they were encased in saltwater. Rina thought of them—secretly because it was a bit offensive—as mermaids, er, mermen.
The larger of the two, a male with bright red hair, searing red eyes, and a scar that bisected his face, gave her a narrow eyed look. “You are not prepared.”
Rina glanced down at herself, noting the fluffy robe and bare feet peeking out from beneath the hem. At the movement, her still somewhat soapy hair dangled within her line of sight. She raised her head, met his gaze once again, and she couldn’t stifle the annoyance that jumped back into her tone. “Well, someone knocked on my door and didn’t let me finish my shower. And that someone—” she flicked her attention to the doorframe and back to him. “—cracked said door.”
His glare deepened, anger flushing his face, bringing out the shadow of scales that lurked beneath his skin. “You—”
The other male jumped into their conversation and shot his partner a shut-the-fuck-up look. “We were sent to provide escort, Miss Zeret, to Ujal Station Tau.”
“Escort?” She raised her eyebrows. Well, one eyebrow since her eye still stung like a sonofabitch and refused to cooperate. “I’m perfectly capable of making it to UST on my own. I’ve done it every morning for the past four years.” Ever since she got the job in the Ujal public relations department. She crossed her arms over her chest. Something was off in merman-land. “What’s this about?”
Then a high-pitched whir of a hovercraft cut into their conversation, drawing her attention from the guards and to the space in front of her house. Rina groaned. Both males tensed, stepped closer to her, and presented their backs to her. Their positions were of protection, as if they were about to face some enemy who was intent on doing her harm.
They weren’t all that wrong since she knew exactly who owned the vehicle. That supersonic squealing machine belonged to none other than… Rina’s mom.
And, really, her mother was Rina’s greatest enemy and ally in one… unless Rina thought her mom was wrong. Then it was on and heaven help her if she didn’t apologize. Fast.
She was sure she hadn’t done anything apology-worthy lately. But just in case…
Rina squinted then leaned left, right, and finally leaned a little left of right and pushed to her tiptoes so she could see past the wall-o-merman-meat blocking her vision. “I’m sorry, Mom!”
The males stiffened and the rapid click and clack of her mom’s heels on the concrete paused. “Do you know why you’re apologizing?”
“Um…” She winced. “No?”
She was sure she heard her mom mumble, “Thank God” before picking up her pace once again. The two Ujal guards eased closer to one another, cutting off what little vision Rina had. Dammit.
“Hey!” She tapped the nicer guard on the shoulder. “Are you gonna tell me what this is about?” No response. Tap, tap, tap. “Seriously, what’s going on?”
“Don’t antagonize the dangerous men, sweetheart.”
Sometimes her mother had a good point.
A deep pulsing sound vibrated the air, sinking into the earth and shaking everything around them. For an Ujal, that barely audible noise was equivalent to what the military called a “warning shot.” Ujals didn’t need weapons, they had their voices and specific tones could do deadly damage to humans.
Her mom’s feet skittered over the sidewalk. “Well, I never .”
Rina’s tap on the man’s shoulder became a smack. “Hey! She didn’t do anything wrong. What is this? Ujal brutality.”
Neither responded, but remained in place. This time she pushed, anxious to get to her mother. Of course, shoving at the space between them drew the red-haired guy’s attention and now that deep tone was directed at her. She could practically see the ripples of air, the tremulous disturbance his warning caused as it traveled from his slightly parted lips to collide with her chest. She stumbled back a step, damp feet sliding
The larger of the two, a male with bright red hair, searing red eyes, and a scar that bisected his face, gave her a narrow eyed look. “You are not prepared.”
Rina glanced down at herself, noting the fluffy robe and bare feet peeking out from beneath the hem. At the movement, her still somewhat soapy hair dangled within her line of sight. She raised her head, met his gaze once again, and she couldn’t stifle the annoyance that jumped back into her tone. “Well, someone knocked on my door and didn’t let me finish my shower. And that someone—” she flicked her attention to the doorframe and back to him. “—cracked said door.”
His glare deepened, anger flushing his face, bringing out the shadow of scales that lurked beneath his skin. “You—”
The other male jumped into their conversation and shot his partner a shut-the-fuck-up look. “We were sent to provide escort, Miss Zeret, to Ujal Station Tau.”
“Escort?” She raised her eyebrows. Well, one eyebrow since her eye still stung like a sonofabitch and refused to cooperate. “I’m perfectly capable of making it to UST on my own. I’ve done it every morning for the past four years.” Ever since she got the job in the Ujal public relations department. She crossed her arms over her chest. Something was off in merman-land. “What’s this about?”
Then a high-pitched whir of a hovercraft cut into their conversation, drawing her attention from the guards and to the space in front of her house. Rina groaned. Both males tensed, stepped closer to her, and presented their backs to her. Their positions were of protection, as if they were about to face some enemy who was intent on doing her harm.
They weren’t all that wrong since she knew exactly who owned the vehicle. That supersonic squealing machine belonged to none other than… Rina’s mom.
And, really, her mother was Rina’s greatest enemy and ally in one… unless Rina thought her mom was wrong. Then it was on and heaven help her if she didn’t apologize. Fast.
She was sure she hadn’t done anything apology-worthy lately. But just in case…
Rina squinted then leaned left, right, and finally leaned a little left of right and pushed to her tiptoes so she could see past the wall-o-merman-meat blocking her vision. “I’m sorry, Mom!”
The males stiffened and the rapid click and clack of her mom’s heels on the concrete paused. “Do you know why you’re apologizing?”
“Um…” She winced. “No?”
She was sure she heard her mom mumble, “Thank God” before picking up her pace once again. The two Ujal guards eased closer to one another, cutting off what little vision Rina had. Dammit.
“Hey!” She tapped the nicer guard on the shoulder. “Are you gonna tell me what this is about?” No response. Tap, tap, tap. “Seriously, what’s going on?”
“Don’t antagonize the dangerous men, sweetheart.”
Sometimes her mother had a good point.
A deep pulsing sound vibrated the air, sinking into the earth and shaking everything around them. For an Ujal, that barely audible noise was equivalent to what the military called a “warning shot.” Ujals didn’t need weapons, they had their voices and specific tones could do deadly damage to humans.
Her mom’s feet skittered over the sidewalk. “Well, I never .”
Rina’s tap on the man’s shoulder became a smack. “Hey! She didn’t do anything wrong. What is this? Ujal brutality.”
Neither responded, but remained in place. This time she pushed, anxious to get to her mother. Of course, shoving at the space between them drew the red-haired guy’s attention and now that deep tone was directed at her. She could practically see the ripples of air, the tremulous disturbance his warning caused as it traveled from his slightly parted lips to collide with her chest. She stumbled back a step, damp feet sliding
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