Chapter 5
Scarlett enjoyed her time with Kane. She’d thought he might resent spending his break acting as her tour guide, and she’d asked him point blank.
He’d grinned and winked at her, saying that spending time with a pretty female stranger might jolt the women of his race into seeing his worth.
The village was compact and functional, and the way they’d integrated their buildings with nature impressed her. Saber was talking about extending the resort to cope with demand. Maybe they could do something similar.
“And that’s everything,” Kane said, ushering her out of the communal lounge.
“Thanks for the tour,” Scarlett said. “If you’re ever on Tiraq or in the vicinity, let me know. I’d love to show you around our resort.” She winked at him. “Our guests would adore you.”
“I might take you up on that,” Kane said. “Between assignments, we have a lot of waiting.”
“What exactly do you do?”
“Guard our royal family.”
“I’ll let you get on with your free time,” Scarlett said. “If you could point me to where we started, I’ll get out of your hair.”
His brow wrinkled, and he lifted his hand to pat his long blond locks. “I don’t understand. No part of you is touching my hair.”
Scarlett grinned. “An old Earth expression. It means I’ll stop bothering you and let you enjoy your day.”
Kane was silent for a moment. “Mistress Aelene says Ransom has fallen asleep and requires his rest. You are not a bother. My friends will want to hear more about the resort your family owns. I know I do.”
“Are you certain?”
“We’ll eat a meal and drink mead at the inn,” Kane said. “You do not require rest.”
This was what she’d wanted. Time away from her family to meet new people who weren’t attempting to find mates. More ticks on her to-do list. Honestly, if she saw another moonstruck woman with sex on her mind, she might barf. So why was she hesitating?
Ransom…
No. The dragon-man was keeping secrets. It was plain he wasn’t telling her everything about why they’d ended up here.
“I’d love to,” Scarlett said. “As long as I won’t be in the way.”
“Don’t worry. My friends are eager to meet you.”
Kane led her along the winding passage that connected the buildings.
As they neared the inn, the paths became busier with males and females, all dressed similarly to Kane.
Greetings spread from person to person, and curiosity lit their handsome faces as they tried not to stare.
She concluded the Elevenoss race didn’t possess ugly people.
Kane ushered her into the Eagle Feather Inn.
It was quieter and more orderly than a pub on Earth or in their resort bars.
Why wasn’t anyone talking? Laughing? The Elevenoss people drank from tankards and ornately carved horns.
Some picked at plates of colorful food with their fingers while others sat at tables and ate with forks and spoons.
Kane guided her to a silent group with a proprietorial hand at the small of her back. As one, everyone turned to face them. It was plain creepy.
“Scarlett doesn’t have telepathy,” Kane said. “You’ll need your oral skills to communicate with her.”
Ah! No wonder the place was quiet. Everyone was mind-speaking.
“Scarlett is from Tiraq, and she and her family own a resort on the island of Ione.”
“What sort of resort?” a man asked.
Scarlett hesitated, then went with the truth. “We run a resort for single females and specialize in captures.”
Kane’s friends stared.
“A capture is when a woman is seized by a man and taken away to a private place for seduction,” Scarlett explained.
One woman frowned. “The women of your species enjoy this?”
“Yes, and not just my race but many of the local aliens. Our resort is fully booked until the end of this rotation,” Scarlett said.
“It’s actually nice being away from the flurry of hormones and their desperation for a man.
If you ever want a change in occupation, we require more male employees.
If any of you are interested, contact the resort and ask to speak to my older brother Saber. He does all the hiring.”
“What about women?” one female asked. “If we are interested in a sexual relationship with another female.”
Scarlett blinked, considered Saber’s reaction and bit back a grin.
“Contact my brother and ask.” She could imagine Saber handling that query.
It wasn’t something they’d considered, but they should, given the variety of aliens passing through their doors.
Some appreciated more than one lover, and she was sure there would be races and people who preferred same-sex relationships.
“I’d be interested in working on another planet,” Kane said. “We are many fighting for a few positions.”
“When we first arrived on Ione Island, my brothers and most of my cousins, our friends were single. All of my brothers have mates now, as do many of my cousins.”
“How many brothers do you have?” a woman asked.
“Five older brothers. Five bossy males who order me around.”
Several women groaned in sympathy, and Scarlett grinned.
