Mated and Alone (True Match)

Chapter 13

Misty

“Congratulations!”

Laughing, beaming, Misty raised her glass, toasting everyone in thanks as they celebrated her accomplishments. The salon was full, but they weren’t working tonight. Instead, she was celebrating this big occasion.

Her braids had been featured in a big fashion blog. It was a blog that was a household name on Kree, and only the best were ever allowed to be included. The hottest designers premiered their newest looks there. It had segments for daily wear, specialty wear, and artistic pieces – those not meant to actually be worn but only to be art. Anyone who was anyone involved in fashion, design, or otherwise decorating the body in some way wanted to be featured.

And that now included her braids!

It was a big deal. So, her friends wanted to celebrate with her. The party had been organized with her permission, and included everyone she had gotten to know.

A few of the manor staff were there. The ones she had befriended – the chef, the girl who cleaned her room, a few of the other cleaning staff, one of the gardeners, and one security guy who looked like he was working even now.

Her best clients were here, including the female whose chest piece had been the star of the feature article. She was totally topless, bearing her body without shame for the sake of the party. Everyone else who had braids by her had done the same – bearing the part of their body she had worked on – making sure that no one, especially herself, could mistake what they were here for.

Flik, her very first customer and friend, had come as well. He still kept his braids relatively contained, only letting them stay on his wrists while occasionally allowing her to do the back of his hands or part ways up the forearm. He had brought the drinks – a brew native to Kree that wasn’t alcoholic, but did make her feel really happy when she sipped on it. She was warned not to drink too much though because that happy feeling would come with the crash later and the more she imbibed, the worse the crash would be. So, it was like alcohol if alcohol wasn’t a depressant.

She didn't really care though, because it was good and everyone she knew was here and they were all smiling and laughing and celebrating her accomplishments.

Tsok wasn’t here.

She hadn’t invited him. Though that had been a decision she wrestled with for a long time.

She didn't want him here. They barely knew each other. Sure, he was supposedly her mate, but that clearly meant nothing to him, so why should she care at all? Furthermore, he hadn’t said a single thing to her since the party. Didn't message her, didn't call her, not a smoke signal, nothing. She was a doll that he dressed up for a party, then put back on the shelf, unconcerned about what she was doing until the next time he needed her.

That was depressing. He hadn’t been involved in any part of building her business. She’d never even touched his fur, much less braided it. He didn't help her with any of the design choices, moving in, hadn’t even give her a single ‘good work’ this whole time. He’d done nothing to help her, so why should he be invited to the celebration?

Except that wasn’t quite true, because he’d funded the entire thing. She was making money, and she was determined to pay him back, treating her allowance more like a loan. At this point, it was on principle. She didn't want to take his money and be indebted to him in any way. But she was far from being able to return all of it, so he was technically her investor. He should be invited to the party on that basis alone.

Except for the fact that he’d shown no sign of wanting to be beside her before. He didn't act like a man interested in a woman. In fact, she couldn’t even call him a friend! He hadn’t asked for the money back, but she was going to do it anyway.

So, maybe it was more like he was a secret investor. In which case, he wouldn’t want to be invited to the party. She was sure he was busy anyway.

And yeah, that sounded like a lame excuse even in her own head, but she was still struggling with the idea that her mate wanted nothing to do with her. Her supposed soulmate had taken one look and apparently decided she wasn’t worth pursuing.

And that still hurt.

No! She wasn’t supposed to be thinking of him tonight. This was a party, and she was the guest of honor! She was going to enjoy it, enjoy herself, and she wouldn’t let disappointed hopes drag her down tonight. No more thoughts of Tsok!

“Misty!”

Right on time, as if he knew she needed his sunshine personality to drive away her maudlin thoughts, Flik rushed for her.

Why couldn’t this guy be her mate? He was sweet – a total golden retriever in a giant, saber toothed, feline, alien body. He was always happy to see her. He contacted her quite eagerly all the time. It was almost impossible to deny his friendship.

