16. Ree

16

Ree

I'm having a hard time processing what I'm seeing and go stiff with shock.

Holding me against them in what can only be described as a gentle embrace and staring at my face with intelligence in its gaze is one of the most beautiful and absolutely terrifying beings I have seen in my life.

Around its pupils of molten gold, which catch the light in a way that makes them seem to glow, is an orange, rather than white, sclera.

Its face reminds me somewhat of a lion, with the rounded ears as you would expect, and a long, flat nasal plate with a typically feline nose shape, but in a light blue color instead of pink.

From there, it defies easy comparison.

Its fur is a brilliant orange across most of its face, rising into a mane that plumes on the top of its head and sweeps down around its neck. The top and front part of the mane are orange. It has sections of fur in neon green, but only in small parts, like the women back home who like to highlight their hair.

It has a broader lower face than a lion with lips that on top are a pale blue, but then transition to a lilac color. The sides of its mouth have a puff of lilac fur extending from them in an arch and another lilac arc of hair below each of their ears that mimics the same shape, but is separated by a bright wedge of orange—like two crescent moons on either side of their face complementing each other.

Its chin is a rough-looking lilac skin that transitions to black scales before disappearing under a thick patch of fur.

Even though I know it just killed those slimes quickly and brutally, nothing about its features or demeanor suggest it's a threat. There is also a comforting rumbling sound, like a purr, coming from it.

Still, my instincts scream at me to get very far away as fast as possible.

A quick glance to my shoulder and legs and I see its black scaled hands, with far too many thumbs, are only resting lightly against me. Despite that, the lizard part of my brain wants me to get the hell out of here.

Luckily that part of my brain isn't in charge because everyone knows big predators chase anything that runs.

I realize my mouth has been hanging open when I gulp and shiver at that imagery.

Soon after that terrifying thought, I can feel my cursed nanites take over and while the sight of it is still strange and alarming, my pulse is now high for another reason altogether.

I feel a flush come over my cheeks and chest, then the slick heat building in my core.

The creature suddenly stops walking, takes a deep breath, and then raises its lilac lips.

This exposes a set of ebony teeth. My eyes widen at the sight of them and I'm thinking that maybe my lizard brain was the smarter one after all.

Thankfully, it doesn't use those teeth to tear out my throat.

The creature simply huffs out a breath, and the purring picks up in intensity until I can feel it resonating across my whole body. It suddenly occurs to me; it can smell that I'm aroused.

Does the purr mean it . . . likes it?

"Oh, shit . . ." I trail off, since nothing I could say beyond that really encapsulates how screwed up my life has become.

I startle when the rumble in its chest transitions to a harsh, coughing language.

Thanks to the slimes, I understand it.

"I don't know your language, small human, but something tells me that was a curse," it guesses

After one long blink, I realize what this means.

It's more than just intelligent, it's sapient. That means not an it. I glance at the puffy mane. A he?

I open my mouth to speak, then grab my throat as I feel a sharp stabbing pain in the back of it. Then, for lack of a better description, I feel a shift.

When I cough, it's in a much harsher tone than a human should ever be able to make.

"So they gave you translation nanites."

He makes a humming sound I assume from the context is commiserating or soothing. "Those things are rough, just give it a moment."

I feel gentle patting against my shoulder as the stabs of searing pain suddenly relent. I clear my throat experimentally and it sounds just as weird as before.

I don't filter what I'm going to say, it just spills out.

"What in the actual fuck was that!"

The harsh language that comes out of my mouth is one I have never spoken before and I sound very odd to my own ears.

I get a chuffing, gravelly sound in response. The increased sparkling in his eyes makes me suspect it's laughter.

I realize then that, unlike the slimes, while I find the way he looks strange, nothing about him is revolting. In fact, he's quite beautiful, with a certain allure that all apex predators have.

I was never one to beat around any bushes and have found that ever since I passed my thirtieth birthday, I've become more and more prone to simply speak my mind. Mostly it goes well, since I have a healthy dose of charisma and well-honed people skills.

