Chapter 25
25
W hen Pari and Raina returned to the living area of Melvale’s quarters, they found him near the tall shimmering gold curtains. He had one forearm braced against the wall, his head resting against it.
“I should leave the two of you alone,” Raina said.
Pari didn’t want her to go but didn’t want to beg her to stay either. She hated her weakness, the crying, the fear. “Okay,” she said with little enthusiasm.
Raina gave her a sympathetic look. “I must get back to Halden. I’ll explain later why.” She looked at Melvale. “He can tell you if you ask him.” She hugged Pari. “I’ll see you soon.”
Pari nodded, everything around her winding to a standstill. An odd sort of numbness came over her, and she wondered, not for the first time that day, if she was going into some sort of shock.
Raina let her go. “You should check out what’s behind the curtain. If it’s anything like mine and Halden’s quarters, it will be beautiful.” She gave Pari another little hug, then headed for the door.
Pari watched her go, then looked at Melvale. He stood perfectly still, as if he was afraid to move. “Are you okay?”
He raised his arm and rested his head against the wall itself. “I am sorry, Pari. I can’t help myself.”
“Oh, you mean the pool?” She took a few steps toward him. “Thanks for the clothes, by the way. They’re really cool.”
He lifted his head, but didn’t turn around. “I chose them for you. I was unsure what you would like. But considering the time we took you from…”
“2024…”
“Yes.”
She looked at the short-sleeved, light pink tee-shirt. It just reached the top of the Levi’s she wore. For shoes he’d picked her out a pair of Chucks with simple white socks. She’d never owned such expensive shoes. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He still hadn’t moved.
“Can I… come over there?” she hedged.
“Yes.” He lifted his head from the wall and looked up. “That would please me.”
She swallowed hard. Raina told her he was going through a lot, but didn’t elaborate. Pari closed the distance between them and lifted a hand to his shoulder. Before she could touch him, he turned around, eyes closed, and took in a long breath through the nose. “Kahtala Miah.”
“Bondrah,” she said without thinking.
He opened his eyes. They were a beautiful blue, with a hint of gray outlining his pupils. “Pari…”
“Hey,” she said, suddenly feeling shy.
He looked down at her with such longing, her heart leapt in her chest, as if it could reach him.
“Why do you look at me like that?” she whispered. “I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to,” he whispered back. “Not yet. But you will.” He cupped her face with his large hand. “Your skin is so soft. And you are so lovely. It hurts to look at you, Kahtala Miah.”
Unable to help it, she put a hand over the one cupping her face. “Is that why you look like you’re in pain?”
He closed his eyes, threw his head back, and something between a growl and a moan escaped him. When he looked at her again, his eyes were bluer than before. “I… battle with myself.”
“Why?”
He looked into her eyes, his face a mask of agony. “I am your Bondrah, and you are my heart. But you do not understand what that means yet.”
“You said it,” she joked softly. “Seems there’s a lot of things I don’t know. But Raina said you can tell me.”
He drew closer. “I can tell you some things.”
She looked at the shimmering curtains. “Like what’s on the other side of those?” She started for them, but he blocked her path.
“No, my Kitten. You should stay here.”
“But why? Raina said it’s beautiful.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Yes, but there’s something else…”
She tried to peek past him. “What? I want to see.”
“Pari…” he said, his voice laced with warning.
She stopped. He’d not used that tone with her before. “Why can’t I see?”
His eyes got bluer. “Pari…” The warning tone was there again, and something else.
She always did have a stubborn streak. “What’s the worst that can happen?” She started for the curtain again, but before she could reach it, she remembered something. “Oh… wait…”
Too late. The curtains moved, and something pushed against them from the other side.
She backed up a step. “It… it’s that thing!” Pari looked left, then right, and couldn’t decide which way to run.
“Pari!”
She stared at him. The word was more a guttural growl, than speech. “Your eyes…”
His eyes were such a bright blue they glowed. “Come here, my heart.”
Her heart jumped again. It seemed more willing to go to him than the rest of her.
He extended a hand. “Come.”
Her eyes rounded. His voice was low, like it was when they were held prisoner. “Bondrah Miah…”
“Yes. Now come.”
Pari was vaguely aware of the curtains parting as she approached him. His arm was still outstretched, and she put one foot in front of the other without thought. Whatever was coming through the curtain was halfway through, and she knew it was the same creature she saw before. Well, it would have to contend with Bondrah now.
She took his hand, and he pulled her into his arms and bent to shield her.
“He is my friend. Do not fear him.”
She tried to look up, but he put a hand to her face and kept her from moving her head.
“Shhh, little fairy. Stand very still.”
Her heart beat faster. “W-why?”
“Hush now. Stay still.” His voice was a mix of Melvale’s and Bondrah’s. Yet, weren’t they one and the same?
Clickety click, click, click…
She sucked in a breath.
“It’s all right, Kitten. He won’t hurt you.”
She tried to press against him. She knew exactly what that sound was! “Bondrah!”
He held her tighter. “You’re all right, you’re safe.”
She heard a chittering sound behind her. “Oh, heck no!”
“Pari,” he said softly. “It’s all right.”
She squeezed her eyes shut as hot breath brushed her skin. It had to be right behind her! She whimpered, unable to help it, and Bondrah, Melvale, she didn’t know what to call him at this point, scooped her into his arms and carried her to the chaise lounge.
