The Melier (Women of Dor Nye Book 1) (10 page)

“Of course you can!” Lucia bent down to pick him up, but he stopped her and whispered in her ear. She grinned and looked up at Soren who watched her curiously. “I don’t know Zan, you’ll have to ask him.”

Zan looked up at Soren and tugged on his robe. “Soren, can I sit on your shoulders?”

Without hesitating, Soren bent down and swooped Zan up to place him on his shoulders. The little man held onto Soren’s bald head and looked around wide eyed. “Whoa,” he sighed. “I can see everything from up here!”

Lucia twittered with laughter and picked another pastry that Soren handed up to Zan. All three continued to move along the tables, tasting, teasing and attracting attention. Once again, younglings gravitated toward them and before long they were joining in on the
thanlio
dance. It consisted of dancing in a large circle around an un-partnered female. It was meant for all ages. They twisted, spun, stomped and dipped and pulled in close to the female only to spread back out and continue the stilted steps of the dance. Every full rotation, they howled with a call that felt very primal. The dance was meant to bring good fortune for future matches of the female.

Soren loved every minute of it. He even began smiling, not even caring that his teeth put more than a few individuals on edge. Zan howled and yipped as he sat happily on Soren’s shoulders most of the evening.

When another dance began, she bowed out and watched Soren and Zan enjoy it from the outskirts of the crowd. Once it was obvious Soren wasn’t a people eater, most individuals in attendance started relaxing and even spoke to him, or laughed. Whenever he and Zan howled, it was hard not to hoot with laughter at how consumed with it they were. Lucia’s eyes caught Frellie’s from across the gathering and she smiled at Lu before she went back to watching Zan have fun.

Lucia took another gulp of the clear berry juice when a familiar, loathsome voice assaulted her ears. Immediately her nerves grated.

“So you showed up after all.”

“Hello Quinton,” Lu said frostily.

“Not happy to see me?” His bowtie lips pulled into a feigned frown while his pale green eyes taunted her. He was handsome alright, with his short wavy blond locks, strong jaw and slender athletic build. “Can we talk?”

“We are talking.”

“Don’t be that way,” he bristled and took a swallow of his own drink. “Now that you’ve had some time to think about things, it’s time to be serious.” Lucia’s head shook in bewilderment. “Our union makes
sense
, darling. Two of the oldest bloodlines in Curra coming together present a strong force. I want you there with me when I take my place at the Assembly.”

“Don’t call me
darling
, Quinton.” Lu grumbled and continued to watch the dance.

“You’re upset,” he stated and sighed indulgently. “It’s time you start thinking about bigger things than childish
adventures
in space. Consider elevating your company and caring about your reputation. It will reflect on me when we partner.”

The nerve!

“Lucia, don’t be stupid,” he wrinkled his brow in distaste. “Stop fucking the
creature
and get your head on straight.”

Lucia’s head whipped to look at him then.

“Excuse me?” she whispered lowly and Quinton scoffed as if
she
was ridiculous.

“Everyone is talking about it.” His eyes landed on Soren and he visibly shuddered with disgust. “It’s plain to see the possessive way he looks at you, the way he
touches
you and the way you fawn over him. You’re embarrassing yourself. If I was any other man, I would withdraw my offer of partnership and find someone with more propriety.”

Lucia was trembling with unleashed anger that pitched higher with each word that fell from his foul mouth. Before she could stop herself, she tossed her drink into his perfectly evil face. He sputtered, eyes popping from his head in shock as others around them gasped and the music stopped.

“Fuck
you
,” Lucia ground out into the silence.

“Lucia!” her mother choked, coming up beside them. “What has gotten into you?”

“I can take a guess,” Quinton wiped his face with a cloth someone handed him. His angered gazed swept toward Soren, who was now right behind Lucia and growling. His knuckles stroked up her arm in an attempt to comfort her. “Fucking a
creature
has messed with her mind.”