She wasn’t attracted to him though. She hated herself, but that bright, bouncy, exhausting personality type wasn’t a turn on for her. And she had never gotten the feeling that he was flirting with her either. He was nice to her, happy to see her, and always friendly, no matter what. He sometimes spoke about how he’d made an appointment with True Match to find his own mate, and even once expressed the hope that Misty would get along with her one day – whoever she was – so that they could all be friends together.

Misty didn't get the impression that he was trying to subtly hint that he wasn’t interested. He was way more focused on the idea of his mate and how excited he was to maybe meet her one day. He didn't see her as a potential partner to kindly set boundary lines just in case she might get the wrong idea about his friendliness.

And she loved him more for that. He was a great friend to have. She loved talking to him. She wished they were each other’s type. It would make everything a lot easier.

But those were maudlin thoughts. The very ones that she had just promised herself she wouldn’t be having.

She smiled at Flik as he gave her a great, big, teddy bear hug that pulled her straight off her feet, making her laugh as she tried, and failed, to keep her drink from splashing on his arm. He didn't at all care about his wet fur, however. He looked at her so happily as he set her down, holding onto her shoulders as he beamed.

“I am so proud of you! This is so great!”

She chuckled. “Thanks, Flik.”

“Why are you thanking me?” He laughed, shaking his head. “I swear, you thank me for the oddest things. If anything, I should be thanking you .”

“Huh? For what?”

“For letting me be your client! For always making time for me! That’s a big thing, you know. You’re so popular, you must have people fighting for your appointment spots!”

She did, actually. Her braids were considered extremely pretty and desirable, but the problem was that she was only one person. Her braids were too small and intricate to be replicated by the larger hands of the kreecharma, and the only other human on the planet had her own job. Misty couldn’t hire anyone to take more clients for braiding, which was the main draw of her salon. So, her spots were very limited and exclusive.

It did mean she could up her prices, charging more for her styles than she ever could on Earth, though it also meant that she didn't have a large client base. She was exclusive and rare, but her braids were so in demand, she was sitting pretty in terms of cost.

So, for someone to thank her for letting them be a regular client wouldn’t be that strange. If she was on Earth.

Misty had already been teased a great deal by everyone because she was overly thankful. The kreecharma didn't thank people for everything. If someone held open a door or helped you carry something or gave you a gift, it wasn’t cause for saying thanks. In fact, they didn't actually classify things as gifts that she would.

For example, a few people had brought her presents for her party today, but they wouldn’t classify them as gifts. They were just rewards, prizes. They certainly didn't deserve her gratitude.

However, that didn't mean they didn't have a concept of gifts, just that it was a much narrower definition than she would have considered. A gift, for them, was something that made you laugh, brought you joy, enhanced your life. Most times, it was completely immaterial. It could be a physical object, but not usually.

So, therefore, to the kreecharma, her allowing Flik to be a regular client who could always make an appointment was deserving of thanks because it brought him joy and enhanced his life. But her friends putting on this party for her and bringing her gifts did not deserve thanks, because it was something they felt was her due, even if it did bring her joy.

Misty just couldn’t really internalize that concept in her human brain. So, even if people teased her for being too grateful, she thanked them for everything all the same.

Knowing all that though, she was surprised Flik really thought so highly of her services, and enjoyed them so much, that he was eager to thank her for it. In a way, it kind of felt like he was thanking her for being his friend, and that made her feel all warm and sweet inside. So much so that she didn't resist the urge to give him another hug.

Which he accepted with a laugh. “Is this a good time to ask if you can squeeze me in sometime in the next tenday? I have this thing at work, and I want to impress everyone and make them choke with envy that I can get your braids.”

“Of course,” She laughed. “But it’s a bit early, isn’t it? Your braids should still be good by then.”

“Yeah, but I was thinking of maybe moving up a bit. Doing like a bicep ring,” he said, touching his arm with a happy, excited grin.

