“Jealousy is bad,” Dark like Moon Shadows declared.
“As is pride.” Stalking East stared at the hatchling until it hunkered lower than its hatchmates. “Zython returned to Rök, and he was not alone.”
“He brought his life mate,” Proud as Shining Sun sang. “She, Born of Starlight.
“Yesss, Zython travelled far into the cold, empty black. There he found warmth, beauty and light. He brought home to Rök his Light of the Stars.”
I gasped and jerked my head to look at Venomous, finally understanding what my name meant to him, why he’d chosen it.
His lips curved as his gaze locked with mine.
Clasping his hand and entwining our fingers, I turned to listen to the rest of the story.
Stalking East was staring at me, a funny glint in his dark eyes. “They bonded as one, and she gave her back for him to cover. From Zython’s blessed seed came Rä.” The a’Rä focused on his small, bright charges. “He made us in his father’s image as a sign of respect. And so, we do not become our true selves until we find the beat of our hearts.” His tone grew heavy with foreboding. “But the Dark Goddess was envious of her brother’s fortunes. The evil bled from her egg pouch. Compelled to protect the offspring of his son, S’q’ama’ta cast her out into the great nothing. Her blood spilled forth in a devouring stain, and offworlders came to be. Not made to honour S’q’ama’ta’s image, but in the darkness of her own.”
My head drew back on my neck, and I double blinked at the fanaticism brimming in his reedy voice.
The legend had taken a dramatic turn that left a sour taste in my mouth.
Venomous tensed.
Fiercely stopped munching his fruit to glower at the a’Rä.
“So offworlders are evil,” Dark like Moon Shadows reasoned. “If they were born of dark blood then it flows within them.”
A dozen little eyes set in solemn faces focused on me.
“What do you believe?” Venomous asked cocking his head at the hatchling who had asked the question.
Eager to please, yet unsure of what was right, Dark like Moon Shadows peered up at the warrior. “I do not know what to think, Honourable Rä’Vek.”
“Perhaps if you know the rest of the story, you will,” Fiercely said his mouth tight. He tossed the last of the fruit to a passing Zýt that gobbled it without a hitch in its lithe, tangential prowl. “Finish, Elder.”
Stalking East sniffed. “Great God S’q’ama’ta was enraged by his daughter and her betrayal.”
When the Elder spoke no more, Fiercely hissed.
He drummed the floor with all four palms to draw the attention of the hatchlings. “The Great Serpent also came to know there are two paths in life one may tread, yet reach the same end.” He crooked his finger to beckon them. “Life can spring from the dark of night as much as it can from the light of day. What you must remember, younglings, is you cannot have light without darkness, nor male without female.”
I stared, marvelling at the instant rapport he’d gained with the young ones, glimpsing hidden dimensions to the warrior who claimed me as his.
“Zython mated an offworlder,” Proud as Shining Sun mused after they whispered amongst themselves.
Dark like Moon Shadows frowned. “That was before the Dark Goddess tainted the great nothing with her evil.” The hatchling paused. Its four hands fiddled with loose threads on its cushion. “But there cannot be light without darkness.”
Proud as Shining Sun bared tiny fangs. “So if we are light, we can mate dark ones and all will be well.”
Dark like Moon Shadows peeked at me in wonder. “You are She, Lumen of the Stars.”
“I am.” Moving away from Venomous, closer to them, I gave a closed mouthed smile. It was discomfiting they were just taught by one of their respected Elders I was created from an evil blood stain. Is that what other Rä think of me? “Good greetings.”
The stout hatchling bounded onto its clawed feet, ran to me, then threw itself into my arms knocking us flat.
Air pressing from my lungs, I wheezed.
It was small, but mighty.
“I do not think you are evil,” it yelled in my face grinning as it thrust its lower hands in my hair then brought fistfuls closer to its brille to study.
Its upper hands pinched my ‘protruding’ nose, yanked on my ear then tugged on my tongue as I unwisely opened my mouth to yelp.
