Shalia's Diary by Tracy St. John Page A

does have this kind of underlying potential for danger ... at least, that’s what my gut says.  He’s got the sharpest, most piercing gaze I’ve ever seen.  He has a certain way of being in his surroundings as if he’s on guard all the time.  His movements are fluid and graceful, but kind of like a predator too.  Being around him is like being around a friendly wolf ... you aren’t immediately afraid of him, but there’s a sense he could turn on you if he found good reason. 
     
    On the plus side, he’s very easy on the eyes.  His face is square, his jaw strong, his eyes large.  He’s slightly shorter than Dusa, but that still puts him a head taller than me.  He’s not over the top muscled, just very nicely shaped.  Yep, another enticing Kalquorian.  I think he might be even younger than Dusa, which is kind of making me feel like a cradle robber. 
     
    He bowed as Dusa introduced us, his gaze never leaving my face.  His voice was startling with its softness.  “I am honored to meet you, Matara Shalia.  You are lovelier than my Dramok described.”
     
    Dusa grinned at me.  “I didn’t have the adequate words to express how beautiful you are.”
     
    I barely restrained the urge to roll my eyes.  It was getting pretty deep, if you ask me.
     
    As for how Dusa treated me ... well, it was like we’d never had that crazy moment in the garden.  Both he and his Nobek were very polite, like their mommies had told them to be on their very best behavior.  They were careful.  They wouldn’t even come into my hospital room, choosing to stand in the hallway instead.  I soon found out why as we left.
     
    “We have to have our evening meal in a public environment rather than in our quarters,” Dusa explained.  The men guided me off the main pathways that ran between buildings.  The reason was unspoken, but I knew why they did that:  so no other Earthers would see me in the company of the enemy Kalquorians.  I appreciated their discretion.
     
    “Why is that?” I asked.  The back of the dining hall was ahead.  No way I was eating with these two in front of all those people.  Surely the P.T. had left by now, but there were plenty of others who would be quick to judge me.  I slowed.
     
    Dusa patted my shoulder, apparently guessing my thoughts.  “We’re going to eat in a semi-private room.  There will be other Kalquorians present, and maybe an Earther or two who don’t mind eating with our kind. ”
     
    I nodded and picked up my pace again.  I felt a little bad for the bigotry, but neither Dusa nor Esak seemed affronted.
     
    “To answer your question, there have been accusations from some of the Earther women that Kalquorians are taking advantage of them.”  Dusa frowned, and Esak echoed the expression.  “This has resulted in the new policy.  Without express permission from the Mataras, they are not to be in unsupervised situations with a single man or a lone clan.”
     
    I was relieved to some extent.  Now I didn’t have to worry about fending off any unwanted advances.  However, I will admit to a tiny bit of disappointment that I wouldn’t be kissing Dusa again.  Sex may not be all that great, but kissing ... the right man, at any rate ... was pretty much okey-dokey in my book.
     
    I wanted to know more, but I was afraid of offending them.  I said as much.
     
    “Feel free to ask us anything, Shalia,” Dusa encouraged me.  “It is best to know as much as possible so you are not afraid of Kalquorians.”
     
    “Okay,” I said.  “My understanding is that your people coerced ... sometimes outright abducted Earth women before the war.  During the fighting, Kalquor considered Earther females spoils of war and made them their mates.”
     
    He pressed his lips together and nodded.  “When possible, we tried to seduce Earthers into becoming our lifebringers.  But yes, Kalquor’s situation was dire.  It still is.  We have less than 300 years left before our race