Jasmin/The Alien's Liar part 11

JASMIN

The kiss replays in my head.

I ruined it with my awkwardness. Although Aldrek was also wary about the waters we were wading in, he still managed to navigate smoothly. He has confidence. Nothing from his past has stripped him of his power.

I came here determined to find my power, too, because I’m tired of feeling useless. I wanted to be great like my friends, but here I am, unable to kiss a man.

It should be the most natural thing ever. I grew up in a damn saloon, surrounded by sex. My mother is a beautiful, captivating woman. How could I fail at this?

With a sigh, I go to the bedroom and open my bag. Inside, I find a piece of paper I hadn’t noticed.

I’m sorry, doll. I know you can do this. All of Le’vris needs your help.

–Cuero

Blood drains from my face when I realize what this means. I didn’t land in Aldrek’s territory randomly. Cuero must have manipulated the coordinates of the portal to drop me off here. She wants to speed up the process.

The thing is, I don’t know if this ‘process’ will go anywhere. I’m starting to feel things for Aldrek that I didn’t know existed. I dare to believe he’s feeling the same, and I don’t want to hurt him. I might just confess my true identity before any more damage can be done.

Feeling exhausted, I freshen up in the bathroom with cold water. Wearing Aldrek’s clothes feels suffocating, so I change into one of my dresses.

I go to bed early. My stomach is so knotted that I’m not hungry. I go in and out of sleep through the night. When I wake up the next morning, I find Aldrek lying on the opposite side of the bed.

“Are you awake?”

His voice makes me grip the blanket.

“Yeah. Good morning.”

He stands from the bed, pulling his wrinkled shirt down his chest. “I made you an umbrella. Didn’t have any.” He points to the corner of the room, where I find an umbrella made of wood and large leaves.

“Oh. Thanks.”

Things are awkward, and it’s all because of that damn kiss.

“Let’s go,” he orders.

I follow him out, my curiosity getting the better of me. Where will he take me? I’ve never lingered into a Le’vris town. The furthest I explored were the dorms when I was in the matching program.

For breakfast, I have the same toast I had last time. I rush through it, then change into my longer, nicer dress.

“Is this okay?” I ask Aldrek.

He shrugs. “Our women wear in jewels. Do you want to borrow mine? I can get the shovel.”

Only Aldrek would bury his treasure and offer to dig it up so I could feel pretty.

I chuckle. “No, thanks, but can I borrow a scarf? I want to wrap it around my head to cover myself. I don’t want to be noticed and gather attention.”

He frowns, like he doesn’t like the idea of me hiding. After a few seconds, he retreats to his room and returns with a ripped cloth.

“No scarves. But you can use this.”

I put my hair up and tie the cloth neatly. Hopefully, if I keep my gaze low and clutch my umbrella, I won’t be noticed.

“We must get going now. The town is a ways away.”

I rush to the room to grab my umbrella, practically bouncing over my excitement. I swear I catch a glimpse of Aldrek’s smile.

He leaves to get a few things, and my eyes find the small machine he gifted me sitting on the kitchen table.

Should I use it?

I place a small grey tablet and spin the wheel until the tablet cracks and red powder appears. With the tip of my finger, I dab the red powder onto my lips and cheeks. I don’t have a mirror, so I don’t know what I look, but the saloon girls pop into my mind.

Aldrek returns, and his wide eyes find mine.

“Do… do you like it?”

He’s shirtless now, and I can see his veins bulge up his forearms when he fists his hands.

“Yes.”

That’s all he says. Short, vague and meaningful all at once.

His gaze is so intense. Did a bit of makeup truly make such a difference?

My heart is beating fast in my chest when he takes a few steps forward. For a second, I dream that he’s going to kiss me again.

“Let’s go.”

I follow his scarred back. The rain still roars outside, splattering my dress with bits of mud, but at least there are no wild winds. The umbrella holds up nicely.

“Thanks for the umbrella.”

He grunts.

“Do you… craft things often?”

“Yes. Made the chairs, tables, bed… the entire cabin. Woodwork gives me something to do.”

“So, you’re good with your hands?”

When he doesn’t reply, I realize that might have sounded inappropriate. “I don’t mean good with your hands that way. I meant, like, nailing and stuff.”

He’s still silent, and my horror worsens.

“Not that type of nailing. I…”

“Yes,” he finally replies. “I am good with my hands and nailing.”

Sweet blue skies. No amount of rain can quench the thirst in my throat right now.

“Ok, cool.”

We’re silent as we work through the wilderness. There is nothing but trees as far as the eye can see. It’s almost terrifying how buried in green we are. I don’t think I could ever be so isolated. Living in the slums was hard, but at least I was never alone.

