Chapter 2
Chapter two
Cix
Normally, I would have felt antsy in a space as small as the Aunga’ri ship’s brig, but I couldn’t really bring myself to move anyway.
My father had warned me against ever using the stinger in my tail for anything, and he had been absolutely correct.
Of course, his issue with it was that it had bound him permanently to my mother, who he did not like, not even a little.
My issue with it was entirely more painful.
The skull-crushing headache was bad enough, but the fever that hit on my second day of confinement was enough to make me want to give up on life.
I was hot and cold, everything ached, and I didn’t even have the energy to get up and use the bathroom.
Honestly, it made it a little difficult to understand how this biological adaptation had come about.
The Aunga’ri doctor tried to ease my pain, but there wasn’t much to be done for it.
When I had bound myself to that woman, in an idiotic panic reaction, I had done unbelievable harm, both to myself and to her.
Hopefully, the chemical in my tail would wear off in a few days for her.
For me, it would be a slow and painful death.
Well, as long as one of her burly husbands didn’t arrive to kill me first. I always forgot how huge the Aunga’ri were until I was around a big group of them, and now they were furious with me to boot.
Even An’On’nas, who I considered a good friend, was angry with me.
He needed to get the information that I had about the Vul infiltration, but he had only come by once to yell at me.
I broke a bond that was sacred to his people, and he was letting his emotions get in the way.
He wasn’t focused on the mission, and that might be even more dangerous than what I had done.
I sighed, thinking about my friends in the Vul rebellion, about the humans and Aunga’ri who would perish if my mission was unsuccessful.
I was an idiot, and I had failed. I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to figure out how to recover, but no brilliant ideas were coming to me. From this cell, I couldn’t very well find the human woman and explain things to her.
“Why did you do it?”
Had I fallen asleep? I’d thought I was alone. I opened my eyes to find On’nas standing in the hall outside my cell, leaning against a wall. “What?”
“She’s in a lot of pain. You weren’t even sure the human anatomy could handle the Vul imprinting process.”
I didn’t know how to explain the instincts that drove me.
It was a fight-or-flight response — beyond reason — a response to being surrounded by my large, terrifying enemies.
On’nas had walked me through a hall of them as if leading me to my doom.
Being around a bunch of giant purple aliens who stood head and shoulders above you was terrifying.
When I’d spotted a human woman who had looked just a little like Melissa, with glossy dark hair and tan skin, and I had apparently lost my ever-loving mind.
“It wasn’t intentional,” I said. “She was beautiful, and the Aunga’ri around her were terrifying.”
“How do you unintentionally sexually imprint on someone? The humans have very strict codes about consent, and what you did was tantamount to an assault in their minds.”
I took a slow breath. “She looks like Melissa.”
“Who?”
“The human woman I told you about. The one who died.” I paused, trying to get my foggy brain to cooperate and explain things to her. “Our instincts drive us to seek something familiar in unfamiliar surroundings. That woman I struck with my tail looks like Melissa.”
“That was her wedding. Mia is bound to my cousin, an Aunga’ri prince, and to a human soldier as well. She was not a good choice.”
I huffed and leaned back, frustrated that he didn’t understand. “I wasn’t making choices. My instincts were overriding everything.”
“She’s a scientist, and you have a lot in common. She could have been your friend. Instead, you stabbed her with your damn tail.”
“You don’t understand. It’s a survival instinct, ancient and difficult to control. To find a mate and team up against the big bad world.”
On’nas stopped, staring at me, tilting his head. “So you panicked?”
“I panicked. You were carting me through that hall like a prisoner to see the admiral. I thought you had double-crossed me.”
On’nas raked his hands through his hair and blew out a breath.
He looked like he hadn’t been getting much sleep, which was understandable, since the Aunga’ri mission on Earth was failing.
He paced across the room, then back. “It’s been two days.
Prince An’T’ukka’s pain from the separation of the Bhesai Ker’el has dissipated, but Mia’s is worsening. Why?”
“Only she received a dose of the toxin from my tail. It may help if you let us see each other.” I closed my eyes for a moment, searching for the energy to continue to speak.
“But I understand you wouldn’t want me to be around her.
That she wouldn’t want me to be around her.
” I hesitated, because a lie here would save my ass, but perhaps I’d already lied enough.
If I wanted them to trust me, I also needed to tell some difficult truths. “She will recover in time. I will not.”
“You will not?” he asked, eyes widening. “How so?”
“I will die.”
On’nas paused, staring at me. “I’ll ask, friend, but I can’t guarantee I can save you from your bad judgment.”
I knew what that meant. They were going to let me die in here. My mistake was too grave. The Aunga’ri and humans alike were furious with me for what I had done, and I deserved that. “It’s all I can ask.” I sighed. “Let me get you the information you need before I’m too loopy to share it.”
On’nas nodded and sat, and I told him my story. The one I was here to tell.