The kreecharma had fur, and it was a totally different hair type from the ones she was used to. At first glance, it appeared to be fine hair, not like her own at all. She had therefore been nervous about the state of their skin if she started pulling to put in braids. But despite the difference to her own hair, their fur didn't grow like her hair did, so the braids stayed tighter longer. Their skin was also tougher than human skin, so it handled the tension really well.

Her braids, with proper care, could last for a few tendays. Of course, if someone treated them carelessly, didn't keep up with them, they’d fall apart, but her clients all received instructions from her in how to keep them tight and neat. It was a regimen she’d been developing since she arrived, based partially on her own experience, and then with what she was learning about the kreecharma and how well the braids did in their fur since she started working.

Flik just had his cuffs refreshed a few days ago, but if he was eager to expand their placement on his body, she wasn’t going to lose the opportunity.

“I absolutely can get you in,” she promised, waving her combot forward. Standing right there, she made his appointment for five days from now. She squeezed him in between two new clients. And she was experienced enough now to know that she could get him done and out of here in good time between them.

“You’re the best, Misty,” Flik beamed when she banished her holodisplay, his appointment set up. “I’ll take a look at your samples and see what I want. Maybe nothing too extravagant.”

Misty laughed, patting his back. “I’ll have you boasting a full body braid before you know it.”

“No way!” He reared back, laughing along with her. “We’ll keep it nice and simple.”

“For now,” she agreed, giving him a knowing look.

Her braids weren’t permanent like tattoos, but they were considered a bold new look. Confidence was part of the style, and her clients being willing to show off their new braids was what really made them stand out.

She even had a couple really daring patients that had booked fully private sessions so she could put braids in more intimate areas. The leg ones weren’t really super salacious, but she’d already done a couple tails, and one lady even did have her do braids on her lower belly, towards her vagina.

Turns out, she could in fact do pussy braids. Who knew?

She got to charge a great deal for that, it didn't take that long considering it wasn’t a huge surface area, and the result was a female who’d walked out of her salon with such a confident gait in her step, eager to get home and show off to her male, that it made it all worth it.

Weirdly, it felt kind of good. Not knowing that her braids were going to get soaked in fluids, but knowing that she made someone feel that sexy and proud. She’d given her that. Given her lover that. She’d contributed to their joy and love, and that was really nice. If she didn't think of the dirty details.

Misty always liked doing hair, but now, seeing how precious it could be to these people who’d never seen her type of braids before, it was even better. She could honestly say that she now loved her job and doing what she did in a way that made it not feel like work.

She threw herself back into the celebration. Chatting with everyone. She opened all her presents and thanked everyone, even as they laughed and told her not to. But she genuinely appreciated all the well wishes and appreciation. It seemed so strange for people to celebrate her for her job , but damn if it didn't feel good.

Then, Nikti, the chef of Fellbud Manor and one of her friends, came in with this huge cake!

Misty and the others all exclaimed loudly over it as she brought it to the table that had been cleared for food for today. The buffet of meats – and a few alien fruits and veggies for her since the kreecharma were fully carnivorous – had already been picked mostly clean. It was easy to make space for the three-tiered, beautiful confection Nikti had brought.

The white and gray female set it down and stepped back, beaming with pride as Misty, leading the others, approached, all of them ooing and awing over it.

Cakes weren’t really the same here as they were on Earth. What she would call the bread of the cake, for the kreecharma, was thicker, dense, and kind of chewy. It wasn’t bad, but the texture wasn’t really that of bread, and she wasn’t entirely sure it was made of grains at all. The icing was very similar, however, if just a bit creamier than she was used to, but delicately sweet and very delicious.

The cake Nikti had brought was beautifully decorated with bright blue icing, to match the current color of her hair, with a lacy pattern in black icing. It was also dotted with shiny, dark blue/purple berries that she didn't recognize but looked absolutely delicious. Fat and thick and juicy, they shined as Nikti cut off a slice.

“These are righsling berries,” she said, offering Misty the first slice. “A delicacy. It wasn’t easy getting enough of these to make a full cake, but I know how much you like them.”

“You’ve given me these before?” Misty asked, surprised, using a spoon to cut off a bite of the cake. The berries had been spread throughout the cake itself, not just laid on top. She didn’t recognize them.

