Chapter Four

Aeryn could feel the looks and moved to the food carts with a sway in her hips. She collected a few items and paid the vendors. She collected compliments and gave some in return.

When she sat at one of the tables, she wasn’t alone for long. She spent the evening nibbling snacks and catching angry looks from a table full of tourists, aside from the woman sitting and scribbling on a notebook. Ah, the bachelorette party.

“A woman as stunning as you should never be alone.” A hand wearing a white cuff braced itself on the table.

She looked up with a polite comment on her lips, and it froze in place when she saw Loken. “Oh, hi. What are you doing here?”

He smiled. “May I sit?”

“Um, sure.”

“So, he and I have both been tested and paid the extra to get expedited results. You are wearing a black band. I didn’t peg you for a local.”

She muttered, “Pegging costs extra.”

Loken grinned and leaned in to whisper, “One thing at a time, but I am game if you are.”

She opened her mouth in surprise. He leaned in and kissed her. His lips were soft against hers, and when he leaned away, he moved in to nuzzle her cheek.

The announcer began to organize a dance-off between the ladies, and there would be one amongst the gentlemen immediately following.

He called for two team captains. Haravin stepped forward, and then the bride charged up. “I’ll pick a team.”

The bride picked her team from her bridesmaids. They totalled five. Haravin looked at Aeryn, and Aeryn nodded. Amby was tapped, and Thera was on deck. Aeryn whispered her suggestion, and the woman with the notebook was startled when Haravin coaxed her up. Aeryn took the notebook and set it down on her table.

The teams were set.

They each had one play-through of the song in a private area where the other team couldn’t see them.

Haravin explained, “This is an icebreaker, and it gives the ladies the feeling of being ogled when most of the males here aren’t interested.”

The shy woman smiled. “Got it. I am just here because my brother was upset that she was cutting me out of all of the wedding events. She’s a nasty harpy, and I couldn’t care less.”

Amby nodded. “Understandable. So, let’s listen to the song. If anyone knows the style, sing out.”

They listened to it, and Hara and Aeryn could both dance to it. It was a blend of belly dance and hip-hop. They volunteered to put Aeryn out front as a distraction.

“You guys owe me ice cream for that.”

Hara grinned, and Thera laughed. They both said, “Deal.”

Aeryn shook her hair out, wrapped it around her wrist, and edged her skirt low, riding it on the edge of her hips.

She even loosened her top a little to let her breasts sway as she moved.

Time was called, and the bride got to go first.

Aeryn kept her face impassive as Hara’s team was called to join, and their graceful, slow moves against the frantic cheerleader-like flailing of the bridal party gave their team an inevitable conclusion. Ice cream.

Narro came over and congratulated them. He was wearing his human seeming, but Aeryn recognized him. “You are looking lovely, Aeryn. The glasses didn’t suit you.”

The quiet girl was sitting with them and enjoying the ice cream. She smiled at Aeryn. “Thank you. That was fun.”

“So, writer?”

“Yeah. How can you tell?”

“You look around like you are constantly being pulled into our reality and have to focus.” Aeryn smiled. “Rather like a hedgehog. What is your name?”

“Mini. Short for Minutia. My parents liked words. My brother’s name is August.”

Thera smiled. “Are you going on the boat charter the day after tomorrow?”

“Yeah, my sister-in-law said she’s going to take a run at the crew.”

Thera smiled. “That would be profoundly unwise. If any of them touch a tourist, they won’t touch me indefinitely. We are newly mated and waiting to find out if I am pregnant, so they are all super attentive right now. They may come off as rude.”

Mini blinked. “Wow, you just discussed mates right out there.”

Haravin smiled. “Sure. Proximity to alphas makes things far more direct. They aren’t that good at subtlety. Since they identify things by scent, they are excellent lie detectors, so telling them that you aren’t interested when you are just irritates them. We are fairly sure that I am carrying as well. Amby’s team is really trying.”

Mini looked to Aeryn. “What about you?”

“Oh, I am avoiding my alphas because I can’t control that situation, and that little factoid is freaking me out. So, normally, I have a disguise and everything. Today, they happened to catch me out in my natural appearance.”

Mini blinked. “But you know who they are?”

“Sure. I always have.”

“Wow. Can I interview you? I have to guess at most of the social interactions between alphas and omegas.”

