Page 6 of The Thren's Fated

“Would you like to dance?” he asked, his voice low and gruff.

He wanted to dance? With her?

Probably because you’re sitting all by yourself like a loser. He just feels bad for you. You should say no. He’s pitying you.

Four almond-shaped eyes glowed with a deep blue radiance, scrutinizing her, two on each side of his face. They blinked in tandem, all with strange slit-like pupils that reminded her of a snake, though she knew she wasn’t supposed to be comparing intelligent alien species to Earth animals.

Zoomorphism was rude, but she couldn’t help herself sometimes.

She’d learned about convergent evolution in school—species from different planets developing similar characteristics despite having no common ancestor—though it was difficult to break the habit.

Still, there was a clear serpentine quality to the Threns, a narrow snout and wedge-shaped head giving way to a ridged crest at the back of the skull. His mouth was filled with sharp teeth, curled into a sinister grin.

He wore what she was beginning to learn was typical casual attire for the space station, black pants and a dark shirt, simple yet effective in showing off his muscular physique. His skin was faintly iridescent, a blue-gray which shimmered in the strobing lights, and he had four tentacles which extruded from his back, waving in the air behind him in a strange flicking motion that coiled tension in her stomach.

“Oh, uh…” Lena started, trying to think of some sort of excuse, but stopping herself.

She’d come to Henios for a reason, right? A change of pace from the sad locals hitting on her every night at the bar on Earth. That meant interacting with extraterrestrials.

“Sure,” she finished, the Thren unblinking the entire time.

She turned to get the bartender’s attention, only to see the well-dressed human already standing there with his mouth agape. What, like he’d never seen an alien?

Before Lena could ask for her bill, she felt a hand at the small of her back, the Thren speaking loudly over the cacophony of beats.

“You can put her drinks on my tab.”

Oh, the oldest trick in the book. And apparently, it wasn’t just an Earth thing. Well, he could pay for her drinks, sure, but if he thought she owed him something because of it, then he had another thing coming.

The bartender just nodded, bowing awkwardly before hurrying off to service another customer.

Lena finished the last sip of her drink, the male’s hand still conspicuously rubbing circles on her lower back. It was comforting, in an odd way, one of the few soothing caresses she’d had in a very long time. Electricity sparked from the touch, sending warmth through her body and making her heart flutter.

But perhaps that was just the wine.

She’d had casual dalliances on Earth, but there was something weirdly intimate about the way this male touched her, like he’d known her longer than five minutes.

Like he was personally acquainted with how to pet her in just the right way.

A roar of heat flushed her body, and she knew it was not just from the booze. No, there was definitely an ache between her thighs, pleasure building from his simple touch.

God, when was the last time she’d gotten laid? Clearly, it had been too long, and she was desperate for any sort of physical intimacy. Still, a dance couldn’t hurt, could it?

With one last deep breath, she turned to him, an awkward smile on her face.

The Thren nodded, taking her hand and pulling her toward the pulsating crowd. The flashing lights made it difficult to focus on any single person, giving the appearance of one massive organism. People dodged out of the way as the Thren passed, and she supposed they were not a species many chose to mess with.

Even Zegrox looked cuddly in comparison.

Finally, the Thren paused, turning to face her and placing his hands on her waist. His grip was firm, his eyes lighting up like the strobes lining the walls. They seemed to dim and brighten as they roamed over her, slit-like pupils dilating ever so slightly. Strangely beautiful.

Everything about this male was strange.

Lena placed her hands on his firm chest as he began to sway, moving her in time with the music. The tentacles undulated too, a hypnotizing sight, though it wasn’t long before they were brushing through her auburn hair and around her waist. They were warm to the touch and slightly rubbery, sending shivers up her spine as they traced across the bare skin of her neck and shoulders.

She felt the music thumping in her chest, and even as other dancers bumped into them, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the Thren.

Was he here for the Peace Accords? The station had been bustling with energy since the first of three talks was occurring this week, Thren diplomats meeting with Alliance leaders to negotiate a more permanent treaty between the two entities.