untrained

She was late for her next class. Not so surprising since she was still recovering from show and tell. Or meet and greet. Yeah, meet and greet her ass. More like speed dating.

For everyone except for her and poor April. Theirs were already picked out and the marriage being planned.

At least Macie was going to get some time to process all this.

She was still changing into her workout clothes but everyone else was long gone. Sighing, she put her shoes back on. What was the hurry anyway? She wasn't going to be any good at this.

No matter what sport they had played during PE she was always chosen last. Even Julian would pick her last.

When she stepped out of the locker room and saw who was waiting for her she cursed a blue streak and would have hidden but he'd already seen her. Are you kidding her?

"I should run to catch up with my class."

"I am your next class." He motioned her over to the mats.

Really? This is how the universe was going to play this? "Look, this is a waste of time. Your own computer and tests said I was government, so no training needed."

"Everyone on my planet has training. No one should be unable to defend themselves."

"Why is that, if your planet is so warm and cozy? That teacher this morning said it was close to utopia."

"Jessalynn, we have no crime, that is true, but there are always unknown factors. Like us coming here, where nearly half a million are murdered a year. You have no planets that are inhabitant near earth, but we do. Cybans. They are an unagreeable lot and we must always maintain our space borders. It is sensible for all to have training."

"Sensible or not, I'm not very coordinated. I've been in a few fights though, and I've done alright for myself. I even kneed Troy Baker in the nuts when he was getting too handsy."

"Dezrick?"

"He was touching her inappropriately."

Jess grinned. "Now if he sees me coming down the hallway, he goes the other way." Her grin faded. "Though I guess he's dead now."

"Life goes on, Jessalynn."

"I know that. Better than I should."

Not worried about how much he would like it, she sat and leaned back on her arms. There was no way she was working out today. She hadn't gotten any sleep last night. Aunt Sarah had awakened crying and screaming. Mel was sneaking into her room every night.

Sleeping with that child was like sleeping with a tornado.

"This little wrist band gorgeous gave me, is like a little spy camera?"

"No cameras." He nodded over her shoulder. "Those are all around us."

"In our homes?"

"Only near the front entrance."

"So, someone is always watching and listening to our conversations? Is someone watching right now?"

"Dezrick. When something is said or done that needs to be brought to our attention then it is."

"It doesn't bother you, someone being all up in your business?"

"You get used to it. If you ever need help you will not even have to ask for it and it will be there."

"If I ever take it off will dear Dez be able to tell?"

"Yes, and he will assume your heart has stopped beating. Dezrick, what are the human Jessalynn's vitals?"

"One hundred twenty over eighty-one. Heart rate eighty-nine. Temperature ninety-eight point six. She has eaten very little and has slept even less."

"Anything else I should know?"

"She was not happy to see you. Her heart rate goes up when you say her name and seems to cause her distress."

"Bite me, Dezrick."

"Quite impossible to do, human Jessalynn."

"Now her sister Meline."

"She does not have a wrist band as of yet, but she seems in good health. Right now, she is finding something very amusing with her match Jetidi. Do not distress, human Jessalynn. Human Meline has many matches and it could be years before her mate is clear."

That was something at least.

"So, she's having a good day, Dezrick?"

"She is."

Kellum moved closer and offered his hand.

"That isn't going to happen. I'm mark free and plan to stay that way."

"I am only offering to feed you."

Crap. He was learning too much about her if he already knew she couldn't say no to food.

She gave him her hand and when nothing happened, she smiled and let him pull her to her feet. "Ha! Told you."

He seemed unconcern.

"It is going to feel like falling. You will want to hold your breath, but you do not need to."

"What are you talking________?"

She would have fallen flat on her face if he hadn't caught her against him. "What the...." They no longer stood in the school gym. They stood in a stainless-steel cafeteria. "fuck?"

"Language, Jessalynn."

As soon as her legs could hold her, she moved away from him.

Kellum moved to the counter. "Variety of fruits, Dezrick. Why did you not eat breakfast or lunch, Jessalynn?"

"Committee ran late, and you mean that crappy mush? Because of yuk."

Up out of the counter came red and green apples. Strawberries. Grapes. Cut up cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon.

She attacked the strawberries and by-passed the plates of things she didn't recognize. "Any coke on ice under there?"

"Dezrick, carvia juice, tea and some manoia."

A glass of green juice, a tea so weak it was nearly clear, and a glass of a purple liquid appeared in front of her.

Jess frowned at him. "If I don't have a coke soon, I'm going to die. You can't just take a woman's coke from her. Any many mighty moe." She took a sip of the tea and nearly spit it back out. "Any of these not taste like ass dipped in more ass? Dez, just give me some water."

"Your water may appear_______."

"Is it unhealthy?"

"No."

"Is it going to kill me?"

"No."

"Then give it to me. On ice, if you have it. Any peaches? I love peaches."

