Chapter 21
Alanna
How had she ended up in this position?
She stared at the circular comm, a frown pulling at her lips, admonishing herself for zoning out again because now she didn't know what to say. Navine was silent on the other end as well.
Silent. Awkward.
“So, how is your mating going?” Navine finally asked, her tone neutral.
Alanna tensed at the question, but it hadn’t sounded angry or accusatory – like she was blaming Alanna for the loss of her male. If anything, she sounded restrained but amused.
“He said he didn’t want a mate,” she mumbled, her lips and tongue oddly numb. She hated to admit that to the female that formerly had his affections. Or maybe still did.
Navine laughed. Loudly. “You didn't really believe that idiot, did you?”
Alanna didn't say anything, but she shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her half-eaten breakfast cold in front of her.
“Oh, I see what he’s doing now,” Navine snickered. “You overheard him being stupid and now he’s trying to fix it.”
Was that what he was doing? “I’m not mad. He doesn’t have anything to fix.”
“Sure, that’s why he left you alone with me. His most recent, and probably longest kept, pleasure mate.”
Alanna stiffened, hating to hear it. Her jaw clenched, but she said nothing. Hating Navine in that moment, because she knew what Survii was like in bed. She knew his touch. His kiss.
He was Alanna’s.
But he wasn’t.
Navine was laughing at her again. “Easy, Vora Vakara. Survii is a lusty male. He has been for even longer than I’ve known him. He jumped between beds like he was afraid of them getting warm.”
“I don’t want to hear this,” Alanna mumbled.
“I know you don’t. I imagine it’s awful for you. But the fact is, you’re mated to a male who has been cavalier with his bed partners in the past. But that’s just the thing. It’s the past now. The moment he saw you, all that became completely meaningless.”
“I know that.”
“You do?”
“I studied domini culture. I know that the mating bond is irresistible and, after a time, irreversible. But that doesn’t change the fact that he doesn't want it. I want a male who wants to want me. I deserve that. I won’t accept anything else.”
Navine hummed curiously. “Consider me impressed, Vora Vakara. You absolutely do deserve that. And I know Survii will give it to you. He’s a hopeless idiot, but if he truly didn't want you, he wouldn’t have risked leaving you alone with me.”
“This is a risk?”
Navine laughed evilly. “Oh, absolutely. I know all his dirty secrets.”
Instead of making her laugh, that statement only made Alanna more uncomfortable. Because she didn't know any of Survii’s secrets – dirty or otherwise. It just served to further prove how much closer he was to Navine. As though that needed any further demonstration.
“For example,” Navine continued like nothing was wrong.
“I know that he’s not particularly bright.
He’s good with people, but he’s dumb as a clump of mud.
I know about that time we were at a party on Jettiron and he got so intoxicated, he ended up passed out on the table and woke with a group of males eating off his body.
Survii, by the way, is not interested in males, and that was rather awkward for him.
Especially seeing as eating food off each other is considered mating behavior to the Jettiron people.
He very nearly caused a planetary incident with that one. ”
Alanna couldn’t help it – she snickered. The mental image of a hungover Survii surrounded by big, strong males who were picking food off his body like vultures made her laugh. “What did he do?”
“He did exactly as you would expect from that fool. He shouted, flailed his limbs in an attempt to get them off him, and smacked one of them by accident. There is a specific way to decline such advances, and it is not through violence. And they were all high-ranking males not used to rejection. They didn’t take it well. ”
Alanna laughed behind her hand. “Why didn't he just ask them to stop?”
“I told you, he’s an idiot. When faced with something new, he’s known to panic and make bad, reflexive decisions. But you will never find a truer friend or a kinder male. He’s loyal to a fault. I really admire that about him.”
Alanna couldn’t resist. She had to know. “Do you love him?”
Navine laughed. “Of course, I do. He’s a dear friend of mine.
One I’ve exchanged pleasures and adventures and good memories with.
But if you’re asking if I’m interested in mating him, even as a lovirii tii, the answer is a resounding no.
I told you, he’s a lusty male. He has needs and I didn't mind satisfying them. In the bedroom, in the training room, and even just as a friend.”
Alanna bit her lip. Still uncomfortable hearing it, but there was still some part of her that was strangely relieved. She believed Navine. She heard the truth of her words in her tone, and she knew the female’s aura. She wasn’t the kind to lie or manipulate.
That didn’t make it easy to hear though.
“Easy, Vora Vakara,” Navine said, her voice softening. “I’m not saying don’t make him work for it. He certainly earned it after that dumb move. But at least listen to him. Give him a chance to make it up to you. Get to know him. He’s worth it.”
Alanna said nothing for a long minute. Navine didn't try to rush her to speak either. And when she did finally say something, she deliberately changed the subject. She asked for more embarrassing stories about Survii.
He came back as Alanna was laughing at a tale Navine was telling about the time he had been riding some kind of animal as part of a ceremony for an alien species and how the beast had completely refused to listen to him and tossed him around like he was nothing.
He had ended up flat on his face, butt in the air, combots recording the whole misadventure.
The only thing Survii hurt was his pride, and even the alien species found his troubles amusing.
He pretended to be offended when he caught them talking, but she could see a distinct easing of tension around the lines of his eyes and mouth.
As he and Navine were arguing about what actually happened that day, Alanna slipped away. She felt like she had a lot to think about.
***
The next stop on the tour was cheery ol’ London. Alanna had actually been there for vacation one year when she was younger. The two trips really couldn’t be compared.
Notably, she got to meet the king. Which was crazy. Even crazier considering that his royal person still wasn’t the highest ranked one in the room. Atem had him beat as he was the ruler and representative of an entire planet. And she was his sister.
She got to explore Buckingham Palace, including places not open to public tours. The Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben himself. They even got to ride on the Eye of London – an experience that had the entire area cleared out just for them.
All the while, negotiations continued. The humans – including Alanna – were arguing that the aliens had to follow human rules of human experimentation, while the aliens were arguing that they should be bound by the Coalition Standard laws of sapient experimentation.
They were comparing the two to come to an agreement on exactly what rules should be adopted.
Survii was an absolute gentleman the entire time. He still touched her at random times, bringing her back whenever she threatened to float away, but she found she didn't actually mind. She was coming to not only look forward to it, but to expect it.
And that was dangerous if she wanted to protect her heart.
Did she want to risk it? Did she dare after seeing how quickly he backtracked?
Was the prize worth the potential pain?