One More

Happy Holidays! Keep an eye out because I'm writing a short Christmas companion piece to this story. I'll post before the new year. You'll have to check my author profile though because it's a separate story.



Chapter 13



It was time to say goodbye and the words stuck in her throat. She watched Val'jek don his armor, unhurried and meticulous with each hook and clasp. She should help him dress, but couldn't bring herself to do it.



He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You are quiet."



"I don't know what to say." It was a lie. She wanted to beg him to stay with her, to forget absurd notions of hunts and game preserves. What value did animals have compared to a person's life?



That was the crux of the matter. Val'jek wasn't a person. He was Yautja and the hunt mattered very much to him and his species.



"You say that you love me and that you will miss me. Then you instruct me to be safe between kisses." He shrugged, pausing in his ritual dressing. "You have always done such before an absence."



His head tilted as his claws fumbled with a wrist guard. He rarely looked so indecisive.



The word slipped out before she could stop herself. "Stay."



He chirped.



"I do love you and I would miss you, but I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me, please." She touched his chest armor with her palm and tears burned behind her eyes. She was wasting their last private moment on an impossible request.



"I have no desire to leave you, Amelia. It is my duty." He brought her into the shelter of his body.



"I don't want you to go out there alone and--" She choked on the English. "Thei-de." It seemed safer to say it in his language, as if it were less of a jinx.



"I will have my hunt brothers and I intend to return to you." He opened his mandibles to lock over her face.



She turned away. Burying her face in his bicep, she blubbered out her first sob. She was a single human among a violent alien species and she was beyond pride. She clung to him, seeking his skin around his armor.



He cradled her in his arms, capable arms, she reminded herself. His chest rumbled, a quiet thrumming that calmed her nerves.



"I could go with you. I wouldn't get in your way." She knew she couldn't or he would have mentioned it.



"You cannot survive where I am going," he chided.



"I can't do this. I can't live here without you, Val'jek, please." A sense of overwhelming fear pressed against the wall of her chest.



"I promise I will return to you." His large palm rubbed down her back. "No more grief."



She shook her head. "No one can make that promise."



"I will do my best. I too, wish to see you again." He purred again, soothing and arousing as she collected herself.



"I'm sorry. I let my fear get the best of me." She sniffled and wiped tears from her flushed cheeks. "I know you'll do your best and I do love you. I love you so much." Her throat closed again.



"And I love you, my honor and my heart." He brushed her cheeks with his four mandibles, dancing lightly down her face.



Tilting her chin up, she accepted him fully. "Be safe."



His mandibles settled over her face with his mouth pressed to hers.



She kissed his pink flesh.



His mandibles tightened a fraction too tight. His tusks pinched her skin with a sharp sting.



She squeezed him tighter and tried memorizing his fresh scent.



The com at the door beeped, shredding their private moment.



Val'jek held her a moment longer, taking a deep breath. He released her and opened the door.



Amelia wiped her face and smoothed down her hair. Privacy was over and now it was time to be a grown up. She would honor her mate and control her rampant emotions in public.



Mah'sic entered the room, tilting his head at his sire. "You are not prepared."



"When you are allowed to mate, you will understand." Val'jek continued putting on his armor with quick efficient movements.



Mah'sic chirped and shrugged a shoulder. "Raz'ha requested I inform you that he took a meeting with Elder Mur, but he will arrive soon to collect Amelia."



"I will make sure my belongings are ready." Amelia nodded to Mah'sic as she passed. "You two can say your farewells." She gave her mate a pointed look.



Val'jek huffed but nodded in return.



#



Her belongings were already packed in neatly stacked metal storage units with double latched lids. She checked them twice. She greeted her puppies, smiling as they wagged their tails and licked her hands. Hult'ah slept, caged separately in her mate's lab, while he recovered from his surgery.



Raz'ha entered Val'jek's quarters a few minutes later, and chirped a greeting.



She forced a smile, hugging Freya to her chest.



"Are you prepared?" he asked.



"Yes. Val'jek and Mah'sic are speaking now."



The warrior nodded. "We wait, yes?" His English was broken but understandable.



She nodded.



He sat beside her. His three-hundred pounds of muscled flesh dipped the cushion, drawing her closer.



The spacious room felt suddenly small. Her cheeks flushed as his body heat emanated through her dress. She struggled for something to say. "How was your meeting with the Elder?"