Well, except for love interests, I suppose. With them I'm a train wreck.

I shake off that thought.

"Are you laughing?" I ask him.

"I most certainly am, little human. I'm not sure what fornication has to do with anything at this moment, but I find your phrasing entertaining. And your accent is simply adorable."

There's a gleam in his eye, but no smile.

"If I'm entertaining, does that mean you don't plan to do to me what you did to those slimes?"

"Please have no worries about that. I'm perfectly harmless, at least to you. In fact, those were the first beings I have ever killed. Well, fourth, actually," he says this in such a wide-eyed sort of innocence it's almost hard to believe he just dispatched two slimes in a few brief moments.

Almost.

"From the sounds of it, you are very good at killing."

I realize that could be rude and add a hasty amendment. "No offense meant, of course. They totally deserved it and I really don't like violence, so that's saying a lot."

"I agree, but I propose we vacate the area quickly and find a safer place to talk. I must admit that I have been in a bit of a daze dealing with the aftereffects of using my venom and I'm not making very sound decisions right now."

His ears swivel around and he moves his eyes away from me. "We shouldn't stay here."

I suddenly remember Silver when he mentions leaving.

"There's another woman inside the ship. She was injured, and I had to put her back in one of the cryochambers." His eyes turn back to me as I point. "The access is on the top of the ship."

He glances over to where I gesture.

"I'll need to return for her after I find a good hiding place for you," he replies.

It sounds reasonable, but I'm not sure I can leave her. "Will you be able to find the ship again?"

"Yes, easily," comes his confident reply.

My hands clench and unclench as I chide myself to leave it at that, but of course I don't. "Her safety is more important. I can just hide in a bush or something."

He growls, the sound rumbling through me. "I disagree. It won't take long until I can come back."

My heart pounds and I want to push the issue again, but what if he decides we're too much trouble?

My nails are digging into my palms so hard the nails are sending spikes of pain up my wrists and I focus on relaxing one finger at a time until I'm under control again.

It's hard to force the word out, but I manage. "Alright."

I realize then that I've decided to trust him.

This makes me uneasy, because I just met him, but it also brings a bigger feeling of relief that I won't be alone out among those trees with no actual idea what the hell I'm doing.

I push any analysis of my feelings aside and focus on logistics. "I can walk now, if you like."

He makes a soft rumbling sound and his hands tighten slightly on me before he shifts his body to gently place me on the ground. He gives me a pat on my butt, making my eyes widen, but he does it in such a nonchalant way I doubt he knows it isn't socially acceptable.

"Good. I should check the genali for anything useful."

I nod to him in response, then realize that the gesture may make little sense.

"That sounds like a good plan," I say instead.

I walk toward the slimes, or genali, I suppose, but he places a hand on my waist to stop me.

The feel of his scales through the thin fabric makes me shiver.

"I don't think you should be near that much venom. I won't take long."

I can't argue with that and stay put.

As he walks away, I'm able to observe his whole body. The same orange and green fur extends all over him, except for black scales near his hands, throat, and back paws. He isn't striped like a tiger but instead the green color is in a random swirling pattern. My eyes want to just keep following the mesmerizing trails and loops, but I resist.

As my eyes trail over him a sudden memory of the genali talking about a giant venomous cat comes back to me. "Are you a manticorid?"

He pauses and looks back at me. His whiskers aren't extending from his face anymore and hang limply toward his chest. "How did you know?"

"The slimes—I mean genali—talked about you."

"We call them slimes, too. It's a fitting name."

He moves away again and then suddenly whips back around toward me. "Wait. They didn't have you in cryo?"

I shiver and wrap my arms around myself as images try to bubble up right along with the acid in the back of my throat.

"No. I was the, uh… entertainment. N-not sexual, thankfully. Mostly torture gas and threats."

His mane puffs out, sharp black claws extend from his fingers, and a low growl sounds. "I should have taken my time with those two."