“I made you a sauce once. Remember? For the large ribs a few tendays ago.”

“Oh, my gosh, I loved those,” Misty beamed, quickly shoving the bite past her lips. She moaned as the familiar, super rich and wonderfully sweet, taste spread across her tongue.

It was much sweeter than when she’d eaten the ribs. Then, it had been cut with something spicy, really enhancing the flavor of the meat she’d been eating. But now, it was all berry and sugar and cake, unopposed and unashamed. It was almost like a fruity caramel. The kind of sweet you couldn’t eat too much of at once, but damn if you weren’t going to get as much in as you could before you overdosed on the sugar.

Nikti kept slicing and handing out the cake, earning more praise as people took their first bite.

Flik was especially excited.

“I’ve never had righsling berries before,” he said, staring down at his cake in awe.

Misty couldn’t help but snicker. “Well, you’re not going to try it just by staring. Take a bite!”

He smiled and helped himself to a generous spoonful. Then immediately let out a groan of delight. “It’s so good! So rich and creamy!”

“And sweet,” she smiled.

“Sweet?”

“Yeah. You know. Sweet.” She held up a spoonful, clearing her throat. “The sugar?”

“Oh,” he made a sound of understanding. “Yeah, we really can’t taste sweet foods.”

“Huh? You can’t? Why do you like it then?”

“It tastes so good. I don’t really know what sweet tastes like, but the creaminess is amazing. You were right.”

Misty made a thoughtful sound as she took another bite. Was that why the cake was so thick and almost cloyingly sweet? Because they couldn’t taste it? Well, that explained that – and also why she hadn’t really had any desserts while she was here, but she did randomly have sweetly savory foods.

The berries were sugary like fruity caramel to her. What did they taste like to the kreecharma?

She tried to swallow the bite she was chewing, but it was difficult. She frowned, trying again, forcing it back. It went past her throat, but it was a slow, painful descent that she could feel all the way down in her chest.

She coughed, the motion reflexive in an attempt to dislodge whatever was blocking the passage of her food. Her mouth… felt kind of weird…

She coughed again, and again. Flik gave her a look.

“Misty, you okay?” He asked.

“Water?” She choked, the sound rough from the coughing.

She drew in a breath.

And it wasn’t satisfying.

It wasn’t enough.

She tried again, the sound wheezing past her mouth, her throat. They felt so weird. So tight…

She choked again, coughing harder as she struggled to breathe, hands shaking.

“Misty?” Flik was there with a cup of water, taking the plate of half-finished cake from her hands. She took the cup, but she didn't bring it to her lips. She couldn’t breathe, much less drink.

She couldn’t breathe…

Why couldn’t she breathe?!

There was no fear. Not at first. Just confusion. Determination to fight her body and try to force the oxygen into her throat.

Her face felt funny too.

“Misty!”

Flik caught her by the arms before she could fall. He lowered her gently onto her butt as she shook, struggling. Gasping. Confused.

The others were yelling something, but she couldn’t pay attention to them. Could barely hear them over the determined, aching pounding of her own heartbeat in her ears.

Her head, her throat, her mouth, her tongue...

Swollen. They were swollen. She was choking on her own flesh, she realized as the others moved around her. Panicking. She thought she heard someone say something about calling for help, but like the rest of their jumbled words, she wasn’t really paying close attention.

Still, she wasn’t afraid. Just stunned. She was shaking, focusing on drawing in each ragged, wheezing breath, tears trailing down her cheeks. Flik was holding her up, allowing her to use his shoulder to rest against as he encouraged her to keep breathing. To not be afraid. Help was coming. She just needed to keep breathing.

Misty felt so disconnected from herself. Her body was disobeying her, refusing to accept the air she struggled to draw in. Refusing to stop shaking. She was crying. Was she sad? She didn't think so. Just out of it. Trying to gasp, trying to make her lungs do what they were supposed to be doing!

Help came faster than she would have expected.