"Short." He picked up Odin and inspected his floppy ears as the puppy licked his claws. "How is Hult'ah?"



She should inch away, or move to a chair, but she didn't. "Sleeping in his cage. He can't move around until tomorrow."



They sat in awkward silence for several more minutes until Val'jek emerged from their bedroom, his mandibles twitchy. Mah'sic followed, his large claws awkward and fidgety.



"I will scan the hound pup to ensure he can be moved." The unblood darted out of the room to Val'jek's lab.



Once the door was safely closed, her mate said, "He had little to say."



"It's better that he understands now," she assured.



"He is unhappy."



"He's probably surprised. I'll talk to him tomorrow and make sure he's okay." She looked at Raz'ha and nudged him with her elbow.



The green warrior chirped his confusion.



"I'm sure Raz'ha will look after him too," she added.



Val'jek and Raz'ha both nodded to each other, male understanding arranged in a single look.



"I have her medical supplies. There are instructions." Her mate held up a palm console. The device was similar to his wrist guard computer, but designed for medical purposes instead of combat. "Most are simple and Amelia or Mah'sic can explain."



Raz'ha nodded his understanding.



Val'jek showed the warrior the buttons. "This accesses her vital signs monitor and tracking device."



"Tracking device? I have a tracking device?" The concept disturbed her, even if her mate knew her whereabouts at all times regardless. "Why am I just now hearing about this?"



"It is for your lung filtration system. This monitors your air requirements. The device in your lungs is the first and only of its kind." He spoke as if that explained everything.



She scowled. "And?"



"And if the device malfunctions, you will grow tired and weak. You will fall asleep and never wake." Her mate clicked his mandibles and rumbled in his throat. "This alerts me of abnormalities before you suffocate and die. There is little purpose if I can't locate you immediately."



Her anger evaporated. "Oh."



"I do not monitor your location unless I receive a warning."



"Has it sent you a warning before?" She was going to worry whenever she became sleepy now.



He hesitated, then nodded. "When maintenance to the air recycling systems is performed, adjustments and monitoring are required."



"We need to have a chat about lies by omission." She glared, hiding the sense of alarm his admission caused.



"The adjustments were minor. There is no reason to worry." Her mate shrugged a shoulder, unapologetic. He returned his attention to Raz'ha, continuing his demonstration.



She couldn't help but wonder if the air was slowly killing her. The thought made her chest tighten in response. She needed to think about another topic and fast. "How are my puppies breathing your air?"



"Genetic mutation to the bearer." Raz'ha clicked, distracted.



Val'jek pressed on with his instructions. "This must be given to her each cycle with a meal. The formula is in her records if you need more." Her mate held a vial of blue liquid, which was a nutrition supplement and birth control combined for efficiency. Val'jek redesigned the drug, saying it was safer than the human versions. If only he were inclined to design a tampon.



Her mate finished his emergency lessons, and stored everything in a compact medikit. "Any questions?"



"No." The warrior bowed. "I will be diligent with my care."



Matter settled, and medikit returned to her packed crates, they gathered her possessions. Mah'sic rejoined them, remaining silent.



"I will carry your possessions. Your puppies are lighter." Raz'ha reached for her shoebox sized metal box.



Val'jek translated.



"No, I'll carry that one." She snatched the it from his claws. Her most prized possession, her family, was in the small container. Amelia wasn't going to let it out of her sight while she moved ships.



Raz'ha chirped, raising a brow. "Shall I carry these for you?" He gestured to the stacked crates.



"Sure." She put her family mementos in with her puppies. They sniffed the new object as she picked up their cage. "Thank you."



He nodded and picked up her belongings with ease.



Mah'sic carried Hult'ah's cage in addition to his own meager possessions.



Val’jek had explained that Mah’sic didn’t need much. Since he was training for combat he would be sharing quarters with ten other unbloods. She felt guilty. Mah’sic shared with only two others on the Tauren’s ship, but he didn’t complain.



Her mate escorted them to the docking station. The Saracens were leaving sooner than Val'jek's ship. His claws stroked her shoulder, reassuring her every step.



Saracens coming and going all seemed to take notice of her, heads turning and mandibles clicking.



The farewell was formal, exchanging bows and ritual words of honor and good fortunes. She wanted to cling to her mate again, but bowed instead.



