Dekkir (Galaxy Alien Warriors #1)(7)
Dorin leaned forward, chin on fist. “Oh? Please enlighten me.”
“I have recognized her scent as that of my true mate,” Dekkir declared in a ringing voice, causing a ripple of turned heads and curious murmurs to go through the crowd. “She is my intended, and I will be petitioning for a permanent union.”
I stared at him in shock.
“What in the hell was that about?” I demanded, as soon as the audience had ended and the two of us were alone together again. He had brought me to his chambers at the far end of the marketplace: three large rooms, fairly plain, furnished in a masculine style of mostly heavy timbers. I stalked back and forth through the front room like a caged tiger.
He stood in a corner of the room, arms folded, his expression stern but a bit confused in the face of my anger. “You should calm down. There is no reason to be upset.”
“You just announced to your high chieftain that we’re engaged!”
“Yes, you should feel grateful I have accepted you as my mate so quickly.”
Oh, he really does think he’s God’s gift.
“What is wrong with you? We just met. You never even asked me if I was interested in you. Why would you think it would be okay to go before your leader and tell him the two of us are . . . mates?” What an ugly word. It made us sound like animals in a breeding program.
Dekkir blinked at me. “I do not understand. I knew from your scent that you were mine. You must have sensed something from me as well.”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about. All I know is you just put me on the spot in front of the entire court. You have no right to just decide I’m yours.”
His expression softened with even more confusion, the tight fold to his arms loosening. “But I did not make this decision. This was not under my control either. I did not intend to humiliate you by announcing what has been decided by fate.”
I stared at him. Is he crazy? I need to get to a private place and ask the doctor for advice. “Look. I don’t know what kind of romantic stories you guys wrap your ideas of attraction in, but you’re missing the point. You can be interested all you want, but unless I agree, you get nothing. I am not your possession. I am a person!”
“I never said you were not. But it does not change the fact you belong—”
I rounded on him, scowling. “Do you really think because you have power over me here and I give you a boner, you get to treat me like you own me?”
He just kept blinking, his expression so baffled I could have felt sorry for him if I hadn’t wanted to rip his head off. “But . . . I belong to you as well.”
“Did you ever ask if I wanted you? You don’t even know if I’m single or married. You never bothered to ask. You just decided. Or tried to, because I’m not going along with it!”
His expression darkened. “I have declared myself to you in the ancient way, before my chieftain and my father, and in return, you refuse me in a most unnatural fashion!”
“I don’t care what you think is natural! I choose who I love, not you.” I struggled to rein in my temper. “As much as I respect your culture, I refuse to be victimized by some sexist tradition that lets a guy lay claim to a lady without her permission. Don’t make me have to report to my superiors that you are mistreating me.”
He slowly lowered himself into one of the hide-seated chairs arranged along the far wall. “Mistreating you? I thought you wanted an alliance between our two peoples.”
“Okay, let’s put this another way. When Dr. Stirling lived here, did you guys try to marry him off to one of you to make an alliance?”
“No, of course not. He was not claimed.”
“Then don’t think that you can do it to me!” I pointed a finger at his chest. “I am a visiting diplomat from the only space-faring race that has bothered with this backwater, and I will be treated with respect. You don’t touch me without my permission, you don’t smell me without my permission, you don’t walk around calling me your mate, and you don’t try to get sex out of me. If you do, I will contact Command, and they will send an extraction team for me, armed with weapons you do not want brought to your fort. Got it?”
He scowled. Apparently, he wasn’t used to taking orders from anyone but his father. “Woman, you defy the laws of nature! How can you claim to have no attraction to me?”
“I just don’t. And that doesn’t make me ‘unnatural.’ I’m sure a lot of girls think you’re awesome, but I bet you never tried to claim them against their will!”
He shook his head in obvious frustration. “You are treating me as if I were some drunken fool accosting you at a festival. Is this your idea of diplomacy?”
“No, it isn’t. But I’m disgusted that your idea of diplomacy involves me f*cking you.” I turned and walked to the hallway door, hoping I remembered the way back to the fort roof. “I’m going out to clear my head.”
He got up. “You are under my protection. You should not leave my sight.”
“Go to hell.” I pushed the door open and stepped through, hurrying down the hall. I hoped I could lose myself in the market crowds before he could follow. I really needed a breather.
I got a lot of curious looks as I rushed through the marketplace, but none of the shopkeepers approached me this time. I supposed none of them knew what to make of me. That was fine. I didn’t really want to talk to anyone right then anyway.