The ladies chuckled.

Mini paused. “What did I say?”

Thera smiled. “None of us were born omegas. We got the dubious distinction of resembling them for the purpose of luring our mates in. It worked too well.”

The ladies at the table laughed.

Loken braved the collection and crouched at her side. “So, will you dance with me?”

Aeryn looked at him. “Like normal dancing?”

“Yes. You and me, together.”

“The music sounds reasonable, so yes.” She put her hand in his and got to her feet. Haravin watched, smiling, until Narro offered his hand.

Amby was smirking when Exoval claimed her.

Aeryn heard Thera explain, “ He is an omega.”

They laughed, and when Aeryn danced with Loken, she could see Thera earnestly talking to Mini, explaining the alphas and the betas and omegas and combination possibilities. The wind carried the conversations over to her.

Loken sighed. “I see I don’t have your full attention.”

He slid a hand down to her backside. “So, would you be willing to negotiate with me?”

“I don’t know. I had a plan to flirt tonight. I needed an ego boost.”

“Aw, why do you need to feel pretty? You are gorgeous.”

“And yet, Sohar speaks lustily about scantily clad women on the deck of the yacht. All these women who will strip off at a chance to sail with him. I wanted some men to think about me the way he thinks about them.”

Loken sighed. “He was trying to impress upon you that he is a desirable mate.”

“I know that. I have known since I got that damned diamond jammed into me. It’s like having a bicycle that you know you are getting for your birthday and everyone telling you how much they liked looking at the bike in the store, touching it, and taking it for a spin. It doesn’t matter that it wasn’t yours at the time; you just don’t want to hear about its life before you between someone else’s legs.”

He blinked at the analogy. “That makes an astonishing amount of sense, and I am sorry that that thought is in your way.”

She looked at him sadly. “I am sorry that the thought is in your way.”

He cupped his hands on either side of her jaw. His kiss didn’t leave much room for thought.

She saw a flashing on her wrist, and a blue light was alerting her. The same light was happening on Loken’s. She asked, “What’s that?”

“You haven’t gotten this far in negotiations before?”

She bit her lip. “I just arrived here yesterday.”

“Ah. That makes sense. Well, now, this is the point where we sit quietly and discuss what we are willing to do and what is out of the question.”

“What about where are we going to do this?”

“You don’t have a room here?”

“Yes, but it is adjoining with my boss. I am close with her but not that close.”

He smiled. “The yacht is in the harbour. If it isn’t too awkward, we can take the launch, and I will return you here in the morning.”

“Promise?”

“The bands have been listening. It’s in the short-term contract.”

“What happens if you don’t bring me back?”

“I get repeatedly zapped until you judge that the contract has been completed.”

“Oh. Nice.”

“And since the bands run on body heat, the zapping lasts as long as I remain warm.”

“Where is Sohar?”

“Still out at sea. He is bound to spend about one week a decade in that form.”

“They say here that sighting him is once in a lifetime.”

Loken smiled. “The oceans are vast, and the ship travels across them with equanimity.”

“So, you travel from place to place?”

“Nowhere is home yet.”

She nodded and looked at the flashing blue light. She swallowed. “I think I am going to take a rain cheque.”

“Are you sure? I may not be this way again.”

She found the off on her controls. “I am sure. I am not into impulse decisions. They get me into trouble.”

He nodded. “I can respect that. Are you going to stay out here tonight?”

“No. It has been a very long day. I am going to head off to my hotel.”

He asked, “Would you like an escort?”

“No. I am capable of protecting myself from gropers.”

He sighed. “One more kiss?”

She leaned in and met his lips with hers. Her tongue tasted him, and she shivered as the flavour of him did something to her. Something dark and primal was rising, but she backed up before things got too intense.

His eyes were brilliant green, and she watched him blink away his serpentine pupils. “Whoa. What are you?”

“You have to take me to bed to find out.” He grinned.

She blinked. “Well, as that isn’t happening tonight, I guess I will never know.”

He blinked. “We are not leaving in the next few days.”

“Well, I have a job to do, so I am staying on Wonder. Enjoy wandering the seas.” She smiled brilliantly and got to her feet. “Good night.”

Loken got up, and she could feel him staring at her as she walked toward the shadowy alleys that led back to the hotel.

