemed to plague those she’d attempted to join before.
No, she would much rather pass her evening with an attractive stranger from another world.
She focused his bright eyes on her and a grin split his face, showing his perfectly formed tusks that lent his face such a strong, savage beauty.
“Tonight will be most agreeable, Deena. I am rather unfamiliar with this city, but if you can recommend a place to meet for dinner, I would be most appreciative.”
She fought a wave of disappointment. It wasn’t a real date after all. She suspected as much but knowing what was coming still didn’t stop her from being disappointed. She plastered an appropriately cheerful smile on her face.
“What sort of food do you like?”
“Anything with flavor. I am enjoying many of Earth’s wonderful flavors. Some of it reminds me of the spices of my homeworld. It has been many revolutions since I’ve touched my feet upon the sand. It is a sweet nostalgia.”
Taking a business card out of her p
ocket, she scribbled the address of her favorite Indian restaurant on the back and handed it to him.
“Meet me here at six. I think you’ll enjoy the experience.”
He smiled and tucked the card away in his loose pants.
“I will be pleased to meet with you again.”
He pulled his hood back up and turned to leave. She watched him with a dumbfounded fascination until a sudden realization hit her.
“I’m sorry, but what did you say your name is? I don’t think we introduced ourselves at all.”
Another masculine smile flitted across his face as he touched both of his right hands to his breast and bowed formally.
“I am Oigr.”
All her sensibilities let out a girly sigh and swooned at the gesture. That was all it took to positively melt her. With what she was certain was a silly smile on her face, she repeated his name.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Oigr. I’ll see you at six.”
Another polite nod and he was gone, the fluttering end of his sand-colored cloak the last thing she saw before he rounded away from the reading room. Yet, even minutes after he left, the scent of him like some sort of rare cologne seemed to remain for several minutes before it dissipated.
Tansy popped her head into the room, her blue eyes bright with curiosity.
“So, what was he like? All hot and intimidating? Come out here and spill. Tell me all about it!”
Deena tucked her cards away and stepped through the curtain into the shop. Tansy’s excitement spurred her on. Whether it was just politeness or not, she couldn’t help feeling excited over the upcoming “date.”
“THERE YOU ARE!” NAZZEK exclaimed with obvious relief and a hint of accusation as he raised a hand to the skies, as if begging the gods for a favor. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. Even Medif returned before you did.” Nazzek gestured to the Forad, who was peering at Oigr with more than a little curiosity in his green eyes.
A Mate for Oigr Page 3