“My two brothers think I might hurt myself guarding the royal family,” one said. “Father fears I might die during a sortie. Mother championed me and forced them to stand down.”
“Scarlett, will you have ale or mead?” Kane asked. “And are you hungry? I am ordering snack food to have with my drink.”
“Surprise me,” Scarlett said. “Trying new things is fun. Can I give you credits to pay for my share?”
“Daenys told me to pay for you,” Kane said.
“I can’t accept your generosity.”
“She will refund me,” Kane said. “You and the dragon are helping us and are our guests.”
Scarlett nodded but didn’t ask questions. Instead, she soaked up information. One thing was becoming apparent—the meteor storm hadn’t been an accident. Her gut told her the Elevenoss people had manufactured the tempest to meet her and Ransom.
Scarlett spent an enjoyable evening with Kane and his friends, and when the inn closed, Kane escorted her to the single women’s quarters. He used a band on his wrist to open a wooden door bearing the number 143. Another flick of his wrist switched on the illumination.
“The lights and controls will respond to your voice when I program them for you. Speak into here. Say the words, ‘I enjoy Kane’s company and want to see him again.’”
“Really?”
Kane grinned. “Central control must record your voice.”
“Kane has a big ego,” Scarlett said and tapped his nose.
Kane chuckled. “That should do it. All you need to do is say, ‘lights off’ or ‘water on’. There is a list of instructions on the bedside cabinet. Or I can stay.”
“Thanks for the offer,” Scarlett said as she considered the implications.
Her feline snarled, remonstrating and declaring her opposition to the idea.
The truth—she’d liked Kane, but he didn’t fare well against her attraction to Ransom.
That kiss. Their kiss. It hovered in her thoughts, refusing to leave. “Maybe another time.”
“Fair enough.” Kane gave her a quick hug and stepped away. “I’ll contact you on Ione Island once our next mission ends. You can show me around.”
“That’s a promise,” Scarlett agreed. “I had fun. Thanks for welcoming me.”
With a wave, Kane left, and Scarlett thought about going to bed. Her feline released a rumble of objection. “All right. We’ll check on Ransom before we attempt to sleep.”
By following the long connecting corridor, she found Mistress Aelene’s house easily enough. She lifted her hand, ready to rap her knuckles for entry, when the door flew open.
Mistress Aelene held her finger to her lips.
“Is he asleep?” Scarlett whispered.
Mistress Aelene stood back in a silent invitation for Scarlett to enter. “I gave him a sleeping draft.”
“How sick is he? Will he recover?”
Mistress Aelene’s sharp gaze speared her. “He’s a fighter, and I’ve treated him as best I can.” She sighed. “Only time will tell.”
“He should’ve stayed at home and recuperated,” Scarlett said.
“No, he needs to follow this through for the benefit of everyone.” The woman pressed her lips together.
Scarlett waited, but she uttered nothing further. Frustrating, but gradually, she was learning more, even if none of the pieces gave her a full picture. “Is there anything I can do to help him?”
Mistress Aelene hesitated. She frowned. “Watch him closely. Help where you can. That is the best any of us can do while the enemy is watching.”
It was Scarlett’s turn to frown. Nothing made sense.
She should corner Ransom and demand that he share his plans and motives.
For if there was one thing she understood, it was that collecting raw and precious stones was a convenient excuse.
Ransom’s part in this journey was far different and dangerous, given how the Elevenoss race tiptoed around giving her facts.
Perhaps she should’ve let Kane seduce her.
It wasn’t too late. He’d pointed out his quarters during their tour.
“Thank you. I’ll do that.” Scarlett said.
“He’s a brave man, and we owe him much,” Mistress Aelene stated.
Scarlett wanted to ask questions. They tickled her brain, fired her synapses, and tripped on her tongue.
Yet instinct and the weird knowledge of the future that came to her so mysteriously told her Mistress Aelene would refuse to quench her curiosity, even though Scarlett’s gut insisted the answers were relevant.
Instead, Scarlett inclined her head. Her brothers would’ve teased her if they’d seen her reaction, her uncharacteristic control. They might’ve cracked a joke or two about the world ending while she imagined her mother smiling in approval at her maturity.
“You can sleep here if you wish,” Mistress Aelene said. “I’m afraid it is a patient bed, but the covers are clean.”
“Thank you. It’s only for one night, I mean cycle. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“If you or Ransom require anything, please ring the bell to summon me.”