“What? Oh… no! I didn’t… amongst my people… OK, right. I can see how you could understand such a thing in that way, but my people have studied… wait.. um.. First, let me apologize. That is not what I meant nor intended, but my people have studied many creatures and animals, and we have discovered that some creatures are capable of keeping themselves warm. They have some form of internal magical heating device that keeps their bodies warm at the same temperature. I, for example, have such a magical heating device. Well… actually, we are also able to cool ourselves when too hot as well, so not exactly a magical heating device, but a magical temperature maintaining device.
“There are others who do not have the capability to keep themselves warm, or cold. They must make sure to find heat or cold externally, either by staying in the sun to warm, or to hide in shade or water to cool if they become too warm. Maybe I was wrong, but I heard you and Zilnek saying that you struggled when you became too cold, and that is a common action for such creatures. We call these creatures cold-blooded because they naturally heat or warm as the air around them changes and they are, usually, cooler than warm-blooded creatures. I am a warm-blooded creature. It is simply a way to define different types.”
As Joe explained, Kilniara felt her coldness dissolve and she smiled, understanding his statement, “Ah… then… yes, I guess I… we are cold-blooded… in this sense. But might I warn Master to not call Acokzau cold-blooded? Maybe find another possible way to… explain.”
Joe grinned and chuckled softly, “Well, I apologize. I had no reason to insult you. Thank you for allowing me to explain.”
Kilniara nodded with a smile and a nod of her head.
“But then,” Joe continued, “how were you glowing before? And you’re skin felt so warm. How is that possible if you’re cold-bloo… um… not warm-blooded? Man… I’ll need to think of another name for it. Is there a word or way you’re people call it?”
Kilniara shook her head and smiled, feeling comfort settle on her as she relaxed into the conversation, “Our people are not as scholarly as yours. We have no name for it nor have we truly sought out such things. I am uncertain of any name for such a thing. As for my warmth, we are capable of generating warmth manually by tensing and releasing our muscles rapidly, although it is not a comfortable thing for us.”
“Of course, shivering. We do the same as well. So you were shivering?”
“Shivering? Interesting word. It means to tense and release muscles? Hmm… But no, I was not shivering. My scale muscles were tensing and flaring my scales.”
“Ooh,” Joe exploded excitedly, “that’s really cool! I thought that was goose bumps or something I was feeling.”
“Goose bumps?”
“Ah… human… base humans can … well… my people can. We can tense the muscles in our skin as well and in so doing, bumps form all over our skin. Humans… my people will get goose bumps from fear or from a soft, unexpected, but desired brush over the hair on our skin or even on our skin. The muscles all over our skin will tense and pebble.”
Kilniara blinked in surprise, responding quickly, “Truly? You can zoilsha?”
“Zoilsha? I guess that means to get goose bumps? Yeah… my people can, although it is not very common.”
Kilniara smiled, “It is not too common amongst my people either, although it does happen.”
Joe smiled and returned to his bed, sitting on it casually, “So you’re OK? Everything is fine?”
“Yes, m… Joe.”
Joe smiled and shook his head, “Remember, just Joe… no master. Anyway, Zilnek and Garnedell are fine?”
“Yes, Joe.”
“At a brothel,” Joe spoke the last more as a statement than question.
“Yes, Joe.”
Joe smiled and shook his head, “Why? Oh well, different place different people, but why do…” Master trailed off into quiet speaking but seemed angry, frustration hidden but apparent enough to her eyesight.
“Ah… do you wish me… I could leave and return, if you wished for an evening alone.”
“Oh! What? No… no… I’m… relax. I’m glad you came back. I’m just a bit… annoyed that they … went to a brothel, but, yeah.”
“Is it … bad for their training?”
“What is bad for their training?”
“Going to the brothel.”
“No!” Joe responded quickly, laughing, “Nah. They… no. I’m just… it’s… This is a long discussion and not something that I’m sure is good to have this late at night. Let’s head to bed and we’ll … yeah… this is something for another time and place.”
Joe smiled and slipped back under his covers, eyes already closing and preparing to sleep again. Kilniara looked to Joe, and felt her tension rise until she found herself walking towards Joe with worried fear slathered in excitement. She brought her hands to her shirt, wrestling with removing it but found she just couldn’t get her hands to actually follow through, her rebellious body struggling to just move her legs towards his bed. Her breathing heightened and she found herself at his bed, and turned to sit on its edge, her awareness quickly dreamlike as she found her body responding exactly how she wished it to but somehow beyond her control. Joe turned in his bed and looked to her, a question fluttered in the air but she heard nothing, and found herself responding, somehow, then leaning down on his chest as she scooted up and settled in beside him.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Joe seemed to stiffen under her action, and she once again found herself fascinated with the soft flesh that seemed to somehow turn to stone under her touch. Once again, Joe called out to her, but she did not hear it as her hand continued to trace his torso over the blankets, thin enough to easily feel his chest. He truly does not find the evenings too cold?
Several cries from Joe proved unable to pierce her moment and she finally felt Joe scoot back from the edge, closer to the wall to give her room on the bed. Joy at his acceptance of her suffused through her body and she quickly tried to shuffle under the sheet, settling herself into the not quite wide enough bed but then found the sheet snagged under something and she struggle to pull it up. She pulled several times but found that she could not free it, and traced her hand to the obstruction only to find his hand there, holding the sheet down.