Her mate purred and brushed her cheek with his claw. His expression softened and he gave her an encouraging nod. "I will return."



It was better than an assertion of affection.



#



The Saracen ship was considerably smaller than the massive Tauren ship, but from Amelia's understanding, the clan had fewer members. Mah'sic told her they were resource poor and suspected of producing bad bloods.



The notion had worried her, but Raz'ha was honorable. Surely the suspicions were inflated by rumors.



Entering the ship, the corridor was dark and chilly. Dim yellow lights mounted on the sheet metal walls were sparsely placed. She was left to walk through long stretches of pitch black, making it difficult to judge much else about the clan or the ship.



Yautja had exceptional night vision in certain light spectrums, but she did not.



Like a bird in the dark, Mah'sic chirped. "Use your mask."



"It's packed away." She hadn't thought she'd need it. The plan was to walk to Raz'ha's quarters, unpack, and wait there while the warrior performed his daily duties.



Raz'ha chirped to her right, his amber eyes catching dim light as they neared another fixture embedded in the metal wall. "You cannot see?"



"Not without a light." She inched closer to the large warrior.



"The Ooman eye sees a brighter spectrum to contend with their sun," Mah'sic supplied.



They passed the light and she was submerged in blackness again. "Is it always like this?"



The warrior huffed. "We do not waste fuel for nonessentials."



She guessed his chest was puffing with effort to express his clan pride. Two minutes into her stay and she was already blundering her manners.



"I didn't mean to offend. I'm sure the darkness is simple for your superior eyes, but mine aren't equipped to handle the darkness."



"Actually, it has been proven that the darkness and low spectrum lighting weakens eye sight and increases visual degeneration throughout generations. There are clans that are near blind on planets because of these lights." Mah'sic rattled on about the studies behind her.



She wished she could see Raz'ha. Knowing the unblood intended to be informative, and not insulting, often did little ease the sting of his words. If she could see the green warrior's reaction she'd know more about his character, and whether she needed to smooth over the unblood’s social blunder.



Another chirp sounded in the darkness, a few paces ahead.



"Raz'ha?" She blindly reached for him, touching only cool air.



A rumbled affirmative sounded, but she couldn't pinpoint the location.



"To your right," Mah'sic said.



A claw from that direction touched her elbow, and another high pitched bird called from her left.



"Raz'ha?" Gripping the hand, she confirmed the warrior's identity. She scrambled away from the disembodied sound.



"Sh'an," Raz'ha rumbled again. "Greetings."



Amelia felt him bow and did the same, uncertain of which direction she should face.



She heard Mah'sic chirp a greeting, but even squinting could not give her a visual.



A rapid conversation passed between Raz'ha and what sounded like a female. The voice was more lyrical and softer than a male. The conversation was decidedly unpleasant. Foul words were exchanged, making her cheeks flush from the list of derogatory comments flying over her head.



Her puppies barked, yapping noisily in the cage.



Raz'ha's claw tightened on her arm, pulling her off balance. He growled, a menacing sound like a rabid dog in front of her. He released her.



She fumbled in the darkness, shrinking away. Her heart pounded and her legs trembled with the urge to flee. Her human eyes saw no visible path. She felt a brush of air, a shift of movement near her face, and stilled.



Raz'ha roared, his large claw shoving the center of her chest.



Amelia emitted a strangled cry, stumbling but keeping her balance. Whatever transpired had turned physical. She heard her crates hit the floor, thudding and rattling.



The two clicked and growled. Flesh striking flesh mingled with the chorus of noise.



Too afraid to bring attention to herself, she whispered, "Mah'sic?"



He rumbled a quiet purr, inches above her head.



She touched his arm and the cage containing Hult'ah. "What's happening?"



"The female challenged Raz'ha."



"Why? Is he," she struggled to find the right word, "winning?" Asking if he was all right implied she considered the proud warrior weak. It simply was not done.



"Yes," he chirped. "Though, the female is fearsome." He rumbled a louder purr.



The surge of anger ate at her fear. "Tell me you aren't picking out a mate right now."



"No." The unblood trilled. "She would kill me."



Raz'ha roared, cutting off any reprimand she might give.



She squinted and stepped closer to the commotion. Was he hurt?