Fiercely plucked the one tonne ‘hatchling’ off me.
He sent it and the others scurrying, shrieking giggles as he chased them on all fours, pretending to be a beast.
Setting me to rights, Venomous glared at the old a’Rä. “There is no honour in poisoning young minds. Casting them into doubt because of your own fears.”
Stalking East huddled into himself, but angled us a brittle look. “I teach them the way, Warrior.”
Standing us up, Venomous loomed over him. His tone was cutting. “Teach it as it is meant to be taught, without bias.”
“Come, nest mate.” Fiercely returned dusting himself off of loose sand, and clasped Venomous’ shoulder. He forced him to move. “Show our Rä’Na what we do for fun.”
We approached a cluster of Rä chatting and laughing, pointing to something in the middle of their group.
Venomous and Fiercely kept me between them.
Unable to see past the bodies, I peered at the eager faces then wanted to share in the merriment.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Venturesome,” Fiercely replied hefting me up so I could see. “A game of skill and cunning. He, Stronger than Mountain Rock is good.” He pointed at the Rä’Vek in a sleeveless hardsuit. “Spy the Waxing Moons has been Venturesome champion eight solars running though.”
The Rä knelt on bolsters facing each other, and next to them were ornamented, lacquered boxes.
Stronger than Mountain Rock placed a metal card etched with glyphs on a short stack. “I summon a mated razorbeast with poison dew claws.”
“Oooh,” the crowd murmured leaning forward.
“Brutal,” Venomous muttered.
Spy the Waxing Moons rubbed its cranial ridges then smiled, sly. “I block with my elder creature, and counter attack with an enchanted sand flurry cloaking a Viranid swarm.”
The Rä swelled forward on a rush of excited hisses.
Sucking in a breath, Venomous rocked back on his heels.
He laced the fingers of his upper hands behind his head, lower arms crossing. “An unstoppable move.”
Fiercely made a noise of agreement.
My eyebrows bounced to my hairline then I rolled my eyes to the glister creep, motioned for Fiercely to lower me.
I thanked him with a kiss to his warm cheek on the way down.
“Venomous!”
The knife-like cry stabbed through the enclosure.
Wincing as a group, we turned to find a robust female in a voluminous teal softsuit bearing down upon us.
“My precious offspring!”
Smiling, a smidgen forced, but with genuine affection softening his features, Venomous embraced the female. “Mother.”
“I am happy to see you.” She pressed her brow to his, the gliding motion lingering. “You have grown.” She leaned back and grabbed his shoulders, giving them a shake. “Male, and strong, but we knew you would be.” Her face creased. “I have missed you.”
His head cocked and his voice grew tight. “So much, you were not there when I came home to introduce my clan?”
Her face dropped.
It sprung back with an impish smirk. “You know how busy I get.”
“No matter.” Disengaging, he twisted to me then cupped my cheek. “Mother, this is my Lumen of the Stars, my life mate.” He urged me forward. “Dearest, this is my life giver, She Venin Stings the Sweetest.”
Hostility and revulsion pulsed off Venin in waves.
Overpowering, hot, thick, the solid intensity of it made me shaky and feel unwell.
Mumbling, “Good greetings,” I stepped b
ack.
I know it seemed timid, but I was upset.
Hatred rolled off the female I didn’t even know, and who was supposed to be family.
Picking up on my distress, Fiercely moved to my back then placed a hand on my waist.
Gaze snagging on the soothing gesture, Venin’s lip curled.
Her eyes twitched to Venomous then she plastered on a smile. “I must see to your fathers. I shall see you again in the Senate Quarter.”
She patted his cheek then sashayed off.
Venomous’ voice was cold. “You have not greeted my mate, nor my nest mate. I have not told you of my good tidings.”
“Later,” she called over her shoulder then was swallowed by the crowd.
“That went well,” I muttered and rubbed my face.