She was near the door when she heard the rush of feet and a burning pain in her head. The ground rushed up, and she felt the burn in her cheekbone. There was a second strike, but she was surrounded by water. She turned on her hip and saw Sara bearing down on her with a chunk of bamboo. “Die, bitch!”

Another strike and then another. Aeryn took them until Sara was standing and panting. A heavy and rhythmic thudding came toward her, and Aeryn stared as she saw a dinosaur in the village. She wrapped him in water and held him. “Sara, get the fuck out of here and admit to attacking me to the peacekeepers, or I will let him go.”

Four peacekeepers ran toward them. They took in the scene and grabbed Sara, disarming her immediately.

She looked at the blurry men and said, “If Amby is still around with Dorian, can you ask him for a bottle of water? She got some hits in, and there’s a bit of split skin.”

Loken was roaring and thrashing his head to free himself.

“Oh, and get her out of here and leave the bamboo pole. I think it is my blood that is setting him off.”

“Yes, miss. I will see if I can find Dorian.” One of the peacekeepers turned and took off back to the square.

She got up on all fours and turned off the water. She mumbled, “This is not an invitation.”

There was a whine and a huff, and then, he started to lick her head. She held onto his scaled arm, and he kept licking. Feet thundered toward them, and Dorian said, “I have some water with me. Will he let me apply it?”

Loken paused and nodded his head. Aeryn looked up, and the water poured over her head, soothing and removing the pain.

She sighed and opened her eyes as the water continued, and then, something warm hit her shoulder. Needle-sharp teeth were inches from her skin, and saliva dripped. “Dude, are you drooling?”

Dorian chuckled. “Your clothing isn’t water resistant.”

She looked down. She looked like she was nude. “Ah. Right. Loken and I agreed to cool it for this evening. While I appreciate the assist, I am not going to flop on my back for my gallant hero.”

There was a very loud snort next to her neck. He nipped her, and she gasped and punched his jaw. There was a feathery link that grew stronger.

The peacekeeper with Dorian cleared his throat. “Ma’am, can you get him to change to human?”

She looked at the man. “Why don’t you ask him?”

He looked at her as if she were simple. “He’s either in rut or very close. You two are mates, right? Just not official? He’ll listen to you.”

She sighed. “Loken, stop being an ass and get back to skin and hair.”

There was a huffing sound, and her companion from earlier soon was standing naked in front of her. “So, that blew the big reveal.”

She glanced down at him and shrugged. “It’s within species norms. Well, the one on the right is, the one on the left is in shadow. I hope you don’t use both at the same time.”

He blinked. “You aren’t distressed?”

“No. Usually, lizard types retract them when they are not on active duty.”

She slowly stood, and Dorian stated, “You should stay with someone tonight. You have had quite a blow.”

Aeryn looked at him. “You have to be fucking kidding me.”

He shrugged. “I am not kidding. Head injuries are tricky.”

Loken smiled. “I will stay, and no shenanigans.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Fine. Where did your sarong go?”

“Did you want me to put it back on?”

“Please. Let’s not scare the front desk. I have to ask for extra towels.”

The peacekeeper left, laughing, and Dorian wished them good night.

He summoned his clothing, and she took a few steps before she stopped to catch her balance. Loken asked, “May I?”

Before she could ask what, he picked her up and carried her to the hotel front desk. She requested extra towels for her room, and the woman at the desk nodded. “Of course, miss. Have a lovely evening.”

She blushed and gave Loken directions to her room.

He set her on her feet, and she went to the open adjoining door. “Hey, Serin?”

“Aeryn, did you have a fun day?”

“It had its moments. When I was coming back, Sara hit me from behind with a bamboo pole a few times, then Loken came to my rescue, and Dorian brought water, so the long story short is Loken is staying to watch over my concussion.”

Serin sat up straight at her desk. “Sara attacked you?”

“Yes. She’s in custody right now.”

She sighed. “And now, I just want to get these wet clothes off and get into bed.”

Serin nodded. “Right. We will talk in the morning.”

Loken peered in behind her. “Hello. I am Loken.”

Aeryn covered her eyes. “He’s one of a set, but the other one is busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Being an island. Gottagobye.” Aeryn backed into Loken while he snickered.

“You can close the door. I am feeling much stronger today.”

Relieved, Aeryn closed the door between the rooms.

