Kage

“Pull! Pull! Pull!”

I grab the rope and pull again, yanking it as hard as I can. My fingers burn as the rope slips through my grasp, my feet firmly planted into the ground.

“Come on, is that all you got?! Pull!”

We — all the groomsmen, each one of us a powerful Zoran in his own right — are playing tug of war, and I am desperate to prove that I am an asset to my team. These Zorans are some of the most powerful warriors the universe has ever seen.

Egon. Kazim. Dost. The list goes on.

I need to focus. I need to prove myself. These people are my heroes. They took down Onyx, they saved our kind. This is my chance.

Instead, I keep thinking about the human female. About her hair, her eyes, her lips.

Her cunt.

My feet slips and we come tumbling over, all at once. I’m buried in a sea of colorful limbs, internally cursing myself for letting my arousal get the best of me once more. This is not befitting of a Zoran of my stature and ability.

I dust myself off as the other team celebrates. I mumble an apology to my side and head over to Torin.

“What more do you have planned this weekend?” I ask, trying to appear nonchalant.

I’m actually interested in learning more about the human females and their activities.

“Are you that eager to dance?” he laughs. “Did you visit the tailor yet? Nice man, that Valentino.”

“I did,” I answer. I’m not a fan of the way human men dress themselves, but it’s not my place to complain. It’s Torin’s union, and if he wants me to wear some ridiculous costume, then that’s what I’ll do. “I just want to know what I’m getting into.”

“Very well, nephew. Today is men’s-day,” Torin says. “I believe that’s how the humans call it. The females are having a female-day.”

“What goes on there?” I ask. I can hardly imagine them having a tug-of-war. My curiosity is piqued, however.

“You do not want to know, young one,” Torin smirks. “Next up for is is the mud-wrestle, of course. Ready to avenge yourself?”

“I will wipe the floor with you, old man,” I growl.

“That’s more like it.”

“What will we do tomorrow, though?”

“Tomorrow? You’ll see.”

“A hint?” I ask. “That’s all I’m asking.”

“I promised Nora I wouldn’t tell.”

“Technically, you’re not yet mated, right?” I say, trying every angle I can. “So you can still tell me.”

“Technically? Perhaps,” Torin laughs. “Realistically, however, we were mated the moment I laid eyes on her. I felt it in my very bones, my very fiber… the fated bonds we have are a curious thing, nephew.”

His eyes glitter as he looks up at the castle. Somewhere inside is Nora, his fated, the one who his souls belong to.

And perhaps my soulmate is in there as well.

I push that thought way. Don’t put the brahim in front of the cart. We’ve only exchanged one glance. I don’t even know the human’s name.

Still, my uncle’s words sound too familiar. First eye-contact, a feeling in my very essence…

“It’s pretty nice, huh?” Torin says.

My uncle thought I was admiring the castle instead of lost in thought about that damn female. Good.

“It’s impressive,” I concede.

“Exactly — and it’s more than five centuries old. Our suite is at the very top, right there. Inside there’s one of the best humans inventions ever: the sauna.”

“Sah-Nah?” I say. “Sounds like something a Kua would try to feed you.”

“No, sauna,” he corrects me. “It’s like a bath, but it’s not. Ah, you’ve got to experience it to believe it. Remind me later, and I’ll give you the key.”

“The key? Are you sure?”

“We won’t be using the room until the night of the union,” he explains.

“Why?”

Torin shrugs. “Human superstitions. I don’t ask too many questions. I’ve been informed it’s best to give human females what they want when it comes to these affairs. I heard a strange story about these ritual unions. Apparently, if you don’t give the human females what they want, they could transform into bridezillas.”

“Sounds fearsome,” I say. “What exactly is it?”

Torin shakes his head. “Some type of lizard monster, I assume? It must be like a ghost story they tell their human children. Be nice to mommy or she’ll become a bridezilla and eat you flesh! That sort of thing. I’m assuming.”

“Human culture is strange,” I say. “Very strange. Why would the woman transform? They are so…”

I don’t finish my sentence, because all I can come up with is attractive. Alluring. Captivating.

Torin doesn’t need to know the nature of my obsession.

“Like I said,” Torin answers. “I don’t ask too many questions.”

The other Zorans motion for us to get back to the game. Egon and Kazim are already covered in mud as they wrestle, their muscles bulging. The two warriors are quite evenly matched, and I wonder who will win.

It doesn’t matter, though, because everyone will lose to me.

“Coming!” Torin says. He slaps me on the shoulder. “Let’s go, young one.”