He growled, followed by a rasping female cry of outrage. The sound was cut short. Panting and clicking carried in the corridor.



She hoped he was okay. She reached but felt nothing.



A claw gripped her shoulder from behind. "Raz'ha has won. The female is leaving," Mah'sic warned quietly.



She felt and heard someone passing and held her breath.



Raz'ha chirped, then rumbled a soft purr as he closed in on her. "You are safe."



Reaching once more, she touched the warrior's claw. She followed the claw to the forearm and thick bicep. Muscles rippled and clenched beneath her fingers. "Are you-" She stopped herself from insulting him with her concern.



"The bleeding is minimal." Mah'sic sounded several steps ahead of her then. She heard him digging through the crates.



"You are unharmed?" Raz'ha asked, his claws touching her cheeks, engulfing her face. He tilted her head to one side, then the other. His mask scanning light glowed an ominous red, but didn't allow her to make anything out.



"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" A creeping unease knotted her belly.



The warrior only trilled, tugging her forward.



Her mask was pressed into her hands. Securing the device over her face, she cycled through the vision options until she found the low-light setting. Though grainy, and dimmer than she liked, she finally saw the long corridor.



She took a step back, seeing half a dozen Yautja occupying the hall, watching her watch them. Until she heard the female Raz'ha called Sh'an, she had thought the hallway empty.



Turning to the warrior, she took stock of his broad chest glowing with fluorescent green blood. Four claw marks raked down his right side. Blood was smeared on his tusks, though who it belonged to, she couldn't tell. Mah'sic was right. The bleeding was minimal.



She touched his chest, careful not to aggravate the wounds, hoping he understood her concern.



"Come," the warrior said and her mask translated.



They passed a knife embedded in the sheet metal wall. That had been the breeze she’d felt before Raz'ha shoved her. Had the female intended to kill her? If the goal was to frighten her, it worked. Amelia shivered.



She pressed close to Raz'ha's side. For the first time, she realized her entry onto the Tauren clan ship had been easy. And well lit.



#



Raz'ha's quarters were small with the three of them crowded in the main room. The room boasted only one dim light on the far wall beside another door.



The warrior placed her crates on the only available seating, a large chair draped with a thick neutral colored fur. A small cyclops-like skull was mounted on the top. She recognized it as a Magok.



More of Raz’ha’s trophies lined the wall, taking up most of the room really, as narrow as it was. She'd risk impaling herself on a few polished skulls if she stretched. She could forget about dancing here.

The room was cozy, in a macabre way.



Taking a deep breath, she settled the nervous flutters in her chest. She was safe in his quarters and only had to hide until her mate retrieved her. Amelia could handle the situation.



"I must report to my quarters. I will return after the sleep cycle." Mah'sic fidgeted. "I will scan you, and your puppies, to see how you respond to the environment."



And to see a familiar face in this strange new place, she silently added. She knew how he felt, but only nodded, saving the unblood’s pride as well as her own.



They bowed with farewells.



Alone with Raz'ha, she didn't know what to do with herself. She was out of her depth with guest etiquette, and didn't see any medical supplies on hand to aid the warrior. "You should take care of those before they become infected."



Chirping, he shuffled to the side and opened a floor to ceiling storage locker. He retrieved a medikit then tended his wounds. He leaned against the wall and spread a clear salve along the long scratches, hissing.



To avoid watching his broad chest, and dexterous claws, she glanced at his trophies. She identified the usual suspects: Kainde Amedha, humans, magok, carnivorous deer, dinosaur-esque skulls, and a few little green men as well. No queen skull, thankfully. She shuddered at the thought.



The human skulls were strategically placed, she noted. They weren't precisely hidden, but the gruesome reminders were farther back, overshadowed by the larger skulls.



Raz'ha had rearranged his collection for her. There was no other explanation. Yautja warriors prized human skulls above average prey, and prized trophies earned a place on prominent display. His were not. The warrior was making a genuine effort by deferring to her feelings over his pride.



She faced him, wanting to convey her appreciation. "Thank you for your generous hospitality, Raz'ha."



He chirped again, surveying her. "I am honored to be selected for the task."



Smiling, she bowed her head in respect.



Putting away his medikit, he swiftly changed the topic. "Your pets may roam our quarters. I have secured my possessions." He took both Odin and Freya from their cage and placed the puppies on the bare floor.



