Caught Between Two Blue Aliens - Celia Kyle Page 0,11
did was open her mouth to struggle for words, but they both heard her thoughts loud and clear. He was the most important-looking Drokten.
Sevith chuckled and shook his head. He knew Hiren found that amusing and flattering in equal measure.
“My name is Hiren J’tallen,” his Bahn told her, bowing his head politely. “I am second-in-command to the Battleship Avash.”
“I’ve seen you on the news. I’m sorry, I overheard the secretary talking and I didn’t know who to go to,” she said breathlessly, “because it could be time-sensitive.”
She’s telling what she believes to be the truth, Sevith surmised.
I agree, his Bahn replied.
“You did the right thing,” Hiren responded. “Although I am… saddened to hear it, your words are valuable.”
You were right to be suspicious of some of these humans, Hiren admitted to him.
Heh.
“Not all humans are as forward-thinking as you,” his Bahn said to their female, “and some have reservations about our presence on Earth. Unfortunately, the nature of diplomacy means having events like these despite that knowledge,” he added with a soothing smile that seemed to calm her down. “Tell me, what is your name?”
“Oh!” Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Sorry, I’m Jenna. Jenna Perry. I’m just one of the servers here.”
Sevith hadn’t failed to connect the fact that she was dressed like the other workers. It made him worry she was not one of the females who was being presented to the Drokten tonight. Did that mean the humans would consider her off-limits? It couldn’t possibly be. Could it? All the females here tonight had been warned of what might happen if they encountered their Drokten Azi and Bahn this night.
She knew what being here tonight meant for her, surely.
“Never mind that,” Hiren said, waving a hand dismissively and smiling down at their female. “Jenna. That is a lovely name. Human names sound unusual to our ears, but yours is delightful.”
Jenna blinked in surprise, and Sevith could hear her thoughts despite the fact that he was clearly not meant to: He thinks my name is cute? What does that have to do with anything?
Sevith felt his lips twitch.
“Um, thank you,” she said out loud. “I like your name, too.”
Ask her if she understands the terms of attendance tonight. I want to make sure she is available for mating.
“Jenna, tell me,” Hiren asked, “did you agree to the same terms as everyone else when you entered Drokten Main?”
“Terms? Oh, right! Of course, I did,” she laughed. “They wouldn’t have even let me through the front door if I hadn’t agreed to the release.”
Good, she knows what our mating entails and is open to the idea of finding a mated pair here tonight. Sevith had come to understand that humans took their own prolonged mating rituals very seriously, and that it was often wrong to rush things along, especially if having more than one mate at a time was on the table. Most humans on Earth seemed to think that a female having two husbands at once was “immoral” in some way. However, he had also learned that this was not always the case. Humans were beautifully versatile. It sounded like his female was one of those humans who had a more casual outlook on mating and the number of mates.
“Good,” Hiren answered. “I am a negotiator and representative as much as a warrior. I work and live with Sevith J’tallen, the commander of the ship. We are an Azi and Bahn pair. Will you come with me and meet Commander Sevith? I need you to tell him what you told me. Are you comfortable doing this?”
“Yes, yes, I am,” she said, looking relieved and glad. “Thank you, Hiren!”
Warmth glowed in Sevith’s chest at her lack of fear at being introduced to the commander of the entire Drokten fleet stationed on Earth.
Sevith stepped out from behind the pillar to greet his female for the first time, but before he could catch Jenna’s gaze, he saw her turn and look back.
“Oh no,” their female gasped.
What’s wrong? Sevith pushed past guards and diplomats to move toward their human.
“We have company,” Hiren tipped his head toward a human who approached from the other side of the room.
The annoying secretary, the male whom the humans had put in charge of their Drokten negotiations, was storming toward Jenna, his face red with obvious anger.
Sevith fisted his claws and a growl rumbled in his chest. He would not tolerate aggression toward their Oso—not from a Drokten warrior and most certainly not from a human male.