Dragon in the Dark (Kindred Tales)

“The Kindred Mother Ship was kind enough to give us these Earth meal cubes for you,” Commander Rarev said, indicating the tiny white cubes. “They have cuisine which is common to your kind, I believe. Of course, if you are feeling adventurous, there are Monstrum meal cubes as well.”

He indicated the other stack of cubes in the cabinet. These also had labels, but they made no sense to Iyanna. Hos’kath stew, read one. Parboiled fru’nem with jai-hai sauce, said another. There were multiple others with cuisine she didn’t recognize, but Iyanna didn’t dismiss them out of hand. She was endlessly curious and ready to try new things. In fact, that was one of the reasons she was single now—though she was trying not to think about that.

“Thank you,” she told Commander Rarev. “I’ll be sure to try them. I think one of the best ways to get to know a new culture is through its food and I’d really like to get to know the Monstrum culture better.”

The Monstrum commander gave her one of his rare smiles.

“I knew I chose well when I picked you as one of the Earth scientists to come study aboard our Mother Ship. We need humans who are open to learning about our people and culture—not ones who reject us out of hand because we’re different.”

“I promise that I’ll always come to any problem or situation aboard your ship with an open mind,” Iyanna told him seriously. “My only interest is the pursuit of knowledge.”

And maybe getting away from your past? whispered a little voice in her head, but Iyanna pushed it away.

“That’s very good to know,” Commander Rarev said, nodding. “Well, if you’re happy and there’s nothing else I can get you, I’ll leave you to get comfortable in your new quarters. And you can expect your guide, Stor’kuum, tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” Iyanna told him. “I’m sure I’ll be very comfortable here and I can’t wait to get started studying the flora aboard your ship.”

They went back into the entrance of the suite and the Monstrum commander took his leave of her. As the door slid shut behind him, Iyanna wondered what her new life would be like…and if it would allow her to forget the heartbreak she’d left behind on Earth.

TWO

“Stop thinking of the past—stop thinking of Ian,” Iyanna muttered to herself as the door slid shut behind the Monstrum commander and she found herself alone in her strange new living quarters. She was here to study exotic alien plant life, not mope about the past and her broken engagement, she told herself.

Though in her defense, it had been broken off both suddenly and dramatically.

Ian hadn’t exactly left her at the altar, but he might as well have. He had broken their engagement two days before their wedding—after everything had been paid for and the guests had been invited and the venue had been reserved and the cake had been ordered…it had been a mess.

“I’m sorry, Iyanna,” he’d said, opening those big blue eyes that she’d fallen in love with, in a look of wide-eyed innocence. “But you’re just a little too much for me to handle. I thought when I asked you to marry me that we wanted the same things, but you’ve changed since I put that diamond on your finger. Sometimes I feel like I hardly even know you anymore!”

“What you mean is that I’ve grown,” Iyanna had told him. Tears were burning in her throat, but she wasn’t going to let them out—wasn’t going to give Ian the satisfaction of seeing her cry. “And I’ve been trying to get you to grow along with me! Why can’t you even try anything new?”

“I did try and it was a disaster—remember that night at that club you dragged me to?” Ian frowned pointedly. “I’ve never been so uncomfortable in my life! All those people wearing Halloween outfits and leading each other around on leashes like they were pets or something. And that one couple where the man was flogging the woman—just so weird.”

Iyanna had sighed. She should have known it was a mistake to take him to a BDSM club in Ybor City, but she hadn’t been able to help herself—she’d wanted to try something new for a change.

She and Ian had been together since they were grad students at USF and in all that time, their lovemaking hadn’t changed a bit. Ian would play with her breasts a little and then dip down between her thighs for two or three half-hearted licks before climbing on top of her. Two pumps and a tickle and he would be rolling off her, already snoring.

Could anybody blame her for wanting to try something new, Iyanna thought resentfully? The whole routine barely lasted five minutes. Of course she was bored and looking for something different!