"Thank you." She noted his use of "our," but didn't correct him. The morning had been tumultuous, and he was being exceptionally generous.



Awkward silence carried on as the puppies explored the temporary residence.



"I will assist you with your possessions." He took her belongings and led her through the second door.



The bedroom was slightly larger than the main room and had only one light fixture. The bed, a thick pallet fastened to the floor, dominated the space. More neutral tan furs covered the mattress. A polished Kainde Amedha skull grinned over the pillows from a wall mount above the bed.



She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and turned away from the macabre display.



Raz'ha opened several empty drawers built into the wall.



She knelt beside him and they put away her clothes in silence. The activity felt intimate with his green claws neatly refolding her dresses and placing them in a drawer.



He carefully worked around her memento box, stealing glances but saying nothing.



"It's my family, what I have left of them, anyway," she said.



His green brow rose and his mandibles clicked together. "You keep their remains?"



"No, but reminders of them. Things that belonged to them. Here." She knelt on the bed and opened the container.



Raz'ha moved closer her, leaning over with his curiosity.



She held up matching rings. "These belonged to my parents."



"What are they?"



"Wedding rings. Humans exchange them in a kind of mating ceremony."



"Rings mean mates?" Raz'ha inspected at her unadorned fingers.



"Yeah, sort of. It's different on Earth. We have our own mating customs, consisting of rings." She touched the rings, thoughtfully.



"You do not consider Elder Val'jek your mate then? He has given you no ring." Raz'ha touched her fingers individually.



"He is my mate. We compromised with the mating ceremony. We made promises and exchanged gifts. He gave me my studio." She shrugged. A wedding ring was nice but she wasn't married to a human. She mated an alien who had generously given her a section of his limited space.



"What did you give the Elder?"



"Something else." She flushed, remembering their first foray into oral sex and the near disaster it was.



He chirped.



"He formally accepted Kainde Amedha bones from when we met." At the time, those were her only possessions and her mate had eyed the bones since he cut them off the hard meat for her.



Raz'ha nodded and clicked. "An excellent mating gift."



She smiled, amused by males and their trophies.



"Why do you keep their mating trinkets?" He returned his attention to the rings.



"To remind me of them. They died in an accident when I was four." She thumbed her father's ring. "I can remember him smiling at the breakfast table the morning he died, but little else about either."



"Were they warriors?"



"No, workers, just every day working people." She let him hold the rings. "What about your parents?"



"My bearer lives. She is unpleasant and we do not speak often. My sire is from another clan. We have never met, but my bearer has a skull from him. It is in a place of honor in her quarters." He brushed the rings with the pad of his thumb claw. "I held it often when she was away. I imagined what kind of hunter he was."



"Do you ever think of seeking him out and meeting him?" she asked.



"There is no purpose for such an errand. My bearer says he is honorable and nothing else is important." He tilted his head and his smooth dreads brushed her bare arm.



Goose flesh rose from the touch. "To find out for yourself? To show him what's become of you? I guess it's a human concept." She shrugged again and pulled out a slip of paper. "I don't have a picture, but this has my mom's signature on it."



Raz'ha looked over the paper, then sounded out the words. "Sales Receipt?"



"Yeah. It's a purchase agreement. Mason kept it when they died. Two medium cups of coffee was the last purchase she ever made."



"Mason?"



"My brother." She dug through more of her parents' trinkets until she felt cold metal. "These were his dog tags. I wasn't supposed to take them but I have nothing else of his." Before he could ask, she added, "I was visiting him when the Kainde Amedha attacked. Val'jek saved me, but Mason had already been killed."



An ache spread in her chest and her eyes stung. She could still see his determined face framed with sandy blond hair as he shoved her into an air vent to escape. He never followed like he promised. "He killed an alien or two first."



Raz'ha touched the metal. "He was a warrior."



"Yes, a marine. He died fighting."



The warrior tapped his fist to his chest. "A good death. Paya must have welcomed him."



Amelia nodded, wondering if Paya was real and if she made room for humans. "I hope so."



Helping her put away her mementos, he rumbled a quiet purr. "I must see to my duties. There are rations in the main room for you."



"Thank you." She hugged him, feeling shaky and alone.



He squeezed her a little too tight and chirped.



#



Exhausted from a day of training, and irritated from ridiculous meetings about keeping an ooman pet, Raz'ha returned to his quarters.