I’d known from the start when she hadn’t shown at the reunion it was going to be bad, but I hadn’t realised it be that sucky.
Peering after his mother, Venomous’ wide shoulders drooped.
He turned to me with a rueful expression. “It will get better.”
“Of course it will,” I replied with cheer and conviction I didn’t feel. “I grow on people, like fungus.”
He laughed. “No, like fresh scented mentha, dearest.”
Fiercely gave me a squeeze. “My kindred are anxious to meet you.”
“I’m looking forward to it, sweetheart.”
The personal communicator in Venomous’ thigh pocket bleeped, and he pulled it out to glance at the screen. “It is time.”
We left the hot, noisy festival hall and strolled into the starry, cooler night.
The haunting groan of stabled goodbeasts, and trickling of water from the aqueducts calmed me after the bombardment of the celebration.
I tucked away snippets of conversation, and slight facial gestures, to mull over them when I was alone.
“Am I supposed to say or do anything?” I asked. “Is it tradition to bow a certain way?”
Venomous nipped the back of my hand. “Do as you have done this moon. A dip of the head to knowledge an introduction.”
“Other people do a proper hand on heart bow.”
“You are my mate. You are not lesser, so there is no need.”
Pondering that pronouncement, we entered the archway of the haze into the Senate Quarter vestibule, and then navigated the imposing crystal passageways.
The architecture was glorious, but I’d seen too many dazzling structures to get excited at the sweeping quartz walls, polished stone columns, and twinkling vines woven into the rafters.
We came to a cavernous room where a trio of robed forms sat crossed-legged in a line.
Behind them were lancet windows spanning the length and breadth of the wall.
Shafts of bluish moonlight shone upon them as if they were celestial beings made flesh.
Venin Stings the Sweetest was seated next to Wind Dancer, and watched us gain our own seats with a glare of loathing fixed on me.
Venomous directed me to my own thickly stuffed cushion.
He offered a bow. “Elders. This is my Rä’Na, She, Lumen of the Stars.” He faced me. “You know my father. The Elder to his left is She, Calm as Thunder. The a’Rä to his right, Elder Dare Viper to Bite.”
The three genders were represented equally on the Senate.
I inclined my head. “Good greetings.”
Calm as Thunder smiled. “I bid you welcome, and offer congratulations.” She patted her stomach. “New life is a blessing I have not yet known.”
She slid a glance at her Rä’Vek seated beside her.
He gave her a fond look. “We are hopeful.”
“Pleasantries aside,” Dare Viper to Bite said, brisk, “You are here to address the matter of citizenship.” He looked at Venomous. “We have debated it, and your Rä’Na must partake in the bonding practice of our people. We will not grant residency without it.”
Surprised, I made a soft noise.
I hadn’t realised Venomous had taken my comments into deliberation, and had considered skipping the ceremony.
“The ritual piercing is not required, we are aware it would damage her,” Calm as Thunder added, “but certain people are anxious. We need to dispel paranoia Lumen is something to fear. Taking part in the tradition, holding festival, will see to it more than our platitudes.”
Chest heaving on a sigh, Venomous turned to me.
I swallowed not able to speak.
“Clearly she cannot accept our ways,” Venin said on a huff. “Perhaps it would be better to send her back to her home world. Back to this Earth, where she can be amongst her own species.”
Tensing, Fiercely made a rumbling noise.
“And our offspring?” Venomous asked in a quiet tone that meant bad things.
Venin hesitated. “There are ways–”
“Sending Lumen of the Stars back to her Earth is not a matter for discussion,” Wind Dancer cut in seeing the choked fury rising in his son. “She is mated to two of our males, and carries their young. She remains here. What is to be decided is how to go about the lesser mating tradition.”
“Will you compromise?” Calm as Thunder asked. “Accept a lesser mate during the bonding ceremony, so we can assure the populace you are one of us? Your rights will have been met, and you will have the understanding of this Senate, your life mates and your lesser male that you do not need to partake in clutch when his pheromones leave your body.”