It was with this that awareness flooded back into her and she looked up to find Master panicked, concern painting his face as he spoke to her once again, “Kilniara? What are you doing? What’s going on!? Are you OK?”
Kilniara found him pressed up against the wall, not making room for her but retreating from her. He’s afraid! He’s not accepting me, he’s… terrified!
Kilniara quickly stood and ran from the room, escaping rejection as she threw herself on her bed. Of course Master would not seek a mate of such low stature as I. I am only a cloth armorer! What kind of children would he have, when his children’s future options are already crippled by my cloth armorer job! They would only have half the success or chance! In the midst of her racing mind, she heard nothing else as she struggled to hide her sobs, but did nothing to hold in the tears.
* * *
Joe sighed as Kilniara raced from the room, finding his mind boggled, literally unable to find any kind of response. He truly didn’t know what the right thing to do was. He sighed again, deeply, and shook his head. He wasn’t an idiot, her action of how she’d first traced his body seemed to be a pretty clear indication of what she was thinking, but he’d never been one to be comfortable with one night stands or casual sex. It just never seemed to click with him and he never really joined in with a few of the others in his peer groups at the various martial arts dojos he trained at.
While he’d had his fair share of those who’d sought him out, these encounters had left him feeling very cautious especially for how rapid they’d occurred, having only known him for a single night. It was titillating, absolutely, but also simultaneously incredibly uncomfortable. Granted, he’d known Kilniara for quite a bit longer, thus that wasn’t so much an issue, but his natural reaction was to tend to a more serious and diligent relationship before seeking anything remotely physical. His father was quite adamant about this and his mother, while much more caring, would have been absolutely disappointed if he’d ever chosen to take advantage of situations like that. That left him in the rather awkward position of wishing to be with his friends but unable to join them in some of the typical night time party lifestyle.
He’d finally decided that he would make sure his sexuality was something that he explored with someone he loved and who loved him back. Someone with whom he was very serious, emotionally, and someone he could only hope and expect would reciprocate.
He wasn’t rejecting Kilniara. He just didn… I’m not rejecting her! Joe settled in thought, the sigh deep and long as he realized what he had to do. Seriously! I just wanted to sleep! I’m so freakin’ exhausted!
Joe stood and went into Kilniara’s room, pausing to knock on her door cautiously before calling out to her a few times while listening carefully. She’d left the door wide open, so he could easily just walk in, and with the light of the bright moon … well, planet, I guess… shut up mind... focus … shining in through her window, she could see that she was huddled on her bed in tears. Joe shook his head after the third call and realized that she was either ignoring him or was so lost in her thoughts that she couldn’t.
Joe chose to walk in carefully, sitting on the bed next to her before resting a hand on her shoulder while trying to calm her in the time tested absolutely worst male way possible, shushing her quietly with a soft ‘shhh’ and awkward patting.
He really wanted to offer a hug, but since she lay on her bed and he didn’t know how comfortable she would be with him lying next to her or man handling her up to offer a more platonically acceptable sitting side hug, he found himself with the awkward pat and ‘shhh’ as the final option. Well… she did lay down next to me, right? So… would…
Joe waffled for a few more moments before deciding to take the chance and lay next to her, but making sure to keep himself removed and still only allowing his arm to rest across her back lightly, offering a hug every once in a while. After several more moments, he felt her head turn to him and he was unable to catch her gaze, but could see by the tilt of her head that she was at least looking at him. Or… well… I guess her eyes could still be closed, but… is she ready to talk?
Quite a bit of time had passed, and Joe hoped it had been enough time so he decided to see if conversation was an option, “You OK? Want to talk?”
She shivered slightly under his arm but then he felt her hair move, and could only guess that she’d nodded.
“Is that a yes? I can’t see you very easily.”
A quiet ‘yes’ drifted out of the dark cave formed from her arm, feathery hair, and face, so Joe began.
“I’m not rejecting you,” Joe started with that, then quietly waited for her.
She took some time to respond, but then did so with a quiet strangely tonal whisper, “What does that mean?”
“I’m not rejecting you. You are an incredibly beautiful woman. I’m not rejecting you.”
“Then… why were you retreating from me so quickly?”
“I was surprised? And… I’m not really good at this kind of thing… and to be frankly honest, I don’t like it.”
“Ahh… you only seek out base,” powerlessness oozing from the words.
“Base?”
“You do not know? I think we told you before. Sapients that are purely human, without any other form.”
“Hmm… well, no. That’s not what I’m speaking about. I’m … I don’t like meaningless or simple sex. Like… Garnedell and Zilnek were comfortable going to the brothel. I do not think I could ever do so. I … care… for those who I share se… physical intimacy with. And I wish to know them well before I do so.
“You are very beautiful. Incredibly beautiful, and exotic in a way that… is tantalizing. It really isn’t… you, at all. But I prefer to know those I am with to be important to me… meaningful and well known… permanent. I do not like… just… one time and noth…”
“I would enjoy …. With you as many times as you wish,” Kilniara whispered, quietly but very audibly as Joe quickly cut off to allow her to talk and easily heard what she said.