He had imagined his evening all day. The morning started with elicit fantasies of Amelia naked, splayed in his bed and beckoning him closer for mating.



As the day progressed, those fantasies transformed into visions of her tiny hands massaging his aching muscles. Eventually he resigned himself to curling around her soft body as he slept. He was too tired for much more.



Amelia stood in front of the door, blocking his path. "Thank god," she gasped, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.



He chirped. She should be sleeping at this time.



She pressed against his chest. "You have no bathroom."



"There are public facilities on the next level."



"I don't know what you just said, and I don't care. I've been holding it for hours. Show me the bathroom, quickly." She squirmed, then pushed past him and out of his quarters.



"This way." He took her arm to ensure she understood.



She walked strangely and quickly. "Hurry, please."



He obliged, clicking his confusion. A trip to the facilities shouldn't warrant haste. "Are you unwell?" He scanned her, but found nothing, save an elevated pulse.



Her knees wobbled inward and her voice pitched higher. "I have to pee."



"We are going to the facilities now." Perplexed with the strange behavior, he watched her wiggle, squirm, and even dance as they climbed the stairs.



"Please tell me we're getting close," she pleaded, gripping his arm as they entered the room.



He knew she could not see without her mask, but she had not brought it. "This is the facilities."



The room was better lit, but not by much. She squinted at the row of toilets across from the row of bathing pools.



Two warriors Raz'ha recognized occupied the room. Yeyinde bathed and Guan-Thewi used the nearest toilet.



Amelia nearly bumped into Guan-Thewi before yelping and scrambling back. "Toilet, find me a toilet," she insisted.



Raz'ha led her to the next available toilet and lifted her onto the seat.



She wobbled and latched onto him, gawking at Guan-Thewi beside her.



"Your pet needs a lesson in manners." Guan-Thewi clicked his displeasure, then growled for good measure.



"Apologies, honored warrior, but she is blind." He bowed quickly to smooth over her disrespect.



The warrior huffed, but Amelia babbled over any response he may have given.



"Maybe one farther away. Is there a toilet with a wall, or a curtain, for privacy?"



His translator struggled to keep up with her rapid speech, skipping key words. "Privacy?"



"I can't pee in front of people." Her face flushed and she squirmed.



He heard a chirp and laughter behind him. The bathing warrior, Yeyinde, likely had a translator too.



Raz'ha carried her to the farthest toilet then placed her on the seat. He held her upright, her frame much too small for the Yautja facilities.



"I can do it, just uh, turn around." She squinted up at him, her face scrunching in an odd fashion.



Huffing, but too tired to inquire about the absurd request, he turned his back. Listening to her fumbling with her dress, he hoped she did not fall in. The chemicals keeping the toilets sanitary were harsh enough to burn him. The effect on her soft hide would likely be devastating.



"Do not slip," he reminded over his shoulder, hoping she understood. "It is dangerous."



"Face forward." Her voice pitched to an irritating screech and she shoved her Ooman garment down over her thighs.



This returning modesty pricked his patience. "I have already seen all of you."



She did not reply, but he heard the telltale sounds that this misadventure was coming to a close.



"Um," she mumbled after a moment.



"Press the button behind you. It is similar to the Tauren facilities."



"What?"



They struggled through the translations before she understood.



"Val'jek's is modified so it won't burn me."



He hadn't considered that before. Of course the cleansing laser was much too powerful for an Ooman.



"Do you have a wash cloth, maybe?"



"No. Come, you will bathe now." He carried her across the room.



"But," she started.



"There is no choice." Untying her garment, he was surprised when she remained compliant. He pulled the dress over her head.



She covered her nudity with her hands and hurried to lower herself in the water. She hissed.



"What?"



"It stings." Splashing in the blue water, she rubbed her limbs with quick efficient movements.



"Be quick," he said. The cleansing chemicals were only mild irritants. He hoped.



"The pool across from the door is watered down," Yeyinde called from his own pool.



"What was that?" Sinking lower in the water, Amelia squinted at the warrior.



"Thank you," Raz'ha called back.



"Raz'ha?" She squinted at him.



"It's nothing. Are you finished?"



"Yes."



He lifted her because she made no move to climb out. Holding her away from his body, to avoid wetting his armor, he carried her to the dryer. Thinking better of it, he placed her several steps away before pressing the activation button.