I cupped my forehead, elbow on my knee.
It was a compromise, but I could tell it was a nonnegotiable one.
If I declined, my mating with Venomous and Fiercely would not be seen as legitimate to the Rä people.
I would not be seen as Rä, I would not be allowed to remain on Rök.
Even if I could get around the residency issue, it seemed risky to not try and integrate to the best of my ability.
I never wanted to deal with a situation where my rights, or the rights of my hatchling were brought into question because we were not considered true citizens.
I didn’t want to be seen at the standoffish, biased alien.
I wanted to fit in, to be accepted, and that was what they were trying to do, but it pissed me right off I had to have sex with some random male, no matter how attractive, in public, to do so.
My sexual appetite was healthy, but it went hand in hand with commitment.
I didn’t know Cobra that Strikes.
Putting what they asked into perspective, it seemed overwhelming.
I hadn’t even grown comfortable enough with Fiercely yet to make love to him, let alone a stranger.
I muttered, “You’ve picked Cobra then?”
Venomous hissed, the low sound relieved. “Yesss. He is our choice.”
“He accepted.”
“Yesss,” Fiercely doubly established.
Weary, I looked at the Elders. “May I please have some time to adjust and make peace with this?”
“Yesss,” Calm as Thunder agreed and not unkindly. “It is decided then. We shall make the relevant announcements in the matrix feeds. May the Great Serpent shelter you until we meet again.”
As we walked to the exit, Venin rushed to waylay us.
Well, to waylay Venomous.
She ignored me and Fiercely. “Did you speak to He, Murk of the Gloaming?”
“Yesss, I did.”
“Good. I am proud. You are a strong provider, and the ideal lesser mate for She, Bright as Moon Glow.”
My head snapped around so hard ligaments in my neck popped. “I beg your pardon.” My eyes pinged between them. “Who is becoming what to whom?”
Pulling me into his side, Venomous lifted a hand for me to calm when I struggled. “I declined the request.”
Venin froze. “You did what?”
“Lumen is not comfortable with the tradition.” He inhaled. “I find myself agreeing with her views. The mere thought of clutch with another is repellent. I will never be a lesser mate.”
Mouth pushing out, Fiercely
slipped a considering look my way. “It will please you if I vow the same?”
I nodded with such force, I gave myself a headache.
“Then I shall deny the requests I have received too.”
“Requests,” I breathed my pulse jumping, voice climbing. “As in plural?”
“You may not decline,” Venin spat. “It suggests you think him dishonourable, and he is distant kindred.”
“Not that I needed to, but out of high regard, I explained my decision in depth to Murk of the Gloaming. He was disappointed, but respects my answer. So must you.”
“Venomous–”
He brushed his brow scales across hers. “Good parting, mother.”
Outside under the cool light of third moon, numbed, I stared at the dark sand and let Venomous pick me up then carry me to the goodbeast.
Fiercely walked behind us, close, but quiet.
Mounted, plodding home, half way through the journey Venomous pressed his cheek to mine, and his arm tightened around my middle.
He held me against his thumping hearts. “Cobra is a good choice, my Lumen.”
“I don’t want to do it,” I whispered a spiced breeze ruffling my hair, watching the monochromatic landscape shift under the same eddy of wind. “You’re not, Fiercely’s not. I shouldn’t have to either.”
“You will forgive us, I think.”
I said nothing.
When we arrived at the lair, I let them undress me, wash me then put me into our warm, cosy nest.
Shivering, finally, tears streaked down my temples.
I was the only human, an alien, on a planet so far from my own.
Rä culture dazzled and frightened me.
I didn’t fit in, and I worried I never would.
Going home wasn’t an option because I was in love, and falling in love.
I was having a baby, and its life would be filled with suffering if I didn’t find it within myself to bridge the gap between my beliefs and those of its father.
Venomous draped himself over and around me.
Fiercely hummed me a lullaby.
They took care of me until I slept.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) Page 36