People in light green uniforms were suddenly there, bending over her. Saying something. She didn't really understand over the rushing in her ears. She was pretty dizzy. All the lights were floating.

A sharp pain, jabbed right into the side of her neck, made her whimper.

And broke whatever strange barrier had come over her mind, trying to protect her against the horror of what was happening. The terror of choking on nothing, of being completely at the mercy of a foe she couldn’t resist.

It all hit her in a flash.

She let out a wheezing wail as she was picked up and placed on something soft, floating. A gurney. Oh, these were medical professionals. Because she had almost died.

No, she was dying right now. Suffocating on her own tongue.

She took in another breath, and the rush of air, sweet and relieving, made her even dizzier as she cried out in fear and pain.

???

“An allergic reaction?” Misty asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yes, honored charina,” the male healer who was working on her said, giving her a soft smile as the lights of the mediring continued to spin around her. “You appear to be deathly allergic to righsling berries.”

“B-But I ate them before just fine!”

“Yes, my lady. That’s how it works. The first contact, nothing happens because that’s when you become allergic. It’s the second contact that will give you the reaction.”

“Holy crap,” she mumbled, earning a startled look from the white furred male, his ears pricking up as he blinked, surprised.

But she was too busy being blown away. Putting a hand on her heart. Feeling her heartbeat. The one that seemed that much harder now. Like her brush with death just made it more determined to pump and keep her alive.

“Is it just righsling berries she’s allergic to?” Davard asked, interjecting into the conversation and making Misty frown as she remembered his presence.

Tsok wasn’t here.

He had to know. There’s no way he didn't know. She already figured out that Davard reported on her to him periodically, and Davard was here. He had shown up before her friends, who followed her to the healing center, had even left. They were gone now, having left to clean up her salon. Nikti, who felt guilty for no reason, was going to decontaminate her entire kitchen and make sure that anything the berries even sat beside was cleaned. Flik left last, promising that he’d stop by tomorrow and make sure that she was okay.

She was. Whatever medicine they’d hit her with before they left had reduced the swelling enough to let her breathe, and the mediring she was currently being circled by even now was making sure that she wasn’t going to go back into anaphylaxis.

Because she had gone into anaphylactic shock. It was such a big, scary word all of a sudden. Sure, she knew that’s what happened when people had a sudden, deadly allergy, but it was one thing to know things like that happened to other people and another entirely for it to actually happen to her. To live through it.

To almost die from it.

She shivered as the doctor assured them that she was likely only allergic to the berries. But he was going to send her home with some of that emergency medicine. If she couldn’t get it directly in her neck vein, like the emergency people had, she could just shoot in her thigh and it would work fine, if just a little bit slower. If she got in contact with the berries again – which was unlikely, as they weren’t a common food – or if she found she was allergic to something else, she could use it then.

Weirdly, that didn't make her feel better at all. Instead, it felt like there was a time bomb in her chest, just waiting for her to trip over something else and fall face first into another deadly allergy. And she could never know when it would happen, because it was only the second time she tried something new that the bomb would go off. So, everything she hadn’t tried yet, and everything she had tried only once before was still a suspect.

She didn't like this at all. The medscanner finished its job and the floating rings returned to their place at the top of the bed. She sat up with a frown.

Davard gave her a determined look. “Don’t worry, honored charina. I will be sure that all staff know that those berries are absolutely forbidden within the manor. I will also update your security team so that they know not to allow those berries near you if you go out.”

“Erm, thanks,” she mumbled. She desperately wanted to ask if Tsok knew she was here. If he was coming but had just been really far away when he found out. And just chose not to comm. Or maybe he forgot he could.

She wanted to ask if he even cared at all.

But she didn't want to be that desperate woman, clinging to a man. So, she bit her tongue and gave the healer a smile.

“Am I clear to go home?”

“Yes, honored charina,” he assured her, smiling. “If you experience any further problems at all, please feel free to return.”

She nodded once and hopped off the bed, straightening her skirt as she did so. Davard gave her a kind smile as he gestured for her to follow him out.