A gust of air shot out at her. The ancient machine sputtered and then functioned properly, blowing uninterrupted air.



Gasping, she stepped back several more steps and cursed in his language. "That's hot."



"It's supposed to be."



"I don't understand. What?"



He shrugged. "Yes. Hot."



After a minute of silence, she asked, "Can they see me?"



The bathing warrior's laughter beat him to the answer.



She snatched her dress from the floor and covered herself. "Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed.



He purred, smelling her anxious odor overpowering the harsh chemical cleansers.



"Let's go. I'm dry." She hurried, pulling her Ooman garment over her head.



Raz'ha shut off the dryer and guided her back to his quarters. He ignored the water trail dripping down her back.



In his quarters, he undressed for sleep, watching her wring her hair with a cloth. Then she darted for the bed and pretended to sleep.



He followed, perplexed by her strange behavior. She did not act like this in the Elder's quarters. "Amelia?"



Heavy silence weighed the air and he thought no answer was coming.



"Yes?" Her voice caught strangely.



He leaned over to see her.



Her eyes clenched shut but liquid escaped, streaking down her reddened face.



Purring a soothing baritone, he pulled her into his arms, smashing her against his chest. "Sad?" he questioned.



She shook her head.



"Amelia?"



"I can't. I can't do it." She hiccuped, her body heaving. "I want to go home."



A part of him wilted with her plea. His home made her unhappy. "To the Tauren ship?"



"Earth," she mumbled. "I want to go home. I want lights. I want a human bathroom, and human clothes, and tampons. I want my brother to come back and tell me to stop worrying over nothing. I just want to go home. I want Val'jek to come back from his stupid mission because I can't do this. I'm just a regular human."



He did not know what to make of the ramblings. Most of what she said conflicted. She said her brother had died. He could not come back to tell her anything. When Elder Val'jek returned, she would not go to Earth, but the Tauren ship.



She sounded like a suckling wailing for her bearer so he rocked her, rumbling quiet purrs. He hoped Mah'sic knew what to do for her. He considered fetching the unblood until she quieted, her grief coming silently and wetting his chest.



#



Thank you for reading!



Author's Notes:

Big thanks to my beta reader, http://kira73.deviantart.com . You should look her up because she writes awesome erotic romances.



Thank you reviewers!

If I forgot anyone, I'm sorry, it's unintentional. You guys are awesome. I appreciate all the comments about Amelia's non-mary-sue-ness.



Hale: Thank you for feedback, and I love the mary sue imagery, lol. I got a good chuckle. Let's just say that when Raz'ha finds out he won't be a happy camper. ;)



SB Patterson: Wall of feedback, yay! You guys are all filled with funny mary sue visuals, which really made my day. I bow to your supreme majesty of mary sue expertise! Thank you for you reassurances.



SB Patterson x2: Val'jek can be a slippery character with his wording. We'll have to see how this all works out. :)



Death God Dist: Thank you for the thorough comments. I'm working hard to improve my bag of writing tricks. We are at a major point in the story with the location change and Amelia is already experiencing unpleasantness. It's only going to get worse, but she will pull it together and start putting out for poor Raz'ha, eventually. :D



moira hawthorne: Very interesting meaning behind the name. I was curious because your name appears like a real name as opposed to a handle (like pewpew). Thank you for your comments and assurances about Amelia. I don't think I have any doubts left that she's working. :)



Zirconia: Thanks for the review! Amelia is in for more culture shock. :)



Recordkeeper: All very good points about her forgiving nature. I especially love the one about female hearts bleeding forgiveness. :D Cov'o's situation is a bit more complicated. If they aren't interested in giving their precious children to males, they'll probably be up in arms about giving the kid to an Ooman. Though I am trying to work in ways for Amelia to spend time with the child. Thanks for the review!



Panpriestess: Glad you enjoy the story so far! Working hard to improve on my writing. Thank you for the complimentary assessment. :D



cricket: I hope this chapter is up to your expectations. It took forever and tons of tweaking. Thank you for the numerous reviews!



chiken8: Thank you. Hope you enjoyed the update!



beliefinkakashi: Interesting name. :D Check out the Predators move that just came out (though they're a different storyline too). Thank you for reviewing. I hope you enjoyed the update!