Chapter 11 #2
“I can take you to a couple of places you could take them, to see which works best for you.” As soon as the words left his lips he seemed as surprised as I was that he made the offer.
“That’s not necessary.” I hadn’t forgotten that he’d placed me on a ledge or threatened my brother, and spending time with him wasn’t on my bucket list. Another thought occurred to me. “I suppose you’re worried about Alryv.”
“Why would I be concerned for him?”
“Isn’t he your son?”
He laughed. “I do not have children. Come, I will take you tomorrow. For now, join your companions and eat something.”
We began the trek back. I was surprised he opted for the longer way instead of flying us there.
Whenever any vorpyr passed us or got close, they clapped their wings together and murmured, “ka’reth voran Vorazyr.” It must have been a more formal way of saying hello. They also, usually, sent curious glances in my direction. How strange when I was the alien.
“Does your language change to formal if a younger vorpyr is speaking to an older one and informal for an older vorpyr speaking to a younger one?” I asked.
“No, it changes based on status and context.” He glanced at me. “Is this something your humans do?”
“Not all languages and cultures are like that, but some are.” Something occurred to me and I turned to him in my excitement. “Earth has many races of humans, does Ryiv?”
He didn’t answer for so long I thought he wouldn’t respond at all. Then he said, “yes, there are the Vor’Kaal, Vor’Thyr and Vor’Zoryl.” His eyes glinted with humor. “Is it often that you get so interested in a subject that you stop in the middle of a busy walkway to discuss it?”
A blush warmed my cheeks when I realized that vorpyr were waiting to get across the walkway I was standing in the middle of, gripping Arrazyl’s powerful forearm.
I’d forgotten myself in my excitement, and now I jerked my hand away.
They were being respectful about it, thanks to the Vorazyr, and most just took to the air and flew around, but there were a few that had injured wings or were carrying children and didn’t seem to want to fly.
“Sorry.” I said, quickly finishing my way across.
We resumed our walk and when I glanced sideways at him a little smirk was tilting his lips. Glad he could enjoy himself at my expense.
We reached the door of the house and he unlatched the bar.
He gazed at me for a moment with a softer expression than I was accustomed to from him.
“My name is Arrazyl, you may use it in informal circumstances.” He took a breath and seemed to make a decision.
“Vorpyr culture is very rich, perhaps more opportunities for you to learn about us would be…effectual. We are far more than a warring species, as you pointed out about our artists.”
With that, he stepped back and slid the door open for me. I stepped in and the lock clunked into place behind me, leaving me with too many thoughts.
“How was it?” Tatiana asked enthusiastically, speed walking over to me. The woman needed to get outside and run around the block.
Jaron had made lunch and was waiting for me. We all sat and shared the things we’d done this morning. Tatiana had been left in the house, hence the high energy, but Jaron had gone with Thyra and she’d put him to work running calculations.
“I’m surprised they let you see any of their documents.” Tatiana said.
Jaron shrugged, “I have no idea what it all means anyway, they’re just quantities and weights and prices, plus there are so many currency conversions it’s impossible to keep track.”
“So they are doing business with other species.” Otherwise the currency conversions wouldn’t be necessary.
He shrugged. “I’m not tempting fate by asking questions. I’m just glad we get a house of our own and we can get out and work our brains a little without being whipped and having our blood sucked.”
I nearly rolled my eyes. “I don’t know why you have that stuck in your mind. They may look like old Earth depictions of devils, but they don’t ingest blood.” At least, not that I’d seen.
“Why is it that they so closely resemble the descriptions of evil creatures, I wonder?” Tatiana said.
“I think that a long time ago a vorpyr found a way to travel into space and ended up on Earth causing havoc.” I shuddered. “I can only imagine what happened to him if he was stuck on Earth with all those superstitious people.”
"Mmm," Jaron hummed his agreement while Tatiana shook her head sadly.
“Does anyone have plans for later?” Tatiana changed the subject. It was such a normal thing to ask that I almost laughed.
“Let’s remember that we’re captives. We should think about getting out of here.” Now that I wasn’t so exhausted I could consider our situation better. And as compelling as I found the Vorazyr, I wasn’t foolish enough to think he wouldn’t kill me in an instant.
“I’d like to agree, but where would we go? We’re surrounded by jungle, on a planet that we know nothing about, with nowhere we can blend in.” Jaron said.
I rubbed my face. I didn’t know what to do about that.
At home I’d known special ops guys who had been tough as nails.
Now I wished desperately that I’d asked them about their SERE training.
Survival, evasion, resistance, escape. I wondered if they’d be successful with that training among a different species.
“Do we have any idea where they would keep spaceships?” The planetside jumper they’d brought us here in would never make it in space.
“I’m not sure they even have one here since they keep to themselves so much. But then again, our movements are restricted, so we haven’t seen everything.” Tatiana responded.
“Even if they did, and if we somehow managed to get out of here and sneak past everyone to get there, we still wouldn’t be able to get into it or fly it…or figure out how to get home even if we made it into space.” Jaron said.
“Spaceship pilots go through five years of bootcamp level training.” Tatiana said somberly, lips tilted down as the reality of our situation reared its ugly head.
“The Consortium royally screwed us.” I couldn’t help the bitterness that leaked into my voice.
“There has to be a solution. Nothing’s impossible.” Jaron set his mug down with a hard thud.