He sat, holding her against him on his lap. “Shhh, now. Q just wants to say hello.”
She noticed his hand was no longer holding her head in place. Pari looked up at him. “Hello?”
“Hellosssk!”
She jumped and let out a yelp.
Bondrah held her tighter and emitted a low growl.
“Melvalesssk?”
Pari thought she heard the creature sniff, as if fighting tears. She opened her eyes, unsure of when she closed them, and looked at the massive monster standing not feet away. He was huge! “Wh-what is he?” She noticed Bondrah’s breathing had picked up. Pari drew away to look at him. His eyes were bright blue again. “Hey…”
He looked down at her. “Pari…” His voice was deep, but not gravelly like before.
“You okay?”
“Parisssk!”
She cringed against Bondrah, and he growled again. Pari tried to calm herself. She noticed whenever she was scared, he got… aggressive. Agitated. “Melvale?” she tried. He was staring down the creature a few feet away. She slowly turned her head and looked at it. The thing looked like a cross between a giant cat and a spider. It was covered with soft looking, thick, white-brindled fur, and had two huge transluscent-like eyes. The creature’s pupils didn’t even have a lot of color. The thing also looked like its feelings were hurt.
“Melvalesssk?” it said again.
Melvale shut his eyes tight. When he opened them, they were still blue but had the ring of steel gray around the pupils again.
“Are you okay now?” she asked.
He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and looked at her. “Yes. I’m sorry. It’s hard to stay in control. It will get easier with time.”
“What?”
“Can I meet her nowsssk?” the creature asked.
“Yes, Q. Come forward.” Melvale loosened his hold on her.
Pari stilled. She had so many questions. Like, what was the thing getting closer? “You said he was your friend?”
Melvale nodded. “He is Q. My Sarian companion.”
“Companion?”
“Yes, we’re besties.” He looked down at her and smiled. There was more gray in his eyes now.
She stared up at him a moment, ignoring the beast slowly inching toward them. She was more confident now it wouldn’t hurt her. “Who are you?”
“Matesssk!” the creature said happily.
Melvale closed his eyes and sighed, as if the beast had just ruined a surprise. “Q…”
“Uh-ohsssk.”
Pari looked at the Sarian. It was slowly backing up. “Sorrysssk.”
“Come here,” Melvale told it.
Q closed the distance between them in a few clicks of his taloned feet. He sniffed at Pari, drew back, and bounced. “I’m Qsssk!”
Pari laughed at the sight. This huge beast was bouncing in place wearing a wide grin. “It’s smiling.”
“Yes, he’s quite happy to meet you.” Melvale let her slide off his lap. “He won’t hurt you, understand? He’s my friend. Please, do not be afraid of him. When you’re afraid, I… well, I’m not myself.”
She turned to him. “I noticed. Why is that?”
He heaved a sigh. “Oh, stab me, but we have a lot to talk about.”
Q stepped closer, closed his mouth, and bent his head to her. “Parisssk.”
She smiled. “He knows my name?”
“Yes, we had a lengthy discussion while you and Raina were, um, swimming.”
Bathing, but she wasn’t going to correct him. “Q…”
“Yessssk?”
“Sssk,” she repeated. “Is that how he talks?”
“Yesssk!”
“You can address him, you know,” Melvale said.
Pari nodded and slowly brought a hand up to stroke Q’s fur. “He’s so… I mean, you’re so soft.”
Q grinned. “Thank yousssk.”
“Why do you make that sound at the end of a word?”
To her surprise, Q sat on his haunches before her. “To let you know I’m done talking. Then you can talksssk.”
“Sarian are quite the chatter boxes,” Melvale volunteered. “Get a bunch of them in a conversation and things can get messy if they start talking over one another. Which of course is considered very rude.”
Pari petted Q’s chin. “He’s… nice.”
Q closed his eyes and held his head high. “Did you hear that, Melvale? She thinks I’m nicesssk!”
Melvale left the lounge and tackled Q. He shoved Melvale a few feet, only to have him jump onto his back faster than Pari could track. “Oh!”
Melvale grinned down at her. “Let’s go for a ride.”
“You can ride him?!”
Q bounced a few times. “Yes, a ride! I take yousssk!”
“Q, help her,” Melvale said.
Q folded several legs under him and lowered himself to the floor.
Pari wasn’t sure what to do. Melvale reached down and offered her his hand. “It’s okay to step on his legs and climb up. You won’t hurt him. Grab his fur if you need to.”
Pari looked at Q to see if he had anything to say on the matter. He was smiling, so she guessed climbing all over him was okay. She climbed onto one of his legs, grabbed Melvale’s hand, and let him pull her up. He scooted back as he did, and positioned her in front of him, sideways.
“Okay, Q,” Melvale said. He tightened his arms around Pari as Q got to his feet, rocking them both.
“Oh, gosh!” Pari grabbed at Melvale’s arm and held on.
“I’ve got you, Kitten,” he said gently. “I won’t let you fall.”
She instinctively scooted closer, hanging onto his arm for dear life. “I’m sorry, I’m a little afraid of heights. You wouldn’t think so considering how many times I’ve climbed onto the roof of my building.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Pariwink.”
“Pariwink, Pariwink, Pariwinksssk!”
Melvale laughed. “He likes that name.” He looked down at her and smiled. “Ready to have some fun?”
“Um, if you are.”
Melvale gazed into her eyes. “Then let’s go. Q, take us to the library.”