Light Speed by Arkadie, L. (accelerated reader books .TXT) 📕

satiny substance streaks up into thesky, then again in red, orange, yellow, purple, white, and amixture of other colors. Pretty soon the sky changes. These huespaint the atmosphere like a massive sheet swirling with a multitudeof colors over the land. And there’s music, string instrumentsechoing my favorite chords. It has to be a festival, a feast, acelebration!

“Somebody’s excited,” Na’ta mutters,smirking at me. “Always up for a party.”

Only now do I feel my mouth pulling inopposite directions forming a broad smile. That is right. I lovecelebrations!

I shrink under the power of Chex’s adoringgaze. My feet are eager to take me toward the music. There’s even asweet aroma in the air: food is roasting. I wonder if the Ugu Magconsume the flesh of beasts. Earth humans do.

“I’ll go scope it out,” Telman says, andthen glances at Chex and me. “Just to make sure they don’t filetinvaders.”

Na’ta nods her approval. They work solidlyas a team. I have never seen them communicate so efficiently insuch a manner. Usually when I’m with both of them, we are in Enuand Na’ta has returned after antagonizing the sea creature whoguards the gates of a buried universe. Of course then I thought sheand Telman engaged in such actions for their amusement, but fromwhat Na’ta said earlier, it was Father who sent her into the armsof peril. However, I’m still confused about why she would choose tokeep that from me.

Telman is gone and then before we can feelhis absence, he’s back.

“Oh, yeah,” he says emphatically. “We shouldjoin this fun, but we should leave our clothes right here.”

“They really don’t wear clothes?” Chex asks,suddenly slightly ambivalent.

“They really don’t,” Na’ta repliessarcastically and lifts her arms and turns to face Telman. “Hit mevamp.”

Before I can blink my eyes once, she’snaked. Chex quickly turns his head, refusing to look at her. “Wait.You’re doing that right here?” He thumbs toward Na’ta. “I see her?And you see her?” He’s thumbing toward me now.

Both Telman and Na’ta grin at him; they’revery tickled by Chex’s reaction. “He’s already seen her naked amillion times,” Na’ta says with a sniff. “And I’m not putting myclothes back on because you can’t take it. I thought you were allinto this….”

“We don’t have to do this if you’reuncomfortable,” I say to Chex.

Na’ta lets out a forceful sigh. “It’s justmy tits and a pubic bone. You’ve been previewing Adore’s ever sinceI joined you. And don’t worry; you’re a male. Telman had to pickhis jaw off the ground the first time he saw Adore and Tapeetha inthe raw. Just let your jaw drop, we don’t mind.”

What she says is true.

“That’s not it,” Chex barks. “There’snothing about you that turns me on.”

“Ouch!” Na’ta says, grinning facetiously.“That doesn’t even hurt.”

“Then what the hell is it?” Telman asks,losing patience.

“I don’t know; it’s respect for Ad’ru.” Helooks at me.

“Oh,” I say liberally, “I don’t mind. Thebody is not meant to be covered. I only wear the pal’k when I’mamong Earth creatures.”

Chex studies me. I wonder what he’ssearching for. But at the end of his study he says, “Okay, thenlet’s join them.”

I smile and raise my arms like Na’ta did.“My turn.”

Chex takes a cautious side-eyed glance atTelman, who’s still grimacing impatiently. But he does it. Suddenlythe warm and wet air glazes my bare skin. I haven’t felt this freein a long time. After noting how happy I am, Chex kisses me gentlyon the lips.

“Hey, Chex…” Telman shakes his hands, whichis his way of asking what in the world is he doing. He thinks thisis not the time for a kiss. Telman and Na’ta are not kissers orhand-holders. They rarely watch each other in that same lustful waythat our other sisters and their bonds gape at each other. Ichuckle softly, realizing that I have finally joined their ranks. Ihave a vampire who lusts for me and I for him. Finally—Iunderstand.

When we are all undressed, Na’ta tucks ourclothes away in a safe place. This is an enjoyable walk. The grassbeneath our feet is sumptuous, like that of a well-tilled valley,and the trees are bushy and abundant, like a dense forest. Thewinged fowls whistle and squawk from the branches and over there inthe distance, my eyes behold their first primate.

I come to a stop. The primate and I observeeach other curiously.

“Go on,” Chex tells Na’ta and Telman, “We’llcatch up.”

I can’t see Na’ta’s reaction but I can feelit. She’s not happy about leaving me behind, but soon she streaksoff with Telman. Chex steps up beside me and curls his arm aroundmy waist. That’s when the creature jumps up and down, flailing itsbony, brown hairy arms while warning me in throaty coots.

“It’s saying blood drinker,” Itranslate.

“You can understand the chimp?” Chex’s tonerings curiously.

“Yes…” I’m barely audible because I’m justas surprised as he is. “Rek tek con’um lek’um,” I call outin Enuian.

“What did you just say?” Chex asks withouttaking his eyes off the primate.

The primate coos again.

“I told him that I let you drink myblood.”

“What’s he saying now?”

“He wants to greet me but he can’t if you’reclose. He says you’re predator.”

“Smart animal,” Chex mumbles. I believe Ihear sadness buried deep in his tone.

The primate finally springs up into a treeand hops from one branch to another. We watch it until it journeysout of our sight.

“What would you have done if I wasn’t hereto interfere with you and the chimp?” Chex asks, grinning. I detectthat he is being humorous.

I gaze far off as my fantasies paintpictures in my head. “I think we would’ve played.”

“Played? How?”

“In the trees.” I turn to see that his grinhas enlarged.

“Is that what you do in Enu all day long,play?”

“Yes,” I answer frankly.

“You’re shitting me, right?”

“If you’re asking if I’m being truthful,then yes. I swim the seas, climb the mountains; explore theforests, caves, valleys, and all the other hidden gems of ourland.” I sigh nostalgically. “That was my life. Before….”

“Me,” he asks quietly.

“Before the moment I was beguiled out of myuniverse."

The silence holds the voices of birds and myears behold so many types of them. I always wished there wereanimals and insects in Enu. Sometimes the Weks take the form ofboth but