Once again, Lucia’s hand had a mind of its own as she backhanded Quinton across his cheek. Her mother squawked with embarrassment and shame.

“Lucia!” Nova shrieked.

Every person in attendance was looking on at that point, but Lu barely noticed past the seething hatred she felt eking from every pore in her being. Quinton’s hand dabbed at the corner of his too-perfect mouth and came away with blood. Lucia turned away and looked upward. Soren’s eyes were completely black and he continued to growl loudly.

“Soren, take me home,” she whispered, barely able to form words around her anger. His arms wrapped behind her back and legs to sweep her up into his cocooned hold. Her arms hugged his warm neck as she plastered herself to him. The crowd split as he carried Lucia through the pavilion and she hid her face in the crook of his neck, willing herself not to cry tears of fury and exasperation.

When they got into the waiting transport and began driving away, she let the floodgates open.

Chapter 9

Soren had helped her out of her dress when they’d gotten back to the residence. Lucia was upset beyond belief. She was livid, embarrassed, fuming from the ears and worst of all she was upset that she was even upset to begin with!
I can’t win
, she yelled in her mind. When she’d nearly ripped the button off the back of her neck in an attempt to undress, Soren had brushed her hands away and did it for her.

Lucia hated that she’d let her frustration get the better of her and
cried
. She didn’t
cry
. Well, certainly not in front of people. She was tough. She
laughed
things off or punched something. She didn’t
cry
and yet she had.

Lu didn’t protest when Soren ushered her into bed or even when he didn’t join her, choosing instead to wear tread in the rug as he paced by the door. She was too busy replaying the events over in her mind. Everything Quinton had said, everything everyone
heard
, everything she’d done. Quin was loved by the territory; the golden boy. And while Lucia was well liked, she knew most of it was because of her family name and how loveable her dad was.

I don’t care what they think.

Yes you do.

Not anymore!

It didn’t take long for the riled energy of the event to leak from her body. She slipped into an exhausted sleep and didn’t wake until midway through the next day.

Lucia’s eyes felt like swollen sandpits and they were so dry, it almost hurt to blink at all. The pain made her tear ducts water and once there was some moisture, it was much easier to keep her lids open.

Meow. Bat, bat.

Lu jumped when a large furry paw batted her arm and then relaxed when she saw the family Ro’Catta staring at her expectantly among the pillows beside her. She hummed in greeting and began scratching behind the creatures ears. Cue instant purr fest.

The Ro’Catta was a common house pet; the result of Earth’s domesticated male cats being bred with the much larger female Rohga, a felid species on Dor Nye. The Rohga were too wild to tame, but their offspring with Earth’s felines were much more suitable for pets. The Ro’Catta retained most of Rohga’s genes, aside from the temperament. Their fur was always long and had incandescent spots on their flank and chest that would attract small prey at night. The fur was always very pale in colors that reminded Lucia of sweet confections that could be found in shops at the capital.

“Hello Dezzy,” Lucia croaked as she snuggled his large body to her chest and ran her fingers through his thick, turquoise fur.

“He’s been waiting all morning for you to wake up,” Frellie nodded her head toward Dezzy when she entered through the bedroom curtains. Dezzy chirped and stretched against Lu before he dozed into a nap.

Frellie joined her on the bed, invading
the bubble
and sandwiching Dezzy between the two of them which only made him purr louder. She stared Lucia in the face and Lucia stared back. Frellie’s brows rose expectantly so Lucia mimicked the gesture.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Lu asked.

“You know what.” Frellie’s dark eyes were very expressive and reminded Lucia of their mother. While Lucia’s hair was curly, like their fathers, Frellie’s was thick and straight like their mothers but still a shade of brown resembling Lucia’s. When Lu said nothing further, Frellie continued. “Your face is all over
League One
.”

Lucia’s head shot up. “
What
! Why?”