She grabbed her nightshirt and went to the bathroom. She came out wearing the shirt, and Loken laughed. “Sohar will love that one.”

Her shirt was pale green and had a huge sea turtle on it with the logo Turtles do it with protection.

She fidgeted. “So, I go first?”

“I put myself between you and the door.”

“Why?”

“Because our goal is to keep you safe.”

“It’s a joint thing?”

“We discussed it when he was recovering, and imagine his shock when he couldn’t find you even with all the blood you two had exchanged and the huge diamond that he had used to keep you safe. Huh, why didn’t it keep you safe now?”

“My guess is it was to keep me safe away from him. Now that he’s here and I am here, as you said, it’s his goal to keep me safe. He’s supposed to be there.” She rubbed the back of her neck, flipped the bedding back, and crawled in.

Loken crawled in next to her but had discarded his clothes. She shivered as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. He murmured, “I am going to wake you every hour and ask you questions. When you answer them, you can sleep again.”

“Fine. I was up at three this morning. Can I sleep now?”

He kissed her cheek. “Yes, you can. See you in an hour.”

She was bitter and exhausted when seven in the morning arrived. “Enough. Let’s go for breakfast.”

He grumbled, “But I want to keep cuddling you.”

“Then, let me sleep for two hours. I need more sleep.”

“Fine. I will wake you at nine. The price is a kiss.”

“I have morning breath.”

“I don’t care.” His mouth came down on hers, and after a few seconds of mortification, she surrendered to him.

His body slid against hers, and she clutched his shoulders. She whimpered and stroked his neck, weaving her fingers into his hair. The kiss went on and on, and when a new male voice spoke, it had the effect of a cold wash over her.

“Well, I ask you to make sure she is well, and this is what you do? Loken, I am surprised.”

She leaned her head to one side, and there was Sohar leaning against the bathroom doorframe. “How did you get in here?”

“I politely described Loken to the lady at the check-in desk, and they agreed that if I had to cast off, I should probably get my crew on board.”

She nodded. “Of course. Well, bye, Loken.”

He looked at her and shook his head. “I have never heard of a beta more insistently trying to get rid of her alphas.”

“Our lifestyles clash.”

He blinked. “Oh, boy. That is the stupidest reasoning that I have ever heard of.”

Aeryn was hurt. “I am not going to spend my life fighting for a place. I have a place. I don’t want to give it up.”

Sohar said, “We have a lot to offer.”

“Friends? Family? Community?”

“Family eventually. We will provide support and companionship.”

“On a ship, in the middle of the ocean.”

He frowned. “Is that the problem?”

“I just found my place here. I like my place here. I have friends. They have family. There are going to be babies sprinting all over this place within the year.” She paused. “Well, by the end of next year. They are not very mobile for the first few months. I don’t want to miss that.”

Sohar looked at her. “You don’t want to miss your friends having babies?”

“No. Definitely not.”

Sohar nodded. “Huh. I have always seen you just fitting yourself to us and being endlessly pliable.”

“Um. No.”

“Yes, I am getting that. I am going to have to phone a friend.”

Loken was still draped over her. “I can’t reach my phone.”

Sohar snorted. “We should leave her for the day.”

“I thought you were casting off.” She eased back as Loken got up and off.

“We are. A group of ladies has charmed their way onto the yacht.”

Icy water doused her soul. “Oh. You had better go then.”

Loken frowned. “Aeryn... he doesn’t mean...”

She took her pain and wrapped it around their tenuous link. “Right. I get it. I will work and consider the offers of a few other alphas here. We can all have a productive day.”

Sohar straightened. “I wanted to ask you to come with us.”

“No, thanks. I don’t want to be around a bunch of women who are fawning all over your boat.”

Loken got dressed and then just looked at Aeryn. “Please leave the link in place. I need to make sure you are safe.”

“How close to rut are you?”

He shrugged ruefully. “Pretty close. Are you sure I am not able to persuade you?”

“There was no question of persuasion. There was mention of me joining a group of unfamiliar women who want to run around on an expensive boat. I have editing of yesterday’s footage to go over.”

The adjoining door opened. “Aeryn, grab the laptop, get the chips from Orc, and take Thera with you on the yacht. I know they have Wi-Fi and a place to work. If he is inviting strange ladies, you can invite strange ladies. Yours are infinitely stranger.”