Both appeared in front of her.

"I swear the only reason I'm not starving to death right now is that I can live with the meats you eat." They eat a lot of meat. Not a lot of flavor but it was something.

For a moment, she forgot she had company while she polished off a whole peach. She sucked the juice from her fingers.

"You did not feel anything when we touched?"

"Nothing. Are you going to move on? Believe me, no hard feelings."

"I did."

"Yeah? Got the hots for me, Big Boy?"

"I felt your loss. Your worry."

"It was the same with the girl with the oak tree. More of your gifts? It's rude, you know. Those are my memories, my thoughts. You should stay out of them."

"Dezrick?"

"I assume she is referring to Frey and Pensley."

"Frey has the gift of knowing people's thoughts and feelings, Pensley can see things. I can do neither. Dezrick?"

"I am unsure. If she would be inclined to touch the counter while she touched you, I could______."

"Nope. Were you not just listening? Those are my feelings and my memories. Both of you stay out of my head."

"A short while ago Balmer was mated. He expressed a similar experience. I had thought it was because of the mating. After such sometimes a mate can sense when the other is hurt or unwell. Since the two of you are not mated that would not be the case. I will study it more."

"Royalty, huh? And Frey, Pensley and Savion?"

"Yes. Frey is my sister and since she is mated to Pensley he is my brother."

"Cool. Any more family?"

"Alric is my brother. His father was my father's brother so when he passed away Alric became my brother. Frey was my mother's sister's husband's sister's daughter so when her family died, she became my sister."

Okay. "Any real brothers or sisters?"

"They are my real brother and sister. I did have a younger brother who shared the same mother and father. The sickness took him in the first week."

"And life went on?"

"Yes."

"Father time said that your kind didn't grieve like us. What did he mean?"

"Humans are all about their emotions. Greed. Anger. Lust. We do not have these issues."

"Love. Desire. Heartbreak. Do you have these issues?"

"We feel loss. Just not enough that it rules us. Not enough that it weakens us."

Since there were no chairs near, she jumped up onto the counter and reached for a grape. "So, you feel love just not enough that it weakens you? You talk about finding your other half, but you don't know what to do with them once you do. That's sad."

"The bond is strong."

"Is it? My mom loved her husband so much that him running out on her and his own family didn't even lessen it. While she laid dying, she called to him. Think you're capable of loving like that?"

"We would never abandon our family."

"Maybe not but if it's not love keeping you from leaving then what is it?"

"Honor. Loyalty."

"Things my mom's husband ran short on. Tell me, how does one go about getting rid of these pesky little feelings? Classes you can take? A nice tiny pill? Sign me up. I'm game."

He studied her until she was uncomfortable.

"Bet I'm not what you were expecting."

"No." He gave his head a small shake, the first movement he's made in a while. "I am not sure what I expected. What did you expect of the man you would spend your life with?"

"Assuming I ever decide I want to spend my life with someone, and I'm not so sure I do. What's wrong with single and free? If I did ever decide to get hitched, I imagine it will be with Julian. He's the only male I'll ever trust. And I already love him, so there's that."

She grabbed a slice of watermelon and hopped off the counter. "I'm not going to starve to death. At least not today. So, I better get back."

When he offered his hand, she shook her head. "Don't think so. Just pretend there's a no trespassing sign right across my forehead. I'm holding on to what little privacy I have left."

"As you wish."

A door appeared and he headed for it.

"Tell me, Dez. Does Kellum have any other matches?"

"Two. You at ninety-eight and human Hayden at eighty-three percent."

"Acceptable, then. Good for you, Kell. Dez, is she a pretty blond who will stare at him like he's a dream?"

"She is fair of hair, yes."

Jess gave Kell a nudge. "See? Things are looking up for you. What else can you tell us about her, Dez?"

"I know the information, Jessalynn."

"Don't you want to call me human Jessalynn? The rest of your kind does." She stepped aboard with a smile. "And I'm just curious. Do you mind?"

"If it pleases you."

"Blond hair, blue eyes. One hundred and twelve pounds. Age seventeen. Her mom is mayor Sara Davis."

"Sounds perfect. I bet she's soft-spoken and sweet-tempered like her mom. Kell, that's who you should be spending your meet and greet with."

He stepped closer to her and tucked his hands behind his back. "Dezrick, continue."

"She is healthy but when she came in, she was sick so even if her numbers were higher, she would not be an ideal match. You are immune. He is immune. That brings your odds at being able to conceive up another sixty-one percent. Add the fact you have very high compatible numbers your chances of offspring are very likely."

When the door opened, they were outside of the school. He stepped in front of her before she could step out.

"Tomorrow you need to eat breakfast, whether you like it or not. Be to classes on time. Be ready for self-defense classes because we start tomorrow. My mate is going to know how to protect herself."

Damn brick walls.