League One
was the main global news outlet of Dor Nye. Lucia hadn’t even remembered seeing vid comms at the event, but of course they would’ve had them. Every Curra function was filmed for local news.
League One
wasn’t local though.

“Because you made Quin bleed. Literally.” Frellie said this like it was all the explanation needed. “You were right about him though, that’s apparent; especially after what he said last night.”

Lucia laid her head back down and thought about what it all might mean. What was this unwanted attention going to be like for her family? What was Quin
telling
the media, her neighbors or whoever else?

“How’s mom?” Lu winced. “Is it bad?”

“She’s nursing a migraine,” Frellie said nonchalantly. “She hasn’t gone off the deep end.
Yet.
”

“Where’s Soren?” She realized he wasn’t in the room and she hadn’t heard him moving about.

“He’s in the den, where everyone else is. Gramps taught him
moco
,” she smiled, referring to the puzzle game her grandparents loved to play. “I think he regrets it. Soren keeps winning.”

Lucia smiled down into the fur on Dezzy’s head. She wasn’t sure if she was more pleased that her grandfather was trying to welcome Soren, or that Soren was beating her gramps at his favorite game.

“But why
League One
?” Lucia was still confused. Slapping Quin didn’t seem like enough reason for global news. Women didn’t smack men all the time, but it was hardly worthy of attention when it did happen.

“
Weelllll
,” she dragged out. “It’s easier to
see
it.” Frellie got up from the bed and Lu did the same. The silken nightgown that she didn’t remember putting on last night, unwrinkled itself from her hips and fell down her legs. She sat down next to Frellie on the couch while the projector blinked on.

Lucia’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach as she saw Quinton interviewing with one of
League One
’s well known reporters. He was impeccably dressed, as he always was and the way he sat comfortably in the cushioned chair made her want to scratch out his eyes. They did a recap of the vid from the previous night and it showed Lu tossing her drink into Quin’s face, her mother shrieking, Quin’s crass words and then Lucia backhanding him.

Bastard deserved it. I should’ve knee’d him.

“Some would say your comments were prejudiced,” the female reporter said calmly. “What do you think of that?”

Quin’s easygoing demeanor boiled Lucia’s blood all over again.
He smiled, as if he was indulging a child.

“Let’s not jump to such absurdness. Calling that
male
a creature was simply a dig from my hurt pride that my intended partner was choosing
him
over me. We’ve all said things in heated moments. It doesn’t mean I’m prejudice.”

“So you’re saying
this
male is Miss Herana’s new intended partner?”

They replayed a part of the vid that did a close up on Soren. It was the worst possible part of the night they could’ve presented because he looked
fucking scary
. He was standing behind her, growling at Quinton, mouth slightly open and his giant teeth glistened while his black eyes bespoke the need to inflict
pain
.

“This is ridiculous!” Lucia shot to her feet. “They’re making him look like a
monster
!”

Frellie chortled. “He kind of
is
.”

“No, he isn’t!” Lu swung her arm out in frustration. “He’s a giant teddy bear; except toward
lome’s
and that
idiot
spewing his drool!”

“I can’t confirm,” Quinton replied and then gave her a knowing look. “But people talk.”

“Yes they certainly do,” the reporter smiled, completely eating up the vile vomit Quinton was tossing her way.

“
UGHHHHHH
!” Lucia shrieked and turned off the projector. She turned and stomped through the double doors of her wing, grumbling the whole way down to the den. When she burst through the archway with Frellie in tow, everyone looked up.

“Did you hear what that
beast shit
said?” she exclaimed and began pacing the middle of the large room that was naturally lit by rays of sunlight, seething with everything she had. She incoherently babbled about all the things she wanted to do to him and how he would ruin the Assembly’s quality with his petulant mind and selfishness.

“Lucia,” her father chided, flipping a page in the book he was reading.

“You know it’s true!” she argued and he grunted noncommittally.