I see the town in the distance, up a hill. The rain has calmed a bit, but it continues its onslaught. Aldrek leads the way, and I dutifully follow his glistening, slick back. How offended would he be if I caved into my desires and dragged my tongue down his skin?

As we climb the hill, he grips my forearm in case I slip in the mud. I’m almost disappointed when we reach the top and he lets go.

“Wow…” I gape at the torches of fire that keep burning even in the rain.

“Eternal fire,” Aldrek explains.

I stand by a torch and watch the flames dance. How mesmerizing.

“Stay close,” he commands.

That will be hard to do. There are so many distractions in this busy market. Most people wander without an umbrella, welcoming the storm. I see only two others covering themselves.

“Aldrek, won’t they get sick from the rain?”

“We don’t get ill from rain easily. And if we do, we recover within hours.”

I don’t think he realizes what this information means. I’ve realized that he wanted my touch to linger so badly that he pretended to be sick.

“What are you smiling about?” he asks, but of course I don’t answer.

I don’t want to make him crawl back into his shell. I think he’s sweet, but he only sees his tough side. He won’t easily admit that he enjoys my companionship.

Although the market is busy, I don’t miss the looks and whispers that are tossed Aldrek’s way. They’re gossiping about him. A surge of emotion makes me stand beside him protectively.

Gossip unnerves me, because my mother’s name was dragged many times. The ladies of the slums didn’t like that their husbands frequented the saloon.

What could they be saying about Aldrek? He doesn’t bother anyone. They should leave him alone.

“Don’t worry about them,” he says, noticing my worry. “They’re just bitter that I’m richer.”

A man with a burned face crosses us suddenly. It surprises me, because I thought dragons couldn’t be hurt by fire.

The man’s eyes move to Aldrek. “Black. I challenge… for female,” he says in broken English.

More eyes look at us, and Aldrek tenses.

A challenge? Why does this stranger think he can put a claim on me?

“No.”

I’m surprised by the sound of my voice. My whole life, I’ve avoided conflict. My lack of confidence kept me in the shadows, but here I am, standing up to this scarred, muscled stranger.

“I’m not for sale.”

I’m tired of Aldrek being treated like he doesn’t belong by the whispering bystanders, and I won’t let this strange man separate us.

Aldrek takes a step forward and says something in his native tongue. I don’t understand it, but judging by his stance, he wants blood to mix with the mud below us.

“I said no,” I repeat, my heart thundering in my chest.

The strange man looks at me and scowls. “Keep her. Talks too much.”

Aldrek shoves him, and I grip his forearm right as he lifts it. The momentum nearly topples me over.

“Please,” I beg. “I want to leave.”

I can practically feel the heat of his anger as it radiates. The whispers around us are louder now. I’m overwhelmed.

He leads us far, stopping under a tall tree. From here, I can only catch glimpses of the buzzing market.

“Aldrek… what just happened?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” he says with a voice that’s deeper than usual. It’s like he’s still teetering over the edge of madness. “It’s normal for males to proposition other males for their females. He wanted to fight me for you. The winner gets to ask you to choose him. I hear many men want to earn a human female, so they have been learning English.”

Propositioning? This is one thing I didn’t learn in the matching program.

“But he seemed to know you. He called you Black. Why is that?”

He leans against the tree, unbothered by the rough, protruding bark. “He knew me. I was a cage fighter for years. Black was a nickname.”

That explains a lot of the scars he has sustained. He must have fought for years, probably to build his hoard. I suspected his past was violent, but didn’t imagine something like this. The very idea of him bleeding and bruising in a cage has me cringing.

“Why do they call you Black, of all things?”

He purses his lips. “Enough questions.”

I inhale the fresh air, watching the distance longingly. The market had been magical, but I only enjoyed it for a few minutes. Aldrek and I will never be welcome there. He has too many scars from the past, and I look too alien.

“What are they doing?” I point to the east, where I spot a couple circling each other.

“Those are dancers preparing for their show.”

Perfect. A distraction from what happened today. Perhaps our trip to town doesn’t have to be a waste, after all.

“Can we get closer and watch?”

He hesitates. “This is an erotic dance.”

Erotic?

This is my cue to walk away. To return to the safety of the cabin, where we walk over eggshells all day. But I don’t want to. I want to cross the line and actually be adventurous once in my life.

I look at him, and with a lick to my lips, I say, “Let’s watch.”

A grumbling sound leaves his chest. He knows it’s not a good idea, but just like me, he wants to play with fire.

How long can we dance around sexual tension before it devours us?

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