Page 8 of Jewel of the Alien Bandit
“Bunch of gorbles,” I mumbled just loud enough for my friend to hear, but it was my handler that finally gave in.
“Gorbles are a strange breed. They may appear to be worthless beasts, but it’s really a matter of what you consider valuable. What they lack in practical use, they make up for in emotional support, and have been shown to be quite protective of beings that bond with them. Fascinating creatures.”
What was his name anyway? I now regret not asking so that I can properly mock him in my thoughts before utilizing his rant to my advantage.
“Is there a reason why all of the mates are topless, and puffing out their chests like gorbles waiting for a snack?” It was better to make fun of my competition than it was to make fun of their females. I didn’t have anything bad to say about their women here, not if I could catch the eye of that one I saw on the vidcom earlier. “I thought you said we were trying to impress the females,” I added for good measure, and my handler smiled now at ease that I had no disrespect for their species but for most of the mates they’ve brought in offworld, though my comment did apply to their own estreld mates too.
Loric came up from behind and inserted himself into the conversation, right on cue, “You should take the opportunity to remove your own shirt as well, it is customary for potential mates to bare themselves to show their health and for an estreld, show how many loh they’ve manifested.”
“Is that what you call the organic rocks on your skin?” I wondered, and it was off topic for developing our frienemy bond, but I could learn a few things on the way. “If that’s the case then you have most of us beat, including myself.”
His expression was still guarded but he played along. I still thought I could take him on, loh markings or not. “I’m not tryingto beat any of them,” he said smoothly putting a hitch in the male bonding, but also making him out to be the kind of guy I probably would have kept around if my life wasn’t a shit show. That will only make betraying him a little more difficult, but only a little. “There’s only one I’m interested in, and hers is the only opinion that matters.”
“All of Estreldez is praying for your successful mating, Loric,” my handler remarked, making my job easier by the second as he led the topics along, making everything appear more organic and less orchestrated. “Even your admirers have such high hopes that Luan will respond to your efforts.”
Now, we were getting somewhere.
“Luan? Is she the one you are interested in?” I pressed lightly. Being a wingman to his mating success would go a long way to letting me fly under the radar while I went about stealing their jewel and getting the hell out of this star system. As far away from the necia as possible.
Loric’s expression hardened, giving my handler an admonishing glance before responding. Maybe he didn’t want to reveal his pick to anyone, but it seemed to me his pick wasn’t so much a secret to anyone on this planet.
“Ignore the crowd, and focus on pleasing the one that catches your essence.” So he was going for a redirect by offering me advice. I could work with that.
“Sage words.” I grinned at him and gave a clap on his back in camaraderie. Who knew if the gesture was universal or not, but he seemed to loosen up a bit after the contact. And then I saw her.
Loric was right about one thing, her essence was hard to ignore. All of the commotion of the females in the crowd, and the potential mates milling about stilled in my vision as I took her in. The vidcom didn’t do her justice, she looked like a god’s damned ice princess that could crush my organs with a stare.The determined set of her jaw, and the hardened gleam in those silver eyes had me wondering what it took to have her melt against the heat of my own determination, to hear her pant my name as I traced my fingers down that glowing flesh of hers. My blood pumped in anticipation, feeling my need for her swelling my now constrictive pants. I now understood why the estreld choose those bunched up loose fabrics cinched in with leather, it was probably a lot more comfortable to let yourself have a bit of space to grow. I grinned to myself and turned to my new friend.
“So, when you find who to focus on what do you do to get their attention?” I asked Loric.
I had no intentions of mating with any of them for the job, so I never took the time to learn their mating customs, but I’d make an exception for her.
“A display of power, and then find a way of making contact with them. Research has found that touch can trigger their mating hormones. Then it’s up to them to choose you for the games, and ultimately for the ceremony.”
“Got it.” I figured ripping off my shirt was too obvious, and there were plenty of pectorals on display already that I’d have to find another way of getting her attention.
Her eyes, so much like the moon, searched the sea of males, and stopped when they met my dark eyes, clouded with my desire to hear her strong voice shake when she tells me how she wants to be pleased. My chest expanded faster and faster as adrenaline made every other thought besides her drop away.
What kind of magic did she hold over me? I didn’t care.
A low growl of possessiveness came over me as I thought, mine.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Luan
ALMDER CAME OUTwith a soft yellow glow about her, dressed in traditional light robes that complimented her loh jewels and the beauty of her silvered hair. For a moment I completely forgot about how she was forcing me to spend the rest of my life, even before I became the next Almder stuck on this planet. There was so much more good I could do for our clan offworld, and she just couldn’t see that yet.
It was strange not being the one up there introducing the history of the moon ceremony to the offworlders this cycle, talking of time honored traditions and granting a blessing for a successful mating. The radiation from the moon’s rays absorbed into my mother’s loh burst out in a warm breeze across the room. My own loh buzzed with the contact, that was the power of a true Almder, the ability to not merely strengthen yourself, but to give strength to others. With my mother doing the blessing this year, it’s sure to be more successful than the cycles she’s asked me to take over.
Salph took over when my mother made her way to her viewing pod, our viewing pod where I would have been playing a game of who may choose who in the ceremony later.
I could already see a few estreld’s rolling their shoulders back from the tension building in their bodies. Their eggs willdrop soon at that rate. Flauna in front of me made a small whimper and a few more loh popped from between her shoulder blades, she would participate in this cycle’s ceremony for sure.
She turned around excited that her eggs dropped without even touching one of the mates. Her blue eyes alight with joy she noticed Mabel and me were there and giggled.
“He may not be lit with the moon’s radiation, but there’s just something about him. I need to know his name.” Flauna took my hands in hers and practically begged for me to tell her about whoever caught her eye before the dance of eld. I could understand her nerves, even I requested the list before the games, though for different reasons.
“Which one?” Clicking on the list, Vareo’s image popped up first as the last file I was on, and Flauna’s eyes lit up before I could swipe to the next male.