“We learn how to survive like Tarzan in the jungle and make a break for it?” I gave him a half smile.
“If we have to. It’s better than being dead.”
I nodded once. Anyone could agree with that.
“You forget that they’re treating us really well.” Tatiana said, voice tinged with worry and maybe a little desperation, and I felt renewed guilt that someone who had just been starting her life was here with us, in a volatile situation with very little hope of getting out.
“I’m just afraid they’ll stop once they see there’s no use for us.” I said softly.
“But Jaron has been helping Thyra, and Kyvar has had me help him the past few days. We’re not completely useless.”
Jaron and I exchanged glances. Neither of us were optimistic that would last.
Light brightened Jaron’s eyes, and he leaned forward, “let’s try to get tech. Any tech we can get our hands on and smuggle into here. We might be able to create a signal that could reach any ships nearby.”
“That’s a good idea.” As long as they weren’t vorpyr ships we were fine.
Tatiana worried her bottom lip, “what if we’re caught?”
“We can’t be. If there’s a chance you’ll be seen getting the tech, or you’ll be searched, don’t do it.” I said vehemently. I wouldn’t risk her life like that.
Before we could say anything further, a soft thunk across the room announced someone unbarring the door. We all stood, facing the door warily. Like deer with a bear circling them. Thinking of myself as prey instead of the top of the food chain was humbling. And terrifying.
The door slid to the side and a beautiful female vorpyr stepped inside.
She had a small smile on her face and was dressed flamboyantly in colorful, flowing pants and a long tunic top with cuts up the sides to her waist, giving glimpses of her softly curved silver abdomen.
Her hair was a deep brown and flowed down her back.
“That’s Thyra.” Jaron murmured to us.
She was truly lovely. I knew I was fairly plain and that hadn’t ever bothered me. Compared to her I wasn’t plain, I was hideous. That bothered me. Of course the Vorazyr would have a wife as beautiful as this. It only made sense. No matter what species, wealth and power always bred with beauty.
“Hello.” she greeted in nearly perfect intergalactic speech. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to invite you all to dinner this evening.”
When she stopped talking both Jaron and Tatiana shifted their gazes from her to me. “She wants to invite us to dinner.”
“To be dinner, or to be chained up as entertainment, or to actually sit and eat with them?” My brother, the realist.
“Jaron!” Tatiana scolded.
Thyra watched all this with a serene expression, though curiosity shone in her intelligent eyes.
“We, uh, are honored by the invitation,” I began. “Can I ask what the occasion is?”
She smiled. “There isn’t any special occasion, I’m afraid. I simply wanted a chance to converse with you all in a pleasant environment. Plus, our chefs are the best, and I’m sure you could use some culinary elevation.” She winked.
As much as I wanted to like her, I was suspicious. I told the other two what she’d said.
“Tell her yes,” Tatiana encouraged.
“I have reservations, but it’s not like we can say no,” Jaron agreed.
I relayed our acceptance and thanks for the invitation. “When should we be ready?” She gave me the time and left.
“We should dress up.” Tatiana said.
“I only have these clothes.” I reminded her. How she’d gotten other outfits, I didn’t know. At least we had an instant clean machine built into the wall of each bathroom. Hang your clothes in it and only five minutes later they were thoroughly cleaned and dry.
“Someone brought a couple of changes for you today. They put them in your chest.”
At her words I went to investigate and did indeed find a dress, a night shift, and a top and pants folded neatly in the chest. I was flabbergasted. Why were they treating us so kindly? I was anxious, like the other shoe was about to drop.
“They don’t believe in underwear, I guess,” Tatiana said as she came into the room we shared.
“There are worse things not to believe in. I don’t particularly miss bras.
” Though I became self-conscious whenever a cool wind made my nipples pebble.
But the female vorpyr I’d seen, including the teacher, had prominent nipples under their soft garments.
It was just a part of life. The culture I’d grown up in had been influenced by many systems of beliefs and ultimately, women had been taught for hundreds of years to hide natural parts of themselves and think it’s normal.
Why? Culture and belief systems. I hoped someday that archaic way of thinking vanished into history.
“Sometimes it’s embarrassing, like when…” she bit her lip and stopped. “Do you think I should wear the dress?”
I straightened from where I was bending over the chest and took a good look at her. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink, and she looked away.
“You’ve been treated respectfully by that Kyvar you’ve been around, right?
” Worry gnawed at me. If he wanted to hurt her, if any of them wanted to hurt us, there was little we could do.
They were powerful, too strong to fight off, and there likely weren’t rules against harming prisoners.
Though it seemed that the females of this society were treated well and protected by whatever laws they had.
“Oh yes, he’s very nice. Sometimes he looks at me though, and when my body responds…” now her entire chest flushed along with her face.
“I see.” She found him attractive? To each their own. “Just let me know if he does anything he shouldn’t. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you stay safe.”
She finally looked at me, a soft smile lighting up her face.
“You realize you don’t have to take care of everything and everyone, right?
As much as I might feel like your and Jaron’s baby sister, I am an adult with almost a PhD,” her smile turned wistful at that, “and I chose to come on the mission and be here. You’re not responsible for what happens to me.
I’m just so grateful you came back for me that day at the shrines when you could have gotten away. ”
I shook my head. I was responsible and nothing she could say would change that.