“She’s right you know,” her grams piped in after her turn in
moco
finished. “That boy needs a good whippin’.”

“Thank you Grams!” Lu continued to pace in her nightgown, completely unable to stand still. “I still don’t understand why
League One
would take the time to report on
that
.”

“Because he’s next in line to take his family’s seat at the Assembly,” her mother said pointedly, drinking from a sweating glass and fanning herself. Lu was surprised that her mother wasn’t yelling at her and telling her what an embarrassment she’d made of herself last night.

“Loo-Sha?” Soren turned in his chair once his turn passed.

“What Soren?” Lucia huffed.

“
Woosah
,” he said slowly.

Lucia stopped pacing. She sucked in her lips as she tried and failed not to smile. He’d apparently picked up her calming mantra and her heart did a little flip that he was reminding her of it now when she
really
needed it. Her feet carried her over to Soren and she leaned her forehead against his and sighed while her hands rubbed and stroked his jaw and under his chin. His loud purr brought a silly, stupid grin to her lips.

“Woosah,” she breathed and said it a second time.

Frellie interrupted Lucia’s calm when she said, “I called it! Ryla!” She cackled and flopped down on the couch next to Rafe, draping her legs over his lap.

Nova groused.

“I don’t know why everyone is jumping to conclusions,” Lucia snarled and went back to rubbing Soren’s scales. “Soren and I are
friends
.”

“Friends don’t fu-”

“Frellie! Watch your mouth!” Nova blanched before gulping down more of her beverage.

“Ryla?” Soren questioned, looking confused.

Lucia shook her head. “She’s mama’s grandmother. Once upon a time-”

“Who would like to go out for second meal?” Nova interrupted and cut Lucia a glare.

****

Lucia’s amusement rose to new heights as she watched Zan trying to teach Soren how to flip a coin into the fountain and explain it’s a tradition to make a wish. When Soren began to make a wish, Zan waved his arms in panic and told him he had to
think
the wish; he couldn’t speak it aloud or it wouldn’t come true. Soren looked at Lu confused, but entertained nonetheless.

Grams and Nova had picked the place to eat, but the wait was long. So they made reservations and walked the market while they waited. They garnered stares, as she’d expected. Probably more so since the
global
cast of the previous night’s party.

People are afraid of what they don’t understand.

What is there to understand? Soren’s harmless. Mostly.

“Let’s stop in here,” Nova said as she began to enter a large tailors shop. “Soren will need a new wardrobe.”

Lucia hid a smile behind her hand as she and Soren entered the shop.
I can’t believe it!
Her mother was acknowledging Soren’s existence and she wasn’t under duress. Maybe that was a little harsh. She’d only had one day to get used to him. Not everyone had spent a week on a ship with him. Not everyone saw how he’d taken down a
beast
to save lives.
Her
life. None of them knew that yet. They didn’t see how Soren
tried
to understand the universe in such a short amount of time, just to survive. They didn’t know he’d been a slave or that he
couldn’t
remember what his life before enslavement was like.

Lu had to remember this, and give them a break.

The shop runner paled when he saw Soren, but quickly tried to recover and be polite as he greeted them. They were guided to the back of the store where plenty of seating was available around small circular platforms. The family arranged themselves, taking refuge from the heat, as her mother began speaking to the tailor about what kind of outfits Soren would need. She continued on and on as Soren was directed to stand on the platform. Lucia walked around him and his tail snuck up to stroke the back of her neck. She chortled and batted the tail away. When she reached his other side, his tail snuck back up to tickle under her chin.

“Soren,” she playfully warned him, grabbing the tail and stroking her fingers through the thick fur. He purred.

Hmm, so he purrs when his tail is rubbed.

“Please remove your clothes,” the tailor said and grabbed the measuring tape.

Lucia’s hold on the tail squeezed as she choked.

“Yes, please do,” Grams said.

“Mother!” Nova exclaimed.