Chapter 17

Brine glared at the ceiling.

“Human women want potential mates to decapitate and present them with...plants? How can any woman respect a male that brings her a kill that took literally no effort?”

Mia scratched her neck, the corner of her lip making a significant effort to lift despite her attempts to remain serious. It turned out there were quite a few cultural differences between the Livarians and humans that were bound to cause a great deal of confusion.

“We are not so much a hunting society,” she explained. “And it's not just any plants. Bringing a woman stalks of grass or branches of trees will do you little good. It's flowers, specifically, and the more beautiful and rare the flower, the better women will like it.” She had spent some time trying to explain roses and their different meanings, but Brine had become stuck on the entire concept altogether.

“If they are rare and beautiful, then why wish for their destruction?”

She sighed. “One of those cultural differences, I guess.”

He groaned, distraught. “I cannot be seen presenting plants to a woman. I would be shamed from the compound. Is there no instance in which any other kill is acceptable? Callaphria has several prey animals that are vicious and dangerous to hunt and yet provide meat that is delicate to the palate.”

Mia frowned at him. “Please do not present any of the women with an animal that you killed.”

Images of Brine dumping the body of some poor dead beast at a woman's feet flew through her mind. Oh. that would not go well.

“What of the meat from such a kill? Would that not prove much more efficiently that a man is worthy as a provider?”

Mia shuddered as the image of the dead creature became a dead carcass.

“No. No meat. Meat is not the way to woo a human woman.”

He shook his head. “But the other things you spoke of, opening doors and allowing a woman go through a doorway first...this is common courtesy, how would that show interest on a specific female? Do the males on Earth only do so for those that secure their mating interest?”

“Actually, most Earth men don't do it at all.” Heaven knew Brian hadn't.

Brine made a frustrated noise. Poor Livarian. She scratched at her neck again.

“I think your best bet is to really talk to a woman, ask her about what she likes and be truly attentive to it. If she likes flowers, then bring her flowers,” Brine opened his mouth as if to speak but Mia held up a finger. “It will mean even more if she knows it goes against your own desires to be manly. But I would bet that most of the women here have an interest that wouldn't score your pride so much.”

Brine closed his mouth, thinking for a long moment. He loosed a long, drawn out sigh and then looked at her speculatively.

“And you, Mia? If a man were to wish to show you his interest, what might be impressive?”

Oh boy. She had walked right into that one, didn't she?

“Lillies,” she blurted, “I like lillies...they're a very rare type of Earth flower.” Not really, but maybe here on Callaphria. “I'd also be grateful to leave the compound and explore the city.”

Brine frowned at her.

There. Neither of those things were particularly attainable. That should dissuade him for a while.

His frown deepened and he opened his mouth to speak, but then his gaze caught on something beyond her shoulder and he closed it with a snap.

“Prime,” he greeted, nodding as deeply as his position allowed.

Mia whipped around, her heart climbing her throat. Yup, there he was. She hadn't heard him approach at all, hadn't had time to prepare, and the impact was devastating.

Draven leaned against the doorway, his deep brown t-shirt clung to his muscles like a second skin. Loose fitting pants did little to hide his toned thighs, and for a stupid moment her brain focused on the idea of how great his ass would look if he would just turn around. His gaze sparked with a vivid intensity as they trailed over her body much the same way she had been eyeing him.

She blinked at herself and stared at the floor, and then the ceiling, and then the bed where Brine's hand still lay limp upon the white sheets.

For the last two weeks, she had strenuously avoided the prime, avoided contact, avoided even thinking about him. All that work, undone in the half a second he stood there watching her.

“You seem to be feeling well today, Brine,” Draven's deep voice sent vibrations of awareness through her.

“Yes sir, the company helps a great deal,” a wry acceptance came over Brine's expression.

“I bet,” Draven muttered, straightening. “I came to see if you had any requests from chef. I understand that the medication is making it difficult to tolerate some of the food we've been sending.”

A prime that cared enough about his men to check on them individually.

Brine frowned a little and Mia wondered if speaking of the medication hurt his pride, as well.

“The breads and mild fruits, they seem to be the easiest.”

“I will make note of it. Mia,” he turned to her, “will you walk with me?”

Mia blinked. “Alright.”

They moved out of Brine's room and out of the building. Her guard had mysteriously disappeared. To give them privacy? Or because he had become redundant?

The sun floated high above the buildings, the shadows between them sharp. A butterfly fluttered across the street, its wings brown and deep red, and it had Mia wondering if more than one species had once crossed through the doors.

“My men tell me you spend your days wondering the compound,” he watched her, those blue eyes focused on her alone.

She shrugged, “I get restless.”

“There is nothing else that you would wish to occupy your time? Our women were as industrious as those on Earth. We have supplies for a variety of hobbies and creative endeavors.”

Mia cringed. She was terrible at crafting, and if she had to sit still to learn such a thing, she felt as though she might explode out of her own skin. Movement was the only thing that seemed to tame her emotions and so she paced and walked and often ran laps around the park. They had moved along the street and were quickly approaching the edge of the energy field. Mia focused on the buildings beyond, the burning drive of her curiosity pulling at her relentlessly.

“What drove you to become a teacher of children?” He changed the subject and they turned, away from the field and the empty city beyond, passing through a narrow alley toward the park at the compound’s front.

“I like kids, they're full of curiosity and they haven't learned to curb it yet,” she found her lips curling upward a little. “And they never think things are impossible.”

Draven chuckled a bit. He was still watching her intently as they walked and it made her a little nervous and very much aware of the exact amount of space between them. If she wanted, she could lean over and touch her arm to his.

“What about you, did you always want to be a soldier?”

Once the question was out, Mia could have kicked herself. There must be so much pain, so many lost memories tied up in the answer to that question. it would have probably been better to leave it alone.

“There was a time, in my very young years, that I wanted to be a space pilot. Before the war, there were several expeditions into nearby systems and I thought I might run one.”

That wasn't quite what she expected. Draven was nothing if not warrior stock. She had a hard time imagining him doing anything else. She could see a tiny Draven child throwing around opponents and beating his chest.

She looked at him and raised a brow. “What made you change your mind?”

“Other than the war shutting down our external exploration? Family expectations...it's odd because none of that matters now, but when my father was pressuring me to serve in the army, it all seemed so unfair.” He gave her a sad half smile.

“Sorry,” she apologized.

“For what?”

“Bringing up the past. I can't imagine it is pleasant to remember...everything.”

“What else do we have but memories? Pleasant or not, I wouldn't give them up.”

The dorm loomed before them. Fortunately, there was no one sitting on the steps this afternoon, but she still didn't wish to go in.

“Prime,” a Livarian appeared between two buildings. Draven's eyes flashed with regret. “I apologize, sir,” the man continued. And to be fair, he did look as though he regretted his intervention. “There's trouble with the main generators. Huntak assures me your input is necessary.”

Draven lingered, as though he was enjoying their conversation, their companionship as much as she had been. He gave her one more of his focused glances.

“Until later, Mia.”